The South Bayview Bulldog

The new world of low oil prices is beating up the Canadian dollar. The surprising interest rate cut (below) by the Bank of Canada has knocked the beaver buck down to around 80 cents this afternoon (Wednesday, January 21, 2015). It has sent the stock market through the roof. The TSX index was up nearly 270 points at 1 p.m. More than this, real estate people are saying these conditions will send the housing re-sale market flying as well. 

Andy Elder, the congenial owner of Grilltime on Laird Drive at Kenrae Rd., is offering an advance taste of some items from his Superbowl menu on Saturday, January 24, 2015 between 11 a.m. and 2 p.m.  You may want to grab some for the big tilt a week Sunday between the Seahawks and the Patriots. 

A man identified  as Christopher Phillips has been quietly arrested after a scare at an Ottawa Hotel about a guest with “chemicals.” Police said this afternoon there were no chemicals found at the hotel. Mr. Philips, 42, was reported to police by his wife when he left his Cole Harbour, Nova Scotia home and headed to the capital. She apparently told police he had suffered mental illness and issued threats in the pasts. Phillips is a U.S. citizen with training in chemistry who served in the military and may be suffering from the psychological effects of serving abroad. During the day, RCMP in the Halifax area searched a siterat a place called Desert Grand where they found a secured a cache of hazardous and volatile chemicals. It was also reported that a pipe bomb of some type was found. Phillips was briefly married to former U.S. Olympic gymnast Shannon Miller, but the couple divorced in 2006. In a statement, Miller said that “upon hearing the recent news surrounding Christopher Phillips,” her prayers go to the “safety of those around him.” “I’m thankful that the brave men and women of the Ottawa police department and other law enforcement agencies were able to apprehend him and diffuse the situation without incident,” Miller said. 

Fees and separate taxes for ice rinks, sports fields, tap water and garbage pickup — all part of a new agenda of having those who use the service pay the full price sooner rather than later. Things which in the past have been subsidized by property taxes will more and more require separate payment. Property taxes may be used for we dare not ask what.  Marcus Gee

Toronto Police would really like to round up the two bad actor seen here threatening customer and staff at the Esso station on Kingston Rd and Scarborough Golf Club Rd on Thursday, December 21, 2014.  He stayed by the front door, pointed the gun at customers and employees, demanding money, and robbed one of the customers. The other man went behind the counter and removed cash and cigarettes Both men are described as black, 20-25, 5’5″-5’6″, with thin builds. The man with the gun was wearing black pants and a black hoodie. The other man was wearing a dark coat with two white stripes around the waist and cuffs, and a bandana on his face.

It is essentially John Tory’s plan, intended for discussion by City Council in weeks to come. City of Toronto 

Matthew Sparkes of the Telegraph newspaper in London has written a story about the most common passwords in 2014. It’s a giggle because the most common one was 123456. This sorry effort is condemned everywhere as simply stupid. But in the end, the most important thing about a password is that we remember it. It is interesting how little we reflect on what a dopey trap we have created for humanity with the computer password. We are doomed to failure by our pre-historic brain. Contrary to every faceless demand from the ether, the most important thing about a password is not that it is impregnable but simply that we can remember it. Passwords mostly make sense when used to gain entry to a booze can or similar fun locale. If the password is hotcha no one demands that you add a special character like a dollar sign. Anyway, the story is enjoyable. Telegraph