The web as a weapon against diabetes

Canada is a world leader in type 1 juvenile diabetes research, but the means to control the epidemic of adult onset type 2 cases in North America may come from Web 2.0 innovations like social media and viral marketing. Based on network analysis of studies using data from the famed Framingham Heart Study, in which some health behaviours were found to be ‘contagious’, researchers are now looking at using blogs, Facebook and internet marketing techniques to positively impact the health behaviours of obese and type 2 patients.

Posted in Behaviour on 12/04/2008 - 0 Comments

Social Media on the Fringe

With his weather-beaten Trilby, 50s hipster air and Jack Kerouacian insouciance, Brendan McNally doesn’t seem like a man with his finger on the pulse of technology. From the top of his neatly-combed daddy-o hair to the tips of his well-worn Doc Martens, the Ottawa playwright looks like he’s sidestepped the Age of Internet and gone straight for the Brylcreem. But looks can be deceiving.

Posted in Social media on 12/04/2008 - 0 Comments

Good hackers, bad hackers

The first time Eric des Courtis hacked into the Internet, his access came from a monthly PC magazine. Stuck to the cover was a CD giving him guest web access. But there was a hitch -- the access was strictly controlled by two programs directing him to a website and limiting what he could do once there. Within a few days, Eric had hacked the programs, shut them down and given himself

Posted in Internet on 11/30/2008 - 0 Comments

Every internet posting leaves a footprint

It's the kind of story usually dismissed as urban legend - but this time, it's true. In June, 20-year-old Joshua Lipton was found guilty over a drunk driving incident that seriously injured another driver. That he was charged wasn't surprising. What was shocking was that the

Posted in Internet on 11/30/2008 - 0 Comments