<?xml version="1.0" encoding="utf-8" ?>
<rss version="2.0" xmlns:dc="http://purl.org/dc/elements/1.1/">
<channel>
<title>blogTO Recent Comments: The Night the Lights Went Out</title>
<link>http://www.blogto.com/feed/recentcomments/?10544</link>
<description>Comments recently made in this post on blogTO</description>
<copyright>Copyright 2009</copyright>
<lastBuildDate>Sun, 22 Nov 2009 04:45:08 PST</lastBuildDate>
<item>
<title>Jesus</title>
<description><![CDATA[
I was at work at Yonge & Bloor, working at the Condom Shack when all the lights went out, free condoms for everyone! All I could hear in the darkness was the buzzing of vibrators...so surreal. Looking outside I saw random people directing traffic....What an amazing experience............]]>
</description>
<link>http://www.blogto.com/city/2008/08/the_night_the_lights_went_out/#c301631</link>
<guid>http://www.blogto.com/city/2008/08/the_night_the_lights_went_out/#c301631</guid>
<category>Toronto, City</category>
<pubDate>Sun, 17 Aug 2008 20:13:16 PDT</pubDate>
</item>
<item>
<title>aahhrrgg</title>
<description><![CDATA[
I was in the shower (in the basement!) and I swear the lights went out just as I turned off the water.  A surreal moment.]]>
</description>
<link>http://www.blogto.com/city/2008/08/the_night_the_lights_went_out/#c301352</link>
<guid>http://www.blogto.com/city/2008/08/the_night_the_lights_went_out/#c301352</guid>
<category>Toronto, City</category>
<pubDate>Sat, 16 Aug 2008 11:19:10 PDT</pubDate>
</item>
<item>
<title>Andrew L</title>
<description><![CDATA[
My friend and I walked around the Scarborough Malvern area.  I was lucky.  I didn't have to work that day.  We walked through the park.  We ended up back at his house and played Magic: The Gathering by candle light the rest of the evening.]]>
</description>
<link>http://www.blogto.com/city/2008/08/the_night_the_lights_went_out/#c301265</link>
<guid>http://www.blogto.com/city/2008/08/the_night_the_lights_went_out/#c301265</guid>
<category>Toronto, City</category>
<pubDate>Sat, 16 Aug 2008 02:39:36 PDT</pubDate>
</item>
<item>
<title>Amber</title>
<description><![CDATA[
I was at work at a veterinary clinic and ended up hitching a ride home with the clinic doctor.  It was a nightmare for me.  I had $3000 worth of animal serums and vaccines that never would have stayed cold in our tiny fridge to drag home, whioh I loaded into my dad's deep freezer overnight to avoid losses.  My dad, stepmother and brothers went to their summer place for the weekend and since I was seldom home, they'd taken any food that could spoil (and thus, anything I could eat without power to cook it) with them.  I ate a can of tuna and crackers for dinner and a bit of cold slaw.  Because I'm not one to carry much cash (I spend it faster) and I had no car, I couldn't even try and buy chips from a store or anything.  I had $3 on me.

I was in Mississauga and there was no community gathering in our area like the Toronto core experienced.  It was hell.]]>
</description>
<link>http://www.blogto.com/city/2008/08/the_night_the_lights_went_out/#c301254</link>
<guid>http://www.blogto.com/city/2008/08/the_night_the_lights_went_out/#c301254</guid>
<category>Toronto, City</category>
<pubDate>Sat, 16 Aug 2008 01:33:35 PDT</pubDate>
</item>
<item>
<title>Andrew N</title>
<description><![CDATA[
@ Michael J: I referenced the community as a whole. But to go into more specifics as to who was involved, here is the list: Streets are for People!, New Mind Space, Promise,Reclaim the Streets, Drummers in Exile, Bike Pirates, Take the Tooker, Bells on Bloor, Urban Repair Squad, Samba Elegua and the Kensington Horns.

@ KL: That is amusing that they made you continue writing the exam, but what could you do.

@ Danielle: Those were good times. Life really poured out onto the streets of Toronto during the course of that week.]]>
</description>
<link>http://www.blogto.com/city/2008/08/the_night_the_lights_went_out/#c301234</link>
<guid>http://www.blogto.com/city/2008/08/the_night_the_lights_went_out/#c301234</guid>
<category>Toronto, City</category>
<pubDate>Fri, 15 Aug 2008 22:13:39 PDT</pubDate>
</item>
<item>
<title>Gloria</title>
<description><![CDATA[
@KL: Nice.]]>
</description>
<link>http://www.blogto.com/city/2008/08/the_night_the_lights_went_out/#c301153</link>
<guid>http://www.blogto.com/city/2008/08/the_night_the_lights_went_out/#c301153</guid>
<category>Toronto, City</category>
<pubDate>Fri, 15 Aug 2008 15:45:46 PDT</pubDate>
</item>
<item>
<title>Michael J</title>
<description><![CDATA[
This communique was passed on to me by the group responsible for last night's action at Bloor and Spadina.  they are calling themselves the Public Squares.  I forward it to you.

August 14th - Blackout Anniversary
	
	Five years ago the lights went out on some 100 million people.  We spilled out of our home-box, work-box, shopping and car boxes.  We stepped away from computers, microwaves and TV's.  The streets became our living rooms as we shared the good company of friends and strangers alike.  We rediscovered the power and vitality of the commons.
	Last night's temporary reclamation of Bloor & Spadina is a festive demonstration of how our city could evolve.  The streets and avenues are the veins and arteries of the city.  Great intersections like this one are vital organs where people are drawn to work, eat, play and commune.  This connection of citizens creates a livable city in a way that an easy left turn never will.  See for yourself how this thousand square feet of pavement can better serve us all.

"Get out of your box and into the square."
			- the Public Squares]]>
</description>
<link>http://www.blogto.com/city/2008/08/the_night_the_lights_went_out/#c301150</link>
<guid>http://www.blogto.com/city/2008/08/the_night_the_lights_went_out/#c301150</guid>
<category>Toronto, City</category>
<pubDate>Fri, 15 Aug 2008 15:34:11 PDT</pubDate>
</item>
<item>
<title>Carrie</title>
<description><![CDATA[
I was working at a hospital at the time, and we couldn't leave for a short while until it was known whether extra help would be needed with patients (I was not a medical worker). Then I walked home, which I regularly did anyway, and then went to play a scheduled ultimate frisbee game up the street. The rest of the evening was rather relaxing with no tv, radio, lights, etc. The next morning the power was still out, but some friends and I had already planned to head to the cottage, so I wasn't really hugely affected. I actually kind of wish we could have a blackout once/year.]]>
</description>
<link>http://www.blogto.com/city/2008/08/the_night_the_lights_went_out/#c301148</link>
<guid>http://www.blogto.com/city/2008/08/the_night_the_lights_went_out/#c301148</guid>
<category>Toronto, City</category>
<pubDate>Fri, 15 Aug 2008 15:22:57 PDT</pubDate>
</item>
<item>
<title>KL</title>
<description><![CDATA[
I was writing an exam at UofT.  They told us to finish writing it.]]>
</description>
<link>http://www.blogto.com/city/2008/08/the_night_the_lights_went_out/#c301135</link>
<guid>http://www.blogto.com/city/2008/08/the_night_the_lights_went_out/#c301135</guid>
<category>Toronto, City</category>
<pubDate>Fri, 15 Aug 2008 14:03:35 PDT</pubDate>
</item>
<item>
<title>Todd Tyrtle</title>
<description><![CDATA[
I was still in the southwestern US preparing to make good on my promise: "If the Republicans get any worse we're moving to Canada..."  I'm sorry I missed it.]]>
</description>
<link>http://www.blogto.com/city/2008/08/the_night_the_lights_went_out/#c301129</link>
<guid>http://www.blogto.com/city/2008/08/the_night_the_lights_went_out/#c301129</guid>
<category>Toronto, City</category>
<pubDate>Fri, 15 Aug 2008 13:37:56 PDT</pubDate>
</item>
<item>
<title>Andrew N</title>
<description><![CDATA[
I remember watching the ice melt in our refrigerator hoping that the food wouldn't go bad. The night was amazing, especially if you got to experience it from your rooftop.]]>
</description>
<link>http://www.blogto.com/city/2008/08/the_night_the_lights_went_out/#c301128</link>
<guid>http://www.blogto.com/city/2008/08/the_night_the_lights_went_out/#c301128</guid>
<category>Toronto, City</category>
<pubDate>Fri, 15 Aug 2008 13:37:40 PDT</pubDate>
</item>
<item>
<title>Chris</title>
<description><![CDATA[
I was working with a friend in a room with NO windows. So when the lights went off we were stuck completely in pitch black. And this room happened to be inside a huge factory also with no windows... going down those rickety stairs was pretty intense!]]>
</description>
<link>http://www.blogto.com/city/2008/08/the_night_the_lights_went_out/#c301122</link>
<guid>http://www.blogto.com/city/2008/08/the_night_the_lights_went_out/#c301122</guid>
<category>Toronto, City</category>
<pubDate>Fri, 15 Aug 2008 12:42:01 PDT</pubDate>
</item>
<item>
<title>Loozrboy</title>
<description><![CDATA[
I was on a streetcar with an armload of groceries, about half a block from my stop. The car drifted to a stop at my corner, and stayed there for 2 days.

We had a little blackout anniversary flashback here in SW scarborough this morning, power conked out for about an hour. Back on now though (obviously :p).]]>
</description>
<link>http://www.blogto.com/city/2008/08/the_night_the_lights_went_out/#c301121</link>
<guid>http://www.blogto.com/city/2008/08/the_night_the_lights_went_out/#c301121</guid>
<category>Toronto, City</category>
<pubDate>Fri, 15 Aug 2008 12:40:12 PDT</pubDate>
</item>
<item>
<title>momo</title>
<description><![CDATA[
I was at work, up at Yonge & Sheppard, wondering when the power would come back on. Driving home on the 401 past the pitch black city was very cool. Later, we went outside and lay down on the front lawn to look at the stars. Mars was very bright that night!]]>
</description>
<link>http://www.blogto.com/city/2008/08/the_night_the_lights_went_out/#c301120</link>
<guid>http://www.blogto.com/city/2008/08/the_night_the_lights_went_out/#c301120</guid>
<category>Toronto, City</category>
<pubDate>Fri, 15 Aug 2008 12:38:58 PDT</pubDate>
</item>
<item>
<title>Corina</title>
<description><![CDATA[
My favourite blackout memory is the footage mass exodus walking up the closed-to-traffic DVP... even though I was actually up in the suburbs stargazing around a campfire :)]]>
</description>
<link>http://www.blogto.com/city/2008/08/the_night_the_lights_went_out/#c301117</link>
<guid>http://www.blogto.com/city/2008/08/the_night_the_lights_went_out/#c301117</guid>
<category>Toronto, City</category>
<pubDate>Fri, 15 Aug 2008 12:31:48 PDT</pubDate>
</item>
<item>
<title>Hantuchova</title>
<description><![CDATA[
I was watching tennis at the Rogers Cup tournament, suddenly the scoreboards died, the umpire's microphone stopped working, and the background music in the grounds stopped. People shortly heard about the blackout and the night session was cut short.]]>
</description>
<link>http://www.blogto.com/city/2008/08/the_night_the_lights_went_out/#c301114</link>
<guid>http://www.blogto.com/city/2008/08/the_night_the_lights_went_out/#c301114</guid>
<category>Toronto, City</category>
<pubDate>Fri, 15 Aug 2008 12:29:29 PDT</pubDate>
</item>
<item>
<title>John Carson</title>
<description><![CDATA[
I was on King and Dufferin when the streetcar stopped. Sat there for 15 minutes before realising it was permanent. Walked all the way to Dundas St. West subway, and luckily flagged a cab there. I'm British (moved here in 2000) but said I was a lost tourist, so got to Islington for $12, not bad. Sat on the patio drinking warm beer and watching the last of the commuters get home.]]>
</description>
<link>http://www.blogto.com/city/2008/08/the_night_the_lights_went_out/#c301105</link>
<guid>http://www.blogto.com/city/2008/08/the_night_the_lights_went_out/#c301105</guid>
<category>Toronto, City</category>
<pubDate>Fri, 15 Aug 2008 12:04:11 PDT</pubDate>
</item>
<item>
<title>Garry Choo</title>
<description><![CDATA[
I had a party - to eat all my frozen food before it melted and drink my beer before it got warm!]]>
</description>
<link>http://www.blogto.com/city/2008/08/the_night_the_lights_went_out/#c301101</link>
<guid>http://www.blogto.com/city/2008/08/the_night_the_lights_went_out/#c301101</guid>
<category>Toronto, City</category>
<pubDate>Fri, 15 Aug 2008 11:48:32 PDT</pubDate>
</item>
<item>
<title>rek</title>
<description><![CDATA[
I had just finished a mind-cripplingly dull shift at the factory and was home unwinding when the power went out. I lived out in rural Ontario at the time so we already knew our neighbours. Why couldn't the power have gone out an hour into work, instead of an hour after? Damn you, blackout!]]>
</description>
<link>http://www.blogto.com/city/2008/08/the_night_the_lights_went_out/#c301085</link>
<guid>http://www.blogto.com/city/2008/08/the_night_the_lights_went_out/#c301085</guid>
<category>Toronto, City</category>
<pubDate>Fri, 15 Aug 2008 10:43:47 PDT</pubDate>
</item>
<item>
<title>Rachel</title>
<description><![CDATA[
I was at Union, trying to get on a train to Montreal that we were all told was still "on schedule" despite the power failure. it obviously didn't happen and i had to go the next weekend.]]>
</description>
<link>http://www.blogto.com/city/2008/08/the_night_the_lights_went_out/#c301083</link>
<guid>http://www.blogto.com/city/2008/08/the_night_the_lights_went_out/#c301083</guid>
<category>Toronto, City</category>
<pubDate>Fri, 15 Aug 2008 10:37:26 PDT</pubDate>
</item>
</channel>
</rss>