City
Morning Brew: Ossington Debate, Dandelion Blight, Gang Sweeps, and Empty Seats
Photo: "looking down from Massey Hall" by Phil Marion, member of the blogTO Flickr pool.
What's happening in the GTA (and sometimes beyond):
Tonight at 6pm is an opportunity for opponents, proponents, and fence-sitters to have their voices heard about the forthcoming Ossington strip restaurant and bar moratorium (between Queen and Dundas). I predict some heated debate between area residents and business owners at St. Christopher House (248 Ossington Avenue).
What would happen if an all-girls Catholic school is relocated and lands right beside and all-boys Catholic school? Dare I say: real life stuff that will (and probably should) happen regardless (gasp!).
Are dandelions really a blight? I guess so, if you're allergic to them and weed-killing chemicals are no longer allowed to be used to control them.
As the June 1st deadline approaches for new documentation requirements for entry into the US, Canadians are applying in droves. And Passport Canada is processing 21,000 applications daily, efficiently.
Tomorrow's conversation (with a big price tag, at the Metro Toronto Convention Centre) between former US presidents George W. Bush and Bill Clinton isn't sold out yet. Some 400-500 tickets are still available. Blame the recession?
Several sweeping raids of West Toronto neighbourhoods were underway early this morning, as police aim to be proactive about the gang and gun problems that continue to be problematic. Perhaps this afternoon we'll see a press conference, complete with a table spread with their catch.
Heritage and city history buffs rejoice! To mark Toronto's 175th anniversary, the city has made 8 of our museums and attractions free on weekends through July and August. Sites include: Colborne Lodge, Fort York, Gibson House, Mackenzie House, Montgomery's Inn, Scarborough Museum, Spadina Museum, and Todmorden Mills.
And there's drama in the Toronto fashion scene, courtesy of an article and comment thread on Toronto Life: Toronto's Best Dressed: Deena Pantalone.
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Although I can also understand how it's not sold out. As much as I'm looking forward to seeing this I know that there will (probably) be protesters outside the MTCC. Parking will be hard to get so taking transit is a must. Security checks will be a pain in the a**.
THERE DIRT DAWG GANG MEMBERS WOULDN'T THINK THEY WERE SOOO COOL IF THEY WERE DRAGGED INTO PUBLIC AND HUMILIATED!!! IN THIER UNDIES!!
OR MAYBE IF THEY DID WHAT THEY DID IN GAZA AND BULLDOZED THE HOMES OF THESE NOGOODNIKS THEN THEY WOULD THINK TWICE BEFORE SELLING CRACK OR SHOOTING CHILDREN WHEN THEY GO ON A RAMPAGE.
IF YOU WANT TO BE HOUSED BY THE STATE YOU BETTER OBEY THE RULES...IF NOT SEE YOU LATER.
If it's only a night time destination, then it's a ghost town during the day.
It probably has enough bars now.
Isn't modesty one of the tenets of the Catholic Faith. What ever happened to kneeling on the floor for prayer, and being sent home if your skirt was too short?
My Daughter is a few years away from uniforms, but when she gets there, it will be appropriate length skirts, or pants.
Nothing makes me feel like more of a prude then this issue.
So yep, amusement. I think it's funny that we force girls to dress in clothes that are a well-loved porn cliche. And I think it's funny that anyone can genuinely believe that a dress code (or even a vengeful God, much less an angry nun) is going to stop teenage girls from strutting around in miniskirts.
I'm guessing many of these girls' families have long ago given up to fight bigger battles, or aren't even Catholic in the first place but felt the educational system was superior enough to warrant enrolling them.
Fence-sitters are particularly encouraged. I'm looking forward to a lively debate about who is the most undecided.
"It'll be interesting to hear Bush speak. I'm not a fan of the man but it'll be interesting to hear his insights on events now that he has left office."
Prepare yourself for disappointment. After 8 years with the guy, I feel confident in saying that he's constitutionally (I mean his own, not the US one) incapable of insight.
"And I think it's funny that anyone can genuinely believe that a dress code (or even a vengeful God, much less an angry nun) is going to stop teenage girls from strutting around in miniskirts."
Now I'll grant from the start that my exposure to teenage people is basically limited to the occasional visit to the Eaton Centre. But isn't this way off? I hardly ever see teenage girls wearing miniskirts. For the most part, they seem to dress pretty much the same (on the conservative-provocative spectrum, I mean) as anyone else under, say, 30-35. Catholic school students seem to be the notable exception to this. Which is bizarre.
My point was the ones who want to wear minis will do it regardless of dress codes, God, or whatever. And in this situation, those are the girls we're only ever talking about. Who targets a dress code at people already obeying it?
Should we ban offices downtown and force the construction of new towers in Rexdale? Should we ban the construction or opening of new factories in industrial areas? Should we stop infill development in residential areas? Of course not. So why do people come up with the idea of stopping certain kinds of clusters?
Ossington has a great deal of businesses open during the day - galleries, retail, etc. Clusters follow a natural course just like forests, going through growth phases predominated by one type of business which are then followed by a more mixed environment. Many of the new restaurants will fail and be replaced by other ventures. Council can't do anything well, so the arrogance and idiocy of appropriating commercial siting is hilarious.
The noise complaints are ridiculous - it wasn't quiet previously, but the gangster troublemakers have now been replaced by people the City and Police will take action against and residents aren't afraid of complaining about. People that moved to a bad neighbourhood and are now complaining are the worst sort of NIMBYs, just like those people downtown and near Pearson who try to close airports they move next to.
I do look forward to council shutting down retail outlets on Queen west of University, banning the construction of academic buildings on and near U of T, and reversing their policy in Leslieville to mandate Big Box retail in an area overwhelmed by the Film industry. If it doesn't, and if its supporters here don't advocate it, it will be obvious that its simply hatred of any positive development and Marxist resistance to "gentrification". Go back to complaining that people are demonizing Jane & Finch, it's at least as stupid but less damaging to the city.
(Choke, guffaw) Richard Florida?!! The "creative class" guy? Puh-lease. We'll see how well his ideas hold up once people realize that creative jobs CAN go offshore -- and will. It started with call centres and data entry, copy writing and graphic design will be next...
Back on topic: Clusters ARE good. Bar ghettos are not. Bar ghettoes do not help sustain the walkable neighbourhoods that, let's face it, make Toronto liveable (local hardware stores, dry cleaners, banks, pharmacists). Council's job here is to encourage a workable mix.
I was just expressing my shear horror at the thought of my daughter in such a get up. I don't know if more Catholic girls wear minis than non... but i certainly notice them more. haha.
And I guess if you are forced to wear a certain outfit everyday, you have to alter it any way you can.
As for judging my daughter for wearing her skirt so darned short. Well, humility and modesty are important, and teaching her to respect herself is lesson #1. Will I judge her? nope. will I tolerate it? Also nope.
Being a part of my child's educational process is important to me. So, I am very aware of what goes on at school, I speak to the principle often, and also her teacher.
It's a fine balance, I don't want to alienate her, obviously, but I don't think it's a bad thing to set a consistent standard and expect her to live up to it.
But yes, it's an uphill battle, and I'm just praying that conservative dressing is in style by the time she hits High School... haha.
If goverments are going legislate bans like this, it would be nice if they still made an attempt to control ragweed, dandelions, pigweed, etc. I think it's pathetic how almost every nook and cranny of public space in toronto looks like weed central by mid summer. It looks like crap.