What’s New: In Brief (January 14, 2008)

Ontario Students Against Impaired Driving (OSAID) have launched an Ontario-wide contest, ‘Dude, Where’s My License?’ aimed at raising awareness of the dangers of doing drugs and driving.
“Most teens don’t even realize that doing drugs and driving is just as illegal and dangerous as drinking and driving, so we’re working to change that misconception,” OSAI executive director Matt Evans said in a release.
Students can take an online quiz (www.osaid.org) and be entered to win a laptop, a Cdn$100 cash prize and a Much Music Video Dance Party.
Or a contestant can create advertising to educate teens about the hazards of using drugs and driving. Winners will see their work distributed across the province, in addition to cash prizes.
The Insurance Brokers Association of Ontario, CTV, Pilot Insurance and the Ontario Ministry of Community Safety are sponsoring the campaign.

Using technology to improve staff productivity and efficiency ranked as the
Number 1 factor for growth, according to a survey of Canadian IT and business executives released by Microsoft Canada Co.
“While IT is clearly a priority for all those surveyed, executives at midsize and large businesses indicated differing priorities when it comes to areas of investment,” Microsoft noted in a release. “When asked to identify technologies they see as top staff productivity enablers, midsize businesses ranked improved access to company/business data as the top consideration, followed by new or upgraded desktop software and new or upgraded intranet and portal software.
“Enterprises, however, see a need for new communications tools or technology, better integration between offices and better access to company/business data as the top enablers of productivity.”