Saturday, May 26, 2012Mostly Cloudy 19°C
City

Morning Brew: February 7, 2008

Posted by Sameer / February 7, 2008

One Spadina on the blogTO Morning Brew
Photo: "One Spadina" by blogTO Flickr pooler danepstein.

Your morning news roundup for Thursday, February 7th, 2008:

It's not surprising to see that one thing is dominating the front pages of newspapers today: the same thing that is dominating your driveway this morning, the storm. After another dumping of snow hit the city last night, around 30cm of snow is lying around on city streets, making the commute treacherous and giving you an excuse to be late to work this morning.

Massive delays have hit Toronto Pearson Airport, giving hundreds of travelers an excuse to stay in the tropics for a few more days before coming back home to the cold.

And for the kids...snow day? Well, for some, maybe, but schools are open and buses are running for the Toronto District Public and Catholic School Boards.

--

It's not only us people that have had to face the grunt of the storms: during last month's snow storm, a bus shelter exploded because of the wind. Other bus shelters (and the people in Toronto as well) should still be worried though, because this surely isn't the last gasp of winter: more stormy conditions are forecast for this weekend.

Those plans to raise rental fees for rinks and other recreation facilities we wrote about last week? Well Mayor Miller seems to want to bury them under the snow after the vocal outcry. Too bad GO Transit is still going ahead with their 15 cent fare increase, outcry or not.

Toronto schools may still be open in this snow storm, but students from Sir Robert L. Borden Business and Technical School were sent home early yesterday after a hazardous chemical started seeping through the ventilation system. 50 people suffered burning eyes and throats, but nobody was seriously hurt.

In school related news that's even more frightening than chemicals in the ventilation system, a new survey by the Centre for Addiction and Mental Health found that "more than one-quarter of girls in Grade 11 were pressed into something sexual they didn't want to do." The survey goes on to highlight more schoolyard atrocities, which makes me ask the question yet again: are Toronto students scared to go to school?

And if this year's exciting Super Bowl wasn't enough for football fanatics in the city, Buffalo Bills owner Ralph Wilson made the official announcement that some NFL games will be coming to Toronto. Where do I line up (yes, I'll even brave the snow) for tickets?

Discussion

17 Comments

Christopher / February 7, 2008 at 10:57 am
user-pic
Torontonians are wimps when it comes to snowfall. Try living in QC, where real snow is a daily thing.
Could care less about the NFL coming to the Dot. Means more money from tourists and sports buffs alike for local businesses.
Love today's picture. Absolutely FANTASTIC!!
Sameer Vasta / February 7, 2008 at 11:01 am
user-pic
Yeah, you're right, we don't handle snow the same way as places in QC, but at least we didn't call in the army this time, right? =)

And you're absolutely right about today's photo...I loved it as soon as I saw it for the first time.
Jerrold / February 7, 2008 at 11:15 am
user-pic
Bah! I'm flying from Boston to Toronto this afternoon and fear some delayage :S
Sameer Vasta / February 7, 2008 at 11:19 am
user-pic
Well, my buddy's been trying to get in from LA since yesterday morning, and he's still had no luck. I'll keep my fingers crossed for you Jerrold.
Jack / February 7, 2008 at 12:49 pm
user-pic
maybe because we don't have an aging population like quebec, torontonians actually have to go to work, as opposed sitting at home, collecting pension money that Ontarians subsidize!
Sameer Vasta / February 7, 2008 at 12:50 pm
user-pic
Zing!
RBeezy / February 7, 2008 at 01:39 pm
user-pic
it snows in Toronto? is it like this every year? whoa.
must be all that poutine that gives Quebecers heart. just joking QC, je t'aime.

nothing like working from home on days like this. shoveling snow's a good workout too.

grade 11 girls? not touching that one, literally and figuratively.

go Bills! if only the old coots backing this bid weren't so blatant about how much of a cash grab these games will be. I guess money doesn't buy tact.
Danielle / February 7, 2008 at 02:44 pm
user-pic
I was dealing with people moping about the weather all day at work (I work at a box office) but I was excited! I missed my first streetcar on the way home, but no matter! I walked two stops west until another one came and drank in the snow...

That is until I got stuck for THIRTY MINUTES at King station on my way home due to a delay at Museum station, and then another 15 at Bloor. Taking the frickin streetcar to Dufferin would have been faster! My 40 minute commute easily doubled to 90 minutes.

The snowstorm got less charming after that.
Gregg / February 7, 2008 at 03:05 pm
user-pic
I'll touch the gr11 girls (topic). In my opinion, they do not dress as conservative as they used to in my day (12 yrs ago). And although the boys are more "thuggish" due to their obscene role models, they are not the only ones to blame... just a thought.
Carrie / February 7, 2008 at 04:19 pm
user-pic
Um, so if a girl is wearing a short skirt she's asking to be harassed? You're joking, right?
Jerrold / February 7, 2008 at 05:11 pm
user-pic
So... here I am at Logan airport, logging into $10 wifi, killing time, waiting for a plane to take my home to Toronto. BAH!!! I just knew this was going to happen.
Jack / February 7, 2008 at 09:03 pm
user-pic
it is not the snow, it is the ttc/subway that makes toronto a miserable city regardless whether it is snowy or sunny...the terrible transit system we have here is a regular topics of dicussion at work as people can hardly get into on time these days.. it is actually costing our city money as people are less productive, spending more time commuting and feeling tired in the office and going home after work and the trip to home is also dreadful
Jerrold / February 8, 2008 at 09:40 am
user-pic
<i>"Um, so if a girl is wearing a short skirt she's asking to be harassed?</i>

I don't think Gregg is suggesting that they're "asking for it" but I do think that if you put two girls in the same environment, one in a short skirt and one in a pair of slacks, the dirty boys/men would be more likely to harrass one over the other.
Sameer Vasta / February 8, 2008 at 09:43 am
user-pic
One thing's for sure. Snow and short skirts really don't mix well. Unless you like getting frostbite. =)
Gregg / February 8, 2008 at 02:16 pm
user-pic
All I am saying is that parents should discourage their lil girls from wearing too much makeup and skimpy clothes .. at least when they are in school. Also, it should be the school's responsibility to enforce some sort of dress code. Anyhow .. Carrie, if you like to wear mini skirts, by all means .. just don't be surprised if teenage boys want you ;)
Carrie / February 8, 2008 at 06:01 pm
user-pic
I don't think anyone wants to see me in a mini skirt! I'd be in cougar territory. ;)
Gloria / February 12, 2008 at 08:40 am
user-pic
That's fair enough, Gregg, but you ought to be more careful about your wording. The only people who carry any "blame" when it comes to harassment are the people who do it.

I've been catcalled while in jeans and a long bulky winter coat. Some guys are more likely to notice a girl if she's wearing less, but some guys just don't care.

Add a Comment

Other Cities: VancouverMontreal