Concierge condom service leads the 4-pack flicks

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Time once again for the South Bayview Bulldog’s eclectic four-pack pick of video flicks. We begin with sex (but not much) and the tale of New York University student Kyle McCabe and his concierge condom service. Heading clockwise, an update on the Princess Triumph cruise ship which is now heading back to port with many of the washrooms out of service after an engine room fire. The company says things are not as bad as the media is making out  but it looks like another case of cruise ship megolomania — the ship is carriyng 4,000 souls. Bottom right is an exquisitely beautiful look back to this month’s Vienna Philharmonic Ball, part of the Vienna Carnival. Lush Life on the Danube. And finally, this is what happens when eggs meet art. The result is an entertaining fundraising event in the British capital.  Videos Page

Upload transit, highways to Metrolinx: Hudak

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Progressive Conservative leader Tim Hudak says he is all for building subways in Toronto but he doesn’t see being able to pay for it until the Ontario Government is made much more efficient. Speaking at the Toronto Board of Trade today, Mr. Hudak said Toronto taxpayers should not asked to pay new fees or taxes for subway and highways until waste in the system is eliminated. The PC leader also said: “The first step in financing these projects is to root out the waste in government, strive to find efficiencies and savings in every facet of government.”  Premier Kathleen Wynne has called for a conversation about revenue tools to pay for new transit. Congestion fees, a regional sales tax and road tolls have all been suggested. Hudak said that conversation is premature because the current system needs fixing. First, says Hudak, the provincial government needs to upload subways and LRTs, and then regional highways including the Don Valley Parkway to Metrolinx, the provincial body charged with planning transit. 

New phone codes 437 and 365 coming in March

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Beginning March 25, 2013 Toronto and its suburbs will have additional new telephone area codes. Toronto phone numbers will add with 437 to the established 416 and 647. In the areas currently served by 905 and 289, phones will be assigned numbers starting with 365. 

Solar cell at Sandy Bruce Park monitors water

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Toronto Hydro has installed a wireless and solar-operated Data Collection Centre in Sandy Bruce Park on Moore Avenue at the top of Pottery Road. The DCC contains a cell phone which receives data on water usage from the smart metre in your basement and then re-sends it to Toronto Hydro. The DCC on Moore Ave collects data from homes all over South Bayview to a radius of approximately 2 kilometres of its location. There are some 300 such DCC in Toronto and this is  said to be the only community in Canada using this wireless method of delivery for water data. 

Grab bag of ideas for the LRT at the Don Valley

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Linked below is a Toronto Star story by Tess Kalinowski which contains a grab bag of ideas from various people on how to configure the Scarborough LRT. The ever-present Geoff Kettel of the Leaside Property Owners Association is quite upset about the decision to eliminate Leslie station.  Among other things Mr. Kettel floated with Ms. Kalinowski the idea of a viaduct across the Don Valley on Eglinton. Presumably a station for Leslie would be built at viaduct grade level and passengers would somehow find their way down to the ground. Whatever. You may well guess  that residents of the flossy units in the Scenic on Eglinton complex would not like the idea of looking out their windows at a viaduct. Also quoted in the story is Ward 26 Councillor John Parker who allowed it was a blue-sky thought that if the LRT were in fact a subway between Black Creek and Don Mills, the much-hoped for Downtown Relief Line could connect directly into it. The idea is appealing but of course the new Stintz-inspired  TTC executive wants nothing to do with a subway on Eglinton. Pity. This is an important issue for the community but it is equally true that the elimination of the Leslie Street station will not trouble the vast majority of residents in the area. That’s our guess, at any rate. And Metrolinx has a powerful argument when it says the station would have been among the most expensive to build but lightly-used on the line. Tess Kalinowski

Frankly, we fib a lot about saving for RRSPs

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We all say we want the truth. With apologies to Jack Nicholson, you may not be able to handle the truth. The truth is, according to the CIBC, we tell terrible whoppers about how we’re going to save money for our RRSPs. We don’t.    Toronto Sun 

South Bayview power brokers in Wynne cabinet

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L to R Premier Wynne, Dr Eric Hoskins, Mr Glen Murray and Mr. Michael Coteau
Premier Wynne’s new cabinet features three MPPs from her home turf of South Bayivew. She represents Don Valley West.  Her colleagues and convention supporters Eric Hoskins (St. Paul’s) Glen Murray (Toronto Centre-Rosedale) and Michael Coteau  (Don Valley East) join Wynne in cabinet. L to R, Dr Hoskins holds economic development trade and employment, Mr. Murray, infrastructure and transportation and Mr. Coteau, citizenship  and immigration, The new Premier has built a cabinet that is slightly larger than the McGuinty cabinet. The full list is here. 

Canadian Cardinal a contender for Papacy

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Cardinal Marc Oulette

The surprising announcement that Pope Benedict will resign the papacy on February 24, 2013 because of failing health has brought forward a number of possible successors, including a Canadian, Cardinal Marc Ouellet, the archbishop of Quebec City. He is said to have “the best odds of replacing Pope Benedict XVI according to an Irish betting site, at 11 to 4. In London, it’s said bookies are making Cardinal Oulette a 3-1 favorite for election to the papacy. No doubt such gaming references in this field will shock some at the Vatican and elsewhere. Cardinal Ouellet, 68, is the head of the Congregation for Bishops, essentially the Vatican’s top staff director. He was once quoted as saying being the pope “would be a nightmare.” He also told Quebec City’s Le Soleil newspaper that a pope’s duties “are perhaps not very enviable.” National Post 

Wynne to appoint all-new back bench cabinet

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Okay, we know that South Bayview’s very own Premier, Kathleen Wynne, has cleaned out the big offices at Queen’s Park and that her cabinet, to be named tomorrow, will contain many relatively unknown people. We know that Sandy at Cobs Bread was hoping for something high-minded like Environment Minister, but — well don’t give up your bread job Sandy. Seriously,  we can only wish the Premier well with her clean slate approach. There is a ton of stuff that needs doing. Wish we could get back some of those millions lost on shutting down that power plant,  Here is the best the CBC can guess published Sunday night. CBC.

Leaside Gardens fundraiser is Friday, February 22

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The Laugh Out Loud in Leaside benefit scheduled for February 22, 2013 is 70% sold, Charlene Kalia writes to say. The event is in aid of  fundraising  to build a second ice pad at Leaside Memorial Community Gardens. Highlights of the evening include: MC Jack Corrigan,  hilarious Yuk Yuks stand up comedy musical, performance by the James Dean Band, de la mer oyster bar, delicious appetizers tantalizing desserts live and silent auctions  The date again is  Friday February 22, 2013  at  7:30 pm at: Fantasy Farm, 50 Pottery Road. Single ticket: $80 Reserved table of 10: $800 Tickets can be purchased as follows: Email: charlene@charlenekalia.com Phone: 416-925-9191 Online (by credit card, fee applies) Download and print ticket order form. Cheques should be made payable to East York Foundation. To donate items for the auction, please contact Charlene Kalia, 416-925-9191, charlene@charlenekalia.com 

Bob Rae will retire this Summer says John Ivison

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Ottawa insider John Ivison writes in the National Post that Toronto-Centre-Rosedale MP Bob Rae will retire this Summer rather than play second fiddle to “Trudeau Jr.” Ivison no doubt has good sources but it is his own eyes and ears that have helped him sketch this sensitive view of the venerable Mr.Rae more as a statesman than party stalwart. Ivison also offers a thoughtful before and after glimpse of  Rae the  party healer of just 18 months ago against someone now much sought after by Trudeau and others to help retain his central Toronto bulwark for the Liberals. Ivison also touches on the new dynamic in play with the creation of the riding of Mt. Pleasant, a plum many Conservatives feel they may be able to pluck. Ivison says George Smitherman is noodling a run there for the Liberals. Whom might the CPs like: Jane Pitfield? John Tory?Karen Stintz?  John Ivison 

Leaside Sunday morning power outage

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A widespread power failure across Leaside occurred this morning shortly after 9 a.m. The outage is so far unexplained but it was a surprise on such a pleasant morning and inconvenient even though it was on a Sunday morning. Power has now been restored. Among the Twitter early warning messagers Lise Lareau was a reliable source:  Power out this morning. 680 news site says it’s widespread in Toronto’s Bayview and Eglinton area (Leaside). No idea how long and then later Power in Bayview Eglinton / Leaside area just came back. Yay.  John Parker tweeted:  The NFL has nothing on us: The power went out over the entire neighbourhood on Leaside Flames Select Tournament championship day.  Josh McInerney was the most plaintive tweeter: Hey leaside??? Where’s the power!? I got coffee to make!!!