It has dulled our ability to have face to face relationships
Something is happening to human communication because of our reliance on technology. Technology is a mediating force – getting in between actual humans and their interaction. Technology also affects us physically and mentally. If you work on a computer all day, you are susceptible to carpal tunnel syndrome and a stiff neck. Use a hand-held…
Exposure to material that advocates violence and extremism likely leads to it
When General Edwin A. Walker was fired, the evidence against him was very clear. He had been distributing right-wing John Birch Society (JBS) pamphlets implying that his President – John F. Kennedy – was a traitor. General Walker fought with former President Dwight D. Eisenhower over school integration too. The John Birch Society accused Eisenhower…
Four tips on making wildlife encounters of every description safe and enjoyable for all parties
It seems one can’t swing a cat without hitting a coyote, a jackrabbit, a Canada goose, or a bear – and not just in the far-flung wilderness. Wildlife encounters are now common in cities, with urban populations of coyotes, skunks and Canada geese increasing throughout North America. Here are four tips on making wildlife encounters…
Ten more hidden iPhone features will make your iPhone experience more productive
Using these 10 hidden iPhone features will make your iPhone experience more productive and valuable: Choose Waze vs. Google Maps Show message send times Use Wi-Fi Assist Set app tracking for privacy Change the iPhone flashlight brightness Long press for top-level domain names Dial an extension for a telephone number Snap a photo during a…
Unfortunately, the extremists are taking over
Not a day goes by without seeing a group, or even a government, changing rules for farmers. In the name of the planet, animal welfare and our health, rules are changing despite our farmers’ knowledge and experience. It’s an interesting phenomenon, and it’s happening around the world. Farmers have long been regarded as the best…
Researchers who used AI to analyze keywords on Twitter say people were more resilient than anticipated
Researchers who analyzed language related to depression on social media during the pandemic say the data suggest people learned to cope as the waves wore on. University of Alberta researcher Alona Fyshe and her collaborators at the University of Western Ontario hypothesized that depression-related language would spike during each wave of COVID-19. But their study shows…
A cash grab by cable and satellite providers?
The federal government is on the verge of further empowering the Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission (CRTC) as our regulator of Internet content, including as it pertains to streaming companies. To really appreciate the all-encompassing grasp of Canada’s soon-to-be online regulator, look no further than its history of managing religion and pornography. It all goes…
There’s actually a striking amount of broad-based consensus around energy
A new artificial-intelligence-powered social media tool is showing that Canadians aren’t as polarized about energy policy and transition as we might imagine. Developed by University of Alberta engineering professor Lianne Lefsrud and an interdisciplinary team of researchers, Ai4Buzz uses targeted keywords to harvest, aggregate and examine Twitter conversations about energy and energy policies. Organized by category into a series…
While the amount of information available is astounding, it is usually hard to find the answers
When I was a kid, we didn’t have cellphones, the internet or even computers. Facebook, TikTok, Tumblr, YouTube, WhatsApp, Instagram or myriad other social media platforms didn’t exist. Add to that the many apps that are available to help us learn bird songs or identify everything from plants, mammals and insects to mushrooms, and we…
But what happens when disinformation campaigns run headlong into reality?
I’m not a fan of making predictions because there are usually way too many variables at play. Trying to guess the price of oil leaves me speechless despite the pathetically large number of hours I spend trying to understand the market. Yet, given the way 2022 is unfolding, I offer the following predictions as more…