The South Bayview Bulldog

Arizona Senator John McCain has died of a brain tumour at age 81. CNN recounts his eventful life. Next, Pope Francis is in Ireland, the first visit there by a pontiff in 40 years. Then, they’re calling it a parenting discussion. Should an eight-year-old be permitted to walk the dog alone. Lastly, a grim account of how Sweden is portrayed by many. Should we believe that openness and liberalism have somehow destroyed openness and liberalism?

Plastic doll

Real woman playing doll

Paper doll

A heavy-duty venture in make-believe will arrive at 4632 Yonge soon in the form of a place where people (maybe mostly men) can play with plastic dolls. The entrepreneurs are calling it a “brothel” but that seems to torture the meaning of the word out of all usefulness. The fantasy of dolls as sex partners and girlfriends isn’t new. The City News story here references West World where “robot” women fulfill fantasies But they aren’t robots are they? They’re real women (if you’ll pardon the expression). In the end, it seems quite melancholy — like the Mills Brothers lament Paper Doll.

A well-known resident who is a tenant above a Bayview Ave. store has posted to Leaside Community on Saturday about a store owner’s use of many applications of polyurethane on the floor of the store. As the resident says: “Needless to say the fumes seep upstairs and have caused problems for residents of (two) apartments. My neighbour went to Sunnybrook by ambulance on Monday night and my son went by ambulance on Wednesday night. Toronto Fire showed up Wednesday night as well and wanted to ventilate but the landlord’s key didn’t work. I have called Toronto Health, 311, the Police, but so far nobody seems to be able to help. All we want is for the owner of the store to ventilate but he refuses. I called one of his other stores on Thursday and left a message that we were all sick and could he please come and air the store out. My son spoke to one of the workers when they were applying the polyurethane and asked if he could ventilate with a fan. The worker said the store owner had told him not to use a fan because it might blow the thin plastic off of the clothing that was left in the store.”  By supper hour Saturday there are some 40 comments and interest is high.  

Shooting at Brimley and Eglinton overnight. More at @CityNews CityNews: https://t.co/xuEruEm2Lo pic.twitter.com/PCq33rf9Rq

— DanielB (@focusthatcamera) August 25, 2018

Friday-Saturday morning was good to its reputation as a man was shot dead in dumpy plaza at Eglinton Ave. and Brimley Rd. about 4 a.m. He is said to be in life-threatening condition. Very little is known or revealed so far.

MISSISSAUGA

A man is dead and another is grievously injured in a single car incident. The injured man is suspected of impaired driving after the early-morning crash in Mississauga. The car is said to have ploughed into a utility pole at Central Parkway and Eglinton Ave. about 4:35 a.m. Police say that the victim, believed to be in his 30s, was pronounced dead on scene. The 21-year-old driver of the vehicle also sustained non-life threatening injuries in the crash and was taken to a local hospital for treatment. Police say that he is currently in custody on suspicion of impaired driving.

Car into pole killed one, badly injures driver/Peter Muscat @Peter_Muscat

A glimpse beyond the name-calling at Exhibition Place can be had in remarks from Councillor Mark Grimes (Ward 6). He is chair of Exhibition Place where this year the CNE is labouring under a strike by members of the International Alliance of Theatrical Stage Employees (IATSE). The issue is so-called “contracting out” by the City-owned exhibition. Grimes told CP24 that the union, which was formed in 1893, needs to recognize that there have been changes in Exhibition’s Place business. “We are in a different place now. The IATSE union came to be in the 1930s and 1940s when the grandstand was there, Bob Hope would come, the Beach Boys would come, but our business has changed. We are into fairs, meetings, events and the collective agreement does not reflect that,” he said. Reporting is vague enough that it is unclear just who wants concessions from whom, but it seems certain that Exhibition Place is fighting for business from event organizers who want to hire their own staff for reasons of specialized skills, convenience or cost.

No winning ticket was sold for the $24 million jackpot in Friday night’s Lotto Max draw. That means the jackpot for the next draw on August 31 will grow to approximately $33 million.

Ji-seon Moon with children

Leaside Wildcats Midget AA team and the Juniors.

An enterprising Korean mom, Ji-seon Moon, has taken the space at 874 Eglinton Ave. at Laird Drive to open Brunch Story, an all-day breakfast and lunch restaurant. She is seen above at left with daughter and son. Ji-seon is a friendly and intelligent person. She loves the Leaside area. We wish her the same success that Frank and Nora, her Korean compatriots, had at Rosie’s for so many years. Brunch Story plans a soft opening this Sunday. At the right above, is a terrific picture of both the Leaside Wildcats Midget AA team and the Juniors. Coach Kim McCullough will shepherd both teams this year so the squads are doing summer training on and off the ice together. Below left is a reminder about the September retirement event for Sharon Beckstead. She has been musical director at Leaside United Church for 25 years. Then, is this the Leaside water tower? No, merely scaffolding for repairs to the spire at St. Anselm’s Church on Millwood Rd. Next to that, we have the rubble left from demolition of DEL Inc. to make way for the Gyro consolidation on the east side of Laird. And finally, residents of Moore Park will smile to know that the marathon build at 240 Rose Park (corner Welland Ave.) is at the landscaping stage. May we see it for sale very soon.

Mark the date

Work on St. Anselm’s spire

Rubble at former Del Inc.

240 Rose Park at Welland

The lawless conduct seen elsewhere in Toronto infected Leaside Thursday night as three teens used a gun to threaten a boy and girl, 17 and 18,  walking in Howard Talbot Park about 11.30  p.m. The three made off with personal property after threatening the couple. But within a few minutes two suspects, 15 and 19, were apprehended near the corner of Hanna Rd. and McRae Dr. according to posts on Leaside Community. A third perpetrator is still at large although it seems his chances are not good. The FB posts indicates a frenzy of police activity before and after midnight as officers blocked streets and searched on foot with a police dog to catch the suspects. One post read: “Outside our house at Hanna McRae, police took down two men. Police dog also helping. Our neighbour was told it was armed robbery. They kept searching for another person for some time. Then lights out and cars left.” Facebook

Ford supports Scheer in convention speech https://t.co/CtoeZN1P4p pic.twitter.com/sLNeF0Ew0m

— Hamilton Spectator (@TheSpec) August 24, 2018

York Regional Police are dealing with the abduction of a woman from what appears to be a front porch by a man who she knows. FB video shows the woman ringing the doorbell. The man, who as one commenter on YouTube says, seems like a jealous boyfriend or pimp, leaps out of the darkness and the two exchange abusive language. The woman saying at one point: “I think I’m gunna die.”

Researchers at the University of British Columbia believe they have figured out how to convert all blood types to the nearly universal Type O-negative. The breathtaking news seems to herald a world in which shortages of blood would be almost non-existent. Much research remains but the scientists say their discovery holds this enormous promise. There are four blood types — A, B, AB and O. Right now, A and B recipients must receive exactly the same type they have. This is clearly a problem in emergency settings when the universal type runs short. Time is consumed testing the patient’s type in order to save his life. Types A, B and AB blood contain antigens. If the wrong blood is given, the recipient’s immune system will attack the new blood cells. The UBC technique removes antigens leaving immume systems benign to the blood.