Link-Off

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Sunday Link-Off: Trumping the Unexpected

emma-roberts-aerie15-01I know that today’s post was a little bit later than usual but that might be a little bit too common over the next couple of weeks. I’m going to have a busy couple of weeks upcoming so I’m hoping to get posts done every day but we’ll see how long they actually end up being.

Anyway, it’s Sunday so it’s time for us to do the links. Let’s kick is off with some unexpected Emma Roberts.

One of the quiet stories in both the Canadian and American elections is student debt. The crippling student debt many post-secondary graduates have might come back to haunt the economy. (LA Times)

One thing that American voters have that Canadians don’t is electronic voting machines. Part of the reason for that may be because these voting machines aren’t that reliable. (Huffington Post)

Political spin isn’t just for those in or seeking office. We’re many, many years removed from the flawed campaign to launch the US’ war in Iraq but Dick Cheney is still trying to change how people remember it. (Salon)

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Entertainment Link-Off: Drying by Friction

alison brie mens healthIt’s Saturday, so it’s time for a quick weekly list of entertainment links. In cinemas this weekend, you can catch the hilarious rom-com Sleeping With Other People. I managed to catch this during the Melbourne International Film Festival not too long ago and it was good fun! The jokes were spot on and the supporting cast were simply amazing. Anyway, the flick stars SNL alum Jason Sudeikis and Community star Alison Brie. Let’s kick off the ELO with the leading lady.

After the jump, Marvel might have an issue with Arrow, Apple wants to make original programming, and catch some new music from Pentatonix. Continue reading →

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Wednesday Link-Off: The World is Yours

chrissy-teigen-vma15-02You know, I’m really struggling to write something for an intro today. Part of the problem is that I’m quickly coming to the realization that maybe life without a purpose isn’t really life. That’s the problem with Facebook, everyone is quick to say/show how great their life is on there and it just reminds you that yours is comparatively shit. You just want to tell them where to stick it.

Anyway, it’s Wednesday which means that it’s time for us to do the links. Let’s kick off with Chrissy Teigen.

“An entire generation of young workers is missing crucial skills.” (Quartz)

Canada is officially in recession and it’s not just a little oil-related blip like the incumbent government would have you think. (The Globe and Mail)

The newly crowned Mrs. Universe is using her fame to advocate against Prime Minister Stephen Harper for ignoring Canada’s First Nations. (APTN)

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Sunday Link-Off: Spoilers

jessica-lowndes-bretterickson15-01Despite the fact that I wrote way too much about the current state of women’s wrestling in the WWE, I actually have quite a few links for today’s linkdump. As usual, it’s a lot about politics but there isn’t much about gun control this time. I’m hoping to pull together those links for the next post.

Anyway, it’s Sunday so it’s time for links. Since we have a lot of Canadian themed links, I think that it’s only appropriate to kick-off with Canadian actress Jessica Lowndes.

George Bush doesn’t care about black people: The Definitive History (Huffington Post)

The Canadian military is part of operations against IS in the Middle East. Don’t ask the Kurds what Canada has been up to because Canadian involvement is a surprise to them. (MacLean’s)

What’s the most underplayed story in this year’s Canadian election? The destruction of Canadian election laws and Elections Canada by the current government. (The Guardian)

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Entertainment Link-Off: Just Press Play

Alicia-VikanderIt’s reaching the tail end of summer, so you can definitely expect a slow down at the box office. The new release is the Zac Efron fronted coming-of-age story in We Are Your Friends. Reviews have been mixed, so proceed with caution. Perhaps it would be a safer bet to see something like… The Man From U.N.C.L.E. instead. Alicia Vikander seems to be the it girl lately with plenty of films along the pipeline in the coming year. 

After the jump, a look at the two sides of Captain America: Civil War, Quentin Tarantino took apart It Follows, it’s been 15 years since Bring It On, Key and Peele explain how Gremlins 2 came about and movie villains love My So-Called Life! Continue reading →

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Wednesday Link-Off: Money and Politics

sarah-silverman-hfpagrants15-01I know that I usually have a lot of links about politics in these posts but I’m throwing a few economics links in for good measure. You’d be amazed how dependent economic confidence is on just who is in office. You’d think that what they do would be the key factor but who is in charge and what they might do seem to be the biggest driving forces of the market.

Anyway, it’s Wednesday and that was a terrible intro so I suppose I should placate you with some links. Let’s start with Sarah Silverman.

Stock markets around the world have gone for a nasty drop over the last few days. The problem is that there aren’t many options left for governments worldwide to make a quick course correction. (Daily Intelligencer)

The trouble with lobbyists is how frightening their influence can be. H&R Block and Intuit got US Congress to make filing taxes harder for the layperson. (Vox)

Canadian defense minister Jason Kenney is a pretty key player in the Conservative government. He might actually help the election campaign if he was capable of regularly telling the truth on a more regular basis. (Press Progress)

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Sunday Link-Off: Takeover

beyonce-vogue15-01While I realize that SummerSlam is tonight and that’s what most casual wrestling fans will be paying attention to tonight. Folks who watch a bit more than the PPVs were probably watching NXT TakeOver: Brooklyn which was pretty damn good. Like the last TakeOver, it’s worth going out of your way to watch the women’s title match. It’s amazing what good storytelling can do to supplement good wrestling. Too bad the main roster bosses don’t get that.

Anyway, it’s Sunday so it’s time for the links. I’m trying to go thematic but not doing so well. Since Jay-Z is a prominent New Yorker, kicking off with Beyonce seems appropriate.

White collar work definitely isn’t as glamorous as some would believe. Just ask those being pushed to the breaking point at Amazon. (New York Times)

For the sake of fairness, Amazon boss Jeff Bezos says the above Times story isn’t entirely accurate. (Geek Wire)

Public Health England says that vaping is 95% less harmful than smoking cigarettes. Vaping probably shouldn’t be allowed in public spaces (just like smoking) but at least it’s a step in the right direction. (The Guardian)

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Entertainment Link-Off: Getting Smoked

natalie dormerPlenty to check out in cinemas this weekend. There’s the horror sequel Sinister 2. There’s also a Hitman reboot in Agent 47. Finally there’s the stoner/actioner American Ultra. I still got a lot of catching up to do with other flicks after the Melbourne Film Festival, so it might take me a little bit of time before I get around to these flicks. Anyway, it’s time for the ELO since it’s Saturday again, and let’s kick things off with Natalie Dormer.

After the jump, a rundown on the initial draft of Fantastic Four, Aliens 5 might be in development hell, Damon Lindelof has some harsh words for those who reacted negatively to Game of Thrones season 5, and Kingsman is not James Bond. Continue reading →

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Wednesday Link-Off: Freedom of Speech

You know, Freedom of Speech might be the one concept that seems so simple that everyone should understand but few actually comprehend. Freedom of Speech doesn’t mean that people can’t tell you to shut up for being an idiot. That means the government can’t arrest you for saying things they don’t agree with. This distinction will play into some of today’s links.

Anyway, it’s Wednesday so it’s time for the links. Let’s kick things off with the return of Britney Spears.

Inside the shady world of for-pay Wikipedia editing. (The Atlantic)

The battle over free speech continues but few really seem to understand what free speech and the First Amendment actually mean. (The New Yorker)

The Ashley Madison hackers just released all of their data in a 10 GB data dump. Things are about to get very interesting for a fair number of people. (Wired)

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Sunday Link-Off: On the Trail

nina-agdal-beachbunny15-12I’d say that the election campaigns north and south of the border are heating up but we’re in a bit of a lull. That’s to be expected, though. There is still two months until the Canadian federal election (#elxn42) and fifteen until the American one. With campaign happening constantly, albeit in an informal way, do we really need these mega campaigns?

Anyway, it’s time for us to do the links. Considering the heatwave that is sweeping through Canada right now, let’s start the post with Nina Agdal.

“Stephen Harper, the prime minister of Canada, is creating a legacy of secrecy and ignorance.” (New York Times)

Now that America has reopened diplomatic relations with Cuba, how will this affect Cuba? (The Atlantic)

Canadian negotiators of the Trans-Pacific Partnership went to Hawaii with a number of demands for the TPP. They caved on all of them. (Toronto Star)

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