WEDNESDAY, FEB. 1, 2012 >>>

1. The good news is that ladies' night is no longer the sole domain of cheesy bronzed-and-bleached venues - it has infiltrated every corner of the South Sound and you can now sip discounted highballs and wine almost every night of the week. However, not all ladies' nights are created equal. At the Tempest Lounge, ladies are treated very well - thanks to bartender Larry. The friendly chap tags happy hour prices on drinks for the ladies, beginning at 7 p.m. At the other end of this hip bar, DJ Sc works his laptop and mixer stocked with old school soul ballads and new school pop.

2. Tacoma artist Mark Hoppmann's show Extraordinary Popular Delusions and the Madness of Crows: The Art of Mark Hoppmann opens today at the Collins Library on the University of Puget Sound campus. Inspired, (albeit) loosely by the borders and motifs found in The Book of Kells, The Madness of Crows also uses elaborate border motifs and random bits in addition to the main illustrations. The library is open from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m.

3. Ready to trip out today? The Chemical Brothers: Don't Think - considered to be one of the most mind-bendingly psychedelic live shows ever seen - was caught on film and screens at 7:30 p.m. at the Capital Mall 14 in Olympia.

4. Midwest reggae rockers Jon Wayne and The Pain join Live Wyya, Mighty High and Stay Grounded for the Bob Marley Fest at 8 p.m. inside Jazzbones.

5. Hell's Kitchen hosts a 9 p.m. rap show featuring  Philthy Rich, Rydah J Klyde, Meezilini, I-Rocc, Smigg Dirtee, Conceit and Two Against Critics.

LINK: More arts and entertainment events in the South Sound

LINK: Live music and DJs tonight

LINK: Local happy hours

WHAT WE HAVE FOUND TODAY >>>

Your House Is Safe: Tacoma City Council accepted $1.6M in concessions to avoid firefighter layoffs. (News Tribune)

It Should Pass: The state Senate will vote today on gay marriage bill. (News Tribune)

Aftermath: Romney on a roll, Gingrich undeterred. (CNN)

Coroner: "Soul Train" founder dead of gunshot wound. (CNN)

Science!: Researchers have demonstrated a striking method to reconstruct words, based on the brain waves of patients thinking of those words. (BBC)

Ha Ha Ha Ha Ha: The band Survivor is suing Newt Gingrich for using "Eye of the Tiger" at rallies. (Rolling Stone)

If You Go All Darth Maul On A Toy Store ...: You'll go to jail. (Blastr)

Groovy: Mad Men season 5 fashions. (The Sew Weekly)

Surreal Photos: Taiwan's abandoned UFO-style homes. (Flavorwire)

Let An Educational Palette Of Primary Hues Wash Over You

KEN CARLSON & LYQUOC VO FIND COLLABORATION IRRESISTIBLE >>>

Last year, Olympia filmmaker Ken Carlson and his team, Mutually Assured Productions, embarked on an experiment. They decided to build their very own film festival from scratch, calling it the Olympia Awesome Film Festival. This one-day event debuted in May, successfully attracting short movies and their makers from across Washington and beyond. OAFF exuded a laid-back style that showed potential to widen its fan base and stick around for years to come.

But alas, sometimes you have to shelve a great idea to make way for an even better one. With 2012 here, Carlson could either foster his fledgling fest into its second year, or quit while ahead and move on. He went with door number two.

"(OAFF) was fun to do," says Carlson, "but it was a lot of work and ... not necessarily something that we (Mutually Assured) wanted to focus our efforts in that direction. I decided that I would much rather be ... making films as opposed to hosting film festivals."

Already he's found a project to replace OAFF: writing and producing a feature-length concept with fellow Olympia resident and friend Lyquoc Vo. They haven't yet given away too many plot details of Irresistible (a working title), other than the tough heroine is loosely based on the "femme fatale" archetype of film noir. And given Mutually Assured's track record, it wouldn't surprise me to see violence make a cameo.

Carlson and Vo began collaborating over a decade ago on a sketch comedy program called Damnit, This Is Stupid. Though neither one has tackled a movie of this size before, ideas for scenes and characters have flowed quickly - a sure sign of a good partnership.

Besides working with Carlson, Vo has enjoyed watching Irresistible grow and evolve and almost take on a life of its own. "It's pretty fun actually, thinking about these characters in a different light each day," he says.

***

Watch Mutually Assured's short films at mutuallyassured.com. Hear more from Ken Carlson and Lyquoc Vo this week on Volcano Radio, which airs Thursday from 8-9 P.M. on www.nwczradio.com and is available as a podcast at weeklyvolcano.com and on iTunes directly following.

HEY SISTER! >>>

The 10th anniversary of the Sister Cities International Film Festival opens Thursday with two-and-a-half months of films at Tacoma's Blue Mouse Theatre, a new film each Thursday through April 12 from one of Tacoma's many official sister cities.

This week, check out 200 Pound Beauty from Gunsan, South Korea - a sister city of Tacoma since 1978. According to promotion for 200 Pound Beauty, Hanna is a famous Korean pop singer who also suffers from poor self-esteem. In the film, Hanna "makes the decision of a lifetime to have full-body plastic surgery."

2012 Sister Cities Int'l Film Festival Schedule

Feb. 2

Gunsan, South Korea
200 Pounds Of Beauty

Feb. 9

Kitakyushu, Japan
Cast Me If You Can

Feb. 16

Kiryat-Motzkin, Israel
A Matter of Size

Feb. 23

El Jadida, Morocco
Fragments

March 1

Vladivostok, Russia
My Perestroika

March 8

Fuzhou, China
If You Are The One 2

March 15

Aalesund, Norway
Happy, Happy

March 22

Cienfuegos, Cuba
El Benny

March 29

George, South Africa
White Wedding

April 5

Davao City, Philippines
Adele

April 12

Taichung, Taiwan
Formosa Mambo

More information on the Sister Cities International Film Fest can be found at sistercityfilmfest.org.

[Blue Mouse Theatre, 200 Pound Beauty, Thursday, Feb. 2, 6 p.m. doors open, 6:15 cultural program, 7 p.m. film, $10, 2611 N. Proctor St., Tacoma, 253.752.9500, sistercityfilmfest.org]

WHAT WE HAVE FOUND TODAY >>>

When Prison Officers Lose It: A state correctional officer went berserk yesterday. (News Tribune)

Pierce County Salary Commission: They will fight for truth, justice and the American way. (News Tribune)

GOP Presidential Race: Fifty delegates are up for grabs in today's primary. (CNN)

Not Good: The Western-Arab push for a UN resolution on Syria could put the country on a "path to civil war." (BBC)

David Letterman's 30th Anniversary Show: Howard Stern will be the guest. (New York Daily News)

You Wanna Fight?: The most classic fights to ever come out of Asia. (IGN)

Awesome: Entire Arrested Development cast confirmed for Netflix series with original writers. (Huffington Post)

Where Are They Now?: 20 years after the alternative revolution. (Spinner)

Wanna Turn Yourself Into A Magic Unicorn?: There's an app for that! (Who Killed Bambi?)

TUESDAY, JAN. 31, 2012 >>>

1. Filmmaker Jan Hrebejk tackles the touchy subject of the collaboration between Czech citizens and their former Communist government with a light, ironic touch in Kawasaki's Rose, the official Czech nominee for Best Foreign Language Film at the 2011 Academy Awards. The Grand Cinema screens the flick at 1:15 and 6 p.m. as part of its thought-provoking film series on Tuesdays.

2. Chef William and Shannon Mueller, the talent behind Dinner Solutions and Babblin' Babs Bistro, will open up the Parisian-style bistro Secret today for lunch in the back of Babs. With small tables for two, no electronic devices allowed and reservations only (253.761.9099), the Muellers hope you will leave the world behind and savor several courses over good conversation. Read the full story here.

3. Has the commercialization of "traditional" Andean animals like the Guinea Pig for nouveau cuisine or social protest against extractive industries in Latin American been eating away at you? Ease your mind. Professors Maria Elena Garcia (Anthropology; History of Ideas) and Jose Antonio Lucero (International Relations; Latin American and Caribbean Studies) from the University of Washington, Seattle will give a public talk on new trends in the shape and focus of local and transnational indigenous politics in Latin America at 4:30 p.m. inside the Murray Boardroom at the Wheelock Student Center on the University of Puget Sound campus. They will make sense of it all.

4. The Doors tribute band The American Night hits the Red Wind Casino's stage at 8 p.m. Strange days have found us.

5. Our state's credit outlook, Republican presidential race, kitten halftime show ... Let's face it, we could all use a good laugh. So do yourself a favor and enjoy a little levity courtesy of Brett J at 8 p.m. as part of Jazzbones's Ha Ha Tuesdays night.

LINK: More arts and entertainment events in the South Sound

LINK: Live music and DJs tonight

LINK: Local happy hours

WHAT WE HAVE FOUND TODAY >>>

Dale Washam: His legal frays costs the Pierce County Assessor-Treasurer a grand total - including investigation costs, legal fees and settlements - $691,990. (News Tribune)

Federal Way: The city is unhappy with Sound Transit delays and hints of de-annexing. (News Tribune)

Washington State Gun Safety Laws: A new bills asks for more gun lock testing. (News Tribune)

Brutal Crackdown Against Syria's Anti-Government Protesters: The U.N. Security Council will discuss a draft resolution this week that calls on President Bashar al-Assad to step down. (CNN)

What In The World Is Going On?: Japan has recorded a trade deficit. (CNN)

EU Summit: The eurozone crisis is set to dominate chats. (BBC)

Sundance 2012: Angry moviegoers storm out of Tim and Eric's Billion Dollar Movie. (EW)

SAG Awards 2012: The winners list. (Hollywood Reporter)

Awesome: Saved by the Bell: The Complete Collection is coming to DVD. (TV Shows ON DVD)

How to Improve A Classical Painting?: Add a big furry cat. (Flavorwire)

Mr. Pitt from Seinfeld: Dead. (Huffington Post)

WHAT WE HAVE FOUND TODAY >>>

Break Out The Chanting: Committee OKs Senate Bill 6085 on religious permits for state Capitol grounds. (News Tribune)

Let's Head To Puyallup: Pierce County law enforcement officers will poke around Lakewood bars this weekend. (News Tribune)

Final Florida Push: Republican presidential hopefuls today head into the homestretch of the critical Florida primary campaign after a fractious debate. (CNN)

US Economy: Nice fourth quarter. (BBC)

Dig Experimental Filmmaking?: Start drooling. (Handmade Cinema)

Dig Moustache Filmmaking?: You're in luck. (Live Line)

Videos: Letterman's 10 most genuine moments with his guests. (Splitsider)

Question: Will a Dwight Schrute spinoff work? (Deadline)

Hey Ferris, How's Your Bod?

OLYMPIA FILMMAKER WRAPS SHOOTING OF DEBUT FEATURE >>>

I found Jeff Stillwell where I suppose everyone at some point last week found themselves: in the snow. I caught Stillwell on Friday in his car, leaving home in Olympia to brave the treacherous expressways and make a party in Seattle that night.

Wait, a party? With weather like this, you couldn't beg me to drive to the end of the block. But this event held some significance for the 19-year-old Stillwell. Shooting on his debut feature, Henryk, finished earlier this month, and cast and crew decided to fight the ice by blowing off some steam.

The last footage made it into the proverbial can on Friday the 13th, with bad luck nipping at Henryk's heels. "It started snowing the day after we wrapped," Stillwell recalls. "It was really poetic."

But the filmmaker managed to capture the final piece of his script just in time - a chase between the hero, Julian, and a very un-neighborly satanic cult. As the director called "Cut!" after the last take, Ian Lindsay, who plays the detective lead, commemorated the moment by doing circles in his prop car and honking wildly. That's a cop for you - never far from a few donuts.

"It was quite a scene," says Stillwell, laughing.

The fun rolls on as Stillwell searches for an editor to help assemble Henryk. Despite all the new moviemaking experience under his belt, Stillwell still sees himself "first and foremost" as a musician. So he can't wait to begin crafting part of the film's score with a collaborator.

Stillwell has tentatively slated a final cut of Henryk for Summer 2012. Follow his progress on Facebook and at Henryk's website.

WHAT WE HAVE FOUND TODAY >>>

Flood Warning: The South Sound is on alert through Thursday. (News Tribune)

Lincoln High Alum Jon Kitna Returned To His Alma Mater To Teach: He's a tough teacher who will stand behind the desk to take a hit and has the respect of his fellow teachers. He has/had a good eraser arm and isn't afraid to take chances. (News Tribune)

The Four Lunchers: The Puyallup City Hall has concerns over their Bromance. (News Tribune)

Thurston County Snow: It messed up budgets. (News Tribune)

If You Care: Mitt Romney made $42.7 million over the past two years and paid $6.2 million in taxes. (CNN)

Oscar Nominees Announced: The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences today announced its nominees for the 84th Annual Academy Awards. Among the best picture nominees are The Artist, War Horse and Hugo. (CNN)

"The Confrontational Amsterdam Hooker" Is Now Cool: Google+ relaxes real name policy to allow pseudonyms. (BBC)

Flying To The North Pole?: Watch Out! Solar storm's effects to lash Earth through Wednesday. (BBC)

Smell Like The Hulk: Avengers cologne is here. (Moviefone)

Could Happen At Starbucks Now: Slurring man insists on ordering a tortilla with beans and lots of mustard. (Reuters)

Southern Man: Vedder to tour solo. (Billboard)

Beard Necessities: Disney employees can now grow facial hair. (CBS News)

Sucks If You Are Seated On The Side