GRAB A CUP AND READ THE MORNING REPORT FOR 3.28.2014 >>>

The Air Force has relieved nine officers, allowed a commander to retire and will discipline 91 others as a result of a cheating scandal among intercontinental ballistic missile launch officers at Malmstrom Air Force Base, Mont.

The Army and NATO are watching "very carefully" the troop deployments and the exercises they're doing in Russia, said Army Chief of Staff Gen. Ray Odierno.

Eight soldiers from 3rd Special Forces Group were honored with the Silver Star, the nation's third highest award for valor, for their actions in Afghanistan.

The recent crisis between Russia and the West over Crimea, and the ongoing tensions between China and Japan, are ushering a return of Great Power Politics where U.S. power and influence is challenged.

The U.S. military's gradual, 20-year drawdown in Europe looks to be abruptly ending as the Russian invasion of Crimea casts a spotlight on U.S. European Command and fuels calls for reshaping the military mission there after decades of post-Cold War calm.

The U.S. Army is moving forward with plans to develop upgraded versions of the M109 self-propelled howitzer in one of the service's few bright acquisition spots.

Secretary of the Army John McHugh swore in Brad R. Carson as the 31st Under Secretary of the Army, and Chief Management Officer of the Army.

Seven Soldiers from the U.S. Army Marksmanship Unit will join members of the U.S. National Shooting Team to compete in the International Shooting Sports Federation, or ISSF, World Cup starting today.

Department of Defense announced plans of integrating technologically sophisticated, yet tactical, hearing protection devices for soldiers engaged in overseas combat operations and local training exercises.

Former US Defense Secretary James Schlesinger has died, according to the Center for Strategic and International Studies, where he served as a counselor and trustee. He was 85.

The true guide to gear you need to commute by bicycle.

A lot of plans are underway for Batman's 75th anniversary.

Time's latest cover story is on the last days of Mad Men.

Of course Bill Murray wore PBR pants at the Caddyshack Golf Tournament.

Finally: Paul Stanley's awesome stage banter compilation and Metalocalypse clips.

Finally II: Dunkin Donuts has introduced the Peeps donut.

Is he playing in the Death Star or what?

Less than a week's time turn-around after ownership changed hands from The Royal Lounge to Rhythm and Rye, the venue brought in a packed house both nights of its opening weekend. Last Friday night, lines were around the block and people actually had to be turned away at the door due to full capacity.

"The last time I saw a crowd that big was Frank Black at the Eastside Tavern ten years ago," says owner/booker Andy Geertsen. "That was also the last time I even heard of a line around the block in Oly."

Hillstomp and Oly Mountain boys shook the crowd with their knee-slapping music. The audience was stoked, sound quality was great and even the bartenders, who had never worked together prior to that night, shook their booties between pours of Lucille IPA and whiskey Cokes.

EZ Foods served pulled pork sandwiches and veggie wraps through the new service window in the back room. Besides the occasional spilled beer and running out of tall cans of Rainer - which Hillstomp made sure to congratulation Geertsen on - the night went off without a hitch. Olympia Police Department even made an appearance, no doubt bored on their beat and wanting to check out some good music.

Saturday night was just as packed inside the bar with the grooves of The Brown Edition and DBST.

Word on the street is this venue is just what Olympia needed.

"We love you Andy!" says one Facebook fan. "Thanks for giving all of us music lovers a home again!"

Up next at Rhythm and Rye is Championship Friday night with special guests Ol' Mount n Dew followed by Rock Candy Burlesque's 2nd Anniversary party Saturday.

Rhythm and Rye is at 311 Capitol Way N. in downtown Olympia. Students with valid ID receive discounts at all shows. For updates and events, check out facebook.com/AndyinolyProductions.

SEE ALSO

Rhythm and Rye opens in Olympia

So much for never coming back again.

Christine McVie has officially returned to Fleetwood Mac 16 years after splitting from the group.

The group announced McVie would be joining Fleetwood for a 33-city tour kicking off in September, which includes a Nov. 20 show at the Tacoma Dome.

It's official! After a 16-year absence, Christine McVie will be re-joining Fleetwood Mac band mates Mick Fleetwood, John McVie, Lindsey Buckingham and Stevie Nicks as they launch the On With The Show Tour. Exclusively promoted by Live Nation, the tour will kick off on Tuesday, Sept. 30 in Minneapolis, Minn. at the Target Center and the reunited band will perform 34 shows in 33 cities across North America. Christine has not toured with the band since 1998's The Dance Tour.

The reunion of the multi-GRAMMY Award®-winning, Rock and Roll Hall of Fame inductees and one of rock's most beloved bands was announced during an interview from Los Angeles, Calif. with Carson Daly on NBC's TODAY this morning.

American Express® Card Members can purchase tickets before the general public beginning Monday, March 31 at 10:00 a.m. through Sunday, April 6 at 10:00 p.m. Tickets go on sale beginning Monday, April 7 through the Live Nation mobile app and at www.livenation.com.

<<< THURSDAY, MARCH 27 GAMES CLOSED >>>

Low and behold, today marks the closing of the Tournament of Burger's First Round. After today's battles, the bracket will officially be down to 32 area burger joints. If what we learned from our taco, pizza, breakfast and sandwich tournaments holds true, the remaining burger joints will hire cheerleaders for their Second Round games. Honestly, if it gets any more exciting we'll start to understand why Dick Vitale is always yelling.

Without wasting anyone's time with patty-related basketball innuendo, on to a recap of yesterday's games and today's Tournament of Burgers action.

Yesterday's Results

Game 1: Flipping Out Burgers and Fries vs. Classics Cafe at LeMay

Flipping Out must have flipped out. It was quiet during its game with Classics Café, the diner embedded at LeMay - Amerca's Car Museum. Classics included a Facebook post as part of its game plan, a plan that also included cooking tasty cheeseburgers. Classics Café grabbed 78 percent of the vote and moves into the Second Round.

Game 2: Friesenburgers vs. Crown Bar

In the closest battle of the day, Crown Bar grabbed 55 percent of the vote for the win. Surprisingly, Friesenburgers team of Gluten-free burgers wasn't really a factor. Once Crown's Crispy Onion burger got hot, it was over. The Crown Bar moves into the Second Round with a March 31 date with Classic Café.

Game 3: Herfy's Lakewood vs. Herfy's Olympia

The Herfy's in Lakewood beat the Herfy's in Olympia with 78 percent of the vote. Somewhere there's photo-realistic cow's face with a tear.

Game 4: Dirty Oscar's vs. Red Robin

Yesterday, I was accused of over hyping Dirty Oscar's. It's funny. One of the highlights of my childhood, besides spending summers in Rangoon, was post-Husky games outings at Red Robin. The family would gather around ginormous burgers at the Montlake Seattle Red Robin and discuss Joe Steele's rushing plays. It was always a disappointment if the car diverted instead to the Salmon House. I guess I might have gone Vitale on Dirty Oscar's Dead Elvis Burger. Its deliciousness is hard to ignore. Anyway, Dirty Oscar's smoked Red Robin with 90 percent of the vote and moves into the Second Round to face the Lakewood Herfy's March 31.

Let's weed through the condiments. The following are advancing to the Second Round:

• Classic Cafe
• Crown Bar
• Herfy's Lakewood
• Dirty Oscar's

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 First Round burger battles. Vote for one burger joint per game. Voting for today's burger battles ends at 11:45 p.m. 

THURSDAY, MARCH 27 2014 >>>

1. Babes is a band that frequently crosses the wires of love and desire. Online, they don't have much of a presence, beyond vague websites and unoccupied Twitter pages. They have a hotline: (470) BABES-77. One gets the impression that you could call any time for intimate connections. The first thing I asked them over the phone was about their habit of almost exclusively writing love songs. Why love songs? "We're horny!" they exclaimed. Read Rev. Adam McKinney's interview with Babes in the Music and Culture section then catch the band with Lures and MILK at 8 p.m. in The New Frontier Lounge.

2. The Tacoma Historical Society celebrates the grand opening of its new space in the Provident Building from 5-7 p.m. Besides chatting up old things over punch, the Society will unveil their debut exhibit, "Out of the Attic: Curiosities from the Collection of Tacoma Historical Society," which showcases rare items rescued from oblivion by the society. 

3. Crabbie's Alcoholic Ginger Beer (4.8 percent ABV) will hit the wooden bar at Doyle's Public House in Tacoma's Stadium District. From 6 to 8 p.m. Doyle's will offer Crabbie's Original and the new Spiced Orange, which recently became available throughout Washington, served chilled over ice with a slice of citrus, for $4 and in a special cocktail - The Ginger and Jamey, Crabbie's Ginger Beer and Jameson Irish whiskey - for $7. For guests who'd like a bite with their Crabbie's, the kitchen will prepare a special dish for the evening - Crabbie's Ginger Wings for $4, to complement the ginger beer.

4. Turn your radio dials back and experience a time when the world was at war - back? We have to turn them back for this? - and pop music consisted of "Boogie Woogie Bugle Boy." Oh, OK, there we go. Let's all put on our nostalgia hats and head back to a time when things made sense, or, at least, gave the impression thereof. And where do we end up? In The Mood: A 1940s Revue. It's a sentimental, romantic, nostalgic, jazzy and patriotic tribute to America's Swing Era. It's gonna be grand at 7 p.m. in the Washington Center.

5. Lucas "Vanilla Soul" Smiraldo's "Auricle" returns with a contemporary look at the Bhagavad-gita with a fusion of music and sermon at 7 p.m. in B Sharp Coffee House. Expect electronic music, spoken word and some classic rock songs.

LINK: Thursday, March 27 arts and entertainment events in the greater Tacoma and Olympia area

GRAB A CUP AND READ THE MORNING REPORT FOR 3.27.14 >>>

A new classified intelligence assessment concludes it is more likely than previously thought that Russian forces will enter eastern Ukraine.

President Obama and European leaders pledged to bolster the NATO alliance and vowed that Russia would not be allowed to run roughshod over its neighbors. But the military reality on the ground in Europe tells a different.

Russian President Vladimir Putin likely would not have been deterred from invading the Crimean peninsula even if European countries had spent more on defense.

The general in charge of the F-35 told a U.S. House panel he sees more delays ahead - four to six months - for the often-troubled fighter jet program.

Lt. Gen. Howard K. Bromberg, the Army G-1, told members of the House Armed Services Committee that with sequestration will come a slowdown in soldier compensation and benefits in order to maintain readiness and modernization.

Air Force aircraft maintenance mechanics recently teamed up with depot employees to standardize processes for work performed on a satellite communications system and tactical radios.

First female National Guard soldiers graduate Field Artillery School.

U.S. military seeking cheap stealth on ocean floor.

The Navy is testing several new next-generation cruise missiles as potential replacements for the battle-tested Tomahawk.

Air war has, in effect, become as costly as naval war. What are the implications for strategy?

Future drugs will allow prisoners to serve an 1,000-year sentence in 8 hours.

Dad who works for Dreamworks turns son into amazing superhero.

Good News: Rolling Stone has a new cover story on Kiss.

Whoa: Kevin Smith's Hollywood Babble-On may be coming to AMC.

Trippy: A new trailer for the Wachowskis' Jupiter Ascending.

Finally: new cupcake ATM.

Of Course: A man named Christopher Reeves was arrested this week ... while wearing a Superman T-shirt.

Welcome home!

The Department of the Army's National Center for Telehealth and Technology opened at Joint Base Lewis-McChord in 2010. The mission of the National Center for Telehealth and Technology is to foster, develop, research, and deploy technology solutions for psychological health and traumatic brain injury and deliver relevant, evidence-based applications for our warriors, veterans and their families. Known as T2, the Center also uses innovative ways to help military youth cope with the unique strains of military life. In addition to disruptions from parents deploying to assignments away from home, military children are affected by moving frequently, changing schools and making new friends.

The folks at T2 have created an app to help children cope with military moves. Launched in December, The Big Moving Adventure app lets children create a Muppet friend to help them through the moving process. Yes, the DoD knows the way to Sesame Street. It has partnered with Sesame Workshop, the nonprofit educational organization behind Sesame Street, on the mobile app, which is available for download from the App Store, Google Play and Amazon for Kindle Fire.

Below are excerpts from the app's news release out of the T2 camp.

"Moving can be stressful, and kids need to express feelings and say goodbye to people and things," said Dr. Kelly Blasko, psychologist at the National Center for Telehealth and Technology here. "The Muppet characters in this app help make the move a fun experience."

Children can use the app to help their Muppet friend make decisions on a variety of move-related issues, such as which toys to pack in a box and which to take along in their backpack. Children watch the Muppet say goodbye to their house, their military base and their classroom and playground friends. At the new house, children help their Muppet unpack, settle into the home and make new friends.

"Sesame Workshop has always been at the forefront of creating resources for families with young children to help address some of life's most difficult issues," said Dr. Jeanette Betancourt, senior vice president for Community and Family Engagement at Sesame Workshop. "The Big Moving Adventure is part of Sesame Workshop's contribution to military families, who face the challenge of helping a child cope with this major transition and help our kids reach their highest potential."

Military parents face unique challenges during a move, and the app helps their young children through the experience. A separate parents section contains additional move-related topics and tips.

The Big Moving Adventure mobile app is the newest addition to a portfolio of multimedia resources developed by Sesame Workshop, in collaboration with the Defense Department, to help military families with deployments and life transitions. While developed specifically for military families with children 3 to 5 years old, it is useful for all families with young children experiencing a move, officials said.

Sometimes strip malls yield tasty adventures in dining. Take Royal Thai Bistro in Fircrest for instance. Situated next door to Pint Defiance beer store and a slew of empty commercial storefronts on the cusp of the Tacoma/University Place intersection, you'll discover Royal Thai's intimate and classy dining space. Naturally they serve up Asian cuisine with an assortment of curries, stir fry and other specialties accompanied by adult beverages.

To start your visit off properly I recommend the Toasted Sesame Wraps ($10.95). This appetizer features your choice of chicken or tofu caramelized in a delightful sweet and smoky sauce - whispers of nuttiness with cashew nuts, sweetness from sweet mango and aromatic herbal tones with some basil tossed in for good measure. Envelop this well-balanced concoction into Royal Thai Bistros warmed buttery flaky pastry flatbread and you simply cannot go wrong.

Service is friendly and efficient to boot.

ROYAL THAI BISTRO, 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. Monday-Friday, noon to 9:30 p.m. Saturday, noon to 9 p.m. Sunday, 2045 Mildred St. W., Fircrest, 253.564.9410

<<< WEDNESDAY, MARCH 26 GAMES CLOSED >>>

The history of the hamburger is fairly mythical. The Menches family of Ohio says they invented the hamburger at an 1885 fair in Hamburg, New York, when heat and humidity forced them to stop butchering pigs. In all probability, the hamburger was a good idea waiting to happen, and a bunch of folks stumbled upon it around the same time. Thankfully someone did invent the burger, because the forecast calls for wet weather in the South Sound through Sunday, and nothing says spring like rain and burgers. So, huddle around your comforting operating system, catch up on yesterday's Tournament of Burgers action and vote on today's four South Sound burger battles.

Yesterday's Results

Game 1: The Ram vs. The Forum

In a back and forth match-up pitting two fairly evenly matched competitors (at least in the eyes of voters, it seems), The Forum was eventually able to pull ahead of the stout Ram thanks to a late run - grabbing 53 percent of the vote. The loss has to be especially tough for The Ram, as they entered the Tournament of Burgers with plenty of hype, and the large clientele to back it.

Game 2: Frisko Freeze vs. Tacoma Cabana

You will not get lei'd as much at Frisko Freeze as you can at Tacoma Cabana tiki bar, but you will find a pretty freakin' delicious burger, at least according to yesterday's vote. Frisko Freeze grabbed 62 percent of the vote, and moves into the Second Round to battle The Forum March 30.

Game 3: Gourmet Burger Shop vs. Little Jerry's

"It's more like a full-body dry heave set to music." That's how George described the Elaine dance in Seinfeld. Today, the folks at Little Jerry's, the Seinfeld-loving café in Tacoma, will probably bust out a few Elaine moves as it grabbed 52 percent of the vote over the Gourmet Burger Shop and dances its way into the Second Round.

Game 4: Mikie Burgers vs. Carl's Jr.

Right now Mikie Burgers on Tacoma's Center Street is the Center of the Burger Universe as it put the hurt on Junior with 85 percent of the vote. Mikie moves into the Second Round to face Little Jerry's March 30.

Let's weed through the condiments. The following are advancing to the Second Round:

• The Forum
• Frisko Freeze
• Little Jerry's
• Mikie Burgers

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 First Round burger battles. Vote for one burger joint per game. Voting for today's burger battles ends at 11:45 p.m. 

WEDNESDAY, MARCH 26 2014 >>>

1. Chicago fuzz merchants the Funs bringing a chugging, lo-fi bravado to your more standard garage rock. Even with the buzzy noise that surrounds the Funs' music, there's still a hypnotic lull that it's quite easy to fall into when listening. The insistently strummed guitars and primal drums eventually fade into pastiche, letting the hazy vocals drift to the front. Catch the band with Criminal Code, Dreamdecay, Vexx and Thee Samedi at 7 p.m. in Le Voyeur.

2. Explore the themes and stories of the art of the American West, from the adventurer artists of the 19th century to contemporary artists working in the West today, with Tacoma Art Museum curator Laura Fry. Entry to her 11 a.m. "Art of the West through Time" lecture is free with the price of admission to TAM.

3. Pour at Four wine bar co-owner Mark Merrill knows wine. It comes with the job. He's tasted a few bottles over the last couple of months. Happily, he's found some beauties. From 5:30-8 p.m., Merrill will pour complimentary tastes of his recent favorites, including several that over deliver for their price.

4. If you'd like to start spring off worrying about something, you could do worse than attend painter Anna McKee's discussion about her travels with climate scientists to glaciers in the Pacific Northwest and Antarctica at 7:30 p.m. at Olympia Timberland Library. We imagine it will be equal parts a profile of beautiful artwork; gorgeous scenes of exotic locales; and a derring-do adventure. But, as we are reminded almost daily in some form of media, her presentation could also be a Giant Blinking Light that Earth's glaciers are melting and disappearing at an astonishing pace - especially when University of Washington glaciologist Bradley Markle adds his field research photos and stories during the same presentation.

5. Cicely Parnas made her Carnegie Hall debut performing the Saint-Saëns Cello Concerto with the New York String Orchestra under the baton of Jaime Laredo, to a rave review in The New York Times. Wow. Catch the cellist at 7:30 p.m. at the Washington Center.

LINK: Wednesday, March 26 arts and entertainment events in the greater Tacoma and Olympia area