photo by katharine j moriarty [flickr] via our group pool [#]

• Seems that everyone wants to get into the lucrative world of fame and fortune that comes with neighborhood blogging. Following news earlier this summer about the P-I’s foray into the microlocal brings news that KOMO is dipping their networked toes into the waters, too, with a doubling (from what baseline, I don’t know) of their online and blogging staff. [publicola] The always-enterprising Tracy Record from venerable hyperlocal powerhouse West Seattle Blog made some lucky guesses and determined the URLs for some of these sites [twitter] and found that likely coverage will include ballard, capitol hill, & west seattle with Drupal-powered [twitter] blogs, business reviews, and forums. Of course, this sleuthing resulted in a takedown of all of the nascent sites by early evening; so hope you saved your screencaps.
• A poll by the University of Washington shows that just about anyone could make it out of the primaries to face Greg Nickels in the general election. Disappointingly, it also looks like the chemical interests will have their way with our bag fee. [postglobe]
• There is an honest to goodness war, I tell you, above the fold, bold type, exaggerated point sized typeface worthy war, on the seagulls of our fair city. [times]
• Before his early demise, Heath Ledger conceived and began to direct a trippy gory animated video for Modest Mouse‘s “King Rat” to raise awareness of illegal whaling off the Australian coast. [vulture]

the pica beats play tonight at nectar. photo by josh [flickr]

• Sound magazine wants your feedback, love, and cajoling. In exchange, you get a night of great local music with the Pica Beats and the Physics, chances to win stuff, and free-to-cheap specials while they last. Drop by Nectar Lounge in the Fremont Universe at six for the happy houring, eight for the showcase. [nectar]
• Crash your neighborhood’s night out. Capitol Hill, in typical fashion, is having a blowout of a gathering. A so-called “block party for everyone”, rhyme-happy Chill and Grill on the Hill takes place on Howell between Olive and Bellevue, with bands, artists, fun timez. [chs]
• In Ballard, Seattlest James picks at the dents in your brain with weekly trivia at the Old Pequiliar. Arrive decades early for a table. $5 per team, 8:00 pm. [seattlest]

The National Night Out is an annual event designed to heighten crime prevention awareness by getting people outside their own homes and into their neighborhoods to get to know their neighbors and their communities. An interconnected neighborhood traditionally has lower crime rates and happier residents.

All across the Seattle metro tonight, streets will be closed and neighbors will be neighborly – hanging out, getting to know each other, discussing local issues, and learning how to keep crime rates low.

Some of the neighborhoods with events tonight include Beacon Hill (South Brandon between 20th S and 21st S), West Seattle (High Point Commons Park), Ballard (Ballard Community Center), Greenwood (Pocket Park), Cascade (Cascade Park) and many more. To find Night Out events in your area, contact your local neighborhood center or police precinct. (If you live in the City of Seattle, you can click here for the proper contact information.)

If your neighborhood doesn’t have an event tonight, or even if it does, take the time to get to know your neighbors. You don’t have to be close friends with them but getting familiar with the people who live in your neighborhood and getting an idea of the regular ebb and flow of activity benefits everyone.

10:00 AM – Matthew Amster-Burton: Hungry Monkey: A Food-Loving Father’s Quest to Raise an Adventurous Eater
Barnes & Noble University Village
The author appears yet again, hosting a short (30-minute), kid-oriented storytime.
[LINK]

7:00 PM – Amelia Gray, Evelyn Hampton, Lotte Kestner: AM/PM
Neptune Coffee
“Prose, poetry, and music—what could be better? We head out to one of our favorite coffeehouses (the mighty, mighty Neptune in beautiful, beautiful Greenwood) for a reading from innovative prose magician Amelia Gray; local poet and founding editor of Dewclaw, Evelyn Hampton; and music from Lotte Kestner, aka Anna-Lynne Williams, from the band Trespassers William. It will be a blast.” (UW Books)
[LINK]

7:00 PM – Kat Richardson: Vanished
UW Bookstore University District
Number four in the Greywalker urban fantasy series, starring Seattle investigator Harper Blaine.
[LINK]

7:30 PM – Kevin Canty: Where the Money Went
Elliott Bay Book Co.
A collection of stories by a writer with a gift for nuance.
[LINK]

“Hey, Ho, Weirdo!” [#] painting by ben walker; other photos by josh (me); more in my exhibitchin’ photoset [flickr].

On Saturday night, the EMP|SFM’s Henson exhibit was turned into a full-scale Exhibitchin’. The ladies of the Adventure School donned Waldorf and Statler costumes while hosted a thrilling Animal Drumming contest where many a drummer was chained, drumsticks were destroyed, drum kits brutalized, and a cymbal stands was destroyed only to be replaced by a crouching human. DJ Electro Wolf spun all of the alt/mainstreamest dance hits of the last few years, hilarious Muppetized album covers were projected on screen, rubber duckies were traded for drinks, and Dr. Bunsen whirled cotton candy on the dance floor. Later, costumed funk was blasted by Eldridge Gravy and the Court Supreme and the Saturday Knights blew out the speakers while sending the crowd into lyrical gyrations. Although I don’t think that the security guards were entirely comfortable with all of the revelry so close to the artifacts, I think that almost everyone had furry good time.

More pictures online [flickr], and a few more picks after the jump.

(more…)

photo by shawn [flickr] via our group pool [#]

• Wonder where all of those signatures [whosigned] for R-71 and against domestic partnership came from? Rural churches, mostly. [postglobe]
• the Stranger appears to be looking outside its own gates for its next News Editor, vacant since Erica C. Barnett left for Publicola. [classifieds]
• Canoe Social Club, the member lounge/gallery/bar/collegiate-style rec room in the International District, just upgraded their website.
• Join the Maldives in the spotlight on MTV at the Tractor. [ballardgossipgirl]
• Watch rockers and teens wolfing down doughnuts at Top Pot. [flickr/iamdonte]

other kinds of explosive fun tonight. photo by grundlepuck [flickr] via our group pool [#]

• Rumble, the cross-country party that’s sweeping the nation (or so we’ve heard), blusters its way into Seattle tonight at the Crocodile with the world famous dance rock collective extravaganza makers U.S.E. and recent house band for True Adolescents the Blakes sawing away at the top of the bill with help from Battle Hymns to warm up the place. Only $5! 8pm. Stick around long enough, and you can get a whole gooey pizza next door for the same price at the delectably affordable Via Trib late happy hour. [crocodile]
• Everyone hates Power Point (it’s eeevil) except when it’s a theater full of “geeks” steamrolling through informative and fun five minute slide races. Then they call it an event. The drinks and RPS contests help to enliven the affair. The seventh Seattle Ignite happens tonight. Get there early so that you don’t miss lessons about Fighting Dirty in Scrabble, Where Goldfish Come From, What Makes The Greenest Cab, and other enlightening topics. King Cat Theater; doors at 7, Rochambeau en masse at 8, talks at 8:30 and 9. [igniteseattle]

The Pixies are coming! The Pixies are coming! Okay, so I probably should’ve told all of you to get your tickets early through STG Presents, especially since there seems to be no more orchestra tickets left. But there’s still hope for people who aren’t in the know. Get your pricey tickets now before it’s too late and Craigslisters sell them for triple the price.

7:00 PM – Hugo Works in Progress: Open Mic
Richard Hugo House Cabaret
“A monthly open mic designed to give writers a chance to read in front of fellow writers and share what they have been working on.” (RHH)
[LINK]

7:30 PM – Donna Miscolta: Group Reading
Elliott Bay Book Co.
Miscolta emcees/curates this reading by local writers Anna Balint, Rachel Dilworth, and Storme Webber.
[LINK]

11:00 AM – Alia Yunis: The Night Counter
Seattle Center, The Arab Festival
“At age 85, Fatima Abdullah knows when her time will come. In fact, it should be in just nine days, on her 1001st nightly visit with the immortal Scheherazade. Fatima has told Scheherazade her life stories each night, knowing that on the 1001st night her storytelling will end. But Fatima has many loose ends to tie up first. She must find a wife for her openly gay grandson, teach Arabic to her pregnant teenage great-granddaughter, make amends with her estranged husband, and decide which of her ten troublesome children should inherit her family’s home in Lebanon–a house she hasn’t seen in 70 years–all while under the surveillance of two bumbling FBI agents eager to expose Al-Qaeda in Los Angeles. With delightful characters and inventive writing, Alia Yunis presents the heartwarming story of a family just as crazy as yours.” (publisher description)
The two-day fete features music, storytellers, food, art, crafts, and writers. I am completely bummed that I will be in Minneapolis this weekend.
[LINK]