Opening Statement



Wednesday 30 April 2014

Bill 122 + the Catholic Boards!

My Teacher + Union Acronym Guide is Here! 

It's good to see OECTA President James Ryan's blog from April 19th explaining the associations position on the passage of Bill 122 and the changes made to the bargaining process therewithin. I would like to examine some of these further, especially those relating to the situation with OCSTA in past negotiations over the years. You are of course now at a non affiliated teacher free speech site and we have discussed Bill 122 and its ramifications before, most notably on my blog + the reader Comments @ Here!



OECTA: Ask James Ryan ...

Firstly let's quickly dispense with a few housekeeping points, as controversial as they also might be. We can discuss these further in detail in the Comments section below if you so please. 

From: OECTA Bill 122 President's Blog: Some Key Changes:


- all collective agreements will now contain a central and a local component

- all collective agreements will be for 3 years unless otherwise agreed.

 -the scope of central, and therefore local, bargaining will be determined by the parties to the central table

- disputes over the scope of bargaining will be referred to the OLRB for resolution

- when notice to bargaining has been served at the central table it shall be deemed to have been serve 
at all local tables

- grievances may be filed and arbitrated at the central and local levels

- the employer and union must give five days’ notice prior to any strike or lockout

MY COMMENTS: There would seem to be some wiggle room here for determining the provincial verses local scope of these negotiations. However, since the negotiations are being held at the provincial level, and the province is the paymaster, I'm not sure how significant this actually is. The new fixed 3 year term of the collective agreement is interesting. Why 3 years? The five days notice is formalized here for the record. Catholic Board lockouts have been a nasty, contentious and pressing issue in years past for some of our units, for example with the TCDSB. Perhaps this will bring some relief?




Bill 122: What to do?!

From: OECTA President's Bill 122 Blog: On Centralization +OCSTA:


- school board associations (e.g. Ontario Catholic School Trustees’ Association, OCSTA) will now be statutory bargaining agents representing all of the boards in their sector in central bargaining

- the provincial government and OCSTA will form the employer side of the English Catholic central bargaining table

- the province, OCSTA, and OECTA will all be bound by the duty to bargain in good faith under the OLRA.

- OCSTA and the provincial government must agree on employer positions at the central table

- OCSTA and the provincial government must agree to lock out or unilaterally change the terms and working conditions of members

- all boards will be required to pay fees to their statutory provincial bargaining agent (OCSTA)

- OECTA ratification will be by our processes (provincial and local all member votes)

- Government ratification will be by Cabinet

- OCSTA ratification will be by a double majority vote at the provincial level (majority of the boards representing a majority of the teachers) and by a trustee vote at the local level

MY COMMENTS:

It will be significant I would think that OCSTA is formally recognized as the sole statuary bargaining agent for the Catholic boards. This had been a bone of contention for the Catholic principals with the July 5th OECTA MOU. Guess they are SOL if they still think they should also be at the table representing themselves. Indeed, OCSTA threw them under the bus in 2012 [See Here! ]

Also significant will be the recognition that the province + OCSTA form the employer side and must be in agreement on the employers position at the negotiating table. OCSTA had some downright nasty and regressive demands on the table in the 2012 negotiations, a key reason OECTA was so keen to strike a deal quickly when they stormed out of the talks on the night of July 4 to 5th 2012 [See Here! ] . They will not be able to unilaterally take such an unreasonable, paternalistic hard ass position again. This must be a relief for the OECTA units, if we have an teacher and education friendly government sitting with them at the provincial bargaining table. But what if that's not the case? Picture what the Hudak PC's + OCSTA might decide and agree upon! OECTA + indeed all of the provincial affiliates will be screwed!


Timbo: [Rubbing his hands] If I win a spring election we can do what ....?!

It's good to see that it's also been formally recognized nobody will be demanding nor agreeing to any quick snap ratification of a contract agreement again like with the 2012 OECTA MOU. True OECTA has already made it necessary for all future contracts to be ratified by a membership vote unlike on July 5 2012 when it was done so unilaterally by the Provincial Executive. Hopefully the province however now also recognizes that they can't simply ask the teacher unions to jump, and only be asked how high, without it being taken back to the membership for approval first, regardless of how long that might take, or whether the province finds it convenient or not.

From: OECTA Bill 122 Presidents blog [continued ...]

Grants for Student Needs (GSN’s)

OECTA will be hosting it’s annual GSN seminar to review the content and the impact of government’s recent GSN announcement. The most notable aspect of the announcement was that the Government would not be funding school boards for salary grid movement until the 97th day of the year. OECTA’s position is that we expect that grid movement will happen on the first working day in September. Any board not paying Catholic teachers their correct grid salary in September can expect that an immediate grievance will be filed.


We continue to meet with the Minister of Education to resolve this issue. 

[So sayeth the president! Finis!]

MY COMMENTS: It's good to see OECTA publicly + directly state what their position is, like the other affiliates. It was pretty slow in getting out. I was searching the media sources, also the unit and provincial communiques for some time to include in my Teacher's Study Guide to Bill 122 blog.  It might've been shared but not openly and freely, suggesting that the OECTA Code of Silence still remains in place. Either that or OECTA has a very, very slow communication system. Not good. I'm glad to see James address these issues directly with the members via his blog. Hooray blogs! What a great idea! Hint .... hint ... hint ..............

YOUR COMMENTS:


Monday 21 April 2014

On + Off the Rob Ford Campaign Trail!

This blog will cover Toronto Mayor Rob Ford's Re-election Campaign from a union perspective. For your convenience, I am reposting a few pertinent links and will continue to add more in the days ahead. As we progress, newer stories will often be added in large type at first to make them easier to spot. For more info you are also referred to my previous Ford links at the bottom of this blog under "Related Reading". Also to my recent first hand report on the Rob Ford Re-election Campaign Launch @ A Night Out With Ford Nation!



Rob Ford can be a hard guy to focus on correctly! I hope this blog helps

FYI My Rob Ford blog coverage goes back a few years. For news links see my Ford archives:

Part 1 Nov 2012  Part 2 @ Here! Part 3 @ There! Part 4 @ Then! Part 5 @ More! Part 6 @ Jan 2014!

Rob + Doug crash and burn! The Municipal Election blog is @ Here!

Rob Ford news time line from his election victory in Oct 2010 until now is @ CTV

An overview of Rob Ford's highs and lows at Toronto City Hall @ Toronto Star

OCT 28 2014

Goon but not forgotten: Ford Nation falls in Toronto 2014 municipal election!



A spiteful Rob Ford claimed right away that he plans a Ford Nation comeback in the next election. Delusions of grandeur? Or will he become the nightmarish Freddy Kruger of Toronto politics? More @ Rob Ford

Rob was less than conciliatory, to say the least @ Ford


Here's what the war on the ground looked like in Rob Ford's fight for the council seat in his ward @ Ford Nation


Rob Ford has won a council seat in Etobicoke North, the seat vacated by his brother Doug, who stepped up to run for mayor after Rob entered the hospital for cancer treatment @ Ford Win! Lose!



It was a tough race!

Allow me a nasty: here's the moment I've been waiting 4 years for! Watch the Ford Bros find out that Doug had lost @ Video




Doug Ford proves he's not a racist. 

The Doug Ford mayoral campaign hits snag with anti Semitic comments. Is his wife Jewish or isn't she? Even Canadian Jewish Congress CEO Bernie Farber considers the claim "totally disengenuous" and isn't pleased that the Fords are making a complex + sensitive issue sound "ridiculous" @ Ford Follies Hurt Others!

September 17



Rob Ford: Exit stage right!

Rob has been diagnosed with Malignant Liposarcoma, a type of muscle cancer @ cancer?

What is Liposarcoma? See @ Tumour

Meet Dr. Zane Cohn, Robs doctor! The Toronto Star claims he has a "storied history" and was very deft at deflecting a lot of questions about Rob's condition @ New face

Is everybody going overboard on this news story? Just what exactly is happening to Rob? What next?! More @ Overdrive

"Rob Ford: The Musical" is going on as planned. No curtain call @ The show must go on!

Election shocker: Rob drops out of the mayoral race. Brother Doug steps in to take his place. Doug is more dangerous then Rob. He's got half a brain! More @ Yiiiikes!


Danger! Danger! Unlike Rob Doug does have half a brain!

Doug says he will "take the torch" @ Burnin'

Doug Ford will "continue what we started" @ Oh No!

Rob claims God wants him "somewhere else" @ No Comment



Saved?

So. Just how do the politics of the Ford switcherooni play out at this late stage in the mayoral race? Very interesting! Don't be surprised if it provides Doug with a lot of advantages. Also don't forget that he's a well known bully and manipulator as is brother Rob @ Hmmm.

Fords, Fords everywhere Fords! There's some pretty fancy Ford footwork going on behind the scenes in this years municipal + trustee elections @ Ford Nation

Rob Ford Cancer Scare: Is some media silence in order? More @ Give it a break!

For the Fords, everything is always all about them @ media spin

September 8



Rob shows everyone the gold medals he's won for being an asshole.

Finally, full disclosure on why Mayor Rob Ford was fired as a Don Bosco secondary school football coach. Anti social conduct and abuse of custodial authority! But will it hurt his re-election chances? Maybe not @ For Shame!

Rob kicks reporters out for campaign speech @ Accountability?



Raise your hand if you wear a suit + tie while smoking crack cocaine!

July 30

Ford supporters rough up gay protesters. Rob votes against gay issues at Toronto City Hall. Hey! Isn't the mayor supposed to represent everybody?! More @ LGBT

July 10

Leaked report suggests Robs stint in rehab did not go well! Going to Rehab @ No No No!

Back in the mayor seat Rob takes another crack at the Toronto gay community. His new improved image is hard to take. You'd think he would welcome the millions of dollars the annual gay pride week brings tot he city but he doesn't seem to care @ Sitting it out!

Shirtless jogger tells Rob a thing or two. All is not well for the Ford Campaign. Seems not many Torontonians are fooled by Robs "comeback". It's about time @ Video

June 11 2014: 

Coming soon! Rob Ford the Musical!? Yup! The casting call has been made. The play starts in Toronto this September. Should make for some amusement during the mayoral election indeed @ Rob Ford The Musical!

Here's a sneak peak at the auditions for Rob Ford the Musical @ Coming Soon!

Here's Mayoral candidate Olivia Chows latest campaign t-shirt: 



May 23 2014

Rob finally pops up! On the Victoria Day long weekend he's spotted out in Muskoka cottage country, making the rounds. Posing for photos. Now it turns out he is in rehab up that way. Makes sense. It's near his cottage. But ... but ...but ... are you supposed to be out and about like that when you are in a serious rehab program?!? I think not! Next, a fellow patient from the rehab centre is arrested for drunk driving in his car. So. How'd she get the keys? Where was Rob? Will the fun and games never end? Is there a perfectly good excuse for all this? Anyways, you decide! Here's the links:



Drunk driver fun grrrl: Robs new squeeze?

Rob is spotted in cottage country during the long weekend holiday @ Party Hardy?

Robs confirmed to be in rehab up that way, that is, when he's not out and about's on weekends, holidays or during the day, whatever @ Rehab Rob's latest antics!

Here's the story of the mystery woman arrested driving around drunk in his black Cadillac Escalade. Oh yeah, also note: somewhere between when the car was seized and taken to the pound, the licence plates disappeared, and the police say they didn't take it. Hmmmm. @ Mystery Girl!



Rob's car impounded .. Hey! Where are the licence plates?!?

Robs approval rating hits an all time low of 32% .... 32% still think this is okay? Ho boy. Even bro Doug has taken a hit in the polls. Examine the tea leaves, so to speak Thumbs Up?

Earlier ....

Where's Rob? Last we were heard he's admitted himself into rehab somewhere. However there are reports he is being seen around Toronto @ Waldo Ford? 

Toronto City Council seeks proof Rob has gone into rehab and is not just missing in action at their council meet @ Where?!? Doing What???

Our Rob claims on another phone call from rehab that he is hot water for making phone calls from rehab ..... Listen. Rehab is not just a 4 week quick fix, far from it, and even if it were his hijinks in no way suggest he is serious about it. More @ Cell Phone Calls and @ No No's!

May 1

Watch the crack reaction to Ford's latest escapades on the late night TV show circuit: Fallon, Letterman, Kimmel + Stewart @ Videos

Rob Ford steps down as mayor on leave + Deputy Mayor Norm Kelly assumes full responsibilities for City of Toronto @ Breaking News!

Ford takes an unexpected leave from his campaign as an audio tape surfaces of him drunk at a bar this Monday ranting and raving about his wife Renata and making lewd sexual comments about fellow Mayoral candidate Karen Sintz. Now, he suddenly realizes he needs to get some help ... Must be a pretty bad tape "Getting Help?!"

A transcript of the audio recording has been posted @ Huffington


Who wears a tie when they smoke crack cocaine?! Rob Ford!

Stintz denounces Rob as "misogynist". There were some more bigoted and homophobic comments made. Also your typical right wing neo con rants. Meanwhile Rob spends the day taking a school group on a tour of city hall. A school group?!? Who in their right mind would take their class to meet Rob Ford?!? @ Mr. Role Model 4 Youth?

Oh, and a new crack video allegedly filmed last Saturday has apparently also surfaced @ Cracked!

Lives of the Rich + Stupid: It seems that Rob is using a litany of racist of slurs, lites up his crack pipe and gets into a fight with his alleged drug dealer Sandro Lisi, who was crying like a baby @ Reality TV?!



New video surfaces from last Saturday. Umm what have you got there Rob?!?

Not to worry! Rob Ford's "Chicken Little" statement claims he's 100% committed to "getting himself right". Guess he wasn't before? Read @ Help!

The National Post reports @  Videos

Point/ Counterpoint: A blogger thinks Rob deserves our sympathy as an addict @ Sympathetic?

The mayoral candidates keep pouring in. Stinson has not asked for an apology and has not been given. Also, is nobody going to take to task his dubious but widely accepted claims about Olivia Chow being fiscally irresponsible?! More @ Stories + Videos


A live Rob Ford City Hall coverage link is available as the mayoral candidates speak out + today's events unfold @ Live!

OK. So let me see if I've got this straight! Rob just doesn't have a weight problem?! Everything won't be fine if he just loses a pound or two ??? .... Incredible! This city is in such friggin' collective denial!



Is there hope yet? Usually Rob goes up during a fiasco! Now? Chow: 33%/ Tory: 27%/ Ford: 22% @ Forum Poll

Sooooo ..... does that mean folks still don't believe all these Ford stories aren't actually an evil left wing plot?!? =8-0

April 21

Creative Math: Investigating Ford's claim he's saved Toronto taxpayers a billion dollars @ CityTV Video

Ford Nation will stand by Rob come hell or high water but unless the Chow and Tory campaigns implode, he should finish third. Why? Polls show he has no room for growth in his support @ Hepburn

Ford calls for the omsbudsman's office to be eliminated after a scathing report, along with the integrity office, the lobbyist registry and all those other bothersome people who are concerned about principles + accountability ... @ Going going gong!?

Toronto Firefighter President Ed Kennedy calls Rob Ford's red firetruck a "cheap photo op" considering the latest fire department cutbacksBrother Randy Ford bought the decommissioned Toronto fire department truck at an auction as an election campaign prop. Ironically the slogan painted on it now reads "Saving the tax payers from getting burned" as four more trucks are pulled out of service and 2 stations closed. Rob + Doug respond by using the anti union defence to try to make it look like Kennedy does not truly represent the views of the front line workers. It's a sad debacle with the Fords pretending they have good relations with the workers and their support. Tell a big enough lie though and Toronto voters often seem to fall for it though @ Getting burned!



Fire Trucks? The big picture ...

Kennedy points out that the fire department cuts can in fact logistically and perhaps even tragically hinder the fire fighters response time during an emergency @ CBC

A Fire Fighter video ad warns that the city hall cuts could put lives at risk @ CBC

You can read more about the Ford Brothers big red fire truck on my Night Out With Ford Nation blog [link above].


Less fire trucks + stations = not getting burned?!?

Both the City of Toronto + the TCDSB Catholic School Board have been involved in an attempt to block the release of documents on why Mayor Rob Ford was fired as a football coach at Don Bosco Catholic Secondary School last year. At first the TCDSB tried to refuse on grounds he was a "quasi" employee, a claim refuted as ridiculous by experts in employment law. Also, the municipal government has been using taxpayers dollars to try to block their release. It might take months for the Toronto Star Freedom of Info request to be processed for release of the documents. Will they be out before the fall election? Hmmm. More @ What's he hiding?!


Rob Ford Coach: showing the young folk how its done?!

This is unrelated but one of Robs favourite night club hopping grounds for his re-election campaign is being closed out of fear it will attract pedophiles and drug dealers to its all age events @ Muzik

Olivia Chow aims to take Ford to task for his many outlandish claims that are often being accepted as facts. It's about time somebody did. No more pussy footing around?  Read @ Mayors brand

Olivia Chow gets caught up in the Iron Sheik's endorsement embrace while Ford plays it for all it's worth The Iron Shiek?!



The Ford Trolls are on the attack!
What are Ford Trolls? They are groups of Ford Nation followers who have begun to rally together to bully + harass anyone who criticizes or says anything negative about their leader online at Twitter or on other sites. Expect a nasty 2014 Toronto Mayoral Campaign! An introduction to the Rob Ford trolls isFord Nation Attacks!


RELATED READING:

My comprehensive coverage of Toronto's neo con man Mayor Ford goes back to:

Part 1 Nov 2012  Part 2 @ Here! Part 3 @ There! Part 4 @ Then! Part 5 @ More! Part 6 @ Jan 2014!

Friday 18 April 2014

A Night Out With Ford Nation!



Ford Nation Rising?

On Thursday evening I drove out during rush hour to the Toronto Congress Centre for the launch of the Rob Ford 2014 Mayoral campaign. I wanted to see this myself in an attempt to understand "Ford Nation" better. I also plan to cover the Olivia Chow and John Tory Campaigns, and report about them here on my blog for our erudition.

Over the years I've made a point of personally meeting political figures I'm interested in of all political stripes, even if just for a moment, to look directly into their eyes, watch, and try to get a better sense of them. And so Rob Ford is no exception.

Although I arrived early before the announced 6:30 start time the parking lot was all ready filling up. I found a spot near the back and joined the crowd streaming into the Congress Centre. A skinhead loudly greeted a man of colour in a suit with dreadlocks, and began to denounce Olivia Chow and the NDP in a jocular manner. He kept it up all the way across the huge parking lot and into the building.

The Toronto Congress Centre was opened up arena style and filled with big tables and chairs. I'd estimate about 60% of them were rather sparsely occupied with sizable crowds lined up everywhere else. It was truly an occasion where the onus seemed to be on lining up. That is what I ended up doing, as I followed the crowd through the centre for the night's festivities.



Fitting: Toronto Congress Centre entrance way art

First I lined up to meet Rob Ford, which took about 20 minutes. The line up was conducted in an orderly fashion with Congress hall security guards supervising and directing us past the media barrage of cameras in front of Rob photographing his every move.

Rob didn't say much if anything except to try to accommodate everybody for a photo, alone or with family and friends, saying hello and thanking us for coming. His eyes were glazed over and he moved in a robot like fashion. In all fairness I would attribute that to the long, long process of trying to greet everybody who wanted their picture taken with him as they came in the door. He was trying very hard to pose for everybody. No easy task.



The next line up was to sign a card including your name, address and other contact information. It asked you to donate, put up a sign or campaign for Rob Ford. You needed to hand this in at the door to enter the big main hall area, where we were given 3 tickets, for a t-shirt, a drink and a draw. There were stacks of Rob Ford signs, Ford Nation flags and bumper stickers everywhere as I walked in.

I walked across the floor following the line up to the booths along the far wall. I was told there were no more Rob Ford t-shirts, but to choose a red or blue Ford Nation coffee cup. All sorts of other Rob Ford paraphernalia was also for sale.



No more t-shirts! Howzabout a Ford Nation coffee cup?

The next line up was for a Rob Ford bubble head doll. I was told to use my ticket to get one. It was unclear to me which ticket or whether this was for free or not, but I continued to follow the course.

There were tables with huge bowls of salted and spiced potato chips everywhere which were being regularly replenished. One took a small bowl and filled it up with chips using the tongs. They were actually quite good though I was still hungry afterwards of course. There were also drink stands. Your ticket got you a free beer or soda pop. You could buy more if you wanted.

An older white man paraded up and down the line carrying a Canadian flag. I'm not quite sure of the connection at this municipal event but it was constantly being reinforced all night. I found it a bit of a stretch. The patriotism theme also extended to the Rob Ford t-shirts which seemingly promote Toronto on the front, with Rob Ford on the back. 

I followed the line for about 2 hours as it virtually snaked down the length of the congress centre to the huge stacks of Rob Ford bobble head dolls. There was an incredibly diverse crowd both lined up and mingling throughout the hall. It was very Torontonian without an overwhelming majority of any one particular group. The folks were white, ethnic, male, female, young, old, workers and suits. You name it they were there. 



Fire truck: "Saving the taxpayers from not getting burned" Get it?

Many in the crowd were obviously quite fervent. A rather buxom white lady in a very short, tight, red skirt posed provocatively in front of a firetruck decked out in Rob Ford campaign slogans. Beside her was a young girl, perhaps her daughter or niece, decked out in Ford swag and waving two Ford Nation flags, one in each hand.

Those immediately around me in the line up seemed more curious than anything else. I did not engage in nor did anyone try to engage me in any municipal politicking. I met a longtime, former teaching colleague and sometimes political nemesis of mine. Although we had often been at logger heads, I enjoyed seeing him again. Also joining us for a while was a former TCDSB trustee who quit to become a teacher a few years ago. He said he was still supply teaching. A reporter tried to interview people in the line up on why they were there but nobody wanted to speak, so I gave him an interview. Where it might show up I don't know. It was quite noisy but I believe he said he was Russian.

I told him I could not fathom that my city would ever succumb to such demagoguery as we are now seeing with Ford Nation. I attended the rally for myself to try to understand it better and figure out how and why this is happening.


Git yer Rob Ford Bubble Head Dolls!

A band played pretty good rock music up front on a raised stage bedecked with the words "Ford Nation" projected on two huge screens on either side. From time to time they would show the band, or guests as they were being introduced. Later Doug and Rob Ford during their speech. Former boxing champ George Chuvalo was introduced but I could not hear what he said listening from the lineup due to the din of the hall.

Doug Ford appeared next. There was a huge closeup of his face on both screens. He spoke about concentrating on Rob's record of achievements rather than his personal problems. He seemed to choke up a bit while he talked about his father. Then he engaged in the usual kindergarten level platitudes about how his brother is saving tax payers money. 

By now I had finally reached the head of the Rob Ford bobble head doll line. There were three Rob Ford Dolls available, one with a bow tie, another in his black suit and red tie from the Jimmy Kimmel show. Both cost $30. A special limited black tie edition was also available for a $100 donation.



$30 donation each! $100 for the black tie!

At this point "Eye of the Tiger" began blasting from the speakers while a slide show of Rob Ford flashed on both screens. They showed Rob with Prime Minister Harper, then with President Barrack Obama. Rob arrived with his entourage coming up the centre of the convention hall floor with much aplomb. I was strongly reminded of scenes from a Republican convention, the red white and blue Ford Nation signs and flags certainly reinforcing the imagery. However this is Canada. Indeed, the parade was headed by a very healthy young blonde woman carried aloft her back and arms arched high holding a big Canadian flag. As Rob took the podium a mixed age group of male black, South East Asian and Caribbean supporters gathered directly behind him. The signs and flags were arranged on either side. There was a huge closeup of Rob Fords face towering on the big screens.

Rob's speech focused on the theme of "I've got your back, I need you to cover mine" during the election campaign. Afterwards he will continue to "look out for the little guy" for the "next four years". The crowd gathered in front of the stage were regularly prompted to break out into chants of "Ford Nation" and "Four More Years".



Four More Years?!

As Rob's speech ended the Twisted Sister anthem "We're Not Going to Take It" blasted from the speakers while everyone sang along, clapped, and cheered. Most of the action was concentrated in front of the stage. It was not too tightly packed with most folk still sitting around at the tables or in a line up.


As I left to beat the traffic rush out of the parking lot a man carrying Rob Ford flags encouraged me to stay. He offered me another drink ticket which I politely declined. I still had my bottle of coke.

When I got home Janet was on the couch watching television. She was quite annoyed with all my Rob Ford swag which I thought was quite funny. I joked about sticking the Ford Nation bumper sticker on our car, which did not go over well. She cannot stand him as mayor and I quite agree. Though as strictly a local yokel he's pretty hard not to somehow like. Therein lies his rough charm and appeal?



The Jimmy Kimmel Show Rob Ford Bobble Head Doll

I will continue to cover the Ford campaign and the other candidates in this year's Toronto mayoral race quite closely between now until election day with reports here on my blog. 

I'm not sure how many people were at the campaign launch as either die hard supporters, recent converts or curiosity seekers like myself. The Ford brothers are definitely consummate politicians though. In the value free sense it was a very well executed political event. They had everybody lined up and going through the campaign motions, readily providing contact info, buying or receiving free swag and following the script. IMHO how many actual votes Rob Ford will get come election day is still anybodies quess. However, he's definitely not down for the count. Far from it!

You can follow my Rob Ford coverage @ Cracked?

There are news links there covering the Ford story back a few years.

I also posted a blog on my visit to see Rob Ford in action at Toronto City Hall when he was stripped of many of his mayoral powers last November @ Toronto City Hall Report




COMMENTS:

Communist Girls ARE More Fun!

Communist Girls ARE More Fun!
See below ...

Communist Girls Are More Fun #1

Communist Girls Are More Fun #1

Communist Grrrls are More Fun #2

Communist Grrrls are More Fun #2

Communist Grrrls Are More Fun #3

Communist Grrrls Are More Fun #3

Communist Girls Are More Fun #4

Communist Girls Are More Fun #4

Art at the Paris Louvre: What does it mean?!?

Art at the Paris Louvre: What does it mean?!?
A careful analytical study!

Help! I Have No Arms!

Help! I Have No Arms!
Please scratch my back.

I can't find my underwear!.

I can't find my underwear!.
Have you seen them!

Weee! I can fly!

Weee! I can fly!
Look! I can crawl thru walls!

I have a headache!

I have a headache!
And a broken nose.

I have a square hole in my bum!

I have a square hole in my bum!

Here try this, it's very good!

Here try this, it's very good!
No. You have a bird face.

I have an ugly baby!

I have an ugly baby!
No I'm not!

Let's save all our money + buy pants!

Let's save all our money + buy pants!
OK but I need a new hand too!

Oh no! I got something in my eye!

Oh no! I got something in my eye!

You don't look well.

You don't look well.
No. My head hurts +I have a sore chest.

Would you like a bun?

Would you like a bun?

Chichen-Itza: Lost Maya City of Ruins!

Chichen-Itza: Lost Maya City of Ruins!
The Temple of Kukulkan!

Gotta love it!

Gotta love it!
Truly amazing!

Under Reconstruction!

Under Reconstruction!

Temples + Snakes!

Temples + Snakes!

The Snake!

The Snake!
It runs the length of the ball field!