Why Modern Music Kinda Sucks
A couple of years ago, I was teaching a course in Modern German history, and, as my classes often did, this one got off the rails a few times and we found ourselves discussing music as a class.  I began by asking them what they listened to, and I was kind of surprised that the students reported that they were, if they weren’t Swifties or listening to country mu
https://thetypescript.com/why-modern-music-kinda-sucks/
#Commentary #Culture #MatthewBarlow #Music

Sexually Assaulted and Gaslit
In April 2020, a Canadian woman filed a statement of claim against Hockey Canada and the Ontario Hockey League.  She alleged that two years earlier, after a night out at Jack’s Bar in London, ON, she went to the hotel room of a hockey player, and had sex, consensually.  But th
https://thetypescript.com/sexually-assaulted-and-gaslit/
#Commentary #Culture #Gender #MatthewBarlow #Sport #canada #crime #gender #hockey #HockeyCanada #privilege #rape #SexualAssault

Haida Gwaii: Restoring Indigenous Sovereignty
This week, the Crown in Right of Canada and the Haida Nation signed an historic pact that restored Indigenous sovereignty to the Haida Gwaii, including the lands, freshwater beds, and foreshores to the low-tide mark.  In other words, th
https://thetypescript.com/haida-gwaii-restoring-indigenous-sovereignty/
#Commentary #FirstPerson #IndigenousAffairs #MatthewBarlow #HaidNation #HaidaGwaii #indigenous #IndigenousNation #JustinTrudeau #LandBack

Classic Album – Urban Dance Squad: Mental Floss for the Globe
Urban Dance Squad
Mental Floss for the Globe
Arista Records
 The older I get, the more I realize that there was perhaps no time in the music business like the 1990s.  The 1980s was dominated by a mixture of hair metal, ageing rock stars and Madonna.  The 1990s was a brand
https://thetypescript.com/classic-album-urban-dance-squad-mental-floss-for-the-globe/
#Albums #ClassicAlbum #MatthewBarlow #Music #Reviews #ClassicAlbum

The Prophet Wall-E
Poor Matthew McConnaughey. The poor guy is cast in these funny commercials for SalesForce, touting their AI, but it never ends well for our hero.  Now, I like him as an actor going back to his legendary turn in Dazed and Confused, one of the greatest underrated films ever. His laconic delivery, laid-back persona, it ju
https://thetypescript.com/the-prophet-wall-e/
#Commentary #Culture #MatthewBarlow #comedy #AI #freaky #MatthewMcConnaughey #scifi #WallE #WoodyHarrelson

6 December 1989: Plus ça change
Every 6 December, I wake up thinking of fourteen women. Fourteen women who were shot to death by a misogynist with a gun.  This happened at the École Polytechnique, part of the Université de Montréal. This happened on Wednesday, 6 December 1989.  It was a cold da
https://thetypescript.com/6-december-1989-plus-ca-change/
#Commentary #Editorial #Education #Gender #MatthewBarlow #6December1989 #misogyny #MontralMontrealMontrealMassacre #ViolenceAgainstWomen

The Social Costs of Sports Betting
As might be obvious from my previous publications here at The Typescript, I watch sports.  Specifically, I watch the English Premier League, NHL, NFL, and CFL, and sometimes I dip into other leagues and sports.  I always find advertising during games fascinating, as there is a
https://thetypescript.com/the-social-costs-of-sports-betting/
#Commentary #Culture #MatthewBarlow #Sport #bullying #football #gambling #hockey #LegalGambling #sports #sportsbooks

Happy Labour Day
It was Labour Day yesterday, a day meant to reflect on the achievements of the labour movement, of the contributions of workers to society.  Instead, Labour Day has become a joke. Like all other bank holidays, it has become an excuse for capitalism.  Labour Day sales everywhere! And, well, all those stores doing the very bare minimum for their workers, paying th
https://thetypescript.com/happy-labour-day/
#Commentary #Culture #FirstPerson #Labor #MatthewBarlow #Politics

When Racism is Racism
After winning Cope América last week, a group of Argentinian footballers live streamed the singing of a racist song on the team bus.  It is worth noting that not all the team was there, most notably Lionel Messi and Alexis MacAllister were not.  But, Enzo Fernández, who plays his club football for Chelsea FC in London, was.
https://thetypescript.com/when-racism-is-racism/
#Commentary #Culture #MatthewBarlow #Politics #Sport #argentina #ArgentinaMNT #football #racism

We’re Stuck With Joe Biden, Now Let’s Fight On
If there is one thing so-called progressives like to do, it is in-fighting.  The right has run rampant in Canada and the US due to this in-fighting.  This has been the case since the 90s.  Some of our in-fighting is absolutely essential.  We have fought to become
https://thetypescript.com/were-stuck-with-joe-biden-now-lets-fight-on/
#Commentary #MatthewBarlow #Politics #2024Election #JoeBiden #president #PresidentialElection #UsPolitics