Morning Brew: TTC shooting leads to automated fare talk, former mayor criticizes Ford, the Zoo's orangutans might get an iPad, and Ryerson's new residence

Here's a suggestion - can we automate our Mayor?

wow a righty coming to defense of their washed up mayor, surprised!

That the Fords used this as an opportunity to talk about making the victim's job automated is repulsive and a scumbag move. The worker was shot ffs. Have some decency or, at least, tact.

My trainer is sort of campaigning to give Mayor Ford a personal training session, looks like he could benefit :)

http://js3pt.com/blog/2012/mayor-fords-%E2%80%9Ccut-the-waist-challenge%E2%80%9D-the-top-5-things-i-would-make-him-do-if-i-was-his-trainer/

I agree. The level of grammar generated by BlogTO is degrading. I blame Mayor Ford for this.

His insight to get both the wimpy idiotic left and the nut stupid right to froth at the mouth has caused what little intellect BlogTo had to vanish.

Notice how the TTC union was first in defending an obsolete position that some earn over 100k/yr. Rather than replace them with an automated system like every other world class system such as NYC, Pairs, etc....

I am also positive that a automated company has contacted Ford and will now be given preference at deploying these systems.

My morning buzz is wearing off and I need more booze.
My parting wisdom of the day is Valium mixes very well with scotch. Not so well with Don. Hookers tend to throw up with that combination.

Also I heard it's quite a nice day outside perhaps some of you should run outside, and play in traffic.
It gives your mom a chance to change your bed sheets. It gets mouldy in the basement.

Yes to Alex - the Oyster system is easy and works.

Automation is the way to go. Why do we even accept cash anymore? I have to go to the bank machine just to take out money to buy tokens. This is completely out of date. The union has opposed modernization for years. Maybe the new TTC GM will think ahead instead of protecting the past.

Automated fares are the way to go. You should look @ the subway in hong kong. No one works there. But it will be a jobs issue & it should not be motivated be reactive management instead proactive,management. To think that someone has to get shot, stabbed or killed to open the discussion is embarrassing.

There are so many reasons full automation couldn't work here (yet). For the past two weeks my Metro Pass has been de-magnetized so I actually can't get in anywhere there isn't a TTC worker, unless it's a place I can hop over. Super annoying.
Yes, I know I can just go to Davisville and get a new card but I'm really lazy.

My MetroPass has demagnetized so often in the last few months and it's such a pain in the ass. Surely, it shouldn't be happening as often as it is.

How can all of you insult this mayor. You need to be fearful of him.

He's not even drunk half the time! This is an outrage.
Somehow we need to get him to take up booze and drugs. Then and only then will we have a world class mayor. Take a look at the last 10 mayors from NYC, London, Chicago, Detroit, Pairs. Even miller was known to be a drunk most of the time and sign off on nearly anything you put in front of him. Personally I got a few oak tree's cut down to make my living room set authorized by Miller.

A politician that does not have a known drug/drink/hooker problem is a very dangerous person to be in power.

Look at France with Nicolas Sarkozy. Now that's a sleazy class act type of guy you want in charge. Even NDP's Orange crash Jack had a thing for rub'n'tugs and hookers. I wanted to vote for him after I found out.

Harper on the other hand should scare the crap out of you. He has no addiction to anything other then the bible and lacking in a personality less entertaining then wet cardboard. Truly a scary MoFo if you ask me. Why else do you think china does not give him the time of day. I bet he never snorted at the G7 conference. Wimp.

Look at one point he makes sense drop the long gun registry it is useless. Okay great. Then he wants to read all your Facebook posts without your consent. What next see what I am sexting to my hookers and how much they charge for an round the bend whipper? If you want to be a lookie loo, fine I'm down with that but your chipping in for that buddy! Im not paying HST and letting you read my sexting. That just not right.

The Presto system is coming to the TTC. That will help with the automation thingy. And since it's liked to a bank account or credit card it limits the amount of money a station attendant will have. Yes, Presto is not perfect, but it's better than the current system.

I'd like to add that Chicago has had a largely automated system for a while, and they still have staff at each station. You will always need someone at the station to answer questions.

Even in New York, I believe every station has at least one manned booth 24hours a day, but like Toronto, not all station booths are operated at all times (see the south entrances at Yorkdale, Glencairn).

Full automization would be irresponsible and not very helpful to, say, people who pay in cash, need help, or would like to wait for a subway near a person.

The GOOF! (nice photo for Beaches folks)

Here's the thing I don't get with the Ford apologists? What exactly has he done to warrant such unwavering support? He's "promised" all kinds of things, but thus far has shown no capacity whatsover to deliver, or even any capacity for understanding why his promises can't be delivered.

I know its easy for theses apologists (including our friends at the Toronto Sun) to blame the "lefties" on council for this, but the fact is, when he was first elected, he had council at his feet ready to do his bidding - the left was in disarray, and unable to mount any kind of serious challenge to his agenda.

That he managed to piss away all of that moral authority in barely six months, to a point where its debatable whether he can get ANYTHNG approved at council anymore? That's entirely on him. HE's the one who alienated his allies on council.

His "management" of the budget process and the transit file (the two biggest files on his plate thus far) have been classic examples of - he refuses to acknowledge the reality of the situation even though its staring him in the face. He has no ability or willingness to compromise. On transit he continues to perpetuate this myth of building subways but has no plan of any kind for actually accomplishing this. He talks of the people who tell him over and over again they want subways, but refuses to even sketch out in broad strokes how he plans to deliver this, and he steadfastly refuses to acknowledge in any way Council's vote on the matter.

Yet in all of this, his apologists won't even acknowledge that he's made mistakes in how he's handled this - they act as if he's done nothing wrong and its full steam ahead with his agenda - that the councillors who voted against him are either loony lefties or turncoats. Even on transit, where now the Mayor who declared the end of a "war on cars" is suddenly musing about parking taxes to help pay for subways - which, by the way, won't even come close and, isn't making parking more expensive a "war" on cars? in his world? Despite this obvious change of face, it seems his apologists who cheered him on as he did everything possible to make the streets safe for cars again, are suddenly silent when he talks about raising taxes on drivers to pay for subways (imagine if Miller had suggested that).

So my question to those apologists is "why" - why is he still your guy? Why is he suddenly the greatest mayor in history to you, when for 10 years he was a loudmouth councillor with nothing of value to add to council debates except to complain about the cost of lunch (as part of his crusade against largely non-existent "gravy"), and accuse everyone of being a crook without offering even a token bit of evidence to back it up.

I'm not trying to be facetious, I'm just trying to understand, seriously.

While I am still sober waiting for my guest to come up the elevator with my stuff.

Have you guys thought of hosting a pig roasting rally at city hall?

Think about it. bring over a pig roasting BBQ rotisserie style thing and signs that read 'don't cut the fat, just cook the pig'
and 'Don't be a little man, be the big man that you can be'
or 'you are the right, we are the left. please don't eat the centre or me!'


Also bring over some food for the man. he has lost quite a bit of weight and I for one can't stand him now that he does't sound like porky pig.

I can't vote for him in 3yrs if he is a skinny a hole. thats just boring.

You can automate day passes. Just time stamp them for a 24 hour period from point of purchase.

You'd always have to have someone on duty -- for safety, for security, and for emergencies. But a Presto or other swipe card system is long overdue in Toronto.

The reason they support the Mayor is because he's "their guy".

Even if he burned down City Hall they'd still support him.

Why? A pretty simple reason, and one similar to fanboyism: If he fails, they "fail" along with him. So no matter what he does they paint him in a positive light, even if it means completely denying reality, to maintain their own self esteem.

No, I meant TTC day passes, not day passes in general. The TTC day pass is designed for a family or friends to go out for the day and use the TTC, so it can be used for two adults or one adult and four kids (I think, correct me if I'm wrong on the second one). Maybe when you buy a day pass at the machine you specify if it's for 2 adults or an adult and 4 kids, and then it spits out the appropriate number of single adult/child day passes accordingly, that could work I guess.

It still doesn't solve the problem where at least one person needs to be in a station (and easily accessible to the public) at all times.

Ipads for orangutans? I read this in the paper too and I can't believe they could make one strong enough(but still touchpad usable) that it isn't broken in two seconds by the monkeys.

Most support the mayor because they simply support his end goals. His supporters were ignored or belittled during the previous mayor's term and feel Ford was elected to issue payback for the years they were marginalized. Whether it is true or not that is how many in the city feel. Call it petty or vindictive but revenge is a primal emotion and is a strong motivator. Getting rid of the bike lane on Jarvis resonated with them because most didn't believe there needed to be bike lane there in the first place, especially when it removed an entire lane of traffic. Putting subways in the suburbs resonates because people know the subway is faster and better than lrt. Is it more expensive to build? Of course but when people who live near or on a subway line tell those who don't that "it's too expensive for your subway" what they hear is "your area isn't important enough for the top service" and it doesn't endear the different areas of the city to each other.