not, never

I spend a great deal of time purposefully distracted. I try to live by (George) Carlin's word and not sweat the petty stuff - and also the reverse because that's important.  In doing that I try not to pay too much attention to politics.  But lately I've paid closer attention to my city and its lack of progress and, perhaps because individual opinion makes the news a lot lately I've been noticing a shift in NIMBY from Not to Never.

The first time I really noticed it was at a party talking about an over-the-weekend closure by the TTC to do work.  The argument was that closure was inconvenient, to which I agreed.  But when I suggested they had tried to inconvenience the fewest people as they could my acquaintance wasn't convinced.  The thing is, there's never a good time to shut down a major downtown subway line in a busy city. But there are less bad times.  And that was what the TTC was striving for.

Admittedly my defense was more appealing 6 months ago before the official motto of the TTC became 'We're Sorry'.  And as much as I still feel my points are valid a week of being late to work for no reason I can see makes me want hear less why and see more action.

The major issue with any sort of progress is that someone is inconvenienced.  This seems to be the modern way.  And unfortunately the result doesn't always work out for the majority.  It is, in as a very ambivalent kind of descriptor, the price or result of democratic decision by committee.

I do not have great examples to share.  But issues that come to mind are the discussion about wind power.  As a province we are taxing our power grid.  We need to make more but everyone wants some sort of 'clean' power.  Provided it's not unsightly, inconvenient, disruptive or nearby.  All elements which are unavoidable. And so we do nothing and the problem is not solved.  And so it goes ad nauseam.

I don't have to fabulous solution.  I have nothing stupendous to say.  Other then think. 

Yes, no one like it when development encroaches on our lives but what is the payoff?  Does the current system work?  Is a bit of pain worth it? 

I don't know.

I can only tell you what I see.  And sometimes the answer is that I can get behind the least bad choice.

Now, how does one make an appointment with Andy Byford?  I have some choice words about the state of my backyard.