Ugly Billboards

As a city planner I find it abhorring that the cities let all these huge commercial billboards go up anywhere in the city. Just look at the Dundas Square in Toronto. It makes the city really ugly. I believe there should be some regulations limiting the use of billboards in the cities.

First Nations(Indians) poor and begging in their own land

Many times in downtown Toronto you can see poor Indians, inebriated, dirty, homeless, begging for a cent. It is so sad to see these scenes because you know that if this land has an owner, it is the Indians not us new immigrants. They have been here for thousands of years and it is so unfair to see them begging from us newcomers on their own land, which has been conquered by us.

Conservatives wasting the surplus on tax cuts again

Stephen Harper is at it again. "Bribing" simple minds among the masses with tax cuts to vote for him again. I can't find a better word to explain his tactic. Wasting the hard earned surplus that belongs to all of people, on a wealthy few. This surplus must be used to build new infrastructure for the country, renovating the faltering existing infrastructure, helping the near bankrupt cities, etc. Why not help Toronto out of the hole they put it in in the first place. Toronto is a virtually bankrupt city that can't even keep it's libraries and community centres open, and then Harper wastes the surplus in that "bribe". This surplus should be used for health care, for a free medication plan for all, free dental care, free higher education, all of them, if well looked at, are "human rights". But no, Mr. Harper wants to rule another four years, and so what does he do, he wastes "Our" money by giving tax cuts to the wealthy or upper middle class.

Shame on Toronto Councillors who voted down the tax increases and now tax the poor

TTC had to increase it's fares yesterday amid fierce campaign by right wing cabal in Toronto Council to stall the tax increases.

WHAT IS A FARE INCREASE? Is it anything else than a TAX on the poor who don't have a car and no other choice than taking the TTC? Also a tax on people with an environmental conscience who don't use cars and don't want to pollute this planet more!

Who was the sole beneficiary of the tax increase blockage? Rich people without a conscience about our planet who drive their SUVs on our highways and choke the planet.

Shame on you capitalist cronies. Shame on you Minan-Wong. Where is the "budget efficiencies" you were promising so as the fares are not increased and the services are not cut? Isn't it an oxymoron? How could you have a functioning world class city without paying for it?? Can you deceive people forever by promising tax cuts and at the same time offering better services?? Is it possible? Who will vote for you except morons who still believe in fairy tales?

Hot Pot Sign in Spadina Avenue, Toronto

I shot this picture in July 07 in Spadina Avenue, the main China Town of Toronto.

I am disappointed with Toronto

Again Toronto showed it does not have the courage and the will it takes to be a great city. Again at the last moment the city council wavered and voted no to the new taxes to save the city from bankruptcy. When we can't help ourselves, how do we expect federal and provincial levels of government to care for us? Just by ONE vote, city hall voted to defer the final decision about the taxes. Shame on the councillors that sided with capitalist fat cats in voting no to tax raises while they knew that the city is on the brink of bankruptcy.

Saving Toronto is not difficult. Just raise taxes for the fat cats, not the average joe and the middle class. Squeeze the fat cats, dont' be so timid. They make money in this city and out of the people of this city, why shouldn't they return some of that money to the city that has been so generous to them?? Why should they live in huge mansions with 40 rooms. Tax huge houses, they won't die living in 30 rooms instead of 40. Tax big cars, tax big consumption. But......... who dares to do that. Not half of our councillors. They won't bite the hand that feeds them, do they?

Please click here and here and here and here to read the articles about tax cuts(from Toronto Star)

Please Support the New Taxes in Toronto

The city hall is going to decide about adding a very little extra to home and car buying taxes and already the huge and powerful capitalist coalition and lobby is raising rabble about it. Please write letters and emails to your councillor supporting the new taxes. These taxes will save the city from bankruptcy when the federal and provincial governments have downloaded all the expenses to the city. You can find your city councillor's email address here:

http://app.toronto.ca/im/council/councillors.jsp

Break Dance in Harborfront

Taxes are necessary for living in a civilized society- Toronto and Torontonias

I am appalled by the indifference of our citizens to tax debates. Anytime there is a tax debate in the city hall, it is taken over by the right wing organizations that send their cronies and supporters en masse to the meeting. There are no supporters of tax for the benefit of public in these meetings. What you hear is moaning by a bunch of millionaires and their supporters that there are already too much taxes and it should be cut especially for high earners(How about a flat rate tax? They love it, don’t they?). But come to think of it, you can’t blame them, after all they are defending their millions and billions. But… where…. Oh where are the average middle and lower class citizens to bring their point of view to the meeting?

A City Without the Ads, It can be Done

Sao Paolo Brazil has passed a law to clean up the city from any and all ads anywhere. On the buses, billboards, benches, etc.

Others dare to do this, and do it, why can't we in Toronto be like them? Look at Dundas Square in the heart of Toronto, supposedly the heart of Toronto. Nothing is more garrish and ugly than this square with huge ads and billboards all around it.


READ THE ARTICLE HERE

Click Here to see the New ROM's Crystal's photos

ROM's Crystal opened on Sunday 3rd of June. It was open just for one day from 1am Sunday until 6pm. I was among the lucky few who managed to visit this gem of architecture and took photos of inside without the permanent exhibitions. The photos show the raw Crystal, only the spaces inside. It is amazing, I really loved the building. Minus some central spaces which seemed to be wasted, like corridors that end up right into the walls. To see the photos click on the title. Enjoy!

CAPITALISM

Nothing is changed much since they made this poster early 20th century. Except that now instead of the mostly manual labourers you have to put white collar wage earners and service sector employees at the bottom of the food chain.

Evangelicals in Toronto? What are they up to?

Religion again. Wolves in ship's skin posing as shepherds. Poor people desperately seeking solace in all the wrong places:

Toronto Star article

Free Wi-Fi Hot Spots in Toronto, Right on Brothers

Stand up against the greedy corporations. Click on the Title to read the article.