Youssef Taha

There is no easy way to understand how worshippers trample others to death during a ritual that commands them to “kill the devil” with pebbles. The linked BBC video is an interview with Arabic commentator Youssef Taha who says rather sadly it will only end when the simple Arab masses are better educated.

A news release from Metrolinx says today that it will take until the end of 2016. This information conforms to that given out in March of 2014 at Metrolinx briefing meeting in the Lea Room for the public. At that meeting, there were many skeptics that the job could be finished by that date. But the giant tunneling machines are in place as can be seen in the rather rare views above of the launch site. As to completion of the full project, the timeline now stretches to 2021. This is not a surprise though some had suggested the LRT could be finished earlier. The Brentcliffe site is a sidewalk superintendent’s dream except that unlike most construction sites there is nowhere for the public to take a peek. The scene will be visible daily to those owning condos on the north side at the Scenic on Eglinton  (September 25, 2015)

We’re just saying the train didn’t leave the tracks to hit the car. This is at a level crossing on the Souffville GO line. Injuries were minor happily. The headaches with the cops will not be

Dave Stickney

Organizers of the program to create a suitable lasting memorial to the late Dave Stickney are inviting everyone to the Leaside :Pub on Saturday, September 26, 2015. Among the ideas are a math and/or community scholarship in David Stickney’s name, a memorial park bench and/or plaque in a suitable area, that will tell the story of Dave’s community contributions as a neighbour, teacher and friend and  the renaming of Markham Avenue in South Leaside to “Stickney Way”. The party this Saturday will offer aappetizers, a complimentary drink and guaranteed “great memories”. Silent Auction and Raffle items include several sets of Leaf Tickets, Toronto Soccer Club VIP seats, Bobby Or Framed Portraits, a Family Portrait Sitting by Ronald Miller Photography Limited, Argo Tickets, a Hockey Hall of Fame Family Pack and several restaurant gift certificates.  Entertainment will be provided by talented LHS alumni including Stephen Stanley, Jeanette Lee and Mike Greavette with Evan Churchill.  All proceeds from ticket sales and fundraising will go to the “The David Stickney Fund”.

FLASH: The Second Cup at 794 Mount Pleasant will soon be closing down in early October  The former CIBC building at the corner of Mt. Pleasant and Eglinton will fulfill what appears to be its ultimate destiny as perhaps the most fashionable of LRT station on the entire line. From January: You can bank on this Second Cup for one more summer.

Economist  VW uses trickery to mislead U.S. about auto emissions 

A new computer is apparently acting up, worrying some about the security of Canadian passports. They call it glitches we call it Garbage In, Garbage Out. But is it old news in a sense, although not trivial at all, that every terrorist, crook and general international felon would just love to get his hands on as many Canadian passports as possible. CBC report 

Those pondering the meaning of the unlikely election sign on Davisville Ave for the Fun Party should know that its alleged founder, Dora Keogh, is an Irish Pub on Danforth Ave. Thus the  cheeky declaration that Dora stands on the issues just to the right of Allen’s, a very well-known eatery on Danforth. We do not know who the happy lady smiling out at Davisville Village gentry really is — she may be Dora Keogh in fact.

The phone scam artists who have been posing as tough-talking Canada Revenue agents are still at it. Sometimes they pose as cops too. But the game is the same. They try to bully and threaten people into going to the bank and withdrawing large sums of money. The duped citizens are then told to go to a Western Union or Moneygram agent and send the cash off to an individual not the CRA.  The fraudsters want the victim to take a cell phone with them on this journey so they can give instructions at every step of the way. The suspects are usually aggressive and will bully the victim into thinking there are immediate repercussions to not paying the owed money immediately  They threaten the victim with arrest, even having a person pretending to be a Toronto police officer threatening arrest over the phone  Police say that the CRA does contact individuals but there are specific guidelines in place to ensure that personal information is protected. The CRA website lists the following guidelines: The CRA never requests prepaid credit cards, never asks for information about passport, health card, or driver’s licence, never shares taxpayer information with another person, unless you have provided the appropriate authorization and never leaves personal information in voicemail or asks to leave a message containing personal information on an answering machine

One of the most beloved figures in baseball has died at the age of 90. A dogged catcher and supreme team player for the New York Yankees, Lawrence Peter “Yogi” Berra was also a manager (New York Mets) and a member of the Baseball Hall of Fame. Berra was also famous for his hilarious malapropisms.  “It ain’t till it’s over” and  “When you come to a fork in the road, take it” were two. Other ribtickling clangers were “I really didn’t say everything I said” and “Ninety percent of this game is half-mental.”  Wikiquote