Photo: "DSC_4992b" by Louis Tam, member of the blogTO Flickr pool.

What's happening in the GTA (and sometimes beyond):

It would appear that stationing police officers at 22 of Toronto's schools is effective - student suspensions, criminal charges, and (with the exception of one school that experienced a couple of violent incidents involving a slew of students) violent incidents are down at most schools. I suppose we can expect the program to expand to include more officers at more locations - and not everyone will be fond of such extreme measures.

PM Harper and Premier McGuinty hung out in Etobicoke yesterday, and announced $500 million in funding for infrastructure for GO Transit. The plan includes dedicating $173 million to the creation of 6,800 additional parking spots for commuters (and if my basic math is correct, the cost is... $25,000 each). Somehow the construction of 6,800 parking spaces will also create 5,000 jobs. I'm not quite understanding this, but I am expecting these parking spots to be nothing short of incredible in form and function.

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Students in financial need who have been affected by the 12-week long strike at York University will be given additional OSAP funding to help cope with extra costs incurred. Some will not be required to pay back the extra funding. In my opinion, the money should all come from the University's budget, and no additional financial burden be put on the students.

A bizarre and tragic story out of Mississauga comes after it's alleged that a woman cutting bananas for a fruit tray at her baby shower ended up stabbing and killing an unwanted guest (a man who was apparently there to collect a debt owed to him). Things happen quickly, and lives change instantly.

And in fast breaking consumer news, a bunch of counterfeit toothbrushes are circulating in Canada. In addition to the possibility that they are short on function (insert cartoon graphic showing high-tech patented bristle design penetrating tough-to-reach gaps between teeth), they may also be unsafe (should loose bristles or toxic plastics be involved).