Photo: "IMG_1868" by smuncky, member of the blogTO Flickr pool.

What's happening in the GTA:

A study published in Foreign Policy magazine ranks Toronto as a top 10 "global city" and even more impressive yet is our being ranked in 4th place in the world for culture (beat only by London, Paris, and New York). Whatever you do, don't say "world class" because it pisses off the Toronto internet.

It's the first case of its kind in Canada. An Ontario man is being tried for the first-degree murder of two women, but not by the usual means (no gun, no knife, no strangulation or blunt force trauma). How is it alleged that he killed? By knowingly infecting them with HIV. Something tells me that this is going to be a long trial, and depending on the health of the accused, it may or may not end with a prison sentence if he's found guilty.

When I read the headline, I thought it was a joke. But apparently the possibility of the NHL granting Toronto an additional hockey franchise is real. They're even talking about having them share the ACC as their home rink. Could this actually happen, or is this just hype to rev up the superfans' engines?

How fun would it be to take down a plane carrying 200 passengers? Would whoever is blinding pilots coming into Pearson airport by shining lasers at them please stop! It's not funny, and the potential for catastrophe real.

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He's so adamant about the value and safety of raw milk that he's refused to yield to court orders to stop selling it. Raw milk advocate Michael Schmidt has been found guilty of contempt, and is expected to see the bigger trial start in January.

Graffiti is one thing, but what would drive Toronto teens to threaten the safety of kids playing in a park, by allegedly putting sharp metal staples in playground equipment is a disturbing mystery.

It's always fun to get a glimpse of our city from the eyes of visitors; especially from places we Torontonians often treat as the brunt of many a joke. Take Buffalo, for example. When I think of Buffalo, I think of abandoned buildings on Flickr, a cheaper starting point for flights in the US, and outlet malls. Maybe I'm due for another, perspective-changing visit.

With all the fake blood oozing from the pages of blogTO of late, it's time to remind ourselves that the Canadian Blood Services is in serious need of the real stuff. In order to meet the demand of needy recipients, close to 100,000 people are being sought to donate during the month of October alone. Do it!