TAMMY ROBACKER: BILL KUPINSE BIDS US ADIEU >>>

I hate goodbyes. I especially think I speak this sentiment on behalf of a large literary community in Tacoma, when I write: “Bill Kupinse will be missed.”

Serving the past 2008/2009 term as Urban Grace’s first Poet Laureate of Tacoma, Kupinse’s workshops, readings, efforts and benevolence in bringing poetry to the Tacoma community have been hugely successful. He has been an instrumental role model to writers of all ages, races and backgrounds in further identifying and strengthening the communal bond of poetry that links many of us together in this city.

Don’t miss the opportunity to join Poet Laureate William Kupinse and local poet Hans Ostrom at a special reading to take place Thursday, April 30 at 8 p.m. at the University of Puget Sound in McIntyre Hall’s Rausch Auditorium. This event will conclude with Tacoma Mayor Bill Baarsma announcing Tacoma’s next poet laureate, who will succeed Kupinse. The event is free and open to the public. For directions and a map of the UPS campus.

Q & A with Bill Kupinse
Before Bill Kupinse says so long to us all, he took a little time to interview with me about his experience as poet laureate and what’s next on the horizon for him once he hands off the title.

WEEKLY VOLCANO: In the past year as PL, what would you say has been your biggest personal accomplishment in this role?

BILL KUPINSE: Rather than focusing on a single accomplishment, I think more about the numerous opportunities each public reading has given me to revise and improve my own work. For me, poetry is an art of sound before it’s an art of written words on the page. Reading a new poem in front of an audience is a great way to test out what works and what doesn’t; the experience of reading in front of different audiences really gives a writer useful feedback and offers a way to hone his or her craft. During the past year, I’ve been lucky to read for audiences ranging from high school students at the School of the Arts to the members of the Pierce County ACLU to the congregation of Urban Grace church. But more important than any personal accomplishment is the public function that the position serves, and in this regard I’ve been fortunate to get to know and work with so many fine local writers over the past year.

VOLCANO: As a whole, do you think Tacoma's poetry scene has a 'voice?':

KUPINSE: The Tacoma poetry scene has many voices. It has the resonant voice â€"rooted in the literary traditions of the region â€" that you’ll find at the monthly meetings of the Puget Sound Poetry Connection, which highlights featured Northwest writers. It has the dynamic, performance-oriented voice and gesture of the Speak Your Soul poets, who perform in a spoken-word tradition and often bring attention to issues of social justice. That both of these groups offer open mics at each monthly reading shows that the voices of new poets are welcome and encouraged. And there are many other poets developing their voices and honing their craft in less public venues, through writers groups and workshops. As you know from your own work as co-editor, it was the presence and vitality of so many amazing voices in Tacoma and the surrounding communities that led me to initiate an anthology of Tacoma-area poets, which will be released under the name In Tahoma’s Shadow: Poems from the City of Destiny this spring and â€" assuming all goes as tightly scheduledâ€"first made available at the poet laureate announcement event April 30.

VOLCANO: What's on the horizon for you now as you close this chapter of serving as Poet Laureate of Tacoma for the past year?

KUPINSE: Well, I do have a book of my own poems, titled Fallow, coming out this spring, with the support of the Tacoma Arts Commission, which also helped make possible the local poetry anthology. I’ll be giving a few readings in conjunction with Fallow, and I’ll be organizing a series of readings by the poets from In Tahoma’s Shadow. But mostly I’ll be wishing the new poet laureate well and looking forward to watching someone bring a different energy and perspective to the role. And I’m going to try to grow more of my own vegetables this year.

VOLCANO: Any advice for the NEW Urban Grace Poet Laureate to be announced this month?

KUPINSE: Use the opportunity of being asked to read at specific events to write poems that you wouldn’t otherwise write. Be open to these new “assignments.” But mostly, just have fun and enjoy meeting all the talented and kind people in the local arts community.

In closing, please enjoy this poem submitted to me by Bill Kupinse. I find the metaphor to be as good a fit as any to bid us his farewell.

BURIAL RITES
By William Kupinse

If I should be so lucky to die
first, please see I’m well anointed:
lavender, eucalyptus, clove,
sage, arnica, cinnamon, myrrh.
Now’s no time to scrimp.

Wrap me in 400 thread-count rags
with lines from Heraclitus
stitched into the side. What color
thread is up to you.

Oh, remove my organs,
did I forget to mention that?
Remove my organs and contain them
in a leaden pot. Best fasten tight the lid.

And the cats, very important,
mummify the cats as you did me,
though you may skip the Heraclitus
and use a smaller leaden pot.

Some things I’ll want to travel:
a pillow, inflatable please;
some dental flossâ€"mint only;
a paper clip to worry in my hand.

Then seal with wax my eyelids,
or is it coins to bribe the ferryman?

My lips seal with a kiss.
Of that I have no doubt. Really.

I'll bring you more poetry ditties Wednesday. Check out the Poem-A-Tacoma archives.

Poem-A-Tacoma is sponsored by Embellish Multispace Salon in downtown Tacoma.

TAMMY ROBACKER is a poet and writer living, breathing, typing and spitting words in Tacoma. She owns a freelance writing and marketing communications company called Pearle Publications. Her poetry has appeared in Plazm, Women's Work, The Wild Goose Poetry Review, and the Allegheny Review. A recent recipient of the 2009/10 TAIP grant, she will be publishing her first book of poetry, The Vicissitudes, through the generous support of this funding made possible by the City of Tacoma and the Tacoma Arts Commission.

STEPH DEROSA: BBQ CHICKEN CHOP SALAD >>>

BJ’s Restaurant & Brewhouse
BBQ Chicken Chop Salad
Price: $10.75
Rating: Two out of four croutons

“Brewhouse” was in the name, so a beer was what I should have ordered to drink, right? Right. I started by ordering the only porter on the menu, BJ’s PM Porter, which by the description sounded absolutely delicious. It wasn’t. Well, if something resembling Guinness Stout is what I wanted, then the PM Porter would’ve been perfect. Any beer drinker will tell you that there is a distinct difference between a porter and a stout, one which was not apparent here at BJ’s. My wonderful server rescued me by bringing me another porter, this time one with a coffee influence; it was not on the menu, and it tasted a million times closer to what I was expecting. Why wasn’t this beer on the menu? I have no idea.

Description: Oh yeah, I had a salad with my beer. The BBQ Chicken Chop Salad, I remember now. That whole beer thing really threw me off.

Ever been to Red Robin? Of course you have. BJ’s BBQ Chicken Chop Salad resembled Red Robin’s Whiskey BBQ Chicken Salad, except with not even half the flavor of Red Robin’s. BJ’s salad came with chopped lettuce, which I think was mostly chopped cabbage, which was tossed in a flavorless dressing known as “BBQ Ranch.” Atop this mound of what I can only guess was meant to make the salad look bigger than it was, was some corn, tomatoes, black beans, green onions, jicama, and chicken chunks. They then drizzle some BBQ sauce before piling on the mound of fried onions that totally depletes the health reasons for buying a salad in the first place. I take those off immediately.

Taste: Honestly, I don’t know if it was my allergies killing all my senses, but this salad lacked flavor completely. To continue to compare to Red Robin’s almost identical salad, I’d say that Red Robin’s wins completely, and without even a question of doubt. I remember being able to totally forego the dressing at Red Robin, seeing as how the ingredients carried so much flavor in themselves. There’s just nothing really I can say about this salad that will make me like it more. I can’t stop thinking about Red Robin!

Conclusion: Is jicama the new salad filler? It’s cheap, it’s crunchy, and it makes the salad look bigger. Yes, that’s correct. But what restaurants forget is that jicama has no taste! BORING. The toppings were light, which did not equal good lettuce-to-topping ratio in every forkful. I ended up with WAY more chopped lettuce than yummy toppings left to give it flavor.

Dressing on the Side
The service was excellent here at BJ’s, as always. We’ve been in before, our daughter loves it, it’s clean, and there’s a wonderful menu selection. This time I simply ordered the wrong item for me, the salad snob. I will definitely be back, and hopefully will try a different, better salad next time around.

[BJ’s Restaurant and Brewhouse, 4502 S. Steele St., Tacoma, 253.472.1220]

PAUL SCHRAG:PORT GETS CLEAN UP MONEY >>>

OK, retrofitting trucks with diesel converters isn’t the first thing you might think about when pondering where federal stimulus money is headed. But Port of Tacoma and state officials have announced that the Port will receive a windfall of more-than $600,000 from the state Department of Ecology as part of a $1.73 million chunk of federal stimulus money being offered to help reduce diesel emissions.

The $638,000 filtered through the state Department of Ecology from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency will be used to retrofit 116 vehicles used in Port operations with cleaner, updated diesel engine components. The Port of Tacoma, along with other Washington ports, is working now to retrofit various cargo haulers with filters, converters, and other accoutrements that will reduce diesel emissions under a federal program dubbed the American Reinvestment and Recovery Act. As part of a larger effort, ports, including our own, have until 2010 to meet diesel emission goals and until 2015 to reach further goals aimed at cleaning up the air around here. Overall, controls on more than 200 pieces of cargo-handling equipment, such as trucks, loaders and forklifts, will be retrofitted with this most recent expenditure.

Each retrofit is expected to reduce particle emissions by 50 percent to 60 percent per diesel engine. This is just one part of a larger effort by the Port to reduce diesel emissions, which includes a fee-free program for trucks operating at and frequently visiting (calling) the Port.

"Our customers and business partners have worked with Port staff and our clean air authorities to develop comprehensive and market-led approaches to environmental stewardship," says Port of Tacoma Commission President Clare Petrich. "Their decisions to voluntarily participate in these efforts are voluntary, and they come at a cost. But they recognize that today that environmental stewardship makes good sense and is good business."

State agencies have called out diesel exhaust as the air pollutant most harmful to public health in Washington. Diesel exhaust causes 70 percent of the cancer risk from airborne pollutants, according to some researchers, and puts healthy people at risk for respiratory disease and worsens the symptoms of those with health problems such as asthma and heart and lung disease.

According to a recent report, most of the trucks moving between terminals at the Port of Tacoma already burn relatively clean, with 86 percent of the fleet â€" more than 2,600 vehicles â€" already in various Ecological agencies’ good graces. The remaining 14 percent may need retrofitting or replacement to meet short-term goals. The Port also plans on determining which vehicles are so-called frequent callers â€" trucks that call at Port of Tacoma terminals more than 10 times per year. Recommendations include targeting those trucks for similar improvements. Only 4 percent of the current fleet at the Port meet long-term goals, set for 2015. The report also suggests the Port of Tacoma work with the Port of Seattle on a regional improvement plan, as more than a quarter of the trucks calling in Tacoma also serve the Port of Seattle.

Why should you care?

According to the California Air Resources Board, every dollar spent cleaning up diesel emissions (through exhaust retrofits, vehicle replacements, clean fuels, idle reduction, etc.) saves three to eight dollars in improved health and lower operating and maintenance costs for diesel fleets.

The Union of Concerned Scientists estimates that society gains nine to 16 dollars for every dollar paid for diesel exhaust retrofits.

PHOTO:Flickr/Pulpolox

STEVE DUNKELBERGER: I’M PROBABLY IN TROUBLE >>>

Every week at the Weekly Volcano happy hour/editorial meeting publisher Pappi Swarner stresses to keep this blog centered in the South Sound.

This post is not. I’m going to catch hell.

However, it is not often that people get a chance to see a virtuoso in concert. Now is one of those times. Jake Shimabukuro, the Jimi Hendrix of the ukulele, will not only be playing at Seattle's Jazz Alley tonight, but he also has a new album dropping this week.

Shimabukuro is a god in the ukulele world but also gained fame for his version of  "While My Guitar Gently Weeps," which he recorded in Strawberry Fields in New York and posted on YouTube. The video has made him an Internet legend.

 "The young uke virtuoso brings a dazzling, jazzy modernity to the tiny four-stringed instrument ... His playing is just extraordinarily smart and sensitive, and he's single-handedly (okay, he uses both hands) relaunching an instrument long consigned to the dustbin of sandy-beach tourist kitsch," wrote John Payne, LA WEEKLY.

His CD, LIVE, features the best of his 2008 concert performances.

[Jazz Alley, Monday, April 13, 7:30 p.m., $26.50, 2033 Sixth Ave., Seattle, 206.441.9729]

STEPH DEROSA: DOCUMENTARY ABOUT BEER. YUM >>>

It’s been an exciting week around the Weekly Volcano headquarters, for many, many reasons. Tons of national fun events are coming to Tacoma, we have a podcast coming out this Friday, and the Weekly Volcano weather guy has finally secured an appointment for his breast reduction. It’s all so exciting around here that I’ve wet my pants enough times to warrant me bringing an extra pair into the office. With my intelligence, it only takes three mistakes for me to figure this stuff out.

In all this exciting excitement getting me all excited, Tiffany and Craig from 99 Bottles in Federal Way clued me in to a once-in-a-lifetime national event headed here to the beautiful South Sound area: Beer Wars. No, it’s not scantily clad women in string bikinis wrestling in a vat of Pabst Blue Ribbon. As awesome as that might be to some of you, it’s nothing like that.

Beer Wars is a documentary that showcases the history of small breweries and their struggle to make it in a “Budweiser” type society. It will be broadcasted LIVE via simulcast from Los Angeles for one night only Thursday, April 16. The good news is that we don’t have to drive to Seattle to check this out; it will be shown this Thursday at Regal Auburn Stadium 17 and Century 16 in Federal Way, both begin at 8 p.m.

In even MORE good news, Tiffany and Craig also tell me that, “Ben ‘Bueller, Bueller’ Stein will host a live panel discussion immediately following the movie featuring key players in the craft beer industry, including Greg Koch (Stone), Sam Caligione (Dogfish Head), Charlie Papazian (Brewers Association President), and Todd Allstrom (BeerAdvocate.com).”

Better yet, the good news doesn’t stop there. If you bring your Beer Wars ticket stub into 99 Bottles (35002 Pacific Hwy. S., Federal Way), bat your eyelashes, and give them a “pretty please with a cherry on top,” Craig or Tiffany will give you 10 percent off your beer purchase. Beer movie, beer discussion, AND beer discount? Crap. There goes my fresh pair of pants.

LINK: South Sound movie times

MICHAEL SWAN: TINY CARS ARE DUMB >>>

New York Times says:

Duh.

MICHAEL SWAN: TUESDAY, APRIL 14, 2009 >>>

1. Katherine Hepburn’s Voice’s lo-fi electro ditties at The Helm.

2. Tightwad Tuesday â€" $2 wells, $2 beers, $2 tacos â€" with music by Funeral Dress, Mise En Scene, Red White & Die and YIA at Hell’s Kitchen.

3. Chandler O’Leary’s To The Letter show at the Collins Memorial Library on the UPS campus.

4. Malkovich goes mental at The Grand.

5. Tacoma historian Michael Sullivan’s shares tales of Tacoma’s illustrious transformation from pioneer town to City of Destiny this morning at the Tacoma Art Museum.

NEWS TEAM: GOOD MORNING SOUTH SOUND >>>

It’s Opening Day!

Tapping into happiness

Tax Day Tea Party tomorrow

John McCain disses Sarah Palin.

Obama administration lifts some of the embargoes against Cuba.

Hey pirates: Don’t fuck with us.