MICHAEL SWAN: APRIL 30, 2009 >>>

1. Tonight, the jazzy, jammy Josh Hegg will awe onlookers with his mad acoustic guitar skill from 7-9 p.m. as part of Doyle’s “On The House” music series, which means no cover.

2. Tacoma Poet Laureate William Kupinse will read from Fallow with local poet Hans Ostrom tonight at the University of Puget Sound. In addition, Tacoma Mayor Bill Baarsma will introduce the 2009 Tacoma Poet Laureate. Both books will be available for purchase. For more details, go here.

3. More than 75 Pierce and Thurston county restaurant owners will participate in the Dining Out for Life event tonight. Twenty-five percent of the night’s proceeds from food and non-alcoholic drink sales will be donated to AIDS prevention and care in Pierce and Thurston counties. For a full list of participating restaurants in Pierce, Thurston or King Counties go here.

4. Ed Hoffman’s Burning Man photos at Art House Design are burning hot images of the freewheeling annual celebration of art in the burning sands of Nevada's Black Rock Desert.

5. Yes, it’s that time again: The Grand Cinema’s 72-Hour Film Festival enters its fifth year. The filmmaking teams will assemble tonight at 7 p.m., submit their films Sunday, May 3, and the movies will be screened Friday, May 8 at the Rialto Theater (call 253.572.6062 for tickets). Hang out at The Grand tonight and watch filmmakers scatter.

LINK: Live music and DJs in the South Sound

Photo by John Crouc

STEPH DEROSA: HOOKED ON A FEELING >>>

We’re in Tacoma, damnit!  Not Seattle! 

The audience today at the 1 p.m. Pantages Theater taping of popular NBC television show America’s Got Talent had no problem getting that point across to host Nick Cannon. It was (almost) unanimously agreed upon that the taping should from then on be referred to as “Here in Washington state.”  It seemed to make everyone happy, as we here in Tacoma have our pride, and were not about to let him say, “Sure is good to be here in SEATTLE.” 

But that soon became neither here nor there as Bandito Betty and I witnessed talented individual after talented individual declare that they were, in fact, from Idaho.  Our Tacoma pride bubbles were eventually busted.

Before we had found our front row balcony seats, we had been in a line outside Pantages doors that seemed to stretch from here to Idaho, with no end in sight.  Fortunately for me, Bandito Betty and her charming personality got us the hook up where we were escorted over to an elite group of people who would be in the background shot of David Hasselhoff getting out of his town car on Broadway.  Big ups to Brenden for showing his chivalry and allowing us to stand front and center of all his fellow military brothers.

Inside, after at least a 45-minute wait in our awesome seats â€" the talents, so to speak, began taking the stage.  First victim to the throws of judges Piers Morgan, Sharon Osbourne, and David Hasselhoff was a familiar bacon snout from my days of emceeing at Tacoma’s New Year’s Eve celebration: First Night. It was Valentine’s Pigs, and they were damn cute.  Unfortunately they did not make the cut, which would’ve sent them to the next talent round to be held in Las Vegas.

Of those very few and fortunate to be passed on to the next Las Vegas round were: A 13-year-old comedian, a 49-year-old man whose act involves body manipulation, and a 43-year-old singer.

I’m calling it right now.  I’m calling the winner, and you can quote me on this: This 43-year-old female I mentioned above will go very far, if not WIN the entire million dollar grand prize.  She. Was. Amazing. I literally cried as she expressed her love for singing, but that her physical disability had held her back from attempting to reach her dream of stardom.  Once applying for a position on a cruise ship, she had been turned away before even opening her mouth.  She was judged by this cruise line solely on her looks.  Shame on you, non-specific cruise line!  This girl will go very far in the competition, mark my words.

Later in the show, one of the funniest and most original acts took the neon stage as a young man and his guitar introduced what would be referred to as “A love song for a crush I think just about everyone’s had.”  The song was about a man’s love for The Hoff, and it was hilarious.  Piers Morgan passed him through just to get Hasselhoff’s goat.  Brilliant.

I have no idea when this episode will be aired, but look for Bandito and me, we’re the only ones there who wore sweatshirts and no make up.  Guess we forgot to read the fine print that said: “nice evening attire.”  But then, yelling at Nick Cannon “Take off your shirt!” wouldn’t have seemed as trashy as we wanted it to be.  Nice evening attire?  I don’t think so.

WEEKLY VOLCANO: ON THE COVER THIS WEEK >>>

Mark Thomas Deming is the man.

And no, I don’t mean THE MAN â€" that would be disparaging.

I mean the dude rules. He’s awesome. And he’s about as snug as they come.

This week, Mr. Deming is everywhere. Not only does one of the Volcano’s best writers grace the cover of City Arts Magazine this month with a story on Tacoma’s CLAW (definitely worth a read), but Deming takes on the Volcano cover this week too, and looks at free-range workers â€" those who’ve flown the corporate coop and are never looking back.

It’s insightful, well written, and dare I say, inspirational.

Check it out by clicking here.

PAUL SCHRAG: BAR OWNERS GET THE SHAFT FROM LEGISLATORS >>>

There’s no way this latest legislative session was going to be good. For anyone. Legislators know it, and now business owners and citizens will know it in no uncertain terms.

“Unfortunately, the people of Washington will feel the pain of the difficult choices required to address the budget crisis. Like nearly every other state, we are managing our way through a deep recession, and severe budget cuts across the entire government were unavoidable,” said Gov. Chris Gregoire in her official post-session agitprop. “We also prepared our state for a 21st century economy â€" especially in the monumental steps we took to build a transportation system that will create jobs and help us emerge stronger from this recession.”

Well, yes. Probably. But there are some people that will feel the bite of all these legislative adjustments more than others. Discover who they are here

MATT DRISCOLL: HAD TOO MUCH TO THINK LAST NIGHT >>>

As you’ve probably heard â€" aside from a looming, Gov. Gregoire ordered special session â€" the Washington State 2009 Legislature has called it quits for the year. The 105 day gauntlet has come to an end.

The decisions have been made, and the axes have fallen. Now it’s time for the spin job to begin.

In this week’s editorial I took a look at â€" far and away â€" the ’09 legislature’s biggest mistake.

Cutting 40,000 people from Basic Health was as low as it gets. The make-believe savings of such a move is only matched by the shame democrats in control should feel when they look in the mirror.

To read this week’s Volcano editorial, click here.

MATT DRISCOLL: CINCO DE MAYO IN A TACO SHELL >>>

Admit it, hombre. You’ve got no idea what Cinco de Mayo is all about.

I mean actually all about, not just that Cinco de Mayo is that super fun day in May when you drink so much Mexican beer that your mouth goes numb, that day when you once took your top off at a Taco Del Mar, that day when you drink margaritas the size of your head. Of course you know all of that â€" look at your track record. I’m digging deeper.

I mean to say you’ve got no idea what the history of Cinco de Mayo is, why it’s a holiday in the first place, what foods Mexicans actually eat â€" for real â€" on the day, and why the powers that be have been able to convince you into buying ungodly amounts of Corona in its name.

It’s OK. You’re not alone. Read what I discovered here.

ANNOUNCER: A REVIEW OF THE WORLD CAFE IN PUYALLUP >>>

A strip mall in Puyallup’s South Hill area certainly doesn’t seem like a destination for soothing, healthy dining. However, that’s exactly where the recently opened World Cafe sits. A well-utilized earth tone color palette for the walls, booths and tables; instrumental world music, high ceilings and an abundance of live greenery complete the vibrant visual appeal that masks South Meridian’s five lanes of madness lurking outside.

The health-conscious, environment-friendly eatery offers a menu designed by the Northwest’s own culinary professional “The Galloping Gourmet” Graham Kerr along with Johnson & Wales University dean of culinary arts Karl Guggenmos. World Café and Day by Day Gourmet Dinners were co-created by Brad Vorhees, Kerr and Guggenmos. Remember Dinners Ready!? Vorhees is the founder and styled Day by Day to operate in much the same fashion. The café is symbiotic with Day by Day, a home valet service providing nutritious, prepared meals with a focus on global flavors.

JASON: Do they serve falafel? If so, I’m not in. The name says it all; it makes you “feel awful.” Get it? Do you get it?

ANNOUNCER: Read more of this exciting banter here.

NEWS TEAM: GOOD MORNING SOUTH SOUND >>>

That Stinks: Swine Flu in Washington state

No Shake: Weekly Volcano's news team's rude habit actually OK now.

Venti Plan: Starbucks plans to launch a multimillion-dollar marketing campaign.

State Budget: Balfour Dock building wins! Balfour Dock building wins!

WTF: Rihanna will get back $1.4 million worth of borrowed.

Just In: IKEA buys GM

JAKE DE PAUL: THURSDAY FOOD LINKS >>>

Dine Out For Life today!

This week's wine and beer tastings in the South Sound

Are you a real man or a gastrosexual?

Today's South Sound Specials

Centered around the book Tacoma is reading â€" Barbara Kingsolver's Animal, Vegetable, Miracle â€" the documentary Super Size Me will screen at the Tacoma Public Library's Main Branch (1102 Tacoma Ave. S., 253.591.5688) at 7 p.m. A discussion will follow.

The Tacoma Rainiers host Tasty Thursdays during home games at Cheney Stadium. Grab a $2 beer and $1 snacks on the Muckleshoot Casino Party Decks. Today, the Rainiers play the Fresno Grizzlies. Go to tacomarainiers.com for more information.

Future Things Are Coming

The South Sound Chapter of the Washington Native Plant Society presents author Terry Domico who will lecture on "Wild Harvest: Grazing for Edible Plants of the Pacific Northwest" Wednesday, May 13, 7 p.m., in Rausch Auditorium on the University of Puget Sound campus.

LINK: South Sound Restaurant Guide