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A few weeks ago, we debuted as a Friend of RP, Mark Nickolas, a recovering blogger/politico who has begun his second act as a documentary fillmmaker. Tomorrow, we lead off with a new Friend of RP who went the other direction — from an award-winning filmmaker to a political activist and public servant. I think you will find his story fascinating, and his writing unique and enjoyable. And of course as always, a lot more is in store for you. See you on Wednesday. It’s not too often that the RP has a piece about table tennis in the Politics of Swing. But here’s an interesting piece about the dominance of China in the sport, and the consequences for Chinese players that have moved abroad and want to play for their adopted countries. Apparently, the International Table Tennis Federation has made it difficult for Chinese émigrés to do so because of the fear that it will “hinder . . . the development of local talent.” This must be a problem peculiar to the table tennis universe. [New York Times]
The French Open begins (en fin!) today. Who will be the champion at Roland Garros this year? Nadal? Djokovic? Federer? Qui sait? Here’s a look at the All-Time Top 25 Men’s French Open Players throughout the years. [The Bleacher Report] Is there something in the Guinness in Northern Ireland? Several weeks ago, Rory McIlroy suffered a very public implosion in Augusta after leading the Masters for two days. This past weekend, fellow Irishman (and RP favorite) Graeme “G-Mac” McDowell had a monumental meltdown at the Players Championship at Sawgrass. McDowell explained what happened to [The Guardian]. The film world has gathered in France for the 2011 Cannes Film Festival. Lots of good stuff is going on there–here is a pretty good run-down of everything that has happened so far. [Guardian] Where were you in 2004? I was in high school, being awkward. So was Napoleon Dynamite, who became hero to millions of awkward high school boys like me everywhere. Nowadays, Fox has decided to make an animated TV show based on Napoleon Dynamite–featuring the entire original cast. Cool idea, or too dated? [/Film] Thor–which I liked pretty well–managed to beat out the newcomer Bridesmaid–which I loved–in the box office this week. If you haven’t seen either, I recommend both. [Film Junk] Speaking of Thor, the guy who plays him (Chris Hemsworth) has been confirmed as the title character from Snow White and the Huntsmen. This film follows the story of the Huntsman after he decides to defy the evil witch and not kill Snow White. He will be acting alongside Charlize Theron and Kristin Stewart. I don’t know how I feel about this film, but I like Hemsworth. [The Movie Blog] Netflix has revolutionized the way that I watch movies. I don’t know about you, but the ability to watch tons of great films on my television on demand has made my life a lot easier. It’s about to get a lot more awesome, as Netflix and Miramax have agreed to a deal to stream a large portion of Miramax’s library. Miramax is, for my money, the best independent film distributor, with films like Pulp Fiction, The Queen, and Good Will Hunting. [WSJ] Finally, this probably ought to go under The Politics of Humor, but I’m stealing it because I love it. The Ambiguously Gay Duo, the long-dormant SNL sketch, made a glorious return last weekend with Jon Hamm, Jimmy Fallon, Steven Colbert, Steve Carrell, and Ed Helms. There is probably a lesson here that relates to the RP’s latest post about gay marriage, but I’m just going to laugh, because this sketch is hilarious. [Hulu] Last week, I opined that the mainstream media should leave Arnold Schwartzenegger and Maria Shriver alone as they went through the very painful personal process of a separation and potential divorce. By now, you’ve probably heard the latest news: Ah-nuld apparently had an affair with, and impregnated, a member of their family’s household staff ten years ago. The Internet tubes are inflamed with opinion and analysis. I am sticking to my guns (semi-automatic weapons, in tribute to the Governator.). Whatever you think of the morality of Arnold’s behavior, unless you are a family member or close friend of any of the parties involved, it is None of Your Freaking Business. (NYFB) What say you, RP Nation? Read this before you watch the next episode of 60 Minutes. Steve Kroft discusses why he broke major journalism rules when interviewing President Obama about Osama bin Laden’s death. [Poynter Institute] Just how effective is it to look at President Obama compared to his predecessors? [NY Times] Another crazy use for Twitter: assembling a government? The five parties in Northern Ireland’s government took turns Friday picking the government departments they want to lead and announced their decisions via social media. [Associated Press] Yes, Disney just trademarked “Seal Team 6.” Expect to see an action movie soon? [Time] In case you missed it: Saturday Night Live makes fun of Wolf Blitzer and President Obama at the same time. [Hulu] In honor of the 2011 Cannes Film Festival, I present to you the latest red carpet fashion. Enjoy! [Vogue] Is Gap becoming the new eBay? [SHEfinds] Fashion that will make your mouth water: the latest collections by Chanel, Yves Saint Laurent, and Louis Vuitton debuted at Paris Fashion Week. Check it out: [WWD] Two Gossip Girls are leaving the show? You might not think that this affects the fashion world, but oh, it most certainly does! [Just Jared] If you smoke, you might want to start saving your cigarette butts. Why? Because you can make a dress out of them, duh! Check it out: [AFP] We’re pleased to share with you our latest installment of RPTV’s Fifteen Minutes of Fame. Today’s guest is Mark McKinnon, a nationally-respected political consultant, with clients from both sides of the political aisle. His most famous was former President George W. Bush; McKinnon ran his campaigns at both the state and national level. Today, in addition to his consulting business and writing for the Daily Beast, McKinnon is the co-founder of No Labels, a new grassroots organization, joining Democrats, Republicans, and Independents who are united in the belief that we do not have to give up our labels, merely put them aside to do what’s best for America. To learn more about No Labels, or to join in their mission, please click here. But first, enjoy Fifteen Minutes of Fame with Mark McKinnon: I am very grateful to all of you that shared your kind words about my gay marriage piece this morning. I am also very grateful to those of you who disagreed with me, but responded civilly to my piece. That’s what The Recovering Politician is all about. I want to assure my more conservative readers that this Web site is very much an open forum for all points of view on this and other issues. I’ve asked a few contributing RPs who oppose marriage equality to share their thoughts in the next few days. Also, another sign of our bipartisanship — tomorrow’s guest on RPTV is Mark McKinnon, George W. Bush’s former campaign manager. He will talk about developments in the 2012 GOP primary, and his helping found an organization dedicated to encouraging more Democrats and Republican to work together to solve this nation’s problems. So please tune in tomorrow! The Politics of Tech Google is trying to introduce driver-less cars to the roads of Nevada. A very cool story and something that is definitely worth keeping an eye on. [Physorg.com] HDMI cables. They are required for any high-definition equipment you have these days. I’m not sure if you have noticed, but some retailers carry ridiculously expensive cables (if that doesn’t make you cringe please re-evaluate your life). Do not be fooled, the cheapest cable (this one is $2) you can find will do the same job the expensive ones will. [PC Mag] Is it time to break up the “Communications Trust” the same way Standard Oil was broken up at the turn of the 20th century? Some have begun to organize the movement and make an effort to the landscape that is largely controlled by AT&T, Verizon, Comcast and Time Warner. What do you think? Let me know in the comments below. [Alternet] Playstation Network is finally back online after only 26 incapacitated from a hacker attack. Playstation is offering a “Welcome Back” package for its users that includes some bonuses and free play time on select titles. It will be very interesting to see what Sony’s long term PR stance will be on this incident. [ars technica] Mark your calendars, according to Harold Camping of Family Radio, a Christian network worth more than $100 million, this Saturday, May 21, 2011 is Judgment Day. [NPR] “Our milk doesn’t expire until May 22”–one of the 21 reasons why this Saturday is not going to be the end of the world. [Huffpost Comedy] Complaining and being angry at God may be a sign of a deep faith. [Kansas City Star] Illinois considers endorsing a character education program based on a code of conduct created by the founder of Scientology. [Chicago Tribune] The Presbyterian Church (USA) joins the growing list of mainline Protestant denominations to approve the ordination of GLBT clergy. [NY Times] |
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