Link-Off

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Wednesday Link-Off: Still Unfit

halle-berry-w16-02Three days later and the story hasn’t change. While it’s not like it could get better, for Donald Trump, there’s the reprieve from last week’s scandals because this week’s aren’t that bad comparatively. And you have Mike Pence drawing attention with the VP debate as well. It doesn’t change the fact that Trump still doesn’t seem very Presidential. Under the scrutiny of an actual campaign, the Trump mythology starts to become just that – a myth.

Anyway, it’s Wednesday which means that you’re here for the links. Let’s kick things off with Halle Berry. Something, something, Space Mountain. Woo!

The Attorney General of New York has ordered the Trump Foundation to cease and desist from soliciting contributions since it’s not licensed to do so. (NPR)

Does coming back from a near billion dollar loss make you a great business man? No, it just means that he lucked into his last name. (Bloomberg)

In another self-dealing matter, a look at Trump Foundation tax filings suggest that over a quarter-million dollars was spent to put Donald in position for a Presidential run. (Real Clear Politics)

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Sunday Link-Off: Unfit

anna-kendrick-trolls16-15If there’s one thing that the whole world bar 40-some percent of America can agree on, it’s that the last week has seen Donald Trump prove repeatedly that he is not ready or capable of being an effective leader of the free world and President of the United States of America. This week might be the worst week any presidential candidate has ever had during a campaign and it still won’t convince his base to change their votes.

So since it’s Sunday, that means we should get down to the links. Let’s kick off with Anna Kendrick who is starring in Trolls. If ever there was a more appropriately named movie for this presidential election, I don’t know what it could be.

The New York Times have obtained Donald Trump’s 1995 tax return and found that he claimed a $916 million loss that year that he could be carrying forward to avoid paying taxes. So how does losing nearly a billion dollars make him smart? (New York Times)

This massive loss along with his appeal concentrated among low-income and less educated voters could all be hurting the Trump brand. (Fortune)

For the first time in its history, USA Today gave voting guidance with its denouncement of Donald Trump saying no one should vote for him. (USA Today)

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Wednesday Link-Off: Debate Fallout

minka-kelly-huntwatch16-02So the first US Presidential debate lived up to everything that it was promised to be. It was one steel chair or fight away from being an episode of Monday Night War or Jerry Springer. It might have been the most unique debate in democratic history. It makes the debate on Community between Magnitude and Leonard look like a battle of political heavyweights.

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

When you set the bar too low, it’s easy for someone to claim victory in a debate. The Conservative Party of Canada infamously said that Justin Trudeau would succeed in the Canadian electoral debate if he wore pants to it. He’s now Prime Minister. The goal for Donald Trump was to appear somewhat Presidential. He was standard Trump. (The New Yorker)

The lie score from the first presidential debate is 34 to 4 in favour, if you want to call it that, of Donald Trump. (Toronto Star)

The score among voters is that Clinton won the debate by a score of 51% to 40%. The other 9% are still rooting for the asteroid. (Public Policy Polling)

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Sunday Link-Off: Normalizing Stupid

heather-graham-amfar16-02Tomorrow is the first of three US Presidential debates. Netflix is going to get a workout from those of us 1) not in America, and 2) wanting to remain sane rather than watching hours of lies and playground insults. Good luck, America. No matter who wins, you lose. The rest of us will lose more if a hairpiece wins.

Anyway, it’s Sunday which means that you’re here to read some links. Alternatively, you could be here to see us kick this post off with Heather Graham who you can’t tell is 46.

“If you vote for Donald Trump, then screw you.” (GQ)

“I will never stop hating this election for normalizing stupid.” (Esquire)

What do you know about the Presidential campaign issues? If your answer is “next to nothing,” that’s because the media is too busy covering campaign drama to worry about the issues. (The Conversation)

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Wednesday Link-Off: Stuffing Ballots

kirsten-dunst-emmys16-02We’re seven weeks away from the US Presidential election but I don’t think that we’re going to make it without all going insane. The funny thing is that the whole world full of politics has gone absolutely mental. At the very least, today’s links should have you laughing at political absurdity.

Anyway, it’s Wednesday so we’re doing the links. Let’s kick things off with Kirsten Dunst.

It sure looks like Donald Trump used the Donald J. Trump Foundation to pay for legal issues pertaining to him and his companies. (Washington Post)

Who is to blame for the close polls between Clinton and Trump: The Millennials (The Guardian) or the Baby Boomers? (The New Republic)

The Canadian House of Commons is a very loud place with generally impolite people trying to heckle fellow politicians. The Speaker of the House is doing his best to shame all of the hecklers to make them shut up. (CBC)

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Sunday Link-Off: Not News This Week

sophie-turner-venice16-03It seemed like there was a lot that happened this week but none of it was important. The news cycle just kept going with the usual Trump/Clinton bullshit that everyone is getting tired of. The rest of the world just kind of rolled along. The only interesting thing was discussing pardoning Edward Snowden which I’m less sold on now because of questions of Wikileaks apparent support of Russian interests.

Anyway, it’s Sunday which means that we’re doing the links. Since the Emmys are tonight, let’s kick off with Game of Thrones’s Sophie Turner.

The multimillion dollar interview offer from Mark Cuban to Donald Trump and Peter Thiel bankrolling a case against Gawker, shows that America’s press is now in control of the billionaires. We can say that in a year or so if Mister rather than President Trump launches Trump News Network. (MacLean’s)

If you think that corporate money doesn’t play a large role in politics, you should see what they’ve dug up in Wisconsin. (The Guardian)

The only US story that’s worth noting this week is Colin Powell’s private emails used for government business as Secretary of State and how this ties into Hilary Clinton. (Snopes)

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Wednesday Link-Off: Deplorables

reese-witherspoon-tiff16-04If anyone tells you that they know exactly what is or isn’t a turning point in an election in the moment, they’re lying. How many times have we thought that Trump said something disqualifying in this election cycle? Besides, when David Duke is acting like he loves being called a Trump deplorable, maybe there’s something to accusing some Trump supporters of being racist.

Anyway, it’s Wednesday so it’s time for us to do the links. Since TIFF is going on right now, here’s Reese Witherspoon making a rare public appearance at TIFF.

Peter Mansbridge is retiring from The National after anchoring the newscast for 30 years. Has his tenure broken The National and CBC News? (Ricochet Media)

Without a hint of irony, Donald Trump said that Hilary Clinton calling half of Trump supporters “deplorables” is the biggest gaffe of the election season. That’s the same Donald Trump who will likely have made a bigger gaffe while I’m writing this sentence. That’s the same Donald Trump whose entire campaign is built around saying outlandish thing to dominate the election news cycle, a strategy that got him the nomination and possibly the presidency. (Chicago Tribune)

Would Donald Trump be as aggressive in his campaigning if he was facing his old friend President William Jefferson Clinton rather than his wife Hilary? Bill and Donald seem like they were pretty good chums. (Politico)

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Sunday Link-Off: Follow the Money

elizabeth-hurley-instagram16-02I’m pretty sure that I’ve said it before but I’ll say it again: Following the news can get really boring and depressing sometimes. It’s Clinton’s a liar. Trump’s a racist. Both are in scandals over their charitable organizations. All I want is for November to arrive so we can have this damn election over and done.

Anyway, it’s Sunday which means that we have to do the links. Let’s kick things off with Liz Hurley and her Instagram.

The first campaign event featuring both candidates (albeit separately) happened last Wednesday. Both sides felt that host Matt Lauer was unfair to their candidate and soft on the other. However, both sides agreed that Lauer was terrible at his job and should stick to morning show puff pieces. Even his own network agrees. (CNN)

A lot of people are talking about Hilary Clinton’s email server but where did she learn this trick from? George W. Bush’s Secretary of State Colin Powell. Let’s see people try to make “but it’s different” stick. (Wall Street Journal)

Meanwhile, there’s a scandal brewing over political donations and how they may have impacted investigations into Trump University. You hear about emails but not this. Liberal media, indeed. (Share Blue)

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Wednesday Link-Off: The Worst Generation

ariel-winter-variety16-04Who is the worst generation is pretty much a matter of perspective. If you want to base it on the state of culture available for consumption, it’s easy to blame millennial consumption habits. However, the decision makers in culture and government are the baby boomers who have put us on this course. As a millennial, I feel pretty disenfranchised by both generations. We all suck when you get right down to it.

Anyway, it’s Wednesday which means that we’re doing the links. Let’s kick things off with Ariel Winter.

ITT Technical Institute is dead. Normally, people would say “long live” when something like this happens but nobody’s saying that about ITT Tech. (Gizmodo)

This story is likely leading to a libel lawsuit. It’s more about the culture of Fox News under Roger Ailes. (New York Magazine)

Roger Ailes retained the same lawyer Hulk Hogan used and had a letter sent to the author of that article and New York Magazine. He needs this potential lawsuit to go well because Fox News just settled a sexual harassment lawsuit for a reported $20 million. Can the reporting be libel against Ailes if Fox News apologized for how she was treated during her time at the channel? (Daily Intelligencer)

And on this note, a Trump insider has told the press that Trump TV will be coming eventually. (Washington Examiner)

For the last fifty years, the Dallas Morning News has endorsed the Republican presidential candidate. Not this election, though. (Talking Points Memo)

Trump complains about corruption in the Clinton camp but there are questions over a $25,000 donation he made to Florida’s Attorney General that preceded an investigation into Trump University being dropped. (The Hill)

After the last few years, you have to wonder if the baby boomers are the worst generation. (OC Register)

Jeremy Clarkson doesn’t have time for bicyclists who act like dicks to provoke motorists so they can claim to have some sort of moral high ground. (Shifting Lanes)

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Sunday Link-Off: Meanwhile, In Canadian Politics

amy-adams-arrival16-02I’ve been ignoring the Sunday links until this morning because I’ve been working on the F1 weekend recap for tomorrow on the blog. Before adding in any news about the pending sale of F1 and changes at the top of the sport or the actual race recap, the post is already at 1,200 words. If you’re an F1 fan, all the info you’ll need is coming tomorrow.

Anyway, it’s Sunday which means that we’re doing the links. Let’s kick things off with Amy Adams.

Could Donald Trump’s politics of divisiveness and unaccountability have a future in Canadian politics? (MacLean’s)

People are worried about what would happen to Canadian politics if the current first-past-the-post electoral system is dumped but it’s not like we’re used to majority governments in Canada. (National Post)

Marc Cuban thinks that Trump won’t release his tax returns because he’s tax planned himself in a way that his companies’ income is flowed through to his tax returns to save money so his business info would be on display (along with questionable US tax loopholes). (Business Insider)

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