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Wednesday Link-Off: Freedom of Speech

You know, Freedom of Speech might be the one concept that seems so simple that everyone should understand but few actually comprehend. Freedom of Speech doesn’t mean that people can’t tell you to shut up for being an idiot. That means the government can’t arrest you for saying things they don’t agree with. This distinction will play into some of today’s links.

Anyway, it’s Wednesday so it’s time for the links. Let’s kick things off with the return of Britney Spears.

Inside the shady world of for-pay Wikipedia editing. (The Atlantic)

The battle over free speech continues but few really seem to understand what free speech and the First Amendment actually mean. (The New Yorker)

The Ashley Madison hackers just released all of their data in a 10 GB data dump. Things are about to get very interesting for a fair number of people. (Wired)

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Sunday Link-Off: Hangover Helper

sarah-hyland-mmva15-01bA few hours late and probably a few links short, it’s time for us do bring you the Sunday links. I tried writing this up on Saturday morning because I had a busy Saturday evening and was in no state to be writing this morning. Yeah, that plan seemed to work out well.

Anyway, it’s Sunday so we better do the links. Let’s start off with Sarah Hyland.

The Canadian leaders debate was last week. Here is the requisite fact-checking. (Toronto Star)

Donald Trump might be polling on top of the Republican Presidential hopefuls but there are many things that could happen to him that could derail his campaign. (FiveThirtyEight)

After the debate, Donald Trump went to war on Fox News’ Megyn Kelly. Could going after the face of Fox News lead to his undoing? (WP – The Fix)

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Sunday Link-Off: Election Call?

minka-kelly-zimmerman15-01Just when I thought that this might be a quiet week in the news, the Conservative government sounds ready to dissolve Parliament and put us on a long road to an election where they’ll attack ad their way to victory. Granted, polls and projections say Canadians would be happy with an NDP-Liberal coalition to topple the Blues. I’m all for that too.

Anyway, it’s Sunday so it’s time for us to do the links. Making an all too rare appearance from Parts Unknown, here’s Minka Kelly.

Rumour has it that Prime Minister Harper could call an election as early as today. That would kickstart the longest campaign in Canadian history which would be only to the Conservatives’ advantage. (CBC – The House)

Stephen Harper will run on his economic record but his economic record pegs him as the worst Prime Minister on the economy since World War II. (Press Progress)

If the Trans-Pacific Partnership goes through, the CBC and Canada Post could be required to operate as for-profit businesses. We’re in a hell of a lot of trouble if this is approved. (Huffington Post)

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Wednesday Link-Off: The Power of Editorial

alexandra-daddario-stndrd15-04So Gawker’s been raked through the coals for the Conde Nast story. What I don’t understand is how people are celebrating the editorial team leaving over the business team pulling the story. To me, it makes perfect sense. If editorial doesn’t get the final say over content, they can’t do their job and have to resign. It’ll sound somewhat ironic to most but Craggs and Read had to take a stand for the sake of their journalistic integrity. Few may be willing to applaud them but I will for that.

Anyway, it’s Wednesday so it’s time for us to do the Wednesday links. Let’s kick things off with Alexandra Daddario.

Some people won’t want you to hear this but Vancouver’s safe needle injection site has been a massive success so far. (MacLean’s)

Gawker execs pulled the Conde Nast story from their website. As a result of business interest interfering with editorial, Gawker Media’s executive editor Tommy Craggs and Gawker.com editor Max Read both resigned. (Gawker)

As a result of the interference with the editorial team, Gawker and Jezebel both went dark on Monday in protest. (New York Times)

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Sunday Link-Off: Power and Politics (of Money)

milana-vayntrub-tvland15-01You know, I’m not too up for a lengthy intro today. It’s been a long week but I’m working on a few things in my offline life (not directly related to the ol’ 9-to-5) so I could either free up a whole lot of time for blogging and other extracurricular pursuits or magically lose it all. That doesn’t sound too mutually exclusive, does it?

Anyway, it’s Sunday so that means we’re going to do the links. Let’s kick this show off with Milana Vayntrub who you might know from various TV series but most certainly know as the AT&T girl.

“Bill Cosby Deposition Reveals Calculated Pursuit of Young Women, Using Fame, Drugs and Deceit” (New York Times)

Coca-Cola might be one of the biggest (or, at least, most prominent) sponsors of FIFA and the World Cup. That isn’t stopping them from looking for FIFA to do more to clean up. (BBC Sport)

A former top intelligence official says that America’s current use of drones is doing more to create more terrorists than stop them. (The Intercept)

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Sunday Link-Off: The Old Jobs and New

emilia-clarke-iodonna15-01Since it’s Comic Con weekend, I thought a little Game of Thrones joke for the title wouldn’t be a bad idea. You know, the old gods and new that they’re always talking about. There isn’t anything in the way of Comic Con links in this linkdump because Jackie has that covered in the ELO but that doesn’t mean that we don’t have interesting things to read.

Anyway, it’s Sunday which means that we have to do the links. Since I had a Game of Thrones theme for the title, let’s kick off with Emilia Clarke.

The Great Reddit Revolt of 2015 is over. Interim CEO Ellen Pao is out and Reddit co-founder Steve Huffman is in. (Bloomberg)

Former US Attorney General Eric Holder is heading back to his old law firm. It just so happens to have ties to a number of banks that weren’t charged for their part in the financial crisis of a few years ago. (Democracy Now)

Why can’t we fall asleep? (The New Yorker)

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Wednesday Link-Off: Inside Story

The story behind the story is one of those little themes I like to bring up when doing the links time and time again. I’m sure some find it a little played out but I wouldn’t keep going back to that theme for the links if I didn’t find it interesting. The reason I got into the news almost ten years ago was because I love news and I love knowledge. You could say that it’s my jam.

Anyway, it’s Wednesday which means that it’s time to do the links. Let’s kick things off with Emmanuelle Chriqui.

As the TPP gets closer to becoming law, the US is faced with another new trade deal that will help the small minority of Americans. (Pittsburgh Post-Gazette)

Applying the term “socialist” to a politician used to spell the beginning of the end to their highest aspirations. People see beyond that term that Bernie Sanders has applied to himself. How does that work? (The Guardian)

A North Korean defector is coming to the west with 15 gigabytes of data about biological and chemical weapon tests being performed on humans. There’s a small difference between maybe having those weapons and using them against your own people. (The Age)

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Wednesday Link-Off: Pyrotechnics

anais-pouliot-ellecanada15-01This week has been one of those where does the time go weeks? I swear I had all sorts of things planned an none of it really happened. Instead, I’m behind on all my blogging that I wanted to do. At least I took a five-day weekend to help catch me up on shit. That includes finally getting around to editing the most recent episode of The Lowdown BlogCast. Hoping to have that up next week.

So it’s Canada Day on a Wednesday which means that we have to do the links. Let’s kick things off with Canadian model Anais Pouliot.

So Greece defaulted on its international debt. This is going to end well. (RT)

There’s more fallout from Donald Trump’s Presidential campaign and inflammatory rhetoric. NBC has dropped the Miss Universe pageant and Trump has pulled out of The Celebrity Apprentice. I’m not sure which show’s continued existence show surprises me more. (The Hollywood Reporter)

How is Bernie Sanders’ Presidential campaign going? He’s raised $8.3 million so far which would have put him second among Republicans at this point in time in 2011. Basically, he’s doing really well for himself right now. (New York Times)

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Sunday Link-Off: SCOTUS FTW

charlotte-mckinney-menshealth15-01So this was just ever so slightly an interesting week in the world of politics. Between the Supreme Court making two milestone decisions to the Canadian Government under Stephen Harper showing complete disdain for Canadian citizens, there is something for everyone to talk about.

But today’s Sunday which means I should probably keep the intro to a minimum because we have to do the links. Let’s kick things off with Charlotte McKinney who is making her debut appearance on the blog.

The Supreme Court of the United States had a pretty good week. First, it upheld the federal tax subsidies that help make the insurance markets of the Affordable Care Act viable in a 6-3. (Bloomberg)

On Friday, in a 5-4 decision, the Supreme Court ruled that all states in the union are obligated to allow gay marriage. (Washington Post)

Prime Minister Harper’s spokesman dodges question about the Conservative Party’s attack ad that features ISIS-produced video and their anthem and attacks news coverage in a way that makes American politicians look positively sane. (Imgur)

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Wednesday Link-Off: See It to Believe It

hilary-duff-cosmo15-06Some news stories can be just a little too far out there for you to believe that they are on the level. While not every odd news story comes from The Onion, sometimes, they sound like something those guys would craft.

Anyway, it’s Wednesday so it’s time for us to do the links. Let’s change things up from the standard and kick things off with Hilary Duff. Remember when she was a thing?

Reports say that the Charleston shooter’s sister was the one who tipped off the FBI as to his identity. (Daily Mail)

The internet has a long memory. Rick Mercer’s old Talking to Americans skit has been dug up and it features then-Arkansas Governor Mike Huckabee talking about Canada’s national igloo. (BuzzFeed)

Kim Jong-un claims to have cured AIDS, cancer and ebola with one wonder drug. No, this isn’t a story from The Onion. Okay, the Korean Central News Agency is almost as good as The Onion. (The Independent)

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