blogTO | Posts by chrisorbz

Remembering Air India Flight 182 with Optimism

Chris Orbz — Mon, 23 Jun 2008 10:00:36 PDT

The bombing of Air India Flight 182 on June 23rd, 1985, did not compare to 9/11. However, if any event is the one that lets Toronto see itself reflected in NYC's suffering, it is the events of 23 years ago... and while they may not compare, comparisons can certainly be drawn up. The killing of all 329 people aboard Flight 182 had previously been the worst terrorist attack to have involved aircraft, and it remains the worst mass murder in Canadian history.

In spite of the magnitude present in those facts, I'd never personalized this reality in any way (a common thread in Canadian treatment of this part of our history). The first time I did really feel something in relation to this attack was when I came across the little-advertised memorial site located in Humber Bay Park East in southern Etobicoke.

I was struck by how optimistic and positive the memorial managed to be when making reference to something so horrible.

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The Best Falafel in Toronto

Chris Orbz — Fri, 20 Jun 2008 08:36:08 PDT

Toronto's best falafel (or, as the Simpsons would have it, "crunchpatty") is a controversial topic. Falafels, like curries, can be found in a number of variations in different areas of the world.

Sampling falafels sold in Toronto often means sampling the background of the owner or chef, and Toronto's multifaceted ethnic tapestry provides falafel lovers with an enormous number of outlets, no two of which seem to serve quite the same food in the same form for the same price.

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Rock Balancing Season is Here Again

Chris Orbz — Sun, 18 May 2008 09:00:00 PDT

While near Humber Bay Park this week I was happy to encounter these rock-balancing sculptures. The first time I saw these things by Ashbridge's Bay a few years ago, they blew my mind... which I think is what they do to everyone the first time. The inclusion of a coconut in this particular set is great, shows a sense of humour on the creator's part.

One might be tempted to blame Peter Riedel or Sunjye for this work of counter-entropy, but as I didn't see them actually being assembled, I can't say for sure. It could have been anyone, really.

I mean, I'm not saying that these two aren't very talented in this regard. They seem to do it more out of creation than imitation and have obviously practiced and developed their skills rather extensively, and that shows in the work. But rock balancing is something that just about anyone can pick up at a basic level and get started with.

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TPSC Guerrilla Gardeners Seedbomb Parkdale

Chris Orbz — Fri, 25 Apr 2008 18:05:47 PDT

Yesterday evening, I joined the Toronto Public Space Committee's Guerrilla Gardeners on a seedbombing outing to try to bring out a little bit more of the 'park' in Parkdale. Dozens of pre-made "seedbombs" (mixed local flower seeds with soil wrapped in biodegradable plastic bags) were thrown alongside train tracks and onto a strip of neglected ground between a chain-link fence and graffiti-heavy wall.

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NMS Bringing Cosmonautics and Booty Shaking to Science Centre

Chris Orbz — Mon, 31 Mar 2008 19:36:36 PDT

Russians know it as Cosmonautics Day, the official celebration of the first manned space flight in April of 1961 by Yuri Gagarin.

While the original Soviet success no doubt impressed the globe it was also something to be hated, feared and rejected by people on this side of the ocean (Pacific, or Atlantic, or Arctic).

The cold war space race days have moved into history (for now), but even still it might not quite be Dubya's favourite holiday.

Regardless, Yuri's Night is now an international celebration not only of Commie Cosmonautics, but of the first HUmanned space flight and what it meant for the whole human race.

I may have been missing out, but the only Yuri's Night event I can recall in Toronto in previous years was extremely small and low-key.

This year, however, Newmindspace has managed to get the Ontario Science Centre on board as host of the celebration, which will be happening April 5th.

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Tap Water On Sale This Week, One Dollar Only

Chris Orbz — Thu, 27 Mar 2008 11:00:00 PDT

The other day, I was on YouTube and came across this video about UNICEF's Tap Project, a minimum-cost fundraising campaign that was started last March in New York City.

Restaurants across NYC signed up to offer $1 glasses of tap water to customers on March 22, world water day, with the proceeds going towards providing clean water to children in areas of the world without proper access. I liked the idea, but didn't think to follow up on the mention that it would be expanded to other places this year.

Yesterday in Union station, however, I noticed the Tap Project logo and realized all the Harvey's employees were wearing Tap Project t-shirts, so I went in and bought a cup of water.

Click through for my review (ha, ha) and details on the Tap Project in Canada.

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U of T Sit-In Protestors Evicted by Police

Chris Orbz — Fri, 21 Mar 2008 15:17:19 PDT

Thursday, a group of 35 University of Toronto students organized a protest in Simcoe Hall, outside the president's office, seeking to speak to president David Naylor about current tuition fees and about a planned increase they wanted to see dropped.

Perhaps they were also on some level hoping to get in on some of the sit-in success at York last week, but this situation ended quite differently.

Video of what some students are describing as police brutality after the jump.

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York Sit-In Wins Anti-Sweatshop Policy

Chris Orbz — Wed, 12 Mar 2008 09:30:00 PDT

Last Thursday, York University's Sustainable Purchasing Coalition student group organized a protest rally in Vari Hall, home to what many students see as a blur of protests and petition tables.

For the most part, although they do call some attention to the whichever issues are at hand, these setups are largely seen as a quirky part of York's culture. Only those with particular interest or time to spare will stop to read, discuss or sign anything, and it has become largely accepted that all you can hope to accomplish is raising awareness.

However, after the SPC rally, the organizers sought to deliver a 1000-signature petition to university president Mamdouh Shoukri demanding that the university ensure that products for York are not produced through human and worker rights abuses. After 3 years of attempting to negotiate a No Sweat policy, the SPC wanted immediate action to be taken to get York, at a minimum, up to par with U of T and Ryerson in this respect.

When the students were told the president was unavailable to see them, they decided to stay and stage an old-fashioned sit-in outside his office.

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Sci Fri Night Brings DJs Back to the Science Centre

Chris Orbz — Fri, 29 Feb 2008 17:08:13 PST

Tonight, the Ontario Science Centre will once again be hosting their free monthly "Sci Fri" Friday night event in their Weston Family Innovation Centre.

Aimed at teenagers and university students (14 - 24 year olds only), Sci Fri nights include a DJ/band crew, special guests, a variety of activities, games and contests and environmentally-conscious food (hopefully better than the typical fast food and food court stuff the OSC sells).

Music is provided by combination DJ crew / live band Quadrasonic, who are actually my main reason for being interested as they combine turntablism with the incorporation of instruments to create a sort of fusion jam band.

However, although the combination of DJs and the OSC will consistently set off murmurs about the Science Centre raves of the 1990's in many circles, Sci Fri is not quite there yet. The events, far from running all night, begin at 7 p.m. and end by 10 p.m.

This month's theme is space, with special guest Anousheh Ansari, private space explorer.

(Photo: Bubble Kiss in the Weston Family Innovation Centre by Chris Orbz.)

Randy and Mr Lahey Get Crunk at York

Chris Orbz — Thu, 28 Feb 2008 17:44:06 PST

Last Wednesday night, the isolated and frozen students at York University caught a glimpse of a wonderful utopia where the sun always seems to shine - Sunnyvale Trailer Park.

Randy and Mr. Lahey, the country's best known trailer park supervisors showed up to a night of Tony Lee's "XXX Hypnotism" to hang out, get drunk and smoke weed with the crowd.

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Spice Girls Blow Out ACC, Blow Off World Tour

Chris Orbz — Tue, 05 Feb 2008 14:02:25 PST

Before taking my girlfriend to the Air Canada Centre to see the Spice Girls for her birthday last night, I hadn't ever been to a pop concert. I'd been to pop-ular rock concerts, sure, even festivals but nothing quite as over-the-top-with-a-cherry-on-top as this was, and I'm glad I went - especially since they've just decided to cancel the rest of their world tour.

The fact that Toronto also won special honours and extra dates in the international online "Spice City" voting made the show feel a little more special from the seats, and no doubt from the stage as well. My impression of the night and the deal with the tour cancellation, plus video clips, after the jump.

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Bunch Dance Party Offers Kids a Romp at CiRCA

Chris Orbz — Thu, 31 Jan 2008 16:50:39 PST

The one remaining family-oriented event of the WinterCity Warm Up series, the Bunch Family Dance Party promises to be a fun and unique afternoon for anyone who happens to be a suitable demographic.

The Family Dance Party is a charming and unique kid-friendly music and art party that is taking place Sunday. The video clip above depicts the Jan 20, 2007 edition of the event at the Drake but this weekend's party is going to be in a far more exciting venue: this season's biggest word in trend, CiRCA nightclub. It will also, they maintain, be hosted by Andy Warhol himself.

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WinterCity Sees City Hall Engulfed In Flames

Chris Orbz — Thu, 31 Jan 2008 12:25:56 PST

The 5th annual iteration of Toronto's official WinterCity Festival commenced last Friday and is running through to next Monday, featuring the WOW! series of installations, music and performances around Nathan Phillips Square.

If you somehow missed the crowds and the fact that city hall was ablaze last week, or if like me you only managed to catch part of what was going on, the days to check it out are this Friday and Saturday from 2 to 10 p.m., plus the finale Sunday evening at 6.

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Left Feet Chili Cook-Off Warms Kensington for Out Of The Cold

Chris Orbz — Mon, 28 Jan 2008 14:45:11 PST

This past Saturday, two of Kensington's eco-friendly retailers crossed their fingers, stuffed them into mittens and hoped the weather would hold up to allow for a successful first run of what they hoped would become an annual vegan chili cook-off for charity.

Veg- and eco-friendly shoe retailer Left Feet and clothing retailer Heart On Your Sleeve (previously profiled in our Green Toronto video series) set tables up in front of their conjoined stores and laid them out with crockpots, biodegradable spoons/bowls, and squares of vegan cornbread.

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HD Video Captures Need for Earth Hour Action

Chris Orbz — Sat, 19 Jan 2008 16:18:06 PST

Last March, 2.2 million residents and 2100 businesses in Sydney, Australia turned off their lights for one hour, WWF's Earth Hour 2007, resulting in an energy consumption of 10.2% for that period of time and making a major statement about what collective effort can build out of seemingly minor individual actions.

Mayor Miller and WWF Canada recently announced Toronto's participation in this year's Earth Hour, teaming up with cities such as Chicago, Tel Aviv, Copenhagen, Manila and even Suva (Fiji) in joining an expanded set of Australian cities to make Earth Hour 2008 a global event.

The Toronto Star has positioned themselves as the primary local media outlet for the event and is making various attempts to use their reach to call attention to it - including the recent posting of a striking new video created by one of their photographers.

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