Welcome to Toronto. As many as 50 Hungarian Roma a day are filing refugee claims at Pearson airport, putting a strain on airport staff and medical services, according to border services officials, the Toronto Sun reports. A record 110 claimants arrived at the airport one night last week, creating a challenge for immigration and security personnel working to process them, officers say. Entire Roma families, from babies to grandmothers, are getting off flights and claiming refugee protection at Pearson, alleging they’re being persecuted by “skinheads or Neo-Nazis” in their homeland, border officers said. A similar influx of Roma’s from the Czech Republic led to Canada imposing visas on all Czech citizens.
“Öut-for-the-evening” breakin on Woodlawn
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Toronto Police Service: A resident of Woodlawn Avenue West reports that between 1815 hours and 2145 hours, November 5, 2011 entry was gained into the premises by forcing a door. Removed were two laptop computers, a set of car keys and a quantity of cash and jewellery.
Work on curb sidewalks begins
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Sidewalk replacement is speeding ahead on South Bayview with backhoes today ripping on the curb lane of old sidewalk on the east side. By nightfall, work had proceeded to Homefront, at 1579 Meantime, down at Millwood and Bayview, fresh concrete was poured and the curb portion of the sidewalk was being trowelled and smoothed into place.
Indigo to sell Kobo for US$315 million
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A sea change in strategy for Indigo Books and Music with word that it will sell off its Kobo ereader division. The buyer is Tokyo-based Rakuten Inc., a large world-wide e-commerce company which will continue to run Kobo as a stand-alone company with head office in Toronto. The linked top-notch story from Canadian Business contains pretty much all the information you might need to try to guess the why and whatever of this startling decision. Notably, Kobo’s minority 49 percent shareholders will also sell. They are the Australian book and music chain RedGroup Retail and Cheung Kong Holdings, an investment company controlled by Hong Kong billionaire Li Ka–shing. Among the factors which may have contributed to this decision is the intense competition coming from Amazon’s Kindle and others. Another will be the US$40 million quarterly loss announced by Indigo at the same time as the sale. This loss occurred notwithstanding Kobo’s stellar performance increasing its sales some 219 percent during the quarter. One survey of ereaders placed Kobo behind various editions of the Kindle and Novo, as well as the Sony reader. Canadian Business.
Starbucks IPhone app puts cash in their account
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Starbucks has released the IPhone app that let’s you pay for your coffee with your phone. It’s a convenience they say. And it may be for some people although, as coffee lovers, we find it hard to see how. In order to be able to use the app you have to load money onto your Starbucks card first. That gives you credit, the same kind you have at the bank with your debit card. Is that easier than just producing the debit? Tell us. And oh yes, this app represents a nice windfall of advance payment for Starbucks. Put $50 on your card and buy an espresso for $3. The rest, multiplied by millions of customers, is one nice piece of sugar cake sitting in Starbucks bank account.
City union predicting it will be locked out
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The battle lines between the large CUPE local (Toronto municipal workers 416) and the City are drawn, it seems. The union is predicting it will be locked out early in the new year. National Post.
Rob Ford scouting at Lancer games
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Mayor Ford was on the sidelines doing some scouting when the Leaside Lancers went down 12-0 to the Central Tech Blues October 21. Ford continues to coach the Don Bosco Eagles, a hitch he took on before he was mayor. There’s a story here written by Brian Baker in the Town Crier.
Most recent Cody event raises $23,000
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Maurice Cody fundraisers were well pleased with their work at the recent Cody Howl event. Thank you letters to those who particpated, including Hoemfront, indicate that $23,000 was raised to ensure the highest education atmosphere for the kids of Cody. The 2011 committee is comprised of Katherine Beattie, Darlene Stafford, Dawn Burke, Mary Kopman and Karen Freedman.
Entire fireworks show explodes — again
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The fireworks display in San Diego’s Fourth of July fireworks show suffered what one account called “premature ignition”. The entire 15-plus minute display went off in 30 seconds. This is not the first time something like this has happened. Below is an account from last fall when the same thing happened in Oban, Scotland. Are we doing something? Do you think?
In Oban, Scotland, a local fireworks display marking Guy Fawkes Day turned into a total fiasco. A technical glitch (that means a stupid mistake) caused the entire fireworks supply to go off at once. What was supposed to be a 30 minute show lasted less than a minute. Somehow we think Guy Fawkes, who is remembered as the man who tried to blow up Parliament in 1570, would have liked this massive blow up.
Soledad O’Brien replaces “Ali Velshi Trio” at CNN mornings
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The morning threesome of Ali Velshi, Carole Costello and Christine Romans will be replaced on CNN’s American Morning by Soledad O”Brien (left) in the new year. A news release says Toronto veteran Velshi (centre) will be given expanded business and reporting duties on CNN and CNN International. O’Brien anchored American Morning with various co-hosts from 2003 to 2005. The changes keep up the reputation of American Morning’s revolving door at the anchor desk. Velshi was preceded at the AM desk by another Canadian John Roberts, now at Fox. A third Canadian name, Ashleigh Banfield (right) makes a comeback of sorts with a new assignment as anchor on CNN between 5 and 7 am.
Million dollar fix needed for Pottery Road
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An additional sum of almost $1 million will be required to make repairs to Pottery Road. Some $924,000 is needed to cover the reconstruction of a retaining wall which was apparently built too low. This resulted in instability in the earth wall of the ravine. The stretch of road that connects Bayview and Broadview avenues has been closed since May 24 to make improvements, including a bicycle lane. Back then, the city said the closure would end Sept. 5, but the road is still closed. The City now says it will be open by November 30. Previous story.
Clocks go back an hour Sunday morning
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Clocks go back an hour Sunday morning in the annual Fall Back routine. What a nice long Sunday morning is in store for most of us. But what does that extra hour do to the sleeping habits of babies and children? According to CTV, the author of “The Mother of All Parenting Books” and numerous other texts on pregnancy and raising children says that parents can expect kids to have a hard time adjusting to the time change, which can lead to sleeplessness, crankiness and general unpleasant behaviour. “You can’t just expect a young toddler to know you’ve changed the clock,” she said in a phone interview. “Most teachers tell me it takes kids a week or two to get used to the time change, and until then, kids are cranky, hungry, and generally out of sorts.” She suggests avoiding the hunger and crankiness by keeping a fairly structured meal schedule despite the shift in time — so if breakfast is normally at 8 a.m., it remains at 8 a.m. after daylight time ends.