Photo: "Micro government" by pixel_bunny, member of the blogTO Flickr pool.

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

Late last night, TTC users and Toronto techies were abuzz after news leaked that an early, live version of the NextBus GPS streetcar tracking system is accessible. In a tweet this morning, TTC Chair Adam Giambrone clarifies: "BlogTO unveiled the online vehicle arrival system and although just a prototype, it will be interesting To hear people's opinions on it."

In other city news, there are a bunch of new job opportunities up for grabs at City Hall (including a "Blackberry expert"). With the current state of the economy, and with major budget woes, this hiring binge is drawing plenty of criticism.

Unions that represent city workers are coming together for contract talks. Could it be that one city councilor's prediction (that things will come to a boil and that we'll have a garbage strike in mid-summer) be realized?

--

The ongoing, expensive, coffee cup waste study/kerfuffle at city hall has been shelved for now. Sometimes things get out of hand, and it's good to know that sometimes this is recognized and halted.

A heads up to plane spotters - Emirates will be running three weekly flights to Toronto of the giant double-decker Airbus A380, starting in June.

And a Burlington man is in hot water for allegedly responding to a childish prank by shooting kids with a pellet gun. Dig-dong-ditch is a sort of child-->teen rite of passage, and shouldn't be returned with violence, no matter how much is sucks to be pranked!