Thursday, January 28, 2010

Dude, Where’s My Dad?

New GPS Technology Can Help Prevent Silver Alerts

It’s a growing problem with a growing solution – elderly dementia patients go missing every day – so much so that 18 states have created programs called Silver Alerts to help find missing elderly people before they fall into harms way.

The Alzheimer’s Association warns that more than 60 percent of elderly patients afflicted with dementia will wander and become lost at some point in their lives. One solution many advocates are promoting is the use of personal GPS tracking devices to help locate dementia patients within minutes of the realization they have gone missing.

“Personal GPS devices that can be tracked via an online dashboard can literally be lifesaving devices,” said George Karonis, CEO of LiveViewGPS (www.liveviewGPS.com) and a former law enforcement officer with 15 years on the street. “Some devices are so small, they can fit on a keychain, in a pocket or they can even be sewn into clothing if need be.

Having been in law enforcement and having dealt with missing persons cases, I can tell you that the first few hours that an elderly person wanders is the most critical, as many dementia patients suffer from other ailments and are on strict medication regimens. If they are without their medication for too long, they can collapse, suffer a cardiac arrest or worse. These devices can be tracked online, meaning you can actually log onto your dashboard online and get an exact position of the GPS holder that is accurate up to the last 20 seconds if they are on foot.”

Karonis said that caretakers of elderly dementia patients should look for devices that have feature sets designed to help them track and locate people fast, including:

• Online tracking via the Internet
• Rapid updates, so the location reported is accurate
• Long battery life, and a motion-activated power button, so the unit is only using the battery for power when it is in motion
• Portable, capable of fitting in your hand or on a key chain
• Memory that stores tracking points for future reference

“A portable GPS monitoring system can be an invaluable aid for law enforcement and rescue workers trying to locate missing elderly people before they can be hurt and providing peace of mind for family members,” Karonis said. “When used correctly, it can act as a safeguard against tragedy because it enables family and police to find a missing person within minutes.”

About George Karonis

George Karonis, CEO of LiveViewGPS, is a 15-year law enforcement veteran with years of experience in security and surveillance.

Wednesday, January 27, 2010

MISS CANADA TO TAKE PART IN 5TH ANNUAL ICE FISHING TOURNAMENT!

Barrie, ON Bridget Nickerson, 2010 Miss Canada will be a guest at the CHBA – Simcoe County Ice Fishing Tournament taking place February 13th at the South Shore Community Centre. “She’s really excited to get involved, fish, and sign autographs after the Tournament,” says President and CEO of Miss Canada Sylvia Stark.

Miss Nickerson, a Halifax native, will be on site all day and folks can meet her in person. She’ll also be touring the Seasons Centre for Grieving Children, the recipients of the proceeds of this year’s Tournament.

“There’s still space available to fish,” says Chair Matt Pryce, “and the $50,000 in prizes make participating very worthwhile. In addition to the prizes to be won, participants receive their breakfast and lunch – it’s a great day!”

Holes for this Tournament cost $80.00 each and can be purchased online at http://www.icefishingbarrie.ca or by calling the office (705) 728-5030. Tournament organizers are looking to break the record attendance of 680 this year.

What about the ice? “There’s always ice on Kempenfelt Bay, “assures Pryce, “but should something happen – we have a plan for that as well!” He refers to the rules which outline the chance of no ice. All 50 prizes will be drawn from the participants names – and arrangements will be made for prize delivery or pick-up. Participants do not have to be present for the draw should a draw become necessary.

And as if that weren’t easy enough – there’s no need for a fishing license – it’s the family fun fishing weekend!

This year marks the 5th annual Tournament which, to date, has raised over $95,000 for local groups such as Gilda’s Club – Barrie, Habitat for Humanity, Learning Disabilities Association and the RVH Cancer Care Centre…Quite an accomplishment for a volunteer group. This year’s proceeds go to the Seasons Centre for Grieving Children.

He also acknowledges the importance of the Corporate Sponsors. “Direct Energy is on board as our Corporate Sponsors – for the 5th year and with them their team of Redmond Williams, and Rheem Canada.” This Tournament would not be possible without them, or our Corporate Partners and Tournament Sponsors and Partners. A complete list as well as registration information can be found on the event’s website:http://www.icefishingbarrie.ca

ALZHEIMER'S FOUNDATION FOR CAREGIVING IN CANADA UNVEILS LATEST STRATEGY TO ENCOURAGE HEALTHY AGING

New Web Site Focuses on Being Proactive, Reducing Risks for Dementia

RICHMOND HILL, Ontario, January 27, 2010 – When was the last time you went for a brisk walk, ate dark leafy vegetables or toured a museum with a friend?

With growing evidence showing that these are the types of lifestyle choices that can pay off now and in the future, the Alzheimer’s Foundation for Caregiving in Canada (AFCC) has introduced a new interactive Web site http://www.alzfdn.ca/prevention. The Web site encourages Canadians to be proactive about their mental and physical health by highlighting strategies promoting healthy aging, which may reduce the risk for Alzheimer's disease and related dementias.

“Our new web site serves as a wake-up call for people of all ages to be proactive about making smart life choices. We must pay attention to the health of both our bodies and our brains as we age, especially in light of the projected groundswell of Canadians facing Alzheimer’s disease” says Taras Rohatyn, AFCC President.

Dementia is the leading cause of disability among Canadians over the age of 65 and the numbers will increase as baby boomers get older. While advancing age and genetics are the greatest known risk factors, evolving research emphasizes that other factors may be controllable.

“We need to start taking care of ourselves and it doesn’t have to be complicated. Exercise, socializing and eating well are important for cognitive function as we get older,” explains Dr. Sharon Cohen, a behavioural neurologist and director of the Toronto Memory Clinic.

The Prevention Web site includes advice, research updates, a bulletin board and guest columns, as well as information about dementia and the importance of early diagnosis of memory problems. The initiative forms part of the AFCC’s ongoing strategy focusing on the importance of being proactive about memory health.

For many people, getting screened is the first point of addressing brain health, and on June 15, 2010, the AFFC will once again hold its National Memory Screening Day in which qualified health care professionals will offer free confidential memory screening clinics at sites across Canada.


About the AFCC

The Alzheimer’s Foundation for Caregiving in Canada (AFCC) is a national not-for profit charity headquartered in Richmond Hill, Ontario and provides programs to meet the educational, emotional, practical and social needs of its caregiver member organizations who service families affected by Alzheimer’s disease and related illnesses. For additional information visit their web site. http://www.alzfdn.ca.

Tuesday, January 26, 2010

Survey: Canadian consumers have healthy attitude towards new products Product of the Year Ltd.

According to a recent survey, three of the top five most important considerations for Canadians when purchasing new products are health-related. Consumers say they’re looking for new products that are more nutritious, have simple/natural ingredients, and improve health. These considerations rank higher than new products that save time or make life easier.

The Consumer Survey of Product Innovation was conducted last December by global research giant TNS on behalf of Product of the Year, a consumer-driven award that recognizes new product innovation worldwide. A representative sample of over 12,000 consumers across Canada voted on products based on innovative design, function or packaging. As part of the survey, respondents also weighed in on purchasing behavior, attitudes towards innovation, and new product preferences.

Among the survey findings:

• Canadian consumers are Innovators. Eighty-six per cent of Canadian consumers indicate they like to try new products, with 93 per cent recommending new products to others if they like them.

• Canadian consumers like home-grown. Nearly one-third of Canadian consumers confirm that having a product made, grown, or produced in Canada plays an important role in their purchase decision.

• Canadian consumers listen to others and their mothers. Recommendations from other consumers positively impact purchase intent among close to half the population. Fifty-one per cent of Canadians indicate they like to seek out opinions from others before trying a new product, and approximately one third of Canadians say that recommendations from a friend or family member influence their purchase decisions.

• Canadian consumers are label-conscious. Seventy-three per cent of consumers indicate that the package information with the most positive impact on their decision to purchase is the nutritional information and/or list of ingredients.

• Canadian consumers want best bang for buck. Value for money is the most important consideration when purchasing a new product. Conversely, 70 per cent of Canadians say they’d be prepared to pay more for a new product if they were satisfied with it.

For more information on the survey and a list of this year’s Product of the Year Canada winners, visit productoftheyear.ca.

Friday, January 22, 2010

Lakehead University Increases First Choice High School Applicants:

More students list Lakehead University as first choice on university applications

(January 22, 2010 – Thunder Bay, ON) Lakehead University has seen a 7.9% increase in the number of high school students who have listed Lakehead as their first university choice for the 2010-2011 academic year compared to last year at this time. Additionally, overall applications from high school students to Lakehead are up 6.2%. According to data recently released by the Ontario Universities Applications Centre (OUAC), universities across the province have comparatively lower average application increases of 2.7% and 2.1% respectively.

"Lakehead is Ontario’s smallest comprehensive university, and we offer a breadth of academic programs that provide a more personalized educational experience," says Dr. Fred Gilbert, President of Lakehead University. “We are continually growing recognition of our name and reputation through successful branding and awareness campaigns, recruitment efforts, scholarship opportunities, and research activity. I am not surprised at this increase in applications because Lakehead is a great choice – for first-year undergraduate students as well as mature, international, and graduate students. Lakehead truly is Canada’s number one value-added university.”

Robert Perrier, Manager of Undergraduate Recruitment, notes various recruitment-based initiatives that have further attracted incoming students to Lakehead University this academic year. Lakehead has expanded its outreach efforts to incorporate a more aggressive approach across Ontario, as well as a wider geographic span that includes high schools in Western Canada. Prospective students have also learned more about Lakehead through the institution’s recent branding campaign which included a social media component, as seen on Facebook and other web-based media. Additionally, various campus events geared to senior high school students, recently revamped to include more flexible schedules and improved, hands-on activities, have drawn a record number of attendees from Thunder Bay and Southern Ontario. Lakehead also ramped up its visibility at the 2009 Ontario Universities’ Fair by greeting potential students and answering their questions at a new, visually attractive information booth that was well received by students and parents attending the Fair. “There are more students coming into the university system than ever, but this is also a time of greater competition among universities across the province and the country,” Perrier explains. “A number of smaller and medium-sized universities are receiving better returns because students are realizing that a more personal university experience is right for them, and Lakehead continues to be a prime contender on that list. Bigger is not necessarily better anymore – students want a quality education and a quality of
life that Lakehead has been recognized as providing for years.”

Lakehead University was one of the first universities to offer a Free Tuition Scholarship to students applying directly from Canadian high schools with an average of 95% or more. The first recipients of the top scholarship entered Lakehead last fall and quadrupled those students entering Lakehead with grade point averages of 95% or higher. Amid ever-rising tuition costs, Lakehead continues to offer this incentive and other entrance scholarships to attract and retain the best and brightest students from Thunder Bay, Orillia, the rest of Ontario, and Canada.

Lakehead is still accepting incoming applications. Additional information can be found at www.mylakehead.ca.

Saturday, January 16, 2010

One Person's Opinion on How to Handle the Situation in Haiti

Following is a letter that we received via email. It is one person's opinion on how Prime Minister Harper should have taken steps to handle the disaster in Haiti. What are some of yours?

Minutes ago there was a 7.0 earthquake in Haiti. We can not make contact with any Haitian officials as their infrastructure appears to be inoperable. We know the devastation a 7.0 earthquake can have on a population. Hundreds or thousands will be trapped under rubble, and many will need immediate medical attention in order to survive. Sadly many will already be dead. We must render immediate assistance as any delay will cost lives.

All Nurses, Doctors, Paramedics, First Aiders that are willing to volunteer and travel to Haiti are to meet at Toronto International Airport. The Canadian Government will bear all costs of transportation, keep all your receipts and you will be reimbursed.

Jets have already been sent to scatter drop medical supplies, rations and rescue kits over the affected area. Simple illustrated instructions will show how to dress wounds, use tourniquets, operate the hydraulic jacks etc. These emergency supplies will be hitting the ground within next few hours.

There could be thousands trapped under rubble. We need several thousand strong Canadian volunteers to help rescue trapped survivors. These rescuers will be required to parachute into the affected areas, and there will be much heavy lifting. You will receive training and instructions on route to Haiti. Parachuting is the only way to get to trapped survivors in time to make a difference. All people and packages will be dropped in with a Canadian Flag parachute. There is risk involved in parachuting, especially for the inexperienced. Please listen and follow all instructions from your trainer, lives are on the line.

All rescuers are asked to meet at Toronto International Airport. The first flight will be leaving in thirty minutes, and as needed after that. Keep all your travel receipts as you will be reimbursed.

Employers of volunteers are asked to keep paying them as if they were still working, this will reduce the burden on the volunteer's family. The Canadian Government will reimburse all employers for these salaries if requested. All those on employment insurance will continue to get benefits.

All Armed Forces personnel are to immediately report to duty, that haven't done so already, as they will be coordinating the effort.

A plane with bulldozers and other construction equipment is already on route to Haiti. This equipment will be airdropped into Haiti, with priority to clear or establish a runway for aid shipments and other equipment to arrive..

In the next couple hours our jets will be begin scatter dropping rescue kits and medical supplies across Haiti.

A few hours after that our volunteers will be parachuting in with more hydraulic jacks, picks, shovels, medical supplies, rations and Jaws-of-life. They will immediately inform the Haitians that we are Canadian and we are here to help and to assist them in the rescue efforts. They will then check in via satellite phone, so we know they have arrived safely.

Volunteer health care workers have the option of parachuting in, or arriving when a runway is established.

Once the runway is clear, we will begin evacuating all those that are Canadian or in need, partly to avoid congestion at the airport.

DART has already been deployed with a full compliment of aid and personnel.

We have the ability to help and it is our obligation as Canadians to do so. The first hours of a disaster are the most critical, as that is when the most lives can be saved. We can not wait for them to ask for help for help, as we don't know if they can.

I will be addressing the nation tomorrow morning with an update on the rescue mission.
Good night.

Well, that is what he could have done....maybe next time he will be ready :-(
When there is a disaster, our Nation should jump into action like caffeinated Fire Fighters, and we could restore our standing as a Nation on the world stage.

Just imagine the relief a Haitian would have seeing a Canadian flag parachute float down with a rescue kit including a hydraulic jack, so he can rescue his children from beneath the rubble. Then hours later the sky would be dotted with Canadian flag parachutes as thousands of rescue personnel float down with more tools and helping hands...Maybe then, I too would glow with Canadian pride...just for a couple minutes.

Tuesday, January 12, 2010

City of Orillia to Launch Biz Pal

BizPaL Simplifies Permits and Licences for Canadian Businesses

BizPaL is an online service that benefits Canadian businesses by helping them identify which permits and licences they require and how to obtain them. Entrepreneurs simply answer a series of questions on the type of business they want to start or expand and the activities they plan to undertake. BizPaL then automatically generates a list of all required permits and licences from all levels of government, along with basic information on each, and links to government sites where the entrepreneur can learn more and, in some cases, apply online.

BizPaL also benefits governments by making it easier for them to provide accurate information on permits and licences to business. Although the service is offered online, it can also be used through other service channels (i.e., telephone and in-person centres) to extend services to more clients.

To date, 11 provinces and territories are participating in BizPaL, with more than 300 municipalities offering the service. Visit bizpal.ca for a complete list of participating jurisdictions.

Industry Canada is the lead federal department for the BizPaL initiative, supporting the centralized functions of the project. The Government of Canada is fully committed to creating a competitive business environment that supports innovation and reduces red tape. BizPaL is a complementary measure in the government’s success in reducing the paperwork burden on small
businesses by 20 percent.

The success of BizPaL is due in part to the multi-jurisdictional partnership among federal, provincial, territorial, regional and local governments. The partnership operates under a shared governance and costing model with collaborative decision making. Each jurisdiction is responsible for adding and maintaining its own information in BizPaL. Service Ontario, part of
Ontario’s Ministry of Government Services, is entrusted with engaging local governments to make this important service available across Ontario.

This interactive, smart permit and licence tool is featured at: www.city.orillia.on.ca/cityhall/EDC/business_bizpal.htm

Confident exporters: It's All Up From Here

OTTAWA, Jan. 12 /CNW Telbec/ - Canadian exporters are confident that sales will improve over the next six months, according to Export Development Canada's (EDC) semi-annual Trade Confidence Index (TCI).

"The improvement in the TCI is in line with recent trade performance, and reflects a strong sense that international sales are set to improve in the coming months," said Peter Hall, EDC's Chief Economist. "Trade is definitely in growth mode, but we can't forget the starting point. Canadian exports took a 20 per cent hit in 2009, six times greater than any annual decline in recent memory. What exporters are saying is that they expect to start climbing out of that chasm."

EDC's TCI moved to 77.4 in the fall 2009 from 68.5 in the spring 2009. The survey results followed a similar 7.5-point jump in the spring of 2009. This is the TCI's largest rebound in the post-9/11 period, and is in keeping with movements in other business outlook surveys over this period. The TCI is now above its historical average level.

The fall survey showed a continued rebound in exporter perceptions about global economic conditions. Nearly half of Canadian exporters now expect global conditions to improve, up dramatically from just 11 per cent one year ago. This is expected to translate into higher near-term international sales.

After tumbling in three of the last four surveys, the share of exporters expecting international sales to increase in the next six months rose 11 percentage points to 48 per cent of respondents. Exporters also sense that their international trade opportunities have improved in the past six months.

Faced with sharply lower international sales over the past year, exporters have capitalized on relatively strong sales inside Canada. A sharply higher share of those surveyed believes domestic economic conditions to improve. Sales into the domestic market are likewise expected to rise. Exporters expecting increased domestic sales in the coming months rose to 46 per cent of those surveyed, up from 30 per cent last fall.

"Canada's resilient domestic economy has had a marked impact on the improvement in exporter confidence. Exporters who are able to sell within Canada are clearly expecting to enhance overall performance by harnessing domestic strength," said Mr. Hall.

For more information about EDC and the Trade Confidence Index, visit www.edc.ca/english/docs/ereports/tradeconfidence/country_information_index_e.htm.

EDC is Canada's export credit agency, offering innovative commercial solutions to help Canadian exporters and investors expand their international business. EDC's knowledge and partnerships are used by more than 8,300 Canadian companies and their global customers in up to 200 markets worldwide each year. EDC is financially self-sustaining, a recognized leader in financial reporting and economic analysis, and has been recognized as one of Canada's Top 100 Employers for nine consecutive years.