It was a Bright Day at Blackberry on Wednesday as the Waterloo smart phone maker boasted of an order of a million units to a mystery buyer. Blackbery called the purchaser an “established partner” and said delivery was to be immediate. Meantime, chief executive Thorsten Heins said the new BlackBerry Z10 touchscreen phone is selling better than the company expected, while Canadian carrier Bell said last month that pre-orders broke its previous records for BlackBerry. Verizon Wireless says it will begin stocking the BlackBerry Z10 on March 28, with pre-orders starting on Thursday. Earlier this week AT&;T announced it would begin to offer the phone on March 22, while T-Mobile expects to carry the BlackBerry device for its business customers as early as the end of this week, though it did not provide details on the availability for non-business customers. A keypad version of the phone, dubbed the BlackBerry Q10, is expected this spring. Shares in the company closed up $1.21 at $16.04 on the Toronto Stock Exchange.
Jorge Mario Bergoglio becomes Pope Francis I
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CP24 to carry Stompin Tom Connors memorial
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There will be a live feed of the memorial for Stompin Tom Connors tonight. CP24 has said it will carry the event live beginning at 7 p.m. from the Peterborough Memorial Centre. Connors was one of Canada’s most famous country and folk singer and songwriters. He died last week at his home in Peterborough at age 77. The event ceremony planned to honour him will feature a variety of live music, video clips, family photos and a recounting of Stompin’ Tom memories by close friends, musical peers and government officials that include former governor-general Adrienne Clarkson and former Liberal MP and Montreal Canadiens goalie, Ken Dryden. Stompin Tom Connors, A Celebration of his Life will be televised live province-wide by TV-COGECO.
South Bayview GPS spots openings and closings
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| At Culinary Arts |
The closing of The Trend Shoppe at 1622 Bayview leaves an attractive and spacious vacancy and there’s a feeling it may soon be taken. Same goes for the smaller location at 1699 Bayview which was occupied for so many years by Smokin’ Cigar. It has a fairly long exposure to the street compared to shallow depth. That can be useful and by the way Smokin’ Cigar is now housed at large new quarters at 1540 Bayview down by McSorely’s. At 1685 Bayview the elegant double-store premises of Detail the home decor business has a large sign announcing the space is for lease. This news seems sad because the store opened barely 18 months ago. The space was transformed from ratty to attractive at no doubt some cost. Space once occupied by the much missed Country Store remains for lease at 1657 Bayview. As to openings, the store known as ZoeII has its sign up and women’s wear stock in place at 463 Manor Road just off Bayview. Curiously, it seems to be closed a lot. Back on Bayview the heroic renovations at the Merchant of Tennis have over-shot the target date for re-opening. The Merchant had posted signs saying he would be back in business by February 15, but the shop is still closed behind plywood hoardings. On a bright note the Academy of Culinary Arts has posted a sign asking for an “enthusiastic , friendly individual with previous retail experience and an interest in food.”
Marc Garneau quitting bid to lead federal Liberals
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It appears that former astronaut Marc Garneau will announce today that he is pulling out of the Liberal leadership race. His decision makes it certain that Justin Trudeau will become party leader. Garneau to pull out of race
Feed a dog for free: a dissertation by Alan Murray
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Alan Murray is a Rosedale area dog walker and friend of animals: I am one of those who feel that dogs should eat whatever they like. That’s what I do. So dog biscuits feed my dog. Here’s how: Shops and stores around Yonge and Roxborough have dog treats in the store, as a friendly, neighbourly, kindness. Exploiting this, here’s how I feed Charlie for free. The first stop is the New Way Cleaners, where Nicole, the new owner, has soft, moist biscuits. She has dogs and knows her cookies. Much tail wagging at this stop, as Charlie gobbles down one and I slip a second into my pocket. Then up to the TD bank, the friendliest, happiest bank in the city. Aireen sits and smiles at reception, and she’s ready with a dog biscuit for Charlie. They’re hard biscuits, and Charlie sniffs it away. I, however, grab two biscuits “for later”. Then it’s into Rosedale’s General Store. Health Foods. It’s Rosedale’s best kept secret. Hidden in plain view. I stick a head in the door, and Jae goes to the back and hands me a beautiful looking cookie. Charlie is drooling. Now it’s time to head over to Avenue Road. Padding across to Sarah Band’s store, Bianco Plus. Right at the doorway Sarah has two beautiful bowls, one with water, and the other with the best looking dog biscuits in Toronto. Red. Yellow. Green. Charlie only eats one. I pocket three colours. Later in the day, I crumble all my dog biscuits, add a little water and make a slurry for Charlie’s dinner. So, that’s how you feed your dog for free. But, perhaps the nicest part, is: everyone is so delighted to provide the goodies. It makes them feel good just to be doing it.There may be a political philosophy here. Those who like to give, give. Those who like to receive, receive. Gracefully. Courtesy Yonge and Roxborough News
The common sense of Waste to Energy
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| Jim Harnum |
Jim Harnum, the general manager of Toronto’s solid waste management services will be seeking city council’s permission this month to launch a comprehensive look into a long-term waste strategy. What that means is that Toronto — like so many cities around the world — is waking up to the common sense possibility of burning much of its garbage. Every option will be on the table. “Are we going to expand the landfill, are we going to buy another one, are we going to burn it, are we going to turn it into something else, can we wait until 2027 and see if there is some magic out there?” Harnum is quoted by the Toronto Star. “I don’t think we can wait. Anything we do in this sector takes 12 to 15 years.” One of the things Harnum is talking about is the growing acceptance of the sound science of generating energy from waste as the garbage is incinerated. It’s called Waste to Energy (WtoE). Public opinion polls show Toronto residents are almost evenly divided on incineration. It’s easy to understand. Conventional wisdom has opposed burning garbage for decades. It’s almost a touchstone of the recycling gospel taught in schools. Former Mayor David Miller was deeply opposed to WtoE. He convinced city council to continue the practice of dumping garbage in landfill even after Toronto stopped shipping it to Michigan. It is now buried in a landfill near London, Ontario. Previous post.
James Lea home at 33 Heather Road is sold
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The historic Leaside home at 33 Heather Road has been sold. The 1902 home of the family of James Lea had been owned in recent years by hockey player Nick Kypreos. In the summer of 2012 it had been listed for $3.5 million. It was then taken off the market and re-listed as a private offering by Chestnut Park Realty. The selling price is being withheld. The list price this year was $3.295 million. 33 Heather sits on a lot 80 by 150 feet widening to 92. It was renovated in 2004 but continues to preserve the original home. There are about 5,000 square feet of living space
No Pope on first ballot, second vote Wednesday
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Black smoke rose into the evening sky over the Vatican as a Conclave of cardinals failed to select a new pope on its first vote Tuesday. A second vote will be held Wednesday morning. Earlier story: Cardinals of the Roman Catholic Church have entered their Conclave to decide through a run-off voting process who will be the next Pope. Amid public opinion surveys which show North Americans strongly favor a more liberalized Papacy, the Cardinals will continue to cast ballots until a two-thirds majority Pope is identified. There is speculation that the decision will come Thursday. Canadian Cardinal Marc Oulette is apparently still a contender and Mark Mardell the BBC’s North American editor weighs Oulette’s chances (link below). The forces within the Church worldwide have led some to say that a Canadian Pope is a definite long shot however. The traditionally Euro-centric Vatican and the preponderance of Catholic populations in Africa and South America seem to suggest this is correct. Mark Mardell
Media permitted at Magnotta preliminary hearing
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The judge presiding over Luka Rocco Magnotta’s preliminary hearing has turned down a defense request to have everyone excluded from the courtroom. Judge Lori-Renne Wietzman made the decision apparently without elaborating on why Magnotta’s lawyer felt the ban was necessary. A ban on testimony is normal during preliminary hearings but the defense wanted to keep the media out even though it was not permitted to write about the testimony.
Why Vatican might accept married priests
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There is an upbeat guess in this article that the Vatican may be ready to permit priests to wed and ordain women. It contains nothing much to support this prospect but it is an interesting indicator of how the current debate over who should be Pope has raised hopes. Frank Viviano
Talking about her complaint until 2014
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Sarah Thompson has told a Toronto radio station that she thought Mayor Ford was on cocaine the night he allegedly molested her at a large party at the Acadian Court. This follows the mayor’s comment on his radio program on Newstalk 1010 that he feels Ms Thompson is “not playing with a full deck.” These careless slanders invoke again Christie Blatchford’s observation that Mr. Ford and Ms Thompson are Mr. Train Wreck and Ms Train Wreck. None of it reflects well on either party. Nor does it seem right for the media to let them keeping cranking out insults which shed no light on the truth. It seems certain, given the many informed witnesses who have already come forward that there will never be a factual determination of the key question. But it is more than clear that Ms Thompson’s agenda is to keep talking about the alleged offense from now until election day 2014. Frankly it seems doubtful that someone with her judgement could ever be elected mayor. Ms. Thompson’s rambling suppositions about the mayor’s condition — cocaine, diabetes, alcohol — are grotesque. It is equally apparent that by raking over the matter each morning in the media she can hurt the mayor’s chances at the next vote.