Rob Ford Transgressions Thread

[sureLoss]

Here is the full text of Ford's written apology letter:
http://www.thestar.com/news/gta/2013...niel_dale.html

[Ozy_Flame]

Jason Markusoff ‏@markusoff 6m
Ford Nation ain't what it used to be. @LucasOleniuk: The #robford Rexdale laundromat rally. #awkward pic.twitter.com/YZg2wcudhP

[Devils'Advocate]

Hipster, old black woman, young woman, and only one white curmudgeon. I am going to assume three of these people were actually there to do laundry.

[Muta]

Double Load Washer $1.50? What a deal!!

[getbak]

The old white dude looks like that Larry Heather nutbar who ran for Mayor in Calgary.

[starseed]

Toronto Hydro (a bizarre Ontario term that does not describe the water utility, but rather power) is declaring this emergency as catastrophic. The province and the deputy Mayor have been in talks to have the province step in and help out so as to save Christmas. However, only the mayor has the authority to declare a state of emergency, and to do so would require him to give up his power during the crisis... So naturally he declared that Toronto can handle the crisis on their own, and they do not need help. Toronto hydro does not know if they can get power back up for Christmas Eve or day. Will Rob's arrogance steal Christmas?

[Oling_Roachinen]

Originally Posted by starseed

Toronto Hydro (a bizarre Ontario term that does not describe the water utility, but rather power) is declaring this emergency as catastrophic. The province and the deputy Mayor have been in talks to have the province step in and help out so as to save Christmas. However, only the mayor has the authority to declare a state of emergency, and to do so would require him to give up his power during the crisis... So naturally he declared that Toronto can handle the crisis on their own, and they do not need help. Toronto hydro does not know if they can get power back up for Christmas Eve or day. Will Rob's arrogance steal Christmas?

Seems like a stretch.
http://www.thestar.com/news/gta/2013...ice_storm.html

“Hydro expects the worst weather still to come,” Mayor Rob Ford told a news conference Sunday afternoon. “If it gets really bad in the next 24 hours we could have a state of emergency, but I don’t want to say that right now. We’re not in that situation quite yet.”

http://www.ctvnews.ca/canada/hydro-c...torm-1.1604256

Wynne said that no Ontario municipality has declared a state of emergency, but added that the province is providing support to cities, including tree harvesters from the Ministry of Natural Resources who have been deployed to help clear streets and roads of fallen braches.

Far from a Ford fan, but I don't know if we can fault him for the weather.

[Minnie]

I don't know how that whole stripping him of most of his powers works/worked - wouldn't this be on Norm Kelly's plate now?

[Oling_Roachinen]

Originally Posted by Minnie

I don't know how that whole stripping him of most of his powers works/worked - wouldn't this be on Norm Kelly's plate now?

It's Ford's decision to call a State of Emergency but it's Kelly who would be in control. At least that's my understanding.

Hopefully it's being overblown and politics aren't getting in the way of helping Ontario residents. There's not really any news coverage on why Ford should be calling a State of Emergency and rather just that he wont. If Ford's under the belief that the power will be back by Tuesday, is there a point? Maybe there's a reason he should be calling for one, but it doesn't seem like a stretch to believe that even if the paperwork, bureaucracy and even planning gets done very quickly by the time support arrives in Toronto the power would already be back on. If the information changes tomorrow then Ford needs to go with the new information but making decisions off the current information he has from the actual source isn't exactly something only a crack-smoking mayor would do.

It's, at least hopefully, not like the flood where there was long-term and large-scale repercussions or the 1998 storm that left people without power for a month. If the power is back by Tuesday and it's business as usual there would seem to be little reason to call for a State of Emergency. Of course, again, I hope Ford isn't playing political chicken and hurting any Ontario resident doing so but for all the other reasons to crap on Ford this one seems like a big stretch.

[OffsideSpecialist]

Power at my parents' place (45 mins east of Toronto) was out for 2 hours. Hydro One expects all of their service area to be full-power by end of day tomorrow. This wasn't the '98 storm where those huge electrical pylons have crumbled under the weight of the ice. This storm sucked in the short term, but I only see it having very short term consequences. I can't blame Ford for not calling a state of emergency.

[Zevo]

Originally Posted by starseed

Toronto Hydro (a bizarre Ontario term that does not describe the water utility, but rather power) is declaring this emergency as catastrophic. The province and the deputy Mayor have been in talks to have the province step in and help out so as to save Christmas. However, only the mayor has the authority to declare a state of emergency, and to do so would require him to give up his power during the crisis... So naturally he declared that Toronto can handle the crisis on their own, and they do not need help. Toronto hydro does not know if they can get power back up for Christmas Eve or day. Will Rob's arrogance steal Christmas?

At first glance it does seem weird, they call it that in B.C. too. Here's why(makes sense when you think about it.)

From Wikipedia : Hydro-power or water power is power derived from the energy of falling water and running water, which may be harnessed for useful purposes. Since ancient times, hydro-power has been used for irrigation and the operation of various mechanical devices, such as watermills, sawmills, textile mills, dock cranes, domestic lifts, power houses and paint making.
Since the early 20th century, the term has been used almost exclusively in conjunction with the modern development of hydro-electric power, which allowed use of distant energy sources. Another method used to transmit energy used a trompe, which produces compressed air from falling water. Compressed air could then be piped to power other machinery at a distance from the waterfall.

[Devils'Advocate]

Which would make entire sense if most of Ontario's energy came from hydro. Which is nowhere near the case. They should call it Ontario Nukes.


BC on the other hand makes perfect sense:

[Ark2]

Originally Posted by Devils'Advocate

Which would make entire sense if most of Ontario's energy came from hydro. Which is nowhere near the case. They should call it Ontario Nukes.


BC on the other hand makes perfect sense:

That may be the case now, though likely not when the term "hydro power" was first being used.

[GGG]

It still doesn't make sense to call it Hydro. They sell power, not water. What kind of company advertizes their supplier rather than their product. It would be like Shane Homes being called Shane lumber.

[nfotiu]

Originally Posted by GGG

It still doesn't make sense to call it Hydro. They sell power, not water. What kind of company advertizes their supplier rather than their product. It would be like Shane Homes being called Shane lumber.

You guys are all still having trouble resolving that Canadian Tire doesn't just sell tires, aren't you?

[nik-]

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ontario_Hydro

it's not a big deal

[Ark2]

Why do they call it chicken parmesan when there is hardly any parmesan cheese involved in the recipe?

[Maritime Q-Scout]

I was thoroughly disappointed when I went to Mr. Lube.

[FlamesAddiction]

Originally Posted by GGG

It still doesn't make sense to call it Hydro. They sell power, not water. What kind of company advertizes their supplier rather than their product. It would be like Shane Homes being called Shane lumber.

"Hydro" is just short for "hydroelectricity"... the name was never meant to imply that they sell water.. At one time Ontario produced most of their power by that means and the name has just stuck. For the amount of money and trouble it would be to change it, it just isn't worth it.

[Rathji]

Originally Posted by starseed

Toronto Hydro (a bizarre Ontario term that does not describe the water utility, but rather power) is declaring this emergency as catastrophic. The province and the deputy Mayor have been in talks to have the province step in and help out so as to save Christmas. However, only the mayor has the authority to declare a state of emergency, and to do so would require him to give up his power during the crisis... So naturally he declared that Toronto can handle the crisis on their own, and they do not need help. Toronto hydro does not know if they can get power back up for Christmas Eve or day. Will Rob's arrogance steal Christmas?

I find it odd that, as adults, there are many people in this thread who have never encountered someone who came from Ontario or BC in their lifetime, who referred to it as Hydro.