Category: The Current Situation

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It Happened to Me The Current Situation Toronto (a.k.a. Accordion City)

Sign of the Times

I took the photo below in High Park station this morning:

“Grand Theft Auto IV” advertisement in High Park station

This photo is a sign of two things:

  1. The Toronto Transit Commission is back in action (and running smoothly from most accounts).
  2. Grand Theft Auto IV gets released at midnight! All branches of Future Shop (except in Quebec and Sudbury) and EB Games as well as the downtown Best Buy will open at midnight tonight to sell it, and I’m thinking of getting a copy tonight. The reviews of the game have all been glowing, and it’s expected to sell about 9 million copies at launch, putting it on par with the opening weekends of major movies. And why not? More and more, I’m of the opinion that I’d rather take a really good, immersive videogame over a movie.
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The Current Situation Toronto (a.k.a. Accordion City)

The TTC Strike and Resolution, Summed Up Very Nicely

Here’s a video that does a pretty good job (and funny!) of summarizing what happened with Accordion City’s transit system and their strike. As an added bonus, it provides a breezy baedeker for Canadian and Toronto politics:

I give this video bonus points for its consistent message of “Nobody listens to the NDP” (and with good cause!).

[Found via blogTO.]

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The Current Situation Toronto (a.k.a. Accordion City)

TTC Strike Surprise (Or: How to Lose Friends and Alienate People)

Accordion City is waking up this fine Saturday morning to…a transit strike!

For those of you not from here, here’s a quick recap of what’s been happening:

  • The threat of a strike has been looming for the past little while. The union — Amalgamated Transit Union Local 113 — promised to give at least 48 hours’ notice before a strike in order to allow the public time to make arrangements for alternate means of transport.
  • If the union and management didn’t come to an agreement by 4 p.m. last Sunday, April 20th, the workers would go on strike at 4 a.m. Monday, April 21st. The negotiations went into overtime, but they came to a tentative agreement that evening. There would be a vote on the agreement later in the week, but it seemed as though the union would accept the deal.
  • Last night, the union voted against the settlement (a 65% “no” vote) and went on strike at midnight.

Friday is what PR people call “Take Out the Trash Day” — it’s a good day to make unpopular announcements, especially late in the day, because it’s when people don’t pay attention to the news. Many people were caught by surprise — on TV, they’re showing interviews of people who were stranded downtown last night. The unexpectedness of the strike, coupled with the union’s earlier promise of 48 hours’ notice, is not going to endear the union to the public.

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The Current Situation

I Feel Your Pain, Bill…

I get the same expression on my face whenever I see Hillary:

Bill Clinton looking up at Hillary with a resigned expression.
Photo courtesy of Miss Fipi Lele.

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The Current Situation

It’s the “Judean People’s Front / People’s Front of Judea” All Over Again

Toles comic on Clinton/Obama

(If the “Judean People’s Front / People’s Front of Judea” reference is new to you, see this scene from Life of Brian.)

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The Current Situation

Airlines to Start Charging for a Second Checked Bag

[Suitcase 1] This one’s free…[Suitcase 2] this’ll cost ya

The New York Times reports:

Five of the six major airlines in the United States plan to start charging coach passengers as much as $25 next month to check a second bag, the latest move in their quest to offset high fuel prices.

In case you were wondering, here are the airlines who’ll be charging a $25 fee for a second checked-in bag:

  • Continental
  • Delta
  • Northwest
  • United
  • US Airways

AirTran will also be charging extra for a second checked-in bag, but they’ll only be asking for $10.

I can live with this fee; what really bugs me is airlines charging for seats with reasonable legroom, as United does with their so-called “Economy Plus” seating. At 5′ 11″, I’m average height for a North American, yet I have to fork over $65 for a seat where my legs won’t be pressed against the seat in front of me.

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The Current Situation Toronto (a.k.a. Accordion City)

Toronto Transit Strike Survival Guide

T-shirt: “I survived the New York City Transit Strike 2005″
Photo from Bridge and Tunnel Club. Click the photo to see it on its original page.

Even though a transit strike might not happen on Monday, if you live and work in Accordion City, you really should be making contingency plans. The Toronto Star published a Strike Survival Guide today featuring information on carpooling, where to park, where not to park, cycling, using GO Transit, getting a cab, going to the airport, highway driving, getting an ambulance, and service for the disabled.