Used or abused
Western Standard blog raises questions about freedom of speech
By Amy Steele

Welfare rates ‘deplorable’ says report
National Council of Welfare calls for a n ation-wide anti-poverty strategy
By Amy Steele

Liberals call for new protected areas among other stories
By Amy Steele

LETTERS

City drug problem: just say no versus just say go
By FFWD Reader

The bike helmet: feelin’ great versus vegetative state
By FFWD Reader

Bogus meeting versus delightful eating
By FFWD Reader

Moral deterioration versus critical articulation
By FFWD Reader

VIEWPOINT

Goofy scientists and Micky Mouse votes
By David Bright

CITY

Relieving gas pains
In a city of drivers, how can we save money at the pumps?
By Adrienne Beattie

FOOD

Carving out a niche on 17th Avenue
Laurier Lounge injects a hip, urban feel into downtown dining
By Lenore Hume

BOOZE

Putting the art in artisan
The famed Dupont brewery crafts some of the best saison beers in the world
By Mike Tessier

FASHION

Private shopping nights, jewels and martinis
Calgary launches its first Fashion Week with a four-day extravaganza
By Barbara Balfour

Expect No Imitations
Fashion event exposes indie designers to a wider audience
By Barbara Balfour

FESTIVAL

Going under the needle
Miami Ink’s Kat Von D among festival’s international tattoo stars
By Dean Seguin

BOOKS

Dream Wheels keep on rollin’
Richard Wagamese’s new novel represents a collective tradition of healing
By Rachel Schmale

What’s the thesis?
Anthology explores Canadian Lesbian lit
reviewed by Isabel Cascante

Lights, camera… write!
BookTelevision catches the reality TV bug
by Bryn Evans

MUSIC

Never stop learning
Guitarist Ralf Buschmeyer still pushes himself
By Dennis Slater

Jazz: a love story
Duo makes it work on and off the stage
By Kenna Burima

Live Spins
Various Artists’ Leonard Cohen I’m Your Man
reviewed by Kari Watson

A music nerd’s wet dream
Oy vey! Local column returns just in time for September’s sonic offerings
By Alvy Singer

CD REVIEWS

The Thermal’s album is of Biblical proportions
CD Reviews:
The Thermals’ the Body the Blood the Machine
reviewed by Jason Lewis
Hellogoodbye’s Zombies! Aliens! Vampires!
reviewed by Laura Glick
The Marble Index’s Watch Your Candles, Watch Your Knives
reviewed by Jason Lewis
The Panic Channel’s (One)
reviewed by Brandon Tenold
Adem’s Love & Other Planets
reviewed by Mark Hamilton
Ani DiFranco’s Reprieve
reviewed by Carla Ciccone
The Hidden Cameras’ Awoo
reviewed by Mark Hamilton
Eric Bachmann’s To the Races
reviewed by Jason Lewis
Darkest Hour’s So Sedated, So Secure
reviewed by Jordan Lane
Dearly Beloved’s You Are the Jaguar
reviewed by Christine Leonard

VISUAL ARTS

Keep rockin’ in the art world
Artcity and Martyrdom highlight this month
By Wes LaFortune

The eye is a menace to clear sight
Black and White explores the various approaches to minimalist art
By Hugh Graham

OPERA

Journey into the Arctic
Sneak peak at Frobisher shows opera to be well underway
By Tim Christison

Mozart on the Mountain a fine start to CPO season
By Tim Christison

COVER STORY

Taking the piss out of musicals
The surprise Broadway hit Urinetown debuts in Calgary
By Jeff Kubik

THEATRE

Taking aim
We put the new theatre season in our sights, with our top bets
By Jeff Kubik

The absence of god… or quality furniture
University alumni and indie theatre unite for Ionesco’s The Chairs
By Jocelyn Grosse

Night of the musical
Song, dance, comics, tears and a long, long running time marked this year’s Betty’s
By Jeff Kubik

Enter Theatre Junction’s resident company of artists
By Hugh Graham

Night of the living puppets
The Green Fools rock the Glenbow Museum like it’s 37 A.D.
By James Dangerous

The technicians behind the scenes
Local designer Harry Frehner is up for the prestigious Siminovitch Prize
By Tim Christison

DANCE

Tango Temptation brings the heat
New data shows that it can, in fact, take more than two to tango
By Jocelyn Grosse

FILM

Don’t fear the Reaper
Local animators’ film an offbeat life-and-death experience
By Dario Feltracco

Connecting the Dots?
Taboo film can’t escape its ridiculous plot
By Bryn Evans

A word from our sponsor
Yep, these sure are commercials, all right
By John Tebbutt

All that jazz
Idlewild hits a sour note
By Joanne Huffa

VIDEO VULTURE

Quest for the holy day-glo cricket bat
Holy Flame of the Martial World is an insane live-actin cartoon
By John Tebbutt

VIDEO

New and notable on DVD
If you’re a Film Geek, Bring it On and Curb Your Enthusiasm
By Jason Lewis

Apocalypse why?
Francis Ford Coppola re-issues his seminal ‘nam epic (again)
By Jason Lewis

JOYSTUCK

Long live Lara Croft, Tomb Raider
World record holder changes female pop-cultural portrayals
By Blaine Kyllo

MY MESSY BEDROOM

Payback time
Better than police intervention: living out our revenge fantasies through Uma Thurman’s character in My Super Ex-Girlfriend
By Josey Vogels