Bank robber “poses” for security camera photograph

robber This stick-up felon robbed a bank on Tuesday, January 19, 2016, at 11:15 a.m. at Kingston Road and Morningside Avenue area. The security camera capture is so detailed he might as well have posed for it. At the time, he was dressed in a yellow high-visibility coat with two chest patches cut out  He passed the bank teller a note indicating he had a gun and demanded money  If you know him, call police immediately.

Trustee Sheila Ward obituary published Februay 20, 2016

TDSB trustee Sheila Ward obituary was published February 20, 2016

Samsung Galaxy S7 and 360 camera revealed in Barcelona

galaxy

For weeks the speculation surrounding Samsung was that the South Korean electronics giant would trot out Galaxy S7 and Galaxy S7 Edge smartphones just as the Mobile World Congress tech confab was about to begin. Samsung delivered right on cue Sunday. USA Today 

Is this work-to-rule threat about who gets the coffee?

cupe guy

Tim Maguire, head of CUPE Inside Workers Local 79

CUPE Local 79 president Tim Maguire is threatening to haul the City’s inside workers onto a work-to-rule on Monday if there is no settlement. The mayor, bless him, says he regrets that kind of inflammatory (our word) talk. And as usual, it is very hard to know just what issues of life and death cause this distress. We hear of “duties outside of their jobs descriptions” for one. Is this about who will get the coffee?  How about “skipped breaks.”  That’s a deal breaker for sure. However, the good news is the talks continue tonight.

MISGUIDED SECRECY

Decades of misguided practice have built a wall of secrecy that is abused by both sides. Yes, negotiations should not take place in public but when union officials offer feeble excuses for working to rule or half-baked strikes, it is more than fair for people to demand  to know why  This very day has seen CUPE say absurd things. They don’t want to inconvenience the public just the employer. Can you process that? You are the employer.

JOSH MATLOW MESSAGE

Josh Matlow (Ward 22) sent a message to constituents Sunday night in which he said City workers will complete their job obligations but refuse to do any extra duties as are often requested. He says that if one relies on services provided by CUPE 79 workers, such as City of Toronto child care, they should not be affected. Services would be affected if the union eventually decides to strike or the City decides to lock them out.

Patrick Rocca named Agnes Macphail Award winner

patrick now

Patrick Rocca

Well-known realtor and community supporter Patrick Rocca has been chosen the 2016 winner of the Agnes Macphail Award. The award was established by the Borough of East York and continues as an annual event to recognize an outstanding volunteer who lives within the boundaries of the former borough. The Agnes Macphail Selection Committee met, as established in the selection process, on Wednesday February 3, 2016 to examine the nominations received and to select this years award recipient. The committee voted to nominate Mr Patrick Rocca as the 2016 Agnes Macphail Award recipient. The award will be presented on March 24, 2016 which is the anniversary of Agnes Macphail’s birth. This will take place in the East York Civic Centre, 850 Coxwell Ave beginning at 7 p.m.

Wildcats fall 4-2 to Aeros as regular PWHL season ends

Toronto Aero’s defeated the Leaside Wildcats 4-2 as both teams played their final game (#38) in the Provincial Women’s Hockey League regular season. The game was played at Mattamy Arena in the Ryerson sports complex above Maple Leaf Gardens rather than at Leaside Gardens because of the uncertainty created by negotiations with CUPE. It was a penalty-filled match with Leaside taking six trips to the box. They paid a big price in goals as the Aeros capitalized on two power plays. The Aeros had two penalties. The measure of the teams may best be seen in the shots on goal  Danielle Toland faced 34 while the Aeros Stephanie Neatby saw but 14 come her way. Final standings will depend on the outcome of afternoon games Sunday but it is certain the Wildcats will gain a playoff berth.

PLAYOFF SERIES

Teams finishing among the top 16 will be in the playoffs. Durham West Lightning will take on the 16th  ranked team Etobicoke.  And so it goes down the list of contenders. It seem likely that Leaside (#6) will meet London (#11) in a best of five series. The semi-finals will follow a similar pattern..

Police have nothing to say about Beyonce, thanks a lot

The Toronto police union says it will not be joining other police groups which plan to boycott Beyonce’s upcoming tour dates. This from Toronto Police Association President Mike McCormack.  He is right. Beyonce may be a schnook but it isn’t the job of the police service to organize boycotts. Beyonce’s half time show at the Super Bowl was radically black beyond reasonableness for some.

Parkarr app designed to help you find a parking space

parkarr.w text

A new app called Parkarr is intended to match up people seeking a street parking space with those who are leaving. It will work if departing drivers take the trouble to alert the system that they are leaving. Parkarr was created by a New York woman, Robyn Gerber, who got the idea from her father. He puts a piece of paper on the dash showing a smiley face if he is leaving that day, a frown if he isn’t. Parkarr shows parking spaces within a 20-block radius with the forthcoming vacant space — as indicated by departing driver — in turquoise. No car information is exchanged until both drivers accept, and the app works on an honor system. As you pull into a spot, the person pulling in has to say if it was successful or not. So far, 1,000 people have signed up for the app in New york. But what if several drivers arrive looking for the same spot?

B.C. ticket a $22 million winner of Lotto 6-49 jackpot

There is a $22-million jackpot in British Colmbia for Saturday night’s Lotto 6-49 draw. The lottery’s grand prize was last won Jan. 30, when a ticket worth $18.3-million was held by someone in Ontario The jackpot for the next Lotto 6-49 draw on Wednesday night will be $5-million.

Wildcats vs Aeros Sunday morning at Mattamy arena

See later post

“Door opening” bank attempt mimics July Leaside robbery

Police are appealing for the public’s help in catching a bank robbery accomplice who the fled the scene of an early morning botched robbery outside the TD Bank at Kipling Ave and the Queensway Saturday. He was seen speeding off in a silver-coloured compact. He and another man (now in hospital after being shot by police) planned to rob the bank when it opened. But witnesses called police before the bank was open and they arrived to time to confront and shoot one of the robbers. His injuries are non-life threatening. The “door-opening” method of operation for these two is similar to the robbery at the TD Bank branch at 320 Moore Ave last July (See link) The events prompted police to lockdown businesses in the area including the IKEA store at 1475 the Queensway,  Shopper Miles Billneff phoned CP24 and was recorded as shown below. TD Bank Bayview and Moore robbed as doors unlocked

bank remnants

Articles belonging holdup man scattered in parking lot.

Volvo moves to “digital key” in Swedish pilot run this Spring

Volvo says its 2017 models will come without keys. Instead, owners wlll get a digital key app for their phones which permits them to do everything with their phone that they can with a key. Volvo is boasting it is the  world’s first car manufacturer to do this. It claims digital keys do everything a conventional key can do — unlock/lock the doors, open the trunk and start the engine. But, hey, customers who don’t want to deal with a digital version of their key can opt for a traditional key.

STOLEN PHONE?

Digital key users will be able to receive more than one key on their app, Volvo says, allowing them to access different Volvo cars in different locations. For example, the company says people could potentially book and pay for a rental car anywhere and have the digital key delivered to their phone immediately. Consumerist online asks the question about possible theft of the phone. Phones are much more likely to stolen or forgotten than deep in the pocket car keys. The service will pilot digital keys this spring in Sweden.