Bill Byres has more serenity than CBC’s graffiti rant guy. Besides, we were pretty content after a good lunch on Queen Street West. Why not just relax and feed the birds?

…but only one really scares me. I spotted him on Queen Street this afternoon, downing cyclists.

This Changes Everything: Capitalism vs the Climate
by Naomi Klein
Klein’s new book is written to stir things up and sell a lot of copies … a reasonable goal for any author. The anticapitalist subtitle will be enough for some to brush it away with “She’s a commie”, but they would not be interested in her arguments or evidence anyway.
I feel better educated for having read it and welcome the views of anyone else who has read the book … positive or negative. Personally, I found much of it persuasive and insightful.

The default desktop picture for Yosemite
Due this fall, Yosemite Mac OS X (version 10.10) will replace the current Mavericks version. The upgrade will be free. I look forward to easy exchange of files and photos between Macs and other Apple devices running iOS 8.
Both operating systems already feature AirDrop, so you’d think that you could wirelessly send stuff from one device to another, iPad to iMac, to MacAir, to iPhone and so on. But no… not yet.
Yosemite apparently corrects this situation. Soon we’ll be able to exchange data easily and conveniently, wirelessly and directly at close range. It’s kind of silly having to email everything to ourselves, especially now we know that all of our email is collected by Big Brother.

I took down the gag photo of Harper’s plane, shot full of arrows on its underside, because it left a wrong impression. Certainly aboriginal people strongly oppose Harper’s screwball support for a pipeline to the Pacific, but they do not protest with violence.
I decided that the joke could be used by the tar sands companies and their pals in Ottawa to duck their responsibility to consult with First Nations stakeholders. You know …. “We’d like to talk to them, but we’re scared”.
In fact, aboriginal opposition to the pipeline is well reasoned, scientifically supported and more lawful than the proposals of Harper’s tar diggers. First Nations people are our best line of defence against dirty, dangerous bitumen exports and they deserve our grateful support, not laughter.

Sometimes, I admit, I feel like the lad in the lower right when it comes to nosy Google. He is reacting to the Street View camera.
I’ve heard of people “gaming” Street View by spotting the camera car, texting friends with location, direction etc, then staging a performance to be captured as the GoogleCar drives by. This could explain a few of the oddities you’ll find in this collection.
Anyway, we have a new hobby for rainy days, hunting weird moments around the world.

“Oh oh”, I thought when I saw the rent sign. “Is Gerrard Art Space going under?”

Around on the side door, I found the good news. The artists’ collaboration is just moving. Still on Gerrard, still close by, a little closer to Coxwell … and me!
More good news. “Little India” is perking up and becoming more colourful as merchants and landlords pull up their socks and shake off the recession.
This bright new mural appeared suddenly and some new stores have opened along the street.

Thanks to Ian and his sister Eileen for sharing.

My hat’s off to Al Runt, “That Lee’s Palace Guy“. He’s been on the Toronto art scene since the 60s, working (and working and working!) as an artist and, when necessary, paying his bills by turning his brush to painting houses, walls, whatever.

Just received a nice greeting from B.C. Don Straathof is a fan of Helen Andersen art and owner of her lithographs. Danica met Don in person during her art rescue trip to Victoria.

Obviously Don is an avid cyclist and knows how to enjoy life. He says retirement is just around the corner. “Yippee!”