Rob Ford - Why the Supervillian?

[grey]

What are you referring to ... is this something Rob Ford is planning?

It's a headline from another article written by his Director of Policy that gave me a laugh.

Edit: On the other hand, I understand urbandreamer supporting this kind of thing, but that's because he sleeps on a bed he made himself out of old rags and plywood and spends his days wandering about the city eating burgers and yelling at buildings.

And picking up French women with dreadlocks and beating up both yuppies and hipsters.

I am really curious to see a picture of him. I'm picturing Donald Rumsfeld at Burning Man and I want to see how close I am.

 

[Fresh Start]

"While, sure, he does deal drugs to kids, but he also keeps his apartment very clean and always pays his bills on time! And, also, this other completely unrelated guy did some bad things too!"

That's it? That's the big honking scandal here? Surely the man he helped whom sent him emails and phone calls to the effect of "I can see where you live from my house. I know where you work and where your brother lives," is something that at the very least warrants a restraining order and 24/7 security detail.

 

[AlvinofDiaspar]

Well, how about this for high ethical standards:

http://www.cbc.ca/canada/toronto/story/2006/05/03/tor-ford060503.html

But of course, it's mainstream media, what do I know...

AoD

 

[LordWanker]

The TTC's monopoly over transit in the 416 needs to end. New York system's as expansive as it is today because 3 competing railway companies privately built lines all over the city and into the inner-subrubs like Queens and the Bronx. Now the City owns it and fares are dirt cheap including inclusive passage onto express subway lines that bypass minor stops.

You indicated that Toronto should get out of the public transit service so it would be better run yet you quoted as proof, that NYC took over three privately run subway systems and is running it efficiently. Is that not the exact opposite of what you are supporting?

 

[PinkLucy]

Maybe that's one of FS's deliberate errors to see who's paying attention

 

[LordWanker]

Maybe that's one of FS's deliberate errors to see who's paying attention

More like pulling a Ford.

 

[Fresh Start]

You indicated that Toronto should get out of the public transit service so it would be better run yet you quoted as proof, that NYC took over three privately run subway systems and is running it efficiently. Is that not the exact opposite of what you are supporting?

Do you not understand what a PPP arrangement fundamentally entails? Let the private sector build it, operate it and maintain the asset for the contracted period, then it all kicks back to local gov’t to manage. In PPPs, the ownership of the project is shared. The heart of a PPP is thus the sharing of risks and profits. Compared to providing the service directly, in a PPP the state can concentrate on its core competences. The state does not need to allocate experts of its own for the implementation of the project and is thus less intimately involved. Additionally, PPPs exhibit a trend away from conventional, tax-based financing approaches towards financing through contributions of individual users (e.g. tolls for motorways).

 

[nfitz]

Eliminate or privatize? Why is the TTC paying bus drivers full hourly rate to run half-empty buses, streetcars and subways after 10 PM?

A half-empty bus isn't acceptable at 10 pm? I'd have thought a 0.5 load factor was great at 10 pm on most routes.

Surely, only a NIMBY would object to a bus with a load factor of 0.5 running down their street!

 

[Fresh Start]

Okay, how many of the TTC's 135 surface routes actually needs frequent service after 10 PM? Some areas of the City only really need 2 bus trips per hour that late. The merging of smaller minor routes into a continuous line would also resolve some of the operating inefficiencies.

 

[W. K. Lis]

You indicated that Toronto should get out of the public transit service so it would be better run yet you quoted as proof, that NYC took over three privately run subway systems and is running it efficiently. Is that not the exact opposite of what you are supporting?

The TTC's farebox recovery ratio is at 73.8% compared with Montreal at 57.1%, Los Angeles at 30.6%, Austin at 9%, Vancouver at 49.8%, and New York City at 36%. The TTC is the best in North America, except for GO Transit at 88.4%.

 

[Peepers]

I am surprised that no one has posted a link to the secret audio recording between Ford and this Henderson guy:

http://www.xtra.ca/public/National/Listen_to_the_Rob_Ford_tape_recording-8815.aspx

In the recording Henderson states that "the last time he bought drugs on the street was 2001 with GEORGE SMITHERMAN" ! In 2001 Smitherman was an elected MP and supposedly clean. I can now understand now why the Star choose not to post a transcript or link to the recording. The Star makes no reference to the Smitherman allegation.

To me this almost sounds like a false-flag operation cooked up by Rob Ford himself!

Henderson was someone Ford apologized to in the past regarding his HIV comments.

After the apology Ford and Henderson became friends for some odd reason and Henderson joined the Ford camp.

It also appears that Henderson was friends with Smitherman in the past. Could this be why Ford befriended Henderson? to get inside dirt on Smitherman.

 

[nfitz]

Okay, how many of the TTC's 135 surface routes actually needs frequent service after 10 PM? Some areas of the City only really need 2 bus trips per hour that late.

The service standard after 10 pm IS 2 bus trips per hour; many bus routes only have 2 trips per hour after 10 pm. They only add more buses than that demand is higher.

Though if you actually lived in Toronto, you'd probably already know that ...

 

[gristle]

Okay, how many of the TTC's 135 surface routes actually needs frequent service after 10 PM? Some areas of the City only really need 2 bus trips per hour that late. The merging of smaller minor routes into a continuous line would also resolve some of the operating inefficiencies.

By your logic, streetlights should be shut off at midnight.

Nice generalization regarding the merging of bus routes, so I thought I toss one of my own back. You're likely to create routes that are so cumbersome that no one would bother to take them. Killing the system in the name of cheapness doesn't automatically translate into efficiencies, it translates into cheapness - and lousy service.

While your looking to cheap out on city costs, you might want to question your champion Mr. Ford about the police budget. He's the one promoting the hiring of ever more police, and need I remind you what part of the city budget has rocketed past $800 million this year?

 

[Torontovibe]

There is gonna be something about this on CFTO news at 6. It seems they are making this the lead story. What a waste of time. I think everyone will come out looking bad, after all is said and done.

 

[Fresh Start]

Ugh, I give up, these arguments are circular and are going nowhere. You lefties are incorrigible. Two-thirds of TTC's bus and streetcar routes are running 4 trips per hour after 10 PM carrying more like 5-10 people at the most. Insinuate whatever you want about me, I don't care. Vote in Smitherfraud if you want, just don't come crying on here two to three years from now when things go from belly-up to worse.

Many people have expressed the concern that Ford won't be able to rally the support of other councillors. Once we eliminate the chief socialist (Miller), that faction will fall apart. Those who try to tow the old, self-serving, special interest line by trying to bog down all other business at City Hall can be publicly exposed to their constituents and shamed into doing what's right (for a change). I'm sure Ford will eliminate the late-night meetings that the Millerites used to ram their pet policies through process. The socialists will scatter like the cowardly cockroaches they are, and the interest of citizens will at long last be paramount.