Rob Ford's Toronto

[aghost]

More preferable, Peter is smarter than Ford...

 

[ahm]

http://ford.rinoibanez.com

Apparently this is Ford's website being developed? It's a weird mishmash of draft staff, including text lifted word for word from Jerry Brown's website (see the volunteer page) and a map of Brooklyn. Very odd. Credit to @judemacdonald for sharing this with the world.

Couldn't resist sharing the draft list of "Ford administration accomplishments". It's quite the list. For example, I know my public faith in the TCHC has been restored by its questionable management practices and relentless increase in the repair backlog. Well done Mayor Ford!

If I was a reporter with a penchant for embarassing the Mayor I'd repeatedly ask him in scrums where the CP24 and Global and CBC cameras are on about his comprehensive bike strategy.

"Mayor Ford, parents with young children are always concerned about teaching their children to ride bicycles safely. Can you speak to how your comprehensive bike strategy will improve the safety of young children when they cycle in Toronto?"
"Mayor Ford, many taxpayers choose to cycle for work for the health benefits and because it's cheaper than driving a car or taking public transit. Can you provide some details as to how these taxpayer will be safer due to your comprehensive bike strategy?"
"Mayor Ford, can you explain to the owners and employees of bicycle shops in Toronto how they will stand to benefit from your comprehensive bike strategy? Do you think that your strategy will increase bicycle use in Toronto and therefore increase their business?"
"Mayor Ford, visitors to Toronto enjoy the cycling infrastructure Toronto offers. Can you speak to how your comprehensive bike strategy will enhance Toronto's value to tourists who plan to cycle while visiting us?"

But I'm not a reporter, so I won't ask anything.

 

[jml]

http://ford.rinoibanez.com/ is a strange place-holder site with nothing but a flash animation of what could be a squirrel, a hedgehog, or a fox chewing a wire and getting electrocuted (complete with German captions)

It was much more exciting last night when it featured Latin placeholder text, a volunteer form cribbed from California governor Jerry Brown, and a list of accomplishments that included "Made Nathan Phillips Square Safe and Inviting for Citizens" (I guess as opposed to the dangerous, forbidding hellscape it was during the Miller years?)

Also notable that his website right now is just a weird countdown to something.

 

[blackballed]

...after working at a meatpacking plant as a teenager, Doug Ford became an ethical vegetarian.
He's a big supporter of gay pride. He says he donated $5,000 worth of printing to Pride Toronto last year,
and he's a big time social liberal … so is Rob.

By Josh Matlow
http://www.thestar.com/news/gta/2011/05/15/city_hall_diary_councils_newcomers_may_surprise_you.html

I'm totally calling BS on the Pride donation until I see independent confirmation.

Specifically, someone from Pride (whatever entity Doug claims to have supported) could easily confirm whether they used Deco's printing services. I'm not saying they have to, just that I never believe a word that comes out of Doug Ford's mouth unless and until I see some independent verification. Also, this apocryphal donation was said by none other than Doug Ford to have been for $2,500 within the past couple weeks.

What this article shows me more than anything is the extent to which the Fords had council dancing to their tune in 2011. Also, how naive Matlow was at the time.

 

[pattycakes]

It was much more exciting last night when it featured Latin placeholder text, a volunteer form cribbed from California governor Jerry Brown, and a list of accomplishments that included "Made Nathan Phillips Square Safe and Inviting for Citizens" (I guess as opposed to the dangerous, forbidding hellscape it was during the Miller years?)

Also notable that his website right now is just a weird countdown to something.

Time for arrest. Sorry, couldn't resist.

 

[uptown]

According to google translate it reads:

out of service
a moment of patience, the tape is the same found ...

Tape eh?

 

[typezed]

I was going to question the meat-packing story, as if Doug became a vegetarian (if he actually is a committed one now) due to his wife's health kick but he couldn't help embellishing with a story of hard-struggle in the depths of manual labour. I can see working elsewhere for a time if you don't want to be involved with the family business, but a meat-packing plant? But then Ford Sr. was in sales at a meat-packing company before he fell into the label business, so I guess this is plausible. Sure he was a hard-ass know-it-all who thought the kids needed exposure to his idea of the real world.

 

[casita]

"...after working at a meatpacking plant as a teenager, Doug Ford became an ethical vegetarian. " "

I was sent into the old Stockyards many times for industrial accidents. From what I remember of the place, I can easily believe working there could turn anyone into a vegetarian.

There is no wonder why the area remained "dry" until after the stockyards were replaced by box stores.

But, why would Doug ( or anyone ) work in a hell-hole like that if their family owned a thriving business?

Edit to add: I just read the post above, after posting mine.

 

[r937]

looks like robbie got across the border into chicago okay, contrary to the wishes of some on this thread

https://twitter.com/TOMayorFord/status/439825889757368321

 

[EagleEye]

Yes, they look NOTHING like Rob.

Doug's hubris and need to put himself front and centre is Astounding. For example on the videos, when you think about it, the mere fact of his presence is mystifying. No other mayor, or mayoral candidate, has an omnipresent sidekick like that. He does not get that this is not about him.

It goes along with a lot of thoughts we've had here before, something that Doolittle mentioned in the book about them fighting a lot. Cut the Waist was one thing that stood out because Doug came up with the idea but he's the smaller of the two. He also managed to lose weight while Rob quit so Doug thought he looked better. As far as bobbleheads, maybe they picked the biggest mold that was available?

 

[TJ O'Pootertoot]

Serious question: Would it actually be permissible for the Ford campaign to raise money by selling bobbleheads? I've been checking out the city's campaign rules here, but I'm not sure where it would fall within the rules.

I gather things like button sales are okay, but it still seems sketchy.

There are definitely legal issues - especially since money can't come from outside Ontario. But Rob has given us a tour through all the relevant municipal legislation in the past 4 years and, to recap, municipal campaign finance issues can only be raised after an election and by a member of the public. If they actually go this route, some enterprising person might try to force the issue in court in the meantime, but that would be unusual....not that the unusual hasn't become usual.

The real read here - and it's amazing Doug is too dense to realize this - is that he is straight-up admitting that the usual methods (i.e. the methods that got them elected last time, the methods everyone else uses) aren't going to be adequate this time. He might think he's being innovative and clever but it sounds desperate, especially when you add in that we know that:
a) There's no one else substantial on the campaign staff yet
b) He doesn't have their voter list
c) Their main fundraiser is sitting things out

That would be a recipe for disaster even if he had a great candidate. You can't win this sort of campaign with that complete lack of resources and, to state the obvious, Doug is no campaign management genius and his candidate has some issues. There was a time I took no joy in their suffering, especially given Rob's obvious mental and physical health issues, but this is going to be some kind of wonderfully epic crash and burn.

Plus, one more campaign thing to consider: Running up a debt is commonplace. Last time the failed candidates all got together for a joint fundraiser hosted by John Tory. I'm going to go out on a limb and suggest that neither Tory nor any of the other candidates will have any interest in helping make Ford whole this time around, even if he is "as poor as a church mouse."

(Side note: If anyone knows how to sneak a camera into her house, I don't think there's anything I want to see more than live footage of Diane watching the results come in on Oct. 27.)

 

[Kat_YYZ]

From the jackass's own mouth:

Mayor Rob Ford ‏@TOMayorFord 25m
Standing by at O'Hare, waiting for my flight #roadtrip #toronto #topoli

(it's not a roadtrip if you take a plane, Robbie. )

 

[sno man]

Weird trip though, he was at that Portuguese Presidential thing last night. Did he fly out this morning only to fly back nearly right away? Was this a quick quiet boarder check to see if he could get into the States? What kind of reason would a Mayor take a same day unannounced trip to another city?

 

[NoCleverName]

. Doug Ford became an ethical vegetarian.
He's a big supporter of gay pride. He says he donated $5,000 worth of printing to Pride Toronto last year[/url]

Apparently there are no records of any donation by the Fords or Deco Labels. However it appears that despite the lack of records, stickers were donated to a group called Family Pride to be distributed in grab bags for children. Of course, apparently there was a "printing error" and some of the stickers said "Donated by Rob Ford For Mayor"
http://dailyxtra.com/toronto/news/the-rob-ford-campaign-make-donation-pride-toronto

Someone with better Google-fu might be able to find the tweet fro the ED of Pride Toronto during the rainbow flag kerfuffle where he said there is no record of any donation by any Ford or Deco to Pride Toronto.

 

[EagleEye]

looks like robbie got across the border into chicago okay, contrary to the wishes of some on this thread

https://twitter.com/TOMayorFord/status/439825889757368321

I think he only posted that to flaunt it that he is able to cross the border. There was nothing else in that tweet that was important.

Don Peat ‏@reporterdonpeat 12s

"Yes, the mayor has left town. That's all I can confirm right now" Mayor Rob Ford's spokesman Amin Massoudi #TOpoli #RobFord

Daniel Dale ‏@ddale8 1m

The mayor has successfully crossed the border for a mystery reason. "@TOMayorFord: Standing by at O'Hare, waiting for my flight"