You know we GritCitizens are devoted fans of the Big Buck Hunter arcade game. But when it comes to warfare with actual animals ...

The hundreds of elk that stamp around yards and chew up fruit trees in the mountain towns near Mount Rainier have given residents fits for years.

But a state proposal to use hunting to reduce conflicts between Lewis County residents and the rhododendron eaters has drawn fire from the Puyallup Tribe of Indians, which has hunting rights in the area.

"Elk trampling a garden is not a good reason to doom an entire herd," said Fred Dillon, the tribe’s natural resource policy representative. "These decisions should be based on clear scientific evidence, not public relations."

... I think there's only one fair way to go about it: Arm the elk.

Photo by Peter Haley / Photo "enhancement" by Laura Gentry

Judging by the comment thread on that story, I smell a Pro-elk vs. Anti-elk civil war a-brewin'. Which side are YOU on?

It's about time.

I have been a good sport for the past few months, politely watching other sports with my friends. Don't get me wrong, it's great to see the Hawks again. But the massive letdown of the Mariners this year and my decision to forget that Washington State plays football has lead to a boring few months sports wise for me.

Until now.

I am one of the silent minority of die-hard hockey fans. No, I'm not Canadian. And I don't have an accent straight out of Fargo. I just am knowledgeable enough to understand that hockey is the best sport. And it deserves much more attention.

As I settle into my permanent home of Tacoma, ready to don my Calgary Flames sweater and watch hockey, I ask those special few out there: Where is the best place to watch hockey? Is there a restaurant or watering hole out there with people who know the difference between slashing and spearing?

Or am I alone? Am I the only one who watches Versus for something other than hunting and second-rate college football?

A while back I wrote about the Dead Gentlemen, Tacoma filmmakers whose comedy "The Gamers" has won several major geek awards since its release in 2002. The team will attend the Penny Arcade Expo for a screening of the sequel, "The Gamers: Dorkness Rising," this Friday night in Seattle. And they'll sign autographs and chat up the crowd at 2 p.m. Sunday at Comic Book Ink in Tacoma.

Also, be sure to read EJ's Sunday Soundlife story in which we catch up with the Gentlemen.

On a side note, one of my most regrettable Epic Fails was, eh, failing to accept a most gracious invitation from the Gentlemen to join a new weekly D&D game. I was simply too busy, what with working full time and cracking the proverbial whip in the direction of my teenager. I'm not sure if the game ever got up and running, but I'm sorry I had to miss out.

Tacoma's rollerderby chicks are moving into the National Guard Armory at 715 S. 11th St. As far as I can tell, it's not a coup in the making. It's just the acquisition of a new practice space, so they say. We'll see.

In the meantime, you can catch their next match/bout/pummel-skating thing this weekend. Doors open at 6 p.m. Saturday at the Tacoma Soccer Center, 2610 Bay St. E. Tickets are $10 in advance at www.brownpapertickets.com or $12 at the door. For more info, go to www.dockyardderbydames.org. Season ends in October.

I covered the South Tacoma Business District Association's 12th Annual Classic Car Show Saturday, but I didn't get these pictures in time for the print edition.

I walked into this annual street fair right about the time the judges were starting to hand out awards. It was cool to see a Tacoma couple, Rick and Penny Olson, win two trophies, both the Ladies' Choice award and the Show Favorite award. Take a look at these shots, taken by judge Taanya Tucker, to see why they won.

There were about 300 cars at the show, all of them worthy of trophies. But this '37 Ford custom convertible caught the judges' attention – and mine:

He's done it in practice.

Tacoma's Mark Kirsch, owner of World Strongman Entertainment, is going to try to pull a Boeing 767 at least 100 feet this Saturday at Boeing Field. The event is a fundraiser for Big Brothers Big Sisters of Puget Sound, and it coincides with the 80th anniversary celebration for King County International Airport.

Originally, Kirsch just wanted to pull a measly little 737, but he had to go up a few numbers to the 767 because that was the only plane available to him.

"I couldn't believe it," Kirsch said of his first close-up with the object he expects to tow (on foot, by the way, in case that wasn't clear earlier). "When I first saw it, I said 'no way.'"

But in practice last week, on July 15, he towed the enormous 202,000-pound plane the target distance. Saturday, he'll be working against a slight slope, but he said he thinks he can do it.

"The secret is making everything fire at one moment to apply all the thrust at once," Kirsch said. "Then you just have to keep it moving."

Kirsch, a Wilson grad, class of 1998, said it takes about six years to train and condition one's body for this type of stunt. To simulate pulling an enormous object, he straps on a harness that is roped to a rack bolted to the ground. Then he tries to pull the rack out of the ground. It's an impossible task, but it works the right muscles, he said.

Saturday's celebration starts at 10 a.m., and the plane pull should take place around 11 a.m. In the meantime, here are a few photos from last week's practice session:

Tomorrow I get the pleasure of hosting my parents, brother and his family. Naturally, being a n00b (as kalvyn so 1337-ly put it) I am at a loss of what to do. It is a daunting task because 1. I need to entertain my parents, two 30-somethings (happy birthday Angie) and two little ones for a day. 2. (Much more importantly) They are visiting my sister in Seattle as well, so I need to show them that Tacoma is far superior.

Right now, my ideas are going to Point Defiance Zoo (for the little ones) and maybe Frisko Freeze. Fun.

I am not really interested in suggestions. I am a big boy, and I can figure it out.

For those who moved here, do you remember your first parent/family visit to T-town? What did you do? What was their impression?

I wrote a feature for Sunday's You&Me section (read it here) about a B&I shop owner who collected quarters from customers and she is now donating the money to Mary Bridge. The update is the shop's owner, Yong Fitchett, scheduled the party for kids for Saturday July 26 and was able to also get some money donated from Rex Pegg Fabrics and Parkland Chevrolet.

But also, I somehow had never heard of B&I. I now know how it is a local landmark, but I asked for places that told me about this area and this shop has more culture than anywhere I have been during my short weeks in Tacoma. The combination flea market/shopping mall/circus made my dreams come true and also gave me a couple nightmares to replace them.

If only the gorilla was still there.

And finally, I am very sorry, I have neglected GritCity. Please forgive me.

... are you really going to?

Reportedly hundreds of thousands of people are going to show up to Tall Ships. But, considering everyone who reads this blog is antisocial, what are your Tall Ships protest plans? If you are going to hide in your closet instead of seeing the ships, why you are planning on avoiding the event?

I get to spend a couple days, including the holiday, covering the crowds. So if you see a sweaty, sunburned intern around, give me pity. Or laugh in my face. Either way, I get recognized.

It is true, GritCity has a new contributor, and it is me, the intern.

I guess it is a dream come true of sorts. Long ago, I added the GritCity page on my Facebook. Once I found out about getting the internship here, I longed to have my neck included in the collective strangling that made the Grit posters seem so cool.

I am from Spokane, and never had that much contact with Tacoma. All I really knew was related to a fantastic falafel wrap I had at a local Greek restaurant a few years back and the Junior Assembly (I think that is what it was called) dance I randomly went to in high school.

Yep, Mediterranean food and awkward high schoolers, that was my impression of Tacoma.

But now I am in a crew of new TNT interns, with little knowledge of the city and a few hours of free time a week. So, I was hoping everyone could do me a favor. Tell me what the interns and I should do. What can we do to experience the real Tacoma – and not just Chihuly and meth. Let me know, I'll pick an idea and report back.

Also, the post title reminded me of this movie. Charlie Sheen + goatee + random West Wing actors = fantastic crap.

I get a lot of strange spam sent to my e-mail here at work, but I'm really not sure what this one is all about. Any ideas?

"ДЭИР" - Школа Дальнейшего
ЭнергоИнформационного Развития

I'm thinking some Cosmonauts brought back an odd substance from space, and now they're marketing it as Silly Putty, at a good price for you my friend.

Commenter goddesslunacy says...

...I was on my way to work and it was then that I noticed a note had been slipped onto my windshield at some point last night or this morning. I wanted to reach out and grab it as I was traveling at high speed on the freeway, but I knew my arm was not long enough. Sadly it lost grip and slipped away to a gusty asphalt graveyard. Now I am left to wonder who the left the note and what did it say?

What do you think it said?

Perhaps this or this?

Also, what if it was a parking ticket? Can you be arrested for not paying a parking ticket that you never knew existed?