SATURDAY, APRIL 5 2014 >>>

1. Ahhh, the Daffodil Parade! As surely as pint-sized marching bands will file down the street in lockstep while serenading onlookers with "Tequila," the sky will fill with dark clouds before an inevitable downpour drenches everyone within a two-mile radius of downtown Tacoma - which is as good of an excuse as any to go hear some great blues music and dry off. And the Gray Sky Blues Music Festival, which seems to be named just for this happenstance, begins right after the parade wraps up, around noon. The event takes place across three venues: The Swiss, The Harmon Restaurant and Brewery and Stonegate Pizza and Bar. The festival's headliner is Cee Cee James, who - I'm told by the reliable source that is this event's press release - is "one of the most popular female blues artists on the scene today." She'll hit the stage at 6 p.m. in The Swiss. Stonegate will be the scene of the festival's after-party, which begins at 8:30 p.m. With any luck you'll not only be starting the day with "Tequila," but ending it that way, too.

2. They're chirping and hooting out the news that it's time to celebrate their unique characteristics and appreciate the ways in which they contribute to the planet. Lovely. That's the focus of Migratory Madness, a two-day special event at Northwest Trek Wildlife Park April 5 and 6 featuring a nest full of events about birds, beginning at 11:30 a.m.

3. Let it be known the JBLM Bettie Brigade roller derby team will take on the I5 Rollergirls at 5 p.m. Saturday, April 5 at the Bettie Bunker, 5700 Lacey Blvd. The co-ed junior team, JBLM Bratz, will face the I5 Rollergirls B-Team, too. More details at bettiebrigade.com.

4. So, the guys in circulation were trying to describe it to us the other day - telling us all about the Nuclear Cowboyz FMX tribe who returns to the Tacoma Dome at 7:30 p.m. for an action-packed show complete with a Hunger Games-ish storyline told through more than 1,000 gravity-defying freestyle stunts. Or something. From what we're told, it's part Broadway show, part rock show, part freestyle motocross - now with more dance troupes and an army of Shaolin Kung Fu Warriors. Again, this is the circulation department talking. On top of all this, we're told, the show combines fearless freestyle gravity defying stunts, outrageous pyrotechnic and freakin' laser displays synchronized to heavy metal, rock alternative and electronic dubstep music, and features the world's best freestyle motocross athletes - such as X Games medalists Colten Moore, Taka Higashino and Jeremy "Twitch" Stenberg - front and center. Got it?

5. Even though it's their name, starting with what Universe People (the group) are may be the worst entry point for exploring what Universe People (the band) is. Also known as Cosmic People of Light Powers (catchy), Universe People are a Czech UFO religion that believe they can communicate telepathically with aliens. Like any successful, harmless religion, it is helmed by a magnetic leader (Ivo A. Benda) with unique abilities, secret knowledge of the fate of the world, and apparently a DVD player, given how many times it seems he's watched The Matrix. Meanwhile, the band that's also called Universe People shares almost none of those traits. Read Rev. Adam McKinney's full feature on Universe People in the Music & Culture section, then catch the band with Service Animal, Low Hums and Battersea at 8 p.m. inside Bob's Java Jive.

LINK: Saturday, April 5 arts and entertainment events in the greater Tacoma and Olympia area

GRAB A CUP AND READ THE MORNING REPORT FOR 4.5. 14 >>>

The Army released the names of the three soldiers killed by Army Spc. Ivan Lopez during a shooting spree Wednesday at Fort Hood, Texas, before Lopez, 34, turned the gun on himself.

The latest shooting at Fort Hood highlights the need to improve security on military posts across the country.

Despite evidence that suggests Spc. Ivan Lopez had an argument before going on a shooting rampage, investigators said they may never determine what compelled the Fort Hood soldier to kill three soldiers and wound 16 others before taking his own life.

Secretary of the Army John M. McHugh: Tracking "inside threats" is challenging.

How Obama lost Afghanistan.

Northeast Asia has become a potential powder keg. What should China do to prepare itself for possible conflict?

North Korea on Friday accused the United States of being "hell-bent on regime change" and warned that any maneuvers with that intention will be viewed as a "red line" that will result in countermeasures.

North Korea managed to fly (and crash) a couple rudimentary drones over Seoul. Do its drones pose a threat?

Lawmakers question utility of Pentagon's Quadrennial Defense Review.

Lawmakers are pushing back against a Navy review to potentially ban the sale of tobacco on Navy and Marine Corps facilities.

The Army along with its sister services passed along its "Unfunded Priorities List" for fiscal 2015 this week.

The Associated Press reports that a Chinese ship involved in the search for the missing Malaysia Airlines Flight 370 has detected a "pulse" today in the southern part of the Indian Ocean.

The A-10 Warthog looks especially awesome and futuristic in this photo.

Don't forget Mike Judge's new HBO comedy Silicon Valley premieres Sunday.

Free Comic Book Day hype. We're about a month away from the most important holiday of the year (May 3), which happens to fall the day before Star Wars Day.

Toadies' have a new brew from the folks at the Martin House Brewing Company, Rubberneck Red beer.

Finally: Bacon-flavored Ritz crackers.

What are you going to do today?

Spaceworks is always out and about, prettying up Tacoma, filling empty storefronts, adding more artwork to spaces that need some love. Specifically, Artscapes, a nifty slice of the Spaceworks pie, has added 84 large-scale works of art to downtown T-town, from installation pieces to murals. And the awesome just keeps on going.

Spaceworks is kicking up its heels again with more downtown murals, this time at South 11th and Market streets. Yes, yes! More murals, precioussss.

This round brings two commissioned works headed up by artists Chelsea O'Sullivan and Diana Leigh Surma, who will both work to give new life to a long-vacant brick building perched at this intersection. The building has been going steady with graffiti for just a little too long now and murals often help ward off vandalism, along with turning a former eyesore into an eyescore. It's like bedazzling. For buildings.

O'Sullivan's mural will span across 10 of the large panels along South 11th Street. The mural will be titled "Turn on Spring." As you might guess, the mural will seek to infuse the Northwest gray with some color - one of O'Sullivan's specialties, as most of her work tends to pop with vivid color.

"This time of year it rains so much and all the color that comes into the city is just budding," says O'Sullivan. "Something that stands out and is bright is something that is needed, at least for myself. I usually work in vivid color, but when you're sick of the rain you need whimsy, interaction, and things that are uplifting."

In fact, as she worked on the mural, rain played more of a role than inspiration. Given that much of the process is taking place during the rainy spring, O'Sullivan has had to contend with working in the few rare-yet-awesome sunbreaks we get. She's worked with a team to help ensure she could get things done during the dry moments, including working with fellow local artist Gabriel Brown to get the base color down on the only dry day within three weeks.

"Then I assembled an army of friends (Melissa Houston, Erin Lewis, Kaitlyn Fernandez, Shannon Fernandez, Kevin Ketchum, Laurie O'Sullivan) to do my dirty work," she explains. "I took the time to outline where the pipes were, where the flowers were, the characters, and then they used rollers and paint brushes and laid down solid colors for those. As that paint dried I followed everyone with aerosol and started developing shading and definition. TECHNICOLOR BOOM!"

All through the process, O'Sullivan and her minions have battled rain. The incline of the street and winds gusting through downtown have also proven pleasant additions to the process. During sunny moments, she hits the streets to paint. The mural is evolving as she goes-she wants an impact and is still working to make sure the mural has that impact.

Meanwhile, Surma is heading up a second mural on the Market Street titled "Show Your Stripes," which will be a design of intricate geometric shapes designed to capture the revitalization of downtown as well as where the city came from.

More information about these murals and other Spaceworks projects, click here.  

This afternoon when The Copper Door taproom and beer store opens in Tacoma's Stadium District you may toss back pints of 7 Seas Cascadian Dark Ale, Narrows Brewing IPA, Fremont Brewing Company bourbon barrel aged Dark Star, NoLi Empire No. 8 Session IPA and Chuckanut Brewery's Dunkel Lager.

If you're the kind of person who absolutely needs to be the first person to tweet about a new place - or you're a beer geek, or you're just looking for the absolute coolest way to end the work week (unless you have plans to test-drive a Ferrari or play with live monkeys) - The Copper Door will have its soft opening today.

That's right, Tacoma. When you stand in front of Gibson's Frozen Yogurt, you will have to make a life decision. Just to its right sits 1,700 square feet of taproom space, 866 square feet of store space for 750 bottles of refrigerated brews, and the local brews listed above.

Meet owner Craig Moore.

"I lived in Portland for about 10 years and did home brewing only. It is where I learned to appreciate craft beer and its impact on the community. I feel like that is where my palette was challenged and where I formed a love for all the different styles and complexity of American beer," Moore says.

Why Tacoma?

"Having lived in this area, I was able to see the impact and development that craft beer had on Portland and Seattle. My friend started a small business in Tacoma recently and has been supported by the community both economically and his ideals. He helped me realized that Tacoma was a pearl in the Pacific Northwest and with the lower costs of starting a business there with the potential support of the residents there it was a pretty easy decision," he explains.

It's a Door for all reasons - a store to purchase a wide variety of bottled and canned beers, filling a growler of a special run or kicking back and chatting over draft brews.

I imagine Moore has seen the 253 stickers. Certainly living in Portland he knows the importance of community.

"We want to showcase all the local talent around us and have been in conversation with multiple local breweries," he says. "We are focusing on the West Coast and surrounding areas primarily. A lot of that has to do with the ability to get special runs and one offs as well. We look at the entire nation for good beer and are not limited."

The official opening will happen in a week, but he'll discover Tacoma doesn't wait. A grand opening party is in the works.

"We do have a barrel room set up and hope to have yearly release parties for the beers we age. We will be working with breweries on this idea and hopefully they will be involved in the release parties as well."

He'll discover the tight local beer community. He'll also discover how Tacoma likes its beer.

Here are the beers on tap when the copper door swings open:

1. Deschutes (nitro) - Obsidian Stout
2. Ace Cider
3. Ninkasi - Spring Reign American Pale Ale
4. No-li - Empire No. 8 Session IPA
5. Narrows Brewing - Giant Pacific Octopus IPA
6. Coronado Brewing - Islander IPA
7. Sound Brewing - Quad Pro Quo
8. Speakeasy - Betrayal Imperial Red
9. 7 Seas - Cascadian Dark Ale
10. Avery - Ellie's Brown Ale
11. Full Sail - Recipe no. 6 - Black Bock
12. Sierra Nevada Brewing - Narwhal Imperial Stout
13. Green Flash - Palette Wrecker Imperial IPA
14. Stone - Go to IPA
15. Chuckanut Brewery - Dunkel Lager
16. Fremont Brewing - Dark Star Imperial Stout

THE COPPER DOOR, 12 N. Tacoma Ave., Tacoma, 253.212.3708, thecopperdoor.net

BEER HERE

Friday, April 4

Narrows Brewing head brewer Joe Walts hosts Skip Madsen with American Brewing for a brewer's night beginning at 5 p.m. Dark Horse Band kicks it at 8 p.m.

Saturday, April 5

The Harmon Restaurant and Brewery is one of the venues participating in the Gray Sky Blues Music Festival. From noon to 5 p.m., expect to hear Fistful of Dollars, The Mark Riley Trio, Maia Santell and House Blend, Jack Gaffney out of Boulder, Colo., and Nolan Garret. Admission is free.

<<< FRIDAY, APRIL 4 GAMES CLOSED >>>

The South Sound loves burgers - at least according to the thousands that have voted in our Tournament of Burgers. Yesterday's burger voting action doubled the previous highest vote count for a single day. And local favorites fell. They fell hard. Every winner yesterday won by capturing 59 to 65 percent of the vote.

What four patty-slinging joints will move onto today's Final Four?

The drum roll please ...

Thanks to your votes, we've narrowed down the Tournament of Burgers to these four burger joints: Eastside Big Tom, Maxwell's Restaurant, Westside Tavern and Tatanka Takeout.

Let's remember that every burger that made it into the tourney is worth a nosh. Still, someone's gotta win. We started with 64 of the South Sound's best burgers. Now, these four boss burgers face off for the ultimate glory - patty to patty battles to determine the best burger in the South Sound. Which burger joint has the moxie to nail down the championship? Whose burger will win it all?

Today's Final Four match-ups are:

GAME 1: Eastside Big Tom vs. Maxwell's Restaurant

GAME 2: Westside Tavern vs. Tatanka Takeout

The daily burger battles on Walkie Talkie are sponsored by Ricky J's Restaurant and Lounge in Puyallup.

OK, let's dive into today's Final Four burger battles. Vote for one burger joint per game. Voting for today's burger battles ends at 11:45 p.m. 

FRIDAY, APRIL 4 2014 >>>

1. Some say that size doesn't matter. Tell that to the Washington Center for the Performing Arts, which is hosting a six-week-long program series with an insanely-lengthy title, "America's Music: A Film History of Our Popular Music from Blues to Bluegrass to Broadway." Each week, the AM:AFHoOPMfBtBtB (which, by the way, is pronounced AM-AFF-HOOP-EM-fuh-BEAT-BEAT-BEEEE! and should be immediately declared a musical genre unto itself) will seek to enlighten audiences by highlighting uniquely American forms of music through film. The first installment goes down at 6:30 p.m. and covers blues and gospel music and features excerpts from the almost-as-lengthily-titled documentary Martin Scorsese Presents The Blues, Episode 1: Feel Like Going Home, and cinéma vérité classic Say Amen, Somebody. Andrew "Drew" Buchman, Expressive Arts (read: Music) faculty member at The Evergreen State College, will be on hand to introduce the film portion of the evening, and lead a discussion afterward.

2. You might think swinging and flipping over high bars and prancing on two-inch-wide beams are skills only Olympic athletes such as Jordyn Wiebercan pull off with any degree of grace. But the performers of the Jordan World Circus have mastered those gymnastic feats, and much more. Their show is full of extremely flexible performers who could wow even the most jaded Olympian. The circus's troupe includes acrobats, jugglers, and contortionists between the ages of 11 and 50. Where else can you watch men your dad's age twist their bodies into pretzel shapes?  Marvel at the exotic animals, gasp in awe at the death-defying aerial acts, and be deeply, deeply frightened by the clowns at 4 and 7 p.m. at the Washington State Fairgrounds.

3. Lee Oskar founded the band WAR with Eric Burden. His harmonica can be heard on classics such as "Low Rider," "The Cisco Kid," and others. Most recently, his playing was sampled on the pop song "Timber" by Pitbull and Ke$ha. Oskar is known for his improvisational skill on the harmonica and animated stage presence. Oskar will hold a harmonic clinic and autograph session at 6 p.m. in Ted Brown Music.

4. At 6 p.m. in the Landmark Temple Theatre, Pierce County Prosecutor Mark Lindquist will kick off his bid for re-election with what we can only be described as a star-studded "kick off party" - which in the business of politics, is code for warm and fuzzy fundraising event. Lindquist promises the event will feature Peter Buck of R.E.M., actress and singer Molly Ringwald, The Beatniks, as well as speakers Gov. Jay Inslee, Sheriff Paul Pastor, Tacoma Mayor Marilyn Strickland, and Detective Ed Troyer, executive director of Crime Stoppers.

5. "Eldridge Gravy and the Court Supreme are as fun a funk dance party as I can imagine," says Daniel Landin, booker and Weekly Volcano reader-voted Best Music Scenester in its Best of Olympia issue. Thirteen strong on stage, Eldridge Gravy's incredible soul vocals blend with three back-up singers, pour over a four-piece horn section, and all this bakes to groove perfection with a relentless full rhythm section. Catch the band with DBST at 9 p.m. in The Olympia Ballroom.

LINK: Friday, April 4 arts and entertainment events in the greater Tacoma and Olympia area

GRAB A CUP AND READ THE MORNING REPORT FOR 4.4.14 >>>

Army mourning loss of soldiers at Fort Hood.

One of the three soldiers killed in the shooting rampage at Fort Hood died while trying to hold a door shut that would have led the gunman to a room packed with military personnel.

The U.S. military services have sent Congress wish lists that include $36 billion in priority items that were not included in the Pentagon's 2015 budget proposal. But actual passage of the lists seems unlikely.

Without the benefit of a full defense review covering force levels to support national needs, Hagel has left civilian support for the Pentagon largely untouched.

Budget cuts threaten military readiness, officials said.

Hagel said sending another permanent Army brigade to Europe could be a possibility.

The Senate Intelligence Committee voted to declassify parts of the panel's controversial 6,200-page report that is harshly critical of the CIA's Bush-era interrogation program.

Chief of Staff Gen. Mark Welsh and Air Force Secretary Deborah Lee James on defended plans to scrap the A-10 fleet and retire roughly 40 C-130s.

Army's part in the so-called Pacific Pivot remains in the concept phase.

A new kind of drone war: UCAV vs. UCLASS

Latest Army Virtual Battle Space release adds realism to scenarios, avatars.

Joint Base Lewis-McChord Arrowhead soldiers play a part in Operation Alaska Shield.

Nine ingenious urban hacks to make the city smarter.

The best part of Letterman's retirement announcement is that it was revealed by R.E.M.'s Mike Mills.

Bill Murray explains his bucket list on Letterman.

Surreal reversed footage of a man walking backward in Tokyo.

Watch the first seven minutes of FX's Fargo.

The Big Bang Theory will have a special Star Wars Day episode ...

What the Internet looks like as a subway map.

Finally!

Karma is complicated. Especially when you apply it to cookies. Baking cookies for neighbors? Good karma. Buying cookies for yourself? Maybe not-so-good karma. Buying other people cookies? Probably pretty-good karma. Throwing cookies at your enemies?  Bad karma. Donating 129,210 boxes of cookies, valued at $574,472 to the men and women at Joint Base Lewis-McChord? Excellent karma.

Girl Scouts of Western Washington has excellent karma right now.

The USO Northwest Shali Center on JBLM was humming with activity Tuesday. While volunteers served those participating in a large military exercise, said 129,210 boxes cookies from the Girl Scouts of Western Washington needed to be unloaded. The event is large enough to be fondly known as Operation Cookie Drop.

USONW has an excellent partnership with Girl Scouts of Western Washington, and it was evident Tuesday as representatives from JBLM, both military and spouses, arrived at the USONW Shali Center early in the morning to load their cars with cases of cookies for their units. More than 2,600 cases were packed into waiting cars.

For the full scoop, read excerpts from the Operation Cookie Drop news release below.

Read more...

<<< THURSDAY, APRIL 3 GAMES CLOSED >>>

The Great Eight is fully fleshed out: Eastside Big Tom, Maxwell's Restaurant, Westside Tavern, Tatanka, Lefty's Burger Shack, Crown Bar, The Spar and Shake Shake Shake. Eight establishments that - according to our readers' poll - serve the best burgers in the South Sound.

It's all come down to eight. All the signs in the restaurants, the mass emailings to customers and friends, the burger phone trees have paid off for these eight patty slingers. It's now crunch(y) onion time for the burger royalty.

On to today's Tournament of Burgers action and yesterday's results.

Yesterday's Results

Game 1: Lefty's Burger Shack vs. The Forum

I feel bad for the kids on this one ... especially the 20-something partiers. But something tells me they'll survive, and they'll do so in tasty style with The Forum that they have quickly come to adore. Unfortunately for The Forum and their fancy stuffed burgers and lively bar, the task yesterday of taking down Lefty's Burger shack was simply too much - and the votes told the story. When all was said and done, Lefty's moves on with 73 percent of the vote.

Game 2: Lunchbox Laboratory vs. Crown Bar

Despite an early lead from the heralded Lunchbox Laboratory, the Crown Bar and its large, devoted Sixth Avenue strolling fans proved too powerful in yesterday's action, catapulting into the Great Eight with the closest victory margin of the day - 53 percent. Lunchbox Laboratory will survive. The new kid in Gig Harbor has been drawing large crowds with its inventive food.

Game 3: The Spar vs. Herfy's

The oldest tavern in Tacoma, The Spar, was simply too much for the fast-food joint in the Lakewood Towne Center. The Spar moves on with 69 percent of the vote and a spot in the Great Eight.

Game 4: Shake Shake Shake vs. Little Jerry's

Shake Shake Shake, the heavy favorite to win Region 4 after perceived contenders such as Mikie Burgers and Best Burgers were dismissed in earlier rounds, cruised to an easy win over Tacoma's Fern Hill darling, Little Jerry's. The Seinfeld jokes and physical comedy filled the café all day. But, it wasn't enough. Shake Shake Shake pushed its Steak and Bacon Burger hard, tossing in their Real Hot Hot Dog periodically (ballsy). Shake Shake Shake grabs 56 percent of the vote and moves into the Great Eight to take on the bison boss, Tatanka Takeout.

Let's weed through the condiments. The following are advancing to the Great Eight:

• Lefty's Burger Shack
• Crown Bar
• The Spar
• Shake Shake Shake

The daily burger battles on Walkie Talkie are sponsored by Ricky J's Restaurant and Lounge in Puyallup.

OK, let's dive into today's Great Eight burger battles. Vote for one burger joint per game. Voting for today's burger battles ends at 11:45 p.m. 

Tomorrow's Burger Battles: The Final Four

Eight South Sound burger joints go at it today for slots in the Final Four. Jump on Walkie Talkie tomorrow to vote on the Final Four games.

Championship Vote/Party: 6 p.m., Monday, April 7 at Meconi's Tacoma Pub & Eatery in downtown Tacoma.

Confused? Read our Tournament of Burgers introduction here.

LINK: Hot Damn! Yes, I want the South Sound Happy Hour App!

THURSDAY, APRIL 3 2014 >>>

1. For fans of non-commercial, educational radio stations licensed to the Board of Trustees of the University of Puget Sound and operated by the Associated Students of the University of Puget Sound, pledge drive season is the worst. No matter how self-effacingly on-air personalities ask for money, pledge drives still invoke an intense mixture of guilt and boredom to the radio listener, an existential push-and-pull between "Wow, I should really drop a couple bucks on this programming I so enjoy" versus "I haven't had an extra $20 since the seventh grade, when Nanna's money stopped coming in."  KUPS 90.1 FM knows this. The UPS radio station - celebrating its 45th year on air - has been hosting events to raise money since Monday. Today, the station offers a doozy - A Tacoma Music Showcase. At 8 p.m. in the Club Rendezvous, which is next to the Cellar, The Wheelies, Coma Figura and Humble Cub will rock in the name of KUPS. Drop by the Club, shell out a few dollars and celebrate non-commercial, educational radio stations licensed to the Board of Trustees of the University of Puget Sound and operated by the Associated Students of the University of Puget Sound.

2. Today marks the opening of a new exhibition from Portland-based photographer Robbie McClaran at Gallerie Fotoland on the first floor of the Daniel J. Evans Library at The Evergreen State College. "Ordinary People" is an ongoing series is of portraits that highlight the lives of "regular" people from varying walks of life and from all over the country. His images are captioned with details of the subject's story - often revealing a dark past and a history of struggle and grief. An artist reception will be held 4:30-6:30 p.m.

3. The Tacoma Runner will tour Hilltop Tacoma, launching from the Eleven Eleven at 6:30 p.m., making five, right-hand turns and back to the Hilltop sandwich and beer joint to discuss the 3-mile tour. The most difficult situation of the night won't be the run, but rather packing this fun-loving group into the Eleven Eleven.

4. Is knitting still big? For some people, it's never been small, nor has crocheting, quilting, weaving or any of the fiber arts. At 7 p.m., new and veteran craft enthusiasts can get their fiberful fill during author Blair Stocker's take and make event. She invites everyone to craft an original creation using materials she has on hand. Stocker shares ideas and projects from her book, Wise Craft: Turning Thrift Store Finds, Fabric Scraps, and Natural Objects into Stuff You Love, at the University Place Library. She's best known for quilt making, and also creates through painting, crocheting and knitting.

5. Skull & The Dullards, Gag, Noping The Band and Lube will rock Le Voyeur beginning at 10 p.m.

LINK: Thursday, April 3 arts and entertainment events in the greater Tacoma and Olympia area