Announcement: The New Prairie Dog Website

It's true. The URL is www.prairiedogmag.com but you can get there the fastest just by clicking here. It's been a long time coming and it was a lot of stress and hard work to make it happen.

We hope you like it.

The website will have most of the articles from the print edition of the current prairie dog as well as (very) limited archives. Although there are still some nooks and crannies "under construction", there's is plenty to see, read and poke right now.

And tomorrow at some point we'll flip the "on" switch for the new Dog Blog and, well, it'll be back to business. Except that from now on, our blog be part of a bigger website.

And that's it for this version of Dog Blog. One thousand, five hundred and twenty-nine posts later, we're moving onward and upward.

Hope to see you soon at the new address!

The new website was designed and built by Jason Funk and Alex Whyte. Extra special thanks to designer Paul Klassen who came in late and helped bring it all home.

Canada Sure Demolished Russia, Eh?

7-3. (CBC)

I'm not surprised. Russia has the talent but something's missing, or not clicking. Also, it looks like Canada lost the right game in this tournement. They're awake now.

Have to say, I don't root for Canada the way I used to. I root for teams with players I like, and there's players I like from all over the place. Teemu Selanne --hey, I saw him score enough goals back in the day at the old Winnipeg Arena. There was a time when I'd have donated him a kidney if he'd needed one (thank god he did not). And how do you root against Ovechkin, or a guy like awesome U.S. goalie Ryan Miller--who (if I recall correctly) was insultingly left off the 2006 U.S. Olympic team for poor, terrible John Grahame.

Still, kind of nice to see that the beast, she has awoke. Look out, U.S.A. These guys are looking like Miller killers.

So When Are We Shutting This Thing Down, Anyway?

I figure sometime after the hockey game. So yeah, if any posters have a favourite dog blog memory or something they want to share, put it up fast! Because after tonight there will be NO DOG BLOG EVER AGAIN.

(Until tomorrow at a new, improved and soon-to-be-announced location Shhh!)

Conservative MP Sides with Climate Liars

Wondering why the Harper government seems to be dragging its heels on doing anything about climate change? I've argued that it's because the party is teeming with closet climate change deniers.

Well, one Conservative MP has stepped proudly out of the closet. In a letter to La Presse, Maxime Bernier applauded Harper's go-slow approach to climate change because the science, he says, is not decided.

So we've got Gary Goodyear questioning evolution and Bernier questioning climate change. Is anyone in the Conservative party even passingly familiar with science?

A Small Bit Of News

Today is Dog Blog's last day!

Well, last day in its current form.

Stay tuned, there will be announcements later. GOOD announcements.

Ha ha!

Pick of the Day: The Wiz

Pretty well everyone has seen the classic 1939 MGM movie The Wizard of Oz in which the adorable Judy Garland starred as Dorothy, the young Kansas girl who, along with her dog Toto, gets swept up in a tornado and is whisked away to the magical land of Oz. It is a true Hollywood classic.

Tonight and tomorrow night at Conexus Arts Centre, Do-It-With-Class Young Peoples Theatre are presenting a somewhat revised musical version of L. Frank Baum's beloved tale with some video sequences being shot in Wascana Park. The Wiz debuted on Broadway in 1975, and in 1978 was made into a movie that starred such luminaries as Diana Ross (Dorothy), Michael Jackson (Scarecrow), Lena Horne (Glinda the Good Witch of the West), Nipsey Russel (TinMan) and Richard Pryor (the Wizard).

God knows how many TV and film versions of Baum's story are out there. All have a touch of weirdness attached to them. But hands down, in my mind anyway, this cartoon that I remember from my childhood is the weirdest. Anyone else out there remember this? (YouTube)

Look ma! Politicial cynicism!

But of course they'd NEVER politicize the Olympics, heaven forbid.

"Our strong leader???!!!???!!"

Jeez, at least Hitler hired Leni Riefenstahl when he wanted to capitalize politically on the games, not whatever boob was running the camera for Stephan Dion's recorded message...

Pick of the Day: Yukon Blonde

In a post a couple of weeks ago, prairie dog editor Stephen Whitworth raved about this Vancouver-based quartet. The only challenge to him seeing them at the Exchange tonight as he proposed and booking off work the next day is that the gig coincides with production day for our Feb. 25 issue.

In a perfect world, we'd have the paper off to the printer by 5 p.m. But, as we are constantly reminded of virtually every day of our existence, we don't live in a perfect world. Each issue, all sorts of things typically happen from writers being late with copy to our network going down to advertisers being late with ads to late-breaking stories to the editor attending a production-weekend party and suffering a "ginjury", that frustrate our ability to hit deadline.

So the odds of us being done the paper in time to take in this gig are long indeed. I'm serious, Switzerland has a better chance of a gold medal sweep in Men's and Women's Ice Hockey at the Olympics then we do of hitting deadline. But we'll definitely be there in spirit. Because, as Steve noted in his post, Yukon Blonde is "effing great" (Dog Blog)

City Council Wrapup: Somebody Please Fix the Feedback Problem!

Don't know how much was spent on the year-old PA system in city hall, but that sure is some tax dollars hard at work.

Hard at work wrecking my hearing, that is.

Surprise shrieks of feedback have been happening since, well, since the system was installed as far as I can remember. But things have been getting steadily worse. Tonight, it seemed if anyone spoke even slightly louder than normal, they'd be greeted with howls from the speakers. It was clearly bothering some of the delegations and even warranted some very testy comments from Councillor Clipsham.

Apparently, the problem is "being looked into."

In other news, want to know how to really provoke council's ire? Suggest raising property taxes to avoid the necessity of a 25 cent transit fare increase.

That's what former mayoral candidate, Jim Elliott, did, and boy howdy, did they let him have it. Normally, when Elliott appears before council to promote his left-wing, radical socialist, hippy agenda, the response is a "seeing no questions, thank you, you may return to the gallery." Tonight there were questions. Questions aplenty.

Elliott's argument was essentially that while a 25 cent fare increase seems small, there was a 15 cent increase in August so the two should be considered together and a 40 cent increase over a calendar year is starting to look a little on the steep side. He suggested that any increase will have a negative impact on low income users of transit and that maybe further fare increases should wait until there are some demonstrable improvements to the transit system.

Under questioning, he suggested that a property tax increase would be preferable to a fare increase as it would spread the impact out farther.

Ignoring Elliott's point that the fare increase they should really be discussing is 40 cents over a year, Councillor Fougere argued that a 25 cent increase is very small and pointed out that the discounted transit passes for low income people are not increasing at all in price. He also wondered aloud if Elliott would rather transit users pay nothing to ride the bus. Elliot said, no, he'd just like to see their contribution to transit not increase at this time.

Councillor Hincks, who seemed very cranky at the suggestion of a tax increase, pointed out that Regina's transit rates, before this hike, is among the lowest in the country. Elliot argued that by keeping our transit fees lower than other cities we're giving ourselves a competitive advantage when it comes to attracting new residents. He didn't take the obvious dig that maybe our transit fees should be lower because our transit system isn't as good as other cities'.

Councillor Clipsham argued that the current ratio of user fees to city subsidization of transit is about right (one third paid for from fees, the rest from municipal coffers). He also asked the administration about the effect on ridership from last year's 15 cent price increase. According to the Director of Transit, David Onodera, ridership increased. This prompted Clipsham to suggest that Elliot's concerns that price hikes would drive people away were unfounded.

Once Elliott was allowed to return to his seat, I think he'd received more direct attention from city hall than during his entire run for mayor.

In the end, council voted unanimously that fares should go up.

Everything else on the agenda also passed unanimously. That includes the Transit Investment Plan and its attendant action plan.

The one exception was a motion made by Councillor Clipsham during discussion of the fare increase. He requested that administration, as part of their comprehensive review of parking, look into the feasibility and desirability of linking transit fares to downtown parking fees. Only councillors Fougere and Findura voted against this.

Oh yeah... A tip to anyone considering appearing as a delegate before council: If you're planning to say something critical of what council is doing -- especially if it has something to do with things like transit, programs for low income people or housing -- be prepared for this question: "Have you brought your concerns to the provincial government?"

Now, to be fair, the point council's making is that some of the stuff that people want to complain to them about is in part, or even wholly, a provincial concern. Still, the question is a great diversion tactic that can throw someone unused to council proceedings right off their game. (I should know. They hit me with a version of this the one time I appeared before council.)

Axe Cop

"One day, at the scene of a fire, the cop found the perfect fireman axe. That was the day he became Axe Cop"


So begins Axe Cop, an online comic strip that is drawn by Ethan Nicholle (age 29), and written by his younger brother Malachai (age 5). According to Ethan, his father has 'very healthy loins.'

The strip is wonderfully drawn, and the storyline should be familiar to anyone who thought or said anything at the age of five.

Read Axe Cop here.

Spoiler: Don't get too attached to Axe Cop's partner, Flute Cop. He becomes Dinosaur Soldier in the first episode!

This Week at City Hall: Transit Plan Part Two, Utilities Budget and Heritage Awards

Monday, February 22
City Council (5:30 pm): Council will be considering the Transit Investment Plan and the transit fare increase. Former mayoral candidate, Jim Elliott, will be speaking before council in favour of the former and in opposition to the latter.

Also, the water and sewer utility budget will be brought forward so that council can review it and then at their March 8 meeting decide whether or not it should be approved. If it does, it recommends a 8.9 per cent utility rate increase.

Council will also be deciding on whether or not it should pursue funding for a new, environmentally friendlier garbage truck and whether they should use debt incurred for the Global Transportation Hub for capital projects. They will also be reviewing the 2010 Regina Municipal Heritage Award recipients.

Tuesday, February 23
Community Services Advisory Committee (5:30 pm): Receiving a presentation on the Transit Investment Plan.

Wednesday, February 24
Regina Planning Commission (4:00 pm): Considering a recommendation to close an unused laneway and incorporate it into a piece of adjacent city property which would then be sold to the Regina Public School Board to facilitate the redevelopment of the Arcola School site. Also, considering an amendment to the Official Community Plan to reflect the addition to the city of land annexed for the Global Transportation Hub. The new territory will be called the West Industrial Lands.

You knew this was coming

In other news, Prime Minister Stephen Harper is demanding that the Vancouver Winter Olympics be prorogued ... (The Globe and Mail).

Pick of the Day: Playwrights Reading Series

From time to time the University of Regina Theate Department, in conjunction with a handful of partners like the Saskatchewan Writers Guild and Saskatchewan Playwrights Centre, presents a reading by a local or visiting playwright. Now, when playwrights write, of course, it's usually with the goal of seeing their work performed by accomplished actors on an evocative set. But before a script is "stage ready" it usually goes through all sorts of readings and workshops to give the playwright a sense of how the work is translating from the page.

Tonight's guest playwright is Stephen Massicotte (pictured). Possessing a BFA in Drama from the University of Calgary, Massicotte has written several award-winning plays that have been produced by theatre companies across Canada, among them Mary's Wedding (2002), The Oxford Roof Climber's Rebellion (2007) and The Clockmaker (2008); and the Jedi Handbooks triology. He's also penned screenplays for Ginger Snaps Back: The Beginning (2004) and The Dark (2005).

He reads tonight at 8 p.m. at the Shu-Box Theatre at Riddell Centre.

Tiki Detritus

You know the Tiki party was a success when you wake to find an unidentified blob on your couch.

The blob says gin is poison.

The blob is wrong.

It was the tequila.

Pick of the Day: Men's Ice Hockey

That's how the sport is listed on the official website of the 2010 Vancouver Winter Olympics. That's to distinguish it from Field Hockey, I guess, which is one of marquee events of the Summer Olympics.


Yes, again I jest. With the summer games, Field Hockey, outside of maybe a few hotbeds like India and Pakistan, does not enjoy a high profile. But when it comes to the winter games, Men's Ice Hockey definitely is one of the top draws. And today on CTV/NBC/Whatever Other Networks Are Involved in Broadcasting the Games at 6:30 p.m. there's a match-up between the United States and Canada that should be the highlight of the preliminary round (although Sweden vs Finland, and Russia vs Czech Republic, which are also on today, should be okay games too).

Lacking cable TV, I didn't see a millisecond of Canada's first game against Norway, an 8-0 spanking on Feb. 16. I did catch the last two periods of their game against the Swiss on Feb. 18 at a friend's place. Canada certainly had the better of the play in their 3-2 shoot-out win, but the Swiss were very definitely no push over. Led by goalie Ryan Miller, meanwhile, the U.S. recorded a hard-fought 3-1 victory over Switizerland on Feb. 16, and then dispatched Norway 6-1 on Feb. 18.

Against the Swiss, the Canadians had trouble finishing, and they also were prone to reckless giveaways on defence. I'm not sure exactly what playoff format the Olympics follow once the preliminary round is over, but regardless of the outcome of today's game both Canada and the U.S. will advance to the next round.

The men's semi-finals are set for Feb. 26, while the gold medal game will be played on Feb. 28. Will they meet again down the road? Perhaps. But both Sweden and Russia look to have strong teams too, so a gold medal appearance by either team is by no means assured (unlike in Women's Ice Hockey, where it would take an upset of seismic proportions for there to not be a Canada vs U.S. gold medal showdown).

Famous Last Words

Two bang-up articles for fans of film critic Roger Ebert, medicare, and the meaning of life. Ebert has had several surgeries to remove cancer which has left him jawless, speechless, and full of beans.

The first is an excellent review of the term 'death panel' in the health care 'debate', where he talks of the beauty of a term that so efficiently shuts down reason, even though it appears to have dropped out of the stupid mouth of Sarah Palin.

Luckily, Ebert was old enough to qualify for Medicare just as his own benefits ran out, exhausted by the severity of his illness, and the multiple surgeries to keep him alive and (mostly) in one piece. One of the many kickers in his article is that every member of the House of Representatives and Senate receives universal health care, no matter what their age. "You should try it some time," says Ebert. (Chicago Sun-Times)

The other is a long, beautiful article on Ebert in Esquire by writer Chris Jones. Totally worth the read.

"I believe that if, at the end of it all, according to our abilities, we have done something to make others a little happier, and something to make ourselves a little happier, that is about the best we can do. To make others less happy is a crime. To make ourselves unhappy is where all crime starts. We must try to contribute joy to the world. That is true no matter what our problems, our health, our circumstances. We must try. I didn't always know this, and am happy I lived long enough to find it out."

Saturday Morning Cartoon

This the third Oscar nominated animated short film. It's called La dama y la muerte or The Lady and the Reaper. It's written and directed by Spanish animator Javier Recio García.

It's about an old woman who is waiting for death so she can rejoin her departed husband. Things don't go as planned.

Maybe it's my dark sense of humour but I find this one to be pretty funny and surreal.

Pick of the Day: The Oscars

Not the real Oscars, of course. Those will be held March 7 in La-La-Land. Should prove interesting, what with this being the first year of the expansion of the Best Picture nominee list from five to ten to reflect all the fine films that Hollywood and its affiliated independent studios are producing these days.

I jest, of course. Back in 1939 there may have been ten films that deserved serious consideration for Best Picture (with films like The Wizard of Oz, Gone With the Wind and Mr. Smith Goes to Washington released, 1939 is hailed as the greatest in Hollywood history, and is being used now to justify doubling the number of Best Picture candidates). But there's more than a few nominees this year, I suspect, that aren't exactly destined to be remembered as cinematic classics. The Blind Side? Really? Up in the Air? Clooney being cloy. Up? Avatar?

No, the decision to rachet up the number of Best Picture nominees is nothing but a blatant marketing ploy by Hollywood. But enough grousing. Tonight at Conexus Arts Centre, the Regina Symphony Orchestra presents its annual tribute to Hollywood movie music. We're not talking about those soundtracks stuffed with pop hits that some directors rely on to trigger emotion in the audience either. This is music that's been composed specifically for movies.

For years, this type of work was derrided in classical circles for being decidedly low art. But over the decades, plenty of great scores have been written. Here's your chance to hear some of the them performed live by a 60 or so member orchestra.

As an added bonus, people who attend are encouaged to dress up as their favourite movie star. If I was going, here's who I'd be. What about you?

Regina Writer Nominated for Prize

It was announced today that veteran Regina writer Connie Gault had made the regional short-list for the Commonwealth Writers' Prize for her 2009 novel Euphoria. Published by Coteau Books, the story is set in Regina in the immediate aftermath of the 1912 cyclone. A young woman named Orillia Cooper wakes up in the hospital with no idea of who she is and how she got there. She's soon visited by a woman named Gladdie McConnell who expresses concern for her welfare. From there the story flashes back to Toronto in the 1880s where we learn about the origins of their relationship.

Administered by the Commonwealth Foundation, the Writers' Prize includes both Best Book and Best First Book categories. In the initial round, six or seven books in each category are nominated in four regions: Africa, Caribbean & Canada, South Asia & Europe and South East Asia & Pacific. Past Canadian nominees include Alice Munro, Austin Clarke and Anne Michaels.

According to the Commonwealth Foundation, once finalists in each region are determined, they will be brought together in Dehli, India where the winners for the Best Book and First Book awards will be announced on April 12.

So good luck to Connie.

Friday Afternoon Kitty!

I used to watch this strangely hypnotic video on a regular basis when I was in university. This would usually result in the song being stuck in my head for days. Years later, I still catch myself singing it to myself sometimes-- saying sexy things to myself when I'm dancing.

It's an internet oldie by now, but nonetheless IT WILL HAUNT YOUR DREAMS.