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Sunday Link-Off: Grab A Chair

Between Romney and Ryan’s lies and Clint Eastwood’s invisible President on a chair, it’s been an interesting week in politics. With the Democratic National Convention this week, it’s not going to be any less dull. Anyway, let’s start this post off with Canadian model Nicole Williams.

What if the critics are wrong and Mitt Romney isn’t actually a flip-flopper but an opportunist who uses that appearance to mask his true intentions? (Rolling Stone)

Paul Ryan’s acceptance speech for the Republican VP nomination was so full of lies that even Fox News called him out on his bullshit. (Fox News)

Last Wednesday, I linked to an article asking if Reagan was too moderate for today’s Republican Party. It turns out that suggestion is gaining some traction. (New York Times)

After the jump, more GOP fact-checking, some fun with politics and all shouting on The Newsroom. Continue reading →

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Wednesday Link-Off: News Effect

Another Wednesday, another set of links. It’s been a busy week here at Lowdown HQ and business will only pick up from here. For now, here’s Nina Agdal.

With a big story like the Aurora theatre shootings, it’s very easy for the media to screw up coverage. The British print media definitely dropped the ball. (The New Statesman)

It looks like the days of SEO causing people write to chase links rather than write in English may be coming to an end. (Forbes)

Here’s an in-depth look at what went wrong with Curt Schilling’s 38 Studios and why the video game developer went bankrupt. (Boston Magazine)

After the jump, the CFL returns to America…n TV, a sudden plethora of celebrity sex tapes and some Mass Effect 3 loose ends. Continue reading →

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Sunday Link-Off: The New Media Rises

You probably didn’t notice but I was on vacation last week. Thanks to Jackie for covering for me and doing last week’s Wednesday links. I’m back in action today with the Sunday links. We’ve got a big week of programming coming this week. All that’s missing is the podcast. I am hoping to live blog today’s Edmonton Indy over on @LowdownLive but no guarantees. But first, here’s Canadian model Kim Cloutier. If you look up Canadian models on the interweb, she seems to be the consensus favourite.

When I first heard about the theatre shooting in Aurora, Colorado, I didn’t see it first in a newspaper or on TV. Twitter was the first to the story. Here’s a look at how Twitter and the rest of the social media is reshaping the modern newsroom. (GigaOM)

Reader Sarah tipped this next article to us. A while back, we linked to an article about former CNBC, now ESPN sports business reporter Darren Rovell getting duped by a fake tip. It turns out that this sort of thing goes beyond one guy. In fact, there’s a website called HelpAReporterOut which is full of people doing the same thing. (Forbes)

You’d think that being a member of the press during a political campaign would be pretty easy. Everything a candidate or his team says would be on the record. Except that campaign press offices for the two US Presidential candidates get to approve the final wording of quotes under penalty of being cut off from the campaign. (New York Times)

After the jump, the lessons the 2012 US basketball team can learn from the Mighty Ducks, Rush Limbaugh and rational thought are two things that don’t go together and call me Obi. Continue reading →

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Sunday Link-Off: Newsbreak

Last week might have been the slowest sports week of the year but that doesn’t mean we have a shortage of links today. It just means that we have few sports links. Anyway, let’s kick off with Canada’s Nina Dobrev in her place.

While Canadians were proud of the role that our armed forces played in Afghanistan, our allies weren’t so impressed. In fact, they think we were way out of depth. (CBC News)

A law professor wrote a paper for the Saint Louis University Law Journal about Jay-Z’s 99 Problems. Jay’s got 99 Problems but he’d have far fewer if he knew the law. (Gawker)

The Freeh Report into Penn State’s role in the Sandusky affair was released last week. Suffice to say that no one in power at Penn State comes out looking good. (Yahoo Sports)

After the jump, ESPN has a problem with sources, some Comic Con coverage and what’s in Big Mac sauce. Continue reading →

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Wednesday Link-Off: The Real Story

I’ve spent most of this week away from the interweb but hopefully have put together a halfway decent linkdump. In case I missed the mark, here’s Zoe Duchesne.

CNN and Fox News got the Obamacare decision horribly wrong in the race to be first with the news. They came first and finished last. Here’s how the SCOTUS decision played out in the media. (SCOTUS Blog)

Daniel Tosh is colossal douche. You have to be one to make jokes about a heckler getting gang raped. (Think Progress)

Before RIM CEO Thorsten Heins faced the wrath of shareholders, he answered the questions of the common folk. Well, he answered the softball questions of common folk. (The Globe and Mail)

After the jump, a look at the NASCAR drug policy, apparently there’s lots of sex in the Olympic Village and the viral video of the week. Continue reading →

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Sunday Link-Off: Canada Day 2012

I wasn’t sure I was going to do a linkdump today but here we are. Since it’s Canada Day, let’s kick it off with Hottest Canadian bracket #1 overall seed Kim Cloutier.

The big news of the week that Romneycare Obamneycare Obamacare was saved by the Supreme Court. SCOTUS basically came up with a unique interpretation of the Affordable Care Act to save it. (Wall Street Journal)

Is BuzzFeed a cool collector of internet miscellany or a blatant plagiarist website? (Gawker)

With the final of Euro 2012 this afternoon, here’s a look at how Seven Nation Army became the biggest song in the sports world. (Deadspin)

After the jump, more on the Sandusky case, some Canada-centric links and a proper double loop-the-loop. Continue reading →

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Saturday Link-Off: Pre-E3

Never fear. Jackie will be here. Just not today. He’ll have the Entertainment Link-Off tomorrow. Next will be a big one on the blog because it’s both E3 and Canadian Grand Prix weeks. How will we be disappointed with the E3 announcements this time? But don’t worry, Lindsay Ellingson never disappoints.

Ten years after Ken Caminiti admitted to using steroids, which started the PED witch hunt in baseball, Tom Verducci looks at some players’ choices whether to juice or not. (Sports Illustrated)

We’ve all heard of the McLaren F1. It’s the classic 90s hyper car which does over 240 MPH. Well, its designer, Gordon Murray, is back with a micro car which is smaller than a Smart car, gets 96 miles per gallon and does over 100 MPH. It’s probably the future of affordable driving. (Bloomberg)

Windows 8 is nearing release. The Release Preview edition shows that Microsoft has a complete game changer on their hands this time. (Engadget)

After the jump, mutiny at Indy, Doctor Who compared with Community and soccer goal celebrations go Michael Bay. Continue reading →

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Wednesday Link-Off: Newsbeat

Today’s link-off is filled with news links. In addition to that news is the news that Irina Shayk is still one of the top models in the world.

Only Toronto mayor Rob Ford could make things worse than just threatening to beat a reporter. Now he’s saying ridiculous things on his radio show. (Metro News)

In other news media news, the Associated Press issued an apology that was nearly 70 years in the making. They apologized to a reporter who they fired for reporting that the Germans had surrendered at the end of World War II. (NPR)

The Phoenix Coyotes may actually finally be sold. However, if you live in the city of Glendale, home to the Coyotes, you’re getting a raw deal. (Sportsnet)

After the jump, the life of an NBA referee, the story behind ME3’s same-sex romances and the Ron Paul theme song. Continue reading →

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Wednesday Link-Off: Newsbeat

We’ve actually got some news links to cover in today’s linkdump. Since I don’t actually have anyone in the news to kick off the post with, let’s just go with Jennifer Lawrence who’s in a new movie opening this weekend.

I didn’t think the old saying “love conquers all” included the NHL’s Battle of Ontario. But there was a wedding proposal in Saturday’s edition as a woman proposed to her girlfriend. And the fact that they were cheered and the NHL put a video on their website shows that hockey just might be one of the most progressive major sports in the world. (Puck Daddy)

Why has Tiger Woods’ golf game gone downhill since 2008? Well, it might have less to do with his action on the side as it does with his obsession with the Navy SEALs. (New York Times)

The Obama Administration calls it a war against al-Qaeda. The Republicans call it a war on terror and radical Islam. Guess whose name for the conflict hurt Osama bin Laden’s cause more. (Slate)

After the jump, the celebrity philanthropy lie, the real cost of your cable bill and will the real Mitt Romney please stand up? Continue reading →

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Wednesday Link-Off: The Best of 2011

It’s time for our collection of best of 2011 list links. To kick it off, it’s our scientifically determined woman of the year Kate Upton. Not that we actually needed to use our fancy system to figure that out.

Since this is a linkdump about the best of 2011, I think it’s only appropriate that the first link is to a list of the best of everything of 2011. (Time)

Still having trouble figuring out who’s worth a follow on Twitter? You might want to try this list of the top 100 Twitter accounts of 2011. (Paste Magazine)

Perhaps you prefer your internet a bit more meme-ish. Then check out this list of the best memes of 2011. (Made Man)

After the jump, the best of sports, the best pictures and the best fails of 2011. Continue reading →