Waiters’ secrets revealed, the thieving of oysters, Loblaws to move into Maple Leaf Gardens

Waiters’ secrets revealed, the thieving of oysters, Loblaws to move into Maple Leaf Gardens

The puck stopped here: with the exception of Battle of the Blades, Maple Leaf Gardens has remained quiet for years (Photo by Ian Muttoo)

• After years of delays, a Loblaws supermarket is set to occupy part of the space inside Maple Leaf Gardens. The grocery giant bought the building in 2004—prompting a backlash from hockey fans—but financial issues kept the Carlton Street landmark dormant for five years. A $20-million contribution from the federal government, plus a contribution from Ryerson, which will place an athletic centre in the building’s upper floors, has finally got the wheels moving again. [Toronto Star]

• In a list sure to invoke the ire of New York Times blogger Bruce Buschel, Reader’s Digest speaks with two dozen servers to find out what secrets they would reveal if they could get away with it. Responses range from the vindictive (one server admitted to running soup spoons under hot water to teach cold soup complainers a lesson) to the didactic (don’t take the credit card slip with the tip written on it—the server won’t get anything). [Reader’s Digest]

• China has approved the use of two types of genetically modified rice, which sets the stage for worldwide changes in rice production. While genetically modified corn, soybeans and cotton are grown in Canada and the U.S., genetically modified rice isn’t grown on a large scale anywhere. The strains developed in China have been modified to resist pests and herbicides. [Wall Street Journal]

• Watching television is a double-edged recipe for obesity, the Sun reports. Viewers are not only inactive, but are also prompted to think about food due to the plethora of food-based television shows. One expert contends that cooking shows are essentially long food commercials, which increase the odds of consuming high-calorie foods. [Toronto Sun]

• A shortage of oysters in France’s Bay of Arcachon, one of world’s largest oyster-growing regions, is prompting farmers to steal from each other. Experts say an outbreak of a herpes-like virus that ruined crops over the past two years has created a rarefied oyster commodity that is tempting to thieves. Thefts have increased threefold from last year, police say. [The Guardian]