Photo: "Backyard Hockey" by blogTO Flickr pooler kirin.

Your morning news roundup for Thursday February 21st, 2008:

Wide-spread consuming 364 days of the year is good for the economy. Toronto is being advised to permit holiday shopping on all days of the year except Christmas day. Should we feel sorry for the pimple-faced kids folding sweaters at the Gap on Easter, or relish in the thought of being able to shop for socks, watches, and iPods year-round?

Is Toronto Hydro for sale? Should control of the TTC be handed over to the province? These controversial issues have come up recently, and should finally be addressed publicly in the report on the city's finances, to be revealed today. Hopefully the answers are no and no.

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"Dognapping" doesn't seem like a very good way to make a living. The two men believed to have stolen a wealthy man's dog and then returned it for the $15,000 reward have been arrested and released on bail. The money has been returned to the owner, and two more people are being sought by police.

It's too early to speculate on the cause of the massive fire that destroyed almost an entire block of Queen West shops and apartments. Rumours of a meth lab and arson have been dispelled pending an official investigation, which can only happen after the fire is out and it's safe to do so. The National Post has an informative graphic that shows the buildings affected.