Online bookstore Amazon.com now sells more e-books than all hardcover and paperback print books combined. “We had high hopes that this would happen eventually, but we never imagined it would happen this quickly,” said Jeff Bezos, founder and CEO of Amazon.com in a statement Thursday announcing the milestone. Since April 1, Amazon.com has sold 105 e-books for every 100 print books. Bezos noted that the Seattle, Wash.-based company has been selling print books for 15 years and e-books for less than four. Amazon introduced its Kindle e-book reader in 2007.
Questions on the end of the world
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There’s something delusional about a news media that tries to get to the bottom of why the world didn’t come to an end. It makes the mind swim. There was the CNN anchor soberly seeking an opinion from Alec Baldwin’s brother. “What went wrong?” was the opening zinger. Piercing curiosity then demanded, “Why did this get so much attention” (Easy one. Check the mirror). And so it went. “Why do some people call this preacher a false prophet?” the anchor asked, seeking that need-to-know answer. All we can say is thank God someone has the guts to ask these kinds of questions. It’s not every day that the world doesn’t end when the media is pretending that it will.
Holdup thwarted on South Bayview
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An alert employee of Shoppers Drug Mart made a crucial call to the police to thwart a robbery attempt at the Canadian Imperial Bank of Commerce on South Bayview yesterday. A masked man entered the bank later in the afternoon. Shoppers Drug Mart is next door to the bank. The employee got wind of the on-going hold up and called police who made a speedy arrival. They arrested an individual.
Grading and staking underway on Laird
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Grading and staking is well underway on the lands slated for development into a commercial and retail centre on Laird Drive.
Johnny Cash and the Plymouth Savoy
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In one of the many junk yards east of Laird Drive lies the 1954 Plymouth Savoy pictured above, centre and right. No one recalls today that Johnny Cash did a commercial for Chrysler (owner of the Plymouth brand) in 1954 when he was getting started. In that ad he called the Plymouth “the best car I ever owned.” This was remembered by the ad executives at Chrysler. In 1972 Cash was hired to take part in a Chrysler promotion in which the world was asked to “Help us find the best car we ever owned.” The winner of this contest was Mrs. Ray Hild of Tacoma, Washington (shown at the left with Cash) whose 54 Plymouth had but 14,500 miles on it. This means that Mrs. Hild was putting barely 800 miles a year on her Plymouth. Wonder where it is today? Certainly not rusting on Esandar Drive in Leaside.
Long black dresses on South Bayview
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These two ladies made a brief visit to South Bayview Friday afternoon accompanied by two gentlemen. As we can see, the ladies wore long black dresses on a C24 degree afternoon.
Baseball camp for kids at Howard Talbot
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Howard Talbot Park will be the scene of a baseball camp for kids this Summer. A story is published in InsideToronto. The camp starts at $350 per week, with rates going down $50 every week for kids who stay in the program. You may sign up and make inquiries by writing to leasidebaseballcamp@live.com or calling 647-338-3596.
Firemen investigate odour of gas
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Firemen went door-to-door on a short stretch of South Bayview yesterday to check on the source of the odour of gas. Apparently the odour was noticed on the street opposite Homefront by a citizen. The investigation ended without any action being taken. LinkedIn frenzy sends stock to $122 a share
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LinkedIn shares hit a staggering $122.70 today on the New York Stock Exchange before sliding back a little. The frenzy to buy the newly available stock has made analysts nervous.
Rae says he won’t run for Liberal leadership
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Toronto Centre MP Bob Rae says he doesn’t want to be party leader, but maybe he’d accept interim party leader. This was the gist of Mr Rae’s remarks on a conference call today with supporters. He is quoted as saying he would not run a third time for leader of the party. But, it’s suggested, the interim job is a “substantial one” that will give the person in that position nearly two years to reshape the party. Stay tuned.
Flying Dragon bookstore will close June 30
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The Flying Dragon bookstore at 1721 South Bayview will close for good on Thursday June 30, 2011. In their touching farewell published on their website, Flying Dragon associates reference “technological advances” without further reference to that impact on their business. Here is a portion of the farewell.“We have in recent months explored opportunities to embrace the technological advances that have presented themselves with such rapidity in our industry. But at the end of the day we realized that for us, it was all about the books and the tactile, sensory experience they provide. It is bittersweet that we have just received the 2011 Libris Award for ‘Specialty Bookseller of the Year’ from the Canadian Booksellers Association. While we can’t imagine not being able to walk into the magical world of The Flying Dragon on a daily basis, we know that our futures hold wondrous adventures and we wish the same for all our loyal customers and our colleagues in the publishing industry. We want to end the way we started, by talking about the books with you, our fellow booklovers. Please join us for Nina’s Summer Reads on Friday, May 27th at 9:30am.” The Star published a nice artcile on Friday, May 20, 2011.
Your ATLV 4300 Diesel at work
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Ever wonder about the ATLV 4300 Diesel? Yep, that’s it outside Peaches and Green on South Bayview yesterday looking for bits of trash to vacuum. Now these little babies are made in Minneapolis, it seems, where the special price for cities like Toronto is US $28464. The ATLV isn’t exactly sporty but it is more fun than a broom and a trash bag.