And actually, re UT, remember that over the years, UT's been heavily defined by a focus on stuff like architectural and urban design. Yet those who are rah-rah Ford etc in threads like this are noticeably *not* participants in that realm of discussion. And probably with good reason--they'd probably be shredded and tarred as philistines, and they're out of their depth there anyway.
Like, I've whimsically commented elsewhere that Ford'd be to mayors what
this is to skyscrapers. Or maybe let's take a nearer case in point: the Niagara Falls Hilton.
Now, imagine if you will, an architectural competition for some really prominent and important building in Toronto, where the participants included international figureheads like Foster, Piano, Nouvel, etc, maybe a few Canadian noteworthies like Saucier & Perrotte--and a Niagara Falls Hilton sort of design.
And imagine if the jury wasn't one of "expert peers", but of the mass populace. Almost like a televised "Toronto's Next Big Building" series.
And imagine if all the noteworthies cancelled themselves out, leaving, as the landslide winner...the Niagara Falls Hilton-type design.
Imagine the city planners and design panels jaws dropping to the ground.
That, metaphorically, is the Rob Ford mania in a nutshell.