mattm Posted July 13, 2007 Report Share Posted July 13, 2007 I used to live on St Patrick just past King Edward (across from La Salle high school).I have walked around in that area many, many times at all hours of the day and night and have never seen anyone smoke crack (does not count the shelter on murray). I have never been bugged or harassed (except by the odd homeless person for some change, same as any city downtown) and I have never been scared walking around down there.I also noticed she says things like:We had dinner at a posh restaurant in the trendy Byward Market... We stayed at a very elegant bed and breakfast...which leads me to believe that she grew up with a silver spoon up her ass so obviously she's going to think things like that. I see that all the time. Hell, I've been to places where I can see they keep an eye on me or take extra long to serve me, etc, because to the eye I'm a dirty hippie looking dude which, I think, might have some stereotypes associated with it.My husband and I have travelled extensively in Europe and the U.S., and neither of us could think of another city where we had seen addicts and dealers operating so brazenly. The only other place I have seen drugs used so openly was a heroin addict I saw shooting up on a sidewalk in Frankfurt about 12 years ago.I've visited other big cities -- New York; Boston; London, England, and yet I can't think of another one in which I have felt as unsafe as I did walking around Ottawa's main intersections.She's never been to amsterdam, that's for sure. She should take a walk around dam square (doesn't matter the time of day). I've seen homeless folks and addicts in every city I've ever been in (and I've traveled a bit myself).Ok, enough ramblings for me. I was just rather insulted with that article. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dr_Evil_Mouse Posted July 13, 2007 Report Share Posted July 13, 2007 I don't know where she's getting this idea that, e.g., New York is somehow a safer place! I remember feeling safer in Bangkok than in New York. Place scared the shit out of me, more from the coldness and indifference of people than anything else. Maybe she's happier with a cold, indifferent sort of vibe. I love Ottawa for its relative warmth. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
YearsAlongTheSea Posted July 13, 2007 Report Share Posted July 13, 2007 New York is actually very safe now thanks to Gulliani...Well, if you just count Manhattan and disregard all the buroughs... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
backbacon Posted July 13, 2007 Report Share Posted July 13, 2007 The only thing they all had in common was their pathetic dependence on an illegal substance and a willingness to do anything to get it.Anyhting to get it... wha? Wasn't she just observing people walking up to dealers and buying it. Oooooh, craaaazy. I bet she buys her fancy produce in a similar fashion. "That Christina, she's willing to do ANYTHING for bananas!" Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gentlemonkey Posted July 13, 2007 Report Share Posted July 13, 2007 She should've stopped in at the Men's Bath House in Hintonburgh... Then she could have eluded to Ottawa's sexxpool, cesspool. Which would've at least been fun to read. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bouche Posted July 13, 2007 Report Share Posted July 13, 2007 What does smoking crack look like and how does she know what it looks like? I think SHE'S a crack head. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jared Posted July 13, 2007 Report Share Posted July 13, 2007 lmao I always knew i was right Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Chameleon Posted July 13, 2007 Report Share Posted July 13, 2007 This chick is on Crack! i have too visited many large Us and world cities and Ottawa is in good shape and certainly no worse than Toronto....And for the record I saw no crackheads when I was just there for the Bluesfest. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Davey Boy 2.0 Posted July 13, 2007 Report Share Posted July 13, 2007 (edited) just sent this in to the Sun:RE: Downtown Ottawa in declineThanks to Ms. Blizzard for embracing the true spirit of truthiness. I went to Barcelona once and saw a lot of hashish making the rounds outside clubs, submitted an article to the Globe and Mail about the decline of Catalan society– an article replete with metaphor, classical allusions and wit– but lo and behold it wasn't published! "Well", I thought, "perhaps they held it against me for being 16 years old". Edited July 13, 2007 by Guest Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
YearsAlongTheSea Posted July 13, 2007 Report Share Posted July 13, 2007 Go Davey Boy! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bradm Posted July 14, 2007 Report Share Posted July 14, 2007 an article replete with metaphor, classical allusions and witSong. Title. Claimed.Aloha,Brad Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
popo weenie Posted July 14, 2007 Report Share Posted July 14, 2007 I miss all the good stuff. I've been in Ottawa for 6 years and have never EVER seen anyone smoking crack on the streets.She's here for a day and sees countless people sitting around smoking crack.It's not fair.she is full of fucken shit to her eye ballsyah a good piece of ass may help her see the beauty of ottawacrack in crack woopie Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jaimoe Posted July 14, 2007 Report Share Posted July 14, 2007 Ms Blizzard probably has never walked just a short distance north from The Sun's headquarters on King Street to the "lovely and safe" insections of Jarvis & Shuter, Shuter & Sherbourne, Parliament & Queen, Sherbourne & Jarvis, Sherbourne & Dundas and Parliament & Carleton (the heart of affluent Cabbagetown) at night. But, I do think she saw crack being smoked in Ottawa and was outraged as anyone would. However, going on the attack and not looking at where you live is the height of ignorance, but then again, look at the place that employs her. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
popo weenie Posted July 14, 2007 Report Share Posted July 14, 2007 What does smoking crack look like and how does she know what it looks like? I think SHE'S a crack head.i think you may be able to smell that stuff ,crack or whatever Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
timouse Posted July 15, 2007 Report Share Posted July 15, 2007 new avatar anyone? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Davey Boy 2.0 Posted July 15, 2007 Report Share Posted July 15, 2007 mmm blizzardicious Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
timouse Posted July 15, 2007 Report Share Posted July 15, 2007 mmm blizzardiciousblizzards are fatty, white and often full of nuts.just saying. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
c-towns Posted July 15, 2007 Report Share Posted July 15, 2007 She's from The Sun, what do you expect? The Newspaper designed for those who have a tough time reading sentences longer than 5 words.Call me low brow if you will, but that paper is way easirer to function than your smart papers...Ottawa is so old.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Freak By Night Posted July 17, 2007 Report Share Posted July 17, 2007 Even though she writes for the Sun, I guess this column was picked up by the Ottawa Citizen because there are some good letters today in response to her column: No, she was right Not very worldly Move on Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kanada Kev Posted July 17, 2007 Report Share Posted July 17, 2007 You'd think people would relax a little and just realize that Blizzard was talking out her ass. Make the point that what she saw is not what most people do and that her frame of reference is faulty at best. Too bad everyone has to turn it around and generalize on items regarding where Blizzard resides to make a go of it (e.g., "another one of those crazy Torontonians", "move to Toronto, where I just have to worry about getting caught in the crossfire of a gang war.") THIS is what every street in Toronto looks like: OTTAWA's newest police force employee's covering the decrepit Byward Market: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Big Wooly Mammoth Posted July 17, 2007 Report Share Posted July 17, 2007 The lady is nuts. I live in Sandy Hill and have never been concerned walking along Rideau street with my kids. never seen any dealing going down or smoking of crack. have seen people smoking joints - but i've also witnessed that at Slater and Metcalfe. Rideau street might not be the nicest in parts, but it doesn't compare to stretches of Yonge St, or Jarvis, or many other areas in T.O. what a twit. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PassedOutGuy Posted July 18, 2007 Report Share Posted July 18, 2007 AD's letter to the editor was printed in the Toronto Sun today... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jay Funk Dawg Posted July 18, 2007 Report Share Posted July 18, 2007 ouch.. those are some biting words! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rob Not Bob Posted July 18, 2007 Report Share Posted July 18, 2007 My wife's letter was printed in the Citizen. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rob Not Bob Posted July 18, 2007 Report Share Posted July 18, 2007 Fiona's reply as printed in the Ottawa Sun (even though she sent it to the Toronto Sun) : Re: "Ottawa rotting at the core" (July 14). Having lived in downtown Torontomost of my life and downtown Ottawa and Vanier for the past nine years, I disagree with thecolumn regarding the dangers that apparently abound here. I've yet to see a single person openly smoke crack here, but have lost count ofhow many times I saw it in Toronto. I feel perfectly safe walking downtown here at night. Thatmost certainly wasn't the case in my hometown, Toronto, where I was regularly chased down thestreet by rival dealers trying to get my attention. It seems this world traveller has never been to Haiti, Jamaica, Cairo, Iraq,Afghanistan or many parts of Toronto if she truly thinks Ottawa is one of the most dangerouscities on Earth. Fiona Hammond-Vincent Ottawa (No doubt there are more dangerous places than the Byward Market) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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