North Korea could not survive being normal

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Call this “North Korea for Dummies”. The most important thing to remember abut North Korea is that the Kim family mafia behave like idiots because they literally have no choice.  Kim, his aunts, uncles and generals spend their lives trying to figure out how to keep from falling off the anthill in Pyongyang. They know that if there is even a crack in their isolation, a  whisper of “normalization” — they are finished. A tidal wave of ideas and prosperity will sweep them away for ever. That’s because the North Korean political and economic model cannot survive sensible interaction with the rest of the world. That’s why Little Kim is always screaming at us. He might as well be saying, “Stay away, stay away. I’m nuts.”  The second (and last) thing to remember about North Korea is that the Chinese embarrass themselves daily with their hand-wringing. The wise guys in Beijing have made an enormous mess of North Korea. Let them have the courage to fix it. Sure, it will require some heavy lifting but they owe it to us, to themselves and especially to the benighted 25 million souls who struggle to find food in the sad place next door. 

Ottawa to look into RBC outsourcing program

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The minister of human resources says it would be unacceptable for the Royal Bank of Canada to bring workers from India into the country to take the jobs of people now doing them. The minister, Diane  Finley (inset left) was commenting on a CBC story in which RBC tech employee Dave Moreau (inset right) told the program Go Public that the bank has served termination notices on 45 employees. In the meantime, the same employees are training the new arrivals to do the jobs the old employees are required to leave, the CBC says. “If true, this situation is unacceptable,”  said Ms Finley. The employees will be  let go after they train workers supplied by iGate Corp, an IT offshore specialist based in Fremont California. The new employees will do the same work as those to be laid off.  Just how the foreign employees are documented to work in Canada and in effect take the jobs of citizens isn’t clear although the bank told the CBC that the workers were working legally. Report.

$300,000 approved by city to finish Cody field

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City Council has approved $300,000 to help finance the Maurice Cody School’ Dirt-to-Turf project. The approval came on a motion last week from Josh Matlow (Ward 22).  In his current newsletter Mr. Matlow says he will attend the April 9, 2013 Family and School Association to take questions  on a proposed a community-use program for the turf field when finished, apparently broadening its use and value to area. 

Bucharest Cat Show loves the hairless feline

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This pair of Sphynx cats exhibit what some might say is the unlovely quality of most of the cats strutting through the Bucharest Cat Show this weekend. As the Mailonline complains: “Their beauty must be on the inside! Some of the world’s most miserable looking cats enter competition to find most attractive feline” All sorts of  hairless cats with enormous ears made their owners proud at the  Romanian cat show however.  Of all the hopefuls at the international feline beauty competition the Mailonline says the most unfortunate-looking breed were the Canadian Sphynx cats (not those shown) but their owners still thought they were in with a winning chance. More than 200 cats of varying breeds sharpened their claws for the competition, but it was a distinctly mixed bag of cuddliness and ugliness. Mailonline pictures

It’s love, even though we think he got a free pass

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Click to see video

There was love in the air Saturday as Justin Trudeau addressed Liberal Party delegates in Toronto a week before they pick their new leader. Trudeau spoke of “change” and pledged to be the servant of Canada. The Liberals, he said, were the “irresistible alternative” to the present government. As he spoke, a new national poll showed that fully 73 percent of Canadians think Mr. Trudeau has not had to “prove himself” in a Liberal leadership race that has turned into a “coronation,” and that he wouldn’t even be seriously considered were it not for his deceased father. But at the same time. the poll found many voters apparently don’t care about their own judgment on this topic. Those who want change say he is the one who has the “best chance”” to win . See  speech here.

Edward Leung raises Pharmasave sign at 491 Eglinton W

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Pharmacist Lawrence Leung has opened a new drugstore under the Pharmasave brand at 491 Eglinton Ave. West in the Forest Hill Medical and Professional Building at the corner of Tarlton Road. Pharmasave is an association of 450 stores across Canada by which independent druggists gain some brand recognition for their practices and the advantage of group buying. The website says the brand was founded in 1981 but it seems to be a relatively recent spurt of growth that has seen the Pharmasave sign popping up around town. Among the services offered by Mr. Leung is free delivery. He is joined at the Eglinton location by pharmacists Laura Shapiro and To Ha. There’s a Pharmasave on Yonge between Rosehill and Jackes as well as one in the East General Hospital. Map of Toronto locations

Gripping video of Toronto doctor’s rescue

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“How lucky is this woman?” say the anchors of CBS 5 in Phoenix as Dr. Elise Heon is flown to safety at the end of a helicopter tether over a distance of many miles. All the  way, her adventure is seen on a live feed from the stasion’s chopper. Dr. Heon is seen to be in high spirits after an overnight stranding, waving to people on the ground as she flies 500 feet above them. Some of the most remarkable video seen of a helicopter rescue. As reported below, Dr. Heon is a prominent ophthamolgist and professor at the U of T. CBS 5 – KPHO

Riverdale doctor rescued from canyon in Arizona

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Dr. Elise Heon
A Toronto physician and Riverdale resident has been rescued from  a ledge in a canyon in Sedona Arizona after she had not been heard from for about 24 hours. Elise Heon, 50, is an ophthalmologist at the Hospital for Sick Children and an ophthalmology science professor at the University of Toronto. Dr. Heon was lifted by rescuers from the isolated perch and flown to safety by helicopter on Friday. Coconino County Sheriff’s Office said a rescue chopper was dispatched when Dr. Heon was heard yelling for help around 8 a.m. Friday.  She was stranded on a narrow ledge about 800 feet from the bottom of the canyon. Fourteen rescuers were stationed 180 feet above Dr. Heon before she was pulled out of the canyon by helicopter around 5 p.m. She could be seen waving at people as she was flown out of the canyon by a mechanical rope and harness. Although her condition is unknown is it clear the doctor is mobile and making decisions.

Can these women and their sisters change things?

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Is this a committee that can really accomplish anything or is it just going to make us feel good? We know that there are disproportionately many less women on Canada’s corporate boards and we would like it to change. As usual when this subject comes up, criticism is directed at the “old boys club”  — guys in charge who just want to deal with males like them. We will see in due course whether that’s the conclusion of the 23 prominent business people appointed to a new committee that will offer advice on how to get more women on corporate boards. The new committee includes 16 women and seven men. Four of these well-known women are (left to right) Beverley Briscoe of Briscoe Management, Janet Ecker,  President of the Toronto Financial Services Alliance, Senator Linda Frum, and Catherine Swift, head of the Canadian Federation of  Independent Business. Below is a list of the appointments. Bloomberg

Sports themed hair cutting on Bayview Ave.

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The choice space at 1538 Bayview Ave just north of Millwod Rd. has been leased by Sport Clips Haircuts, a  U.S. hair care franchise which boasts some 1,000 locations throughout the U.S. This address is the former NIMA money exchange premises. Sports Clips has just opened its first location in Canada in Burlington and it says it has plans to open at least three more in Toronto.  “After a year and a half of market research and planning, we’re very excited to open the first store in Canada!” said Peter Kowal.  “We look forward to demonstrating to the community that a sports-themed hair salon for men and boys is what the city has been missing.” It’s nice to have a new business on the street of course but no doubt the long-time hair-cutting places will be keeping an eye on their new potential competition. We could not help noticing that part of Sports Clips promotion (inset) shows guys watching sports on big screens and getting their hair cut by happy ladies. Welcome Sports Clips.