Getting kicked by the Kickstarter free-money scheme

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Maclean’s asks what the backers of a failed effort on the crowdfunding website Kickstarter will do now that the project and their money have gone nowhere The South Bayview Bulldog likes “Smarten Up” as a quick bit of advice. The entire online concept of sending money  on impulse — especially to start a company about which you know nothing — is evidence of a society with more money than brains. ZPM Espresso claimed its Nocturne coffee maker was the world’s first smart espresso machine for the home because of a programmable control chip, more common in commercial machines, that would allow consumers to create the perfect shot of concentrated java by precisely controlling water pressure and temperature. Uh-huh.

 

Useful summary of what NDP Alberta win may mean

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Who is Rachel Notley? Her stunning emergence as a political powerhouse in Alberta has been a while in the making. She born two years after her father Grant helped founded the Alberta NDP. She was four when her father, Grant, became the tiny party’s leader. He died in 1984 in a plane crash but his hard-working daughter will now honour his memory in spades. Rachel. Notley 

Karen Becker to run West Coast Kids on South Bayview

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Karen Becker — not goodbye

Karen Becker, the dynamic owner for so many years of Moms-to-be-and-more, will operate the seventh location in Canada of the children’s chain West Coast Kids. Ms Becker confirmed this news to The South Bayview Bulldog Tuesday (May 5, 2015). West Coast Kids will take space at the corner of Bayview and Manor Rd. E where Moms has operated.

The West Coast Kids website reflects a considerable similarity to the wide range of inventory carried by Moms.  Ms. Becker’s announcement also appears in an online forum although the news hasn’t quite made it to the windows of her store, which has yet to finally close.

“I am thrilled to announce that they will be bringing you a new shopping experience to Toronto!” she says. West coast Kids (which also calls itself WCK) has six other locations in Winnipeg, Edmonton, Calgary and Vancouver.

Costume Benefit at Met Museum a night to marvel mightily

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If you spent last night at Five Guys Burgers and Fries or even Against The Grain, we want you to see this. The Costume Institute Benefit for the Metropolitan Museum of Art took over the Big Apple last night. CBS2’s Jill Nicolini report.

Longo’s Leaside will host Nutella Crêperie May 18-24

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Longo’s Nutella promotion will roll into Leaside at the Laird Drive store during the week of Monday, May 18 to Sunday, May 24. This is an itinerant kitchen and happy gang of crêpe makers who are visiting all the Longo’s stores in Ontario this Spring. Nutella has a valuable and time-honoured trade name. It is good at promoting it too. A couple of weeks ago we had Nutella doughnuts at Tim Horton’s.  The fact is the recipe is quite simple and President’s Choice and others have been able to put hazelnuts and chocolate together too. It may be madness, but some people have been known to make it at home. Anyway, this Crêperie should be worth a visit to the good people at Longo’s

Poll of parents: 72% favor education as an essential service

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With high schools on strike in Peel Region, an online poll in the Mississauga News indicates that 72% of parents there believe that teaching in the public school system should be an essential service. It is a question often asked when employees in the public sector (that includes teachers) go on strike. Teachers were given the right to strike about 50 years ago along with other pubic services. Since then the right to strike has been withdrawn, most recently from transit workers. The Mississauga News polls shows 72 percent in favour of teaching being an essential service, 26 percent opposed and 3 percent didn’t know. Meantime, no details are being offered by the Elementary School Teachers on just where and what they will do next week in Ontario. This is their “Special Strike Action”. It seems like a pretense to let them catch schools and parents by surprise  Globe and Mail

 

Meeting said to favour removal of Gardiner east of DVP

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gardiner eastA public meeting tonight at St. Lawrence Hall on the future of the Gardiner Expressway has heard considerable opinion that the expressway should be saved, but that the portion east of the Don Valley should be torn down. There is nothing definitive to be decided tonight. The expensive task of fixing the Gardiner would be lessened by removing the eastern part. It would apparently permit desirable development. This option would also maintain the rather busy link not just from downtown but distant points to the west with South Bayview and other parts of the City.

On the set of Star Wars as teasers keep on coming

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The world probably does not need an excuse like Star Wars Day (May the 4th be with you) to find the sequel of interest.

National Post writes editorial searing the OSSTF

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The National Post has published an editorial searing the Ontario Secondary School Teachers Federation The newspaper seizes on a common complaint among parents — that  they have no idea what the union is on strike about. The Post also makes it clear that  the negotiations  and the so called strategic strikes called so far are absolutely about money despite claims to the contrary. It recounts the sad recent history of Dalton McGuinty’s effort to regain control of education in the province and the current Liberal government’s sell-out to the OSSTF before the election last year. Like all huge unions the OSSTF is interested in the size of its membership. With members comes power. The Post writes:”Is there a single parent or student in all of Ontario who would value seniority over quality in a teacher? What sort of professional would even want to be judged on that basis? Schools are not assembly lines, churning out widgets; they are educating children. It’s hard work. Passion, ingenuity and creativity are key.”  Problems of nepotism and unfair hiring is no reason to choose teachers in such a foolishly simplistic way.

 

Trudeau vows to make rich pay for middle class break

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Reuters

Thorncliffe Park School nearly vacant in sex ed boycott

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Thorncliffe Park Public School was nearly empty on Monday (May 4, 2015) as parents protested against the province’s new sex ed curriculum. Toronto District School Board spokesman Ryan Bird told the CBC that 1,220 of the 1,350 Grade 1 to Grade 5 students are not currently in class.

CGS public speaking puts children on road to leadership

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This is the fourth in a series of stories about Leaside’s Children’s Garden School published by The South Bayview Bulldog  All stories

Public Speaking is an integral part of the curriculum at Children’s Garden School. From morning announcements and monthly assemblies to the Public Speaking Contest in the Spring, students are given many opportunities to develop their public speaking skills throughout the school year. Public speaking can be a challenging and frightening experience at any age and CGS staff is there to guide, support and challenge children as their skills grow. Over time, students gain the confidence needed to become relaxed speakers, able to communicate with humour and feeling.

The Public Speaking Contest for the Grade 2s and 3s at the end of April is a chance for CGS students to truly consolidate their public speaking skills. Children craft their own speeches and then present them to their classmates, classroom teacher and Principal. Finalists are then chosen to present their speeches to a panel of four judges. The judges come from a variety of professional backgrounds that rely heavily on public speaking skills (i.e. lawyers, actors, musical directors and educators).
Speakers are evaluated (out of five) on the criteria below:
 
Content (research,understanding of topic, familiarity with material)

Voice (intonation, expression, projection, speed, fluency)

Captivation of Audience (attention-getting, interesting)

Eye Contact (looking up at audience)

Posture (standing tall, standing still)

Memory (how much of the speech is presented from memory?)

Once the tallies are taken into account and the winners have been chosen (one per grade), the judges have an opportunity to share their feedback with each contestant. Comments are always positive, with a few suggestions for improvement. Common comments include slowing down and using a louder voice. Contestants are reminded that it is ok to share their passion and humour, and to remember that the most compelling speeches include a balance of facts and personal feeling. Congratulations to this year’s winners, Peter in Grade 2 and Carmen in Grade 3. (Pictured below with the Principal.) We see contestants Isabella and Charlotte speaking (inset) and the judge listening carefully. All are well on their way to a life time of successful public speaking.

One parent said the CGS public speaking program had provided his son, at a very young age, with ample opportunity to get up on stage in front of others and speak at monthly assemblies.  “What has been great is that the program does it in a way where he feels very proud of this responsibility and prepared for the task at hand.  This has made it a very rewarding and confidence boosting experience for him to build from – he has asked when he can speak in assembly next”‘

The Director of Admission is Kelly Scott who may be contacted at kscott@cgsschool.com and (416) 423-5017 x 43.  The CGS website is here.