MATT DRISCOLL: FUNDING TACOMA SCHOOLS IS VITAL>>>

This just in from Marty Campbell, who's leading the charge to pass the Tacoma School Bond Measure on March 10.

TACOMA, WA, FEBRUARY 23, 2009: Today the Tacoma-Pierce County Association of Realtors have endorsed the Tacoma School Bond Measure on the upcoming March 10th ballot.

Cheryl O'Brien, 2009 President of TPCAR said "We realize that Schools are an important part of our community and we are proud to be supporting this bond measure."

In addition to their endorsement, they sent a $1000 check to fully show support for Tacoma Schools and the Tacoma Community.

They believe, as do many other groups and organizations, that this measure will provide much needed renovations and upgrades to schools in the Tacoma School District that are rapidly deteriorating.

Check out the Weekly Volcano this Thursday for our stance on the Tacoma School Bond Measure. (Here's a hint: We think reading is important.)

JAKE DE PAUL: FLAPJACKS >>>

As part of National Pancake Day today, participating IHOP restaurants will be giving out free short stacks of buttermilk pancakes from 7 a.m. to 10 p.m. â€" no coupon or purchase necessary. IHOP patrons, however, are asked to donate the price of the meal â€" or more â€" to a local children's hospital or charity.

More details here.

Find an IHOP near you here.

Eat something completely different here.

BOBBLE TIKI: BREAKFAST WITH BOBBLE TIKI >>>

Woo hoo! They are partying like it’s 1997 down on Wall Street.

OK, everyone back in the water. Adult Swim is over.

Charles Barkley will spend some time where no one can witness the full brilliance of his mistake/miscalculation/total idiocy, save for maybe a handful of scary thugs and the hairy guy in the corner screaming bible verses into the toilet.

“I have already talked to (Defense Secretary Robert) Gates about a thorough review of the helicopter situation. The helicopter I have now seems perfectly adequate to me.”

Jell-O wrestling down down down under.

The greatest love story of our generation.

Chain-smokin’ Food Network chef Paula Deen drop trou at the South Beach Food and Wine Festival.

VOLCANO STAFF: FIVE THINGS TO DO TODAY >>>

Here are the five best events going down in the South Sound and the surrounding area today, Feb. 24, 2009 â€"  as selected by the folks at the Weekly Volcano.

A film in which a small boy gets permanently blinded by someone deliberately pouring hot liquid onto his eyeballs while he’s unconscious is the best film of the year â€" and still in the theaters.

Tacoma Art Museum hosts a better than your average biennial

What Laura Says plays the New Frontier Lounge tonight.

The Granddaddy of South Sound open mics starts at 7 p.m. tonight at the Antique Sandwich Company.

Local jazz sax great Kareem Kandi and crew play Pour at Four wine bar tonight.

LINK: ViVA arts and entertainment calendar

LINK: Tonight’s live music and DJs spinning in the South Sound

RON SWARNER: IT’S RECORD RELEASE DAY >>>

Chris Isaak, Mr. Lucky (Reprise Records)

Xiu Xiu, You Can’t Hear Me (DVD)

And Then There Were None, Who Speaks for Planet Earth? (Tooth & Nail)

Joe Bonamassa, The Ballad of John Henry (Premier Artists)

Company of Thieves, Ordinary Riches (Wind-up)

Lamb of God, Wrath (Epic/Sony)

Black Lips, 200 Million Thousand (Vice)

The Bran Flakes, I Have Hands (Illegal Art)

Steve Wilson, Insurgents (Kscope)

J.J. Cale, Roll On (Rounder)

K’Naan, Troubadour (A&M/Octone)

Van Morrison, Astral Weeks Live At the Hollywood Bowl

Various Artists, War Child presents Heroes (Astralwerks)

STEVE DUNKELBERGER: $2 WELLS, $2 BEERS, $2 TACOS >>>

One would think that a plate of $2 tacos would be little more than some sort of meat matter slapped between some sort of corn matter. That would not be the case at Tightwad Tuesday at Hell's Kitchen. The tacos actually have flavor and rival the heft of something at Taco Del Mar. And of course the tacos weighed in a about a pound each. Yes, that is $2 for two tacos, not one. Grubbing eats.

The tacos are one-third of the Kitchen’s regular Tuesday deals. The other two-thirds includes $2 beers and $2 wells.

Terrance Koehn and his gaggle of friends have come to Tightwad Tuesdays for a while, making the bar their second living rooms.

"This is really the only place we know a lot of these people, but we see them here every week," he says.

Won’t you be Terrance’s friends, too?

[Hell’s Kitchen, every Tuesday, 5 p.m., 3829 Sixth Ave., Tacoma, 253.759.6003]

CHUCK DULA: I GOT FATTER LAST WEEK >>>

Editor's note: As you may recall, Weekly Volcano scribe Chuck Dula struck a deal with a bisexual female friend of his. If he can lose 25 pounds by May 1, then said friend - and another female to be determined later - will have a three-way with Mr. Dula. That's what I call inspiration. Chuck will be chronicling his weight loss efforts every Tuesday here on Spew. Below you'll find the latest installment in Chuck's quest to be less fat and have sex with two women at the same time. Enjoy.

Beginning weight: 184

I figured out last week that I really like food. I spent so much time examining this intense love for all things greasy that I gained 2.5 pounds. I knew this time would come but I had no idea it would happen after only two months. So, due to these recent developments, the next week of my life is going to be a living hell. I am going to do the Atkin’s carb thingy. Chicken, cottage cheese, steak, and eggs will help lay the foundation for some unhealthy, but quick, weight loss. Along with this, I am continuing to work out. Last week I horrified the poor lady next to me. As she was walking up her Stairmaster at a steady pace and enjoying her new novel, which was no doubt about the subtleties of a lovers quarrel, she only need look to her right to see “fatty Chuck” lumbering up the death stairs (no doubt the workout machine of Darth Vader). I was breathing harder than Lewis Carrol at a Jonas Brother’s concert. And after I extricated myself from this vile instrument of torture I ate some Taco Bell. Fuck it.

Ending Weight: 186.5

MATT DRISCOLL: OBAMA’S CALMING REASSURANCE >>>

As you’ve probably heard, President Obama is set to deliver a nationally televised address to a joint session of Congress tonight, which will start at 6 pm our time, and â€" surprise surprise â€" focus on the busted and broken American economy. (He will, however, be wearing a shirt.)

Didn’t see that one coming, did you?

If you’re like most people, these wild and wooly economic times we find ourselves in are enough to scare one straight â€" or curvy, depending on where one starts. Uncertainty is high and anxiety is even higher. People are no doubt looking for something to feel good about.

So, that said, what could Obama possibly say tonight that would make you sleep easier?

To add fuel to that fire, here are a few perspectives.

LINK: David Brooks is, like, the best conservative ever.

LINK: Robert Reich says the stimulus is too small, and vowing to cut the deficit was probably stupid.

LINK: Dowd says Obama needs to be more hopeful.

LINK: Some funny looking cartoon guy from the Washington Post says Obama has some explaining to do tonight.