This morning I crossed Kingston Road at Main to purchase my usual hit of caffeine. At 8 a.m. Kingston is a constant stream of fast moving traffic that bears no relation to the posted speed limit. The smell is of diesel: buses, trucks, with the occasional pathetic street car. I crossed carefully to avoid cars making right and left hand turns in all directions. I've never seen a radar trap or police car there.
When I returned home this evening, there was a police car closing off Kingston Road to the west of Main. The line ups were long. There had been an accident at 3 p.m, but no details were available as of 10:30 p.m. Talk on the street was that a senior had been hurt, maybe killed. Everyone was wondering if it was a neighbour.
The Toronto Star reported on the several other accidents. It usually does--even if the name cannot be revealed. My bet is that accidents on Kingston are seldom reported. Kingston has become the unofficial continuation of the Lakeshore--The Scarborough Expressway. If people knew how dangerous the street has become; how unpatrolled, it wouldn't be good for real estate values in the Upper Beach. The radar cars hang out on the Danforth, usually after 8, so they can catch docile soccer moms who do 70 instead of 50. Meanwhile, down on Kingston, the deadly races continue.
Wednesday, September 9, 2009
Saturday, September 5, 2009
Sitting ducks
Dear Parents of College Age Students
I notice there is an entire growth industry devoted to mining your fears about your college age children. Please be aware that You are Being Exploited. Your children will succeed or fail depending on your previous experience with them. Other than warning them that you will not be please if they screw up their first semester, leave them alone. The idea of university is Separation--not Lifelong dependence. If they get depressed, or sick, make sure they contact Student Health. Have them talk to their professors if they are screwing up. The idea is to get them to stand on their own two feet--not to have you as props. Freshman year should hurt. Separation should occur. All the rest is exploitation of you as parents.
I notice there is an entire growth industry devoted to mining your fears about your college age children. Please be aware that You are Being Exploited. Your children will succeed or fail depending on your previous experience with them. Other than warning them that you will not be please if they screw up their first semester, leave them alone. The idea of university is Separation--not Lifelong dependence. If they get depressed, or sick, make sure they contact Student Health. Have them talk to their professors if they are screwing up. The idea is to get them to stand on their own two feet--not to have you as props. Freshman year should hurt. Separation should occur. All the rest is exploitation of you as parents.
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