Comments on: Untold has-bins http://valdodge.com/2008/11/19/untold-has-bins/ Random Wanderings and Wonderings Tue, 07 Feb 2012 19:55:33 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 By: James Goneaux http://valdodge.com/2008/11/19/untold-has-bins/#comment-106372 James Goneaux Fri, 21 Nov 2008 17:50:57 +0000 http://valdodge.com/2008/11/19/untold-has-bins/#comment-106372 Oh, agreed, its lazy writing. As a former (see first sentence for the reason, it was getting unbearable) Sun reader, though, I do get my back up (perhaps unreasonably most times) when some people criticize the Sun for what they let other papers and outlets get away with. See the growing "references to Facebook page" file... In this case, the lazy writing (and editing) could have been fixed by using a word like "unknown" together with a phrase like "at least...". And this is "gotcha" politics, but hey, I'm playing. If I go to a restaurant and order steak for $50 and they bring me bologna but still charge me $50, I at least have the option of leaving and not paying. When the city charges me $ for a new bin, but don't deliver it, well, you can't fight city hall, I guess, but I can whine with the best of them. Oh, agreed, its lazy writing. As a former (see first sentence for the reason, it was getting unbearable) Sun reader, though, I do get my back up (perhaps unreasonably most times) when some people criticize the Sun for what they let other papers and outlets get away with. See the growing “references to Facebook page” file…

In this case, the lazy writing (and editing) could have been fixed by using a word like “unknown” together with a phrase like “at least…”.

And this is “gotcha” politics, but hey, I’m playing. If I go to a restaurant and order steak for $50 and they bring me bologna but still charge me $50, I at least have the option of leaving and not paying.

When the city charges me $ for a new bin, but don’t deliver it, well, you can’t fight city hall, I guess, but I can whine with the best of them.

]]> By: Val Dodge http://valdodge.com/2008/11/19/untold-has-bins/#comment-106371 Val Dodge Thu, 20 Nov 2008 04:17:33 +0000 http://valdodge.com/2008/11/19/untold-has-bins/#comment-106371 I'm sure the number of binless people has changed in three weeks. I generally read "untold," like "countless," "hordes," or "bazillion" to <a href="http://encarta.msn.com/encnet/features/dictionary/DictionaryResults.aspx?search=untold" rel="nofollow">mean</a> "more than I can fathom." I'm merely pointing out that 7.5 is hardly "untold." It's lazy writing to suggest that the numbers are so vast as to be unimaginable, and then produce a number that isn't really all that big after all. And even if 90% of the city didn't have bins yet, it wouldn't be the shocking (shocking!) tragedy that some local media and councillors are making it out to be. I’m sure the number of binless people has changed in three weeks. I generally read “untold,” like “countless,” “hordes,” or “bazillion” to mean “more than I can fathom.”

I’m merely pointing out that 7.5 is hardly “untold.” It’s lazy writing to suggest that the numbers are so vast as to be unimaginable, and then produce a number that isn’t really all that big after all. And even if 90% of the city didn’t have bins yet, it wouldn’t be the shocking (shocking!) tragedy that some local media and councillors are making it out to be.

]]> By: James Goneaux http://valdodge.com/2008/11/19/untold-has-bins/#comment-106370 James Goneaux Wed, 19 Nov 2008 22:02:53 +0000 http://valdodge.com/2008/11/19/untold-has-bins/#comment-106370 Well, I'll give you the bit about the good headline and hyperbole, but I will take issue with your criticism after that. The "untold" numbers follows in that the Nov. 1 was "7.5" tens of thousands (not what I would call "mere", but anyway...). Today is Nov 19. It would follow that at least SOME of those 75,000 folks (unlike me for instance) have received their bins. Or they could have gone to Florida: javascript:changeVideo('http://esi.ctv.ca/datafeed/urlgen2.aspx?vid=113780','CFTO1118_bins','00:00:00.00','00:02:14.00','113780','7') Well, I’ll give you the bit about the good headline and hyperbole, but I will take issue with your criticism after that.

The “untold” numbers follows in that the Nov. 1 was “7.5″ tens of thousands (not what I would call “mere”, but anyway…).

Today is Nov 19. It would follow that at least SOME of those 75,000 folks (unlike me for instance) have received their bins.

Or they could have gone to Florida:

javascript:changeVideo(‘http://esi.ctv.ca/datafeed/urlgen2.aspx?vid=113780','CFTO1118_bins','00:00:00.00','00:02:14.00','113780','7‘)

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