Photo: "In flight..." by chewie2008~, member of the blogTO Flickr pool.

What's happening in the GTA:

Out of respect for the mourning family of recently deceased video game addict Brandon Crisp, Future Shop canceled its planned promotional efforts for the release of (violence-heavy) video game "Gears of War 2" last night, instead electing to get all kinds of free press for being sensitive enough to cancel its promotional efforts. Here's a review of the game on Ohmpage.

The family members of a recently deceased girl in Woodstock are in shock and angered after learning that they buried her without her brain. Permission to perform an autopsy was granted, but it wasn't until after she was buried that they learned that the body was missing the organ - a horrible situation gone worse. Do we need to make changes in our medical procedure definitions to avoid these kinds of conflicts from happening, or were the doctors not being forthcoming in this case?

Is the proposed 24-page, City of Toronto newsletter called "Our Toronto" a necessary channel of communication to city residents, or is this Mayor Miller's way of using city resources to start his campaign for re-election in 2010? Councillor John Parker had his mic cut off during council session for making such an accusation. I think the media should be focusing more on that part of the story.

Photo: "Smoke Screen" by jonathan ponce, member of the blogTO Flickr pool.

What's happening in the GTA:

The housing market in Toronto is experiencing drops not seen in years. We're seeing a whopping 35% decrease in sales this month over October of 2007, and houses are on the market on average 7 days longer. Buyers and sellers are certainly apprehensive. And builders are likely nervous as well.

Halloween was almost a week ago, but it wasn't until more recently that a box of Smarties given to a young girl in Pickering was found to contain a cold medication capsule. Weirdness, eh? I guess if a baby ate it or if someone with medicinal conflict issues swallowed it, there'd be trouble. But if an older kid inadvertently consumed it with the candy the worst that would happen is that they'd feel less congested and remain alert enough to put in a hard day of school work.

Is the National Post print version inching towards its demise? Torontoist points out the absence of papers in many downtown boxes as a potential sign of things to come, but also points out that an unnamed source at the NP simply claims that the situation is a reflection of poor sales in particular locations, and that they remain committed to servicing Toronto.

Photo: "yes we did" by Rolled Fondant, member of the blogTO Flickr pool.

What's happening in the GTA:

History was made south of the border last night, and there were plenty of tears of joy and popping champagne corks in Toronto as well. More on this soon, courtesy of blogTO's Roger Cullman. Stay tuned for his report. If you missed Obama's incredible acceptance speech, watch it below.

A Portuguese immigrant, who was charged and convicted of uttering a death threat against a Mississauga councillor in 2007, is back in court claiming that his threat (which came in the form of a poem) was meant to be satire. Is this really an issue of freedom of expression or is his defense as weak as his poetry is charming?

Ever show up at a restaurant a little early, and have to wait for a while before it opens? A visitor from Mexico arrived at the Keg Mansion in Toronto on Monday, and when he was told that food wouldn't be available for half an hour, he allegedly whipped out a pistol. There's no telling what might have happened if he'd found out that the Keg doesn't serve the dish he was hoping to order.

Photo: "_DSC0011-Edit" by ryancouldrey, member of the blogTO Flickr pool.

What's happening in the GTA:

I can't stand how the term "have-not" is so loosely being tossed around to describe the suffering state of Ontario's economy relative to the other provinces. Looking out on the city, it's pretty clear that we're most certainly still "have-lots" - the only difference being that we all just use credit cards when shopping instead of money we actually have. This Christmas, consumer behaviour should be interesting to observe.

Who won the War of 1812, the British or the Americans? Douglas Coupland asserts that he knows the facts, and a new "commemorative" sculpture he's created was unveiled yesterday at a condo near Fort York - which elicited some giggles due to context. High five, Doug.

The City is making moves to crack down of slumlords that don't take care of their properties and tenants. A major building inspection blitz is forthcoming, and next year the city may also pass laws aimed at hitting landlords who aren't compliant where it matters most - their wallets.

What do the world's first superhero to arise from a pool of toxic nuclear waste, a beachball with claws wreaking havoc on a spaceship, racist cops, and sexual liberation in Amsterdam have in common?

They're all going to be on the big screen at the Fox Theatre this coming Saturday night, as Shock and Awe: The Grindhouse Experience returns for an all-night homage to classic grindhouse films.

An all-nighter marked by a lineup of not-so-serious B-movies brings serious enjoyment, and this unique experience is a way to ensure that we'll be thoroughly entertained on Saturday night, sleeping on Sunday, and groggy enough on Monday. It wouldn't be grindhouse any other way!

blogTO has tickets to give away to a few lucky readers. Check out the trailers and read on for contest entry details.

Photo: "Box Man 1" by Pollock_Marshall, member of the blogTO Flickr pool.

What's happening in the GTA:

Only in Canada does someone get charged with driving under the influence... after their lacklustre ice clearing skills tip off observers. Driving a Zamboni with a mickey of vodka in your belly may keep you warm, but can also land you in serious trouble by putting your driver's license on ice.

Despite delays and confusion in rolling it out, the City launches its new fee-based grey bin pay-as-you-throw garbage collection service this week. If you haven't received your bin and/or bag tags, or if you're wondering about oversized items, how you'll be billed, etc. the Star has a decent summary of FAQs on the new garbage collection system.

Would you support a grassroots campaign to fight gentrification in Leslieville by not shopping at certain stores and by smashing windows and spray painting graffiti? That's the message being conveyed on a series of posters popping up in the Leslieville neighbourhood. It's not certain who is behind the signs, but clearly, someone isn't happy about the changes occurring.