March 25, 2010
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Toronto 311

The City of Toronto launched a 311 service back on September 24. If you call 311, you get a real live human on the other end of the line prepared to answer your questions about the City and its services. Based on my experience with the City, I didn’t think the service would be up to much and I didn’t give it another thought.

Last week I needed a bit of information from the City. It was an oddball bit of information, and I didn’t hold much hope that it was information the City tracked and could or would pull for me. With nothing to lose, I decided to call 311. I asked the operator my question. He took a minute to futz about on his computer and said, “Well, I can’t pull that information directly from my computer for you, sir. I’ll have to get in touch with the manager of that department on your behalf.” Wow. I said, “wow, you’re going to do that for me?” “Yes sir, I’ll call you back shortly.”

Sure enough, he called back. “I’ve spoken to so and so, the manager in charge of this’n’that. She’s not sure how exactly to get that information for you so she’s going to need a little time. She’ll call you back by 2:00 today. Just in case you don’t hear from her, here’s her phone number…” Wow.

At about 1:00, I got a call from the manager. “Sir, I’ve been trying to figure out a way to extract the information you’re looking for, but it turns out it’s something our systems just don’t track. There might be one possible way, but I’d need a little more information from you.”  The information she needed wasn’t going to be readily available to me, so I thanked her, satisfied that she did everything possible to help me.

A couple days later, I received a call from the first operator I spoke with. “I’m just following up, sir, to make sure that you got a response from the department of this’n’that.” I explained that I had received a call, and I really appreciated their efforts to help me out.

So, the City couldn’t provide me with the information I needed, but in fairness, it was an obscure bit of information that they didn’t have any reason to track. I was none-the-less impressed that they tried, and that there was concern for customer service and there was follow-up. The two people I spoke with both seemed happy and determined to help me.

I have not always been generous with my comments about the operations of our fair city (nor about the politicians who represent the place), but I’m going to say now that I dismissed the Toronto 311 service before I even gave it a shot.

I was wrong.

I won’t let that happen again.

March 24, 2010
comments 4

Montreal dad fights street hockey fine….

Outrageous.

A Montreal dad was fined after a neighbour complained about a street hockey game. In the municipality of Dollard-des-Ormeaux, it is illegal to play street hockey. A neighbour called the city to complain about the noise, and a city worker came out and asked the guy to move it to a park. He wouldn’t.

I grew up playing street hockey in front of our house (are you from Canada…do you play hockey?). I can’t imagine what the politicians in that municipality were thinking when they created a by-law banning it from the streets. What about cars, you ask? What about public safety, the safety of our children? That’s why the first person to see an on-coming car shouts CARRRRRRRRRR, the goalies grab the nets and move them off to the side and the rest of the players stand at the side of the road, leaning on their sticks, waiting for the driver to move on through. That’s the way it’s done. Any old fool knows that.

Shame on the municipality of Dollard-des-Ormeaux. Shame on the city worker who had the temerity to issue the ticket. Bravo for the brave street hockey player who stood up for street hockey players across this land.

March 23, 2010
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It Hurts Me Too

I’d like to take a brief time out this evening to remind you, gentle readers, that I’m privileged to post over at SqueezeMyLemon along with my blues pals Fitz and Ron. Tonight I posted a few versions of the Tampa Red tune, It Hurts Me Too.

March 22, 2010
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March 22, 2010
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What Yogi said…

My brother the trout, Salvelinas Fontinalis, commented on my post Spring Out Back, quoting Yogi Berra: “You better cut the pizza in four pieces because I’m not hungry enough to eat six.”

Mr. Berra was clearly a wise man. He was after all the guy who said, “this is like deja vu all over again.” I thought it might be fun to see if Mr. Berra had any other notable quotes, and it turns out that yes indeed he did. Here’s a list:

  • As a general comment on baseball: “90% of the game is half mental.”
  • On why he no longer went to Ruggeri’s, a St. Louis restaurant: “Nobody goes there anymore. It’s too crowded.”
  • “It ain’t over till it’s over.” In July 1973, when Berra’s Mets trailed the Chicago Cubs by 9½ games in the National League East; the Mets rallied to win the division title on the penultimate day of the season.
  • When giving directions to Joe Garagiola to his New Jersey home, which is accessible by two routes: “When you come to a fork in the road, take it.”
  • On being the guest of honor at an awards banquet: “Thank you for making this day necessary.”
  • “It’s déjà vu all over again”. Berra explained that this quote originated when he witnessed Mickey Mantle and Roger Maris repeatedly hit back to back home runs in the Yankees’ seasons in the early 1960s.
  • “You can observe a lot by watching.”
  • “Always go to other people’s funerals, otherwise they won’t go to yours.”
  • Simultaneously denying and confirming his reputation, Berra once stated, “I really didn’t say everything I said.”
March 22, 2010
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Before the Devil Knows You’re Dead

We watched Before the Devil Knows You’re Dead last night on dvd. I went in knowing nothing at all about it. It was released in 2007, directed by Sidney Lumet and starring Philip Seymour Hoffman, Ethan Hawke, Marisa Tomei, and Albert Finney.  The film is about two messed up (adult) brothers who decide to rob their parents’ suburban jewelry store. Bad things happen. The film is suspenseful and fairly well acted and assembled, but left me with the question, why do I want to watch this family self-destruct? I couldn’t find the answer.

March 22, 2010
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Lake of Stew

I heard a cut from these guys on Deep Roots the other day on the CBC. My kind of outfit.

I don’t know much about these guys. Apparently they’re from Montreal. As regular readers of this here blog know all too well, I have great affection for rough and ready folky-dolky music, and if there’s a squeezebox in there, I start to get pretty excited.  I hope you all enjoyed these tunes as much as I did.