Did you know that there's a secret 25-page booklet that the City of Toronto has been using for decades, that details special exemptions from parking tickets for select people and places? Apparently it's costing us millions of dollars and includes nuggets that would make us, the tax- and fine-paying public, flabbergasted to learn. Is this something that we can get at with a Freedom of Information request, or can the City keep this from our prying eyes?

Ontario's aims to divert old electronics like TVs and computers from landfill into recycling are largely failing to meet goals. According to data obtained by the Toronto Star, just one third of the "42,000 tonnes of toxin-laced equipment" is being recycled according to plan. One probable reason for the huge shortcomings is that the program is flawed in that recyclers can make five times more money by shipping these items abroad.

With an oversupply of qualified teachers in the province (in 2009 there were 12,200 new teachers but only 5,000 positions available), those desperately looking for work are willing to take greater strides... like "taking up" Catholicism to get a job at the Catholic school boards. Teachers who are secular or even atheist have been going through the hoops simply to get required documents so they can apply for jobs.

Bay Street bankers may be getting a bit of a break during the G20 meetings. Some of the big banks are poised to have some of their staff work from off-site locations (including their homes) during the high-security and protest-laden global leaders' meet. This may have a small but positive effect on commuter traffic, which will probably still be a nightmare regardless.

It's like major bypass heart surgery, but on a much larger pipe that carries massive amounts of nasty sewage, rather than blood. Construction is underway on a huge section of sewer pipe in the east end (near Coxwell and O'Connor). The bypass is a crucial repair, given that if the existing damaged 50-year old pipe were to break, it would spell catastrophe for the Don River.

And when we weren't giving our mothers all the love they deserve, here's what blogTO was up to this weekend:

• Matthew Harris posted the St. Lawrence Market North building design concepts and while some people really like the green one, others think they're all too glass and concrete.
• Armondo Lulu shot the Toronto International Female Ride Day, and commenters got into flame wars over gender and motorcycling.
• Dawn reviewed the cheap eats subs and hot meals found at bustling Chinatown restaurant Banh Mi Ba Le.
• Strong winds kept the fire department scrambling all over he city, with downed trees and power lines galore.
• Roger checked out Rue Morgue's "Black 100" event, where Suicide Girls showed up and a live exorcism was performed.
• Ian showed us some of the funky designs furniture crafter Commute Home has on offer.
• Agatha took us back in time, with a look at the history of Allan Gardens, Toronto's first civic park.
• Lauren described what it was like to join Toronto's top chefs on a hunt for wild leeks at Chef Michael Stadtl채nder's Eigensinn Farm.
• Roger posted some photos from blogTO's opening party for the 99 Cents CONTACT exhibit.

Photo: "Sometimes I Feel So Small" by dave_in_t_o, member of the blogTO Flickr pool.