TREB’s Victory

The delay of the vote on the land transfer and vehicle registration taxes may represent a defeat to Mayor Miller, but more than anything, it’s a victory for the Toronto Real Estate Board, who orchestrated a bombastic campaign against the former. “Nobody likes taxes, but the public has been adamant that a second land transfercontinue reading

After they’ve seen Paree

One of the heaviest advertisers on Facebook – one of the only advertisers, as far as I can tell – is classmates.com, a site which Facebook seems to have made obsolete by replacing a pay service with a more or less equivalent free one. Who are the Facebook customers which classmates.com thinks it will attract?continue reading

‘10-4, one elephant northbound’

Two elephants wandered away from a circus in Newmarket early this morning, and were returned in due course with no harm done except to someone’s shrubbery, which was nibbled. The audio is very funny: 911 call (.mp3) Police scanners (.mp3)

Poor Ed

No sooner has he cooled than the speculation about the Honest Ed’s site begins. I lived a few blocks away from the store 15 years ago or so, and it didn’t seem like a place that was raking in the cash even then. There was probably a point in the past, maybe about the timecontinue reading

RELEASE THE BADGERS

Is this is for real? THE Iraqi port city of Basra, already prey to a nasty turf war between rival militia factions, has now been gripped by a scary rumour – giant badgers are stalking the streets by night, eating humans. The animals were allegedly released into the area by British forces. Local farmers havecontinue reading

Estonians triumph yet again!

Another win for the Estonian wife-carrying team (Why the Times of India is covering this news, I have no idea.) (I am half-Estonian, for those who don’t know, but I do not wish to be carried unless the carrying involves bearers and fine wine.) The prize is very sensible: The winners received a beer keg,continue reading

Just thought you would like to know…

Below is an actual excerpt from an actual email that I (and many, many others at my firm) got from our “help” desk people recently.  I *almost* feel sorry for them thinking of the scores of irate messages they must have received from partners with well-developed senses of entitlement… It’s very hard to believe, but presumably the peoplecontinue reading

Call me narsty and suspicious

From the City’s FAQ about the garbage bin plan: The smallest cart (75 litres) will cost less than $209 per year, which is the current cost of providing solid waste management services to the average residential house. All houses in the city will receive a rebate of $209 per year so those opting for thecontinue reading