Sunday Link-Off: The Only Story in Town

emma-watson-elleuk14-01Are there any news stories in Canada this week? Last week? Just the one? I love the Jian Ghomeshi conversation as much as anyone but it might be about time that we move on to talk about important things like bills going through Parliament or something that’s actually news.

Anyway, it’s time for the links. Let’s change things up and start with Emma Watson.

So apparently I’m wrong about an improvement in the discourse around sexual violence in Canada because of the Ghomeshi scandal. This op-ed says that I’m an idiot for thinking that people might talk about sexual violence differently now. And now discourse has been set back. (The Globe and Mail)

Though Post columnist Christie Blatchford thinks we’re not quite there yet as there’s a double standard about who can talk about what. (National Post)

The head of CBC’s English language services breaks her silence about Ghomeshi. (Metro)

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Wednesday Link-Off: Making The Case

emily-ratajkowski-gq14-04This week’s Wednesday linkdump deals a lot with the law and legalities. Somehow, I wasn’t able to find an article about the imprisoned Al-Jazeera journalists in Egypt. A lot of slacktivism on Twitter but I was hoping for that killer article that never came.

Anyway, there is lots more in today’s post. But let’s start with Emily Ratajkowski.

President Obama is a big supporter of a national program for paid maternal leave. So why has no progress been made on it? (Washington Post)

Speaking of President Obama, he has a supporter in Rand Paul. The Republican Senator is one of the few members of the GOP who is blaming Dick Cheney and company for the ongoing situation in Iraq rather than blaming the entirety of the situation on the President. (CBS News)

PETA’s new shtick is that cow milk can cause autism. Listening to morons make shit up about what causes autism causes autism. That last statement has as much basis in reality as anything PETA says about autism does. (The Daily Beast)

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Wednesday Link-Off: Fight the Good Fight

lily-aldridge-victoriassecret13-05It’s Wednesday which means it’s time for links. It also means that we’re seven days from unveiling our SI Swimsuit Issue cover odds list. Maybe I should get started on that… Okay, while I do that, here are the links and here is the return of Lily Aldridge.

As he heads into his second four-year term as President of the United States, TNR interviews Barack Obama about his plans for the next four years. (New Republic)

In that TNR interview, the POTUS says that the Republicans won’t change their obstructionist ways until they are made to pay the price for being obstructionist. You know, he’s right. (Washington Post)

Now that he’s lost the fight against ObamaCare, Papa John wants to pretend that he never fought the fight against ObamaCare by getting any ObamaCare related comments he made scrubbed from the internet. (National Confidential)

After the jump, the history of Deadspin, a profile on one of BioWare’s exiled bosses and an epic trombone quartet. Continue reading

Sunday Link-Off: Happy Pro Bowl… Oh, Who Am I Kidding?

erin-heatherton-victoriassecret13-04It’s PRO BOWL SUNDAY! Are you ready for some half-speed football?! A Hawaiian party! The whole house can’t be bothered so let’s get it over with!

Take that Hank Williams Jr. Even I can write football theme lyrics. Alright, to keep with the football theme of the start of this post, here’s Erin Heatherton. She’s dating a Cleveland Browns tight end you haven’t heard of and won’t hear about again if they break up.

The US Congress approved a temporary debt ceiling increase until mid-April. Presumably, the Republicans controlling the House of Representatives are going to look for spending cuts but if you look at the numbers, the Obama administration has already started reigning in spending. (Washington Post)

A court says that Rob Ford can still be mayor of Toronto. He may be a national embarrassment but he’s a national embarrassment that we can all laugh at. (Gawker)

Want to treat everyone fair and equally? Well, that’s not the Boy Scout way. The Boy Scouts of America is threatening to throw out a troop that doesn’t want to discriminate against gay members. (Mother Jones)

After the jump, how ESPN dropped the ball on Manti Te’o, the history of THQ and Hollywood sucks at math. Continue reading

Learn About The Debt Ceiling in a Short Video

Now that President Obama has been sworn in for a second term as the President of the United States, gear up for another fight between the President and Congress over the debt ceiling.

It’s not, as the Republicans or Fox News would have you believe, a means to limit future spending. The debt ceiling caps the total debt that the US Government can have in order to pay bills already incurred. It’s not like the limit on your credit card but the extent of money on the line of credit you use solely to pay your credit card.

To help you learn what the debt ceiling is actually about and to explain Congress’ role in the budget and debt ceiling fights, we found this handy video for you to watch. Continue reading

Wednesday Link-Off: Baby, It’s Cold Outside

alyssa-miller-manor13-04Welcome to another set of the middle of the week links. I almost didn’t get this post out. I had epic car troubles on Monday. That’s what happens when the temperature dips below -20° C. Not only did I need a boost but I needed a new battery. That was a fun day. Anyway, let’s start this post with Alyssa Miller. It’s been too long since we’ve seen her.

We’re gearing up for another fight over government spending and the debt ceiling. The question is if the government spending is out of control. Nate Silver uses math to figure out the truth. (FiveThirtyEight)

Whether you’re a fan of President Obama or not, you have to like his first term comparables. His first term stats looks a lot like Clinton’s. (Washington Post)

Vitamin Water isn’t actually very good for you. Coca-Cola says that people couldn’t have believed it was because nobody believes any sort of advertising anymore. (Mother Jones)

After the jump, the Batmobile gets sold, leaked Xbox 720 specs and a line brawl. Continue reading

Sunday Link-Off: Under Control

We’ve reached the end of another week. Shockingly, I didn’t freeze to death here in Canada. The week before last was above zero and most of the snow melted. From Thursday through to last night, I’d say I’ve seen about a foot-and-a-half of snow. Why the hell did anyone establish a permanent settlement somewhere so cold and snowy? Anyway, let’s heat things up with Jennifer Garner.

President Obama signed his executive orders on gun control that Congress will eventually veto because the NRA has intimidated what little common sense remains in the Republican Party. Anyhow, here’s a look at what Obama’s proposal includes. (Think Progress)

Shootings in America aren’t just a mass shooting problem. In the month after Newtown, 919 people were killed by guns. (National Post)

It’s only four years after Barack Obama made history by becoming the first black President in United States history. However, just by looking at him, you couldn’t tell that it’s been only four years. (Washington Post)

After the jump, a look at the inconclusive link between violence and video games, where does Livestrong’s money go and Luongo Unchained. Continue reading

Sunday Link-Off: That’s No Moon…

michea-crawford-paindusucre13-03Another week, another… Well, I can’t say dollar any more since WP’s in-house ad service doesn’t seem to be showing ads. Anyhow, I’ve been a little torn between here and et geekera which probably means posts are or will get a little thin between the two blogs. If you want to write for either site to make my life a little easier get your name out there and have a little fun at the same time, you can email me at thelowdown [at] live.ca.

As for today’s links, let’s start with Canadian model Michea Crawford.

For a while, it looked touch and go as to who would win the US Presidential election but Barack Obama pulled it out. What really helped him stretch his lead early in the campaign was that Reddit AMA. It was a big risk but it paid off with a big reward. (BuzzFeed)

The petition to have America build a Death Star got enough signatures to require a response from the White House. They responded in absolutely epic fashion. (The White House)

Alabama won their 15th national title in college football last Monday. The game was the highest-rated program in cable TV history and the BCS TV deal is worth hundreds of millions of dollars. So where does all that money go? (The Fiscal Times)

After the jump, a big change at Gawker, the science of Serenity and changes coming soon to YouTube. Continue reading

Is Ronald Reagan Actually a Hero of The Tea Party?

If you talk to Republicans, one of their greatest heroes is actor-turned-politician Ronald Reagan. The 40th President of the United States is an icon for Conservatives. However, is it possible that Reagan’s policies of the 1980s would be politically left of those who claim him as a sort of demigod, the Tea Party? Could it be that the Tea Party is so out of touch with the policies that led to American prosperity under Reagan that he couldn’t win the Republican Presidential nomination if he ran in 2012? Continue reading

Thursday Link-Off: Four More Years!

We’ve come in a day late with the mid-week links so we could bring you election coverage. Wednesday was a great morning for America. Republican supporters can complain about the outcome but they only have the Tea Party to blame. They force Romney off his moderate base to the neoconservative fringe. If he stuck to what was his core as the governor of Massachusetts  he’s have been in with a shot. Anyway, since America did the right thing on Tuesday, here’s Obama supporter Katy Perry. This campaign pretty much made her any sane man’s dream woman.

The results of the election aren’t indicative of a divide by race or gender or even political beliefs. It’s really illustrative of a divide along age. (Globe & Mail)

Over the course of the day, one of the more intriguing subplots was the embarrassing state of the actual voting process. If there’s one reason the world laughed at America, it’s because the country that invaded Iraq to impose democracy doesn’t have it right itself. (CNN)

Now that President Obama has been reelected, people are going to talk about his place in history. Perhaps, though, his place has already been cemented even without a cornerstone piece of legislation to be his legacy piece. (Esquire)

After the jump, more election coverage including Nate Silver winning election night, where the GOP went wrong, a media round-up from the big day and more. Continue reading