The sound and fury of yesterday’s reporting from Egypt on the guilty verdict against three members of the Al Jazeera English staff has abated a bit. Good thing. We have a much clearer picture of what is really going on in Egypt from the BBC’s Mohammed Yehia. He explains that there is a highly-inflamed relationship between the new Egyptian government and that of Qatar, which owns Al Jazeera. For right or wrong, the Egyptian army views Al Jazeera as the mouthpiece for the Muslim Brotherhood. The truth or otherwise of this belief doesn’t justify what was done to the three journalists but it makes the context much clearer. It may also remind us of what many people in the West think about Al Jazeera, which is not much. There is further word today the Egyptian president, Abdel Fattah el-Sisi, will not reverse the court’s decision but will consider a pardon of the men once the appeals are exhausted. This is certainly second best but a hope nonetheless.
Area notables in Liberal government’s new cabinet
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The Liberal government cabinet was sworn in today and successful area members were assigned new jobs. The Premier, Ms. Wynne, will shed the agricultural portfolio. This is not surprising. The assumption of that ministry was seen at the time as an effort by the premier to somehow relate better to rural Ontarians. It may be said without too much research that the plan worked. Eric Hoskins, the member for St. Paul’s, will take over the Health Ministry from Deb Matthews. He is Doctor Hoskins by the way. Matthews will become president of the Treasury Board and add Deputy Premier to her titles. She was a trusted ally of Ms Wynne during the minority days and often got out front to deflect flack from the Premier. Glen Murray, a man The Bulldog said was a temper tantrum a day, will move out of Transportation and into the Environment. Steven Del Duca, the MPP from Vaughan, will try to straighten up the fast-moving ducks in the Scarborough subway shooting gallery. A well-watched and likeable MPP, Mitzi Hunter, inherits one of the most troubling initiatives of the Wynne years — the Ontario Pension Plan. Good luck to her, and to the rest of us. CBC
How about the George Mammoliti Jitney Joint?
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Really, some things are so obvious it takes a politician working overtime to get it wrong. We said this last April when Denzil Minnan-Wong floated his idea to re-name Union Station the John A. MacDonald train place or whatever. It’s just silly. Like naming the Bay Street Bus Terminal the George Mammoliti Jitney Joint. Silly. “Union” is what the place has been called for more than a hundred years. There is a reason for and a purpose to such long-established names. Now it appears the verdict is in and of course no one wants to change the name of Union Station. National Post Previous post
Christine Elliott expected to run for PC leader
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Christine Elliott, widow of the late finance minister Jim Flaherty, will hold a news conference tomorrow (Wednesday, June 25, 2014) to declare her candidacy for leader of the Ontario Progressive Conservative Party.
Hot, muggy long holiday ahead for South Bayview
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| Bayview and Millwood at 4 p.m. |
These menacing clouds started forming late in the afternoon over South Bayview. There were sightings of a what might have been a funnel cloud in some parts of Southern Ontario and a house was seriously damaged at Orangeville. No one was hurt. Tonight we can expect rain. The weather Wednesday should be overcast and mild. Looking ahead to the weekend, the Canada Day long weekend is likely to be hot and muggy with thunderstorms threatening. Residents throughout the GTA can expect temperatures to hover in the high-20s with the humidity making it feel closer to the mid- to high-30s. Weatherman Doug Gillam told the Toronto Star that Saturday looks like the best day of the weekend, He is a meteorologist with the Weather Network and predicted that rain will likely hold off Sunday and Monday. But there is a risk of developing showers later in the afternoon as the humidity rises. “You certainly want to keep an eye to the sky if you’re outside or boating,” he said. On Tuesday, Canada Day, a cold front will bring unsettled weather and could affect Canada Day fireworks. “We’re going to have fireworks on Canada Day; we’re just not sure if they are going to be the natural or the scheduled ones.” . The Weather Network.
Uruguayan striker Saurez exposed as a serial biter
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The soccer world is outraged tonight by the serial biting tactics of Uruguayan striker Luis Suarez. Suarez is seen purposely biting Italian offender Georgio Chiellini in World Cup play Tuesday. Chiellini peeled back his jersey to reveal the indentations of Suarez’s teeth as he demanded a penalty. None was forthcoming. But fans and commentators insist something will have to be done as it appears Suarez has what can only called a very bad habit. He has done this twice before. Suarez was banned for seven matches by the Netherlands football federation in 2010 after biting PSV Eindhoven player Otman Bakkal in a league match when he played for Ajax. After moving to Liverpool, he bit Chelsea’s Branislav Ivanovic in 2013 and was banned for 10 games. Uruguay Coach Oscar Tabarez said he didn’t see the alleged bite and repeatedly declined to comment. “If it happened the referee probably didn’t see it,” Tabarez said. He also defended his star striker, saying “Suarez, besides the mistakes he might have made, is the preferred target of certain media. Photos: Chiellini complaining, lower Luis Saurez SportsNet Sweetie pie parade at Mt Pleasant and Millwood
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Totally adorable toddlers are seen marching to a new adventure with their teachers. The kids are on a tether to keep them in line. This was taken at Mt. Pleasant Rd. and Millwood Rd about 11 a.m. Tuesday, June 24, 2014.
Can you eat your way through Mt. Pleasant?
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Of course. Just hop over to the other main street between 4 and 9 p.m. tomorrow (Wednesday, June 25, 2014) and enjoy some of the Restaurantacular specials to be had. It’s one of those $2, $4, $6 deals and there are as many 21 places participating. Check it out.
The SMUT Soiree babble at Bayview Brickworks
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There is an event trending madly in the Toronto Twitter realm tonight. It is taking place at the Brickworks and a nice night they have for it at 550 Bayview Ave. It is called The SMUT Soiree (or something like that). The Soiree is about gossip. The self made maven of SMUT is Elaine Lui (Lainey). She is a woman of self-promotional skills beyond all knowing. If the pictures on Twitter are reflective, hundreds of exquisitely turned out ladies seeking gossip are attending this Soiree. They are said to be hearing, talking and just loving the gossip. May they all be famous for being famous. This is news to The South Bayview Bulldog because its happening here and because it is the Top Tweet of the night. Such is the intimate relationship between Twitter and Soiree it may well be that Twitter is trending more on Soiree than vice versa. But true to our compact with South Bayview, the Bulldog had to let you know. Man dies in fall downtown, remains of baby found
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A young man has fallen and died at a condominium construction site at 65 St. Mary’s Street at the corner of Bay St. south of the corner of Bay and Bloor. The construction worker is said to have been in his 20s. A call came in about 2:30 p.m. from 65 St. Mary St. Meanwhile, a member of the public has found the remains of an infant in Heathrow Park near Jane Street and Wilson Avenue. Police confirmed shortly after 3 p.m. Monday that the remains were those of an infant. They say the body could have been there for perhaps two weeks,
Reporter convictions: What is going on in Egypt?
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The New York Times story linked here is among the most detailed we have seen of the baffling events in Egypt, where three reporters for Al Jazeera have been given long sentences for publishing false news. One of the convicted men is a Canadian of Egyptian extraction. An observer of this situation doesn’t have to be an admirer of Al Jazeera to be concerned. In fact, those who know the work done at the Arab-owned news outlet may well say that it seems to work quite hard at finding angles to embarrass the West. It was a large sensation in Al Jazeera, for example, when the U.S. decided not to respond when the North Korean dictator grovelled for food supplies This is the guy who wallows in French wine, liquor, food and expensive cars. None of this is taken seriously in our open society and it is baffling why the Egyptian court is so wounded even in a country where free speech is a limited commodity. If stories such the New York Times account may be believed, the authorities have offered essentially no evidence to prove their allegations of false news. Put this together with the international condemnation following the verdict and the sentences seem doubly difficult to understand.
Spain whips Australia 3-0 but it’s academic
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Both teams had already been eliminated from the tournament with two losses each. Mail Online