Signs are accidents waiting to happen
Re Carlaw parking signs just too much information, Aug. 20 One of the most important points to go with your article was omitted. While it may be simple for even a non-Mensan to sit and puzzle out what the signs mean with regards to parking in that spot, it requires time and that is what people do not have while driving. I timed myself reading it and it took about 15 seconds at a normal speed to read what all the signs said. Some people might take less time,
Sometimes ‘boring’ is better
Whenever someone says that Canada is boring, I always think “thank goodness.” Reading the paper Monday morning I had to shake my head, as I often do, at the “nonboring” incidents happening outside of our country. Among the stories: mobs of people screaming for the death of a mentally challenged girl, 12, because she damaged some pages of the Qur’an; Syrian government forces killing their own people with airstrikes; a U.S. politician claiming that legitimate rape rarely causes pregnancy; and violent protests because an area with 270,000 people in Zimbabwe is losing its only doctor. And what was the major Canadian crisis that day? What we should put on our $100 bills. I can only conclude that our “boring” and moderate country is one in which we are extremely lucky to live. Simon Humphries, Milton
Al-Quds Day description false
Re Rally ‘hateful’ critics say, Aug. 18 The assertion made by the writers of this article that “Al-Quds Day, celebrating the last Friday of the holy fasting month of Ramadan and calling for the end of Israel and the establishment of a Palestninan state,” is not only false, but also dangerously misleading. Calling for the end of Israel’s illegal occupation of Palestinian land in general, and the holy city of Jerusalem in particular, is the sole objective of the Al-Quds Day rally. Such a call is perfectly consistent with the provisions of international law and established Canadian foreign policy. To equate the call for the end of Israel’s illegal occupation with the end of Israel is similar to equating criticisms of Israel’s policies and actions against the Palestinians with anti-Semitism. Ibrahim Hayani, Unionville
He’s happy with private pickup
Re There’s no Sunnyside to pickup schedule, Aug. 18 The Fixer is a great column and Jack Lakey is performing a great service. But this time I disagree. The privatized garbage pickup has been a good target for the last few weeks, but another article reports that complaints are down to practically previous levels. I live in the same area as Ms Cardinal and have nothing but praise for the collectors. Judging from the notice posted, she is vehemently against the privatized collection and may be going out of her way to fight the system by not adhering to the rules. Andrew Freyman, Toronto many people would take longer. It would take a driver even longer to then check the time and think about the date and whether “now” fits within the parameters when parking is allowed, and all the time watching the traffic ahead, pedestrians looking to cross, bicycles coming up ahead or behind, traffic lights, etc. Now, picture the driver on a busy street with cars backing up behind him honking while he’s trying to decipher the sign and a driver just
Pussy Riot’s punishment
Re Russia’s chilling trial, Editorial Aug. 18 That the Russian punk-band members were imprisoned for eight months before their court appearance was bad enough, but then being sentenced to a further two years imprisonment for what amounted to harmless mischief was downright cruel. But we tend to forget that Vladimir Putin was the chief of the former U.S.S.R.’s feared KGB before he turned to politics. Maybe the punk-rockers should consider themselves lucky that the world was watching their trial. In the old days Comrade Putin would have either dispatched them with extreme prejudice or sent them to rot in a gulag. Then, again, if they put on a similar show in a fundamentalist church in Texas, they’d probably end up on a chain-gang. William Bedford, Toronto
Let’s look at the whole picture. The so-called “hooliganism” took place in a church so it is an exaggeration to call the trial’s sentence “the iron fist of the state” when religious emotions are involved and Mr. Putin himself asked that the defendants not be harshly treated. Your insult of Mr. Putin (“human rights, the rule of law, even common sense have little meaning in Putin’s Russia”) is also an insult to the majority of Russians who voted for him and will not endear Canada to modern-day Russians. I object. Hugh Allin, Newcastle
I applaud Russian authorities for convicting Pussy Riot — the very name suggesting sex and violence — of committing a hate crime against religion. The all-girl punk band willfully, maliciously and blasphemously desecrated a Russian Orthodox Church. Everyone has a right to freedom of expression. This includes those who were attending the religious service in question. These people’s rights were denied and many of them, especially the older and religiously devout, may have been seriously traumatized by the antics of these young, radical feminists. Rick Martin, Toronto Putin has fanned the amusing prank by the talented Pussy Riot women into a worldwide riot of laughter. I’m laughing, too. Paul Aird, Professor Emeritus, University of Toronto does not have enough time to figure this out without causing problems of some sort.
If taking your eyes off the road for asecond to press a button to answer a phone call is so dangerous that it’s against the law, then why is putting up signs that take15 seconds to read allowed? In 15 seconds, a car at city speeds travels approximately 200 metres, which is longer than many city blocks. How can you read that much that fast? William Croley, Pickering
Loaves, fishes and police budget
Re Police must give a little bit, Editorial Aug. 17 Chief Bill Blair is an honourable man. He simply states the facts regarding the level of service he believes the city requires, the present numbers of staff, and the prospect of removing funds from the budget to pay them.
The Police Services Board alone sets staffing levels, negotiates contracts with staff associations, examines ancillary costs, sets the budget to meet those projected costs, and presents it to the city.
Since salaries make up 88 per cent of policing costs, to suggest finding millions of dollars of savings in nondiscretionary accounts such as cars, gas, cleaning, technology etc. is a huge red herring.
The only way to cut policing costs is to reduce numbers of staff or negotiate a significant rollback of wages. The Police Services Board is much too political to go there, preferring to join the cacophony of miracle seekers.
Chief Blair is good — but five small loaves and two small fishes remain just that in this more literal age. Joe Hunter, Trenton
Keep digging in Brampton’s mire
Re Brampton pressured on secret deal, Aug. 16 How and why would spending $200 million not involve full disclosure to taxpayers and even to the city councillors? This project should never have been approved with such secrecy. The reason given — protecting the competitive advantage of the bidder and future bids — is baloney.
Keep up the reporting, San Grewal; there is a bigger story here. Richard Graff, Brampton
Keep women in the spotlight
So much for the accomplishment of the bronze medal soccer team when the Star omits any mention of the Canadian under-20s playing in the Women’s U-20s FIFA World Cup in Japan. On Monday, Canada defeated Argentina 5-0, yet there was nothing in the Star. Last week there was coverage of some meaningless hockey tournament in Europe but no coverage of the future stars of Canadian soccer. Alan Fletcher, Toronto