Igor Kenk: The Bicycle Thief

I think that when the media first reported the arrest of Igor Kenk who it seems may have stolen over 3,000 bicycles off the streets of Toronto, he was labeled as some type of kook or eccentric. His lawyer suggests the whole thing is being overblown. I don't think so. My impression is that Kenk is just a immoral crook. Let me tell you why.

As people began showing up at the police warehouse (including family members) to see if their stolen bike has shown up, they often walk away quite disappointed. If they do locate their bike, it is more likely just junk since Kenk was using the parts in his bike repair business - The Bicycle Clinic at 927 Queen St. W. That's right - he was stealing bikes off the street, not because he has some weird obsession, but to operate his business. Interesting how customers have come forward to admit he didn't charge much for repairs. That's because other Torontonians were unknowingly supplying his business with free bike parts. He was renting storage space all over downtown to store his junked contraband.

In fact, it appears to police were aware of his activities but never did anything about it. Word had gotten around downtown that if you had a bike stolen, don't bother going to police. Instead go to The Bicycle Clinic and for $30 you could probably get your bike back from Kenk. He considered himself to be untouchable until a sting operation brought him down.

I doubt he was going to be treated very harshly by the courts until the police also discovered a significant stash of drugs. So now maybe the Bicycle Thief might be looking at serious jail time.

Oh and it seems reports of bike thefts have dropped since Kenk's arrest. In the seven days leading up to Mr. Kenk's July 16 arrest, Toronto police took 36 reports of stolen bikes throughout their 14 Division patrol area. In the seven days after that, 21 bicycles were reported stolen, said Superintendent Ruth White, commander of the division.

The theft rate fell even further after that, with just six reported between July 23 and 28.

So who will be the next captain of the Toronto Maple Leafs?

It's August 1 and there is no news coming out of Stockholm. At this point no news is looking more like bad news. Mats Sundin didn't jump at the chance to play for a young, talented Montreal team with a legitimate shot at a Stanley Cup. Sundin didn't jump at the Vancouver offer which would have made him one of the highest paid player in the league. He hasn't decided to return to the Leafs to provide some leadership to an inexperienced, rebuilding team.

So it may be time for these teams to start looking ahead and moving on. For the Leafs that means figuring out what to do for a captain. No one player stands out. They may have a future captain in Luke Schemm but he may not even be ready for the NHL right now. Young players like Matt Stajan and Alex Steen haven't established the credentials needed to replace Sundin. If you look at the veteran players Nik Antropov, Thomas Kaberle, and Pavel Kubina, they are all possibilities yet each possess flaws as leaders. You could always rotate the "C" among these players for the time being.

I actually believed that Cliff Fletcher picked up Jamal Mayer from St. Louis to fill a leadership void until a younger player was ready to take on the captaincy. Rob Ramage assumed the role between 1989-91 until it was handed over to Wendel Clark.

So what do you think? Pick your choice for captain in the sidebar.

Gene Gene the Dancing Machine

If you watched "The Gong Show" you remember Eugene Patton, better known as Gene Gene the Dancing Machine. Here's a few things maybe you didn't know about Gene.

He was the first African-American member of the International Alliance of Theatrical and Stage Employees according to Wikipedia.

He worked backstage on "The Gong Show" and helped warm up the crowds. Chuck Barris was impressed by Gene and let him have a go in front of the camera. The crowds went wild. I think audiences today might not be so receptive, but it was the 70's and all about having a good time. Hyper-cynicism wouldn't come along for a couple decades.

After "The Gong Show", Gene's limelight faded. He began working backstage on the "Tonight Show" and even made a cameo in the film Confessions of a Dangerous Mind.

In a sad bit or irony, Gene lost both legs from diabetes complications. Well, we'll always have the wonderful memories of this big guy dancing his ass off without a care in the world.

Jerry Lewis detained for carrying gun at airport

The 82-year-old actor and comedian was stopped at Las Vegas McCarran International Airport, en route to Detroit, when staff spotted the gun during routine baggage screening.

Police detained Lewis and confiscated a .22-calibre handgun. He was cited for allegedly carrying a concealed weapon without a permit, a spokesman for Las Vegas police said.

The star's manager, Claudia Marghilano, said the gun was a "hollowed-out prop gun" which Lewis uses in his stage show, adding that it was incapable of firing.

But the police spokesman said if it were merely a prop "it wouldn't be a weapon and we couldn't cite him for carrying a weapon". Lewis must attend a court hearing to get the gun back.

I find the incident quite shocking. Mostly because I was completely unaware that Lewis had an act.

Fuck how could I score so low!

Created by OnePlusYou - Online Dating Service

Boyfriend of woman stuck to toilet gets probation

Pam Babcock was rescued after sitting on her boyfriend’s toilet for over two years! On February 27, he finally called police after bringing her food and water over the 2 year time span. You probably remember the case that drew national headlines in February.

Pam Babcock is now under the protection of a guardian.

Her boyfriend Kory McFarren was given a 6-month probationary sentence. He was originally sentenced to jail, but Ms. Babcock requested leniency from the judge. In our view they are both stuck on stupid.

Best Trade in Blue Jay History

I expect the Jays will be quiet at tomorrow's trading deadline. J.P. Riccardi is not one to make a blockbuster deal. Usually at this time of the year the Jays are too far back to actually be in a pennant race but not so far back that they throw in the towel. So they sort of send out signals that they are trying to get back in the race and do nothing to improve their lineup for the future. So expect more of the same.

There was a time when the Jays were contenders but that was over 15 years ago. Same manager mind you but J.P. is no Pat Gillick. I do recall vividly, Gillick's best trade. It wasn't made at the trade deadline but during the offseason. However, it vaulted the Jays from pretenders to contender for the next 5 seasons.

Gillck sent the San Diego Padres Fred McGriff and Tony Fernandez for Roberto Alomar and Joe Carter. It was in Toronto that Alomar developed into a premier offensive second baseman, combining a .300-plus batting average with above average power and high end speed on the bases. He was the best player ever to wear a Blue Jay jersey. In each of his five seasons with the Blue Jays, Alomar was on the All-Star team, and won the Gold Glove award.

Why the U.S. may invade Canada too

The top six suppliers of crude oil to the U.S. are (via):

1. Canada

2. Saudi Arabia

3. Mexico

4. Venezuela

5. Nigeria

6. Iraq

Yes, it's true. Canada is America's largest supplier of crude oil. You would think we would get nicer treatment at border crossings.

Hypocrites?

Things the look menacing

source

Oliver Stone "W" Trailer

The trailer is out but Oliver Stone hasn't released a quality film in quite a while. Somehow I think this will miss the mark as well.

Bicycle bicycle bicycle I want to ride my bicycle

It's a never-ending mountain of bikes.

Hundreds bicycles were pulled out of three west-end garages rented by bike dealer Igor Kenk last night.

Toronto Police executed another three search warrants — bringing the total to 16 — on alleyway garages behind 1169 Dufferin St., 387 Lansdowne Ave., and 642 Brock Ave., seizing nearly 700 more bikes.About 330 bikes were seized from the Dufferin garage while another 200-odd bicycles were taken from the Lansdowne garage.

And at the two Strachan Ave. area warehouses where 2,500 bikes were already on display, about 300 bikes had been reunited with their owners.

This whole bike-stealing thing is starting to look less like a practical criminal enterprise and more like some kind of weird obsession.

It's Cuil but not so cool

I don't see the big brains at Google losing too much sleep about the new wannabe.

NYC Police Officer does a mean imitation of NHLer Chris Simon

Talk about cheap shot artist. I could have sworn the video below was ex-Islander Chris Simon taking out Ryan Hollweg. Instead it's Patrick Pogan of the NYPD taking out cyclist Christopher Long taking part in a monthly ride, called Critical Mass, for no apparent reason. Pogan says that the cyclist rode straight into him but the video, posted on YouTube shows otherwise. Officer Pogan arrested Mr. Long on charges of attempted assault, disorderly conduct and resisting arrest. The officer had been assigned to desk duty pending a Police Department investigation.

I can just here all the wise asses out there

One of the candidates in the race to become Fairhope's (Alabama) next mayor is considerably more hairy than the rest. He also has twice as many legs and a constantly wagging tail. Wille Bean Roscoe P. Coltrane is a 7-year-old yellow Labrador retriever whose owner has taken a satirical poke at politics by launching the pooch into the race.

Willie Bean doesn't have a realistic shot at being Fairhope's next mayor since the July 15 qualifying deadline has passed. Still, other dogs have held office.

In 2004, Rabbit Hash, Ky., elected Junior Cochran, a black Lab, as mayor. It was the second canine elected to lead the small Northern Kentucky town, according to the town's Web site. The first was a mutt named Goofy Borneman, according to Laurie Lamblin, a resident and employee of the town's historic general store.

Yup we all knew that politics was going to the dogs.

Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad setting up his Facebook account

Yikes!

...time for Meg Ryan to start wearing a bra.

Mug Shot of the Week

So you think Batman is popular right now? Well meet Spencer Taylor. The Michigan man, 20, was arrested early Sunday morning for allegedly trying to steal Batman posters and other collectibles from a theater showing "The Dark Knight."

Beijing is beautiful in the summer

Olympic athletes do not be alarmed. The air is perfectly safe. We are just experiencing a little fog. It will burn off shortly. Do not worry about the friendly Chinese people walking among the athletes. They are wearing those masks because we do not want you to catch a virus and miss an opportunity to win a gold medal. That is why they are coughing. They are just a little under the weather. Enjoy the wonderful Beijing summer weather.

Xia Ping Hu
Minister of Correct Information

How sweet is this?

Ex-Blue Jay and steroid king Jose Canseco gets the crap knocked out of him in a celebrity boxing match. I can just watch this over and over again.

One Hit Wonder

Marmalade - Reflections of My Life (1970)

I always considered squirrels to be rats with furry tails

Now I see that others share my view.

You might be a redneck if....

A 56-year-old man from Wisconsin has been arrested after shooting his lawn mower in his garden because it would not start.

Keith Walendowski was charged by police in Milwaukee with disorderly conduct and possession of a sawn-off shotgun.

He could face a fine of up to $11,000 and a maximum prison sentence of six-and-a-half years if convicted.

Police officers said Mr Walendowski had told them: "It's my lawn mower and my yard, so I can shoot it if I want." Witnesses told police that he appeared to have been drinking (no kidding!).

My Mats Sundin Poll

This past week I asked people to predict what Mats Sundin will decide to do this week. Here are the results.

40% responded that Sundin will sign with Vancouver. Seems people were influenced either by the rumours floating around last week or the size of the Canucks' offer. But I just don't see it. Sure they offered him $10 million per season but that is the only positive. Canuck fans are going to be mad at me but I don't consider Vancouver much better than the Leafs. After the Sedins there isn't much there. The amount of travel that the Canucks do for road games is not going to be very appealing to a 37-year old player. He'll feel like 47 by February.

28% responded that Sundin will return to the Leafs. I think there remains a strong possibility that he returns. He has repeated that he would like to retire as a Leaf and although he may have been disillusioned by the end of last season, he would like approve of the direction taken by Fletcher including hiring Nieuwendyk as an assistant. Nonetheless, I'm ambivilant about Sundin returning.
20% responded that Sundin will retire. I doubt it at this point. You don't take 3 1/2 months to decide to retire. But then Sundin tends to wait till the last minute to make decisions about his future. I don't see him retiring when the past season was one of his best.

12% responded that Sundin will sign with Montreal. I'm actually surprised that he didn't sign earlier. The Canadiens are a good fit and would provide him with good young talent to play with. They also have an excellent shot at the Stanley Cup. I wonder if he would find it difficult to return to the ACC so many times?

Well we may find out as soon as Friday. Frankly most hockey fans outside of Toronto are likely bored with the whole thing.

Darth Vader Balloon is handsome

You have admit that artists Michel Lambert and Benoit Lambert's Darth Vader Balloon looks great and is not affected by grid lock.

Stuff White People Like

Author Christian Lander has a humorous website and a book on white culture. He discuss white phenomena like girls with bangs, unpaid internships, being empathetic to poor people, and comparing people to Hitler.

Weekend Shootings Update

Sunday morning got off to a bloody start just before midnight, when a terrible attack left a man fighting for his life. The victim, believed to be in his 30s, was shot in the face on Eglinton near Black Creek. Miraculously, he was conscious and breathing when emergency crews arrived on scene.He was rushed to Sunnybrook Hospital where he remains in serious condition.

Not far from that assault, just two kilometres away and about an hour later, another man took several bullets to his leg. Around 1:40am, police were called to a home on Trethewey Drive. What they found was a man lying on the ground in a pool of blood. Paramedics quickly surrounded the victim and worked to staunch the bleeding. In hospital it was discovered that he also had a broken leg. Despite his numerous injuries, he's expected to pull through.

An OPP officer is lucky to be alive after a man who allegedly didn't feel like slowing down fired several shots at him. It happened on Highway 410 near Queen Street in Brampton. The officer tried to pull over a vehicle that didn't have any license plates. But instead of stopping, the driver fled into a residential neighbourhood. In his hurry, he crashed his car. Before he took off on foot, he allegedly opened fire on the cops. Peel Police were called in, bringing their tactical and K9 units to help in the search for the wanted man. The suspect was eventually found hiding in the attic of a relative's home.

A dance at a facility owned by house of worship turned into a gun battle early Saturday morning, leaving one man dead and two others wounded. It may seem like an unlikely spot for a murder, but that's exactly what happened at the Disciples Revival Hall near Jane and Falstaff.