Neiman-Marcus Inc. now part of your CPP

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The Canadian Pension Plan Investment Board has become a part owner of Neiman-Marcus Inc, the 41-store luxury retailer based in Dallas. As telegraphed below in last night’s post, NM changed hands for $6 billion U.S. with other half of the new ownership being Ares Management LLC. The transaction includes not only the 41 Neiman Marcus stores, but also two Manhattan-based Bergdorf Goodman stores and 36 discount Neiman Marcus outlets named Last Call. There is also an online division of the company that operates alongside these businesses. Previous post. 

“Smashed” film shown to Leaside High kids today

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From Mothers Against Drunk Driving MADD:  The word “smashed” will take on a whole new meaning for students who see MADD Canada’s 2013-2014 School Assembly Program. Emotional and realistic, MADD Canada’s new program, called Smashed, demonstrates just how easily and quickly a night of partying can turn to tragedy when someone makes the wrong decision. MADD Canada and Ontario provincial partner LCBO officially kicked off the Ontario tour of Smashed today with a special screening for students and staff of Leaside High School in Toronto. Thanks to the support of LCBO customers and staff, 1,050 presentations of Smashed and its French companion program, Impact, will be delivered to a half million students in schools throughout the province, at absolutely no charge to the schools. Smashed shows how characters Natalie, Pete and Kelly ditch a school dance to go to a house party with Johnny. Once there, Natalie starts drinking. When Johnny, who has also been drinking, leaves the party to get pot, a drunken Natalie makes the terrible decision to go with him. Kelly and Pete do everything they can to stop Natalie from getting in the car but she won’t listen. Kelly calls 911 and then she and Pete get in her car to follow their friend. What happens next is a nightmare that none of the young friends could ever have dreamed. The fictional story is then followed by real-life stories of three people who are victims of impaired driving

Star, Globe defend stories about the Fords

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The Ontario Press Council hearing has wrapped up its hearings in which the Toronto Star and the Globe and Mail defended themselves against complaints from the public that they have been unethical in their coverage of Mayor Ford and his brother, Doug Ford. The OPC efforts were divided into two inquiries, morning and afternoon with the Star first and the Globe after lunch. The Star responded to the concerns with reporter Kevin Donovan saying he and his colleague Robyn Doolittle sincerely believed that the video they saw was real. The Globe defended its use of anonymous sources for an investigative piece by Greg McArthur and Shannon Kari that looked into Mayor Rob Ford’s family’s alleged drug dealings. The council’s decision is always subject to the writing of its conclusions released at a later date.

Rolling Tweets from the Rob Ford press hearing

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The Toronto Star is being asked to answer for stories about Mayor Ford and his brother Doug at a hearing of the Ontario Press Council today. Rolling tweets link below suggests it is well underway. The council will hear two complaints, one about the Star’s “crack video” story and one on the Globe and Mail’s anonymous sources-flashback to the high school days of Doug Ford. The Globe’s hearing will begin at 1 p.m. The independent press council says the two complaints will stand in for the dozens filed against the newspapers over their coverage of the Fords. At issue, the council says, is whether the newspapers “engaged in irresponsible, unethical investigative reporting.” Rolling Tweets 

Will Neiman-Marcus contribute to your CPP?

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Nieman-Marcus, the famous U.S. department store with the reputation for service, seems to be up for sale. If a deal is done, the Canadian  government’s arms-length board that administers the investments of the Canada Pension Plan (CPP) will become one of the new owners. The deal, as reported by Bloomberg News, suggests that the pension board and a firm known as Ares Management LLC, are the favoured buyers. The present owners of Neiman-Marcus, TPG Capital, Warburg Pincus LLC and Leonard Green and Partners LP are said to be ready to sell the luxury retailer. The story says the deal could be announced as soon as Monday. The Canada Pension Plan Investment Board was created by Ottawa in 1997 to administer the investments which fund the CPP. It is independent of the government but ultimately accountable to the Cabinet.  Bloomberg News 

Attending TIFF? It’s easier to crash the G20

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The Sun newspaper inspires this modest demurer to the non-stop media rave about the Toronto Film Festival. The Sun offers its own love-hate check list and it is worth a read. For our part, it is a gratifying thing to know that the city is the focus of so much of the world’s attention and, to be frank, the spending of a lot of money. In many ways the TIFF is a kind of peek-a-boo smorgasbord. You have to hope that you find the things you like. Otherwise, news coverage is frequently just four or five days of wall-to-wall noise. Star-gazing? Maybe, but it has always been true that most people are not interested in standing on a street hoping to see a film star. Those who possess them know in their brains that this is true. Our final flick-off is shared by the Sun. In the end, TIFF is not a public event. Oh sure, there are films to be seen even though the terms on which tickets are sold seem abusive. No. TIFF is an convention of people who write, finance, produce, direct and star in Hollywood movies. Important work. To attend TIFF as a simple outsider however is like trying to crash the G20. They don’t know you.  Toronto Sun

Glebe Manor Lawn Bowling pitches a straight sale

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Glebe Manor Lawn Bowling Club was raising a little money on Sunday with a lawn sale just outside the fence that encloses the pitches on Manor Road just east of Mount Pleasant Rd. Left we see Phil, a philosopher bowler of many entertaining stories and his bowler friend (centre right). Lady at the far right found some bargains. 

Motorcycle death on Rosedale Valley at Bayview

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Speed is said by police to have been a factor n the death of a 36-year-old man when his motorcycle slammed into a utility pole on Rosedale Valley Road early Saturday. The accident happened near Bayview Avenue at around 2:05 a.m. The man suffered major traumatic injuries and was rushed to hospital, but succumbed to his injuries a short time later. 

Glass skyscraper blisters paint across the street

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The developers behind a skyscraper blamed for starting fires and causing damage by reflecting the sun’s rays have said they will erect a temporary scaffold screen in a bid to stop the “phenomenon”. The half-finished 37-storey tower at 20 Fenchurch Street in central London, dubbed the “Walkie Talkie” due to its distinctive shape, is now being called the “Walkie Scorchie” because of its apparent ability to bounce heat from the sun on to buildings in the next street. Business owners in Eastcheap say the £200m project has blistered paintwork, caused tiles to smash and singed fabric. A motorist said the intense heat melted part of his Jaguar  — Guardian.

St. Cuthbert’s Women’s Dinner is Friday, Oct. 23

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Lorna Krawchuk has written to remind us of the 11th Annual Women’s Dinner at St. Cuthbert’s Anglican Church, 1399 Bayview Ave. This is the one where the men of the parish serve dinner and are the wine stewards. They also clean up. It sounds like a nice evening and the tickets are very reasonable at $20 a person. This event will be held Friday, October 23,  2013. Come at 6.30 for dinner at 7.15 p.m. Tickets are available at the church office (416) 485-0329

Warm smiles at Valumart indoor barbecue

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Here are a couple of images of our rainy South Bayview day. It’s a shame we could not trade Friday’s weather for today’s, but it was ever thus. Top we see some welcoming smiles at Tremblett’s Valumart from the inside barbecue. It was scheduled to be outside but forget that. Staff was cooking up burgers and weenies on the  permanent stoves in the prepared foods area and these ladies were in charge of serving the fixings beside cash. Below, it really doesn’t matter if it is pouring rain when soccer is your passion. These three young guys in Moore Park were absolutely indifferent to the pelting water as they tried to outdo each other with moves on the net — or saves. They were not far from home and a dry change of clothes.  Around South Bayview there seemed to be evidence of  the adage that people go shopping when it rains.  Bayview Ave was busy and the parking lot at the Smart Centre was crowded.  Sunny tomorrow!