Prime Minister Stephen Harper delivered a campaign-style speech near Ottawa yesterday in advance of the new Parliamentary session Monday (January 26, 2015). He told supporters the government’s planned anti-terror legislation would be introduced Friday and will include “a range of measures … to keep Canadians safe.” “These measures are designed to help authorities stop planned attacks, get threats off our streets, criminalize the promotion of terrorism and prevent terrorists from travelling and recruiting others.” The PM also defended said he will proceed with balance the budget and bring in his vote appealing family tax benefit package announced last fall. His challenge will be be to do these things in the face of very changed conditions caused by the oil glut and falling dollar.
Airlines cancel 4,360 flights in face of U.S. storm
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Airlines have reacted to a major snowstorm that’s expected to slam parts of the Northeast U.S. today and tomorrow by cancelling as many as 4,360 flights. It’s expected that all major airports in this region will be closed Tuesday.
Anti-austerity Syriza party wins Greek election
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It’s hard to tell if any of the tweets at hashtag Syriza are from along the Danforth or elsewhere in Canada. But they run a wide gamut of opinion in the wake of the victory of the anti-austerity Syriza party in Sunday’s General Election. Mainstream reporting is fearing the worst. Greece will be a basket case in a Europe that is falling apart. Some Greek-Canadians interviewed by CP24 took a calmer view. They said Syriza’s tough-talking leader Alexis Tsipras will never be able to legislate his way out of the fiscal requirements set by the EU. Syriza’s standing with 78 percent of the votes counted is 149 parliamentary seats but 151 seats are needed for a majority. Syriza has 38 percent of the popular vote. Yossi Gestetner @YossiGestetner said Syriza can oppose austerity, “but if no one lends you money austerity it is.” A number of tweets took the view that Greeks have nothing to lose. Rok Zavrtanik @RokZavrtanik tweeted “I can’t stand media that keep talking about the radical left. Is it radical to care more about other ppl than about your pocket?”
Deflate Gate now defunct on YouTube
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Saturday Night Live covered the soft football story. The video has now been taken down from YouTube which is the SNL practice
Tapped phone “proves” Kremlin did market attack
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Cash fare on 1943 South Leaside bus was a whole 5 cents
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The amateur historical site on Twitter known as Toronto Transportation @transittoronto has published an enjoyable bit of printed material which it says records the first time buses ran along the South Leaside route. Take a look. It was not really the South Leaside route as it’s been known since the subway was built but it may have been the first time the TTC used the name. In fact, many other buses ventured into Leaside during WWII to get workers to their jobs. The routing is fairly sensible but the printer may have missed a turn since he leaps from the “southbound Laird” to “south-west on Sutherland.” There was probably a brief block on McRae Dr. and then a left onto Sutherland. The buses ran every 15 minutes so the schedule was fairly leisurely. The TTC could probably do it with just two buses. It is interesting that a rider could get a transfer to take the Broadview bus, which we’re guessing ran south on Laird and across the valley by whatever kind of bridge was there before turning south on Pape and east on O’Connor to find Broadview.
Enjoy the sunshine but by golly bundle up
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Binge-watching on phone caused “blindness”
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A story from London Ontario says that prolonged viewing of programming on smartphones can cause a condition close to legal blindness. Reporter Kate Dubinski of the London Free Press says that a local teenager had this happen to her after binge-watching her favourite Netflix programs on her smartphone last summer. The girl, 16, looked up and realized she couldn’t see. Her eyesight was so bad, says Dubinski, she was legally blind. “Her eyes were over-focusing and spasming, and the eye doctor told her she had to stop using her phone to watch Netflix and to read and for Facebook,” said Rene Boucher, the girl’s mother. Kate Dubinski
Smokin’ good tasting at Grilltime on Laird Dr.
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Things were smokin’ good at Andy Elder’s Grilltime meat shop at 62 Laird Drive at Kenrae Rd. Saturday (January 24, 2015). The big Broil King KEG cooker was planted just outside the front door preparing chicken and sausage for Super Bowl party tasting. It was Grilltime’s opportunity for football party makers to check out some of the pre-cooked delicacies for the big game next week. Andy has grill roaster wings, pork back ribs, grilled jerk, hot or mild sausage, pulled pork for sandwiches, smoked beef brisket (sliced for sandwiches) and Chicken Souvlaki skewers, among many other succulent items. The nice thing about party food from Grilltime is that it’s all prepared for you. Just heat to eat. This event saw Broil King celebrity Naz Cavallaro (left) at the KEG cooker. BBQ Naz is well known for his appearances on television and this week will be a busy one. Between now and the Super Bowl, Naz is booked on CHCH Morning Live, CTV News at Noon, Canada AM and CHIN TV and CITY TV. Centre above, young Leaside Flame pronounced chicken “delicious”. Right, you won’t be able to keep your hands off them.
Sunnybrook Health Sciences offers tips
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Local hospital and provincial medical centre has sent along more on-going advice on staying well. Click photo to see.
Skating champion Toller Cranston dead at 65
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Above normal today but frigid comes the sunshine
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You want sunny weather and warm temperatures too? Try Florida, or next August.