CAN YOU FEEL IT?

Dax Hamman, 05/16/12

Chief Revenue Officer, Chango

Later this year Canadians will see a change happening with online advertising: the introduction of a small icon on the ad that tells consumers they are being targeted and gives them the ability to opt-out. I embrace the move because most consumers have a general lack of understanding about targeted ads. This will help clear things up.

Candice Olson, 05/16/12

Host, Candice Tells All

A plain white room like this provides no direction whatsoever. Choosing the palate of red, black and gold was a bold move, I admit. But this type of room is just the place to try something exciting. My client didn't have anything to work from, so it was up to me to help her find a design direction.

Samuel Getachew, 05/16/12

Samuel Getachew

When I saw the news bulletin that a Toronto taxi driver had gotten in to a major accident and killed a skateboarder, I understand what the old man in the subway had said to me a second ago: "Why can't you people all take the subway if all you are going to do is drive dangerously?"

Marko Sijan, 05/16/12

Author

The results of recent surveys of students in the U.S. and Canada link poor eating habits in children to the amount of television they watch. While this isn't new information, it serves as a useful reminder that the advertising industry is indoctrinating children into the long-term negative effects of eating unhealthy food -- effects that range from obesity to early death.

Peter Worthington, 05/16/12

Co-founder of the Toronto Sun

By abandoning long gun registry, the federal government is saving the taxpayer considerable billions. It was a foolish law from the start, in that it made criminals out of farmers and people in rural areas who didn't trust government assurances, or simply couldn't be bothered to register their rifles and shotguns.

Jeremy Diamond, 05/16/12

Director, The Historica-Dominion Institute

The facts exist to support the argument that first-generation Canadians integrate successfully into Canadian society and achieve high levels of success. But how does the next generation negotiate the various pressures to succeed and integrate into Canadian society? How do they forge an identity that is both Canadian but that also preserves elements of their family's heritage and culture?

James McCormack, 05/16/12

Professor, Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences at the University of British Columbia

Have you been told by your health care professional that you have high blood pressure, high cholesterol or type 2 diabetes and you need to do something to improve your "numbers?" Well, a recent evaluation of cardiovascular patient guidelines in the Journal of the American Medical Association reveals that only 12 per cent of the recommendations are based on randomized controlled trials (the highest level of evidence), the rest based on opinions and consensus.

Aviva Rubin, 05/16/12

Writer

Passport Canada is looking into policy changes to the gender requirement on passport, and introducing a "genderless" passport for transgendered peoples. But the question isn't whether we should introduce a third "gender" to passport policies, but rather, should there be gender at all on passports?

Hallae Khosravi, 05/16/12

Fashion Blogger, Student

Furniture covered in children's drawings, rainbow styles and costume jewelry -- this is what's hot right now. And what's more fun than catering to your inner-child when you get dressed in the morning? You work hard all day, so let this trend help you relax a little and let your wild side out!

Michelle Brooks, 05/16/12

Lecturer, PhD Researcher in Human Geography, Head of Research at Inspire

This week in Egypt, in a joint statement medics and human rights organisations condemned the actions of the Freedom and Justice Party -the political arm of the Muslim Brotherhood in raising a convoy providing mobile female genital mutilation services and vaginal inspections.

Ashley Peoples, 05/15/12

Actress

When I received the invitation to Cannes, I knew I had to make the most of it. I could go for the few days and sleep in a nice hotel, OR, I could stay at the elegant-sounding Parc Bellevue -- a mobile home trailer park 6km from the Palais des Festivals. I am staying at "Le Camping" -- as the Festival organizers call it -- because I have to, and lucky for me, I kinda want to.

Kolby Solinsky, 05/15/12

Deep thinker

Let's try to not read too much into today's news that former gold medalist Donovan Bailey was arrested on March 28 for drunk driving. I'm not saying we shouldn't read into it because it's not a big deal that somebody drinks and drives. I'm saying we shouldn't read into it because he's a nobody now.

Sarah Lacy, 05/15/12

Founder and editor-in-Chief, PandoDaily

After one particularly awful question, Zuckerberg broke down like a cartoon robot that simply could not compute. His eyes darted from place to place. He furrowed his brow and looked up after several moments of silence. 404 error. I had crashed Mark Zuckerberg.

Elizabeth Lee Ford-Jones, MD, 05/15/12

Paediatrician and expert advisor, EvidenceNetwork.ca

The UN Special Rapporteur on the right to food will present his preliminary findings on food security in Canada on May 16 in Ottawa. It's my hope that this will put child hunger squarely on the political agenda in Canada. We live in one of the wealthiest countries in the world, but hunger is something that we increasingly see among the families that bring their children to the hospital for medical attention.

Susan Inman, 05/15/12

Author, After Her Brain Broke: Helping My Daughter Recover Her Sanity

A mentally ill young woman, who thrived on medication and crumbled without, lobbied to be removed from mandatory treatment -- she didn't like being medicated. Her parents were very surprised when they learned that, after a year of stability, her community mental health team had decided, without consulting them, to release their daughter from mandatory treatment.

Craig and Marc Kielburger, 05/15/12

Co-Founders, Free The Children

Doa'a Mheissin, a teenager from the Gaza Strip, has been blogging since she was 11 years old. This young woman may not look like a revolutionary, but in the years to come, she and girls like her could form the vanguard in the next chapter of the Arab Spring -- a much-needed gender revolution.

Lu Curran, 05/15/12

Stylist, Wedding and Event Planner, Style By Lu

Wedding season is upon us. When thinking about wedding season -- most guests start thinking about their bank accounts, and how weddings can quickly drain any extra money that they do have. Depending on how well you know the bride or groom -- there is more than just the wedding to attend.