The South Bayview Bulldog

Toronto Zoo has released new pictures of the newly born panda cubs of mother Er Shun. They are “becoming quite vocal, active and bright,” the zoo said in a statement. “Their white fur appears to be fuzzier and hints of black pigment can now be noticed on their skin over their ears, around their eyes and even over their shoulders. While their eyes are still closed, they are wiggling and demonstrating all of the right behaviours looking for nourishment from mom.”

SEVERAL MONTHS TO DETERMINE SEX

Er Shun “continues to demonstrate strong maternal instincts, cradling, nursing and continuing to form a bond with both cubs.” The pandas were born on Oct. 13 and it is still a critical time, the Zoo cautioned. It may take several months to determine the cubs’ sex and they have not yet been named. There is no immediate plan to show them to the public, but the zoo has been updating its Facebook, Twitter and Instagram feeds with photos of the cubs. For now, they are living between their mother’s care and an incubator set up in a quarantined room next to the panda’s maternity ward, which is closed to the public. Sperm from three different donors – Da Mao and two pandas in China – was used during the one-day fertility window back on May 14, and it’s unclear whether the cubs are twins. If they survive, the cubs will live at the zoo for about two years and will likely return to China once they are weaned from Er Shun.

Blue Jays fans sitting in the 500 level of Rogers Centre for tonight’s playoff game against Kansas City will not be allowed to have beer cans. The suds will be in a plastic cup instead.  This decision comes after some beer can throwing in the last game of the series to the Texas Rangers. One man, 33-year-old Albert Grummitt of Caistor Centre in the Niagara Peninsula, was arrested and charged with mischief after a baby was hit by the spray of a thrown beer. He has since been released and is due in court on Nov. 24. Game time is  8 p.m. and the televised play is on TSN.

There was a scene of special kindness at the breezy corner of Millwood Rd. and Sutherland Dr. Monday afternoon. Walk signals are being installed at the intersection at the Fix It Again Sam Plaza. But at about 2 p.m. they were not working yet. In fact, the traffic lights were out and the corner was unattended. This situation made it frankly dangerous for a vision-impaired lady who approached on Sutherland to the north side of Millwood. As you will see in the video, cars and trucks were routinely blowing right through the blanked out lights at speed. The rules call for them to stop. The impaired-vision woman had enough sight to see the walk signal and try to activate it. But she could not tell that they were not working. That’s when a Good Samaritan pulled up to the corner, stopped and got out to explain things to the pedestrian. She then helped the woman  across Millwood. So like this great place we live in. As for the drivers who can’t tell a dead traffic signal from a live one — boo on you. Now, the question remaining is whether the new walk signals are like the hardly-working semi-actuated type 2 signals at Bayview and Manor (Fleming) and Bayview and Merton (McRae). There is a rude name for them. If someone knows if these are type 2 before we get back to check them, let us know at news@bayview-news.com

The fresh fish and seafood franchise Hooked is no longer located at the Rowe Farms store on Bayview Ave. In a short post the Leslieville “ethical-seafood” market thanks customers for their interest during what is called a pop up in the neighbourhood. It notes that the Leslieville and Kensington shops are open as usual. It seemed that Hooked might be planning a longer stay when it opened on Bayview in May. At that time,  the Post Magazine called the venture a partnership with Rowe Farms.  The interesting marketing strategy which emphasizes careful selection of food, sustainability and respectable sources was in the forefront. It is of interest just how compelling this approach may be to consumers.  It is seldom spoken of by large grocers with the exception perhaps of Whole Foods. Loblaws staff say off-the-record that organic products, for example, are shunned by many people who simply don’t see value in them.

It’s still true. Coffee fans always knew it was good for you — in moderation — and Japanese research confirms it. People who drink three to four cups of coffee a day have about 40 percent less risk of getting heart, cerebral vascular or respiratory diseases compared with those who barely drink the beverage, according to a summary of findings published online by Japanese researchers. Coffee — maybe about 400 milligrams a day — keeps you more alert, gives you somewhat more endurance and is good for the brain. Tim’s, Starbucks, Lit — oh heck, Instant Nescafe — it’s all the same for the therapy.  Oh yes, coffee drinkers had a 24 percent less risk of dying from cancer compared with nondrinkers. The research was conducted on about 90,000 people aged between 40 and 69 living in 10 prefectures of Japan in the 1990s, and followed up on them until 2011 to determine the relationship between their daily habits and major causes of death among Japanese. Those who said they drank three to four cups a day had a 36 percent less risk of dying from heart diseases such as angina and heart attack. The figure rose to 43 percent less for cerebral vascular diseases such as hemorrhaging and stroke, and to 40 percent less for respiratory diseases, such as pneumonia.

Oprah Winfrey has bought into Weight Watchers in a big way, laying down is $43.2 million for a 10-percent stake. She joins the company’s board. Weight Watchers shares are up almost 75 percent in pre-market trading on word of the deal  Winfrey has given the company the right to use her name, image, likeness and endorsement for the company, its programs, products and services, subject to her approval. She will also make personal appearances on the company’s behalf.

Jon Burnside (Ward 26) has formed the North Leaside Traffic Committee (NLTC). It is composed of volunteer North Leaside residents are asked to address such neighborhood concerns about high traffic volumes and driving violations. It is hoped this work will make the community safer and reduce congestion. The Councilor is asking for public opinion on this idea and the problems to be solved. This is for Leaside residents only. North Leaside Survey

It is the $64 million question. Who won the $64 million dollars in the Lotto 649 jackpot with the ticket purchased in Mississauga? It is enough to make a person Miss-iss-auga-auga-auga.  A single winning ticket for the $64-million grand prize, the biggest lottery jackpot in Canadian history, was sold in the city west of Toronto. There’s no word whether it belongs to a single person or to a larger group. Previously, a Canadian lottery record was $63.4 million for a 649 draw in April 2013. That pot was split among four ticket holders, who each banked nearly $16 million.

TD Bank is said to be ready to lay off hundreds, maybe several hundreds, of employees this week. The down-sizing will hit the ranks of both retail and wholesale employees and may include department heads. Reuters says that about half the municipal bond traders employed by TD in New York will be let go. It isn’t clear just what that number might be. Only a cynic would say the slimming down falls into the tumultuous period of election day and beyond by anything but pure coincidence.

Diners have taken to social media to suggest the bizarre snack of two pork patties, bacon and Sichuan pepper sauce was inspired by “concrete or pollution”, while one asked, ‘burger or rock?’  The bun’s odd gray hue was said to be “the colour of despair.” The limited edition meal is available in China until November 3 and is the latest in a series of hamburgers made with buns dyed black, red and even pink. Mailonline