Rock the House just a little bit more

A few more pics to accompany Gregory Beatty's
article "Rock the House" in the current issue.

Pictured are The Wooden Sky and Matt Goud

Photography by Carey Shaw

Regina Election Update

Shawn Kuster has declared his intention to run against Louis Browne in Ward 1. I'm just pulling this information off the Election Twitter feed so I've no details on who Kuster is, but I'm wondering if he's the same Shawn Kuster who's a strength and conditioning coach for the UofR Rams.

Also, Debra Conlin has submitted nomination papers and will be running for trustee in Subdivision 6.

New Dog!

Hello hello, and how are you? Well, I hope? Enjoying the weather? Keeping healthy? I hope so. Say--what about a new issue of prairie dog? There's one out today! And as usual, it's packed with interesting things to read. Here's an overview!

THE DOCTOR WARS Last month I was sitting in a bar with good friend and prairie dog restaurant reviewer Dave Margoshes, who pointed out that some publication needed to run a story comparing the Saskatchewan doctor's strike of 1962 to the ongoing U.S. mental meltdown over health care. This was probably around the time that Arizona asshole walked around in public with an assault rifle to to imtimidate health care supporters. Well, if you want something done right, you've got to do it yourself. Dave's feature, a must-read, is our cover story this issue.

ROCK MY HOUSE Gregory Beatty infiltrates a house party where the entertainment is top notch--awesome, touring band The Wooden Sky and excellent local band Libray Voices (AKA a sure-fire 2011 Polaris prize nominee, you just wait and see, buddy).

FREE THE PANHANDLERS Regina needs to stop fining beggars for begging, says the Canadian Civil Liberties Association. I agree 8000 per cent.

ALSO! An interview with Final Fantasy's Owen Pallett, CD reviews, News Quirks, Queen City Confidential, Ask Greg, an update on Regina's now-official Downtown Plan, Street Wear, several wildlyentertaining Top 6s, a look at the fabric art show at the Art Gallery of Regina, and basically a whole ton of other stuff. Pick it up free at something like 400 locations city-wide.

Six In The Morning

1 BECAUSE IT'S WORKED SO WELL FOR AMERICA The Conservatives want to convert Canada's prison system to a U.S.-style, punishment-based model. But smarter people than our angry, ideologiocally-blinkered PM say it's stupid, stupid, stupid idea. (CBC)

2 NUKE RESOLVE The United Nations talks sorta tough about countries who want nuclear weapons. They mean countries like Iran and North Korea, not countries like Russia, the United States and Britain., of course. (New York Times)

3 POLYGAMY PROTECTED Tow Canadian polygamists in British Columbia had charges against them tossed out yesterday. Which is a problem if, in fact, they're running brainwashing sex cults as some have alleged. (Wanted: legal framework to differentiate adults--who should be allowed to make make their own decisions about life, love and partnership--from exploitive cults.) (Toronto Star)

4 BIG HIV BREAKTHROUGH Go science! (Guardian)

5 UNBELIEVABLY SELF-SERVING MARKETING GIMMICK A HUGE SUCCESS Look, I support daily newspapers and all, but, ugh. (Star Phoenix)

6 PUBLIC NEEDS TO CARE ABOUT DEMOCRACY City elections are important, says prof. Know what? Prof is right. (Leader-Post)

A Contender for Mayor Steps into the Ring

Just found out via the city election Twitter feed that Jim Elliott has submitted nomination papers for mayor. Elliott, as some may remember, was voted prairie dog reader's Eco-Warrior for 2008.

In other election news, the Leader Post is reporting that John Findura, a water heater technician and community organizer, will run for council in Ward 5. That's Bill Gray's ward and still no word from the veteran councillor if he will run again.

Pick of the Day: Val Halla

In the last few years, a number of stylish new coffeeshops have opened in downtown Regina. They're okay, I guess. But none of them has the character and charm that the downtown Roca Jacks had in its heyday. With its expansive second floor, far removed from the noisy espresso machine and the chatter of the coffee break crowd, and with a balcony overlooking Victoria Park, it was a perfect place for me to conduct interviews with authors, curators, artists and other creative/intellectual types that I was writing on.

I started going there in the mid-90s. And over the years, especially after I got a laptop in 2001, I did a lot of work there. People from all walks of life used to frequent the shop, and hang out there. It was uber-hip. Uber-cool. With a great summer patio. And a real arty, egalitarian vibe.

Over the years, plenty of young people worked there as baristas. Near the end, Valerie McLeod joined the staff. In the time she was there, I had occasion to chat with her about various gigs that were happening in the city. Later, she moved to Vancouver and embarked on a music career of her own. In 2006, she released a self-titled CD. In Regina last year, she collaborated with Def 3 on a track from his CD Drumbo.

While she considers herself a rock artist, Val recently spent some time in Nashville. "I went to Nashville to learn from some of the best songwriters in the industry," she says. "Not only has my writing improved, but so has my guitar playing & singing. There's nothing like being the rookie in a city of veterans to make one step up their game!"

If you check out her show at O'Hanlon's Pub tonight, here's a taste of what you'll experience. (YouTube)

Six At Night

1. OBAMA ROCKS THE UN: At home, he's starting to seem a little gutless. But his speech at the UN -- which called for more cooperation between nations -- was a big hit. (Guardian)

2. CANADA SAYS NO TO LIMITS ON BANKERS' BONUSES: While the G20 nations are working out ways to limit executive bonuses in the banking sector, it looks like Finance Minister Flaherty is prepping to break ranks and leave bonuses in Canada's banking sector untouched. (Progressive Economics Forum)

3. YOUR STUFF IS SAFER... YOU? NOT SO MUCH: Crime stats in Regina from January to August show property crime has gone down a fair bit over last year, but crimes against people are up a smidge. (Leader Post)

4. CANADA BOYCOTTS IRANIAN SPEECH: The Canadian delegation to the UN participated in a walk out of a speech by Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad. (CBC)

5. UNION DENIES HELLS ANGELS LINK: The head of a Quebec construction union denies allegations the Hells Angels bike gang were involved in his election. (CBC)

6. UWE BOLL FILM MAY NOT SUCK: His movies are so utterly horrid -- and not in that funny-good-bad way -- I find it somehow newsworthy that an early review of Uwe Boll's film Rampage is a good review. A very good review. (film.com)

Pick of the Day: Blow Your House In

I interviewed Australian artist Vernon Ah Kee when he was in town for a month-long residency at the MacKenzie Gallery in early September. As I noted in an article that ran in our Sept. 10 issue, I got a quick look at the central portrait, but didn't see any of the 50 other smaller-scale drawings that he was doing for this exhibition -- which is on display at the gallery until Jan. 3.

For generations of Canadians in search of adventure, Australia has been the destination of choice. Exotic, yet civilized. Friendly, prosperous, and sub-tropical, just like us (except for the sub-tropical part). And to top it all off, we share a common heritage as part of the British Commonwealth.

But while similarities exist between Canada and Australia, we are not identical. In its region, Australia is a dominant power. Canada, meanwhile, shares a border with you know who. Indeed, in conversations I've had with people familiar with Australia and its much smaller neighbour New Zealand, the comparison's been made that as New Zealand is to Australia, Canada is to the U.S. Which maybe helps explain some of what Ah Kee and I talked about.

As brutally as Canada has treated its First Nations and Metis people since colonization began in the 17th century, he said, we're regular Ghandis compared to the Aussies and their treatment of aboriginal people. In this show, Ah Kee doesn't huff and puff, but he does present dozens of drawings and text works that challenge the oh-so-comfy perception that most Canadians have of Australia -- and of themselves in relation to aboriginal people here, for that matter.

Definitely worth a look. And today would be as good a day as any.

City Tweeting the Election

Recently, a hawk-eyed dog-blog reader pointed out that, contrary to my earlier claim, Ward 3 is not the only contested ward in the municipal election. I concede, I blogged too hastily, my information was grotesquely out of date.

Anyway, in the course of actually doing some research on the field of candidates as opposed to just typing from out my ass, I discovered that city hall is posting via "The Twitter" up-to-the-minute info on who has officially declared their intention to run for council or school board.

I'm signed up and checking it obsessively. Huzzah! First worthwhile thing I've seen "The Twitter" used for.

For my own edification more than anything, here's how things are breaking down at 8:42pm September 22 (asterisks on the incumbents)....

PUBLIC SCHOOL BOARD
Subdivision 2: Barbara Young*
Subdivision 3: Dale West*, Dr. Shauneen Pete, Larry Davis
Subdivision 4: Cindy Anderson
Subdivision 5: Carla Beck
Subdivision 7: Angela Fraser

SEPARATE SCHOOL BOARD
Gerald Kleisinger*, Rick Turchenek*

CITY COUNCIL
Ward 1: Louis Browne*
Ward 2: Jocelyn Hutchinson*, Heather McIntyre
Ward 3: Fred Clipsham*, Don Young, Shirley Dixon, John Conway
Ward 4: Michael Fougere*
Ward 6: Wade Murray*, Brenda Mercer
Ward 7: Sharon Bryce*, Danny Berehula
Ward 8: Michael O'Donnell*
Ward 9: Terry Hincks*
Ward 10: Jerry Flegel*

MAYOR
Pat Fiacco*


For the record, this list includes everyone who has filed their nomination papers as well as those who have declared their intention to run to the media. It's (very) possible that I've missed some nugget of information out there so if you notice I've overlooked someone, please, let me know in the comments or via the e-mail.

Anyway, things worth noting on the city council front, seems there's no word from Ward 5 councillor Bill Gray on if he's planning to run again.

Over in the public school board race, no word (that I'm aware of) from subdivision 1 trustee Russ Marchuk, subdivision 4 trustee Rhonda Parisian, subdivision 6 trustee Barb Saylor, and subdivision 7 trustee Garry Schenher. In the separate school race, no word from trustees Paul Malone, Donna Ziegler, Jerry Adams, nor from board chair Robert Bresciani and deputy chair Vicky Bonnell.

UPDATE: Thanks to dogblog reader Laura who guided me to a post by dogblogger Stephen LaRose (I swear I read it when it went up I just... forgot, honest), I've added Heather McIntyre to Ward 2.

Yeee-Ikes Things Are Getting Weird Down There

According to a survey by Public Policy Polling, 18 per cent of New Jersey conservatives believe that Barrack Obama is the Antichrist. Even creepier is that 17 per cent are on the fence. In New Jersey.

Brrrr.