City
Morning Brew: Free Turkeys, G20 Coming to Toronto, Yonge/Bloor TTC Crowd Control a Success, 10000-mile Diet, Metro Prints Student's Schlong
Photo: "hall" by rbostyle, member of the blogTO Flickr pool.
What's happening in the GTA (and sometimes beyond):
Yesterday was the annual free turkey for the needy day at Honest Ed's, and one man made sure he was at the front of the line to get one. Mariano Cordeiro waited 26 hours to ensure that he could get a frozen bird, which he plans to donate to St. Vincent de Paul's.
The G20 summit is coming to Toronto in June of 2010, not Muskoka, as was originally proposed. The venue change brings the leaders of industrialized nations together in Canada's largest city, to strategize recovery from the global economic crisis. Unfortunately, the summit often also entails protester control via fences, water cannons, tear gas, and leagues of riot police.
In what represents a much tamer form of crowd control, the TTC is announcing that their people-moving pilot project at Yonge and Bloor stations has been so successful that three additional trains per hour during peak periods are now able to load and unload passengers. The directional barriers that enhance crowd flow will become permanent fixtures.
The Toronto Sun has yet another piece ([broodingmovietrailervoice]"Dragging suicide from the shadows"[/broodingmovietrailervoice]) on suicide on the TTC, because the many they ran in the last couple of weeks weren't sufficient. Anyone want to wager how long it will be before they run yet another suicide story that includes mention of the subway stats that they forced the commission to release?
Been working hard at the 100-mile diet shopping and cooking concept? Eating locally-sourced food has been a goal for many environmentally-conscious foodies. But U of T professor Pierre Desrochers thinks local food isn't all it's cracked up to be, and that the movement will see an inevitable death.
Commuter news freebie Metro had a slip-up (intentional, or not?) today, when on page 10 (page 12 of the digital online version) they included a Canadian Press photo of a high school student at Peterborough's Santa Claus parade (partying in a hot tub, clothed, but with what appears to be his schlong hanging out). Hat tip to blogTO reader Troy, for the heads up.

And here's what blogTO was up to, while we weren't busy shopping and putting up our Christmas trees:
- Gary interviewed Jason Collett (of Broken Social Scene fame) about his third annual residency at The Dakota Tavern.
- Briony profiled Black Daffodil, a shop in the Junction that specializes in Canadian brands like Hypercube, Adala, NaMoDa, & Baggage & retro styles from Bettie Page.
- Christopher summarized the results of our Best Hot Chocolate in Toronto reader poll.
- Ivy posted a review and photos of the King Khan & The BBQ show at Lee's Palace.
- Guest writer Kate More filled us in on what it's like to visit the Saturday morning Green Barn Farmers' Market at Wychwood.
- Catherine posted her review of the luxury-ish Pantages Hotel & Spa, which aims to be trendy and swank, but has inconsistencies a plenty.
- New blogTO contributor Kelly talked Toronto, through the eyes of fashion journalist and industry insider Jeanne Beker.


Discussion
31 Comments
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The G20 may be moving to Toronto, but Muskoka will still get all the fun of the G8 Summit. (They were supposed to happen back-to-back.)
You know what the best thing about this "crowd" control crap? They have about 10 special constables standing around and doing jack shit. Way to waste your money TTC. Whoever is running that
"organization" is a moron.
I thought my eyes weren't seeing right this morning when I saw that pic in Metro. How embarassing (or not) :)
I think you mean "Hat tip to blogTO reader Troy, for the heads down".
:)
Ah, the infamous Peterborough Peter.....seldom seen before the Winter Solstice.
The TTC crowd control measures are dumb. How about more frequent trains in all interrsecting directions?
I should start paying more attention to Metro.
My guess is on the CNE Grounds for the G20. I hear the new Allstream Centre is pretty nice. Plus they have the direct energy centre... and, it would be pretty easy to shut that whole area off to outside traffic and not disrupt much.
Metro's response on Twitter: here!
You know what's dumb? Not bothering to be informed.
You can't put in more frequent trains in 'all interrsecting directions' if there are trains being held up in the station - the crowd control measures are exactly targeted at getting more trains through.
Ah yes, the pointless spouting off begins anew.
So how does the TTC think this is a success? How did they measure it? Did they ask the union? The 3 extra trains per hour was already possible, or is the union demanding more work out of it, and this is how they got it? Somehow I don't think a single person on a platform can modulate (3 * train volume) every hour.
Ah, the hot tub: nothing makes you feel like more of a man than a little 'heat expansion'
Someone's totally rocking out with his **ck out...
This is pretty kooky. Will be really interested in seeing how the Metro handles this PR nightmare.
You know what's relly dumb? Calling people dumb just because they offer possible solutions. It fosters the whole "shutup, we know what's good for you" mentality.
Maybe if trains didn't sit at stations like Eglinton (notorious for their slow mid-journey shift change) for 10 minutes then there would be less crowds. The delay of even one train can make a platform crowded and dangerous.
But what do I know? I'm just a dumb Toronto resident with an ill-informed opinion. Thanks for the free education.
d'oh! I spelld "really" wrng. damn publc edukation!
Actually, they use Eglinton station to put trains back on schedule. Watch the flashing white light on the platform. That way you won't be a dumb Toronto resident.
I think the real success is the fact someone actually managed to put "Success" and "TTC" together in the same sentence for once.
I couldn't become dumb if I tried. Maybe if I keep making comments on blogs....
The "infamous Peterborough Peter" is a good name4it, actually :)
crew changes are done at Eglinton station as well, that seems to take a few minutes as well.
The answer is simple: Robots!
I don't think a hazy celebratory dick equals a PR cock-up for Metro at all.
The same publication featured full-frontal male nudity on its cover page a few months ago with ads for Body Worlds. Sure, it was flesh-free nudity, but graphic nonetheless.
Do Torontonians worry about such things?
It's also hardly the first time there's been a picture of a dick in Metro -- Jack Layton's been featured several times.
Oh well done, Hal. I like that one. I'm not a fan either of dick nor Jack Layton, so I see your fine humour in pointing out that they are very much similar in appearance and behaviour.
So Daft Punk could solve our problems.
Works4me :)
Haha, wangs are funny. I like how the printed his name too.
The online version has been edited and unfortunately poor Laura on the right side got cropped out.
Um, hey folks. The Gawker article identifies the students as being from a high school. Even though it's an accidental slip, are we encroaching upon child porn laws if this kid is under the age of 18? Can we confirm his age somehow, or have management censor the pic until legality is determined?
Hang on. I think I need a helmet to view this photo.
;-)
Wait a minute! I can't see this photo ... oh wait... now that I have my trusty "Helmet-head Detectorfier" I see it now.
put that mouse back in the house! sheesh!