Public Health Agency of Canada, Travel Health Notice: The Hajj 1431 / 2010

Extract:
"The Hajj is the largest annual gathering in the world. Over two million people from nearly every country attend this spiritual pilgrimage to Mecca, Saudi Arabia. The Hajj season takes place this year between November 14 and 18, 2010.

Due to the large number of people at this gathering there may be an increased risk for certain infectious diseases such as meningococcal disease, tuberculosis, influenza (including H1N1 flu), and gastrointestinal infections. Travellers may also face a greater risk of heat exhaustion, heat stroke, and physical injuries.

Travellers should visit a travel health clinic at least six weeks before travel to get vaccines required for entry in Saudi Arabia (see Recommendations below), and assess any other travel health needs before departing."

Recommendations and more details here: Travel Health Notice

See on the same shelf:

The Hajj and Umrah at a Glance - [step by step] source: www.islamicbulletin.org

Step by Step Guide for Hajj and Umrah, Prepared by: Mohammed Baianonie, Imam of the Islamic Center of Raleigh, NC

Bringing back lessons of haj -- Partners in Humanity, Muslim-Western

Hajj Steps - [visual map] by Baggia Travel, Toronto

Basic Hajj Map, by Shayistha Abdulla

The business of Hajj and Umrah (Muslim Pilgrimage)

The Immigrant Success Awards

Deadline for nominations is Wednesday, December 1, 2010. Award nomination forms are linked at the end of each award description.

Award descriptions and criteria:
•CBC Toronto Vision Award for Immigrant Inclusion
•Toronto Star Award for Excellence in Workplace Integration
•RBC Immigrant Advantage Award
•Canadian HR Reporter Individual Achievement Award

Read more about the The Immigrant Success Awards @ www.isawards.ca ~~ Collaborative Programs for Immigrant Employment, Toronto Region Immigrant Employment Council (TRIEC)

India as-is from a Canadian Perspective

Note: India is a land of rich history, popular culture, as well a land of paradoxes. In this context, Canada needing India more than India needing Canada makes news, and read below the article by Haroon Siddiqui.

But, it is too early, in terms of the trend to say if this, new trend of shifting centre of gravity is a premenant shift or a temporary move. If it is a permenant move, the only pray and hope is it should'nt be akin to reengineering the concept of love-marriage in India whose pride lies, in arranged-marriages. See also: Arranged Marriage, Teton Gravity Research Forums If not, Think “outside the box”!

Whatever is true of India is also not true, By Haroon Siddiqui, Toronto Star
Extract:
"Arriving in Canada in 1967, I was swept up by the Centennial, especially Expo, but was soon distressed to discover that there was no yogurt, only something called sour cream, a blob that bloated your tummy. There were few fresh green vegetables and no mangoes. No basmati rice. No coriander, cloves or cardamom. Nor saffron, which few had heard of and said it could be procured, perhaps, around Easter for the seasonal bread.
Informed of this state of affairs, mom in India said: “In that case, son, you had better come back home.”
I am glad I stayed."
At the time, Canadians thought of India as the land of starving people and emaciated holy cows. Now the two countries can't get enough of each other, Canada needing India more than India needing Canada. Which is why the Star is exploring India in every section of the paper today. continue reading

On the same shelf:

Not Required Indians: India's NRI (Non-resident Indians) are now also getting to be known as Not Requried Indians. Read the latter here: NRIs treated as Not Required Indians! - The Times of India. And, here: Not Required Indians, littleindia.com

KPMG - Nine Tips for Successful PE Investments in India — A Canadian Perspective

PricewaterhouseCoopers Canada. Shifting Centre of Gravity - Mergers & Acquisitions in India—A Canadian perspective [PDF format]

GE has its finger on the Indian pulse, at last, Forbes India Magazine of 18 December, 2009

India: A Glimpse of Multifaith Composite Culture

Canadian Libraries and Digitization - Thought for the day

While Canadian libraries' digitization is expected to be high by any measure of digitocracy*** (esp., in terms of capturing, storing, and sharing information), the following is an eye-opener: "less than 1 per cent of Canada’s archives or library content is digitized" Internet's evolution raises stakes for Canada's culture and competitiveness, Chris Carter, Toronto Star, Oct 5 2010

Extract from the same page: "When Canadians talk about the future of information, media and culture, Tom Jenkins also wants them to think about the tools used to share, store and consume that information."

Bottom line (from the same source, about Tom Jenkins' book: Managing Content in the Cloud - Enterprise Content Management 2.0):
"So why then is his book available in paper form? To reach those leaders who are rooted in the “old way” of engaging information yet who still make the decisions that will profoundly shape how Canada responds to a future they will barely recognize."

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***This idea of a measure of digitocracy is based on the plans and progress initiated in Canada, in 1997: Preparing Canada for a digital world: Final report of the Information Highway Advisory Council