1. Wade Belak
Another NHL enforcer died this week — the third this summer — but no one saw this coming. Belak seemed like the happiest, funniest, most self-deprecating dude around. Everyone liked him. He lived in my old hood for a while and every time you saw him with his wife and daughters, he was smiling. That’s what people will remember most about the big boy from Saskatchewan. His big, permanent smile.
2. Lloyd Robertson Says Goodbye
Lloyd Robertson, “Canada’s most trusted newscaster,” signed off as CTV anchorman last night after 35 years at CTV, and 60 years in broadcasting. Lloyd, who covered the first moon landing, JFK’s assassination, the fall of the Berlin Wall and 9/11, wrote a goodbye letter to Canadians at CTV.ca, noting “it’s been a wonderful ride.” Indeed. Look forward to the memoir he has in the works.
3. Calvin Locke
The singer/songwriter is about halfway through a 100-Day Tour across Canada to raise funds and build awareness for children’s cancer charities. He doesn’t have any gigs booked, but plays spontaneous gigs in random places out of his ’87 Chevrolet Beauville van. Follow Locke’s amazing journey on Twitter @calvinlocke or his website IPlayMusicForPeople.com.
3. Sebastian Bach & Irene
Bach’s New Jersey home that was once featured on MTV Cribs was destroyed during Hurricane Irene. He said on his Facebook page, “I will always love New Jersey but now there is literally nothing left for me here except memories of a past life. Hello, Los Angeles. Hello, New Life.” Uh, Sebastian, not to dissuade you, but have you heard that Cali gets the occasional earthquake?
4. Space Oddity Children’s Book
Canadian illustrator Andrew Kolb has given modern love to a David Bowie song by creating a “concept book” for kids (it could also be a avant-garde coffee table book for adults) based on his classic space epic, Space Oddity. It’s a really neat idea, imagining Bowie’s song in visuals as Kolb does. You can download it for free at KolbIsNeat.com. No word on whether Bowie has.
5. Prof Quits Over Parking Spot
Dalhousie University prof Dan Middlemiss quit his job in frustration at the Halifax school after 30 years of teaching because of a severe shortage of parking spaces, a problem that has apparently been ongoing. I once wrote an article for my high school newspaper on my school’s parking problems called “The Pain of Parking At Adam Scott.” But I didn’t quit being a student. My parents wouldn’t let me.
6. TIFF
The 36th Toronto International Film Festival starts next week, running Sept. 8th through the 18th. There are sure to be some remarkable movies, but make no mistake: this is just as much about the A-list star power. The red carpet biz will be booming, welcoming the likes of George Clooney, Brad Pitt, Ryan Gosling, Salma Hayek and Bono. Toronto will be TMZed all week.
7. iPad Made Of Wood
A woman in South Carolina purchased an iPad from two men in a McDonald’s parking lot at a discounted rate. When she later opened the FedEx box it was in, she discovered it was just a block of wood with an Apple logo painted on it. Lesson learned: If you’re approached in a McDonald’s parking lot about buying an iPad, first make sure it’s actually an iPad and not just a piece of wood painted black with an Apple logo.
8. Beyonce’s Twitter Record
Beyonce’s baby bump reveal at the end of her MTV Video Music Awards performance caused quite a stir on social media, breaking a new Twitter record with 8,868 tweets per second. Just wait till Kim Kardashian announces she’s pregnant with Kris Humphries’ baby to her nine million followers.
Metro Editors: http://www.toronto.com/article/696786
