Month: September 2016

Toronto hotter than bamboo steamer on record Sept. 7

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Toronto was hotter than a bamboo steamer yesterday. The mercury registered the hottest September 7 ever with a daytime high of 34.5 C. That broke the previous record of 33.9 C, which was set in 1969. Weather forecasters note that this is 38th time the City has exceeded the 30 C mark this year, compared to only 14 times last year and seven the year before.

Who has it right about effectiveness of “flu mist” vaccine?

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Somebody is wrong when it comes to the effectiveness of nasal spray flu vaccine for children. The Centre for Disease Control in Atlanta is telling U.S. doctors the spray is only “three per cent effective” in the annual defense against flu. That is said to compare with 63 percent effectiveness, on average, for the old-fashioned injection. But here in Ontario, Health Minister Eric Hoskins says the province will continue to offer the spray, pointing to a study by the Canadian Institutes for Health Research that found flu mist “as effective as the injectable version.” All of this is separate from the annual guessing game required by scientists to foresee just what strains of flu are going show up as influenza hits each fall. CBC

Woman seriously hurt in fire on Donlands near Cosburn

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An early morning fire Thursday in an apartment on Donlands Ave. at Cosburn Avenue has seriously injured a woman occupant. She is said to be burned on possibly 30 percent of her body. Fire officials are looking at a possible cause of careless smoking. The victim is about 60.

Summerhill Market buys assets of All The Best Foods

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Summerhill Market has acquired the assets of All The Best Fine Foods, the legendary grocery outlet on Yonge Street at the corner of Price Street. That store, at 1101 Yonge, is closing because of redevelopment. A notice on the Summerhill Facebook page notes the acquisition of the All The Best Fine Foods at  483 Church Street and a “commissary kitchen” at 105 Vanderhoof Ave. It notes that ATBFF owners Jane Rodmell and  Sue Merry will join the Summerhill staff for a “transitional period.” The five businesses originally located on this old corner have been known affectionately as the Five Thieves for many generations

Any way you cut it, iPhone 7 is gong to cost you money

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What we’ve learned so far about the iPhone 7:

  • Colours: High gloss stainless finish called Jet Black, a second black, we call it simply: black. Gold, silver, rose gold as well.
  • Home button reengineerd to be non-mechanical, force sensitive solid state, with a Taptic Engine.
  • The new enclosure is water and dust resistant.
  • New camera system is a huge advancement. Everything is new: optical stabilization, f1.8 aperture lens, new six-element lens.
  • New TrueTone flash with four LEDs that has a flicker sensor to make photos in artificial lighting look better.
  • Front-facing camera is now 7 megapixels with auto image stabilization.
  • 2 x 12-megapixel cameras on the Plus. One is a telephoto. Real zooming.
  • 2x optical zoom. Up to 10x with software zoom.
  • Bokeh! The dual cameras create a depth map to find the subjects of a photo and blur the background.
  • 25 percent brighter, wide color gamut, color management, 3D Touch.
  • Stereo speakers!  twice the volume as the 6S, with increased dynamic range.
  • Earpods. Now connecting over Lightning. Yep, no headphone jack.
Images: TheVerge.com

Get paid for a selfie? Your world beyond South Bayview

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In your world beyond South Bayview this Wednesday, American and Russian astronauts return home after six months aboard the International space station. In Rio, the Paralymic Games are about to begin. And selfie addicts can tantalize themselves with thoughts of fame by trying to sell their snapshots with apps that pay — maybe — a dollar or five a photo.

TREB: Toronto home prices leap 17.2% August to August

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Toronto home prices on average are 17.2 per cent higher than last year according to the Toronto Real Estate Board. There were 9,813 sales last month says TREB. That volume was 23.5 per cent more than in August 2015. The average price for homes sold, regardless of type of property, was $710,400 — with the average price for detached homes in the city of Toronto itself going up 18.3 per cent to $1.2 million. Some think that Vancouver’s new 15 per cent tax on foreign buyers could send investors to Toronto driving up prices further. Sales in Vancouver dropped 26 per cent in August compared to a year ago, following the introduction of the tax on Aug. 2.

Visiting for friends of Judy Fleming at Humphrey’s

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Friends and admirers of Judy Fleming are invited to attend Humphrey Funeral Home on either Wednesday or Thursday to pay respects.  Family will attend from 7 to 9 p.m. on Wednesday, September 7 and from 12 noon to 2 p.m. on Thursday, September 8.  A service celebrating Judy’s life will be held in Leaside United Church 1:00 p.m. on Saturday, September 10th, with a reception following in the church hall (822 Millwood Avenue 416.425.1253). Obituary