Category: Toronto

Big brands, dinky trinket shops and the Scientology building

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Torontoist, not content with examining neighbourhoods, has begun examining intersections. They kicked things off with my local, Yonge & Bloor. I think I’m going to like this series.

.:.

The Economist’s FreeExchange blog mentions an interesting idea: that the EU should impose tariffs on products imported from countries who don’t comply with Kyoto. It doesn’t sound like it’s going to fly, and it was probably political posturing by the French as much as anything else, but it’ll be interesting to see where that thread goes. We impose tariffs and trade embargoes for a lot of things; why not environmental recklessness?

.:.

Speaking of environmental recklessness, American schools will be given 50,000 free copies of An Inconvenient Truth. Fan-frigging-tastic idea. Students should watch the movie and then be given the assignment to prove (or disprove) one or more of the claims Al Gore makes in the documentary.

[tags]yonge, bloor, kyoto, tariffs, inconvenient truth[/tags]

Hah bumhug

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The war on Christmas exists mainly in my head right now. I like buying gifts for people, I like knowing that I’m heading back to Nova Scotia soon for several days of relaxation, and I like the general idea of a time of year when people are meant to be nicer to each other.

However, judging by what I saw today, the vast majority of the population turns into jerks around the holidays. Our first few shopping stops — Toys ‘R Us, Future Shop, Indigo — were fairly uneventful. But then, walking along Yonge near Rosedale, some fuckass threw his gum from a moving car and hit me in the head. I would’ve given almost anything to be holding a can of pepsi or a baseball right then; unfortunately all I could do was watch the car drive away. A few minutes later in a bakery I was waiting my turn in line when I was butted in front of not once, but twice. Once I could tolerate; it was busy and exactly where the line ended might’ve been unclear to an addle-minded customer. The second time, though, was blatant: some big-haired big-spectacled Rosedale matron bullhorned her way ahead of me in line. A third person tried to do it; fortunately the clerk waved her off and pointed to me just as I was about to lose my holiday spirit. Pa rum pa pum pum.

Though we had only one more stop it was a killer. Note to self: avoid all yuppie furniture stores after December 1st, if not altogether. We left with giant bags piled atop smaller bags, and by the time I got home, because of the way I had to carry one of the heavy bags, I’d pulled something in my left forearm. We ate our lunch and went back out to finish off our errands, but in one of the stores the lineup was at least 30 people long, so I’ll have to do that one Monday.

“Hell is other people.” –Sartre

“Especially when they’re carrying shopping bags.” –Dickinson

Fortunately, we were able to hole up in the apartment to do some cleaning before friends come over tonight — Swiss Chalet and Die Hard, baby! — while listening to my indie holiday music mix, and now I have a few hours to relax before they arrive. It may not feel much like Christmas (especially the weather: 11 degrees and rain tomorrow!) but at least I’m ready to jump on board when it gets here.

[tags]christmas shopping[/tags]

"Aw yeah. That golden rule."

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We finished season 4 of The Wire last night. I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again: best show on TV. And I cannot wait for season 5.

.:.

I see that someone has claimed my old Radiodan blogspot URL. In case anyone’s worried that I’ve lapsed into writing long treatises on the subject of radio dramas, t’ain’t me. Update your links & readers.

.:.

Use transit in Toronto? This map is quickly going to become indispensable, methinks. [via Torontoist]

[tags]the wire, radiodan, toronto transit[/tags]

Common sense indeed

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Another pedestrian killed on Toronto streets. It’s getting scarier out there. However, it’s nice to see the police blaming the pedestrians first.

“You have to use common sense,” advised Acting Staff Sgt. Doug Surphlis of Traffic Services. “It is the festive time of year and it is important to think before you cross the road. Also, to the mot orists to be courteous to our pedestrians. Look around as well (and) be careful out there.”

Granted, this last victim was crossing at an unmarked part of the road, but in Scarborough it’s not easy for a senior with a stroller to walk all the way to a proper light.

.:.

Montreal wins (snapping their first two-game winless streak of the season) and Toronto loses (to Boston…again), so balance is restored to the sporting world.

[tags]toronto, pedestrian killed, canadiens, maple leafs[/tags]

November rain moderate temperatures

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Canadian weather is severely messed up at the moment. It’s 12 degrees in Toronto — going up to 15 tomorrow and 17 Wednesday, according to forecasts — while it snows in Vancouver. Poor Vancity…so much rain they were expecting an ark, and instead they got a blizzard.

17 degrees on the 2nd-to-last day of November…something not right about that.

[tags]toronto weather, vancouver snowfall, vancouver rain[/tags]

Bring on the downtime

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Since I’ve gotten ahead on my reading & assignments, I’ve decided not to do any school work at all until Tuesday. I cannot tell you how happy this makes me.

It’s a busy weekend anyway; we have dinner at Cava tomorrow night with friends and dinner with other friends on Monday. That leaves tonight and Sunday for going to movies, catching up on Deadwood (I watched 3 episodes last night) and generally lazing about.

More good news: it’s supposed to be 11 degrees tomorrow too, and my cold seems to be on the way out. Huzzah.

.:.

Spoke to my friend the constable last night. She’s loving her new job, maintaining law & order in the far north. Well…”far” is a relative word, I guess; while she’s not in Melville Island or Inuvik or even Deline, she’s further north than most people ever go. She’s certainly further north than I’ve ever been, by about 800 km. Anyway, she loves it there and she loves what she’s doing, and she’s even adopted a dog, so good for her.

[tags]slacking, the great white north[/tags]

What's the Deal With the Hulk's Pants?

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Via Cinematical we learn that Bill O’Reilly is very concerned about horror movies. What delicious irony; most of the world thinks that Bill O’Reilly is a horror movie.

.:.

Seen Reading is a very cool little blog written by Julie Wilson, set here in Toronto, where she spots what people are reading and writes about it online. I’ve found a new favourite morning read. [via Torontoist]

.:.

My brother points out why you should always read more than just one newspaper. Bonus: if you stick around for the comments, you can see him flick a narrow-minded Ontarian in the ear. Metaphorically, of course.

.:.

Right, off to dinner.

[tags]cinematical, bill o’reilly, seen reading, julie wilson[/tags]

The price of: rice-a-roni; parking; aiming high

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Bob Barker’s been hosting The Price Is Right longer than I’ve been alive, but he’s decided to hang it up next year. I bet he’ll be really good at grocery shopping.

.:.

Richmond upon Thames is one of the nicer neighbourhoods in London, and has decided to triple (or treble, depending on where you’re reading this) the parking fee for SUVs. I can’t imagine a Toronto neighbourhood like Rosedale or Hogg’s Hollow trying this.

.:.

The latest evidence that people are dumb: more of them watched CSI: Miami than watched Studio 60 (which has now been canceled). Thanks a lot, dull squishy middle.

[tags]bob barker, richmond upon thames, suv parking, csi miami, studio 60[/tags]

F**k

Dan DickinsonLeave a comment

F**king Firefox just f**king crashed and I lost a huge f**king post that I’d been writing for half a f**king hour. I’m not writing that f**king thing again, so you’re getting a point f**king form version.

  • Five Doors North at Yonge & Eg isn’t very good.
  • Death Of A President was pretty good, maybe a little better than I was expecting (but not quite as good as I’d hoped)
  • Irreversible, while expertly shot, was extremely hard to watch. I wouldn’t recommend it unless you can sit through graphic violence and/or prolonged rape scenes.
  • Moleskine doesn’t make a Citynotebook for Toronto, but they should.

F**k.

[tags]five doors north, toronto, death of a president, irreversible, moleskine[/tags]