Monday, December 25, 2006
Saturday, December 23, 2006
The world MUST be ending!
Now, I'm no Mensa member, but I have already figured out that we are doomed as a people.
Here's how I figured it out;
1, MPP's voting themselves a wonderful little 24% raise right before Christmas break.
Is it in effect when they come back from the month long "Christmas break"?? NO! Is it 5% over 5 years NO! Have they even looked at the effect this has on their constituents? Did they give any to the poor in Toronto or surroundin areas? NO! Will voters remember next election? No!
Would I love a 25% raise YEp, but all I got was 1.75% a year for the next 3 years ..... whoopie!
2, we are giving Multi million dollar "packages" to people that quit their jobs ..... I sure would love to run the OPG!
3, Only 19% of funds donated to MADD actually make it the service they offer. The rest goes to administration, paying canvasers .... yep paying them, and tipping the bartender.
4, A challenge was made at a school for the kids to donate canned goods for a food drive the school was running. What happened when a young girl came in with more than maximum 4 cans per student??? She was told to take them home because it might make the other students "feel bad"!
5, No snow on December 23 ..... must be global warming .... damned you SUV drivers.
OH, MERRY CHRISTMAS!
Here's how I figured it out;
1, MPP's voting themselves a wonderful little 24% raise right before Christmas break.
Is it in effect when they come back from the month long "Christmas break"?? NO! Is it 5% over 5 years NO! Have they even looked at the effect this has on their constituents? Did they give any to the poor in Toronto or surroundin areas? NO! Will voters remember next election? No!
Would I love a 25% raise YEp, but all I got was 1.75% a year for the next 3 years ..... whoopie!
2, we are giving Multi million dollar "packages" to people that quit their jobs ..... I sure would love to run the OPG!
3, Only 19% of funds donated to MADD actually make it the service they offer. The rest goes to administration, paying canvasers .... yep paying them, and tipping the bartender.
4, A challenge was made at a school for the kids to donate canned goods for a food drive the school was running. What happened when a young girl came in with more than maximum 4 cans per student??? She was told to take them home because it might make the other students "feel bad"!
5, No snow on December 23 ..... must be global warming .... damned you SUV drivers.
OH, MERRY CHRISTMAS!
Monday, December 11, 2006
$40 million for Nathan Philips Square face lift, money well spent?
OK, so the whole thing is for the Square and the City Hall. Currently a design competition is happening where one team will get a contract to update the NPs area. Now there has been some uproar about Miller's begging the province for money while still going ahead with this update.
Me, I love the idea of a face lift for NPS. Although the basic City Hall is a beautiful structure, and quite a timeless piece of architecture, and one of the few "modern" pieces I really like. Where you run into a problem is the complete waste of a walkway. Sure it provides some shade, but is pretty much an eyesore. Now the immense use of concrete is also a little annoying, I would like to think of NPS as an oasis, and place to meet in the heart of the city, YEP make it a gathering place.
Now I won't say that you'll see me downtown whether they update the Square or not. I don't enjoy going to the city like I used to, but I do understand the need to keep Toronto in the mind of tourists and and as a place of business, and this certainly wouldn't hurt. Add some trees and a few nice little gardens. Get rid of some of the concrete and the biggest thing is get the homeless out of Toronto .... Hey, didn't they pass some bylaw about squeggee(sp?) kids? what about a new one to keep the homeless out of tourists areas?? Am I asking too much?
Now I don't dare get into the debate about Miller and his need to beg for money only shortly after voting himself a nice little raise, but c'mon, there must be ways to streamline the system and save money without cutting important programs or increasing taxes. No wonder people are moving out of the City, lots of taxes but no benefits Hmmmm!
Anyways ... although Nathan Philips Square/City Hall are still very nice, they aren't the drawing they once were. With the rapid loss of nature in the city, why not try to bring some back in the heart of the city?
What about the waterfront you ask??? The City of Toronto is screwing the pooch on this, Nathan Philips needs an update, but the waterfront REALLY needs a plan before it's all lost to condo development. My opinion is that Toronto is doomed without a solid waterfront, Ontario Place is cool but not enough of a drawing card. The beaches are nice, but they are more often than not CLOSED during peak tourist season, but the lost bid for the Worlds Fair really put the brakes on much needed development on the lake. Development, but not 20 more condo towers.
Brent
Me, I love the idea of a face lift for NPS. Although the basic City Hall is a beautiful structure, and quite a timeless piece of architecture, and one of the few "modern" pieces I really like. Where you run into a problem is the complete waste of a walkway. Sure it provides some shade, but is pretty much an eyesore. Now the immense use of concrete is also a little annoying, I would like to think of NPS as an oasis, and place to meet in the heart of the city, YEP make it a gathering place.
Now I won't say that you'll see me downtown whether they update the Square or not. I don't enjoy going to the city like I used to, but I do understand the need to keep Toronto in the mind of tourists and and as a place of business, and this certainly wouldn't hurt. Add some trees and a few nice little gardens. Get rid of some of the concrete and the biggest thing is get the homeless out of Toronto .... Hey, didn't they pass some bylaw about squeggee(sp?) kids? what about a new one to keep the homeless out of tourists areas?? Am I asking too much?
Now I don't dare get into the debate about Miller and his need to beg for money only shortly after voting himself a nice little raise, but c'mon, there must be ways to streamline the system and save money without cutting important programs or increasing taxes. No wonder people are moving out of the City, lots of taxes but no benefits Hmmmm!
Anyways ... although Nathan Philips Square/City Hall are still very nice, they aren't the drawing they once were. With the rapid loss of nature in the city, why not try to bring some back in the heart of the city?
What about the waterfront you ask??? The City of Toronto is screwing the pooch on this, Nathan Philips needs an update, but the waterfront REALLY needs a plan before it's all lost to condo development. My opinion is that Toronto is doomed without a solid waterfront, Ontario Place is cool but not enough of a drawing card. The beaches are nice, but they are more often than not CLOSED during peak tourist season, but the lost bid for the Worlds Fair really put the brakes on much needed development on the lake. Development, but not 20 more condo towers.
Brent
Subscribe to:
Comments (Atom)