Council warns Alberta of oil-thirsty U.S. giant
by Amy Steele

Theatre Junction reveals its renovation plans for old Grand cinema
by Emily Hobbs

Nolen says Canada must help African AIDS crisis
by Emily Hobbs

LETTERS

Leave children out of protests
by Ian Dauphinee

WEB WATCH

City secrets
Site has online urban exploration
by Courtney Thompson

VIEWPOINT

In the spirit of Scrooge
Suggestions for the disadvantaged that go beyond token Christmas charity
by Susan Scott

Wishing you all a listless Christmas
From making lists to casting votes, the people don’t always get it right
by David Bright

CITY

Down the pipe
Calgary’s city-wide smoking ban could extinguish a most civilized tradition
by Jeremy Klaszus

FOOD

One-bite wonders
Creative catering company serves food that fits
by Janet McMahen

GOOD LISTENER

Rude to be prude
The old in and out ain’t what it used to be at the Taboo sex show
by Ian Doig

BOOKS

Birth of the ‘burbs
New book recounts Calgary’s postwar suburbia
by Harry Vandervlist

Out-of-body adventures
Thomas Berger and Hanif Kureishi get physical in their latest novels
by Lachlan MacKintosh

Wide-eyed in Bedlam
Hollingshead’s novel views insanity without preconceptions
by Evan Osenton

BOOKENDS

Measure your writing
Where do you rate on the applause-o-meter?
by Harry Vandervlist

TELEVISION

From log jam to Trans Am
Two holiday specials offer festive fare for different tastes
by Stephen W. Smith

COMEDY

All over the place
Maritimer Ron James is the master of his own rambling comedic style
by Stephen W. Smith

MUSIC

The Kilbourne identity
After years of practice, these local girls are ready to get their game on
by Brad Halasz

The secret of their success
Madviolet’s track record proves that there’s no need to Worry the Jury
by Jason Lewis

Playing Doctor
New project gives former singer for The Watchmen a chance to do what he wants
by Tonya Zelinsky

Making the season bright
The new crop of holiday albums
by Jason Lewis

Putting Christ back in Christmas
Calgary composer William Jordan revisits traditional holiday music
by Kenna Burima

Going through changes
Finding gear and new names can be a full-time job
by Leslie Birdfly

CD REVIEWS

Rufus Wainwright Wants Two blur the line
CD Reviews:
Rufus Wainwright’s Want Two
reviewed by David Boyle
Q and Not U’s Power
reviewed by Jane McCullough
Jill Sobule’s Underdog Victorious
reviewed by Shereen Tuomi
Rainstick Orchestra’s The Floating Glass Key in the Sky
reviewed by Kirsten Kosloski
Doug Gillard’s Salamander
reviewed by Jason Lewis
Matt Sharp’s s/t
reviewed by Kirsten Kosloski
Gwen Stefani’s Love, Angel, Music, Baby and No Doubt’s Everything in Time
both reviewed by Adele Brunhoffer
Rod Stewart’s Stardust... the Great American Songbook Vol. 2
reviewed by Melissa Mcleod
Rammstein’s Reise, Reise
reviewed by Christine Leonard

GIFT GUIDE

Annual Christmas Gift Guide
by Maureen McNamee

VISUAL ARTS

Ghost in the gallery
Olympics-inspired exhibition has become a tribute to late artist Ray Arnatt
by Wes LaFortune

THEATRE

From mooning to the moon
Laurie Anderson and The Suicide Girls top the bill at the Rabbits’ Rodeo
by Martin Morrow

Bringing back Pinocchio
The Old Trouts seek to recapture the childhood wonder of a classic tale
by Jeff Kubik

Devil’s advocate
Reviewer gets blown away by The Black Rider and tickled pink by The Hollow
by Martin Morrow

The Carol remains the same
Traditional show endures despite lightweight Scrooge and heavy-handed production
by Jeff Kubik

DANCE

Philosophy as dance
Davida Monk’s new troupe M-Body turns thought into movement
by Jocelyn Grosse

COVER

Emaciation anticipation
Brad Anderson directs a gaunt Christian Bale in the haunting Machinist
by Matthew Hays

FILM

The Film Circuit
Organization helps get Canadian films into theatres without the Hollywood budget
by Emily Hobbs

Closer to love
Cast digs deep to present a raw look at relationships
by Jane McCullough

Erotic peaks
Film uses Everest to explore passion of relationship
by Wes LaFortune

Child’s play
Valentin spit-polishes coming-of-age story with heartfelt style and charm
by Mark Hamilton

VIDEO VULTURE

The dangers of pearl diving
Going beyond the lost city of Atlantis (how do you lose a city anyway?)
by John Tebbutt

VIDEO

The making of a remake of an art film
Cinema’s enfant terrible champions his hero with The Five Obstructions
by Timothy Heck