Rob Ford's Toronto

[JWBF]

Real problems like his weight, as his mama claimed on a recorded TV interview? Or was it that other disease that he took what, a full year, two videos and countless dodged reporters for him to admit to? No smokescreen indeed.

Sorry, crack smoking and offering your wife up isn't a requisite for "realness". In fact, a mayor with such traits belong to the realm of the unreal.

AoD

If it was good enough for Caligula, it good enough for...

 

[Jimmi T]

Referring to the possibility that Ford was in business with Lisi and not just a run of the mill user, if it received a bit of shrug in the thread this time, it's perhaps because that ground has been covered quite a few times here since the first ITO was released. For the keeners of UT, many of whom read the ITO releases cover to cover, it was hard not to conclude that they were doing more than just getting together to drink vodka and piss in parks.

My assumption remains that Ford was bankrolling Lisi. Lisi is clearly a guy who likes to get people to pay for things for him (e.g., Range Rover in someone else's name) and Ford is desperate for some cool factor (e.g. he was excluded from his brothers' hash dealing empires back in high school). I would even venture that this aspiration to some kind of messed up street cred has been more important to Ford than any extra money it brings in. Ford and Renata don't lead an extravagant lifestyle - they're addicts who need money for their addictions, their fast food diets, and decent clothing to put some polish on it all. I think it's more about feeling important and independent and to show his brothers he's just as capable as they are ("See Doug? I can sling dope too!")

Ya, it could largely be that he's in it for the thrill. FYI when he first became mayor, before I'd heard anything about his using, someone told me that he was involved in trafficking while on council. Maybe he just never gave that up.

 

[Kat's Meow]

Yeah, it's way too early. If it's not an organized thing then it's not really terrorism.

NORAD has been put on alert ... Doubt that would be the case if it were some random unorganized nut job.

 

[kbdid]

I am curious about people unsure if the shootings today are terrorism. Shooting in a public place, killing a soldier and attempting to fire on government is terrorism. 3 people are wounded in hospital and they think one or two people are still at large. The downtown is locked down. Yes, this is terrorism, we just don't know the motivation.

 

[casita]

Neil Flagg and his nutso followers are now boycotting the Sun over their Tory endorsement. If the Post follows suit what will they read?

I doubt if most FN are Star, Globe or Post readers.

The Sun was their rag, and Joe was their standard bearer.

View attachment 36066

 

[nfitz]

NORAD has been put on alert ... Doubt that would be the case if it were some random unorganized nut job.

US media (AP) is now reporting that NORAD has not raised it's alert level - https://twitter.com/KenDilanianAP/status/524968051486519297

 

[animatronic]

Yeah, they shot a soldier at a war memorial and went into the main government building, which they parked outside of. I don't think it's a stretch to attach political motives to it. Could turn out to be random but on balance of probabilities, I think "terrorism" is a safe bet. The way the guy got into Centre Block suggests there was some research involved; he knew where he was going.

I also doubt it has anything to do with Mallala. Why would they hit Ottawa when the PM is going to be here, in Toronto, with her later today? (Or was - he just cancelled.)

One visit to the Hill as a tourist and a review of Google Builing View would be more than enough to know that you can walk right in the front door. There's no physical security - just armed guards, who could probably be taken by surprise. The fact he only got about 50' into the building shows the security worked, if not perfectly.

One assumes the new visitors entrance will help, esp with security no longer in the basement of centre block. However, let's hope a one-off nut job doesn't turn the Hill into a closed fortress.

 

[Kat's Meow]

https://twitter.com/acoyne/status/524956349378330624
https://twitter.com/nbcnightlynews/status/524966392702189569

2 tweets that contradict NORAD hasn't been engaged. In reality who knows. Lots of misinformation is bound to happen as things evolve.

But if you think it may not be terrorism then why is DM Kelly asking for suspicious activity to be reported and the TTC is on heightened alert.

Also threat level was quietly raised to medium by CSIS

https://twitter.com/benspurr/status/524969770383183872

https://twitter.com/citynews/status/524956395641536512

 

[JWBF]

OT but VERY SERIOUSLY shooting situation ongoing at Parliament Hill after shooting of soldier at the memorial. Terrorism seems to have well and truly arrived in Canada

Was just reading about it :\ Follows on shooting of a soldier in Montreal just a few days ago also... Not liking the thought one bit but fear you are right.

This type of "terrorism" maybe; it's saddening none the less. It was just broke that the soldier is dead.

 

[nfitz]

https://twitter.com/acoyne/status/524956349378330624

Coyne is an idiot. He also think's Jesus has been placed on alert.

 

[TOperson]

I am curious about people unsure if the shootings today are terrorism. Shooting in a public place, killing a soldier and attempting to fire on government is terrorism. 3 people are wounded in hospital and they think one or two people are still at large. The downtown is locked down. Yes, this is terrorism, we just don't know the motivation.

Nope. Shooting at civilians is terrorism, not soldiers. If there is no political motivation, it's not terrorism. This could just be a public shooting spree, which is still very bad, but not the same thing as terrorism.

 

[TOperson]

Considering the timing and apparent pre-planning, it sounds more than a nutjob to me.

AoD

Nutjobs can plan. Magnotta did.

 

[Yaitsme]

Considering the timing and apparent pre-planning, it sounds more than a nutjob to me.

AoD

what's the timing?

 

[casita]

Water is pretty low in the terror list - too much volume to do anything bad. Terrorism doesn't need to be complicated - could be as simple as a a packed subway car, a can of gasoline and a match.

All true. But, there is concern about our water supply.

"The city decided in 2006 that terrorists might wreak havoc with our water supply after viewing the interior of such plants."
http://www.torontosun.com/2011/09/12/terror-attacks-changed-toronto-too

 

[kaboi]

It would be interesting if council shifts to a more left-leaning, progressive stance with newly councillors elected yet the mayor we've chosen isn't the left-leaning, progressive candidate.

Even if council doesn't shift more to the left, it will be interesting to see how the next term rolls out. When the term began in 2010, it seemed many felt the need to go along with the mayor's agenda based on a sense of mandate from the election. That's how you ended up with people like Wong-Tam voting to eliminate the car tax. But the break of the 'mushy middle' over the cuts in the second budget really turned the tide and seemed to activate the councillors. And of course, the motions to reduce Ford's powers were unprecedented, as was the need to govern without an adequate elected leader.

As I see it, the result was an increased activism among councillors from left to right. Many of them will be returning, and it's hard to put that genie back in the bottle. I predict the next mayor will have more of a struggle to get councillors onside, and many election planks will need to undergo radical revision to pass. (I even think Tory, who is most likely to win, is counting on that so that he can turn what might be deemed failures to get his platform through into successes of co-operation).