Everybody's Linking for the Weekend

Who needed a Friday?  I know I sure did-here's what you may have missed this week.

In Entertainment...

Kristin Scott Thomas

The Guardian: In a deeply reflective and excellent interview (seriously-why can we not get interviews like this stateside from interesting artists?), Kristin Scott Thomas discusses everything from anti-semitism in France to aging to her impending retirement from film.  Hopefully this doesn't stick, as Scott Thomas is one of the greatest actors in the world, but maybe a break for a while will help her recharge on the stage.  A permanent retirement would be a tragedy, though.

Film Experience: Nathaniel takes a very level-headed approach to the entire Woody/Mia/Dylan debate raging in the tabloid press.  Definitely worth a read, and I echo him on almost every point.

Vidiocy: A truly great article about the complicated relationship between Pauline Kael and one of her nemeses Meryl Streep.  I have never once read Meryl give a remark that cutting about anyone (she's one of the most polished celebrities around), so it's worth it just for the calculated shade.

Los Angeles Times: I'm sure everyone's had a thought on this, but J.K. Rowling has declared that Ron and Hermione was a pairing she regretted in hindsight.  While I love that Rowling continues the conversation about this world, part of me wonders if she should have just done the recommendations.  This is particularly directed toward the Dumbledore outing, which would have been monumental if she'd had someone say something in the actual books.  Here, I'm a fan of this coupling (opposites attract), though if you want to splash a the cold water of reality on the pairing, she's right-this wasn't meant for paradise.  In real life, opposites end up in couples therapy.

In Politics...

Second Lady Joan Mondale

CNN: In one of the nastiest moves so far of the election season, the NRCC has launched a series of fake websites meant to mimic their opponents, such as Montana Democrat John Lewis.

Also from CNN: Congress so rarely passes anything anymore, it's kind of stunning when they do.  While there's a lot of things to not like about the farm bill (I probably would have supported it, but with a heavy heart), here's some of things you should know about it.

New York Times: Former Second Lady Joan Mondale passed away this week at the age of 83.  Interesting fact: I met Mrs. Mondale once.  I was nineteen, and was attending a law school event on my campus.  The Vice President was speaking, and afterwards, I went up to former Minnesota Attorney General Miles Lord to introduce myself.  We chatted a bit, and he said he was going to go and speak with the Vice President.  I shook his hand, and he asked if I wanted to go meet the vice president.  I got waved through security and chatted for several minutes with both Mondales.  Definitely one of the most surreal moments of my life, and she was delightful.

Ambassador Max Baucus

CBS News: The U.S. Senate approved Sen. Max Baucus to be the next Ambassador to China.  Aside from this being a large post for Baucus and in general (before Baucus, two governors held the post), this could cause a major trickle down effect that could impact the 2014 elections.  Baucus's departure means that Ron Wyden will take over at Finance, and that Mary Landrieu, vulnerable in 2014, will become the head of the Senate Energy committee, a powerful tool for her reelection in Louisiana, a state which greatly relies on energy for its economy.  Additionally, Baucus's departure means that Gov. Steve Bullock (D) will be able to appoint a replacement, and the smart money is on Lt. Governor John Walsh, who is already running.  With incumbency, Walsh will be able to start building a voting record and have more access to donors, franking privileges, and just name recognition in general.  In fact, this is such a good idea I really wish that President Obama would give some post quickly to Jay Rockefeller so that we could start a similar push with Natalie Tennant in West Virginia.

New York Daily News: I love Joe Biden more than life itself, and his comments regarding LaGuardia are dead-on.  Considering New York City is the greatest city in the world, why is it that their major airport LaGuardia looks like a strip mall?  The only reason that anyone prefers JFK (which looks like a slightly higher-end strip mall) is because LaGuardia is the uglier guy making it look good.

RT: Fracking is one of my greatest pet peeves because of the truly horrible things it does to our environment and water supply, and this is just another log for the fire-some of the areas suffering from the worst droughts in the United States are also having some of their precious water supply being used up by this dangerous practice.

Just One More...

Bleacher Report: Chris Kluwe, whom I've discussed before on the blog, is potentially looking at legal action against the Minnesota Vikings over his controversial firing and the retention of a coach who made homophobic comments (allegedly).  Kluwe can do no wrong in my book, so I'm behind this, and we'll probably continue to cover this story as it unfolds, even though football is not in my regular forte.