Toronto Police Service report: An employee of Hurst Pharmacy, 419 Donlands Avenue, reports that on June 13, 2013 at approximately 1745 hours two male suspects entered the premises and approached the counter. The suspects made a demand for prescription drugs and indicated they were armed, although no weapon was seen. The victim complied and the suspects fled the scene in an unknown direction. No injuries were sustained by the victim. Police are requesting the assistance of the public in identifying the following described persons in connection with this offence. Description of Suspect #1: Male, white, 30-40 years, 5’9”-5’11”, short brown hair. Suspect #2: Male, white, 5’11”-6’1”.
Of flatbread, old fish and Walmart street cleaners
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| George Stroumboulopoulos |
Maybe George Stroumboulopoulos always knew that his American debut would look like flat bread at a French Pastry contest. His somber demeanor seems no darker today than it has ever done, but if he had known that his CNN eponymous program would garner so few viewers, he might have called it something else. Eponymous means it was named after him. Eponymous is a useless word. Or take Andrea Horwath. Really. She thinks it is good to support the Liberal government so that “we can get the bottom of this scandal.” Earth to Andrea: We are at the bottom of the scandal. We know what they did. When a government smells like old fish you throw it out. You don’t dine on the fish. Or you can go to Kensington Market where there really are old fish. Mostly they are in the gutter but it still smells like Queen’s Park Crescent. Walmart wants to open a store there but the push is on to keep them out. Are you sure about that guys? What if Walmart promises to start a street cleaning division and scrub Kensingston Market pavement and sidewalks freshy fresh every morning? There’s still time.
Trudeau to return speech fees where he bombed
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CTV is reporting that Justin Trudeau says he is willing to pay back money to any charity that feels it didn’t get its money’s worth when Mr. Trudeau spoke at its fund-raising event. He is quoted by the TV network online as saying: “I am going to sit down with every single one of them and make this right.” The complaint arose with the New Brunswick Grace Foundation which paid Mr Trudeau $20,000 to speak at an event aimed at raising $300,000 but in fact lost money instead. And late last week, Saskatchewan premier Brad Wall called on Trudeau to pay back another $20,000 fee the Liberal leader collected for speaking at a literacy conference in Saskatoon. The organization was left with a surplus of just $7,000. “I just think in terms of an example of leadership that that’s the right thing to do at this point,” Wall said of his call for Trudeau to repay the money, according to CTV.
Rupert Murdoch and Wendi Deng to quietly split
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One of the most famous December-May marriages in recent times has apparently come to an end. The 14-year match-up of media magnate Rupert Murdoch and his elegant young wife Wendi Deng will be ended quietly in New York’s no-fault divorce court with few details it seems from either side. For its prospects, Mr. Murdoch’s third marriage has lasted longer than most such unions and seemed to reveal a meeting of mature minds between the partners. Ms Deng’s casual introduction to Murdoch on an aircraft has been the stuff of dreams for many women of her modest background. Whether they happened to sit together by design or accident it is said that Ms. Deng charmed her older seat mate sufficiently during the flight that he was genuinely smitten when the plane landed. For her part, Wendi Deng adapted well to the privileged life of her tycoon husband, giving him two daughters and conducting herself with decorum. Chicago Tribune
Driverless car eliminates nut behind the wheel
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Researchers at Carnegie Mellon University in Pennsylvania are putting the finishing touches on their version of a driverless car that lays the groundwork for computers to replace humans in the driver seat within a decade. As you watch, think about those sensors on the outside of the Cadillac SUV. Will they see through snow and ice? It’s been known to snow in Toronto. And, sadly someone has to tell the car where to go. That is, give its computer a routing. There doesn’t seem to be anybody else except the hapless human to do that. He’s the same nut behind the wheel who causes most accidents.
Ron Sloan racquet shop closed on South Bayview
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Ron Sloan’s Racquet Specialist Shop at 1491 Bayview has closed. Neighbors say the store has been vacant for about ten days and now there are signs up that the little premises where the firm has done business is for lease. It is certainly a notable passing. The sign suggests Ron Sloan has been at this location since 1975. There is no sign indicating where the business might be going. In 2009 Blog TO said “Ron Sloan goes baseline to baseline, er, with the Merchant of Tennis for tennis store supremacy in the South Bayview-Mt. Pleasant corridor. In addition to tennis gear, there’s also a good selection of squash stuff here.” It is to the point because Merchant of Tennis has a smart looking operation and local tennis players are not shy about critiquing the service they get. Big party was great say Sal and Dom Badali
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It was a mob scene pretty much all day long at 1587 Byview with the longest lineups seen around noon when the barbecue got underway. All in all, a fitting anniversary for the Badali family. Scenes show busy store inside and out, Dom (mid left) and Sal with daughter Danielle (lower). Previous post
Bulldog Coffee closes shop at 55 Eglinton E.
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Bulldog Coffee at 55 Eglinton Ave. E. is now closed.
Oh dear! Are men to blame for menopause?
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| Charles Darwin |
Oh dear. Now it appears, according to busy fertility researchers at McMaster University that “men are to blame” for menopause occurring when it does because in their older years they prefer younger women to older ones. The idea seems to be that older women just give up and will their fertility to shut down. British researchers have called this odd view a load of codswhallop. Menopause, they say, is something that evolved through millions of years of very short life spans when women in their 30s did not live long enough to look after their later-born offspring. Happily they could assist in the care of children of younger women. The British experts insist that a man’s preference for younger women is a classic example of Darwin’s theory that those who are able to survive (the fittest) are the ones who in fact survive. Darwin had no time for the popular fear of “dirty old men”. There’s no way of knowing but he may have been one, purely in the scientific sense of course. BBC
Athletic,Wellness complex rising on Mt. Pleasant
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The impressive Branksome Hall Athletic and Wellness Centre is the scene of furious activity. It is rising at the northwest corner of Elm Ave and Mt Pleasant Rd. The busy foundation site was photographed Friday, June 14, 2013. Julia Drake, Branksome’s Executive Director of Communications and Marketing says the Athletics and Wellness Centre will open in late 2014. It will feature a gymnasium, a high-performance fitness centre, an erg room for rowers, two pools, a yoga studio, a dance studio, meeting space and a large dining hall. Inset we see the dance room and one of the pools. The centre will offer many services and opportunities. It appears that Branksome will administer this centre both for the students and members of the public, under certain conditions.
Shane is the man at street party time
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It is street party time again across South Bayview and much of Toronto. Here in Moore Park Shane is seen dropping off barricades for the 42nd annual Rose Park Drive party, perhaps one of the oldest in the city. The party goes off Saturday, June 15, 2013. It was started by people like Jack Armstrong and George Zarb (who still lives there) By the time the sun sets Friday, Shane will have delivered barriers to many area street parties.
Sears leaving Yorkdale and Square One malls
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Sears Canada is getting itself out of both Yorkdale Shopping Centre and the Square One Shopping Centre in Mississauga. The struggling department store is selling leases back to the landlords for $191-million plus options on a third store for $1-million that could raise another $53-million within five years. Sears is under intense pressure from other U.S. based retailers such as Target and Nordstrom. But Sears also continues to be squeezed by the rise of discount and so-called wholesale merchants such as Coscto. As posted here, Costco is making plans to open a third Toronto store in Thorncliffe Park, near South Bayview.