We'd love to be flies on the walls of newspaper boardrooms these days. The democratization of information on the internet threw the media companies for a loop, resulting in years of failed attempts to protect that information from the non-paying public. Sites like CNN wanted web readers to pony-up to see video clips, while the Hamilton Spectator previously made their website only accessible to subscribers. Like The New York Times, the Globe and Mail......

You may have noticed our new Profile system, rolled out a week ago, which segregates our commenters into two groups: those who have a profile (and who are identified by the name that they choose), and those who don't (identified, across the board, as a "guest"). In the interest of full disclosure, I didn't like the profile system when I was first told about it by Gothamist, our parent company; in fact, I objected......

Even though tomorrow is World Car Free Day, Torontoist wants to warn those TTC virgins that sometimes the Better Way is not always the Better Smelling Way. Gawker just released a NYC Transit - Google map mash up of what each station smells like for their glorious Gotham. We suspect that if this kind of map were to be created for Toronto, the TTC would send out legal notices like it did poor local blogger......

Jaunted.com gave us this heads up about Toronto's mini version of the Gawker Stalker. It's a Google Maps mash-up following around Portman while she's filming Mr. Magorium's Wonder Emporium. Which has such a terrible title but has Dustin Hoffman, which kinda makes up for it. Sure it's only one celebrity but it IS Natalie Portman who Torontoist has to admit he's got a crush on. Any other sightings can be sent along to tips@jaunted.com [Ed.......

It's old news now, but just in case you didn't hear, Boing Boing editor and former Torontonian Cory Doctorow is one of three judges for the 2006 Blooker prize. The Lulu Blooker prize is awarded to the best non-fiction, fiction and comic books inspired by a blog (or blog turned into books). The most impressive title on the short list, in Torontoist's humble opinion is Julie Powell's Julie and Julia, the New York secretary that......

We don't really feel like discussing last night's ridiculous debate (is it just us, or is Gilles Duceppe's English getting worse as these debates go on? Really, we think it's all an act - Duceppe probably speaks perfect English, but refuses to out of spite), which served only to convince us that we can't, in good conscience, vote for any of the candidates. We'd rather discuss a far more important debate - a diss-and-defend Toronto......

Whoa. WTF, kiddies: Gavin from Vice (pictured) recently married. The mag jumped le requin years ago, but the ding-a-ling-ling of the wedding bells have ultimately symbolized the final death knell to the cultural phenomenon that was Vice™. According to Gawker: Emily Jendrisak, daughter of Christine Jendrisak and Jerry Jendrisak of Madison, Wisconsin, was married Saturday, September 17th to Gavin Miles McInnes, son of James McInnes and Loraine McInnes of Nepean, Ontario. Congrats Gavin and Emily!......

Like anyone else, Torontoist can't help but be occasionally overwhelmed by the traumatic events in other areas of the world. This week is obviously one of those occasions. Our thoughts are in Louisiana. DCist has copious links and information on Katrina relief efforts. We'll post a comprehensive list of Ist posts and information shortly. In Canada, efforts are underway across the country to send relief to New Orleans. Celine has donated $1 million to the......

The National Basketball Association's MVP and super cute BC native Steve Nash could very well be approaching superhero status in Toronto. Over the weekend, millions (or thousands) of Nashophiles were speculating whether the camera phone picture below, courtesy of Gawker, was really Hair Canada playing an impromptu game of pick-up in NYC. The Gawker reportage, which posted at least three pictures of Nash balling with non-NBA players, have since been confirmed. What a guy! Along......

Thanks to Gawker, we feel better about the time we fell asleep during Copenhagen. Apparently, we're not alone. Authoress and inventoress Margaret Atwood also finds time to fall asleep on cultural evenings out. But only after first boring the audience with her own speechery. Seen anyone fall asleep in public lately? Do let us know.......

Like a wannabee Gawker, we thought we'd steal an animated gif in the service of quality posting. Except instead of the flashing siren, we've gone gragger. It's a noisy little contraption used solely for the purpose of annoying people on this most triangular of Jewish holidays. Happy Purim all!......

Persuant to Friday's discussions of the merits of Eckler and McLaren, and who would win in a blindfolded mud wrestle, TOist would like to enter yesterday's NYTimes style piece by Rebecca Eckler as exhibit A in the case for Eckler. Yes, Leah has both a farm and a perky nose, but Eckler has two men, a little lady, and the skills necessary to expose her shambling affairs to anyone who has the patience to stomach......

Yesterday, Gawker reported on the demise of Suede magazine. And for a site that trades on snark, the tone was surprisingly empathetic, supportive even. Fast forward to today's Globe and Mail, which is easily summed up as Canadian Flares Out by way of a front page story on Suzanne Boyd's once promising New York publication. Why is this unfortunate mag sacking a cover story, TOist has to wonder. Why make a cover story of a......

Slatester Jack Shafer has a field day with Starbucks' newest gimmick - quotable cups courtesy the 'Way I See It' Series. The cups have quotes from personalities as varied as Ken Auletta, Goldie Hawn and Stephin Meritt. Shafer uses the cupquotes to riff on possible specialty coffees for a whole brew of stateside personages like Charlie Rose, Gawker, and our personal favourite, the Christopher Hitchens: a venti Irish coffee, hold the coffee. As if Hitch......

Late in the day don'ts for your edification! - Don't drink Sealtest Chocolate Milk: If it's 1%, 1 litre and has a February 7th exp. date. Apparently, it has cleaning agent in it, and three GTA residents have taken ill. - Don't believe Ann Coulter: Canada did not send forces to Vietnam, despite her protestations to the contrary in this Fifth Estate-via Gawker clip. - Don't be a victim of fraud: On this, the first......

Why wasn't Dan Ackroyd CBC's 'Greatest Canadian?' The network's exercise in garish anointment (rightly) gave us Tommy Douglas as Prime Time star for the evening, but Dan's got the charisma and the c.v. too! Gawker's Scoop gives us the lowdown on Ackroyd's rampant America-hating, and just in time for the commander-in-chief's visit to Dan's home turf too. All this Krankery is, in TOist's opinion, perfect pr for Ackroyd's cranky new film, though Ms. Scoop doesn't......

Today brings us yet another installment in the Dov Charney Media Feature Lovefest. This time from the Times, by way of Gawker. Even before the US outlets caught on to the charisma of American Apparel's Canadian Porn Star in Chief, Dov was hyped in an amazingly lengthy and nuanced piece by Mireille Silcoff. And now, every gal with a pen and a pulse knows she can go to LA (or NY) to meet with Dov......