The South Bayview Bulldog

The large new mansion going up at 240 Rose Park at the corner of Welland Ave is certainly imposing. It’s high roof line seems to say how different is Moore Park from Leaside (for example) where just an inch or two this way or that is cause for a protest from the Leaside Property Owners Association.  In Moore Park with the Moore Park Residents Association, not so much.Of course they are very different communities. Moore Park is older and grew in an eclectic way.  Leaside was more carefully planned and many seem to cling to the 1930s streetscapes. No scandal brewing it seems at 240 Rose Park.

Original 240 Rose Park Drive

Rob Ford’s chief of staff Dan Jacobs says the former mayor is in palliative care at Mt. Sinai Hospital. Mr. Jacobs insists that this decision is simply to make the Ward 2 Councillor comfortable and is not end-of-life care. Ford is fighting a rare form of soft tissue cancer. He re-started chemotherapy in November after doctors discovered two new cancerous tumours on his bladder. It was learned in recent weeks that this treatment was not successful. Mr. Ford has been in hospital for the past three weeks as doctors work to decide whether the 46-year-old is healthy enough to undergo more treatment.

The people have spoken and it seems they are full of Boaty McBoatface. That’s the hilarious name chosen in an Internet contest organized to name a new polar research vessel in the United Kingdon. The man in charge of the Natural Environment Research Council, which has responsibility for choosing a name, has taken it as a joke and says it is just like the British to offer a silly name. In fact, says Lord West, a former First Sea Lord, he is proud of it. But, he says, it is more likely that Boaty (as she will forever be known) will be called something dreary like Polar Explorer.  In online voting, Boaty McBoatface is currently leading with more than 27,000 votes, while the second place pick trails with around 3,000. The names Pingu, Usain Boat and It’s Bloody Cold Here have also been put forward.

Members of the nine-member Leaside United Church team now in Honduras are sending photos of their growing friendships with the Honduran children of El Hogar — The home — a residence and learning charity supported by Leaside parishioners.

The family of 92-year-old Pauline Twohig tried to remove her treasured wedding band when she was rushed to hospital on Long Island after an apparent stroke. They found the task too hurtful, knew it would hurt their mother and left the ring in place  A day later as they arrived at their dying mom’s bedside they found the ring gone, stolen by someone who wrenched it off her finger and pocketed it.

Sunday evening’s Amber Alert was a useful exercise but its capacity to override television will continue to be scrutinized by broadcasters for refinements. Happily, this alert was effective in the context of a baby taken away (probably unintentionally) by a car thief. There were no screaming noises associated with the alert, just a short message blurted out on a red strip over programming. Curiously, more than an hour after the baby was found the Amber Alert messages had not been switched off. Below we see this now outdated message superimposed over a U.S. cable channel.

A 3-month-old baby has been found safe in his father’s stolen car on Dixon Road after a desperate search during the late afternoon Sunday. The father had dashed into the Dr. Flea’s flea market at Highway 27 near Albion road and left the motor of his car running. He saw the thief taking it and through the assistance of others gave chase. But he lost contact. There was fear the child might be left in the overnight cold but police say that at first appearances the child is fine. In the aftermath, the emotionally overwhelmed parents made statements of deep gratitude on CP24. The father thanked the police, the public, the media and, interestingly, the car thief. He said that at least this person had a conscience. It seems clear the vehicle was left in an obvious place where it would be seen by someone who knew of the crisis created by its theft. Detectives said it was found on Dixon Road. Abducted boy was left in running car outside flea market

Toronto experienced an electricity dip of 3.2 per cent during Earth Hour Saturday night. That’s about the equivalent of 36,000 homes. It is a fall off of about 3.5 percent in participation from last year says Toronto Hydro. But the utility feels that overall consumers are doing more to conserve energy possibly from awareness created by Earth Hour. .

A case of measles has been confirmed in Brampton and public health authorities have published locations where others may have been exposed. CBC

A recently opened East York sandwich bar has taken the name Knuckle Sandwich. It’s at 969 Coxwell Ave. just south of O’Connor Drive. So far as we know there are no real knuckles in the food. The name has probably been used before but it is easily the best moniker since the late and much-missed Mad Italian. Knuckle Sandwich is a time-honoured bit of slang for punching someone in the mouth. Reviews suggest that this conveniently located place may just knock you out. In synopsis it is said to be a casual spot for giant sandwiches and craft beer  Rebecca Fleming writes in Toronto Life that all “the basic proteins are covered: chicken two ways (grilled, fried), porchetta, brisket, shrimp, plus a couple of meat-free options for good measure (portobello, grilled cheese). Almost everything on the menu is made in-house, right down to the aïoli.” And so it goes. May the porchetta be as good as the Mad Italian’s. Some pictures 

Don Valley West MP Rob Oliphant tweeted pictures from the Telling Thorncliffe Park’s Stories exhibition at Thorncliffe Park Library Saturday. “Lots to learn and contribute to the community,” Mr. Oliphant tweeted. The community-based collaboration and exhibit focussed on Thorncliffe Park’s development from First Nations and settlers to Thorncliffe Park Raceway, planned modern residential, commercial. industrial development and contemporary challenges. It was sponsored by Myseum of Toronto and organised by Thorncliffe Park Women’s Committee.

Gawker Media, the self-proclaimed hero of the Rob Ford cocaine video saga, has been hit with a $115 million award in favor of wrestling showman Hulk Hogan. Gawker published, and refused to take down, a sex video of Hogan with a friend’s wife. The video was taken in a private home with no one else around, according to Hogan. The award is a stunning decision from the Florida court which some say may put Gawker out of business. For his part, publisher Nick Denton says he will win on appeal because what he called “the most important witness” was not permitted to testify.