Belated congrats to Old Man Luedecke
What do you say to a banjo player in a three-piece suit? “Will the defendant please rise?” Three cheers for Old Man Luedecke for winning the Juno award for solo Roots and Traditional Album of the Year for Proof of Love! I didn’t mention it earlier because I was celebrating so hard.
Lowe’s Christmas hangover
To Lezlie Lowe, My daughter sent me the clipping of “Holiday dispirit” (Feb. 26, Lowedown). I really don’t understand why people can’t take a few minutes to de-decorate, putting the rest of us out of our misery! There is money to be made for some enterprising person who would offer their removal services. Looking around…
Streetcar detractor
To the editor, I dislike commenting negatively on the ideas of Patrick Klassen, a graduate student at Dalhousie’s School of Planning, but if he really believes his vision of a new streetcar/tram system is what is needed for Halifax, as he stated in Chris Benjamin’s “Streetcar desires” (March 19, Upfront), then I suggest he needs…
Smoked out II
To the editor, I wanted to speak up about The Coast’s decision to advertise some tobacco products. I believe, as a free publication surviving on advertising dollars as its revenue stream, The Coast should be able to publish ads from whomever they like. Whatever pays the bills! Why do so many of you think you…
Smoked out I
To the editor, I echo the concerns raised in last week’s letters about tobacco ads in your paper. I meant to write in last summer when the full-page ads started appearing every week. I’ll bet they pay you guys really well. I’m familiar with tobacco companies’ mob-like status in advertising circles from what I learned…
Megan Leslie wears deux fm to Parliament Hill
deux fm at Atlantic Fashion Week Anna Gilkerson, designer and founder of deux fm, was really happy to learn that Megan Leslie recently bought one of her suits. “I am pretty excited about Megan Leslie wearing deux fm and supporting our issues up against the stuffy/old white men, hahaaa,” Gilkerson jokes by email. The super…
Single Occupancy
How conceited do you have to be in order to continue driving your car by yourself. If every person had another person with them, there would be no rush hour, half as many cars, and more human contact. Not to mention your car exudes so much shit, it chokes people. Try putting your exhaust back…
To Commisioners and Staff of the Bridges
I walk the MacDonald bridge to work and back every day. All winter it is the safest surface to walk in my trip. Thank you for keeping it so well salted and clear, and for watching out for any people who may need intervention on the bridge. You even shuttle walkers across when the winds…
‘ll always call Yellow..
To the Yellow Cab driver who wrote to my family after my Dad (fellow cabbie) died in January, and who also came to his funeral: I don’t know who you are, but I just wanted to let you know that every time I call a cab I wonder if it will be you who picks…
You call this food?!
To the food store in the north end: Look, I know this is an impoverished area, and I know your store doesn’t make as much money as the big fancy ones, but seriously, no matter how poor, NO ONE WILL BUY CARROTS THAT HAVE LIQUIFIED! Why on earth does this stuff still stay on the…
To a certain woman
hey lady guess what I’m not paying for your stepped on broke ass laptop that got stolen out of my car. The cd drive hard drive and motherboard were broken it was worthless. Maybe it cost 1200 4 years ago but its not worth nearly that much anymore even if it was working Leave me…
Tent Building Supplies
To the person living in the woods behind the Kent building in Bayers Lake. Props to you for sticking it out in the woods there in your handmade tent. Maybe you’re on hard times maybe this is you choice. Either way, you made my friends and my own day a couple weeks ago when we…
Champagne SuperNova
Go see Charles Ross’ Star Wars Trilogy, you must. Cheers to Eastern Front’s SuperNova Festival (May 7-I7), moving this year from Alderney over to Neptune Studio Theatre. Highlights include Berni Stapleton’s Run for the Money, a 1960s Newfoundland rum-running adventure that ends with inexplicable happenings. The hottest prime minister in Canadian history is immortalized in…
Fire chief Bill Mosher summoned to council closed session
At this hour, fire chief Bill Mosher is speaking with the Halifax Regional Council in a closed-door secret meeting. Mosher was summoned to council after councillor Sue Uteck learned that a human rights complaint has been filed against the Halifax department of Fire and Emergency Services. I’ve been working on this story exclusively for a…
Enough shit already.
I am so goddamn sick and tired of dog owners not picking up their dog’s shit in the commons. How many more times do i have to walk in those time bombs? I’m talking about you, you long-boarding curly haired nose ringed hippy. I saw your golden dog take a shit right in front of…
little bones
to all the people that we see in the neighbourhood who aren’t afraid of little people. you’re not afraid of little people! that’s awesome! —dog ma
I like my ridiculous specs.
Yes, I do look in the mirror, and I happen to think that my over-sized glasses are pretty neat. And yes, they are prescription glasses. You would be amazed at how many positive comments I get in one day with these bad boys. Fashion should be fun and interesting, and I feel sorry for those…
march 20
To the fellow who picked us up in his car at Burger King at Yonge and Robie on a cold night a few weeks ago because the restaurant had closed at midnight and they wouldn’t let walk-thrus through the drive-thru window, and then drove us all the way home to the South End: thanks for…
Halifax Concerts
What’s with our concert promoters? Do they not realize that our city has an under 30 crowd? Even under 40? What’s with booking concerts from bands/artists that need walkers to get to the middle of the stage. I mean, KISS was a great band in 1977 and i’m sure they could put on a good…
Double the phone book, double the arborcide
How sad to get a new phonebook and with it, the “mini-me” version of the yellow pages. How many trees died for this needless second copy of what’s already in the big phone book? They say it’s more convenient because”it’s not as heavy as the big book and you can keep it it your car”…
Inglis/Barrington Shit Purification Site
I walk most lunchtimes and pass the pumping station at the corner of Inglis and Barrington street, I think I could safely retire with all the $$ that has been spent on trying to get this pumping station fully operational. — senile
Living in Cold Water Flats
Ok what is the legal and what is not, when it comes to apartment up keeps? I moved into these shit hole apartments in march and i’ve lost hot water 5 times or more. I call and report it and nothing gets fuckin done about it. I hate this fuckin property management. If anyone out…
Crybabies
To all the crybabies bashing Thom Yorke because he was ‘rude’ at the Grammys. REZIP YOUR CRUSTY FESTERING MOUTHS. If Thom wants to snub you he has all the right to. He’s Thom Yorke. That’s right, miley, kanye; quit complaining and crawl back under your tasteless rocks. You aren’t entitled to everything you want just…
To The Coast who finally came around
Thanks for creating a “love” space, especially in the weekly print version. You guys don’t encourage only bitching after all! Way to change the game and make me eat my words. Smooch. —The one who bitched in a letter to the editor about the lack of loving…
The Bus Driver of the 80 to Hali
This is to the kick ass bus driver of the 80 you made the bus ride more enjoyable for me on my way to work and the two other passengers on the bus. You made all those jokes and shit and they were really funny and all that stuff, all-in-all. WE NEED MORE BUS DRIVERS…
Screecher
To that high-pitched bitch of a barista who is so incredibly annoying, take your voice down a notch! I’d go to the other coffee shop to avoid you but I’d still hear your screeching yelp “NEXT!” from across the road. — Damaged Eardrum
I can’t get no satisfaction!
I’m here to bitch about myself and how I let myself get back into the habit of going home with randoms from the bar. It’s so shallow to do it on such a regular basis, both people involved are only there to satisfy themselves. I miss that connection you feel when you’re with someone and…
where did you get your driver’s license out of a cracker jack box???
it’s sunday afternoon in highfield park in dartmouth, you were driving a gold 4 door sedan and while my 5 yr old and i were waiting for traffic to stop at the crosswalk you and your passenger just drove straight through… I’m not one of these people that jaywalk or cross in the middle of…
Goth broads that work at the grocery store
ok, we get it. You hate society, you will not conform. Good for you. You cut your hair in the most ridiculous way imaginable because it is one way to “stick it to the man”, the man being the national grocery store chain that signs your paycheck… kind of hypocritical don’t you think? Shouldn’t you…
HRM Animal Control
You guys are tools. Here is the story: I was leaving my place to go get some groceries when I spotted a black dog wandering around near the road. Clearly there was no owner in sight. The dog was docile and I noticed an HRM registration on his collar, so I brought him inside. I…
Heads up, Bitches.
Hey you guys know that trick where you take a 20 dollar bill and hold it above some dudes hand and tell him if he catches it he can have it? Like you hold it just inches away from his hand, and he has his thumb and pointer finger in a pincer style where he…
Sackville Heights Community Centre blowout charity show for Phoenix Youth Programs
Best band to enjoy quietly: Envision This Saturday April 11 provides a perfect chance to do the following: 1) Spend a Saturday evening in Sackville. 2) See a metric ton of bands. 3) Support a wonderful cause. All this by way of the Sackville Heights Community Centre (45 Connolly Road, Lower Sackville) charity event for…
Plaskett understands you can’t get enough of your boy
Triple album! Due to ravenous ticket sales, Joel Plaskett has added a second show to his Rebecca Cohn appearance in May. If you missed out, you have a second chance to see him on Thursday, May 28. Plaskett will be wrapping up his national tour for his new triple album three (released March 24). El…
HRM hires ‘Walmart’ to pave roads?
Who does HRM contract to pave roads in this city? The roads here are the cheapest and lowest quality I have ever seen, even comapared to small cities in China and Vietnam. I thought HRM would have the expertise and if not that then at least the brains to understand that hiring “Walmart” to build…
weather or not
what is with those on-line weather sites? One in particular is way off the mark most times, like yesterday when the rain drizzle and fog in Halifax were getting to me, and lo and behold, the Network was showing Berwick at 18C, Wolfville at 17C, and the traffic cam showed blue skies and glorious sun!…
Inglis St. near SMU is awesome
Who built this street? Its a slightly different colour and texture than every other road surface in the city, but it’s flawless. Whoever built this road should also build the rest of them. As opposed to the shit that needs to be patched and repaved every two years. —cptstubing
smiles instead of glares.
To the guy who was giving out fliers at the protest on spring garden, you were incrediabley nice when 3 teenagers show up wondering what was going on. instead of looking at us weirdly, and glaring; you gave us some handouts and told us to have a good day with a smile. i read the…
Nova Scotians Get An F
For a bunch of people all claiming to want the same things in life you bitches are awfully hard to see eye-to-eye with. You say you want to make a decent wage, have affordable housing, eat healthy diets, have access to health care, have access to booze, buses, bridges and bitches and each and every…
Go F*** Yourself, Toothless
To the guy who stopped me for directions Thursday on Lower Water Street: I was walking back from a client meeting — in my best suit, high heels, briefcase — and you shouted at me from your car and asked how to get to “Joe Howe”. You were too busy looking like a total f***ing…
My Dog
To those out there wanting to talk to me about my dog: Please stop asking me if he is pure bred. It doesen’t matter to me why does it matter to you? I am just walking him trying to get him house trained and I have to stop every five minutes to have a conversation…
Customer Etiquette
For the record, this is NOT another bitch about tips. I’d just like to state some things customers should consider that would help our jobs be less stressful, as well as allow us to give high-quality service to everyone, regardless of how much they do or don’t tip: -> If you have your menus closed…
For John in his Toyota
Remember me? The drunk girl who got in a fight with her boyfriend on Spring Garden? (How embarrassing.) Perhaps against my better judgement, I accepted a ride home from two perfect strangers who witnessed the fight. Thank you for the drive. I would have been hours downtown waiting for a cab, alone. I still have…
Fuck the CRTC
I’m so sick of the CRTC stifling competition and innovation in this country. After years of getting rapped by Rogers and Bell the announcement that Skype was finally going mobile brought the potential of finally bypassing these grossly expensive networks. But no!! Canada is the ONLY country in the fucking world where Skype mobile won’t…
Opening Night: The Paragon
All photos by Scott Blackburn This gallery will start after 10pm. Bonus! If you were there and you took some pictures, send them to us! Email coasthalifax.photos@picasaweb.com We’ll post it for ya.
YouthLive
WTF is this bullshit? Here I am perusing the HRDC Job Bank when I see an ad for a position that involves sorting recycling for 280 bucks a week, for 35 hours. Are you fist fucking me here? Who actually would take this job? The ad states: for youth 16-30; you telling me some 30…
MacDonald Bridge change lane
For the last month or so the left-most change lane on the MacDonald bridge has been closed. This means that if I’m coming down Nantucket in the left lane (faster as this is the “bridge only” lane) I am forced to merge back into the right lane to cross the bridge. This unnecessarily makes an…
Rain/Drizzle/Fog launch on Saturday
On Saturday afternoon at 3pm, as part of the Halifax Independent Film Festival, is the launch of Rain/Drizzle/Fog: Film and Television from Atlantic Canada, edited by Darrell Varga, the Canada Research Chair in Contemporary Film and Media, at NSCAD. It’s the first of two publications by Varga on the subject, and the first publication to…
Neptune Theatre launches new season
Thursday at lunch, Neptune Theatre was packed, packed, packed with subscribers, media, politicians and theatre people rustling wrappers from their free Subway sandwiches. But it wasn’t the mini-subs that brought people out, it was the launch of the theatre’s 2009-10 season, and a chance to meet George Pothitos, Neptune’s new artistic director. After an earnestly…
don’t push the buttons
It’s surprising that some people haven’t figured out the crosswalk buttons. They don’t make the lights change and they don’t speed them up. They only make the opposite side ‘tweet’. Please for the love of god stop pushing them, they’re to help the visually impaired, not save your time. Props to HRM for installing these…
creepy bus lady
listen lady, ive never been creeped out by an elderly lady until i moved to halifax a year ago, ever since then ”sur la route numero sept” ive seen you pretty much everytime i go on the bus.. you stare at me like you want something, i dont know you, i have nothing of yours..…
Stop Feeding Your Kids Crap!
If I see one more commercial depicting a doting mom feeding her busy youngster a nice bowl of canned pasta for lunch (one full serving of vegetables in every can!), I’m going to blow a fuse. On one hand, childhood obesity is epidemic, and on the other hand, bulemia and other eating disorders are rampant…
welcome back bilbo
we love you bilbo come by the shop for some treats and scratchin —paingirl
NSLC be gone!
Nice stores. Great selection. Nice uniforms. BUT crap hours. Ridiculous prices. They keep going up and up and up without any sign of a ceiling. I am sorry employees of NSLC but you and your stores are taking all the fun out of a wee dram. You are way, way, WAY too expensive. Let the…
Halifax Road ‘Improvements’
Why do we need all these new stop signs and traffic lights at intersections that never had them? Personally I have found that the flow has been killed by these new implementations. And why did the Armdale rotary get a make over? The one and only problem with it was that people were blocking the…
Pobody’s Nerfect! Venue mix-up
Scribbler and their funny ways. If you are headed for the land of Scribbler, The Darcys, The Gideons and DJ Takeabath, change your route slightly and go to Tribeca instead. Scribbler are also playing with Dead Dog on Saturday at 2558 Beech Street at 8pm. Give them a sock on the jaw for me. Lovingly.
Clunkish ad campaign
[image-1] What’s wrong? Clunkish ad campaign Who’s responsible? Helen Smith, program coordinator, Nova Scotia Youth Conservation Corps, 420-4300. Remarks: “Please litter”? Yes, we get the sarcasm and reverse psychology, but it strikes the wrong chord with us. But what do we know? Mith says her research has found that people ignore “clean and green” ads,…
NSPIRG vote results
Last night, the Dal Student Union held a vote that, if successful, would have de-funded NSPIRG. That motion failed, 215-237. See here for more details on the vote itself, and read Ben Sichel’s article on the issue here.
Metro Driver Overcompensation
Please allow me to begin, 99.9% of the time, my bus experiences have been positive. I`ve seen the odd driver who clearly has life issues, maybe not anger issues. I don`t require a driver to roll out the red carpet for me as a result of me tossing my 2 bucks in the till. Just…
what the fuck do you want
To the bitch who thought that the grass was greener on the other side. Hope you enjoy your life with your new boyfriend. At least of all you could have told me instead of waiting till we bought a house together. Oh why did I need to get a lawyer you ask are you fucking…
You Left A Blanket on Alderney Drive
On April 1st, around 7pm on Alderney Drive, you stopped your SUV to help us with an elderly lady who fell and was unable to get back up. You identified yourself as a nurse and you put off delivering your elderly mother to her home to help. You even lent us an old blanket to…
Two traffic bitches for the price of one!
Yesterday I was in the unfortunate situation of having to travel from the Halifax Shopping Ctentre to Home in Dartmouth during rush hour. How do you people do this everyday? The fucking idiocy of drivers is astounding!!! Sit back and enjoy two bitches from my travels home. 1) Trying to turn left from Bayers onto…
Fucking cat
This bitch is for my stupid fucking cat, who I love dearly but is dumb as bricks and driving me nuts. The bitch cries for food. I put food in her dish. She eats some. Five fucking minutes later she’s on my ass again for more food WHEN THERE’S FOOD IN HER DISH. The bottom…
I heart NSPIRG
Hey to all the awesome peeps at NSPIRG at Dal. I’m so sorry for all you have been through. You do great stuff and you are all such lovely people I want a group hug with y’all. Way to do what you do and stand up for it even when the bastards are trying to…
my beautiful girl
not many people would put up with my renditions of anne murray torch songs, performed at inconvenient hours. thanks for picking me up and dragging me through the last few months. i’ll never let nicky at the spartan steal you away… —murray j. siskind
fashion police 2
haha, so what if i like to be different from all you wannabe paris hilton impersonaters? so what if i want to wear lime green legging? you could have at least kept your mouth shut as i walked by you and your group of friends. “oh, that’s attractive,” said with sarcasm is a rather dry…
Bear country
For a while, it seemed like we nearly lost him in the wilderness. For the last year or so, Haligonians wondered what happened to the former Gio chef, Ray Bear, when he struck out on his own. Answer: After a Valley hibernation, he opened every chef’s dream restaurant, Bear. Bear is a destination spot. A…
Safe hook-ups
Q:I hope you address the recent rough-play-gone-bad death of New York City radio newsman George Weber. According to reports, it appears Weber met a guy on Craigslist for “violent sex,” and the guy stabbed Weber to death. If you have these kinds of fantasies—Weber wanted to be bound and abused—you’re better off doing it with…
Watchmen: Tales of the Black Freighter/Under the Hood
It’s kind of a blessing the Watchmen movie didn’t catch on more with people unfamiliar with the dense Alan Moore comic it’s based on. Think how much confusion the tie-in Watchmen: Tales of the Black Freighter/Under the Hood could have inspired—how many poor souls would’ve been driven to lament “Why the hell am I watching…
Special Forces drawing lessons
The heads of disembodied stick figures float from one end of the screen to the next. Childlike drawings of planes and explosions ricochet across a swirling dark sky of scribbles and ghosts. The looped sounds of robotic screaming and rapid-machine-gun firing set the mood. Quebecois filmmaker Pierre Hébert and electronic composer Bob Ostertag sit in…
Monsters vs. Aliens
Monsters vs. Aliens has its share of appealing ideas and half-realized scenes. But just as the title lays out the simple draw of its premise, it also illustrates the fit-for-Happy Meal-toys reduction of it all. Monsters vs. Aliens’ magic is extinguished by too many committee decisions. This doesn’t make for stirring pop fantasy, though it…
12 Rounds
Die Hard 2, Cliffhanger and The Long Kiss Goodnight might not have been great action movies. But it’s hard to believe they were by the same director who made 12 Rounds. Renny Harlin dropped off immediately after making his best movie—1999’s deliriously satisfying Deep Blue Sea (rated R for graphic shark attacks, and for language).…
Hailing Death Cab for Cutie
Jason McGerr doesn’t care that there’s a band practicing in the next room. He’s ready with his weapon of choice: his drums. “I’m sittin’ behind them right now, if you wanna compete,” he says. “Put me on speakerphone and we’ll see who’s louder.” McGerr is on the line from his Seattle studio, Two Sticks, where…
Lucas Stagg and Paul MacLeod w/Kev Corbett
“We’re playing 21 shows in 18 days,” says Lucas Stagg, on day four of his eastern-Canadian tour with Busted Flat labelmate Paul MacLeod. The two songwriters embarked on a similar tour this past October and Stagg says it went so well that they decided to do it again, this time in support of Stagg’s Great…
MSTKRFT
Retaining their identifiable sound and love for all things cowbell, Fist of God makes up for last year’s string of letdown remixes with its breadth of guest appearances. “Heartbreaker,” featuring Grammy-winning John Legend, is a huge departure from their sweat-stained club bangers, with its delicate piano loops and smooth vocals. Guest spots from Toronto’s Jahmal…
The Soundtrack of our Lives
On their first album of new material in four years, this Swedish band continues to reinforce the relevance of classic rock. If The Who had been as metaphysically inclined as The Moody Blues, this might have resulted. First impressions of Communion may be dominated by the eerily smiling consumers on the liner. Once you’ve heard…
Black Lips
Def Leppard’s Joe Elliott recently told radio station Q104 that rock’s greatest singers don’t have great voices so much as great character. It would seem that the Black Lips not only wholeheartedly agree with this sentiment, but also extend the concept to the rest of the band as well. With its low-fi production, effect-heavy guitars…
Story
Sam Wight, formerly of local punk bands Cross, Eviction Party and Missed Life, picked up an accordion last year and put down her guitar. Things Left Unsaid… is the culmination of a rough year in her life, chronicling a breakup, a death and a move back home to PEI. Accordions run the risk of being…
OneLight Theatre’s Terror within
“We are all affected by war, whether we realize it or not,” says Shahin Sayadi, artistic director of Halifax’s OneLight Theatre. “It influences so much, from the price of food and gas, to our connections with soldiers who go and come back, or who go and don’t. “And since 9/11, we are all forced to…
Julie Doiron
There is no doubt that Julie Doiron is a happy woman now. She not only says so immediately, on the leadoff track, “Life of Dreams,” from I Can Wonder What You Did With Your Day, but also closes the album with a similarly joyous “Glad to Be Alive.” Honestly, it is such a relief to…
AFW Recap: Runway memories
The second Atlantic Fashion Week was much more focused than October’s event. Gone are parties, and blending of retailers and national designers; instead, two nights highlighted local fashion designers. Perfect. Friday night, the Olympic Centre was almost completely full, as crowds gathered around the runway under lightly billowing white sheaths. Most of the five NSCAD…
Public secrets
One summer day in the mid-1990s, there was an illegal Mexican immigrant working as part of a crew pruning an orchard in California. The man was lopping off tree branches while standing in a metal box of a cherry picker truck; one of the branches fell onto a high-voltage power line and the electricity arced…
hbus, the transit day tripper
While Metro Transit is getting its Go Time and Google Transit act together, a local software developer has launched a bus route planner to help Haligonians—without help from the city. William Lachance created hbus.ca beta, a route planner that allows Metro Transit patrons to plug in starting points and destinations to get route plans. The…
Smoking mad
There is a surprise at the end of Watchmen, the movie. After two-plus hours thick with beatings, war, gore, maiming, mass murder and other on-screen violence—not to mention sex and plenty of naked Dr. Manhattan’s big blue Empire State Building—the filmmakers get squeamish about…smoking. Deep in the end credits is a disclaimer assuring audiences that…
Stimulating ecocide
Nova Scotia has leapt the bandwagon and launched a craptapulous economic stimulus package: $1.9 billion of vague promises, spread over three years. Fifty-million clams is for energy conservation and $1 billion for roads, bridges and highways. Two years ago, before the curtain was drawn to reveal that those big numbers in our gross domestic product…
Lunenburg Folk Harbour Festival line-up announced
Bette and Wallet, reminding you that summer is right around the corner. Photo: M. Lavallée Nova Scotia’s longest-running folk festival, the Lunenburg Folk Harbour Festival, celebrates their 24th year, and you are officially a punk if you don’t give them their propers. Taking place in (doy) Lunenburg, Nova Scotia (UNESCO world heritage site, don’t you…
Scott Pilgrim vs. The Universe (Vol. 5)
In this, the fifth and penultimate Scott Pilgrim tome, Ontario-born former Mount Uniacke resident Bryan Lee O’Malley gently ushers his hero a step closer to manhood and taking on the Final Boss. What makes O’Malley’s scrappy, Manga-inspired comics so compulsive isn’t the stylishly disaffected urban tone, nor the primary plot thrust of having the eponymous…
