Extra, Extra: Winged Creatures, Raccoons, and Toronto on Screen

By Meg Campbell

Every weekday’s end, Extra, Extra collects just about everything you ought to care about or ought not miss.

Photo by Michael Chrisman/Torontoist.

• Starbucks is testing out Interactive Storefronts at locations in Toronto and Vancouver, to help promote its Tazo teas. Navigating the touchscreen display allows users to follow a butterfly, hummingbird, or dragonfly on a magical ingredient-gathering journey. The above photo was taken at Starbucks’ 4 King Street West location, where passersby were less than enthralled. Says photographer Michael Chrisman: “I was there for ten minutes watching it, no one touched it, or even really looked at it.” Back to the drawing board.
• Urban wildlife enthusiasts, take note. On February 24, the CBC will air a documentary on the secret life of raccoons, filmed largely in Toronto. What are they hiding behind those masks, anyway?
• Those scallywags at AUX TV applied for an amendment to their license that would let them increase the portion of music videos in their programming—they are currently limited to 35%. The CRTC denied the application, citing in its decision that the amendment “could permit the service to become directly competitive” with MuchMusic. We have something to say about this, of course! Keep an eye out for our commentary in the coming days. [via @Mondoville]
• The concept of surprise birthday parties, while always fun, takes on an element of danger as the surprisee ages. But not for the apparently unshakeable mayor of Mississauga, Hazel McCallion, who was unexpectedly greeted by hundreds of UTM students for her ninetieth birthday on February 9. Watch the festivities here.
• Seems like 30 Rock—a show that previously referred to Toronto as “New York, but without all the stuff”—needed to take a few more jabs. In last night’s episode, Jack and his very pregnant wife, Avery, come to Toronto for the G8 conference. And that’s just one of many fact-checker fails. Toronto Life‘s The Hype has a thorough rundown of the episode’s hits and misses here.

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