Link-Off

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Sunday Link-Off: Back in Business

ashley-diana-morris-maxim14-01Just because the Olympics are over doesn’t mean that stories about Russia are done. Their neighbours, the Ukraine, are making news and Russia seems to be right there sticking their noses in to make things worse.

Anyway, since it’s Sunday, I think we should do the links. Let’s start with Canadian model Ashley Diana Morris.

Two years before the Boston Marathon bombing, Tamerlan Tsarnaev and an accomplice killed three men. The case was never solved. Would solving that case have prevented the bombing? (Boston Magazine)

The situation in the Ukraine has been deteriorating over the last week and the possibility of armed Russian intervention is a real issue. (Washington Post)

The Harper Government is sending a delegation to the Ukraine to meet the new government but the Harper Government is using this as an opportunity to play politics… as usual. (MacLean’s)

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Weekend Geek Links of the Week

If you aren’t Canadian and didn’t see her stint hosting Electric Playground (the same show that gave Geoff Keighley his start and also featured legendary game composer Tommy Tallarico), you may not know Jade Raymond. You will, however, know her work. She was a producer on the Assassin’s Creed franchise, Watch Dogs, The Mighty Quest for Epic Loot and is now the Managing Director of Ubisoft Toronto. [AdWeek]

Have you ever wondered where King’s millions of dollars in profit are coming from if you and no one you know are spending money on Candy Crush? Well, that’s because half of mobile game revenue comes from about 0.15% of gamers. [Swrve]

The folks at Pew Research have examines Twitter and broken topical conversations down into six different categories. It’s actually a fairly fascinating examination. [Pew Research Internet Project]

Eve Online can be both the most and least exciting game ever made. It all depends on how you play it. Here’s an in-depth look inside the space MMO that frequently captures the attention of the gaming world. [Polygon]

And for something completely different, a porn search engine has created a live feed of its search terms in case you wanted a look into some of the more depraved minds of society. This link is the NSFW-ish one not the NSFW work one. [Weird Internet]

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Entertainment Link-Off: Up Up and Away

Kate MaraNot much competition at the box office this weekend. Perhaps The Lego Movie will continue to dominate but I’m sure Liam Neeson and his airplane thriller Non-Stop is looking forward to dethroning the animated feature. Anyway, I’m gonna kick off the ELO with Kate Mara because I recently decided to see what the hype is all about in House of Cards. 

After the jump, more Matrix movies on its way, a longer look at the new Godzilla, Obama wants to build some Iron Man suits, and Jean Claude Van Damme takes his splits to outer space. Continue reading →

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Wednesday Link-Off: Gone but Not Forgotten

Even though the 2014 Sochi LOLympics are gone, I’m not done reinforcing the fact that they’re an absolutely farce. However, since there are other things happening in the world, it’s not a solely LOLympic edition of the Wednesday links.

So let’s get this show on the road by starting with likely SI Swimsuit rookie of the year Samantha Hoopes.

A Duke University freshman became a porn actress to help her pay tuition. She learned some things about herself and society in doing so. (XO Jane)

Arizona’s Republican Governor says that she will veto the state’s anti-gay bill. Granted, she cites economic reasons for planning to veto but it’s still a win for people who aren’t assholes. (Business Insider)

Bonnie Ford examines the dichotomy of these LOLympics. Everything was fine on the surface but terrible when you looked away from sports. (espnW)

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Sunday Link-Off: Put Out The Flame, The Sham is Over

Greetings once again readers. Happy days are here again! Or, at least, they will be once the closing ceremony is done and the Sochi LOLympics are done for good. Then we can stop pretending that Russia is awesome. It’s not just their domestic policies that are terrible. Just look at their influence in Syria and Ukraine that are causing those countries to self-destruct.

Anyway, it’s Sunday so it’s time to kick the week off with the links. Since the SI Swimsuit Issue came out last week, here’s a little Canadian content with model Kate Bock.

Ukraine has been caught in a tug-of-war between closer ties with the EU and Russia. The government wants Russia. The people, the EU. This is the outcome. (NPR)

And the truce between the Ukrainian government and protesters doesn’t seem to be doing much to calm things. The protesters seem to have taken over Kiev while Yanukovych is on the run. (New York Times)

It’s a sad state of affairs when the media is more interested in who is reporting the news and using that to influence their interpretation of the reporting than they are in what is being reported. News just isn’t going to be the same as it was in the good old days. (Politico)

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Entertainment Link-Off: Hot Lava!

emily browningIt appears none of the newcomers can seem to dethrone the Lego Movie from the top spot at the box office this weekend. There’s Kevin Costner channeling his inner Liam Neeson in 3 Days to Kill and then there’s Paul W.S. Anderson’s latest directorial effort Pompeii. While he attempts the James Cameron formula for the disaster epic, the film falls flat on most notes with a few exceptions. At least he got Emily Browning as the leading lady, so that’s a bright spot.

After the jump, prepare yourself for more Space Jam, heck prepare yourself for more Heroes, catch a first look at Guardians of the Galaxy and the cast of HIMYM read out the top 10 surprises for their finale. Continue reading →

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Weekend Geek Links of the Week

It’s been almost a year since Disney killed off LucasArts and turned it into a licensing division rather than a video game developer and publisher. However, the death of LucasArts had been a decade in the making. [Game Informer]

Popular YouTuber TotalBiscuit explains the downside of being famous on the internet. [/r/CynicalBrit]

In something of a surprise, the internet has reacted favourably to The Escapist reviews editor Jim Sterling being cast in Volume. How does he get a pass but a Jessica Chobot and IGN get raked over the coals? [Stick Twiddlers]

Good news for people who are roughly my age: Tony Hawk says that Activision is working on a new Tony Hawk skateboarding game. Just make a game and use the soundtracks from THPS1 & 2 and you’ll be fine. [IGN]

FYI: GOG is moving to a regional pricing model at the request of publishers. That probably doesn’t benefit anyone who is now subject to regional pricing. They say it’s necessary so more publishers will release DRM free on the service. [GOG.com]

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Wednesday Link-Off: Almost Time to Go Home

So with the SI Swimsuit Issue out yesterday, I’ve been wondering if I can say that I was right. I did predict a group cover, even if I called it an “All-Star Cover.” I think I should get double points because I had Kate Upton ranked second on the list and she was on the back cover.

However, today’s set of links isn’t going to feature any of the Swimsuit cover girls. Let’s start this off with the living legend Heidi Klum.

Russia isn’t the only place the world that hates gays. The Kansas government has created a law that allows business owners to discriminate based on sexual orientation. Not only is the law terrible but their reasoning is too. (The Dish)

Just because I’m boycotting the Sochi LOLympics doesn’t mean that others are. Some folks are tripping over themselves to praise these Olympics and Vlad Putin. (Toronto Star)

An Italian transgender former-MP was arrested for protesting that it was okay to be gay at the LOLympics. It is okay to be gay. Just not in Russia (or Kansas). (The Daily Beast)

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Sunday Link-Off: The LOLympic Dream

kate-mara-gq14-02We’ve reached the midpoint of the Sochi LOLympics and I understand that Canada is doing well which is nice. On the other hand, I’m mildly perturbed that people don’t take my boycott and the reasons for it seriously. Mostly family and coworkers at my day job but it’s still discouraging that sports trumps the rights of gays, dogs and the people of both Syria and Sochi.

Anyway, I suppose that since it’s Sunday, we should do the links. Let’s start with Kate Mara. You know, I really should watch House of Cards.

The US Labour Secretary has a good point. How can some smaller companies thrive despite paying livable wages while the big ones who make a mint thanks to low wages say they’ll go under if minimum wage gets to a livable level? (Daily Kos)

Subscribers to Newt Gingrich’s email list get an odd assortment of “news items” sent to them. These include stories about alleged cancer cures, Obama’s secret mistress (it’s Beyonce like the tabloids already told us so it’s not a secret) and The Illuminati. And you wonder why many people consider the GOP to be a laughing-stock. (Media Matters)

It’s kind of amazing how quickly a story disappears. One year ago, a kid on Facebook made a joke about shooting a school. He was quickly arrested because some people don’t have senses of humour. Now, he faces 10 years in prison. I know that’s a sensitive topic but some people just take life way too damn seriously. (Dallas Observer)

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Entertainment Link-Off: Your Move

abbie cornishRoboCop finally hits theatres in North America this weekend. It’s not a terribly bad remake, but it will never top the original film. Anyway, let’s start the ELO with the leading lady from the film Abbie Cornish, who by the way is planning to release a rap album. 

After the jump, don’t spoil House of Cards for Obama, tears are flowing at the final read of HIMYM, Jerry O’Connell is sorry too, watch a Friday Night Lights crossover and imagine what Let It Go would sound like it it was sung by a variety of divas. Continue reading →