The Army is considering the feasibility of shrinking the size of the brigade combat team from about 4,000 soldiers to 3,000 over the coming years, and replacing the lost soldiers with robots and unmanned platforms.

The United Nations revoked an invitation to Iran to attend a crucial peace conference on Syria in Switzerland, culminating a day of chaotic international diplomacy that included loud U.S. objection to Iran's participation and a threat by the Syrian opposition to boycott the talks.

Read more...

TUESDAY, JAN. 21 2014 >>>

1. The Abigails are fixtures in the Southern California psych-rock garage scene. Thomas has been a member of bands like the Growlers and the Grand Elegance, and fellow Abigail Kyle Mullarky has been in the Starlite Desperation - all bands that occupy a sort of LSD haze. Additionally, the Abigails are members of Burger Records, the epicenter of SoCal psych-rock. Read Rev. Adam Mckinney's full feature on the Abigails in the Music & Culture section. Then, catch the band with MILK at 8 p.m. in The New Frontier Lounge in Tacoma.

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Dear Pentagon: It's over. Done. Stop tweeting #iheartblackberry. Listen to the guy in Ring B off Corridor 1: "Dudes! OMG! Lose your Blackberry phones! Just got my iPhone 5s and it's hella sick, like a laser on a B-1 Bomber wrapped in bacon delivered by Marcus Luttrell on the backs of angels shaped like drones!"

According to Defensetech.org, the guy in Ring B off Corridor 1 isn't off the mark.

The Pentagon can't break their CrackBerry habit. Once the smartphone of choice, most of the nation and even most federal workers have stopped using BlackBerries as their work phones years ago. But the U.S. military keeps plodding along with the BlackBerry.

Read the full story here.

Lakewood resident, military spouse and mother of three Jamie Johnson represented Joint Base Lewis-McChord at the 2014 Mrs. Washington America Pageant Jan. 18 in Bellevue.

Johnson's chosen platform was veteran Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) awareness and support. She also wanted to show her pride in being a military spouse and was thrilled to represent the military community in the event.

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JAN. 23-25: GILBERT GOTTFRIED AT THE TACOMA COMEDY CLUB

Even before Gilbert Gottfried's Comedy Central roast appearances became the stuff of legend, he was always a comedian with a uniquely skewed point of view. He combined an acerbic manner with a clearly very deep affection for the structure and melody of a well-crafted joke. As evidenced in his early days doing half-hours for HBO briefly joining the cast of Saturday Night Live in those doomed '80s years, Gottfried had a talent for taking even rote gags like impressions and putting a deliberate spin on them.

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The Pierce County prosecutor charged a Puyallup man with second-degree murder Tuesday in the stabbing death of Sgt. 1st class Shawn A. Woods, who intervened in a domestic violence assault Sunday.

Woods, 38, was a member of Troop A, 8th Squadron, 1st Calvary Regiment, 2nd Stryker Brigade Combat Team, 2nd Infantry Division at Joint Base Lewis McChord.

Read more...

GRAB A CUP & READ THE MORNING REPORT FOR 1.22.14 >>>

Syria's government set a bitter tone today at the opening of talks meant to end the country's long and bloofy civil war, accusing Arab neighbors of sowing terrorism and insurrection while dismissing as interlopers the United States and other Western backers of Syrian rebels.

A Pentagon plan reportedly proposes to withdraw all forces by the end of Obama's second term.

While the Air Force investigates the biggest cheating scandal in the history of the nuclear missile force, top Defense Department officials are considering the possibility of raises for those officers to address morale problems.

Army brass are coming to terms with what a force of 420,000 could and could not do.

A federal grand jury indicted a former Connecticut man who attempted to ship boxes of stolen information on the F-35 Joint Strike Fighter to Iran.

US dominance, major programs at risk in 2015 budget

When it comes to Air Force physical fitness training, reflective belts are out and black socks are in. Hot-pink cell phones are now OK too, while in uniform, as are morale T-shirts and patches - but only on Fridays.

An Osprey tilt rotor plane will join in a disaster relief training program between the U.S. Marine Corps and Japan's Self-Defense Forces in the western Japanese prefecture of Kochi next month, using U.S. Marine Corps Air Station Iwakuni in Yamaguchi Prefecture.

Lobbying spending remained mostly flat for the top defense contractors in 2013, as they grappled with sequestration taking effect at the Pentagon.

Signs of consciousness found in rats brains after death.

Forty more maps that explain the world.

Robert Capa's colorful photos of the world after World War II.

Finally: Someone ranked the 10 best Grateful Dead songs.

Ten historic bars every book nerd needs to visit.

Listen: Jim James, Lil Bub, Tim Harrington, comedians cover "The Super Bowl Shuffle."

A day in the life of Carrie Brownstein.

Beck has a new song.

Is Friends the reason so many Gen X-ers are unbearable?

WEDNESDAY, JAN. 22 2014 >>>

1. It's winter, and you're hankerin' for some good old-fashioned outdoor fun, but all you can do is sit by the fireplace and watch Aunt Tilly do the mendin'. Never fear, the Washington Sportsmen's Show is here, with all the fish catching, bow hunting and turkey calling seminars you can cram in to five days. Worried that your flies look like small curious animals? Check out a fly tying demonstration. Worried your kids will destroy exhibits with their new Legend of Hercules moves?  Drop them off at the kid's trout pond. Also expect one-of-a-kind indoor Steelhead River, more than 153 hours of free "how to" seminars, camp cooking demonstrations, Head & Horns competition, Cowboy Fast Draw show, wilderness survival and outdoor safety expert Peter Kummerfeldt and much more. The show opens today from noon to 8 p.m. at the Washington State Fair Events Center.

2. Artists from The Gallery at TCC's current "Global Perspectives" exhibit discuss issues related to the exhibit, moderated by TCC Instructor Wendi Fein at 4 p.m.

3. An opening reception for "I Like Rocks!" - an exhibition of recent work by UPS assistant professor of ceramics Chad Gunderson - will be held 5-7 p.m. in Kittredge Gallery.

4. Pour at Four hosts a Big Winter Reds tasting featuring big, bold and rich reds displaying beautiful fullness and finesse from 5:30-8 p.m.

5. Lyon Pride continues its Hempfest Tryouts Wednesday night series at Jazzbones with bands Insiege, Tyranny Theory, Sick Either Way, BlackBeatBlue and others at 7:30 p.m.

LINK: Wednesday, Jan. 22 arts and entertainment events in the greater Tacoma and Olympia area

Sad news out of the Triple Play camp. The Tacoma sports bar announced on Facebook its closing its doors Feb. 1:

Another great day at Triple Play watching the Hawks... Again, we thank everyone who was there and made the house rock with lots of cheers and happiness. For those who were there heard the news about Triple Play. For those who weren't there, we have sad news to share. Unfortunately, we were not getting enough business during the week and we are at the point we will have to close our doors. I been avoiding writing this . We are very saddened that our dreams didn't pan out as we wished. We had very nice words from a lot of the folks who was at our place yesterday watching the game. We really wished this would have worked. We will keep our doors open up till Saturday Feb. 1st (we will not have enough stock to hose a Super Bowl). Who knows, maybe a miracle will happen and we won't have to close our doors. We thank you for all your support, your laughter, your time and having a chance to meet each one of you... Triple Play Owners

Sucks.

When David Serko was diagnosed with HIV in 1988, he could've become just one more overlooked statistic in a dismal, plague-paranoid era. AIDS patients often found themselves suffering and dying alone. David fared somewhat better, though, as his big brother, Peter, returned to his side after decades on the other side of the country. That wasn't enough to keep David healthy, unfortunately; but in the years following his death in November of 1992, Peter established contact with more than 100 people who knew and interacted with David as an adult. In so doing, a richer, fuller picture of the man emerged, as if he'd been summoned back to life. By sharing these experiences, Peter is now helping David - and the causes they shared, including the AIDS Coalition to Unleash Power (ACT UP) - remain vital in people's minds.

I spoke to Peter and found him upbeat and animated, a far cry from the dismal eulogist one might cynically expect. No, his story's a joyous rediscovery of a talented song-and-dance man, whose mortality couldn't keep him from changing the course of people's lives. "He was adored," Peter says. "I kinda knew that from my own feelings about him, but he was a very charismatic individual. ... He had a big impact on many, many people."

David's final words, "Listen to your heart," have inspired a celebratory tribute to brotherly love. "It's a media-rich production," Peter promises. By incorporating voices and memories from those closest to David, the show paints an audiovisual, multilayered portrait of a stricken hero, the vibrant New York scene he inhabited, and the epidemic that failed to defeat either one.

MY BROTHER KISSED MARK ZUCKERBERG, 7:30 p.m. Feb. 1, 7 p.m. Feb. 8, Dukesbay Theater, 508 S. Sixth Ave. #10, Tacoma, $15, peterserko.brownpapertickets.com