TorontoIAM: Maple Leafs Smoked by Hurricanes, Royal Ontario Museum’s Controversial Makeover Attracts Kids

Photos

see larger image

uploaded by PhineasX

• 

  uploaded by PhineasX | add comment

• 

  uploaded by Van-Murph | add comment

• 

  uploaded by jtw3unc | add comment

• 

  uploaded by livinginacity | add comment

• 

  uploaded by livinginacity | add comment

• 

  uploaded by livinginacity | add comment

• 

  uploaded by wvs | add comment

• 

  uploaded by plismo | add comment

• 

  uploaded by arcticlamb | add comment

• 

  uploaded by seanth | add comment

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

Raptors Pull Ahead in Third Quarter against the Clippers

Michael Montgomery’s most recent post on Raptor’s Den reviews last night’s Raptors win over the LA Clippers (80-77). Despite another less than stellar shooting performance from Chris Bosh, the Raptors managed to turn it around in the last 10 minutes of the third quarter. “The game was a defensive contest throughout, as both teams shot 37% from the floor.” Bosh still led with 24 points and 9 rebounds, but the “Clippers did a good job putting pressure on Chris Bosh, as he shot 27% from the floor.”

Toronto’s Jamario Moon scored 16 points and grabbed 5 rebounds, having “his best game in weeks,” says Montgomery in his post. He was much more aggressive and “much better at attacking the basket.” Both Bosh and Moon led Toronto, especially during that vital third quarter. “They scored 18 of Toronto’s 24 third quarter points, as the Raptors used a 19-6 run to turn an eight point halftime deficit into a 5 point advantage.” They also had a good combined defensive effort, as the Raptor’s “limited the Clippers to only 28 second half points.” The Raptors now head to Portland to play the Trail Blazers, “a good, hot young team” who have won their last 8 games.

Hurricanes Steal It from the Leafs in Final Minutes of Game

Writing for Hockey Buzz, Howard Berger says that this has been “one of the most difficult weeks of the season for the Toronto Maple Leafs.” Over the weekend, the Leafs lost Bryan McCabe for up to two months with a broken hand. And last night Toronto “got smoked by the Carolina Hurricanes in what amounts to one of the biggest gag jobs by the club in recent annals.” How they pull themselves up will “determine whether they can bust out of this useless cycle of hovering around the .500 mark.”



With less than two minutes to play, it looked as though Toronto had a foolproof 2-0 lead, “even after Cory Stillman ruined Vesa Toskala's shutout bid with 1:35 remaining.” With 40 seconds lift, winger Alexei Ponikarovsky could have just dumped the puck into the Hurricanes' corner. Instead, he “inexplicably hesitated,” Stillman stole the puck and Ray Whitney “one-timed Erik Cole's cross-ice feed past Toskala and the game was tied.” The Hurricanes then nailed the win on the power play. The team did not rally on behalf of Ponidarovsky after the game. And while Ponikarovsky did botch an easy play, Berger states in his post that “you cannot completely overlook the obvious lack of communication among the Toronto skaters.”

ROM’s Redesign Transforms City

On Reading Toronto, a blog that “looks at the city through the eyes of many of its most creative artists and arts institutions,” Robert Ouellette writes an interesting analysis of the ROM’s redesign by architect Daniel Libeskind. Libeskind is most known for his “controversial design for Berlin’s Holocaust Museum” and he has also won the World Trade Centre redesign. He has a history of “transforming disasters” into symbols of life. The challenge, Ouellette says, is that “this museum, by intent, does not focus on one theme or event. There is no landmark tragedy here that demands a public catharsis.”

Libeskind’s “Crystal” addition to the museum has faced critical eye. But whatever visitors “might think of the design… kids are in their element here” with the newly opened James and Louise Temerty Galleries of the Age of Dinosaurs. “Where else in the world can you see dinosaurs from outside on the street?” asked Libeskind. The “Spirit House,” a towering central chamber is meant to be the “public heart of the building.” In the post, Ouellette calls it “dramatically dark” and describes it as “a scene from Blade Runner.” Regardless of opinion, Crystal does act “as a transformational catalyst in the city.”

New Home Buyers Get Tax Relief

Andrew Lafleur, blogging for blogTO, reports that if you are about to purchase your first home in Toronto, you now have an extra bonus. “The province just announced a tax break of up to $2000 for all first time home buyers in Ontario.” This new rebate applies “to the provincial land transfer tax on all new and resale properties for first time buyers.” The rebate previously applied only to first time buyers of new homes or condominiums.

According to his post, the announcement was “part of the Liberal's mini-budget set out last week in light of good economic times of late for the province.” The news is “welcome relief” to those saving for a down payment when combined with the “compromise that was reached on the city of Toronto's new land transfer tax.” The new tax break does not apply if you are not a first time buyer. Repeat buyers must still pay the entire provincial and municipal land transfer taxes.

About TorontoIAM



TorontoIAM is part of a groundbreaking network of city-focused blog aggregation, user generated media and social networking websites currently rolling out across North America. Each IAM website filters and organizes blog content as well as offering video upload capabilities, social networking, blog authoring, favourites lists and rumours. The IAM Network is a division of SoMedia Networks Inc which also operates Inveslogic.com, Greenedia.com, Healthedia.com and Blabaloo.com. For more information or to register an account, visit TorontoIAM.com.