Distractions, reflections

Former Unilever site . East of Don Roadway, north of Lakeshore Boulevard East, south of the Adelaide Street onramp, there’s 29 acres to be redeveloped, up to 60 acres with city and other private properties, says “Jobs, transit and the future: How an empty lot at the foot of Toronto could transform it” | Elizabeth Church | March 14, 2015 | Globe & Mail at http://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/toronto/jobs-transit-and-the-future-how-an-empty-lot-at-the-foot-of-toronto-could-transform-it/article23461556/ (Toronto) 20150515

Systems Thinking Ontario March 2015. Session on Systems and Resilience Redux: Deciphering Panarchy (Some More) extended discussion from last month. Some attendees had not pre-read article, so interpreting figures without visual aids was like described video on television. Returning attendees thought that extra time spent on the same theme helped unwrap the mystery, and the month in between gave time for consideration. (Systems Thinking Ontario, OCAD U. Lambert Lounge) 20150318

SFI class fishbowl. Inner circle of discussants on systemic design methods, with outer circle of observers who can swap into inner. Smaller group enables richer interaction amongst active participants, questions build amongst students paying attention. (Strategic Foresight and Innovation program, OCAD U., Toronto) 20150319

Niagara Falls from Rainbow Bridge. On drive to NYC, stopped for hour walk through Niagara State Park. Oldest park on the U.S., quiet on a March Friday. First time to see falls on the American side, we have seen the more commercial Canadian side frequently. (Rainbow Bridge, Niagara Falls, NY) 20150321

Celery Farm. Nature preserve with pond mostly still frozen. Watched mallard duck couple getting fat on sunfish in surface ice, and just through a small hole. Snapping turtles may be driving fish to the top. (Celery Farm Natural Area, Allendale, NJ) 20150322

Times Square. Sunday spring stroll down 7th Avenue, at temperature above freezing. Loose weekend before a Monday morning meeting. Benefits of a friend with a Manhattan apartment. (New York City) 20150322

Center for Global Enterprise. Interview of Sam Palmisano and Chris Caine by David Ing, Global Scholar Program, as reward for perfect score on a quiz on the “Re-Think: A Path the Future” book. One hour meeting should lead to a series of future articles for the CGE. Guest article contributed to CGE website at http://thecge.net/global-scholar-meets-with-sam-palmisano-and-chris-caine-in-nyc/. (New York City) 20150323

The New School. Flattered to be asked which undergrad program I might apply to, on tour of Parsons Design. Said that unlike the others, I am probably beyond that, now. Fun to compare design and architecture teaching facilities with other universities I haunt. (Parsons The New School for Design, New York City) 20150323

6th Ave. At 53rd St. NYC food trucks, customers dining al fresco, street performer fiddling, late afternoon with a March chill. Around the corner from the Museum of Modern Art, where we saw the new new Bjork Black Lake video installation, 2 facing screens, 49 speakers on walls and ceiling. (New York City) 20150324