South by Southwest Interactive, the portion of the internationally-known conference focused on technology, brought in top minds from across the globe to talk about boundary-pushing issues. Obscure ideas discussed at past SXSWi conferences have often times found ways of becoming mainstream.

Topics ranging from citizen journalism to HTML5 coding were covered during this year’s five-day conference. Nerdy talk and breakthrough technology was a panel discussing the future of higher education among the big names.

Hoots and hollers greeted Gov. Rick Perry as he stepped to the podium Tuesday night after accepting a concession from rival Sen. Kay Bailey Hutchinson.

Perry, the incumbent who will face Democrat Bill White in November’s general election, held a watch party at the Salt Lick Barbecue in Driftwood. His supporters drank beer and wine, smiled and chatted around a campfire as they watched Perry hold a steady lead throughout the night.

The governor consistently maintained the 51 percentage points needed to avoid a run-off throughout the night.

Nobody was injured when a fire broke at a local pet shop and feed store on LBJ Street Sunday.

Melissa Millecam, communication director for the City of San Marcos, said she did not know the condition of pets housed in the shop.

Krista Essen was working out on an elliptical machine Tuesday afternoon as she does two or three times a week at the Student Rec Center.

Essen, exercise and sports science freshman, said she did not think much about sustainable or alternative energy while working out, but that might change. Essen and other students using the elliptical machines at the Student Rec Center will help power the campus while they burn calories beginning next week.

A single vehicle knocked out all of downtown’s power Tuesday night after the driver lost control and ran into a utility pole.

“What happened here is basically the same thing that happens in heavy weather conditions,” said Fire Marshall Ken Bell. “When a wire starts bouncing around and it hits a primary system, it causes a reaction at the substation and it responds by opening the safety circuits which cause the power to go out.”

Bell said he sees large power outages like Tuesday’s approximately a dozen times in a year.

A single vehicle knocked out all of downtown’s power last Tuesday after the driver lost control and ran into a utility pole. 

“What happened here is basically the same thing that happens in heavy weather conditions,” Bell said. “When a wire starts bouncing around and it hits a primary system it causes a reaction at the substation and it responds by opening the safety circuits which causes the power to go out.”

Fire Marshall Ken Bell said he sees large power outages like last night’s about a dozen times in a year. 

November is the prickliest month.

Residents across the United States are participating in No Shave November.

Men throw their Gillette’s into the storage cabinet and declare they will not shave until Dec. 1. UrbanDictionary.com describes it as “The month of November in which you don’t shave any hair of your body but instead you grow more bestial, brutish and manly.”

But what are the advantages of going a whole month without trimming the soup catcher?