Rob Ford's Toronto

[SecretSquirrel]

Here's a thought...Kathy could donate all those hot toothbrushes to Rob's campaign and they could be given out at Ford Nation gatherings. Seriously; have any of you seen the state of dental care amongst the acolytes? It looks like the front row at a Lynyrd Skynyrd show when they all smile...

Is this is a valuable way to think of Ford's supporters? Plenty of people with impeccable teeth will at the drop of a hat say things which sound just like Ford talking points.

Ford's teeth, on the other hand, are both fair game - he's our top elected official and an admitted user of heavy drugs which will take a toll on his teeth and his health in general - and the basis for an excellent new alternative curse, as in: "Oh, Ford's teeth! Not another round of transit inaction!"

 

[SecretSquirrel]

I drove this rebuilt TTC bus for years. It's a 1961 GMC "fishbowl" or "New Look" type.

After "Princess" retired, I spent most of the rest of my career on Orions.
View attachment 25470

If this wasn't such a charming picture, I might be inclined to join certain other posters in making gentle fun of you for managing to turn just about any Ford topic into an opportunity to talk about your career with Metro Toronto, but it is indeed a charming image, and so I will resist!

Edit: In fairness, I should note that AlbertHWagstaff provided the original distraction.

In other [fake] news:

I know I'm like Rob's campaign manager n all but right now I'm findin' it physically impossible to five a f*ck about this election #topoli

 

[AlbertHWagstaff]

To bring this bus back onto the Ford road, did RoFo make any statements one way or the other on the merger of Toronto Fire and EMS? The consultant's report last summer recommended against it, but I don't recall Ford saying much of anything about it other than his usual boilerplate about "efficiencies, saved a billion dollars, etc".

 

[casita]

To bring this bus back onto the Ford road, did RoFo make any statements one way or the other on the merger of Toronto Fire and EMS? The consultant's report last summer recommended against it, but I don't recall Ford saying much of anything about it other than his usual boilerplate about "efficiencies, saved a billion dollars, etc".

During the 2010 campaign, Smitherman suggested it. Ford was non-committal and Joe Pantelone was firmly opposed.

I haven't heard Ford say anything about merging ( operations ) since then. The POMAX Report, as you say, recommended against it.

 

[soimelk]

Don Peat / Sun: "Olivia Chow will repeat pledge to cancel the Scarborough subway & its tax hike"

Enjoy your new ride, Scarborough!
http://www.bus-history.org/images/Seashore - Ex TTC 7521 - 22JUN08.jpg

Except there's a fully funded, dedicated right of way LRT that will be built.

 

[casita]

Except there's a fully funded, dedicated right of way LRT that will be built.

Yes.

The pic was my rather juvenile idea of a little joke.

 

[Kat_YYZ]

I drove this rebuilt TTC bus for years. It's a 1961 GMC "fishbowl" or "New Look" type.

After "Princess" retired, I spent most of the rest of my career on Orions.

I always liked those rounded windows & they were comfortable to rest your arm on when open. Although the ones that tip open so you can get fresh air in without a stiff breeze blasting into anyone's face are a good idea, too.

 

[sublime]

 

[StatGeek]

So I now wonder - with Sterling being banned for life by the NBA - if Ford's Crack video (or not if but when) sees light of day would we expect a similar public backlash...?

Since this Sterling story broke I can't stop thinking of the similarities with Ford. With reports in the past of Sterling being a flaky character and saying racist comments in private. Sterling making very public grandstanding gesture like giving extra tickets to black youth or donation to the NAACP (where he always makes sure the papers have a nice headline about it). Even though there were a lot of discussion and knowledge of Sterling character, it never really sticks as he lawyer up and also greased the right palms to make groups that normally stand up against this, look the other way and get the heat away from him. Even Sterling odd comments of him "giving these black basketball players money for their cars" like they owe him something sounds oddly familiar "If it's not for me, they'd be in jail". and "nobody does more for black people" speeches Ford does.

But the great question, if the video did come out, and we get the "their effin minorities " line can Ford just claim drunken stupor and side-step it? Much like Sterling, there's reports of his racism but with the voice being connected to it would that change things? I have no doubt he will still have his 20% wacko supporters who will support him no matter. But I am thinking more corporate, what still shocks me more than anything in this whole sad ordeal is that there is any political or corporate entities that would go a mile near him. If the audio of him saying that come out does it change. I know Ford wanted the video out, he probably thought like a band-aid effect, best to just get it over with, and "move on", but if this Sterling story showed there seems to be a different public/corporate reaction from a report of racism and audio/video evidence of it.

So a bunch of sponsors jumped ship from local advertising of the Clippers. Did anybody think of the poor ticket sales employee!(being sarcastic) That's always been the excuse of not going after Deco. But honestly you want the Ford's to go down, the best way to do so is go after the money tree. Lost opportunity when the Ford story was read hot in both sides of the border to really see if we can take a corporate stand against them.

 

[TOBorn]

Any ideas why Doug has disappeared? Seems odd for a campaign manager of such stellar reputation to suddenly vanish. Plus, I'm fairly certain he's also a councillor.

 

[soimelk]

Yes.

The pic was my rather juvenile idea of a little joke.

My bad. Took it as a ford nation talking point. Casualty of the ford era: my sense of humour...

 

[tiffer24]

Any ideas why Doug has disappeared? Seems odd for a campaign manager of such stellar reputation to suddenly vanish. Plus, I'm fairly certain he's also a councillor.

Doug is probably exhausted from creating Rob's 2014 transit platform. Developing six (or nine or seventeen) new subway lines to criss-cross the city at no cost to the taxpayer can take a lot out of a man of the people.

 

[euler]

Doug is probably exhausted from creating Rob's 2014 transit platform. Developing six (or nine or seventeen) new subway lines to criss-cross the city at no cost to the taxpayer can take a lot out of a man of the people.

He's started digging them himself!

 

[voxpopulicosmicum]

Ya, how'd he get Prices number and why of all people did he only call Price? Cops pulled Prices phone records. What happens if the only people to call him around the time he claims were Ford and Lisi?

Doesn't ITO say he got a call from the guy who 4 days later got shot in an *unrelated incident*?

 

[casita]

Any ideas why Doug has disappeared? Seems odd for a campaign manager of such stellar reputation to suddenly vanish. Plus, I'm fairly certain he's also a councillor.

Maybe a personal matter. Amazing how the city manages to survive without them.

Neither seem interested in sacrificing their personal lives for the business of taking care of a city. They don't even seem like 9-5 clock punchers. Their schedules are personal.

I don't blame them if that's the way they want to live. But, it's the reason I will never consider voting for either of them.

"A fire truck is usually seen as a symbol of hope: the very embodiment of survival against the odds, rushing towards you, ready to make everything better, capable, professional and cool. This is why I was so disappointed to watch our current mayor, Rob Ford, roll out a decommissioned fire truck as an awkward, impotent symbol of his flagging campaign. Occupying a dark corner of a cavernous, half-empty convention hall at his April 17th launch, this discarded vehicle symbolized to me the entire Ford hegemony: big and imposing but bereft of any useful parts – unable to actually do anything but stand there, hoping to impress solely on the strength of its empty bigness, a hollow echo of wasted potential, and one that offended more people than it impressed."
Ari Goldkind - Candidate for Mayor of Toronto.