Secret revenue review fuels criticism
Government steadfastly refuses to boost provincial resource royalties
By Steve Magusiak

On-reserve women’s shelters fight for sufficient financial support
Administrators desperate for funding parity with provincial counterparts
By Amy Steele

Homeless count reveals soaring numbers among other stories
By Amy Steele

LETTERS

Character of Middle East violence questioned
By Nate Speers

Refusal to regulate marijuana sales a crime
By Russel Barth

Stampede Grandstand Show un-Canadian
By Janine E. Trotta

Anti-feminist illogic not worth printing
By Kim Faires

CITY

New group plans to fight racism
Members say they’re tired of discrimination agains ethnic minorities
By Amy Steele

VIEWPOINT

Keep on rockin’ in the Old World
By David Bright

FOOD

Discovering a secret garden off Macleod
The restored Reader Garden and café offers diners a respite from city bustle
By Lenore Hume

BOOZE

Oregon brewery proudly different
Rogue Ales’ fine beers once again available in Calgary liquor stores
By Don Tse

BOOKS

The great escape… to The Banff Centre
Rosemary Sullivan’s new work a tale of a wartme retreat for artists
By Lachlan MacKintosh

Occasionally provocative, always amusing
Augusten Burroughs’ new collection of short stories returns to madness
reviewed by Evette Berry

Summer beach book reading galore!
From bio-art to oysters, insanity, the Yakuza and murder mysteries
by Bryn Evans

FESTIVAL

So much music, so little time
A look at the artists performing at the Calgary Folk Music Festival
By Nathan Atnikov

Folk Boot Camp will whip musicians into shape
Intensive workshop teams seasoned songwriters with up-and-coming local talent
By Alan Cho

The dos and don’ts of the Calgary Folk Fest
Leave the Dr. seuss hat at home – a simple guide to enjoying the outdoors
By Nathan Atnikov

Alberta bond
Folk Festival artists share fond memories
By Mary-Lynn Wardle

COVER STORY

Brains, hearts and guitars
The Dudes set their sights on moving beyond the local stage
By Mark Hamilton

MUSIC

Time capsule
M. Ward looks forward whle turning back the clock
By Mark Hamilton

Powderkeg: Set to Explode in 3… 2… 1
By Ashley Ingoldsby

Rain or shine it’s redefined
Jazz on the Lake comes back a little hipper
By Dennis Slater

Ten minutes with the infamous Fat Mike
NOFX front man talks about Christians, the decline of punk rock and golf
By Laura Glick

CD REVIEWS

Strapping Young Lad go beyond metal formula
CD Reviews:
Strapping Young Lad’s The New Black
reviewed by Christine Leonard
Kraak & Smaak’s Boogie Angst
reviewed by Red Eye
Sufjan Stevens’ The Avalanche
reviewed by Mark Hamilton
The Sleeping’s Questions and Answers
reviewed by Jason Lewis
Ane Brun’s A Temporary Dive
reviewed by Nathan Atnikov
Cheb I Sabbah’s La Ghriba – La Kahena Remixed
reviewed by Zahinoor Ismail
Darling Arms’ All the Ghosts ep
reviewed by Aubrey McInnis
Awesome Color’s s/t
reviewed by Brandon Tenold
Mark Erelli’s Hope & Other Casualties
reviewed by Dolly Silleto

VISUAL ARTS

What else is under those Stetsons?
Exposed looks at the grimy underbelly of the Stampede
By Hugh Graham

THEATRE

And the Betty Mitchell nominees are…
Small companies score and ATP leads the pack with this year’s picks
By Roberta McDonald

Bohemian energy, nudity and drinking
All is in place for the return of the Calgary Fringe Festival
By Tim Christison

DANCE

A little of the old snap, crackle and pop
Mating Dance reunites old school B-boys and girls with the funky beat
By Pearl Meyer

Banff’s Winter Journey
Choreographer Simone Orlando draws on Schubert’s famed Winterreise for new work
By Tim Christison

FILM

Hooked on phonics
Wordplay is a smart and breezy look at the history of crosswords
By Jason Anderson

Thinking inside the box
Wordplay is a must-see and a delight to watch
By Carla Ciccone

Back behind the counter
Fans will laugh in Clerks II, just not as much as Kevin Smith had hoped
By Andrew Aitkenhead

Not in my neighbourhood
Monster House will scare the pants off the kids
By Nathan Atnikov

The worst film of the decase, and it isn’t even over yet
By Bryn Evans

VIDEO VULTURE

Great cinematic fake-outs
Movie characters you were sure were going to die but just didn’t
By John Tebbutt

Finding the fauxmosexual
DVD gives the goods on getting down
By Carla Ciccone

MY MESSY BEDROOM

Just Ducky
Ducky Doolittle on sex, life and the death of Knockers the Clown
By Josey Vogels