Rob Ford's Toronto

[OSS 117]

Interesting that hair loss is already occurring. That fast? Really?

I think he was using the Royal "We" for most of that post. "Rob ford is next door and it sounds like we're gonna be cancer bros." is the only relevant part, I think.

 

[JGHali]

Thanks for the insight, doc. '4)' seems especially concerning for the man's health.

I don't think any of those bodes well. But it's hard to tell when information is so incomplete and obviously being manipulated by Wormtongue and others.

Initially I thought he had a hemorrhagic pancreatic pseudocyst (goes with the booze) but there'd be no reason to biopsy that.

Concerning the "lung biopsy", the usual approach is to try to get at it with bronchoscopy, generally done under light sedation. Who knows what they did in this case.

 

[Kat_YYZ]

He knows that, that's why he wants them on his show. He doesn't understand how come Rob went and instead of being satisfied, they just shifted over to Doug who is a totally different guy.

And FWIW, I've seen several comments on there that I think kind of push the boundaries....I hate Rob Ford as much as the next guy and think he has been (pardon the pun) a cancer on the city. He has done damage, both real and in terms of the city's image and needs to be removed from City Hall and public life.

But for those wondering why they should feel sympathy for him just because now he has cancer, the answer is "because you're a decent human being." Short of the Osama bin Laden and Hitlers of the world there aren't many people I would actually wish cancer on. I understand having conflicted feelings - I have them. I wanted to see him get his ass kicked on Oct. 27 and I think the Friday switcheroo was cynical and disgusting and I want him fried on the stand during Sandro's trial and then jailed after his own, his lack of morals and sense on display for all to see for all time. But cancer? Suffering and premature death? No - even Rob Ford doesn't deserve that.

For some reason there are some people here who equate sympathy (or even empathy) with being eager to forgive and forget all and run breathlessly to the first voting booth to cast a ballot for RoFo. Like there's no middle ground: you either can't stand him and don't care if he dies, or you want to vote for and adopt him. Already one poster here was chased away for feeling empathy.

The truth is you try not to carry inside you things like hatred, revenge and delight in others' misery because it blackens YOUR soul, not the other person's. Empathy is actually a selfish act, if you want to look at it that way.

 

[OSS 117]

So here we are:

Rumours abound tonight that RoFo has been diagnosed with a malignant tumour in his colon that may have spread to his lungs.

Wednesday afternoon we may see the ITO. (It could be released on Friday as expected for any number of reasons, but historically RoFo ITOs have been released on Wednesdays). Rumour has it that there are revelations about DoFo.

Wednesday evening we get a status update on RoFo's health.

Through the weekend we have Ford Fever with DoFo's crimes and RoFo's prognosis dominating the talk of Toronto.

Monday, DoFo launches his campaign...

Are we still in rising action or have we reached the climax of Ford: The Movie yet?

We're definitely well into the third act. I'd duck out early because I think I know the ending, but I need to stay for the credits so I can see the names of all the skilled CGI artists and animatronic technicians who were able to bring both Ford brothers so convincingly to life.

 

[AlvinofDiaspar]

The truth is you try not to carry inside you things like hatred, revenge and delight in others' misery because it blackens YOUR soul, not the other person's. Empathy is actually a selfish act, if you want to look at it that way.

Bingo - empathy, at the end of the day, makes the person feeling it feels better. It doesn't do an iota for the subject (unless you're interacting directly with him).

AoD

 

[hper]

True, but since he raised the issue of ethics, I thought I might call him on a bigger one. Also of note is that RFMG doesn't have a radio show that they are paid for, and need to find content to talk about... Just saying.

AoD

You're absolutely correct to call MT on this, AoD. He does seems to be the sort who can smugly point out the perceived transgressions of others while blithely ignoring his own assholic tendencies. The fact that he seems gleefully, hand-rubbingly, prepared to profit from his proximity to this crap show is telling. One hopes that there's some leftover karma in this whole mess for him.

 

[FromTheHammer]

It's one thing to wish him harm or even death in this case, it's another thing to not be able to feel sympathy and offer respect to a toxic man like Rob Ford. It's just a very hard thing to do.

Gee, I can't imagine why:

“My heart bleeds for them when someone gets killed. But it’s their own fault at the end of the day.”
On fatally injured cyclists, March 7, 2007

“If you are not doing needles and you are not gay, you wouldn’t get AIDS probably. That’s the bottom line.... How are women getting it? Maybe they are sleeping with bisexual men.”
June 29, 2006

“This is an insult to my constituents to even think about having a shelter in my ward!”
On homeless shelters, April 2002

 

[OSS 117]

Bingo - empathy, at the end of the day, makes the person feeling it feels better. It doesn't do an iota for the subject (unless you're interacting directly with him).

AoD

At the end of the day, the death of a stranger doesn't mean anything to anyone not directly affected by them. I can acknowledge that a bus crash in Brazil is sad, but it doesn't really make me FEEL sad, if you know what I mean. If I had the actual power of life and death over Rob Ford I'd say, sure, life. But I don't, so whatever.

 

[Oriana]

For some reason there are some people here who equate sympathy (or even empathy) with being eager to forgive and forget all and run breathlessly to the first voting booth to cast a ballot for RoFo. Like there's no middle ground: you either can't stand him and don't care if he dies, or you want to vote for and adopt him. Already one poster here was chased away for feeling empathy.

The truth is you try not to carry inside you things like hatred, revenge and delight in others' misery because it blackens YOUR soul, not the other person's. Empathy is actually a selfish act, if you want to look at it that way.

Ha, was having a twitter convo about compassion towards Ford last night, and the one person claiming to feel compassion said this:

"I completely agree with you. I don't like him. I just believe withholding my compassion will hurt me."

 

[pud99]

No, charitable donations are a credit against tax otherwise payable. You get a 15% credit for the first $200, and a 29% credit for everything above that (for federal tax purposes - for Ontario it's 5.05% and 11.16% ). You only get a credit for charitable donations up to 75% of net income in a year but you can carry the excess forward for 5 years.

Thanks. This is more granular than I wanted to be (not to mention more accurate); my fumbling effort to simplify the story without over-simplifying obviously was 'a fail' (as they say)!

All is only made worse by the fungibility of money. I don't doubt that Doug has sufficient income from other sources that he could donate an amount equal to his city salary without passing the 75% of net income cap, and therefore he could say that 100% of 'donating his city salary' is deductible - in the same way that I can put $10 in what I chose to call a Christmas savings account (i.e., it is both true in some sense and untrue at the same time).

The end point, either way, is that it would cost Doug something even were he in fact to donate an amount equal to his councillor's salary (versus it costing him nothing to waive the receipt of that salary) - although not a lot, relatively speaking, and along the way he would get the psychic income (kudos) of choosing the charities.

 

[pud99]

 

[casita]

Like everyone else, I feel I should say that I would have preferred to see MINO Ford beaten in the election rather than by the Big C. Best wishes for a speedy recovery.

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[guy caballero]

Rofo ran up multiple flights of stairs at Don Mills station on Sept 8.
How many days ago was that?

Wormtongue is describing "cancer" symptoms, is he? Or something else?

Just want to get my timelines right.

Yup, 8 days ago RoFo was athletically running up Don Mills subway stairs.
Suddenly we are on a cancer deathwatch concerning RoFo? Strange?

 

[whatthe]

Yup, 8 days ago RoFo was athletically running up Don Mills subway stairs.
Suddenly we are on a cancer deathwatch concerning RoFo? Strange?

Not really. It can happen quickly. Not long ago, a colleague who outwardly showed no signs of illness was diagnosed with cancer, and passed away within 2 months.

 

[animatronic]

We're definitely well into the third act. I'd duck out early because I think I know the ending, but I need to stay for the credits so I can see the names of all the skilled CGI artists and animatronic technicians who were able to bring both Ford brothers so convincingly to life.

I'm flattered, but it was really more of a team effort.