Chebucto Road, wider and worser?
City council has approved a plan to widen Chebucto Road by adding a third reversing lane. They city’s traffic manager has said that the lane is necessasary to help commuter traffic flow through the rotary. The only thing we’ve ever seen “flow” through rotary is pain and suffering. But, don’t let us sway you. Have…
Burning Ears for Wednesday
In Alberta, they’re excited about a natural gas development out east. In Saskatchewan, they’re more concerned about our pioneering use of human waste. Full links below. Heating, part onefrom Edmonton and CalgaryIn a cliche move that confirms they only think about one thing out west, Oilweek and the Calgary Sun both jumped on a Canadian…
The anger cycle
Dear motorist, I am a cyclist. Maybe if I can help you to understand me, you won’t hate me so much. Please stop telling me to “get off the road.” Bicycles are classified as vehicles under the Motor Vehicle Act, and belong on the road. Please don’t be angry if I’m in front of you…
Blog of war
To the editor, The Chronicle-Herald online hosts a blog site for: “average Nova Scotians with an extraordinary interest in their communities—community blogs that delve into the grassroots issues that are at the lifeblood of every small community.” I was part of that blog community until recently. However, a few weeks ago, a Lt(N) Desmond James,…
Pro-rage
After reading “Sins of the flesh” (March 22), I have come to the conclusion that Lezlie Lowe, as usual, is right. There is something offensive about “the sexualization of women for profit.” And I do think she’s hit on something when she points out that Dove’s campaign subtly relies on the very values it purports…
Tweemo
according to the latest Radar. Patron saints Belle & Sebastian, Morrissey and Wes Anderson. Fashion accessories include ballet flats, anything by Fred Perry or Paul Smith, cats, Vespas and Earl Grey tea. Typical afternoon: “As her scooter roars to life, enui momentarily overwhelms her, and she sighs. Her plan is to spend the afternoon in…
Burning Ears for Tuesday
It’s a slow news day for the city both at home (where the big story is yet more talk about what might have been with the Commonwealth Games) and abroad. A Texas company’s issued a press release about a leather store, and an ancient magazine gives props to dearly departed Denny Doherty. Full links below.…
Creatures of the Moment
Go see this play. That’s all I have to say. Well, except for the fact that I sat in on an early reading, and it’s great–really contemporary, this ain’t your mama’s Neptune. The writers, Ryan Turner and Sarah Mian, are two of the most talented in the city, and Metamorphic won Best Production in the…
Shut up, Nickelback
The photo at right is a screencap from Nickelback’s latest video, “If Everyone Cared,” which intercuts sombre in-studio shots of the band performing with various facts and figures about people who changed the world in the face of major oppression. (Like Nelson Mandela.) The song boasts lines like “If everyone shared and swallowed their pride/Then…
Burning Ears for Monday
In Florida and Georgia, they’re encouraging people to visit Halifax. (Yay, our city’s great!) But then The Wrestling Post offers a bit of a smackdown. (Sucks to be us.) Full links below. Bluenose memoriesfrom Atlanta, GeorgiaAtlanta’s Journal-Constitution published this travel piece that makes a trip to Nova Scotia for a ride on the Bluenose sound…
Burning Ears
So there I was, reading Indian Catholic as I do every Fishday, and I came across a mention of Halifax. Edmonton’s new bishop is from our fair town, you see, and apparently this is important to people on a subcontinent on the other side of the planet. Quoting the article: “Richard Smith was born on…
Chew on this
Trident Booksellers and Cafe, located at 1256 Hollis, is celebrating 15 years of service this week. The husband-and-wife team who operate the cafe, Hudson and Janet Shotwell, are staying true to their mission to remain as ecologically-friendly as possible by donating 10 percent of the sales of their books to the Ecology Action Centre, whose…
World Shut-Down Day–March 24
Perhaps it’s ironic to promote this date on a blog, but this sounds like a fine idea. There’s a movement, started in NY, to declare March 24 a computer-free day, where we’re all supposed to shut down and maybe talk to a live person instead. How novel. Of course there’s a geeklash in blogland already.…
I’m going to Witchita (and probably Halifax)
We think the White Stripes are a pair of the schtickiest schticks who ever schticked, but we’re sure many people will be intrigued by this note from their official website.
Sleeping not so much
Every year, a handful of local acts make the 40-hour trek to Austin, Texas, for the annual South by Southwest festival—this year’s representation included Ruth Minnikin and Windom Earle—and theis year Wintersleep comes away with the best stories. The band got off to a great start supporting The Tragically Hip on part of that band’s…
WARNING: THEATRICAL HAZE IN USE
Neptune Theatre held its annual lunch-n-launch this afternoon. After the jump, read about the plays in the 2007-2008 season, with periodic commentary from us. The Miracle Worker (September 18 – October 14)We saw a fantastic version of this a few years back. This sentence makes us wistful for seasons gone by: Marla MacLean and Jody…
Home on the rage
To the editor, I’ve been trying to find a job for months, no one will even give me a call back for an interview. Social Assistance keeps on playing games with my cheque. They make me pick it up from a homeless shelter. They didn’t give me my cheque for weeks and then finally when…
Ah, those crazy vegans
To the editor, For dinner I’m going to have Wendy’s on Quinpool and when I say grace, I’m going to give thanks to the crazy vegans who spray-painted on the side of the building last Wednesday morning, “Animal farming is killing the earth. Go Vegan.” Surely these people can think of better ways to help…
Game off
To the editor, Contrary to what some supporters of the Halifax 2014 Commonwealth Games bid have emotionally cried, Halifax’s withdrawal has not made it an international embarrassment. That would imply that Halifax is even on the radar of the world’s stage in the first place. As I told some of my former Melbourne Commonwealth Games…
I’m lovin’ it
To the editor, First, let me start by saying that I enjoy your “Love the way we bitch” column, in fact, I have even written in on occasion. It is a fantastic way to be able to blow off steam, make statements and find comrades and validation in a world that seems like “every man…
Great complaints
To the editor, These days it’s wiser to let music journalists describe how a band sounds than to let the band themselves try and do it. Most people in bands these days can barely reference Dinosaur Jr. or Mudhoney, let alone preceding alternative-nation luminaries. This is why when reading the March 15 piece on Brampton,…
Garbage stumped
To the editor, I’ve just finished the “Sustainable City” column “Find Me Guilty” (Tim Bousquet, March 15). Like Janet Ross, I find myself with much recycling frustration. Growing up, recycling was a part of daily life, with stories of times when everything got tossed in one place happily fading into the past. I was pleased…
Vision envision
To the editor, In your recent “Talking points” editorial you quote Danny Graham: “People are checking out left, right and centre. You can see it at the ballot boxes.” Mr. Graham is dead on. It is one of the reasons we formed our Right to Know Coalition. We want to encourage citizen engagement in the…
Vision envision
To Kyle Shaw, I am vice-chair of Envision Halifax and a member of the design and delivery team for the leadership program you talked to Danny Graham and Sarah MacLaren about. I have just read your article (“Talking points,” March 15) and feel you have captured it in ways I find very elusive. Thank you.…
Putting the oh-oh-oh-oooh-oooooh-yes in libido
I am one of those women who does not exist. I want sex just as much as my boyfriend does. I want it every day, hard and rough. And if he doesn’t want it? Well, that’s what dildos and vibrators were invented for! I’m pretty sure that I jerk off daily more than most men…
Pace yourself
“It’s a true story about Joseph Howe, about a duel that he fought in 1840,” says director Michael Fox about his new film, A Lesser Sort of War. “He was challenged to a duel by a man named John Halliburton, who accused him of libel. What happened at the end is John Halliburton misses and…
Money fight
Reaction to Monday’s federal budget continues this week. Are you still reading? Seriously? Evaluating a federal budget can be about as exciting as a trip to the DMV: We’d understand if you’d already checked out of this column and moved on to Bar Watch—or Savage Love. (Admit it: You’ve already read Savage Love, haven’t you?)…
The surreal life
On March 6, the day the round-faced French philoso-pher Jean Baudrillard stopped breathing, the US lottery Mega Millions got set to hand out the world’s biggest-ever jackpot. Baudrillard, who argued that illusion and emptiness lie at the heart of consumer society, would surely have hooted at the thought of that $390 million prize. “Americans may…
The Bomb squad
There’s going to be a big Food not Bombs party this Sunday afternoon in front of the North Branch Library. Bigger than usual, that is. Food Not Bombs has rocked Gottingen Street every Sunday afternoon (and Spring Garden Road every Wednesday evening) for 10 years, serving free, delicious organic and vegetarian food to the public.…
Badtime stories
Heather O’Neill puts down the phone. It rings again. On this morning, an offer from Los Angeles to buy the film rights to the Montreal author’s first novel, Lullabies for Little Criminals. “At first I was “No, no, no, no, no, I’ll never do it,’ but they’re so persuasive.” O’Neill’s laughter draws out like taffy…
Halifax InternationalWriters’ Festival
March 28, 7:30pm, $10 Joining Heather O’Neill is Nova Scotian author Linda Little, whose novel Scotch River tells the story of bull rider and lost soul Cass Hutt, whose mysterious past leads him back east. The hero of Nadia Bozak’s debut novel Orphan Love is the intriguingly named Bozak, a young punk rocker bred on…
Best of the music best
Categories Best Canadian AlbumBest Canadian BandBest Canadian Solo Artist (male)Best Canadian Solo Artist (female)Best Canadian Single of 2006Best Canadian Video of 2006 Best Dressed Local ArtistBest Local AlbumBest Local Album ArtworkBest Local All-Ages VenueBest Local Appearance on YouTubeBest Local Artist Most Likely to Make it BigBest Local Artist Stage HijinksBest Local Artist to Be Blown…
Chebucto Road, wider and worser?
City council has approved a plan to widen Chebucto Road by adding a third reversing lane. Have an opinion on the plan? We’d like to hear your comments.
Cheap date
It’s March break, and the Art Gallery of Nova Scotia’s reception area is crawling with kids. Before they’ve even begun their tours of the gallery, they’re shouting questions—“Where’s the bathroom?” “Where are the pirates?” “Why’s that restaurant called Cheapside?”—and adults are patiently answering—”Down that hall,” “At the other museum, dear” and “Because the food’s cheap.”…
In the Know
Life as a touring Canadian musician is, at the best of times, wearisome. Three days into Jon-Rae and the River’s ambitious cross-country tour with The Constantines, the van breaks down and the band gets stranded in Newfoundland. Instead of huffing and puffing, the indie-rockers soak in the sights and sounds before making their way to…
SAVAGE LOVE
Dan Savage lobs letters from lovely ladies with large libidos.
Sins of the flesh
You won’t hear this often from me. But the American Family Association is—gulp—right. There is something wrong with Dove’s new pro•age ads. The AFA—a non-profit, “pro-family” society which blames the US entertainment industry for the alleged dive in American values—is urging a boycott of Unilever, Dove’s parent company. The AFA is all riled up about…
Stage might
Alderney Landing Theatre was packed Monday night with members and supporters of the Nova Scotian theatre scene. The Merritt Awards—named for Dalhousie theatre professor Robert Merritt—celebrate excellence in acting, directing, playwrighting, design and production.Hosted by Marty Burt, the evening was punctuated by slide shows, videos, song and light-hearted banter, often aimed at Atlantic Theatre Festival’s…
TMNT
The recently opened 300’s effort to faithfully reproduce the visual storytelling of Frank Miller’s comic in movie form just becomes even more CG-ridden and soulless than Troy. Trying to stay on the good side of Miller’s fanbase, Snyder’s devotion to comic panels forsakes basic film grammar—one shot doesn’t follow geometrically with the next. There’s more…
Fin land
Rob Stewart’s face is lean, hollow-cheeked, with flashing green eyes below black hair spiked like a sea urchin. The 27-year-old’s speaking cadence isn’t a far cry from Keanu Reeves’s, but you’d be mistaken if you took him for some beach bum with a sideline in nature photography and a passing interest in fish. The beginning…
