Rob Ford's Toronto

[adma]

One thing worth mentioning about Olivia Chow's campaigning and election strategy--and I say this from my own experience volunteering for her last 2 Federal campaigns--is that she has a huge base of supporters and volunteers and a phenomenal ground game. IIRC her margin of victory in the last election was even higher than her internal polling. She is a master of getting out the vote and this alone may be enough to ensure her victory. (it's also worth noting that she may be most effective in doing this in the Old City which traditionally has the lowest turnout in Muni elections, and with young voters who rarely vote at all)

Though I *might* caveat that by suggesting the 2011 election was exceptional. OTOH in 2004 (when she lost) and 2008 (when she won w/barely 40%), she actually *underperformed* expectations, perhaps a little because of the bygone (and maybe future?) voter's dummy tendency to default Liberal, "the NDP can't win", etc. And provincially speaking, there's Rosario Marchese's underperformance in 2007 and 2011 to consider, too.

 

[Johnny Au]

The Fords have a major weakness: hubris.

By the way, Chinese is not a single language, but multiple similar languages. Mandarin and Cantonese are as different from each other as French and Spanish are different, and yet we do not combine French and Spanish and call it Latin.

 

[RC8]

So today I met the mother of one of Ford's former staffers (who now works for Norm Kelly). It basically confirmed that a number of rookie staffers - many of whom did not closely follow municipal issues - gave Rob Ford the benefit of the doubt originally, but now describe him as a psychopath. Many were hugely relieved when Kelly was made the de-facto mayor.

The portrayal of the whole affair was refreshing, for it demonstrated that people who naively gave him a shot are sometimes capable of seeing what a disaster of a person our not-mayor is.

 

[JWBF]

The Fords have a major weakness: hubris.

By the way, Chinese is not a single language, but multiple similar languages. Mandarin and Cantonese are as different from each other as French and Spanish are different, and yet we do not combine French and Spanish and call it Latin.

Hubris? or arrogance?

 

[Johnny Au]

Hubris? or arrogance?

Hubris means extreme pride or arrogance anyways.

 

[JWBF]

Hubris means extreme pride or arrogance anyways.

Hubris means that one has excessive pride or self confidence in one's abilities. Arrogance deals with one's exaggerated sence of one's own importance, or abilities.

The former is founded on exagrerated, but proven facts, the later deals with someone being "a legend in their own mind" so to speak.

 

[newearthling]

So today I met the mother of one of Ford's former staffers (who now works for Norm Kelly). It basically confirmed that a number of rookie staffers - many of whom did not closely follow municipal issues - gave Rob Ford the benefit of the doubt originally, but now describe him as a psychopath. Many were hugely relieved when Kelly was made the de-facto mayor.

The portrayal of the whole affair was refreshing, for it demonstrated that people who naively gave him a shot are sometimes capable of seeing what a disaster of a person our not-mayor is.

Any specific stories?

 

[Admiral Beez]

The thing I really like about Olivia is that she is fluent in multiple languages - English, Chinese (multiple dialects) and likely French

It's funny to my oft'times wacky side that we value the Chinese origins of our politicians (eg. Olivia Chow, Adrienne Clarkson, Ted Hsu, etc..), but have disdain for the Chinese origins of our products.

That is all, carry on...

 

[JWBF]

It's funny to my oft'times wacky side that we value the Chinese origins of our politicians (eg. Olivia Chow, Adrienne Clarkson, Ted Hsu, etc..), but have disdain for the Chinese origins of our products.

That is all, carry on...

Long answer: Rumour and inuendo just like "Made In Japan", and "Made In America", it's a trade thing. Asia (including India) has been greatly feared over the decades since the reformations after WWII for example. It's not dissimilar than the term of "communist" to lump opponents of right wing/republican mindset.

Short answer: Silliness based on propaganda.

(It's been a long and uneventful day, thankfully)

 

[sno man]

yea I guess melamine in the dog food or infant formula is just propaganda.

 

[FraudNation]

yea I guess melamine in the dog food or infant formula is just propaganda.

Haha. What.

Melamine on your cabinet shelves! Lock up your daughters and hide yo wives!

Less sidetracks, more crack mayors, please.

 

[sno man]

Haha. What.

Melamine on your cabinet shelves! Lock up your daughters and hide yo wives!

Less sidetracks, more crack mayors, please.

side track to be sure.... facts suck sometimes

 

[doug]

yea I guess melamine in the dog food or infant formula is just propaganda.

How about listeria in your cold cuts?

 

[sno man]

How about listeria in your cold cuts?

Well if the listeria was willfully, deliberately added, that'd be about equivalent. And we are really off topic.

 

[doug]

Well if the listeria was willfully, deliberately added, that'd be about equivalent.

...or if it wasn't taken seriously the first time it happened, and a second outbreak occurred shortly afterward.

And we are really off topic.

Why did you bring it up then?