Toronto zombies have two reasons to get their shuffle on this October...

First up, the 5th Annual Toronto Zombie Walk is taking place this year on Sunday, October 21, at approx. 3.30pm. Starting location will be announced a bit later - check in with Thea and her monster-worshipping cohorts at torontozombiewalk.ca.

Then the following Saturday, Toronto zombies unite again - this time to join global forces in a worldwide attempt to break the Guinness World Record for the Largest Simultaneous Dance with Michael Jackson's "Thriller". More details are coming, but here's what I've been able to glean from craigslist and Thrill the World Toronto (the official site, Thrill the World, hasn't been updated since July - bad, bad, promoters):

October 27th, all day event at York University, show up, learn the Thriller dance, put on your zombie makeup and get ready to dance at 6pm sharp. There are 64 events, in 60 cities, in 15 countries, on 5 continents and the proceeds for Toronto's event will go to the Sick Kids Foundation.

Founded by Sadie Lewis last year, Streetknit is once again asking knitters throughout Toronto to donate winter knit goods for the homeless. Whether a seasoned stitch 'n bitcher or a knitting newbie, Streetknit wants you to put your needles together for a good cause.

If you're not sure what to knit or need a pattern to get started, visit streetknit.ca - you'll find what you need.

Drop off hats, mitts, scarves, sweaters or socks to:

* The Naked Sheep Beaches
* The Knit Cafe Queen and Ossington
* Sew Be It Studio Yonge and Eglinton
* Knit-o-matic Bathurst and St. Clair

With a TTC fare hike likely and possible route cuts on the way, I was intrigued to discover an article on the viability of a fare-free public transit system.

The article discusses the relationship between fare hikes and ridership (fare up = ridership down) and cites Toronto as an example:

Just one example is Toronto's transit system, which went into a 12-year downward spiral throughout the 1990s after a series of fare increases and resultant service cutbacks. The authoritative Transit Cooperative Research Program in Washington, D.C., has clearly documented how fare increases always result in lower ridership.

It's fairly safe to say that free transit is an eternity away for Torontonians but feel free to dream of a better way and read the full AlterNet article here: Fare-Free Public Transit Could Be Headed to a City Near You

Over the past two years The Blogerati Files has featured many great interviews with local blogging favourites. It's time to shake up the format and spread the spotlight. Until then, this will be the last interview-style Blogerati Files post...

This week in the Blogerati Files, The Client Side's Michael Seaton, Director of Digital Marketing at Scotiabank..

Describe your blog in 10 words or less.
A client-based view of marketing, advertising, communications and digital media.

Why did you start blogging?
It started as an experiment. There were so many great advertising and PR agency people blogging from their world-view, but there was a dearth of client voices being heard. I wanted to balance things out and keep all those agency hacks on their toes! ;-)

I celebrated my first anniversary last May and am coming up on the first anniversary of my podcast shortly, which is also called The Client Side. I began blogging when I helped launch the Canadian Marketing Association's Blog. I figured why not start up my own blog too.

How long have you lived in Toronto?
I lived in Toronto all of my life. Toronto is an awesome city. It has a great soul.

What's the funniest/strangest thing that has happened to you in Toronto?
When I was fourteen, I was in a line at McDonald's (which used to be across from the Eaton Centre) right next to Leonard Cohen. He had just played a concert at Massey Hall around the corner. We chatted for a little while over some french fries. He was very cool and a really nice guy. I was too young at the time to realize how influential an artist he was.

This week in the Blogerati Files, George Murray, poet and an editor of Bookninja .

Describe your blog in 10 words or less.
The internet's deadliest book site.

Why did you start blogging?
I started blogging with a friend, but now continue on my own, because our group of young writers and editors that hung out at a particular pub in Toronto were starting to move away from the city to parts unknown and blogging was a good way of keeping the conversations going over vast distances. People could check in when they liked, but didn't feel obligated to respond as they would have with email. I had admired MobyLives, an American book blog for years before I started Bookninja in August of 2003. August 11, was our first post, I think. Since then we've added a magazine component with essays, reviews, interviews, and discussion pieces, as well as a section of crappy, but funny, comics I drew. We're really enjoying audio interviews right now, but are working on all kinds of print pieces too. The editor of the Magazine section is my good friend, the novelist Kathryn Kuitenbrouwer, who lives in High Park.

How long have you lived in Toronto?
I have mostly lived in Toronto off and on for about 15 years. Between my stints there, I've lived in Italy and Manhattan. I just moved to St. John's, Newfoundland. Moving for me is now just a matter of plugging my wires into different walls. My spiritual home is still Toronto.

This week in the Blogerati Files, Feminist Toronto .

Describe your blog in 10 words or less.
An outlet and meeting place for feminists in Toronto.

How long have you lived in Toronto?
Two years.

What's the funniest/strangest thing that has happened to you in Toronto? Did you blog about it?
Probably your "typical" Zanta encounter on the subway. Since I try to blog mostly about feminist issues, Zanta didn't really fit in. So, no, I didn't blog about it, though it would be pretty funny.

What era, day or event in Toronto's history would you like to re-live and why?
I'd like to be able to see Queen Street West before the artist crowd started moving in. I'd like to see it pre-Drake and pre-Gladstone. There are still pieces of the old Queen Street holding on, but its getting high-end really quickly. I'd like to be able to stroll the streets before the trendiness, just to see what it is that's being pushed out now.