Shoppers at an IKEA in North Toronto did a double take this past weekend when a rhesus macaque monkey was spotted in the parking lot, fashionably dressed in a miniature shearling coat and diaper.
The owners, who have since come forward, had apparently left the 'pet' in their car while they did a spot of shopping.
An article in the CBC claims the monkey somehow freed itself of the vehicle and was spied in the furniture warehouse's parking lot.
"It's a smart monkey," said Toronto Police Sgt. Ed Dzingala. “It was pretty scared. It was a tame monkey. Nobody got hurt. The monkey was a little scared, that’s all.”
The images of the stylin' monkey have already gone viral, and proved itself a meme-worthy subject (including the one below, from Reddit). 'Carl' already has two Twitter accounts set up in his honour.
Staff kept the monkey entertained until Animals Protection Services arrived. According to an article in the Globe & Mail, the owners were charged and face a fine $240 for having a prohibited animal in the city.
It started out as a prank. A phone call to the King Edward VII's Hospital where Duchess Kate was being treated for acute morning sickness ended with embarrassment, then tragedy. The nurse who answered the hoax call from Australian DJs was found dead just days later.
According to an article in the Huffington Post, some suspect that 46-year-old Jacintha Saldanha, a mother of two, killed herself over the stress of taking the now-infamous prank call from the Sydney radio station.
"The immediate consequence of these premeditated and ill-considered actions was the humiliation of two dedicated and caring nurses who were simply doing their job tending to their patients," read the letter from the London hospital to Southern Cross Austereo, parent company of the 2DayFM radio station. "The longer term consequence has been reported around the world and is, frankly, tragic beyond words."
Following the backlash, 2DayFM deleted its Facebook page. Mel Grieg and Michael Christian, the two DJs who posed as royals inquiring after Kate’s wellbeing, suspended their Twitter accounts after receiving thousands of abusive comments.
They apologized for their actions, and have been taken “taken off the air indefinitely.” The DJs are reportedly so devastated they are receiving counselling.
Saldanha was praised as a popular and well-respected "first-class nurse" who worked at King Edward VII's for the past four years.
The royal couple expressed regret at her death, but insisted they had not complained about the hoax, and the hospital maintains that Saldanha and her colleague were not reprimanded over the call.
Admittedly much of what passes for humour today on “nitwit radio” is rarely funny, the Australian Communications and Media Authority doubts the station broke any broadcasting laws.
The DJs’ impersonation of Queen Elizabeth and Prince Charles was lame and lowbrow, and has cast a dark shadow on the bright news of a royal baby.
True, such radio hijinks have been commonplace for decades, and are usually innocuous enough. It’s hard to believe anyone would take their own life over something so pointless and trivial...
Was this a mindless broadcasting stunt or a more sinister form of meddling? Are the DJs to blame for the loss of a life?
Santa has grumpy days just like the rest of us. But one Toronto Santa’s sense of humour failure cost him his job.
According to an article in the Huffington Post, it all started when the Santa at Lowe’s Christmas Market insulted a three-year-old boy’s plaid coat. He then took aim at the boy’s Toronto Maple Leafs hat. The boy’s mother, Mary Trent, was aghast.
Later, Trent complained on her Facebook page, “SANTA WAS A JERK! My son waited in line during a cold and snowy afternoon and the first thing Santa told him was that his thick GAP black and red jacket made him look like Paul Bunyan. Then he also pointed out my son's Toronto Maple leafs winter toque and said he shouldn’t be wearing that and that the Maple leafs suck!"
So much for jolly. Sounds like Santa is more than a little bitter that there’s no hockey this season. Still, no need to take it out on the kid.
Organizers at Lowe’s apologized, then proceeded to give the surly St. Nick the boot for failing to live up to his job description.
Seems he isn’t the only Grinch around. At the Kingston Santa Claus Parade last month a drunken man was arrested for declaring to kids that Santa isn’t real.
And in the States a mall Santa was fired for refusing to let a girl sit on his lap because her parents hadn’t purchased a $20 photo package.
Time to shape up, Santas, and practice what you preach or there’ll be no cookies for you!
Ever encounter a more-naughty-than-nice Santa? Spill, please.
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