The South Bayview Bulldog

There is a silence that falls across a land when the temperature goes so high that it’s just too uncomfortable to move. It was like that on South Bayview Wednesday afternoon. There was traffic and even a few people clad in shorts on those burning sidewalks. But it was quiet. The temperature reached 34 C in our neighborhood and factoring in the humidity it felt more like 44 C. Those who know South Bayview would notice the many doors that are frequently open were closed. Your friends were in there, but they weren’t sticking their heads out to say hello. The City of Toronto extended its extreme heat alert, which keeps cooling centres open and extends the hours at public pools. Ontario’s Energy Minister Bob Chiarelli visited the Hydro One Manby Transformation Station, which is one of two major hydro corridors that feed power to Toronto. Chiarelli thanked the hydro staff for their work repairing the station after it was left flooded following last week’s record-breaking rainfall. At one point during the storm, 300,000 homes and businesses were left in the dark. Hydro One said the heat hasn’t had an impact on the hydro system this week, but officials are reminding customers to conserve power whenever possible. “We’re at a fairly high demand across the province now,”

Many people are reacting with anger today after Rolling Stone magazine revealed it has put Boston bomber Jahar Tsarnaev on the cover of its latest issue. In the end however, the article does not appear to be a distortion of  “the monster” which Tsarnaev became. Psychiatrists will be fascinated by Tsarnaev as an example of another youthful male who, through whatever germination, turns his yearning for meaning into a homicidal rampage.  Rolling Stone says the cover story presents “a riveting and heartbreaking account of how a charming kid with a bright future became a monster”. The magazine’s two-month investigation found that Jahar’s brother Tamerlan once confided to his mother that he felt like “two people” were inside him. “She confided this to a close friend who felt he might need a psychiatrist, but [his mother] believed that religion would be the cure for her son’s inner demons and growing mental instability, and pushed him deeper into Islam.” 

A Toronto cop, PC Nickolas Dorazioa, has been called on the carpet by the chief for cooking up a story for local TV that he had just been rescued from the stranded GO train down by the Don River a week ago Monday. It was all a load of baloney because Dorazioa never got any closer to the train than the sloppy verges of Bayview Ave. He was ordered there earlier in the evening along with hundreds of other able-bodied people to help in the rescue of those 1,400 passengers. The story as it was first reported was as murky as the water that swirled into the GO train. We were afraid that PC Dorazioa had elbowed little old ladies out of the way to get an early rescue from the train, so severe and worrisome were the news reports. And it almost sounds from the reaction at headquarters that they took it just that seriously. Chief Blair has called Dorazioa “shameful” for duping the poor TV types that way. And if you look carefully at the policeman’s face, it seems to reveal the mischief in his heart as he regaled reporters with a tale of being carried to safety by brave police officers. Well, he should not have done it, of course. Silly man. And if, as suspected, other coppers were egging him on, they too should get a tongue-lashing. Let’s keep in mind however that these men were in a stressful situation and that there were long waits with nothing to do. But they did not steal lifeboat seats from women and children. As a group they performed an honorable service. As for the chagrined TV reporters, we say get over it.

Pregnant women in Japan can now come face-to-face with their unborn baby, thanks to new technology which prints a solid 3D image, using data from a simple ultrasound scan. Associated Press. 

Dampening dust at Broadview-Gerrard

Police say it is expected that the intersection of Broadview Avenue and Gerrard Street East will be closed to vehicles until Monday, July 22, 2013. Pedestrian traffic will have access to stores and businesses in the area. Commuters are asked to check with the TTC for updated routes and schedule. This picture shows demolition workmen bringing down what’s left of the Cai Yuan Supermarket. The fire hose helps keep down dust. Local residents are finding this activity the best show in town with many of them watching from the steps of the  Riverdale Library kitty corner from the fire scene. Previous Post.