Monday April 4, 2011

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Ted Talks

Sebastian Thrun: Google's driverless car

Sebastian Thrun helped build Google's amazing driverless car, powered by a very personal quest to save lives and reduce traffic accidents. Jawdropping video shows the DARPA Challenge-winning car motoring through busy city traffic with no one behind the wheel.

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Business Competition

Minister Milloy to speak at Laurier business competition

WATERLOO – John Milloy, Ontario’s minister of Training, Colleges and Universities, is the keynote speaker at this weekend’s annual BDO New Venture Competition to be held at Laurier’s Waterloo campus.

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Employment

March 2011 Workforce Focus -- Disappearing Jobs

Waterloo - The following occupations each lost significant numbers of workers in Ontario over the last fifteen years. Though each is in the estimated top twenty occupations with employment loss, they are not necessarily the top five. The "most Important Essential Skills" are those that are most regularly utilized and can be transferred to another job. The "Transition Prospects" are stable or growing occupations that are related or have a similar skill level. View the report at this link.

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Telecommunications

Canadian Impact Investment Fund strengthens the ICT sector in East Africa

WATERLOO - Sarona Asset Management announced that its Sarona Frontier Markets Fund has committed US$1,500,000 in the Africa Telecommunications, Media and Technology Fund. In addition, the Sarona Risk Capital Fund has invested US$300,000 in Mobile Transactions Zambia.

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Competition

Seven  wins  for  Waterloo  students  in  Japanese  Speech  Contest

WATERLOO –  A  University  of  Waterloo  student  of  Japanese   at Renison  University College,  Min  Hwan  Suh  placed  1st  in  the Advanced  category  at   the  National Japanese  Speech  Competition  in Calgary  on  March  26.  This  triumph   comes  just two  weeks  after  he won  1st  Place  at  the  Ontario  Japanese  Speech   Competition in Toronto.

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Competition

Waterloo  Student  Wins  Chinese  Proficiency  Competition

WATERLOO  –  Anushervon  Saidmuradov,  a  Software   Engineering student  at  the University  of  Waterloo,  was  declared  champion  at the 9th   Annual  Ontario University  Students  Chinese  Proficiency Competition  on  March  11,   2011,  held  at McMaster  University  in Hamilton.  

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Business Growth

Kitchener RV Show & Extravaganza Kicks Off Following Resurgence in RV Sales

RV Sales Climb 18.4 per cent in 2010

Kitchener - Now open, the ORVDA’s Kitchener RV Show & Extravaganza's attendance is expected to be record breaking due to the increase in annual RV sales figures, demonstrating that sales are up an impressive 18.4 per cent across the country for 2010.

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Quality Designation

Conestoga Receives Quality Assessed Facility Designation

Kitchener - Conestoga’s commitment to safety excellence was on display at a special ceremony today when the institution was awarded the Technical Standards & Safety Authority Quality Assessed Facility designation for successful completion of an extensive assessment, education and review program to ensure the highest standards of human and technical safety.

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Election

Kitchener Conestoga Liberals endorse Bob Rosehart

Kitchener -- Kitchener-Conestoga Liberals have chosen former Wilfrid Laurier University president Bob Rosehart to contest the May 2 federal election.

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Business Growth

New Expansion World Gym Cambridge!

Cambridge - World Gym Kitchener is excited to announce their expansion into the Cambridge area! "We have worked with Haman Dowlatram to acquire Body Quest Fitness and Nutrition, and will immediately begin to transform the facility into another legendary and iconic World Gym location."

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Partnership

SILFAB ONTARIO AND ALDERVILLE FIRST NATION SIGN CONTRACT FOR A 5 MW SOLAR FARM

Mississauga – A contract to supply and support a 5 MW ground mounted solar photovoltaic system, composed of 20,410 modules, was signed yesterday between Alderville First Nation, a First Nation community within Southeastern Ontario, and Silfab Ontario Inc.

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Transportation

Via Rail frustrates passengers again in Toronto

Toronto - This week has been trying for Via rail workers as they have battled a derailment and other problems for commuters. Passengers were informed that a switch problem in Smith falls was going to cause another shutdown on the route from Toronto to Ottawa. Passengers weren't given clear information and had to fend for themselves as they sat down on chairs waiting to hear some good news.

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Transportation

Mayor Ford's Transit Plan Raises Concerns for Workers in East and West Toronto, CAW Says

TORONTO - It is always positive when the City of Toronto and the province can work together to improve transit infrastructure creating manufacturing and construction jobs for workers, CAW President Ken Lewenza says.

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Medical Study

Study provides first link between two major Parkinson’s genes

Ottawa - As Parkinson’s Awareness Month gets underway, a Canadian-led international study is providing important new insight into Parkinson’s disease and paving the way for new avenues for clinical trials. The study, led by Dr. Michael Schlossmacher in Ottawa, provides the first link between the most common genetic risk factor for Parkinson’s and the hallmark accumulation of a protein called alpha-synuclein within the brains of people with Parkinson’s.