St. Michael’s study says pasta badly maligned as fattening

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Carbohydrates get a lot of bad press and blame for the obesity epidemic, but a study at St. Michael’s Hospital suggests that this negative attention may not be deserved for pasta. Unlike most ‘refined’ carbohydrates, which are rapidly absorbed into the bloodstream, pasta has a low glycemic index, meaning it causes smaller increases in blood sugar levels than those caused by eating foods with a high glycemic index. Now too much Bolognese sauce will add calories. But, as the headline in Popular Science said: “Worried pasta will make you fat? Spaghettaboutit.”

OTHER NEWS

Eritrean asylum-seekers to Canada (Toronto) plan in Israel

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The Video Wheel is agile as can be but it takes second place to Sophie Dossi, the extraordinary teen contortionist YouTube star. Amazing. Then, the CBC reports that there is an on-and-off plan in Israel to send some Eritrean asylum seekers to Canada (which means Toronto) through the UN refugee agency. Below, a nice summary of the Saks and Lord & Taylor data breach. Three Toronto area Saks are said to be affected. Finally, Channing Tatum and Jenna Dewan will separate. It’s all very nicey, nicey they say.






Critical skill of how to teach boys is key in CGS classrooms

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Learning about boys brain fucntions
Pre-teaching skills

Jordan Morneau, Grade 2 Teacher at Children’s Garden School on Eglinton, recently attended a conference called The Lost Boys hosted by Steph Jensen, an award-winning author and international speaker recognized for her insight into the education of boys and the nature of the male brain at an early age. The conference focussed on navigating the world of boys in schools. Jordan imparted what she learned to CGS staff. They heard how boys’ brains work in comparison to girls and different ways to reach male students. They discussed how boys focus. Of particular interest was the role of hormones when boys learn, specifically dopamine and testosterone. Jordan shared Steph Jensen’s classroom strategies to support boys’ developmental needs along with suggested lesson plans and materials, restorative practices to re-engage boys and behavioural resources.

“PRE-TEACH SKILLS”

“The most important thing that I took away from the conference was the need to pre-teach specific social skills, rather than be reactive when challenging behaviour occurs in the classroom.” said Jordan. “That we, as teachers, need to avoid correcting behaviour if the positive behaviour hasn’t yet been modelled. Focussing on prevention has become a priority in my classroom since attending the conference. Teachers are so often first responders in some of the most defining moments in children’s lives and the training I received (and brought back to my colleagues at CGS) has given us even more strategies to do the best job we can for our students.”

BIA public consultation April 10 on draft plan for parkette

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There will be a public consultation at Smokin’ Cigar at 1540 Bayview Ave on Tuesday, April 10 on draft plans for parkette facilities at the corner of Millwood Rd.and Bayview Ave. It will run from 6 to 8 p.m. The Bayview Leaside BIA has been busy with the intent of beautifying the streetscape with trees and benches. You should drop in. Wednesday will see the Spring blood donor clinic at Northlea Elementary School on Rumsey  Rd. Please come out and save a life. Parents with healthy teens 17 and over are urged to set an example and encourage their kids to give too. They will feel good about themselves. And check the other posters here for events this month.

Three-alarm fire damages 2 homes on Ashdale in Leslieville

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Ashdale Avenue near Dundas and Coxwell/Tony Smyth@LateNightCam
Ashdale Avenue near Dundas and Coxwell/TonySmyth@LateNightCam

Fire has gutted a home and partly destroyed another in Leslieville early Tuesday on Ashdale Ave. near Dundas St E. and Coxwell Ave. Injuries are said to be minor.

Weather warning of rain and wind tonight, Wednesday

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Significant rainfall later today and tonight followed by strong winds beginning early Wednesday morning. A Colorado Low pressure system is expected to intensify into an early spring storm as it races across Southern and Central Ontario tonight. This weather system will bring a rainfall of 15 to 30 millimetres, most of which will fall tonight. Locally higher rainfall amounts are possible over localities that receive a thunderstorm. A sharp arctic cold front associated with the Colorado Low will blast across the region early Wednesday morning, with strong southwesterly winds heralding its arrival. Wind gusts of 80 to 85 km/h are quite possible early Wednesday morning. Isolated power outages may be issues to deal with due to the strong winds.

Man and woman wounded in Karaoke shooting on Yonge

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A man and a woman are in hospital following a shooting at a karaoke bar at 360 Yonge St. Tuesday morning. The shooting occurred at Bar+ Karaoke Lounge south of Gerrard St. at about 1 a.m. Not much is known except that shooting broke out. The bar’s motto is “Sing Your Heart Out.”

Kareoke is sandwiched between a Swiss Chalet and McDonalds on Yonge north of Gerrard/Toronto Sun

Beaches Lion Club Easter Parade did not disappoint crowds

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Juggler/Toronto Sun
Act Naturally/YouTube
Act Naturally/YouTube
Toronto Sun/YouTube
Oriental drum corps/Toronto Sun

The Toronto Beaches Lions Club Easter Parade is among the oldest in Canada and from all appearances it did not disappoint the community this year. Jugglers and uniformed bands from military to oriental lifted spirits all along the route. There were ladies handing out free candy and a sunny Easter Bunny in a convertible. Toronto’s streetcar history from 1920 Witt trams to Bombardier articulated was trundled past generations of riders. There were stretchie-clad people doing exercises and music with lyrics that are no longer heard (or permitted) outside the Beach. “Wolfe the dauntless hero came and planted firm Britannia’s flag on Canada’s fair domain.” Have a look.




Mammoliti says he just can’t ignore pleas to stay at City Hall

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Georgio Mammoliti’s plan to run for a seat in the Ontario Legislature has lasted less than two weeks. The Ward 7 Councillor announced Monday that he is going stay at City Hall, contesting the municipal general election on October 22. Mammoliti dressed up his change of mind in stories of how his constituents begged him to stay. That may be true but it’s unlikely to be the whole story. Sources have told Sue Ann Levy of the Sun that Mammoliti would have had a tough fight on his hands winning the nomination for Brampton Centre.

CBC

Elon Musk “broke and drunk” as trade fears tank markets

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Expensive joke
Titans square off
Fight with Amazon

Elon Musk played an expensive April Fools joke by posing drunk with a bankrupt sign as he slumped against a Tesla. No one thought it was funny. Analysts say the firm is struggling and investors wiped out $5 billion in value or five percent off the value of the stock. But the headline act in Monday’s bloodletting on Wall and Bay was fear of a trade war between China and the US. Both sides are talking tough. And finally a searing attack from Donald Trump on Amazon for its deal with the US Postal Service. Trump is determined to make the service profitable. The Americans have been chicken about the cost of snail mail. First class delivery in US costs 50 cents compared to $1 in Canada.

Regular at 132.9 at Merton and Mt. Pleasant, more to come

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Prices in South Bayview

Regular test gasoline is pumping at 132.9 a litre at the Esso station at Mt. Pleasant Rd. and Merton St. Monday but you may be able to get it for a penny less a litre at others stations, including some Esso locations. We’re in the switch-over period from winter to summer grade fuel, a period of about ten days. Prices may yet rise to 133.9 before slackening a bit. Dan McTeague, the man who has made a lifetime out of following gas prices, says he suspects prices will soar this summer. He told the CBC he foresees prices as high as 139.9 close to the all-time high of 142.9. The reasons for this appear to be demand and the cost of summer additives.  Prices in BC are already above 1.39.9 related local pipeline repairs.

23 CENTS HIGHER THAN LAST YEAR

“Those additives are quite expensive and they usually mean a four cent across-the-board increase for most Canadian drivers, starting at about the first few days of April all the way to the middle of September, at which point we then revert back to less expensive to make winter gasoline,”  Mr. McTeague told the CBC. “It means, of course, that prices in Toronto will pass, likely, marks that we haven’t seen at the pumps going back to about August of 2014.” He said prices today are about 23 cents per litre higher than this time last year when consumers were paying as little as $1.03.9 for a litre. “For average drivers, that amounts to well into the vicinity of an additional $10 to $12 a tankful weekly,” he said.

Free Metro tabloids to change their names to StarMetro

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Torstar Corp. says it will hire 20 reporters in Western Canada and rebrand the “digital offerings” of its five free daily Metro urban newspapers across Canada. It says that as of April 10, the Metro tabs will be called StarMetro Vancouver, StarMetro Calgary, StarMetro Edmonton, StarMetro Toronto and StarMetro Halifax. Irene Gentle, the Star’s managing editor, has tweeted that StarMetro coverage online will be “richer, deeper.” Hey, go deep.

STELLA  ARTOIS RECALL

Stella Artois is recalling beer packaged in 330 millilitre glass bottles as a safety precaution related to bottles that may shed pieces of glass into the beer. Stella Artois said the bottles were manufactured by one of its many suppliers, which wasn’t identified.The recall applies to packages of six, 12, 18 and 24 bottles of Stella Artois and “Best of Belgium” multi-packs sold in the U.S. and Canada.

PATIENTS WARNED AS NEEDLES WRONGLY RE-USED

Toronto Public Health is advising those who underwent blood glucose testing at a Scarborough health fair last week to follow up with their doctor after the needles used to do the testing were “not consistently changed.” TPH told CTV News confirmed that a complaint was filed following the Vision Infinite Foundation’s health fair at the Scarborough Village Recreation Centre located at 3600 Kingston Road on March 25. After further investigation, public health said it was determined that the lancets/needles used to do blood sugar testing were mistakenly reused.