BigSleep666

2009-03-26T18:10:00.001-05:00

Five Things

2009-02-09T20:44:00.001-06:00

Awesome

2009-02-06T13:21:00.001-06:00

TONIGHT! 6:45!

2009-02-03T16:39:00.002-06:00

News from Austin Books...
Fanboys Premiere This Friday
Local writer Ernie Cline told us recently that the comic shop featured in his upcoming movie Fanboys is based on Austin Books! Don't believe us? Take a look at the website for the movie's fictional Hole in the Wall Comics... it says so! Seeing as that we'd never chase off a Trekkie (some of us are Trek fans,) we'll assume we inspired the best parts of Hole in the Wall.

In Fanboys, it's 1998 and Star Wars fans around the world are eagerly waiting for Episode I. One group of friends make the decision to road trip to George Lucas's Skywalker Ranch to steal and be the first fans to see the movie. There's appearances by Seth Rogen, William Shatner, Carrie Fisher, Danny McBride, Billy Dee Williams, Kevin Smith, and even William Shatner! Plus, Kristen Bell as a comic shop employee. Hooray!

Since Austin is Cline's home, he fought for it to be one of the cities Fanboys will be premiering in. It opens Friday at the Alamo Ritz in lovely downtown Austin. If you can make it to the 6:45 showing, you'll catch the Star Wars costume contest that we'll be donating some prizes for!

2009-02-02T09:35:00.000-06:00

Cheers!
"I did a lot of things that were mostly right."
- GOV. ROD R. BLAGOJEVICH, at his impeachment trial in Illinois.

2009-01-30T09:35:00.001-06:00

Things the Obamas Do

2009-01-29T15:38:00.002-06:00

I Deserve a Career in Industrial Plumbing Design
Also, I want to make urinals in more creative shapes, like a urinal shaped like Osama Bin Laden, so that all true, good, patriotic Americans can show their stripes whenever they enter a public restroom by peeing into Osama Bin Laden's mouth.
Or just a urinal shaped like the word "TERRORISM", so that we can all be like this beloved patriot:

Take that, al-Qaeda! U.S.A. #1!

2009-01-27T14:03:00.001-06:00

"MOTHERFUCKER! DRINK IT!"
I want to make an energy drink and call it "MOTHERFUCKER!"
...
"MOTHERFUCKER! IT'S WHAT YOU NEED!"

2009-01-26T17:14:00.002-06:00

Fanboys

2009-01-21T17:06:00.000-06:00

Video Game Cinema Haiku
Uwe Boll beating
up his critics makes up for
his lousy movies.

Repudiated
sequels, thy name is BloodRayne
II: Deliverance

House of the Dead gives
us faith that when crisis comes,
ravers will save us.

Acid heads throughout
the world rejoice to news of
a Tetris movie.

New Hire Training at Smash TV Haiku
"Go out there and beat
the guy with the machine gun!
Here's your baseball bat."

2009-01-19T10:22:00.002-06:00

Speaking the Spoken the Art of Verse
Austin's one and only true open-mic
Hosted by
Zell Miller III

featuring "Graffiti Tongue" Austin premier female hip-hop group

and Mike Whalen (neo-soul coach, under 21 coach, member of Austin Ego’s Slam Team)

and Members of Xenogia Spoken Word Collective

When: MLK Day. Monday, January 19, 2009 6:30-9pm

How Much: $1.00 for readers; Audience $2.00

Limited Seating.

For information call 512-478-LAVA (5282)

Where: The VORTEX Café, 2307 Manor Rd. Austin, TX 78722

1/2 mile East of I-35, between Chestnut and Maple

Bus route #20, Free Parking, Wheelchair accessible.

Now serving Hot Spiced Wine, Ruta Maya Coffee, Tamales and Sweets, and a great assortment of beer in The VORTEX Café.

This amazing night of poetry celebrates change and transformation as we join together in a new year, on a a day honoring Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., on the eve of the inauguration of Barack Obama. There is a lot to be poetic about and we welcome those who want to read or recite their work.

Along with the open mic list, we will feature youth poets, rappers, and special guests.

The VORTEX is located at 2307 Manor Rd Austin, Tx 78722.

For more information please call 478-5282.

www.vortexrep.org

"the dignity of the artist lies in his (or her) duty of keeping awake the sense of wonder in the world" G.K. Chesterton

2009-01-15T09:56:00.002-06:00

WTF, Afghanistan!?!?!?
One morning two months ago, Shamsia Husseini and her sister were walking through the muddy streets to the local girls school when a man pulled alongside them on a motorcycle and posed what seemed like an ordinary question.

"Are you going to school?"

Then the man pulled Shamsia’s burqa from her head and sprayed her face with burning acid. Scars, jagged and discolored, now spread across Shamsia’s eyelids and most of her left cheek. These days, her vision goes blurry, making it hard for her to read.

- Afghan Girls, Scarred by Acid, Defy Terror, Embracing School

2009-01-09T12:27:00.002-06:00

Damn.
John, my relatives are Sunni, Christian and Shi'ite. They've been living under Saddam's dictatorship for thirty years. I've lost more relatives in the last four years, than under 30 years of Saddam. So, I don't think that you can tell me how dangerous Saddam's dictatorship was.
- woman in an audience giving John Bolton what for

2009-01-08T09:48:00.002-06:00

four times four
My friend Meg kicks my ass again with her new story up on
http://showedandtold.blogspot.com/: four times four
(http://showedandtold.blogspot.com/2008/12/four-times-four.html)

2009-01-07T14:16:00.001-06:00

WTF, Mexico!?!?!?
On Nov. 10, a dozen of the gunmen arrived at Mr. Márquez’s warehouse, dragging him out, bashing him and several employees with rifle butts and then hauling him away. He was held blindfolded for 30 hours as the kidnappers demanded $500,000 for his freedom, Mr. Márquez said in an interview. Eventually his family agreed to a smaller ransom, Mr. Márquez said. When his son delivered the money, the kidnappers released Mr. Márquez but seized his son, demanding a second ransom, which the family also paid, Mr. Márquez said.
- Kidnappings in Mexico Send Shivers Across Border

2008-12-29T16:01:00.002-06:00

"I'll Take Failed Attempts at Black Empowerment in '70s Comic Books for $300, Alex"

2008-12-26T19:01:00.003-06:00

Taylor Swift is like a Country-Version of Dashboard Confessional
in that they're both very attractive people who sing sad songs about how no one loves them.

2008-12-22T14:08:00.000-06:00

LIAR!!!
I was watching a Hannity and Colmes clip on Crooks and Liars where the conservative was clearly lying. Colmes tried to use sarcasm to get him to admit the truth. I thought, on the other hand, it would have been much better if he started screaming "LIAR! YOU'RE A FILTHY LIAR!!! YOU ARE LYING!!! YOU'RE A LYING LIAR, YOU LIAR! LIES!!!"

2008-12-18T12:49:00.002-06:00

My Mom Is Small, but Still Deserves Respect
Last night, I went petite sweater shopping for my mom, who is petite and not warm enough. I went to Dillard's and saw lots of small, horrible clothes. Next, I went to JC Penny, where the situation wasn't much better. I got the least offensive petite sweaters they had and moved on. And then I felt bad for my mom, who has been shopping in the petite section for decades. Doesn't she deserve to dress herself as if she hasn't given up on life? Apparently, the petite clothing industry pushes an agenda where they believe petite women are all sexless grandmas who should be dressed in attraction-deflector shields. "Here's a two-piece suit of gold and black with buttons the size of your grandchildren's heads designed to both repel others and disgrace yourself. Now retreat to your shame bunker, hobbit!"
...
Apparently, there are clothing stores designed for petite women that offer clothes that are not shameful. Apparently, Dillard's and JC Penny are not these stores.

2008-12-17T16:09:00.000-06:00

Take This, FOX News Babes!

Eat hot Campbell Brown!

2008-12-12T14:00:00.000-06:00

Say Anything Youth Open Mic this weekend!!!
Saturday December 13, 2008 (4:00-7:00)
Feature: Ron Horne (member of the Texas Youth Word Collective and the 2002 Corpus Christi Poetry Slam Team)!
Host: J Redd (member of The Cipher)!
Resident Turntablist: DJ PowerTripp
http://www.myspace.com/sayanythingyouthopenmic

Say Anything Youth Open Mic is now at
Kick Butt Coffee
5775 Airport Blvd., #725
Austin, TX 78752
(512) 454-KICK
http://www.kickbuttcoffee.com/
http://www.myspace.com/kickbuttcoffee

2008-12-10T09:26:00.001-06:00

City Wide Youth Poetry Slam Saturday, December 13 7pm
AUSTIN CITY-WIDE UNDER-21 POETRY SLAM SEASON #7!
NEW LOCATION!!!
Presented by the Texas Youth Word Collective

EVENT: Austin City Wide Under-21 Poetry Slam
DATE & TIME: Saturday, December 13th, 2008 7pm–9 pm
ADMISSION: $5.00 cover, free for slam participants and under 5
PLACE: 501 Studios
501 Brushy Street
Austin, Texas 78702
http://www.mapquest.com/maps?city=Austin&state=TX&address=501+Brushy&zipcode=78702
Downtown – One Block East of I35, One Block South of Sixth Street
CONTACTS: Ron Horne (512) 632-5033, Co-Director
Dr. Sheila Siobhan (512) 422-6653, Co-Director
E-Mail: u21slam@yahoo.com
Website: www.txywc.org

Last month, we started this new season in our new home at the 501 Studios, a block east of the IH-35 freeway and a block south of Sixth Street thanks to Austin Slam Pappy, Mike Henry, Grand Poobah of the National Poetry Slam. The house warming gift: an all female head-to-head team battle royal between the youth (Shay, the 2007 City Wide Champ and two time member of the Austin Under 21 Slam Team with Madison, the new 14-year-old wunderkind) versus the veterans (Michelle Desiree, member of the Neo Soul National Poetry Slam team [2nd in the nation] and Phoenix, the new kid on the Neo Soul scene). It was a friendly family feud and the youth poets took it fair and square. Members of the youth poetry group The Cipher also made cameo appearances to add their own seasoning to this spicy spoken word sauce. All that, plus the stylings of DJ F. Scott made for a nice warm up for the new season at the new spot.

So, now it is time for all the youth of Austin to gather at their new home, spoken word’s version of The Octagon, to compete for a spot on the team we will take to The Chi, Chicago, Illinois, home of the Deep Dish Pizza, the Fire Dog (a HUGE hot dog with pickles and tomatoes), Common, Kanye, and the nation’s first African-American President, Barack Obama. Those participants between the ages of 13 and 19 will be eligible to compete for the trip to the 2009 Brave New Voices International Youth Poetry Slam Festival in Chicago.

As we mentioned last month, this 2008-2009 City Wide Youth Poetry Slam season is dedicated to 20 year old Shannon Leigh, three time member of the Austin Under 21 Slam Team and two time City Wide champion, and co-founder of the Austin Under 21 Poetry Slam who passed away last summer. She was a trailblazer for how writing and performance could lift the lives of young people here in Austin and across the country. We encourage youth to come to the City Wide this year and honor the spirit of what Shannon stood for: freedom, expression, courage, dedication and compassion. May their words and the audiences that hear them breath her voice.

So, we invite you to come see what all the excitement is about and be inspired by the voices and leaders of tomorrow. Please come for a night of stirring, thought-provoking poetry. This project is funded in part by the City of Austin through the Cultural Arts Division and by a grant from the Texas Commission on the Arts.

2008-12-09T10:07:00.000-06:00

Katie Cowden Has an Art Show!

2008-12-06T15:45:00.000-06:00

Xmas Unwrapped 08!
OPENING DECEMBER 4TH!

X-Mas UnWrapped:
A Holiday Burlesque '08
Directed by Melissa Livingston
December 4-20 at Hyde Park Theatre
511 W. 43rd Street
Thursdays - Saturdays at 9:00pm
Tickets: $15.00 in advance, $20.00 at the door
Reservations: call 474-TIXS or visit www.nowplayingaustin.com/austix

Tis the Season! Once a year the Hyde Park Theatre turns into a naughty winter wonderland, and the guys and gals of Shrewd become your favorite Jingle Belles and Naughty Elves for a night of comedy, dance and classic burlesque. Shrewd Productions is proud to announce this year's version of your favorite holiday treat, X-Mas UnWrapped: A Holiday Burlesque '08! We're bringing back some of the best numbers from years past, and we have a host of new numbers sure to make the holidays all the merrier!

Photography by Cory Ryan

Featuring Kristen Bennett, Jerry Joe Benson, Alisha Golding, Shannon Grounds, Cassandra Guard, T. Lynn Mikeska, Troy Miller, Marisa Pisano, Justin Scalise, Sarah Skelton, Mike Whalen and Amae Weiss, with set design by Jason Hays, lighting design by Lindsay McKay and sound by by Skipper Chong Warson.

Shrewd Productions is committed to creating theatre that is well-produced, thoughtful, provocative, and entertaining; concentrating on women's voices, new plays, and work developed though a collaborative artistic approach.

Shrewd is: Jerry Joe Benson, Monika Bustamante, Shawn Farrell, Kathleen Fletcher, Shannon Grounds, Jason Hays, Jude Hickey, Anne Hulsman, Melissa Livingston, T. Lynn Mikeska and Valerie Redd, and Advisory Board Members Christopher Dove, Christina J. Moore, Ken Webster and Cyndi Williams.

Shrewd Productions is proudly sponsored by the Austin Circle of Theaters.

This project funded in part by the City of Austin through the Cultural Arts Division and by a grant from the Texas Commission on the Arts and the National Endowment for Arts that believes a great nation deserves great art.

www.shrewdproductions.com

2008-12-05T12:25:00.000-06:00

Introducing the newest Jingle Belle
OPENING DECEMBER 4TH!

Introducing our newest Jingle Belle, Amae Weiss!

Amae started classes with Megha Gavin in 2001 learning American Tribal Style Bellydance. She studied with Betty Karam in 2002 learning Classical Egyptian forms, and with Sunanda Nair, studying Mohini Attam - a style of Classical Indian dance. During the past six years, Amae has continued to immerse herself in exploring belly dance. She has been taking workshops all over the United States with such well-known dancers as Aisha Ali, Artemis, Amaya, Amel Tafsout, Sahrah Saeeda, Morrocco, and Ansuya. Amae will be receving her Teacher training certficate from Hadia in October 2006.
Amae's highlights have been performing for the Syrian and Lebanese Convention in New Orleans with the Al-Layali band for an audience of over 500, performing for the Turkish American Association, and performing for the Arts for Arts Sake with Dances without Borders.

X-Mas UnWrapped:
A Holiday Burlesque '08
Directed by Melissa Livingston
December 4-20 at Hyde Park Theatre
511 W. 43rd Street
Thursdays - Saturdays at 9:00pm
Tickets: $15.00 in advance, $20.00 at the door
Reservations: call 474-TIXS or visit www.nowplayingaustin.com/austix

Tis the Season! Once a year the Hyde Park Theatre turns into a naughty winter wonderland, and the guys and gals of Shrewd become your favorite Jingle Belles and Naughty Elves for a night of comedy, dance and classic burlesque. Shrewd Productions is proud to announce this year's version of your favorite holiday treat, X-Mas UnWrapped: A Holiday Burlesque '08! We're bringing back some of the best numbers from years past, and we have a host of new numbers sure to make the holidays all the merrier!

Photography by Cory Ryan

Featuring Kristen Bennett, Jerry Joe Benson, Alisha Golding, Shannon Grounds, Cassandra Guard, T. Lynn Mikeska, Troy Miller, Marisa Pisano, Justin Scalise, Sarah Skelton, Mike Whalen and Amae Weiss, with set design by Jason Hays, lighting design by Lindsay McKay and sound by by Skipper Chong Warson.

Shrewd Productions is committed to creating theatre that is well-produced, thoughtful, provocative, and entertaining; concentrating on women's voices, new plays, and work developed though a collaborative artistic approach.

Shrewd is: Jerry Joe Benson, Monika Bustamante, Shawn Farrell, Kathleen Fletcher, Shannon Grounds, Jason Hays, Jude Hickey, Anne Hulsman, Melissa Livingston, T. Lynn Mikeska and Valerie Redd, and Advisory Board Members Christopher Dove, Christina J. Moore, Ken Webster and Cyndi Williams.

Shrewd Productions is proudly sponsored by the Austin Circle of Theaters.

This project funded in part by the City of Austin through the Cultural Arts Division and by a grant from the Texas Commission on the Arts and the National Endowment for Arts that believes a great nation deserves great art.

www.shrewdproductions.com