Politics

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Sunday Link-Off: Time is Short

rachel-mortenson-fredericks14-01It’s a slightly shortened version of the links today. For some reason, I just couldn’t find much in the way of interesting stories to link. That’s just the risk you run with regular linkdumps. Some days are better than others.

Anyway, let’s get the links going. Here’s returning favourite Rachel Mortenson.

A Toronto judge says there’s a video of Rob Ford inhaling from a glass pipe. Reporters at City Hall asked Mayor Ford what was in the pipe. Jesus Christ! What do you think he was inhaling? (The Globe and Mail)

Russia is answering American sanctions against prominent Russians with sanctions against America’s political elite. (New York Times)

It wasn’t just international relations hurt by Ed Snowden’s NSA revelations. A number of US tech companies were hurt financially by news that the NSA was accessing their data. (Times of India)

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Wednesday Link-Off: Russian Armed Farces

miranda-kerr-wonderbra14-02Well, the Crimean referendum went about as well as everyone expected seeing as it was a giant farce. That wasn’t even the only farcical election of the last week but that’s a different and funnier story.

Anyway, let’s get today’s links on the road. And we kick things off with Miranda Kerr who is the subject of rumours for a couple of obvious reasons.

It seems as though Vlad Putin is drunk on power and that may guide him to make increasingly reckless decisions. (Foreign Policy)

By the way, Ukraine is not backing down from Putin and may be gearing up for war over Crimea. (Kyiv Post)

And the US have followed up the alleged referendum in Crimea by slapping several prominent Russian businessmen / Putin allies with big sanctions. (Business Insider)

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Sunday Link-Off: The Lost

Well, this was an odd week. A Malaysian airliner has disappeared off the face of the earth and no one knows where it is and whether it actually crashed or not. Things in Crimea could spark a war because neither Russia nor NATO want to back down over this farcical “referendum.” Basically, I’m rebuilding the bunker again. It’s been a while since I mentioned that, hasn’t it?

Anyway, I think Jackie focused on the wrong movie star at the start of his ELO. He has Kristen Bell. I have Scarlett Johansson.

The Crimean referendum is a farce and doesn’t give voters an option to not vote to join Russia. Good luck having anyone besides Russia consider this a legitimate exercise in democracy. (Reuters via Huffington Post)

Former Ukrainian President Victor Yanukovych didn’t just up and run away. He planned his departure well in advance. (Kyiv Post)

A former Politico writer explains what it’s like going from covering a Presidential campaign to being thrown into the depths of retail hell. (The Atlantic)

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Wednesday Link-Off: Smoke ‘Em If You Got ‘Em

danielle-knudson-barenecessities14-01I’ve had a busy couple of days. A lot of time goes into these F1 previews and there are still three more posts coming up this week. Hopefully, you’ll be up to speed on the new Formula One season before the first race starts.

For now, though, it’s time for the links. Let’s start with Canadian model Danielle Knudson.

A Republican congressman thinks all NBA players are criminals. No, wait. He meant to say that they all smoked marijuana. No, wait. He meant to say that he’s racist. (The Daily Beast)

Speaking of the Republican bubble, a different congressman says that the government didn’t shut down during the government shutdown. (BuzzFeed)

Only in Canada can a porn channel get in trouble for a lack of Canadian content and too little closed captioning. My tax dollars at work. (New York Times)

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Sunday Link-Off: Back in the USSR

anna-kendrick-oscars14-04Well, just when you think that things were calming down in the Ukraine, business is picking back up. I don’t know if we’re looking at a rekindling of the Cold War or the start of something much worse but Putin’s foreign relations policies seem to be as if the last 25 years didn’t happen.

Anyway, it’s Sunday which means that it’s time to do the links. Let’s start with one of our favourite women, Anna Kendrick.

The so-called Fair Elections Act introduced by the Conservative government would be anything but. A look at the Act would indicate that it would be among the worst things that could happen to Canadian democracy. (Canada.com)

Former US Secretary of State Henry Kissinger gives his analysis on the crisis in Ukraine and what the best solution should be. (Washington Post)

Since people have been talking about international law in relation to the situation in the Ukraine and Crimea, where does international law actually stand on this situation. (CBC News)

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Wednesday Link-Off: Going Back to Cali

kristen-bell-oscars14-01Usually I do a little preamble at the start of the link-off but I’m going to cut it short because your attention should not be at the top of the post but the bottom. All the Rob Ford stuff is at the very end. There are recaps of his Jimmy Kimmel appearance, a TMZ story and the whole Kimmel interview. Just click through and go scroll down.

With that out of the way, let’s get the rest of the links going. Here’s Kristen Bell who certainly attracted some attention at the Oscars.

Things in the Ukraine keep deteriorating as Vlad Putin says one thing and does the complete opposite. The world is dealing with a dangerous man who is still in the Cold War mindset. Has he lost touch with reality? (The New Republic)

Bitcoin might be an interesting idea but there are still bugs to work out. Like when a major exchange goes down and causes chaos in the market. (Venture Beat)

Disney has cut funding from the Boy Scouts of America over their anti-gay policies. If only companies did that with the Olympics over Russia’s anti-gay policies. (Associated Press)

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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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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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Wednesday Link-Off: The Politics of Failure

danielle-knudson-guess14-02We’re just a few days away from the Super Bowl and can you feel the excitement in the air? Okay, neither can I. All I can feel is frozen. Mind you, I would like watching a game with snow and cold. It’s like the Snow Bowl edition of the Grey Cup. Fantastic setting for a football game.

Anyway, it’s Wednesday so that means that it’s time for the links. Let’s start with Canadian model Danielle Knudson.

It’s been a while since we had some good old-fashioned fact checking but Rob Ford’s speech to the Toronto Economic Club warranted it. It was for the stuck in an elevator story though. (Torontoist)

While the Americans are struggling with unemployment after the bank bailouts and economic crisis, Iceland letting banks failing has allowed their unemployment to get below 4%. (Bloomberg)

People often mock Republicans for living in a bubble and creating their own reality but Ted Cruz confirmed that on national TV this weekend. He went on Face the Nation and flatout lied about the government shutdown. Even veteran journalist Bob Schieffer couldn’t help but laugh at him. (Raw Story)

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