Moulin Rouge Wedding Setup

Here is a sneak peak at the 'Moulin Rouge' room for our wedding tomorrow.

FCKH8.com Straight Talk About Gay Marriage

Chinese police force Nobel Peace Prize winner's wife to leave home

The 2010 Nobel Peace Prize winner's wife Liu Xia was being forced to leave her home in Beijing by plainclothes police officers Friday, she told Reuters during a phone interview shortly after the prize was awarded.

The officers said they wanted to take Liu to the prison in Jinzhou in the northeastern province of Liaoning, where her husband Liu Xiaobo is being held in an apparent effort to prevent foreign reporters from speaking to her, she said.

Nobel Peace Prize 2010 Awarded to Liu Xiaobo

The Norwegian Nobel Committee has decided to award the Nobel Peace Prize for 2010 to Liu Xiaobo for his long and non-violent struggle for fundamental human rights in China. The Norwegian Nobel Committee has long believed that there is a close connection between human rights and peace. Such rights are a prerequisite for the "fraternity between nations" of which Alfred Nobel wrote in his will.

Over the past decades, China has achieved economic advances to which history can hardly show any equal. The country now has the world's second largest economy; hundreds of millions of people have been lifted out of poverty.  Scope for political participation has also broadened.

China's new status must entail increased responsibility. China is in breach of several international agreements to which it is a signatory, as well as of its own provisions concerning political rights. Article 35 of China's constitution lays down that "Citizens of the People's Republic of China enjoy freedom of speech, of the press, of assembly, of association, of procession and of demonstration". In practice, these freedoms have proved to be distinctly curtailed for China's citizens.

For over two decades, Liu Xiaobo has been a strong spokesman for the application of fundamental human rights also in China.  He took part in the Tiananmen protests in 1989; he was a leading author behind Charter 08, the manifesto of such rights in China which was published on the 60th anniversary of the United Nations' Universal Declaration of Human Rights, the 10th of December 2008. The following year, Liu was sentenced to eleven years in prison and two years' deprivation of political rights for “inciting subversion of state power". Liu has consistently maintained that the sentence violates both China's own constitution and fundamental human rights.

The campaign to establish universal human rights also in China is being waged by many Chinese, both in China itself and abroad. Through the severe punishment meted out to him, Liu has become the foremost symbol of this wide-ranging struggle for human rights in China.

What’s on candidates’ Thanksgiving menu?

As Thanksgiving approaches, Toronto election candidates are being encouraged to participate at food banks, community kitchens and gardens to educate themselves about hunger and community solutions
happening throughout the City.

Food Forward is providing a number of ideas to candidates to get involved, such as volunteering to clean up a community garden; cook a local sustainable Thanksgiving meal; volunteer or donate to a food bank; help cook at a community centre; or support a community meal such as one for seniors or those impacted by the 200 Wellesley St. fire. Many candidates have already participated in the Food Poll to collect for the Daily Bread Food Bank.

“Hunger remains a real issue in Toronto and access to healthy food is out of reach for residents in many parts of the City,” said Darcy Higgins, Executive Director of Food Forward.

“Only 51% of Torontonians live within 1km of a grocery store, often making expensive and unhealthy food the easier option. The next crop of councillors should be learning about exciting food projects in the City that could be duplicated, while making food planning a key priority for City Hall,” he said.

There are also many events in Toronto with which municipal candidates may get involved:

• FoodShare’s Eat In at Queen’s Park Friday as part of Recipe for Change
• Soupalicious on Saturday benefiting Plant a Row, Grow a Row
• 10/10/10 Global Work Party for climate solutions on Sunday

www.pushfoodforward.com

Upcoming Lectures at the Centre For Inquiry

Lecture: Competing Notions of Feminism in Islam

 

Centre For Inquiry Website

WHEN: Friday, October 15, 2010 at 7:00 pm

WHERE: Centre for Inquiry Ontario, 216 Beverley Street (Just South of College and St. George)

COST: $5, $4 for students, FREE for CFI members

Does Islam accord women rights and privileges equal to men? Many wince at such suggestions but the majority of Muslims-- women included, often assert that their faith treats them with kindness, respect and civility. Many go as far as to assert that Muslim women must resort to the Koran itself to regain their long lost position of privilege in Muslim society. 
In this lecture, Farzana Hassan attempts to investigate the validity of these claims in light of the canonical texts of Islam, and whether Muslim attitudes on these issues are based on an outdated understanding of equality, privilege and human rights.

Speaker Bio

Farzana Hassan is an author ("Prophecy and the Fundamentalist Quest", "Islam Women and the Challenges of Today", and "Echoes from the Abyss"), a Freelance writer, Radio Program Host, musician, and a women's rights activist who earned an MBA from the University of Massachusetts. She recently completed her Doctorate in Education.

  Lecture: The Promise of New Worlds with Paul Delaney

 

Centre For Inquiry Website

WHEN: Friday, October 15, 2010 at 7:00 pm

WHERE: Centre for Inquiry Ontario, 216 Beverley Street (Just South of College and St. George)

COST: $5, $4 for students, FREE for CFI members
 

Since 1995, over 450 new exo-planets have been discovered. When the Kepler space probe was launched in April 2009, many expected hundreds of new worlds to be discovered in its 4 year lifespan. It appears that hundreds of exo-planets may have been found within the first months of its mission, suggesting that planets are more common than we had thought or dared hope. In this talk, Astronomy and Physics Professor Paul Delaney discusses the exploding field of exo-planetary astronomy, what we can expect in the coming months and its implication for life within our galaxy.

Speaker Bio:

Paul Delaney has been a Professor of Physics and Astronomy at York University since 1986. He is the Coordinator of the campus Astronomical Observatory and the Director of the Division of Natural Science. From 1995 to 2001 he was the Chair of Access York and was again its Acting Chair from 2009 through 2010. He is a passionate educator and delights in discussing the wonders of the universe with people of all ages.

10-10-10 Our Wedding Day! (and the wedding day of many others too)

I've been wondering how to tell you the story of our upcoming wedding on 10-10-10 here at the Daye. Well, this morning I woke up today and found out that apparently the 10.10.10 wedding is not exactly an original idea so I decided to start our story today.

The wedding chambers at Toronto City Hall is so booked for weddings on October 10, 2010 that they have moved their weddings to a nearby hotel. According to the Star it is "Wedding Perfection". The perfection part comes from the number 10 supposedly being perfect in the Chinese calendar.  I don't know anything about that but I do know that 101010 is the perfect binary number and computer language for the number 42 which we all know is (according to Douglas Adams) the answer to life, the universe and everything!

Our story really has nothing to do with 42 or 10-10-10. It all started on 10-10-04 when we happened to meet. Conveniently we just happened to be on the Eiffel tower in Paris on our fourth anniversary of meeting and David asked me to marry him. I said yes and we set the date: 10-10-09!

YES, 10-10-09. Shortly thereafter we realized good friends of ours were getting married on 10-09-09 and that most of our friends would therefore probably be hungover and tired for our wedding.  It was the right decision. I think we finally went to bed at 6 am following that wedding!

The solution; wait a year. The result of this decision is well; 42. 

So, there you have the back story. This is the first official post about our wedding on Sunday which has a Moulin Rouge theme, which is my favorite movie and a great tie-in to getting engaged in Paris.

We will be leaving on Tuesday the 12th for a trip around Europe and I will be posting about our wedding and our trip over the next few weeks. I hope you will enjoy the story.  The picture to the left is David and I in Prague in 2008, it was on this trip that we became engaged (on 10-10-08).

1010 Global Messy Video

The video won't embed properly, you can view it here.

I read today that this promotional video by 1010global.org caused quite a stir in the UK with some calling it a 'snuff film'. It is to promote the Global work day on October 10, 2010 to reduce carbon emissions.

One Day On Earth

One Day on Earth Participant Trailer from One Day On Earth on Vimeo.
Join us on 10.10.10 for an unprecedented event. Every Nation, 24 hours and You.

On October 10, 2010 (10.10.10), across the planet, documentary filmmakers, students, and inspired citizens will record the human experience over a 24-hour period and contribute their voice to the largest participatory media event in history.

Founded in 2008, ONE DAY ON EARTH is creating an online community, shared archive, and film. Together, we will showcase the amazing diversity, conflict, tragedy, and triumph that occur in one day. We invite you to join our international community of thousands of filmmakers, hundreds of schools, and dozens of non-profits, and contribute to this unique global mosaic. Through the One Day on Earth platform, we will establish a community that not only watches, but participates.

One Day on Earth Participant Trailer from One Day On Earth on Vimeo.
Join us on 10.10.10 for an unprecedented event. Every Nation, 24 hours and You.

Read more...

The little mayor that could. Joe Pantalone for Mayor.

Joe Pantalone: Mayor

October 25, 2010

Firefighters let man’s house burn over unpaid fee (or You Get What You Vote For)

 

I thought I'd retired the above graphic after the American public woke up and elected a President with a brain. As we are about to find out here in Toronto, local elections are also very important! Watch this.... oh yeah, and don't vote for Rob Ford.

A Message From Kathy Griffin

It Gets Better: Dan and Terry

From Dan's column about Billy Lucas:

"Billy Lucas was just 15 when he hanged himself in a barn on his grandmother's property. He reportedly endured intense bullying at the hands of his classmates—classmates who called him a fag and told him to kill himself. His mother found his body.... I wish I could have talked to this kid for five minutes. I wish I could have told Billy that it gets better. I wish I could have told him that, however bad things were, however isolated and alone he was, it gets better.

"But gay adults aren't allowed to talk to these kids. Schools and churches don't bring us in to talk to teenagers who are being bullied. Many of these kids have homophobic parents who believe that they can prevent their gay children from growing up to be gay—or from ever coming out—by depriving them of information, resources, and positive role models.

"Why are we waiting for permission to talk to these kids? We have the ability to talk directly to them right now. We don't have to wait for permission to let them know that it gets better. We can reach these kids."

Read Dan's entire column here:  http://tinyurl.com/3xmu4le

Cyclepaths, Not Psychopaths. Vote Pantalone

A group calling itself the Duspa Collective did an unofficial Nuit Blanche banner drop on Saturday night. This one pictured was my personal favorite. I'm not sure if Rob Ford is a psychopath, but we should err on the side of caution and vote for Joe Pantalone. That's what I'm going to do.

The Duspa Collective says on their website: "The DCC’s UnafFORDable Banner Drop was an unofficial Nuit Blanche piece that uses satire to make a concerned, public statement about Rob Ford’s politics."

The Spirit of Jazz Fundraiser for the Victims of the St. James Town Fire

Wednesday, October 6th at the Annex Live - 8:00 to 11:00 PM

296 Brunswick Ave.  (416) 929-3999

The Spirit of Jazz will be accepting cash/cheque donations at The Annex Live. Cheques should be made payable to Treasurer, City of Toronto and should say in comments - "Victims of the Wellesley St. Fire." The donation is tax deductible. Donors should include their full name and address in order to receive a tax receipt.

The Toronto Office of Partnerships is accepting donations of cheques or gift cards for residents who have been displaced. Cheques or gift cards can be mailed to the Toronto Office of Partnerships,Metro Hall, First Floor, 55 John Street, Toronto, ON M5V 3C6 or dropped off at the Wellesley Community Centre (495 Sherbourne Street) or 519 Church Street.

Donations may also be made at RBC Branches located within the city of Toronto (416 area code). RBC Branches will accept cash, money orders, drafts and VISA cash advances. Drafts/money orders must be made payable to “Treasurer, City of Toronto”. Cheques will not be accepted at RBC branches and donations made at RBC branches will not be issued a tax receipt.
THE SPIRIT OF JAZZ was formed in Toronto in 2002 by co-leaders James Warburton and Chuck Loriot.

THE BAND PERFORMS at jazz clubs, jazz festivals and select private parties and corporate functions.

CURRENT CD’s FEATURE the music of Horace Silver, Gerry Mulligan, Cannonball Adderly, Miles Davis, Charles Lloyd, Dexter Gordon, Benny Golson and Duke Ellington.

THE SPIRIT OF JAZZ has provided a showcase for musicians as diverse as Bill Bridges, Bruce Cassidy, Lenny Solomon and Colm Wilkinson. We can create the musical landscape for your show or featured event.

A Look At Rich Sanchez CNN Depature (or bye bye loser)

I have to agree with the guy who thinks we'll see Sanchez again. I wouldn't be surprised to see him show up on Fox News. I have never watched Rick Sanchez on CNN, I'm really only aware of him from watching The Daily Show.

Some 200 Wellesley St. Residents Returning Home Today

Eight days after a six-alarm fire displaced more than 1,200 people from a 30-storey Toronto community housing building, some residents of 200 Wellesley St. E are going home Saturday. 

Toronto Community Housing has announced the building has been deemed structurally sound and the first group of tenants has been allowed back into the building. 

The exact number of residents moving in is still being calculated, said Sinead Canavan, spokesperson for Toronto Community Housing. The organization is holding a news conference this afternoon and should have the details then, she said. 

Links:

Toronto Community Housing

200 Wellesley St. Fire

Green Party Deputy Leader Georges Laraques on Battle of the Blades

Georges Laraques, Deputy Leader of Green Party of Canada teams up with Anabelle Langlois, world class pairs figure skater, in Season 2 of CBC’s Battle of the Blades (http://www.cbc.ca/battle). The show partners former NHL players with accomplished, internationally known figure skaters and challenges the duos to take the ice for a live, choreographed ice dancing routine after a week of preparation.

Show support for Deputy Leader, Georges Laraques! Tune in to watch the show, VOTE for Georges and remind your friends to do the same --remember, it's you who will have the ability to save Georges from elimination. The longer Georges is in the longer he can spread the message about the Green Party. PLUS if Georges and Anabelle win, a $100,000 donation will be made to Georges’ charity of choice – Victims of the Haiti Earthquake.

Canadians can vote in each voting period which is after every Sunday performance show from 7 pm ET to 2 am ET. The first vote is on Sunday October 3rd and there is another vote every Sunday until the final vote on Sunday November 21st. 

To VOTE for Georges and Anabelle call 1.877.844.8157. You can also send a text message from your cell phone: text 57 to 777111.

Watch Battle of the Blades on CBC TV Sunday nights at 8 pm ET LIVE.

Another Friday, Another Highrise Fire

 

Last Friday several hundred people were left homeless after fire heavily damaged a high rise apartment building in downtown Toronto, today a fire ripped through a high rise building in Seoul, South Korea.

A massive fire broke out Friday in a 38-floor apartment and office building in the southern port city of Busan, news reports and fire officials said. No deaths were reported.

By Sangwon Yoon

The fire started early Friday morning in a high-rise located in the city's plush beachside Haeundae district, local fire official Kim Chang-sik said.

Flames quickly spread through the seaside building's main stairwell, growing bigger as winds whipped up new blazes throughout the afternoon. The fire was fully put out seven hours later, Kim said.

Five helicopters, over 80 fire trucks, and close to 600 firefighters battled the blaze, which left three residents of the building and one firefighter slightly injured, he said.

Kim could not say how many people were evacuated. Some were rescued by helicopter from the building's roof.

YTN television showed footage of fire helicopters dousing the complex and a hose shooting water at it from a neighbouring building.

Busan, South Korea's second-largest city and a major seaport, is located about 250 miles (400 kilometres) southeast of Seoul.

The House of 1000 Mirrors

Long ago in a small, far away village, there was a place known as the House of 1000 Mirrors. A small, happy little dog learned of this place and decided to visit. 

When he arrived, he bounced happily up the stairs to the doorway of the house. He looked through the doorway with his ears lifted high and his tail wagging as fast as it could. 

To his great surprise, he found himself staring at 1000 other happy little dogs with their tails wagging just as fast as his. He smiled a great smile, and was answered with 1000 great smiles just as warm and friendly. As he left the house, he thought to himself, "This is a wonderful place. I will come back and visit it often."

In this same village, another little dog, who was not quite as happy as the first one, decided to visit the house. He slowly climbed the stairs and hung his head low as he looked into the door. When he saw the 1000 unfriendly looking dogs staring back at him, he growled at them and was horrified to see 1000 little dogs growling back at him. As he left, he thought to himself, "That is a horrible place, and I will never go back there again."

All the faces in the world are mirrors. What kind of reflections do you see in the faces of the people you meet?

-          Japanese Folktale

200 Wellesley St. Fire - St. Jamestown Toronto -DONATIONS

The 519 Community Centre at 519 Church St. in Toronto is accepting donations for the residents of the 200 Wellesley St. fire last week.

In response to the six-alarm fire on September 24, 2010 at 200 Wellesley St. E., The 519, the City of Toronto and Toronto Community Housing are working together to coordinate donations from members of the public.

The City has set up a bank account to accept monetary donations.  Gift cards for grocery, department and drug stores as well as cheques can be dropped off to City staff at The 519, the Wellesley Community Centre at 495 Sherbourne St, or mailed to the Toronto Office of Partnerships, Metro Hall, First Floor, 55 John Street, Toronto ON M5V 3C6. Cheques should be made out to the City of Toronto, 200 Wellesley fire. The donation is tax deductible. Donors should include their full name and address in order to receive a tax receipt.

Donations of clothing and other items can no longer be accepted.

Drop off and pickup hours at The 519 are as follows:

•  Sunday 12 noon - 5pm
• Monday to Friday 9am - 9pm
• Weekends 10am - 5pm

Residents of 200 Wellesley St. E. can pick up donated items at the Wellesley Community Centre (495 Sherbourne St) and the U of T Exam Centre (255 McCaul St). Residents are asked to bring their yellow registration card.

More information is available from the City of Toronto here:

http://www.toronto.ca/200Wwellesley.htm

Missionaries of Hate: Vanguard Trailer

 

Vanguard correspondent Mariana van Zeller travels to Uganda to trace the influence of American evangelical leaders on a proposed law that could make being gay punishable by death. The episode "Missionaries of Hate" airs on Wednesday, July 14 at 10/9c.

Vanguard, airing weekly on Current TV Wednesdays at 10/9c, is a no-limits documentary series whose award-winning correspondents put themselves in extraordinary situations to immerse viewers in global issues that have a large social significance. Unlike sound-bite driven reporting, the show's correspondents, Adam Yamaguchi, Kaj Larsen, Christof Putzel and Mariana van Zeller, serve as trusted guides who take viewers on in-depth real life adventures in pursuit of some of the world's most important stories.

Francis Bacon and the Evolution of Early Modern Homophobia

Author: Chuck Griffith

The term Homophobia is less than one hundred years old.[1] Before that, distaste for homosexual behavior was cloaked within the vernacular of Early Modern England, especially 17th century London, by terms such as "buggery" and "sodomy." By the early 18th century, men who exclusively had sex with men were deemed "he-whores."[2] Francis Bacon, the father of the scientific method and very much a man ahead of his time in many ways, nevertheless shows that he believed "masculine love" to be an "unlawful threat" in The New Atlantis (written in 1610-14 and published in 1623). In other words, this inspiring hero of the Royal Society would keep anything feminine, or effeminate, at arm's length.

His written protestations against homosexuality were not evident in his real life, however. Despite the fact that his public career ended in disgrace in 1621,[3] Bacon's writings went on to influence the Royal Society and their expansion of the scientific method into an experimental philosophy that is still practiced today in modern medicine around the world. In 1667, forty-one years after Bacon, the founder of the scientific method and the English essay, was eulogized by one of his apprentices who claimed that his "bounty transcends a father's natural love"[4], Thomas Sprat, a historian of the Royal Society, would credit Bacon and his "noble labours in that philosophy by a vast treasure of admirable imaginations" as someone of "new philosophy" greater than that of the Greeks.[5]

Durham Region Religious Nut Compares Gays to Nazis

On Tuesday of this week this homophobic Durham Region woman Sherry Clymer said during a debate with incumbent Mayor Steven Parish that if they were going to fly the pride flag at city hall, then they should also fly the Nazi flag to be inclusive of all groups. 

This idiodic woman should remember that not long ago she wasn't considered a person, in fact her beloved bible (hate literature?) considers her to be chattel, her husbands property so if she really believes so much, she should shut up and know her place is behind her husband and not out making a fool of herself in public.

Obviously she doesn't feel that way, or she wouldn't be running for mayor. Lets hope the good people of Ajax have some sense and show her the light at the polls. 

While debating several issues, she criticized Parish for having the banner raised in June to honour the lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgendered community (LGBT) during Pride Durham.

When he said his decision represented the town's diversity, Clymer countered, saying people would never come together by focusing on differences, suggesting the mayor had "best be also hanging up the Nazi flag."
In an interview, she said "it wasn't at all my intention to compare one group with the other. My thought is why are we singling out a particular group ... anybody who says 'look at me, why should we look at them'?"

Links:

24 Hours Vancouver

http://durhamelection2010.ca/SherryClymer

Ontario Government Energy Survey

The Ministry of Energy is "seeking input from Ontarians" as it updates the electricity-plan-that-never-was. Tell 'em what you think! Phase out nuclear - Shut down coal - Conservation is the biggest and best "new" supply of electricity followed by renewables - We must move swiftly to 100% renewable grid!

Link to the questions is at http://www.mei.gov.on.ca/en/energy/

James Cameron in oilsands 'sponge mode'

The people of Fort Chipewyan have a titanic new ally in their fight to keep their lands and waters clean in the face of growing oilsands development upstream from their community.

After a closed-door meeting Tuesday, Chief Allan Adam of the Athabasca Chipewyan First Nation said famed film director James Cameron has promised to do what he can to keep helping their cause.

"It's going to be a beautiful relationship," said Adam.

"I'm here to help," agreed Cameron, though he didn't specify what form his support would take.

The Hollywood heavyweight arrived in Fort McMurray on Monday and almost immediately departed on an aerial tour of the oilsands with native leaders who have complained that oilsands pollution is ruining fish stocks and giving them cancer.

James Cameron Visits The Tar Sands

Canada’s prostitution laws unconstitutional, court rules

A Toronto judge has struck down Canada’s prostitution laws, effectively decriminalizing activities associated with the world’s oldest trade.

“These laws, individually and together, force prostitutes to choose between their liberty interest and their right to security of the person as protected under the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms,” Justice Susan Himel of Ontario’s Superior Court of Justice said in Tuesday’s landmark decision.

The long-awaited judgment had been on reserve for nearly a year.

Himel said that while she has concluded the laws amount to a serious violation of the Charter, she has imposed a 30-day “stay” on her decision to give lawyers for the federal and provincial governments, as well as the women at the centre of the case, an opportunity to make fuller submissions on whether her decision to invalidate the laws should be placed on hold for an even longer period of time.

OSPCA Petition Video

10 volunteers needed to help with a Fair Vote Canada mailing

Date:  Tuesday, September 28
Location:  130 Carlton St. (NE corner of Carlton and Jarvis), in the Party Room
Start time:  7:00pm
End time:   8:30pm or 9:00pm
Task:  stuff and seal 1,000 envelopes
Immediate benefits:  great conversation with fellow electoral reformers (in fact, let's talk about municipal electoral reform!)
Long-term benefits:  history books will show that the pivotal moment in the fight to bring proportional representation to Canada can be traced back to this critically important mailing...and you were there!!

If you can lend a hand on Tuesday evening, please reply to office@fairvote.ca or call 416-410-4034.

200 Wellesley St. Fire - St. Jamestown Toronto Info for Residents

City of Toronto Information

http://www.toronto.ca/200Wwellesley.htm

Sept 26, 2010, 3 p.m. 

As a result of the fire on Sept. 24 residents of 200 Wellesley are still unable to return to the building. The Office of the Fire Marshal is in charge of the site.

Services for tenants are being provided at Wellesley Community Centre (495 Sherbourne St.) and 255 McCaul street (University of Toronto). At the site, City staff from Toronto Community Housing, Shelter Support and Housing, Toronto Public Health, Social Services and Toronto Animal Services are working together to provide immediate assistance, including options for accommodation, crisis counselling, information on social services, and to assist with other needs. The Canadian Red Cross is also on-site at the City's request to help provide support, including blankets and toiletries.

For safety reasons, and to preserve the integrity of the Fire Marshal’s investigation, residents still cannot enter the building.

Toronto Community Housing is working with partners including the Fire Marshal to assess and make necessary repairs so residents can return home as soon as it is safe.

Access to vehicles in parking garage

Residents who have vehicles in the underground parking garage and have their car keys will be able to access the parking garage to retrieve the vehicles today between 3:30 p.m. – 7 p.m. Please meet at the entrance to the parking garage where Toronto Police will meet you and escort you to your vehicle. People who can’t get to this location during this time can approach the Toronto Community Housing information table at the Wellesley Community Centre (495 Sherbourne St.). Once people remove their vehicle they cannot re-enter until further notice. 

Meals

Meals for tenants will be provided at all three sites, including breakfast, lunch and dinner. Bag lunches for people are going to school or work will be available tomorrow at the Wellesley and McCaul sites in the morning.

Clothing

People can access clothing at the Goodwill store and Bloor and Sherbourne. You must take your yellow registration card to the Goodwill to get clothing. Goodwill is providing $25 per registration card. The store is open today until 5 p.m. and Monday to Friday from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m.

Mail

We are working with Canada Post to arrange for mail to be redirected to a nearby postal office for pickup. We will provide more information once it is available.

Showers

Shower facilities are available for tenants at 255 McCaul. There are busses leaving from Wellesley Community Centre to take tenants to 255 McCaul and bring them back. 

Assistance for pets

Animal Services and Toronto Fire Services have visited all locations where pets were reported to retrieve pets. Food and water has been left in the site for any pets that may still be in the building. For residents who have been reunited with their pets, food and water for pets is available at Wellesley Street Community Centre. 

Assistance with housing options

The City will continue to provide a place to stay and food for tenants for as long as needed. Toronto Community Housing and the City are working together to look at alternative accommodation for the longer term.

Residents requiring medication

People who require medication should go to Wellesley Community Centre and speak to staff at the medical information table for assistance with prescriptions. 

TTC - Transit tokens

A desk has been set up in the Wellesley Community Centre where people can get two transit tokens at a time. Please show your yellow registration card.

Scooter power recharging

People who use scooters to move around should check in at the Toronto Community Housing information table to let us know the make and model so we can get the right charger.

Letters for employers

People who require letters for employers to identify they have been impacted by the fire can obtain a letter from the Toronto Community Housing information table.

Tenant Hot-line

Tenants can call the Toronto Community Housing hot-line at 416-981-5520 to get updates.

Go green to avoid soaring nuclear costs

Shawn-Patrick Stensil Nuclear analyst, Greenpeace Canada

Ontario needs a frank and public debate on how to protect electricity consumers from the rising costs of the McGuinty government’s nuclear plans.

The government’s decision to restrict public consultation on revisions to its long-term electricity plan to a web-based survey simply dodges any meaningful public debate. This will end up costing the ratepayer and the environment.

We were told in 2007 it would cost $26 billion to keep nuclear at 50 per cent of electricity supply. That would repair 12 operating reactors and build two new ones. Since then, we’ve learned that building just two new reactors would cost $26 billion — sucking up the entire 20-year nuclear spending plan.

It takes 10 years to build new reactors and up to five to repair old ones, so the full cost of the government’s nuclear plan hasn’t hit our bills yet. But painful price hikes are coming unless the Ontario government reins in its nuclear plans.

Peaceful Religion

200 Wellesley St. Fire - St. Jamestown Toronto

St. Jamestown Fire

Update: CP24 is now showing video of another unit on the 24th floor with flames shooting out. The fire is not under control.

Toronto Centre MPP Glen Murray is reporting 200 people homeless on his twitter feed. Donations of food, clothing and money are needed.

Update: 8:45 pm. I got a call from a friend who can see 200 Wellesley from his balcony and he says the fire has started up again and a window has blown out. According to CP24 the fire department is telling residents to stay put unless they are experiencing smoke.

A massive fire broke out this afternoon around 5 pm on the 24th floor of a St. Jamestown highrise. The National Post is reporting that the fire is now out. 10 firefighters were treated for heat exhaustion and four residents of the building, including two children were reportedly taken to hospital.

Torontoist and The Toronto Star report that although the six alarm fire started on the 24th floor the entire 22nd floor was also engulfed in flames. More than 100 firefighters were on scene with approximately 40 firetrucks and support vehicles.

The building has 711 public housing units and is fire trucks are seen daily at this building dealing with false alarms. When I passed by on my way home from work the entire balcony area of the unit was a wall of flames. This fire underscores the danger of allowing balconies to become cluttered with objects.

Toronto Centre MPP Glen Murray is accepting donations for residents. Please mail or drop off (Mon to Fri) donations for victims of fire at 200 Wellesley to:

Murray's office at 514 Parliament, Toronto, ON, M4X 1P4

Links:

The Toronto Star
Torontoist
The National Post
CBC
City Tv
The Globe & Mail

Electrify Pearson Rail Link, says Frank de Jong, City Councillor Candidate

Toronto, Ontario – (Sept. 24, 2010) - "The proposed rail link from downtown to Pearson should be electric or not built at all," said Frank de Jong, Ward 18 Toronto Councillor candidate.

Before the rail link is built the following core changes must be made:

1. To reduce noise, vibration and air pollution the rail link must be electric, not diesel. Nor is "Clean diesel" an acceptable solution. The increased upfront cost is balanced by lower life cycle costs, and the reduced pollution will save health care dollars and lives.

2. The rail link need not be financed by federal, provincial or city taxes, but rather should be paid for by collecting the rise in land values it generates along the route, especially around stations (Land Value Taxation).

3. The trains should make frequent stops and be fully connected to local public transit routes in Toronto, Malton and Georgetown with no extra fees above the local transit fare.

"World class cities don't treat their citizens this way," added de Jong. "Ward 18 - Davenport citizens live adjacent to the proposed Union Station-to-Pearson route. We won't accept diesel engines when the electric option is superior."

De Jong will be attending the "GO ELECTRIC MUSIC FESTIVAL" at Sorauren Park on Sunday September 26, 2010 and available for interviews. Visit http://www.cleantrain.ca/

For more information please contact:
Contact: Justin Trottier, Media Relations
Frank de Jong Campaign – Ward 18 Davenport
416-402-8856, justin.trottier@gmail.com
votefrankdejong

Rob Ford's Maturity

 

Don't vote for a jackass!

The Equality Effect

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The equality effect develops creative legal solutions to address the inequality of women and girls in Africa who are subject to some of the most appalling human rights abuses in the world today (the equality effect currently works in Ghana, Kenya and Malawi).  By using the law in imaginative and original ways, the equality effect achieves concrete change that can result in increased freedom from violence, improved health, and increased prosperity for women and girls.

True Mud

How to Deal With Ignorance with Regard to Atheism

If you are atheist, it can be difficult to deal with the proportion of theists who may be intolerant and most often ignorant of the intricacies of your position. Often, wild assumptions and keenly over-complicated accusations of being "closed minded" are rife.

This article will look into how you can deal with the irritation and frustration this can bring - and help you reach a level of mutual understanding with the people in question.

Steps

• Stop. Ignorance is a lack of knowledge. Being ignorant does not mean intentions are malevolent. See an encounter with an ignorant person as an opportunity to educate and open a meaningful dialogue; bringing with it mutual respect and understanding.
  
• Ensure you know your stuff. Though most of the 40,000 religions throughout recorded human history are built on the same premises merely dressed differently; it's important to know exactly what the people you are dealing with actually believe. Read about all the major religions, and investigate whatever "reasons" the followers of these particular religions use to justify their beliefs. This will not only enhance your performance in a debate, but squelch any ignorance and misconceptions you yourself hold.