How Others Live: India installs water ATM’s

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The Indian government is in the process of installing 500 solar-powered water ATMs across Delhi to serve the water-starved slums and resettlement areas of the capital.  This BBC report shows how users will tap or swipe their ATM cards in much the same way we here in South Bayview pay for groceries. It is expected that the plan will provide clean, affordable water to the city. The ATMs are supported by tankers which bring regular re-fills  More How Others Live

Icewire Makerspace opening at 1560 Bayview

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An innovative business has opened on the third level at 1560 Bayview Ave and Belsize Drive. It is called Icewire Makerspace, a place with tools, software and people where things can be made. One Internet description defines a Makerspace as “a gathering point for tools, projects, mentors and expertise.” The owners of Icewire say the concept is still evolving but for them it means “a place that unlocks potential by providing an optimal environment for creation.” Icewire Makespace is said to be equipped with  electronics (hardware and software), robotics, and 3D printing.  Welcome to Icewire Makerspace and good fortune. Website 

Tori and Cate’s now offering all-day breakfast

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Tori and Cate’s Cupcakes is now providing a nice additional service. Their new Bakery Cafe has the delights of the all-day breakfast from a menu that includes eggs, pancakes, waffles, sandwiches, coffee and cupcakes. The grand opening is Thursday, August 14, 2014. Tori and Cate’s is at  1592 Bayview Ave. Email: info@toriandcatescupcakes.com 

No Ebola in Brampton as test results negative

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Reasonable caution has brought a satisfactory result in the case of a man feeling poorly as he returned from a visit to Nigeria. His test shows that he is not suffering from Ebola, the Health Ministry says.  CBC

“Taste” is the food festival that ate the Danforth

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Unless you’re signing on from Bolivia, you will already know that the Taste of the Danforth is on this weekend. Or as one celebrant put it, “Taste takes over three subway stations, yeah!” The Greek festival again carries the name Krinos in front of its long-time title. Krinos is a Greek food maker and now a sponsor of the festival. That’s fine. Many prefer to enjoy the Taste of the Danforth vicariously by way of TV or nowadays Twitter. There is no shortage of observations and some of them, like the guy hoping for some peace in his apartment (see below) are more refreshing than the “official station of” stuff that frequently dominates the airwaves. Hey, the Taste is a great cultural and business event. Still, some people like their Greek dining when they can at least fight their way to the door the restaurant. Just saying.  

Canadian Lancaster lands in United Kingdom

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The Canadian Lancaster bomber which was built in Toronto during WWII, and painstakingly restored in the 1980s, has landed in Britain. The “Lanc” is known affectionately as Vera for its registration number — VR-A. It’s arrival at RAF Coningsby was dampened by the rain however and Vera was unable to participate in a Battle of Britain flypast with the only other operational Lancaster in the world.  But the noble looking bombers — the last two still flying out of more than 7,700 made during the war — posed on the tarmac and were admired by a large crowd, which included more than 100 former Lancaster veterans from the U-K and Commonwealth. Vera is owned by the Canadian Warplane Heritage in Hamilton and was restored over many years. It has been seen frequently over midtown Toronto. The Canadian pilot for the 3,700 mile trip from Hamilton was Leon Evans. He is quoted as saying the meeting of the two aircraft is historic. “We haven’t had two Lancasters fly together in a display before and it’s pretty unlikely it’ll happen again because these airplanes might run out of airtime. Vera’s getting older and already has about 4,500 hours on it. It’s a thrill and an honour to be doing this. I’m sure it’ll be very emotional for everyone.”  Vera has a special heritage designation in honour of an original crew member, Andrew Mynarski of Winnipeg. Mynarski (inset) won the Victoria Cross for his attempts to save a fellow crew member. He died in the skies over occupied Europe. Vera will remain in England and will appear at air shows for the next six weeks before flying home.

96 Parkhurst a Leaside showplace once again

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Speaking of gardens of distinction, this perennial beauty spot at the corner of Parkhurst Blvd and Hanna Rd is looking enchanting. This is the work of many years of Stephen Litowitz. For a couple of years the home at 96 Parkhurst (door on Hanna) was under construction. Mr. Litowitz says he and his wife are well pleased with the modest changes they made. And this August the flourishing grounds, accentuated by the daisy-laden sidewalk boulevard (right) is a community showplace   

Toronto has it right when it comes to trees

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Globe and Mail writer Kat Sieniuc writes about the plan by City Council to maintain Toronto’s so-called “urban canopy.” There’s an odd bit of fretting in this article about what an “impossible task” the City has set itself. It may be a big job that takes a while but one has to conclude on the most obvious evidence from here and around the world that Toronto has at least got this aspect of its civic planning right. The Israelis re-made the environment of their little country in 40 or 50 years by planting trees. It had been stripped naked, like much of the middle east, by several centuries of Ottoman mismanagement. Trees were cut for firewood and to feed the steam engines. The Chinese get it. They are planting an enormous forest outside Beijing to help stop the sandstorms that afflict their capital and improve the air.  Globe and Mail

Landlord says mental health dept. duped him

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There is a landlord in Smiths Falls who says he was duped into accepting a mentally unstable tenant in his rooming house by the Lanark County Mental Health Department.  It is a cautionary tale and then some. Ottawa Citizen

Josie Tumminieri’s big clock lives at her Muskoka cottage

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Josie’s clock

Josie Tumminieri of Leadale Ave has kindly sent us a picture of her new, oversize clock at home on the wall of her cottage in Muskoka. Josie was the winner in a monthly draw at Alex and Bev Simmons Dolly Jewellers at 1699 Bayview Ave. The prize was Josie’s choice of two or three styles of these quartz-works clocks. We wondered where it was going to live and now Josie has shown us. Dolly Jewellers has monthly draws all the time and you don’t have to buy anything to enter.

Driver charged in London Costco crash

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The woman who was at the wheel of the car that slammed backwards into the doors of the Costco store in London, Ontario has been charged with three counts of criminal negligence, one of causing death and two of causing bodily injury. It will be an interesting and we can only hope instructive trial as we learn what prompted this terrible accident.  CBC  Previous post 

John Tory forges ahead ten weeks before election

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John Tory has a ten percent lead over Rob Ford and Olivia Chow has slipped slightly behind Mayor Ford in the latest Forum Research poll on the possible outcome of the October election. The results are published in the Toronto Star and put Tory at 35 per cent support, Ford at 27 per cent, and Chow at 25 per cent. David Soknacki is at five per cent, followed by Karen Stintz at four per cent. The early appeal of Ms. Chow among women as the object of sympathy for her status both as a recent widow and a hard-working naturalized citizen seems to have dissipated. Mr. Ford’s ranking is a contradiction frequently seen in election polls where his approval rating (35%) exceeds his support (27%).  His emergence as the second place candidate however will no doubt encourage him in working his favorite issues  — gravy, streetcars and subways. Tory has the highest overall approval rating at 65 per cent, while Chow’s approval rating is at 53 per cent. It’s a subtle bit of polling packdrill that often eludes most people. Will you vote for Mr. Ford? No. Do you approve of Mr. Ford? Yes. And while we don’t wish to rain on anybody’s parade, there is the spectacularly inaccurate poll created by Forum Research in the byelection in Brandon Souris last year. Some said this embarrassment was caused by dubious methods and the media’s undiscerning appetite for horse race numbers.