At first we assumed it was Scientology. After all, who else has the money to produce and purchase space for such glossy anti-pharmaceutical ads, which have been popping up all over transit shelters and buses in Ontario and Montreal? Google wasn't much help, and their Blog Search just pointed us to other people as perplexed as we were. And poor spellers with domination fantasies. Searches of domain registrations weren't particularly fruitful, especially after the......

Carol Schwartzott, A Brief History of the Fan, Lilliput Press, c2003. Lovers of books, art, art books, and book art should check out Art Under Cover, an exhibition of "books as sculpture" which opens today at the Toronto Reference Library (TRL). The show features a selection of rarely-seen pieces from the TRL's special collections. Artists' books have been an integral part of 20th century art practice, from the Dada and surrealist movements to the......

Photo of Matt of Epigram by Richelle Forsey Beneath a pile of attractive shows in the city this week (Brooklyn’s Au Revoir Simone at Lee’s Palace on January 16, not one but two Elliot Brood shows at the Dakota Tavern on January 18 and 19), there lies a very distinctive show Musicologist whole-heartedly recommends. On Thursday, January 17, Windsor’s What Seas What Shores, Toronto’s Epigram, and Tunturia will be playing at The Boat for......

On Thursday evening, Torontoist broke the news that Wednesday's bomb threat at the Royal Ontario Museum was OCAD student Thorarinn Ingi Jonsson's final project for an advanced video class. Inspired by Marcel Duchamp's readymades (like Fountain, pictured above), Jonsson told us that the piece was about recontextualization, the idea that context changes art's meaning; in this case, something that is, he said, "quite clearly not dangerous, but when you put it in a different......

This what a bioterrorist looks like, according to the FBI. Dr. Steven Kurtz (right) is a Professor of Art at SUNY Buffalo and member of Critical Art Ensemble (CAE), an art and theatre collective co-founded by Kurtz and his late wife, Hope. In May 2004, the Kurtzes were preparing a piece called Free Range Grains, which allowed participants to test food for the presence of genetically modified organisms, when Hope died of heart failure......

CityNews and the Toronto Star are reporting that Canada's Wonderland has closed its free-fall ride, the Drop Zone (named after the Wesley Snipes skydiving movie) due to a grisly accident on a similar ride in the States. On Thursday, a cable snapped on the Superman Tower of Power at Louisville's Six Flags Kentucky Kingdom and severed both feet of a 13-year-old girl above her ankles. The Six Flags and Cedar Fair chains (the latter......

At random intervals, two Torontoist staffers square off to debate an issue that's important to our city. We invite our readers to join the debate in the comments section following the post. This past week, there was considerable uproar when it was revealed that Toronto emergency vehicles would be forced to remove magnetic decals saying “Support Our Troops.” However, following much public outcry, and the deaths of three more Canadian soldiers in Afghanistan, Mayor David......

Attention all families: are you looking for something to do for Mother's Day that doesn't involve cheesy cards or impersonal gifts? If so, gather the kids this Sunday, and take them to the brand new Union Yoga Center (242 Carlton St.) for some quality family time. Ladyfest Toronto will be hosting Celebrating Motherhood at 2 p.m., featuring a yoga warm-up and songwriting workshop for kids. Space is limited and at only $5 (or PWYC)......

Have you ever marvelled at the sheer partying power of a group of drunken bridesmaids? Now you can join those elite ranks without all the expense and bother of a wedding. Funkless.com presents the fourth incarnation of Bridesmaidmania this Saturday, May 5. Billed as “the city's weirdest and most entertaining pub crawl,” Bridesmaidmania IV participants (both male and female) will deck out in frilly, tacky, thrift-store bridesmaid dresses and descend upon a myriad of......

It's been over a year since local über-activist Dave Meslin took his grass roots political activism to the next level by co-ordinating the City Idol competition. Rather than entering the municipal election himself, Meslin chose to direct his efforts at increasing civic participation in the terminally under-attended municipal elections. Aside from some minor bumps (including having to change the logo, lest he infringe upon the rights of Ryan Seacrest, et al) the effort yielded......

Every couple of weeks "What's The Frequency, Campus?" will highlight some of the intriguing shows and special programming happening on Toronto's campus and community radio stations. The differences between commercial radio and campus/community radio are vast. While the content is miles apart (you’ll never hear the same song played three times an hour on a community station), the two are also operating on wildly different budgets. Commercial stations are largely owned by huge media empires......

Each week, Torontoist chooses the most interesting cases from the Toronto Police Service crime blotter. All charges are alleged until proven under law. • The big story this week was the arrest of six kids for the murder of a 17-year-old boy in the Flemingdon Park area. On July 15, 2006, the victim was stripped and assaulted over several hours by a group of people outside a housing complex on Grenoble Drive, finally succumbing to......

Each week, Torontoist chooses the most interesting cases from the Toronto Police Service crime blotter. All charges are alleged until proven under law. • An investigation is underway about a man posing as a police officer who is allegedly stealing personal belongings in the Entertainment District. The guy apparently uses imitation police equipment to gain entry into clubs, then steals unattended purses and mobile phones. Real cops are mandated to carry specific identification, which they......

The week starts off with another instalment of Pussy Pen, an evening of readings and performance focusing on women, trans, and queer perspectives. It takes place at Tango and Crews, 508 Church St, beginning at 8pm. Free. Tuesday’s Wildsound script reading series features Face to Face, a TV pilot script written by Christina Ray and Mark De Angelis. The event is moderated by Pamela Sinha. It starts at 7pm at the Stealth Lounge, 22......

Excuse me for the lateness of this week’s listing. I’m still on Nuit Blanche time. And yes, I made it until 7am. This is an absolutely fantastic week for word nerds. And check this – if one of your friends is more into sports, you can bring them to a literary event disguised as a boxing match. For a boxing fan like me, it doesn't get any better. Tomorrow at noon, there’s a special launch......

The Diamond Cherry Reading Series – run by local poets and small-press publishers Devon Gallant and Julie Cameron Gray – kicks-off the week with performances by audio poet Hilary Peach (Poems Only Dogs Can Hear) and singer/songwriter/poet Nik Beat. The series takes place each month at the Zemra Lounge – 778 St. Clair West – and starts at 8pm. It’s free, too, so you have no excuse not to go. On Monday, head down to......

The great thing about having a pass or a wristband for NXNE is being able to see a handful of bands at different venues for one low cost. On Thursday night, we settled for staying at the Rivoli for the duration of the evening which turned out to be awesome night which ended with The Neverending White Lights playing till 2 in the morning. If you haven't caught anything at NXNE, you still have......

Right, Torontoist isn’t going to mess about with today’s Film Friday, because there are more important things to be talking about than what’s on at the multiplex. First! Tristan and Isolde is the cinematic version of the Celtic folklore/Wagner opera, which the trailers have made a big deal about predating Romeo and Juliet, as if that actually meant anything. Eye’s Adam Nayman brings up the interesting note that this was, for years, the dream......

Welcome to our inaugural transit post. Consider this a weekly forum for all things transit, offerred up by He who knows how to make your TTC ride as efficient as possible. Enjoy! On Thursday, August 25th from 9:30 am to 12 noon, catch Queen Victoria riding the 501 Queen streetcar. Canadian mime artist Michael Carl O'Neil will take his act to the rocket as part of the TTC's Summer Concert Series. About the act O'Neil......

According to a reliable source, the Winchester will be closing its doors for good. Caroline of Eye blog fame writes about the unfortunate event: I heard rumours that the Winchester, founded in 1888 and better known as the Winnie, might be closing soon, something about a coffee chain. As I walked up Parliament I was hoping the rumours were just that, but a long stare through the windows pretty much sealed the deal. A bar......