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What If Doctor Who was an American Show?

When the ill-fated Doctor Who TV movie was made back in 1996, it was a co-production between the BBC and the American network Fox. The movie was made as a pilot for a revival of the show that would be produced by Fox for an American audience. However, while the movie was a success in Britain, it was a flop in America which meant that the series was never made.

But what if Doctor Who wasn’t just revived as an American series? What if the whole of Doctor Who was produced in America? Maybe these American actors would have played The Doctor. What do you think?
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Leave a comment Posted on by Steve Murray Humour, Sports

Olympic Fails of the Week

In my continuing efforts to point out how terrible the Sochi Organizing Committee and the IOC are as a result of everything happening at Sochi and in Russia, we once again look at some of the more embarrassing moments for the Sochi Olympics over the last week.

So here are eight pictures and tweets of Sochi Olympic fails from the week that was at the LOLympics.

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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 →

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Weekend Geek Links of the Week

What do some scientists think humans will look like in 100,000 years? Like characters out of manga books. [Mother Nature Network]

Some important Microsoft investors are telling Microsoft’s new CEO that he should drop Bing, Surface and Xbox from the company’s portfolio. [Washington Post]

Developer Jeff Vogel explains why Dong Nguyen pulled down his wildly popular Flappy Bird and how the vitriol from both random folks on the internet and the gaming media can get to you. [The Bottom Feeder]

EA’s Chief Creative Officer doesn’t see the problem with the SimCity and Battlefield 4 launches because the games sold well. It looks like EA is trying hard to win a third-straight Worst Company in America award from The Consumerist. [Rock, Paper, Shotgun]

If they go with a more Olympic-style model, could the World Cyber Games be revived and thrive? [eSportsMax]

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Leave a comment Posted on by Steve Murray Video Games

Contrast Review: Now That’s Not Thinking with Shadows

contrast-headerIt’s only appropriate that a game whose review on Valentine’s Day has a love story. Okay, that’s probably a bit of a stretch when it comes to Contrast seeing as the game is a puzzle platformer where a man trying to win back his family is only really of minimal importance to the game. However, it’s there so I’m calling Contrast an appropriate game to review today.

When Contrast was released, it certainly carried some big expectations. While Compulsion Games was a rookie developer, the game had been selected as one of two free games on PlayStation 4 at launch for PlayStation Plus members. Was Contrast worthy of such a distinction as being on of Sony’s featured launch titles?

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Leave a comment Posted on by Steve Murray Video Games

WRC Powerslide Review: The Spin-off Doesn’t Spin Out

wrc-powerslide-headerMilestone’s WRC series and I have a long history. I’ve played each of the four games and reviewed the last three. The series has evolved from TV presentation to arcade presentation. It’s tried to be rally sim and tried to be a WRC-licensed Dirt game. Every time it makes a change, they take two steps forward and at least one step back.

With WRC Powerslide, Milestone has completely gotten away from proper rallying. Instead, Powerslide is a WRC karting game. While I’ve been looking for the proper WRC series to embrace being a proper rally sim, Powerslide proves that you don’t actually know what you want from gaming until you get it.

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Wednesday Link-Off: The Best of Times, The Blurst of Times

anais-pouliot-victoriassecret14-04Before any accuses me of breaking my Olympic boycott, I insist that stories embarrassing to the IOC and the Sochi Organizing Committee are in keeping in the spirit of the boycott. I am not supporting them with the Olympic links in this post.

Alright, it’s Wednesday which means that it’s time for the links. Since it’s the run up to Valentine’s Day, here’s a Valentine’s Day themed shoot from Canadian Victoria’s Secret model Anais Pouliot.

Occupy Wall Street protester Cecily McMillan is facing seven years in prison for being beaten unconscious by the NYPD. You can’t call it “the American justice system” because clearly there is no justice. (The Sparrow Project)

Michael Sam has a very good chance of being the first openly gay athlete in a major American team sport after coming out this weekend. Hopefully that doesn’t drop him right out of the upcoming NFL draft. (Outsports)

While we’ve been focusing on Russia’s domestic issues that have made these games morally unbearable, Putin’s backing of the Syrian government has allowed for them to slaughter thousands of innocent civilians. Why is Russia allowed to host these Olympics despite their near cartoonish villainy. (The New Yorker)

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1 Comment Posted on by Steve Murray Humour, Sports

Olympic Fails of the Week

While yesterday I said that I’m boycotting the Sochi Olympics, I believe that pointing out all that is wrong with the Sochi Olympics is in keeping with the spirit of the boycott. I’m not interested in supporting these Olympics or embarrassing the athletes. I’m interested in undermining the Sochi Organizing Committee’s efforts to make Russia look good in the eyes of the world when it should be looked down upon with scorn.

So here are five pictures and tweets of Sochi Olympic fails.

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2 Comments Posted on by Steve Murray Man Lab

SI Swimsuit Issue 2014 Cover Odds

Sports Illustrated has reached the 50th anniversary of their immensely popular Swimsuit Issue. While the magazine itself isn’t quite as good as it once was, the Swimsuit Issue hasn’t really diminished as a cultural icon and pop culture force.

Over fifty years of the Swimsuit Issue, it has featured 40 models on the cover. I don’t think that this year’s 50th anniversary issue will add to that tally though. I explain in The Lowdown Blog’s annual examination of who will make the cover of this year’s Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Issue.
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