Rob Ford's Toronto

[animatronic]

To be fair, I recall a very good teacher once showing up inebriated at an afterschool event he was running. It didn't impact the event, or his teaching performance (never saw him inebriated during school hours); he didn't have to run afterschool events, and unlike some of his colleagues, he never did anything inappropriate, or raped any students. Which is worse, a very happy inebriated teacher, or not having the event. Do I believe the teacher in question had a drinking problem - yes, especially given the number of times his 15 and 16-year old students would encounter him downtown in bars. Did it impact his job performance - not that I ever saw.

I'm not saying this let's Ford off. However simply the act of showing after hours inebriated shouldn't lead to immediate dismissal. Ford however, clearly crossed the line with the abuse of students, and exposing them to known drug dealers.

Did he make you roll around in bird shit then invite you to his basement for a pizza party?

 

[kbdid]

To be fair, I recall a very good teacher once showing up inebriated at an afterschool event he was running. It didn't impact the event, or his teaching performance (never saw him inebriated during school hours); he didn't have to run afterschool events, and unlike some of his colleagues, he never did anything inappropriate, or raped any students. Which is worse, a very happy inebriated teacher, or not having the event. Do I believe the teacher in question had a drinking problem - yes, especially given the number of times his 15 and 16-year old students would encounter him downtown in bars. Did it impact his job performance - not that I ever saw.

I'm not saying this let's Ford off. However simply the act of showing after hours inebriated shouldn't lead to immediate dismissal. Ford however, clearly crossed the line with the abuse of students, and exposing them to known drug dealers.

Showing up once might be forgivable (had a high school geography teacher who was generally smashed most of the day), but being incoherent and with all the other nonsense (threats, bribes, unauthorized practices etc). Ford didn't just have a drinking problem, he was a complete a-hole.

 

[nfitz]

Did he make you roll around in bird shit then invite you to his basement for a pizza party?

Of course not. I'd have said something about that if it happened; he simply blurred his words, wobbled a bit, smiled a lot, and smelled of hard liquor.

Problem is, focusing on Rob Ford's drinking whitewashes the real issues. People, especially politicians - even some of the most successful ones, having drinking problems is nothing new. It's all the other stuff ...

 

[casita]

i was just reflecting in passing the fact that we have all been told that puns supposedly are the lowest form of humour, not trying to make anything out of it.

I was told by Oscar Wilde that sarcasm was the lowest form of wit. A pun takes an earnest effort to find the importance.

“A pun is the lowest form of humor—when you don't think of it first.” ― Oscar Levant

 

[NYCBoy2305]

Amusing development... Ford and Financial Literacy at the Economic Club. Some of my tweets...

#topoli Shameful inviting admitted drug addict to your event. Marx was right; capitalism's death is inevitable. dellavedova@economicclub.ca

#topoli http://www.marketwired.com/press-release/-1942595.htm … dellavedova@economicclub.ca Drug addicts and capitalism: Makes sense...

#topoli Tell the Economic Club what you think about drugs and free enterprise... dellavedova@economicclub.ca http://www.nordicwelfare.org/PageFiles/4852/OleBjerg.pdf

 

[sublime]

Media Advisory: Jr. Economic Club Students, With Special Guest Rob Ford, Pitch Entrepreneurial Business Ideas to Bay Street's "Mega Minds"

http://www.marketwired.com/press-re...st-rob-ford-pitch-entrepreneurial-1942595.htm

Scoop goes to evvabeing.

 

[Kilroy]

Ford and Financial Literacy at the Economic Club?

WTF? The guys a college dropout with no training in Finance and He's the Special Guest?

I wonder how these guys feel about that slap in the face...

Rick Headrick, President, Sun Life Global Investments Canada
Ungad Chadda, Senior Vice President, Toronto Stock Exchange
Pablo Breard, Vice President, International Research, Scotiabank

https://research.tdwaterhouse.ca/research/public/Markets/NewsArticle/100-241u8514-1

 

[basic]

That Ford more Years sign isn't allowed, I would think.

Then report it.

It will be dealt with swiftly several months post-election.

 

[Electrify]

Thanks. Found it now.

"Mayoral candidate Rob Ford was quietly asked to stop coaching football at a Toronto high school following an incident with a student player, say officials with the Toronto District School Board.

Ford was coaching at Newtonbrook Secondary School in North York in 2001 when he had a confrontation with a young player over poor performance on the field, say two witnesses who spoke with the Star on condition of anonymity."

http://www.thestar.com/news/city_ha..._a_football_coach_at_toronto_high_school.html

Yes, while it was a different incident, it basically confirms a trend. This says nothing to the fact of the trend that he is a serial liar.

 

[kbdid]

Amusing development... Ford and Financial Literacy at the Economic Club. Some of my tweets...

#topoli Shameful inviting admitted drug addict to your event. Marx was right; capitalism's death is inevitable. dellavedova@economicclub.ca


#topoli http://www.marketwired.com/press-release/-1942595.htm … dellavedova@economicclub.ca Drug addicts and capitalism: Makes sense...

#topoli Tell the Economic Club what you think about drugs and free enterprise... dellavedova@economicclub.ca http://www.nordicwelfare.org/PageFiles/4852/OleBjerg.pdf

I have more of a problem with him attending this on the level that he's nowhere near financially literate; I'm sure there are a lot of other alcoholics/addicts way more qualified than Ford.

 

[animatronic]

I have more of a problem with him attending this on the level that he's nowhere near financially literate; I'm sure there are a lot of other alcoholics/addicts way more qualified than Ford.

For god sakes let the man talk. I would love to see a display of his razor-sharp business acumen.

"So you want to be an entrepreneur? Good for you. What kind of business does your daddy run?"

 

[Tea]

Of course not. I'd have said something about that if it happened; he simply blurred his words, wobbled a bit, smiled a lot, and smelled of hard liquor.

Problem is, focusing on Rob Ford's drinking whitewashes the real issues. People, especially politicians - even some of the most successful ones, having drinking problems is nothing new. It's all the other stuff ...

Good point, and I'm all for treating people with addictions and criminal associations with as much compassion and understanding as is constructive. But that cannot include putting students at risk. And if I were a school employee or a person responsible for youth, I'd sure as hell be trying to cover my ass by not letting any questionable people around my charges.

In fact, I think in general people mock Ford too much for his addictions and (HUGE) personal defects. Not that he deserves any better, but it almost crosses the line into writing people with problems off completely as worthless human beings, which isn't a judgement for other people to make. I just think that it's important, when talking about Ford's behaviour and additions and criminal associations, to tie it in with the conclusion that it makes him unfit for office. That is what is at issue, and that certainly is our right to judge. Anyway I don't know if that is clear...just kind of thinking out loud.

 

[Tea]

Good point, and I'm all for treating people with addictions and criminal associations with as much compassion and understanding as is constructive. But that cannot include putting students at risk. And if I were a school employee or a person responsible for youth, I'd sure as hell be trying to cover my ass by not letting any questionable people around my charges.

In fact, I think in general people mock Ford too much for his addictions and (HUGE) personal defects. Not that he deserves any better, but it almost crosses the line into writing people with problems off completely as worthless human beings, which isn't a judgement for other people to make. I just think that it's important, when talking about Ford's behaviour and additions and criminal associations, to tie it in with the conclusion that it makes him unfit for office. That is what is at issue, and that certainly is our right to judge. Anyway I don't know if that is clear...just kind of thinking out loud.

Let me clarify a bit- I don't have a problem with people joking about Ford, or political cartoons, or sarcasm that exposes his hipocrisy and lies. I'm thinking more of the "I can't believe you'd invite a drug addict to your event" - as if drug addicts in general have nothing to say and no worth. I think it's a slippery slope.

 

[pud99]

 

[kbdid]

Let me clarify a bit- I don't have a problem with people joking about Ford, or political cartoons, or sarcasm that exposes his hipocrisy and lies. I'm thinking more of the "I can't believe you'd invite a drug addict to your event" - as if drug addicts in general have nothing to say and no worth. I think it's a slippery slope.

This. There are a lot of good people (many functioning) alcoholics/addicts (especially I dare say, in public life).