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Counting down eight hours of nightly rest
Part of my challenge in living my 16/6 lifestyle is making sure I don’t spend more than 16 hours a day with my gadgets. Lately, I’ve begun using a countdown timer on my phone to block off an 8-hour period where I agree to put it down, charge it up, and avoid using it. I…
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My 16/6 Lifestyle Challenge
This summer, I am conducting what I call my 16/6 Lifestyle challenge. We all know what it means to live a 24/7 lifestyle. That’s where we’re always on, always connected to the internet, and never very far from our electronic devices. It is where for twenty-four hours a day, seven-days-a-week, we are just a couple…
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Celebrating Canada Day
I was recently asked to put some thoughts together about what it means to be Canadian. It is for a CBC publicity initiative that will be posted online closer to Canada Day: What do I think it means to be Canadian? I think it means – you’re pretty open to other ideas – and adopting…
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Boxee: You had me, then you lost me
I was excited initially when I learned that Boxee, one of the myriad of companies that make smart-boxes that attach to your television set, was coming out with a new device that would incorporate an Over-The-Air (OTA) digital television receiver and a DVR. The company’s new Boxee TV promised to let you not only get free HDTV…
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How to get “We Are Young” out of your head
I used to dread hearing Fun’s song “We Are Young” come on the radio. Upon hearing just a few warbly notes from it’s admittedly catchy anthem-like chorus the song would tunnel its way into my mind, and I’d be humming it for the rent of the day. It would be different if it were a…
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Book launch for Nora Young’s “The Virtual Self”
I will be helping my CBC colleague Nora Young with the launch of her first book “The Virtual Self” tonight. If you are in Toronto, please stop by the Dora Keogh Pub on the Danforth starting at 6:30. Nora and I will host a chat about the book, and then she’ll be signing copies (while…
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How to keep up with your reading
Finding time to make it through the backlog of books I’m constantly accumulating always presents a challenge when keeping a media diet. Over on Lifehacker.com, Thorin Klosowski offers a series of suggestions to help you find you find time to read. His suggestions range from blocking off reading time in your calendar, to joining a…
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No civility, no service: Why more retailers should demand respect from cellphone users
The BBC has posted a wonderful story about a coffee shop owner in Norwich, England that is now enforcing a “no cell phones” when ordering rule. As the shop owner explained it to the BBC reporter, he was getting tired of customers trying to order a cappuccino while talking on the phone. He was unable to ask…
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The Joys of a “Billy” Day
My wife and I both took Friday off, arranged to have our daughter spend the night with my in-laws, and proceeded to aimlessly wander the streets of Toronto. I call it “having a Billy day.” It’s named after Billy, the eldest son in the comic strip The Family Circus. As anyone who grew up reading…
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I survived National Day of Unplugging (and I can’t wait to do it again)
I kept my word. I successfully took part in Sabbath Manifesto’s National Day of Unplugging by going device and internet free on March 24th. Since I worked Friday night, I couldn’t quite start at sundown, but once I got home around midnight, I powered down my computer and devices. When I got to my iPhone,…
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Mike Wise 