“Head and shoulders, knees and toes”!

Nudes, glorious nudes! Is there anything more enduringly compelling to humans than our own bodies? I’m no art historian, but I suspect not. From the Venus statues of Willendorf Austria, to Michelangelo’s David, there is something inherent about the human form that inspires us to re-create it. As an audience, we seem to be perpetually curious about the human form. Not only that, but surprised, and sometimes even outraged by how artists depict it.

Join the Glenbow Museum on February 13^th for a very special event. It’s the opening of an exhibit called The Nude in Modern Canadian Art. The exhibition features works of art from major Canadian museums and private collections and includes paintings, drawings, sculpture and photography. There are so many reasons to attend! The event is pay-what-you-can, and includes a free drink ticket. Not only that, but it coincides with the opening of another exhibit, Kent Monkman: The Triumph of Mischief. How many chances do you get to visit a museum with the caveat that the exhibition “contains mature content”?

Join the Glenbow in celebrating nudes! I’ll be there. The only question is: what should I wear?

February is Black History Month. I plan to celebrate, recognize and reflect upon Black culture and achievements, by reading and finding out more. But that’s not all. I’ll create a master playlist of my favourite Black artists. Why not check out the music collection at your local library branch?

Who’s on my list?

Alicia Keys. This soulful songstress is part pop, part hip hop, and totally amazing. Singer, songwriter, pianist and poet; she’s sure to please!

Stevie Wonder. Adjectives fail. He’s gifted and prolific! If you want his early pop, start with Greatest Hits (volume 2!). If you want your Stevie a little funkier, then check out Original Musiquarium. And, you can’t go wrong with the decades-spanning Definitive Collection. Just try to keep from dancing!

Erykah Badu. For intelligent, soulful and inventive hip hop, it’s Erykah Badu for me. Turn to her latest two releases, New Amerykah Part 1 and Worldwide Underground for beats and rhymes. Mama’s Gun, however, is my favourite. It’s amazingly chill, and an album you can enjoy again and again! In the age of i-pods, I turn to this album on an “old fashioned” CD.

Gnarls Barkley. I’m guessing that most people heard about Gnarls Barkley a few years ago when their smash hit “Crazy” became ubiquitous. That’s how I did. But since then I’ve spent a while with albums St. Elsewhere and The Odd Couple, and I’ve loved every minute! Not only are the lyrics introspective, but the music itself is exuberant and inventive. Above all, I love the vocal stylings of Cee-Lo Green. His tone is pure Motown and utterly timeless!

Jill Scott. She’s a singer. She’s a poet. She’s amazing. For an indication of just what she’s capable of, check out my personal favourite, her live album, 826+. Her studio albums, though, are amazing in their own right. Start with Who is Jill Scott, Words and Sounds vol. 1.

Who else is on my list?

Smokey Robinson, Al Green and Marvin Gaye are more of my top picks. So are Dianna Ross and Lauryn Hill. I also love Macy Gray, and (believe it or not) Kanye West. The list goes “on and on”, as Erykah might say…

Drop by your local branch this February! Celebrate Black History Month by listening to music, researching notable Black figures, or reading novels by Black authors.

Also, join us as we celebrate Black History Month with drumming, spoken word performances and a panel discussion about Black History.

When I was a young philosophy student, John Stuart Mill’s famous maxim (that he may disagree with the content of your speech, but will gladly fight for your right to say it) made a strong impression on me. I hope that this maxim will be studied and internalized by all sorts of young people, well into the future. After all, surely everyone can recognize that freedom of speech and expression is fundamental. Right?

Well, not exactly.

Throughout the years, there have been several banned books. Some were written for adults and others were written for children. They’ve provoked outrage because their content – profane, sexual, or otherwise – has been deemed offensive. In the debate about literature and censorship, public libraries are crucial, because they are typically the institution defending the literature in question. Indeed, not only do libraries defend an astonishing breadth of material, but they ensure that the material is widely circulated within the community.

I recently heard an argument that is an extension of Mill’s claim. It goes something like this: not only should the public merely tolerate objectionable views. Rather, we ought to have them included in the marketplace of ideas for the very reason that they are objectionable. It is only through exposure to what is objectionable that we learn to discern the true from the false, and the acceptable from the unacceptable. We need to be exposed to that which is ridiculous, shocking and offensive precisely so that we can form well considered opinions; so we can examine, scrutinize and come to valid conclusions. Banning certain material from the marketplace of ideas denies us the exposure which is so paramount in developing critical, analytical skills. Not only do individuals have the right to produce offensive content, but we all ought to have the right to consume it, if we choose.

If your junior high school student is interested in the Freedom to Read, then have him or her submit an essay to the Calgary Public Library. Winners will receive a prize, and have their essay posted on our website!

If you have something to say about the future of your city, then here’s an event you won’t want to miss:

Vital Conversations 2010

Join us on Friday January 22^nd, from 6 – 8 PM, at the Central library. The Calgary Public Library and the Calgary Foundation, with support from the City of Calgary’s Office of Sustainability, will host an evening of discussion and networking, followed by a reception.

Come and talk about Calgary’s 2009 “VitalSigns” Report. What’s working and what could be better?

For more information, and to register for Vital Conversations, please visit thecalgaryfoundation.org

I was listening to a podcast from BBC Radio recently, and one of the sociologists who was being interviewed noted that between 1975 and 1995, the population of incarcerated persons in the United States has quadrupled. Quadrupled!

Hearing that made me wonder how Canada’s and the United States’ respective justice systems compare.

People use all sorts of statistics when they make claims and arguments. But, how can you verify whether those statistics are accurate? How can you determine whether a number, fact, or figure is simply being invented, or whether it is reflective of reality?

There are many sources to consult, when collecting statistical information. One of the most important is Statistics Canada. Many people don’t realize the wealth of information that is freely available through the Statistics Canada website. The Business, Science and Social Sciences department of the Calgary Public Library uses this resource to answer all sorts of questions! If you need information about where Canadians live, how much money we earn, how we spend our time, and even how we die, then check out the Statistics Canada website.

What other websites do we use? From our homepage, select e-library and then Best Websites. Here, you’ll find a comprehensive list of our favourite websites. They’re reputable, authoritative, and compiled by our expert staff.

By the way, do you know how long - on average - inmates stay in Remand, in Alberta? I do…

In the landscape of Canadian voices, one stands out as particularly unique.

Rex Murphy’s writing is a formidable combination of sarcasm, wit and insight. His “Point of View” is not to be missed, as each one is contemplative, unabashed, and delivered in his trademark no-nonsense style. This Oxford educated Newfoundlander can usually be found on the CBC webpage, or in the Globe and Mail, but for one night only, you can find him here in Calgary!

Join us at the Central Library on October 27th to celebrate Murphy’s new book, Canada and Other Matters of Opinion.

It’s not every day that we have such high caliber thinkers in our John Dutton theatre! Let this national treasure inspire and challenge you! It’s an event you won’t want to miss!