Ukraine

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Wednesday Link-Off: Follow The Money

michelle-jenneke-instagram16-01It figures that the good political stories were posted immediately following the Sunday links being posted. A secret ledger being discovered in the Ukraine by an anti-corruption team is certainly big news and even bigger when it might impact the office of the President of the United States.

Anyway, it’s Wednesday which means that it’s time for the links. Since we missed her Olympic appearance, here is Australian hurdler Michelle Jenneke.

Ukraine’s National Anti-Corruption Bureau found a secret ledger showing $12.7 million in payments from then-President Viktor Yanukovych’s pro-Russian political party to now Trump campaign chair Paul Manafort. Manafort was a paid consultant for Yanukovych’s own Presidential campaign. (New York Times)

Coincidentally, Trump had advocated for a stronger US stance against Russia until recently softening his tone. Many people are saying this and the previous link are connected. (Politico)

And at the same time as that report came out, Ivanka Trump, daughter of the Republican Presidential nominee and one of his closest advisers, was on vacation with Vladimir Putin’s reported girlfriend. (Galore Magazine)

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Sunday Link-Off: Common Sense Revolution

hailey-clauson-guess14-02I don’t want to say that it’s been a boring week in the world of news but it’s kinda felt very much the same as the week before. Maybe our attention spans are getting slightly longer when it comes to big news. Then again, maybe there is nothing of note happening this week.

So with that happy thought in mind, it’s time for us to do the weekend links. Let’s start with Hailey Clauson.

The continuing attempts to portray Michael Brown as a thug may have run into a snag called “facts.” Unlike the latest right-wing assertion, he wasn’t a felon. (Think Progress)

The current crisis in the Middle East is a leftover of the 2003 Bush campaign against Saddam Hussein. However, President Obama has to treat this crisis differently than his predecessor if he has any hope of succeeding. (National Journal)

But just to show that I’m an equal opportunity windbag, here’s a [adjective redacted] saying that America is still the world’s freedom police. (Daily Telegraph)

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Wednesday Link-Off: Dollars and Sense

samantha-hoopes-maxim14-04Sunday’s link-off was mostly about current events in Canada. Today, it’s the latest developments in Ukraine. You’d think that someone would try to be very apologetic about accidentally shooting down a civilian airplane but I guess that’s not how it works in Russia. It’s starting to look like things in Ukraine might once again get worse before it gets better.

First, let’s start this post with Samantha Hoopes.

The more Putin tightens his grip on Ukraine, it seems that more money is slipping through his fingers. Russian billionaires are worried about making money in an increasingly isolated Russia. (Bloomberg)

In other economic news, if the American economy is to grow, business have to start spending rather than saving. Apparently lowering taxes isn’t encouraging them to do so. (The Upshot)

The FCC wants to open up broadband to be available as a public-owned utility for municipalities to run themselves. It would be a great way to get around net neutrality by offering competition so no ISPs could hose customers. The Republicans are opposed to it, obviously. (Vox)

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Wednesday Link-Off: They Tried to Make Me Go to Rehab

camille-rowe-victoriassecret14-71Hi folks. I’m back after a couple of days off to hit you with the links. I should probably have Jackie do more link-offs since you guys actually like what he’s selling but you’re stuck with me today instead.

In today’s linkdump, we have more on Rob Ford, a look at the situation in Russia and Ukraine and Rand Paul’s push for the presidency. First, we start it all off with Camille Rowe.

Rob Ford might be off to rehab but it doesn’t look like it’s in Chicago. Reportedly, he didn’t attempt to enter the US. (The Globe and Mail) Also, shame, Globe & Mail. A headline that reads “Rob Ford Turned Back From United States” reads like he was denied entry. You should know better than to try tabloid/clickbait headlines.

The latest reports put Ford at a rehab facility in Guelph. (Canoe)

And the media’s treatment of Rob Ford might be driving voters who the media also look down on to Ford. It’s not a case of who is best for Toronto but a case of people sticking together to spite the media. (Medium)

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Wednesday Link-Off: The More Things Change

michea-crawford-marksspencer14-01I know that technically this is a short week but I feel like it’s gone long already. Well, the return of winter to Canada isn’t helping matters. I know we’re all about winter up here but even we can have enough after six months.

Anyway, it’s Wednesday so it’s time for the links. Let’s start with Canadian model Michea Crawford.

The Yanks feel that Russia hasn’t learned their lesson about interfering in the Ukraine. Another round of sanctions is quickly making its way down the pipe. (The Daily Beast)

Meanwhile, things in eastern Ukraine have gotten so bad that it looks like war might break out as both Russian and Ukraine military armed forces are on the move. (Bloomberg)

I forgot that Rob and Doug Ford’s Ford Nation show made the switch to YouTube. Well, now that it’s there, Jimmy Kimmel made his much-anticipated guest appearance. (Toronto Star)

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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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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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