Toronto: City life: Miss Universe, Air France Crash, Blue Jays marathon 18 innings of baseball play

Miss Universe about Town

Miss Uni presides over "Battle of Parliaments" Soccer Match, Centennial Stadium, a win for world youth, Toronto, August 5, 2005.

Natalie Glebova, Toronto's own Miss Universe, reined over a cross-Atlantic soccer match between Canadian and Italian Parliamentarians. At the game, Her Beautifulness made the first kick, a ceremonial gesture at which this atheletic young woman is quite adept, kicking the soccer ball to the Foundation's Chairman and Founder Mario CortelluccI who, in turn, kicked to Italian player Carolina Morace, Coach of the Italian National Womens' Soccer Team. For the Canadian Team, among the players were the Conservative Party's Deputy Leader in the House of Commons, and Frank Klees, of the Ontario Legislature.

Nevertheless, 'tis true, the Italians outscored Team Canada ruthlessly, 7-1. But everyone agreed the game, and later the fund-raiser part of the Gala were a great win for world youth in poverty, who will benefit from the educational projects supported by the Universal Youth Foundation.

At the Gala that evening, everyone was in hi good spirits. Our Miss Uni performed the toast to Italy, while Italian player and M.P. Maurizio Paniz led the toast to Canada.

Team Canada had made a valiant effort, scoring the first goal of the game. Taking place at the Centennial Stadium in Toronto, the soccer match was in support of the new Universal Youth Foundation. Founded by philanthropist, Mario Cortellucci, the non-profit organization is committed to providing educational assistance to children and youth in need throughout the world by funding schools and teachers. In addition to elected officials, players included Canadian Soccer Hall of Famer, Robert Iarusci and the Coach of the Italian National Women's Soccer Team, Carolina Morace.

"It was a pleasure to play in support of the Universal Youth Foundation here in Canada, a country rich in diversity, compassion and the warm-heartedness of its people. My teammates and I enjoyed celebrating our great Canadian experiences tonight at the Gala hosted by the Foundation."

"I would like to congratulate Mario Cortellucci and the Universal Youth Foundation for taking the important intiative to provide hope for world youth through education," stated Senatore Roberto Salerno, Captain of the Nazionale Parlamentari Italiana Soccer Team.

The Gala, which experienced an overwhelming response of generosity from the public, featured not only Miss Universe, Toronto's own Natalie Glebova, but also the famed blind performing artist Simone Soman, renown for her dynamic and energizing repertoire.

A creative website features Miss Uni, fab pix of her, and offers a downloadable 4 minute video of her being interviewed by Adam Gonshor of andPOP on "Pageants Still Relevant," as well as some of her future projects and goals.

AIR FRANCE JET'S MIRACLE CRASH

Weather a Factor in Air France Crash by Rob Gillies and Beth Duff-Brown, Yahoo!News via Associated, August 3, 2005. All 309 passengers and crew survive! Sure, it's old news now, but I wanted to pass along to readers a good article that can serve as a matter of record here, and a reminder to everyone who was glued to the TV thru-out North American and around the globe on the day of the crash and the unfolding drama that ended so well. Except, of course, here come the law suits, I guess in the form of class actions, but they got out alive. Air France and Pearson International Airport in Toronto did everything they could to bring all to safety. I hope the courts award the complainants exactly zero sum of of money. There are no absolute guarantees in life, and certainly not in flying an airplane or -bus or whatever it was. - Owlie Scowlie

Why did Air France plane land so far down the landing strip? Why didn't two exit chutes open?, by Beth Duff-Brown, Associated Press via Miami-Herald, August 7, 2005.

TORONTO SPORTS

Blue Jays edge Angels in longest game of year It's already been 9 days since the record breaking game with the squeak-thru win for Toronto against Los Angeles, 2-1 for the home team. As well, it was a record number of innings in a single game for the Blue Jays.

Oh, those headlines are sweet! Blue Jays Defeat Angels 2-1 in 18 Innings - Hudson's RBI Single in the 18th Ends Longest Game of the Season, Helps Blue Jays Beat Angels 2-1 AP / ABC News / ESPN. The score was 0-0 into the 8th inning; the Angels scored in the 9th to tie the game, and then it wasn't until the 18th that the Blue Jays got their second run, batted in, and won the game.

USA Today headlined it in terms of endurance: Blue Jays outlast Angels in 18 innings, calling the game a "marathon."