By Zack Adams, RP Staff, on Thu May 26, 2011 at 3:00 PM ET
Kyle Busch was arrested on May 24th after being caught by police going 128 mph while test-driving a Lexus LFA. However, I learned something much more interesting from this article: NASCAR does not require its drivers to have a driver’s license to race in its events. How is that possible? If anyone knows a good reason for this please let me know in the comments section. [USA Today]
Some of you may have heard that the U.S. Department of Transportation recently released a new fuel economy sticker. When department secretary Ray LaHood showed up to unveil it he did so in a 12 mpg Chevrolet Suburban. [Jalopnik]
More from Jalopnik as they bring you the 10 Most Beautiful Ugly Cars. [Jalopnik]
Danica Patrick has plans to make the move to be a full-time NASCAR driver in 2012. Most people became familiar with her when she became the first woman to win an open-wheel race as an Indycar driver. While she may be a bit over-rated and her GoDaddy.com (her NASCAR sponsor) commercials are annoying, it will still be pretty cool to see her racing against the boys every weekend. [ESPN]
By RP Staff, on Thu May 26, 2011 at 1:30 PM ET The Politics of Immigration The 2010 mid-term elections brought out record numbers of Latinos in the United States to practice their rights as citizens to vote. But while the number that voted was high, the number of non-voting eligible Latino voters was also high. This is a voting group that is still, in the RP’s opinion, up for grabs. And if either party begins to consistently win the votes of Latinos, will the number of non-voting Latinos continue to rise? Pew Hispanic Center
Copy cat versions of Arizona’s draconian anti-immigration (or anti-immigrant, depending on your POV) laws continue to pop up around the country. These laws are keeping the ACLU (and those that oppose them) busy in federal court. The Indianapolis Star
And in Louisiana, another controversial immigration bill was withdrawn after opposition from the Louisiana Conference of Catholic Bishops and law enforcement officials. This was the fourth year in a row that the same lawmaker has failed to pass a similar bill. Repeating the same thing over and over expecting different
results? NOLA
And finally, your correspondent, having visited Ireland on numerous occasions and thoroughly enjoying the warmth and hospitality of the Irish, simply loves this photo of the President and the First Lady quaffing a Guinness in Moneygall. New York Times
By Grant Smith, RP Staff, on Thu May 26, 2011 at 10:00 AM ET
The toast heard ’round the world: read more about it hear. [Politico]
The Department of Justice gives the go-ahead for an investigation into John Edwards for potential campaign finance violations connected to the cover-up of his affair. [ABC News]
NYC Judge allows lawsuit against Huffington Post to continue: details here. [Associated Press]
Now you definitely have more free-time to read The RP: Oprah Winfrey hosts final show. [Hollywood Reporter]
Popeye vs. Mickey Mouse: The Navy is challenging Disney’s attempt to trademark the name “Seal Team Six.” [Fox News]
Beloved CNBC anchor Mark Haines passes away at the age of 65. [Market Watch]
Bill Gates proposes changes to the American educational system, but some argue that his “fixes” will only make things worse. [The Daily Beast]
By Zack Adams, RP Staff, on Wed May 25, 2011 at 3:00 PM ET
President Obama’s trip to Ireland in 12 parts. [picture]
You really learn how many people just do not get satire when you look at the reactions to The Onion’s article: “Planned Parenthood Opens $8 Billion Abortionplex.” You have to imagine these people don’t get out much. [Facebook]
A very cool (and unexpected) exchange between an iPhone app user and the creator of the app. [XSellize]
Haters gonna hate. [picture]
He’s always watching. [newspaper]
Ah, yes, elevator humor. [comic]
By Stephanie Doctrow, RP Staff, on Wed May 25, 2011 at 1:30 PM ET NPR’s news blog posts a horrifying first-person account of being in Joplin, Missouri during the deadly tornado. As of Monday night, 116 people were killed in the storm. [NPR]
The New York Times profiles GLBT teens as they come out to their friends and family. [NY Times]
Even though the United States is on its way out of the economic recession, Americans still aren’t taking vacations. According to CNN, relaxing is just not in our DNA. [CNN]
In other economic news, small businesses still aren’t hiring full-time staffs as rapidly as they were before the recession. [Newsweek]
Luckily for us, we weren’t wiped off the face of the planet on Saturday. In celebration of surviving The Rapture, check out this photo gallery of Hollywood depictions of the apocalypse. [Time]
By Robert Kahne, RP Staff, on Wed May 25, 2011 at 10:00 AM ET
The reigning NL MVP, Joey Votto, has a new Sportscenter advertisement. Apparently, it took forever to film. Also, the Reds are a terrible skid. I am laughing at them. [The Big Lead]
Here is a great story about Jeremy Affeldt, a relief pitcher for the San Francisco Giants, and his passion for ending human trafficking. [xlog]
There is a lot of negativity in baseball at this moment. The Red’s ace, Edinson Volquez, was sent to the minors, and didn’t take it so well. The Mets owner had some nasty stuff to say about his own team, and the A’s closer is complaining about management. Deadspin has the rundown. [deadspin]
This is an interesting article about the relationship between alcohol and baseball. In a sport which plays games in Busch Stadium, Coors Field, and Miller Park, do you think things are going to change anytime soon? [Pocono Record]
You might have heard the awful tale of Bryan Snow by now. Mr. Snow, a Giants fan, was beaten almost to death in Los Angeles on opening day during a game between the Giants and Dodgers. Now, Mr. Snow’s family is suing the Los Angeles Dodgers over the lack of security which they allege led to Mr. Snow’s condition. [Seattle Times]
Speaking of Mr. Snow, one of the saddest things about this story is that Mr. Snow has two small children. Barry Bonds, the former Giants superstar and current convict, has put up the money to send the two children to college. [MSNBC]
By Robert Kahne, RP Staff, on Tue May 24, 2011 at 3:00 PM ET
Super 8, the film directed by JJ Abrams and produced by Steven Spielberg, has been marketed heavily for the past year. Now, the first critics have been allowed to screen it. They were allowed to tweet their thoughts. /Film has a good rundown of what everybody thought. [/Film]
At the Cannes Film Festival last week, director Lars Von Trier really stepped in it. In a strange diatribe, he said that he “understood Hitler” and claimed he was a Nazi. He was banned from Cannes, but Kirsten Dunst, who stars in his new film Melancholia, still managed to win best actress at the festival. Von Trier has apologized a few times, with varying success. [Guardian]
A trailer for my most anticipated film of 2011 was released this weekend, attached to Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides. To be honest, this trailer was my favorite part of the movie. [Film Junk]
Since about 2009, film industry watchers have been wondering when, or if, the emblematic film about the 2008 financial crisis will be made. HBO has put together a star-studded cast to enact Ross Sorkin’s Too Big To Fail. Could this be it? One reviewer doesn’t seem to think so. [IFC.com]
James Cameron made 3-D into what it is today with his film Avatar. It seems like he enjoys the format more than almost anyone, and he is converting one of his older films into 3-D. Its the one about the ship that sinks with Leonardo DiCaprio and Kate Winslet…I forget the name. [The Movie Blog]
By RP Staff, on Tue May 24, 2011 at 1:30 PM ET Amongst all of the other disasters, wars, famines and plagues of locusts going on this week, Tiger Woods fell out of the Top Tenprofessional golfers list for the first time since 1997. Here’s a quick reminder of why he was there so long. [ Greatest Shots (2005-2009)]
Will Tiger ever come back to dominate the field, terrifying his competitors, crushing his rivals and making Phil Mickelson squeal? Kevin Maguire (among many other golf pundits) thinks not. [ESPN]
Novak Djokovic continued his winning streak yesterday at the French Open, breezing past Thiemo de Bakker 6-2, 6-1, 6-3. He has now won 38 straight matches this season. He would need five more wins to beat John McEnroe’s Open era record of 42. Can the gentle Serb beat Nadal at Roland Garros and Mac’s record? [LA Times]
By Stephanie Doctrow, RP Staff, on Tue May 24, 2011 at 12:00 PM ET A few weeks after the surprising news of Osama Bin Laden’s death, data from multiple polls reveals that Americans’ primary source of news coverage was television. [Poynter Institute]
Newsweek discusses how American media outlets have coped with a particularly difficult May news cycle in the face of major budget cuts. [Newsweek]
Donald Trump’s fake presidential bid, by the numbers: [Good Magazine]
Twitter is in more trouble. British soccer star Ryan Giggs is suing the social media site for revealing his affair with a British model, despite an injunction that prevented the information from being printed in traditional media. [Wired]
A small group of Christians said The Rapture would happen on May 21, 2011. Here’s how the media and American culture built the “end of the world” up into a cultural phenomenon: [Associated Press]
By Kristen Hamilton, RP Staff, on Tue May 24, 2011 at 10:00 AM ET
This week, the Politics of Fashion joins with the Politics of Wealth as you can now buy stock in Prada! Check it out: [Bloomberg]
If you like circles, triangles, or squares, or if you just want to relive your Kindergarten memories, you might like the latest jewelry collection by Project Runway‘s Mondo Guerra! [NY Mag]
The Kardashian clan’s latest business venture is a nail polish line – will you be buying? [Racked]
Pajama Jeans might become the newest addition to your wardrobe. I hope not, but they might! Check out the commercial: [Racked]
Perfume is fashion, right? Maybe not but I just had to tell you guys that Justin Bieber just launched his own fragrance for women. Not for 13-year old girls, but for women. Is the Bieber growing up? Check it out: [SHEfinds]
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