Toronto Buskerfest 2010: Victor Rubilar's grand finale, juggling 5 soccer balls

Hot was the word of the day on Saturday Aug 28 2010, when we took in the Buskerfest in Toronto. It hit 32C and high humidity. There performers were sweating profusely, as was the audience. Arriving at about 12:45pm we took in the shows of Victor Rubilar from Argentina (juggling soccer balls), Mat Ricardo from the UK (balancing, juggling) and saw a couple of others. It was really crowded and we could not see much, which was to bad.

We got a TTC family pass and took an additional 2 kids, so 6 of us went down, all for $10CAD. Parking was free at the subway station. For us this is the best way to get down town.

Victor Rubilar is a juggler from Argentina and brings a Latin flavour to his show. Of course he is crazy about two special subjects: soccer and women. He juggles soccer balls very well, as well as spins them. His grand finale was juggling 5 soccer balls. His comedy centers around ogling the women in the audience, which he pulls off very well. He plays the romantic lover with various audience members. One issue I have was that he placed an audience member in the middle of the performance area, blocking our view of his performance. Still, he was a professional and patient performer. When some kids spontaneously ran into his performing area, he rolled with them with ease. Victor is very comfortable in front of his audience. His bikini routine was very surprising and unexpected. He is so dedicated to his craft.

Did I mention that the heat was oppressive? The City of Toronto had closed off Front Street from Yonge to Jarvis for the Buskerfest. Victor Rubilar’s performance was at an intersection, so there was a lot of room for spectators. Other performers that drew a crowd were in the middle of Front Street, which is 2 lanes each way. These performances were so deep with people that it was very difficult to even bypass them. On the north side of the street some street vendors were cooking some souvlaki, the searing heat baking both the meat and pedestrians. This was not a convenient setup and I would venture to say that it was also unsafe. If there was an emergency there would be no way ambulance or police personnel on bike would be able to pass. In the middle of this corridor of barbecue a bicycle was locked to a street sign. I say the city should cut off the lock or cut through the bike for the safety of the public. Many people got cut up from the pedals of this bike.

I have not been to Buskerfest for a couple of years, but I would say that Front Street is not a good venue for this event. Buskers draw large crowds that assemble in a circular formation. Front street does not lend itself to this type of public event. There were people with small kids in strollers, the disabled in wheelchairs and people walking with their bikes, all that had great difficulty trying to bypass the crowds. Toronto could do a lot better in organizing the street for better pedestrian flow.

Toronto Buskerfest 2010: Victor Rubilar of Argentina spins two soccer balls and juggles one on his foot

I have often visited Prince Street in Montreal, where they regularly schedule buskers. They do it right in the Belle Province. The street is very wide in order to accommodate the large circular crowds. Front Street does not do the performers justice. It would have been much better to move all the vendors north, away from the sidewalk so that pedestrians could bypass the large crowds. On top of this it was apparent that some stores on Front Street detested the Buskerfest. A specific hair salon would regularly tell people to move from their front door and window. Not only was this unfriendly but more than a little hostile.

Still, contrary to the Toronto I know, the people were very well behaved. Even in the oppressive heat there was no shoving and pushing, no major temper tantrums from kids, no swearing matches between pedestrians. Torontonians were actually civil with each other. I find this shocking to admit this, as well as saddened that this came as a surprise.

As we walked on Front Street it was very apparent that others were also suffering from the heat. Shade spots provided by buildings were in high demand. There were few areas to sit down, one of which was a “games” area, where people were playing board games. Some of their wooden boxes used for advertising worked very well as impromptu stools.

Interesting was the City of Toronto water exhibit, which was a large truck sized water bottle with 8 taps on each side. There were people there to explain that city water was healthier and better for the environment than bottled water. Water, which was refrigerated, was free for the taking, so you could fill up your water bottle as your leisure. I took the opportunity to wet down my face and cool off some in the shade of the truck. It was a marvelous marketing opportunity and a great public service. To the civil servant that thought of the water truck, a big cookie for you! I should have taken a photo but did not. I do appreciate the effort.

There was nothing happening at Centre stage when we passed by, though I did recognize it from Youtube videos we watched. There were few places for performers to perform, which was unfortunate. That meant that if you wanted to see many acts, you would have to attend Buskerfest for many hours and multiple days. This we could not do with the family. I suppose you should just try your luck and be happy with what you get.

Toronto Buskerfest 2010: Silver Elvis poses for photos

Toronto Buskerfest 2010: Mat Ricardo from the UK spins a silver tea tray perched on three spoons

Toronto Buskerfest 2010: Mat Ricardo whipping his diabolo up to speed

Mat Ricardo from the UK was the last performer we saw. Quaintly attired in trousers and suspenders, tie and top hat, he was sweating profusely. I could actually see him melting from the heat, poor chap. With his English accent he mocked the Americans, to the delight of the local crowd. The one hecker I heard the whole day was right behind me, and he was also from the UK! I suppose Mat got a taste of some home grown medicine? We are too polite here in Canada to heckle a street performer. Maybe we save our best for fellow Torontonians.

I did not see the start of Mat’s performance because it was much too crowded. The little weed, as usual, slid between adults for front row kid’s seats. This is to be expected. Mat started with three large serving spoons, one wood and two metal. Wedging them together on end, then spun and balanced a silver serving tray on the last spoon and put the first spoon in his mouth. His balance was quite grand.

People in the front rows were getting tired and started to semi kneel. This allowed me a better view of Mat’s performance. Once in a while their legs would cramp up, forcing them to stand up.

Mat then did his cigar box routine, where he started with three and quickly built up to 8. He finished with stacking the boxes brick style and balancing all 8 on his chin.

Next Mat went into his diabolo routine. He explains that the diabolo originated from China and is the predecessor of the yoyo. He checks the sun and wind, whips his diabolo up to speed and flings the rubber thing 3 stories high. As it comes down, the sun is in his eyes, the wind blows it off course and Mat sidesteps the diabolo as it come bouncing down to earth. It rebounds up about 8′. He decides to change his body position to not have the sun in his eyes and starts his diabolo tricks. Most of these tricks I did not see because others were blocking my view. My little weed tells me he was quite good and he wants to learn diabolo as well. Mat flings the diabolo up 3 stories a couple of times and successfully catches it before it hits the ground.

For Mat’s grand finale he sets a table with a tablecloth, flowers in a silver container, 4 servings of China for tea, and sugar and teapot on a silver tray. He then tells the crowd he will fling the diabolo up 3 stories. While it is in the air he will pull the tablecloth out from the table setting, without disturbing the place setting and catch the diabolo with the tablecloth. He show the audience that there are no magnets or such keeping the table setting on the table.

Even with the advice to watch the table and not the flying diabolo, at least half the audience watches the flying diabolo and misses Mat successfully pull the table cloth away from the table, leaving the place setting intact. It was a very showy ending.

Toronto Buskerfest 2010: Mat Ricardo's Grand Finale was to launch a diabolo 3 stories in the air, pull the table cloth from the table without messing up the China and silverware, then catch the diabolo with the tablecloth

I talked to Mat after his performance and asked him if he did unicycling and rola bola. He said he did it all in his 20 years as a performer but simply could not take all his equipment to his shows. He also wanted to stay firmly planted on the ground.

Toronto Buskerfest 2010: Witty Look's stash of unicycles

Toronto Buskerfest 2010: Daiki of Witty Look's 5 wheel unicycle

I really wanted to see the unicycle performance of Witty Look’s Daiki and Cheeky, from Japan. I had seen some of their performances on Youtube and was intrigued. Alas it was not meant to be. They performed at 08:00 on Saturday and we arrived at around 12:45pm. Since there was no performance schedule posted on their web site, we could not have known Whitty Look’s performance time. Poking me in the side was that their unicycles were still on site, enticing me but leaving me unrequited. Oh well, maybe next time. Their unicycles look meticulously maintained and were very colourful. I do like their white tires.

Overall the Buskerfest was good. The performers were entertaining, professional, and not mean to the audience. Still there is a little bit of improvement on the part of Buskerfest organizers. I would hate to see an emergency happen and not allow emergency personnel to quickly enter.

Daou unicycle or bicycle, Chengdu Bicycle Parts Factory #3

Living in North East Toronto, Canada is a very large community of Mainland Chinese, many who are recent immigrants. When they ship their lives half way across the world to Canada they bring with them some surprising gems. I picked up this Daou unicycle at a garage sale. It has a 12.5″ rear coaster wheel with back brake, and a skateboard truck up front. The seat is unicycle style, with a black steel handle in the front. Apart from the “Daou” label, under the seat there are two quality stickers from the Chengdu Zixingche Lingjian San Chang, or the Chengdu Bicycle Parts Factory #3. After a couple of key changes this contraption rides much like a unicycle (no left-right stability), but has anterior-posterior stability, allowing the rider to coast. You can pedal backwards to brake, which is good enough to skid the tire. This unicycle rides quite well, can travel at faster than walking speed and allows the rider to coast. Due to the small skateboard wheels up front it can endo if you hit a large sidewalk crack.

Most consumer products here in Canada are now produced in China, so Chinese labels are common. The coaster brake and tire are both labeled “Made in China“. The Chinese “Hege” label and “You” states that it has passed quality inspection. The 12.5″ tire came with an inner tube with a Chinese valve. Even after searching for 2 pumps the seller could not pump up the tire. Complicating matters is that the 12.5″ wheel allows very little space to attach the pump. The tire has no brand name but comes with a familiar Made in China or Taiwan tread pattern.

Google searches for the “Chengdu zixingche lingjian factory 3″ or “Chengdu Bicycle Factory” yielded nothing. I also did not find any photos similar to this unicycle.

There were two issues with this unicycle. Firstly I could not get air into the tire. Secondly the thing was veering wildly to the left. The first order of business was to remove the inner tube with the Chinese valve and replace it with one with a Schrader valve. It was evident that this tire had never been off this unicycle and was tight. Pumping up the tire with my floor pump was difficult because of the small size of the 12.5″ rim. A 16″ tire and rim will not fit the frame.

Not being a skateboarder I had to read up on skateboard truck maintenance. After taking apart the two rubber truck cushions I noticed that they were beveled in a certain direction. I bisected the lowest points of the two cushions with chalk and aligned them together with the middle of the truck. This solved the steering issues.

I removed a red rear reflector, attached to the seat with two bolts. There was no way I or anyone else would ride this unicycle in traffic, much less at night. The reflector also hindered grabbing the seat from the rear.

Daou Unicycle, right side

As my little weed wanted to try it I had to lower the seat. The seat quick release needed replacement to allow the seat to be lowered to the max. The chain was oiled, the frame was cleaned, and the chrome parts were buffed up with #00000 steel wool. There’s not much to this unicycle so cleanup was quick.

Riding is very similar to but easier than a unicycle. You must start straight or the front wheels will turn and you will fall off. Grabbing the front bar with one hand and letting the other arm swing free aided in balance. As with all bikes, continuous pedaling is required. The uni does have some gyroscopic effect, less than a bicycle and more than a unicycle. Once you start and pick up speed you can let go of the handle bar completely and use both hands to balance. For me most weight shifting is done through the hips, similar to a unicycle. Keeping a straight line of progression required subtle shifting to the right or left. Once riding you can pick up a little speed and actually coast. Large cracks in the sidewalk can cause an endo because the front skateboard wheels are small.

Daou Unicycle, left side

The seat is vinyl covered and unicycle style. Padding is adequate, but I am considering adding an inner tube to the seat for some air cushioning. Other than the seat, everything else seems to be adequate. For a small thing this unicycle is quite heavy and robust. Unfortunately the rear wheel is not in alignment with the centre of the frame and is skewed a little to the left. I will try to realign the wheel later as it bothers me, but it does not seem to affect riding.

The skateboard trucks are not high quality. They have loose bearings and one side was wobbly. I tightened that side up a little. When I have time I will try to clean them and repack them with grease, but they roll and are relatively smooth. On the sidewalk, with a crack every 8′ you cannot get a smooth ride anyway, so I did not notice anything untoward.

The hub has no markings and is made of thick plastic. It holds the tire well. The coaster brake is a back pedal and is sufficiently strong enough to skid the tire. If I find a 12.5″ kid’s bike with a metal hub and rim I will switch this plastic wheel out. I prefer metal to plastic. Similarly the pedals have no markings but rotate very smoothly. This unicycle is certainly built to a price point but is still quite robust. There is rust on the light blue paint that cannot come off.

Daou Unicycle, anterior view Daou Unicycle, posterior. Note rear wheel misalignment

Daou Unicycle: skateboard trucks on front

In terms of safety, the rider is only 2″ off the ground, so at low speed it is easy to hop off the uni without problem. The uni is so low to the ground that the pedals will limit cornering speed if not careful. I have not tried to corner sharply on this uni. Because this uni can coast, you could conceivably start at the top of a large hill and gain speed. The brake should be sufficient to slow the rider down. Because the 5″ cottered cranks are short coupled with a single gear this limits the speed a rider can reach by pedaling.

A rider could raise the two front skateboard wheels off the ground and ride as a traditional unicycle. The centre of mass for your legs would be anterior to the wheel, and would force you to lean backward. Because your legs are about 18% of your body weight each, you would need to compensate for a lot of weight. Because there is no fixed gear as on a unicycle, riding would be similar to doing a wheelie on a standard bicycle, albeit without the fine modulation of brake. The backpedal brake is not super smooth. I have not done this as yet.

Daou Unicycle: Rear Wheel assembly, marked Made in China

Daou Unicycle: manufacturing label says Chengdu Zixingche Lingjian San Chang, or the Chengdu Bicycle Parts Factory #3

Overall I find this Daou unicycle interesting to ride. It is not as challenging as a regular unicycle but still offers a challenge over a bicycle. I do like that you can coast, as without handlebars it has the feeling of flying. For a more traditional look you can add a front wheel and handlebars to this if you wish. My two weeds are having some difficulties riding, the older more than the younger. In time they will master this as they have in the past with other balancing challenges.

Mary Ward's front door archway, a nice piece of steel and glass.

Mary Ward Catholic Secondary School is a high school located in North Toronto, Ontario, Canada. The school is part of the Toronto Catholic District School Board, or TCDSB. These tips are primarily from a parent’s viewpoint and will cover uniform, student attitude, working with teacher adviser (TA) and a little on courses. I hope this helps new grade 9 students.

School Uniform

MW will have a uniform fitting day, where new students will be able to purchase their uniform. Uniforms are expensive, and a good fit is important. Note that not all uniform sizes will be available on the fitting day. If your kid is smaller or larger than the norm, it is much better to go to Halpern’s, the uniform store where they have all the options as well as sales folk who know what they are doing. Blouses come in xs as well as youth m and s, which were not available on uniform day. Long sleeve polo shirts can be lengthened or shortened without charge, but you’ll need to wait 2 months. Halpern’s is conveniently located on Consumer’s Road, east of Victoria Park and Sheppard, and is within 20 minutes drive of MW.

Halpern’s has an excellent guarantee policy for their clothing, though you will need to retain your receipt. If you have not worn your uniform yet you can exchange it for a different size. For worn clothing they warranty their clothing for one school year for wear and tear damages. When the serging of one polo shirt started to fray out we returned to the store for a straight exchange. There was no hassle.

MW’s physical education uniform will be given out in PE class. Students receive a “Property of Mary Ward” t-shirt and basketball shorts. The “small” t-shirt is massive. I don’t know if you get a t-shirt each year or one for 4 years.

School uniform adherence varies with the grade. Grade 9 students are monitored somewhat strictly. Some teachers will not allow you to attend class unless properly dressed, while others will give you a warning. Kilts are supposedly to be no more than 13cm from the knee, but due to height differences this reveals more for shorter students and less for taller students. Older students are not monitored as strictly. Older students may be able to get away with wearing non-monogrammed white shirts, for example. While there is no official school tie, some students do wear one, passed down from older students.

Monitoring Students and Teacher Advisor

MW is an alternative school that has no set classes. Students are given lessons and a schedule in which to complete them. It is up to the students to seek help when required. I was initially concerned about this arrangement, as it could allow a student to fail miserably. A Teacher Advisor (TA) is assigned to a group of 16 students. A TA is a regular teacher that also doubles as the overall “helper teacher” for the student’s 4 years at MW.

My fears proved to be unnecessary. Students need check in with their TA thrice a day at 8:30am, 12:45pm and at 3:00pm. There is no ability to surreptitiously skip school. In Grade 9 students are initially coached but are expected to mess up their schedules some time during the year. It is normal for a student to slack off and fall behind the schedule. The first early warning is from the TA to the student, followed by a letter home to the parents, and then a phone call from the TA to the parents. I find this system provides plenty of warning to parents. If parents are uninterested in their child’s progress then the student will fail the course. Summer school is available to those that have done at least some of the work.

There are 18 units in a course. Some units require the student to attend seminars, similar to a classroom lesson. I found it difficult to understand the importance and grading of each unit and how this affects the overall course grade. Instead I focused on ensuring that all units could be completed given the remaining time within the school year. If all units cannot be completed within the school year remedial summer school classes are required. Communication with the TA will help the parent assess if the student has the ability to complete the course within the remaining time.

If a student falls so far behind as to not be able to finish the course they may be told to attend “Student Success” classes, which are classroom taught classes that allow them to catch up. Students do less work and receive a lower mark but still pass.

I found dealing with the TA very friendly and effective. I found Mrs Holmes empathetic, reasonable and effective. She always returned my phone calls. I found it very helpful to cultivate a friendly relationship with the TA early in Grade 9 so that when an intervention is required it will be swiftly dealt with. Other teachers at MW may not return your call, as I found out.

Exams and Preparation

At the end of the year there are exams. Students have one week to prepare for exams but cannot normally start studying beforehand. This is because each unit is returned to the teacher for grading and not handed back to the student. Only a week before the exam, these units are returned. You may ask for your units early but may not receive them. A teacher may tell students to study certain units for the exam but this may not encompass all the exam’s content. There are a maximum of 2 exams per day and there is ample time given to prepare. Early exams are also available.

Extra Fees

The yearly school registration fee of $90 covers locker, lock, yearbook, gym uniform, school BBQ, etc. Almost all courses have extra fees. For us we were charged extra course fees of $60 at the beginning of the year. For music you are required to purchase a mouthpiece or reeds.

Gym had an extra $40 for rock and rope climbing and $20 for a CPR course. Activity day fees are up to $70, depending on the activity chosen.

Grade 9 Elective Courses

I do not have first hand knowledge of all grade 9 electives. It is best to talk to returning grade 9 students before choosing electives. Yes these are optional courses but are still learning opportunities that should not be squandered.

Instrumental Music seems to be elitist and geared to the development of the school band. Students with prior musical experience in Woodwinds and horns are given priority when selecting instruments. Other students will strings or no music experience will be given unpopular instruments that other students have rejected. It may be better to ask to switch courses rather than have a student play an instrument they detest. Instruments are assigned one month after school starts.

Vocal Music is a lot of work and practice. You will perform in the Christmas and Spring concerts as well as the annual play. For those who liked singing students found it interesting. You need to make a commitment to follow the separate schedule for the music department. The teacher can be overly critical of students.

Food & Nutrition actually does very little cooking. There is lots of information about nutrition, which is good. If your child is already somewhat familiar with your kitchen then this course will be boring. On the other hand if your child never helps you prepare a meal, then this course will be a good introduction.

Drama is a simple course where you participate in games in the classroom. This course is for those that detest work. Drama students participate in the annual play. Students really like this course as it is fun.

Visual Arts is a lot of fun. This is a course for people who enjoy art. There are field trips. There is sketching, water colour, sculpting and other aspects of art. Students plan the school art show. Students participate in an egg drop where you build a device to protect the egg as it is dropped off the top of the school.

Business is very technical with a lot of computer time. You are given all your units at once. There are presentations, excel spreadsheets, letter writing, Photoshop, etc. There were mixed reviews from students, who thought it was easy and somewhat boring.

Tech makes projects out of wood. You make a race car, cutting board and a quest project (student chosen project). Tech is very well received, as is the Mr Emer and Harrison, the teachers.

TTC to School, bicycle parking

There are three TTC bus routes to MW: 42 Cummer, 43 Kennedy, and 17C Birchmount (Short turns at Kennedy east of McNichol). 42B Cummer stops at Kennedy and returns westbound. 17C Birchmount can be unreliable and is infrequent. After school it passes the school only ONCE between 3:00 and 3:15, after which there are no other 17C buses. 43 Kennedy is extremely crowded. Leave home early if you rely on this bus.

When the weather is good you can ride your bicycle to school. There is bicycle parking at the school entrance as well as behind the community centre near the fitness centre. Not many kids ride bikes. It is reasonably safe to lock your bike to the bike rack.

Overall my experience as a parent has been positive and reassuring. Yes, there are issues that arise but they are dealt with accordingly. more importantly the feedback from students I have met has been decidedly positive, and they should know.

Kettling tactic employed by the Toronto Police during the G20 Summit at the intersection of Spadina and Queen on June 27, 2010: Eldar Curovic

The “kettling” tactic, where police corral protesters into a tight, enclosed space without access to food, water or bathrooms, has been the focus of much criticism over the past decade. During the London G20 summit in 2009, a 47-year-old newspaper vendor died after being kettled.

Anatomy of the G20: the story from both sides of the fence: Toronto Star

Afghan Kite Flying in Afghanistan. Here in Canada do not use glass covered or metal kite line. They are illegal and dangerous.

Kite flying is a favourite pastime of our family. It is so unfortunate that kite flying at Milliken Park, Toronto, Canada, a very large park near our house, has recently been banned. Kite flying is very kid and family friendly, but has been spoiled by people that come from different cultures. South East Asian (India, Pakistan) and Afghanistan kite flyers in their country use metal wire and glass coated flying line to cut the lines of competitors. They are importing and illegally using this type of line here in Toronto, Canada. They then leave the lines as garbage. Kids and adults using the park get cut up from these types of lines. It is certainly a safety hazard.

The few that spoil it for the majority should be punished. Representatives from these minority groups should spread the word that glass covered and wire kite lines are illegal in Canada and should not be used. Kite flyers should also clean up after themselves. Local parks are for all to use, not just for kite flyers.

I could not be happier about this ban. I certainly wish it didn’t need to come to this, but clearly there is no other way. On April 19th, 2010, my (then) 3 year old son and I were out for a walk. We were on the sidewalk adjacent to the park when my son stepped into a loop of string on an abandoned kite. At the same time that he stepped into it, the kite was caught on a moving car. Luckily the car was slowing as it came to the intersection at Middlefield and Steeles, but it was still moving fast enough to cause the string to slice through my sons pants, sock and flesh. As I have no vehicle, I was forced to call an ambulance to take us to the nearest hospital. The wound took over a month to heal, and my son (now 4 years old) has a nasty scar and is absolutely terrified of kites AND Milliken Park. Hopefully with this ban, we can begin to use the park again. It’s been a long summer without the use of the park that we live right across the road from.

LiamsMommy

MOTHER CHEERS BAN

Liam Forbes is terrified of kites. And his mother is furious with kite fliers.

In April, Liam, then 3, was walking home from Milliken Park with his mother when something grabbed his left ankle. He crashed to the ground and was dragged a few metres, feet first.

His mother, Lauren Forbes, reacted quickly and untangled the boy. The cause: kite line. A loose kite had floated to the street and its nylon line sliced through Liam’s pants and sock before gripping his ankle, Forbes said.

Broken kites and metres of tangled line, the aftermath of kite fights, are found on the ground, in the bushes and trees at Milliken Park — the principal reason the city has banned kites there.

“I think the ban is a great thing,” Forbes said. “I know I’m a little biased, but it’s common courtesy to clean up after yourselves.”

Doctors told Forbes stitches weren’t needed because the string cauterized Liam’s blood vessels, effectively burning the cut closed.

Liam limped around for a month and his wound required cleaning and dressing twice a day. That was an inconvenience. The real problem became Liam’s fear of kites — and the park. “He freaks out if he sees a kite now. He won’t even go near one,” Forbes said.

Liam will only venture near the park if he’s wearing his rubber boots so his ankles are protected. The family used to fly their kite at the park, but it now rests under the stairs.

Toronto Star

I have been cut TWICE in that park. Once by string with pieces of glass on it, the other time by a really fine but hard wire.

chrix

You guys have no idea what the problems are

Do you guys even live in the area to understand what the problems really are? The problem is that kite flyers tend to cut other kites off which then fly off to far flung area with the strings. These runaway kites are the targets of loafers who run after them in streets of Markham, grab the kites and leave the plastic strings all over the place. I live in Markham right next to park have seen my property being over run several times. I have lost two grass cutting machines due to strings left in my backyard, have seen kids fall off their bike because leftover strings entanglement, have rescued three wounded sea gulls whose wings were entangled in the strings. Hoodlums running after the kites endanger their safety as well as those of other drivers. The problem is not kite flying, it is the utter carelessness of those who fly and engage in sporting battles to cut others lines off. Please drive on Steeles between McCowan and Middlefiled and see for yourself how many webs of plastic stings are stuck on utility poles,

Toofan

Few bad apples spoil the fun.

I work near this park and I can tell you first hand that there are a lot of people that are not cleaning up after themselves in this park. Have had 3 instances this summer alone where we needed to call the humane society to pick up injured birds tangled in kite string. Its too bad that some of these people have ruined it for everyone else, but I wont miss the kite string littering the area.

spicoli

I frequently walk at Milliken Park and have been tangled up in discarded kite line. It is not pleasant and is a safety hazard. In another local park by my house I have met two kite flyers from Afghanistan who used glass covered kite line. Once their kites were lost they simply walked away, leaving the dangerous kite line on the school grounds. This kite line then got caught in my bicycle wheel.

If this is the attitude of the South East Asian and Afghan kite flying community, then Canada will certainly ban kite flying in Toronto. Unfortunately this penalizes all local kite flyers such as myself.

Race often comes up when discussing the ban of kite flying in Toronto. New immigrants are very welcome to Canada and to Toronto. If a new immigrant has a cultural norm or pastime that they did back in their native country they are welcome to practice it here in Canada, but not at the expense of the safety of fellow Canadians. Using glass covered or metal kite line is both illegal and dangerous. Expect a backlash against such practices here in Canada. You come to a new country you follow our rules. If one of your cultural norms hurts fellow Canadians this must stop.

I have lived in Beijing, China for a couple of years and the bike culture there is pretty safe. This has degraded somewhat now as more people become wealthier and can afford cars. It’s sad to see China go backward on bicycles, but such us progress in the People’s Republic of China.

Taking my son to his sports camp yesterday by bicycle we were waiting at the intersection of Birchmount and Huntingwood for the light to turn green. Once the light turned green I looked to see if the way was clear, when a grey Prius, on a red light, cut us off and made an illegal right turn. The driver made no attempt to stop at the red light and almost ran us over. This is so dangerous and happens all the time. Toronto is a car culture through and through.

Xinhua photo of playful and peaceful Toronto G20 demonstrators

This is a good news posting. I do appreciate both Xinhua and China Daily for posting news and not putting on a political spin. Neither news agency posted photos of police beating up demonstrators, nor of police intimidation. These situations were easy to find at the G20 here in Toronto. Xinhua even choose a photo of demonstrators in clown costumes, and therefore very playful. I suppose that this means China-Canada relations are friendly.

The only country that criticized Canada’s human rights violations was Iran.

G20 vandal wanted by police for property damage in Toronto

Criminals should not get away with their crimes. G20 protesters and bystanders were treated badly by police, this is true. Still, those that smashed their way through Toronto need to be found and prosecuted. Please help police find and prosecute these criminals.

Just because our Charter of Rights and Freedoms were squashed by police during the Toronto G20 is not a reason for these criminals to go free. There is no “Get out of Jail Free” card here.

G20 vandal wanted by police for property damage in Toronto.

If you know who these suspects are please contact Det/Gary Giroux of the Toronto Police G20 Investigative Team:

Telephone: 416-808-7568
E-Mail: G20Investigative Team@TorontoPolice.on.ca

If you have photos and/or videos of suspects relating to G20 vandalism, they can be uploaded directly to the G20 Investigative Team from the Toronto Police Service website at link here:

http://TorontoPolice.on.ca/G20Investigation

If you wish to remain anonymous , images and links to online videos can be uploaded to Toronto Crime Stoppers website by clicking on ‘Submit A Tip’ on the website: http://222tips.com

The G20 Investigative Team is NOT mandated to investigate any allegations of police misconduct. The proper place to make any complaints about police is http://bit.ly/9usO5W

G20 vandal wanted by police for property damage in Toronto.

G20 vandal wanted by police for property damage in Toronto

G20 vandal wanted by police for property damage in Toronto

G20 vandal wanted by police for property damage in Toronto

G20 vandal wanted by police for property damage in Toronto

G20 vandal wanted by police for property damage in Toronto

G20 vandal wanted by police for property damage in Toronto

G20 vandal wanted by police for property damage in Toronto

G20 vandal wanted by police for property damage in Toronto

G20 vandal wanted by police for property damage in Toronto

G20 vandal wanted by police for property damage in Toronto

G20 vandal wanted by police for property damage in Toronto

This program, which is large in scale, cannot come cheaply. Funding must come from somewhere. What is odd about this program is the little information available about the leaders and sponsors of this program. When sending your child to day camp it is always important to research the leaders, so you know who are minding your kids. Odd is the fact that there is very little sent to parents and near nothing about them on the internet. This omission is not necessarily indicative of a bad omen, just an oddity in this age of online information. These sponsors are: Boys 2 Men Institute (B2M), TDSB Focus on Youth and the Cabbagetown Youth Centre (CYC).

The program seems to be run by the Boys 2 Men Institute. I can only find 2 references to this name on the web. The first reference describes a youth development program, but does not indicate country or other location. I cannot really say that this web page is even connected to the youth All Day Sports Camp that is run in Scarborough.

The Boys 2 Men Institute has been developed to challenge the current image, perception and low expectations for at-risk males grade 3 through grade 12.

… B2M Institute chapters promote the principles of Pride, Dignity and Respect. The Boys 2 Men Institute will comprise a detailed curriculum that affords at-risk (all) students the opportunity to get extra support, volunteer in their community, gain social skills, improve self-esteem and learn about proper nutrition.

This web page is not linked for further information, is undated and there is no contact information. Of course there is no web site for this group.

The second link is from the Cabbagetown Youth Centre (CYC), which mentions the Boys 2 Men program, but without description nor link. At least I can verify that the Cabbagetown youth Centre does exist in Toronto, Canada. There is a phone number and contact information. Here’s the reference:

I invite you to take some time to visit CYC’s site – read about our successes like our Performing Arts Program and our Summer Camp and Youth and After-Four programs; CYC’s involvement in programming across the City to help youth through the Boys 2 Men Institute; our fundraising successes and challenges and so much more!

In the Programs section of the CYC there is mention of an All Day Sports Camp:

The All Day Sports Camp is a non-competitive activity program. The philosophy of the camp is to expose children to a wide variety of sports and to develop fundamental physical movement skills, while they gain an appreciation for personal fitness through the joy of activity. A variety of activities are offered, including; cooperative games, ball hockey, basketball, soccer, softball, volleyball, tennis and recreational swim. Children are asked to bring their own healthy lunch and two snacks daily; however, CYC can provide lunch for those who otherwise cannot. Special features include weekly off site trips and an end of year BBQ for the whole camp.

Surely this must be the camp held in Scarborough, though there is no mention of the camp’s location. The camp description does not mention anything about the Boys 2 Men Institute. Perchance I must triangulate logic: The CYC holds an All Day Sports Camp. The CYC has involvement with the Boys 2 Men Institute, therefore the Boys 2 Men Institute is managing the CYC All Day Sports Youth Camp in Scarborough. Then again, maybe this logic is simply incorrect.

The third sponsor, the Toronto District School Board, is much clearer. Their Focus on Youth Toronto (FOYT) program provides free summer school space to certain child and youth based organizations:

The objective of Focus on Youth Toronto is to enhance high quality summer program opportunities for children and youth in Toronto’s urban inner city areas by offering free use of school space for organized community-based programs, and by providing employment opportunities and leadership activities for the youth of these communities. The FOYT program for the second year will promote learning through play, healthy lifestyle and positive self-image for children and youth of these communities, and that this will have a positive impact on student achievement and well-being during the school year.

Of course the TDSB site does not mention the Cabbagetown Youth Centre nor the Boys 2 Men Institute. Maybe I am asking too much?

This is not to say that these programs are suspect in any way. They are legitimate programs. I have verified through real world experience that this summer camp exists and is well run. The youth are great with kids and the kids are treated well and have fun. The program runs out of a TDSB high school, in complete cooperation with TDSB staff. The kids get to use the high school equipment such as balls, gym and pool. I merely question the lack of information about these programs to parents. Am I the only parent that seeks questions about the organization that is taking care of my child for the summer? I hope not.

Then again maybe publishing the program on the internet is simply not a high priority for these grassroots organizations. Still, if you are doing such good work for the youth and kids of Toronto, publishing something might be a good idea.

If you have any further information about Boys 2 Men or the All Day Sports Camp please leave a comment and fill me in. I will be more than happy to update this document to the relevant links. Clear communication on the internet can only be good for all concerned. Transparency is simpler to achieve if all parties are public and well known.To those that work in the All Day Sports Camp, whomever you are, you’re doing a great job. Keep up the good work.

Note: I’ve found an article about B2M from 2008 that provides more information. A possible link to the program is Hugh Keane, Camp Director.

Wu Yuren, husband of Canadian Karen Patterson and daughter Hannah

No doubt about it, I am Canadian, and for a short time, I lived in China. Thinking that the Rule of Law in Canada is interpreted the same in China would seem logical but incorrect. Just because there are laws on the books, decreed by the government, similar in both countries, is insufficient to take the Canadian view of law and apply it to the People’s Republic of China. A case in point is Karen Patterson’s Chinese husband, Wu Yuren, who offered moral support for a friend and ended up beaten up and detained, with little access to his family or lawyer. He is still detained. His case is a good lesson to both Chinese and foreigners that China’s legal system works differently from Canada.

Firstly, the Chinese Rule of Law does not apply equally to all citizens, politicians and police. While it is codified into law by the government, its application varies. The Rule of Law is to protect the government from its citizens, and not the other way around. To note this subtle distinction will save you much grief. There are many documented cases of Chinese laws seemingly being flouted, even though they are written on the books.

Documented and what happens in practice should be noted. There are so many cases where people disappear for months at a time, beaten by police, denied access to a lawyer and family. All these are supposedly illegal in China, but happens regularly. Such is the case with Karen Patterson’s husband, a Chinese national.

China uses black jails, where citizens that have petitions of wrongdoing are rounded up and thrown into jail, petition squelched, beaten up, then deported back to their provinces. All this underground, by the police, who deny such treatment exists. Yet there are so many documented cases.

There are cases of defense lawyers being arrested for defending a client. They disappear for months, eventually emerge beaten up, stripped of their legal credentials and thrown into jail.

Most trials are not open to the public, not even for immediate family members. Held in secret, punishment can be severe, appeal almost impossible.

In the case of Karen Patterson’s husband, Wu Yuren, he is a Chinese national, and naturally subject to all the laws and treatment by the Chinese government. This would be so even if he had immigrated to Canada and renounced his Chinese citizenship. While China does not acknowledge dual citizenship, those born on Chinese soil can still be considered Chinese. This issue should be noted by those that immigrate to Canada and believe a Canadian passport will offer some additional protection. This may not be necessarily so. As for Karen and Yuren’s daughter, she was born in China and is therefore a Chinese citizen. She could apply and come to Canada, but until she leaves the country she can and will be held as a Chinese citizen. Others have tracked Wu Yuren’s legal troubles.

For those foreigners not born in China that visit China, they must abide by Chinese law. Your embassies will attempt to visit you and talk with the Foreign Services representative of the Chinese government, but there is no guarantee of help from your country. You are in China and must abide by Chinese law.

Forewarned is forearmed. Living in China carries a certain amount of legal risk. While the vast majority of foreigners experience no issues with China’s legal system, note that in China you may be locked up indefinitely, denied access to your family and legal representation, beaten by police, and there may be nothing you can do. It’s not that there is discrimination against foreigners, because these are the same conditions that face native Chinese. That is life in China.

When I travel to China I do worry about being caught in China’s legal system. Even for those fluent in Chinese, even if one is a lawyer in China, all issues are not clear and transparent. There may be political or business connections that aim to hurt you and your family.

If you visit or study in China for an extended period of more than 3 months ensure you register with the Canadian embassy. At least if they have a record of you and you disappear, they’ll know where to start the search. Chances are that nothing will happen during your stay, as nothing happened when I studied in Beijing. Just remember that all is not as it seems, that Canada and China look so similar but can be very dissimilar.

Yang Licai’s account in full:

What Wu Yuren and I went through at Jiuxianqiao police station

In the afternoon of May 30, 2010, the property management of 798 art district again cut the power to my studio. I called the property management maintenance department but they wouldn’t provide the electricity. In order to for work and life to resume, I borrowed a gasoline generator from a friend Wu Yuren.

At around 3 pm on May 31, 2010, about 20 men came to my studio and took the generator by force. I recognized some security guards from 798 property management among them. I went to the police station at 798 to report the case and identified the man who took the generator to a policeman named Hou Kun.

Hou Kun told me that they are all from 798 property management and my generator was there too. He said I can only file a police report at the police station. I called 110 as he suggested. I also called Wu Yuren and my younger brother to tell them about the generator. Soon Wu Yuren came to the 798 police station in a scooter and we sprayed a few graffiti at the walls in 798 in protest, such as “798 property management robs, shameless.”

Then a policeman from Jiuxianqiao police station arrived in a police car. I decided to go to the police station to file a report and Wu said he would go with me. So he put his scooter away and went to the police station with me in the police car.

At around 4 pm, police told us to wait in the waiting room. About 20 minutes later they took us to an interrogation room. The police officers who handled the case didn’t ask us anything about the crime we were there to report, instead they held me and Wu Yuren (without any oral or written subpoena).

We were not allowed to leave the room or make phone calls or go buy drinking water. I questioned the police: I said I was the victim and came to report a case, so why didn’t you record my report but hold me in custody? Wu Yuren was only accompanying me, why did you hold him in custody? On what legal grounds did you do this? The police didn’t reply, but instead, said that I was not cooperating.

Their attitude was bad, so Wu argued in my defense. Several policemen pushed and shoved Wu into a small room separated by iron bars with “women’s” written on the door. Officer X [name deleted], deputy chief of the police station who was on duty that day, also grabbed Wu’s cell phone (without showing us any search warrant).

Police asked me to hand over my cell phone too and I refused and put it in my pocket. Police approached me, trying to take the phone by force, and I warned them that forcible physical search is against the law, so they backed down.

Wu and I protested the policemen’s misconduct many times, and asked Officer X to give Wu’s cell phone back, but the policemen all turned a deaf ear. Some policeman was shooting us with a digital video camera. Wu and I requested to call our families and call the police inspectors to complain. Police said they asked their supervisors who denied our requests.

At around 7 pm, my brother came looking for me at the police station. But the police wouldn’t let me see him. Wu and I asked to see our families so that they could send us food. Police agreed. Wu and I met my brother. I gave him my cell phone and told him that the police didn’t accept my report according to legal procedures but held Wu and I in custody and grabbed Wu’s cell phone. My brother and his friend bought dinner and sent to the police station. Wu and I had dinner in the interrogation room.

On the night of May 31, I don’t know when exactly, Wu and I were led out of the small room and put into the same interrogation room. Wu said to the policemen guarding us that he wanted Officer X to return the cell phone. Several policemen at the scene started scorning him in contempt tone and abusive language, such as, “You f**ker…you behave yourself”, “You f**ker, Are you trying to give me a hard time?”, to provoke and taunt Wu. Some pointed fingers, some cursed, and some pushed and shoved. Wu protested aloud, saying, “Please clean up your language and don’t touch me!”

‘Officer X’ came to the interrogation room and told Wu, “You behave yourself!”and said scornful things to him. Wu told him, “give me my cell phone back. On what grounds did you take my cell phone?” ‘Officer X’ told the policemen nearby, “get him out of here.”

Then Officer X and several policemen grabbed Wu by force, dragged him out of the room. Soon I heard Wu screaming loudly. It lasted about 30 seconds and then the voice weakened. About 3 to 4 minutes later, I heard him screaming again. It sounded like he was going through tremendous pain.

I suspected that he was been beaten by the police so I protested loudly, asking them to stop violating Wu. Police didn’t answer me. So I went to the window, opened the screen window and cried for help towards the street outside, saying on top of my voice “police are beating people!” but no one answered me. The street light was on outside, and there were not many passers-by or cars. Several policemen dragged me away from the window and put me in the separate room again. I started a hunger strike in protest of what the police did to Wu.

In the early morning of June 1, I saw Wu in the hallway at the police station. He looked tired and in pain, with one arm hanging down stiffly. I asked him what had happened. He said, “I can’t move this whole arm. And It hurts so bad. Police did this.” Then we were separated again. In the afternoon when I came back from the toilet, I saw Wu briefly again. He said his wife came to see him but the police wouldn’t allow it.

Then police showed me a subpoena, saying that I was subpoenaed for the graffiti. I refused to sign it in protest against the unjust treatment before. Police again show a “inspection permit”, asking to check my belongings. I said if they want to search my body they need a warrant, so several of them held me and searched me by force. They also took my belongings. The police again asked me about the graffiti and recorded. I refused to answer any questions except giving them my basic personal information. And I refused to sign the report.

After a while, two policemen started to ask me about the generator being robbed. So I recounted the whole thing to them in great detail, signed and put my fingerprint on the report. Then the police returned my belongings.

At almost dusk I was taken away from the Jiuxianqiao police station by the police without prior notice and sent to the Chaoyang district detention house. While waiting in an interrogation room, policemen from Jiuxianqiao police station brought Wu to my room. Policeman B read a “written decision of detention” in front of him and asked him to sign. Wu asked him, “Why are you asking me to sign when it doesn’t even say how long I will be detained?” Policeman B said, “That will be decided after you are sent to the detention house. Sign first.” Wu refused and was taken away by police. After that I never saw Wu again.

At around 10 pm that night, I was detained for 10 days by Beijing Public Security Bureau Chaoyang district branch for “obstructing police duty, later caught by the police.” I was then transferred to Chaoyang district detention house.

Yang Licai

July 3, 2010

Note: During the G20 Summit here in Toronto, Canada, the Ontario provincial enacted a new law in secret. Police used this law to search, arrest and beat up common citizens. All this without a required warrant. While the Charter of Rights and Freedoms were seemingly suspended, certain parts of Toronto looked like they were under martial law. This was the first time I have seen this happen in Canada. Maybe the differences between China and Canada are not so dissimilar after all.