Wednesday Link-Off: The Story Beyond The Story

maria-sharapova-esquiremexico13-05It’s the middle of the week which means that it’s time for some links. Are you ready for life without Google Reader? Because starting next Wednesday, the linkdump might be in some trouble while I figure out how to do RSS without Google Reader. In the meantime, normal programming continues. Since Wimbledon is this week, let’s kick off this post with Maria Sharapova.

Ezra Klien and Evan Soltas have an interesting theory about NSA whistleblower Edward Snowden. He doesn’t exist and is actually an NSA creation to distract the press from digging into PRISM. (Wonkblog)

David Gregory thinks Glenn Greenwald should be charged with aiding and abetting Snowden because DG has no respect for journalism. (Freedom of the Press Foundation)

Yesterday, the US Supreme Court axed a key part of the Voter Rights Act. That’s going to allow some serious skewing of electoral districts and may disinfranchise minorities. (The Guardian)

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The Humanoids: It’s June. Puck Off!

We’re over two weeks into the month of June and just handed out the Stanley Cup. I can’t be the only one who thinks that hockey has no place in the summer months, right? That’s not the only June thing that I have a problem with. I also have problems with Apple and video game industry trying to steal my money as well. Continue reading

NHL Eastern Conference Semi-Finals Preview

Just a quick look at the two eastern conference semi finals match ups.


Washington Capitals (1) vs. Tampa Bay Lightning (5)

Washington charged through the end of the regular season. They surpassed Philadelphia to finish up first and head into the playoffs for the first time looking like a solid cup contender. Naturally goaltending questions hang over them. The still have massive fire power available to them but now they do play a more defensive minded game (a switch that is remarkable for Bruce Boudreau to pull off). The adjustments they have made them look like more like every other past Stanley Cup Champions. They rolled the Rangers in a rather unexciting manner and have been waiting for a week to see that their opponent is the Tampa Bay Lightning. Tampa Bay is back in the second round for the first time since their Stanley Cup Championship season. Led by a solid seasons by Marty St. Louis and Steven Stamkos, the Lightning have a ton of talent up front and depth. Dwayne Roloson has had a good season and a stellar playoff performance in the first round. Depending on which Washington style we see this could be a fascinating series or a rather dull series. Continue reading

Hockey (Last) Night In Canada: The Drought Is Over

A moment of confusion quickly gave way to the biggest moment in a young player’s career. Patrick “20 Cent” Kane danced out from the corner and slid the puck under Michael Leighton but no one realized it except for him. The party was on hold for a moment as the play was briefly reviewed but in the end it was the Chicago Blackhawks lifting the Stanley Cup for the first time in 49 years. Continue reading

Hockey (Last) Night In Canada: Got Defense?

How do you make up for leaky goaltending? Just score plenty of goals! With the series knotted at two, the series headed back to the United Center where the Blackhawks hope to use the home advantage to snatch a win. Goals were exchanged regularly on both ends but only one came up on top and is now another step closer to the Stanley Cup. Continue reading

Hockey (Last) Night In Canada: Make It Best of Three

Game four saw the teams coming in with two different agendas. The Flyers dropped Dan Carcillo for James van Riemskyk to add some scoring punch and lose some careless penalty minutes. The Blackhawks were looking to recapture the dominant play that’s been missing since the midpoint of game two. This could be the most important game of the series. A Flyers win would make the series best of three. A Hawks win would give them a chance to clinch the series in game five. Continue reading

Hockey (Last) Night In Canada: Upon Further Review

On a night when instant replay would have preserved a perfect game in the hockey stronghold of Detroit, it was used to perfection in Philadelphia. A pair of instant replays of close goal calls were used that swung momentum in the game and possibly in the series. Continue reading

Hockey (Last) Night In Canada: It’s Not About the Big Guns

Last night was game 2 of the 2010 Stanley Cup Finals. Unlike the first game, each team was playing a lot more carefully and there were fewer offensive blows on each end. Once again it wasn’t the big names that made the difference in the game and by the end of the night, one of the teams managed to squeeze in a narrow victory. Continue reading

Hockey (Last) Night In Canada: One Down…

Game one of the 2010 Stanley Cup Finals were last night. It definitely didn’t go according to the script as the two offenses traded blows, the defences stood idly by and goalies worked on their tan thanks to the goal light. In all, 11 goals were scored over the sixty minutes of play. At the end of those three periods, one team was one win closer to winning Lord Stanley’s Cup. Continue reading

2010 Stanley Cup Finals Preview

Over the last eight months, the field has slowly been widdled from 30 to 16 to 8 to 4 and now to the final two teams fighting for Lord Stanley’s Cup. Heading into the season, the Chicago Blackhawks were a media favourite to make it to the big dance. The Philadelphia Flyers were considered a dark horse in October and a longshot after making it into the post-season on the final day of the regular season. Now, one of these teams is four wins away from lifting the Stanley Cup. Continue reading