Local politics gets interesting

Last night I was at a high school info night, checking out one of many possible schools for Elaine for next year. A friend of mine who is a municipal civil servant rushed up to me, suggesting things I should tweet about local politics. She, indeed, is too smart to tweet about her employer. (I was saying things like calling the mayor "an ass and a terrible orator." I know, fightin' words.)

Of course, I didn't take these pictures

There is both a lot to say, and not much to say. You may have seen Jon Stewart say a few things. You may have read about our mayor in the Economist a few days ago, or seen his ridiculous news conference yesterday, via Gawker. We've even made the Times of India. Here's a timeline of events, but it ends in October, and the fun really started just this past week.

It's just gob-smackingly stupid. How did this guy get so far? How much farther will he sink before he realises he's actually in trouble? He only smoked crack because he was in a drunken stupor. (Oh, well, that's okay then?) He regrets getting hammered in public. He's embarrassed and would like to move on now, please. (Um, no.)

I have a number of friends who know a lot about addiction and alcoholism, mostly from a professional point of view, but some from personal experience, and they are unanimous in saying it's all very interesting and newsworthy and crazy, but really, the guy needs to step aside, get to rehab and get some help. It won't stop him from being a jerk, probably, but it might slow down the train wreck. 

I'm going to City Hall next week to nudge him.

(If all of this makes no sense to you, I am glad. There are actually better ways to spend one's time than thinking about Rob Ford, lying, crack-smoking mayor of Toronto.)