Rob Ford's Toronto

[VintagePunk]

I'm grateful that I was never able to let myself go down that far. It was always only on week-ends. The meth and the booze. Still drink...even binge sometimes (strictly week-ends and holidays), but I always stop full out for a month or two when things get a bit much. The meth was easy to quit. Now, if only I could say the same about nicotine.


All of this is irrelevant, of course, because our dear mayor is nowhere near rehab.

I'm guessing that you're a young, single guy without a wife and kids. If so, sounds like you have things under control, and if you were in a position where that were no longer appropriate, you'd have a handle on that. Good for you.

ETA - dear mayor reminds me of "Dear Leader," haha.

 

[denfromoakvillemilton]

I'm grateful that I was never able to let myself go down that far. It was always only on week-ends. The meth and the booze. Still drink...even binge sometimes (strictly week-ends and holidays), but I always stop full out for a month or two when things get a bit much. The meth was easy to quit. Now, if only I could say the same about nicotine.


All of this is irrelevant, of course, because our dear mayor is nowhere near rehab.

That's good to hear. Glad to have you here

 

[SunriseChampion]

I'm guessing that you're a young, single guy without a wife and kids. If so, sounds like you have things under control, and if you were in a position where that were no longer appropriate, you'd have a handle on that. Good for you.

Yes and yes. I was always able to say to myself: "Well, this is getting kinda fucked. Best stop." For which I am grateful. Never lost my job. Never lost my home. Never lost a friend. Didn't eat properly here and there, but that's about it.
Two of my heroes are Ernest Hemingway and Hunter S Thompson so...I'm a bit...cavalier, I guess.

 

[SunriseChampion]

I hear you. There have been times where I have been adept at walking the line, but never crossing it, as well.

Walking the line and not tripping over it has always been a way for me to test myself.

 

[ArtDecorum]

I only caught Council from about 2pm, but I don't think they did. Comments I've heard/read indicate there's not going to be a majority vote to excuse him. I was pleased to see Councillor McConnell (an opponent, and whom Ford famously body-slammed when he and brother Doug were heckling the crowd in the Chamber last winter) stated that she will vote to excuse him, without a Dr. note or any further evidence for his leave.

I searched all the news sites and even dove into the city council meeting site that lists all the motions presented. I couldn't find any mention of whether he was excused.

The only thing I read was early morning articles stating that he would need to be excused at today's council in order to keep his job. There was also some reports on cp24 earlier in the day that some 3 or 4 councillors were fine with excusing him. Yet no follow up after the end of the session.

Maybe it's a given that he'll get excused as a formality and the media just doesn't find it worthwhile to report on it. Odd!

 

[kicked it in the sun]

I may be out of line...but...call me a skeptic. Was it a medically induced coma?

yeah, when i'm really going full tilt, i'll drink 10-15 drinks 5 days a week for months at a time. detox isn't bad unless i've been doing drugs too, then it can be nightmarish.

the thing with ford is that i think the guy is naturally very shy and that he has been drunk far far more than anyone knows, like i'm thinking he's pretty much unable to leave the house and function in the professional milieu unless he's had a few to take the edge off. watch some of those old council meeting shouting matches compared with the times that you get him when he's obviously sober (i.e. after he's been busted drinking), it's pretty clear that he's drunk on the council floor. and that's fine, i guess, i doubt he's the only one. but the thing is that if he's drinking that much, sobering up could be easy enough, but like every day life as a sober dude could be very very stressful. as a global celebrity in a very demanding job, it's pretty much sure that - if i'm correct - unless the guy takes up meditation and/or discovers some new well of confidence, he'll relapse, no question. you know, like that's just my opinion though.

 

[GenerationW]

Here's a wild rumour: the Fords used their contacts with corrupt U.S. custom officials to drop off drug money to be laundered in Chicago and pick up a big shipment of crack and blow. Everything else is just a cover.

 

[EagleEye]

So look, you guys, this has all turned into crap. The Ford firm is trying to capitalize on the situation and it's probably working for them, and it is the mainstream media that is feeding the fire. More enabling of the Ford firm.

.. this is just shitty. I don't care where Rob is. I just want him to stay the hell away from here forever.

I don't think the media is enabling him. I do think that they are doing whatever they can to figure out where he is. There is no way any of them are going to say they believe rob is in rehab and just let him be.

 

[VintagePunk]

yeah, when i'm really going full tilt, i'll drink 10-15 drinks 5 days a week for months at a time. detox isn't bad unless i've been doing drugs too, then it can be nightmarish.

the thing with ford is that i think the guy is naturally very shy and that he has been drunk far far more than anyone knows, like i'm thinking he's pretty much unable to leave the house and function in the professional milieu unless he's had a few to take the edge off. watch some of those old council meeting shouting matches compared with the times that you get him when he's obviously sober (i.e. after he's been busted drinking), it's pretty clear that he's drunk on the council floor. and that's fine, i guess, i doubt he's the only one. but the thing is that if he's drinking that much, sobering up could be easy enough, but like every day life as a sober dude could be very very stressful. as a global celebrity in a very demanding job, it's pretty much sure that - if correct - unless the guy takes up meditation and/or discovers some new well of confidence, he'll relapse, no question. you know, like that's just my opinion though.

That's interesting. It never occurred to me that he was pretty much under the influence at almost all times. I guess maybe I just have trouble recognizing highly functions alcoholics to that degree? I think I'm like many people and thought more in terms of him being a binge drinker, because he doesn't always display the usual drunkenness signs.

 

[pattycakes]

Looks like Rob's garbage heroes GFL are having trouble outside Toronto as well:

http://www.yorkregion.com/news-stor...politicians-decide-to-scrap-garbage-contract/

 

[SunriseChampion]

For sure he was drunk all the time. Now, if only he was more like Archer and less like himself.

 

[casita]

Mammo: "If (Doug's) brother doesn't come back,..."
http://toronto.ctvnews.ca/mammoliti...-mayor-if-brother-doesn-t-come-back-1.1809583

Sounds more like a one-way trip than a 30-day spin dry.

 

[Lucinda]

There was mention of a passport application on the dash of either Ford's chief of staff or nephew's car....I don't remember where that detail was printed or mentioned. The simplest explanation was Ford's passport had expired since the Kimmel trip and that his rehab escape occurred before Ford had all the proper documentation.

I saw a news video related to this, I can't remember where. One of the cameramen at the scene when Rob departed for his Chicago adventure walked right up to Mike's Camaro -- he had a very clear shot of a passport application on the dash in front of the passenger seat. (Rob left in Jacobs' car with Mike following after them).

Nevertheless, isn't it the case that Rob would have to show a valid passport before being allowed onto a USA-bound flight? (Maybe someone who knows how passport control works when you fly on a private plane could chime in).

I'm just conjecturizing here, but it seems more plausible that Rob did have a valid passport, but the immigration officials in Chicago decided that he inadmissible and then invited him to withdraw his application to enter the country. (And maybe Mike realized that morning that he needed to renew his passport, and thought he would do it after he drove his uncle to the airport ).

 

[SunriseChampion]

Man, I wish I could just jet off to "solve personal issues" whilst still being on the payroll. Sigh, us working-class scum don't get such privilege.

In other news: I personally found Doug having his arse in the "mayor's" chair a bit insulting. Is there no sense of decorum at City Hall? (...never mind...there may have been five years ago)

Also, is there any chance that Mammo will spontaneously combust at any point before his next appearance before a camera? He strikes me as being completely insane.

 

[ParkdalePetunia]

The answer to the question of what happened has been "no comment". If he was turned back solely because of a passport issue then there would be no reason to hide it.