War on Trash: Day 19
Posted on July 10th, 2009 –
As the steady stream of sweat rolling down between my ass cheeks will attest, the heat is on.
The tactics being used by the 416/79 commandos have moved into some ugly territory. Their blockades have now extended to private businesses whose only crime was to be in the same trade as the strikers. And then there are the residents of an eastern Toronto neighbourhood who are being sniped at by 416/79 sharpshooters simply for tending to their own neighbourhood. (yeah, strikers, grandma’s doing your job; that’s how indispensable you are)
I disagree with today’s take by The Star’s on Toronto’s five greatest inventions (isn’t Pablum a synonym for blandness?) I believe that our greatest contributions are courage and gutsiness. Well, I guess that’s technically just one, but I stand by it.
On the one hand we’ve got geriatrics fighting back, on the other we’ve got the underground movement taking us to school:
You may recall that the last time I trekked through the jungle, the devastation was awful. Today, with the Allies in control of the area, it’s regained some level of normalcy and is being used as a tactical operation scentre:
Even the bunker across the street now sits empty, no longer needed in this part of town:
It’s been a local effort, but small local efforts like these all over town are how a war is won. Victory composters are springing up all over; garbage detention is being handled within communities; people are rallying together. Brother slinging trash with brother, sister mowing lawn with sister.
I’ll just leave it there; let you dab the tears of pride from your eyes.
... with pictures
... with sounds
... with videos
... with opinions
... that's shorter
... that's longer
July 11th, 2009 6:38 pm
nice. really nice. clean and neat back to the yto I know and love.
July 13th, 2009 7:17 am
Almost, BadGal. :) If you look closely in some of the photos, you'll notice some well camouflaged garbage bags hiding in the scene.
July 12th, 2009 2:22 am
So let m get this straight. In a time of worldwide financial meltdown the 416 are on strike for a better pay deal? Seriously, cuts have to be made in public spending or else taxes have to go up. I don't know if the Canadian government has brought out any banks like here in the UK & the US. We are up to our eyeballs in debt that will be passed on to the next generation. Bad government management I say! I can't wait for the next election but who to vote for with all the UK politicians expenses scandal? Thanks for the comment on my blog!
July 13th, 2009 7:21 am
Renegade, the unions are on strike partially for better pay. In this respect they have something to gripe about (thy are being offered something different from other city unions — and even city councilors voted themselves a larger pay increase than they're suggesting). But the main issue is their refusal to back down from demands such as bankable sick days (if you don't take sick days during a year, they accumulate and you can cash them out when you retire). This is (or at least was), the union's main reason for going on strike — and most Torontonians have a big problem with this. And the financial thingy too.
July 12th, 2009 5:18 am
It is always nice to see a neighbor hood get together. I have never been to Toronto. Looks like it is going back to normal. I have been to Montreal. I loved it there.
July 13th, 2009 7:23 am
Grampy, Toronto only looks like it's getting back to normal because citizens got fed up with the union's fear tactics (we're cleaning up ourselves). The strike is still very much in full motion and the fruit flies in my kitchen are keeping busy.