Morning Brew: City intends to contract out more work, Doug Ford says UFC fighters are good anti-bullying ambassadors, Atwood argues that Twitter improves literacy, new buttons from Spacing, and the Leafs beat the Rangers
The Star has learned that Mark Ferguson, president of CUPE Local 416, received notice that the city intends to contract out the remaining plowing, salting, grass-cutting and other jobs done by city staff in various districts, which means that 70 workers will lose their permanent status jobs (in addition to the elimination of 130 currently vacant jobs). Street sweeping will also be diverted to outside sources next summer, and other winter work could go the same way in 2012-2013. Perhaps oddly, Deputy Mayor Doug Holyday was unaware of the notice.
Doug Ford insists that he was endorsing the UFC Community Works event one time only because he believes the mixed martial-arts fighters are the perfect example to deliver anti-bullying messages to Toronto school children, okay?
You may only read 140 characters at a time on it, but Margaret Atwood says Twitter, and the internet, improves literacy. Speaking yesterday as part of nextMEDIA, a two-day Toronto conference for media professionals, Atwood says that the rise of the internet and social media has increased reading and writing skills. She also likened Twitter to a modern day telegram and smoke signal. Leave it to Atwood to make Twitter sound, like, important.
Spacing is launching a new line of products, which are sure to be popular holiday gifts for a certain group of Torontonians: Rob F#*king Ford buttons & magnets! Featured items include "Where's the Gravy?" "Atwood For Mayor" and an image of a "Citizen Kane"-like Ford hovering above a Ferris Wheel. Collect 'em all!
IN BRIEF:
Photo by Mariam Magsi in the blogTO Flickr pool
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