Posts Tagged ‘ blog ’

Minute Over Toronto

Posted on August 20th, 2011 Comments Off on Minute Over Toronto

A pleasant view from work.

Filed under: Dispatches, Patrick Bay, Videos

Make it illegal to read the Sun

Posted on August 19th, 2011 Comments Off on Make it illegal to read the Sun

As a source of information, I’ve never been a huge fan of the Sun newspaper, a tabloid rag that panders to the lowest common denominator with a few blurby bits of print parading around on each page awash in seas of advertising. The vast majority of their content comes in off the wire via AP or Reuters, often to the point where you can read entire articles — verbatim — in other local papers.

The Sun “newspaper” carries skimpily-clad Sunshine Girls on the back page, features way more sports coverage than international news, and is filled to the brim with bright, colourful photos, eezee-to-read sentences, and sensationalist headlines up the wazoo.

Basically, if you want to have your news predigested and regurgitated for mindless consumption along with a heaping bowlful of red-blooded stereotype, the Sun is for you!

Normally, I wouldn’t give a toss about the Sun. Live and let exist to wipe my ass with, I say. But recently it’s become painfully clear that this “newspaper” is a reflection of the myocardial infarction we currently have sitting in Toronto’s mayoral chair, as well as his ruddy-faced lap dogs like Giorgio Mamolitti who whine like little girls whenever their precious feelings have been hurt by public opinion, contradictory free speech, or that terrible terrible thing we call a democracy (I’ll have to post his bitchings during the last marathon depositions on YouTube).

And to be honest, I’m getting fucking sick and tired of hearing clamoring idiots calling for myopic, one-dimensional, all-pennies-and-no-brains bullshit with which to fix this city’s problems with.

Most meat-headed partisans like to think they’re in the clear, the “he was voted in so he must have majority support” fallacy. Except that only 47% of the people who voted actually voted for Rob Ford. That means that less than half of the people who voted directly support His Rotundness. Moreover, only about half of Toronto actually voted, so the bellowing loudmouths milling around in Ford Nation account for only about 25% of Toronto. And guess what, most of downtown didn’t vote for Ford — the people who will be most affected by his actions are the ones who can’t stand him the most.

The other fact that Fordites continue to forget is that there are 44 councillors at City Hall which must approve stuff before any of Ford’s ridiculous plans can ever come to fruition. “But Ford is going to do blah blah blah…” Yeah, no he’s not, because he’s a bully and he can barely make friends with a fire hydrant let alone a thinking councillor.

Fordites also can’t seem to come to grips with the fact that their portly hero is full of shit.

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Filed under: Dispatches, Patrick Bay, Videos, Why I'm Right

To straddle and protect

Posted on August 16th, 2011 1 Comment

toronto police services, police, cops, panorama, queen's quay, toronto, city, life, blog

Filed under: Dispatches, Patrick Bay, Pictures

Toronto isn’t immune

Posted on August 11th, 2011 Comments Off on Toronto isn’t immune

There are some who think that what’s been happening in London over the last week or so couldn’t happen here.

Well, last year’s G20 fiasco notwithstanding, the doubters really should think again. The many parallels are hard to ignore:

Filed under: Dispatches, Patrick Bay, Videos

Toronto coppers go social

Posted on July 27th, 2011 Comments Off on Toronto coppers go social

The Toronto Police Service launched their social media initiative this afternoon with a live presentation from Deputy Chief Peter Sloly.

peter sloly, deputy chief, toronto police service, toronto, city, life, blog

In a nutshell, they’ve put  / will put a few services online that were traditional in-person — background checks and such — but mostly the announcement was about the TPS’ now-official use of social media like Twitter, Facebook, and YouTube.

Chief Bill Blair was a bit more detailed:

Despite having more people on the force with Twitter accounts that you can follow, the police are still saying that you have to call 911 for emergencies or get a hold of a specific division if you have less serious stuff to talk about, but this will allow you to follow what cops are doing on the streets as well as giving you a more direct channel for general questions. I’ve chatted with a few of them via Twitter over the past year and they definitely are approachable (and they respond!), so that could work out real well in the community relations department.

The only concern I’d toss out there is in seeing these new channels become saturated and eventually becoming stagnant as responding to everything becomes impossible (you can see this with very popular Twitter accounts). Guess only time will show how prepared the TPS is for this possibility.

Filed under: Dispatches, Patrick Bay, Pictures, Videos

The Doctor is in.

Posted on July 23rd, 2011 Comments Off on The Doctor is in.

The doctor says, if’n you ain’t got yourself one of those fancy Chinese fans to keep cool, stay outta the outdoors today. Ancient Chinese proverb. For realsies.

sun yat sen, statue, riverdale park east, toronto, city, life, blog

Filed under: B Sides

Ace of Chase

Posted on July 22nd, 2011 3 Comments

Until a few weeks ago, I didn’t even know that the Mitsubishi City Chase even existed. Apparently, though, it’s a pretty popular event.

city chase, race, mitsubishi, yonge-dundas square, toronto, city, life, blog … Continue Reading

Filed under: B Sides, Patrick Bay, Pictures

We’ll miss you, Elwy

Posted on July 22nd, 2011 Comments Off on We’ll miss you, Elwy

Elwy Yost passed away at age 86 today. He was the host of TVO’s  “Saturday Night at the Movies” and “Talking Film” series where he delivered effortless insights on the actors, directors, and personalities of Hollywood and featured films through in-person interviews, clips, and neat factoids.

To say he was a warm and inviting host would be a gross understatement, and his dedication to his craft would be difficult to question. I’m sure I’m not the only nerd in Toronto to have curled up with a bowl of popcorn and enjoyed his personable introductions on Saturday nights. Now that he’s gone, I’m sure I won’t be the only one to feel his absence.

Rest in peace, Elwy.

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Filed under: Dispatches, Patrick Bay, Videos

When it’s hot…

Posted on July 20th, 2011 2 Comments

…a stroll through Chinatown East (Gerrard and Broadview) is a workout. The breeze up from Riverdale Park East (the big panorama below) is usually refreshing except, of course, when it’s like a blast from a hot oven.

Whew! Too damn hot to type any more.

summer, heat, haze, panorama, hdr, toronto, city, life, blogchinatown, musician, summer, heat, haze, panorama, hdr, toronto, city, life, blog

Filed under: Dispatches, Patrick Bay, Pictures

Let’s vote him out.

Posted on July 12th, 2011 Comments Off on Let’s vote him out.

Today TORONTO’s Mayor Rob Ford voted against MANY community grants needed and necessary for them to run and to do business in this multi-cultural city.

You know what I think and believe but please read. I wish i had video but really, who needs to see how huge he is, really.

http://www.thestar.com/news/article/1023558–ford-votes-against-every-community-grant-program?bn=1#.ThzVM-aeK_d.facebook

Filed under: B Sides, Contributed, SarahD, Why I'm Right