Free skating Family Day at Leaside Arena

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There will be free skating at the Leaside Arena on Family Day, Monday February 16, 2015 from 11.30 to 2.30 p.m. It’s a nice way to spend some time together on this mid-winter holiday and there will be hot chocolate and popcorn too. The event is partly sponsored by McDowell’s Valumart on Bayview Ave and Patrick Rocca.com at Bosley Real Estate. The Royal Bank is also sponsoring part of the day.
FREE  ROSE ON VALENTINE’S
On Valentine’s Day, Saturday February 14, 2015, the same tow companies will offer each lady shopper at the Valumart a rose between the hours of 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. Nice. 

Girls league says that certain touching is okay

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The president Toronto Leaside Girls Hockey Association has released a statement which clarifies an email sent earlier about the touching of players by coaches. In today’s statement, Jennifer Smith says the email about physical contact with players did not draw a clear enough distinction between hard and fast rules and guidelines. She says: “We naturally understand that contact is part of the game. The idea is not to prevent reasonable celebrations and acts of positive encouragement, but to ensure these acts are appropriate and comfortable for everyone involved. We encourage coaches to consider that not all players welcome such contact equally. We also acknowledge that it is normal for volunteers to touch players in certain circumstances – e.g. helping with skates and helmets; assisting a young player on and off the bench; helping an injured player off the ice. The suggestion in the news media is that we have implemented a no contact policy. Please be assured that this is not the case.” 

Hockey and chilli at the Select Hockey Tilt

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An exciting weekend of play awaits at the Leaside Arena as the  Select Hockey Tournament gets underway this evening. Andy Elder is among many people tweeting messaging about the event. His firm Grilltime is catering.  He notes that Friday, Saturday and Sunday he will be serving up glazed back bacon sammies and smoked all beef hot dogs on buns from COBS. Also not to be missed is the third item, a brisket chilli.

Hot Cross Bun Giveaway at COBs Saturday

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COBS Bread Leaside will have its traditional Hot Cross Bun Giveaway on Saturday (February 7, 2015) as it re-opens after a three-week renovation. Much excitement attends a look at the new shop. The Hot Cross Bun is yummy of course but history tells us it was also a way to ensure friendship throughout the coming year. Friends were solemnly told to recite this incantation as they broke bread to ensure their friendship: “Half for you and half for me, Between us two shall goodwill be”. If taken on a sea voyage, hot cross buns are said to protect against shipwreck. If hung in the kitchen, they are said to protect against fires and ensure that all breads turn out perfectly. There are many other enjoyable tales told about Hot Cross Buns at Wikipedia.

Target shoppers grab cosmetics, paper goods

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Shoppers filled the aisles at Target’s East York store on Overlea Blvd. (above) Thursday to snap up bargains on such things as cosmetics and housewares. Lipstick, nail polish and similar essentials with typically high markups found lots of takers at 20 and 30 percent off. All Target stores across Ontario opened at 8 a.m. with liquidation and store closing signs in place. Household articles such as paper diapers and toilet paper were moving quickly. Sun News said some shoppers grumbled that the prices weren’t low enough. But a closing is a bit like an auction. You may not find the prices low enough but do you want to risk finding things gone a day or two later. The parking lot to the north and west of the the East York Town Centre store was full by 8.30 a.m. although crowds were controllable.  Store security told The South Bayview Bulldog that only about a dozen people waited in the bitter cold for the doors to be unlocked. Many others were waiting in their cars. By 9.30 a.m. the Overlea store was comfortably full with business at the 12 checkouts quite brisk. Target has said it hopes to close its Canadian stores by the middle of May.  (February 5, 2015)  CTV tests public opinion 

Queen’s students reject anti-vaccine teaching

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Students at Queen’s University and the student government are calling on the school to investigate a course they say teaches shoddy anti-vaccine “science”. According to in-course slides that have been leaked online, the professor openly questions the safety of vaccines and presents statistics that suggest a link between childhood vaccinations and later brain and immune dysfunction.

24.99% for the unwilling, unable or unconscious

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Everyone knows that it is only the unwilling, unable and maybe the unconscious who run up charges on credit cards and fail to make even the minimum payment on time. This week’s mail brought news from the TD Bank that such people face punishing new penalties which will extend out over an entire year, even after their card is current again. A circular enclosed in monthly statements to all cardholders — including the ones who never carry a balance — announces cheerily that the bank is “making important changes” to your TD credit card account. The circular says that effective March 31, 2015 those who do not make the minimum payment will face a jump in the penalty interest rate from 21% to 24.99%. That puts the annual rate at five percent above the regular rate of 19.99% for carrying a balance on an up-to-date card. Furthermore, effective March 31, the bank will apply that rate to the outstanding balance for 12 months, even after you have started to pay on time. The present penalty period is two months.  It is a well-kept secret just how many people carry a bank card balance much less how many neglect to make the minimum payment on time. 

Court says Target liquidation can start right away

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An Ontario Superior Court judge has cleared the way for Target store liquidation sales to begin as early as Thursday (February 5, 2015). Shoppers can expect the price slashing as the doors open. Target spokeswoman Molly Snyder told the Canadian Press discounts will take up to 30 per cent off regular prices. Already many Target stores have stopped carrying perishables like milk, eggs and frozen foods, Snyder said. The company is still clearing product out of its distribution centres, she added. The court had yet to decide late Wednesday whether Target can begin the sales of its real estate assets. In court today, landlords were concerned that Target’s liquidation sales would tarnish the image of their malls and take away business from other stores who are renting space. “I think all parties are exaggerating,” Justice Geoffrey Morawetz said. “And I mean that quite sincerely.”