Morning Brief: Best Dollar Store Deals, Bali's Scary New Sex Laws & More

Good morning — Andrew from Narcity here. ☕

Off The Top: A woman's big reveal of her wedding dress has divided the internet this week. The setup: after telling her bridesmaids to wear all-white, the bride herself showed up in a dress that was... decidedly not white. While many denizens of the internet are applauding her audacity, no one seems to be asking the important question: how many exotic birds had to die to construct her Muppet-like showstopper?

In Case You Missed It

1. Stop Buying These Items At Walmart; Head To The Dollar Store Instead

Thanks to inflation (and corporate greed) Canadians have had to get a whole lot more resourceful to stretch their hard-earned dollars a little further. A price-minded Redditor put the call out to Canadians this week to share the items that should always be bought at the dollar store rather than big-box grocery stores or even Walmart — and the internet didn't disappoint, Sarah Rohoman writes. From garbage bags to kitchen utensils to, of course, snacks, here's the best deals you'll find on at the dollar store.

• My Take: Never forget that in price, prudence predominates.
• READ THE FULL STORY HERE

2. Indonesia Screws Bali's Pandemic-Ravaged Tourism Industry With Puritanical Laws

If you're thinking of planning a tropical vacation in Bali with your partner anytime soon, you might want to get married first. As part of Indonesia, the world's largest Muslim-majority country, the Pacific beach paradise will soon be subject to a radically overhauled criminal code, which includes up to a year in prison for premarital sex and a ban on defaming political leaders. The laws, which will come into effect December 15, will apparently apply to both citizens and tourists, Josh Elliott writes.

• Go Deeper: It's already illegal for members of Indonesia's 2SLGBTQIA+ community to marry in the country; the new anti-sex laws basically grant authorities even more power to persecute the already marginalized as well as political opponents.
• In Their Words: "We're proud to have a criminal code that's in line with Indonesian values," said Edward Omar Sharif Hiariej, Indonesia's deputy justice minister.
• My Take: I've heard of couples using handcuffs in the bedroom but this is ridiculous.
• READ THE FULL STORY HERE

3. Nine Things You Probably Didn't Know About Vancouver's Seth Rogen

You're probably at least somewhat aware of Seth Rogen's origin story: prior to his (very young) breakout as a standup comedian, the weed-loving star of such movies as Knocked Up and Neighbors grew up in Vancouver, B.C. But there's probably a fair amount you don't know about the Canadian — like that he placed second at the 1998 Vancouver Amateur Comedy Contest when he was only 16. Or that he actually dropped out of Point Grey Secondary School in order to pursue his film career in Los Angeles. Ashley Harris takes us through some of the lesser-known history of one of the country's most affable celebrities.

Potter's Peculiar Picks

QE Home logo.Courtesy QE Home

THE HOLIDAY GIFT GUIDE by QE HOME

We're about two-and-a-half weeks out from Christmas; how's your gift shopping going? Give the gift of coziness this year with essentials from QE Home, like cozy throw blankets, quilted duvet covers and silky pillowcases — all currently part of the company's big holiday promotion. CHECK OUT THE ENTIRE GUIDE HERE.

Note: Buying through the above link may result in a small commission for Narcity at no cost to you.

What Else You Need To Know Today

🍑 GEORGIA ON MY MIND
It took a special Georgia Senate runoff election but Democratic incumbent Rev. Raphael Warnock finally beat his Republican challenger, former football star Herschel Walker, allowing the one-time Celebrity Apprentice contestant to return to his primary loves: ignoring the litany of children he fathered and rambling unintelligibly about Dracula. The other winner of the night? According to Jenna Kelley, it's MSNBC politics nerd Steve Kornacki.

🚜 SMALL TOWN BOY
No, you don't have to be an overworked big-city exec who accidentally runs into a manly, Christmas-loving baker while back home for the holidays to pretend like you're the star of your own Hallmark movie. If you're in Alberta, all you need is a vehicle, a tank of gas and some free time to be magically transported to a festive wonderland. Charlie Hart lists seven charming small towns worth checking out this holiday season.

🪳 BEYOND REP-ROACH
Nothing says "be our guest for the holidays!" quite like a cockroach infestation. Though literally slightly less skin-crawling than bed bugs, the resilient little buggers are sure to put a damper on any family visit. Willa Holt explains how to identify if your home has become a roach motel — and most importantly, how to address the problem.

🥚 GREAT EGG-SPECTATIONS
If you learn nothing else this week, at least watch this TikToker detail the ultimate hack for halving and removing the yolk from hardboiled eggs. As Asymina Kantorowicz writes, it's a simple, mess-free method — the perfect technique for those thinking about getting devilish with their eggs this holiday season.

🎂 BIRTHDAYS
English football winger Raheem Sterling turns 28 years old today. L.A. Kings blue-liner Drew Doughty is 33. Nicki Minaj is 40. Former Blue Jays great Vernon Wells is 44. Hobbit-like actor Dominic Monaghan is 46. The great, ever misunderstood Sinéad O'Connor is 56. The ageless Kim Basinger is 69. At 73, something's gotta give for legendary rom-com director Nancy Meyers. Doors frontman Jim Morrison would've been 79 today. The late Rat Pack crooner Sammy Davis Jr. was born on this day in 1925.

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Have a question or comment about today's edition? Let me know at andrew.potter@narcity.com or hit me up on Twitter if you'd prefer at @andrewjoepotter.

Have a great day and I will see you back here tomorrow!