Dollarama fiddles with sign as season slips away

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South Bayview folks look on with bemusement as Dollarama seems to be fiddling away with the small things at their new as yet unopened store at 1531-1533 Bayview. The sign that was installed a few days ago has now been adjusted and looks similar to the first placement. Here a workmen scrambles up a ladder to fasten some letters in place. The adjusted sign still contains the Dollarama $1 logo. That’s nice but inside you will see similar signs promoting products priced from $2.50 to $3. It’s the main reason why analysts say that Dollarama is doing so well. Maybe it should be called Three Dollarama. But let’s just hope the place gets open before the Christmas wrapping crowd has to go over to East York Town Centre to shop.  They’re saying that they got a large shipment of  Yule cards and it would be a shame if they have to put them in  the basement till next year. 

Monkey’s owner reveals “Darwin Archive”

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The owner of a monkey caught wandering outside a Toronto Ikea this weekend says the tiny primate rarely left her side until he was confiscated by authorities — and she wants him back. Yasmin Nakhuda says she initially tried to return the monkey she named Darwin to the breeder who supplied him, but changed her mind after hearing his heartbroken cries. After that, Nakhuda says Darwin was near her at all times, including while she slept and showered. “I know he cannot live without me,” said real estate agent Nakhuda. “And everyone who knows Darwin can vouch for this. He needs his mother like a child needs his mother,” she told CityNews Monday. National Post 

Doctors disciplined for sex abuse are still working

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Investigation by the CBC reveals disturbing facts about  how difficult it is to remove bad doctors. CBC

“Skateboard 4” tattoo East York flag on shoulders

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Four skateboarders in East York have cemented their association by getting the flag of the former borough tattooed on their shoulders. Sometimes life is stranger than fiction. But, as reported in Torontoist blog, the old pals, aged 25 to 33, decided this was the way to honour the good times they’ve had as members of Team East York, their skateboarding association. Listen it’s great to do what you want.  Readers of Torontoist gave a mixed review to these ink-under-skin renderings. One said “Good Lord — them’s some ugly tatts.” Reader tat2x said: “Pride in your neighborhood is a good thing. Luckily they got shoulder tattoos so they’ll be easy to cover up when needed. We’ll be standing by with our Ink Armor for anyone that needs to cover up ” The foursome may find favour with the East York Historical Society which is trying to rekindle East York spirit by selling the flags. Small desktop flags are available for $10 and large 3′ x 6′ flags for $95 and we are taking orders for 27″ x 54″ flags price to be determined.  East York Historical Society 

Bennington school land might still be on the block

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The Toronto and District School Board (TDSB) continues to ponder the sale of large pieces of school property in Toronto. As we noted here a few days ago one such sale might be land associated with Bennington Heights Elementary School.  Toronto Star

Gmail disruption sets tech types atwitter

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Agence France Presse 

How is it that a monkey is born in Montreal?

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You don’t have to be overly-curious to wonder how a rhesus money gets to be born in Montreal. And we do wonder.  The thrilling events of IKEA Zoologica are merely post script. Because the fun monkey known as Darwin was, according to his former owners  born in Montreal. If that’s true, he had a mother and father there. Let’s just check the Canadian Food Inspection Agency rules.  The government absolutely forbids the entry into Canada of monkeys of any kind for the purposes of keeping them as pets or breeding. There are four ways a rhesus might get by customs legally: for a movie shoot (from the U.S. only); for a zoo or other accredited exhibition (temporary); for research (poor Darwin if that was the plan); in transit (i.e passing through).  He’s a dear little sweetie no doubt but someone should be asking questions in Montreal (or wherever) about how he got born in Canada and then just given away.

Woman does $45,000 damage at Sporting Life

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There has been a case of malicious damage done to jackets at the Sporting Life store at 2665 Yonge Street (between Blythwood Rd. and Sheldrake Blvd.)  It happened in a period of barely five minutes yesterday shortly before and after1 p.m. when a woman entered the store. The Toronto Police Service report does not specify what she did to do an estimated $45,650 damage to jackets but it must have been done surreptitiously. She apparently got away and there is no description offered by the police. In such cases it has been known for individuals to use knives or razors to cut clothes as they hang on the racks. 

Lucky Erin is a poster girl for travel insurance

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If you saw Erin Langworthy go hurtling toward the Zambezi River and then watched her bungee cord break, it is safe to say you have not forgotten the sight. At New Year’s last year, the 22 year old Australian backpacker tumbled 111 meters from Victoria Falls bridge into the crocodile-infested Zambezi and lived to tell the story. Now Erin has become a very suitable face of Australia’s new campaign urging tourists to buy travel insurance. In two promotional videos for the Australian Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade’s “Smartraveller” campaign, Erin narrates a postscript to her already well-known story — that she would have faced AU$50,000 (C$51,800) in medical bills in addition to her severe injuries had it not been for her travel insurance. Erin was accompanied by Australian Foreign Minister Bob Carr at a media event kicking off the campaign, which began November 18. Her face and story will be featured on videos, postcards and social media channels. The ministry is also hosting a “Travel Tales” competition, which travelers with horror stories can enter to win AU$6,000 in travel insurance. 

HS cafeterias closing as kids flee to fast food joints

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Ontario’s new healthy food requirement for high schools is apparently driving kids out of the school cafeteria in droves. All across the province there are reports that cafeteria business has slumped and in some cases school dining rooms have closed down completely as students head for the local fast food joint. Under PPM 150, Ontario schools cannot stock candy, chocolate, energy drinks and most baked goods, like danishes and doughnuts. Soft drinks cannot be sold at elementary schools, and must contain less than 40 calories and be caffeine-free for sale in high schools. Further, school prepared dishes like veggie poutine, designed to somehow persuade teens they getting the real thing, have been a total flop. The inset poster was created by a Leaside High Schooler known as fenderbender and posted online last April. 

Canadians complain of cell phone “contract creep”

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Growing anger against 3-year cell phone contracts is hitting the federal regulator of telecommunications in Ottawa. The Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission (CRTC) asked for feedback from users on their cells and on how they are treated by the big telecoms. Overwhelmingly, Canadians have complained of what some might call contract-creep. First the contracts were 12 months, then 24 months and now a full  three years. These people say they are being “held hostage” by 36-month contracts. “Get rid of the 36 months contract!!!,” one Canadian shouted. All of this is a prelude to hearings the CRTC intends to hold in February to begin to develop a national code which might give consumers more protection,.

Harper draws a line in the oilsands, for now

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CBC