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I recently went through Sumant Tambe's presentation materials from his Silicon Valley Code Camp presentation, "C++11 Idioms." He argues that an emerging idiom is to pass arguments to constructors by value, because this takes advantage of move opportunities when they are available. I was surprised to read about this emerging idiom, in part because I had not heard of it (I'm supposed to be clued in about this kind of stuff) and in part because it runs contrary to my own thinking on the subject, which is to use perfect forwarding.
His presentation goes on to discuss the general problem of efficient parameter passing, based on a trio of blog posts by
Suppose I have a Widget class with a std::string data member. In C++98, I'd initialize it like this:
class Widget1 { public: Widget1(const std::string& n): name(n) {} private: std::string name; };The problem here is that if an rvalue is passed to the Widget1 constructor, name is copy-initialized from n instead of being move-initialized. That's easy to fix using perfect forwarding, which is designed to optimize this kind of thing:
class Widget2 { public: template <typename T> Widget2(T&& n): name(std::forward<T>(n)) {} private: std::string name; };No muss, no fuss, no enable_if, no testing for whether the argument passed to n was an rvalue--none of that stuff. Very nice.
But let's suppose there's another way to initialize a Widget. Instead of passing a name, we can pass an ID number, and the name can be looked up from the ID number. In C++98, adding this would be trivial:
class Widget3 { public: Widget3(const std::string& n): name(n) {} Widget3(int id): name(findNameFromID(id)) {} private: std::string name; };Adding this to the version of Widget with the perfect forwarding constructor, however, leads to grief. But not immediately. The class will compile without any trouble, and simple tests will work as expected:
class Widget4 { public: template <typename T> Widget4(T&& n): name(std::forward<T>(n)) { std::cout << "T&&\n"; } Widget4(int id): name(findName(id)) { std::cout << "int\n"; } private: std::string name; }; Widget4 w1("Hello"); // calls perfect forwarding ctor Widget4 w2(22); // calls int constructorBut slightly trickier tests fail. For example, if the type of the passed ID isn't exactly int--e.g., a long or a short or an unsigned--the perfect forwarding constructor is a better match, and the code will try to initialize a std::string with a numerical value. This makes no sense, and the compiler will exhibit no reluctance in telling you that. Given
Widget4 w3(22L); // pass a longgcc 4.7 says this:
ctors.cpp: In instantiation of 'Widget4(long int &&)': ctors.cpp:40:18: required from here ctors.cpp:18:42: error: invalid conversion from 'long int' to 'const char *' [- fpermissive] basic_string.h:487:7: error: init. arg 1 of 'basic_string< char; _Traits = char_traits<char>; _Alloc = allocator<char>, _Traits , _Alloc >::basic_string( const char; _Traits = char_traits<char>; _Alloc = allocator<char> * , const _Alloc & )' [-fpermissive] In file included from c:\users\scott\apps\mingw\bin\../lib/gcc/i686-pc- mingw32/4.7.0/../../../../include/c++/4.7.0/string:54:0, from ctors.cpp:1The fundamental problem is that perfect forwarding and overloading make very bad bedfellows, because perfect forwarding functions want to take everything. They're the greediest functions in C++.
To curb their avarice, you have to limit the conditions under which they can be instantiated, and that's where enable_if comes in. And where enable_if comes in, any semblance of beauty leaves. For example, if you'd like to disable the perfect forwarding template for integral types (thus allowing the int overload to handle those types), you could code it this way:
class Widget5 { public: template <typename T> Widget5(T&& n, typename std::enable_if<!std::is_integral<T>::value>::type* = 0) : name(std::forward<T>(n)) { std::cout << "T&&\n"; } Widget5(int id): name(findName(id)) { std::cout << "int\n"; } private: std::string name; };This code behaves as we'd like, assuming (sigh) we'd like to treat a char as a number:
Widget5 w3a("Sally"); // calls perfect fowarding ctor Widget5 w3b(44); // calls int ctor Widget5 w3c(44L); // calls int ctor Widget5 w3d((short)44); // calls int ctor Widget5 w3e('x'); // calls int ctorIf more constructor overloads are added, or if the constraints on when the perfect forwarding constructor is applicable become more complicated, the enable_if-related code can become, er, unpleasant. Such unpleasantness is presumably the noise that Sumant Tambe refers to when he rejects perfect forwarding.
In those cases, I think his preferred solution to the problem of declaring constructor parameters--take everything by value--is reasonable. The generated code isn't quite as efficient as you'd get from perfect forwarding, but the overloading rules are a lot easier to understand, and the resulting code is easier to both read and write.
I still think that perfect forwarding is the language tool you should prefer when you need to write constructors and similar functions (e.g., setters) that simply shuttle values from one place to another. That's what it's designed for. If you need to overload such functions, however, things get very messy very quickly, and except in the most demanding of performance-sensitive applications and libraries, I think it's reasonable to fall back on pass-by-value as the parameter-passing mechanism.
But these are still early days in C++11 programming, and we're all still learning. I welcome your thoughts on how to declare constructor parameters, the proper role of perfect forwarding, and the wisdom of passing parameters by value.

subset: commoncrawl


text: Kids who are targeted by anti-gay bullying have already been sent powerful messages of solidarity from Secretary of State Hillary Clinton and President Barack Obama. This week, the administration continued its message of support, through Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius, and First Lady Michelle Obama. Sebelius already addressed the issue of bullying in an editorial she co-wrote with Department of Education Secretary Arne Duncan, which appeared in the Houston Chronicle earlier this month. This week she released a video, speaking directly to young people who have been targeted by this behavior. yXc-tc97XXA First Lady Michelle Obama echoed this sentiment, speaking with Ellen DeGeneres on Thursday. Messages like these are necessary to let young people know that there are many people who love them, who care about them, and who want them to be safe and happy. We encourage the media to keep asking public figures about bullying, and to keep giving role models a chance to tell our nation's youth that it does, in fact, get better.


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Deluxe Sunbrella™ Seat-And-Back Chair Cushion with tie Seat: 19" x 17" x 3"; Back: 19" x 19" x 3" - Canvas Black
- Sunbrella solution-dyed acrylic fabric
- Will not fade or mildew; soil and stain resistant
- Quality fabric looks beautiful, year after year
- Thick and supportive with resilient poly-fill
- Finished with piping for a tailored look
- Made in USA
Seat: 19" x 17" x 3"; Back: 19" x 19" x 3"
Our box-edge Sunbrella Deluxe Cushions are available in sizes, shapes and colors to fit any furniture or suit any decor. High-quality Sunbrella fabrics promise extended wear with increased UV and stain resistance.
Our selection of Sunbrella® Deluxe Cushion fabrics offer easy updates with refreshing mix-and-match combinations. Choose from a variety of solids and stripes, made to coordinate with our entire Cushion Collection, Market Umbrellas and Indoor/Outdoor Rugs.
With our wide selection of sizes, it's easy to find the perfect cushion to fit any piece furniture. Just measure front to back and side to side across the seating area. Take into account how the arms, legs and overall shape affect the seating area. Size is approximate.
Cannot ship to a PO Box
Ships within the 48 contiguous states only


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Most of us know the song "Don't fence me in." For those in the late 1800s who owned cattle, fencing them in was part of the ever shrinking range mentality and the "stay in your own pasture" one. One Illinois gentleman, Isaac Ellwood, made his fortune in barbed wire. Lucky for us, we can tour this beautiful home and in the attached museum learn all about the history of barbed wire. The Isaac Ellwood home is located in DeKalb. The museum tells the story of the barbed wire and how fencing changed the way livestock is raised.
Isaac Ellwood benefitted from barbed wire and made his fortune on it, but he didn't invent it. That was Joseph Farwell Glidden, who invented one of the most widely used types of barbed wire in 1873. Not far from the Ellwood home is the Joseph F. Glidden Homestead & Historical Center. Their website tells about his accomplishment. "He helped change the history of the American West and had far-reaching impact throughout the world. Glidden invented 'The Winner' (patented Nov. 24, 1874) at the DeKalb home he built in the 1860s."
Isaac Ellwood invented a barbed wire prototype but saw that Glidden had the best idea. Glidden and Ellwood are not the only two involved with the barbed wire story. The Ellwood House and Museum says, "In 1873 Joseph Glidden, Jacob Haish and Isaac Ellwood visited the DeKalb County Fair. Here they viewed an exhibit for a 'wooden strip with metallic points' created by a farmer named Henry Rose. His device was nothing more than a strip of wood armed with nail-like spikes meant to be attached to a plain wire fence."
The three men each individually began to think about how to improve on Rose's idea. "Within two years each of the men had obtained his own patent."
Joseph Glidden created the first barbed wire, making his first strand in his kitchen using a coffee mill to twist the barbs into shape. Then in his barn he used a grindstone to twist two strands together. After creating 100 feet of the wire he fenced in his wife's vegetable garden to keep stray animals out. Ellwood saw the potential in Glidden's idea and paid $265 to purchase one half interest in Glidden's patent.
Together they established the first barbed wire factory, the Barb Fence Company. The first year they created 10,000 lbs. of barbed wire mostly by hand. In 1875 they built a factory and moved into mechanization with the use of a steam engine. Production exploded and in 1875, 600,000 lbs. were manufactured. In 1876, Glidden sold his remaining patent interest to Washburn & Moen Co.
Ellwood made a fortune from his interest in the barbed wire. Born on Aug. 3, 1833 in Salt Springville, N.Y., as a young man he drove a mule team on the Erie Canal, traveled to the California gold fields and in 1851 clerked in a hardware store before coming to DeKalb County in 1855 to visit his brothers. Isaac Ellwood began working on the Miller farm and married the farmer's daughter. The Washburn & Moen and Isaac Ellwood & Company bought up several rights to patents and after years of litigation, in 1892 the United States Supreme Court upheld Glidden's patent based on the fact that the twisting of the two strands of wire is what holds the barbs in place. Eventually Isaac Ellwood established the American Steel & Wire Co., which eventually became a subsidiary of U.S. Steel Corporation. Barbed wire was built in DeKalb until 1938 when production was moved to the more metropolitan areas of Waukegan and Joliet.
The Ellwood mansion is a lovely Victorian mansion built during the Gilded Age. In the home visitors may view crystal chandeliers, antique woodwork, and the original furnishings. The center of the home is the three story spiral staircase. A tour guide offers insight into the family life and the tour includes all four floors of the mansion, along with the servant area. The site also has a "Little House" used as a playhouse by the family.
Located at 509 North First Street in DeKalb, tours are offered Tuesday – Friday at 1 and 3 and on Saturday and Sunday at 1, 2 and 3. Admission for an adult is $8 and youth 6-17 pay $3. Children under the age of 6 are free. The home is open March through December. Call 815-756-4609 for details or log onto www.ellwoodhouse.org.


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Customer Relief Efforts Include $500,000 in Grants, Text-to-Donate Program, Late Payment Relief and Charging Station Initiative
(Long Island, NY) AT&T response teams continue to make good progress in restoring wireless and wireline services across areas in the wake of Hurricane Sandy. Across the impacted region, nearly 97 percent of our cell sites are up and running.
More than 90 percent of our cell sites across New York City including Manhattan are back in service, up from 80 percent on Thursday. We expect to make continued good progress as power and other infrastructure issues are resolved.
Additional resources continue shifting to the hardest-hit areas of New York and New Jersey as our network service has been restored to normal or near-normal operational levels in other areas, including: Virginia, West Virginia, Washington, D.C., Maryland, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Delaware, Massachusetts, Connecticut, Rhode Island, New Hampshire, Vermont, and Maine.
Ongoing Restoration & Resource Deployment:
Thousands of AT&T employees are working around-the-clock to repair damage, coordinate critical logistics, care for customers, and restore service. AT&T continues using a wide- range of solutions where possible, including:
- Temporary Cell Sites: Placement of Cells on Wheels (COWs) and Cells on Light Trucks (COLTs) throughout the affected area to fill-in and enhance coverage. These temporary cell sites, some that are satellite linked, provide voice and data service for customers.
- Power Supply: Deployment of over 3,000 generators in the impacted area to support our wireless and wireline facilities.
- Fuel Supply: Utilization of over 70 trucks to keep the fuel flowing for service vehicles and generators, which is critical to ongoing restoration efforts.
Emergency Assets: Deployment of other emergency network assets and personnel from AT&T's Network Disaster Recovery (NDR) team, which is one of the industry's largest and most advanced response programs.
- Roaming Agreement: Exercising a special agreement with T-Mobile to enable roaming across both companies' networks seamlessly and free of charge to customers with compatible devices and where capacity is available.
- Retail Store Charging Stations: People in affected areas are invited to visit any of AT&T's approximately 400 retail store locations now open through the Northeast, as well as temporary mobile charging stations, to charge their devices. Extra charging strips are in place in many stores and customers of any wireless carrier can come in to charge their devices.
- Late Payment Support: AT&T will extend the late-payment window for wireless and wireline customers who are behind, waive late payment fees and will not disconnect services because of non-payment.
- Logistics Coordination: Close coordination with state and local officials, power and other service providers, and emergency response teams, monitoring service disruptions and coordinating our ongoing restoration efforts.
AT&T also continues working with Mayor Michael Bloomberg and the City of New York by deploying generator-driven charging stations and RVs with charging capabilities for New Yorkers at local Food and Water Stations being set up throughout the five boroughs.
Additional Support of Relief Efforts:
The AT&T Foundation has provided $500,000 in grants, including a $250,000 national grant to the American Red Cross Disaster Relief fund, and another $250,000 in local grants.
Also, AT&T wireless customers can make a $10 donation for Hurricane Sandy relief by texting to the following non- profit organizations:
- REDCROSS to 90999 to support the American Red Cross
- STORM to 80888 to help the Salvation Army
- HUMANE to 80888 to give to the American Humane Society
Customers who would like to contribute more can text up to five times for a total donation of $50. One hundred percent of any donation will be paid to the customer's designated charity and the customer will be charged for the donation via the customer's monthly AT&T bill.
For more information on our efforts related to Hurricane Sandy, visit http://att.com/vitalconnections
About AT&T
AT&T Inc. (NYSE:T) is a premier communications holding company and one of the most honored companies in the world. Its subsidiaries and affiliates – AT&T operating companies – are the providers of AT&T services in the United States and internationally. With a powerful array of network resources that includes the nation's largest 4G network, AT&T is a leading provider of wireless, Wi-Fi, high speed Internet, voice and cloud-based services. A leader in mobile Internet, AT&T also offers the best wireless coverage worldwide of any U.S. carrier, offering the most wireless phones that work in the most countries. It also offers advanced TV services under the AT&T U-verse® and AT&T ?DIRECTV brands. The company's suite of IP-based business communications services is one of the most advanced in the world.
Additional information about AT&T Inc. and the products and services provided by AT&T subsidiaries and affiliates is available at http://www.att.com. This AT&T news release and other announcements are available at http://www.att.com/newsroom and as part of an RSS feed at www.att.com/rss. Or follow our news on Twitter at @ATT.


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All black ladies Motorbike jacket made in Cordura® fabric
Available in other Cordura type Korean and Chinese fabric
Available in Ressia® breathable and waterproof membrane, also available in Taffeta® waterproof membrane.
Night-viz piping for added visibility
100% waterproof professional jacket
4 front and 1 lining pocket
Removable 75grm quilt lining
Plastic coated brass buttons on jacket.
Elastic on waist for extreme fitting, front strap for more grip on body.
A quality Plastic zipper, also available in branded IDEAL® zippers
Dynatec™ fabric from Schoeller® also available in Dynatec type material for cost effective.
Stitched with silver color thread
Arm straps to make extra comfortable fitting
All season jacket with multi functions
Back joint zipper to attach jacket with pant
CE approved protections on back Arms & shoulders available in EVA rubber and PU.
OEM/ODM services are available with desired logos & tags


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Embroidery Patterns
Floral Fantasy PDF Pattern
She's springy and charming with a head full of flowers and a playful wink. You can stitch it in full color, or go monochromatic (think redwork) and it will still look wonderful. If you want a project with some "wow" factor, this is it. (Warning: this design may attract bees.)
x - x - x
Print out and transfer to fabric by tracing with carbon paper or transfer pen and simply stitch along the lines. Don't know how? The PDF includes full instructions!
Every Sublime Stitching PDF includes:
✓ transfer instructions
✓ reversed version
✓ two full COLOR guides
✓ stitching lessons!


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While searching for something completely unrelated on an external harddrive I stumbled over a folder titled "Stickernation". As some may remember, Stickernation was online until, dunno, 2004 or 2005, with a collection of thousands of photos of stencils, stickers and paste-ups from around the world. Sadly, it went offline years ago and the URL now points to website peddling beauty products. Back then I was one of the admins for Stickernation for a few months and, as the folder proofs, I still have the photos I submitted to the site myself. According to the modify dates of the files the images must have been taken mostly in 2003 and some in 2004, they're all from Berlin. Unfortunately the files are all rather small it still is a nice little trip down Memory Lane.
Since we're talking about 600+ files I guess I won't put up any names. Feel free to do so in the comments.
Friday, November 22, 2013
Remembering Stickernation, Part IX
Posted by Pisa73|CTink at 8:48 PM
Labels: 2003, 2004, Berlin, stickernation, streetart
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Michael Palin has joked that David Beckham was a wimp during the making of his new travel documentary, but still thinks the former footballer should continue making the programmes.
The Monty Python star and travel presenter interviewed Becks about his BBC programme David Beckham Into The Unknown, where he motorcycles with three friends into the heart of the Amazon jungle.
Referring to a scene where Becks faces his fears in the form of a snake and a frog, Michael said: "You're a wimp, really."
Becks, who said he wasn't comfortable not knowing what was around him when he slept at night in the jungle, admitted: "I wish the snake had been bigger. I am not a big frog fan, I can't lie."
He added of his overnight stay: "The whole time we were there one of the tribesman was behind each of us with a machete so it was kind of nerve-racking to start off with, to go into that situation. I was kind of nervous [but] after a while we sat down [with them] and talked through certain things, which was incredible."
Michael, despite teasing him over his fears and calling parts of the documentary 'more David Beckham than David Attenborough', said he thought David would make a good travel presenter in other programmes, too.
He said: "I hope you do do some more because the combination works really well. It works well. You are a good observer. You are not pushing your own ideas."
David revealed: "This is something I would definitely like to continue doing."


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Theresa Downham brauchte ein neues Logo Design und hat einen Wettbewerb auf 99designs gestartet.
Aus 282 Designs von 71 Designern wurde eine Gewinner gewählt.
EVERYTHING HAS A PLACE,LLC (http://www.everythinghasaplace.com)
I am a home relocation manager. I move people from A to B. I organize them; downsize them.... get the moved.... and set them up at the other end. And... about a 1000 other details inbetween. Go to my website: http://www.everythinghasaplace.com. This will tell you a lot about the company and what we stand for. We've been in business for 3 years and now I'm giving the website a face lift. Its with the web guy now, so I need to introduce a new logo to go with it.
I am high energy... and this business is growing like crazy. My crew of 10 is also high energy and very diverse with lots of skills to help our clients make a smooth transition.
Check out the other businesses across the country and their logo's on NASMM.org.
Boomers, and their parents. This is a Boomer driven industry. I thought it was Seniors, but they don't buy services like mine. Its the Seniors kids, Boomers, because they are also downsizing and moving... and they are the sandwich generation, and they still have jobs and kids to put through college and they feel guilty that they can't help their parents, because they live to far away... so they are looking for me. They do not know what a Move Manager/Home Relocation Manager is... (I'll bet you don't either)... so they think they need an organizer.
I like the Olive and Eggplant colors that my existing logo has already. I have shirts and hats and signs in those colors... so in transitioning between the logos I would at least like to keep the same colors.
The words: Everything Has A Place, organize, transition, stage
are important to let people see, at a glance, what I do.... but I am open to having a symbol that could be used with the name and without the name.
I am not a mover. I am a move manager. The word move, in any form cannot be in the logo. The State of New York can not see me as a mover in any way. Then my insurance goes up with the meer mention of the word, "move" (good ol NY)
Make sure the logo is easy to transfer onto shirts, signs, etc.
Finden Sie heraus, wie ein Designwettbewerb funktioniert, oder lernen Sie mehr über unsere Logo-Design-Angebote.


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National Nov 12, 2009
PIA says NU survey finds definite opportunities for insurers
GLENMONT, N.Y. ?Findings of a nationwide study underwritten by the National Underwriter reinforce results of the 2009 PIA Company Performance Survey, conducted by the Professional Insurance Agents of Connecticut, New Hampshire, New Jersey and New York State Inc.
?Both surveys found good alignment between the factors that agents consider most important and agents? satisfaction with companies? execution in these areas,? said Ellen D. Kiehl, Ph.D., PIA?s senior research analyst. ?However, both surveys also identified similar areas of opportunity, where companies can differentiate themselves by excelling. These include making a serious effort to seek agents? input and providing good transactional technology.?
Like the survey conducted by Deloitte LLP for National Underwriter, ?PIA found that companies may be missing a chance to improve business relationships, if they don?t actively listen and respond to their agents. Among the areas where PIA?s survey disclosed the biggest gap between agent priorities and company performance was ?Listens, responds to agents,?? Kiehl said. According to Deloitte, ?The more input sought from producers on various key issues, the happier the agent or broker is doing business with [the carrier].?
Technology is another area where PIA?s findings mirror those of the recent survey. ?A second point on which agents? expectations exceed the average company?s delivery is in providing ?Easy, intuitive technology,?? Kiehl reported. ?Moreover, some of the most negative comments PIA received described people?s frustrations when using slow, clunky interface.? Deloitte found only 13 percent of respondents were ?very satisfied? with company technology.
The National Underwriter survey found only 24 percent of respondents from large agencies were consulted by carriers ?often? on marketing initiatives. This figure was only 10 percent for respondents from small agencies. Consultation rates were even lower for product development and claims handling.
Deloitte also found that ?technology providing automated underwriting for small personal or commercial accounts, real-time processing and download of key customer information to agency managements systems? is an attribute that distinguishes one company from another. ??Differentiating? attributes provide opportunities to establish longer-term, competitive advantage,? Deloitte said.
PIA?s findings, released Oct. 1, 2009, compared ?importance? ratings of various items to the average performance ratings given by agents to the companies they evaluated. Conducted by PIA affiliates in Connecticut, New Hampshire, New Jersey and New York, the performance survey included responses from 1,226 agents who rated an average of 5.7 carriers each. ?Importance? factors came from the PIA Benchmark Survey, conducted earlier in 2009.
In addition to the individual reports available on request to PIA member companies, PIA member agents may request information on performance of companies they represent, and the October editions of the associations? PIA magazine contain state-specific results, including the top-performing companies for each of the survey?s 20 items. For more on the survey and to access a searchable database of historical results, representing more than 29,000 individual company ratings from prior years, see here: www.pia.org/GIA/cps/.
PIACT, PIANH, PIANJ and PIANY join in a partnership of four state trade associations representing independent insurance agencies, brokerages and their employees throughout their respective states.
- 30 -


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Tuesday, June 29, 2010
#IBM Pioneering Pinky-Ring Sized Cell Phone Technology
IBM Microelectronics is pioneering "tunable MEMS" for the ultra-small cell phones of the future, by downsing the radio to a single chip in deal with WiSpry. Look for smaller, cheaper lower power cell phones as result of the IBM/WiSpry alliance by Christmas. R.C.J.
The dream of a MEMS system-on-a-chip RF front-end for wireless mobile handsets is being realized by the collaborative efforts of startup WiSpry and IBM Microelectronics. Fabless MEMS chip company WiSpry Inc. (Irvine, Calif.) has inked a joint development deal with IBM Microelectronics under which IBM will manufacture its single-chip tunable radio frequency (RF) front-ends for mobile handsets, which WiSpry will market to tier-one original equipment manufacturers (OEMs). The first of these customers is due to be before the end of 2010. The key to WiSpry's competitive advantage is its tunable impedance matching MEMS technology that uses arrays of switchable capacitive devices that can be quickly switched in and out to quickly provide over 3-dB of link resilience by adapting to changes in frequency, antenna conditions (such as being touched by the user) and other ongoing operational conditions, thereby preventing dropped calls and improving realtime performance — more "bars" on the cell phone display. Today's 3G multi-mode, multi-band mobile wireless devices and tomorrow's 4G LTE terminals and infrastructure equipment both require dozens of internal RF front-end components, only a few of which are used for any one time. By going to a single tunable RF front-end, many of these redundant components can be eliminated, enabling a drastically smaller form factor as well as reducing the bill-of-materials for devices.
Full Text: http://bit.ly/NextGenLog-alR6
Posted by NextGenLog at 12:07 PM


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Staying active and socially engaged is critical for seniors' health and well-being. And as much as we love spending time with our loved ones, most of us can't be there as much as we'd like to provide that needed companionship.
Home Helpers offers companion care services in Indian Hill, Ohio that can extend well beyond the day-to-day medical and essential housekeeping tasks: we offer in-home care to help fill in the gaps for a richer, more fulfilling life for your loved one, including:
Companion care is important no matter where your loved one may be, so Home Helpers offers companion care in other locations throughout Indian Hill as well:
If you need companion home care for a loved one in Indian Hill, Ohio, please call us at (513) 754-1182 or click the button below to email us.
Our companion home care services are also available in Cincinnati, Kenwood, Blue Ash, Greenhills, Hyde Park, Madeira, Sharonville, Mason, West Chester, Mt. Lookout, Anderson, Wyoming, Covington, Burlington, Fort Thomas, Florence, Montgomery, Mt. Washington, Finneytown, Milford, Newport, Clifton, and Forest Park.
Other Care Services in Indian Hill, Ohio:
Indian Hill Alzheimer's and Dementia Home Care
Indian Hill Personal Home Care
Indian Hill Homemaker Services
Indian Hill Parkinson's Home Care
Indian Hill Post-Operative Home Care


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survivor's guilt...
post traumatic stress disorder...
an article in SF GATE about the cyclist that survived an accident where a police cruiser ran him over as well as two others
the two others died
which leaves this young german man with some invisible injuries caused by his survival while others perished
related to this gwadzilla post ABOVE THE LAW
survivor's guilt
1 comment:
- Blue-eyed Devil said...
Came upon the aftermath of a car-bike accident this morning on the Custis Trail through Rosslyn. Fire engine, ambulance, cop cars, the whole works. Dude was taken to the hospital.
A witness (another cyclist) said the injured cyclist clearly had the right-of-way, but the commercial van driver was hellbent on making an illegal right turn on a red and never saw the cyclist approaching.
Those intersections along Route 29 are scary...something needs to change there.
Here's to hoping the cyclist recovers fully and quickly.
- 3/14/2008
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The Virginia Marine Police are the front-line defenders of our tidal natural resources, and comprise the largest division within the Virginia Marine Resources Commission.
Originally formed in 1875 as the Oyster Navy, the Virginia Marine Police enforce state and federal commercial and recreational fishery laws and regulations. They have full law enforcement arrest powers throughout the Commonwealth.
Marine Police Officers also conduct search and rescue operations, enforce boating safety laws, respond to emergency calls, investigate boating accidents and criminal activity, and provide counter-terrorism patrols to our military installations, shipyards, nuclear power plants, and other high-value maritime assets.
The highly trained men and women of the Virginia Marine Police are dedicated to providing the highest standard of law enforcement service to the citizens of the Commonwealth and visitors.
Whether checking recreational fishing licenses, inspecting commercial fishermen for compliance, investigating boating accidents or conducting educational programs, Marine Police Officers provide a multitude of important public services. Education and enforcement forge an important tool that ensures the success of the agency's mission.
Uniform patrol is the cornerstone of the law enforcement division. To maximize deployment and to achieve greater flexibility in personnel, Marine Police Officers use a number of different vessels, vehicles and air support for law enforcement patrols.
Our Special Investigative Unit has a proven track record of success.
The marine mechanical staff located at the Operations Station ensures police vessels are kept in top running condition.
The communications division fields thousands of calls a year for a variety of dispatch services ranging in nature from a simple question pertaining to a regulation to dispatching police personnel to boating accidents.
For emergencies, boating accidents and to report violations call the Marine Police Dispatch Center toll free at (800) 541-4646.
Virginia Marine Police Officers are required to complete a state-mandated basic police academy. They then undergo a rigorous in-house training regime to learn maritime issues their specialized jobs require, including seafood and fishing regulations, boat handling, boat safety, and water rescue techniques.
To maintain their law enforcement certifications, each officer receives additional, on-going training every two years to maintain their proficiency in small arms, driving, boating under the influence recognition, first-aide and other areas. Roughly 20 percent of Virginia Marine Police Officers are certified training instructors.
New officers are also required to complete the Marine Law Enforcement Training Program held at the Federal Law Enforcement Training Center in Glynco, Georgia.
Through a cooperative law enforcement agreement between the Virginia Marine Resources Commission, the National Marine Fisheries Service and the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service, Marine Police Officers are deputized to enforce federal fish and wildlife laws. The strong bond between the agencies has proven to be a model in cooperative law enforcement.
The Virginia Marine Resources Commission also is part of a cooperative agreement with the United States Coast Guard that allows the Virginia Marine Police to enforce federally designated safety and security zones.
The men and women of the Virginia Marine Police serve a valuable, specialized role in public safety and fishery management, and continue a proud tradition of service, valor and professionalism in one of the oldest law enforcement agencies in the Commonwealth.


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OFG Financial Services, Inc. is a full service broker/dealer with corporate headquarters in Topeka, Kansas. OFG Financial Services offers mutual funds through more than 70 mutual fund families and has marketing agreements for variable annuities with more than 40 insurance companies. Our stock and bond trades are cleared through Dain Correspondence Services in St. Louis, Missouri. With more than 100 registered representatives, OFG Financial Services is registered to conduct securities business in 19 states.
Through an affiliated corporation, OFG Planning Services, Inc., OFG Financial Services representatives offer Sec. 125 "Cafeteria" employee benefit plans, group indemnity plans, longterm care insurance and individual life insurance.
Specializing in retirement and investment planning, OFG Financial Services representatives are active in the sec.403(b) tax sheltered annuity market and in the pension, profit-sharing, Sec. 401(k), SEP and SIMPLE IRA markets. With the expansion of the IRA market, our representatives also are active with traditional and Roth IRA's.
Clients generated through the above mentioned markets provide investment opportunities for additional mutual fund and non-qualified annuity sales.
OFG Financial Services also offers investment services through bank investment centers in both Kansas and Oklahoma.
Education & Training
Having a high quality well trained marketing staff is one of the primary goals of OFG Financial Services. Well trained representatives are more productive and have to spend less time doing research to serve the needs of their clients.
OFG Financial Services representatives recognize that service is the key to building a long-term relationship with their clients.
Retirement Plans
Since the emphasis of our business is on retirement and investment planning, our representatives are trained to handle all types of retirement plans.
Mutual Funds
Mutual funds invest shareholder's money in stocks and bonds. When you buy shares in a fund, your money combines with that of thousands of other shareholders with similar investment goals. The fund's professional investment manager invests the money and monitors all investments to make sure they continue to meet the fund's - and the shareholder's - goals.
Variable Annuities
OFG Financial Services started marketing nonqualified fixed and variable annuities in 1972. Since that time, we have signed dealer agreements with more than 40 insurance companies to sell fixed and variable annuities. Our representatives have a broad range of variable annuity products with access to numerous money management companies.
Sec. 403(b)
Our endorsement by the Kansas-NEA covers a period of 30 years and is one of the longest variable annuity endorsements by a state teacher's association in the nation.
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With more than 20 years of experience in the Sec. 125 business, we are able to provide our representatives expert assistance in developing the Sec. 125 market in their area.
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text: The Motorola Talkabout® MH230R is the must-have communication tool for each and every outdoor enthusiast. With a powerful range of up to 23 miles,* this radio is perfect for family and friends to stay in touch whether you're tackling a back country trail, or trying to brave a crowded shopping mall. The MH230 doesn't stop at just exceptional range. This lightweight unit comes packed full of essential features.


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Seven Germany players have been struggling with illness ahead of Friday's World Cup quarterfinal against France, although coach Joachim Loew is not expecting any of them to miss the match.
Loew says, "One-third of our squad has been complaining about a sore throat. ... But yesterday and today all players have been training and none were feeling exhaustion. I just hope that stays stable until tomorrow."
Germany played its group matches in the warmer, northeastern climates of Salvador, Fortaleza and Recife then beat Algeria in the second round in a cool and damp game in the southern city of Porto Alegre.
U.S. & World
Center back Mats Hummels missed the Algeria game due to illness but Loew indicated he'll be back against France. Midfielder Bastian Schweinsteiger is also expected back from severe cramps.


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Gordon Beckham made a diving stop to his left and threw out a runner Sunday against the Reds. It was his first non-routine play at second base after moving from third last summer.
"He'll be fine," said coach Joey Cora, who hits him ground balls every day. "What he did last year in coming to the big leagues and moving to third and succeeding tells me he'll be fine. Last year wasn't fair, this year is."
Here's video of Beckham's catch.
Gordon Beckham continued to secure his spot as the No. 2 hitter with his best game of the spring, going 3-for-4 with a homer and two RBI.


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MicroPython Guide
The MicroPython guide to BBC micro:bit
Python is a programming language that's used by beginner coders and computing experts alike. Python is entirely text-based, which may look intimidating at first, but with a little guidance and practice, anyone can start coding - and this guide is here to help!
The version of Python that the BBC micro:bit uses is called MicroPython. Click the links below to go to different sections of our MicroPython documentation which breaks down each feature your micro:bit can do using Python.
All of the guides below work with the online Python Editor.
So, what's Python about? Who uses it? What can Python do for my micro:bit? All those questions answered right below.View the Introduction
The Basics
Let's start with the basics - making your micro:bit scroll "Hello World!"View the Hello World section
Get those 25 LEDs on your micro:bit under your control and find out about the fun pre-programmed pictures you can use in MicroPython.View the Images section
The A and B buttons on your micro:bit are one of the many 'inputs' it responds to. Learn how to use them here.View the Buttons section
The strip of golden 'teeth' at the bottom of your micro:bit aren't just to be fashionable, they can be used to hook your micro:bit to all sorts of electronics!View the Input/Output section
Learn how to make your micro:bit communicate wirelessly with other devices - like magic!View the Radio section
Attach a speaker to your micro:bit and suddenly it becomes a high-tech instrument! Learn about writing music for your micro:bit and the cool built-in melodies available.View the Music section
Take a chance and learn how to make your micro:bit mix things up using the Random module.View the Random section
Bored of just using buttons? Use tilting and movement to tell your micro:bit what to do!View the Movement section
Your micro:bit can tell which way up it's facing and how fast it's moving. Take advantage of these gesture codes and be a real smooth mover.View the Gestures section
Did you know that the micro:bit not only has an accelerometer built-in but a compass? Head directly to the link below and find out more.View the Direction section
Your micro:bit will be the talk of the town with the Speech module! Follow this guide to make your micro:bit talk, do silly voices and even sing!View the Speech section
Double the micro:bit, double the fun! Learn how to connect two micro:bits together using their Input/Output pins.View the Network section
Next Steps
Always experiment, always explore, always learn! Once you get used to the coding concepts in this guide, read here to learn how to take things further.Click here to read the Next Steps.


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The recent news is that President Obama is trying to shut up General McChrystal, because McChrystal's comments imply that our current troop levels in Afghanistan are insufficient.
This is reminiscent of President Bush silencing General Shinsheki. At the time the Democrats in Congress, acting opportunistically, criticized the President. This time, the Democrats in Congress, acting opportunistically, support the President.
Very well. But why is Secretary of Defense Robert Gates supporting the President?
On Monday, Defense Secretary Robert Gates said "it is imperative that all of us taking part in these deliberations — civilian and military alike — provide our best advice to the president candidly but privately." He did not mention McChrystal's name.
Simple: Gates knows that Obama may not care about winning the Afghanistan War.
McChrystal knows his future depends on winning the Afghanistan War. Therefore, he is doing everything he can to get the troop levels needed to win it.
Obama does not care about the Afghanistan War. And not just because liberals think that the Afghanistan War is the bad war. Rather, Obama believes that America should generally act as an offshore balancer... That is, Obama thinks that America should avoid having a firm side in international disputes, and rather 'go with the flow' so that American influence will be maximized.
Gates knows this. However, Gates is involved in the bigger effort to transform our military-industrial-'big war'-complex into a military-industrial-'small war'-complex.
Gates' work will continue whether or not Obama allows the Afghanistan War to be lost. Gates' knows that he has limited political capital. Gates would rather spend that capital making the small-war-complex inevitable than risking it all on the Afghanistan War.


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Our professional utlity locating service will detectgas, water, electrical, cable, and fiber optics lines and wires prior to excavation or building
Utility-detection is a two-step process, employing both radio detection and GPR. We may scan the desired area with radar and/or utilise radio detection equipment on the job site prior to digging. Our goal is to identify the type and location of these utilities in order to prevent damage to them and the surrounding environment as well as protect your workers on the job site.
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My Thai: Coconut-Palm Sugar Ice Cream
Get the Recipe
Ice cream is, to put it simplistically, a custard which has been frozen. This ice cream is no different in that regards. It is a custard all right, but a custard with a very distinct Southeast Asian flavor and scent courtesy of coconut milk, palm sugar, eggs, and pandan leaves.
I've played around with different ingredient ratios before settling on this one. The taste isn't that hard to nail. I mean, how hard is it to make sugar, coconut, cream, and eggs taste good, right? Well, what makes this project a bit of a challenge is how to get the smooth texture.
Ounce for ounce, palm sugar isn't nearly as sweet as white granulated sugar. So, in order to achieve the level of sweetness that characterizes a good ice cream, a large amount of it needs to be used. This means a lot of moisture—the kind of fat-free moisture that will end up causing the end product to have a hard, icy texture as opposed to smooth and creamy.
Also, since we're aiming to mimic the flavor of Thai custard, coconut milk needs to be used. And the amount of fat in regular canned coconut milk isn't enough to counteract the amount of moisture which the palm sugar brings into the mix.
After a few tests, I've found a recipe that gives you both the true flavor (and scent) of Thai custard and the smooth, creamy texture which is desirable in an ice cream. The solution lies in the use of brown sugar which cuts down on the amount of palm sugar as well as the use of heavy whipping cream which lends its fatty helping hand to the leaner coconut milk without stealing the show.
Get the Recipe
All products linked here have been independently selected by our editors. We may earn a commission on purchases, as described in our affiliate policy.


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Below this is the hub of the phone's navigation control surrounded by an array of keys: a couple of soft-menu controls, a main menu key and a clear key. Nokia has nudged the green and red call and end keys right to the edge of the casing, and made them sliver thin. This is presumably to accommodate the set of additional semi-hidden music player controls, squeezed into the space around the nav control, which light up when the music player starts playing.
An unlabelled silver key on the right of the panel takes you into a new multimedia carousel menu, pulling up icons for recently accessed content such as music, games, images and web links. It's something novel for a Nokia and points to further menu revamps in the future. It looks good on the display, but doesn't feel like an essential part of the menu architecture.
N-Gage reborn
Cramming all those buttons into such a small space on the keypad isn't as clever as it might sound. It's oh-so-easy to hit the wrong keys: a heavy-handed touch on the C key, for instance, and you can easily accidentally hit the adjacent Play button - not so good for those discreet text-messaging-in-a-meeting moments.
The shrunken call/end keys are too small for our large digits, while by contrast the prominence given to the multimedia key is odd. On the plus side, more functionality has been added to the music player controls, as you have the option to transform the central nav control into a touch-sensitive 'wheel' for iPod-style tune selection. This isn't set up out of the box – you have to select it from within the Settings menu. It's far from being as smooth or fast as an iPod, but can get you through menus more quickly than standard scrolling can.
Adding to the button count, above the display and flanking the earpiece, are two extra keys for gaming. The usefulness of these becomes clear when N-Gage games are played in landscape orientation. Our review sample had only three demos loaded, so we couldn't give N-Gage a full run out... we'll have to wait till the full N-Gage application and games portfolio is launched in later this month.
The springloaded slider is a welcome touch to the N81's exterior, and is effective in quickly locking and unlocking the keypad – handy too when using the music player. A 3.5mm headphone jack is present, allowing the average quality earphones bundled with the handset to be replaced with better ones.
Sponsored: Practical tips for Office 365 tenant-to-tenant migration


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This classy crystal chandelier looks great above dining and seating areas.
Additional Info:
Contemporary in form and crafted with only the finest materials, this breathtaking chandelier will transform any decor. As beautiful as fine jewelry, Swarovski Elements crystal is carefully arranged for optimum sparkle and brilliance. This lighting showpiece offers a worthy focal point for your home decor.


text: Thursday, October 25, 2012 New in the Literature: Exercise and Manual Therapy for Hip OA (Arch Phys Med Rehabil. 2012 Oct 16. [Epub ahead of print]) Self-reported function, hip range of motion (HROM), and patient-perceived improvement occurred after an 8-week program of exercise therapy (ET) for patients with hip osteoarthritis (OA), say authors of an article published in Archives of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation. Manual therapy (MT) as an adjunct provided no further benefit, except for achieving higher patient satisfaction, they add. For this investigation, 131 patients with hip OA recruited from general practitioners, rheumatologists, orthopedic surgeons, and other hospital consultants in Dublin, Ireland, were randomized to 1 of 3 groups: ET (n=45), ET+MT (n=43), and wait-list control (n=43). Participants in both ET and ET+MT groups received up to 8 treatments over 8 weeks. Control group participants were rerandomized into either the ET or ET+MT group after the 9 week follow-up. Their data were pooled with original treatment group data—ET (n=66) and ET+MT (n=65). The primary outcome was the WOMAC physical function (PF) subscale. Secondary outcomes included physical performance, pain, HROM, anxiety/depression, quality of life, medication usage, patient-perceived change, and patient satisfaction. There was no significant difference in WOMAC PF between ET (n=66) and ET+MT (n=65) groups at 9 weeks (mean difference 0.09) or at 18 weeks (mean difference 0.42), or other outcomes, except "patient satisfaction with outcome," which was higher in the ET+MT group. Improvements in WOMAC, HROM, and patient-perceived change occurred in both treatment groups compared with the control group. Comments Five minutes out of a treatment session for some mobilization and patient instruction/education concurrently? Call it active assisted range of motion and a good thing, if it increases patient satisfaction. We all, at least we should, know that the exercise programs and patient education/compliance is the key to improvement of physical status. If we really, truly, could "lay hands" would wouldn't have SNFs or patients we see past a couple visits. Posted by Leon Richard, on 10/26/2012 2:15 PM This was a worthless artticale Posted by doug on 10/28/2012 11:33 PM


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Cinnamon pecan sticky buns
Nutrition and extra info
Nutrition: per bun
- kcal731
- fat43g
- saturates16g
- carbs80g
- sugars36g
- fibre3g
- protein12g
- salt1.13g
- 450g strong white flour
- 50g caster sugar
- 85g butter, cut into small pieces
Butter is a dairy product made from separating whole milk or cream into fat and…
- 7g sachet dried yeast
Yeast is a living, single-cell organism. As the yeast grows, it converts its food (in the form…
- 2 eggs, beaten
The ultimate convenience food, eggs are powerhouses of nutrition packed with protein and a…
- 150ml full-fat milk
One of the most widely used ingredients, milk is often referred to as a 'complete' food…
- vegetable oil, for greasing
For the filling
- 2 tsp ground cinnamon
- 85g light brown sugar
- 100g pecan
Related to the walnut, pecans are native to America, and grow enclosed in a glossy, browny-red…
For the topping
- 125g melted butter, plus extra
Butter is a dairy product made from separating whole milk or cream into fat and…
- 125ml maple syrup
Maple syrupmay-pul sir-rup
The rising spring sap of a number of varieties of maple tree…
- 50g light brown sugar
- 100g pecan, roughly chopped
Related to the walnut, pecans are native to America, and grow enclosed in a glossy, browny-red…
Place the flour, sugar and 1 tsp salt in a mixing bowl, then rub in the pieces of butter until the mix has the texture of breadcrumbs. Tip in the yeast and eggs. Pour in the milk and mix well until you get a soft dough (you may need to add a little more milk). Knead in a mixer with a dough hook for 7 mins or by hand for about 15 mins until the dough is smooth, soft and springy. Tip into a lightly oiled bowl, cover with oiled cling film or a clean tea towel, then leave to rise in a warm place for about 1 hr or until doubled in size.
Make the filling: place the cinnamon, sugar and pecans in a food processor, then whizz until the nuts are finely ground. Punch down the dough and knead to knock out the air, then split the dough in two. Roll and stretch each piece to form a 25 x 35cm rectangle.
Melt the butter for the topping. Brush half all over each rectangle, then sprinkle half the filling mixture over each. Use a rolling pin to press the filling into the dough. Tightly roll each rectangle up from one of the long ends to get a thick log, then pinch the ends together to seal. Cut each log into 8 pieces. Can be frozen for up to 1 month.
Brush two 20 x 30cm deep baking trays with melted butter. Mix the maple syrup and sugar into the remaining butter, then pour this over the bottom of each baking tray, swirling around so it is coated. Sprinkle with the pecans. Place the rolls on the tray, leaving a gap of at least 2cm around each roll. Cover with lightly oiled cling film, then keep in a warm place for about 30 mins until lightly risen.
Heat oven to 180C/fan 160C/gas 4. Remove the cling film from the tray, then bake for 30 mins until the buns are lightly browned and feel firm. Serve warm, sticky-side-up.
Recipe Tip
Chocolate flavoured coffeePlace 1 heaped tbsp finely chopped dark chocolate in the bottom of each serving cup with 1-2 tsp sugar. Pour over hot espresso, then drizzle with single cream before serving.


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This is Jeffrey Gundlach's first appearance on the IA 25. Click here to view the complete list and Special Report schedule for extended profiles for each of the 2013 IA 25 honorees.
For the few people in the advisor industry who haven't heard of Jeffrey Gundlach, the story goes something like this: After an abrupt 2009 departure from TCW Group, where he headed a fixed-income group worth more than half of the firm's $110 billion in assets under management, Gundlach and 40 or so loyalists started up their own firm, DoubleLine Capital, in the face of a lawsuit charging him with misappropriating TCW trade secrets.
Gundlach suffered dark days, accusations flew, and he held the fate of dozens of people in his hands.
But they pressed on through the wilderness and kept their plucky startup going until the clouds parted, the lawsuit was settled in Gundlach's favor, DoubleLine surpassed $50 billion in assets under management, and their flagship DoubleLine Total Return Fund (DLTNX) clocked in within three years as the best-performing bond fund in Morningstar's universe of 300 intermediate-term fixed-income funds.
Today, Gundlach is described in the business media as "a legendary investment manager," "a Wall Street savant" (even though he's Los Angeles-based), "the king of bonds," "a bond guru" and "a bond god." Not bad for a guy who was sued for breach of fiduciary duty and illegal interference with clients just three weeks after DoubleLine's founding on Dec. 14, 2009.
"We have the most popular fund in America," he explained, with a charming lack of modesty. "People want to know about DoubleLine more than they should, maybe, but it's won us a lot of attention. Being No. 1 is difficult on the competition, and they embark on negative campaigning. That goes with the territory. When fund of funds people talk to my competitors, my competitors want to talk about DoubleLine."
Gundlach, meanwhile, is more interested in talking about the recent launch of his firm's first stock fund, the DoubleLine Equities Small-Cap Growth Fund (DLESX), and the success of some pair trades he has recommended over the last year.
Back in May 2012, Gundlach said, he shorted Apple Corp. stock and went long natural gas. Sure enough, he said, tapping on various computer keyboards as he talked, that pair trade is now at 125%. Meanwhile, he noted, his "go long the Nikkei and short the Japanese yen" trade from December went up 65%. Now, he's looking at going long Spanish stocks on the IBEX and shorting U.S. stocks.
"I look for pair trades where the risk-reward is dramatically skewed with ridiculous pricings," Gundlach said, then gave a further glimpse into how his mind works: "Pair trades are interesting because you don't have to have a definitive view. You just have to understand that things will keep happening due to policy manipulations. The whole world is a slave to the central planners."
Like Warren Buffett, Gundlach said, he has unceasing faith in the obvious.
"People like my speeches because, they say, 'You make it seem so obvious, and I can't think of anything wrong with what you're saying.' Then they go back to their offices and watch CNBC and read The Wall Street Journal and go right back to what they were thinking before they heard me."
While it's impossible to train people to think the way he does, Gundlach said, his DoubleLine colleagues are a happy bunch.
"No one ever leaves. It's not like a revolving door. We like working together," he said. "Basically, 45 people showed up at my door saying, 'We want to continue to work with you. We'll do whatever you want to do,' so I started a company. I felt a responsibility to these people, and it's fun."


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It took some tough decisions, but British Columbia's 2013 budget will be balanced. Our government's commitment to the people of this province that we will not spend more money than government receives will be honoured.
Starting with this budget, British Columbians will again be able to look at their children and grandchildren and know that the services we rely upon today are being paid for by us, and not a future generation.
We're delivering a balanced budget — not just in 2013, but for all three years of our new fiscal plan. At the same time, we're investing in early childhood development and helping B.C. families save for their children's future training and education.
Effective immediately, every family with a child under seven who meets some basic residency rules will qualify for a one-time B.C. Training and Education Savings Grant. Once the child turns six and enters an elementary school program, we will transfer $1,200 to the family to help with the cost of studies or skills training after high school.
B.C.'s Families First Early Years Strategy will invest $76 million over three years to support the creation of new child care spaces and improve the quality of child care and early years services.
In addition, a new early childhood tax benefit will provide $146 million to approximately 180,000 families with children under six years old. Families with young children can receive up to $55 a month for each child. About 90 per cent of B.C. families with young children are expected to be eligible.
The B.C. government's balanced budget plan will limit spending growth but spending on health and education services will continue to rise.
B.C. continues to meet key health outcomes that lead the country while maintaining the second lowest rate of health spending per capita among provinces. Savings and efficiencies in health spending will keep the growth of the Health Ministry budget to an annual average of 2.5 per cent — adding about $2.4 billion over the fiscal plan to reach $17.4 billion in 2015-16.
The education budget will continue to rise over the three-year fiscal plan to $5.4 billion, and we're investing $210 million over three years to support the learning improvement fund. These modest investments that support your priorities are possible because of the difficult choices this government made to balance the budget and keep it balanced.
How are we taking the budget from a deficit projected at $1.2 billion for 2012 to a surplus projected at $197 million in 2013, with forecasts of greater surpluses over the following years? There are four key steps:
Our economy continues to grow, though modestly, so we need to do more to meet our targets.
Over the term of our three-year fiscal plan, revenues are projected to grow by an average of three per cent a year. Spending is projected to grow at roughly half that rate – by an average of 1.5 per cent a year.
Spending reviews have found savings of almost $1.1 billion over the fiscal plan period. About half of these savings are helping achieve the balanced budget, while the remaining half is being invested to improve family affordability, and support jobs and economic growth.
We are introducing some targeted tax measures, asking people who have a little more to contribute a little more. Starting in January 2014, we're going to temporarily increase the personal income tax rate on income above $150,000 a year. A person earning $160,000 will pay a bit more these two years, about $200 more. We are also asking businesses to help, consistent with the plan we put forward a year ago, by increasing the general corporate income tax rate by one percentage point effective April 1. The small business corporate income tax rate will remain unchanged.
We can look forward to a future of growth, opportunity and prosperity. And it will be a future where parents have more support to care for their children. That is the future we are working toward. And it all starts with a balanced budget. Promise made, promise delivered.
• You can click here for B.C. New Democrat finance critic Bruce Ralston's view on the budget.
Mike de Jong is B.C.'s minister of finance.


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I Love My Uncle Personalized Baby One Piece
I Love My Uncle Personalized Baby One Piece
You can Personalize this Baby One-Piece with ANY name!
Simply tell us the name YOU want in the note's section at check-out!
Our shirts are digitally printed using the latest technology in direct to garment printing. This ensures a smooth and soft finish. Our shirts are custom made to order using only the finest quality, longest-lasting, inks!
We do not use heat transfers, our designs are made to last! This means the graphic won't crack, fade or peel.
Please be sure to check our sizing charts for correct sizing selection.
We cannot accept returns or exchanges for incorrect sizing.
Every Original James Tee or hooded pullover is made to order with extreme care.
We are a family run business and we love what we do!
All Prices are in US Funds
How long until you get your new tee?
We use USPS parcel service in the United States, Canada Post and other postage mediums in Canada and many different reputable shipping mediums to all other countries.
Our t-shirts, tanks, onesies and hooded pullovers are custom made-to-order, so there is some time required to print and dry the clothing and prepare it for shipping.
In most cases, it is processed the same or next day, but we can't guarantee it.
All shirts and hooded pullovers are processed and sent for shipping in two to four business days after you place your order.
The average wait times vary for each country.
We ship USPS and people in the U.S. should expect their shirt or hooded pullover at their door 5-10 business days after processing time. Canada 6-14.
International orders can take 3 to 4 weeks to arrive and during busy seasons such as Christmas, even longer.
Once your order is shipped there is a tracking number that you receive via email and can use to track your package (USA only).
International shipments also have tracking information until the package leaves the United States.
Canadian orders do not have tracking information.
International buyers are responsible for any and all customs charges, taxes & additional postage fees.
Keep in mind that browser and monitor settings are different on all computers, therefore the actual product may vary slightly in color from your proof.
© 2015 Original James Tee. All rights reserved. Any form of copy or redistribution will be prosecuted.


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Difference between revisions of "Eclipse DemoCamps Kepler 2013/Poznan"
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# Adam Wereszczynski, IBM
# Adam Wereszczynski, IBM
# Tadeusz Janasiewicz, IBM
# Tadeusz Janasiewicz, IBM
Revision as of 11:43, 5 June 2013
The Brothers Pub
ul. Szewska 19
60-111 Poznań
Date and Time
June 12, 2013
18:30 - 22:00
This Eclipse DemoCamp will be sponsored by
If your company is willing to co-sponsor this event, please contact Szymon Ptaszkiewicz.
Szymon Ptaszkiewicz - IBM Eclipse Support Center
Łukasz Stachowiak - Poznań JUG / Espeo Software
- Krzysztof Daniel, build your own Eclipse.
- Jacek Pospychala, build your own Excel.
- Szymon Ptaszkiewicz
- Krzysztof Kazmierczyk
Detailed agenda will be available soon.
If you plan on attending please register here. Registration is free!
You can also visit our Facebook page here.
We'd like to see as many people show up as possible.
Who is attending
- Krzysztof Daniel, Red Hat Inc.
- Krzysztof Kazmierczyk, IBM
- Szymon Ptaszkiewicz, IBM
- Piotr Aniola, IBM
- Adam Wereszczynski, IBM
- Tadeusz Janasiewicz, IBM
- Michał Blinkiewicz, PUT


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Blog Excerpts
On Columbus Day, a Look Back at the "Indian" Misnomer
As Americans celebrate Columbus Day, it's worth reflecting on the complicated cultural and linguistic legacy that Christopher Columbus left behind. There's a single word that aptly illustrates this legacy and all of its contradictions: Indians, the mistaken name that Columbus gave to the native peoples of the Americas.
For Columbus Day a few years ago, Ben Zimmer devoted a Word Routes column to this history-changing misnomer. A sampling:
Upon finding the native Lucayans on the small Caribbean island where he made landfall, Columbus dubbed them Indians, under the mistaken impression that he had navigated all the way to the eastern shores of Asia. Explorers and cartographers quickly figured out that Columbus was utterly mistaken, and yet even now his monumental error lives on in the word Indian to refer to indigenous peoples throughout the Americas.
Columbus thought he had made it to India, which at the time was a very broad term in the European imagination, encompassing all of southern and eastern Asia. This vague mental geography in part had to do with the way goods were shipped from the East. The riches of China, Japan, and the islands of southeast Asia were brought first to ports on the southern shore of the Indian subcontinent before being shipped onwards, so Europeans tended to see all of these Asian goods as coming from India (a name that derives from the Indus River). Since the time of Ptolemy, this expansive notion of India was broken down into different divisions, such as "Greater India," "Middle India," and "Lesser India." Thus Europeans would often pluralize India as the Indies.
When Columbus set sail, he carried a passport from his patrons, Ferdinand and Isabella of Spain, stating (in Latin) that he represented them on his voyage ab partes Indie, "toward the regions of India." Columbus thought the distance from the Canary Islands to Japan was about 4,440 km (2,760 miles), when in fact it's about 19,000 km (12,000 miles). On his return to Europe, he was still convinced he had found "India." He wrote a letter to the Spanish royal court stating "in 33 days I passed from the Canary Islands to the Indies" (en 33 días pasé de las islas de Canaria a las Indias). Of the first island that he reached, Columbus wrote, "to the first which I found I gave the name San Salvador ... the Indians call it Guanahaní" (a la primera que yo hallé puse nombre San Salvador ... los Indios la llaman Guanahaní).
You can read the whole column here. And if you think the word misnomer means something like "misconception," Wendalyn Nichols elucidates the term here.


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Difference between revisions of "Source Management Tools"
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GIT is the source code management tool used by many kernel developers.
GIT is the source code management tool used by many kernel developers.
* GIT project home page: http://git.or.cz/
* GIT project home page: http://git.or.cz/
Revision as of 19:26, 15 July 2007
Here are some different source management tools commonly used with Linux:
- David Wheeler has an excellent breakdown of various SCM tools at: http://www.dwheeler.com/essays/scm.html
- IBM has an good overview of available tools at: http://www-128.ibm.com/developerworks/linux/library/l-vercon/
- There is a comparison of several different tools at: http://better-scm.berlios.de/comparison/comparison.html
Patch Management Tools
- diff - to create patches
- use 'man diff' on your local system for information
- patch - to apply patches
- use 'man patch' on your local system for information
- Quilt is good for managing a group of patches relative to a single source base.
- diffstat reads a patch file (or standard input) and displays a histogram of the insertions, deletions, and modifications per-file. It is useful for reviewing large, complex patch files. It reads from one or more input files or from standard input. If an input filename ends with .bz2, .Z or .gz, diffstat will read the uncompressed data via a pipe from the corresponding program.
- diffstat is included in most Linux distributions
- diffstat home page
- diffstat man page
- Tim's patch management tools - diffinfo and friends - a more verbose diffstat, with splitting, joining and comparing of patches
- See also Diff And Patch Tricks
GIT is the source code management tool used by many kernel developers.
- GIT project home page: http://git.or.cz/


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The Financial Industry Regulatory Authority is pushing for a rule that would require brokers to disclose recruitment incentives and compensation of $100,000 or more.
The proposal, which is set to go before the Securities and Exchange Commission, has been discussed by the industry for some time. Like other experts, Houston-based recruiter Rick Peterson says the push for disclosure of recruiting deals is "nothing new."
"Brokers have left in the past," he said, in an interview with ThinkAdvisor. Some brokers who take over their books of business may "call the clients to say 'Your broker left for a check from another firm.' This has been going on for years!"
Disclosure of recruiting deals isn't and shouldn't be a problem for financial advisors, the recruiter says. And he offers the following advice on turning the potentially uncomfortable situation into an opportunity.
1. Discuss such issues openly whenever they are questioned by clients.
"Even if a client doesn't bring it up, advisors should mention it," said Peterson. This builds trust.
2. Turn questions into dialogue.
Advisors should disclose that they did get a financial incentive to make a move and then ask, "Do you have any concerns with that?"
3. Acknowledge client concerns and broaden the discussion.
Say things like, "You are right, yes. I got a financial boost to move to Firm B. But you know, I was offered a lot more to move to Firm C and even more money to go do Firm D …
"But, I chose Firm B. It's not about money it's about what's right for you and me. As I've said to you before, I've been miserable due to technology, feelings of hostility at Firm A, etc. The product push with Firm A isn't good for you or for me. I've fought it, and it's been very intense lately.
"Though I was offered some financial incentives to stay at Firm A, I've turned it down to join Firm B, which I believe is the right thing to do for you and for me.
"Again, the point is, it's not about the upfront money. It's about what's best for our interests in the long term."
4. Look into the future.
"Focus on what clients care about," Peterson stressed, "such as the quality of the research, the portfolio recommendations, etc., and emphasize that these are likely going to change with the move – and probably for the better."
5. Deflate other concerns.
If clients ask why disclosure has become important to regulators, like FINRA, advisors can explain that it seems to be "much ado about nothing."
"I've advised clients for years to be prepared for these questions. FINRA thinks this will get everyone off our case … and the major brokers all say they agree, hoping they won't lose brokers. But brokers are still going to leave the major firms," he explained.
It's true that, in some cases, when an advisor departs, remaining reps may say bad things about them (often in the hopes of winning over clients), including critical remarks about how the rep went "for the money."
However, such a scenario only works against a departing rep if his or her client relationships were doing badly already.
"Yes, if the advisor didn't have good client relationships, this could be a nail in the coffin," Peterson said.
Meanwhile, the recruiter cautions broker-dealers to watch out for advisors who are highly concerned about disclosing their signing deals with their clients. It could be a red flag.
"Maybe [the advisor] has no client control, and maybe this is not a good move," he noted.
– Want to learn more about how you can use social media to grow your business? We invite you to a free ThinkAdvisor webcast on Oct. 1 featuring social media experts Amy McIlwain, Clara Shih and Hardeep Walia.
Check out FINRA Broker Bonus Plan Would Be 'Nonevent' for Many Reps: Henschen on ThinkAdvisor.


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Google has hired computer games veteran Noah Falstein to become its Chief Game Designer.
But wait, you may ask, since when does Google have game designers? Apparently Google is working on a "major gaming project," according to TechCrunch. It's unknown if the move to create games is based on making Google Glass a singular experience or simply that Google has decided to focus on gaming.
A previous version of his LinkedIn profile said his position was Chief Game Designer at Android Play Studio, but was switched recently to Chief Game Designer at Google. This isn't a surprise since Google created the Android platform and Google Play, which sells games and other apps. Falstein also has a history of creating "Serious Games" which means game techniques for apps other than for "pure entertainment," TechCrunch reported.
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RBC.com | Français | | Contact Us
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About RBC > Media Newsroom > Speeches > Canada's Diversity Imperative: 2010 and Beyond
Gordon Nixon
President & CEO
RBC Financial Group
The Vancouver Board of Trade
May 10, 2006
Thank you.
As I flew in the other day, I couldn't help thinking that the rest of Canada can't joke about Vancouver being laid-back anymore. This city is on overdrive, and the stars are aligning with a combination of excellent politics, growth of new and emerging industries, a robust commodities sector and of course: the Olympics. It's easy to predict an exciting future and strong economy for Vancouver and for all of British Columbia.
RBC is proud of our operation in British Columbia, which has led the country for us in terms of growth— even out-performing Alberta over the past two years. We are also proud to be the exclusive financial services sponsor of the 2010 Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games and are fully committed to helping VANOC set a new world standard.
Our legacy of support for Canada's Olympic team dates back to 1947, and you won't find anyone more excited about 2010 than our team here in Vancouver. Some of them are with us today, but most are back at the office, hopefully working but also preparing for the RBC 2010 Flag Tour. This is an exhibit that's traveled west from Halifax over the last few months to show the rest of Canada what Vancouver has to offer in 2010.
If you're looking for a fun time with the family, I invite you to head over to the Vancouver Art Gallery tomorrow, where you'll find 5,000 square feet of activities, and a chance to meet Olympic athletes.
It was a challenge to settle on a topic for my remarks today.
I was tempted to talk about the Canadian economy, which is the hottest in the developed world or about our sponsorship of the Games . or the business opportunities they will bring.
But I have chosen to talk about Canada's labour challenges and the importance of both attracting and maximizing human capital. The strength of the economy, demographic shifts and globalization only serve to increase the importance of dealing with our labour challenges and capitalizing on a labour opportunity.
People are the most important asset of any company, institution or province, and maximizing the return on our most important asset is critical to our competitive success.
Vancouver, as an example, is facing a perfect storm, if you will, heightened by the Games, the housing boom, and infrastructure projects like the Richmond Airport Vancouver transit line.
Some 40,000 new trade apprentices are needed just to complete all the construction projects planned around Vancouver for the next ten years. And with Alberta predicting a shortfall of as many as 100,000 workers over the next ten years, competition for labour will be fierce in the west.
This is a harbinger of what awaits the rest of Canada.
If Canada is to succeed in the global economy, we must ensure that the whole country has a capable workforce. And it's not just about skilled workers for the construction and oil industries— everyone understands that. But I would emphasize that this is about leveraging human resources in all areas of the economy.
I've been speaking about this issue for the last 18 months, because I believe it will define our country's future, now and beyond 2010. If we don't address our nation-wide workforce issues now, we'll be feeling the pain long after the Games have moved on.
That's why my remarks today are called "Canada's Diversity Imperative: 2010 and Beyond."
If we succeed at leveraging the diversity of our current and future workforce, we will have unrivalled advantage. But if we fail, we will pay a heavy opportunity cost for our citizens, and will face an uphill battle to maintain, let alone enhance, our quality of life. And make no mistake: there is a global war for talent and we must make sure we position ourselves to win it.
Diversity can and should be Canada's competitive advantage.
So with that end in mind, I will start at the beginning.
And in the beginning was economics.
I know this sounds like it's going to be the standard message from Bay Street. But no country can implement a strong social agenda without a sound economic one.
If Canadians want an excellent standard of living— and of course we all do— we must become one of the world's most competitive nations to pay for it.
Canada's economic advantage is not defined by our rich base of natural resources or by capital like plants, equipment and machinery. It includes our ability to tap human potential. And this is only going to increase in the future as our industrial base transforms.
But Canada is a small nation. Our birth rate recently hit an historic low and our workforce is aging. That's not enough to maintain the status quo, let alone grow our labour force.
And we're not alone: countries like Italy, Spain and Germany are in the same boat, and we're competing with them for talent.
The situation only gets more complicated when you add China and India to the mix. Both are economic powerhouses with growing populations, and both are investing heavily in training and education. They are our competition, too, and reverse migration from our talented Chinese and South Asian immigrants is a real threat.
Immigration will be critical for Canada, and attracting the right mix of skills and capabilities will be essential. Nowhere is that more clear than in BC, where about a quarter of the population is foreign-born. In Greater Vancouver alone, immigration counted for more than 90% of the growth in the labour force from 1991 to 2001. This trend will only continue.
Right now, Canada-wide, we welcome about 220,000 immigrants a year. At this level, with our aging workforce and low birth rate, our labour force will stop growing in about 10 years. Clearly, if we are going to compete, we must increase the number of immigrants we welcome to Canada each year.
Last year, RBC went on record saying that Canada should raise its immigration target to as many as 400,000 people a year.
We must attract the right people with the right skills. We must ensure Canada is a destination of choice for skilled immigrants. Our most pressing need is for skilled labourers; but we also have to attract the best and the brightest, who can invent, invest, and build new companies, who can grow our economy and enhance our prosperity.
But, raising targets alone won't give us maximum advantage.
If we truly want to turbo-charge our economy, we need look no further than our own backyard. Our first priority should be to tap the existing potential in our current workforce, for this is where our true advantage lies.
Last year, I asked our Economics department to quantify what it costs the Canadian economy when we fail to realize the potential of immigrants and other groups, such as women and seniors.
We found that if all new Canadians were fully employed at their level of education, earning equal pay to someone born in Canada, personal income would increase by $13 billion a year.
Thirteen billion dollars is the equivalent of gaining 400,000 more workers in a year, just from leveraging existing talent in our own backyard. That's an immense resource going to waste.
Most immigrants have arrived better educated than those born in Canada, but many have not found jobs that match their skill levels, or are earning less than people born in Canada. Even worse, they are unemployed.
But there is good news, relatively speaking.
Canada does have higher participation rates and lower unemployment rates for immigrants than many other countries, such as France, Luxembourg and the Netherlands. In fact, Canada is closer to being a model economy when it comes to integrating immigrants than any other country in the world.
But we do have challenges, and while our politicians love to brag about the success of our multicultural society, we would be better off acknowledging and addressing our challenges, or we will pay a price in the future.
Some examples:
These challenges cause disappointment and despair for our newcomers, not only killing the spirit, but taking a heavy toll on the country's bottom line as well.
Evidence suggests that today's immigrants are having a harder time adjusting than previous generations, and the lack of inclusion of minorities and second generation immigrants is causing both social and economic challenges. The sooner skilled immigrants are working in the occupation they've trained for, the better.
RBC is well-known for our human resource policies, but I'll be the first to tell you that we aren't perfect either.
Atefeh Kermanshahi is here with us today.
Atefeh is Iranian, and moved to Vancouver in 1996 with her daughter, after living in England for ten years. She had a degree in Economic and Business Management, and had worked for the Central Bank of Iran for over 11 years.
Like many immigrants, Atefeh didn't have a social network waiting for her here. She was optimistic that her education and work experience would give her a leg up. But she found out that neither her education nor her experience counted for anything.
I am not proud to tell you that the first company she applied to when she got here was RBC, and we didn't hire her.
She was caught in the Canadian Catch-22: no Canadian education or work experience meant no Canadian job.
We didn't even think about whether it made good business sense to hire someone with her skills to help us tap into the growing and wealthy Iranian community on Vancouver's North Shore.
So she found a sales job with one of our competitors in the insurance business.
Nothing about the job fit her, but it gave her Canadian experience. After a year of misery, she applied to RBC again. This was in 1998.
And this time, we got it right.
We hired her as a personal banker trainee, and it was like we unleashed a powerhouse. She is now a successful financial planner, an active member of our Iranian Strategy Committee and fully plugged into the community. She's even tapping into her own network to help us recruit Iranian employees. More than anyone, she knows that RBC can't afford to overlook qualified, prospective employees.
Atefeh's story had a happy ending, but many don't.
Statistics Canada recently reported that immigrants to Vancouver find it harder to get jobs than anywhere else in Canada. The employment rate for immigrants in Vancouver is 61 per cent and only 44 per cent are in jobs for which they've trained.
Demographically, you can see where this is going. There will be about one million job openings in BC the next dozen years, and we don't have enough young British Columbians in the pipeline to fill these jobs. Immigration will play a vital role in filling the gap, so we must do everything we can to help them integrate into the work force and reach their potential.
We have a critical need for language training programs. Employees don't just need conversational language skills, they also need business communications skills to be successful in the workplace. To its credit, the BC government boosted funding for language training by several million dollars in its 2006 budget.
Settlement and mentoring programs are also needed, as are internship programs that provide Canadian work experience.
In Toronto, RBC supports Career Bridge, an internship program for internationally-qualified professionals. This program eliminates some of the employment barriers faced by experienced professionals, while providing employers with access to prescreened candidates. I understand that Career Bridge is expanding to Vancouver in 2007, which is good news.
There is an urgent need for programs related to foreign credentials. The BC government has committed $16 million to the Skills Connect and the International Qualifications programs, which not only provide training and services to immigrants, but also help with quicker recognition of foreign credentials.
Both programs will attract matching funds from the federal government as well.
Immigration may not be at the top of the new government's list of priorities, but last week's budget did announce the creation of an agency related to Foreign Credentials, increased funding for immigration settlement and incentives for apprenticeship programs.
If they wanted to go further, Ottawa could also strengthen provincial initiatives that are already in place, and develop a national strategy to build local capacity among employers.
While governments have an important role to play, no level of government can bear the burden alone: business has to pick up the ball. But so far, we've been dropping it.
By their own admission, Canadian companies say that they:
I don't think companies are doing this intentionally: but because of systemic challenges that all organizations face. Once businesses start to realize the opportunity in diversity, systemic challenges seem to disappear.
RBC has almost 70,000 employees around the world, and we set a high premium on diversity. I chair our Diversity Leadership Council, made up of senior leaders from across our businesses. As a matter of interest, this is the only committee at RBC other than my executive committee that I sit on.
This Council sets our diversity strategy and goals.
We meet quarterly to make sure the talent pipeline is being filled with qualified candidates from diverse groups, as well as tracking our results.
Each of our businesses has diversity goals for women and visible minorities so we can measure our performance and hold people accountable, rather than just talking a good game.
Currently, 23% of our workforce is comprised of visible minorities, with 38% in management, and about 9% in senior management. We know we've got to do better, but we view this as a long-term investment and are focused on building diversity into our workforce.
For example, we used to ask job-seekers to give the name of the institution where they got their degrees or accreditations on our job application. But if our recruiters weren't familiar with the institutions, they might overlook qualified candidates. So we removed that section from our application altogether. Now, we follow up on credentials and education later in the process.
We also have a referral program where employees can earn rewards when they help us find qualified external candidates, helping us source employees from cultural markets.
If I can emphasize one point more than any other today, it is that we approach diversity not just from a social justice perspective, but as a business opportunity. Every new Canadian we hire, helps us build knowledge about our cultural markets— an increasingly important source of business for us.
Our most important assets go in and out of our buildings every day: if we fail to capitalize on this important talent pool, it would be a missed opportunity.
RBC has about 11 million clients in Canada.
Almost 15 per cent are new Canadians and visible minorities— and we expect much of our future growth to come from these cultural markets. Vancouver is a good case in point. In recent years, BC has welcomed more than 30,000 international immigrants every year, primarily from China and India, cultural groups that are now part of the marketplace and landscape.
Many of the immediate challenges newcomers face are money-related, giving banks an important role to play.
If you were an immigrant, remember back to your first few months in Canada. You probably didn't have Canadian ID to open a bank account. You didn't have a credit history, so you probably couldn't get a loan, mortgage or credit card. You might have had trouble finding housing.
So RBC is developing products and services that newcomers urgently need in their first weeks and months.
People can now open an account with us over the internet before arriving in Canada. This way, they can start to arrange the financial side of their new lives from their home country, saving time and stress when they get here.
We have a new website that addresses the most pressing needs of newcomers, and it's now available in Chinese, since China is the number one source of newcomers to Canada. We opened a new branch in Beijing to help clients establish banking relationships with us even before they arrive, as well.
And last year, we created an International Client Group, based here in Vancouver, to serve non-resident clients. The team will provide services in Cantonese, Mandarin, Portuguese and Spanish and will accommodate clients in different time zones.
We're trying to put the right products and people in place so we can serve diverse markets better.
There is a lesson here for all of us.
We must do more than open the door to immigrants— we must make Canada a destination of choice where immigrants can realize their potential as employees, business owners, customers and neighbours.
Canada faces many economic challenges in today's competitive world. But when it comes to capitalizing on diversity and immigration, we already have a head start compared to other countries in the world. We must now leverage what we're already doing well, and add the right policies and programs to the mix. This will become even more important if Canada increases its immigration targets.
I have spoken frequently about the importance of diversity and immigration because I do believe it is vital to Canada's future growth, a great economic opportunity and an area of global competitive advantage.
But that is if and only if we change our policies and practices to attract the right skills and live up to our values of integration and inclusion. This will require a collective commitment from government as well as the business community and other constituents.
Maximizing the potential of our diverse workforce is not only a social imperative, but can be Canada's economic advantage, for 2010 and beyond.
Thank you.