Most people who watch as well as ride transit are going to remember Torontoist's recent TTC survey, widely regard as far superior to the TTC's rather brief official questionnaire. Hopefully, the TTC has paid some attention to the input they received through Torontoist, but as we all know, the TTC responds to rider input about as well as a driver snoozing on a bus.

Still, through some sort of magic that dreaming driver can sometimes have ideas occur to them that are vaguely similar to those on the minds and lips of the general ridership, and the TTC is back, rocking the charts with two new surveys.

Less than 24 hours ago, the ROM's biggest concern around their property seemed to be ice cream and hot dog vendors, and by the end of the day street meat was certainly the least of their worries.

CTV is reporting on what turned out to be a bomb hoax that went down outside the Royal Ontario Museum yesterday evening. Slightly after 7 p.m., in the lead-up to an AIDS fundraiser, a device constructed from three pipes wired together was discovered and subsequently removed by police robot.

Do be aware that the video included above is also a fake, given that the bomb itself was. Click through for more information on the scare and suspicious YouTube activity.

If you've got a little spare cash and a generalized craving for art acquisition, take note: this week is OCAD's Whodunit? mystery art sale.

The mystery's not the art itself, but rather the artist behind each piece. Literally behind - once you buy any of the $75, 5.5" x 7.5" pieces (time to measure that hole in your wall) you can flip it over to discover who created it, but not until then.

The list of artists includes both well-known and not-exactly names, and not only from the world of painted canvas.

Ho ho ho! It's that special time of year again... disorientingly early Christmas celebration time!

The Toronto Santa Claus Parade is kicking off at 12:30 p.m. today and will very gradually bring good tidings of joy east down Bloor from Christie to University, then south down the east side of University to Queen, across Queen to Yonge and then down Yonge to Front.

With a thermos of hot chocolate, that always makes for a fun day, but if you had too much fun with a thermos of tequila last night and are groggily reading this a few hours too late, you haven't necessarily missed out on the seasonal parade experience.

I can't say "you heard it here first," because, well, the Star did, but that's right - ad agency partner Michael Paul is staking his claim as loudly as an unnecessary portable diesel engine blasting your neighbour's lawn clean at 6 in the morning.

He has invented Leaf Blower Hockey (the site's under construction) and apparently thinks this is somehow a good idea.

Two very popular speakers will be making appearances in the coming weeks, and anyone interested in securing tickets for either events should get on that now.

First, on Monday, October 29th, the Royal St. George's College Parent's Guild is presenting an evening at the Bloor cinema with environmental rock star David Suzuki.

Dr. Suzuki's lecture is titled "Solutions Are In Our Nature," takes place at 7 p.m. and will be followed by a book signing. Tickets are $25 and available through RSGC.

On Friday, November 9th, multi-faceted philosopher, activist, author and lecturer Noam Chomsky will deliver - via a live video feed from MIT to York U, note that this is NOT in-person! - a lecture, followed by a Q&A period with the audience.

Dr. Chomsky will be speaking on both environmental and sociopolitical topics, including biofuels, international trade and civilian nuclear agreements. There is a Facebook event listing, and tickets are available through York's website.

This event will start at 2:15 p.m. and although it's still a few weeks off tickets are apparently in rather high demand (the venue was already changed to the Burton Auditorium to accommodate more people) so anyone thinking of going should probably buy them now. Cost is $18 for students / $20 for everyone else, plus service fees.

Photos: Chomsky on Charlie Rose by Kim Pierro and David Suzuki from Suzuki/Lewis speaking tour by Jerrold Litwinenko.