UofT PhD grad rejects a diploma and the Varsity decides to write a shit article to report the news!

Well, it took UofT's student-run Varsity newspaper to bring me out of blogging hibernation.


Last week, the Varsity published an article about a PhD student who rejected his diploma to protest Peter Munk's recent donation to the Munk School of Global Affairs at UofT. 


I would've dismissed this as typical lefty whinging but the article was just so, so, horrible.  


It seems Mr. Zoghi is upset with this recent statement from the school: “The Munk School positions U of T as a leading player in a broad range of subjects from water to cyber security.”  He alleges that the school's academic direction is being determined by the donation, but can only offer that one line as proof.  


"Zoghi said he feels that the company is “crushing academic freedom” and “making it difficult for academics to question the actions of the company involved,"..."  Surely there are some academics at the school complaining that their work is being restricted or influenced?  The Varsity doesn't mention that.  Surely Mr. Zoghi can offer something more than speculation and insinuation?  Can he elaborate on what exactly the company actually is doing to crush academic freedom?  The Varsity doesn't ask him that.  


"The graduate also took issue with conditions on Munk's donation."  Ah, now we're getting somewhere, it seems that the evil rich mining guy had some conditions (egad) attached to his donation, and the Varsity "anonymously" obtained a copy of the donation agreement!  What juicy details of skulduggery await us?


"...reveals that Munk's donation comes in yearly increments. Although the agreement clearly states that academic freedom is to be unhealed, the university must report to Munk every year."  Oh.  That's it?   The agreement clearly states that academic freedom is to be unheeded?  Isn't that the exact opposite of what Mr. Zoghi is alleging?  The rich guy wants yearly reports on what the university does with his donation?  That's it?  Really?

"Zoghi is adamant that he will only take back his degree if university administration starts consulting with the wider community.  “I don't want to be associated with a university whose integrity is compromised this much,” he said. “I will make every effort not to use this degree for a job.”"


Zoghi has it backwards, he shouldn't be ashamed of being associated with UofT, it should be the other way around. Based on his statement, I assume he'll never put "PhD from the University of Toronto" on his resume.


I hope the university keeps accepting donations from rich guys who want to help out.  It should be noted that the same rich guy gave a lot of money to Toronto General Hospital for a new Cardiac Centre.  I wonder what Mr. Zoghi's theory is on that donation?  Surely there's a sinister ulterior motive?  Who knows, maybe the rich guy is wants the hospital to breed a race of mutant super soldiers to help out at his mines. 


All kidding aside, it's disappointing to see the Varsity uncritically publish a bunch of innuendo and speculation.

Streetcars are the problem (TTC Sucks continued...)

Streetcars are a problem.  Why?  Let me count the ways:

 

A - Congestion

When a streetcar stops to let people on/off, both lanes of traffic are blocked.  This creates cascading delays on all major routes that have no dedicated streetcar right of way.  Congestion on College, Dundas, Queen/Lakeshore, and King can be vastly improved if traffic keeps flowing while the streetcar is at a stop.  If we had buses instead of streetcars, they would pull into the right lane, and traffic would keep flowing on the left lane.  If you've ever driven behind a streetcar, you know how much of a problem this is.

 

Also, if one breaks down, the one behind it has nowhere to go (unless it's far back enough to make a short turn).  You know what a bus can do?  Change lanes (!), pass the malfunctioning bus, and continue on route.

 

B - Passenger Safety

The streetcar's limitation to the left lane is also a passenger safety issue.  Cars often try to pass the streetcar before it stops, putting them on a direct collision course with passengers crossing the right lane to board the streetcar.  If it's a bus  stopping right by the curb, this is no longer an issue.

 

C - Cost

Streetcars cost more to purchase and maintain.

1 - Laying down streetcar tracks costs money.  Maintaining roads that break down faster due to streetcars also costs money.  Building right of way systems is expensive (see St. Clair).  Buses travel on the roads that you've already built, not requiring special tracks.

2 - Maintaining the streetcars themselves costs money.  The TTC has a special team of mechanics whose only job is to look after streetcars.  Buses can be maintained by ordinary mechanics, which would cost a lot less.

 

D - Pollution

Oh but the streetcars are electric and so green!  Not if you think about it logically. The extra gridlock created by streetcars (see above) means more cars are idling on our roads for a longer time.  This creates more pollution.  Also, Buses with electric or hybrid engines are no longer that expensive (the TTC has already bought some) and would make a fine replacement.

 

I know what the typical streetcar loving Toronto leftie will argue:

 

"Congestion is created by cars, not streetcars."  True, but streetcars make that congestion a lot worse, and they do it on major roads that a lot of cars like to use.

 

"Streetcars give our city character and personality!"  The TTC's job is to transport people efficiently and ease gridlock, not give our city personality.