Some find it comforting to think of life as a story. Others find that absurd. (Sept. 3, 2015 Aeon essay)

A Sept. 3, 2015 Aeon essay is entitled: “I am not a story.” The subtitle reads: “Some find it comforting to think of life as a story. Others find that absurd. So are you a Narrative or a non-Narrative?” Given my interest in story management, and related topics such as storytelling, I found the article […]

The 9 Meaford Ave. OMB decision, which ruled in favour of the local residents, warrants a close read

Note concerning photo on the right The calligraphic pen on the right is from Staples. The blue notebook is from Curry’s Artists’ Materials. These are my favourite writing instruments. Some of my best writing, including the introduction to A History of Long Branch, has been done using them. The coffee cup is courtesy of Etobicoke-Lakeshore MPP Peter Milczyn’s Office. […]

The Long Branch Neighbourhood Association plans to stage an AGM in the Fall of 2017

I had the good fortune to attend the June 5, 2017 meeting of the Long Branch Neighbourhood Association. During the meeting, I made some notes. Right after the meeting, I wrote up a draft of a report based on my notes. The report that follows is based on the draft report that I prepared right after […]

Links related to a differential approach to climate change at City of Mississauga as compared to the City of Toronto

I have previously noted that the City of Mississauga appears many light years ahead of the City of Toronto in relation to community engagement (that is, getting citizens involved with planning decisions, in practice as well as in theory) and in relation to sustainability. I have attended Etobicoke-York Committee of Adjustment meetings in the past […]

Churchill’s Ministry of Ungentlemanly Warfare (2017) provides a good overview of “irregular warfare” in the Second World War

How to set up a website dealing with local history; some notes about starting up and running neighbourhood associations

Culture of Committee of Adjustment and OMB decision making has changed dramatically in 25 years: MPP Peter Milczyn

Updates: A March 11, 2018 Toronto Star article is entitled: “How rampant development and poor planning left residents of this Etobicoke neighbourhood stuck in traffic: The Etobicoke neighbourhood of Humber Bay Shores has undergone rapid development in the past two decades, but transit infrastructure hasn’t come with it. The problem only stands to get worse.” […]

Committee of Adjustment and Toronto Local Appeal Body (and similar appeal boards elsewhere)

Venezuela continues to move deeper into economic disarray: Feb. 9, 2016 New York Times article