Posts Tagged ‘Ontario’
Tuesday, November 8th, 2011
My entries have been missing these past weeks because life has interrupted my normal routine, shifting me in unplanned directions. I suppose this is how life unfolds. I needed to remove my attic insulation, upgrade a ceiling pot light and vapour barrier, fix the attic vapour barrier, vent my bathroom fans to the outside, redo soffit venting, and then get everything back to normal. I get lemons and then make lemonade.
Reshingling of part of my roof went well. I did not fall off. Dirty yes, but it had to be done.
Tags: attic, bathroom venting, Canada, eavestrough, fascia, Halo, house, Ontario, pot light, pot light vapour barrier, soffit, Steve Maxwell, Tiger Foam, Toronto, upgrade, vapor, venting
Posted in Environment, Learn | No Comments »
Monday, February 21st, 2011
My local grocery store Chung Hing at Kennedy Road and Finch Avenue in Scarborough/Toronto, Canada was held up by gunpoint yesterday, Saturday February 20, 2011 at around 16:10 in the afternoon. Five black guys, faces hidden behind bandanas and guns drawn, marched into the store and demanded cash. The cash registers were locked. While these thieves would rather steal for a living, they also risk the lives of those that shop and work at this store. For me, my wife and two kids had just checked out. They were petrified. A single police car with one officer arrived just as my wife left the store. An hour later a neighbour reported that there were 12 police cars at the store, now long closed for the day.
This is a preview of
Chung Hing Chinese Grocery store Held up At Gunpoint
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Read the full post (322 words, 0 images, estimated 1:17 mins reading time)
Tags: black, Canada, chinese, Chung Hing, family, grocery, gun, Ontario, police, robbery, Scarborough, store, Toronto
Posted in China, food, Kids, Retail | 1 Comment »
Friday, February 18th, 2011
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Confusing is the watchword for the Scarborough LRT. Metrolinx, the provincial organization with the mandate for regional transit has put in a plan called “Transit City”, and has allocated funding for a Light Rapid Transit, or LRT on Sheppard Avenue East. Environmental assessments, financial funding, purchase of rolling stock has been completed and construction work on the line has already started. In comes Rob Ford, the new Toronto mayor, who wants to put a subway on Sheppard instead. All the Transit City plans, decades in the making, are put on hold. Major Ford’s vision is to have the Sheppard line funded by the private sector, based on increased densities, namely condominium development, along the Sheppard line. Today I have no clarity on what will or should happen. There is a vacuum of information on the current plans for the Scarborough LRT.
Tags: Canada, LRT, Metrolinx, MRT, Ontario, private, Public, public transit, Scarborough, subway, Toronto, Transit City, TTC
Posted in Environment, Nonsense | No Comments »
Friday, September 10th, 2010
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Speeding through school zones is an ongoing and madening traffic issue in Toronto, Canada. Every year the police, accompanied by children stop speeders near their schools, but it seems nothing changes. Everyone agrees that speeding through a school zone in very dangerous for kids, but drivers are too self absorbed and arrogant to change their behaviour. Preventable.ca is running a small test in West Vancouver where they adhere a sticker of a child on the road. From far away the sticker looks like a little girl fetching a ball. This is to remind drivers in a school zone to pay attention to the road in order to keep kids safe. It is a small test, but well worth trying. I think preventable.ca for their effort in improving road safety for children in BC, but hope that they will also reach out to Toronto.
Tags: ball, BC, Canada, car, distraction, girl, image, inattentional blindness, Ontario, pedestrian, Preventable.ca, road, safety, school, school zone, speeding, Vancouver
Posted in Environment, Kids, Learn | No Comments »
Friday, July 9th, 2010
Sometimes you identify programs that are working well and help so many people. One of these is the summer sports day camps in Scarborough. This camp provides summer jobs for youth in addition to providing a fun day camp for about 250 elementary school kids. This year they even provide lunch. The kids remain active all summer, learn skills and are happy. The youth gain valuable experience in mentoring and coaching. The parents are happy because their kids are doing something other than sit on a computer for the summer. In all, it’s a win-win situation for all concerned. Sponsors include the Boys 2 Men Institute, the Cabbagetown Youth Centre and the Toronto District School Board.
Tags: All Day Sports Camp, B2M, Boys 2 Men Institute, Cabbagetown Youth Centre, Canada, CYC, Focus on Youth, Hugh Keane, Ontario, Scarborough, TDSB, Toronto, Toronto District School Board
Posted in Kids, Learn | 2 Comments »
Friday, July 2nd, 2010
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Honey Bee feeding on Shasta daisy 2, Toronto, Canada
Honey Bee on Shasta daisy 1, Toronto, Canada
Honey Bee on Shasta daisy 3, Toronto, Canada
Honey Bee on Shasta daisy 4, Toronto, Canada
Canada Day, July 01, 2010, Honey Bee feeds on a Shasta daisy in Toronto, Ontario, Canada
Permanent link to this post (50 words, 4 images, estimated 12 secs reading time)
Tags: bee, Canada, Canada Day, honey bee, Ontario, shasta daisy, Toronto
Posted in Environment, Nonsense | No Comments »
Saturday, June 26th, 2010
I used to joke that after living in China and Japan for a couple of years, returning to my home city of Toronto was a non event. It was literally a non event because nothing really changes in Toronto. Sleepy and a tad boring, Toronto seemed to always be the same stable environment. I have come to change my viewpoint now because of the startling and sudden infringement of human rights and the rule of law that has occurred due to the G20 summits that are now being held in Toronto. With law enforcement ballooning to 14,000, imported from all police departments throughout Canada, police decked out in full riot gear, secretly enacted laws of search and arrest (Ontario’s Public Works Protection Act, specifics for the G20), without public debate nor following the proper procedures of the courts, Toronto has degraded from a sleepy democracy to a communist country or a police state. Startling is how fast my city degraded to a police state, catching all of us by surprise. I expect this while living in China but I did not realize that democracy can be so easily overturned by so few.
Tags: Canada, Charter of Rights, China, G20, intimidation, Ontario, police, Public Works Protection Act, riot police, Toronto, violation
Posted in China, Learn, Nonsense | 4 Comments »
Sunday, September 6th, 2009
Make no mistake that riding a motorcycle here in Toronto is dangerous. Intentionally or not cages (cars) do dangerous things, endangering the life of the motorcyclist. Talking on the phone is especially hazardous to riders. When anyone makes a mistake and there is contact, the motorcyclist will take a trip to the hospital. An interesting motorcycle strategy that is new to me is called aggressive but cautious. Central to this strategy is to ride 20-30kph over the speed limit.
Tags: aggressive, aggressive cautious, cautious, left hand turner, motorcycle, Ontario, police, riding strategy, safety, strategy, Toronto
Posted in motorcycle | No Comments »
Tuesday, April 7th, 2009
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Here’s a really cool concept vehicle that could go a long way in reducing our dependence on oil. The GM-Segway concept vehicle is small, light and efficient. It’s electric powered. The absence of a sunroof would make it an interesting cross between a car and a motorcycle.
___It will probably be illegal on Ontario roads. Look, no huge front bumper, so will not withstand crash tests. The front bumper looks like a piece of bent sheet metal.
Tags: car, Dynasty, electric vehicle, Ontario, regulation, Zenn
Posted in Environment | 1 Comment »
Saturday, March 14th, 2009
This is not Chung Hing, but has the same feel. Photo by Don Qua
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While it might seem unfair to compare a local Chinese grocer to the large big box chains, our shopping experience spans both, so I feel I should review both. Chung Hing, or in Mandarin, Zhong Xing, is our local Chinese grocer. While it is an average sized Chinese grocer, it seems to serve our needs well. Trip Review: Chung Hing: A.
___Chung Hing Supermarket, Kennedy/Finch, Toronto, Ontario, Canada. Objective: Minced pork, regular weekly shopping.
Tags: Canada, China, chinese, Chung Hing, fruit, meat, Ontario, produce, review, store, supermarket, Toronto
Posted in China, Retail | No Comments »
