Toronto Is A Mess

Before you read any further, keep in mind that I haven't been in downtown Toronto for many years and I fully expected there to be changes. I don't mind change but the inconveniences that go along with those changes can be quite a hurdle for some people.

Yonge-Dundas Square

I actually love Toronto. More so in the summer than the winter but overall I think it's an amazing city full of interesting things to do and a wide variety of people both sane and off the wall.

This past Saturday I had tickets to the Toronto Maple Leafs game. They were playing my favourite team the Montreal Canadiens and I was looking forward to attending the game with my 75 year old father who is a life long Habs fan as well.

We decided that since we hadn't been to Toronto in a bunch of years that we'd go up early, catch the GO Train in Oshawa and take it to Union Station and then go from there.

First off, I have to wonder how many people get to ride the GO Train for free. Me being an honest person, I entered the Oshawa station and forked over the money for my Adult ticket and my fathers Senior ticket which were both Day Passes so we could catch the return train after the game. At no point on either trip did anyone ask to see our tickets. I could have just as easily, and I'm sure many do, walked through the station and just hopped on the train. When the game was over we did the exact same thing walking up to track level and boarding the train for the ride home. I could have saved myself $30.

Dad in the Eaton Centre

That's a minor thing. However, upon arriving at Union Station we were greeted by some bad news. The Subway wasn't working. Judging by the extreme construction going on outside the station on Front Street, I can only assume that was the reason for it. We had planned to jump on the Subway for the short ride up to the Eaton Centre.

It really isn't too far up Yonge Street to Queen Street where you can enter the Eaton Centre from the South entrance. Just a few blocks, but for a 75 year old man who isn't overly active, that's a good hike uphill. We could have jumped on a bus but to be honest, I don't have a bloody clue what bus to take so it seemed a safer bet to just hoof it.

By the time we got there my father was beat. He was shaking from the cold and exhausted from the hike. It took him quite a while to stop shaking but he was days before he had recovered from the walk up and back.

Now after resting and doing a bit more walking at the Eaton Centre we decided the best bet to keep my dad warm was to take the PATH back to Union Station and the Air Canada Centre for the game. I'd never walked the PATH before but it's underground out of the cold and wind so it made sense. It was actually quite a nice walk but all of the restaurants and stores were closed which I thought was odd for a city of this size.

Dad and Me waiting for the game to start at the ACC

My biggest complaint about the PATH was the fact the public washrooms were locked. Every washroom we came across was locked and the further we went the worse we needed one. I finally asked a security guard where I could find an open bathroom. He pointed us south to another closed food court area where we did locate a place to relieve ourselves. I'm sure we couldn't have been the only people cursing the city that day and I know for a fact my father wasn't the only senior citizen down there where bathrooms would be a welcome sight.

Despite the transit mess and washrooms like Fort Knox, we did get back to Union Station. Dad was exhausted and I was tempted to just get back on the train and head home without going to the hockey game but the stubborn old fool wanted to wait to see if he felt better.

Montreal playing Toronto. The Habs won of course!

Well, he eventually did, or at least he said he did and we made it to the game. But not before the poor guy had to walk to the South side of the ACC to Gate 4. I thought I was going to have to get him a wheel chair or carry him after the game to get him home. Once the game ended we made the long walk back to Union Station and on to the GO Train for the ride back to Oshawa. The train was full and after a few stops a seat opened up and dad was able to sit down and rest. I knew he was tired when he handed me the keys to drive his truck home.

I hope to visit Toronto again in the near future to do some shopping but I hope if I do go in the summer, the city is more accessible. I realize that upgrading the cities infrastructure must be done and they try to do it with as little frustration to the public as possible but for some it's just unavoidable. While it isn't an issue for me, there are thousands of other tourists who will rely on the services that weren't available to us on this particular visit.

I Blame The Maple Leafs

It's all finally making sense to me. It has now become crystal clear why in the middle of April and well into Spring, it feels this cold. It's actually -3C at this very moment as I type this. Hell has finally frozen over and all the blame falls squarely on those damn Toronto Maple Leafs.

Last night for the first time in something like 30 years (okay it's more like eight years) the Toronto Maple Leafs officially qualified for the playoffs.

Now I won't make excuses by reminding everyone that this is a shortened season and the Leafs are notorious for collapsing during the second half of a normal season which would usually start around this time. I don't mean April, I mean after this number of games played. So they certainly had that going in their favour.

While I'm not a Toronto fan (that's an understatement, I hate the Leafs) I am happy to see my many friends, who happen to be Leafs fans, thrilled by ending the post-season appearance drought.

But I caution the Blue & White faithful, don't start planning any parades just yet. Getting to the playoffs is one thing but winning the Stanley Cup is another beast all-together. Playoff hockey is entirely different from regular season hockey and only the best of the best or the hottest team peaking at the right time will get to hoist Lord Stanley's Cup when it's all over. Sixteen wins is all it takes but they never come easy.

Of course anything is possible once you make the playoffs. But I'd bet the Stanley Cup drought will continue for Toronto this year. For those keeping track, this would be 46 years since the Leafs last won the Stanley Cup should they fail to do it this year. To put that into perspective, I turn 45 this summer, so I wasn't even alive the last time they won. I have however been alive long enough to see my beloved Montreal Canadiens win the Cup a total of nine times. That doesn't include the cup they won just before I was born. I thought I'd mention that.

Bring on the Playoffs!!

Toronto Violence Escalating

Forget the Gangs of New York! In 2012 it’s the Gangs of Toronto that we need to be concerned about.

I don’t even live in Toronto but I’m sickened by the growing trend of gun violence in one of Canada’s greatest cities. The number of shootings in 2012 in the Big Smoke as of July 18^th is 143, including the mayhem just a couple nights ago that left two dead and 23 wounded at a Scarborough block party.

There have been 29 homicides this year already and shooting victims total 178 which is up over 40% from this time last year.

The bottom line...enough is enough. But what can be done about it?

Everyone in any power position talks tough. From the Mayor to the Chief of Police to Premier McGuinty and other politicians, they all say enough is enough and it’s time to crack down on the problem. That sounds good but is it really possible to put an end to the violence? Can Toronto’s reputation as a safe place to live and visit be restored?

I have to laugh when I hear these same individuals claim every time these crimes occur that they’re just “isolated incidents” and that “Toronto is a safe city”. Pull your head out of the sand and open your eyes. These stopped being isolated a long time ago and are now common occurrences. When I turn on the morning news, I expect to be told of another shooting or killing on the streets of the GTA. It stopped being a surprise a long time ago.

It may seem wrong for me to say this but if it was only gangbangers getting shot and killed I’d say, “Have at it boys!” A little insensitive perhaps but that’s the life choice these gang members made and knew what they’d be facing going in. As long as innocent bystanders were left alone I could almost tolerate it.

However, that isn’t the case as we’ve seen time and time again; there always seem to be non-participants caught in the crossfire and that is the real tragedy.

Police Chief Bill Blair while sounding upset and disgusted by the most recent events was quick to point out that it’s “not indicative” of the turmoil Torontonians endured during the summer of 2005 when 24 people were shot dead between mid-June and mid-September. A total of 52 people were killed by guns in the city that year. It should also be noted that of the 29 murders in Toronto so far this year, only 20 have been by guns.  Yup, ONLY 20, like that’s something to be happy with.

 

The most shocking trend this year seems to be the circumstances surrounding these murders. Many of them seem to be taking place in busy public gatherings or locations. The most recent happening at the large block party, another during the fireworks display Canada Day at Woodbine Beach and another at the Sicilian Sidewalk Cafe in Little Italy crowded with soccer fans. Perhaps the most shocking to anyone with thoughts of visiting the city took place on June 2 at the Eaton Centre downtown where one man was killed and six others were wounded, including a 13-year-old boy shot in the head. And let’s not forget the hundreds of other shoppers who were traumatized and terrified during the ordeal.

When these “attacks” start happening outside of the usual neighbourhoods and impact the safety of those in what should be considered safe locations, this is what strikes fear into anyone thinking of making Toronto a vacation destination. This is why I won’t be making the drive up the 401 to Toronto anytime soon. The city has many great attractions that I enjoy but a trip into the Wild West shouldn’t be one of them.

Sorry We Suck

If I were a Toronto Maple Leafs fan I would be embarrassed. Not by the pitiful results the team has posted 8 years in a row (45 years since the last championship), or the way they constantly collapse down the stretch year after year or by their inconsistent goaltending, defense or lack of depth up front, but by the way the Leafs management and ownership thinks an apology makes up for their ineptitude.

It’s baffling to me how a once proud and powerful National Hockey League franchise can fall into such disrepair and disarray. It’s even more perplexing how Larry Tannenbaum and his rich and powerful senior staff can arrive at the idea that an apology in the local media will smooth things over.

Of course, I’m not even remotely a Toronto fan. I’m as far from it as is humanly possible. I’m a die-hard, red, white and blue, poutine eating, “ole ole” and “nah nah hey hey” singing Montreal Canadiens fan. But that doesn’t mean I can’t sympathize with Leafs fans, several of which I consider good friends.

I just sat through one of the worst seasons in Montreal history with management issues, coaching issues, player issues and poor results on the ice. As bad as it was, I’d still take the Habs over the Leafs any day. Montreal is trying to make moves to solve the problems of missing only one year of the playoffs. The GM is gone, the coach was fired mid-season and the interim coach will likely be let go as well. Add to that an assurance from the ownership that they’re committed to restoring the storied franchise to its rightful place among the league’s elite teams and I’m satisfied that they’re making an effort at least. I just hope it leads to results.

But what are they doing in Toronto? Yes they fired the coach and as much as I dislike Ron Wilson, the mess they’re in was hardly his fault. The Leafs this season were great guys but aside from maybe a handful of players, the rest were not skilled enough to succeed on a consistent basis. Sure they had good nights but those games were few and far between.

So who’s to blame? Is it bad scouting and drafting? Is GM Brian Burke, the architect of the team to blame? I don’t claim to be an expert but I think these are the two main issues with the Leafs.

Brian Burke

I am amazed that Brian Burke still has a key to the Air Canada Centre. The ultimate blame has to fall on him. This is his team and while they haven’t drafted well, with the amount of money behind this team, it amazes me that they can’t draw more skilled free agents or make trades to improve their situation. Let’s be honest, the deal for Phil Kessel looked bad when Burke made it and it looks even worse today. The picks they lost in that one deal were huge. I’m not saying Kessel isn’t a skilled player but he’s not worth the price they paid for him. But that’s old news and what’s done is done.

Toronto has to move on and right the ship before their fans finally come to their senses and revolt.  Its one thing to go to the games and “boo” the players but it’s another thing entirely to stop buying tickets, merchandise and lining the pockets of the owners Bell and Rogers who were smart for buying this franchise. They knew that no matter how much they sucked or how little they had to spend on the team, the cash was going to keep flowing in just as much as it would if they had a Stanley Cup contender.

At what point will the fans finally stop saying, “I support my team in good times and bad”? I appreciate the value of loyalty and not wanting to abandon your team but at some point you have to ask yourself, what are they doing to warrant my support and money? The relationship between the fan and the team is “give and take” and with Toronto the fans are giving everything and the Leafs ownership is gladly taking every dollar they can.

Obviously at this point the Leafs faithful are in it for the long haul or they would have done something besides bitch and moan by now. It would seem that they’re quite prepared to continue bending over and taking it from their beloved blue and white- jerseyed heroes. One thing is certain, unlike a lot of other fans in the league, Toronto supporters will be satisfied with one day making the Playoffs; while those other team’s fans expect and demand nothing less than a chance to celebrate with Lord Stanley’s Cup.

1967 Stanley Cup Champions

 

Subway Romance

I'm a healthy (for the most part) early 40's male who still has sexual urges and desires but I can't imagine ever being this drunk or this horny. 

I've had some major drunken moments in my past that have seen me pass out and fall down in some rather odd and at times precarious spots. I should add, these awkward and sometimes embarrassing moments took place during my late teens and early twenties. It's not only that I've matured but to be honest, I just got sick and tired of feeling, well, sick and tired the day after my drunken episodes.

What got me on to this subject was what I heard about recently and perhaps you saw the story as well. A couple was charged with engaging in a lewd act on a Toronto subway after another passenger complained he saw them having sex. The two were seen by other passengers, one of whom captured a video of the episode and posted it on a website that includes "uncut" material.

It was about 2:30am on a Sunday morning when the two were spotted on a train and one passenger went so far as to push the yellow emergency stop strip. You'd think this might have caused the two stinking-drunk lovebirds to end their subterranean session of bumping uglys, but it didn't. They exited the train and dropped down on the station platform where they continued to polish the floor tiles.

It took about 14 minutes for the cops to arrive, which was plenty of time for them to complete the task. I don't think I would have been able to finish that quickly with all of those eyes starring at me. Too much pressure to perform. So I have to give the young man a little credit for that I suppose. Not to mention, if they were as intoxicated as reported, I'm surprised he was able to get the job done at all.

Of course Toronto Transit was quick to frown upon this type of action with it being such a public place. I will say one thing, the TTC has always encouraged people to "Ride the Rocket". Perhaps this couple took it a bit too literally. I guess charges weren't the only thing laid that night.

OK, I better stop now.

Snow In Canada, Go Figure

Once again the hype was bigger than the actual storm as Ontario was hit with what I would consider a mild snow storm. I think we ended up with close to 20cm.

Not a bad dumping but to listen to the experts and Meteorologists the day before the storm you'd think we were going to be stranded in our homes for days.

That of course was not the case. In fact, even the weather gurus were apologizing tonight on the news for messing this one up. OK, these things happen from time to time.

Part of me can't help but wonder if the Toronto mentality to snow has changed over the years. Perhaps it's because so many cultures call Toronto home now that came from countries where snow wasn't common or maybe the city folks are just becoming winter wimps. Whatever the reason, they seem to panic at the sign of snowflakes while those of us in the more rural communities just sit back and laugh at them while we calmly clear away the latest dusting of the white stuff.

Poking fun at the people of Toronto has gone on for many years but I think things really took on a life of its own back in 1999 when then Mayor Mel Lastman called in the Canadian Army to help dig out Toronto following a significant blizzard. About 118cm fell over several days and brought the city to a halt. The rest of Canada laughed at them for having to seek the help of the Canadian Armed Forces.

I came across this video that always makes me laugh when I watch it. It pokes fun at the people of Toronto and how they react to the most common site in Canada for six months out of the year.

Terrorist Changes Mind

It sounds like a pretty good idea and if it works, maybe all of the inmates in our prisons will give it a try.

For those of you who don’t live in Canada and haven’t heard of the “Toronto 18”, I’ll give you a brief background. A group of 18 mostly young Islamic men decided to form a club. But it wasn’t like the “He-man Woman Haters Club” you might see on a black and white episode of The Little Rascals with Spanky and Alfalfa. They had picnics and camped in the woods and on the surface seemed like a harmless assembly of friends having a good time communing with nature.

However, things are not always as they appear to be and this group actually turned out to be and extremist Islamic terrorist group plotting amongst the evergreens to set off bombs in downtown Toronto, police stations, military bases and on Parliament Hill in Ottawa.

At any rate, the group wasn’t too bright and tried to purchase bomb making materials from the constabulary and eventually the majority of them were found guilty and sent to jail where the only attacks they’d be a part of would take place in the shower.

Now back to the pretty good idea I mentioned earlier. The 24 year old mastermind (I use that term loosely), Zakaria Amara, has now stated that he no longer believes in extremist Islamic ideology and therefore feels his life sentence should be reduced.

Of course to any freedom loving and educated individual who hears this idea, we have a good chuckle and then wish him an enjoyable and long stay at one of our better corrections complexes.

Under the often idiotic and perplexing Canadian legal system, this putz was actually allowed to argue this point in front of an appeals court. Luckily at least one of the three justices forced to listen to this crock of dog droppings took issue with the arguments.

Justice Michael Moldaver asked the most obvious question, “Why should we send a message to society that if you gave remorse we will forgive you? I’m hearing poor Mr. Amara but I’m thinking poor to the thousands of Canadians if his plot had worked.”

Amara’s lawyer is hoping to have the sentence reduced to 18-20 years citing the fact that his client is married, employed, has a child, went to college and is first-time offender. Honestly, does the lawyer really believe someone who appeared to have a pretty good life in this country should be given a break regardless of the fact that he had one moment of poor judgement? I mean come on! It’s not like he actually succeeded in killing thousands of people so he can’t be that bad! Right?

Maybe he has had second thoughts and finally come to realize what he thought was a worthy cause really wasn’t such a good thing and the life he had before having to rent out his body in exchange for cigarettes wasn’t such a bad thing after all.

What kind of precedence would this set if the appeals court falls for this baloney? Pretty soon the courts would be filled with rapists, murderers, pedophiles and every other scumbag behind bars confessing they’ve found God and changed their ways. Or maybe the ruling would only affect those losers who were just too stupid to get the job done. “I wanted to blow up the CN Tower but now I love everybody and know that killing all of those infidels, er, I mean wonderful fellow citizens was wrong.” To that I say, enjoy being the prison bitch you terrorist scum.

Leaf Fans Annoy Me

I have many friends who are Toronto Maple Leaf hockey fans and despite that, I will still talk to them.

Of course I'm kidding. I don't have a problem with most of them but I find that a lot of them like to talk trash about other teams...especially the Montreal Canadiens and the Ottawa Senators.

It doesn't surprise me that they dislike those teams since they're in the same division and have big rivalries. What shocks me is how cocky Leaf fans are when you consider how unimpressive their team has been since...well, since before I was born.

In fact, the last time the Leafs won the Stanley Cup was in 1967...one year before I came along. They don't even have colour photos or video of them winning their last cup, that's how long ago it was.

OK, it's too easy to pick on Leaf fans and their teams impressive record of futility. If they keep on the same losing track, they could eventually surpass the 100 year title drought of the Chicago Cubs in baseball.

What annoys me the most are the idiotic Maple Leaf fans who have the audacity to try and make fun of fans of other teams. It's one thing to be a winner and rub it in but how can you possibly make fun of other fans when your team hasn't done anything good in 42 years?

I'd be embarrased to continue supporting a team with owners who have made it quite obvious they'd rather collect the endless supply of money from their dumb fans then make an effort to actually win. Heck...forget winning, how about they just try and get enough good players to make the playoffs once in a while.

Say what you want about Montreal fans but their owners, management and players know that they better produce or they'll feel their wrath. They demand a winning team and they usually get one. Sure they haven't won a cup since 1993 but they usually make the playoffs.

Actually, I have colour photos of the Habs hoisting the cup. How many Leaf fans can say that. I've seen the Habs win nine Stanley Cups and that's not including the one they took home the year I was born.

So my advice to Leaf fans is shut the hell up! Until you actually win something or make the playoffs you have no reason to feel cocky enough to beak off. The good news is the season will be starting soon and after a few games, Leaf fans will once again be able to start talking about next season.

Kenny MacLean Found Dead

I was shocked to learn this morning that one of my favourite Canadian musical performers had passed away over the weekend. Kenny MacLean was 52.

For many of my readers you may not recognize the name or remember his music but I grew up listening to him, both as a solo artist and with his 80's band mates in Platinum Blonde. Their music was part of the soundtrack to my youth.

MacLean had just released his third solo album last Friday at a club in Toronto where he had been joined by Mark Holmes, former lead singer of Platinum Blonde.

It is being reported that MacLean's sister Pamela had been unable to contact the musician. She went to his studio and apartment on Yonge Street and had the landlord let her in. She found MacLean collapsed in the bathroom with the tap running. He also had a home in the city.

The cause of death is not yet known, but police say they are not treating MacLean's death as suspicious.

I remember fondly the music of Platinum Blonde with hits like Standing in the Dark, Crying Over You and It Doesn't Really Matter. MacLean also spent time in another band called the Deserters. His solo success also produced some memorable songs as well. Here he is during an appearance on the French music video station Musique Plus singing his hit, "Don't Look Back".

Clip of the Week - August 11/08

Years and years ago in 1918 on Thanksgiving Day in my hometown, a fire raced through the British Chemical Company plant igniting explosives that blew the building apart and the fire lasted most of the night.

All of the windows in town were blown out by the explosive blast and shock wave but luckily nobody was killed.

Eva Curtis, the town's telephone operator stayed at her post throughout the night for emergency calls despite glass blowing past her. She along with seven others were rewarded the medal of the Order of the British Empire for staying in the danger zone throughout horrors of the night. Miraculously no one was killed.

What got me to thinking about this was the recent explosion on Sunday morning of a propane storage depot in Toronto. Sadly one firefighter was killed and many local residents were injured. The many explosions sent large pieces of metal — likely from tanks that exploded — flying into nearby streets. Homes were damaged, windows shattered and doors were ripped from their hinges. About 200 firefighters battled intense heat to fight spot fires that continued to burn into Sunday evening.

An evacuation of the immediate area meant up to 12-thousand people had to seek a safer distance until the all-clear was given.

It reminded me of a scene from the movie Cloverfield. Any way, here's video of one of the massive explosions caught on film by an amateur in the area.

Gaff Of The Year

In case I haven't made it obvious enough in the past, I'm a Montreal Canadiens hockey fan. My father is a Habs fan and therefore I am a Habs fan.

As fans of le bleu, blanc et rouge we are compelled to hate our arch-rivals from Toronto and are sworn to ridicule them every chance we get.

Of course since the Maple Leafs haven't won a Stanley Cup since 1967, we've had plenty of ammunition to fire their way. They've suffered through year after year of dismal performances, limped into the playoffs from time to time but more often then not, they've been working on their golf games while good teams are still playing hockey.

Their biggest problem is their poor drafting skills and obviously their scouts over the years were spending more time drinking in the arena bars rather than watching for good young players...especially Canadian players.

I don't really need any more fuel to add to the fire but I will say one thing about the Leafs, they are a giving group. Off the ice they're good guys who give back to the community. On the ice they're in need of some help and have been for 41 years.

When you live in Ontario as I do and you're forced to watch the crappy Leafs on TV all the times It's nice to know the Toronto players are kind enough to give those of us who cheer for better teams something to enjoy once in a while.

Such an occurrence took place just last night in New York where Toronto was playing the Islanders. Maple Leafs goalie Vesa Toskala (gee...another non-Canadian player) looked foolish as he badly misplayed a clearing attempt by NY while they were killing a penalty. What happened next was a thing of beauty. Enjoy the video evidence below.

Black's Only School Decision

I'm white...Caucasian if you prefer that term instead.

I wanted to state that from the beginning so there's no confusion.

I certainly don't consider myself a racist but I may be guilty of a little racial profiling from time to time. Who isn't? Over the years I have had many good friends of all races, colours and religions. The world is a melting pot after all. To be honest, normally I don't see colour...I see stupidity and ignorance instead.

I don't care what colour you are or what country you come from...if you're stupid or ignorant then don't expect me to be too forgiving.

Having attempted to make that perfectly clear I'll move on to the topic at hand.

Earlier tonight, a proposal to create Canada's first black-focused public school was approved by Toronto District School Board trustees. They recommended the creation of an alternative school that features a curriculum and teaching environment oriented around black history and culture. The vote, which was very close, followed a debate on the controversial proposal, which critics believe is a plan for segregation, while supporters believe it could keep more black students in school.

Does anyone else think this is counterproductive to what black people fought for for so many years? And if you think all blacks in this school district are in favour of the idea, guess again.

Under the current guidelines set forth by the Provincial government, the school would have to be open to all students regardless of their racial background but do you really think that's going to happen? The main difference is the supporters feel with a more "black friendly" (my term) curriculum, the black students would have a better chance of staying in school and graduating.

I'm sorry...I went to school with several black classmates and they all graduated under the same guidelines and curriculum the white, aboriginal and asian students had to study. And do you know how they managed to succeed? They studied and went to class. They asked questions and did their homework. They didn't look for an excuse or blame the system. They held themselves accountable and graduated.

I don't think the current school system is failing these black students. I think they are failing themselves and perhaps their parents should shoulder some of the blame as well. Don't blame a system that works well for everyone else. Look inward and ask what you should or could be doing to improve.

There are so many temptations and distractions that can be used as excuses. It is the parents job to know what their kids are doing and to keep them in line and on the right path.

If you talk to any successful African Canadian or American and ask how they got where they are today, I'm sure they'll all answer "hard work".

By the way, I really dislike the term "African-Canadian" or "African-American". If you were born in Canada....that just makes you Canadian. I don't go around saying I'm Scottish-Canadian. Where my ancestors came from is great information for the family tree project but I was born here and Canadian is what I am.

What concerns me now is what can of worms have they opened? If Muslim students begin struggling, do they open up a school that will focus more on their culture? I'd say they have that right now that the precedent has been set. Where will it end? Schools for gay and lesbian students? Schools for pregnant teens? And lets not forget the aboriginal kids.

Don't even get me started on Black History Month. I'm not anti-black, I just don't understand why one group of people should be singled out over others. Where's my White History Month. How about the Caucasian Pride Parade in downtown Toronto in the summer? The history of the black people in North America is well documented but how long do we have to cater to them and apologize for what our ancestors did? Hell, my ancestors didn't do anything to begin with.

Sorry, I'm getting off topic.

In the end, I truly hope the drop-out rate improves among the black students in Toronto but I honestly don't think this little experiment is the answer. It isn't even a band-aid on the real problem.

Tower Of Terror

I can recall as a young boy going to a baseball game in Toronto at the old Exhibition Stadium.

I don't recall who the Blue Jays were playing that day but my most vivid memory is of dad and I sitting in our seats just up from third base enjoying the game and hoping they'd get it in before an approaching storm arrived.

We sat there and soon the game became secondary as we had a perfect view of the CN Tower and watched intently as numerous bolts of lightning struck the top of the tower over and over again. It was quite amazing to watch.

I don't think the game was called and they were able to complete it but for most fans in attendance, the light show to the East was much more entertaining.

As and example of what we saw, here's a video of a different storm with similar results as the lightning was drawn to the top of the tower.

Rock and Roll

Since my last entry was a bit more political and serious than I normally am, I thought I'd share some more entertaining stuff with you.

I love music! That's probably the number one reason why I once found myself working in the radio business, so I could feel like I was part of the industry in some small way.

Here now are a couple of interesting videos.

First...one of my favourite bands is Van Halen and I've been lucky enough to see them live in concert three times. This video was actually shot at one of the concerts I attended in 1995 at the Molson Amphitheatre in Toronto during the CNE. Here are the boys singing "Jump".


And the second video is from, in my opinion, the best concert ever held...Live Aid in 1985. At the age of 16 I sat down in front of the TV early in the morning on July 13, 1985 to see the concert begin at Wembley Stadium in London and didn't stop watching until it ended late in the evening at JFK Stadium in Philadelphia. It features my all-time favourite band U2 and the performance that catapulted them to instant world wide fame. This is their performance of the song "Bad".

Tim Hortons...Why Bother

For those who live in Canada, the words "Tim Horton's" is self explanatory. We all know it's probably the world's best coffee shop franchise and it's named after a Toronto Maple Leafs hockey player.

Actually, Horton wasn't just a Leaf as he also spent time playing for the Rangers, Penguins and Sabres. He was still playing for Buffalo when he tragically died in a single vehicle car crash while driving back there after playing a game in Toronto. He was 44 when he died.

The very first Tim Horton's store opened in Hamilton in 1964, ten years before his death. Interestingly enough, he was born in Cochrane, Ontario and that town didn't get their first Timmies until 1994. I found that to be be a little odd.

Of course today most towns and cities have numerous Tim Horton's coffee shops. In fact, let me do a quick count. Here in my small city, we have six of them.

Why are they so popular? Is the coffee that good? Perhaps it's just the social aspect of it. People like to gather at Timmy Ho's for a coffee and some gossip.

I'm not a coffee or donut drinker so I don't know the joy of ordering a medium "double double" and a honey-glazed. The same goes for the Timbits which can only be described as the donut holes for those who aren't familiar with them.

I've tried their sandwiches which are so-so but the one item I always get when I need to cure some hunger pains and Tim's is the only place near, is their chocolate chip cookies.

They can keep their peanut butter and their oatmeal cookies. I'll have the chocolate chip cookies please. Actually, I always order six of them at a time because it's cheaper.

However, I shouldn't say "always" since I can't always get them. And that brings me to the subject of this little musing.

I would say that easily, and I'm not exaggerating, 94.8% of the time I go to a Tim Horton's in my town, they never have chocolate chip cookies. It's so bad that every time I go in or through the drive-thru, I won't say, "may I have six chocolate chip cookies please?" Instead, I'll ask "Do you have any chocolate chip cookies?"

Most times they don't even have to check, the already know the answer and away I go. Of course, If I'm in the drive-thru I have to wait behind all of the coffee drinkers in their cars before I can leave.

I guess my advice to Tim Horton's would be this. If you're not going to keep the cookies in stock or a steady supply of freshly baked cookies on the shelves, then stop selling them because you're only teasing me.

Commonsense tells you if you're always running out of them, then you should probably make more because they're popular. Instead all you're doing is making people like me angry and I'm forced to go without my cookies.

And when I'm cookie deprived, you don't want to be around me.

Oh and one more thing...their "Roll-Up The Rim" contest is no damn good for people like me who don't drink coffee. So much for my chances of winning.

Blue Jays Memory

It's hard to believe that its been 13 years since the Toronto Blue Jays won their last World Series. It doesn't seem that long ago.

Do you remember where you were when Joe Carter hit his historic series winning homerun? I do.

I'd like to say I was at the game but that wasn't the case. I did want to be in Toronto in case they did win to take part in all of the madness in the streets.

My friend Matt Goodman and I drove up to try and watch the game in a Toronto bar but they were all full. You couldn't find a seat or table anywhere on or just off Younge Street.

So we did the next best thing, we made our way down to the HMV Music store to watch the game with thousands of other fans on their massive screen on the front of the building. We were a little ways back but we could see the game and there was a van with huge speakers broadcasting the play-by-play on the radio.

It looked hopeless until the final inning when the Jays managed to rally. The police were standing by in riot gear and on horses waiting for something to happen. The police command post was just down the road from us as well.

When Joe Carter hit the homer to end the game and the series, the streets exploded in celebration. We were hugging and kissing people we didn't even know. People were smoking maijuanna next to cops and they didn't care. Nobody tried to riot or cause distruction. It was very peaceful but insane as well. Thousands of people quickly became tens of thousands and we were shoulder to shoulder on Younge Street barely able to move. You were at the mercy of the crowd and where it moved. You had to struggle to get out of the crowd and by the time we did we were two blocks south of where we started. It was an experience of a lifetime but I'd never do it again. The noise was deafening.

People were hanging from trees and street signs and traffic lights. To this day I still can't believe that many people were jammed into the downtown core and no real trouble happened.