Vol. 20 Iss. 26

Volume 20 Issue 26 - 07/06/2012

Editorial – Ghost House

Home selling is hardly a hassle-free experience. Gone are the days when one could put out a sign and hope for the best. But amid all our efforts to get things where they need to be, one thing has stood out?and It’s not the paperwork or the market analyses or even the frantic calculations far… Read more »

Around AU

YouTubing AU As I’ve mentioned before, AU’s YouTube channel houses videos from AU Press. But it is also home to a video channel for Athabasca University itself. While the AU Press channel has been dormant for the past two years, AU is continually updating the Athabasca University channel, with content added just last month. The… Read more »

From Where I Sit – Celebrating Canada

No one would dispute the merits of mindfulness any more than we’d argue against motherhood or apple pie. What’s not to like? It promises us serenity, gratitude, awareness. It forces us to slow down despite the push and pull of our daily responsibilities. It ensures that we stop the insanity long enough to notice and… Read more »

The Mindful Bard – And Everything Is Going Fine

Film: And Everything is Going Fine (Washington Square Films 2012) Director: Steven Soderbergh Genre: Documentary ?Make no mistake about people who leap from burning windows . . . It’s not desiring the fall; It’s terror of the flames. And yet nobody down on the sidewalk, looking up and yelling ?don’t!? and ?Hang on!? can understand… Read more »

Health Matters – Hot and Sweaty

The summer is upon us, and yes, It’s pretty warm out there. If you’ve spent any time outdoors?or you don’t have access to air conditioning?chances are you’ve been sweating. But have you ever thought about sweat and the process of perspiration? The Basics Why do we sweat? Heat-induced sweating occurs when the body attempts to… Read more »

In Conversation With . . . Hauschka, Part I

?I can’t understand why people are frightened of new ideas. I’m frightened of the old ones.? John Cage ?Ideas are one thing and what happens is another.? John Cage Replicating Electronic Experimentation on an Acoustic Instrument Hauschka is the pseudonym of German pianist Volker Bertelmann. Classically trained from childhood, he used his percussive piano skills… Read more »

Maghreb Voices – Izenzaren, Akal

Album: Izenzaren, Akal (2012) Well I’m Goin? to Souss, Morocco, With a Banjo on My Knee Gnaoua music developed when members of black sub-Saharan tribes were forced to assimilate as slaves in urban post-colonial Morocco. The word ?Gnaoua? refers to both a specific black Muslim spiritual sect and its music, and was derived from the… Read more »

Did You Know? – Convocation Online

This month, thousands of AU graduates crossed the stage to receive their diplomas during the University’s annual Convocation ceremonies in Athabasca, Alberta. Yet not all graduates, families, and friends were able to attend the ceremonies. If you or a friend missed the event?or you want a preview of what your own graduation will look like… Read more »

Click of the Wrist – 1812

This past week saw the celebration of both Canada Day and the Fourth of July, and many border cities combined the two holidays into one big celebration. Yet two centuries ago both countries were at war?with each other. In honour of the bicentennial of the War of 1812, this week’s links dig more deeply into… Read more »

VOICE Holiday

Summer is in full swing. How will you be spending your holidays? At the beach? Sightseeing in the city? Or just curled up with a cold drink and a good novel? Here at The Voice we’ll be taking a brief break, too, while we refocus, recharge, and get ready for the next step for The… Read more »

Green Light – Cottage Time

Headed out to the cottage? While spending the weekend a little closer to nature is a great thing, nature’s often overlooked when we carry our city practices to cottage country. Good news, though: the Canadian Parks and Wilderness Society has put together an excellent resource in its Green Cottager Guide, freely downloadable in PDF format…. Read more »