GRAB A CUP AND READ THE MORNING REPORT FOR 7.12.14 >>>

U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry scrambles to produce a deal today to end Afghanistan's election crisis, meeting for the second day with the country's two presidential candidates and incumbent President Hamid Karzai.

Ukrainian war planes bombarded separatists along a broad front today, inflicting huge losses.

The top U.S. commander in Europe said the DoD must reconsider the drawdown of forces following Russia's provocative actions.

Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel said Iran and Russia were helping Iraq battle a Sunni extremist insurgency but that the U.S. was not coordinating its own assistance with either country.

Rep. Peter King (R-N.Y.) warned Thursday that Sunni militants in Iraq could build a dirty bomb with uranium seized during their march on Baghdad.

Kurdish security forces took over two major oil fields outside the disputed northern city of Kirkuk before dawn Friday.

The Senate passed a bipartisan resolution aimed at altering China's behavior toward U.S. allies in the Asia-Pacific region.

Why the next great war won't happen on China's doorstep.

Two of the four U.S. deaths in Benghazi might have been prevented, military leaders say.

Hundreds of Marines set sail when the Navy's newest amphibious assault ship departed from the shipyard in Mississippi on Friday, their historic transit taking them around South America to the ship's home port in the Pacific.

12 Outstanding Airmen of the Year for 2014

Army on the hunt for new weapons.

The Selective Service System mistakenly sent notices to more than 14,000 Pennsylvania men born between 1893 and 1897.

Former Minnesota Gov. Jesse Ventura has testified he doesn't remember any confrontation with the American Sniper author who claimed to have punched out Ventura in a bar.

The Budweiser ad "Hero's Welcome," featuring a surprise homecoming parade for an Army lieutenant, has been nominated for an Emmy award for outstanding television commercial.

LeBron James has announced his decision to return to the Cleveland Cavaliers.

Angelina Jolie's newest film looks unbearably cheesy.

The worst pop culture moments in 2014 (so far).

If Google was a real guy, part 3.

Here's every Transformers robot fight scene in one video.

Clever golf trick shots activate a fun Rube Goldberg machine.

It's OK, there's no need to call PETA. The elephants are not real.

LINK: Original photo by Lance Cpl. Jose D. Lujano

GRAB A CUP AND READ THE MORNING REPORT FOR 7.11.14 >>>

A rocket attack by pro-Russian rebels on a border post on Ukraine's border with Russia today may have killed as many as 30 soldiers and border guards.

A fourth day of Israeli air strikes on the Gaza Strip killed 11 more Palestinians, raising the death toll in the coastal enclave to at least 96.

Demand for Air Force spy planes, fighters and bombers from Eastern Europe to the Far East is spiking.

A U.S. Army general defended his service's decision to buy 100 Airbus UH-72 Lakota helicopters for pilot training.

A bipartisan group of lawmakers introduced a bill to help prevent veteran suicides and reform the way the Veterans Affairs Department treats those suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder. 

The nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office has released a new score for a House bill to overhaul the Veterans Affairs Department that is dramatically lower than its previous estimate.

The blaze on an F-35 Joint Strike Fighter that grounded the military's fleet might be an isolated incident, the Pentagon's chief weapons buyer told lawmakers Thursday.

Months after the Army implemented a more stringent tattoo policy, recruiters say they are the ones feeling the pinch.

The U.S. Army conducted flight testing of an unmanned airborne electronic attack capability known as NERO, or the Networked Electronic Warfare Remotely Operated.

Air Force officials announced the Total Force Commissioning Process.

The Army has started migrating all its enterprise applications and systems to designated core data centers.

The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers is exploring the possibility of partnering with the private sector for projects involving America's waterways and ports.

The U.S. Army Criminal Investigation Command launched a new centralized recruiting program.

Lt. Gen. Patricia Horoho, Army surgeon general and commanding general of the U.S. Army Medical Command, hosted the first Army Medicine Virtual Town Hall on Facebook. 

World's first climate-controlled neighborhood to be built in Dubai.

Scientist find that 80 percent of all light in the Universe is missing.

171 reasons why the Matrix Reloaded was crap.

15 music videos filmed in one shot.

How many more Seinfeld 25th anniversary pieces do you need? The answer is actually: just this one, which lays out why Elaine Benes is a feminist icon.

OMG

LINK: Original photo by Sgt. Mary S. Katzenberger

THURSDAY, JULY 10 2014 >>>

1. Since really wonderful summertime food comes off the grill, the idea that chilled white wine is a good general summer drink becomes nonsensical. More often, room-temperature red wine should be the libation of choice. The marriage of a delicately gamey grilled leg of lamb with a complex yet fruity Pinot Noir, or a perfectly charred hamburger, smothered in caramelized onions and chased by a robust, peppery Zinfandel: Well, isn't this what life is worth living for? Dorian Woodson from Cru Selections knows. He has the scoop on tasty summer reds, which he'll reveal 5-7 p.m. in the STINK Tank wine bar. For $5, you may taste five summer reds, enjoy summer snacks and chat up why sweet, cold and white should stay away from your grill.

2. The second Thursday of the month, the downtown Gig Harbor community skips floating around on their yachts to host a party. The galleries stay open late, artists hold demonstrations, refreshments are passed out and the music goes live from 5-8 p.m.

3. While Van Halen was telling everyone to "jump," brothers Kurt and Rob Widmer opened their brewery with $50,000. It was a slow start. In 1986, the Widmer Brothers introduced their Hefeweizen to America. The rest is history. In 2008, Widmer and Red Hook merged to form what would later be titled Craft Brew Alliance, the ninth largest brewer in the nation. The Copper Door hosts a Widmer Brothers Brewer's Night from 6-9 p.m. Meet the brewer, chat beer history and drink Citra Blonde, Upheaval IPA, Sason de Fleurs and "other secret squirrel beers."

4. We always enjoy a Big Dipper after tight harmonies. And thank the heavenly bodies, Pacific Lutheran University will, once again, make our dreams come true. The college hosts Jazz Under the Stars, an outdoor jazz concert series followed by rare public entry into their Keck Observatory. The series, a different band every Thursday through Aug. 14, kicks off tonight with four-piece Luigi LaCross in the Mary Baker Russell amphitheater from 7-9 p.m. Ah crap, the observatory is open only for the July 31, Aug. 7 and 14 shows. Well, we'll wish upon a star tonight that someone changes his or her mind.

5. Lakewood Playhouse never seems to disappoint and their most recent production is no exception. People who don't like Monty Python humor, also known as fuddy duddies, might want to skip it but for everyone else, Spamalot (books and lyrics by Eric Idle) will have them laughing, whistling and singing even after the show. Director John Munn's brilliant cast and crew could not have done a better job. Read Joann Varnell's full review of Spamalot in the Music & Culture section, then catch pay-what-you-can show at 8 p.m.

LINK: Thursday, July 10 arts and entertainment events in the greater Tacoma and Olympia area

GRAB A CUP AND READ THE MORNING REPORT FOR 7.10.14 >>>

Two different sets of fighters were possibly involved in the 2012 Benghazi, Libya, terrorist attack that killed U.S. Ambassador Christopher Stephens and three other Americans.

Under sequestration, the Pentagon faces $500 billion in cuts over the next decade.

Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel said the Sunni fundamentalist group the Islamic State in Iraq and Syria (ISIS) poses a threat not just to the government in Baghdad, but to the United States as well.

Israel launches deadliest strike in three days.

Gen. John Campbell, the army's vice chief of staff and nominee to lead U.S. forces in Afghanistan, defends flawed intelligence system.

Gen. Daniel Allyn, the top general at Forces Command, has been nominated to be the next Army Vice Chief of Staff.

Army leaders, including Campbell and Odierno, have circled their wagons around the Distributed Common Ground System.

The Pentagon is finishing up a major review of its nuclear forces and Hagel will soon issue his recommendations.

U.S. Navy to Congress: We can't guarantee a safe nuclear fleet.

Teams aboard the MV Cape Ray have begun neutralizing Syrian chemical materials.

Soldiers test changes to Army's mobile network.

1st Cavalry female leads crew to historic "Top Gun" gunnery title.

Marines open infantry training to hundreds more female officers.

Why the U.S. Navy should build smaller aircraft carriers.

How hot the nation's cities will be by the year 2100 if climate change goes unchecked.

A shoulder bag cooler that can keep ice frozen for days.

Emmy Nominations 2014: The Complete list

The New York Times reviews Morrissey's latest record.

Beck has announced a Song Reader album with contributions from Jack White, Jeff Tweedy and others.

Watch the latest trailer for Terry Gilliam's new movie, Zero Theroem.

See an extended preview of Guardians of the Galaxy.

Flavorwire lists 50 essential cult novels.

Finally: Seinfeld emoji are here.

Miss the 1980s? Here you go ...

LINK: Original photo by John Clary

GRAB A CUP AND READ THE MORNING REPORT FOR 7.9.14 >>>

A top official at the Veterans Affairs Department says he is sorry that VA employees have suffered retaliation after making complaints about poor patient care, long wait times and other problems.

North Korea launched two projectiles this morning into the sea off its east coast.

Israel bombs more than 100 targets overnight in Gaza.

U.S. Sen. John McCain is echoing a House Democrat's warning that the Obama administration is flying blind in responding to a violent Islamic group's destabilizing advance in Iraq.

The Islamic State extremist group has taken control of a vast former chemical weapons facility northwest of Baghdad.

Iraqi officials discovered 50 bodies, many of them blindfolded and with their hands bound, in an agricultural area outside a city south of Baghdad.

If Baghdad falls: Lessons of Vietnam.

The number of Afghan civilians, including children, killed in violence rose by nearly 17 percent in the first half of this year.

The creative process of an Oscar-winning screenwriter.

Spoiler: Game of Thrones is fake!

10 movies that show how great editing can turn movies into masterpieces.

Here comes a tiny hedgehog.

Courtney Love will appear on Sons of Anarchy next season

Bring It: Universal Classic Monsters 30-film set

List: Best motion-capture characters in film.

Finally: Video shows a bunch of actors who were on The X-Files before they became famous.

Think outside the box today ...

LINK: Original photo by Cpl. Demetrius Munnerlyn

GRAB A CUP AND READ THE MORNING REPORT FOR 7.8.14 >>>

Officials are warning troops and DoD civilians in the state of Washington that indulging in pot could result in consequences.

The Israeli army, air force and navy launched a major operation today against the Islamist militant group Hamas in the Gaza Strip.

An Afghan official says that at least 16 people, including four Czech soldiers, were killed today in a suicide attack near a clinic in eastern Afghanistan.

The top U.S. commander in Europe said he will probably need more troops to counter the renewed military threat from Russia that is roiling the far eastern region of Europe.

NATO leaders will push alliance members to adopt a readiness action designed to improve the speed European militaries can respond to crisis.

It's the tale of the two maritime exercises: In the Black Sea, the U.S. and its allies are starting up multinational training while Russian warships separately maneuver in a large-scale war game.

Report: Engine responsible for F-35 fire.

House Benghazi panel may cost $3 million this year.

U.S. Navy warns it can't meet 30-year funding needs.

Russia to revamp nuclear-missile force within decade.

An international pact on heightened security standards for nuclear materials got one step closer to being implemented when Japan signed on late last month.

The Minuteman has been updated over the years and remains ready for launch, but the items that support it have grown old.

Let's look at storm photos.

Let's watch cells grow.

Kickstarter potato salad guy rules.

MAC is launching Simpsons makeup line.

Pink Floyd has a new album on the way.

Cartoon jokes that went over most kids' heads.

From coal mountains, Walmart, China Buffet, Gus's Guns and PBR, Amanda Nicole demonstrates her hula hooping skills in the Midwest.         

Finally: Hip Hop Family Tree.

Who wants to swim in our pool?

LINK: Original photo by Spc. Philip Diab

GRAB A CUP AND READ THE MORNING REPORT FOR 7.7.14 >>>

Israeli air strikes killed seven Hamas militants in the Gaza Strip following the kidnapping and killing of three Israeli youths and a Palestinian teen.

Ukraine to lay siege to rebel-held regional centers.

Ukraine's richest man pleads for city's safety after rebels vow to make stand.

German Chancellor Angela Merkel concerned over U.S. spy claims. 

The U.S. Defense Department is set to roll out a new R&D strategy this week.

The F-35 Joint Program Office has begun carrying out a game-changing plan for sustainment on a global scale.

U.S. Navy's cruiser problem.

Master Chief Petty Officer of the Navy wants every sailor to have a tablet.

Opinion: deck stacked again women in experimental task force.

The Air Force says putting "juicy bars" off-limits has helped shut many involved with prostitution and human trafficking.

Army publishes SHARP campaign plan.

Installations to open SHARP Resource Centers.

Army moving education content to cloud for better access.

Natick investigates shelter lighting effects on soldier thinking, mood.

Veterans turning to American Legion in wake of VA scandal.

Fury, scheduled for release Nov. 14, is writer/director David Ayer's new movie about a U.S. Sherman tank mission behind German lines in April 1945.

A tantalizing brief glimpse inside Fabien Cousteau's underwater lab.

Scientists have located the brain's on/off switch for consciousness.

Neil deGrasse Tyson gives a detailed breakdown of NASCAR physics.

The science behind barbecuing.

The new Star Wars movie has picked two new actors from its open casting call.

See Kevin Smith talk about his visit to the Star Wars set.

A new book counts down Bruce Springsteen's 100 best songs.

Dude, you don't ban a kid from a restaurant for wearing a Ninja Turtles shirt.

Finally: Seinfeld breakups

No words can describe this ...

LINK: Original photo by Visual Information Specialist Markus Rauchenberger

GRAB A COFFEE AND READ THE MORNING REPORT FOR 7.5.14 >>>

Taliban insurgents set fire to about 200 oil tanker trucks supplying fuel for NATO forces in an attack just outside the Afghan capital Kabul.

Government forces recaptured a flashpoint area of eastern Ukraine from pro-Russian rebels.

Why Putin turned against the U.S.

Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Gen. Martin Dempsey: Iraqi military can't regain lost territory on its own.

The Navy and Air Force have grounded the entire fleet of F-35 Joint Strike Fighters.

Crunch time for VA deal.

Quarantine the Middle East.

Faced with a newly aggressive Russia, NATO has been mulling how to react, but it is ruling out one option: rapid expansion.

Custody case highlights a dilemma of deployment.

Queen Elizabeth II smashed a bottle of whisky against Britain's biggest warship on Friday as she gave her name to the new aircraft carrier at a ceremony in Scotland.

The eight presidents with the most badass military records.

Drone captures beautiful film flying through fireworks.

An emoji-only social network: Ridiculous or brilliant?

Breaking ground on the world's largest shopping mall.

City of Wolfsburg - in Germany - is currently hosting the worst Star Wars exhibition ever.

Endless flood of people in Hong Kong is like real life World War Z.

Here's a Burger King video that makes us want to puke ...

LINK: Original photo by Airman 1st Class Gustavo Castillo

GRAB A CUP AND READ THE MORNING REPORT FOR 7.3.14 >>>

Iraq chases Baghdad sleeper cells as "Zero Hour" looms over capital.

Israel said today it was beefing up its forces along its frontier with the Gaza Strip.

Iran has reduced demands for the size of its future nuclear enrichment program in talks with world powers.

The latest delivery of Russian-made Su-25 Frogfoot aircraft to the Iraqi Air Force originated from Iran.

The White House is expected to nominate Lt. Gen. Lori Robinson to head up Pacific Air Forces and receive a fourth star, making her the first U.S. female four-star commander of combat forces.

Top U.S. officials return to Farnborough as F-35 debuts.

How the Pentagon could save $108 billion over the next decade.

Will U.S. switch sides and back Assad?

There hasn't been a real adjustment in the U.S. definition of national security since the end of the Cold War and the extension of business as usual has simply diminished the U.S. in its role as a world leader.

Forget terrorism. The Pentagon's best chance to field the best military with the smaller budget imposed by sequestration may just lie in preparing for nuclear war with Russia and China.

China: Leap-frogging U.S. deterrence in the Pacific.

VA medical inspector retires after scathing report.

The U.S. Army wants to replace its Cold War-era M9 9mm pistol with a more powerful handgun.

Army: Bergdahl venturing out in public.

The Army-led Future Vertical Lift program is being developed to replace the service's aging helicopter fleet, and the aircraft of other services, at some point in the future.

94th Infantry Division vets reunite to remember World War II.

25th Transportation Battalion carries out certification exercise below DMZ.

The www.defenseone.com/technology/2014/07/military-already-using-facebook-track-moods/87793/?oref=d-topstory" target="_blank">military is using Facebook to track your mood.

Top five misconceptions about evolution according to scientists.

Cool demonstration of self-driving cars.

Too Much Free Time: Watch how American cities grow through thousands of historic maps.

Variety has a piece about John Oliver's show and how it has "shattered TV's comedy-news format."

Tour buses for Styx and Foreignercaught on fire yesterday.

LIST: 50 greatest summer blockbusters

What?

LINK: Original photo by Sgt. Avila

GRAB A CUP AND READ THE MORNING REPORT FOR 7.2.14 >>>

The United States has sent Apache attack helicopters to Iraq as part of the buildup in U.S. military personnel.

A team of 100 contingency response airmen have been ordered into Iraq to protect U.S. assets at Baghdad International Airport.

Democrats are defending the Obama administration for submitting a war-funding request nearly four months after sending Congress its base military spending plan.

When Iraq's security forces crumbled in the face of militants, they were labeled cowards. But in the case of one brigade, at least, what emerges instead is an account of mismanagement and treachery.

China's missile forces are growing.

Benghazi suspect organized attack out of ideological fervor.

People who knew Sgt. Bowe Bergdahl in Idaho paint a fairly consistent portrait: hard-working and socially awkward, full of restless energy and romantic plans.

Rep. Jackie Speier (D-Calif.) has introduced a bill that would provide military service members who were discharged under the Don't Ask, Don't Tell policy with separation pay.

A former Marine facing a murder trial was portrayed as a hero, escaped POW and Navy Cross recipient. None of it was true.

DoD: Curbs on pay and benefits finally taking hold.

Concerns about the comparative scarcity of healthy food choices on military installations have led defense officials to launch a comprehensive study of dining facilities, fast food and vending machine options.

The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers faces aging technology, shortage of funding and a lack of citizen awareness.

Autonomous vehicles to exploit capabilities of machines, soldiers.

DoD's brain hacking breakthrough.

Five ways to sleep outside without a tent.

The world's greatest water gun.

See Bill Murray in the new trailer for St. Vincent.

IFC shares little-known facts about the '60s Batman series.

David Duchovny is working on an album.

Too Much Free Time: A graphic timeline of the '90s.

Listen: Captain America song

Finally: An ambitious list of the 100 greatest Simpsons guest stars.

And here's today's theme song ...

LINK: Original photo by Lt. Chad A. Dulac