If you're going to cover a Beatles song, this is how to do it...

I saw RA perform this up in Bellingham before Common Market was born. I was wowed. I hope to see everyone at Hell's Kitchen for the Common Market/Blue Scholars show on Jan. 27 -- two days after the focuspoint show.

This is the face of 17-year-old Samnang Kok, the young father and Foss High School junior who was slain by a fellow student yesterday.

Police officers later arrested another Foss junior, Douglas S. Chanthabouly, and booked him into the Pierce County Jail for investigation of first-degree murder. The News Tribune reports he is expected to make an appearance in Superior Court today. Chanthabouly was on suicide watch at the jail Wednesday night, said Pierce County sheriff’s spokesman Ed Troyer.

The motive for the murder is unknown, but rumors include a disagreement over money or revenge by Chanthabouly for a slight against his younger brother.

The News Tribune reports:

The shooting occurred about 7:25 a.m. in what is known as the “300 hallway,” a collection of classrooms and lockers at the north end of the school, not far from the library.

Witnesses said Kok was walking through the hall when the shooter approached him, pulled out a handgun and opened fire at close range, perhaps from as little as 5 feet away.

Kok “hit the locker on the side of his head and fell over,” sophomore Malcolm Clark said. “He started shaking and foaming at the mouth.”

Dad spoke to a Tacoma firefighter about the incident. The firefighter called the slaying a "torture death" because Chanthabouly allegedly shot Kok in the buttocks first before shooting him point blank in the head -- causing the victim to feel extreme pain before ending his life.

This tragedy further tarnishes Tacoma's reputation. The last time Tacoma made national headlines was because of the Tacoma Mall shootings last year. Most of the people I work with in Seattle have never been to Tacoma, say they have no reason to go, and say they would truly be afraid to go. Reading this quote from a Foss HS parent -- "My son’s 15 years old and he wants to save up for a bulletproof vest" -- I can't blame them.

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Breaking news from the Tacoma News Tribune:

"A student was shot multiple times just before 7:30 a.m. in a hallway at Foss High School in Tacoma as school was getting under way on Wednesday, police said. The student died at the scene.

Tacoma police have identified a suspect in the shooting and were searching for him Wednesday morning.

The shooting occurred in the 300 hallway shortly before the first bell of the school day. Witnesses reported hearing three gunshots.

Students without transportation were being taken to Wilson High School, where they could be picked up by their parents.

Three teams of Tacoma Police officers were searching and clearing the school."

More to come.

Happy New Year everyone! I enjoyed my first New Year’s Eve downtown, though my fun was stunted by injury. I pulled a muscle while sleeping the night before. No joke.

I’m probably more prone to sleep injuries than most because I sleep so much. I was known to take two naps a day in college and napped daily at PRWeb during my lunch hour. I’ve woken up to a “dead arm” before (when you sleep on your arm and cut off circulation to the point that you can’t move it), but this takes the cake.

I got the single-greatest calf cramp of all-time. The power of this cramp could have ended all wars or fed the hungry, but instead decided to send my calf muscle nearly up to my ass. I grabbed the muscle immediately, trying to push it down, but all of the calf raises I’ve been doing at the gym were paying off and I was losing the battle. This painful event literally lasted 10 seconds -- an eternity in the world of muscle cramps -- before the muscle decided to relax.

I’ve had hamstring cramps a couple times before. They’re nearly instantaneous and I hardly remember them when I wake up. Katrine says they happen because I don’t drink enough water and need to eat bananas because I don’t get enough potassium. She’s so wrong. Those hamstring cramps were spies for the calf cramp. They scouted and helped the calf plan for the massive New Year’s attack. Bastards. This wasn’t dehydration. This was terrorism.

So, I hobbled along through New Year’s Eve. I stopped at times to stretch the muscle against bus stops. People stared curiously as they walked past me, but couldn’t understand the discomfort. A couple girls looked back and laughed at me. We’ll see who’s laughing when they’re attacked in their sleep by their own calf muscles. We’ll see who’s laughing then.

One of this nation’s most socially liberal states (read previous post) has one of the most asinine, conservative liquor control boards ever – in the history of the world. When Dad owned restaurants, I remember him saying that liquor laws in Washington are beyond outrageous. Now I know why. I can hardly buy a 40 oz. in this city, and tourists (save Utah Mormons) are shocked and appalled that they can’t buy liquor at a grocery store. I nearly cried in joy last time I was at a grocery store in Oregon.

But this shit crosses the line. The Stranger reports, “The state liquor control board proposed a new statewide license for nightclubs that would eliminate all-ages shows at establishments that serve alcohol – even if alcohol isn’t being served during the show.” That eliminates Seattle clubs, like Neumos and the Showbow, and Tacoma clubs, like Hell’s Kitchen and Jazzbones from hosting all-ages shows. They might as well bring back the Teen Dance Ordinance.

It’s a crime really. Go ahead and put limitations on those of us who can legally drink, but how many more walls can you put up against those who already don’t have legal access to alcohol? Reality check: Underage drinkers aren’t getting their drinks at the clubs they attend, they get them from grocery stores, older siblings, or their parents’ pantries beforehand. I’m usually politically correct, but I dare say that this proposal is retarded.

The new proposal also redefines “nightclubs” as being “any place that operates primarily between 10:00 p.m. and 2:00 a.m.; is open five days a week or less; charges a cover fee; has live entertainment; has a higher occupancy than the number of seats; or doesn’t offer menus along with drinks – would have to get a license under the proposed regulations.”

Oh, and the liquor control board would be able to withhold a license if it felt the number of licenses in the area was “adequate for the reasonable needs of the community.” WTF?! How is that defined? What are “primary operating” hours? WTF? WTF? WTF?!

If this proposal passes, it will be up to the few non-alcohol serving all-ages clubs and educational institutions to host all-ages shows from now on. And those few venues will be empowered and literally monopolize all-ages events in their respective communities. This could be dangerous, as promoters and clubs could take advantage of the naïve all-ages audience and spike door charges and limit band line-ups (read: Club Impact).

So, I was looking forward to taking Sergio to see Common Market and Blue Scholars at Neumos, an all-ages show this Saturday. But now I’m really looking forward to taking Sergio to the show, as he might not be able to see a decent show again for a few years. We’ll be sure to swing by the supermarket on the way and buy some brews so that we can have a drink and pour a dose for the soon-to-be fallen all-ages venues.