The South Bayview Bulldog

Two senior employees of the TTC have paid with their jobs for the cost over-runs on the Toronto-York Spadina Subway Extension. TTC Chief Capital Officer Sameh Ghaly and Andy Bertolo, chief project manager for the TYSSE, “are no longer with the organization.” Andy Byford, chief general manager, said:  “As CEO I felt a change in leadership at the TTC was required at this crucial time,” he said. It is not clear what Mr. Byford knew about the over-run and the public may wonder how a sum of $400 million in unplanned expenditures would not be noticed by many people.  Earlier this month, Byford told Mayor John Tory and TTC chair Josh Colle about the “possibility of a significant cost overrun” for the Spadina extension. It runs from University-Spadina line through York University and up to Vaughan.

The United Kingdom and large parts of Europe are reporting a “spectacular’ eclipse of the sun by the moon. It produced this classic photo of the “diamond ring” effect which occurs when the sun begins to emerge from behind the moon. Check out The Bulldog video page for video of the full eclipse with commentary.. 

An hour-long motorcycle chase, both slow and high speed, with many close calls in Los Angeles. The stunting which you may have seen briefly on TV news in Toronto is at about 7.25 of the video. The chase occurs through two Southern California counties. At the end he is arrested without a struggle in a gas station and tells a reporter “I just want to say I love my family and my two baby girls and I’m sorry I disappointed them.” Perhaps a bit of insight into this young man’s dangerous conduct today.

The home at 114 Brentcliffe Rd up near the valley has sold for its full listing price of $2,249,000. It was built in 2013 as infill and fetched $2,010,000 at that time. The Globe and Mail reports that the owners had ten showings with in three days and they had no trouble getting their price. It is a very desirable corner of Leaside. In 2013, Cezanne Homes completed the home to great dimensions. It has 3,000 square feet of living space, including four bedrooms with hardwood floors and either private or semi-private access to one of five bathrooms, plus a large built-in garage and private driveway.

A man has walked out of North York General Hospital dressed only in his hospital clothes. Chu Fay Chong, 60, was last seen on Wednesday, March 18, 2015 at approximately 5:30 p.m. leaving the hospital at Leslie Street and Sheppard Avenue area.  He is described as Asian, 5’11”, 150 lbs., brown eyes, shoulder-length black/grey hair with black-and-grey goatee. He was wearing light-blue hospital pants with a light-blue hospital gown, a white T-shirt and black shoes.  Police are concerned for his safety.

Shocking case of a knife attack and removal of a baby from the womb in Colorado. MailOnline

Broadcaster 

It has been leaked today that the CRTC will require cable companies to let subscribers “pick and pay” their choice of TV channels. A basic set of channels would be mandatory for $25. The idea for pick and pay is that a customer can then select only the few or several others that he wants and somehow save money. It has been argued there is no such bargain to be had. That remains to be seen. But now the CRTC is asking just who leaked this news. It was supposed to be confidential until the markets closed. Now the story is out two or three hours early.  We don’t know the snitch but any schoolboy would tell the Ottawa mandarins to check with the boardrooms of the big cable operations. They are the only ones who are told about it and it seems clear that some sneak with a media connection (CTV in this case) whispered something he should not have. The drama.  CBC