The Problem with the Globe and Mail

I went skating this morning, sadly I was all alone, just me and my iPod. Probably because I pushed myself a little too hard last night, and maybe because of a slight wind I didn't do as well as I like. I maxed out at 33 km/h. I think on Tuesday with Kevin we got into a sprint and before I nearly wiped out on a big stick I was doing 43 km/h. When I start passing cars on the Gardiner Expressway I'll lobby the province to amend the highway traffic act to allow me to skate that beautiful black top on the Don Valley Parkway and Queen Elizabeth Way.

You know what is remarkable? There is a Wikipedia entry for all these Toronto area highways!

Anyway so I am skating the Martin Goodman Trail (which lacks a Wikipedia entry... very disappointing guys!) and one thing about skating alone, it gives you time to think. In yesterday's (that is November 2, 2007) Globe and Mail there was an editorial which I would like to quote from: "It seems, [city councilor Adam Vaughan] is branching out into air safety... Transport Canada has ruled that the planes used by [Porter Airlines], newer than those that have run into problems elsewhere are safe. If Mr. Vaughan takes issue with this, he should talk to the government agency. Instead, he is grandstanding..."

Lets review the background, Porter Airlines, (the Porter Website is strictly for selling airline tickets, but if you really want to see it, it is here) uses Q400 Turboprop aircraft. The Q400 requires between 4,600 and 3,380 foot runways for take off and landing (according to the Q400 website) depending on the type of aircraft, landings also require less runway than take offs. Now the longest runway at the Island Airport is, wait for it... 4000 feet. You tell me, do you want to take off at an airport where if there is a mistake the end of the runway is lake Ontario? Here is a question, what in the hell were the ninnies at Transport Canada smoking when the approved Porter's request to operate Q400s out of the Island Airport? My guess, they were looking forward to the day when they wouldn't have to schlep from Pearson to downtown. So a few (about 40 or 50) people get killed when the first Porter flight ends up in the drink, big deal, look at how much time was saved because we didn't need to take a taxi from Malton!

Adam Vaughan "grandstanded"! Oh my goodness, my city councilor did what my federal government should be doing but isn't! I swear when the first Porter Airplane crashes I hope it lands on the Globe and Mail office while the Editorial Board are writing their latest tirade denying the obvious facts of Global Climate Change, like the fact that the climate is changing! - See the 1996 editorials. (Or maybe the editorial in 2000 that told us readers to stop wining about Spam.) Or the editorial right above the Adam Vaughan "grandstanding" that said Liberal leader Dion should not publicly muse about fiscal policy. What planet do these people live on? Pick any random day and there is at least one editorial in "Canada's national newspaper" that was written by someone so out of touch with reality its frightening.

Anyway I promise later a rant about the idiotic barriers at the driveway to The Boulavard Club. Today I hit one by accident with my $2000 custom Bont Vaypors. The damage was very modest, thank goodness, but shouldn't cyclist's pedestrians, and of course skaters have right-of-way over the lousy drivers?