I’ll be the first to admit it – I’m a chocoholic. Now, don’t get me wrong – there are much, much worse things to be addicted to. But really, there’s nothing better than a piece of (dark, always dark) chocolate to get you through a challenging afternoon at work or to top off a delicious meal. [...]

Thinking back to high school, I didn’t have very many female math teachers – I can only think of one (not very nice) one, actually. Subconsciously, this could very well have influenced my decision to pursue an Arts degree in University. Conversely, it could have been the fact that I enjoyed contemplating the probability that Holden Caulfield would face his demons more than the probability of rolling a 3 on two dice five times in a row (8?).

Recently, as tends to happen, I got into a bit of a philosophical debate with some friends about the nature of altruism. With collective academic backgrounds in history, English, psychology, philosophy and the contemporary arts, you can probably imagine how lively the conversation became. In addition to the fascinating ideas and theories about the biopsychosocial [...]

While these facts and figures paint a dour picture (pun sadly intended) for local artists and art organizations, the reality of the situation is that money funding art is money taken away from other important domains, such as health care, transportation, and housing, and is bound to offend some voters.

So what can be done to supplement ailing arts funding while not demanding critically needed funds be taken away from other sectors?

When I envisioned the transportation plan for the Climate Change conference currently taking place in Copenhagen, I immediately thought of carpooling, bicycles, and hybrid buses. The self-stated City of Cyclists would stand for no less, right? Sadly, I could not have been more wrong. It turns out limos and private jets will be transporting many [...]

Are you a Charlie Brown? Vintage Queen? Traditional? The type of Christmas tree you choose this holiday season says a lot about you – your values, interests, personality, style.  Luckily, this handy Christmas tree style guide can help you figure out what your tree type is, and from there, well, the possibilites are endless.
The Traditionalist:
You [...]

The 2009 Report Card on Child and Family Poverty in Canada was recently released, with Canada – and particularly BC – failing dismally. One in 10 children still live in poverty in Canada today. There are more working poor – 40% of low-income children live in families where at least one parent works full-time year [...]

This weekend, art enthusiasts will flock to the streets of East Vancouver to admire, appreciate and analyze the best that our community has to offer. The East Vancouver Culture Crawl gives local artists the opportunity to strut their stuff and show the world their art, their passion, their talent. The mediums are as diverse as [...]

The Alberta government  has recently announced that all Alberta government employees who have been absent due to sickness for more than three consecutive days will now be required to swear an oath declaring they were sick in front of a commissioner of oaths (read the Edmonton Journal article here) . This is in lieu of [...]

I have to admit, November is not my favourite month. It’s dark, gloomy and rainy. It does not have the crisp air and the brilliant colours of Fall, nor does it offer the magical snow and cheer of December. It’s the filler of the seasons, the sad and gloomy middle child, the second book in [...]