Friday Bits and Pieces

• John Tory: Pretty accurate and fair takes on John’s decision here and here. Did a fair bit of media on this yesterday. After six months of work, I’m obviously disappointed. But John made the right decision for him and his family. Personally, I’m going to be focusing on getting that McGuinty guy [full disclosure: whose caucus I’ve given comms advice] re-elected Premier – and that Iggy guy elected Prime Minister.
• Don Newman: I have to say, I’m really enjoying Don’s reincarnation as a columnist on the CBC website – he goes against the conventional wisdom, and his analysis is pretty good. His brooooadcast didn’t really permit him to do either of those things, so it makes for fun reading.
• Democracy Denied: I spoke yesterday to a smart Hill Times reporter about the Reform-Conservative’s padlocking of Parliament. My take: “These guys aren’t merely not up to the job. Now they’re not even showing up to do the job.”
• Jobs jobs jobs: Where are they? Padlocking Parliament and the Afghan detainee torture scandal aren’t the only reasons the Reform-Cons’ numbers are dropping – it’s these numbers, too. Until there is sustained job growth, the Harpies’ lusted-after majority will remain beyond reach.
• Check it out! My pal Stefan Baranski has put together a boffo aggregator at OntarioNewsWatch. Bookmark it, baby!
• He laughed out loud: Another pal, Bob Richardson, burst out laughing – a trademark Richardson phrase – to see the headline on Bourque’s site this morning: TORY’S EXIT: SHED A TEAR FOR BOB RICHARDSON. I have to admit: that’s actually pretty funny. Can’t believe I just wrote that.
• Bouncing Souls: My daughter and I were rockin’ to them this morning in the car. Cheered me up. I need cheering up, these days. Here’s one of the best punk acts around, with ‘I Think the World.’