Canada Ping!
Posted on 01/03/2014 7:47:59 PM PST by Squawk 8888
What fun to begin a new year with a bout of wrist-slashing, but it’s either that or sell the house, pack up the dog and the leaky-eyed cat and move to Alberta, or Manitoba, or Newfoundland, anywhere that is not Toronto, Ont.
Consider how 2014 has started here in the centre of the world.
Hold your applause, but the civic authorities are yet again considering asking for the army to be brought in.
Well, that’s not entirely accurate, because the city has so many civic authorities, it’s hard to know for sure.
There’s the elected mayor, Rob Ford, who, having been stripped of the boring parts of the job and its attendant responsibilities, is freed up to campaign full-time for the coming election, which is what he does best.
There’s the council-delegated mayor, deputy mayor Norm Kelly, who a while back in the midst of Mr. Ford’s crack-cocaine meltdown was given many — but not all — of Mr. Ford’s powers, perhaps, but only perhaps, including the ability to call on the army.
And then there’s the wannabe mayor, Ontario Premier Kathleen Wynne.
(Excerpt) Read more at fullcomment.nationalpost.com ...
Canada Ping!
Most of the financial district was fine because the power lines are underground. The hardest-hit were any streets with trees and above-ground wires. I lucked out- only one tree down on our street and it was nowhere near the lines. The lines here are actually threaded between branches with only a few feet of clearance (crews come out to trim them every summer). My lights stayed on but if I went a block in any direction it was dark.
The biggest chaos was due to the effect on public transit. None of the streetcars could move because the overhead wires were iced over- that’s two hundred vehicles, each carrying between 50 and 100 passengers. Two outdoor sections of the subway and a huge stretch of the commuter rail system were also shut down because of fallen trees on the tracks. In a city where nearly a million people commute by public transit on a workday, you can imagine what that must have been like.
It was one of those days that made me glad that I moved downtown and work from home.
“I always figured Toronto would be the place to be in one of these things since you can spend most of your time underground on PATH.”
That underground PATH system is 18 miles long. I have been there and said then I could live there and never have to go outside. It is a beautiful underground city with entrances to hotels and restaurants and shops/stores of all kinds. When I was there, I bought a mink hat to go with my full length mink coat. They kept the door locked into that mink store so they evidently thought my husband and I weren’t going to rob them when we appeared at their door and they let us in.
The best hotel I was ever in, and I have traveled around the world, is in Toronto. Two bathrooms in the bedroom area, one for the man and one for the lady with a sit down dressing table for the lady.
It really is a beautiful city and the PATH is fantastic, stay warm down there and never know a snow storm was raging outside.
I don’t care what their mayor is doing, that city is great.
Sounds kind of cool from this safe distance. Glad you’re OK. If I had to design a city it would definitely include (1) underground power lines, and (2) a tunnel complex downtown. I happen to think Toronto is awesome.
no...most of the downtown area was unaffected
It isn't robberies that worry them, it's the animal-rights loons. All the furriers lock up now because the anti-fur types like to go in and vandalize the stock.
From the description of your room and the fact that you toured the PATH I’m guessing Royal York, Inter-Continental, Sheraton or Harbour Castle.
Those of us who grew up here often forget how good we have it. This city is the same size as Chicago with little of its blight and only a fraction of the crime- walking alone at night here is safe and quite common.
Well, I'd like to know because I may be in a position to splurge a bit next time I'm there. ;-)
I think it was the Intercontinental as the company paid for it and they tended to use Intercontinental in the various countries where they sent us.
Those four, plus the King Edward, have a reputation for being the swankiest here. If you’re a baseball or football fan, the Renaissance is built into the stadium with rooms overlooking the playing field.
Sweet. I’ve attended some conferences there, but for some reason my employers wouldn’t let expense a room that was within walking distance of my home...
And, T.O. is the home of http://www.nakednews.com/
“...my employers wouldn’t let expense a room that was within walking distance of my home...”
Hmm, you’ll have to move away some where so they will put you up in that hotel. :o)
There’s the elected mayor, Rob Ford, who, having been stripped of the boring parts of the job and its attendant responsibilities, is freed up to campaign full-time for the coming election, which is what he does best. >>>>>>>>>>>>>
Atta go , FORD..... hope you win the election handily.
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