LIVE AT THE PALOMINO: Plaza Palomino, 2940 N. Swan Road, continues its European-style, open-air market from 4 to 8 p.m. Thursdays with gourmet food, fresh produce, herbs, coffee, arts and crafts, live music and more packed into the cool cluster of restaurants and specialty shops located on the southeast corner of Swan and Fort Lowell roads. Admission is free. Call 795-1177 for information. BRAIN TEASER: Whether you have kids of your own or are reliving your second childhood through video games, MTV and the Internet, Dr. Robert Sylwester, professor of education at the University of Oregon, has news for you. And surprisingly, it isn't half bad: He says electronic media, including video games, help memory and response systems thrive. Sylwester addresses the multi-faceted topic of how electronic environments affect today's children in two free presentations on Friday, August 9, at the Hotel Park Tucson Theater, 5151 E. Grant Road. A presentation directed at educators, counselors, psychologists and parents meets from 9 a.m. to noon, with a second session especially for parents and grandparents from 1:30 to 2:30 p.m. Call 322-5090 for information. THE TRAIN! THE TRAIN! As with most western cities, life as we know it started with the transcontinental railroad, completed in 1869 and rolling into Tucson sometime around 1881. Celebrate its anniversary at 2 p.m. Saturday, August 10, at the Columbus Library, 4350 E. 22nd St., where they've organized an exhibit of model trains, an afternoon of storytelling and a variety of kid-oriented activities to get your knowledge of the rails back on track. The afternoon festivities are geared toward kids ages 6 and up, so bring the whole family and let off steam with this blast to Tucson's past. Call 791-4081 for information. BLUEGRASS JAM: There's a bumper crop of bluegrass swaying in the summer breeze at The Folk Shop, 2525 N. Campbell Ave., where practiced players gather routinely for some fine tuning. The next bluegrass jam meets from 8 to 11 p.m. Tuesday, August 13, for some good old-fashioned fiddling around. On a scale from treble to bass, it's a high note. Call 881-7147 for information. BICYCLE BONANZA: If that banana-seat bike your child has long since abandoned in favor of a 10-speed is it out in the garage collecting dust, Saturn of Tucson, Sabino Cycles and the Boys & Girls Clubs are eager to get its wheels spinning again. Bring your unused bikes to Saturn of Tucson, 6020 E. Speedway. The folks at Sabino Cycles will get the bikes back in tip-top shape and the Boys & Girls Clubs will distribute them to area kids, with the goal of getting every kid in Tucson a bike of his or her own. Call 623-2543 for information.

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