Tonight, the Loft Cinema presents the monthly First Friday Shorts film contest. Get on down to Tucson's Best Movie Theater and see what local filmmakers are cooking up. Some are great, some are dreadful, but the evening's always a lot fun. And you can drink beer! Your host, of course, is Max Cannon of "Red Meat" fame. The curtain rises sometime around 9 p.m.

Tomorrow: Club Crawl. Nuff said.

The Tucson Police Department's photo-radar van will be in the following areas on Saturday, Oct. 6

• 9 to 2 p.m.: On Wetmore Road near Oracle Road
• 2 to 4:30 p.m.: On Golf Links Road near Wilmot Road

Since starting my job at the Tucson Weekly, I’ve thought often of a longtime Seattle newspaper columnist, the late Emmett Watson.

It could be I see our own Jim Nintzel and Tom Danehy reflecting Watson’s own career as a tell-it-like-it-is newspaper man, although Nintzel and Danehy could use a few more years under their belts (and maybe less sunshine), or we need the ability to combine them genetically, if they’d agree to it. We could throw in Neto Portillo from the Arizona Daily Star for good measure.

Why? Because today, I decided we need an Emmett Watson in Tucson. Watson called everyone on the carpet, no matter what their political affiliation. He didn’t write feel-good pieces. He made many different people feel uncomfortable, and he created change.

I’ve been thinking of Watson for a term he created as Seattle began to grow with the influx of Californians moving to his beloved Northwest and native Seattle. He hated it and wrote about it, and said “KEEP THE BASTARDS OUT.” His movement was called Lesser Seattle.

And when I moved to Seattle via Los Angeles in 1992, I received earfuls from the Lesser Seattle apostles. I learned folks in Seattle aren’t too friendly, anyway: They are to your face, but there aren’t many dinner invitations cast to newcomers.

Now, as a fifth-generation Tucsonan, I’m wondering if we can start our own Lesser Tucson movement.

This previous sentence, however, is so hypocritical. I’ve been gone a long time. Just because my heart is here and always has been doesn’t give me special privilege to say, “I can move back, but you stay away.” Or worse yet, what I’ve also been thinking, “Why don’t you go back?” I’ve been thinking this about people who are in power in our regional governments that aren’t originally from here, the people I see at meetings who made their home here from someplace else-really, just like my family did more than 100 years ago.

As part of my job, I cover Pima County. I’ve been meeting county folks and activists the past two weeks--lots and lots of people who have been working the last 10 to 16 years in planning and policy. Meanwhile, I’ve been gone, working, writing and having a kid. I find myself angry--what have you guys been doing these past 16 years? This is not my grandfather’s Tucson, but you guys have been acting like it is.

If we can start a Lesser Tucson movement, how do we determine who stays and who goes? We are such a mutt of a city … should we leave it to the Pascua Yaqui and Tohono O'odham nations to figure out the problems we created?

The city and county have put projections out there that 700,000 people are expected here soon, so now we have to make room for them by creating a freeway system south of the airport; the city of Tucson has looked ahead to annex south; and the northwest is fighting about water … hell, we are all fighting about water.

But right now, we should be asking our city and county officials: Why are they rolling out the red carpet for 700,000 people? We should be talking about a moratorium and not be labeled anti-growth at the same time. The problems that come with 700,000 people will limit our economy and hurt our beautiful city. We’ll never be the same – just like Emmett Watson’s Seattle.

I’d like to think the Lesser Seattle movement had an impact, but it didn’t, because the attitude is that growth happens. Being anti-growth doesn’t mean you’re an anarchist, and this shouldn’t be a partisan issue. If your heart is in Tucson--if you’re Yaqui, a fifth generation or a transplant--now is the time.

I’m afraid; however, we’re just too busy being human. The reality: The red carpet has been out for a long time and may be stuck in place. It isn’t going to go away.

The other reality: We can all be an Emmett Watson. Lesser Tucson could become part of our city and county mantras. Emmett Watson could end up being a Tucson hero. We could end up being our own heroes. We don’t have to be mean or rude, but we can be progressive in our planning. These aren’t new issues. Other cities and towns are dealing with the same challenges, but planning is becoming more thoughtful. Don’t let them tell you anything differently. I don’t think we have to turn into Phoenix or L.A. I think we can have Lesser Tucson and grow in different ways.

I think we could come up with ways to KEEP THE BASTARDS OUT.

Not so fast. First, let me digress.

I just returned from the Tucson Culinary Festival's margarita competition at Cuvee. Cuvee was chosen as the site, because it was defending its title from last year. Cuvee was hopping when I arrived. I cannot remember it ever being that busy.

Let's see if I can remember the restaurants represented--Cuvee, Chad's, Terra Cotta, El Charro, Red Sky, Hotel Congress, Jonathan's Tucson Cork, Papagayo, Rio--there were nine tastes. A few weeks prior, other Tucson Originals' restaurants were eliminated from the competition.

Everyone had a card with the nine above restaurants, and walked around and got their card stamped and tasted all margaritas. It was wild and crowded. After a while the people around you became your new best friend. I hung around with Rita Connelly, one of the Weekly's restaurant reviewer, and Lori Riegel from the Jewish Post. But I'm sure I made some new friends, I just cannot remember who they are now.

Anyway, for us pedestrian--or as Rita said the riffraff--we wandered from margarita taste to margarita looking for the next fix. I even took notes or chicken scratch. I recall writing Terra Cotta-good, Papagayo-refreshing, Red Sky-different (one of the ingredients was Tuaca), Jonathan's-lethal. That's enough. I cannot remember too much more.

Rita and I meandered in no particular order. What amazed us was how different each tasted and what different colors they were. I mean they, were all shades of white, gray, yellowish, orange, clear, but all were different, and I do recall that Hotel Congress had a green salt rim which was part colored sugar.

Then there were the judges. Hell if I remember who they were. I'm sure they all thought they were important. I do remember Jennifer English and Edie Jarolim, and there was that guy--whose name escapes me--but he's the master mixologist.

Unlike the riffraff who knew what drinks we were tasting, the judges were served and tasted the drinks blindly by not knowing which drink came from which restaurant.

I must comment on my above remark about lethal for Jonathan's. While many of the margaritas were watered down by ice, sipping Jonathan's tasted like pure tequila. Whoa. I tasted that and felt like my eyes were spinning around in their sockets.

So the winners by popular vote were: El Charro with 33 votes, Papagayo with a close 30 votes (I found this margarita refreshing) and Cuvee with 21 votes.

And the blind taste winners were: 1st place, Cuvee; 2nd place, Papagayo; and 3rd place, Jonathan's.

Rita and I tasted Cuvee last and wowie zowie--it knocked our socks off (had we been wearing them). I felt that the last drinks were at a disadvantage but not Cuvee. Whatever Cuvee did--my mouth was so excited. I loved the citrus zing and bam of fresh ginger.

A light buffet was served, and people hung around talking and laughing and drinking. I would consider this event a huge success.

Congratulations to Cuvee and El Charro.

The Tucson Police Department's photo-radar van will be in the following areas on Friday, Oct. 5:

• 7 to 9 a.m.: Whitmore Elementary, 5300 Block E. Glenn Street
• 9 a.m. to 2 p.m.: On Grant Street near Alvernon Way
• 2 to 4:30 p.m.: Naylor Middle School, 1700 Block S. Columbus Boulevard
• 4:30 to 8 p.m.: On Kolb Road near 22nd Street

Here are a few events that were received too late for inclusion in our print issue:

• Sunday, Oct. 7 at 7 p.m.

  St. Philip's Plaza

  River Road and Campbell Avenue

  Jazz Under the Stars Finale. George Howard's Tucson All Stars perform with special guest Tom Walbank. $20 general, $15 Tucson Jazz Society members, $10 students with ID. Call 903-1265 or visit www.tucsonjazz.org for tickets and info.

• Wednesday, Oct. 10 from 11:30 a.m. to 2 p.m.

  Hilton Tucson East

  7600 E. Broadway Blvd.

  Networking With Intention Workshop and Luncheon for Women. Learn a new way of networking that helps put your intentions to work for you. $39. Register with a friend and save 10 percent. Call (973) 248-1262 for info.

• Wednesday, Oct. 10 at 3 p.m.

  Freedom Inn at Ventana Canyon

  5660 N. Kolb Road

  Classical Guitarist. Wilson Hur will perform a free concert. To RSVP, call 577-6940.

• Wednesday, Oct. 10 at 3:30 p.m.

  Oro Valley Public Library

  1305 W. Naranja Road

  Living Well Lecture. "Up All Night: Discovering Hidden Sleep Disorders" is the topic of a free lecture. Pulmonologist Todd Locher will speak. Space is limited. Call (866) 694-9355 or visit www.nmcorovalley.com (click on community education tab) to register.

I'd like to draw your attention to Catherine O'Sullivan's column this week, in which she discusses the fact that she is a regular on the popular Sabino Canyon Road walkway where Julia Sunderlin and her dog, Gertie, were killed by a drunk driver several weeks ago.

We didn't have room to run a picture Catherine sent in with her column. Here it is.

So a PR person called me from New York City today to inform me of the fact that beans are a vegetable, and to offer me some recipes for bean dishes. Seriously. A PR person, hired by a bean company, was trying to get the Tucson Weekly to write a story about how awesome beans are.

This is NOT something you'll find in the newly online issue of the Tucson Weekly. However, you'll find all sorts of fanastic stuff, not the least of which is all the info on Club Crawl™ you could possibly want.

Enjoy!

Congressional Quarterly has a round-up of early projections of congressional races in the Western United States.

The gist:

If the Republicans next year are going to engineer a major reversal of the 30-seat national loss they suffered in the 2006 House campaign—a setback that cost them control of the chamber—it does not look like they can count on the Western states to make a major contribution to their cause.

The first ratings of the 2008 House contests by Congressional Quarterly’s CQPolitics.com find just four competitive races for Western seats currently held by Democrats, including three that appear highly competitive (all held by freshman incumbents who won to take over Republican seats in 2006).

Bad news for Republican Senate President Tim Bee, who hopes to unseat Democrat Gabrielle Giffords: Arizona's Eighth District is not among the competitive races. CQ's Marie Horrigan handicaps the race:

Giffords had received attention prior to her 2006 House race as a potential rising star in the state legislature, but she benefited significantly in 2006 from the nomination of Graf, an hard-liner on immigration issues who was disowned by the Republican Party establishment—including the outgoing 11-term incumbent, GOP moderate Jim Kolbe. Republicans hope state Senate President Tim Bee will present a more mainstream image for them in 2008, if he commits to running.

Oh, the confusion! What does each candidate stand for? Are they changing their minds? Why is it so annoying to search several different sites just to sum up the platforms of one candidate?

Look no further, distressed folks.

I stumbled across this magical Issue Coverage Tracker on Washingtonpost.com. It takes a candidate and their platforms, and immediately provides you the newspaper's articles regarding those candidates and forums.

I dare you to play with it. It’s so fun and informational!