GRAB A CUP AND READ THE MORNING REPORT FOR 5.31.14 >>>

Soldier dies in aircraft accident in Afghanistan.

The United States and China squared off at an Asian security forum, with the U.S. defense secretary accusing Beijing of destabilizing the region and a top Chinese general retorting that his comments were "threat and intimidation".

Ukraine's government vowed on Friday to press ahead with a military offensive against separatists.

Just three months after being named Veterans Affairs deputy secretary, Sloan Gibson is taking the helm - albeit temporarily - of an embattled Cabinet department.

For many in military, Shinseki remains an American hero.

More than 60 percent of Veterans Affairs health facilities surveyed in an audit directed by senior VA leadership were found to have toyed with appointment dates and, in some cases, schedulers were pressured to game wait times to make them appear more favorable.

It's one of the more disturbing revelations to arise from an investigation into fatal delays in care at Veterans Affairs medical centers: Employee bonuses appear to be one factor behind the manipulation of patient wait times in at least one hospital.    

The Associated Press reached out to veterans in Arizona and several other states to recount their experiences with VA care.

One U.S. cybersecurity expert is arguing that world nations should jointly pledge they will spare civil nuclear facilities from computer attacks for humanitarian reasons.

With no sign that the sequestration-imposed budget cuts are going away, the Air Force is going to have to change how it handles its intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance architecture.

Land Power: A personal theory of power.

Man stuck in South Korea after his kid doodled all over his passport.

iOS8 Wish List: What we want (and what we'll get).

Skin Deep app points out harmful ingredients in the beauty products we use every day.

The story of the largest T-Rex fossil ever discovered is certainly worthy of the documentary treatment.

Reese's Peanut Butter Cup Flavor Creme Oreos go on sale June 9 nationwide.

You don’t see this everyday …

LINK: Original photo by Sgt. Aaron Rooks

FRIDAY, MAY 30 2014 >>>

1. Washington-bred filmmaker and wine aficionado Colin West has been hanging out with Allen Shoup, former CEO of Chateau St. Michelle and now the winemaker and the owner of Long Shadows Winery in Washington state. Yes, he's been drinking wine with Shoup, but more importantly, West has been filming the experience for his WINERAM travel film series. His WINERAM films create a new and approachable discourse on wine by integrating wine education, travel and adventure. According to West, you don't have to be a pretentious snob to be in the industry or enjoy wine. Last year, West traveled around Australia, visiting the top winemakers in every corner of the country, learning about the wine, their region, the local hot spots and also forcing the winemakers into extreme activities most would never dream of doing. At 6:30 p.m., the Olympia Film Society and Grand Vin Wine Merchants present WINERAM Australia as part of their Movies about Wine with Wine Series screening at the Capitol Theater. Yes, there will be wine beginning at 5 p.m.

2. With the rise of celebrity-scientists such as Bill Nye, and Neil DeGrasse Tyson - host of the fantastic Cosmos - a whole new generation has learned the awe and wonder to be found in nature and the universe stretched out above us. The Evergreen State College taps into that with its Science Carnival and Research Expo, 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. The carnival features some pretty cool topics and presentations this year, including how cola dissolve certain foods, how oxygen affects the appetite of crabs, how sea slugs convert light and a shellfish touch tank.

3. Actors and critics often claim David Mamet's truncated sentences and indirect ramblings mirror everyday speech patterns, but that's ridiculous. His dialogue is almost as stylized as Kushner's or Shakespeare's. Like both, it demands a particular skill from its actors: the ability to memorize, perform, and slightly overlap dialogue that packs a wallop without seeming to go anywhere in particular. The truth is it's a lot more fun to watch a Mamet play than read or perform one. Tacoma's Working Class Theatre NW presents A Life in the Theatre, at 8 p.m. in the old downtown Tacoma Post Office. Read Christian Carvajal's full review of A Life in the Theatre in the Music and Culture section.

4. The Olympia chapter of the Collective of Lady Arm Wrestlers, or Oly CLAW, will battle at 7 p.m. in the backroom at Le Voyeur. Characters such as Ivana KrushU, Cold As Isis, Vegan Villain and more will go head-to-head, or should we say arm-to-arm, in a full-out fight to raise money and awareness for Safeplace, an advocacy agency and confidential shelter for survivors of domestic violence and sexual assault in Thurston County. Read Nikki McCoy's full story here.

5. Good news: the Music & Art in Wright Park festival will rock Tacoma, once again, with an Aug. 16 date in Wright Park. At 8 p.m. in The New Frontier Lounge, a fundraiser will be held featuring a nifty raffle, and the musical stylings of Pioneers West, Oh Dear! And Coma Figura.

LINK: Friday, May 30 arts and entertainment events in the greater Tacoma and Olympia area

GRAB A COFFEE AND READ THE MORNING REPORT FOR 5.30.14 >>>

At least 100 members of Congress have called for the resignation of Eric Shinseki, the secretary of the Department of Veterans Affairs, over mismanagement of veterans' health care, but so far the White House is unmoved.

Hagel says "indispensable" U.S. still not the world's police.

A House bill that passed will restore autonomy to a Gulf War illness board that had been stripped away by the Department of Veterans Affairs earlier this year.

U.S. House defense appropriators moved one step closer to approving $570.4 billion in base and war spending for the Pentagon, including funds for an 11th aircraft carrier and electronic-attack planes.

The move to bring all U.S. troops out of Afghanistan at the end of 2016 will mean major cuts in supplemental funding.

Senate Democratic leaders are planning a two-pronged legislative response to the scandal embroiling the Veterans Affairs Department, which has become an issue in several Senate races.

The gap between supply and demand for spy planes just got bigger.

The U.S. Marine Corps cannot meet its amphibious assault needs with its current stable of ship-to-shore connectors.

Problem solvers tackle Army complexity.

There have now been 12 successful coups over the past eight decades of Thailand's modern monarchy. But the latest, on May 22 did not follow the usual script, which runs: lock down Bangkok while the rest of the country watches.

The chairman of the U.S. Joint Chiefs of Staff has rejected the notion that the U.S. is politically exhausted during his visit to the United Arab Emirates this week.

Lockheed Martin reached an agreement to purchase the Space Operations arm of Astrotech, a move that should help the largest defense company in the world grow its launch capabilities.

Virgin Galactic cleared by FAA.

Species of plants and animals are going extinct about 10 times faster than biologists had previously believed.

This terrifying Robo-Raptor will hunt you down at 29 mph.

Led Zeppelin vs. the Beattle: Whole Lotta Helter Skelter

Lukewarm review of Halt and Catch Fire, which premieres Sunday on AMC.

Nice: Dick Van Dyke is still a great dancer.

Cool: The Wonder Years cast has reunited!

The geekiest wedding ever.

List: best sequels of all time

Finally: A GWAR-themed bar.

Finally: Maps of where bars outnumber grocery stores.

Let's call it a day ...

LINK: Original photo by Lance Cpl. Unique Robert

GRAB A CUP AND READ THE MORNING REPORT FOR 5.29.14 >>>

U.S. veterans health probe confirms cover-up of care delays.

Angry House members accused Veterans Affairs officials of hiding subpoenaed documents and trying to cover up the depth of the veterans care delay scandal at an unusual evening hearing Wednesday, the latest bad news in a long day for the embattled department.

Roadside bombings across Afghanistan killed four people today as officials reported that a NATO soldier died in a helicopter crash in Kandahar the previous day.

The Obama administration estimates that keeping 9,800 troops in Afghanistan in 2015 would cost about $20 billion, but the Pentagon is still expected to request tens of billions of dollars more for additional security operations in the region.

Adm. James Winnefeld proposed deploying a THAAD missile defense system in South Korea.

CIA drone strike program in Pakistan winding down.

President Obama affirmed the U.S. will use military force when necessary, but "the threshold for military action must be higher" for crises that do not pose a direct threat to the U.S.

The House on Wednesday passed two bills that would provide veterans with support services for job training and sexual trauma.

The State Department recommended Americans leave Libya immediately and warned U.S. citizens against any travel to the North African country.

Parents of military suicide victims applaud proposed law.

Iraq may serve as cautionary tale for Afghanistan.

Air Force Secretary Deborah Lee James recommended to the secretary of defense elevating the Global Strike Command leadership to a four-star general.

The military is building brain chips to treat PTSD.

On the day that final bids were due for the U.S. Army's Armored Multi-Purpose Vehicle program, one of the two expected bidders - General Dynamics Land Systems - pulled out of the competition, leaving BAE Systems and its Bradley variant as the sole contender.

Congress is unlikely to take up a sweeping cybersecurity bill this year if one is not moving in both chambers by August.

Apple just hired the two smartest music moguls of our time.

A simple blast of laser could help your teeth grow back.

Mask associated with Sasquatch legend returned to native tribe after 75 years.

Pitchfork is streaming Bob Mould's new record.

Dogs And sidecars: a match made in motorcycle heaven.

Bradford Cox, Eleanor Friedberger, Tom Verlaine to live score unseen Andy Warhol films.

NPR is streaming the new Clap Your Hands Say Yeah album.

How to pull off the perfect bank heist.

Turn every meal into monkey brains with the Indian Jones serving bowls.

Too Much Free Time: Man Spends 13 Years Transforming Hedge Into Massive Dragon.

What do you think of Google's self-driving car?

LINK: Original photo by Staff Sgt. Jacob Boyer

GRAB A CUP AND READ THE MORNING REPORT FOR 5.28.14 >>>

Two Americans were injured today in Afghanistan when a U.S. Consulate vehicle was attacked while traveling through the western city of Heart.

Obama wants to set up a new $5 billion counterterrorism fund.

The White House announced it is finalizing its request for war funding in 2015.

About 44,000 service members will see a pay cut effective June 1 when the Defense Department makes one of its periodic revisions to, and issues new restrictions for, imminent danger pay.

Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel has ordered a comprehensive review of the Military Health System.

The U.S. military presence in Afghanistan will fall to about 9,800 troops by January, a sharp decline from the 32,000 U.S. uniformed personnel in country.

The version of the fiscal 2015 defenseauthorization bill that the House approved last week would cut some controversial nuclear weapons spending in a bid to help veterans.

The retiring chairman of the House Armed Services Committee responded to critics who characterized his final defense bill as a sop to parochial interests.

The new danger in Benghazi.

Militia fighters stole hundreds of American-supplied automatic weapons and other equipment in a raid on a Libyan base where the US was training local forces, bringing an abrupt end to the secretive program.

Rep. Chris Collins (R-N.Y.) has introduced legislation to give all veterans access to hospice care through the Department of Veterans Affairs.

The future of military robotics may not look much like a robot. It may just be a truck that drives itself.

The Army and the rest of the Defense Department are on notice from Congress that they will be audited soon.

Automotive engineers explore Army's future mobility, protection.

Army tests network capabilities at Network Integration Evaluation, or NIE, 14.2, the seventh in a series of semi-annual field evaluations which focused on improvement and simplification of the Army's networked capabilities.

Beefier carbines en route to soldiers.

No, It's True: All the Saturn V rockets launching at the same time in a signal video.

Forget coolers and store your beer in an underground elevator.

Mad Men: Matt Weiner talks about the finale, and here Weiner explains the final scene.

Norm Macdonald wants Craig Ferguson's show.

Most American comedy movies suck and here's why.

Popular musicians' somewhat embarrassing pre-fame heavy metal bands.

Have you played Netflix Roulette?

Finally: Video of a dog flying in a wingsuit!

What make him so wise in his ways?

LINK: Original photo by Staff Sgt. Jonathan Hoover

GRAB A CUP AND READ THE MORNING REPORT FOR 5.27.14 >>>

Ukrainian forces fought with separatists in Donetsk for a second day, after inflicting heavy losses on the rebels. 

Vietnam and China traded accusations today over who was the aggressor in a clash that led to the sinking of a Vietnamese fishing boat in the South China Sea.

Lawmakers are introducing measures to ensure the White House keeps a close watch on Moscow.

U.S. Special Operations troops are forming elite counterterrorism units in four countries in North and West Africa that American officials say are pivotal in the widening war against Al Qaeda's affiliates and associates on the continent.

The rollout of the Army's new gas mask is underway, but researchers already have plans for the next-gen model: An integrated mask-helmet design with a battery-powered, fan-driven air filtration system.

Prodded by Congress, the Pentagon has promised a better count of its bullets and missiles.

Lawmakers are sounding the alarm over Russia's arms control commitments and introducing measures to ensure the White House keeps a close watch on Moscow.

Special Report: Arlington National Cemetery, like you've been seen it before

Cases involving the appeal of veterans benefits rulings take almost 19 months to resolve, Department of Veterans Affairs records show, and advocates say the crush of new claims is hurting older veterans.

Interview: Eric Fanning, U.S. Air Force undersecretary

Interview: Adm. Robert Papp, U.S. Coast Guard commandant

This bunk bed sofa out-transforms even Optimus Prime.

Flash flood inundates city in just five minutes.

If Darth Vadar had a car, it would be this Cadillac.

Swallows learn to open automatic doors to create nests inside a parking garage.

7-Eleven has jumped on the mustache bandwagon.

It seems the British aren't fans of Macaulay Culkin's band.

What?: Margaret Cho and Fred Armisen chat with Bob Mould in this video.

Finally: The most iconic fast-food chains in each state.

Finally: Doughnuts that look like people.

Time to go back to work ...

LINK: Original photo by Staff Sgt. Johnathan Hoover

GRAB A CUP AND READ THE MORNING REPORT FOR 5.26.14 >>>

President Obama issues Memorial Day Proclamation.

The roots and lessons of Memorial Day.

Obama secretly slipped into Afghanistan under the cover of darkness Sunday for a weekend visit with U.S. troops serving in the closing months of America's longest war.

White House inadvertently identifies CIA chief in Kabul.

Ukraine's next president, Petro Poroshenko, pledged to restore control over the separatist east, and said he would meet Russian officials to secure their help in resolving the crisis. 

Thai coup leader General Prayuth Chan-ocha said today he had been formally endorsed by the king as head of a military council that will run the country, and warned he would use force if political protests flared up again.

The Pentagon announced it's suspending exercises with Thailand's military and called on officials to restore democratic rule after a bloodless coup there.

The Pentagon is distancing itself from the U.S. Justice Department's charging of five Chinese People's Liberation Army officers with 31 criminal counts of hacking and cyber espionage against six U.S. companies.

South Korea: Asia's new powerhouse arms exporter.

Increased risk for Army, National Guard missions.

The scandal involving a potential cover up of medical mistreatment of military veterans by the Department of Veterans Affairs dominated discussion on the Sunday morning political talk shows. 

China-Vietnam sea spat heats up.

Russia is buying new weapons and aims to modernize its Aerospace Defense Forces.

With sequestration likely to remain, the U.S. Air Force is looking for ways to drive down cost on protected military satellite communications.

One Vietnam veteran is receiving long-delayed recognition for his heroism in a 1968 battle.

How to become an astronaut.

Watch a barn blow-up.

Japan to start building giant ice wall at Fukushima.

Meet the Asian giant hornet. Soon.

Mad Men mid-season 7 finale recap.

Eight literary homes you can buy right now.

Who wants a snake massage?

LINK: Original photo by Chief Petty Office Ryan Wilbur

GRAB A CUP AND READ THE MORNING REPORT FOR 5.23.14 >>>

Armed pro-Russian separatists clashed with Ukrainian self-defense fighters near the eastern city of Donetsk today, two days before the presidential election, and at least two people were killed.

The Kremlin's crazy shock troops.

VA Secretary Eric Shinseki issued a message to veterans defending his leadership and promising to fix delays in care that have rocked his agency and the Obama administration in recent days.

The House approved a measure that would authorize just over $600 billion in 2015 U.S. defense spending, while blocking A-10 retirement plans and ordering an independent group to study the Army's future.

The House passed legislation that tacitly approves a 1.8 percent pay raise for military service members next year, and includes a number of other pay, benefits and workforce provisions.

The leaders of the Senate Armed Services Committee unveiled a $514 billion defense bill that differs in several ways from the version approved by the House.

The Senate Armed Services committee wants to put $320 million saved from cutting personnel to pay for flying the A-10 another year.

The Navy has dispatched a cruiser to the Black Sea in the latest sign that Washington is ramping up pressure on the Kremlin's power play in Ukraine ahead of a disputed referendum.

The intelligence community is on the verge of "revolutionary" technical advances.

DARPA has invented a device that gives soldiers Terminator vision.

The 10 algorithms that dominate our world.

Here comes the Headfoams.

Veruca Salt played for the first time in 18 years on Conan.

Watch the big drum-off between Will Ferrell and the Red Hot Chili Peppers' Chad Smith.

See a trailer for the new season of Jerry Seinfeld's Comedians in Cars Getting Coffee.

Finally: This lengthy piece explores the history of Don and Peggy's relationship on Mad Men.

Suddenly American idol is much better ...

LINK: Original photo by Cpl. Emmanuel Ramos

GRAB A CUP AND READ THE MORNING REPORT FOR 5.21.14 >>>

Spc. William Rogers of Joint Base Lewis-McChord proved he was Army Strong at the U.S. Army Installation Management Command's Best Warrior Competition.

Al Qaeda runs shadow army in Afghanistan; Taliban on verge of surge.

The U.S. House will begin work on nearly 170 amendments to a Pentagon policy bill, including ones that would add funds to weapons accounts, require arms sales to allies, and kill the measure that authorized America's post-9/11 conflicts.

The Inspector General for the Department of Veterans Affairs has expanded its investigation to include 26 facilities around the country accused of mismanagement and hiding long wait times. 

President Obama has summoned Veterans Affairs Secretary Eric Shinseki and White House deputy chief of staff Rob Nabors for a meeting to discuss their investigation into mismanagement at veterans hospitals across the country.

Sen. Patty Murray says the VA failed to implement legislation she wrote to counter problems with the appointments system.

Why is Shinseki refusing more authority to fire VA employees?

Who broke the Department of Veteran Affairs.

The White House will reportedly comply with a court order to release a secret memorandum describing the legal justification for the 2011 drone strike against three Americans in Yemen.

The Senate Armed Services Committee's 2015 defense policy bill will reject a new round of military base closures.

A U.S. Senate subcommittee approved a measure allowing the Pentagon to spend billions on its most lethal forces while also clearing them to target the Boko Haram organization.

Senate Armed Services Committee members have cobbled together a plan to keep the U.S. Air Force's A-10 attack planes flying for another year.

Australia, Britain, Canada and United States have signed a symbolically important Memorandum of Understanding committing them to "a partnership on combined space operations."

A group of U.S. special operations leaders outlined what capabilities their troops will need in the coming years, focusing mostly on intelligence gathering technologies in places such as Africa and the Arctic.

A subcommittee defied the Army by supporting a panel to study the transfer of Guard attack helicopters to the active component.

The Defense Advanced Research Programs Agency's Information Innovation Office, or I2O, is hosting DARPA Demo Day 2014 in the Pentagon's courtyard today and it has four projects that could be bigger than the Internet.

Roughly 6,000 U.S. troops will take part in this year's "Eager Lion" exercise in Jordan from May 25 to June 8, a Defense Department spokesman said.

Animation teaches you what happened in World War II in 7 minutes.

The science of losing belly fat.

This is a rare view: Five skydivers in wingsuits soar over New York City.

The real mansion from Scarface - the iconic Brian de Palma movie starring Al Pacino as drug lord Tony Montana - has hit the property market.

Seven facts about the X-Men you might not know.

R.E.M.'s complete catalog and many rarities have been remastered for iTunes.

The Horror: Miley Cyruscovered The Smiths. (It's actually not bad!)

List: Best book recommendation services

You need To Know: Here's where Mad Men shot the Burger Chef scenes.

Yikes: There were 1135 Aryas, 241 Khaleesis and 67 Daeneryses born in 2013. And 15 Theons and five Robbs.

Lights out for this cat ...

LINK: Original Photo by Staff Sgt. Jeremy Bowcock

GRAB A CUP AND READ THE MORNING REPORT FOR 5.20.14 >>>

The House this week will vote onlegislation that tacitly approves a 1.8 percent pay raise for service members next year.

The Pentagon still plans to increase funding for special operations equipment in the coming years, but after years of plus-ups, that trend is expected to flatten.

America still has way more air power than any rival.

Thailand's army declared martial law nationwide to restore order after six months of street protests that have left the country without a proper functioning government, but denied that the surprise move amounted to a military coup.

A top White House official has promised that the CIA would no longer use vaccination programs as a cover for spying.

The White House is threatening a veto of the House version of a $601 billion defense bill over election-year moves to spare weapons systems and popular programs in the face of limited budgets.

President Obama is relying less on drones and more on foreign governments in the global fight against terrorists.

Retired Marine Cpl. Kyle Carpenter, 24, will receive the Medal of Honor for heroism in Afghanistan in 2010.

The United States invented the Internet, but we may not rule it any more.

Navy officials expect ship defenses to get a boost following the introduction of the Block 2 Rolling Airframe Missiles.

Turns out a littoral combat ship will be headed to Hawaii this summer after all.

A new bill would allow members of the military and their families to keep their current auto insurance policy if they are ordered to relocate to a new state.

House approves Congressional Gold Medal for Civil Air Patrol.

A small, easy-to-use and lightweight explosive screening kit continues to move forward toward full fielding as a means to provide soldiers with the capability to screen for suspected homemade explosive materials.

Army PULSE-W watercraft proves ability, benefit of enduring presence in Pacific.

Veterans remember historic Strike Brigade deployment.

This looks like some end of the world type weather.

Spielberg's masterful use of the long take is one of the things that make him so great.

"Fangirl" and "unfriend" are among the new words Merriam-Webster is adding to the dictionary.

McDonald's has a creepy new mascot.

How much money is it possible to win on Jeopardy!?

Here's a tribute to Road House for its 25th anniversary.

And finally, this story is for all the drummers.

Back To The Future love song ...

LINK: Original photo by Visual Information Specialist Markus Rauchenberger