Blockbuster reminds us to make way for the new

Ever since it was announced that Blockbuster would close its remaining stores, I’ve wondered what would happen at the corner of Broadway and Blenheim. A wifi-wielding coffee shop? A wildly out-of-place H&M? An all-you-can-eat, gluten- and sugar-free cake...

Video: 10 reasons to stop apologizing for your online life

It’s time to stop apologizing for your life online. That was the central message of my talk at TEDx Victoria in November, now on YouTube. From valuing your online attention to taking your online creativity seriously as real art, I argue that we can only unlock...

How self-reliance hurts online community

Today’s practice: The next time you spend more than 15 minutes struggling with a tech challenge, stop trying to solve it yourself and ask someone for help. When our home media server froze as we were trying to watch a mother-daughter show tonight, I swung into...

Top 2011 posts from other sites

For the past week, I’ve been rounding up the top posts from 2011 on this site — both your favourites and my own. Today, I’m closing out the year by sharing 11 of the best posts I’ve read elsewhere this year. There are many others that belong on...

6 crucial police guidelines for stopping social media vigilantes

Yesterday, Vancouver was treated to the first court appearances by alleged participants in the 2011 Stanley Cup Riots. It was a snapshot of one of the most profound and valuable institutions in our society: a system of justice to which we have collectively delegated...

Learning about online graffiti from bathroom graffiti

Today’s practice: When you find an online comment or contribution that truly annoys you, put it on your desktop or bulletin board. It’s your own personal classroom for learning about difference, and practicing tolerance. When companies, organizations or...

The 6 great tech religions, and how to resist them

It’s Friday night again: time for good Jews to light their sabbath candles, or  in our family’s religious tradition, to feel vaguely guilty for not even thinking of it. We lead highly secular lives, not because we’re techno-centric geeks, but in...