JOE MALIK: RECESSION, SCHMESESSION >>>

I was invited recently to join a group calling itself “I will NOT be participating in any recession!”. It’s a Facebook group, and it’s gaining momentum, with nearly 4,000 members, all dedicated to countering the media’s relentless assault on our national economic recovery.

From the site:

“For people whose positive forward attitude will supersede the news agencies [sic] constant hammering that we are in a recession of catastrophic proportions and will just continue to make prosperity happen in spite of them.

By joining this group, we will recognize each other as the agents of change and prosperity. Use the wall to post empowering news information, programs and support materials you may have which will be of interest to other positive people and help spread the message of attitude overcomes.

My company has chosen to view the future with optimism and empowerment. If you hold similar views share them with other here.

I believe there are more optimistic people than there are pessimists. If you know of others who are committed to a positive future, invite them to join. We need all the people we can get to offset the negative media.”

Damn media.

The Facebook coalition, which has quite a few notable Tacoma names floating in its roster, was created by one Douglas Martin, president of Napa, Ca.-based winery Smile Vino. Smile Vino, by the way, suggests you pair Smile Chardonnay with a nice scallop ceviche with guacamole and chips. Apparently Martin is an optimist, as are thousands of other small business owners, and believes that if the media stopped harping on the state of the economy, things would get better. Willful optimism. Control your own destiny. Fake it till you make it. Let’s look on the bright side while we tinker with a new design for Smile Pinot Grigio. And hope that people start buying again. Because we spent $4,000 on that branding consultant, and I reaaallly want that set of almond-wood bowls I saw in the window at the Plaza.

Reading this reminds me of a story of a young Rabbinic student who arrived one day to tell his teacher that he was overwhelmed by the notion that he created his own reality.

“I can prove or disprove anything,” the student said.

“Really?” asked the Rabbi.

“Well yes,” the student replied. “There is a philosophical model to disprove anything you can think of.”

“Do you have a nose?” asked the Rabbi.

“Well, if you consider it from Descartes point of vi…”

Mid sentence, the Rabbi punched the student square in the face.

“What hurts?” the Rabbi asked.

Like the young student in the parable above, there seems to be a growing number of folks waking up to the fact that they have some power over the world, and that it begins with changing your perspective. But all this sweetness and light in the face of so much undeniable suffering just reeks of fear and stagnation. I agree that a positive attitude is a healthy response to crisis. But promoting willful ignorance in hopes of selling more wine is, well, something else. I struggle with this, though. At what point do we cross the line between aggressive optimism and stupidity? I don’t know. But I do know that the damn media just reported another 900 layoffs at Boeing, and that the national unemployment rate may break another record soon.

I can hear the unemployed machinist from Kent right now…

“Honey, kids….sigh….daddy lost his job today. But guess what!?” he will ask with sudden delight. “I just joined a Facebook Group for people who aren’t participating in the recession! So everything’s going to be fine.”

PREVIOUS UNEMPLOYED IN TACOMA COLUMNS ON SPEW

LINK: Joining the club

LINK: Low on survival tickets

LINK: It's lonely out here

LINK: The ugly truth about Wal-Mart

LINK: Bored as hell

LINK: Feast or famine

MICHAEL SWAN: PAPPI SWARNER’S JUKEBOX >>>

Well, my friends, spring has sprung, the grass is rising, and the birds and the bees are doing whatever it is they do.

We’re here at the Weekly Volcano World Headquarters are doing a bit of spring cleaning today. Matt Driscoll has pulled out the refrigerator and is zapping dust bunnies with the Rayovac. Bobble Tiki is storing his empties in a liquor store box. I’m spring cleaning my insides. I’m drinking nothing but juice for the last three days as a means to cleanse the spirit and sand-blast my colon. Too much?

And since it’s 4 p.m. Pappi Swarner has locked himself in his office for his weekly Friday afternoon ‘70s jukebox session. He’s ticked off with the weather. Crank, actually. And he’s sporting four of those pink square boxes from hello, cupcakes. He claims he’s been kicked around all week. The fact that he’s looping "Smiling Faces Sometimes" by The Undisputed Truth proves it.

Enjoy this week’s installment of Pappi Swarner’s Jukebox. I’m off for a cool, tall glass of detox. Happy spring everyone!

JOSE S. GUTIERREZ JR.: DOPE HIP-HOP AT CLIPPER TONIGHT >>>

The umbrella of Olympia hip-hop promotion powerhouse Homeland Security can be a big shadow to operate beneath. As the only booking group/promotion company that I have witnessed consistently throw shows at least twice a month for more than a year now, HS has established a lot of credibility in terms of bringing local and national talent to The 25360 and more importantly, they are not a flash in the pan. What with all of the cats that are rappers one day and bagging groceries as a career the next, HS operates under the guise of “consistency.” They get it in! So, when HS subsidiary Junkyard Gang sets off their new album, Where In The World Is Taylor Jones?, with a party at The China Clipper tonight you might want to see what they do and how they do it. Junkyard Gang is composed of HS’ version of Power Grant from The Wu-Tang, Nicatine, Q-Storm and D-Minus. The Westside’s finest will be in the house.

Joining Junkyard at their record release party is a who’s who of Puget Sound hip-hoppers. Check out my column on the Weekly Volcano Web site for the scoop, as well as the latest from Afrok and Hill-B.

Photo: Junkyard Gang/MySpace

PAUL SCHRAG: A PARTY TO END ALL PARTIES >>>

It’s been a good ride. It’s been a good ride with belly dancers, live painting, bicycle limbo, fashion, mobs of faux Chihulys, graffiti, all varieties of burlesque, nuns hitting bongs, painted bodies, an endless variety of styles, dance, music, film, mayhem and carefully crafted madness. If Andy Warhol were still alive and somehow stranded in Tacoma, he’d be sad to hear it. But the rumors are true â€" tonight marks the final Kulture Lab.

To read the full story click here.

LAUREN NAPIER: YOUNG GUNS SHOWCASE AT CLUB IMPACT >>> 

Club Impact, closing in April with a final show featuring such local greats as MXPX, has been an active and diligent supporter of the all-ages scene in Tacoma and â€" until its doors shut â€" will continue to provide opportunities to younger fledgling bands in an effort to flesh out the starving scene. It takes venues like Club Impact, and a solid support system, to keep all-ages shows in a constant supply. The demand is there, and tonight the club’s monthly Young Guns Showcase will take place once again. The Showcase gives the venue a chance to feature bands that have “at least half of the band members under 18,” explains Derek Smith, Club Impact’s president.

To read the full article, click here.

JENNIFER JOHNSON: FARMER AND MULLEN KNOW HOW TO JAM >>>

Rockin’ Chair Money has a deliciously refreshing spin on music. Forming in 2007, singer-songwriter and guitarist Billy Farmer and pianist Evan Mullen began jamming together and RCM was born. Playing together for over a year before getting into the live show arena, the original two are now joined by bassist and mandolin player Kevin Dale and drummer and vocalist Dannie Millie.

So many labels have been thrown around in reference to their sound and style; the most obvious being bluegrass, but also roots rock, jam band, hippie jazz and even country. Each time they play a different vibe emerges. Farmer and Mullen made up their own label, “firgrass.” The quartet uniquely rearranges and presents covers of classic music â€" Woody Guthrie, Bob Dylan, The Grateful Dead, Elton John and more. RCM may get a full minute into a song before you realize it’s not an original, and once they slip into a jam the big grins start spreading.

“The jamming is second to none,” says Mullen through e-mail regarding why RCM is a must-see, “We let the song tell us how it goes.”

Rockin’ Chair Money shows are much like getting together with good friends, breaking out the instruments and just getting to it. It’s not something you sit down and plan. “Every show is different as far as the material and interaction between members,” shares bassist Kevin Dale.

With a recorded-live CD looming in April, summer festivals on tap, a two-day music festival in August to plan, and a trip to Nashville to attend the Americana Music convention coming in October, Rockin’ Chair Money is as busy as a guy selling $5 nitrous balloons at a Dead show.

Tonight, Rockin' Chair Money will play the Mandolin Cafe in Tacoma. If you happen to miss it, Farmer and Co. will be back on Wednesday, March 25.

[Mandolin Café, March 21 6 p.m., March 25 7 p.m., all ages, no cover, 3923 S. 12th St., Tacoma, 253.761.3482]

MATT DRISCOLL: STRICKLAND, THE PI, UWT, MARCH MADNESS, AND PROFITING ON SADNESS >>>

Dear lord. Has it been another week already? It seems like only yesterday that I was sitting in front of the computer, on a Saturday morning, trying to think of witty ways to recap the week that was â€" that being the point of the Weekly Volcano’s “Week in Review.”

Unfortunately, last week â€" try as I might â€" I was void of wittiness. I couldn’t even find any decently ridiculous videos on YouTube to make up for it. So I bagged out. Sorry. If you looked on Spew last Saturday for Week in Review, found nothing, and cursed my name â€" you had every right to. That was mybad.

This morning, however, I’m back and ready to go. Here’s a quick refresher course on the last five days.

Enjoy.

Monday, March 16

While she wouldn’t officially announce her candidacy until Tuesday, the rumors I had been hearing for a while were confirmed on Monday â€" and word began to circulate that Tacoma City Councilwowan Marilyn Strickland is, in fact, running for mayor.

Strickland and I have had reason to talk on several occasions in the past, including right before the Democratic National Convention in Denver â€" where Strickland was an Obama delegate. We met for lunch at El Matador, and â€" amazingly enough â€" neither of us had tequila. I’ve regretted it ever since.

The Weekly Volcano’s Paul Schrag was able to catch up with Strickland this week to get her thoughts on why in gawd’s name she’d want to be the mayor.

Tuesday, March 17

Cue the sad, nostalgic music.

On Tuesday, the 146-year-old Seattle P-I printed its last physical issue. From this point forward â€" or at least until this venture fails, too â€" the P-I will make its home on the Internet, forgoing paper and ink, and embracing “the future” with a much smaller staff and a retooled mission. What is that mission? I’m not sure, but since we’re talking about the Internet, something tells me it will involve things like this:

Wednesday, March 18

I talked to Mike Wark, director of Public Relations and Communications for UWT, about what students at Tacoma’s branch of the University of Washington may experience thanks to looming budget cuts. The talk was sparked by the announcement on Tuesday by Gov. Gregoire that she supports a temporary tuition surcharge for students (in addition to the 7 percent tuition increase that’s already been OK’d) to help schools in our state balance their budgets. To see the full story, click here.

Thursday, March 19

March Madness, Baby! Does anyone really work in March? I think not.

On Thursday, the University of Washington men’s basketball team defeated its first round opponent, Mississippi State, to move onto the second round of the NCAA tournament. While sometimes it hasn’t always been the case in the past, this win was more relieving than anything â€" with legitimate tournament expectations, a first round loss would have been a huge disappointment to Husky nation.

And you better believe, Husky nation needs all the good news it can get these days.

Friday, March 20

Even though Joe Malik pointed everyone in the direction of the only Facebook group that I know of single handedly thwarting the recession, in the world outside the cyber realm on Friday Boeing announced another round of layoffs. This time, 900 layoff notices were sent out to Boeing employees, 650 of those to Commercial Airplane workers in the Puget Sound area. Apparently, the layoffs will take effect on May 22.

Due to the alarmingly regularity with which layoff notices have made our paper recently, and in an effort to make money on other people’s pain, we’re now selling the advertising rights to every layoff announcement we make. That announcement from Boeing was brought to you by Kentucky Fried Chicken. 

JAKE DE PAUL: SATURDAY FOOD LINKS >>>

Serious Eats Tasty 10

Are you going to VegFest today?

World Water Day is tomorrow.

No longer maligned, sugar now sells

Today’s South Sound Specials

WINE TASTINGS

noon to 5 p.m., Tacoma Wine Merchants, 21 N. Tacoma Ave., Tacoma, 253.779.8258.

1-4 p.m., $5-$7, Swing Wine Bar, 825 Columbia St. S.E., Olympia, 360.357.9464.

2-5 p.m., Wine Bank, 7017 27th St. W., University Place, 253.564.1101.

1-6 p.m., Wildside Wine, 608A S. Oxford St., Tacoma, 253.565. 0811.

noon to 4 p.m., free, Madsen family Cellars, 2825 Marvin Road N.E., Olympia, 360.438.1286.

1-5 p.m., $5, Medicine Creek Winery, 947 Old Pacific Highway S.E., Olympia, 360.701.6284.

noon to 4 p.m., complimentary, Corkscrew Cellars, 116 E. Stewart Ave., Puyallup, 253.770.9463.

noon to 6 p.m., complimentary, Walter Dacon Winery, 50 S.E. Skookum Inlet Road, Shelton, 360.426.5913.

LINK: South Sound Restaurant Guide

WEEKLY VOLCANO: SEARCH FOR ODD JOBS >>>

Mark Thomas Deming, the Weekly Volcano’s official F.N.G., needs a healthy dose of sit-down-and-shut-up. Seriously. Who does he think he is with his three names and quotations from dead English poets? It's time we put him in his place!

Here’s what you can do. Talk to friends. Drive around. Sit alone in a dark room and think. Do whatever it takes to answer the question: What’s the South Sound’s oddest job? It doesn’t have to be the grossest job, although it wouldn’t hurt. It doesn’t have to be the worst job. (We don’t want to ruin the man.) It just has to be interesting and unique. The kind of job that makes you go “Wow!” or “Huh?” or “Ha!” We’ll pick a top ten (probably with an arm-wrestling tournament) and make Mister Three Names spend a shift at our favorite. Dressed in drag! (Just kidding.) (Maybe.)

Make your nomination in a comment to this post.