Photo: "Rub my belly" by Daifuku Sensei, member of the blogTO Flickr pool.

What's happening in the GTA (and sometimes beyond):

The morning commute in the Toronto area (which is never fun) may be even less fun than usual, given that a hundred truckers are planning to take to the roads in protest of the ongoing DriveTest strike. The strike has been in effect since August, preventing new truck drivers from getting licensed.

The City of Toronto is opening its data doors, so to speak. In an effort to increase transparency and improve information flow, a web site containing data on public transit, parks and recreation, daycare facilities, and more has been made available for the first time in such an open way. I suspect it won't be long before he public finds creative uses and applications of the data.

CP24 will be launching a new monthly talk show called "On the Rocket"... live from on board a TTC streetcar, with TTC Chair Adam Giambrone fielding rider questions and comments. Providing the public with access to this kind of interaction with a personable official from our loved and loathed transit system is a great idea and should fit the TV format nicely.

Police are investigating a suspicious car fire that happened down at the waterfront on the weekend. A Harbourfront Centre performer's car somehow ended up exploding into flames several metres tall, and a witness says that someone slipped something under a car just moments before the blaze. I'm left wondering if it was random, or what would motivate someone to torch a tenor's ride.

Residents of Don Mills need to keep watchful eyes on their cats and chihuahuas. Coyotes are once again lurking in the neighbourhood, and I suspect they'll be looking for pint-sized snackables.

And while it's unlikely to be anywhere near an instant reversal of fortune, fans of the Toronto Maple Leafs may finally get to see recently acquired star forward Phil Kessel on the ice tonight against the Tampa Bay Lightning. Don't hold your breath though.