A Lot About Nothing

I guess I’m glad that I slept through it, because waking up and looking outside my window to see a massive fireball illuminate the sky would have been quite the head trip. Even as I watch the different videos on YouTube documenting the blast, I’m still shocked that something like this happened so close to home.

In the wee hours of the morning, just before 4am a serious of explosions happened near Keele St. and Wilson Ave. Residents in the immediate area recall feeling the shockwaves of the multiple blasts and having the windows of their home blowing out. There are some amazing photos that display the magnitude of the blast. Check out this Flickr photo stream. Here’s a detailed video showing some of the explosion:

As of this moment though, firefighters are close to completely extinguishing the burning tanks at the propane facility in the Keele and Wilson area, and I believe that the city is very lucky that this situation wasn’t more serious. Thousands of people have been evacuated from their homes in the area and blocks of the city (between the 401, Sheppard, Jane and Wilson) has been sectioned off.

Here’s the complete news story from TheStar.com, and I’m sure there are a lot of other media outlets carrying the news.

Update: One Toronto Firefighter has passed away battling the blaze. My condolences to his family and friends, and I commend all those firefighters who do such a dangerous job and risk their lives to save others.

You wouldn’t be one to think that socialite Paris Hilton would have a political opinion, but at least she has a good sense of humour. Check out her spoof video response to the ‘celebrity’ campaign ad that presidential candidate John McCain (aka “wrinkly, white-haired dude”) aired a short while ago, in which he targets running-mate Barak Obama.

And in case you haven’t seen it already, here’s McCain’s video:

That message is totally hot.

Well, Toronto public transit commuters… I hope you have your bikes and in-line skates ready, because all workers from the Toronto Transit Commission are on strike (since 12:01am this morning). I feel sorry for all the people who went down to the entertainment district to enjoy a nice Friday night, only to leave the clubs and realizing that they were basically stranded (the Yonge bus line is a popular route since it runs 24 hours from downtown). I could imagine taxis had a lot of service last night. According to the article reported by CityNews:

Nearly two-thirds of the 9,000 TTC workers eligible to vote rejected the deal, which would have given them a three per cent wage hike over the next three years, as well as other benefits and improvements Mayor David Miller termed “fair.”

Personally, I’m getting really tired of relying on a service that is so unpredictable. It seems like every year there’s a strike possibility. It’s a good thing that today wasn’t a work day for me, otherwise I’d have to shell out $40 to get to work. I did have a volunteer shift at HotDocs today (which I had to cancel obviously), plus needed to meet up with my friend after the Raptors game, but it looks like those plans are out of the window. Speaking of the Raptors games, I fathom that a lot of people are going to be scrambling for transportation to get to the Air Canada Centre for game 4 of the playoffs, as well as to BMO field to see the Toronto FC soccer club.

Note that there was promises of a 48 hour notice for any impending strike… but last night’s came as a surprise for many people. Bob Kinnear, ATU Local 113 President gave this reason:

We have assessed the situation and decided that we will not expose our members to the dangers of assaults from angry and irrational members of the public. The reports from our members of increases in threats and abuse from passengers last weekend, after we gave our original 48-hours’ notice, has left us no choice but to withdraw our services immediately. We have a legal responsibility to protect the safety of our members and so does the TTC.

Check out this link for more details and TTC media releases about the contract. CP24.com has a good list of 10 alternatives for people who relied on the TTC, but can’t now because of the strike. Right now, I’m favouring #6 (although I do need to head to the nearest Canadian Tire, and that’s about a 40 minute walk away). As what most people in Toronto already know: TTC = Take The Car. I just wish I owned on right about now…

Breaking news just now about actor Heath Ledger, star of the upcoming blockbuster The Dark Knight.

This is the story from the Associated Press:

NEW YORK — Actor Heath Ledger was found dead Tuesday at a downtown Manhattan residence in what authorities say is a possible drug-related death, the NYPD said. He was 28.

NYPD spokesman Paul Browne told The Associated Press that Mr. Ledger had an appointment for a massage at the Manhattan apartment that is believed to be his home. The housekeeper who went to let Mr. Ledger know the masseuse was there, and found him dead at 3:26 p.m, Mr. Browne said.

The Australian-born actor was nominated for an Oscar for “Brokeback Mountain,” where he met his wife, actress Michelle Williams, in 2005. Mr. Ledger and Ms. Williams had lived in Brooklyn and had a daughter, Matilda, until they split up last year.

Mr. Ledger’s roles include the suicidal son of Billy Bob Thornton in “Monster’s Ball” and had starring roles in “A Knight’s Tale” and “The Patriot.” He was to appear as the Joker this year in “The Dark Night,” a sequel to 2005’s “Batman Begins.”

Sites like The New York Times mention that it may be drug related. A very unfortunate day for Hollywood and his family which includes his 2-year-old daughter Matilda.

In the news recently is the Toronto District School Board exploring the idea of creating an “African-centred alternative school” from junior kindergarten to Grade 8. Toronto school board figures show that by age 16, more than half of black male teens are at risk of dropping out because they haven’t earned the 16 credits required by the end of Grade 10. It’s hard to see this coming to light again so quickly after the province of Ontario strongly opposed faith-based schools. Is race-based schooling any better?

You have to ask yourself why is the average Black youth failing? Are the parents to blame? Is it the portrayal of themselves in mainstream society? Is it purely the school system’s fault?

Maybe it’s just me, but the idea of having a black-focused school just makes me think that the majority of people out there in society assume the intelligence level of Blacks is sup-par. The idea that we need a separate school to keep up to mainstream society is something that I don’t want people to believe, because it isn’t true. I for one can attest that fact. I went to a Catholic school, with prominently white teachers, interacted with many students of different races and cultures, and excelled very well. Not to mention the fact that the community I lived in for most of my youth was one deemed as “disadvantaged.”

The black population in Canada is very diverse, and to have a “black-focused” school doesn’t seem very logical. Segregating black children, by having a separate schools takes them away from mainstream society. How well are these children going to get along later in life with members of other races in terms of socializing if they are isolated from exposure from other groups at school? Especially if it’s in their early childhood years.

Perhaps we’re going about finding a solution to this problem the wrong way. Maybe what schools need is more teachers of visible minorities, more inclusion of topics such as Black history and multi-ethnic equity into the main curriculum so that all races can absorb, more funded after-school programs to help disadvantaged youth. More programs initialized at current schools to help black youth will keep them in the loop and not make them feel like they need to be taken out of it, in order to succeed.

I was reading a local message board on this same topic and one of the members had a very interesting solution to this problem: forgetting about Black-focused schooling and promoting a school system which focused on lower-class individuals. Free breakfast programs, tutoring, addiction counseling services, after school programs to keep kids busy, apprenticeships and internships. I think this is a very good idea. Sure it’s another form of segregating a social group, but at least there’ll be more variety of people in this frame-set for children to relate to… a more realistic depiction of our world.

I honestly don’t think that race is the whole issue here. I think people are forgetting to get down to the basics of the situation. The problem most of these kids are having is in relation to their social and economical class and not necessarily b/c of the colour of their skin.

If a Black-focussed school was to open next year, what would be the criteria for acceptance? Would a child with a white mother and black father be allowed to join the student body? What if a white student wishes to attend? If the school is going to be publicly funded, then it must be open to everyone. Is this the beginning of other races starting to protest their own need for their own schools, further segregating our multicultural society? What about the many Muslim, European and South American students who are failing the school system? Shouldn’t non-Black races have the opportunity to benefit with the history of Black people?

Is this debate adding to the stereotype that Black people aren’t intelligent and need a special school in order to keep up with the current population? What if a very smart Black student were to attend a school like this instead of opting to attend one in the mainstream school system? Would their achievements be hindered because they are ‘ahead’ of the pack? Would a black-focused summer school or Saturday class be a more logical solution? Is this a step backward for our community from the days of civil rights?

When it comes down to it, if all kids want to be successful in school they have to be interested and engaged. Perhaps the current teaching styles need to be changed in the school system so that they grab the attention of youth (both black and non-black). There are students of all races that end up dropping out of school… there needs to be a program that will help all of them and not segregate them based on a social construct such as race.

What are your thoughts on the issue? If you’re in the Toronto-area, the next public meeting discussing the topic will be held on Monday at Northview Heights Secondary School (550 Finch Ave. W).

Recent artcle from The Star

Recent article from CTV