Sushi Takeout

The neon sign of a Sushi Takeout joint on Dundas Street in Toronto beckons hungry patrons inside to try mixtures of fish and Japanese sticky rice. 

Outsourcing a comedy of errors on TV and in PUSD

Note: This column appears in the 6/2 issue of The Glendale Star and the 6/3 issue of the Peoria Times

There is a show on TV called “Outsourced,” which is not very funny and also kind of racist. But the show is accurate in that, in real life, being outsourced is just as unfunny and often as discriminatory.

The Peoria Unified School District is considering outsourcing its janitorial staff for the purposes of saving a projected 1.4 million annually. This means, lest we be confused by the gentle connotations and intended hilarity of the term “outsourced,” that Peoria Unified School District is considering laying off 150 workers and hiring instead cheaper labor from an outside company.

Gone will be the days of janitorial staff hired from within, in order to enable them to become a trusted part of the school community. After all, who better to place in a school setting—especially at times when no one else is around—than a person who nobody really knows? I can only imagine that good-natured, sitcom-like hijinks would be the end result.

Board member Diane Douglas was quoted in the Arizona Republic as stating, “I understand classes have to be cleaned but that’s not our major job.” In other words, teaching children is the only major job of a school, and all other jobs are expendable. By following through on this idea, the school district will kill two birds with one stone—save money and execute its major job by teaching children that loyalty within even a school district setting is limited to a budget. After all, why should children know on a personal level the one who has to come clean up their barf? That’s not a major job, and that is not a major person.

Other districts, such as Tolleson Union High School and Scottsdale Unified have outsourced their janitorial staff, according to the Republic, with mixed reviews. Sure, some items go missing from teachers’ desks, but other items are often found and returned. So, basically, items that are stolen are balanced out by the items that are … not stolen? I don’t know. The point is that it works, if you value saving money, but are willing to sacrifice a few personal items here and there, and some sense of community, which is overrated anyway.

Besides, children should know that it’s only unfortunate circumstances that have allowed someone to become a janitorial worker in the first place. Bearing witness to their expendability will only reinforce that they should strive to do something greater and more stable in life, like teaching, or working on Wall Street, or becoming a school board member.

And sure, outsourcing the janitorial staff may lead to an awkward conversation or two initially from children who mistakenly got to know someone. But they’ll get over it.

“Where’s Javier?”

“Oh, he’s uhhh … dead. But meet what’s-his-face! Hey—is that my watch?”
I certainly don’t envy the school board for having to make decisions such as this, but the money’s gotta come from somewhere, right? Hired brooms are cheaper than tenured employees. It’s math, not social studies.


"Why does my email smell like Indian food?"

CN Tower: EdgeWalk

Can you imagine walking outside along the edge of the CN Tower's main pod 356m in the air? It scares me even thinking about it. Adventure seekers will be able to walk hands free with only a tether saving them from being swept over the edge. You can see the system of supports built around the top windows waiting for some brave individuals to take a chance.

You can order tickets I believe starting June 1, 2011.

GLEE Matthew Morrison in Toronto

I have to say that I am a GLEEK, yes a fan of the television series GLEE, although not unconditionally. I like their scrappy us against the world bravado and spirit. I enjoyed when they practiced and sang some great songs and when Lea belted out some snappy tunes with her spectacular voice. Now they seem to sing all the time, going to the bathroom – break out in song. And where did that band come from? I also miss all the cheerleader outfits that they wore everywhere – it must be a 24/7 thing in the States.

Anywho, I have exclusive photos of the place where GLEE’s Matthew Morrison (they guy with the tall, creamed hair – the teacher and GLEE club coach Mr. Schuester) who has released his album called “Matthew Morrison” will do his HMV meet and greet. I know it was exclusive because everyone was covering their eyes as they walked along the area, bumping into each other, or looked in another direction (it might have been the sign with ET Canada’s Rick Campenelli name that caused the eye avoidance). I muscled past security (or shoppers just standing there, what am I, psychic?) flashing my secret non Main Stream Media (MSM) media pass and took the long awaited pictures of the seat that may or may not support Matthew’s own ass. If people had only known of this secret location there would be girls swooning everywhere – they would cover the ground with their sheer numbers and I am sure panties would also be flying in the air before the ladies collapsed unconscious to the ground.  Since no one was looking I took the opportunity to throw my own underwear as well (prep for the naked bike ride?), however my thong didn’t fly very well and I think it got hooked on the roped paddock area which winds around in front of the stage and will contain the fans in an orderly fashion.

HMV (http://www.hmv.ca/) is allowing the first 300 people to purchase the album by Matthew – damn, I already forgot what it is called, to receive a chance for one autograph and to take a picture of him today, Monday May 30, 2011, at 4pm in the Eaton Centre. The location is just beside an escalator and right outside the main inside mall entrance of Sears (at street level) which overlooks the grand hall and, far away, the flying geese at the other end of the mall. The fans with their wristbands gather in a large lineup ready for Matthew scheduled to arrive in just a few minutes from when these last pictures were taken.

Toronto Bike Month 2011

I showed up at Toronto City Hall today because it was Bike Month and I thought that meant that I would get a free bike. In the interests of the environment (my middle name is green) I would take an electric bike over some burly, exhaust spewing, carbon consuming motorcycle (because sacrifice is my other middle name).  For some reason the City and I had different meanings associated with Bike Month and I left without a free bicycle or even leather chaps. They did offer a free organic t-shirt but all they had left were size small, which would be just perfect for my right arm, so I had to regretfully decline.

Toronto Bike Month 2011 runs from May 26 30 to June 21 30 and today was Bike to Work Day (Monday, May 30, 2011). It was a hassle getting my bike on the GO Train this morning but the hassle was nothing compared to trying to ride the thing within the train as it travelled down the track towards Union Station. Commuters get awful peeved when you run over their toes in the train – even when I used the bell and proper hand signals. The stairs were a little hard to handle as well and I am sorry that I caused a lot of people to spill their early morning coffee, but in Bike Month we all have to make sacrifices.

I arrived early enough today to witness part of the setup in Nathan Phillips Square (the part that is not under construction at this particular time) as they started warming up the free breakfast that Bike to Work cyclists could get. Suddenly the City Street was full of hundreds of bikers coming from Albert Street and across Bay into the concrete courtyard of the Square. They even had police bicycle escorts.

Some interesting things seem to happen with Bike Month and I see that the Toronto World Naked Bike Ride (WNBR) is on Saturday, June 11 (ride starts out at 1pm from Coronation Park near the waterfront and the CNE Princes’ Gates). So get your tight bike shorts ready and, oh right – scratch that, so that leaves bodypaint and a cute, eco-proclamation ready. There is also something called the Bike Pirates event on June 17. These pirates must be a lawless band of bikers, flouting convention and probably riding without a bell. If you are riding along and minding your own business on the 17^th and all of a sudden there is the Jolly Roger flag flying and you are forcibly boarded and made to walk a plank, don’t say I didn’t warn you.

Dr Pepper at Anime North

Now I am seeing Dr Pepper everywhere. They were out providing cold beverage samples to everyone attending the Anime North convention.

Beamer from Sideshow Tattoos

I ran into Beamer from Sideshow Tattoos in Georgetown at the Anime North convention. These guys do piercings and tattoos and Beamer is an artist with both. I think my daughter is addicted to piercings by Beamer and I must admit that I am very impressed with how well he gets along with his customers - he is a super guy so I can highly recommend him.

His studio has a pirate motif so I am not surprised his costume included leather boots and a sword.

Cinched Tight Corsets

There was a nice example of Cinched Tight Corsets at the Anime North convention. Their tagline is "Hold Me Tight, Squeeze Me Tight, Cinch Me Tight" and they sell Fine Latex and Lingerie. She had a fantastic mohawk as well and her name is Lady Vezina.

See more of the corset after the jump.

Anime North 2011 cosplay

The parking lot of the Toronto Congress Centre was full of PCs (see below) and lots of other people in costume going to the Anime North 2011 convention running from May 27-29, 2011. The variety of costumes was stunning - I know if it was me it would be a little bit of cardboard and a little duct tape, then Bob's your Uncle - Cosplay. A lovely lady was wearing some clothing by Cinched Tight Corsets and I found someone I knew from Georgetown - Beamer from Sideshow Tattoos. Here are some pictures from Sunday.

I think a lot of people passing by were surprised by the characters walking along the street and getting on the Dixon Road buses.

I was great having so many people that wanted to have their pictures taken and it was fun going from group to group. Then when I was thirsty I sampled some free Dr Pepper.

The Anime North website posted this in regards to the other convention happening at the centre "The Ontario Provincial Conservative party will be having a conference at the Toronto Congress Center on the same weekend as Anime North. They will be in the North building, which is completely separate from the South building where Anime North is. They even have separate parking lots. There is not expected to be any problems with these events going on concurrently.

There has been posting on some boards suggesting that our attendees should try to "troll" the tories or otherwise make a nuisance of themselves. Any kind of harassment by the members of one event on the members of another is grounds for Congress Center security to kick you off of their property, and Anime North would regard that as grounds to confiscate your badge as well. Let them have their convention and we’ll have ours."

A fellow blogger's daughter - Happy Birthday Skye

There are lots of pictures to follow after the jump. (Click on Read More >>, below)

the Terminator