The South Bayview Bulldog

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A judge has tossed out a $417-million US jury award to a woman who claimed she developed ovarian cancer by using Johnson & Johnson talc-based baby powder for feminine hygiene. A Los Angeles County judge granted the company’s request for a new trial because of errors and jury misconduct in the previous trial that ended with the award two months ago. The case is one of many being defended by J & J in the context of limited evidence — some say none — that the powder can cause such sickness. The judge also ruled that there wasn’t convincing evidence that Johnson & Johnson acted with malice and the award for damages was excessive. Complainant Eva Echeverria had alleged J & J failed to adequately warn consumers about talcum powder’s potential cancer risks. She used the company’s baby powder on a daily basis beginning in the 1950s until 2016 and was diagnosed with ovarian cancer in 2007, according to court papers. The company say that while ovarian cancer is a devastating disease, it is not caused by the cosmetic-grade talc used in Johnson’s Baby Powder for decades. Woman awarded $110.5 million in talcum-powder lawsuit

$72 million awarded but all under appeal

Early this week thieves sneaked into the Toronto Islands Marina and made off with a 37-foot power boat named Princess Zoey. It is a Four Winns Power Boat, white with dark blue canvas, boat licence number 21E21759. Anyone with information is asked to contact police at 416-808-5200.

The streetcars are re-routed again on Queen Street for reasons related solely to the nature of the streetcars themselves. But no one speaks the folly of Toronto’s blind committment to 19th Century technology that regularly visits this confusion on businesses and public. CBC

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Maternity leave for Rev. Emily

Leaside Reserve

On the line

Popcorn Day at DPS

Happy days for the family of Rev. Emily Gordon as maternity leave approaches. A supply minister, Rev. Warren McDougall will fill in at Leaside United beginning in November until Rev. Emily returns. Upper right, the old Leaside CPR station graces bottles of Leaside Reserve Olde Ale at the Amsterdam Brewery Barrel House on Laird Drive. Fun. Below that, the NDP’s PeterTabuns is in his natural habitat on the picket line at Mortimer and Carlaw Aves. outside Centennial College. But let’s not get into that  At bottom, one Davisville Public School youngster told principal Shona Farrelly that DPS was “the best school ever” as they mounted “National Popcorn Day” celebrations in the playground. Who is that man in green? Finally, still at DPS, the Hindu Festival of Lights, Diwali, was marked with fine looking food set out by parents who know this cuisine. Yum.

Diwali lunch provided by our amazing volunteers. So tasty. Thanks for sharing your special day with us. pic.twitter.com/2AUUUWYy1x

— Davisville Jr PS (@DavisvillePS) October 17, 2017

Do these doughnuts make enough money for franchisees?

The renegade Great White North group of Tim Horton’s franchises (GWNFA) has support from as many as half the firm’s outlets in Canada, its president David Hughes said Friday.  The count of Canadian Tim’s stores at the end of 2016 was said to be somewhere around 3,500. Hughes says the support has grown in the less than a year since he took concerns about penny-pinching and advertising surcharges public. He said many franchisees wanted to join the group anonymously for fear of backlash from owner Restaurant Brands Inc. (RBI). The GWNFA and RBI have taken legal actions against each other.  GWNFA filed a $500-million lawsuit in June alleging RBI improperly used money from the national advertising fund. The allegations have not been proven in court and RBI has said it vehemently disagrees with and denies the allegations. These are all rich people of course. They say you can’t get a Tim’s franchise in Southern Ontario without a net worth of $1.5 million and unencumbered cash of $500,000.

OTHER STORIES

• Hudson’s Bay CEO Jerry Storch leaving company
• Where does Working Women of Ontario come from?
• Twitter vows to crack down on nude photos tweeted without consent

The Las Vegas betting website Bodog has made the Maple Leafs 8/1 favourites to win the Stanley Cup. It is a bit premature to be sure but it has been a long time since anyone even ventured such odds. Right behind the Leafs — who opened the season at 14/1 — is the Tampa Bay Lightning at 9/1.The Toronto Sun quoted Leafs coach Mike Babcock as sating: “All that stuff is fluff.” But he’s got to love it. The Leafs are 6-1-0 and set to play LA Kings at home Saturday.

WILDCATS MEET SENATORS SATURDAY

The 2017-2018 Leaside Junior Wildcats meet the Lady Senators from Ottawa on the new pad at Millwood Rd. and Laird Dr. Saturday night. Puck drops at 7.40. Go Cats!

Tight squeeze

Traffic backup

Goodbye bus

A TTC bus was out of service Friday afternoon in the westbound lane of Moore Ave. just west of Bayview Ave. The giant-sized tow truck needed to lug a bus had to park adjacent to a concrete divider causing a bottleneck. It pushed motorists onto the curb to get by. It was a slow hour til the bus was finally towed away about 4 p.m. An earlier version of this post said the vehicle in question was new, but that appears to be wrong. The correction comes from reader Wilson Lau and The Bulldog knows better than to argue. Mr. Lau is a keen observer of the TTC and is known to post information about the quality of service and other matters. He says this is bus 1236 and if his eyesight is good enough to tell him that, we accept it. Bus 1236 it seems would be much older than the 2017 Nova Bus diesels, which appear similar, at least to us. Sorry for the confusion and thanks to Mr. Lau for his correction. .

Photo Crystal Walker

Animal control workers captured a coyote which was found between wire fencing and a shed on the playground of Withrow Avenue Junior Public School in Riverdale Friday morning.  Crystal Walker told CP24 she was walking her son to the school at 25 Bain Ave. off Broadview Avenue when she spotted and snapped a picture of the animal. Children were hustled into the school while the coyote was still loose.The operation was judged to have gone quite smoothly.

LHS champions

Let’s Go Dutch

Can this be true?

Container cafe in Burgess Park

MRUC Fall Fair Saturday

Congratulations to the Leaside High School Junior Girls Rugby team for prevailing as TDSSAA City Champions. Impressive. Upper right, check the map that leads to 1333 Danforth Ave. where a new Dutch cafe is opening soon. It is named Borrell (it means a get-together of family and friends)  Below that, Davisville Public School continues to be the darling of many who don’t send their children there. The fight will clearly continue until the Millwood Road site is cleared for a new and better way of educating kids. Lower left, the new shipping container cafe has opened in Burgess Park under the auspices of the Thorncliffe Park Women’s Committee. Neat idea. And finally a reminder that the Manor Road United Church Community Fall Fair is set for Saturday beginning at 10 a.m. at the church at 240 Manor.

The fresh fertilizer phenomenon was apparent in parts of Toronto Thursday. Reports suggest that social media was alive with complaints which originated in the west-central area where fields at Trinity-Bellwoods Park were treated. Toronto Councillor Mike Layton offered this explanation of the previously mysterious stink. South Bayview did not stink. It seldom does. The Bulldog hopes to be in good odour with a headline containing the present, past and past participle forms of the verb.