April 16, 2008
Miller Lovin' China, TTC Unions Madder Than Usual, Feds Raid Feds
Mayor David Miller, anxious to prove the civic value of his trade mission to China, announced yesterday that a major Chinese mining company would be opening an office in Toronto. Well, not necessarily an office. It could be one of those shared rental suites. Or a mailbox, definitely a mailbox, at least. Say, how 'bout that Great Wall?
Almost time to get out our walkin' shoes? The Globe and Mail says that TTC talks have reached a "boiling point," and that transit unions may call a news conference for tomorrow. It's this kind of thing that makes you glad to have a powerful, decisive mayor around to intervene at a moment's notice.
TTC Chair Adam Giambrone says that by 2018, the TTC will take a serious look at a new "Downtown Relief" subway line across the bottom of the city. The line, projected to cost at least $3 billion, would be implemented simultaneously with the tunnel to Rochester and the fleet of giant nuclear-powered zeppelins.
The RCMP and Elections Canada searched Conservative Party headquarters in Ottawa yesterday, apparently over alleged election spending irregularities. The federal Tories responded by saying that the incident was "a PR stunt and a tactic of intimidation," before calling in a squadron of F-16s to take out Elections Canada offices.
Crude oil prices hit a new record high of over US$114 a barrel this morning. I never get tired of writing that headline.
Photo by David Topping.
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Strike already! Geez.
Giant, nuclear-powered zeppelins? When will these timid thinkers realize that that future is in miniature zeppelins? Passengers just step out into the street, activate their zeppelin beacons, and personal zeppelin taxis scoop them up and drop (well, perhaps not "drop") them off at their destinations.
I can finally dust off my private zeppelin collection. How much should I charge?
And you just know the TTC strike will happen only when gas hits 120.0.. which, judging by the way it's risen over the last three days, will be tomorrow.
Pity because that's probs when most drivers would give up their car for public transit... I know I would.
Oh the humanity!
This is one of those times that I miss living in Qatar. Gas was like 38 cents a gallon. Man those were the days lol.
No question this subway (DRL) should be built .... come on Toronto! I have a few quibbles with the details, but for goodness sake, don't wait to start until 2018.
Here is a whole new line popping up in Tokyo June 14th, with the same aim of relieving congestion on a nearby line:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tokyo_Metro_Fukutoshin_Line
Cheers,
Tuds
Good thing last week's NOW was the bike issue. I probably won't be able to get my (crappy 15-year old probably-not-suitable-for-urban-cycling-anyway) bike up in time, so I'll have to buy one.