The Gristle
RED HERRINGS NOT ON ENDANGERED SPECIES LIST: Rising to crisis, Port of Bellingham Commissioner Jim Jorgensen this week joined the motion of fellow Commissioner Michael McAuley, agreeing to place a proposal to expand the commission to five members on the November ballot. If approved by voters, two additional members could be added to the commission roster in a special election as early as February 2013, according to Whatcom County Auditor Debbie Adelstein, who advised the commission on their options.
While the increase admittedly does not guarantee good decisions, it perhaps stalls bad decisions. Given a dysfunctional port authority, that is no doubt a preferred outcome.
At their creation, port commissions by default have three members. State law enacted in the early 1990s allows voters to add representatives, creating five-member commissions. Former state Sen. Harriet Spanel, who sponsored the original legislation, attempted to explain its intricacies to a confused commission on Monday.
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Outdoors
Some of them are clad head-to-toe in Spandex and enough assorted gear to bankrupt a small nation. Others dress for success and cinch up their work slacks so as not to get them caught in the spokes of their handy conveyances. Then there are those who ride as if they’re perpetually on the way to the beach—shorts, flip-flops and as little clothing as possible (if the sun is out, it doesn’t seem to matter that it’s only 55 degrees).
However they’re dressed, one thing is certain: Around here, people like to get on their bikes and go. Whether it’s a short jaunt to the Farmers Market or a roller-coaster ride down Galbraith, if it’s a sunny spring or summer day, you should expect to share the roads and trails with those ambulating on two wheels.
It doesn’t matter if you’re an everyday biker, a sometimes-rider or someone who’s been thinking about dusting off the vintage cruiser in the garage and joining the cycling hordes—there are plenty of events right around the corner that can make it easier to be a part of the biking community.
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Music
I’m not going to lie; I was a little late to the Metric party.
It goes without saying that a person can’t keep tabs on all bands at all times, so the guilt I feel about the Metric-sized hole in my musical knowledge is minimal, at best. It simply meant I had some catching up to do.
Although I’d been aware of Metric as one of the many bands orbiting the musical sun known as Canada’s Broken Social Scene (singer Emily Haines and guitarist James Shaw both do time in that collective when they’re not busy being half of Metric), that was pretty much where my knowledge—or my ignorance, if you want to view it that way—of the band began and ended.
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Food
The neon mass is the Homeskillet, one of Bellingham’s most recent restaurant upstarts, and the loud décor follows you from the exterior to the interior, from the chicken fried steak with chorizo gravy to the flourless chocolate cake.
The joint’s modus operandi is good, cheap, fast food. With more than 50 years of cooking and restaurant experience between them—often in rough environments, including Antarctica—owners Tina and Kirby White are testing their personal relationship with a venture in the soul food biz.
“We purchased a fixer-upper when we moved to the Sunnyland area, and once we saw this space was for sale, we started brainstorming,” Tina, who acts as waitress, host, cook and chief decorator, says. (My favorite touch is the My Little Pony figurine positioned atop the fireplace mantle in the dining room.)
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On Stage
While my sibling worked late hours at her nursing residency, I often spent my down time watching cable and wondering what the hell I was doing with my life.
One night, my channel surfing led me to an episode of COPS. As the folks in blue cuffed the perpetrator—on this night a drunk dude who was in trouble for slapping his baby mama and walking around outside without his pants on—I thought the surroundings looked familiar. I was right: When my sister walked in the door, she noted, “Oh, this is the episode that took place a few doors down from me.”
Suffice it to say I got my behind out of Tacoma soon after that. And now, years later, I can see the inherent humor in the situation.
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Visual
The above words were written by Adrien, one of the many participants in photographer Molly Landreth’s far-reaching exhibit, “Embodiment: A Portrait of Queer Life in America.”
Although viewers don’t learn Adrien’s last name, Landreth includes the town he’s from—Washburn, Wis.—and the fact that the photo was taken in 2009. We also intuit that he used to be a woman, but now identifies as male.
“It’s been an intense journey since then and looking back at the boy I was in that photograph, I know he has the strength to get through it,” reads Adrien’s statement that goes along with the portrait.
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Music
And when the Hub gets ripped off, the greater community as a whole feels the loss—which is why the greater community has shown a strong interest in helping the Hub right this wrong. Besides, we don’t much like heartless savages around here.
If you’d like to help out the Hub, it’s as simple as showing up to the Shakedown on Fri., May 18 (the same day as Bike to Work and School Day and the Hub’s yearly pancake feed) where Rhombus (the band for whom every show is their last), So Adult, Totalizer, and the Bellingham Circus Guild will be on hand to entertain you in the name of raising money so that the Hub can continue to do what it does so very well.
Strike a blow against heartless savages and win one for the Hub.
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Film
But this isn’t just any summer. The Avengers, director Joss Whedon’s superhero spectacular, has already raked in record-setting revenue at the box office—records that are expected to stand only until the July 20 release of The Dark Knight Rises, easily the most-anticipated cinematic event in recent memory.
But other blockbusters lie in wait to carve out their piece of the lucrative summer box-office pie, and this guide, in order of release date, will help you get what you’ve got coming—at least as far as summer cinema is concerned.
The Avengers (April 24): This big-budget bonanza is clearly the standard-setter for this year’s crop of summer blockbusters. It Hulk smashed every box-office record in sight during its opening weekend, and even managed to accomplish that which is typically fairly difficult for movies of its ilk: garner universally positive reviews. Much credit for this goes to Nerd King Joss Whedon for capably helming a huge, multi-pronged affair from the beginning to its explosive, city-demolishing end.
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Words
He’s a geeky kid with a weird, stiff walk and goofy-looking glasses. We might have spotted him as bigger boys poke him with pencils, or witnessed him being tormented at the bus stop.
Yet we probably did nothing.
The relentless bullying of the 12-year-old boy in Sioux City, Iowa, is the heart-wrenching center of Bully, an intensely moving documentary that chronicles the 2009-10 school year in the lives of three harassed youths, and the tireless anti-bullying efforts of two families whose sons committed suicide.
News
Convincing talented people to run for political office is challenging enough under any circumstances. But for women, fully 51 percent of the population, there are particular hurdles and barriers.
“Washington state has a track record of electing strong, progressive women candidates, and for more than a decade we led the country in electing women to office,” Vanessa Blackburn said. The former editor of Bellingham Business Journal managed the campaign of one of those success stories, the election of Kelli Linville as Bellingham’s first woman mayor.
The state is richly represented by women, with a governor and two formidable United States senators. Washington’s congressional delegates shakily approach a plurality of representation, as do both state houses in Olympia. And Washington is among the first states to have a majority of women seated as justices on the Supreme Court.
At the most local level, though, Bellingham remains underrepresented by women.
“In the past several years, the state has been losing ground on the number of women in local and state government,” Blackburn commented. “Locally, Bellingham has only one female representative on Bellingham City Council, Cathy Lehman.”
“Women are underrepresented in most positions of power, frankly—in business, in the military, in law,” Lehman admitted. “Government is just another area. Fifty-one percent of our population is female, so it would be great to pursue that as a goal for our representatives.
“It’s worth adding that we don’t have a lot of racial diversity in city government, or diversity in sexual orientation, or age diversity, so we have a way to go to make our government look like the people it represents,” Lehman said. “There are many areas for improvement.”
For women in particular, powerful cultural forces and media messages intone that a woman’s value lies primarily in her youth, beauty and sexuality, not in her capacity to lead. While women have made great strides in leadership over the past few decades, the United States is still 90th in the world for women in national legislatures, and women hold only 3 percent of influential positions in mainstream media.
The corrosive effects of such messages, and efforts to overcome them, are explored in a documentary that premiered at the 2011 Sundance Film Festival. Miss Representation uncovers a glaring reality we live with every day but fail to see.
Written and directed by Jennifer Siebel Newsom, the film exposes how mainstream media contribute to the under-representation of women in positions of power and influence in America.
The film challenges the media’s limited and often disparaging portrayals of women and girls, which make it difficult for women to achieve leadership positions and for the average woman to feel powerful herself.
The film, which promises to layer facts and statistics that will leave the audience shaken and armed with a new perspective, screens this week at the Pickford Film Center.
“Every woman in that room is going to have her mind blown by the content of that film,” Lehman predicted. “It is amazing how much media affects and reinforces the disempowerment women experience, and how many barriers women in positions of leadership really do face.
Indoctrination starts early, Lehman said.
“Research has shown that until second grade, both girls and boys equally identify with the statement, ‘I can be president.’ But after second grade, girls pretty much just plummet,” she said.
“They just stop saying it entirely.
“We all are responsible for doing something about it if we want the system to change.”
The film will be followed by a panel discussion led by political consultant Cathy Allen. Allen is in no small measure responsible for the state’s early successes in improving the ratio of women in elected positions. Eighteen years ago,
Allen opened one of the first political consulting companies focused on electing women to office. Some 650 winning campaigns later, her Seattle-based company has helped elect record-setting numbers of women in the Middle East, Africa, Mexico, and South America, Canada.
Titled, “DeMisstifying: Why I shouldn’t have run for office but did anyway. And I won!”, the panel features a number of notable current and past representatives, including Mayor Linville, Lehman, Seattle City Council member Jean Godden, and Rep. Kris Lytton, who works tirelessly on education and social justice issues in Olympia. Lytton is seeking re-election in November.
Office seekers and hopefuls will also be in attendance, including Christina Maginnis, whose first run for office nearly toppled longtime Whatcom County Council member Sam Crawford last fall.
The events are sponsored by Represent!, activists and organizers who hope to develop support for leaders who seek elected public office.
“The goal of the May 12 event is to engage local women to discuss how to foster and support more women in leadership in our community,” Blackburn said.
“Research has shown that women need to be asked to run for office, asked an average of three times before they will consider running for office,”
Lehman commented. “People consider me a pretty strong, well-rounded woman, but I have to admit, this was true of me. I only ran for office because I was asked. Men don’t seem to have the same requirement. If they want to run for office, they just do it.”
By contrast, “Women seem to believe that they need to know more or achieve more, or accomplish more or be recognized more, before they will consider running for office,” Lehman said. “Men tend to consider gaining positions of power and leadership first, as a means to achieve other goals.”
Event organizers hope the events may serve to encourage more participation at all levels of public life.
“There are many ways women can begin to enter more positions of power and leadership in our community,” Lehman said. “They can manage campaigns, serve on commissions and boards like the PTA. We might inspire women, ask women, to consider stepping into roles they’ve already been considering. We might inspire women to step up and run.”
Rent: The song-and-dance spectacular known as Rent can be seen at 7:30pm Wed.-Sat. and 2pm Sun. at Western Washington University’s Performing Arts Center mainstage. Tickets are $8-$12. more »
Happy Days: i>Happy Days, A New Musical shows for the final weekend at 7:30pm Thurs.-Fri. and 2pm Sat.-Sun. at Lynden’s Claire vg Thomas Theatre, 655 Front St. Tickets are $8-$12. more »
Skagit River Poetry Festival: Nikki Giovanni, Simon Ortiz, Tony Hoagland, Lorna Crozier, Tim McNulty, and Simon Ortiz will be among the many poets taking part in this year’s Skagit River Poetry Festival happening Thurs.-Sun. throughout La Conner. Interviews, literary conversations, musical performances, workshops and much more will be part of the wordy fun. Ticket prices vary. more »
Back 2 Bellingham: A carnival, concerts, live theater and improv, a lowrider show, educational and reunion activities, a golf tournament and much, much more will be part of the Back2Bellingham Alumni & Family Reunion Weekend from Friday through Sunday at a variety of venues both on the WWU campus and off. Prices vary. more »
Twelve Angry Men: Did a 19-year-old man stab his father to death? Find out when the A.L.T.A. Theatre presents the jury room drama, Twelve Angry Men, at 7pm Fri.-Sat., and 2:30pm Sun. at Alger Community Church, 1475 Silver Run Lane. Tickets are $12-$14. more »
Cinderella: Wicked stepmothers, glass slippers and surly stepsisters will all make appearances when the Northwest Washington Theatre Guild presents the timeless fairytale, Cinderella, at 7:30pm Fri.-Sat., and 2pm Sun. at the Mount Baker Theatre, 104 N. Commercial St. Tickets are $15-$24. more »
The Wiz: Bellingham Arts Academy for Youth students present showings of the musical The Wiz at 7pm Fri., 2pm and 7pm Sat., and 2pm Sun. at the group’s digs at 1059 N. State St. Tickets are $10. more »
Just Right for Right Now: The Bellingham Children’s Theatre presents Just Right for Right Now at 7pm Fri.-Sat. and 2pm Sun. at its home base at 1412 Cornwall Ave. The play dives into stereotypes that elders have about kids, and vice versa. Tickets are $6-$12. more »
Camano Studio Tour: More than 60 artists will show and share their creative wares at 37 studios and galleries from 10am-5pm Fri.-Sun. as part of the Camano Island Studio Tour. The self-guided tour is free. more »
Midsummer Auditions: Stone Town Theatre Works will hold auditions for upcoming performances of Shakespeare’s A Midsummer Night’s Dream at 7pm Sunday and again Tuesday at the Firehouse Performing Arts Center, 1314 Harris Ave. Rehearsals begin June 18. more »
Club Excursions: Join the Mt. Baker Club for excursions to Lake Whatcom’s North Shore Trail and Bald Mt. today. Carpoolers will meet at Sunnyland Elementary. more »
FAIRHAVEN RIDE: Meet up with folks from Fairhaven Bike & Ski for a weekly race-pace ride at 8am at the Fairhaven Village Green. more »
Haulin’ Axe: Benefit the Domestic Violence and Sexual Assault Services of Whatcom County at the Haulin’ Axe Fun Run/Walk starting at 9:30am at Bellingham’s Barkley Haggen, 2900 Woburn St. Cost is $35. more »
Brewery Tour: A Brewery Tour begins at noon at Chuckanut Brewery & Kitchen, 601 W. Holly St. Entry is $5 and includes tastings of beers on tap. Show up just before noon in the kitchen to sign up. more »
Petite Parks Tour: As part of Everybody Bike’s Summer Rides series, meet up at 1pm for a “Petite Parks” tour starting at 1pm at Supreme Bean Coffee, 1205 Washington St. Whatcom Museum’s archivist and historian Jeff Jewell will be along for the ride. Entry is free and no registration is required. more »
Fiddling Fun: World-renowned Finnish composer and master fiddler Arto Jarvela and the Finnish-American folk band Kaivama perform at 2pm at Nancy’s Farm, 2030 E. Smith Rd. Suggested donation is $15. more »
Israeli Ceramics Celebration: Attend a “Contemporary Israeli Ceramics” celebration from 2-4pm at the Whatcom Museum’s Lightcatcher Building, 250 Flora St. In addition to being able to check out the exhibit with a docent, you can learn dance steps with help from Temple Beth Israel student dancers and practice with live music from What the Chelm. Entry is free with admission. more »
Allegra Women’s Choir: Listen to songs of love, loss and devotion when the Allegra Women’s Choir performs at 3pm at the YWCA Ballroom, 1026 N. Forest St. Tickets are $12-$15. more »
Organ Society Concert: Jeff and Jody Fox will perform at a Mount Baker Theatre Organ Society concert at 3pm at the Mount Baker Theatre, 104 N. Commercial St. Suggested donation is $10. more »
Keyboard Friends: Pianists Ford Hill, Cassandra Carr, Dan Sabo, and Victoria Ebel-Sabo will be joined by guests from Western Washington University at a Keyboard Friends concert at 3pm at the Amadeus Project, 1209 Cornwall Ave. Tickets are $5-$15. more »
Mindful Writing: Writers Brenda Miller and Holly Hughes will discuss ideas from the book The Pen & the Bell: Mindful Writing in a Busy World at 4pm at Village Books, 1200 11th St. more »
Faculty Recital: Lisa McCarthy presents a flute faculty recital with pianist Michael Refven, oboe player Jennifer Weeks, bassoonist Pat Nelson, violist Leslie Johnson, and marimba master Kay Reilly at 4pm at WWU’s Performing Arts Center Concert Hall. Entry is free and open to the public. more »
Southside Meal: The Happy Valley Neighborhood Association hosts its monthly Southside Community Meal from 5-6:30pm Our Saviour’s Lutheran Church, 1720 Harris Ave. Entry is free and open to all, and attendees are asked to bring potluck dessert items. more »
Variety Show: Expect everything from comedy to burlesque to music at the monthly “Whatever’s Clever” Variety Show starting at 8pm at the Shakedown, 1212 N. State St. Entry is $7. more »
