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Sunday Link-Off: Lies, Damned Lies and Politics

lea-michele-kimmel15-01Sometimes, I wonder how there are whole websites and reporters dedicated to fact checking politicians but the frequency with which fact checking turns up errors, I’m surprised that I don’t try to get one of those gigs. You’d think that politicians would learn that everything they say would be under such close scrutiny that they couldn’t lie but what do I know.

Anyway, it’s Sunday which means that it’s time for us to do the links. With the new TV season kicking off last week through what feels like October, let’s kick this post off with Lea Michele.

I’m on the record as not believing in the efficacy of supply-side economics. Elizabeth Warren doesn’t either. (Salon)

Carly Fiorina is the latest Republican flavour of the month. However, her inability to recount facts might be her downfall. (Mother Jones)

In 2010, Fiorina ran for Senate. After the campaign ended, Fiorina’s campaign repaid all of her personal loans and left many staff and vendors high and dry. (The Daily Beast)

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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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Wednesday Link-Off: Putting on the Links

miranda-kerr-trendshealth15-02It’s been a long time since I’ve put together a sports-heavy set of links but that seems to be where the good links are for the early part of this week. There are a lot of sports stories this week that go beyond the field and that’s where most of the interesting and impactful stories come from. We can’t do politics all the time, right?

Anyway, if it’s Wednesday, then we must be starting the day with the links. Let’s kick things off with Miranda Kerr.

A Bernie Sanders rally in Seattle was cancelled after it was overrun by Black Lives Matter protesters. Of all the candidates running for President, isn’t Sanders the best friend that movement has? (Gawker)

We can laugh all we want at Donald Trump but he has a good team behind him. (National Journal)

Here’s an NDP tax policy I can get behind: The NDP say they will enact a special tax credit for craft breweries. (CBC News)

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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: The Grab Bag

elizabeth-banks-edit15-02Sometimes, it’s really hard to come up with a theme with a linkdump post. I know I’ve said that a few times before but I’m struggling to come up with a title and intro for this post. So I’m just going to shut up and let links happen.

And with that out of the way, it’s time for the Sunday set of links. Since Jackie covered off San Andreas yesterday, today, let’s cover off Pitch Perfect with Elizabeth Banks.

The 2016 Presidential campaign hasn’t really started but Jeb Bush is already slinging mud and lies. This is going to get ugly people. (Washington Post)

RIM/BlackBerry was one of the many short-lived great Canadian tech success stories. This time, it wasn’t a tech bubble that killed a Canadian tech giant but leadership that killed RIM. (MacLean’s)

A man threatened to kill himself so his girlfriend called the police. He ended up getting killed. Is suicide by cop a problem with the suicidal person or the cops? (The Daily Beast)

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Sunday Link-Off: Dollars and Sense

eugenie-bouchard-flare15-01Another week has come and gone. It seems as though I don’t know where the time goes but I still don’t think that time goes quickly enough either. Maybe it’s more like everything I am obligated to do in my life seems to take forever while I don’t have enough time for other things in my life like reading and blogging and friends and hobbies.

Anyway, if it’s Sunday, that must mean that we’re here to do the links. Let’s kick things off with Canadian tennis star Eugenie Bouchard.

The Globe’s Elizabeth Renzetti wins the day with her column about why Ontario parents fighting against sex ed are doing more harm than good. (The Globe and Mail)

It didn’t take conservative attack ads to derail Justin Trudeau’s momentum. All he had to do was back the government’s so-called “anti-terrorism” legistlation. (ThinkPol)

On that note, the former Bradley Manning says that the US government needs to be more open and transparent about it’s doing. (The Guardian)

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Sunday Link-Off: TKO

chrissy-teigen-daytimeemmys15-03So I understand that there was a boxing match on last night. While I like boxing, I never had any intention of watching that fight. I don’t know how some people can separate Floyd Mayweather the person from Floyd Mayweather the boxer and I certainly don’t know how people can overlook Mayweather’s history of violence altogether. So rather than put money in his pocket, I skipped the fight.

Anyway, enough with the pre-amble because it’s Sunday which means that it’s time for us to do the links. Let’s kickoff today’s post with a knockout of a different kind. Here’s Chrissy Teigen.

Robyn Doolittle isn’t the only reporter (once) of the Toronto Star to get her own book about a major Canadian scandal. Her partner on the Rob Ford beat, Kevin Donovan, will get one for the Jian Ghomeshi scandal. (Hello)

In other media matters, things aren’t getting any better for Brian Williams but he isn’t going to give up without a fight. (Page Six)

So the so-called fight of the century that would save boxing was last night. One participant (and the likely winner though I’m writing this several hours before bell time) has a track-record of domestic violence. However, the Nevada legal system has been successfully used to protect Floyd Mayweather and keep evidence under wraps. (Deadspin)

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Sunday Link-Off: You Link or You Die

emilia-clarke-hollywoodreporter15-05Okay, today’s linkdump is a little late because I had a busy day yesterday. I had no idea that curling once a year was that hard on your quads. I do DDP Yoga and do a lot of squats and leg exercises with that but it doesn’t help me much today. So I’m not sure if we’re lucky that the post is late or if it’s up at all since movement is exceptionally difficult.

Anyway, it’s Sunday so it’s time for the links. Since Game of Thrones is back tonight (YES!), here’s Emilia Clarke.

Darren Sharper was an NFL star. Now, he’s a convicted serial rapist. (At least that’s what I think you call someone who pleas out.) The problem is that he could have been stopped years before he was. How did the investigation fail so badly? (Pro Publica)

Ron Paul might be the internet’s favourite Paul but Rand is trying to catch up. He has a pretty smart stance on the War on Drugs. (The Hill)

While this story about a female teacher having sex with a student and getting a sweetheart plea deal is interesting and all, the real important part is talking about the double-standards with regards to sex with minors. (IJ Review)

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