A First Look At The TTC's New Website

Remaining virtually unchanged for about a decade, nobody would argue that the TTC's brutal web site wasn't in need of a total revamp. We even teamed up with Spacing Wire, Reading Toronto, and blogTO to solicit a fantastic amount of useful feedback, which we then forwarded to the Commission with high hopes.

Now the TTC has launched a sneak peek at a beta version of the new design. We're still kicking the tires and will have a more in-depth analysis soon, but here's your first look.

UPDATE (5:00 p.m.): Torontoist's closer look at the new TTC.ca is here.

Night Prowler

From The Times

June 7, 2008

Europe shows love for Barack Obama -

On his first outing this week as the Democratic nominee-elect, Mr Obama chose to deliver an uncompromising message to Iran,

Tom Baldwin in Washington

If Barack Obama was taking on John McCain in a global election he would already be on his way to the White House.

A recent worldwide poll showed him beating the Republican by more than three to one. In Europe, his margin of victory would be even greater: Mr McCain would get only 6 per cent of the vote in Germany, where a government spokesman has waxed publicly about the attraction of Mr Obama's “mixture of Martin Luther King and John F. Kennedy”.

Just about the whole of France is backing Mr Obama. He is, in the words of Jack Lang, the former Socialist Culture Minister, “the America we love ... the youth and racial mix of an America under transformation and in movement”.

As waves of euphoria swept across the Atlantic this week after Mr Obama's victory in the Democratic primary, a message on the “Brits for Barack” Facebook group declared: “We did it!” However, in reality, it is not up to them to do it. Mr Obama won the tightest nomination fight in living memory despite the concerns of many Democratic voters about his credentials as a prospective commander-in-chief.

One of Hillary Clinton's most effective television adverts showed children sleeping while a telephone rings at 3am in the White House. “Something's happening in the world,” an ominous voice intoned. “Who do you want answering the phone?”

In November's general election, Mr Obama needs the support of people who wanted Mrs Clinton to take that call - and probably to win over some of those who voted for President Bush four years ago.

American public opinion has shifted to the left since 2004, but no one is kidding themselves that the US electorate resembles that of Western Europe. One of Mr McCain's strategists summed up how they planned to attack Mr Obama in three words: “Naive. Inexperienced. Weak.”

So it was significant that, on his first outing this week as the Democratic nominee-elect, Mr Obama chose to deliver an uncompromising message to Iran, telling a pro-Israel audience that he would deploy every aspect of American power, including military force, to stop Tehran acquiring nuclear weapons. Even as President Ahmadinejad of Iran talks optimistically about the next man to occupy the White House offering a “new approach” to relations with his country, Mr Obama has been steadily drawing back from earlier promises to hold talks without pre-conditions in his first year in office. There would have to be “preparations”, he says, and he may not meet Mr Ahmadinejad.

George Galloway, the British MP whose views on the Middle East are regarded as bordering on insane in Washington, told a pro-Hamas television station last month that “I pray for the safety of Barack Obama - and I pray that he can shift the United States attitude” on the Palestinian issue. Mr Obama was swift to sever links with an adviser last month who admitted that he had spoken to Hamas.

When European officials talk to Mr Obama's advisers about his foreign policy, they are told that the rest of the world must do more to help America secure a military victory in Afghanistan. If they ask whether he really means to renegotiate free-trade deals, the reply is bluntly in the affirmative.

A planned trip by Mr Obama to Europe last summer was cancelled partly because his campaign team was concerned that the prospect of adoring crowds filled with “cheese-eating surrender monkeys” may not play too well in Iowa.

Europe will be able to make common cause with Mr Obama in a way that they have not with Mr Bush. His agenda would include tackling climate change, closing the Guantanamo Bay prison camp and using international institutions. However, even on Iraq, where Mr Obama's promise to withdraw troops would appear to be in line with the policy pursued by allies such as Britain, there may be trouble ahead.

Derek Chollet, a Democratic foreign policy expert and the author of America Between the Wars, said: “Europe is only just beginning to consider what Obama means when he calls for a ‘diplomatic surge' to accompany military disengagement. There is still a sense at the highest levels of government that Iraq is America's problem - and that would change very quickly.”

It has been difficult for world leaders such as Gordon Brown to be seen as being too close to Mr Bush. Mr Chollet said that the election of Mr Obama would give them “someone they can work with”, but he added: “There is an expectation management problem for all European governments. I think they are becoming aware of that.”

Meet the Tudors!

The new season of Showtime's The Tudors is an awesomely overheated soap opera of 16th-century English history starring young, beautiful cast members portraying historical figures who were...shall we say...less beautiful. How less beautiful? Let's take a look!

Courtesy of Showtime

Henry VIII was an accomplished athlete and horseman who became, late in life, "grossly overweight (with a waist measurement of 54 inches/137 cm), and had to be moved about with the help of mechanical inventions. He was covered with suppurating boils and possibly suffered from gout." Jonathan Rhys Meyers is somewhat more beautiful than young Henry VIII; in twenty years, unless he really screws himself up, he will be one thousand times as beautiful as old Henry VIII.

Anne Boleyn, according to contemporary sources, was "not one of the handsomest women in the world. She is of middling stature, swarthy complexion, long neck, wide mouth, bosom not much raised." Natalie Dormer, on the other hand, is totally gorgeous, and her bosom is much raised. (High-five!)

As this picture suggests, Catherine was cute in her youth, but did not age well; in later years she was described as "rather ugly than otherwise; of low stature and rather stout." Maria Doyle Kennedy, on the other hand, looks like a television star!

Historians assure us that Thomas More looked exactly like handsome Jeremy Northam. And they're pretty sure these guys are dead ringers too:

‘Tudors’ rules: Showtime on a roll with killer season finale

The Tudors: A

The blade slips on a sublime season of “The Tudors.”

Even the most casual student of history dreads the fate awaiting Anne Boleyn (Natalie Dormer) in the superb second season finale of the Showtime costume drama (Sunday night at 9).

Now imprisoned in the Tower of London, she is convicted of trumped-up charges and sentenced to die.

“I am content,” she says upon learning the scheduled date for her execution.

But as the final hour of “The Tudors” details, what follows is a series of dark comic events that delays the execution and threatens her resolve.

Teenager Mary can’t wait for her stepmother’s head to roll. “Is the harlot dead?” she demands.

Elsewhere, a young Elizabeth learns painful lessons about the vicissitudes of life as a royal. In the wake of her mother’s conviction, she is declared a bastard and her life of luxury ends.

Adding insult to royal humiliation: Henry takes funds out of her estate to pay for her mother’s imprisonment.

“The world is a slippery place, my lady,” one attendant tells another as a young Elizabeth watches, a little pitcher taking it all in.

Henry (Jonathan Rhys Meyers), meanwhile, seems besotted in equal measure with Jane Seymour (Anita Briem), whom he believes will give him a male heir, and the swans nuzzling outside his castle. Both infatuations foreshadow portentous changes in his realm.

The Seymours recognize that their fortunes rest on Jane’s future, but they are no Boleyns.

Speaking of which, master manipulator Thomas Boleyn (Nick Dunning) is surprised by his own change of fortune. Dunning has been utterly convincing as a loathsome father who views his children as tools to further his social standing and wealth. His final encounter with Anne is wrenching.

Dormer has truly grown as an actress this season. As Anne, she glides between calm, fear and desperation. She reveals Anne as a tragic figure, a pawn in a game she never had a chance at mastering. Dormer’s departure from “The Tudors” leaves a void. (The network has renewed the series for a third season to explore Henry’s third and fourth marriages.)

As this season of “The Tudors” has proven, Showtime has eclipsed HBO as the home of premium dramas.

By Mark A. Perigard

Thomas Boleyn in “The Tudors”

For Dunning, playing power-mad aristocrat a timeless role

Nick Dunning doesn’t judge.

The actor stars as Thomas Boleyn in “The Tudors”, which ends its second season Sunday at 9 p.m. on Showtime. As the father of Anne Boleyn, the power-hungry Thomas orchestrated his daughter’s rise to the throne and then stood witness as she was labeled a traitor and sentenced to death.

“First thing I do is take off all the judgment on the character, always,” Dunning said. “Because I don’t think people really believe what they are doing is what you might consider to be bad or wrong or evil. They tend to do it out of necessity or out of belief that what they are doing is the right thing. Are you using your daughters for your own end entirely or are you actually doing what you think is the best thing for them at the time? I can totally understand somebody being in that dilemma.”

Dunning sees a modern connection to the 16th century aristocrat.

“Is he that different than (those) corporate barons today who go off and do extraordinary things and they’re all off making money and flying around the world and their children are drug addicts in rehab?” he mused. “Is it that different? I’m not so sure it is. I see it a lot. People get hooked on status and power.”

The Irish actor also has sympathy for his character and his fate.

“He had virtually all his titles taken away. He had his land taken away from him. He lost his daughter and his son. They were both executed, and he was present at the execution. What does that do to you? The ending is just awful. Ghastly.”

Although Thomas is spared in the finale, Dunning won’t be back for the show’s third season. King Henry (Jonathan Rhys Meyers) and the series have moved on to Henry’s third wife, Jane Seymour (Anita Briem).

“I have a fantasy of him ending up in a cupboard somewhere and just appearing on set one day,” he said and then laughed. “I think that would be fun. Just showing him popping his head out.”

Next up for Dunning is a BBC film about the life of British TV host Hughie Green, a movie with Colin Farrell and the Harold Pinter play “No Man’s Land.” Dunning said he knew he wanted to be an actor when he was 5 and played the prince of the fairies in a stage production of “Thumbelina.”

“I do remember standing in the wings waiting to go on and I do remember that being a very important moment. That’s what I’m still in contact with today. I still feel kind of excited and in the wings, waiting to go on, waiting to do things.”

International Children’s Day on June 1

Children's rights take centre stage

Russia has joined nations across the world in marking International Children’s Day on June 1. The day is aimed at raising awareness of children's rights and to encourage governments to pass laws. A charity match was staged at Moscow's Locomotive stadium where a team of Russian politicians and celebrities played against a bunch of Italian pop stars.

The home team were triumphant, winning the game 2-1. Even the former Russian international and FC Porto goalkeeper, Sergey Ovchinnikov, couldn’t help the Italians.

The money raised from the game, which is part of a nationwide initiative known as "Under the flag of kindness", will help pay the medical bills of children in need of expensive operations.

Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov also took part in the charity match.

”We are just helping attract more people to the stadium and thus to raise more money,” he said.

Vyacheslav Fetisov, the head of Federal Agency for Sport, said it was not a one-off event: “such matches have already raised money for many children for the last few years”, he said.

“And there are more and more matches like this throughout the country,” he added.

Over the past three years the project has raised more than $US 3 million, spread between 266 children.

“If you count the salaries of the staff who care for the child, the medicine, which is very expensive, then there is no money left for everyday things, especially if you consider that not every child recovers immediately,” said Sergey Gotye, Director of the Institute of Transplantology.

It’s estimated that a quarter of all Russian children under 16 live in poverty. And Children’s Day has always been given a high profile in the country, with lots of events organised to raise money for children in need.

The main idea of the day is to remind grown-ups of the importance of maintaining children’s rights. It was established almost 60 years ago with the aim of protecting children's rights and encouraging governments to pass laws.

The only problem this year is Moscow’s weather, which remains stubbornly cold despite being the first day of summer.

The ultimate need-to-know diet tips

Approach

Diet tip #1 Think lifestyle change, not diet

You have to change your eating habits permanently if you want to lose weight and keep it off. "You can't just change what you eat for a short while, for a lasting effect," says Ramona Josephson, a Vancouver-based registered dietitian and president of weightlossdeal.com.

Cooking and Eating

Diet tip #2 Beware of refined sugar

Foods high in refined sugar are one of the fastest ways to add pounds. Check food labels for sugar in all its disguises: dextrose, fructose, corn syrup and maltodextrin, says Jennifer Salib Huber, a Halifax-based reigstered dietitian and naturopathic doctor. We all have our weaknesses, so if it's sugar you crave, reduce the amount over time. Ajax, ON mom Kathy Kirton, was overweight after three pregnancies. She went from eating a regular-size chocolate bar every day to a Halloween-size and then to a 100-calorie bar. Then she reduced the frequency of the treats and has lost 28 lbs so far.

Diet tip #3 Not all fat is bad

Most people know trans fat should be avoided as it increases bad cholesterol (LDL), decreases good cholesterol (HDL) and hardens arteries. And saturated fat should only make up seven to ten per cent of your diet. However, unsaturated fats, found in foods such as nuts, fish oil and olive oil, are beneficial. "They help reduce inflammation, lower cholesterol and prevent cardiovascular disease," says Salib Huber. Additionally, they slow down the absorption of food into the bloodstream, keeping you full longer. But don't overdo it. You only need one to two teaspoons of unsaturated fat in a meal.

Diet tip #4 Eat breakfast

It seems like a no-brainer, but we've all skipped it. "When you eat breakfast, you keep your metabolism rate up. If you don't eat breakfast, your body sees it as potential starvation and your metabolism slows down," says Josephson.

Diet tip #5 Feed your body regularly

To keep your blood sugar level consistent, eat three well-balanced meals a day and snacks between meals more than five hours apart, recommends Josephson. This will help prevent arriving at the next meal famished and "out of control."

Diet tip #6 Watch what you put on your food

You may fill your plate with healthy meat or fish and veggies, but then defeat your efforts by slathering on a lot of mayonnaise, butter, salad dressing or excess oil, warns Josephson. Limit the amount you're using and consider selecting a low-fat product, as long as it doesn't contain high sugar.

Diet tip #7 Stock your kitchen with healthy snacks

Heather Kovensky, who lost 100 lbs as a teenager and now works as a personal trainer, started eating fruits and vegetables instead of chips and cookies. She'll munch on an apple, pineapple, grapes and carrots. "Carrots and celery are not as fun, but neither is being overweight," she explains. Sugar also suggests trying raw almonds, yogurt, cottage cheese or soup.

Diet tip #8 Plan for eating out

Sometimes Kirton's kids want to eat at McDonald's. (They're kids, after all.) Instead of a soft drink, burger and fries, Kirton orders a chicken fajita, a salad and a water to get her greens and protein. She also requests dressing on the side.

Diet tip #9 Eat smaller portions

In the age of super-sizing, our sense of appropriate portions has gone out of whack. Learn about how much you actually need to eat. One serving of meat, for example, is the size of deck of cards, says Salib Huber. Use a smaller plate or bowl as a helpful visual cue.

Diet tip #10 Avoid eating late at night

Kovensky tries to have her last meal by 7 p.m. "If I'm eating at 8 p.m., I'm aware of the portions I'm having. I won't have a big plate of pasta." Why not? When you go to sleep, you're sedentary and will burn fewer calories. Also, people tend to reach for comfort foods when they relax late at night.

Diet tip #11 Drink water

"I try to drink eight glasses of water a day. Sometimes it's six, sometimes it's ten," says Halifax-based mom Tory Greff. She drinks water especially before reaching for a snack to make sure she's not just thirsty. "Also on a fuller stomach, I'm not as apt to scarf down as quite as many treats." If you find the taste bland, try buying lemon or lime flavoured spring water, as Greff does, or opt for decaffeinated herbal tea.

The mental edge

Diet tip #12 Get your eight hours of sleep

Insufficient sleep affects three weight-related hormones, says Josephson. It can cause a decrease in leptin, an appetite-suppressing hormone, an increase in ghrelin, a hormone that keeps hunger pangs in check, and a rise in the stress hormone cortisol, which increases fat storage. Stress can also bring out our inner binge-eater, so be warned.

Diet tip #13 Emotional eating

Get to the root of problem. "Knowing the reason why you react to certain emotions with food will make a difference in changing your eating habits. You want to identify the payoffs and benefits you think you're getting, other than the taste, and then create the same type of feelings in other ways," says Toronto-based weight loss coach Rob Sugar.

Diet tip #14 Keep a food journal

For the first three months, Kirton kept a food journal, which helped her accurately track what she was eating and kept her accountable. Even now, if Kirton falls off the wagon, she starts to record what she eats to help get her back on track.

Diet tip #15 Get support

Sugar calls his clients every day in the beginning and then reduces the frequency as new thought and emotional patterns become established. You can also find encouragement from a nutrition coach, a personal trainer, a friend or an online weight loss community, says Salib Huber.

Diet tip #16 Stick to your guns

When a relative tried to push Kirton to indulge in a piece of cake, she responded by saying she'd worked really hard to lose the weight and she'd like him to respect her decision. If you don't want to bring up weight, Josephson suggests saying that you're absolutely satisfied by the meal and don't feel you could eat anything further.

Diet tip #17 If you fall off the wagon, get back on

Greff lost 25 lbs and then put 10 back on over Christmas. But instead of giving up, she re-examined her goals and got back on the wagon. "I reminded myself that I wanted to have the energy to take my daughter for walks and have the strength to lift her up. I also wanted to look good in my old clothes."

Exercise

Diet tip #18 Combine cardio and weights

"You want to do combination of cardio and weights for a minimum of three days a week for 45 minutes to 1 hour each session," says Erin Galway, fitness manager and elite personal trainer at Goodlife Fitness in Toronto. For optimum weight loss, you need to do weights (which build lean muscles and raise your metabolism) as well as cardio (which burns calories and improves your heart and lung health).

Diet tip #19 Break it up

Sometimes you can't seem to find an hour to yourself. Try working out at home: use an exercise video, do resistance exercises with a Theraband and use food cans as weights, says Galway. Divide your workout into 10- or 20-minute chunks throughout the day and you'll start to see the results.

Diet tip #20 Challenge yourself

To overcome plateaus, keep challenging your body. "For toning, when it becomes too easy to do 12 reps then do 15," says Galway. A personal trainer can help, adds Kovensky, because she can change the exercises or increase the weights appropriately.