The South Bayview Bulldog

Evening at the theatre/Stratford Festival

Training as service dogs/Stratford Festival

Dressed for the occasion/Twitter @darth

A photo that appears to show the Stratford Festival going to the dogs is winning hearts online. The picture shows a group of pooches ranging from poodles to golden retrievers sitting patiently in their cushy seats, taking in a production of Billy Elliot at the Stratford Festival last week. But while the photo may be fun, it turns out the dogs’ mission is serious: they’re training to be service dogs, and they’re practicing what it’s like to help their handlers navigate through a theatre. “It’s important to prepare the dogs for any activity the handler may like to attend,” says Laura Mackenzie, owner and head trainer with K-9 Country Inn Working Service Dogs, who led the Stratford Festival outing — CBC

Authorities are now saying that seven homes were destroyed when a car smashed into a gas pipeline late Wednesday in London, Ontario. Remarkably, no one appears to have been injured.

62 Herdwick St. Brampton

Police say a Brampton man blew the back off his home when an alcohol still exploded as he apparently cooked up moonshine in his Herdwick St. residence. A release from the Peel Region service Thursday confirmed that an infant received second-degree burns and two men and a woman sustained minor burns and smoke inhalation. They say the explosion is now confirmed to have been caused by an operating still located in the basement of the home.  A man, 57, faces the unusual offense of arson by negligence. The accused was released on a promise to appear at the Ontario Court of Justice in Brampton at a later date.

Nasty but nice

Bay Rat

Wheels on Danforth

Wheels on the Danforth will return to Danforth Ave. and Danforth Rd. east of Byng Ave. on Saturday. Also this weekend, Taste of Manila both Saturday and Sunday on Bathurst St. between Wilson Avenue and York Downs Drive.

Delivering flyers?

A Facebook post Thursday morning says personal mail has been stolen in Leaside to apply for and produce MasterCards from Canadian Tire and the National Bank.  The author of the post says these firms require only “a valid name and address for doing a credit check with TransUnion and Equifax.” The post says the mail was stolen by persons apparently delivering flyers. She posts several videos of such deliveries. Visits were made daily “trying to intercept the letters with the credit cards. I was lucky that the letters got into my hands before theirs.” Leaside Community

Raw fear stalked North American markets Wednesday following reports of shrinking European economies. It led to equity bloodshed in Toronto and New York. The TSX was down 304 points and the Down Jones more than 600. Globe and Mail.

Dsiplaced residents of 650 Parliament register for alternative housing in August, 2018/680 NewsAugust 218

Tenants displaced after a massive fire last August at 650 Parliament St. will have to wait a few more months until they can begin moving back in. In an update Wednesday, Danny Roth, spokesperson for Wellesley-Parliament Square (WPSQ) management, said re-occupancy is expected to commence “later this fall.” “Right now the estimate is likely November,” he said, saying work on the building is about 65 percent complete. The expected re-occupancy date has been pushed back several times already. But Roth maintains building management has done everything possible to accommodate up to 1500 displaced tenants and attempt to expedite the move-in process. “I would suggest to you that this is the single largest re-housing process the city has ever seen,” he said. CityNews

Stock markets slumped on Wednesday as Germany’s economy went into reverse, fueling fears of global recession and slamming the brakes on a rally for equities after Washington delayed tariffs on some Chinese imports. Early in the afternoon, Toronto was down a stunning 272 points while New York sank by 654. Germany’s economy, Europe’s largest, shrank 0.1% in the second quarter as the trade war and weak demand dragged on German manufacturers. The eurozone as a whole barely grew in the same quarter, with the 19-country bloc adding 0.2% – a slowdown from the first three months of the year. Market Insider

The prime minister met the mayor on Tuesday to discuss everything and nothing. More later today no doubt. Comments on YouTube are scurrilous. Note the mayor’s walking device after his Achilles tendon surgery.

A Leaside mother has posted pictures of nasty wires on a play structure at Bessborough Public School. She reports that her daughter was hurt by the apparently sharp ends shown above. They are part of a climbing latticework on the structure.

Strange as can be and very different. The Torontio Blue Jays (50 and 72) defeat the Texas Rangers (59 and 59) at Rogers Centre.