South Bayview Bulldog Admin

Target CEO out over Canada mess, data breach

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Gregg Steinhafel

Well, somebody had to pay for all those empty shelves over at the Target store in the East York Town Centre. That South Bayvview store was but a microcosm of the huge re-supply issues Target has had in trying to get its Canadian adventure going. That and the massive data breach of customer information last December have led to the “voluntary” departure of Target CEO Gregg Steinhafel. The 59-year-old Steinhafel started  as a merchandising clerk with Target in 1979 and made a career with the big retailer. He will receive $55 million dollars severance, and if that doesn’t make you gasp, the company lost a billion dollars U.S. last year. Of course, Steinhafel had many successful years at the top with Target and clearly made them a lot of money.  But no tag days for Gregg. He collected $64.3 million in total compensation between 2010 and 2014, according to the company’s latest compensation-related regulatory filings. That’s above the nearly $7 million he accumulated in base salary and bonuses in that same period of time

Bayer wins Merck consumer unit for US$14 billion

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Germany’s Bayer AG has trumped rival bidders for Merck & Co Inc’s consumer care business in a $14.2 billion deal, adding to a string of major cross-border deals in the healthcare industry. Reuters

Aboriginal kids drop out while chiefs posture

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The estimable Carol Goar writes in the Star that aboriginal kids are continuing to drop out of high school at an appalling rate as First Nation leaders fight among themselves and wage a turf war with the federal government. It is heartbreaking and many will see it as evidence again that much of what is wrong both for aboriginal children and women is caused by the old way of doing things on the reservations. Carol Goar 

Stibbard Ave. break-in nets thief cash, jewellery

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A resident of Stibbard Avenue reports that between 1440 and 1730 hours on May 4, 2014, entry was gained into the premises by forcing a rear sliding door. Removed was a quantity of cash and jewellery.

Watch bears climb rock wall just like humans

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Patachou says goodbye Toronto after 36 years

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Our sister blog Yonge and Yorkville reports that Patachou has officially closed after 35 years in business on midtown  Yonge. For many years Patachou was part of the little complex in the 1100 block of Yonge where the Five Thieves grocers are housed.  Rent being what it is, Patachou then moved to the other side of the street at 1120 Yonge at Rowanwood-Macpherson. Another and newer location at 835 St.Cl;air Ave. West at Winona Ave also closed on Friday, May 3, 2014. Patachou had planned to close later but construction of a condo in the rear means they will be losing the kitchen. Also, their chef who has been with them for 35 years wishes to retire. Another issue which helped reinforce the decision is that the car rent space opposite Patachou patio is to be torn down this summer, and a new building put up. Patachou owners think this would make the patio largely unusable this year due to noise and dust.

Loblaws discontinues Silk soy milk products

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Loblaws has discontinued the sale of the Silk soy milk products in all its stores in Ontario, it has been confirmed to The South Bayview Bulldog. No reason was given by Loblaws for removing the popular beverage from its shelves but employees indicated that a recent re-working of the the company’s Planograph has shaken up the entire inventory. The Planograph is part of  Loblaws internal management system. It is a computer program that measures cost, margin and volume. It is not clear which of these might be at work but it is obvious the planograph is about maximizing revenue. Silk is an international firm and from appearances it’s products, such as Silk Original, sell quite quickly.  It seems that Loblaws will continue to carry the So Good soy milk beverage as well as its own branded soy milk. As many customers of Loblaws will know, it is frequently not possible to buy brand name products formerly quite common in the big supermarket chain. Only the President’s Choice or No Name brand is available. It appears that Silk products will continue to be sold at Valu mart stores (owned by Loblaws subsidiary National Grocers). It is also available at Longo’s, Metro and Summerhill Market.  

New Reddit button now on each Bulldog post

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A new “button” making it easier for members of  Reddit to enhance their conversations with other members is now available at the bottom of each post on The South Bayview Bulldog.  In South Bayview, the Reddit Community will find many matters of importance worthy of their comment and discussion with their Reddit Toronto friends. The button opens the Reddit window complete with headline and url ready for your sign on. Give it a try. 

Meteor not a sign from God of Brooklyn Nets

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What is being called a rare daylight meteor streaked across the afternoon skies over Lake Ontario yesterday (Sunday, May 4, 2014)  It was but a blip for most who caught sight of it. The mundane and really quite calm reaction of people in their cars is recorded on dash cams and chance video moments on their phones. “You were going to set the (unintelligible) on my phone,” says a hapless man to his friend. “What are you lookin at?” She: “There was like a fireball that came down and burned up.”  Inset is the meteor grown to a burning blob on the horizon of a Toronto street. Newspapers are saying the meteor fell from the sky on what has become known as Star Wars Day (May the fourth be with you). This was almost precisely the same time the Toronto Raptors’ season went extinct, as the Globe and Mail notes. And so some people must insert humanity, frail human meaning and all, into this event. “God of the Brooklyn Nets gives sign to vanquished Toronto.” 

Bike Month ride set for Monday, May 26

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Cyclists are being invited to celebrate Bike Month by cycling to work en masse on Monday, May 26th, 2014. The Leaside contingent will form up at Eglinton Ave. E. and Laird  Drive at 6.45 a.m. They will merge with others from northern points when they arrive around 7 a.m.  This year bike riders will show support for the Eglinton LRT. The ride will take everyone to Nathan Phillips Square where it is said there will free pancakes. 

Northern Secondary demands breath test at prom

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Northern Secondary School has implemented a breathalyzer test for kids to get through the door to the senior prom this year. It is a policy used by a number of other Toronto and District School Board high schools, but not all.  Those who fail the test will not be allowed to enter the May 29, 2014 prom and their parents will be called to pick them up, said principal Ron Felsen. The decision has been taken because the school had problems with kids being intoxicated at the prom.  “My first year here, I had to shut down a dance because students were drunk.” Mr. Felsen told the National Post. He said he tried a number of approaches to address the problem, including reaching out to parents, but nothing worked. One parent, a lawyer, and a number of rights organization are grumbling about the decision.  “It’s a slippery slope,” said one. “If we allow little infringements of rights when on health and safety issues, where does it end?” Amid readings of the Charter of Rights and the Criminal Code the better question might be “where does it begin?” Or is there to be no beginning to the matter of minors getting drunk in school. Abbey Deshman of the Canadian Civil Liberties Association declares gravely: “A prom or a school dance is a really important part of a high school student’s life and I don’t think just saying the kids can skip their prom is sufficient reason to disregard their constitutional rights,” she said.  What this sounds like is that Ms. Deshman thinks kids have a right to get drunk at a school event. She may not think that. But it sounds like she does. 

Acrobats critically hurt in rigging collapse

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Eleven performers were injured in an accident about noon during an aerial act in Sunday’s performance of the Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Circus at the Dunkin’ Donuts Center in Providence, Rhode Island. Police said about 1:30 p.m. at a press conference that 9 of the performers were in critical condition at Rhode Island Hospital, but with non-life threatening injuries. They had fallen from a height of 25 to 40 feet.