Category: Offscreen

Leaves have already turned in the Laurentians due to unusually cold and dry weather. I’d say 3 weeks too early. It’s really really really freezing in the morning. 

I never cared about cars until this summer, when taxi fleets in big cities converted to the Tesla Y model to compete with ubers and the comfort is unequaled. I am addicted to the panoramic roof especially in dense urban areas, it fixes the generally claustrophobic feeling when hanging in traffic, and allows one to really appreciate high-rise real estate and lively terrasses, especially after sunset. It’s like floating in an aquarium.

I hope these cars will eventually start driving themselves at some point. I don’t mind the data collection given that I prefer to be a passenger and want to continue being as distracted as possible in a car. If anything happens, I can rely on (or subpoena if necessary) as much data as an investigation requires. Rigorous data collection on drivers (including face analytics and their mobile data) as well as everything else in and outside of a car is precisely why I trust ubers and taxis in the first place. 

I can’t stress enough how useful it is for society that cars film their external environment and no judge can tell them to stop doing it under pretext that it violates random people’s privacy. In fact, many car thieves have been identified due to EV’s filming by default.

a powerful message on a wall – only in Toronto can you see a mural that is not vandalized

So far, I haven’t seen one lake in the Laurentians that goes deeper than waist-level. I thought all water beds had dried out due to lack of rain, but it is not the case of the Saint-Lawrence River. This river is really deep, it moves, it is surfable at spots, and it is really really dangerous overall (unlike those lakes up there). People do drown every week, especially immigrants. That’s why there is a free swimming pool not far. 

Also, please be respectful of the homeless settlements by the river. It is a huge coastline. There is plenty of room for everyone. For anyone out there in a tent, I consider that they have privacy rights that arise out of taking possession to the land and establishing a clear dwelling with the knowledge of the city, which means that they can exclude others for their personal safety. 

ONe important nuance, the mood in the city is highly irritable. I myself am a different person after bathing in a lake. No amount of bathing in the city can bring back that state of mind. Being irritable, high stress, and rude around here makes interactions easier, because it is what everyone is working with. If you’re in a lighter mood, you will be treated like a tourist (not great).

these mini-jungles are largely dominated by red sumac trees, a very beautiful but invasive species, it needs to be managed. There were fallen sumac trees all throughout the overgrown trails. Some of the spots close to the Rapids are total chaos and difficult to access, but also less desirable for unhoused individuals.

it does call a lot these days.. you can easily guess where this. The lonely sign says something in the line “swimming forbidden, dangerous” in French because it is off-national-park area, and there is nobody to enforce, so what happens is between you and the water. 

this lake is almost gone and it happened in a month. When I have time, I’ll post some videos from last June to contrast with the drought situation. You wouldn’t believe it is the same lake. I noticed that it is not the only lake that has been losingsignificant water.