Roots, ever the trendsetter, can now boast that it has Toronto’s first interactive window display at their 100 Bloor St. West location. iGotcha Media was the creator of this innovation in digital signage. This is a collaborative effort with Real World Communications managing the installation and maintenance of the Roots application.

In order to create this interactive window display, a 60-inch image is projected onto an interactive touch foil that is attached to the inside of the window. It is the foil that allows you to interface with the screen by touching the outside of the window. Touching the window gives you access to a menu of interactive options. When the interactive window display is not engaged, promotional videos are shown.

Interactivity is the key to engaging customers these days. Giving customers the ability to browse the merchandise and to make purchases from the store window 24/7 has the potential to capture the imagination of shoppers and to capture the impulse shopper. I’ll be interested to see the revenue generation figures of the interactive window display. Have you tried it yet? If so, did you buy anything?

They’re fed up and they won’t take it anymore! Tenants of Toronto’s social housing have launched a multimillion dollar class-action lawsuit against the city, the province, and the Toronto Community Housing Corporation (TCHC). The causes cited are rampant maintenance problems and necessary repair work not being carried out in their homes. In case you think that this is just a case of repairs not being carried out quickly, Josephine Mackie has been waiting for 17 YEARS for someone to fix her collapsing ceiling. Can you imagine the level of frustration that you’d reach after making hundreds of calls in 17 years and yet still you are ignored? With no other recourse left to her she became the first litigant in the class-action suit.

There are 165,000 tenants participating in the action and they are being represented by lawyer Sarah Shartal. She is seeking a payment of $1,000 for every tenant who’s had to wait more than two weeks for basic repairs, and an order for the TCHC to bring all of its buildings up to a state of good repair within six months. These repairs are not cosmetic. We’re talking about rodents, cockroaches, bed bugs, mould, doors that don’t lock, leaky roofs – all necessities to ensure a decent quality of life. Clearly these buildings are not up to code and yet they are getting away with it. How is this happening? How can we say that we live in a civilized society and then condemn our citizens to live in sub-human conditions? A society is judged by how it treats its citizens. What does this say about us?

The International Festival of Authors (IFOA) is taking place from October 17 – 27 at Harbourfront Centre, located at 235 Queens Quay West. None other than J.K. Rowling herself will be appearing at the Young IFOA on October 23^rd at 10:00 AM. In order to accommodate her legions of fans J.K. Rowling will appear at the Winter Garden Theatre with a seating capacity of 950. The Winter Garden Theatre is located at 189 Yonge Street. J.K. Rowling will read from Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, take questions from the audience, and sign copies of the book for those in attendance.

There are NO tickets for sale. They can only be had by random draw at

http://www.raincoast.com/harrypotter/. Ten pairs of tickets will be drawn daily from September 17 – 28. Winners will be announced daily in the Harry Potter News on the Raincoast website. Every winner will receive two tickets to the event and a complimentary copy of Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows.

Although the J.K. Rowling appearance is putting the IFOA in the news, this festival has been around since 1980 and has a great reputation for bringing together the best writers of contemporary world literature. Those attending will have the opportunity to go to readings, interviews, lectures, round table discussions, public book signings, and special events including readings by Scotiabank Giller Prize and Governor General’s Awards finalists, as well as the awarding of the prestigious Harbourfront Festival Prize. For more information call 416-973-4760,

e-mail readings@harbourfrontcentre.com or follow the link below

http://www.readings.org/?q=ifoa

Porter Airlines is enjoying a 20% month-over-month average growth since it began flying out of the Toronto City Centre Airport last October. In spite of the constant grumblings about noise, traffic, and pollution, the little airline that could seems to be making a success of it. And it is now in expansion mode. By the end of next year it expects to increase the size of its current fleet from 4 to 10 aircraft. As a result of the increase in passengers, it will add more arrival and departure gates.

The immediate plans are to triple the size of the passenger lounge which is already appointed with leather seats. Expected additions are a self-serve espresso maker, complimentary snacks, and complimentary beverages. In an effort to make the travel process as convenient as possible, particularly for Porter’s target market which is the business traveler, more computer work stations will be installed, equipped with free wireless Internet.  Porter will begin serving new destinations at the beginning of 2008, with 17 new cities in the works. New York will most likely be the first new US destination to be serviced by Porter Airlines.

I have not had the opportunity to fly Porter yet, but the reviews have been stellar. Have you flown Porter yet? If so, what is your opinion?

There was a great deal of concern as to what would happen to the Hummingbird Centre after the new opera centre opened and took with it the COC and the National Ballet. I’m delighted to tell you that our Hummingbird Centre will not be left to languish. It now has a new name and a new title sponsor. I know that there are still those among us who continue to refer to the Hummingbird Centre as the O’Keefe Centre. Well, now it is officially the Sony Centre for the Performing Arts. Sony bought a 20-year title sponsorship for 10 million dollars.

In June 2008 the Sony Centre for the Performing Arts will undergo a massive interior renovation. Sony promises that the centre will be outfitted with the most technically advanced Sony audio and video products. When the transformation is complete the Sony Centre for the Performing Arts will emerge as a state-of-the-art multimedia theatre and concert venue. This is great news for the centre, great news for the entertainment community, great news for the city, and great news for the public. Bravo Sony for investing in Toronto.

The Fairmont Royal York Hotel is not only a magnificent first class, luxury hotel and the flagship of the Fairmont chain, it is going to be the first major hotel group in the world to formally commit to using locally sourced and organically grown products as part of its everyday food operations. Executive chef David Garcelon is even thinking of putting beehives on top of the hotel. You may not know this but there is already a rooftop garden where eggplant, gooseberries, and edible flowers are grown for use in the kitchen.

The Fairmont Royal York served 1 million meals last year to many guests with discerning palates. Although organic local produce may cost more, the guests at the hotel would prefer to pay a little more for fresh, local produce. This fall will see the unveiling of a new menu with more organic items. The Fairmont chain will be implementing the environmental food program in all of its 51 properties around the world including the uber-elegant Savoy in London, England. The Fairmont chain is not just a pretty face. It is making a commitment to healthy eating and supporting local growers. Bravo! Follow the link below to the Fairmont Royal York’s website.

http://www.fairmont.com/royalyork/?cm_mmc=icppc-_-Branded-RYH+-+Royal+York+-+Canada-_-google-_-fairmont+royal+york+hotel

Why can’t David Miller get behind a suggestion that makes sense for a change? Councillor Michael Walker, Ward 22, St. Paul’s sought approval for a private member’s bill that would permit the sale of some Ontario wines and beer in convenience stores. David Miller said that the bill died in the legislature and that Councillor Walker’s motion is out of order.

Other provinces, including our next door neighbours in Quebec, allow the sale of beer and wine in convenience stores, supermarkets, big box stores like Costco, and even in gas stations. Premier McGuinty has gotten into the act and said that the city doesn’t have the authority to allow the sale of beer and wine in convenience stores. Some city councillors, including Michael Walker, say that the idea deserves a full hearing.

It must be a huge revenue generator! So why aren’t we doing it here? We keep hearing about how the city is bankrupt. Mayor Miller comes up with a new taxation idea every day. I would like someone to explain why we refuse to seriously consider a money maker. It not only makes sense, but it is a huge convenience. I’m all for it. Are you for or against the sale of beer and wine in convenience stores?

The Toronto Community Housing Corporation is under fire. There have been allegations that tenants paid bribes in order to jump the queue for larger apartments. A tenant in a Jane & St. Clair apartment building, Abderra Boukhalfa, seems to have been the catalyst for this investigation.

Mr. Boukhalfa has been on a wait list for a 2 bedroom subsidized apartment since 1996. In that time he has seen other tenants move into 2 bedroom units ahead of him, although they were wait listed behind him. He alleges that other tenants in the building have told him that they paid between $3,000 and $6,000 dollars to upgrade their apartments without having to wait their turn in line. Mr. Boukhalfa lives in a 1 bedroom apartment with his wife and 2 sons. Tired of the injustice, he wrote letters to the housing officials, the police, the mayor’s office, and Ms Nunziata of Ward 11, York South-Weston.

There are currently 164,000 tenants in 350 buildings run by the Toronto Community Housing Corporation. Approximately 75,000 people are currently on wait lists. Ninety-three per cent of Toronto Community Housing tenants pay a subsidized rent that is equal to 30% of their gross household income. These are people who can ill afford to be paying bribes in order to live a decent quality of life. I am looking forward to the outcome of the investigation and sincerely hope that justice will be served.  

Are you smarter than a 5^th grader? Take the quiz and find out.

http://www.canada.com/globaltv/globalshows/canadian5thgrader/quiz.html

A Canadian version of the hit TV show is already in the works. Global Television will be airing the show this fall. A five city casting tour will take place in Toronto, Vancouver, Calgary, Winnipeg, and Halifax for the panelists. Five episodes are scheduled to be taped right here in Toronto in October. With a grand prize of $1,000,000 the competition will no doubt be fierce.

 If you have not seen the show currently airing on American television, the premise is simple. Adult contestants are asked questions that are taken from school materials that are approximately at the 5^th grade level. The adults are joined by actual 5^th graders and they can turn to the 5^th graders for help in answering the questions. The contestant receives 10 subject cards. Each correct answer moves them higher up the ladder in terms of dollar value. Once all 10 of the questions have been answered correctly the contestant is given the opportunity to answer the 11^th question. The correct answer brings with it the million dollar prize.

For more information follow the link below.

http://www.canada.com/globaltv/index.html

Is there an open war between the cyclists and the drivers of Toronto? Cyclists say that drivers are becoming increasingly aggressive and hostile towards them and that they fear for their lives when riding. They actually believe that the drivers are out to get them. And they feel that Toronto does not have enough bicycle lanes. As fuel costs rise and the need to decrease the amount of cars in the city core becomes more and more important, it would seem that doing everything that we can to encourage people to cycle instead of drive makes perfect sense.

However, as a driver I find that very few cyclists adhere to the rules of the road. Many ride without helmets, reflective clothing, and lights in the evening. They frequently ride in the wrong direction on one-way streets, don’t stop at stop signs or red lights, and weave in and out of traffic, making them virtually impossible to see. I am in constant fear that I will hit and injure a cyclist because of their reckless driving.How do we peacefully co-exist on our city streets and make our streets safer for cyclists and drivers?