The South Bayview Bulldog

This poll by Forum Research would ask City Council to eliminate half of their number. Not too likely  There are 44 Councillors now and it is a lot but maybe not too many. Fewer members of Council would save money and maybe make things more efficient. But others say it would it easier for lobbyists to manipulate Council. As to term limits, might as well talk to the wall. Career politicians will not vote for such a thing. Remember the stunning reversal of the current City Council’s view of ranked voting. It was a promise they would enact it. But then they decided nope. CP24

Conditions will be just mild enough Wednesday to ensure continuing sloppy driving. The video below was shot by @CityAlfredo. It is correctly identified by locals like Rudy Limeback @rudydotca as the Bayview extension north towards Bayview and Moore  Ave..

Beware clogged catch basins today! @CityAlfredo @CityNews pic.twitter.com/Nll4vB6qJU

— Pam Seatle (@CityPamS) December 29, 2015

CTV tells the story of free online ads that apparently offer an opporunity to list an address for rent, get money for it and vanish. The prospective tenant finds out he’s been taken when he tries to move in. In the case of Jeni Descartes it didn’t play out to the end because her husband saw the phony ad on Kijiji and asked his wife what was going on  She was stunned by the ad too. The Descartes, of Winnipeg, are encouraging other homeowners to check Kijiji and other rental sites to ensure their homes are not listed for rent.

CBC

Bill and Kelly Elgie are deeply distressed that someone, probably more than one person, would steal the two nutcracker guards from their front porch. Bill made them out of household lightweight tubing materials. But they are not without weight and quite bulky. He made them just five foot, flour inches tall, the same height as Kelly. Now they’re gone, swiped off the family’s porch in London, Ontario. And it seems to be a true case of larceny, not juvenile vandalism. The figures were painted in bright green and red uniforms. They were taken from the front door of the Elgie’s country home on Cobble Hill Road sometime between Sunday night and the early hours Monday. Full CBC Report

Whole Foods Market Inc. agreed to pay $500,000 to settle an investigation that it overcharged customers for prepackaged food in New York City, resolving a spat that had hurt efforts to shed its “Whole Paycheck” image. The company said that there was no evidence of “systematic or intentional misconduct” but agreed to pay the fine to “put this issue behind us,” according to a statement on its website. In June, New York’s Department of Consumer Affairs announced an investigation into overcharging at Whole Foods after finding “thousands” of potential violations in a survey of about 80 different types of prepackaged products such as vegetable platters and cooked boneless chicken. Bloomberg News 

Very interesting and complete report by ABC on the outrageous case of Ethan Couch, the kid whose parents spoiled him so badly that he supposedly didn’t know right from wrong.

Reuters

A person has died in an overnight fire on Birkdale Road near Midland Ave. and Ellesmere Rd.  Four were sent to hospital from the residence. One died soon after arrival.  Neighbors say the home was a halfway house, presumably used by those recently out of jail.  Of the other three injured, one is in life threatening condition and two are listed as serious. The call came before dawn for a fire in the basement. People also lived upstairs but they managed to escape. Two dogs have since died from smoke as well.

A  man was stopped as he hurtled down Highway 401 near Brockville yesterday at 160 km/h. When cops looked inside the car they found he had been watching a movie too. He had, as reported by the National Post,  a jerry-rigged in-car TV stand with an  electronic device taped to his dashboard.  He is charged with distracted driving and stunt driving. His licence and vehicle were seized for one week and he received a $280 fine.