Sound Opinions is a Chicago based public radio rock n roll talk show. 

Many cities have a locally owned and operated movie theatre that appeals with character, history and individuality. Vancouver's got the Rio. And you could help save it.

Many are quick to call themselves geeks these days. And nerds. Even dorks. They wear the label with pride. Well, cut it out! Respect yourself, dammit! Stop calling yourself a geek!

Dr. Gabor Mate, interviewed on Democracy Now, discusses the Global Commission on Drug Policy's recent conclusion that the US led War on Drugs has been a failure, and will continue to fail. 

Lindsay Roberston is a Vancouver based singer/songwriting, originally from Guelph Ontario. Her totems are Bob Marley, Tom Waits, Bob Dylan, Martin Tielli and Bessie Smith.

A short piece addressed to men: do you ask women questions? If not, why not? What is there to be gained from doing so? 

Mark Kurlansky writes books about how food has influenced human history. And other stuff. This is a brief appreciation of what he does, in point form.

Indoor climbing emerged in the 90s and is growing in popularity. It's different from most sports and fitness activities in a lot of ways that can summed up with a simple description: it's postmodern.

These three forms of entertainment all hit you at the mythic level of development.

Who displays the greater love of the game: the fan, or the amateur player?

Ever heard of the comedic stylings of Larry Griswold? Me either. Unfamiliarity is part of what made this clip of him performing in the 50s so incredible. Well, what's he's doing is incredible, whether you've heard of him or not.

A short except from the book Touching: the Human Significance of the Skin, by Ashley Montagu, listing twenty separate and distinct functions of human skin.

Take a great big drink of righteousness with two songs that bring to life the Enneagram personality system's type One: the Reformer. 

Beams and Struts launched one year ago. Here are a few reflections from one Beams contributor and editor on what a person learns from a year of doing these things.

Mark Meer is an Edmonton based actor, writer and improvisor. His totems are Jim Henson, John Cleese, Alan Moore, Doctor Doom, and Tom Waits.

Ivan E Coyote is a spoken word artist, novelist, storyteller and columnist. Her totems include Bill Cosby, writers Barbara Gowdy, Sherman Alexie and Tom Spanbauer, musicians Veda Hille, Laurie Anderson and Rufus Wainwright.

Gretta Vosper is a progressive United Church pastor, who believes the way we live is more important than what we believe. She believes this so much she wrote a book about it.

"Hopefully" is almost never used in its original, correct meaning anymore. Same with "whence." 

Kahlil Ashanti is a writer and performer. In this interview he talks about who would be on his Mt. Rushmore: Richard Pryor, Don Knotts, Eminem, and various formative experiences and friendships.

The Harry Potter books. The Da Vinci Code. The Twilight series. The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo, and sequels. In the age of instant messages, Facebook, tweets, texting, how did these thick genre novels by unknown writers reach people on such an unprecedented scale?