Fleet Feet Tucson, the Eastside running store where one of Tucson's Boston Marathon participants works, is hosting a run Monday at 6 pm to benefit The One Fund, set up by "Massachusetts Governor Deval Patrick and Boston Mayor Tom Menino...to help the people most affected by the tragic events that occurred in Boston on April 15, 2013." The run begins at the store at 7301 E. Tanque Verde Road and, according to the Fleet Feet Tucson Facebook page, "everyone, regardless of age, ability, and pace is welcome."

Registration will be from 5 to 5:45pm. The event is free, but t-shirts will be available for $20, with 100% of the proceeds going to the fund.

More information at the event's Facebook page.

It's a little weird today to think about anything other than obsessively following the news waiting for something to happen in Boston (although it's possible something will have happened by the time you read this, so nevermind), but tomorrow is Exile on Congress Street, which is going to be a great night of music on five stages on the east end of Downtown (Playground, Club Congress, Rialto). You really should go. If you pay $12 and see just Dinosaur Jr. (11:45 pm at Rialto) or Polica (10:30, inside at Congress), you'll get your money's worth, plus there's great stuff happening all night. The outdoor stage at Congress has a particularly solid lineup, between Yardsale Heart and Chicha Dust. Seriously, go tomorrow night. Tickets are still available online and you can get them at the door.

Here's the schedule, which might change, you never know:

RIALTO (STONER STAGE)
11:45 Dinosaur Jr
10:30 The Shrine
9:30 Hairsprayfireandgirls
8:30 The Monitors
7:45 Dream Sick

Congress Indoor (ROCK STAGE):
11:30 DJ Sets
10:30 Polica
9:30 Night Moves
8:00 Blind Divine

Congress Outdoor (ROCA STAGE):
11:15 Chica Dust
10:15 Carlos Arzate and the Kind Souls
9:00 Yardsale Heart
8:00 Dirtyverbs/Verbobala
(Dirtyverbs fills in between sets and after)

Playground roofdeck (ROLLING STAGE):
8:00 KRQ Silent Disco (DJs TBD)

So in case you've missed it, there's a manhunt going on for one of the two suspected Boston Marathon bombers after a firefight between the suspects and police left one of the alleged bombers dead.

The remaining suspect is 19-year-old Dzhokhar Tsarnaev. His brother, 26-year-old Tamerlan Tsarnaev, was killed last night in a shootout with police, following a series of events that supposedly included a disturbance at a convenience store, the death of an MIT university police officer and the carjacking (and hostage taking) of a man in Cambridge, Mass.

Dzhokhar and Tamerlan Tsarnaev are Chechen immigrants, and have lived in the United States since either 2002 or 2003, according to NBC News.

The revelation that these two are immigrants who have been in this country for at least nine years must figure into the immigration debate, apparently, according to Iowa Senator Chuck Grassley:

“Given the events of this week, it’s important for us to understand the gaps and loopholes in our immigration system,” Grassley, the committee’s senior Republican, said in his opening statement. “How can we beef up security checks on people who wish to enter the United States? How do we ensure that people who wish to do us harm are not eligible for benefits under the immigration laws, including this new bill?”

It's a fair argument, I'll admit — I mean, people could harm us. Why should we not protect ourselves by looking deeper into their background to ensure that there's nothing they might do to hurt people within this country?

New York Senator Chuck Schumer, the writer of the bill, contended with Grassley's argument, saying that the events in Boston shouldn't be tied to this immigration bill.

“In general, we’re a safer country when law enforcement knows who is here,” and has photos and background checks, Schumer added — steps that would be taken in regard to the 11 million people here illegally under the legislation Schumer sponsored with seven other senators.

Schumer also said the U.S. refugee and asylum programs have been “significantly strengthened” in the past five years so that authorities are more careful about screening people coming into the country, but he said if that more changes are needed, he’s committed to making them.

Funny World from Ben Kitnick on Vimeo.

If you've ever wanted to see a 78-year-old man with muttonchops like Lemmy from Motorhead "rap" in the desert hills while wearing a hat made of horns, then I've got the opportunity for you.

Funny World, a documentary about Phoenix's Donald Roth — or "the World's Oldest Gay Canadian Rapper," Space-Alien Donald, as he calls himself — is short (only 10 minutes long), but fascinating. It gives a look into the life of Roth, the eccentric owner of Phoenix's Funny World arts and performance venue...and honestly, it's pretty damn great, if only because it's a peek inside the mind of a man who knows he's different than the rest of the world, and embraces it as tightly as he can.

For a bit of insight, check this excerpt from a 2011 blog post by the Phoenix New Times:

Besides hosting art shows and live music events at the venue, Roth — a self-proclaimed "backyard scientist" — will also conduct physics and gravity experiments inside and outside. Local artists will display their works during art shows at Funny World, and Roth will allow them any sort of mural they desire on its walls.

...

Roth purchased the residence for $40,000 [in 2011] with the intention of hosting "loud rock shows," performance art events, and other creative endeavors. He named it Funny World after a humorous religion/life philosophy called "Must Be Funny" that was created by his friend Derek Brownlee of Prescott. Artist Daniel Funkhouser, who lives at the venue, painted its name on a carport wall outside.

Check out more on Roth and Funny World at Facebook. Funny World documentarian/writer/producer Ben Kitnick doesn't have a lot going on at his Vimeo page, but hopefully he's not done.

• Courtesy of the Taste of Chocolate website

The Rincon Rotary Club is hosting their Fifth Annual Taste of Chocolate this Sunday, blending a community fundraising event with what should be an experience akin to nirvana for chocolate lovers.

Only those with formidable sweet tooths need apply: more than 30 Tucson chefs and businesses - including Black Crown Coffee, gourmet fudge maker Zink’s Treats and Borderlands Brewing Co. - will roll out their best chocolate creation during the tasting at the Doubletree Hotel, 445 S. Alvernon Way, from 2 to 4 p.m. on March 21.

Visitors looking to be enamored by something other than chocolate can still pick their poison, as beer and wine will also be offered by certain vendors. A raffle and silent auction will accompany the tasting, and if you’re curious as to what prizes will be available (it looks like they’ll run the gamut from free dry cleaning to dental work for enthusiastic tasters' impending cavities), a full list of donors can viewed on the Taste of Chocolate website. And beware, highly persuasive images lie ahead if you click that link!

Taste of Chocolate is a “signature” fundraiser for the Rincon Rotary Club; this year, the proceeds will go towards their scholarship program for high school and college students, as well as the 3rd Grade Dictionary Project, which distributes free dictionaries to local classrooms.

Tickets are $10 for adults, with a $10 2-for-1 price for children under 12 and free admission ages 4 and under. Tickets will be available at the door, but those interested can email [email protected] to get their tickets in advance.

And remember, it's not indulging if it's for charity.

The Senate's Gang of Eight—including Arizona's John McCain and Jeff Flake—unveiled its comprohensive immigration reform package earlier this week.

Republican Sen. Marco Rubio of Florida, in particular, is taking some hits. Republicans—including Arizona National Republican Committeeman Bruce Ash—have been highlighting the so-called "Marcophone." The idea is to provide ranchers and other border residents with satellite phones in remote areas where cellular phones don't work so they can call for help in emergencies. But it's being mocked in conservative media circles; Rubio put out a press release in an effort to stop the criticism yesterday.

Earlier today, Rubio faced a tough audience in Rush Limbaugh. Talking Points Memo reports:

Limbaugh’s argument, common among reform opponents, was that Latino voters are sympathetic to a more active government in polling and therefore don’t deserve the party’s attention. He suggested trying to maximize the evangelical vote instead.

“I know that you say the political aspects of this are not yours, but so many people are scared to death, Senator, that the Republican party is committing suicide,” Limbaugh said. “That we’re going to end up legalizing 9 million automatic Democrat voters and that’s why the Democrats are so adamant.”

Limbaugh also said: “I see polling data again that suggests 70 percent of the Hispanic population worldwide or in the country believes that government is the primary source of prosperity. I don’t, therefore, understand this contention that Hispanics are conservatives in waiting. “

Rubio said that his interest in the bill was strictly policy based, not political. But he countered that Hispanic voters were no different than other must-win blocs, like the millennial vote, in that Republicans had failed to properly present their arguments to them in recent years.

“I’m not prepared to admit that there’s this entire population of people who, because of their heritage, are not willing to listen to our pitch about why limited government is better,” Rubio said.

In related news, Congressman Steve King (R-Iowa) isn't a supporter of the Gang of Eight's plan.

The trend of wearing a skintight body suit complete with head-enveloping mask is a little strange to me ("Hey, it's a green faceless person in that college basketball crowd! Wow!"), but I suppose young people have to find new ways to have fun for me to find confusing. It's the way of the world.

Of course, some genius realized that these outfits need not be confined to simple monochromatic schemes and is rolling a line of Star Wars body suits, presumably for Halloween (or at least, I'd hope so). However, I will say, these costumes (available for Boba Fett, pictured above, Chewbacca, Darth Maul and Darth Vader) will probably show off a bit more lightsaber than is generally appropriate for most social situations.

We've had a great response so far, but as there are nearly a million people in the greater Tucson area and we're still significantly short of that number of submitted ballots, it would appear some of you have not yet voted in our Best of Tucson poll for 2013. Let us know your favorite places, people, restaurants, events, etc. and then see how the city voted as a whole on September 26. Voting runs until May 31st, but why not just get it done now before you forget or the world ends. After this week, either seems equally plausible.

Here's the ballot. Thanks in advance for your vote.

• NIGEL PARRY / CPI FOR TIME

The essay about her was penned by Jim Brady, the namesake of the Brady Act and former White House press secretary, is excerpted below:

On that day Gabby Giffords first spoke out so eloquently about the tragedy in Newtown, Conn., and her commitment to the issue of reducing gun violence, I knew the movement would no longer see just a fleeting success.

...

We all remember that terrible tragedy in Tucson, Ariz., and those we lost, but few actually know the grit, pain, tenacity and strong will it took Gabby to emerge as the lovely spokeswoman and face of the gun-violence-prevention movement.

In the wake of today's filibuster of the Manchin-Toomey compromise on background checks, Gabby Giffords pens an op-ed in The New York Times. An excerpt:

Speaking is physically difficult for me. But my feelings are clear: I’m furious. I will not rest until we have righted the wrong these senators have done, and until we have changed our laws so we can look parents in the face and say: We are trying to keep your children safe. We cannot allow the status quo — desperately protected by the gun lobby so that they can make more money by spreading fear and misinformation — to go on.

I am asking every reasonable American to help me tell the truth about the cowardice these senators demonstrated. I am asking for mothers to stop these lawmakers at the grocery store and tell them: You’ve lost my vote. I am asking activists to unsubscribe from these senators’ e-mail lists and to stop giving them money. I’m asking citizens to go to their offices and say: You’ve disappointed me, and there will be consequences.

People have told me that I’m courageous, but I have seen greater courage. Gabe Zimmerman, my friend and staff member in whose honor we dedicated a room in the United States Capitol this week, saw me shot in the head and saw the shooter turn his gunfire on others. Gabe ran toward me as I lay bleeding. Toward gunfire. And then the gunman shot him, and then Gabe died. His body lay on the pavement in front of the Safeway for hours.

I have thought a lot about why Gabe ran toward me when he could have run away. Service was part of his life, but it was also his job. The senators who voted against background checks for online and gun-show sales, and those who voted against checks to screen out would-be gun buyers with mental illness, failed to do their job.

They looked at these most benign and practical of solutions, offered by moderates from each party, and then they looked over their shoulder at the powerful, shadowy gun lobby — and brought shame on themselves and our government itself by choosing to do nothing.

They will try to hide their decision behind grand talk, behind willfully false accounts of what the bill might have done — trust me, I know how politicians talk when they want to distract you — but their decision was based on a misplaced sense of self-interest. I say misplaced, because to preserve their dignity and their legacy, they should have heeded the voices of their constituents. They should have honored the legacy of the thousands of victims of gun violence and their families, who have begged for action, not because it would bring their loved ones back, but so that others might be spared their agony.