Very Picky This Week

Send listings two weeks in advance to braincity@seattleweekly.com.

Business Lecture Larry's Markets head Barry MacKechnie talks about the pros and cons of corporate expansion, and how best to handle it, at a talk sponsored by the Association for Corporate Growth. Washington Athletic Club, 1325 Sixth Ave., 206-362-6975. $40 ($25 ACG members). Reception: 5:30 p.m. Presentation: 6:30 p.m. Wed., April 13.

Paul Dorpat The local historian recounts the past—and predicts the future—of Seattle's waterfront. Sponsored by Allied Arts of Seattle. Central Library (Microsoft Auditorium), 1000 Fourth Ave., 206-386-4636. Free. 5:30-7:30 p.m. Wed., April 13.

Fair Trade Forum In a panel discussion at Town Hall, producers and retailers discuss the facts and figures of the global fair-trade movement. 1119 Eighth Ave., 206-652-4255. Free. 7 p.m. Wed., April 13.

Hot Spots in Our World The University of Washington–sponsored lecture series continues with "Kosovo Final Status: Independence or Something Less?" presented by European Studies professor Frederick Lorenz. UW campus (call 206-897-8939 for exact location and to register). $15. 7-8:30 p.m. Wed., April 13.

Nature Class Learn all about our productive, flat-tailed friend the beaver at a Northwest Stream Center class taught by Jake Jacobson of Snohomish County Surface Water Management. 600 128th St. S.E., 425-316-8592. $6. 7 p.m. Wed., April 13.

Tony Kushner As part of the Nextbook series on Jewish culture, the outspoken, Pulitzer-winning playwright (Angels in America) talks about his latest work, Caroline, or Change, as well as the political issues of the day. Benaroya Hall, 200 University St., 888-621-2230. Free (tickets required). 7:30 p.m. Wed., April 13.

EMP Pop Conference This epic four-day confab of music critics, music enthusiasts, and actual musicians has a beguiling theme this year ("Music as Masquerade: Poseurs, Playas, and Beyond") and is really a must for any pop/rock fan worth his or her weight in vinyl LPs. Visit www.emplive.org for the complete schedule. Experience Music Project, 325 Fifth Ave. N., 206-367-5483. Full conference pass: $20 ($18 EMP members). Day pass: $8 ($6 EMP members). Thurs., April 14-Sun., April 17.

Birdwatching Trip Spot ducks, hawks, eagles, gulls, and other flying wildlife on Spencer Island. Meet at Kingsgate Park & Ride, 13001 116th Way N.E. (Kirkland), 425-881-5422. $3. 8 a.m. Thurs., April 14.

Puyallup Spring Fair Clint Eastwood won't be perched outside the ring, squinting and cursing, but you can still enjoy plenty of women's boxing at the spring edition of the Puyallup Fair. There'll also be a garden show, nausea-inducing rides, and everything else you might expect. Puyallup Fairgrounds, Ninth Avenue Southwest and Meridian Street (Puyallup), 253-845-1771. $8 ($6 teens and under; $6.50/$5 in advance). 3-10 p.m. Thurs., April 14. 10 a.m.-10 p.m. Fri., April 15-Sat., April 16. 10 a.m.-7 p.m. Sun., April 17.

Thandiwe Chikomo A project manager with Africa Resources Trust and a Hubert H. Humphrey Fellow at the University of Washington's School of Public Affairs, she relates her ideas for environmental justice, conservation, and resource equity in sub-Saharan Africa. UW Cunningham Hall (Women's Center Gallery), 206-685-1090. Free. 3:30-5 p.m. Thurs., April 14.

Art Out Loud The art-forum series concludes with a session devoted to local photographer Joanne Petrina. She'll talk about "Portraits and Stories From the Rainier Valley," her current exhibit at Columbia City Gallery. 4864 Rainier Ave. S., 206-760-4287. $6. 6 p.m. Thurs., April 14.

Chakaia Booker The sculptor, nicknamed "the rubber tire queen," discusses her interest in recycled materials and African-American themes. Seattle Art Museum (Lecture Hall), 100 University St., 206-654-3100. Free. 7 p.m. Thurs., April 14.

Exploring Our World The University of Washington-sponsored science lecture series begins with "The Science Behind the Controversy Over Genetically Engineered Foods," presented by UW biology professor Toby Bradshaw. UW Kane Hall (Room 130), 206-543-0540. Free. 7-8:15 p.m. Thurs., April 14.

Gardeners' Question Time Sponsored by Sasquatch Books, this Q&A session features local gardening experts Ed Hume, Cass Turnbull, and Marty Wingate (author of The Big Book of Northwest Perennials). UW Kane Hall (Room 110), 206-826-4325. $5. 7 p.m. Thurs., April 14.

David Nicandri The director of the Washington State Historical Society kicks off a series of Lewis and Clark lectures at MOHAI with a talk on the explorers' relationship to the Columbia River. Museum of History and Industry, 2700 24th Ave. E., 206-324-1126. $7 ($5 youth/seniors). 7 p.m. Thurs., April 14.

Shakti Butler African-American with both West Indian and Russian Jewish roots, Butler serves as executive director of the World Trust, a nonprofit that foments "public dialogue" on issues of race, class, and gender. Her talk at Shoreline Community College addresses "Transformative Learning: Social Justice and Compassion." 16101 Greenwood Ave. N. (Shoreline), 206-546-4606. $10 ($4 SCC students). 7:30 p.m. Thurs., April 14.

Journalism Conference University of Washington's Dart Center for Journalism and Trauma hosts a conference on the responses of journalists around the world to the recent tsunamis in Asia. UW Kane Hall, 206-543-0405. Free. Events begin at 9:30 a.m.; visit www.dartcenter.org for full schedule. Fri., April 15.

Symposium: 150 Years of the Northwest Treaties The U.S. government acquired much of what we now call the Northwest from local Indian tribes between 1854 and 1856. This weekend conference at Evergreen examines the personalities involved in the so-called Northwest Treaties—most notably Isaac Stevens, then governor of the Washington Territory—as well as their political, legal, and cultural aftereffects. Scheduled speakers include Gov. Christine Gregoire, Sen. Daniel Inouye, D-Hawaii, and many others. The Evergreen State College (Longhouse Education and Cultural Center), 2700 Evergreen Pkwy. N.W. (Olympia), 360-753-2580. $65 (includes lunch and dinner; $35 students, includes lunch only). 1-7 p.m. Fri., April 15. 8 a.m.-7 p.m. Sat., April 16.