Hospitality workers lobby for faster ban on smoking
by Tom Babin

Chair of Canada Council for the Arts says province should chip in more money
by Tom Babin

Alberta forests (and other news notes)
by FFWD Staff

LETTERS

CD review complaint right on the mark
by Ted McCoy

VIEWPOINT

Ruling the world with a fistful of dollars
The real cost of rebuilding Iraq goes far beyond dollars and sense
by David Bright

WEB WATCH

Handbags away!
by Courtney Thompson

COVER

Bringing power to the powerless
Maggie Pompeo fights back after being left to freeze in the dark
by Timothy Wild

FOOD

Towa Sushi goes supersize
by Miles Pittman

BOOZE

Assessing Alsace
Historic region struggles to recover identity
by Kevin McLean

BOOKS

Finding the humour in heartbreak
David Adams Richards’s new novel laughs darkly at our desire for delusion
by Harry Vandervlist

A wild (and chilly) ride
The Cedar Surf chronicles B.C.s surfin’ dudes
reviewed by D. Grant Black

Bookends
Once again, the Word will return to the Street
by Harry Vandervlist

COMEDY

Day-job debauchery
Stand-up comedian Tommy Campbell makes his Slacker Confessions
by Stephen W. Smith

MUSIC

More punk than Hall and Oates
The Buttless Chaps saddle up and ride bareback into Calgary
by Christine Leonard

Swing ‘n’ strings
CPO and Big Bad Voodoo Daddy are a match made in dance hall heaven
by Kenna Burima

Not like the other kids
Back from the outer limits, Justin Curtis continues to define his own style
by Mary-Lynn McEwen

Playing doctor with his guitar
Dr. Ted Jablonski’s musical alter ego continues to flex his artistic muscles
by Shereen Tuomi

Urban Divide presents a united front
Funky jazz seven-piece put their musical training to good use on their new CD
by Christine Leonard

Staking his claim
After years of dissatisfaction, Burning Spear creates his own record label
by Lenore Hume

Finding his own voice
Jazz pianist Francois Bourassa takes a chance
by Kenna Burima

Making the ost of Prague rock
From Victoria to Europe, diverse influences shape the sound of The Bill Hilly Band
by Mary-Lynn McEwen

RECORD REVIEWS

Spiritualized versus the spirit of Jack White
Spiritualized’s Amazing Grace
reviewed by Mark Hamilton
Clann Zu’s Ruz
reviewed by Christine Leonard
Flying Bulgar Klezmer Band’s Sweet Return
reviewed by Jennifer Abel
Nappy Roots’ Wooden Leather
reviewed by Kirsten Kosloski
The Appleseed Cast’s Two Conversations
reviewed by Jason Lewis

VISUAL ARTS

This art was made for walkin’
Artwalk celebrates 20 years of taking art to the streets by having fun
by Wes LaFortune

Triangle Gallery marks fifteenth anniversary
by Wes LaFortune

THEATRE

Legendary theatre bar to rise again
Loyal customers pitch in to help rebuild the much-loved Auburn Saloon
by Alison Mayes

Seducing Quebec
English Canada woos la belle privince in Plan B
by Martin Morrow

Men lost in the woods
A decade later, The Wild Guys remains an insightful comedy about males
by Martin Morrow

DANCE

The gods smile on Chan Hon Goh
Prima ballerina and author shares her fortunate life with aspiring dancers
by Patricia Robertson

FILM

Fall movie preview
Everything I need to know about movies I learned in two minutes or less
by Bjorn Olson

South of the Border
With or without a budget, nobody shoots Mexico like Robert Rodriguez
by Jane McCullough

Culture clash
Thailand’s box office champ simply doesn’t play to North American audiences
by Brad E. Simkulet

Well acted but who cares?
Mike Figgis takes Cold Creek Manor nowhere
by Matthew Currie Holmes

Casting call
Tim McCanlies saves Secondhand Lions with great actors
by Brad E. Simkulet

When good girls go bad
Thirteen shows young girls not as they are, but as they always have been
by Jaime Frederick

VIDEO

Rating videos for the kids
Michael Seidelman gets to watch movies for a living - how cool is that?
by Jason Lewis

VIDEO VULTURE

Hey look... vampire tracks!
Three films in one
by John Tebbutt