Rob Ford's Toronto

[voxpopulicosmicum]

For interest, I'm just reposting the most detailed of the several very sparse stories re: the May 21 shooting at the building where the video's owner lives (lived?):

Man recovering after shooting near Dixon and Islington
Kim Brown, National Post

A man is recovering in hospital after being shot in the leg around 4 a.m. Tuesday morning.

The incident occurred at an Etobicoke apartment building on 320 Dixon Road near Islington Avenue.

Police said they found the 27-year-old victim in the lobby when they arrived at the apartment. His injuries are not life threatening.

Witnesses reported seeing six to seven men running from the scene.

No information on a suspect has been released.

I would have just excerpted and linked, but it's so short that doing so would be meaningless.

 

[guitarchitect]

I kind of want to refer to him as Mayor Edsel now... for those too young to remember (I think it's all of us?), the Edsel is synonymous with failure - Ford's biggest flop and arguably the biggest flop in automotive history.

 

[guitarchitect]

For interest, I'm just reposting the most detailed of the several very sparse stories re: the May 21 shooting at the building where the video's owner lives (lived?):

I wonder if there's security camera footage...

 

[bobbob911]

Let's keep this balanced, the photo does raise eyebrows but we know that Ford will take a photo with anybody when he's out and about so I don't buy that he was "partying with drug dealers", unless you or anyone else can prove otherwise.

At this point, it is defensible - barely. He needs to explain where the photo was taken and why he was there. I wouldn't believe an "I don't remember" excuse, it clearly does not appear to be a public location behind them.

 

[AlvinofDiaspar]

Interesting read:

http://www.vice.com/read/the-facebook-comments-mayor-fords-staffers-dont-want-you-to-see

AoD

 

[Torontovibe]

There is a protest to demand Ford's resignation, planned for June 1, at noon, in Nathan Phillips Square.

https://www.facebook.com/events/513882952012486/

 

[99gecko]

Hi All,
Wasting my first post on this site, with an observation,... unless it has been debated before, and perhaps it has. I've read through several dozen pages on this thread after this site was referenced by another online community.

One thing that has been bothering me is that several days ago, Doug Ford went on a rampage. In his tirade he referred to the Gawker initiative "Crackstarter", specifically calling it:

disgusting and morally wrong

I understand his opinion. He could have left it at that, but he didn't.

In that same tirade he added,

raise money for drug dealers and extortionists.

Why add the " and extortionists"?

Does anyone else see this as a de facto admission that the middle-man/owner of the video contacted the Ford family looking for money? That action could have been extortion, as I'm sure most people would agree. The video middle-man/owner is not holding a gun/threat to the journalists' heads, or the to the collective heads of the people of Toronto. How could it be construed as extortion? It's capitalism at worst; supply and demand.

I don't see that statement as rhetoric. I see it as a slip-up.

 

[TonyV]

^ A resignation is what we want.

My soft spot says that RF will sleep better once he has resigned.

 

[Roy G Biv]

There is a protest to demand Ford's resignation, planned for June 1, at noon, in Nathan Phillips Square.

https://www.facebook.com/events/513882952012486/

As much as I like the idea, if the video isn't out by then, the sight of down-town "activists" calling for the resignation of their long-time nemesis will fit way too easily into a narrative that Ford Nation has already capitalized upon.

 

[AlvinofDiaspar]

99gecko:

Interesting observation - perhaps the selling of the video did approach him for payment?

Roy G Biv:

The protest really isn't there to convince the Ford Nation of anything - but to serve as a focal point of displeasure. These things have a tendency to gather critical mass once it gets going.

AoD

 

[PinkLucy]

Or, he used the word extortionist simply because they are demanding $200,000 for the video.

(I can't believe I just sort of defended Doug Ford, but he is given to hyperbole so I can totally see him using a word like extortionist in this context)

 

[jaborandi]

Hopefully there will be a TV movie of the week soon recounting the whole sorry story. Please let it be produced by Global and please let Kathy Bates star as Mare Ford. Who should play Doug the Thug?

 

[Electrify]

Let's keep this balanced, the photo does raise eyebrows but we know that Ford will take a photo with anybody when he's out and about so I don't buy that he was "partying with drug dealers", unless you or anyone else can prove otherwise.

The photo was clearly taken late at night, and Ford was dressed very casually - not in his usual work/photo-op attire. If he is on a roll with his lies, he should have said that the photo was taken at a gathering with his football team plus their friends and family.

Hell, of all the lies he has likely spread over the last couple of weeks, that one would have been the most believable.

 

[Torontovibe]

Hopefully there will be a TV movie of the week soon recounting the whole sorry story. Please let it be produced by Global and please let Kathy Bates star as Mare Ford. Who should play Doug the Thug?

How about Krista Ford, the resemblance is uncanny.

 

[dt_toronto_geek]

As much as I like the idea, if the video isn't out by then, the sight of down-town "activists" calling for the resignation of their long-time nemesis will fit way too easily into a narrative that Ford Nation has already capitalized upon.

Ford Nation is making more noise than the anti-Ford camp and the polls are holding steady despite a year and a half of Rob Ford's non-stop nonsense and twice embarrassing our city internationally. Time to get out from behind our computers, get some sun, meet like-minded folks and demand his resignation in a public square. I'll be there. Video or no video.