Author: Steve Murray

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Wednesday Link-Off: Work Harder, Not Smarter

josephine-skriver-urbanoutfitters15-01I’d love to say that Jeb Bush is alone in thinking that people need to work more to earn their keep but we all know that’s not true. You can be amazing at your job but if the guy one cubicle down is working more hours than you, he’ll get the drop on you if he’s half as good as the next worst person there. Such is life. It’s not about what you’ve done or can do, it’s about what you’ve done lately.

Anyway, if it’s Wednesday, that means it’s time for us to do the links. Let’s introduce a new face to the blog and bring in Danish model Josephine Skriver.

Prime Minister Stephen Harper is preparing to sign Canada up to the TPP. Our only saving grace is that he might erode his own base in doing so. (Boing Boing)

A new study says that 95% of women who’ve had abortions don’t regret it. Good! (Time)

The Romney 2012 campaign was effectively done from the 47% comment. Now, Jeb Bush has started his campaign by saying Americans need to work more. Foot meet mouth. (Washington Post)

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The Economics of Star Wars (Infographic)

Star Wars is a tale of good vs. evil, the little man against the oppressive regime, and how self-belief begets shrewd negotiations that allowed the creator to retain the rights to sequels, merchandising and a significant portion of the box office gross.

Okay, Star Wars isn’t so much about the last point but that doesn’t mean that a little sci-fi movie that no studio really believed in didn’t become the poster child for the mega movie franchise. Star Wars (AKA Episode IV: A New Hope) was made for a tiny $14 million. It made over $775 million at the box office and nearly double that when adjusted for inflation. That’s just one of the cool facts about the dollars and cents of Star Wars we have for you in this handy infographic.

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Fails of the Week

Every so often, we take a look at the most epic fails from the week that was in the Fails of the Week. This week, we have five pictures and videos that we think are the most epic fails of the week.

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Sunday Link-Off: The Old Jobs and New

emilia-clarke-iodonna15-01Since it’s Comic Con weekend, I thought a little Game of Thrones joke for the title wouldn’t be a bad idea. You know, the old gods and new that they’re always talking about. There isn’t anything in the way of Comic Con links in this linkdump because Jackie has that covered in the ELO but that doesn’t mean that we don’t have interesting things to read.

Anyway, it’s Sunday which means that we have to do the links. Since I had a Game of Thrones theme for the title, let’s kick off with Emilia Clarke.

The Great Reddit Revolt of 2015 is over. Interim CEO Ellen Pao is out and Reddit co-founder Steve Huffman is in. (Bloomberg)

Former US Attorney General Eric Holder is heading back to his old law firm. It just so happens to have ties to a number of banks that weren’t charged for their part in the financial crisis of a few years ago. (Democracy Now)

Why can’t we fall asleep? (The New Yorker)

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Her Story Review: Law and Order

her-story-headerExperimental games are a hit or a miss. I’m not entirely sure that you will ever find a near universal opinion on any game but games that find themselves outside the standard mould are especially prone to that. People will either absolutely love new and different games and mechanics or they will resoundly reject them.

I use that as the intro to this review because experimental is an appropriate catch-all term to describe Her Story. It’s a mystery game that sees you dig through old police interrogation videos to determine the truth in a 21-year-old case.

It might not have a proper win state. It might rely on FMV in the style of a, well, 21-year old video game. It might be a game that’s only combat is your brain against itself. But it’s easily the best game I’ve played this year so far.

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Wednesday Link-Off: Inside Story

The story behind the story is one of those little themes I like to bring up when doing the links time and time again. I’m sure some find it a little played out but I wouldn’t keep going back to that theme for the links if I didn’t find it interesting. The reason I got into the news almost ten years ago was because I love news and I love knowledge. You could say that it’s my jam.

Anyway, it’s Wednesday which means that it’s time to do the links. Let’s kick things off with Emmanuelle Chriqui.

As the TPP gets closer to becoming law, the US is faced with another new trade deal that will help the small minority of Americans. (Pittsburgh Post-Gazette)

Applying the term “socialist” to a politician used to spell the beginning of the end to their highest aspirations. People see beyond that term that Bernie Sanders has applied to himself. How does that work? (The Guardian)

A North Korean defector is coming to the west with 15 gigabytes of data about biological and chemical weapon tests being performed on humans. There’s a small difference between maybe having those weapons and using them against your own people. (The Age)

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Facebook Fails of the Week

Every so often, we look at the most spectacular fails that the internet has to offer. Well today, we look at the most spectacular fails that Facebook has to offer. This week, we have five of the best fails Facebook has to offer.

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F1 British Grand Prix: Not the Destination but the Journey

f1-2015-britain-hamilton-crowdAs per usual, it was a Mercedes 1-2 in the British Grand Prix. The difference was how we got to that result made the race much more exciting than the standard Mercedes 1-2. Lewis Hamilton won but he sure looked unlikely to pull that off for a good portion of the race.

Meanwhile, for all the action on-track, there was even more action happening off track as the teams start gearing up for the 2016 season.

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Sunday Link-Off: Belated Happy Murica Day

sydney-leroux-alex-morgan-hawaii13-01Okay, so it’s not July 4th anymore but I think it’s close enough that I’m allowed to reference that American holiday today. It’s so cool that you Yanks would name the day your country was created by naming it after a Will Smith move. That reminds me that they’re making a sequel to Independence Day. Nothing like ruining a franchise with sequels it doesn’t need.

Anyway, it’s Sunday so it’s time for us to do the links. Let’s do something special for America Day and the end of the Women’s World Cup with the American soccer duo of Sydney Leroux and Alex Morgan.

Ahead of today’s referendum, Greece’s economy is on the verge of a complete collapse. (The Guardian)

President Obama is working on a big clemency plan to commute the sentences of non-violent drug offenders. I believe it’s called correcting the mistakes of the past. (New York Times)

The Conservative Government will tell you all about the great things they’ve done for the economy but it’s probably not good to be touting that in the middle of a recession. (Huffington Post)

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F1 Power Rankings: British Grand Prix

It comes but once a year. It’s not Christmas but Homecoming. The teams of the Formula One World Championship get their annual trip to Silverstone which allows them to enjoy some home cooking and to sleep in their own beds. For seven of the teams, the British Grand Prix is their home race so there is a lot of pride on the line as the factories clear out and the behind the scenes folk make their annual pilgrimage to the track for a Grand Prix.

That being said, even with pride on the line, it’s still a Mercedes world and everyone else is racing in it.

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