Pool Type: Yahoo, Points Only
Draft: October 4, autodraftMax Moves: 15
Max Trades: UnlimitedPoints:
2 - Goal
1 - Assist
.5 - Plus/Minus
.5 - PIM
+2 - Power play point
+2 - Shorthanded point
+3 - Game winning goal
.25 - Shot on GoalGoalie Points:
5 - Win
+5 - Shutout
Send an email to Andrew (andrew.anderson@gmail.com) to sign up!
What?Yesterday, Transport Canada gave Porter Airlines final approval for its plan to launch commercial air service at the Toronto island airport. But the same federal ministry was far more generous two years ago, when it gave Porter founder Robert Deluce $20-million in order to start up his new airline.
In short, the federal government wants the Toronto Airport to succeed without any sort of input, support, or concern for the opinion of the city - it's irregardless of who the government is and what they arguably stand for. It started in December 2003 with the the Liberal payout and it ended in September of 2006, with the Conservative appointments to the Toronto Port Authority.The size of the payout to Mr. Deluce, revealed in a confidential document obtained by The Globe and Mail, clears up a central mystery of the murky events that followed Toronto City Council's decision in December, 2003, to rescind its approval of a proposed bridge to the airport. In particular, it explains how a bridge originally estimated to cost slightly more than $20-million to build ended up costing taxpayers $35-million to stop.
A confidential memorandum justifying the extraordinary settlement, marked "protect in full," details multiple payouts to three private companies and the Toronto Port Authority (TPA) following cancellation of the bridge. Using generous estimates of sunk costs, lost profits and alleged legal liabilities, it justifies the largesse primarily as a means to prop up the money-losing TPA until such time as it begins to receive revenue from Mr. Deluce's new airline.
While Ottawa publicly agreed to cancel the bridge in accordance with municipal demands, the memo shows that it worked behind the scenes to supply the TPA and Mr. Deluce with the means to finance airport expansion at the same time. The former federal government justified the $35-million payout as a settlement of legal claims, but the memo, dated Nov. 11, 2004, makes clear that the purpose of the settlement was to return the TPA to financial health -- with a well-funded new airline as a paying customer.
A 32-year-old Romanian man who arrived in the High Arctic community of Grise Fiord from Greenland by motorboat Monday has been arrested under the Immigration Act.
The man travelled up the west coast of Greenland, from Qaanaq to Sisimiut, and then crossed the icy waters of Davis Strait to Grise Fiord, said Nunavut RCMP Cpl. Randy Slawson.
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Retailers who sell traditional Halloween merchandise, such as scary masks, are creating a "climate of fear", the Bishop of Bolton[, Rt Rev David Gillett,] has said.[H/T, UnexplainedMysteries.com]
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"I share the view of many Christians that large retailers are increasingly keen to commercialise Halloween celebrations in a way that pressurises parents to purchase goods that promote the dark, negative side of Halloween and could encourage anti-social behaviour," he said.
Tags: hallowe'en, insanity
The theory of law and order is that those who might be tempted to rob or kill will be dissuaded from doing so by the fear of retribution. If you commit a crime, you will be caught and punished. Yet it is hard to believe that such thoughts ever crossed the mind of Kimveer Gill. How do you build a legal system on the threat of retribution if that's never a consideration?Kimveer Gill didn't care about gun laws, the gun registry, or whether he'd end up in jail for 25 years. How do you protect society from the demented?
The Auditor-General's Office is poised to release a scathing assessment of Liberal spending programs linked to the Kyoto climate accord. The report is expected to land Sept. 28, within days of the announcement of the Conservative government's environmental plan.Regardless of the convenient timing of the Auditor General's report and the release of the Conservative Party's environmental "Made-in-Canada" plan, Stéphane Dion needs to hit the ground running on this and hit it running now, or it's going to make him and the Liberal Party look horrible on environmental issues, more so than it already does - that is if, of course, the Auditor General's report is half as scathing as the article suggests.
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The source said the audit's criticisms include actions at Environment Canada when it was led by former minister Stéphane Dion. Mr. Dion is currently campaigning for the leadership of the Liberal Party and has made environmental policy a central part of his platform. He was environment minister from July of 2004 until the government's defeat Jan. 23, 2006.
The first ever photo of a male Sumatran rhinoceros in the wild offers concrete proof that the rare animals are living in the Malaysian section of the Southeast Asian island of Borneo, wildlife rangers announced last week.More on the critically endangered Sumatran rhinoceros at Wikipedia and more information on SOS Rhino at their website. In Borneo:
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"We have been tracking these animals here in [the Malaysian state of] Sabah for almost ten years now, and although we have seen tracks and signs of the rhino, this is the actual first sighting of a rhino in the wild," M.S. Thayaparan, field program officer for SOS Rhino in Borneo, said in a media release.
SOS Rhino is dedicated to protecting rhinos and their habitat. The Bornean sub-species of the Sumatran rhinoceros (Dicerorhinus sumatrensis harrissoni) is one of the most endangered rhinos – mainly due to habitat loss and poaching. There may be as few as 30 of this sub-species left in the wild and only two in captivity. With large and varied habitat requirements, the protection of this animal will further the conservation of other fauna and flora in the ecosystem they inhabit.Tags: borneo, conservation, endangered animal, rhinoceros, sumatra
A fifth candidate, John Turmel, who holds the distinction of running for office more than any other person in Canada, was forced to leave the debate early. "I barfed three times after eating a hot dog," he explained to the audience.I wish I had been there.
[Research] suggests that participants in terrorism tend to be men in their twenties or thirties who are ferociously angry because of powerful feelings of humiliation. The humiliation can have many sources, but it's likely to arise when relatively well-educated young men are deeply frustrated by a lack of political and economic opportunity and when, at the same time, they strongly identify with a group, society, or culture they perceive as oppressed or exploited. Extremist leaders then inflame and manipulate these feelings of humiliation, partly by defining the "enemy" -- the group or society that's responsible for all problems and that should be the target of attack.It's not enough to point to one thing, one group, or one society as the cause. What are your thoughts?
David Hutcheon CampaignHighlights from David's bio:
As Toronto City councillor, deputy mayor, and budget chief, Hutcheon delivered on his promise of no tax increases over three consecutive budgets, while streamlining and modernizing the city's public service.
He was active in the creation of two crime prevention programs, Mobile Watch/Surveillance Mobile across Canada, and Park Watch in High Park. His Take Back the Wall graffiti project created jobs for troubled youth.
When homeless people were dying on our winter streets, Hutcheon organized "Operation Cold Snap," an emergency housing program using civilian and military volunteers to provide shelter for the homeless at Moss Park Armoury. As chair of the City of Toronto Homeless Emergency Action Task Force, he ensured that the City implemented the Extreme Cold Weather Alert program to assist the homeless. It is still in use today. Hutcheon was instrumental in turning the surplus Swansea Town Hall into a functioning community centre, and in building the seniors' home next door.
Elections Ontario reminds us that the advance polls in this by-election close today at the following polling stations.
Advance polls also continue at the returning office from 10:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m. up until Friday, September 8 at:
Parkdale-High Park Returning Office
Swansea Shopping Centre
34 Southport Street
Toronto, Ontario M6S 3N3 [map]
Otherwise, get out on September 14th and vote.
Tags: canada, david hutcheon, ontario, politics, progressive conservative party
The VRSCDX Night Rod Special, which Harley's release calls "the evil twin brother of the Night Rod," is easily distinguished with a wicked style set by an almost totally blacked-out finish. Its dark side is apparent almost everywhere, including the 120-horsepower engine, the hyrdoformed frame, back fork sliders, black triple clamps, swingarm, color-matched black screen visor, brushed Straight-shot Dual exhaust with black end caps, black exhaust shields, black Machined Slotted Disc cast aluminum wheels with orange pin-striping and a black on (you guessed it!) black paint scheme. The seat has been restyled slightly.It's a proven fact that chicks dig a guy on a black motorcycle. Proooo-ven.
In the state's continuing war against the consumption of alcohol, North Carolina Governor Mike Easley signed a new law on Monday that will not only make it harder to buy kegs of beer, but will also diminish the legal rights of defendants to challenge illegally or incorrectly obtained evidence by the state in regards to driving under the influence charges.According to the article, if you are 21 or over, you need a permit to buy a keg of beer. If you are 18 or over, you can legally buy a shotgun without a permit.
With the new law going into effect, the state has also made it a crime to actually consume alcohol if a citizen is under 21 years of age.Save your life: buy more shotguns.
As such, students who seek medical attention for alcohol poisoning could now find themselves charged with the crime of alcohol consumption after they seek treatment at any hospital or other healthcare provider.
