The South Bayview Bulldog

Pope Francis met Iran’s President Hassan Rouhani in the Vatican Tuesday. Rouhani is described by Iranians as a junior Ayatollah. The Pope urged Iran to back peace efforts in the Middle East. In a scene seldom-imagined the two men met and smiled they discussed Rouhani’s gift of a fine Persian carpet. In a statement afterwards, the Vatican said Francis had urged the Iranian leader to use Iran’s important role to promote, together with other countries, “adequate political solutions” to the problems afflicting the region and to help combat. Rouhani took a leaf from the Pope’s book and asked the Pontiff to pray for him.

Four British women have rowed 8,500 miles across the Pacific Ocean from San Francisco to Cairns, Australia in an inspiring adventure to raise money for U-K charities. They are Laura Penhaul, Natalia Cohen, Emma Mitchell and Meg Dyos and they must be friends.  They spent nine months on a boat, rowing two-hour shifts all day, seven days a week, without a toilet and with only an hour-and-a-half nap at a time.:Lynda Kinkade reports.

Europol, the central police office of the European Union, is warning that ISIS has set up secret training camps across Europe to prepare fighters to carry out “special forces style” attacks in the UK or other EU countries. The police office said the camps provide survival training and sports activities to help jihadists prepare for “combat and interrogation resistance”. And ISIS could look to recruit refugees who have fled to Europe to launch terror attacks in the countries that have given them shelter, the agency said. Europol refused to say in which countries the camps were suspected to have been set up but security and police sources last night said they were not aware of any in the UK.

The Guelph Mercury, founded in 1867, will cease printing its paper edition with Friday’s issue. The  decision,. made by owners Torstar, will cost 23 full-time jobs and three-part time. The Mercury management said stopping the expensive print process was the only option to the paper’s losing business endeavor. The Guelph Mercury will continue to publish online.

It looks from this story that the rather over-ambitious scheme for  mass immigration is showing the strain  CBC

Rogers Media will lay off 400 jobs in its television, radio and publishing divisions the company said Monday. Earlier in the day Monday, it was said the figure was 200. There is no explanation for the difference. The bad news will be given personally in February and “conclude as soon as possible.” “The media industry continues to experience significant pressures from a softening advertising market, fierce competition from global players and shifting audience consumption habits,” spokeswoman Andrea Goldstein.

John Burnside has reminded everyone that the 7th Annual, Laugh Out Loud (LOL) is set to take  place on Friday February 26, 2016 at Leaside Gardens. Proceeds from this year’s event will support the Regent Park Community Food Centre and Community Food Centres Canada to bring people together to grow, cook, share and advocate for healthy food for all. Join your neighbours and friends for an amazing evening of food, fun, music & comedy. Tickets may be ordered here www.universe.com/lolleaside7  To contribute to the silent or live auction, please contact  charlene@charlenekalia.com  As usual the event is sponsored by many locals firms: Lexus On The Park, Neal Brothers Foods, Grilltime, De La Mer Fresh Fish Market, Amsterdam Brewery, The Indecision Band and RBC.

I beg thee

Guild Electric was installing hard wiring from the  “beg button” boxes on utility poles at Bayview Ave. and Merton/McRae Monday to facilitate more sophisticated walk signals. The workmen weren’t quite sure what was to come, but such wiring would permit sound activated signals for the seeing impaired. There is also the possibility that these signals will be changed to show the lighted Walk sign regardless of whether the beg button is pushed.

Shane Baghai doesn’t want you to call it a threat but his remarks about selling the parcel of land at 3&5 Southvale sound peevish for sure. Personal too. Baghai is quoted in the Post as saying: “If my presence … will become such an issue and bring about division within the community, I do have a way out. This is a very sought-after property. If [residents] would like me to sell it, I would sell it.” Come on. This is not about Mr. Baghai. It’s about the height of the building. The zoning is the same now as it was when Baghai bought the parcel. He knew that the limit was four storeys not eight. His remarks may not have been intended as a threat but they sound very uncompromising. Southvale plan said to “raise concerns beyond its scale“