TorontoIAM Daily Blog Report: Pollution Kills 440, Garbosa Key to Keeping Calderon, Injuries Mounting for Leafs

This is a selection of recent popular blog articles from TorontoIAM where you will find the best blogs from Toronto, Ontario as well as video uploads, social networking, rumors, and blog authoring.

Pollution Kills 440 Torontonians Every Year

A recent post from Toronto's City Hall blog addresses recent findings from Toronto Public Health stating that 440 locals die every year from pollution related to vehicle traffic. The troubling results of the study will be discussed in further detail in a presentation to the Board of Health on November 12. The post quoted Dr. David McKeown, Toronto's Medical Officer of Health stating that “For the first time in Ontario, we have isolated the health impacts of vehicle emissions, and can demonstrate the potential health benefits of moving to a more sustainable transportation system.”

The City Hall blog included several notable statistics contained in the study. According to the post, 6000 Torontonians are hospitalized every year due to smog pollutants. Additionally, Toronto's smog contributes to over 1200 children every year experiencing symptoms of acute bronchitis. Dr. McKeown was insistent that the city can overcome its current problem and that a “30 per cent reduction in motor vehicle emissions in Toronto could save nearly 200 lives a year and significantly reduce hospitalization and illness, and associated economic impacts.” Seeing as though the study also revealed that 67% of vehicles are single-occupant vehicles, that would seem like a good place to start.

Raps Must Play Garbosa to Keep Calderon Happy

According to the latest post from The Basketball Jones, a popular Toronto Raptors blog and podcast, Jose Calderon becomes a restricted free agent at the end of this year and the team would do well to retain his services. Currently, the Spanish pointguard is playing “2nd fiddle” to TJ Ford, but the post was adamant that “but he is not a backup point guard. He would be starting on a good number of teams in this league.” The Basketball Jones reports that Jorge Garbosa and Calderon, both Spaniards are “joined at the hip.” While Garbosa played a significant role in bringing Calderon to Toronto, the post declared that he could be the reason why Calderon may leave Toronto at the end of the year.

The post stated, “the fact that Garbajosa is averaging 7 minutes a game must burn inside Jose.” Seeing himself ride the pine while TJ Ford leads the team on the court probably doesn't combine well with the fact that his mentor is averaging less than 10 minutes a game. While Calderon started slowly in the 05-06 season, he has matured into a great player but remains TJ Ford's depute. “Whether Calderon or Ford fill that role better is debatable, but what can’t be argued is that Garbajosa’s lack of playing time is hurting the Raps chances of keeping Calderon around.”

St. Clair Streetcar Service Resumes Tomorrow

Transit Toronto, a blog operated by the TTC, has confirmed that streetcar service will be back in full swing tomorrow in the St. Clair area. According to the post, “Starting Wednesday, November 7, the TTC will again operate streetcars on the 512 St. Clair route east of Oakwood Avenue.” The streetcars will run down St. Clair avenue between St. Clair station and Oakwood Loop. The post describes the route in further detail, “buses will run along St. Clair between Gunn’s Loop (west of Keele Street) and Bathurst Street, looping at Bathurst southward along Bathurst and northwestward along Vaughan Road to St. Clair.”

Changes have been made to the original St. Clair route as construction continues on the streetcar and bus loop at St. Clair station. Therefore, the post goes on to explain that “Streetcar passengers who wish to travel westward beyond Oakwood Avenue and bus passengers who wish to travel eastward beyond Bathurst Street can transfer between the streetcar and the bus at St. Clair and Christie Street.” The post also noted that “Although the TTC has announced that streetcar service along St. Clair will not resume until Wednesday, some Transit Toronto readers are reporting that streetcars are already serving stops along St. Clair.”

Injuries Could Send the Leafs Below .500

Howard Berger's Hockeybuzz.com blog has observed that the Leafs can't afford to let their injury list affect their on-ice performance. Despite only being 15 games into the season, the post declared that this was a tenuous time for the Leafs and that slipping up now could cost them a shot at the playoffs. The team are currently playing .500 hockey with their 6-6-2-1 record and Berger comments that “There was a time, not too many years ago, when a .500 record would easily carry a team into the playoffs. Today, it will get you a prime lottery pick.”

The post points to the Leafs 87-88 season when they managed to qualify for the post-season despite finishing with a “21-49-10 record for 52 points.” The team is currently suffering from a spate of injuries with Bryan McCabe, Darcy Tucker, Kyle Wellwood and Carlo Colaiacovo all out. Berger states that “the Maple Leafs don't have nearly the amount of depth required to compensate for such losses” and it seems obvious that they will have to step it up until they get some of their regular players back if they are going to keep that .500 record alive.

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