Buzz Bin

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Arm-Wrestle for It?

The Decider in Chief has a running habit. And the new American ambassador to Iraq, Ryan Crocker, has run in the last two Bloomsdays. Maybe they could have a race to determine whether to increase troop levels. Oh, that's right, W's knees are getting creaky. Either way, he loses.

Slam Funk

Who says artists are solitary, non-competitive types? The Spokane Poetry Slam continues on Wednesday, Jan. 17, at 7 pm, with the finals on Jan. 24 at 6 pm. Open mics and turntables follow at Caterina Winery, 905 N. Washington St. Call 328-5069.

Excuses, Excuses

You've put off going back to school or changing jobs because, gosh, sometimes you ask the baristas to leave room and they don't. Well, Dan Miller has had polio for 50 years -- he needs a crutch, leg brace, wheelchair and scooter just to get around.

He's also a golfer, motorcyclist, pilot and elementary school principal. Hear his inspirational talk about loving life on Thursday, Jan. 18, at 11:30 am at SCC's Lair, Bldg. 6, 1810 N. Greene St. Call 533-7081.

It's Timeless for Them

During the opening-night rendition of the love-duet in Hairspray between Wilbur and his "wife" Edna, the actors seemed to break character and burst out laughing over one particularly risque bit. Then we heard reports that they were milking the laughs every night at the exact same point in the show. A good lesson in how to make scripted material seem spontaneous: Audiences roared, not knowing that they were riding a reality/fiction teeter-totter.

Tween Trumpeters

The Coeur d'Alene Youth Orchestra performs its Winter Concert on Tuesday, Jan. 16, at 7 pm at Boswell Hall, and we hear that NIC's Gerard Mathes does a great job conducting them. Visit www.cdayo.org.

He Blows

The guy who wears a baseball cap during Symphony on the Edge performances? That's flutist Bruce Bodden. He looks totally different at the INB Center -- but even though he's follically challenged, he's musically gifted. He'll demonstrate as much at the Bing this Saturday and Sunday during a couple of flute concertos by Mozart and Frank Martin. Visit spokanesymphony.org or call 624-1200.