The South Bayview Bulldog

Toronto Zoo has releaed this picture of two teeny-weeny Giant Panda cubs born today (October 13, 2015). They are the first first pandas ever born on Canadian soil. The zoo’s female Giant Panda, Er Shun, gave birth to the first cub early this morning, at 3:31 a.m. EDT. A second cub followed at 3:44 a.m. EDT, according to zoo staff. The first cub weighed 6.6 ounces (187.7 grams), and its slightly younger twin weighed 4 ounces (115 g). John Tracogna, CEO of the Toronto Zoo, called the births “historical,” and praised the organization’s successful reproduction program.

CBC  From 2013: Critical moments of the streetcar shooting

Professional dancers Tatiana Mollmann & Jordan Frisbee (California), Larissa Thayane & Kadu Pires (Brisbane, Australia)

The first weekend of October was very special for attendees of a unique event held at the CNIB on Bayview Avenue, just north of Glenvale.  Organizers brought international champions in West Coast Swing and Brazilian Zouk to Toronto for a weekend of workshops, competitions and social dancing.  As dazzling as that sounds, the highlight of the weekend for most, was the gala presentation of a production called “See Inside Me”.  The pros danced right along side a group of blind and partially sighted individuals from the CNIB.  The production featured emotional dance numbers and a narration illustrating the daily struggles a young girl went through as she slowly lost her eyesight.  As the title suggests, she wanted the world to see past her blindness to the person within.  The weekend was coordinated by dZouk Productions, the pioneer dance force for bringing Brazilian Zouk on stage in Canada, under the direction of founder and artistic director Darius Zi.  Proceeds from the weekend will help fund future dance classes for more blind and partially sighted individuals to learn and experience the joy of dance.  See video below for a clip of Brazilian Zouk being enjoyed on a social dance floor at this year’s Vision Dance Encounter.

For more information about dZouk Productions, visit their website.

Playboy has announced that it will no longer publish photos of nude women. The decision takes the publication in a sharp turn away from its origins and the thing which seemingly gave it life for so many decades. The redesigned Playboy will still feature women in “provocative poses” but they will no longer be fully nude, Playboy said in a statement. The change will take place in March  Hugh Hefner, now 89, scandalized much of the world and mesmerized young men when he first published Playboy in 1953 with Marilyn Monroe on the cover.

Well told story of a woman who delivered her own baby. “I get it and I hold it,” she said simply when asked how she did it.

The Blue Jays are fighting off the enormous odds against them of winning the American League Championship Series. Backed by Josh Donaldson, Chris Colabello and Kevin Pillar home runs, R.A. Dickey and David Price combined for 7 2/3 innings as Toronto defeated the Texas Rangers 8-4 to tie their AL Division Series at two games apiece. Now it all comes down to Game 5 on Wednesday at the Rogers Centre.

Cycle Toronto, Toronto Police Service and the personal injury law firm of McLeish Orlando will run an awareness  program called Get Lit which will flag down unlit cyclists in the hope of educating them on the importance of staying visible and providing them with a free set for a safe ride home. The sites will be held successive weeks on busy streets as follows: Tuesday, October 13, 6:30 p.m. to 9 p.m. – Boulton Drive Parkette; Tuesday, October 20, 6 p.m. to 9 p.m. – Toronto Public Library at College and Shaw; Tuesday, October 27, 6 p.m. to 9 p.m. – Prince Edward Viaduct Parkette

$110 FOR NO LIGHT

The Ministry of Transportation has recently increased the set fine for improper lighting of a bicycle from $20 to $110. From half an hour before sunset to half an hour after sunrise, Ontarians must have a front white light and either a rear red reflector or rear red light on their bicycle. Ontarians riding bicycles also need to be lit when it’s dark due to rain, fog, or snow. “Improving road safety and traffic flow is one of our goals in support of and commitment to safe communities and neighbourhoods” said Superintendent Gord Jones, Unit Commander of Traffic Services. “Traffic safety is the responsibility of everyone who uses our roadways, and active transportation continues to grow in the city every day. The safety of cyclists and other road users in the city of Toronto is very important to us. We are pleased to be in partnership with our colleagues at Cycle Toronto on this innovative and important campaign.”  Also participating are bike shops Urbane Cyclist Worker’s Co-op and Sweet Pete’s Bike Shop.  For more information, please contact Jared Kolb, Executive Director of Cycle Toronto at 416-644-7188.

A visitation will be held tomorrow (Tuesday, October 13, 2015) at the Heritage Funeral Home, 50 Overlea Blvd., for Andrea Christidis. She was killed last week  when a car drove over a sidewalk on the University of  Western Ontario campus  She was a 2014-2015 graduate of Leaside High School and at the time of her death was enrolled in the Health Sciences program at Western.

REMEMBERS ANDREA

Among the many condolences published at the Heritage site is one from Kathy Botteas who recalls that her daughter Francesca attended LHS with Andrea noting “we had the pleasure of seeing her proud, smiling, beautiful face as a graduate in our home for the LHS pre prom festivities. That memory will stay with me forever.” News story 

Andrea Christidis, Jared DeJong, accident scene

The family of Andrea Christidis has issued a statement following her traffic death in in London, Ontario last week. The girl was struck by an out of control car driven by Jared DeJong. He has been charged with impaired driving and related charges. See previous story  Here is the statement.

“The family and loved ones of Andrea Maria Christidis, a first-year Health Sciences student at the University of Western Ontario in London, are heartbroken and deeply saddened to confirm that she was struck by a driver who has been charged with impaired driving offences as the result of an incident which occurred Wednesday evening, October 7th, at approximately 10:10 pm. Andrea was struck by a vehicle as she walked on a sidewalk on the University campus, returning to her nearby dorm from a study lab. Andrea came under the observation and care of the CCTU unit at Victoria Hospital in London. Her family expresses its deepest gratitude to all of the nurses, doctors, and support staff who provided compassionate care and comfort to Andrea and her family. Many, many members of her family and friends as well as local London Greek Orthodox Priest, Father Elias, were at her side at the time of her passing on Friday Oct 9th. Andrea recently graduated from Leaside High School in Toronto with an Honours Diploma in both French and English. She was extremely proud to begin her studies in Health Sciences and was excited to have chosen Western. She had aspirations of pursuing her dreams of a career in the medical field. Andrea was a kind, compassionate and loving human being. She was deeply loved, as reflected by the outpouring of condolences, sympathies and prayers from all those that she touched. Her beautiful smile, kind soul and infectious spirit will be missed. May her memory be eternal. The family condemns the scourge of impaired driving and requests privacy as the family grieves its tragic loss.”

This Thanksgiving South Bayview residents can do something real to express their gratitude for the wonderful life that most of us have. That’s because two days after Thanksgiving, the Northlea School Blood Donor Clinic will be held. It is chance for all healthy residents to do something good. It is a special opportunity for teens 17 and over to do the good deed of their young lives. Think about it