We did this, they did that #4

It’s Friday! So what better way to spend it than by mooching around the internet looking at some of the things that I found interesting and worth reading this week? Go on, slack off and tuck in.

We did this…

We moved UsVsTh3m onto the Mirror, and we had two great pieces in advance about that Channel 4/Ukip malarky – one from John Higgs and one from Rob Manuel.

Ampp3d tried to get to the bottom of whether there really are more people chasing down benefit fraud than are chasing down tax evasion in the UK.

We revealed Coca-Cola’s secret formula and why you can’t actually make it at home.

This otter with ice cream brain freeze.

Facebook banning an autistic teenager because he likes to pretend to be Doctor Who online.

…they did that

A very useful counterpoint to Jon Ronson’s widely shared article about Justine Sacco: “How being a racist blew up Justine Sacco’s life”

Parker Marie Molloy on why Trans women of color deserve to be mourned as much as Leelah Alcorn.

If you are only going to read one post about why 50 Shades of Grey is problematic in the way it presents an abusive relationship, make it this one: “I Dated Christian Grey: How Women Are Groomed For Abuse”

The noble art of anonymous trolling via the medium of “Vinegar Valentines” in the Victorian era. [HT @mattround]

“No tabloid journo – whose life is invariably a shattered kaleidoscope of prostitutes, gambling, cocaine, self-loathing, literally going through a strangers bins, erectile disfunction and cocaine- is genuinely offended when some students dress up as the Twin Towers for Halloween. Outrage just makes good copy.” – Frankie Boyle

The best paragraph about that recent Law & Order Special Victims Unit #GamerGate episode is by Leigh Alexander: “The episode itself was a clunky and simplistic portrayal of games, their culture and their current problems. And it wasn’t realistic; man, can you imagine if the cops took internet threats against women seriously in real life?! Ha, ha.”

My personal highlight

Resisting writing 1,057 think pieces about Peter Oborne and the Telegraph. Just about. Maybe next week.

Did you know?

Idlewild have a new album out if that’s your thing.