I didn't skirt your most important issue. I completely ignored it because I wanted to vent about this 'decline' nonsense I'm reading everywhere - attributed to Miller. Toronto may have declined from its heyday, but that decline started in the early 90's and has, I think, leveled off during...

What's with the dedicated right turn lanes in the second picture? Very suburban. How about a narrower road instead?

Deteriorating services? Really!!? Like what? TTC service has been expanded in Miller's term. Its hard to gauge the quality of the Police service, but there are certainly more of them. Libraries are being improved and expanded. Snow removal is certainly more competent that it was in the...

Whenever I see that picket, I think, "But that's one of the few industrial operations left in this city. I ought to buy their products".

New Streetcar yard for TFS property? http://www.cbc.ca/canada/toronto/story/2009/06/18/ttc-leslieville.html?ref=rss This is an interesting turn of events. From my point of view, a streetcar yard has few of the objectionable qualities of a big box store: 1. quality employment 2...

This is awesome. A huge success. See how effective a cent charge can be? All that waste of raw materials and energy to produce a product that no one actually valued is now avoided. A huge success. If people really want plastic bags to line their garbage they'll pay for them. Maybe those...

I read the fourth paragraph and thought, "This is really stupid. 32% vs 57% is a 'run for his money'? In any other political theatre that's a landslide. And the author either doesn't know the meaning of the word 'incumbent' or hasn't heard of Mel Lastman." So I went to the Globe site and...

Indeed. When you get your electricity from coal plants, even electric trains can be blamed for a lot of SO2 and Nitrogen Oxides. With this analysis, electric cars will look worse than gasoline burning The conclusion is pretty sensible, Look at the big picture. Don't ignore your crappy old...

Luminato starts tomorrow. Grab yourself a programme. There is sure to something that suits your tastes. Like TAJ MAHAL playing free concert in front of Metro Hall on Saturday! Awesome.

Why not just a stroll around the Distillery district? You know, with feet. It's not a big place. Then you can look in the galleries and shops and stop for a drink or some food. I've seen people on Segways at the Distillery. The look like pathetic idiots. You don't want to look like a...

It's revealing that the usual vocal opponents of Human Rights Commissions are silent on this expansion of their powers to harass speech in Alberta. Ezra Levant is too busy fawning over Stephan Harper. Basically, the onus is on the schools to inform parents of matters the parents may find...

Is it office space? It looks like it could go either to offices or retail. Also, is this an entirely new building? I have the impression that it's a substantial reno of an existing building.

Does that mean I'm breaking the law when I'm going over 32km/h on my bicycle? It seems that these are to cycling what the Segway is to walking. If you can't ride a bike for some reason, or you're lazy, then they could be be useful. Otherwise, self propulsion is better for you, more reliable...

The roads are certainly a mess. Aside from that, infrastructure seems to be improving. The TTC is making steady improvements. There have been some really good investments in the libraries. The parks I see are looking better kept, have more trees, and there are more of them. Water and sewer...

It exists. When I moved here I thought it was just a realtor's marketing term, but it's real. The geology confirms it. Dug down 7 feet under my driveway and it was sand all the way. Lots of sand == beach. So, I live on a beach. It's jut a beach on a hill. An upper beach. The western...

You may think I suggested it, but that's not what I said. Actually reducing overall spending is very difficult and very rare. I don't think any city government has done it. I can't think of an Ontario government that ever did. (The Harris Tories increased spending steadily. Sure, they cut...

In spite of the whining from realtors, the land transfer tax was sound politics. Tax a rare expense that usually occurs when you're shoveling money out the door anyways. The Fraser institute (or was it C.D. Howe?) said the revenue generated would be equivalent to an 8% property tax increase...

I think that captures the Miller Derangement mindset well. - no understanding and no interest in the historical and political context of the changes that have occurred during this tenure. - tendency to inflate minor events that have little to do with the Mayoralty into major failings of his...

Barber isn't saying that things are rosy, just more subtle. The traffic stats could be a result of the demographics he refers to in his second last paragraph More people commute into the city for work because there are fewer people of working age living in the city (or at least the old...

So, here is the umpteenth report documenting a 20 year old trend that is immediately obvious to anyone who drives a few minutes across the city boundary on any of the 400 series highways. The Star - always ready to be stunned by common knowledge - slaps it on the front page with a sensational...