Here is a fanciful piece from the CBC which has professor Jonathon Beever at the University of Central Florida (hmm) suggesting that it is unethical to watch the Rob Ford crack video. “It just feels like it’s a bad thing to see this man in such bad shape and not have that knowledge do any work for you. It’s not as though it matters whether we convince people that he was a good man or bad man, whether he was a good mayor or a bad mayor,” says the professor. The CBC solemnly puts this to readers. But wait. Should journalists ask why they would even publish it?
There’s a $60 million high somewhere on Canada’s flatlands
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Someone on Canada’s prairie has won the $60 million Friday night’s Lotto Max draw. Nineteen of the 42 MaxMillions prizes in play were also won and they will be by the holders of 25 winning tickets.Thirteen of the tickets were sold in Ontario, five in Quebec, five in the prairies and two in British Columbia. The jackpot for the next Lotto Max draw on August 19 will be approximately $33 million.
Cinderella Canucks enter soccer semis downing France 1-0
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Canada has advanced to the semifinals of the women’s Olympic soccer competition with a 1-0 victory over France. Sophie Schmidt scored for Canada after a textbook cross from Janine Beckie in the 56th minute. Team Canada will play Germany in a pool play rematch on Tuesday in Belo Horizonte. Sixth-ranked Sweden will play Brazil, after it defeated Australia 7 to 6 entirely on overtime penalty shots. The 10th-ranked Cinderella Canucks are now one win from climbing the medal podium in back-to-back Games. They won bronze four years ago, defeating France by the same score.
Sophie Schmidt gives #CAN a 1-0 lead in the 55th minute against #FRA. Beckie with the assist https://t.co/1rEInTl0nj
— CBC Olympics (@CBCOlympics) August 12, 2016
Wheels on the Danforth closures for Saturday exhibit
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The collector car exhibition known as Wheels on the Danforth will close Danforth starting at 6:30 a.m. Saturday from Byng Avenue to Warden Avenue. The major north/south streets, such as Byng Avenue and Warden Avenue, will remain open. The event will run from 11 a.m., to 11 p.m. and as always will see some amazing head-turners for the old car crowd. Anyone need an ambulance? Think it’s a Packard.
Japanese begonias a flower-carpet in Brussels Grand Place
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Yes, really! Yummy summer ice cream and cheese delights
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News stories out of the Czech Republic these warm days say that a cheese-based ice cream has become a sensation in the town Lostice. It is made of mature yellowish cheese with a strong flavour taste and an aroma that is more usually enjoyed with bread and Czech beer. Local folks and tourists are gobbing it up But the Czechs are not so unusual it seems when the ice cream recipe book is broken out to reveal high summer delicacies as macaroni and cheese ice cream, scrumptious goat cheese ice cream sliders and (wow) a hearty grilled cheese ice cream sandwich. You have got to love this stuff. Recipes: Macaroni and cheese ice cream and Goat Cheese Sandwich Below, video on making grilled cheese ice cream.
Father wept when he was told of his son’s radicalization
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Wayne Driver has spoken about the death of his son at the hands of police as they closed in on the 24-year-old ISIS sympathizer. The videos below were recorded by the CBC in Cold Lake Alberta where the former soldier is now training to be a pastor at the Harbour Light Alliance Church. Driver chokes back tears as he reflects on his son’s alienation. The anger began brewing on the death of his mother when he was seven. It just got worse. “The light went out,” said his father. “Completely. Forever. I knew he was lost, but I didn’t know how far gone he was.”
Mr. Driver recalled how the Canadian Security Intelligence Service came to Cold Lake and met with him, revealing a thick file that contained tweets his son had sent expressing radical beliefs, and lists of radical Facebook pages Aaron had visited. “I sat there in a public doughnut shop, crying, when I found out the news, as I was trying to read these articles,” Driver said. “I tossed them back across the table and said, ‘I’ve had enough. I understand where this is going.’ Then I realized there was nothing more I could do.” CBC
Stolen Piper aircraft crashes in streets of Peterborough
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A young man from Toronto was the pilot of a stolen Piper aircraft that crashed in the streets of Peterborough overnight. He is dead. There is little indication so far what the man, who was 20, intended but police say that no one else was hurt and that no buildings were hit. The plane is registered to an owner near Newmarket.
Pilot dies when plane crashes onto Peterborough street https://t.co/zeJnMR7ACB pic.twitter.com/DkMkO0fScI
— Toronto Sun (@TheTorontoSun) August 12, 2016
Toronto to monitor data during Bloor St. bike lanes pilot
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The City has issued a news release saying it will conduct a data-driven monitor of the new Bloor Street bike lanes. They run from Shaw St. to Avenue Road. The release says this will be done with lots of input from the U of T. “Multi-model video traffic counts and GPS-tracked travel-time analysis” and “parking data by the Toronto Parking Authority” are mentioned. Economic impact will be measured by “the Toronto Centre for Active Transportation in partnership with the University of Toronto, local Business Improvement Areas and the Metcalf Foundation”. The release has a lot of bicycle-happy spin from Joe Cressy (Ward 20). He vows it will be a “win-win for everyone”. Let’s hope so.
Penny Oleksiak wins gold medal in 100-metre free style
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Toronto’s teenage marvel Penny Oleksiak has thundered into the record books with a gold medal win by tying Simone Manuel of the U.S. in the women’s 100-metre freestyle at the Rio Olympics. The 16-year-old, six foot one inch wonder girl now has four medals, the most ever won by a Canadian at the Summer Olympics. Oleksiak made Canada proud and thrilled her mom and dad, who were in the stands, as she turned on her overdrive finish to win in 52.70 seconds. Manuel and Oleksiak embraced as they realized what they had achieved. Sweden’s Sarah Sjostrom was third in 52.99 seconds. Toronto is like super-excited for Penny Oleksiak
Game-over column on Penny Oleksiak's first gold medal, and fourth of the Games. Give her the flag, now. https://t.co/pxQ2muCRsU
— Bruce Arthur (@bruce_arthur) August 12, 2016
Bayview-Leaside BIA seeks “master plan” for streetscape
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The Bayview-Leaside BIA issued a call for submissions in July on the co-ordination of streetscape elements on Bayview Ave. It seeks a “master plan” to solve things seen as problems. The proposal notes the differences in streetscapes on the east and west side of Bayview. The west side retains large and obstructive concrete tree boxes. The east side was remade with the removal of these boxes in 2010.
NEWSPAPER BOXES
The call for submissions notes the “high number of newspaper boxes” on the street and suggests they be re-positioned. The backless benches are dangerous, the call says. These are part of the Bell Media outdoor furniture, refuse container and bus shelter contract with the City. The BIA wants benches with backs. A problem of monumental dimension is parking. It is not likely to be solved in a streetscape re-make.
SOLUTIONS
The BIA asks for a plan that will address the problems as noted and offers suggestions. Among these are permeable paving around trees, removal of the backless benches, more benches and trees offering shade, repositioning of the paper boxes. black coloured street furniture and pedestrian scaled lighting. It asks for trees with tree pits or tree drainage on Fleming Crescent. The BIA also seeks more and smaller litter bins, cigarette bins and dog-poop bag disposal.
Wildcats to play in series against NZ U18 this weekend
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There is much excitement in and around the New Zealand’s south island district of Gore this week as young women prepare for a genuine three-game ice hockey series between the Leaside Wildcats and the local U18 Southland squad. It may be in the south but it’s cold down there in New Zealand right now. Two NZ stalwarts who played for Leaside in 2015 in the PWHL will be with the home team this time. They are Southland duo Beth Scott,14, and Rebecca Lilly,17, seen below. Read about it here
Our NZ hosts getting great media coverage for the series with the visiting MBB Wildcats. #WildcatsinNZ #WildcatPride https://t.co/hmbY2WJwwd
— Toronto Leaside Wildcats (@TorontoLeaside) August 11, 2016





