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God bless you Russell Peters. 15,000 people, two nights in a row, ACC Toronto. F'n hilarious. All new material too! With of course, the classic... 'somebody gonna get a hurt real bad'. If you haven't heard him yet, check out this clip - it's probably one of his best bits. A comedian not as harsh or political as the racy Chris Rock, but pokes fun at all the racial stereotypes. To quote the Toronto Star, 'it was as though the audience was just waiting for him to make fun of their ethnic group next.'
Almost two hours of laughter. Welcome Home Russ. "All roads lead to Brampton"
Tuesday, June 19, 2007
Tuesday, June 12, 2007
Toronto Transportation System
Driving in this morning (June 12, 2007), there was a huge fire at a recycling plant alongside the 407 toll highway in Brampton. From the west-end of the GTA, thousands of commuter's got back-logged on the alternate route of the 401. Well, today at least, the 401 was playing as the alternate. This post comes in light of our transportation system here in Southern Ontario, and surrounding the GTA. As a West-end resident, my daily commute to Mississauga (just west of Toronto), has increasingly got worse. What normally would be a 15 minute drive on a Sunday, turns out to be 45 minutes to an hour - at best - during the week. With the growing traffic, the growing suburbs and the growing number of cars, why is the government not making it more accessible for commuters? I would take the GO train in, but there isn't a stop even close to where I work. Even with a bus transfer, I am looking at about the same amount of time for my commute. So why would I start using the GO train? I'm sure the majority of workers in the GTA travel right into downtown, but there is a large core of people that work in industrial areas of Brampton, Mississauga, Oakville (yes Oakville), Markham, Pickering, Oshawa and Newmarket. Where is the transit for these people? Also, a lot of these jobs have higher turnover rates - especially in manufacturing - and many workers are being forced to move closer to their jobs just so they can keep them - rather than make a two hour commute from west-end to east-end or vice-versa.
I was talking to a few people about this, and they said there are lots of places in North America with this problem, just look at LA. Thing is, LA could do a lot better with ground rail, but that's about it, they can't build a subway system because the lay of their land with all the faults that lay beneath them. But whats with Toronto? We have a subway system, but who does that serve? Unless you live right on the line, or relatively close, your fucked. 3 stinky buses, and two transfers later, you finally made it to the subway line. Then probably more transfers once you get to your subway stop.
Now I've been to London, England in the last few years, and their subway and train system is disgusting (as in good). You can get to virtually any point in the city via subway or rail connection (including the manufacturing belts). Granted the cars are packed, but isn't that what you want? More affordable, faster and cleaner for the people of your city. Yes, London is a lot older than Toronto, larger, and has had that much more time to build their subway system, but why can't Toronto start to at least plan this sort of infrastructure?
The money? How much taxes do we pay a year? How many more people are moving out of the city into new homes being built in new and growing suburbs like Milton and Whitby. New houses = more money via taxes.
In light of the horrible fire that happened this morning, and the traffic that it created, the city and the province has to take a good hard look at our transportation system. Expand the subway lines, make more of them, and when you start getting out to the suburbs, add some more connecting rail lines. It should be possible for people in the Kitchener/Waterloo area and Oshawa/Whitby area to easily, and quickly commute to either end of the city.
Recycling Plant Fire = Commuter Nightmare
I was talking to a few people about this, and they said there are lots of places in North America with this problem, just look at LA. Thing is, LA could do a lot better with ground rail, but that's about it, they can't build a subway system because the lay of their land with all the faults that lay beneath them. But whats with Toronto? We have a subway system, but who does that serve? Unless you live right on the line, or relatively close, your fucked. 3 stinky buses, and two transfers later, you finally made it to the subway line. Then probably more transfers once you get to your subway stop.
Now I've been to London, England in the last few years, and their subway and train system is disgusting (as in good). You can get to virtually any point in the city via subway or rail connection (including the manufacturing belts). Granted the cars are packed, but isn't that what you want? More affordable, faster and cleaner for the people of your city. Yes, London is a lot older than Toronto, larger, and has had that much more time to build their subway system, but why can't Toronto start to at least plan this sort of infrastructure?
The money? How much taxes do we pay a year? How many more people are moving out of the city into new homes being built in new and growing suburbs like Milton and Whitby. New houses = more money via taxes.
In light of the horrible fire that happened this morning, and the traffic that it created, the city and the province has to take a good hard look at our transportation system. Expand the subway lines, make more of them, and when you start getting out to the suburbs, add some more connecting rail lines. It should be possible for people in the Kitchener/Waterloo area and Oshawa/Whitby area to easily, and quickly commute to either end of the city.
Recycling Plant Fire = Commuter Nightmare
The Intricate Toronto Subway System
Friday, June 08, 2007
It's a numbers game
So the controversey continues....
Should Barry Bonds be elected into the Hall of Fame?
I'm not going to argue that he's a cheater. I'm not going to argue that he shouldn't be inducted because of steroids. And I am not going to argue he shouldn't be inducted because he's a bit of an asshole.... ok ok... he's severely mis-understood.
My arguement here is going to be by comparison, and one very good question.
If Ty Cobb finished his career this year, would he be inducted into the Hall of Fame? OF COURSE he would right? His numbers are disgusting. In fact, he's one of the originals, one of the reasons the Hall of Fame was built. He was, as they say, a trend setter. He was one of those players that set the standard of who should be considered Hall of Fame worthy.
Has anyone seen the movie Cobb? Or read his autobiography? He was a prick. And everyone knew he was a prick. But could he ever play baseball.
Hence, lies my arguement. I do not think that Ty Cobb would be inducted into the Hall of Fame if he was to retire this year with the same numbers he retired with years ago. Why? Cause he was a jerk. It would be seen as un-ethical. That he achieved those numbers by cheating - not by taking steroids, but abusing the beautiful game of baseball. Starting fights, jamming his spikes into second baseman, etc etc. Look at Pete Rose. I've been to the Hall of Fame, and the only place that Mr. Rose exists in there, is under the Career Hits list.... at number one..... 4256. Exactly 1277 hits more then the closest active player - Craig Biggio. He's not in the hall because of gambling. If he played in Ty Cobb's time, guess who else would be in the Hall of Fame. Guess who else would be in the hall if they were players at Cobb's time?
The Numbers don't lie - if they are jerk's, liars, cheaters or not.
Career Numbers
Games Hits HR RBI AVG SLG OBP
Ty Cobb 3035 4189 117 1937 .366 .512 .433
Pete Rose 3562 4256 160 1314 .303 .409 .375
Babe Ruth 2503 2873 714 2217 .342 .690 .474
Barry Bonds 2913 2880 746 1957 .298 .608 .444
The numbers don't lie. Bonds has played fewer games than Cobb and Rose, and is only a few points below Rose (the Career Hits Leader) in batting Average.
I think, regardless of who they are, what they've done, and if they've cheated or not, if you've produced, and they let you continue to play ball, then you belong in the Hall. If Ruth played today, he might even be questioned. All the times he's probably been caught drunk driving? He'd be in Jail. When he played, the police would bring him home!
All I'm trying to say is, all of these players broke the rules. If Cobb and Ruth are there, then Bonds and Rose belong as well.
Like I said, the numbers don't lie.
Should Barry Bonds be elected into the Hall of Fame?
I'm not going to argue that he's a cheater. I'm not going to argue that he shouldn't be inducted because of steroids. And I am not going to argue he shouldn't be inducted because he's a bit of an asshole.... ok ok... he's severely mis-understood.
My arguement here is going to be by comparison, and one very good question.
If Ty Cobb finished his career this year, would he be inducted into the Hall of Fame? OF COURSE he would right? His numbers are disgusting. In fact, he's one of the originals, one of the reasons the Hall of Fame was built. He was, as they say, a trend setter. He was one of those players that set the standard of who should be considered Hall of Fame worthy.
Has anyone seen the movie Cobb? Or read his autobiography? He was a prick. And everyone knew he was a prick. But could he ever play baseball.
Hence, lies my arguement. I do not think that Ty Cobb would be inducted into the Hall of Fame if he was to retire this year with the same numbers he retired with years ago. Why? Cause he was a jerk. It would be seen as un-ethical. That he achieved those numbers by cheating - not by taking steroids, but abusing the beautiful game of baseball. Starting fights, jamming his spikes into second baseman, etc etc. Look at Pete Rose. I've been to the Hall of Fame, and the only place that Mr. Rose exists in there, is under the Career Hits list.... at number one..... 4256. Exactly 1277 hits more then the closest active player - Craig Biggio. He's not in the hall because of gambling. If he played in Ty Cobb's time, guess who else would be in the Hall of Fame. Guess who else would be in the hall if they were players at Cobb's time?
The Numbers don't lie - if they are jerk's, liars, cheaters or not.
Career Numbers
Games Hits HR RBI AVG SLG OBP
Ty Cobb 3035 4189 117 1937 .366 .512 .433
Pete Rose 3562 4256 160 1314 .303 .409 .375
Babe Ruth 2503 2873 714 2217 .342 .690 .474
Barry Bonds 2913 2880 746 1957 .298 .608 .444
The numbers don't lie. Bonds has played fewer games than Cobb and Rose, and is only a few points below Rose (the Career Hits Leader) in batting Average.
I think, regardless of who they are, what they've done, and if they've cheated or not, if you've produced, and they let you continue to play ball, then you belong in the Hall. If Ruth played today, he might even be questioned. All the times he's probably been caught drunk driving? He'd be in Jail. When he played, the police would bring him home!
All I'm trying to say is, all of these players broke the rules. If Cobb and Ruth are there, then Bonds and Rose belong as well.
Like I said, the numbers don't lie.
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