Members of the congregations of Manor Road and Leaside United Churches may be pondering tonight how the agenda of their national church sits with them. The Church’s General Council, meeting in Otawa, has declared itself — on behalf of all its congregations — against the idea of an oil pipeline to the west coast. They’re about to decide on a motion to boycott products from Israeli settlements. That comes Friday. Either way, the actions of the church mean very little to either the sale of such products or the reconciliation of the peoples living in that part of the world. It’s a bit like the motion to stop members from gossiping. Why. Ordinary awareness will tell us that gossip is usually true. Reporters call their work tidied up gossip. Surely what the United Church thinkers are saying to us is that we should avoid being mean or vindictive. Sometimes people are like that. But that has less to do with gossip than simple decency. If Mary has left her husband for the pool man, there’s nothing especially saintly in not talking about it. This motion seems oddly out of touch with the things that make us human.
Housing, businesses and a park for Ont Place
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The Ontario government has endorsed a plan to turn Ontario Place into an “urban waterfront community” that would include housing, businesses and a park. At a Wednesday press conference, Ontario Tourism Minister Michael Chan said the government will “move ahead at lightning speed” on the 18 recommendations made by the Ontario Place Revitalization Panel. National Post
Three Canadian cities among top most livable
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The survey is the work of the Economist magazine with the jurors apparently fond of English-language towns with pleasant facilities and not too many people. Most of their picks are in Canada and Australia. Toronto Star.
15-year-old found with magnum handgun
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Police were amazed to find a .357 magnum when they stopped a 15-year-old boy yesterday near Dundas St. W. and Scarlett Rd. The boy was riding a so-called eBike and was stopped for a traffic infraction. Police also found drugs and ammunition. An eBike or electric bike is one of a number of two wheeled vehicles powered by a battery.
Cops urge mayor to get a driver for safety’s sake
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Toronto police are pleading with Rob Ford to hire a driver after the mayor got in trouble behind the wheel again, this time for apparently reading while driving on the Gardiner Expressway. Globe and Mail
Flower nook open again st 1542 Bayview Ave.
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The Flower Nook has re-opened at 1542 Bayview. Things are still a little disorganized but the shop seems fully repaired and refurbished from the fire at next-door Leaside Cleaners last Fall. So its business as usual for the members of this long-time family establishment. Drop in and say hi to Jennifer and Margaret.
“Project Soudan” art colony moves out
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Project Soudan, the interim home and studio of a small art colony, has come to an end. The residence at 593 Soudan Ave. is now graced by a dumpster out front and has the windows boarded over. The home is slated for demolition but early in June was temporarily leased to art students from the University of Waterloo. Previous post.
Mayor admits he read document while driving
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Mayor Ford has admitted that he was driving along the Gardiner Expressway reading a document while in charge of his vehicle. The incident apparently occurred this morning and was photographed by someone in another car right beside the mayor. The picture shows Mr.Ford with a document in his right hand and using his left hand to steer. It was distributed to the world on Twitter. The story about this matter appears in the Toronto Star and quotes the mayor as saying by way of explanation for his behavior merely that he’s a busy man. “Yeah, probably. I’m busy,” he is quoted. As reported by Daniel Dale, the exchange continued this way: When a reporter followed up by asking whether he reads while driving, he said, “Yeah, probably. Trying to catch up on my work; you know, keep my eyes on the road, but I’m a busy man.” When the reporter asked whether he doesn’t see a problem with reading on the Gardiner, he said again, “I’m busy.” The mayor’s reaction seems to reveal an obstinacy that he has been politically one of his most unhelpful qualities. The larger matter also begs the question of by whom and why the picture was taken. It seems improbable that it was taken by chance and then hurried onto Twitter with an alert to the Star all without a lot of planning. The mayor should apologize and stop this reckless behavior. No one believes he is so busy that he must drive in such a careless way. On the other hand, he might also ask whether he is under surveillance by people looking for things to embarrass him.
Dollarama still a long way from opening
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A peek through the door of the Dollarama premises shows just how far away they are from opening the store. This picture was taken today (Tuesday, August 14, 2012). Signage at the right is from Shoppers Drug Mart days. Many people — including the South Bayview Bulldog — thought that Dollarama at 1531 Bayview would be open in time for back to school. But that opportunity has clearly been missed. Looks like the soonest we’ll have a chance to spend a dollar or two there will be Christmas. Think? Fido looks for a new dog to play Fido
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RELEASE — Returning this summer by popular demand, the Fido Casting Call™ 2 contest will search for the next dog to star in an upcoming Fido advertisement. Open for submissions across Canada on August 13, Fido Casting Call 2 will support the Lions Foundation of Canada Dog Guides, a non-profit organization that provides Dog Guides to Canadians with disabilities. Dog owners across Canada are encouraged to get their pooches brushed up, competition-ready and captured on camera striking their favourite pose. Dog owners can enter the contest by submitting a superstar image of their dog online at www.FidoCastingCall.ca, and dog lovers can vote daily for their preferred pooch until September 10, 2012. For each vote, Fido will donate $1 to Dog Guides Canada, up to a maximum of $200,000. Dog Guides Canada will use the funds donated by Fido to train and place 10 Dog Guides with Canadians with disabilities. To help get your dog ready for the competition, an All Star Prep team of groomers will be onsite at local Fido Casting Call 2 park events August 18 to 19 in six Canadian cities: Vancouver, Calgary, Winnipeg, Toronto, Ottawa and Montréal. Additional information and event details are available at www.FidoCastingCall.ca.
“F-bomb, sexting , flexitarian, life coach”
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Merriam-Webster has picked about 100 additions for its 2013 dictionary. Among those that made the cut: Earworm, mash-up, sexting and f-bomb. How about flexitarian, obesogenic, energy drink and life coach? They’re in too. The company ranged over every human activity to update the 114-year-old dictionary. It gathered evidence of usage over several years in everything from media to the labels of beer bottles and boxes of frozen food. So who’s responsible for lobbing F-bomb far and wide? Kory Stamper, an associate editor for Merriam-Webster, said she and her fellow word spies at the Massachusetts company traced it back to 1988, in a Newsday story that had the now-dead Mets catcher Gary Carter talking about how he had given them up, along with other profanities. Huffington Post.
Thieves grab bikes out of garages in Moore Park
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A warning to those who own expensive bicycles as thieves are on the make in Moore Park and Rosedale. Of course, it could happen anywhere in South Bayviewland but residents on Rose Park Drive and elsewhere say the brazen bike bandits are going up lane ways and into garages in broad daylight. Most recently there’s a report that two mountain bikes were stolen from a garage between Wednesday August 1st and Monday August 5th.