tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-363594232024-03-14T06:03:54.188-05:004-0-WonderlandThe river and the land sustain usMitahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17662779929151451964noreply@blogger.comBlogger84125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36359423.post-11980896192317354052014-09-26T14:37:00.001-05:002014-09-26T14:42:55.248-05:00Open Data allows us to tell our own storiesI'm the current lead of <a href="http://hackf.org/opendatawindsoressex/">Open Data Windsor-Essex</a> and so I can say with some authority that most people have no idea what <a href="https://okfn.org/opendata/" target="_blank">Open Data</a> is and why they should care enough to ask for it.<br />
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So I'd like to give an illustrated example to demonstrate the power of Open Data in the pursuit of trying to make sense of the world.<br />
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This story begins with someone I know who asked me if I had a good population map for Essex County as she wanted to do some research in relation to the proposed "<a href="http://www.wrh.on.ca/Site_Published/AcuteCare/RichText.aspx?Body.QueryId.Id=58890&LeftNav.QueryId.Categories=774">mega-hospital" for Windsor-Essex</a>. After some digging around, I found <a href="http://www12.statcan.gc.ca/census-recensement/2011/geo/map-carte/ref/thematic-thematiques-eng.cfm">the thematic map for Windsor that shows the population change from the 2006 Census to the one in 2011</a> [<a href="http://www12.statcan.gc.ca/census-recensement/2011/geo/map-carte/pdf/thematic/2011-98310-001-559-013-01-00-eng.pdf">pdf</a>].<br />
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<a href="http://www12.statcan.gc.ca/census-recensement/2011/geo/map-carte/pdf/thematic/2011-98310-001-559-013-01-00-eng.pdf" target="_blank"><img alt="http://www12.statcan.gc.ca/census-recensement/2011/geo/map-carte/pdf/thematic/2011-98310-001-559-013-01-00-eng.pdf" border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhhiSeq0JE5OnBwWNdkuc0OGvrpa-n0MUdFQRuwMdxUBZEaGr62B8yXCX8GgLIyfIIhzOcoJSQZR8PXXDmd8Vcgy-I0iGUFKMptPmiwC-42GMGuOHQvQkatua_s8I8SWmnLuZNO/s1600/WindsorCMAPopDrop.png" height="306" width="400" /></a></div>
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What struck me about this map was that it highlights growth in the Windsor CMA but doesn't express much about the degree of population loss. Every census tract that experienced loss is treated equally by the map. 55 of the 73 tracts experienced a loss, but map makers chose to highlight the differences in the growth instead.<br />
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Curious about this, I thought I would use Open Data provided by the federal government to make my own map. I'm planning to write up the technical details of how I did this on my mapping blog in the near future, but for this post, I'll just give you the rough process that was involved in the map making.<br />
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First, I used the Canada Open Data portal to find this reference map of <a href="http://data.gc.ca/data/en/dataset/3c10c922-3eb4-48ba-b00f-a95c09ca3ee0">Census Tract Boundary files for 2011</a>. The files are in SHP format, otherwise known as ESRI Shapefiles, and the format needs GIS software for opening, reading, and editing. I used <a href="http://www.qgis.org/en/site/">QGIS</a> to open the file and select only the parts of the map relating to the Windsor CMA.<br />
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I then opened <a href="http://data.gc.ca/data/en/dataset/7153dd88-5aae-4cf6-a8e6-047f9e4bbff0">a *huge* spreadsheet of census information by census tract</a> also provided by the Open Data catalogue. This was a particularly messy spreadsheet because it summarizes a number of data sets within the same column and it's huge because it covers all of the census tracts of Canada. I ended up using <a href="http://www.sublimetext.com/">Sublime Text</a> with the <a href="https://github.com/davidpeckham/FilterLines">Filter Lines plug-in</a> to remove what was unnecessary until I was left with a table of data of Windsor Essex census tracts and population numbers for 2006 and 2011.<br />
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After a bit of trial and error, I figured out how to merge this table of data with my map of Windsor-Essex. Then I followed <a href="http://hacker.vre.upei.ca/creating-simplified-geojson-map-prince-edward-island-lots">these instructions kindly provided by Peter Rukavina to turn these SHP files into GeoJSON</a>. GeoJSON is a format that allows for all sorts of manipulations on the web, freed from the constraints of geographic information systems. For example, I was now able to take my new dataset and make it available as <a href="https://gist.github.com/copystar/11e6a56dad7931a9014c">a Gist on Github for others to share or improve</a>.<br />
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<a href="https://gist.github.com/copystar/11e6a56dad7931a9014c" target="_blank"><img alt="https://gist.github.com/copystar/11e6a56dad7931a9014c" border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQ7sAtVCnCOLQjNUP5686UrnD2Kg3QLvONnzlBp-oVv9FKMqOitm_6XkVWHqfgu94yF-5uxBFyFRCZgfuZ5F4ztq4HdTuDYiqrdj6fG0siUR45KaPbUq9A48Mm0XKwFpHUOjRV/s1600/gist.png" height="340" width="400" /></a></div>
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While all the relevant data is there, the above map is clearly not particular useful or clearly expressing itself. And so I followed <a href="http://leafletjs.com/examples/choropleth.html">this tutorial on how to create an interactive choropleth map</a> using the <a href="http://leafletjs.com/">Leaflet JavaScript library</a>. <br />
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After some more trial and error futzing around (and <a href="http://www.sfu.ca/~bricker/lab5s2.html">more help from others kind enough to share their tips</a>) I finally was able to finish making a map I could be proud of :: <b>click on the image below or <a href="http://theplaceisnow.aedileworks.com/mappings/11-%20PopDrop/WindsorEssexPopChange2006-2011.html" target="_blank">this link</a> to see the map in it's full interactive choroplethic glory:</b><br />
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<a href="http://theplaceisnow.aedileworks.com/mappings/11-%20PopDrop/WindsorEssexPopChange2006-2011.html" target="_blank"><img alt="http://theplaceisnow.aedileworks.com/mappings/11-%20PopDrop/WindsorEssexPopChange2006-2011.html" border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjG7nPkdqLQcdRcipHEC-Y9s_ZfknV0MoExdU8NkgK2wq88H4evgxlJ3fnmTyyUcGfngTvIp5wadE82U4gEsRQBfymCWSyEsXQSY1W5Ed9s_gw9oSS7TwaqJnwY76tAxFqwHgRB/s1600/Windsor+Essex+Population+Change,+from+2011+and+2006+2014-09-26+15-10-42.png" height="252" width="400" /></a></div>
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Now we can see a distinctly different snapshot of the population changes of Windsor Essex: namely that there has been significant population loss of population in the West end of the City of Windsor.<br />
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Please note that the percentages of population change in my map are similar but not identical with the map produced by Statistics Canada. I'll investigate further to determine how much difference there is between the data set that I used and the <a href="http://www12.statcan.gc.ca/census-recensement/2011/geo/map-carte/ref/thematic_download-thematiques_telecharger-eng.cfm?SERIES=B&CACODE=559&CANAME=Windsor" target="_blank">dataset used to build the Statistics Canada thematic map</a>. <br />
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I like to this think that the measure of a good map is that it tells a story but also invites further questions. If you have such questions, please let me know in the comments.<br />
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<br />Mitahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17662779929151451964noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36359423.post-73609490364084635072014-07-20T22:41:00.001-05:002014-07-20T22:54:34.482-05:00The War on the Care (of Cycling Infrastructure)"<a href="http://toronto.ctvnews.ca/ford-says-ending-the-war-on-cars-a-top-priority-1.580604">The War on the Car</a>" was one of the most memorable slogans of the Rob Ford mayoral campaign of 2010. At the time, it raised incredulity among cycling enthusiasts who didn't feel that they were in a war (and if they were, they felt that they were on the side that was bearing the causalities from each skirmish). But despite the protests of the <a href="http://spacing.ca/spacings-pinko-buttons-magnets/">bike-riding pinkos</a> that there was no war being waged, the campaign slogan appeared to be resonant with <a href="http://www.patrickcain.ca/?p=1979">the car-commuting electorate</a>. If we consider that the act of <a href="http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/toronto/jarvis-bike-lanes-to-be-removed-1.980377">removing the bike lanes from Jarvis</a> cost much more than their installation, it suggests that Ford considered "The war on the bicycle" a more potent political credo than his "Respect for taxpayers" and 'Stop the Gravy Train' campaign slogans.<br />
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I mention this as a way to explain why I'm guessing that at this moment, it feels politically risky for some politicians to be explicitly endorse a cycling infrastructure.<br />
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At the last City Council meeting for the City of Windsor, the motion to develop separate a bike lane on Cabana Road was deferred on account that the improvement had not received suitable public consultation.<br />
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<blockquote class="tr_bq">
The problem, however, is that the improved bicycling option for the
5.2-km stretch of Cabana between Walker Road and the new Herb Gray
Parkway would gobble up a sizable portion of the $6.8 million city
council has allotted for completion of the “Windsor Loop” bike path
circling the city and connecting existing bike lanes.<br />
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Council originally approved $1.8 million for the Cabana bike paths in
2013, with an additional $5 million added in the 2014 budget to
complete the remaining 12.4 kilometres of the 42.5-kilometre Windsor
Loop and 17.8 kilometres of connecting bike trails.<br />
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The estimated cost for segregated bike paths along Cabana — including
one-metre additional pavement width and half-metre buffers on each side
of the road — is estimated at $4.29 million plus HST. (<a href="http://blogs.windsorstar.com/news/city-envisions-segregated-bike-paths-for-cabana">Schmidt, Doug, "Segregated bike paths envisioned for Cabana", Windsor Star, July 7th, 2014</a>)</blockquote>
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(To put these numbers in perspective: we've just invested almost 2 <a href="http://www.tc.gc.ca/eng/programs/surface-highways-projects-ont_windsor-1163.htm">billion</a> <a href="http://actionplan.gc.ca/en/initiative/detroit-river-international-crossing">dollars </a>on the new Detroit River Crossing. There is no war on the car in Windsor, Ontario.) <br />
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It's difficult to argue against proper public consultation but the delay is unfortunate because now the initiative must delayed until a new City Council is elected in October. It might just be poor timing, but one wonders if the city didn't want to risk the initiative in front of councilors that might be wary of spending money on cycling infrastructure before an election. <br />
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It's important to be aware of the political climate when being an activist or an advocate. There are certain environments that allows political change to take place. For example, we sometimes like to think that the Dutch have their amazing cycling infrastructure because they are an inherently progressive population. <a href="http://bicycledutch.wordpress.com/2011/10/20/how-the-dutch-got-their-cycling-infrastructure/">But as this short post and video suggests</a>, the transformation of Amsterdam from a city filled with gridlock and parking lots to a city of public squares and cycling infrastructure, was more of an accident of political activism and good timing. The tragedy of 400 child deaths from cars in 1971 led to mass protests which was then followed by an global oil crisis which forced the entire population to understand what car dependency meant on a personal level.<br />
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The car has shaped our cities and our sense of own personal mobility and agency that it's hard to comprehend a life without riding in a car. Indeed, <a href="https://worlddominationsummit.com/speakers/john-francis">to choose a life without the use of a motorized vehicle is an extraordinary one</a>. <br />
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And yet, the climate is changing.<br />
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The baby boomers are getting older <a href="http://www.strongtowns.org/journal/2012/3/5/forgive-and-forget.html#.U8yBz7HfjYE">and they are starting to lose their licenses</a>. And young people - well, <a href="http://www.fastcoexist.com/3027876/millennials-dont-care-about-owning-cars-and-car-makers-cant-figure-out-why">young people aren't buying cars anymore</a>. <br />
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We need to let our city councilors know that now the time to invest in cycling infrastructure and that they can vote on this measure with clear support. And we can do so this Thursday, June 24th, 4:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m., at the Roseland Golf and Curling Club, 455 Kennedy Drive West, Windsor. <br />
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<blockquote class="tr_bq">
A second public Information Centre (PIC) is scheduled for Thursday, July 24, 2014 to present the recommended option to the public.All interested stakeholders are invited to attend this drop-in style open house to meet the Project Team, become informed about the recommended alternative and provide comments. </blockquote>
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(An aside: Why are the details of this meeting hidden in a <a href="http://www.citywindsor.ca/residents/Recreation/CycleWindsor/Documents/Cabana%20PIC2%20-%20Notice.pdf">pdf file</a> embedded on the City of Windsor's <a href="http://www.citywindsor.ca/residents/Recreation/CycleWindsor/Pages/Windsor-Loop.aspx">Windsor Loop</a> page? Is it just a simple oversight or is this <a href="http://www.tedxtoronto.com/speakers/dave-meslin/">what Dave Meslin would describe as a deliberate design choice?)</a><br />
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There is a certain irony that I'm planning to drive there to let them know that I personally endorse separated bicycle lanes because I'm so terrified of the dreaded Cabana underpass that is the very reason for this initiative.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgObDvW-CqN-Lgu5QikoAJ-iNWqctZsX-ldzupNSXKL7SzVFTt9I-pab3F0wF0IHlXXNOkwA4iHMOpsSynWhw7I4xEZNTzBZ7UE5kNQe84Cq-TsAh78gLP0P8emHMP6K1oPbcr-/s1600/Google+Maps+2014-07-20+23-43-05.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgObDvW-CqN-Lgu5QikoAJ-iNWqctZsX-ldzupNSXKL7SzVFTt9I-pab3F0wF0IHlXXNOkwA4iHMOpsSynWhw7I4xEZNTzBZ7UE5kNQe84Cq-TsAh78gLP0P8emHMP6K1oPbcr-/s1600/Google+Maps+2014-07-20+23-43-05.png" height="267" width="400" /></a></div>
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Let me know if you need a ride!Mitahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17662779929151451964noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36359423.post-78714683013627364752014-06-24T16:00:00.000-05:002014-06-24T16:00:39.470-05:00An X for a 123The provincial election has just passed and after a brief respite, the municipal election will begin to simmer until the deadline for nominations on <a href="http://www.citywindsor.ca/cityhall/municipal-election/pages/municipal-election.aspx">September 12th passes and then talk of local politics promises to boil steadily until October 27th</a>. Well, that's only for a minority who might listen at all. Despite being the site of a highly contested seat, only 43.3% of voters in Windsor-West cast a ballot in the provincial election [<a href="http://globalnews.ca/news/1391714/ontario-voter-turnout-is-wait-for-it-actually-going-up/">source</a>]. <br />
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Voters are a largely disenchanted lot. And the reasons why are numerous. People are turned off by partisan bickering and attack ads. People want to vote with their principles but are told that if they do so, they are 'splitting the vote' and they should instead vote for someone else. And the parties themselves rarely change between elections and the faces that represent them don't change that much either, especially when you only glace at them from a distance. <br />
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There are those who chide people for not voting. They pronounce that people will 'lose their right to complain' if they don't vote. They pronounce that young people 'just don't care' about politics. And that's wrong because the problem isn't with the people of Ontario. <br />
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The problem is with the first past-the-post voting system, as beautifully illustrated in this video:<br />
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<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="//www.youtube.com/embed/s7tWHJfhiyo?rel=0" width="560"></iframe>
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People want to vote 'for something' and if that's not there, they are not going to vote.<br />
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This Ontario election, I voted *for something*. <a href="http://www.123toronto.ca/where_do_they_stand.htm">I voted for the party that promised to bring ranked ballots to municipal elections</a>. <br />
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Ranked ballots:<br />
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<ul>
<li><a href="http://www.123toronto.ca/benefits.htm">Eliminates vote splitting</a></li>
<li><a href="http://www.123toronto.ca/benefits.htm">Reduces strategic voting</a></li>
<li><a href="http://www.123toronto.ca/benefits.htm">Ensures majority support</a></li>
<li><a href="http://www.123toronto.ca/benefits.htm">Discourages negative campaigning</a></li>
<li><a href="http://www.123toronto.ca/benefits.htm">Provides more choice for voters</a></li>
</ul>
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It even <a href="http://youtu.be/3Y3jE3B8HsE">works wonders in the Animal Kingdom</a>. <i>And </i><a href="http://sasandor.blogspot.ca/2014/06/EverybodyPlayNice.html">the United States</a>.<br />
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If all goes well, <a href="http://www.123toronto.ca/timeline.htm">there will be ranked ballot elections in Toronto in 2018</a>. Already, similar campaigns to bring ranked ballots to the voters in <a href="http://123barrie.ca/">Barrie</a>, <a href="http://ottawa123.ca/en/ottawa123">Ottawa</a>, <a href="http://123vancouver.ca/">Vancouver</a>, and <a href="http://www.123london.ca/">London</a> have begun. <br />
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Is it time to bring a 123Campaign to Windsor? I really don't know. To find out, I'm going to ask the candidates for Mayor and City Council come September 12th, to help me decide how I'm going to vote in October.Mitahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17662779929151451964noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36359423.post-28817794115594623532010-05-10T07:56:00.002-05:002010-05-10T08:20:30.578-05:00What's next after Windsor-Essex ChangeCamp?Windsor has already had <a href="http://www.brokencitylab.org/blog/talk-20-pecha-kucha-windsor/">its very own</a> <a href="http://www.talk20.org/">Talk20</a> event.<br />And the <a href="http://www.wechangecamp.ca/">Windsor-Essex ChangeCamp</a> has just passed.<br /><br />I find it fascinating that not only are there are so many small-scale and local events out there (such as speaking series like <a href="http://treehousegroup.org/">The Treehouse Group</a> and <a href="http://www.trampolinehall.net/lecturelist/past_lecturers.html">Trampoline Hall</a>) but there are now several of these types of events that explicitly lend themselves as a template for others to adopt and bring to their own community - events like <a href="http://ignite.oreilly.com/">Ignite</a>, <a href="http://www.janeswalk.net/">Jane's Walk</a>, <a href="http://www.ted.com/tedx">TEDx</a>, <a href="http://givecamp.org/">GiveCamps</a>, and <a href="http://podcamp.pbworks.com/">Podcamps</a>.<br /><br />I'm wondering what will be next.Mitahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17662779929151451964noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36359423.post-59703262162465041902010-04-04T07:00:00.001-05:002010-04-04T13:01:29.802-05:00This blog has moved<br /> This blog is now located at http://4-0-wonderland.newjackalmanac.ca/.<br /> You will be automatically redirected in 30 seconds, or you may click <a href='http://4-0-wonderland.newjackalmanac.ca/'>here</a>.<br /><br /> For feed subscribers, please update your feed subscriptions to<br /> http://4-0-wonderland.newjackalmanac.ca/feeds/posts/default.<br /> Mitahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17662779929151451964noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36359423.post-21517864902070615822009-06-29T07:16:00.003-05:002009-06-29T08:05:40.200-05:00Fear of a Tallgrass PlanetAnother day, <a href="http://www.windsorstar.com/Technology/Google+Street+View+snaps+pics+around+Windsor/1742110/story.html">another piece in the Windsor Star decrying the weed-riddled parks</a> that have flourished during the City of Windsor's outside workers 'work-stoppage'. Personally, I think that the <a href="http://www.windsorstar.com/search/search.html?q=bobolinks">emergence of prairie birds in our city parks</a> has been the only positive outcome that has come out of this unfortunate situation that we've found ourselves in. (Actually, that and <a href="http://www.brokencitylab.org/blog/braiding-grass-in-windsor/">grass-braiding</a>)<br /><br />But I know that here where once was a sea of <a href="http://www.ontarionature.org/onnature/coverstory.html">tallgrass prairie</a> - that I'm in the minority. Most people in Windsor love routinely-mowed grass. In fact most people in the Western world love the lawn and the history of this love affair has been wonderfully captured in <a href="http://www.newyorker.com/arts/critics/books/2008/07/21/080721crbo_books_kolbert?currentPage=all">Elizabeth Kolbert's New Yorker article "Turf War"</a>.<br /><br />While Kolbert history of the lawn largely equates short-grass with material wealth, <a href="http://www.newyorker.com/magazine/letters/2008/09/01/080901mama_mail2">there is credible evidence that our love of short-grass is genetically hard-wired into our species</a>:<br /><br /><blockquote>As a reflection on what lawns mean to people, Gordon H. Orians, a professor emeritus of biology at the University of Washington, Seattle, took photographs of a wide variety of vegetation habitats and asked people around the world to rate them. African savannas were preferred by a large margin. We evolved in a habitat where short green grass provided evidence of abundant grazing mammals; pruned shrubs similarly evidenced lots of browsers; and open spaces meant we could see the dangerous lions, hyenas, and other predators.</blockquote><br />So how can we - those of us who are actively working to increase the amount of naturalized land in the Windsor and Essex County to sustainable levels - work around this tendency and keep some of the tallgrass in our public places?<br /><br />I think I've found an answer in the book, <a href="http://www.islandpress.com/bookstore/details.php?prod_id=656">With People in Mind: Design and Management of Everyday Nature</a> by <a href="http://www.snre.umich.edu/profile/rkaplan">Rachel Kaplan</a>, <a href="http://www-personal.umich.edu/%7Eskap/">Stephen Kaplan</a> and Robert L. Ryan. This 1998 work distills decades of research into the design of natural spaces into an easily understandable frame work that designers, public officials and citizens can use to design or evaluate local open space.<br /><br /><iframe style="border: 0px none ;" src="http://books.google.ca/books?id=snqtOUwqlXsC&lpg=PP1&ots=czWA7QBkM_&dq=rachel%20kaplan%20stephen%20kaplan&pg=PA12&output=embed" scrolling="no" width="500" frameborder="0" height="500"></iframe><br /><br />I'm currently reading the <a href="http://windsor.concat.ca/opac/en-CA/skin/uwin/xml/rdetail.xml?r=2234566&m=3952400&t=With%20People%20in%20Mind%20Design%20And%20Management%20Of%20Everyday%20Nature&tp=keyword&l=106&d=1&hc=1">Leddy Library copy of this book</a> and the good news is that there are strategies that can employed to create public spaces that incorporate natural space while addressing people's fears and preferences to outdoor space.Mitahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17662779929151451964noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36359423.post-4523729366119245292009-05-13T07:51:00.003-05:002009-05-13T08:07:44.629-05:00Jane's Walk in Walkerville<span style="text-decoration: underline;"></span><a href="http://www.janeswalk.net/">The Jane's Walk</a> that we had in Walkerville went over really well. We had around forty people enjoying the warmth of the sun, of the company around them and of the stories they told of their neighbourhood.<br /><br />These folks were there and they describe the walk better than I can:<br /><br />- <a href="http://www.internationalmetropolis.com/?p=1867">http://www.internationalmetropolis.com/?p=1867</a><br />- <a href="http://www.scaledown.ca/2009/05/04/ive-never-had-so-much-hope/">http://www.scaledown.ca/2009/05/04/ive-never-had-so-much-hope/</a><br />- <a href="http://www.lulujane.ca/?p=383">http://www.lulujane.ca/?p=383</a><br />- <a href="http://community.livejournal.com/windsor_visuals/101409.html">http://community.livejournal.com/windsor_visuals/101409.html</a><br /><br />One of the reasons why I love the Jane's Walk event is because it is one of the few events I've come across that <span style="font-weight: bold;">embodies the ideas it celebrates:</span> community, conversation, walking, neighbourhoods, sharing, accessibility, stories, and activism.<br /><br />On that note, is anyone interested in a Jane Jacobs book club?Mitahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17662779929151451964noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36359423.post-9228281915969534692009-05-01T10:43:00.003-05:002009-05-01T11:07:33.955-05:00Join us tomorrow for a Jane's Walk in Walkerville<blockquote style="font-weight: bold;">“No one can find what will work for our cities by looking at ... suburban garden cities, manipulating scale models, or inventing dream cities.<span style=""> </span>You've got to get out and walk.”</blockquote><br /><div style="text-align: center;font-family:verdana;"><span style="font-size:180%;">Jane's Walk in Walkerville<br />Saturday, May 2, 11 am<br />starts & ends at Taloola Café<br /></span></div><br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Jane’s Walk is a neighbourhood tour that celebrates the work of activist and urbanist Jane Jacobs and the city life she loved. </span><br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Please join our tour guides from Scaledown.ca as we look at the way Walkerville's historical buildings have been creatively re-used to meet the needs of today's residents. We will also imagine improvements to the neighbourhood and discuss ways to take the best of Walkerville into the future. The walk is on, rain or shine.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">For more info, see </span><a style="font-weight: bold;" href="http://www.scaledown.ca/2009/05/01/windsors-janes-walk-tomorrow/">Scaledown.ca</a><span style="font-weight: bold;"> or </span><a style="font-weight: bold;" href="http://janeswalk.net/">Janeswalk.net</a><o:p></o:p><p></p><span style=";font-family:";font-size:22;" ><o:p></o:p></span>Mitahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17662779929151451964noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36359423.post-6858968082395456842009-05-01T05:54:00.005-05:002009-05-01T10:09:13.534-05:00No news is good news from the Windsor StarOk, I understand that Chysler's bankruptcy is going to dominate today's news coverage, <a href="http://www.alanhalberstadt.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=10050&Itemid=87">but why is it that I only learned from Alan Halberstadt's blog that</a>,<br /><p><span style=";font-family:Verdana;font-size:85%;" ></span></p><blockquote><p><span style=";font-family:Verdana;font-size:85%;" >Getting back to my alleged subservience to the mayor, I can use last night as a good example to refute such charges. I cast opposing votes on two of the mayor's pet infrastructure stimulus projects that will be forwarded to the federal government -- $30 million to service urban sprawl greenfields in the old Sandwich South, and some $44 million for Eddie's west waterfront marina-canal. One third of the projects cleared last night will be funded by city taxpayers if approved by the senior governments. I was the lone dissenter on the urban sprawl project.</span></p> <p><span style=";font-family:Verdana;font-size:85%;" >The canal-marina was defeated on a 6-4 vote. I couldn't, in good conscience, vote for a project without seeing any details or a business plan. Dave Cooke turned over the documents to the mayor a number of weeks ago, but the plan has yet to be seen or vetted by Council or the public.</span></p></blockquote><p><span style=";font-family:Verdana;font-size:85%;" ></span></p>This dodgy voting process occurred two nights ago and <span style="font-weight: bold; font-style: italic;">there is not a single word mentioned in the Windsor Star about this?</span><br /><br />Why do I subscribe to this paper again?Mitahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17662779929151451964noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36359423.post-74163227740528805142009-04-16T07:49:00.006-05:002009-04-16T12:14:17.772-05:00A man. A plan. Something awfulI don't want to spend too much time on <a href="http://www.windsorstar.com/news/Canal+proposal+called+doable/1459583/story.html">the canal proposal that has recently been designated as 'doable'</a> by a small task force. It doesn't seem right to weigh on a proposal that <a href="http://myward2.blogspot.com/2009/04/canal-project.html">hasn't even been seen by city councilors</a>. But that hasn't stopped the mayor of Windsor from championing its merits and the likes of <a href="http://www.windsorstar.com/Travel/Critics+howl+city+canal+idea+merit/1486927/story.html">Gord Henderson to malign detractors of the idea</a>.<br /><br />But I wanted to make mention of the issue for two reasons. First, Chris Schnurr has recently researched and written a couple great posts about the topic.<br /><br />From his post, <a href="http://chrisschnurr.wordpress.com/2009/04/13/60-points-of-light-canal-vision-and-ward-review/">60 Points of Light</a>:<br /><br /><blockquote>Mr. Henderson again attempted to paint the canal as the saviour of the downtown by resurrecting the famed Bricktown Canal completed at a cost of $26-million in 1999 in Oklahoma City, population 1-million.... But what Mr. Henderson did not tell us was that the Bricktown Canal was but one of 9 projects approved by voters there known as the MAPS Master Plan...</blockquote><br />This master plan includes: fairgrounds renovations, a new AAA baseball park, a bus trolley system, renovation of its convention center and music hall, a new arena and new library and learning centre. Banking downtown revitalization on a canal is not unlike banking revitalization on a marina, <a href="http://chrisschnurr.wordpress.com/2009/04/14/the-evolution-of-the-original-nabob/">the prospect of which was something that Gord Henderson loathed back in 2003</a>.<br /><br />The central tenant of the canal proposal is that a water feature will lure Windsor households to move downtown. What I find so absurd is that <span style="font-weight: bold;">we already have a beautiful water feature downtown</span>. <span style="font-weight: bold;">Its called the Detroit River</span>. And we have a beautiful chain of riverside parks that, with a fraction of the costs to add water a couple blocks inland, could become <a href="http://www.pps.org/great_public_spaces/">a truly great public place</a>.<br /><br />That's all I'll say for the time being. Part of me agrees with <a href="http://windsorcityon.blogspot.com/search?q=canal">Ed that the canal proposal is just a distraction</a> from <a href="http://www.windsorshadow.com/The-Bright-Side.html">all the ills from the not so bright side of Windsor</a>.Mitahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17662779929151451964noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36359423.post-17669279379438380672009-03-22T07:31:00.003-05:002014-06-24T10:11:43.602-05:00Incubuating small businesses in a Windsor kitchen<a href="http://www.scaledown.ca/2009/03/21/dr-morgan-whats-your-definition-of-small-business/">Like other local bloggers</a>, I recommend reading Alfie Morgan's <a href="http://www.windsorstar.com/news/turnaround+plan+city+economy/1412796/story.html">Turnaround Plan to Fix City Economy </a>that was printed in yesterday's Windsor Star. I don't agree with everything Morgan proposes in his plan but it contains a world's more sense than some of the <a href="http://www.windsorstar.com/story_print.html?id=1141332">schemes that the past Windsor Essex Development Commission dreamed up</a>.<br />
<br />
Here's one possible way we could encourage the start of new businesses in Windsor. I figure that the combination of our access to prime agricultural products and the ethnic diversity of our citizens should provide the right conditions to grow food-production businesses in our locale. But starting a small food business is not an easy matter as it is illegal to prepare food for sale in one's one home kitchen. I learned this fact from <a href="http://www.tasteto.com/2009/02/02/starting-a-baking-business-its-not-a-cakewalk/">this post from the Taste T.O. blog which goes on to describe the kitchen incubators available in the city to provide industrial kitchen space to entrepreneurs</a>.<br />
<br />
Since St. Clair College offers a <a href="http://www.stclaircollege.ca/programs/postsec/chef/">culinary skills program</a>, they have industrial kitchen space. I propose that a request be made to St. Clair College to rent the space, when not in use, to create a local kitchen incubator for the Windsor Essex region.<br />
<br />
Like the suggestions in Alfie Morgan's plan, this proposal is practical, feasible, and the only thing holding us back is will.Mitahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17662779929151451964noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36359423.post-78934569868978169452009-02-24T21:25:00.004-05:002009-02-24T22:11:13.782-05:00Speed dating for farmers<a href="http://twitter.com/onhortcrops/status/1246367344">I learned from this tweet from the Ontario Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs</a>, that the <a href="http://www.ledc.com/home/">London Economic Development Commission</a> is hosting this event:<br /><br /><a style="font-weight: bold;" href="http://www.ledc.com/newsevents/events/FFB/FFBeCard.php">LOCAL FOODS FARMER/FOOD BUYER SPEED NETWORKING EVENT</a><br />"Connecting Farmers and Food Buyers to tap into the Buy Local food market place"<br />March 31, 2009, Western Fair<br /><br />We desperately need to make better connections between Windsor and Essex County and an event like this could do wonders towards starting up relationships between our tourism and agriculture industries. Too bad our own <a href="http://www.windsorstar.com/search/search.html?q=WEDC">Windsor Economic Development Corporation have other things on their mind...</a>Mitahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17662779929151451964noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36359423.post-1949739147928823182009-02-23T20:31:00.003-05:002009-02-23T20:42:14.935-05:00Upcoming Local Landscaping Classes<p></p><blockquote><p>This year we're pleased to offer another series of our Naturalized Landscaping Course. These weekly, 6 part classes combine the best of traditional landscaping concepts with tried and true approaches to incorporating native plants, attracting wildlife and other environmentally sustainable techniques. Since first being introduced in 2002, this course has benefitted over 600 area residents. This year, we're pleased to offer four editions of this course at four convenient locations, which are as follows:</p><p>Essex, beginning on Monday March 9. * Tecumseh, beginning on Tuesday, March 10. * Windsor, beginning on Wednesday, March 11. * Kingsville, beginning on Thursday, March 12</p><p>All classes begin at 7:00 PM and typically last about 2 hours. Registration for each person is $50, which include a complete annual membership. Most classes can accomodate 20 participants and are open to both new and experienced gardeners. Registrations are now underway will continue as long as there is still vacancy in each class. To secure your spot in a class or to learn more, call Dan at 519-259-2407. [<a href="http://www.naturalizedhabitat.org/content/category/3/75/65/">Naturalized Habitat Network</a>]</p></blockquote>Mitahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17662779929151451964noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36359423.post-63443968806070239102009-02-20T08:58:00.003-05:002009-02-20T09:57:50.278-05:00Space - The Eternal FrontierI'm still thinking about last night's Talk20 event. Because I had brought my family to Artcite I couldn't pop over to Phog afterwards to see who was continuing the conversations that had begun after the slideshows were over.<br /><br />While cities have always facinated people, there has been a definate resurgence in exploring public spaces and making them more liveable. If I had to put a local starting point on it, I would say that it began <a href="http://spacing.ca/">about five years ago with the launch of Spacing Magazine</a> and <a href="http://www.greencorridor.ca/completed/">The Green Corridor</a> project. Since then, initiatives such as <a href="http://www.scaledown.ca/">Scaledown Windsor</a> and <a href="http://fedupwindsor.blogspot.com/">FedUp! Windsor</a> have emerged alongside long-standing groups such as the <a href="http://citizensenvironmentalliance.org/">CEA</a> and <a href="http://www.artcite.ca/">ArtCite</a> to encourage and coordinate local action for a better city. Adding to this confluence are new faculty at the University of Windsor such as <a href="http://jameyessex.blogspot.com/">Jamey Essex</a> and <a href="http://www.visiblecity.ca/home/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=100&Itemid=50">Michael Darroch</a> joining the likes of <a href="http://www.vabe.ca/community/">Veronika Mogyorody</a> among others who have been engaged in working with the community as part of their practice.<br /><br />Its funny that many folks predicted that <a href="http://www.guardian.co.uk/lifeandstyle/2009/feb/15/this-much-i-know-clay-shirky-technology">cyberspace</a> would diminish the role of real space in our lives but all evidence seems to show the opposite is happening. Social software, online maps, and location-aware devices such as GPS receivers, digital cameras and cell phones are making us more aware of where we are.Mitahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17662779929151451964noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36359423.post-85357049976185857102009-02-19T21:45:00.003-05:002009-02-19T21:53:40.237-05:00The City As Playground : The Slides<span style="font-size:100%;">Slides and speakers notes (found in the actions menu) are available through <a href="http://docs.google.com/Presentation?id=dhcc8gm3_29hjgr94fr">this link to the presentation</a>.<br /><br />Much thanks to <a href="http://www.jodigreen.ca/">Jodi Green</a> and <a href="http://www.artcite.ca/">Artcite</a> for the opportunity to be part of such a fun event.</span>Mitahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17662779929151451964noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36359423.post-53894372747654266262009-02-16T09:19:00.001-05:002009-02-16T09:19:21.862-05:00Local peas and beans<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/mita/3279176663/" title="photo sharing"><img src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3490/3279176663_51b92fdd63_m.jpg" alt="" style="border: solid 2px #000000;" /></a><br /><span style="font-size: 0.9em; margin-top: 0px;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/mita/3279176663/">from blenheim</a> <br />Originally uploaded by <a href="http://www.flickr.com/people/mita/">Mita</a></span><br clear="all" /><p>We're eating less meat at our house for all the reasons that you, no doubt, are already familiar with. And when possible, we try to buy local.<br /><br />I found these split peas and red beans at a nearby A&P. They are from <a href="http://www.hylandseeds.com/history2.php">Thompsons</a> ("since 1924") in Blenheim, Ontario.<br /><br />I'm finding the culture of Agriculture quite fascinating. For example, <a href="http://www.ontariobeans.on.ca/about.php">I just learned that the Ontario Bean Producers Marketing Board is dedicated only to promoting White Pea Beans. This is why there is also the Ontario Coloured Bean Growers Association</a>.</p>Mitahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17662779929151451964noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36359423.post-83188080880535014172009-02-13T13:54:00.000-05:002009-02-13T13:54:56.743-05:00Buying local for Valentine’s Day<a href="http://www.foodandfarmingcanada.com/2009/02/12/buying-local-for-valentines-day/"></a><blockquote>"This Valentine’s Day, why not try fresh Ontario flowers? The perfect example, say Ontario flower growers, are potted miniature roses - ideal for the upcoming Valentine’s occasion." [<a href="http://www.foodandfarmingcanada.com/2009/02/12/buying-local-for-valentines-day/">Food & Farming Canada</a>]</blockquote>Mitahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17662779929151451964noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36359423.post-62100402346555515952009-02-09T08:57:00.002-05:002009-02-09T09:06:34.028-05:00Pecha Kucha Windsor - February 19 at Artcite<span style="font-size:130%;"><span style="font-weight: bold;">Join us for Windsor's first Pecha Kucha event, a fun-filled evening of words and images</span>.</span><br /><br />Pecha Kucha (or talk20, as it is known in the U.S.) is a public lecture format conceived in 2003 by architects Astrid Klein and Mark Dytham. The format: each presenter shows twenty slides; each slide remains on screen for twenty seconds (thus, each presenter speaks for 6 minutes and 40 seconds total).<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Time : Thursday, February 19, 2009, 7:30pm - 9:30pm</span><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Host/Location: </span><a style="font-weight: bold;" href="http://www.artcite.ca/">Artcite Inc</a><span style="font-weight: bold;">, 109 University Avenue West, Windsor</span><br /><br />For our first Pecha Kucha evening, six presenters will speak about what they love about Windsor, what they hate, their perspective on the challenges currently faced by our community, how to fix it.<br /><br />Our presenters:<br /><br /><ul><li><span style="font-size:85%;">Mita Williams (Leddy Library, University of Windsor): "The City as Playground"</span></li><li><span style="font-size:85%;"><a href="http://justinlanglois.com/">Justin Langlois</a> (MFA Candidate in Visual Arts, University of Windsor): "How to Fix the City: Social Practice in Windsor"</span></li><li><span style="font-size:85%;">Pina and Adriano Ciotoli (co-owners, <a href="http://windsoreats.com/about.html">WindsorEats.com</a>): "Eat Your City"</span></li><li><span style="font-size:85%;">Andrew Foot (<a href="http://www.internationalmetropolis.com/">InternationalMetropolis.com</a>): "Architectural Desecration"</span></li><li><span style="font-size:85%;"><a href="http://tomlucier.com/">Tom Lucier</a> (owner, <a href="http://www.phoglounge.com/">Phog Lounge</a>): "No More Bemoaning: Growing Windsor's Creative Class"</span></li><li><span style="font-size:85%;"><a href="http://www.rodstrickland.ca/Rod_Strickand/rs.html">Rod Strickland</a> (Professor, School of Visual Arts, University of Windsor): "Open Corridor"</span></li></ul><br />See if I can beat the clock!Mitahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17662779929151451964noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36359423.post-61719348057188357102009-02-05T08:40:00.004-05:002009-02-05T11:58:56.504-05:00Road trips for CharityThrough an email from <a href="http://www.nancyjohns.com/">Nancy Johns Gallery & Framing</a> I learned of a Facebook group worth sharing: <a href="http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=9158584662">Road Trips For Charity</a>:<br /><br /><blockquote>We run fun bus trips to lots of fun places to raise needed donations for local charities. It is volunteer organized. No money is raised ONLY needed donations. We love going to all the events, shopping trips, wine tours, Mexican Towne on Mondays, Cedar Point, sporting events, concerts, dinner spots, nightclubs, the list goes on!... We only charge what the fix cost is to run the bus! It's completely volunteer organized event. It's people helping people. The idea is to capture the spirit of community and volunteersim, make a difference in our communities, raise awareness and donations for the charities! Have lots of fun!<br /></blockquote>Mitahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17662779929151451964noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36359423.post-59023418475063432552009-02-02T13:48:00.004-05:002009-02-02T14:01:26.787-05:00City pays for 20 years downpayment on ketchup<p></p><blockquote><p>No municipal taxes for 20 years. Free water for 20 years. A $10,000 building purchased by the town. A free sewer line. </p><p>It’s difficult to judge what that would have meant to a town of 2,500 with no paved streets at a time when a loaf of bread cost pennies. </p><p>With a vote of 551 to 18, Leamington said an overwhelming yes to the H.J. Heinz Company.<br /></p></blockquote><p></p><p><br /></p><p>In today's Windsor Star is <a href="http://www.windsorstar.com/Life/Heinz+marks+century+Leamington/1242288/story.html">an homage to Heinz Canada</a>. The Pittsburgh PA company decided to settle in Canada one hundred years ago.<br /></p><p>I find it fascinating that cities have been trying to lure businesses with tax exemptions and free immenities for so long. Perhaps my assumption that this was only a modern practice is ill founded. Have municipalities alway engaged in this practice?<br /></p><p><br /></p>Mitahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17662779929151451964noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36359423.post-37537530873776380392009-01-22T08:26:00.006-05:002009-01-22T09:12:17.302-05:00It takes a community to make a calendarI <span style="font-style: italic;">was </span>going to write about the sorry state of community calendars in Windsor - those sad "please submit your event two weeks in advance" calendars that are online but done so in such a way that there is no way to easily add them to a personal online calendar, on the web, on your your pc or mac, or to your cell phone. (I'm looking at *you* <a href="http://www.cbc.ca/windsor/community/">CBC Windsor</a> and <a href="http://www.am800cklw.com/main.php?id=17">AM800</a>). Sadly, it appears that there once was a Google driven Community Calendar provided by The City of Windsor <a href="http://www.citywindsor.ca/news/events.asp">but it looks like they've started using something a less functional and pretty</a>.<br /><br />But after doing some searching around, I was surprised to find a growing number of local calendars on Google Calendar.<br /><br />So you are going to have to make your own community calendar starting with these:<br /><br /><span style="font-size:85%;"><a href="http://www.google.com/calendar/embed?src=kjegardner%40gmail.com&ctz=America/New_York"></a><a href="https://www.google.com/calendar/images/html.gif">Buying Local Foods... : Local Food Events</a> : <a href="http://www.google.com/calendar/feeds/c84n9ehbk4j8v49s506om1g08s%40group.calendar.google.com/public/basic"><img src="https://www.google.com/calendar/images/xml.gif" alt="" border="0" /></a> <a href="http://www.google.com/calendar/ical/c84n9ehbk4j8v49s506om1g08s%40group.calendar.google.com/public/basic.ics"><img src="https://www.google.com/calendar/images/ical.gif" alt="" border="0" /></a><br /><a href="http://www.google.com/calendar/embed?src=o3p2jkkb21ka0gsbkn2644fnp8%40group.calendar.google.com&ctz=America/New_York">Arts Council - Windsor & Region (ACWR)</a> : <a href="http://www.google.com/calendar/feeds/o3p2jkkb21ka0gsbkn2644fnp8%40group.calendar.google.com/public/basic"><img src="https://www.google.com/calendar/images/xml.gif" alt="" border="0" /></a> <a href="http://www.google.com/calendar/ical/o3p2jkkb21ka0gsbkn2644fnp8%40group.calendar.google.com/public/basic.ics"><img src="https://www.google.com/calendar/images/ical.gif" alt="" border="0" /></a><br /><a href="http://www.google.com/calendar/embed?src=l93qtn7ih54a6k2fqg1ncg4ij8%40group.calendar.google.com&ctz=America/New_York">Detroit River Canadian Cleanup Environmental Events</a> : <a href="http://www.google.com/calendar/feeds/l93qtn7ih54a6k2fqg1ncg4ij8%40group.calendar.google.com/public/basic"><img src="https://www.google.com/calendar/images/xml.gif" alt="" border="0" /></a> <a href="http://www.google.com/calendar/ical/l93qtn7ih54a6k2fqg1ncg4ij8%40group.calendar.google.com/public/basic.ics"><img src="https://www.google.com/calendar/images/ical.gif" alt="" border="0" /></a><br /><a href="http://www.google.com/calendar/embed?src=loztdog%40gmail.com&ctz=America/New_York">Windsor Essex Community Supported Agriculture</a> : <a href="http://www.google.com/calendar/feeds/loztdog%40gmail.com/public/basic"><img src="https://www.google.com/calendar/images/xml.gif" alt="" border="0" /></a> <a href="http://www.google.com/calendar/ical/loztdog%40gmail.com/public/basic.ics"><img src="https://www.google.com/calendar/images/ical.gif" alt="" border="0" /></a><br /><br />And may I present, <a href="http://www.google.com/calendar/embed?src=euooi0rhr7f73ocahqhnlbqem8%40group.calendar.google.com&ctz=America/New_York">The 4-0 Wonderland Calendar</a> as well: <a href="http://www.google.com/calendar/feeds/euooi0rhr7f73ocahqhnlbqem8%40group.calendar.google.com/public/basic"><img src="https://www.google.com/calendar/images/xml.gif" alt="" border="0" /></a> <a href="http://www.google.com/calendar/ical/euooi0rhr7f73ocahqhnlbqem8%40group.calendar.google.com/public/basic.ics"><img src="https://www.google.com/calendar/images/ical.gif" alt="" border="0" /></a></span>Mitahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17662779929151451964noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36359423.post-49282297199224760212009-01-07T16:02:00.003-05:002009-01-07T16:20:53.921-05:00E10 - Where to buy ethanol blend gasolineI am well aware of the problems of using food for fuel but there is still merit in using an ethanol blend of gasoline. After a bit of digging around online, I found a couple sources who work together to provide ethanol gasoline blends produced from Ontario corn: <a href="http://www.upienergylp.com/mf_ep_gas.php">UPI </a> and <a href="http://www.sunoco.ca/default.aspx?ID=2390">Sunoco</a>.Mitahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17662779929151451964noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36359423.post-5960542014321013812009-01-01T20:52:00.003-05:002009-01-01T21:16:14.288-05:00Thanks Jennifer 8 - now all I want is to order some Chinese foodSome quick (and thus, error-prone) counts from the Windsor and Area Yellow Pages.<br /><br /># of McDonald's Restaurants: 10<br /># of Burger King Restaurants: 11<br /># of Wendy's : 4<br /># of <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_0">KFCs</span>: 7<br /># of Chinese restaurants: 45<br /><br />I wanted to do a quick tally of the local restaurant scene after watching Jennifer 8 Lee's <a href="http://www.ted.com/index.php/talks/jennifer_8_lee_looks_for_general_tso.html">TED Talk: Who was General <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_1">Tso</span>? and other mysteries of American Chinese food</a>. I recommend watching it as its fascinating food history.<br /><br />(We have our own history with Chinese food as<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Canadian_Chinese_cuisine"> almost every small town in Canada that can support a restaurant has a Chinese restaurant as a result of our own immigration policies</a>.)<br /><br />Near the end of the talk, Lee makes the case that unlike the centralized uniformity of the fast food franchises, Chinese restaurants <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_2">ac hived</span> their similarity independently by self-organization. Unlike the <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_3">Microsofts</span> of the restaurant landscape, Chinese restaurants are like Linux - adapting to local tastes and customs while being both ubiquitous and largely <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_4">anonymous</span>.<br /><br />Now I want dim sum something fierce.Mitahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17662779929151451964noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36359423.post-24745361011884750292008-12-14T11:26:00.005-05:002008-12-14T20:26:53.491-05:00What should be the fast food of Windsor?I think you should read <a href="http://www.theglobeandmail.com/servlet/story/RTGAM.20081212.wreckoning1212/BNStory/International/?query=">Doug Saunder's recent Globe and Mail column on the glories of global street food</a> before it disappears behind the paywall next Saturday. In it, Saunders describes some of the strange and wonderful foods he's had in the slums of Asia that put our poor street meat to shame. Speaking of which, I'm glad to report that there is a Toronto city councilor that has been endeavouring to <a href="http://www.thestar.com/News/GTA/article/432152">to expand Toronto's sidewalk menu beyond hot dogs but sadly, his efforts have not yet been fruitful</a>.<br /><br />Also in this column, Saunders laments that we North Americans have given up the pursuit for innovative and amazing fast food. And, <a href="http://www.divinecaroline.com/article/22177/48751-ten-foods-you-ll-find--eat-">notwithstanding the bizarre inventions that appear at the State Fairs of America</a>, I think he's right.<br /><br />It got me thinking - what could be the base of a new "invented in Windsor/Essex County" fast food? <a href="http://www.ontariogreenhouse.com/documents/show/195">Candied Tomato With Ice Cream</a>? <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/gtfourziggy2/2612416161/">Smelt on a stick</a>? We need a contest!Mitahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17662779929151451964noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36359423.post-2499624709535437062008-12-11T10:33:00.000-05:002008-12-11T10:33:04.875-05:00We live at the end of its trunk<a href="http://strangemaps.wordpress.com/2008/12/11/340-the-southern-ontario-elephant/">The Southern Ontario Elephant « Strange Maps</a>Mitahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17662779929151451964noreply@blogger.com0