I like to blame the creepiness of fog on 1980. Why? Because 1980 was the year that horror filmmaker John Carpenter's The Fog hit theaters. Killer ghost/leper/zombies appear out of an eerie fog and terrorize the citizens of a small coastal city. As a very gullible, highly fearful child with a wild imagination, I began to see South Sound fog in a whole new light, especially this time of year when it's thick and lingering, as it has been this past week.

Of course back then, it didn't help that the old, drafty and creaky house I grew up in sat atop 30th Street hill in Old "Fog" Town in Tacoma at the edge of one of the entrances to the gulch. The gulch was awful during my childhood: dark, dank and heavy on the scariness. Throw misty and spooky fog in there, and that's a recipe for horror to this kiddo!

Oh, and did I mention that my bedroom was the site of the previous owner's death? Triple whammy, Tacoma!

OK, so now that I am a reasonable adult (well, a little), fog shouldn't be unnerving, right? Well, you be the judge. Check out these Tacoma foggy locales and see what you think.

Ruston Way/top of 30th Street hill, Old Town, Tacoma

You can't see a damn thing here when it's foggy. So the creaking old docks, the splish-splash of icy bay waters, trains that you can hear but not see until it's evil-eye light bursts through the fog and it's devilish horn screams, well, that's enough for me. From the top of 30th Street hill on a foggy morning or evening, you can't see ANYTHING at the bottom. No downtown Tacoma, no tide flats, no movement, nothing. As a child, I envisioned our 1970 Buick LeSabre's brakes going out, racing us down the hill at breakneck speed, only to plunge into the fog and disappear forever.

Chambers Bay, University Place

Think about this: strange Stonehenge-ian structures poking through foggy tendrils. Shadowy figures are seen from the view above (OK, they are probably joggers or golfers, but still). A Poe-esque raven caws menacingly from an invisible perch.

Foss Waterway, Tacoma

I've been on a small and vulnerable boat in the wee hours in this waterway in the fog. It's especially weird and awful on the water not being able to see anything until you are right on top of it. And worse: it's so damn still and quiet you can only hear the drone of the boat engine and your heart beating. It's the perfect scenario for a ghost pirate ship to come alongside of you and take you prisoner to the ghostly beyond.

The Tacoma Narrows Bridge, Tacoma and Gig Harbor

The "Bridge to Nowhere" is what it should be called. Even when the rest of the fog dissipates around the area, the bridge fog is the LAST to go. When you drive over Highway 16, you see the cars, one by one, disappear into it. Where do they go? Did they survive? Did they just drive into the pit of hell or a zombie land? Perhaps maybe they are being followed by the ghost of Galloping Gertie? Oh, the foggy madness!

Listen to us, the children of the night. What music we make! This is Nerd Alert, the Weekly Volcano's recurring events calendar devoted to all things nerdy. I myself am a Star Wars fan, mathlete, and spelling bee champion of long standing, so trust me: I grok whereof I speak.

I've been a fan of Orson Scott Card's Ender's Game (though not his far-right politics) since I was in high school. So why am I so dubious about the movie, which opens Nov. 1? Is it because Harrison Ford has been on Ambien since 1990, or because Ender's trailer boasts the best visual effects of 2006? Let's hope director Gavin Hood displays the mastery he brought to ... uh ... X-Men Origins: Wolverine. Uh-oh.

FRIDAY, OCT. 25

This may seem a tad self-serving, but OM effing G, I'm so geeked out about my weekend plans! Why? Because I'm one of the actors in Lakewood Playhouse's live, radio-style revival of Orson Welles's The War of the Worlds! Not only will we be performing the 1938 radio drama live before your ears to commemorate its - and the Playhouse's - 75th anniversary, but you'll also get sound effects created to order. That's not even the best part! No, we'll also be paying tribute to a certain expat Kryptonian Boy Scout for his silver birthday, plus a horror short called "The Giggler." You can hear me as a deranged German and Gott knows what else by the time our triple feature is through. (I was this close to playing Superman's pal Jimmy Olsen!) It's a fun night out, but beware: you only have two nights to catch it. And stay away from that crater in Grovers Mill! There's something not at all right about that place.

THE WAR OF THE WORLDS, 8 p.m., Friday, Oct. 25 and Saturday, Oct. 26, Lakewood Playhouse, 5729 Lakewood Towne Center Blvd., Lakewood, $20-$25, 253.588.0042

SATURDAY, OCT. 26

The only down side to being in War of the Worlds is I'm missing this year's Night of the Living Tribute Bands, which is a sobbing shame because They Might Be Giants, you guys! We're talkin' Triangle Man hates "Particle Man." Get old with "Ana Ng." "I Palindrome I," you son of a bitch! If that doesn't put a little "Birdhouse in Your Soul," then I don't know what ... other than to note that the Beasties, Iron Butterfly, the Pixies, Queens of the Stone Age, Siouxsie and the Banshees, and the Specials will all be on the line-up as well. So yeah, it's pretty much pop-rock paradise for Gen X-ers.

NIGHT OF THE LIVING TRIBUTE BANDS, 8:30 p.m., Capitol Theater, 206 5th Ave. SE, Olympia, $8-$10, 360.754.6670

TUESDAY, OCT. 29

If you're the age of our typical reader, then you grew up with Harry Potter, Hermione Granger and Ron Weasley. They and their fellow Gryffindors at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry have become part of the Muggle world mythology; still, that doesn't mean we can't have a few laughs at their expense. Comedians Daniel Clarkson and Jeff Turner send up all seven Potter novels and stage a live match of Quidditch in only 70 hysterical minutes in Potted Potter: The Unauthorized Harry Experience.  We're talking 300 characters, many female, with a variety of accents from Beauxbatons in France to the highlands of Scotland. Oh, and what the hell, let's throw in a fire-breathing dragon - live on stage. The show opens on a Tuesday, so you have literally nothing better to do that night.

POTTED POTTER: THE UNAUTHORIZED HARRY EXPERIENCE, 7:30 p.m. Tuesday, Oct. 29-Saturday, Nov. 2, also 9:30 p.m., Friday, Nov. 1 and 3 p.m. Nov. 2-3, Rialto Theater, 310 S. Ninth St., Tacoma, $38-$59, 253.591.2013

Thursday, Oct. 31 is All Hallow's Eve, so check out the Rutledge Corn Maze in Tumwater (302 93rd Ave. SE), the high-tech Hell's Gateway in Tacoma (202 Fawcett Ave.), Lacey's My Morbid Mind haunted mansion (4548 Marvin Rd. SE) and Halloween Hellmouth in Lakewood (8415 Lawndale Ave. SW). Or you could just build and activate a Speak & Spell radio with your pet alien.

Until next week, may the Force be with you, may the odds be ever in your favor, and may your enemy's gate always be down.

SUNDAY, OCT. 20 2013 >>>

1. The Tacoma Cult Movie Club hosts another 7 p.m. screening at Tacoma's Acme Grub Cage. Appropriately, this month's theme is vampires. While Rev. Colin doesn't release the titles of the gems he'll screen, if we know Rev. Colin, he'll bust out the British Vampyres, the story of a lesbian pair that battles when one of them falls for a man they've kidnapped while hitchhiking. Next, we suspect he'll turn more European, with Daughters of Darkness finding another femme fatale duo (led by French New Wave dame Delphine Seyrig) that welcomes the wife of their latest kill into the fold. It's a crapshoot really, except the popcorn and zany prizes. You can always count on the popcorn and raffle.

2. In your desperation to design your Walter and Jesse Halloween costumes, you might overlook Dia de los Muertos. The Day of the Dead, Nov. 3, is seen by many as Mexico's most important holiday, a time to honor family members, friends and mentors who have passed on in a loving, respectful way. However, it is not too early to appease your indignant kin. Centro Latino leads community groups and Stadium High School students in the installation of several ornate ofrendas (altars) commemorating the deceased at the Tacoma Art Museum from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. The altars will be laden with offerings of food and drink to honor loved ones. Local artist Fulgencio Lazo and his team of professionals and volunteers fill the Marie A. Helmer Lobby with a colorful tapete (large sand painting). 

3. The Weekly Volcano will join all those who worship Thor, Odin and other Norse gods from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. when the Sons of Norway's annual Lutefisk Dinner hits Normanna Hall. While loaded with vendors selling clogs, sweaters, Sigvat jewelry, Viking ships in bottles, ABBA records, pewter Norse gods and Kongetinn wine goblets, we attend the festival for the food.  We will dive in to some big slabs of yummy jellied pressed Lutefisk, meatballs and baked goods while reading from the Rigsbula: The Lay of Rig from the Poetic Edda. Afterward, we'll take a nap and dream of large sledgehammers and cute pointy helmets and enormous women shaped like huge pomegranates belting out Wagner.

4. Head over to see Tacoma City Ballet performance of Haunted Theatre: Backstage Tour and Eerie Dances at 3 p.m. inside the Merlino Arts Center. Walk behind the scenes in an old ballet studio and see what kind of chills, thrills, and arabesques lurk as Tacoma City Ballet dancers perform spooky Halloween ballets complete with bats, marionettes, ghosts, monsters, mummified Egyptian cats, pumpkins, skeletons and witches.

5. Guitarist Jeffrey Hamilton Steele and pianist Monica Steele will perform pieces from Bach, Rodrigo and Barrios at 3 p.m. in the Antique Sandwich Company.

LINK: Sunday, Oct. 20 arts and entertainment events in the greater Tacoma and Olympia area

SATURDAY, OCT. 19 2013 >>>

1. For some, running can be an excruciating experience. To many others, it's what they live for. But however you feel about running, there's no doubt the experience can be improved by the donning of a ghoulish costume or vampire teeth and a cape. Enter the Black Cat Fun Run, a family-friendly 2.5 or 5-mile jaunt through Point Defiance Park set to go down at dusk. Organized by Metro Parks Tacoma, the event caters to runners and walkers of all levels, and the registration fee gets you a running cap with lighted brim, glow necklace and live music, hat bales and snack at the finish line ... or water if you're, like, a really hardcore runner and stuff.

2. What would all this Halloween talk be without perhaps the most classic (and bloodiest) Halloween-y performance of them all? Head over to see Tacoma City Ballet performance of Haunted Theatre: Backstage Tour and Eerie Dances at 3 and 5 p.m. inside the Merlino Arts Center. Walk behind the scenes in an old ballet studio and see what kind of chills, thrills, and arabesques lurk as Tacoma City Ballet dancers perform spooky Halloween ballets complete with bats, marionettes, ghosts, monsters, mummified Egyptian cats, pumpkins, skeletons and witches. Afterward, go grab a "bite." The dance company will be sure to make a great impression (or is it a great mark?) on you.

3. Actor Elliott Gould will appear at a 7 p.m. screening of the 1970 Robert Altman film M.A.S.H., in which Gould played Trapper John McIntyre, as a fundraiser for the Olympia Film Society's digital cinema campaign at the Capitol Theater.

4. PugetBrass will perform traditional and contemporary literature in a unique and entertaining style popularized by British colliery bands of the early 20th century at 7:30 p.m. in Tacoma Community Coolege Building 2 Auditorium.

5. "For an event that pretty much takes the worst elements you could possibly combine together," says Craig Egan, "we've had surprisingly little amount of trouble." Egan is speaking about his annual take on Oktoberfest, called Maltoberfest at 7 p.m. inside Bob's Java Jive. It doesn't take much detective work to figure out that Maltoberfest celebrates that most dubious of concoctions: malt liquor. Now in its eighth year - and with the ridiculous subtitle of "Maltoberfest 8: Menace II Sobriety" - the event brings together all of Tacoma's rabble-rousers for a night of punk, hip-hop, German nonsense and many dozens of forties of Old English, Mickey's, and Steel Reserve. Read Rev. Adam McKinney's full feature on Maltoberfest 8: Menace II Sobriety in Music and Culture section.

LINK: Saturday, Oct. 19 arts and entertainment events in the greater Tacoma and Olympia area

Delicious Italian food, yummy desserts, costume contest, door prizes, silent auction with great items, a special "golden ticket" raffle (hot air balloon ride anyone?) and holiday fun - sounds like a great recipe for a great time, yes? So, take these ingredients and add in the important fact that proceeds of this event would benefit a terrific local organization that supports people living with the traumatic brain injury and their families.

The Brain Energy Support Team (BEST) is a nonprofit organization whose mission is to provide support, advocacy, public awareness, and education and socialization opportunities to individuals with a brain injury and their families. Founded in 2008, BEST distinguishes itself with its leadership, services, and programs that are built by and for people living with brain injury and their families.

The team at BEST is honored to invite the general public for a night of great food and fun at its Frightfully Delightful Dinner and Dessert Auction 4-7 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 26 at Joeseppi's Italian Ristorante in Tacoma. Costumes are encouraged.

Event tickets are $35 and include dinner and event admission. Tickets may be purchased online.  Be sure to purchase your ticket by Oct. 18 to guarantee your spot.

Halloween is admittedly my favorite holiday. The crisp cool nights, the spider webs collecting dew, the excitement in the air as the imagination reaches to the otherworld, conjuring ideas of unsettled spirits and life beyond flesh...

That, and it's fun to play dress up.

And even though it's September, it's never too early to start considering your costume. Here, I've compiled a list of awesome costume ideas and places in the South Sound to find them.

Let's start with pop culture:

It would be a shame not to predict a Miley Cyrus or two in the crowd this Halloween. It's super easy to re-create her hairstyle, costume and poses in the viral (and vile) video of her performance at the MTV Video Music Awards. Just put tiny buns on the top of your head like bug antennae, find nude bra and panties, and attempt to twerk. This costume would work for couples as well - just find a Beetlejuice costume and microphone and play up Robin Thicke. Check Goodwill or Value Village for this one.

Read more...

Corina Bakery is a delectable little bakery with a classy café like setting serving up Tacoma favorites such as Valhalla Coffee and Mad Hat Tea. Though both of those are reason enough to visit, their selection of housemade baked goods is absolutely exquisite. Corina specializes in specialty cakes, handcrafted pies and cheesecakes with a large selection of gluten free and vegan options for those with dietary restrictions.

Corina Bakery is open today until 5 p.m. I highly recommend you leave your abode right now and indulge in Corina's Hummingbird Cupcake ($2.80). This moist little morsel of goodness is a delicate spice cake teasing with bits of banana, pineapple and walnuts throughout. The cream cheese butter cream frosting adds a lovely richness to each little nibble. The sprinkles and hard candy butterfly on top are a cute little touch that only adds to the guilt of my decadent splurge.

Pair with an Americano and you've achieved perfection.

HUMMINGBIRD CUPCAKE, open today until 5 p.m., regular hours 8 a.m. to 7 p.m. Monday-Thursday, 8 a.m. to 9 p.m. Friday and Saturday, 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. Sunday, Corina Bakery, 602 S. Fawcett, Tacoma, 253.627.5070.

Thousands attended Joint Base Lewis-McChord's Freedom Fest at Memorial and Cowan stadiums. 

"I've been coming here since 1995," Kingsley Hoover, owner of King's Original Kettle Korn, said as he and Ryan Whittington stirred a large kettle of popcorn.

"And it's great to be here on the Fourth. I love this place."

While vendors offered everything from food and drink to balloons and T-shirts, the infield of Cowan Stadium was covered with classic cars.

"This event is a lot of fun to come and see these classics," Wendy Minnieweather said as she cleaned the engine of her 2005 Mustang Coupe.

"I can't get enough of this place."

Below are seven scenes from yesterday's Fourth of July celebration at JBLM.

>>> 1934 Ford Owner:  Norm Treen, an Army vet, checks over his 1934 Ford during Freedom Fest.

Read more...

ON THIS DATE IN HISTORY >>>>

Well, gee, Bobble Tiki wonders what today is - oh, that's right. In 1920, innkeeper and "Queen of Mean" Leona Helmsley is born. Helmsley is famous for two things: marrying a very old wealthy man and once saying, "Only the little people pay taxes."  Join Bobble Tiki in blowing up a photo of her with an M-80. 

Today is also the Fourth of July. Be sure to check out our Fourth of July Command Center for all your Fourth of July needs.

Here at NorthwestMilitary.com, Bobble Tiki and crew be taking the day to spend time with our families, shoot off some fireworks, and work some corn dogs. Be sure to join us again tomorrow when we'll be back in full force, with the latest in entertainment and Barbie makeover news. In the meantime, enjoy this, America! You deserve it.

THURSDAY, JULY 4, 2013 >>>

1. Well, in Tacoma there's Freedom Fair. Duh. Find details right here. 

2. Then there's a huge celebration at Joint Base Lewis-McChord. Click here for details.

3. What's that? You live in Tumwater. Well, they really know how to celebrate the Fourth of July in style with the Artesian Family Festival and Thunder Valley Fireworks show.

4. The picturesque town of Steilacoom also knows how to party on the Fourth of July. Here's a link to Steilacoom's Fourth of July celebration. 

5. Honestly, you should just check in with our Fourth of July Command Center for all the goods.

6. You could blow your fingers off ... but that kind of sucks.

LINK: Thursday, July 4 arts and entertainment events in the greater Tacoma and Olympia area