Chris Donald
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Shamek Farrah’s “First Impressions” is an undervalued jazz album
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Shamek Farrah is a relative oddity in the jazz world, even among his familiars and those involved in the genre. His place as a saxophonist, by all relevant measures, should be one of great stature, considering his proficiency at the instrument, his striking originality and his unique conceptualizations of melodic, harmonic and creative themes. But…
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What’s it like to work as a funeral director?
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As conscious, living organisms, it’s not rare to concern ourselves with feelings of existentialism and the inevitability of death. We’re all going to die and we know that. It comes with the territory. What a fun way to start your Wednesday morning, huh? Regardless of your religious views and opinions, we only inhabit these bodies…
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“While We’re Young” balances layered and nuanced plot
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While We’re Young is the seventh film written by Brooklyn-born director Noah Baumbach—starring Ben Stiller, Naomi Watts, Adam Driver and Amanda Seyfried. The film tells the story of forty-something-year-old, childless couple Josh and Cornelia—played by Stiller and Watts—in New York, who have the course of their lives changed forever by artsy hipster mid-twenties’ couple Jamie…
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Nahawa Doumbia creates music that lives on with latest release
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Nahawa Doumbia has been crafting tight, melodically-focused Wassoulou music for the better part of four decades, and as 2021 kicks into gear, she doesn’t seem to be showing any signs of slowing down. I first discovered Doumbia’s music on Volume 3 of her Grande Cantatrice Malienne series—the first release from the then-new label: Awesome Tapes…
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Taking a look at the ethics of trophy hunting
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Valentine’s Day means different things to everyone, typically a day for romantic activities with loved ones, or eating a big box of chocolates all by yourself. This year for avid hunter, Merelize van der Merwe, it meant killing a giraffe for sport. On the day prior to Valentine’s Day, Merwe posted a photo on her Facebook posing…
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Framing Britney Spears shines a light on the pop star’s dangerous conservatorship
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As of Feb. 26, the popular documentary Framing Britney Spears is available in Canada. I’d been ignorant to the realities of Spears’ personal and political life behind the scenes. She sang mildly catchy pop songs 20 years ago; that’s all I needed to know. However, unbeknownst to the majority of casual fans, the last 12…
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The search for Jeopardy’s new host
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The search for Jeopardy’s new, full-time host continues! However, for the time being, a herd of guest judges will be filling in for the late, great, Alex Trebek. One of the hosts being featured is Aaron Rodgers, best known as quarterback for the Green Bay Packers. However, he’s proven to be quite the contestant on…
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How to create compelling heroes and villains in television
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I recently watched Demon Slayer, an anime on Netflix. I was very impressed and I’m excitedly waiting for its upcoming film’s global release and for the eventual second season. Anime typically wows me with its visual style and creativity—Demon Slayer is no exception. However, my favorite part of the show is how they build up…
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Books taught in classes at Laurier that you’ll actually love
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A lot of the time, the readings that you’re assigned for class just aren’t great. Maybe it’s because you’re being forced to read it, or maybe it’s because no one actually wants to read some stuffy poetry from the 17th century (sorry William Wordsworth, but I did not enjoy Lyrical Ballads). Sometimes the content is…
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Gina Carano fired from Disney due to controversial social media post
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Don’t look twice, it’s true: Gina Carano has officially been “cancelled.” After doing some digging into Carano’s social media presence, this is not the first time the actress has exposed herself to public criticism over heinous posts. Known best for her roles as Cara Dune in Disney’s The Mandalorian and Angel Dust in Deadpool, Carano…
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The Tie That Binds WLU Since 1926
Serving the Waterloo campus, The Cord seeks to provide students with relevant, up to date stories. We’re always interested in having more volunteer writers, photographers and graphic designers.