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Kera McArthur

admin — Tue, 26 Aug 2008 14:53:39 -0500

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thinkcity.ca

Author

Chair of Think City’s Dream Vancouver, a public consultation and policy development process for citizens of Vancouver

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Whatcha readin’, Kera? I always try to have at least two books on the go: fiction for my right brain and non-fiction for my left brain. Right now, my left-brain book is Good to Great by Jim Collins.

What’s it about? Good to Great is an in-depth study of how companies make the leap from performing well to performing extremely well.

Desert-island material or door-stopper? If I was stranded on a desert island with a group of people, like in Lost, this book would definitely be a must-have. Instead of spending all that time fighting and scheming, we could set up a local market-based economy with well-run corporate structures.

What is your favourite book of all time? Pride and Prejudice. Hands down. I’ve read it almost 10 times. Jane Austen is one of the most astute social observers in English literature. She managed to create a novel that is both a timeless story of romance and a perfect snapshot of her culture and time.

Given the choice, would you rather be Pride and Prejudice’s Elizabeth Bennett, or Nancy Drew? Despite my love of Elizabeth Bennett, I’d have to go with Nancy Drew. Elizabeth had to spend a lot of time looking busy in drawing rooms. Having to put all that meaning into conversations about cards or sewing or the weather seems exhausting. But Nancy Drew, she got to have all kinds of wacky adventures in pursuit of the truth. All that sleuthing around looks like way more fun!

If we looked at your bookshelf we’d be surprised to see… Walking a Sacred Path: Rediscovering the Labyrinth as a Spiritual Practice by Lauren Artress. Most of my friends don’t think of me as a spiritual person, but I’m kind of obsessed with labyrinths. Walking the labyrinth is a great metaphor for life, as well as an excellent form of meditation.

If you could spend 30 minutes with any author—alive or dead—who would it be? William Shakespeare. I have a Master’s degree in Shakespeare and Renaissance Drama, so I spent a lot of time studying his work.

How would you spend those precious 30 minutes? I’d want hear the stories of his life. We know almost nothing about Shakespeare’s biography. That’s a real shame because people’s stories, not the annual trade in wool or GDP, help us truly understand different societies and cultures.

—Erica Gehrke

Mixed Media | Events

admin — Wed, 27 Aug 2008 13:25:25 -0500

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IN SEARCH OF THE MIRACULOUS: HEALING INTO CONSCIOUSNESS

Eliza Mada Dalian offers a fresh perspective for transformation of the self, society, and the planet. She presents a step-by-step guidebook for spiritual awakening, demystifying the truth about self-realization in a practical and simple-to-follow manner. Sept. 9, 7–9 pm, Alice MacKay Room, Central Library (350 W. Georgia St.).
Free. Info: 604-331-3603

IS HUMAN RIGHTS HISTORY?

Join Stephen Hammond, author of Steps in the Rights Direction: 365 Human Rights Celebrations and Tragedies that Inspired Canada and the World, as he ponders whether Canada is moving forward or backward in its commitment to human rights. Sept. 15, 7 pm, Alice MacKay Room, Central Library (350 W. Georgia St.). Free. Info: 604-331-3603

THE CLIMATE DIET: HOW YOU CAN CUT CARBON, CUT COSTS, AND SAVE THE PLANET

In his new book, author Jonathan Harrington explains climate change concepts and summarizes problems and solutions in ways that are easy to understand. Following a five-step climate diet plan, you will learn how to count carbon calories and reduce your carbon footprint. Sept. 11, 7:30 pm, Alice MacKay Room, Central Library (350 W. Georgia St.). Free. Info: 604-331-3603

MIRIAM TOEWS

The bestselling author of A Complicated Kindness reads from her new book, The Flying Troutmans. Joan Barfoot will also be reading from her new novel, Exit Lines. Sept. 15, 7:30 pm, Granville Island Stage (1585 Johnston St.). Tickets ($13-$15) available at vancouvertix.com or 604-629-8849. Info: writersfest.bc.ca

27TH ANNUAL VANCO UVER INTERNATIONAL FILM FEST

A Vancouver favourite, this festival features more than 350 films from 60 countries in 15 days. In addition to many undiscovered gems, the international lineup includes top picks from the world’s biggest film fests. Many of them may not come this way again, so mark your calendar. Sept. 25 to Oct. 10. Info and complete lineup of films: viff.org

Editors’ Picks

admin — Mon, 25 Aug 2008 13:08:09 -0500

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King of California (DVD)
starring Michael Douglas
(SpiritualCinemaCircle.com ; free trial membership)

The story of a difficult, dysfunctional, and absolutely devoted relationship of father and daughter, King of California is driven by Charlie (Michael Douglas), a brilliant eccentric whom we meet as he’s released from a mental institution (cured or otherwise, we do not know). But the twisted and quirky, surreal events that follow propel his teenage daughter Miranda (gracefully played by Evan Rachel Wood) into an unfathomable set of circumstances that compromises her link to normalcy—but never the love for her out-of-control father. This entertaining story is a provocative poke at relationship boundaries that pushes us to think about our own family challenges.

—Rebecca Ephraim

THE WISDOM OF DONKEYS: Finding Tranquility in a Chaotic World (Book)
by Andy Merrifield
(Greystone, $22.95)

If you yawn at the idea of a 240-page meditation on donkeys, then steel yourself for an adventure of positively equine proportions. Author Andy Merrifield left his unfulfilling life in NYC to embrace the simple pleasures of the South of France. This story follows Andy and his long-eared friend, Gribouille, on their journey through Haute-Auvergne, where Andy muses on life, the universe, and everything—all in relation to donkeys. Peppered with references to famous donkeys in literature (who knew there were so many?), this book will give you a whole new appreciation—and respect—for these gentle, wise, and misunderstood animals.

—Tamara Letkeman

STEER MADNESS (Computer Game)
(Veggie Games Inc., $24.95)

Who says video games will cause the downfall of society? Steer Madness lets you escape from the slaughterhouse (what could be more exciting than that?) and then race to save chickens in your electric car! Peruse the local organic food store or join an environmental demonstration in a virtual world where you can make a difference—and rack up the extra lives and bonus points at the same time. Buy it for your favourite jaded teenager, but don’t be surprised if you end up losing a few hours to it yourself. Available at Sweet Cherubim (1105 Commercial Dr.) and Vegetarian Resource Centre (2250 Commercial Dr.). Downloadable version coming soon to steermadness.com .

—Stephanie MacDonald

Mixed Media | Events

admin — Tue, 29 Jul 2008 19:06:31 -0500

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Festival Vancouver A two-week festival replete with musical performances from around the world. This year’s creative and eclectic program of classical, opera, jazz, world, chamber, choral, and early music offers a unique spotlight on Music of the Americas, bringing together performers from Argentina, Brazil, Cuba, and the USA to Canada. Aug. 3–17; complete festival program details and tickets at festivalvancouver.ca or Ticketmaster (604-280-3311).

Super Patriots and Morons A political satire about a ruling government political party and its despotic leader, set in a country suffering from severe food shortages and fuel and food queues. Banned in Zimbabwe, last year the play was shortlisted for the Amnesty International U.K. Freedom of Expression Award. Directed by Pasi Gunguwo and featuring a local cast, both performances will be followed by a talkback session with members of the cast and other guest speakers. Aug. 8–9, 7:30 pm, UBC Frederic Wood Theatre (6354 Crescent Rd). Tickets ($10-$15) can be reserved by calling 604-294-5160 or by e-mailing pro@amnesty.ca.

World Poetry This bilingual evening hosted by Ariadne Sawyer and Alejandro Mujica-Olea presents poetry and music from around the world, featuring poets Senka Kovacevic, Ben Nuttall-Smith, Seann Traviller, and Alex Winstanley. Aug. 25, 7:30 pm, Alma VanDusen Room, Central Library (350 W. Georgia St.). Free. Info: 604-331-3603.

THREE-DAY NOVEL CONTEST Join thousands of writers all over the globe for a run in the world’s most notorious literary marathon—to produce an entire novel in a mere 72 hours. The winning writer will be published in summer 2009. Prizes and fun stuff for everyone who makes the shortlist. Aug. 31–Sept. 1. Registration and info: 3daynovel.com

QUEER FILM FESTIVAL Celebrating 20 years of queer film, fun, and community, experience workshops, panel discussions, and presentations. Aug.14–24, various venues around the city including Cinemark Tinseltown, Vancity Theatre, and Emily Carr Institute of Art + Design. Tickets ($7-$10) available at Little Sister’s Book and Art Emporium, and online. Info and film listings: queerfilmfestival.ca

Gordon Price

admin — Thu, 31 Jul 2008 13:54:25 -0500

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pricetags.ca

Author

Director, the SFU City Program

Content

Whatcha readin’? The Trillion Dollar Meltdown by Charles R. Morris. Bad Money by Kevin Phillips.

What are they about? Quick, explain “Collaterized Debt Obligations.” How about “Structured Investment Vehicles”? I thought so. But not to worry, even those dudes who buy and sell this stuff can’t explain them either.

On the other hand, worry. Apparently we have a financial system gone wild beyond comprehension. We can’t even talk about it since most of us, including the media, can’t grasp the complexity. And that’s why these books are so helpful: short, incisive, revelatory. At least you’ll be able to talk about it.

Who do you recommend these books to, and why? Clearly, some of the pinstriped risk-takers who should have known better if they had read a little economic history, and realized that wild parties inevitably come to a hangover-inducing end.

Guilty pleasure time. What kind of mind candy do you sometimes read? Well, there are some gossip-and-picture [web]sites that I find weirdly attractive. It’s like a long-running serial with attractively clad characters.

If we looked at your bookshelf we’d be surprised to see… I doubt anyone would be surprised to see a copy of Death and Life of Great American Cities by Jane Jacobs on my bookshelf. But in my last year on council, Jane Jacobs came to City Hall for a meeting of Big-City Mayors, and so I grabbed this, her most famous book, for an autograph. I was surprised to see that it was a first edition (OK, paperback version, but still…), which means that I must have bought it when I was just out of diapers. I realize now what a profound influence that single volume had, now surrounded by dozens of books on cities and urban design—none of which are as important or as insightful as that brittle, much, much-cherished paperback.

They say that everyone has one great novel in them. What would yours be about? The West End—a serial in many, many parts. Many have tried (most recently [the TV series] Robson Arms) but nothing has captured the artifice and serendipity of my neighbourhood. What an opportunity for an updated Dickens: so many characters, in a setting that invites coincidence, in a comedy/tragedy of contemporary manners.

—Erica Gehrke

Editors’ Picks

admin — Tue, 29 Jul 2008 18:54:45 -0500

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Conscious Business: How to Build Value Through Values (Three-CD set/audio download)
by Fred Kofman(Sounds True, $24.95)

If you’ve not heard of author/consultant Fred Kofman, you’ve certainly heard of Google (unless you live in a cave—without wireless). So you likely know that as a company, Google does a lot of things right. And let me tell you, their staff loves Fred Kofman (see his Authors@Google presentation on YouTube). In this CD program (adapted from his book), Fred presents techniques to “succeed beyond success” as you face the challenges of work. The number of people who hate their jobs is stunning… you may be one of them. Here’s your first step toward skillfully aligning your life with making a living.
—Rebecca Ephraim

Gardening at the Dragon’s Gate: At Work in the Wild and Cultivated World (Book)
by Wendy Johnson(Bantam, $25)

For those with a couple of acres lying fallow, Gardening at the Dragon’s Gate is a rich resource of what to grow, and where. But Wendy Johnson’s book is an inspiring and engaging read for anyone trying to find harmony in life. Wendy uses her long tenure as head gardener at Green Gulch Farm Zen Center to illustrate that weeds are as valuable as flowers and that pests are as integral to a garden as vegetables. Spirituality balanced by practicality is the soul of the Dragon’s Gate philosophy, and it is proffered with Wendy’s signature earthy wit and intelligence.
—Stephanie MacDonald

WORKERS OF THE WORLD RELAX: The Jevons Paradox (Streaming Video)
by RagTag Productions(workersoftheworldrelax.org , free)

More efficient technology is good, right? Sure, but it won’t save the world. Because the more efficient a technology becomes, the more goods and services we can produce with it—using the same amount of labour. Traditionally, we offset these gains by producing even more stuff. But this video, a documentary version of a chapter of Conrad Schmidt’s book Workers of the World Relax, urges us to—gasp—offset the gains by increasing our leisure time instead. The message is simple: work less, produce less, consume less. A beautiful concept for a finite planet unable to sustain infinite growth.
—Tamara Letkeman

Veda Hille

admin — Sat, 28 Jun 2008 15:43:18 -0500

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Veda Hille Independent musician and in-house composer for Vancouver’s Theatre Replacement vedahille.com

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What’s on your iPod?

Well, gosh, a lot of stuff. Just looking randomly at the N section here: Neutral Milk Hotel, Neil Young, Nico, No Kids, Nat King Cole...

Cutting-edge or cacophony?

I have both those things, yes.

Guilty pleasure time: If we jacked into your shuffle, we’d be surprised to hear…

I try hard not to feel guilty about music. There are so many other guilts. But surprising? How about Twiggy? That surprised me the other day. I still don’t know everything that’s on that damn machine.

Your favourite song of all time is…

my favourites change all the time. Lately I’m obsessed with the song “Myriad Harbour” by Dan Bejar/The New Pornographers.

You wouldn’t be caught dead listening to…

Howard Stern. Best music for working up a sweat (at the gym or otherwise)? I just figured out how to make a playlist on my iPod, and I’m totally excited about my “gym bunny” mix. It’s got Le Tigre, the Streets, the Kinks, Gwen Stefani, Elvis Costello, Belle and Sebastian, the Go-Go’s... I love it. Of course, if we’re talking about sexy sweat, I’ll always go for Nick Cave: darker, slower, and fairly kinky. Rrrrrrr.

Music that brings back the most wonderful memories?

My husband Justin and his friend Randy deejay at our parties, and those are some of the best times I’ve ever had, dancing with my friends to “Surrender” by Cheap Trick, “Hey Ya” by Outkast, “I Will Survive” (the Cake version), and all the Prince songs. Heaven.

If you could hang out with any musician—living or dead— who would it be?

Judee Sill.

Who is your favourite Canadian band?

Again, I shy away from favourites. I love Christine Fellows, Ida Nilsen, John Southworth, Kim Barlow, Final Fantasy, the Hidden Cameras, the Weakerthans, the Rheostatics... a long list.

What was the last live music event you attended?

I just finished a tour with my band, and on our day off in Berlin we got to go see my husband’s band, No Kids, playing with Why? and Mount Eerie at the Volksbühne [theatre]. Oh, and then on another day off we saw a beautiful show of Brecht songs in an old room that hadn’t been used since 1943. Gorgeous.

If there were a soundtrack to your life it would be…

hopefully very long and varied.

—Erica Gehrke

Editor's Picks - July 2008

admin — Sat, 28 Jun 2008 15:42:50 -0500

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The Flight of the Hummingbird: A Parable for the Environment (Book) by Michael Nicoll Yahgulanaas (Greystone Books, $16)

Yeah, we’re all experiencing a little eco-fatigue these days, but don’t let that stop you from grabbing a copy of this inspirational little book. Its message: “The environment does not need fixing. It is our behaviour in relation to it that needs to change.” Bookended with wise words about conscious living from Nobel Peace Prize winners the Dalai Lama and Wangari Maathai, this simple yet moving parable (done up in Haida-slash-Japanese manga style) of a hummingbird brings home the message that however small an action may be, it can make a difference. —Erica Gehrke

Lily Come Down (CD) self-titled (Wound Up Records, $15)

Kicking back to the 11 tracks on this local indie act’s latest offering reminds me of long, sunny afternoons at the Winnipeg Folk Festival. The gentle pluckings of banjo, stand-up bass, and the vocalists’ pitch-perfect, two-part harmony may have you dreaming of simpler, sweeter times—but don’t be fooled: though the sound is classic folk, the songs focus squarely on the urban experience in all its heartbreaking glory. Check out the mournful “Old City,” where a woman dreams of escaping the din and drama of East Hastings. Buy the CD direct from lilycomedown.com. —Tamara Letkeman

1 Giant Leap: What About Me? (DVD) by Duncan Bridgeman and Jamie Catto (19 Entertainment, $39)

Bridgeman and Catto, both British musicians, circled the globe for four years collecting wisdom and musical jewels to create the DVD/album mosaic What About Me? Starting with pre-composed backing tracks, the music grows as the voices of stars like Michael Stipe, Ben Harper, and k.d. lang seamlessly mix with the traditional music of the Bedouins and Gabonese pygmies. The music is punctuated by interviews with such luminaries as Eckhart Tolle and Bhagavan Das, but What About Me? also draws from the wisdom of regular folks; unscripted conversations reveal how we are all connected, not only through our beliefs, but most of all, through our darkness. —Bruce Skipper

Linda Solomon

admin — Sun, 01 Jun 2008 16:57:54 -0500

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Award-winning journalist and publisher of the online newspaper The Vancouver Observer thevancouverobserver.com

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Photo by Brian Powell Photo

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Whatcha readin’? Stupid to the Last Drop: How Alberta Is Bringing Environmental Armageddon to Canada (And Doesn’t Seem to Care) by William Marsden.

What’s it about? It’s about how Canadians are selling their energy reserves to Americans at bargain-basement prices, with no thought to conservation or the long-term needs of the nation—much less to global climate change.

Desert island material or doorstop? Reads like an adventure thriller; it’s full of urgent, get-off-your-butt information.

Who should read this book, and why? No. 1: Stephen Harper. No. 2: Alberta premier Ed Stelmach. No. 3: Canadians and Americans who vote. It describes a quiet corporate-governmental collaboration. The effect of this partnership on ordinary citizens amounts to a complex and chilling violation of human rights, loss of jurisdiction over private property, and degradation of health.

If we looked at your bookshelf we’d be surprised to see… really dumb stuff like The Sexy Years by Suzanne Somers.

Guilty pleasure time. What kind of mind candy do you sometimes read? This is going to make me feel so busted, but here I go: I occasionally pick up Star magazine. Those celebrities are just so bad they’re good.

If you could spend 30 minutes with any author—alive or dead—who would it be? The author of the Ten Commandments. Just kidding. Isaac Bashevis Singer. I’ve read every one of his books, and through him I’ve learned so much about myself and my lost history. He writes about the Jewish culture that got wiped out in Poland during World War II. He never mentions the war, just tells the most wonderful stories about life as it was. He makes it come alive. He won the Nobel Prize in Literature, and it was extremely well-deserved. When he died, I cried.

How would you spend those precious 30 minutes? I’d thank him. I’d also ask what he thought of the world right now. Is it the same as it’s always been, or different, as we imagine? His stories are about a lost world, but reading them, one has the feeling that the nature of human struggles and the source of human joy hasn’t changed at all.

They say that everyone has one great novel in them. What would yours be about? It would be about what every great novel is about: the human condition.

—Erica Gehrke

Budding writers: Join Linda at Hollyhock this summer for her five-day workshop, “Writing Start to Finish.” E-mail registration@hollyhock.ca for more information.

Editor's Picks

admin — Mon, 02 Jun 2008 18:33:56 -0500

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STIRING IT UP: How to Make Money and Save the World (Book)
by Gary Hirshberg
(Hyperion, $24.95)

Gary Hirshberg, the “CE-Yo” of Stonyfield Farm Organic Yogurt, doesn’t just talk sustainability; he walks it—all the way to the bank. The former eco-activist recounts Stonyfield’s history in this lively, engaging page-turner, from its modest beginnings on a seven-cow farm in New Hampshire to a $300 million-a-year business that has actually increased its profits by incorporating environmental practices. But Stirring It Up is also a call-out to other business owners to get off their assets and colour their companies green—and fast. For as Hirshberg maintains: “Business is the answer to the planet’s predicament.” —Tamara Letkeman

The Happiness Prescription: The Secret to Experiencing a Joyful Life
(DVD) by Deepak Chopra
(Gaiam, $24.98)

Deepak Chopra is one of those rare, wise elders who has the gift of making himself accessible to nearly anybody who has the slightest inkling of wanting more out of life. This time he tackles the pursuit of happiness in his warm, storytelling style and, astutely, includes a second DVD that leads the student through “getting in touch” exercises (he uses a group setting that lends a nice comfort level). The take-home message: being happy is a skill anyone can acquire. Ultimately, it’s about deeper fulfillment, but not the kind you get from acquiring one more bright and shiny thing.
—Rebecca Ephraim

Buddha~Bar X (CD) by various artists
(Wagram Music, $39.99)

The Buddha~Bar series of avant-garde lounge and chill-out compilations originated from the exclusive Buddha Bar restaurant in Paris. Buddha~Bar X is the tenth CD in 10 years, and DJ Ravin has blended an exotic mix of acoustic electro vibes from the four corners of the globe. The two-disc set (32 tracks total) offers up a juicy mix of world rhythms and vocals, cyber-ethnic riffs, and down-tempo club beats that will appeal to a wide audience. After a decade of addictive venue compilations, Buddha~Bar has given the world another gem destined for iPods and Zunes all over the world.
—Bruce Skipper