This brilliant fundraiser at the Bloor Cinema for the new Toronto Cyclists Union: If only the live cast included Erotic Nightmare…
Nickel and dimed
Here’s a banking product you really don’t need: With the Bank the Rest savings program, Canadians using their ScotiaCard to make debit card purchases can choose to round up the total purchase amount to the nearest dollar or five dollars, and have the difference deposited automatically into their Scotiabank Money Master High Interest Savings accountcontinue reading
My new title
From a press release for a media event sponsored by La Senza, Hellmann’s and Tide: Jane is 34 and she’s a mover-and-shaker at work. At home, think of her as the Chief Household Officer. This also makes her Manager of Nutrition, Investment Advisor, Family Trip Planning Counsel and Director of Hockey Equipment Delivery. And that’scontinue reading
Funding is essential too
It’s heartwarming to read the unusually warm words spoken about Toronto at yesterday’s emergency session of the legislature. The Premier praised Torontonians for their “characteristic goodwill, patience, and grace”, while Labour Minister — and former Toronto city councillor — Brad Duguid highlighted the importance of the TTC to the city’s operation: …we cannot stand bycontinue reading
On the bright side …
Afghanistan’s opium crop is forecast to fall by up to a half this year after 2007’s record harvest, counter-narcotics officials in Kabul said, as evidence emerged that some poppy farmers are switching to legal crops because of rising food prices. “Anecdotally, a lot of farmers have calculated that, with wheat prices being what they are,continue reading
Upgrade time!
Bloggity oddness may occur for the next twenty minutes or so. I’ll post again when it’s all over. Edit: All done. Those of you who write will notice some difference in the back end when you log in. Note particularly that the categories are now BELOW the post box, not beside it.
LCBO experiments
I had M. with me when wine shopping on the weekend, so we ended up with a case full of mostly sub-$13 experiments. (Yay, strong Canadian dollar!) So far: Willm Riesling Reserve, France, Vintages, $15.85: all petrol and varnish on the nose. Tastes a bit thin. Won’t buy again at that price, but those fondcontinue reading
Again with the housework and the bad science reporting
I’m sure this headline isn’t unfamiliar, as it’s been everywhere for the past couple of weeks: Just 20 Minutes Of Weekly Housework Boosts Mental Health Let’s have a bit of a look at the study behind the headline. First: any form of daily physical activity was associated with a lower risk of distress, when othercontinue reading
Deciphering the headlines
For “Indignation grows over police story” (print headline in today’s paper), read “The Globe finally got its private briefing with an anonymous Conservative official”: A senior Conservative official says the raid on Tory party headquarters last week was “over the top,” with flak-jacket-clad RCMP officers storming in and copying everything from payroll information to thecontinue reading
Okay, that’s pretty helpless.
HT to Val Dodge’s blog: I first saw Beyond the Orchard apple slices in the local Sobeys in early January, but didn’t see it again until mid-March. They’ve been in stock steadily since then, so presumably people are buying them. This package—a plastic box containing five individual sealed wrappers—contains just 285 grams of sliced apples,continue reading