Friday's 10 things you need to know

1
Stephen McNeil isn’t too happy with Eastlink, after the telecommunications provider announced plans to throttle Internet usage by rural customers. “We are running out of patience, quite frankly, as a government, with what we believe is inadequate service,” the Premier told reporters yesterday. Eastlink had signed a service contract in 2007 to provide high-speed everywhere in the province, but the company now says streaming sites like YouTube make that impossible.

“It’s a ridiculous statement. If you’re in the business of customer service, you continue to invest in your infrastructure to ensure that you keep pace with what’s happening in Nova Scotia or in the world,” McNeil said in response. The Premier himself has trouble with streaming reports Michael Gorman. “He can’t use Netflix and loading the legislative video stream often causes his computer to freeze or crash.”

McNeil argues high speed Internet is an essential service, not a luxury. He’s correct. High-speed Internet is a human right. That’s one reason why Eastlink and Nova Scotia had planned to provide high-speed to all Nova Scotians by 2009. The province has spent $20 million on the contract, and now appear poised to look at other service providers to finally finish the job.

2
Income assistance rates in Nova Scotia remain frozen for the second year in a row. If you haven’t noticed, prices for things like food, power, phones and gas have not been frozen for the last two years. Protestors gathered outside the Community Services building on Gottingen yesterday to draw attention to the ignored Nova Scotians on income assistance who are struggling to survive. “People are not living in dignity,” Amy Moonshadow tells Global’s Natasha Pace.

3
Sally Gomery—lawyer for one of the biggest law firms on the planet—tells the Canadian Press that “many” of the now-graduated dentistry students from the sexually violent “Class of DDS 2015 Gentlemen” Facebook group are now employed as dentists. Gomery wouldn’t specify how many of the 13 male students disciplined by the university are now gainfully employed, but based on his lawyer’s emails we know that the only member who brought the group to the attention of his classmates and later came forward to publicly apologize is still struggling to find work.

4
It’s been 20 years since Suzanne Saul and Christopher Joyce first opened Attica Furnishings and they’re celebrating that mega milestone in a really cool way. This Saturday check out in-store market, A Taste of Downtown, and enjoying snacks from some of Attica’s favourite neighbours as you shop.

5
The Pan Am Games kicks off today in Toronto, with 14 Nova Scotian athletes looking for glory. CBC has compiled some short profiles for all 14, half of which will be competing in the canoe-kayak sprints. Our personal favourites are Andrew Jessop—a Haligonian “known for his signature bright-orange kayak—and Hannah Vaugh, who “goes by the nickname Darth Vaughan.”

6
“Which Halifax convention centre are you promoting?,” writes Coast reader Robert from Australia over email. “There are 55 Halifax towns. Your site never mentions your nationality or country. You have to remember your online viewers.”

Quite right, Robert. For the record, The Coast is located in Nova Scotia. We are a Canadian newspaper. When we write about the Halifax convention centre, we’re writing about the Halifax Convention Centre. We hope that clears up any confusion.

7
The Downtown Halifax Business Commission has launched the “Don’t Go Travel Agency,” a marketing sketch to keep people from leaving the city this summer. “Why go down south when you can go downtown?”, says spokesperson Jennifer Deetee. “Have amazing experiences without breaking the bank with a staycation in downtown Halifax!”

The “company” will be set up across the street from 2 Doors Down, and is also running a contest from July 13 until August 23 where website visitors can enter to win one of six “staycation” packages for two valued at $900 each. More info can’t be found anywhere, as the links included in today’s press release are coming up 404. I guess just check back with the business commission’s Twitter next week?

8
Halifax singles have the tenth highest libidos in Canada, according to a rigorous scientific study by a dating site. “Out of the whole country, Halifax singles are among the most eager for sex—while Quebec’s singles are left out in the cold!” writes EliteSingles.ca’s spokesperson. Vancouver placed first, followed by Sault Sainte Marie, Toronto, Ottawa, Kelowna, Windsor, Grande Prairie, Brandon, Fredericton and finally Halifax.

9
Forget things you need to know, here are three things you need to drink this weekend.

10
A & K Lick-A-Chick’s parody of Blurred Lines came out a year ago, but was refound by local radio stations recently and honestly is much more entertaining the further the distance from Robin Thicke’s rapey summer jam. We’re supportive of any song encouraging listeners to eat fried chicken ‘till it hurts. Watch, laugh, enjoy…