When Canada and the U.S. went to war (in books, movies and comics)

Arts & Culture, Film & TV

When president-elect Donald Trump was asked if his new administration would take over Canada, his reply sounded like he had been thinking about this for some time: He mused on using “economic force” to “get rid of that artificially drawn line” between the two countries.At the moment, annexation of Canada by the U.S. seems incredibly unlikely – though people once said the same about a Trump presidency. However, the idea of the two uneasy allies going to war, or Canada being swallowed by its neighbour, haunted the imaginations of fiction creators long before Trump was interested. And oddly, even though the U.S. has nuclear weapons and Canada doesn’t, a look at fictional U.S./Canada conflicts would suggest that Americans fear hostility a lot more than we do.Open this photo in gallery:John Candy, right, portrays ‘Bud D. Boomer’ with actress Rhea Perlman, as ‘Deputy Honey’, in a scene from Canadian Bacon.ReutersCanadian Bacon (1995): In writer-director Michael Moore’s first and so far last fiction film, the U.S. president needs a new Cold War to boost his popularity, and, instead of just waiting for Russia to become an enemy again, declares Canada a threat to the U.S. Due to plot complications that may suggest why Moore stuck to documentaries after this, Canada accidentally ends up with the ability to nuke America from a weather station installed on the top of the CN Tower.Infinite Jest (1996): David Foster Wallace’s enormous novel takes place in a corporatist future where Canada and Mexico have merged with the United States in a super-nation known as the Organization of North American Nations (O.N.A.N.), with the Americans seemingly calling the shots. The deal wasn’t exactly great for Canada, evidenced by the fact that we were gifted control of a toxic waste dump known as the Great Concavity. The U.S. President, Johnny Gentle, is an unqualified ex-entertainer, back when that meant Ronald Reagan rather than Trump.Open this photo in gallery:South Park: Bigger, Longer & Uncut featured the Oscar-winning song Blame Canada.South Park: Bigger, Longer & Uncut (1999): Creators Trey Parker and Matt Stone gave their theatrical spinoff a similar premise to Canadian Bacon, with much better box-office results. In the Oscar-winning song Blame Canada, Americans are whipped into a moral panic over the scatological Canadian cartoon Terrance & Phillip: Asses of Fire. This American overreaction leads to a war that nearly wipes out humanity.We Stand On Guard (2015): In this six-issue comic book limited series, Brian K. Vaughan, a writer who specializes in dystopian stories, imagined a 22nd century occupation of Canada by the U.S. in retaliation for our allegedly blowing up the White House. Told from the point of view of resistance fighters, it’s basically Red Dawn except that the Russians are Americans, and their victims watch a TV series called The Littlest Robo.Quantum Night (2016): Robert J. Sawyer, a Canadian author with dual American citizenship, set himself the task of imagining a worse U.S. president than Wallace’s, and easily managed it with Quenton Carroway, an anti-immigrant extremist who seizes on a spate of Canadian hockey riots as an excuse to invade us.Open this photo in gallery:Elisabeth Moss appears in a Season 3 episode of The Handmaid’s Tale.The Handmaid’s Tale (2017): A surprising thing about these stories is that while most of them were created by Americans, they portray their own country as less intelligent, more militaristic and generally worse than Canada. The same holds true for this television series, where the U.S. has become a fundamentalist dystopia Canada does not recognize. In the original novel, beloved Canadian author Margaret Atwood includes some references to Canada as a place to escape to. The adaptation, produced by Americans, adds scenes in Canada that show how much better things are for women and minorities before American influence starts to seep in.Sign up for The Globe’s arts and lifestyle newsletters for more news, columns and advice in your inbox.

Political Science’s Justin Buchler talks about Amy Acton’s 2026 gubernatorial run announcement

Science and Health

Doctor declares democratic run for governorSpectrum News: Amy Acton, Ohio’s COVID-era health director, announced her 2026 gubernatorial run, but Justin Buchler, associate professor of political science at the College of Arts and Sciences, explained that her lack of elected experience and ties to pandemic restrictions may hurt her chances. “In a Republican-leaning state like Ohio, public opinion is critical,” Buchler said.

A Horror Movie Is Getting Tons Of Attention Over Filmmakers’ Refusal To Release It On The Internet” target=”_self” data-before-rewrite-localise=”/movies/horror-movie-itons-attention-filmmakers-refusal-release-internet-it-doesnt-get-any-better-than-this

Arts & Culture, Film & TV

The best found footage horror movies tend to generate word of mouth when reviews and social media talk about how chilling it was watching that realistic horror film. Eventually, those movies get a wide theatrical release expansion, followed by hitting streaming and other digital platforms. However, a new indie found footage film called It Doesn’t Get Any Better Than This prefers to take its own approach with the filmmakers’ refusal to give it an online release. Of course, this is only making fans want to see it more.According to Variety, small-town filmmakers Nick Toti, Rachel Kempf and their friend Christian made a unique pact before shooting their passion project: It Doesn’t Get Any Better Than This will never see the light of day on streaming, digital, or a physical release. If you want to see this new found footage film, you’ll only find it on the big screen if it’s lucky enough to hit your local theater. Naturally, this very limited released movie is only attracting more attention among horror fans to want to see it more. Toti mentioned his innovative strategy was for that exact purpose compared to how obscure his previous indie releases went:It’s not like I haven’t tried to get people interested in the movies. I just don’t really have a very commercial sensibility and I don’t go about things in a very commercial way most of the time. With this one, it was like, ‘Well, this is horror, so already there’s like more of a built-in audience for it,’ which is a problem that pretty much every movie I’ve ever made has had. We know there’s found footage fans especially, so we know we can connect with those people. But we realized that there’s also a gimmick there, and it’s a gimmick that can be exploited. The movie getting really big was never the goal, but when the movie started getting more attention, there were certain sea change moments for us.One popular movie you can thank as inspiration for the theater-only decision is none other than The Blair Witch Project. The small-budget film became a big hit after its marketing said the film’s subjects were either “missing” or “deceased.” As you might expect, word got out online during the early days of the internet, and it became one of the highest-grossing supernatural horror films, earning more than 25 times its budget. However, after controversy occurred when the OG cast demanded better compensation since their names and likeness were used for promotional purposes of the franchise’s future movies, the filmmakers decided for their new movie to stay away from any online brouhaha.The trailer for It Doesn’t Get Any Better Than This shows horror enthusiasts who bought an old movie theater to shoot their new film, only to see cult members in a trance-like state gathering around it. The most eye-raising part of the trailer was at the end when a caption reads the DieDieVideo Productions film “will never be released online.”As streaming and online rentals have been taking over, it seems like an unusual decision for the found footage flick not to try to find its way towards a streaming service or even premiere on YouTube for more buzz like the $800-budget horror film Milk & Serial did. But, history has shown a limited release just generates more engagement like how Lady Bird did really well in four theaters, which led to a wide expansion, and Uncut Gems hit a studio box office record of over $525,000 in just five theaters before expanding. So a limited-release approach has proven to make film fanatics’ excitement for a new movie grow more and more.So far, It Doesn’t Get Any Better Than This has been traveling to the theaters of small towns like North Carolina’s Queer Fear Film Festival, ​​Unnamed Footage Festival, Salem Horror Fest, and eventually made its way to TIFF with a mixed review reception. Online debates have sparked in its limited distribution from people who live in small towns and don’t get easy access to live screenings. Here was Nick Toti’s response:They’re coming at from such a defeatist attitude of, ‘Oh, screw you guys because this isn’t fair to people like me.’ But we are people like you. If you had a different attitude about it instead of complaining… They’re either completely defeatist, pessimistic attitudes or they’re bad faith arguments.It’s clear that the Missouri-native filmmaker stands by his decision for It Doesn’t Get Any Better Than This’ exclusivity to remain in limited theater screenings only, favoring the moviegoing experience viewers will have. However, it appears that Toti’s strategy is working, as the Kirksville-set film’s profile has been surging with screening requests coming alive. The found footage horror film is set to have a 10-city screening at Alamo Drafthouses nationwide with several showtimes sold out, and cities like L.A. and Austin are expanding their showtimes.Your Daily Blend of Entertainment NewsIf an indie horror film gets attention after refusing to find its way toward an eventual online space, it proves a film’s scarcity will only leave an audience wanting more. As It Doesn’t Get Any Better Than This is still generating buzz despite no social media presence, distributor or big marketing budget. It shows that mystique and curiosity can be powerful marketing tools of their own. Hopefully with enough attention, the found footage film will lead to an expansion that will expose the masses to what everyone’s talking about. Until then, take a look at our upcoming horror films that you can find in your local theater and streaming services.

Leftists OUTRAGED After Minn. School District Removed Gay Sex Book From Elementary Libraries

Arts & Culture, Books

You can tell how depraved our society has become simply by the fact it is now controversial to remove pornography from the hands of 5- and 6-year-olds.A Minnesota public school district had to defend its decision to pull a gay “children’s” book that includes illustrations of naked people from its library shelves after angry perverts complained — perverts who also seem to include the district’s school librarians.
“My decision to direct the removal of the book ‘The Rainbow Parade’ from our elementary media center shelves is not based upon restricting student access to a viewpoint, message, idea, or opinion. It is based solely upon the depiction and celebration of public nudity in illustrations on two pages of the book,” insisted Kent Pekel, the superintendent of Rochester Public Schools, in a memo obtained by The Minneapolis Star Tribune.
The book begins with a story of a young girl attending her first gay Pride parade with her two moms. I’d show you pictures from the book, but I don’t need that smut saved in my work computer’s history.  
Instead, I’ll refer to a summary by Fox News, which described several pages of nude illustrations, including two men dressed in bondage gear.
Pekel believes that “depiction of public nudity makes the book inappropriate for the open shelves of a media center in an elementary school where students as young as kindergarten can access the book without adult supervision or guidance.” 
Seems reasonable! But not according to a “committee of community members, teachers and media specialists,” who reportedly voted “overwhelmingly” to keep the porn book in the hands of children.

That “committee” featured Tammy Van Moer, the district’s media department chair, who advocated for the book in the name of “represent(ing) all students in our school district.” 
Something’s seriously wrong in the home (and school) if a kid feels “represented” by naked men in bondage gear.
Similarly, Rochester’s school board member Karen MacLaughlin said she thought the story was “cute,” which is why she was torn whether to leave the smut-laden book in the hands of kids. But she ultimately decided during a Tuesday board discussion that it wasn’t “meaningful enough” to include it with “the plethora of other books about gay rights and celebrating LGBTQ.” 
Of course, admitting that, let alone criticizing the presence of sex-related children’s books in the first place, triggered progressives, who interjected with an outburst over her comments.
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FG unveils initiative to drive tech exports, economy

Technology

The Federal Government has launched the Technology Export and Digital Trade Desk, an initiative designed to boost Nigeria’s technology exports and strengthen the sector’s contribution to the nation’s economy.
The Minister of Communications, Innovation, and Digital Economy, Dr Bosun Tijani, announced the initiative in a LinkedIn post on Monday.
He described the initiative as a significant step in the ministry’s efforts to enhance the global competitiveness of Nigeria’s tech ecosystem.
This launch follows the ministry’s recent trade mission to the United States, which underscored the importance of strategic dialogues in advancing Nigeria’s tech ambitions.
“This Trade Desk marks a bold step in our commitment to increasing the technology sector’s contribution to Nigeria’s GDP from the current 14–18 per cent to 21 per cent within the next three years,” Tijani wrote.
The Desk, launched in collaboration with the Federal Ministry of Industry, Trade, and Investment, is aligned with the fifth pillar of the ministry’s strategic blueprint: trade.
The minister said the Trade Desk will play a key role in improving Nigeria’s standing on the Economic Complexity Index, supporting the country’s push to diversify its trade and secure a stronger foothold in the global digital economy. Related News
It also aims to promote Nigerian technology exports while offering bespoke support to local companies seeking to access markets across Africa and beyond.
“This effort forms a critical component of the President’s overarching goal of achieving a $1tn Nigerian economy, underpinned by innovation, investment, and international trade,” Tijani noted.
Further, he revealed that the initiative also sets an ambitious goal to scale annual funding for Nigerian startups from $1bn to $5bn within three years.
This funding boost, according to Tijani, is expected to foster innovation, entrepreneurship, and global competitiveness within the sector.
As part of the rollout, the government has released a white paper titled “Growing the Contribution of the Technology Ecosystem to Nigeria’s GDP—A Case for the Technology Export and Digital Trade Desk.”
The document outlined a detailed roadmap for operationalizing the initiative, with the minister inviting feedback from stakeholders.
The Trade Desk will provide a comprehensive suite of programs, partnerships, and policy interventions to enable local technology companies to compete on the global stage.

Travelling in Laos by train and bus: Exploring Vientiane, Luang Prabang and Vang Vieng

Travel

Travellers, too, are becoming increasingly aware of Laos and its allure.Like Lau, the retiree from Honolulu, most travellers I encountered weren’t only targeting Laos (Lau was also visiting Thailand on her trip). This phenomenon is likely driven in part by the country’s lesser-known reputation and the fact that international travellers from outside the region must first connect at airports in cities like Bangkok and Hanoi.

And those flights to Laos are limited. In 2024, there were fewer than 1.8 million airline seats to Laos, most of them offered by Chinese and Thai airlines, according to Cirium, an aviation data company. By comparison, more than 46 million seats were available to Thailand.

“Laos has always been a ‘plus-one’ country,” said Jason Rolan, a tourism expert who lives in Vientiane. “Its remoteness has kept it sort of preserved as something tourists want to see, but they don’t know about it.”

ON THE BUS TO NONG KHIAW

With just two days remaining, Eli and I visited Nong Khiaw, a rural town that was a three-hour drive from Luang Prabang. Enticed by pictures and reviews online, we decided to spend a night there. The journey was deeply uncomfortable. We were crammed in a small van with about a dozen sweaty people sitting thigh to thigh. There was no air conditioning and only the suggestion of a breeze. Portions of the roads were unpaved and filled with ditches. I really missed the train.

Business confidence picks up, even in construction, think-tank says

Business News

“Similar to the September quarter headline results, there is a contrast between firms experiencing weak activity and expecting activity to improve in the next quarter,” the institute added.“Although sentiment has improved, and there are expectations of a recovery in activity, firms remained cautious about hiring and investment.”A net 17% of firms reduced staff numbers in the December quarter.Several companies intended to reduce investment in buildings, plant and machinery in the year ahead.“Firms look to be holding off on investment and hiring until they have more conviction about a sustained improvement in demand in their own business.”The building sector was now the most upbeat of those surveyed in the December quarter.The NZIER said a net 29% of building sector firms felt positive about the general economic outlook for the coming months.AdvertisementAdvertise with NZME.“While architects expect the pipeline of housing and commercial construction to remain broadly flat over the coming year, architects surveyed expect an increased pipeline in the next 12 to 24 months.”Westpac senior economist Michael Gordon said despite the more optimistic sentiment, the December quarter was tough for many companies.“A net 26% of firms reported a drop in activity – more or less a repeat of what we saw throughout 2024,“ he said.“Firms continued to shed workers, though at a slower pace than in the previous two quarters, and profitability remained weak.”Gordon said a net 12% of firms reported price increases over the December quarter, compared to a net 5% in September.“This was the first rise in this measure since March 2023. While it remains at a benign level in terms of the implications for the annual inflation rate, it does provide an early sign that the disinflation process is coming to an end.”AdvertisementAdvertise with NZME.Kiwibank economists said today’s report confirmed inflation pressures were easing.“Fewer firms reported higher costs over the quarter, and the share of firms that raised their prices also remains historically low.”They said more firms were reporting the ease in finding labour but now the lack of sales was the main constraint on business. Kiwibank economists called on the Reserve Bank to cut the Official Cash Rate (OCR) again, and expected a 50-basis-points cut next month.The OCR is currently 4.25% and the next cash rate announcement will be on February 19.

Sundance announces 2025 Beyond Film programming

Arts & Culture, Film & TV

The series features three programs: “Power of Story,” “Cinema Cafe,” “Film Church” and “The Big Conversation.”All activities are free and open to the public with the exception of “Power of Story” which requires a paid ticket.The Beyond Film discussions allow audiences to engage with noteworthy experts, artists and filmmakers, including some with films screening at the 2025 festival.Guests include Mstyslav Chernov, the director of “2000 Meters to Andriivka” and actors Chloë Sevigny, Olivia Colman, Steven Yeun, Théodore Pellerin.Two subjects of 2025 festival documentaries will also participate in Beyond Film series talks. They include Jacinda Ardern, former Prime Minister of New Zealand, subject of the film “Prime Minister” and Marlee Matlin, subject of “Marlee Matlin: Not Alone Anymore.”This year’s program also includes a live podcast recording of “Visitations” with hosts Elija Wood and Daniel Noah, the producers of the 2025 Sundance Film “Rabbit Trap.”The festival said Beyond Film audiences should arrive 30 minutes early. Seating is limited and on a first-come, first-served basis.The 2025 Sundance Film Festival runs from Jan. 23 to Feb. 2 with a selection of titles available online Jan. 30 to Feb. 2.

Family-owned business in process of being sold to Alabama company

Business News

An 82-year-old Lubbock based-business will soon be under new ownership after an Alabama industrial business announced a purchasing agreement on Monday, M.B. McKee started as a Lubbock family-owned business in 1943 as a “distributor of mechanical bearings, belts, chain, conveyor systems/components, motors, drives and power transmission components,” the release stated. The soon-to-be new owner of…