FRIDAY, MARCH 26, 2010 >>>

1. China Davis will perform at 8 p.m. inside Jazzbones.

2. Did you miss Montana author Pat Shannon's talk on Darwin's theory of evolution yesterday at Orca Books? The fittest should catch Shannon again at 6 p.m. inside King's Books.

3. Speaking of Orca Books, author William L. Marcy will discuss his book The Politics of Cocaine at the Olympia book store at 6 p.m. The book investigates the role the United States played - through flawed policy and tactics - in building South America's cocaine economy, specifically the mistake of mixing anti Communism and anti drug policies and the absolute havoc and death it created.

4. The all-ages Destiny City Metalfest 2 will host Culling The Weak, Mortal Remails, Never Met A Dead Man, Pity, Autumn Awakening, To The Wind, and Creature Of The Deep at 7 p.m. inside the Viaduct.

5. Gilbert and Sullivan's comic opera HMS Pinafore opens at 8 p.m. for a five weekend run at the Lakewood Playhouse.

LINK: New movies open today

THURSDAY, MARCH 25, 2010 >>>

1. The heartbreaking and rigorous anti-romance Korean flick Christmas in August will screen at The Blue Mouse Theatre as part of the Sister Cities International Film Festival. For $10 you can watch the flick and enjoy Korean cultural events. The festivities begin at 6:30 p.m.

2. Edward Matlock's Loteria show at Fulcrum is cool. His subjects are culturally and generationally iconic. Rendered in extreme contrast they are reduced to abstraction devoid of contextual information. Our favrote is the lazer gun. Check them out between noon and 6 p.m.

3. If Darwin's theory of evolution is correct, then it appears the human animal has attained a plateau in physical development even as the intellect doggedly advances. Is this true? Author Pat Shannon tackles the subject at 6 p.m. inside Orca Books in Olympia.

4. The Thursday Beer Run is growing. Runners show up at a bar ready for a social 3-miler loop. They leave the bar later in the night loopy. The runners will meet at 6:30 p.m. in front of the Cloverleaf Pizza on Sixth Avenue. The runners know why the Cloverleaf's crust is so crunchy. Seems like an extra mile is in order.

5. EvergreenOne, Todd Sykes, the Revengers and Jr. Hill take The Swiss' stage at 9 p.m.

LINK: Plan your weekend concert purchases

MONDAY, MARCH 22, 2010 >>>

1. Pennsylvania band CDC and Wolf City play an all-ages show at 7 p.m. inside the Viaduct club.

2. Animal Abecedary - colorful, whimsical, family friendly art from A-Z acrylic paintings by Lynne Farren, Sarah Utter and Karen Utter - are on display at the Handforth Gallery from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m.

3. Author Alvin J. Ziontz will discuss his book, A Lawyer in Indian Country: A Memoir, at noon inside the State Capital Museum.

4. DJ Jason Diamond spinning roots reggae at 9 p.m. inside O'Malley's Irish Pub.

5. Jazzbones' live band Rockaraoke at 9 p.m. attracts a large college crowd.

LINK: Movie showtimes n the South Sound

TUESDAY, MARCH 16, 2010 >>>

1. Bestsellers - the independent film that was written, shot, edited and produced entirely in Tacoma - will screen at 6:45 p.m. inside The Grand Cinema. A Q&A session with writer and editor Rick Gratzer about the film and production process will follow the screening.

2. Author Matt Hern will discuss his book, Common Ground in a Liquid City: Essays in Defense of an Urban Future, at 6 p.m. inside Orca Books. It's an engaging look at the future of urban life.

3. The Banned Book Club will discuss Living Dead Girl by Elizabeth Scott and cocktails at 7 p.m. inside the Tempest Lounge.

4. The Urban Onion in Olympia hosts Tough Guys Tuesdays film night at 7 p.m. The action double feature will include drink specials.

5. Kareem Kandi hosts an open jazz jam at 9 p.m. inside SAX Restaurant.

LINK: Music showtimes in the South Sound

WHAT WE'VE FOUND TODAY >>>

Climate change makes birds smaller.

Classical music has become too solemn.

Obama's not leaving the country until the House can get its health care legislation passed.

Man sues airline for not looking at his scrotum.

The growing popularity of e-books has raised a difficult question in the publishing marketplace that used to have an easy answer: What's a book worth?

MONDAY, MARCH 8, 2010 >>>

1. Patricia Cosgrove, director of the White River Valley Museum in Auburn, will lecture on "Suffer for Beauty: Revealing Washington Women's History through the Study of Undergarments" at noon inside the State Capital Museum.

2. The Graphic Novel Book Club will discuss DMZ, Vol. 1: On the Ground by Brian Wood and Riccardo Burchielli at 7 p.m. inside the 1022 South lounge.

3. Community West African Drumming and Dance class will be held at 7:30 p.m. inside The Loft on Cherry in downtown Olympia.

4. The Al Earick Band will fill The Swiss with blues beginning at 8 p.m.

5. It's another Rebel Monday/Industry Night with DJ Jason Diamond spinning roots reggae at 9 p.m. inside O'Malley's Irish Pub. 

LINK: Movie showtimes in the South Sound

AN INTERESTING EVENT A DAY KEEPS THE DOCTOR AWAY >>>

TONIGHT: The Rev. Colin will host Sing Like A Crooner Dress-A-Raoke tonight at the Tempest. With props plucked out of the, er, prop chest, singer will compete for Crooner Bucks, which may be turned in for fabulous prizes. Got get your Sinatra on - wearing a feather boa. March 4, 8 p.m., no cover, Tempest Lounge, 913 Martin Luther King Jr. Way, Tacoma, 253.272.4904

FRIDAY: It's the first Friday of the month and that means only one thing: Dance Oly Dance. Head on over to TCTV Studio A on Olympia's Westside and dance to DJ PhilosoBitch's bumpin' set on TV! March 5, 8-9 p.m., no cover, TCTV, 440 Yauger Way SW, Olympia, lukon100@hotmail.com

SATURDAY: Local actors bring Washington state historical figures alive to discuss unsolved mysteries during Ghosts of the Great Hall: Unsolved Mysteries at the Washington State History Museum. Hunt for lost treasure with D.B. Cooper. Listen to the sole survivor of the Andelena shipwreck. Chat with a Can Can girl from Steve's Gay 90's in the '70s (haven't confirmed this one yet). March 6, 1-3 p.m., $6-$8, 1911 Pacific Ave., Tacoma, 253.798.5877

SUNDAY: If James Cameron made a four-hour movie about paint drying, chances are it still wouldn't be as pointless as watching the Oscars. Check that - it wouldn't be as pointless as watching the Oscars alone in your sad little hobble. Watching the Oscars amongst friends at The Grand Cinema's annual Academy Award Party, on the other hand, is sure to be far more captivating than anything involving funny looking blue aliens. Hosted by Tacoma City Councilmember Marty Campbell, maestro Gavin Guss and "Tinseltown legend" Quinton Loyne-Packard, the Grand's Oscar party is sure to be a hoot. March 7, 4 p.m. red carpet, $15-$18, Rialto Theater, 310 S. Ninth, Tacoma, 253.572.6062

MONDAY: The dorky Graphic Novel Book Club will discuss DMZ, Vol. 1: On the Ground by Brian Wood and Riccardo Burchielli, which may be purchased at King's Books. It's the story about the ultimate embedded war journalist trapped in a most unlikely war zone: the streets of New York City. March 8, 7 p.m., no cover, 21 and older, 1022 South lounge, 1022 S. J St., Tacoma, 253.272.5801

TUESDAY: Take a break from the slots to watch Danny Vernon performs his dead-on Elvis impersonation.  March 9, 6:30 p.m., no cover, Red Wind Casino, 12819 Yelm Hwy. SE, Olympia, 360.412-5000

WEDNESDAY: Kirk Larson of the Social Security Administration will present "Social Security 101" at Cascade Park Vista assisted living community. Afterward, all the visiting children will cry. March 10, 6:30-8 p.m., Cascade Park Vista, 242 Saint Helens Ave., Tacoma, 253.627.3833

THURSDAY: The crafty group Tacoma Is For Lovers hosts another Craft Night, this time welcoming Tacoma artist Chris Sharp who will introduce collage using a 1980s book on breakdancing as source material. Bring your own cardboard for impromptu head spins. March 11, 7 p.m., $15 fee for materials, King's Books, 218 St. Helens Ave., Tacoma, 253.2672.8801

THURSDAY, MARCH 4, 2010 >>>

1. The Speakeasy Arts Cooperative hosts a potluck dinner from 6-9 p.m. The theme is Mexican. There will also be an open mic for musicians.

2. The Chair Affair Auction benefiting Northwest Furniture Bank runs 6-9 p.m. inside the Tacoma Art Museum.

3. The Pacific Lutheran University Literary Spotlight Series focuses on author Langdon Cook and his book, Fat of the Land: Adventures of a 21^st Century Forager at 7 p.m. inside the Garfield Book Company.  Cook, who was once a senior book editor at Amazon, left the corporate life behind to live off the land.

4. The Tacoma Community College Symphonic Band under the direction of John Falskow presents "Style in History," an exploration of the different ways composers from different times have sought out expression in sound, at 7:30 p.m. inside TCC Building 3 Auditorium. 

5. Skerdio, the dynamic duo of emcee/boomboxer Radio Active and saxophonist Skerik, perform at 9 p.m. inside the Eastside Club Tavern in Olympia.

LINK: Movie showtimes in the South Sound

WHAT THE %@&*! HAPPENED TO COMICS? >>>

Ask 12 serious comic book fans what their favorite stories are, and you're likely to get 12-or more-different answers. But ask the same dozen for the works that truly elevated the medium, in content, scope and respectability, and you'll land on a few. Watchmen. The Dark Knight Returns. Maus: A Survivor's Tale.

Art Spiegelman was a professional cartoonist for 20 years before the first volume of Maus was published in 1986. The second volume came in 1991, and with it something new for comics-literary respect. Maus quickly became the first of only two graphic novels awarded a Pulitzer Prize.

Were this the only thing Spiegelman had accomplished, it would still be enough for a place as one of the comic book medium's most influential creators. But in a career closing in on 50 years in the making, it marks just one facet of his experience in the industry.

Read more...

THE INCREDIBLE, EDIBLE BOOK >>>

Collins Memorial Library at the University of Puget Sound dedicates itself to protecting books, but come April 1 (no joke) it will eat them at the University's fourth Edible Books Festival.

What is an edible book? Duh. An edible book is made of food and inspired by literary titles, characters or authors - such as Lord of the Onion Rings.

Collins is calling all culinary artists to participate in the event. Prizes will be awards for most literary, most artistic, most beautiful and other categories.

For details, call the library at 253.879.3669.

Be sure to drop by Collins on April Fool's Day and browse for a story you can really dig into.

[Collins Memorial Library, Thursday, April 1, 11 a.m. to 4 p.m., entry drop-off 8-11 a.m., people's choice voting 11 a.m. to 3:30 p.m., awards ceremony 3:30 p.m., University of Puget Sound, 1500 N. Warner, Tacoma]