A good piece on last week's YA drama: A first-time author unwittingly exposed the house of cards beneath “bestseller” books
Ruby Ridge, 1992: the day the American militia movement was born
The Holy Grail of Video Game History Is Probably an Office Memo
Interesting: One Scientist May Have Finally Figured Out the Mystery of Why a Civil War Submarine Sank
Shabbat in Zimbabwe
Thursday, August 31, 2017
Morning Coffee (8/31/17)
Oh no: Explosions Reported At Flooded Arkema Chemical Plant In Crosby, Texas
Some GOOD news: Federal Judge Blocks Texas’ Ban on ‘Sanctuary Cities’
Reports: Mattis froze the transgender military ban. Reality: no, he didn’t.
Nice! Canadian Passports Will Now Have a Gender Neutral Option
The race to rescue Cambodian children from orphanages exploiting them for profit
Stormfront: 'murder capital of internet' pulled offline after civil rights action
I love this: Thanks to Maggie Hassan, Little Girls in New Hampshire Think Only Women Can Be Governors
This headline was horrifying but then I saw it's what he WANTED: Terry Pratchett's unfinished novels destroyed by steamroller
Theft is bad but I would watch this heist movie: Thieves bore into cellar from Paris catacombs to steal €250,000 of wine
Found: The Remains of Chinese Laborers Interred on a Peruvian Pyramid
Some GOOD news: Federal Judge Blocks Texas’ Ban on ‘Sanctuary Cities’
Reports: Mattis froze the transgender military ban. Reality: no, he didn’t.
Nice! Canadian Passports Will Now Have a Gender Neutral Option
The race to rescue Cambodian children from orphanages exploiting them for profit
Stormfront: 'murder capital of internet' pulled offline after civil rights action
I love this: Thanks to Maggie Hassan, Little Girls in New Hampshire Think Only Women Can Be Governors
This headline was horrifying but then I saw it's what he WANTED: Terry Pratchett's unfinished novels destroyed by steamroller
Theft is bad but I would watch this heist movie: Thieves bore into cellar from Paris catacombs to steal €250,000 of wine
Found: The Remains of Chinese Laborers Interred on a Peruvian Pyramid
Wednesday, August 30, 2017
Three Surprisingly Easy Recipes You Should Try Immediately
One of my personal goals for this year was to branch out with my cooking and try a lot of new recipes, and... well, I've done better at some times than others - cooking in the summer is terrible! - but it just so happens that I've tried THREE new-to-me recipes in the past week or so and they were all easy and delicious. So I figured I should share.
I was discussing kale salad with my friend Carrie, as you do, and she pointed me toward Melt In Your Mouth Kale Salad. Honestly, that title seemed a BIT hyperbolic for... kale. But. It is true. The big revelation here was that you put the kale IN THE FOOD PROCESSOR. I had never considered such a thing, and I sent Carrie approximately a million skeptical texts and she was very patient with me, and I just tried it... and it was great. The kale winds up very finely chopped and soaks up the dressing very well. (The only problem is that then you have to wash the food processor, which is always annoying.)
(I made a bunch of substitutions here: I used regular kale and parmesan because I live in New Hampshire and we do not have those fancy kinds at the grocery store. I used slivered almonds instead of pine nuts because I didn't have a spare $1000 sitting around. And I used dried cranberries instead of currants or raisins because ew.)
Smitten Kitchen is my favorite food blog; it has never steered me wrong. And this Simple Potato Gratin was no different. I had a bunch of yellow potatoes to use, and the end of some heavy cream, and this was the perfect solution. It's easy and ridiculously delicious. I was skeptical of the recipe's claim that it would make you feel like you're eating macaroni and cheese, but IT DID, and with way less cheese.
I ate at a P.F. Chang's at an airport recently and immediately became obsessed with their Shanghai Cucumbers, which was unfortunate because the nearest restaurant is an hour away. I figured I'd Google to see if anyone had posted a copycat recipe... and discovered that the actual restaurant posted the actual recipe! It's called Gluten Free Shanghai Cucumbers but don't let that scare you. ;) I had to buy a couple ingredients for this, but it was extremely easy to throw together and tastes exactly right. And now I have enough sesame seeds to last years.
I was discussing kale salad with my friend Carrie, as you do, and she pointed me toward Melt In Your Mouth Kale Salad. Honestly, that title seemed a BIT hyperbolic for... kale. But. It is true. The big revelation here was that you put the kale IN THE FOOD PROCESSOR. I had never considered such a thing, and I sent Carrie approximately a million skeptical texts and she was very patient with me, and I just tried it... and it was great. The kale winds up very finely chopped and soaks up the dressing very well. (The only problem is that then you have to wash the food processor, which is always annoying.)
(I made a bunch of substitutions here: I used regular kale and parmesan because I live in New Hampshire and we do not have those fancy kinds at the grocery store. I used slivered almonds instead of pine nuts because I didn't have a spare $1000 sitting around. And I used dried cranberries instead of currants or raisins because ew.)
Smitten Kitchen is my favorite food blog; it has never steered me wrong. And this Simple Potato Gratin was no different. I had a bunch of yellow potatoes to use, and the end of some heavy cream, and this was the perfect solution. It's easy and ridiculously delicious. I was skeptical of the recipe's claim that it would make you feel like you're eating macaroni and cheese, but IT DID, and with way less cheese.
I ate at a P.F. Chang's at an airport recently and immediately became obsessed with their Shanghai Cucumbers, which was unfortunate because the nearest restaurant is an hour away. I figured I'd Google to see if anyone had posted a copycat recipe... and discovered that the actual restaurant posted the actual recipe! It's called Gluten Free Shanghai Cucumbers but don't let that scare you. ;) I had to buy a couple ingredients for this, but it was extremely easy to throw together and tastes exactly right. And now I have enough sesame seeds to last years.
Morning Coffee (8/30/17)
The Lament Of The Boko Haram 'Brides'
The Deadly Cost of Pregnancy for Migrant Women in Jordan
Why Joe Arpaio Deserves to Burn in Hell (A Laundry List)
Trump Associate Boasted That Moscow Business Deal ‘Will Get Donald Elected’
The Antifa Protests Are Helping Donald Trump
Who among us... Trump confuses two blonde Finnish journalists during press conference
Jeannie Rousseau de Clarens, Valiant World War II Spy, Dies at 98
What a headline: From Evelyn Waugh to Elizabeth I: Vivien Leigh's eclectic library up for auction
Ooh! Burt's Bees Will Be Expanding Their Makeup Offerings Soon
With a Simple DNA Test, Family Histories Are Rewritten
The Deadly Cost of Pregnancy for Migrant Women in Jordan
Why Joe Arpaio Deserves to Burn in Hell (A Laundry List)
Trump Associate Boasted That Moscow Business Deal ‘Will Get Donald Elected’
The Antifa Protests Are Helping Donald Trump
Who among us... Trump confuses two blonde Finnish journalists during press conference
Jeannie Rousseau de Clarens, Valiant World War II Spy, Dies at 98
What a headline: From Evelyn Waugh to Elizabeth I: Vivien Leigh's eclectic library up for auction
Ooh! Burt's Bees Will Be Expanding Their Makeup Offerings Soon
With a Simple DNA Test, Family Histories Are Rewritten
Tuesday, August 29, 2017
Morning Coffee (8/29/17)
This is tough but a well-researched, important read: How Police Cracked Canada's Largest Child Pornography Ring
Good for the ACLU: We Are Taking Trump to Court to Stop His Illegal and Cruel Ban on Transgender Service Members
Of course he is: Racist Ex-Sheriff Pardoned by Trump Is Now Talking About Running for US Senate
Two Bankers Are Selling Trump’s Tax Plan. Is Congress Buying?
A good step! India's Supreme Court Determines Freedom of Sexual Orientation Is Constitutionally-Protected Right
Sexual harassment and the sharing economy: the dark side of working for strangers
Partisanship, Propaganda, and Disinformation: Online Media and the 2016 U.S. Presidential Election
Oh no: France faces worst wine grape harvest since 1945
!!! Collection of letters by codebreaker Alan Turing found in filing cabinet
Gunpowder looks fun and I'm amused that they're using "Autumn is coming" in the marketing.
Good for the ACLU: We Are Taking Trump to Court to Stop His Illegal and Cruel Ban on Transgender Service Members
Of course he is: Racist Ex-Sheriff Pardoned by Trump Is Now Talking About Running for US Senate
Two Bankers Are Selling Trump’s Tax Plan. Is Congress Buying?
A good step! India's Supreme Court Determines Freedom of Sexual Orientation Is Constitutionally-Protected Right
Sexual harassment and the sharing economy: the dark side of working for strangers
Partisanship, Propaganda, and Disinformation: Online Media and the 2016 U.S. Presidential Election
Oh no: France faces worst wine grape harvest since 1945
!!! Collection of letters by codebreaker Alan Turing found in filing cabinet
Gunpowder looks fun and I'm amused that they're using "Autumn is coming" in the marketing.
Monday, August 28, 2017
Afternoon Tea (8/28/17)
This is so interesting: Embroidering “Game of Thrones”
Good for her: An Eye for Talent, a Place in History: Making Her Mark in Baseball Scouting
The Strange, Contagious History of Bulimia
Every time I read about Barbara Pym, I think "I need to read Barbara Pym."
Daydreaming in the service of the East India Company
Good for her: An Eye for Talent, a Place in History: Making Her Mark in Baseball Scouting
The Strange, Contagious History of Bulimia
Every time I read about Barbara Pym, I think "I need to read Barbara Pym."
Daydreaming in the service of the East India Company
Morning Coffee (8/28/17)
Me elsewhere: TV news for the week!
Joe Biden: 'We Are Living Through a Battle for the Soul of This Nation'
"Specifically, if the Sanders-Trump voters in Michigan, Wisconsin and Pennsylvania had voted for Clinton, or even stayed home on Election Day, those states would have swung to Clinton."
What Makes a Terrorist?
Welp: Trump's cybersecurity advisors resign en masse
These quieter stories are very important: Is Anybody Home at HUD?
Wheee, new Taylor Swift video!
Shakespeare or Shakespear? That is the question surrounding USC's new statue in $700-million USC Village
Ooh: It's Snowing on Mars at Night, Research Suggests
Go Behind the Glass of Churchill’s Underground War Rooms
Joe Biden: 'We Are Living Through a Battle for the Soul of This Nation'
"Specifically, if the Sanders-Trump voters in Michigan, Wisconsin and Pennsylvania had voted for Clinton, or even stayed home on Election Day, those states would have swung to Clinton."
What Makes a Terrorist?
Welp: Trump's cybersecurity advisors resign en masse
These quieter stories are very important: Is Anybody Home at HUD?
Wheee, new Taylor Swift video!
Shakespeare or Shakespear? That is the question surrounding USC's new statue in $700-million USC Village
Ooh: It's Snowing on Mars at Night, Research Suggests
Go Behind the Glass of Churchill’s Underground War Rooms
Sunday, August 27, 2017
Morning Coffee (8/27/17)
"A political party that conducts open primaries is a political party just begging to be hijacked by the loudest voice in the room and/or ratfcked by any half-witted operative on the other side."
The painful search for China’s missing children slowly gains momentum
Carl Icahn’s Failed Raid on Washington
A C-SPAN caller confessed his racism to a black guest. A year later, he called back to say how he’d changed.
Here's the OTHER crazy YA scandal of the week. Make sure you keep reading until Ian Somerhalder pops up. Yes, that Ian Somerhalder. Meet John Smelcer, Native American Literature’s “Living Con Job”
Don't do this! Asia’s Harry Potter obsession poses threat to owls
Heh: Even the Dumbest Us Weekly Headlines Look Great In New Yorker Font
Japan Unveils a Buddhist Funeral Robot
Whoa: Mathematical secrets of ancient tablet unlocked after nearly a century of study
Lives of 18th Century British Troops Unfold in Upstate New York
The painful search for China’s missing children slowly gains momentum
Carl Icahn’s Failed Raid on Washington
A C-SPAN caller confessed his racism to a black guest. A year later, he called back to say how he’d changed.
Here's the OTHER crazy YA scandal of the week. Make sure you keep reading until Ian Somerhalder pops up. Yes, that Ian Somerhalder. Meet John Smelcer, Native American Literature’s “Living Con Job”
Don't do this! Asia’s Harry Potter obsession poses threat to owls
Heh: Even the Dumbest Us Weekly Headlines Look Great In New Yorker Font
Japan Unveils a Buddhist Funeral Robot
Whoa: Mathematical secrets of ancient tablet unlocked after nearly a century of study
Lives of 18th Century British Troops Unfold in Upstate New York
Saturday, August 26, 2017
Morning Coffee (8/26/17)
My chapter of the League of Women Voters is part of this lawsuit about voting rights: Pair of Lawsuits, One Backed by Priorities USA, Challenge Constitutionality of SB3
UGH: Trump just pardoned the infamous anti-immigrant ex-sheriff Joe Arpaio
I don't even know what counts as "good" at this point but... I guess? Sebastian Gorka, Trump’s most controversial national security aide, is out
I was hoping he'd lose interest before this actually happened: Trump Gives Mattis Wide Discretion Over Transgender Ban
Prosecutors to Seek Murder Charges Against Submarine Owner for Journalist Kim Wall's Death
This is a great investigative piece about a terrible incident: Hellfire from above
Ad Industry Watchdog Group Calls Goop's Health Claims 'Unsubstantiated' and 'Misleading'
!! Archaeologists have uncovered a 2,000 year-old cemetery in Egypt
Aw: Google and Oreo Are Co-Branding Android’s New Operating System
Someone get Muse on the phone: Jellyfish Galaxies Are Feeding Supermassive Black Holes
UGH: Trump just pardoned the infamous anti-immigrant ex-sheriff Joe Arpaio
I don't even know what counts as "good" at this point but... I guess? Sebastian Gorka, Trump’s most controversial national security aide, is out
I was hoping he'd lose interest before this actually happened: Trump Gives Mattis Wide Discretion Over Transgender Ban
Prosecutors to Seek Murder Charges Against Submarine Owner for Journalist Kim Wall's Death
This is a great investigative piece about a terrible incident: Hellfire from above
Ad Industry Watchdog Group Calls Goop's Health Claims 'Unsubstantiated' and 'Misleading'
!! Archaeologists have uncovered a 2,000 year-old cemetery in Egypt
Aw: Google and Oreo Are Co-Branding Android’s New Operating System
Someone get Muse on the phone: Jellyfish Galaxies Are Feeding Supermassive Black Holes
Friday, August 25, 2017
Afternoon Tea (8/25/17)
I watched this saga unfold on Twitter yesterday and it was AMAZING. Worth a read, I promise: Did This Book Buy Its Way Onto The New York Times Bestseller List? (Yes.)
This series is always delightful: JD and Kate Visit the Ulysses S. Grant National Historic Site
Pitch perfect: the best fashion of the new football season
For Centuries, Readers Annotated Books With Tiny Drawings of Hands
How the horse became the only living animal with a single toe
This series is always delightful: JD and Kate Visit the Ulysses S. Grant National Historic Site
Pitch perfect: the best fashion of the new football season
For Centuries, Readers Annotated Books With Tiny Drawings of Hands
How the horse became the only living animal with a single toe
So I have this Patreon...
I do! You can find it here. I haven't talked about it much recently (and don't worry, I'm not going to start plugging it constantly or anything), partially because I haven't been doing much with it and have been struggling to keep up with the way I structured it. SO, I'm going to revamp it a bit, and I'm looking for some input, whether or not you've joined me over there!
If you are or have been a patron - what did you like? What parts didn't you care about? What rewards do you wish there were?
If you're NOT a patron - what are the kinds of rewards or blog content that might make you consider joining? What have you liked/not liked in other Patreons you've dealt with in general?
And because this affects ALL blog readers, not just patrons - the link posts aren't going anywhere, but what ELSE would you like to see around here? I've been having a hard time with book reviews because most of my book thoughts are going to my Tinyletter, so I'm thinking about other kinds of posts. What would you like to read about?
If you are or have been a patron - what did you like? What parts didn't you care about? What rewards do you wish there were?
If you're NOT a patron - what are the kinds of rewards or blog content that might make you consider joining? What have you liked/not liked in other Patreons you've dealt with in general?
And because this affects ALL blog readers, not just patrons - the link posts aren't going anywhere, but what ELSE would you like to see around here? I've been having a hard time with book reviews because most of my book thoughts are going to my Tinyletter, so I'm thinking about other kinds of posts. What would you like to read about?
Morning Coffee (8/25/17)
Time for Friday happy links! Make sure you come back this afternoon for TWO posts, including the return of Friday afternoon links. I've got a doozy for you.
NEW TAYLOR SWIFT SINGLE. I love it.
Eee, trailer for Strike, new show based on J.K. Rowling's mystery novels!
Whoa: Antares: astronomers capture best ever image of a star’s surface and atmosphere
I'm always so relieved when an author I like doesn't say anything terrible in her By the Book interview, and Louise Penny's is great.
Look at my friend Holly's elf ears in the New York Times!
Penguins Filmed Their Own Videos of Antarctica, and the Footage Is Incredible
YES I DO: 15 Next-Level Ice Cream Sandwiches You Need in Your Life
Netflix’s Latest Hit Series Is a Boring, Soothing Japanese Reality Show. I'm in.
Beatles Monuments in Unexpected Places
I have read bachelorette party instruction letters that sound JUST LIKE THIS: Tips for Emily’s Low-Key Destination Bachelorette! PLEASE READ
NEW TAYLOR SWIFT SINGLE. I love it.
Eee, trailer for Strike, new show based on J.K. Rowling's mystery novels!
Whoa: Antares: astronomers capture best ever image of a star’s surface and atmosphere
I'm always so relieved when an author I like doesn't say anything terrible in her By the Book interview, and Louise Penny's is great.
Look at my friend Holly's elf ears in the New York Times!
Penguins Filmed Their Own Videos of Antarctica, and the Footage Is Incredible
YES I DO: 15 Next-Level Ice Cream Sandwiches You Need in Your Life
Netflix’s Latest Hit Series Is a Boring, Soothing Japanese Reality Show. I'm in.
Beatles Monuments in Unexpected Places
I have read bachelorette party instruction letters that sound JUST LIKE THIS: Tips for Emily’s Low-Key Destination Bachelorette! PLEASE READ
Thursday, August 24, 2017
Afternoon Tea (8/24/17)
This radio documentary about Voyager One and Two is fascinating: Space 1977
Not sure I'd call this SURPRISING, but: The Surprisingly Important Role China Played in WWI
How a board game about bitter legal struggles became a bitter legal struggle
This is cool: Real Madrid, Arsenal, LA Galaxy, Boca Juniors — In One Giant Power Ranking
Useful! Continental Army Major Generals: The Best Biographies
Not sure I'd call this SURPRISING, but: The Surprisingly Important Role China Played in WWI
How a board game about bitter legal struggles became a bitter legal struggle
This is cool: Real Madrid, Arsenal, LA Galaxy, Boca Juniors — In One Giant Power Ranking
Useful! Continental Army Major Generals: The Best Biographies
Morning Coffee (8/24/17)
Aaaah new Taylor album title and date!
A State Department science envoy resigns in a letter that spells out IMPEACH
"Who could have predicted it? Anyone, really."
This is interesting and such good work: With teamwork and hustle, Toledo Blade dominated after Charlottesville attack
A Running List of Confederate Monuments Removed Across the Country
And! Six Flags replaces Confederate flag with American flag
Ha: Crown Prince of Denmark banned from entering Australian pub due to not carrying I.D.
Ooh, Marcia Clark is making a TV show! I'm in.
X-Ray Reveals Ancient Roman Portrait Covered in Mt. Vesuvius Ash
Lotta goat news out of England recently: A 'murder' mystery with a toxic twist ... and pygmy goats
A State Department science envoy resigns in a letter that spells out IMPEACH
"Who could have predicted it? Anyone, really."
This is interesting and such good work: With teamwork and hustle, Toledo Blade dominated after Charlottesville attack
A Running List of Confederate Monuments Removed Across the Country
And! Six Flags replaces Confederate flag with American flag
Ha: Crown Prince of Denmark banned from entering Australian pub due to not carrying I.D.
Ooh, Marcia Clark is making a TV show! I'm in.
X-Ray Reveals Ancient Roman Portrait Covered in Mt. Vesuvius Ash
Lotta goat news out of England recently: A 'murder' mystery with a toxic twist ... and pygmy goats
Wednesday, August 23, 2017
Afternoon Tea (8/23/17)
I love this: Writing a Long Novel is a Feminist Act
Whoa: 'Don't talk about the goat wars': how a feral herd divided a Devon village
A Speedier Way to Catalog Human Cells (All 37 Trillion of Them)
Alsatian Wines Strike a Balance of Dry and Sweet
How 7 Sisters Made a Fortune off Their Rapunzel-Like Hair
Whoa: 'Don't talk about the goat wars': how a feral herd divided a Devon village
A Speedier Way to Catalog Human Cells (All 37 Trillion of Them)
Alsatian Wines Strike a Balance of Dry and Sweet
How 7 Sisters Made a Fortune off Their Rapunzel-Like Hair
Morning Coffee (8/23/17)
This Is What It's Like For Girls Growing Up In Gaza
Not sure this MEANS much, but it's kinda incredible that these kinds of stories are coming out this early in the administration: McConnell, in Private, Doubts if Trump Can Save Presidency
When Trump Was Jealous of Jerry Lewis
This is wild: Chinese Novelist Is Arrested in 4 Murders From 2 Decades Ago
!! Wreckage of U.S.S. Indianapolis, Lost for 72 Years, Is Found in the Pacific
Tech’s Damaging Myth of the Loner Genius Nerd
Aw, this is cool: To Hit a Passer and ‘To Kill a Mockingbird’: A Linebacker’s Two Sides
Found: Ice From 2.7 Million Years Ago
When Milton met Galileo: the collision of cultures that helped shape Paradise Lost
I've heard mixed things about A Discovery of Witches but I'm all for Matthew Goode as a vampire.
Not sure this MEANS much, but it's kinda incredible that these kinds of stories are coming out this early in the administration: McConnell, in Private, Doubts if Trump Can Save Presidency
When Trump Was Jealous of Jerry Lewis
This is wild: Chinese Novelist Is Arrested in 4 Murders From 2 Decades Ago
!! Wreckage of U.S.S. Indianapolis, Lost for 72 Years, Is Found in the Pacific
Tech’s Damaging Myth of the Loner Genius Nerd
Aw, this is cool: To Hit a Passer and ‘To Kill a Mockingbird’: A Linebacker’s Two Sides
Found: Ice From 2.7 Million Years Ago
When Milton met Galileo: the collision of cultures that helped shape Paradise Lost
I've heard mixed things about A Discovery of Witches but I'm all for Matthew Goode as a vampire.
Tuesday, August 22, 2017
Morning Coffee (8/22/17)
Trump Settles on Afghan Strategy Expected to Raise Troop Levels
This Missile Could Reach California. But Can North Korea Use It With a Nuclear Weapon?
Despicable: Pediatricians say Florida hurt sick kids to help big GOP donors
Down the Breitbart Hole
People Seem To Be Creating Fake Accounts Of White Women To Push Anti-Feminist And Racist Agendas
White nationalists are flocking to genetic ancestry tests. Some don’t like what they find
Yes, this week could absolutely use some new Taylor Swift music.
Frozen musical: First look at the stars in costume
Whoa: ITV Reveals Plans for Mini-Theme Park in London
I'm pretty excited about Saoirse Ronan as Mary, Queen of Scots.
This Missile Could Reach California. But Can North Korea Use It With a Nuclear Weapon?
Despicable: Pediatricians say Florida hurt sick kids to help big GOP donors
Down the Breitbart Hole
People Seem To Be Creating Fake Accounts Of White Women To Push Anti-Feminist And Racist Agendas
White nationalists are flocking to genetic ancestry tests. Some don’t like what they find
Yes, this week could absolutely use some new Taylor Swift music.
Frozen musical: First look at the stars in costume
Whoa: ITV Reveals Plans for Mini-Theme Park in London
I'm pretty excited about Saoirse Ronan as Mary, Queen of Scots.
Monday, August 21, 2017
Morning Coffee (8/21/17)
If all went according to schedule, I got home from my trip in the wee hours of the morning and am currently sleeping, so I wrote this yesterday. Back to normal posting tomorrow!
Me elsewhere: The week's TV news.
Football’s Concussion Crisis Is Killing Former High School Players, Too
Trump’s Arts and Humanities Committee Members Resign to Protest His Charlottesville Response
The Rise of the Violent Left
Cam-girls: Inside the Romanian sexcam industry
Why We Fell for Clean Eating
What the Departure of the Times’ Michiko Kakutani Means for Books Coverage
Raptor-Like Vegetarian Dinosaur Links Carnivores and Herbivores
Obviously this is just hideous: Rowing in the Outer Hebrides, Scotland – in pictures
I love seeing what people pack: What the Mystery Writer Sue Grafton Can’t Travel Without
Me elsewhere: The week's TV news.
Football’s Concussion Crisis Is Killing Former High School Players, Too
Trump’s Arts and Humanities Committee Members Resign to Protest His Charlottesville Response
The Rise of the Violent Left
Cam-girls: Inside the Romanian sexcam industry
Why We Fell for Clean Eating
What the Departure of the Times’ Michiko Kakutani Means for Books Coverage
Raptor-Like Vegetarian Dinosaur Links Carnivores and Herbivores
Obviously this is just hideous: Rowing in the Outer Hebrides, Scotland – in pictures
I love seeing what people pack: What the Mystery Writer Sue Grafton Can’t Travel Without
Sunday, August 20, 2017
Morning Coffee (8/20/17)
Why Was an Italian Graduate Student Tortured and Murdered in Egypt?
‘They use money to promote Christianity’: Nepal's battle for souls
Is America Headed for a New Kind of Civil War?
Our Hackable Democracy
Neo-Nazis Slowly Realize This Small Town Totally Punked Them
How to Deal With Your Apocalyptic Anxiety
During Trump's present, it's hard to write the future, says science fiction writer John Scalzi
Certain Death Awaits You in the Future Hunger Games Theme Park
Not surprising, but interesting to read about the actual study: Cheap Wine Tastes Better When You’re Told It’s Expensive
Good question: Why Doesn't Jon Snow Wear a Damn Hat?
‘They use money to promote Christianity’: Nepal's battle for souls
Is America Headed for a New Kind of Civil War?
Our Hackable Democracy
Neo-Nazis Slowly Realize This Small Town Totally Punked Them
How to Deal With Your Apocalyptic Anxiety
During Trump's present, it's hard to write the future, says science fiction writer John Scalzi
Certain Death Awaits You in the Future Hunger Games Theme Park
Not surprising, but interesting to read about the actual study: Cheap Wine Tastes Better When You’re Told It’s Expensive
Good question: Why Doesn't Jon Snow Wear a Damn Hat?
Saturday, August 19, 2017
Morning Coffee (8/19/17)
Stephen Bannon Out at the White House After Turbulent Run
Kenyan Democracy’s Missed Opportunity
The Obama-Trump Voters Are Real. Here’s What They Think.
Urgent research needed into 'boyfriend model' of sex abuse, say experts (Coronation Street actually had a plot about this that was handled quite well!)
People are complicated! What Robert E. Lee Wrote to The Times About Slavery in 1858
It says something about 2017 that this basically just made me shrug and say "Sure, whatever, pretty low on my list of things I'm worried about:" Amazon is experimenting with military tech to help it take over groceries
Ancient Skull Shows What the Last Common Ancestor of Apes and Humans Looked Like
The One Thing We All Agree On: 3-D Movies Must Die
I am not a cruise fan but this one is tempting: 'The New York Times' Is Hosting a Weeklong Crossword Puzzle-themed Cruise
How Much of Einstein’s Theory of Relativity is in the Writing of Virginia Woolf?
Kenyan Democracy’s Missed Opportunity
The Obama-Trump Voters Are Real. Here’s What They Think.
Urgent research needed into 'boyfriend model' of sex abuse, say experts (Coronation Street actually had a plot about this that was handled quite well!)
People are complicated! What Robert E. Lee Wrote to The Times About Slavery in 1858
It says something about 2017 that this basically just made me shrug and say "Sure, whatever, pretty low on my list of things I'm worried about:" Amazon is experimenting with military tech to help it take over groceries
Ancient Skull Shows What the Last Common Ancestor of Apes and Humans Looked Like
The One Thing We All Agree On: 3-D Movies Must Die
I am not a cruise fan but this one is tempting: 'The New York Times' Is Hosting a Weeklong Crossword Puzzle-themed Cruise
How Much of Einstein’s Theory of Relativity is in the Writing of Virginia Woolf?
Friday, August 18, 2017
Morning Coffee (8/18/17)
Whew. I think we really need some Friday happy links.
Very important: Tiny Horse Briefly Becomes Pro Cyclist
I love Sarah Rees Brennan (her new book is great, go get it): Our Winged Brains: The Appeal of Winged Creatures in Genre Fiction
Perfect: Other To-the-Point Songs in the Vein of “Happy Birthday to You” That Our Society Needs
Spectacular Saturn: Cassini's epic pictures using a one megapixel camera
This was unexpectedly difficult! Can you match the house to the writer it inspired?
Documenting America’s Long, Venerable Tradition of Roadside Dinosaurs
Whoa: Dine 21 Stories Underground in This 345-Million-Year-Old Cavern
I LOVE maps in fantasy books! Keep Your Favorite Fantasy Book Maps Close With These Bookish Items
A Brief History of Traveling with Cats
LET'S GO: Medieval homes for sale - in pictures
Very important: Tiny Horse Briefly Becomes Pro Cyclist
I love Sarah Rees Brennan (her new book is great, go get it): Our Winged Brains: The Appeal of Winged Creatures in Genre Fiction
Perfect: Other To-the-Point Songs in the Vein of “Happy Birthday to You” That Our Society Needs
Spectacular Saturn: Cassini's epic pictures using a one megapixel camera
This was unexpectedly difficult! Can you match the house to the writer it inspired?
Documenting America’s Long, Venerable Tradition of Roadside Dinosaurs
Whoa: Dine 21 Stories Underground in This 345-Million-Year-Old Cavern
I LOVE maps in fantasy books! Keep Your Favorite Fantasy Book Maps Close With These Bookish Items
A Brief History of Traveling with Cats
LET'S GO: Medieval homes for sale - in pictures
Thursday, August 17, 2017
Morning Coffee (8/17/17)
(I'm traveling for the next few days, so may be compiling posts a little in advance/as I have time; with the way things are going, I assume I will miss 15 news cycles a day, so forgive me if I seem to be ignoring something important. Also, going to take a break from afternoon posts for this trip. Back to normal on Tuesday!)
Trump Lawyer Forwards Email Echoing Secessionist Rhetoric
Trump Threat to Obamacare Would Send Premiums and Deficits Higher
Charlottesville and the Effort to Downplay Racism in America
The Long List of Killings Committed by White Extremists Since the Oklahoma City Bombing
A teen checked into an Internet-addiction camp in China. He was dead two days later.
Police Add Civilians in Bid to Better Analyze Crime Data
Oh, cool: New Fabric Interfaces Weave Together Textiles and Computers in Unexpected Ways
This is actually hilarious: Reporter Accidentally Gets Jürgen Klopp To Talk About Losing His Virginity
Conservationists Hatch a Kiwi Cutie-Pie
Welcome to the Fyre Festival, But for Cheese
!! A Lost Diamond Engagement Ring Reappeared on a Carrot
Trump Lawyer Forwards Email Echoing Secessionist Rhetoric
Trump Threat to Obamacare Would Send Premiums and Deficits Higher
Charlottesville and the Effort to Downplay Racism in America
The Long List of Killings Committed by White Extremists Since the Oklahoma City Bombing
A teen checked into an Internet-addiction camp in China. He was dead two days later.
Police Add Civilians in Bid to Better Analyze Crime Data
Oh, cool: New Fabric Interfaces Weave Together Textiles and Computers in Unexpected Ways
This is actually hilarious: Reporter Accidentally Gets Jürgen Klopp To Talk About Losing His Virginity
Conservationists Hatch a Kiwi Cutie-Pie
Welcome to the Fyre Festival, But for Cheese
!! A Lost Diamond Engagement Ring Reappeared on a Carrot
Wednesday, August 16, 2017
Afternoon Tea (8/16/17)
Analysis of Roman coins tells of Hannibal's defeat and Rome's rise
Why Do We Sleep Under Blankets, Even on the Hottest Nights? Yeah, science, WHY DO WE? I just want it to be cold out so I can sleep again.
On the Rise of Scandinavian Crime Fiction
The Fuzzy History of the Georgia Peach
Aw, memories! HyperCard On The Archive (Celebrating 30 Years of HyperCard)
Why Do We Sleep Under Blankets, Even on the Hottest Nights? Yeah, science, WHY DO WE? I just want it to be cold out so I can sleep again.
On the Rise of Scandinavian Crime Fiction
The Fuzzy History of the Georgia Peach
Aw, memories! HyperCard On The Archive (Celebrating 30 Years of HyperCard)
Morning Coffee (8/16/17)
Oh, good: Baltimore Removes Confederate Statues in Overnight Operation
Trump Gives White Supremacists an Unequivocal Boost
Donald Trump is offering comfort to racists and extremists
While Trump was distracted, North Korea calmed down. That’s not a coincidence.
And here's what's actually happening in Guam right now.
Seeking Greater Global Power, China Looks to Robots and Microchips
Oh hey, Hugo Award winners! Glad THAT process was less of a mess this year, at least.
This whole thing is kind of hilarious: Costco Owes Tiffany More Than $19 Million, Judge Rules
Hmmm: MoviePass Now Offers Unlimited Movies in Theaters for $10 a Month (From what I've read, their business model is a. selling your data [they were just bought by an analytics firm] and/or b. proving their worth enough to get theaters to "partner" with them in the future. I tried to join yesterday but their servers were overloaded - it's 2017, people, do load tests! - and then AMC said they're going to try to block it, so... I guess I'll wait.)
Antarctica’s Ice Hides 91 Newly Described Volcanoes
Trump Gives White Supremacists an Unequivocal Boost
Donald Trump is offering comfort to racists and extremists
While Trump was distracted, North Korea calmed down. That’s not a coincidence.
And here's what's actually happening in Guam right now.
Seeking Greater Global Power, China Looks to Robots and Microchips
Oh hey, Hugo Award winners! Glad THAT process was less of a mess this year, at least.
This whole thing is kind of hilarious: Costco Owes Tiffany More Than $19 Million, Judge Rules
Hmmm: MoviePass Now Offers Unlimited Movies in Theaters for $10 a Month (From what I've read, their business model is a. selling your data [they were just bought by an analytics firm] and/or b. proving their worth enough to get theaters to "partner" with them in the future. I tried to join yesterday but their servers were overloaded - it's 2017, people, do load tests! - and then AMC said they're going to try to block it, so... I guess I'll wait.)
Antarctica’s Ice Hides 91 Newly Described Volcanoes
Tuesday, August 15, 2017
Afternoon Tea (8/15/17)
How Driscoll's Reinvented the Strawberry
Todd is speaking my language here: "But in episode three, one big element of the show clicks into place: You realize that Manhunt is a series about catching a killer by playing word games."
This is an interesting read of the movie Marie Antoinette: Tragic Queendom
Identity Crisis: What do you do when someone who isn’t you shows up on the internet — and starts finding your friends?
The Hunt for a Missing Canadian Lily
Todd is speaking my language here: "But in episode three, one big element of the show clicks into place: You realize that Manhunt is a series about catching a killer by playing word games."
This is an interesting read of the movie Marie Antoinette: Tragic Queendom
Identity Crisis: What do you do when someone who isn’t you shows up on the internet — and starts finding your friends?
The Hunt for a Missing Canadian Lily
Morning Coffee (8/15/17)
The Battle of Charlottesville
2017! Tiki Brand Does Not Condone the Use of Its Torches by White Supremacists
Of course he is: Trump says he’s considering pardon for Joe Arpaio
Alabama GOP Senate Primary Gets Even Strange-er After Trump Intervention
Thanks, Germany! An American tourist gave the Nazi salute in Germany — so a stranger beat him up, police say
GoDaddy and Google have refused service to a notorious neo-Nazi site
Aww: Big Ben to be silenced for four years for maintenance
GOOD. I am all for piracy arrests: Police Make Arrests in ‘Game of Thrones’ Piracy Case in India
Huh: Paramount Is Making a Leonardo da Vinci Biopic Starring Leonardo DiCaprio (No offense to Leo, but I'm not super-convinced by the idea of him playing a genius. HOWEVER, I hope this means we are a step closer to my dream of a Thomas Hardy adaptation starring Tom Hardy.)
Ooh! Major archaeological finds at Greenwich uncover lost Royal palace
2017! Tiki Brand Does Not Condone the Use of Its Torches by White Supremacists
Of course he is: Trump says he’s considering pardon for Joe Arpaio
Alabama GOP Senate Primary Gets Even Strange-er After Trump Intervention
Thanks, Germany! An American tourist gave the Nazi salute in Germany — so a stranger beat him up, police say
GoDaddy and Google have refused service to a notorious neo-Nazi site
Aww: Big Ben to be silenced for four years for maintenance
GOOD. I am all for piracy arrests: Police Make Arrests in ‘Game of Thrones’ Piracy Case in India
Huh: Paramount Is Making a Leonardo da Vinci Biopic Starring Leonardo DiCaprio (No offense to Leo, but I'm not super-convinced by the idea of him playing a genius. HOWEVER, I hope this means we are a step closer to my dream of a Thomas Hardy adaptation starring Tom Hardy.)
Ooh! Major archaeological finds at Greenwich uncover lost Royal palace
Monday, August 14, 2017
Morning Coffee (8/14/17)
Me elsewhere: The week's TV news.
Well, this was some shocking TV industry news to wake up to: Shonda Rhimes Says Farewell to ABC Studios and Hello to Netflix
The Washington Post story about Charlottesville is pretty comprehensive and well-done, if you want to catch up on what's happened.
Here's an interesting first-person account by a New York Times reporter in Charlottesville.
What a surprise: Alt-Right Media Framed Wrong Person in Car Attack, Labeled Him ‘Anti-Trump Druggie’
We need to stop acting like Trump isn’t pandering to white supremacists
This was well-articulated: I’m a White Man. Hear Me Out.
Russia-West Balancing Act Grows Ever More Wobbly in Belarus
Interesting: Words We're Watching: 'Record Scratch'
Almost Edible, 106-Year-Old Fruitcake Found in Antarctica
Well, this was some shocking TV industry news to wake up to: Shonda Rhimes Says Farewell to ABC Studios and Hello to Netflix
The Washington Post story about Charlottesville is pretty comprehensive and well-done, if you want to catch up on what's happened.
Here's an interesting first-person account by a New York Times reporter in Charlottesville.
What a surprise: Alt-Right Media Framed Wrong Person in Car Attack, Labeled Him ‘Anti-Trump Druggie’
We need to stop acting like Trump isn’t pandering to white supremacists
This was well-articulated: I’m a White Man. Hear Me Out.
Russia-West Balancing Act Grows Ever More Wobbly in Belarus
Interesting: Words We're Watching: 'Record Scratch'
Almost Edible, 106-Year-Old Fruitcake Found in Antarctica
Sunday, August 13, 2017
Morning Coffee (8/13/17)
Donald Trump refuses to name the problem of white supremacist violence
"Why we voted for Donald Trump": David Duke explains the white supremacist Charlottesville protests
Unite the Right, the violent white supremacist rally in Charlottesville, explained
Dozens of Women Are Considering Suing Google Over Alleged Workplace Sexism and Pay Inequity
Interesting: Mormon official ousted; first excommunication of a top church leader in decades
Ugh, this is such a hard issue: Save your local! Should volunteers help keep our public libraries open?
Ooh, the new Hamilton app looks fun.
Heh: Croatian Island Wants Tourists Who Don’t Behave Badly
Your Instagram Posts May Hold Clues to Your Mental Health
Sampling DNA From a 1,000-Year-Old Illuminated Manuscript
"Why we voted for Donald Trump": David Duke explains the white supremacist Charlottesville protests
Unite the Right, the violent white supremacist rally in Charlottesville, explained
Dozens of Women Are Considering Suing Google Over Alleged Workplace Sexism and Pay Inequity
Interesting: Mormon official ousted; first excommunication of a top church leader in decades
Ugh, this is such a hard issue: Save your local! Should volunteers help keep our public libraries open?
Ooh, the new Hamilton app looks fun.
Heh: Croatian Island Wants Tourists Who Don’t Behave Badly
Your Instagram Posts May Hold Clues to Your Mental Health
Sampling DNA From a 1,000-Year-Old Illuminated Manuscript
Saturday, August 12, 2017
Morning Coffee (8/12/17)
March of white supremacists at University of Virginia ends in skirmishes
Good: Active-duty military members sue Trump over transgender ban
Well. White House adviser says people should stop criticizing white supremacists so much
The Political Payoff of Making Whites Feel Like a Minority
Why Do We Call White House Happenings “Palace Intrigue”? The Intriguing Explanation.
Taylor Swift did a really good job at not letting her assaulter blame his actions on her at her trial this week.
I am watching the first Liverpool match of the season RIGHT NOW and I'm so happy: Looking Ahead to the English Premier League’s Game of Thrones
Interesting: China’s Pretty Boys Find a New Gig: Propaganda Films
Prehistoric Brits Ate People and Then Turned Their Bones Into Art
Books in America are full of swear words: the more recent, the more profane
Good: Active-duty military members sue Trump over transgender ban
Well. White House adviser says people should stop criticizing white supremacists so much
The Political Payoff of Making Whites Feel Like a Minority
Why Do We Call White House Happenings “Palace Intrigue”? The Intriguing Explanation.
Taylor Swift did a really good job at not letting her assaulter blame his actions on her at her trial this week.
I am watching the first Liverpool match of the season RIGHT NOW and I'm so happy: Looking Ahead to the English Premier League’s Game of Thrones
Interesting: China’s Pretty Boys Find a New Gig: Propaganda Films
Prehistoric Brits Ate People and Then Turned Their Bones Into Art
Books in America are full of swear words: the more recent, the more profane
Friday, August 11, 2017
Friday Chat: Oh my God this WEEK.
That is less a question to discuss and more just an exclamation, I suppose. Has your week been as crazy and awful as those of everyone else I know? What are you doing to relax this weekend? Will we make it to Monday without nuclear war? Discuss!
Morning Coffee (8/11/17)
Finally! Time for some happy Friday links!
Ooh: Get Free Eclipse Glasses at Your Local Library
Lisa Frank pajamas!!! (At Target!)
American Girl's new Create-Your-Own tool is SO MUCH FUN.
This sounds like something your Friday might need: Watch This Adorable Video of Prince William Getting Beaten by a Little Girl at Soccer
! Japanese Scientists Discover the Secret to Un-Meltable Ice Cream
Let's go: The ‘World’s Largest Bounce House’ Is Touring America
Bookish umbrellas!
Nancy Drew Etsy stuff!!
Let's run off to the Greek islands.
Whoa: This Pocket-packed Tote Bag Is a Traveler’s Dream
Ooh: Get Free Eclipse Glasses at Your Local Library
Lisa Frank pajamas!!! (At Target!)
American Girl's new Create-Your-Own tool is SO MUCH FUN.
This sounds like something your Friday might need: Watch This Adorable Video of Prince William Getting Beaten by a Little Girl at Soccer
! Japanese Scientists Discover the Secret to Un-Meltable Ice Cream
Let's go: The ‘World’s Largest Bounce House’ Is Touring America
Bookish umbrellas!
Nancy Drew Etsy stuff!!
Let's run off to the Greek islands.
Whoa: This Pocket-packed Tote Bag Is a Traveler’s Dream
Thursday, August 10, 2017
Afternoon Tea (8/10/17)
I teared up reading this, so I'm sure I'll handle the actual book very well: John le Carré Goes Back Into the Cold
The Mystery of Sylvia Plath's Lost Novel
When Dinosaurs Ruled the Earth, Mammals Took to the Skies
The Strange, Sad Story of Joe Orton, His Lover, and 72 Stolen Library Books
Tourist Trinkets: The Medieval Pilgrim Badge
The Mystery of Sylvia Plath's Lost Novel
When Dinosaurs Ruled the Earth, Mammals Took to the Skies
The Strange, Sad Story of Joe Orton, His Lover, and 72 Stolen Library Books
Tourist Trinkets: The Medieval Pilgrim Badge
Morning Coffee (8/10/17)
"To most North Korea experts, Kim Jong Un is far from erratic. In fact, they say that if anyone is unpredictable in this scenario, it’s President Trump."
"What we do know is that in 1962, nuclear holocaust was averted in part because a president read a book and learned from it."
American mosques — and American Muslims — are being targeted for hate like never before
Mauritania has a new flag
Pregnancy can kill. No one should be forced to give birth against their will
And here's the very important ProPublica investigation mentioned there: Lost Mothers
The global politics of the biggest story in soccer
Women who are elite mathematicians are less likely than men to believe they’re elite mathematicians
Ooh, DRAMA: LeVar Burton Sued for Using His Reading Rainbow Catchphrase on His Podcast
Found: 20,000 World War Two Aircraft Blueprints
"What we do know is that in 1962, nuclear holocaust was averted in part because a president read a book and learned from it."
American mosques — and American Muslims — are being targeted for hate like never before
Mauritania has a new flag
Pregnancy can kill. No one should be forced to give birth against their will
And here's the very important ProPublica investigation mentioned there: Lost Mothers
The global politics of the biggest story in soccer
Women who are elite mathematicians are less likely than men to believe they’re elite mathematicians
Ooh, DRAMA: LeVar Burton Sued for Using His Reading Rainbow Catchphrase on His Podcast
Found: 20,000 World War Two Aircraft Blueprints
Wednesday, August 9, 2017
Afternoon Tea (8/9/17)
An Ice Cream Maker’s Latest Recipe: Saving the Local School
I had NO IDEA: How Ice Cream Helped America at War
Chasing Shadows for a Glimpse of a Tiny World Beyond Pluto
Multilevel-marketing companies like LuLaRoe are forcing people into debt and psychological crisis
Lessons From a Victorian-Era Cat Dictionary
I had NO IDEA: How Ice Cream Helped America at War
Chasing Shadows for a Glimpse of a Tiny World Beyond Pluto
Multilevel-marketing companies like LuLaRoe are forcing people into debt and psychological crisis
Lessons From a Victorian-Era Cat Dictionary
Morning Coffee (8/9/17)
Well. This is all pretty worrisome. Trump Threatens ‘Fire and Fury’ Against North Korea if It Endangers U.S.
Britain Is in the Grip of Its Most Turbulent Political Time in More Than 30 Years
Aww: One old minibus and 1,300 books: the mobile library for refugees in Greece
Why Is Donald Trump Still So Horribly Witless About the World?
How the Trump hotel has rewritten the rules of business — and politics — in Washington
The curious case of ‘Nicole Mincey,’ the Trump fan who may actually be a bot
Defendants Kept in the Dark About Evidence, Until It’s Too Late
Huh: Wish you were here: Europol releases set of postcards in bid to catch criminals
Sigh: Mary Beard abused on Twitter over Roman Britain's ethnic diversity
Interesting: Making old bones: Joint Mitnor cave reopens with replica fossils
Britain Is in the Grip of Its Most Turbulent Political Time in More Than 30 Years
Aww: One old minibus and 1,300 books: the mobile library for refugees in Greece
Why Is Donald Trump Still So Horribly Witless About the World?
How the Trump hotel has rewritten the rules of business — and politics — in Washington
The curious case of ‘Nicole Mincey,’ the Trump fan who may actually be a bot
Defendants Kept in the Dark About Evidence, Until It’s Too Late
Huh: Wish you were here: Europol releases set of postcards in bid to catch criminals
Sigh: Mary Beard abused on Twitter over Roman Britain's ethnic diversity
Interesting: Making old bones: Joint Mitnor cave reopens with replica fossils
Tuesday, August 8, 2017
Afternoon Tea (8/8/17)
Interesting: Weaning Itself From Elephant Ivory, China Turns to Mammoths
Why Are There No New Major Religions?
Inside the Facebook Group Where N.F.L. Wives Share Anxieties and Advice
With Snowflakes and Unicorns, Marina Ratner and Maryam Mirzakhani Explored a Universe in Motion
Was an Ancient Egyptian Pharaoh a Giant?
Why Are There No New Major Religions?
Inside the Facebook Group Where N.F.L. Wives Share Anxieties and Advice
With Snowflakes and Unicorns, Marina Ratner and Maryam Mirzakhani Explored a Universe in Motion
Was an Ancient Egyptian Pharaoh a Giant?
Morning Coffee (8/8/17)
Scientists gave this to the Times because they feared the Trump administration would suppress it: Government Report Finds Drastic Impact of Climate Change on U.S.
This is, you know, terrorism, just so we're all clear: FBI: Explosive Device Detonated At Minnesota Mosque
Oh my God, you idiots, STOP LEAVING STUFF ON YOUR WHITEBOARDS IN PICTURES: The Trump agenda, as told by Steve Bannon's whiteboard
Find Out If President Trump Would Let You Immigrate to America Nope!
Hillary Wants to Preach
Bitcoin Has Split Into Two Cryptocurrencies. What, Exactly, Does That Mean? (Update: I still don't understand bitcoin AT ALL.)
Well, good: J.K. Rowling is the world's highest-paid author, Forbes says
This makes me SO ANGRY, I... should just give you the link and not get into it: The Toxic Drama on YA Twitter
Laura Dern Could Make History If She's Elected President of the Academy of Motion Pictures
Found: The Oldest Known Family of Asteroids in the Solar System
This is, you know, terrorism, just so we're all clear: FBI: Explosive Device Detonated At Minnesota Mosque
Oh my God, you idiots, STOP LEAVING STUFF ON YOUR WHITEBOARDS IN PICTURES: The Trump agenda, as told by Steve Bannon's whiteboard
Find Out If President Trump Would Let You Immigrate to America Nope!
Hillary Wants to Preach
Bitcoin Has Split Into Two Cryptocurrencies. What, Exactly, Does That Mean? (Update: I still don't understand bitcoin AT ALL.)
Well, good: J.K. Rowling is the world's highest-paid author, Forbes says
This makes me SO ANGRY, I... should just give you the link and not get into it: The Toxic Drama on YA Twitter
Laura Dern Could Make History If She's Elected President of the Academy of Motion Pictures
Found: The Oldest Known Family of Asteroids in the Solar System
Monday, August 7, 2017
Afternoon Tea (8/7/17)
The Art and Artistry of Double Dutch
We Analyzed 1,000 Fortune Cookies To Unlock Their Secrets
Strolling the ancient hillforts of southern England
HOW UPSETTING. Uh, I mean, cool? How One Brave Spider Floated Thousands of Miles to Colonize a New Continent
The Woman Who Collected More Than 25,000 Menus
We Analyzed 1,000 Fortune Cookies To Unlock Their Secrets
Strolling the ancient hillforts of southern England
HOW UPSETTING. Uh, I mean, cool? How One Brave Spider Floated Thousands of Miles to Colonize a New Continent
The Woman Who Collected More Than 25,000 Menus
Morning Coffee (8/7/17)
Me elsewhere: TV news for the week.
'Human life is more expendable': why slavery has never made more money
Sigh: An anti-immigrant group mistook empty bus seats for women wearing burqas
Italy’s ‘Lord of the Spies’ Takes On a Migration Crisis
Republican Shadow Campaign for 2020 Takes Shape as Trump Doubts Grow
This was both fascinating and moving and I kind of want to write a novel about it: The Loyal Engineers Steering NASA’s Voyager Probes Across the Universe
Ooh: Get a behind-the-scenes first look at Broadway’s Frozen musical
Somehow Women Still Make Up Less Than a Third of Speaking Characters in Top U.S. Movies SOMEHOW.
Nicole Chung talked to John Cho and it's great, as you'd expect.
I promise this is more interesting than it sounds: The Secret Life of the City Banana
'Human life is more expendable': why slavery has never made more money
Sigh: An anti-immigrant group mistook empty bus seats for women wearing burqas
Italy’s ‘Lord of the Spies’ Takes On a Migration Crisis
Republican Shadow Campaign for 2020 Takes Shape as Trump Doubts Grow
This was both fascinating and moving and I kind of want to write a novel about it: The Loyal Engineers Steering NASA’s Voyager Probes Across the Universe
Ooh: Get a behind-the-scenes first look at Broadway’s Frozen musical
Somehow Women Still Make Up Less Than a Third of Speaking Characters in Top U.S. Movies SOMEHOW.
Nicole Chung talked to John Cho and it's great, as you'd expect.
I promise this is more interesting than it sounds: The Secret Life of the City Banana
Sunday, August 6, 2017
Morning Coffee (8/6/17)
Rwanda: Kagame’s Efficient Repression
Venezuela Reported False Election Turnout, Voting Company Says
Trump is losing, and the weakest among us will pay the price
Heh: Scaramucci’s name comes from the Italian word for a ‘controversy of little importance’
!!! Dunkin’ Donuts Is Considering Losing ‘Donuts’ From Its Name
I love Sally Wainwright: Women in TV aren't trusted as writers, claims Happy Valley creator
Whoa! A Final Mystery for Amelia Peabody, Egyptologist and Sleuth
Spotify Is Coming After Apple With a New Podcast Initiative PLEASE. I listen to Spotify all the time and am terrible at listening to podcasts, so maybe if they take over the industry I'd do better.
Fascinating: Football transfers: How clubs research social media & body language to buy players
And crying: Milkshake shipped across US to grant dying woman's wish
Venezuela Reported False Election Turnout, Voting Company Says
Trump is losing, and the weakest among us will pay the price
Heh: Scaramucci’s name comes from the Italian word for a ‘controversy of little importance’
!!! Dunkin’ Donuts Is Considering Losing ‘Donuts’ From Its Name
I love Sally Wainwright: Women in TV aren't trusted as writers, claims Happy Valley creator
Whoa! A Final Mystery for Amelia Peabody, Egyptologist and Sleuth
Spotify Is Coming After Apple With a New Podcast Initiative PLEASE. I listen to Spotify all the time and am terrible at listening to podcasts, so maybe if they take over the industry I'd do better.
Fascinating: Football transfers: How clubs research social media & body language to buy players
And crying: Milkshake shipped across US to grant dying woman's wish
Saturday, August 5, 2017
Morning Coffee (8/5/17)
The war America can't win: how the Taliban are regaining control in Afghanistan
This has obviously been the big topic in MY neck of the woods... Trump argues he won New Hampshire because it is a 'drug-infested den'
Special Counsel Robert Mueller Impanels Grand Jury in Russia Investigation
Sigh: Secret Service Moves Out of Trump Tower Due to Lease Dispute: Report
SIGH: Trump’s wall will require large seizures of private land — and the cost is unknown
Sad news: Judith Jones, Legendary Editor Who Discovered Julia Child, Has Died
THIS guy: Denmark's Prince Henrik Says He Won't Be Buried With His Wife (because she never named him King, which he KNEW GOING IN)
Why it’s smart to invest in women-led companies
Ooh: The Sun’s Core Rotates Four Times Faster Than the Solar Surface
France: archaeologists uncover 'little Pompeii' south of Lyon
This has obviously been the big topic in MY neck of the woods... Trump argues he won New Hampshire because it is a 'drug-infested den'
Special Counsel Robert Mueller Impanels Grand Jury in Russia Investigation
Sigh: Secret Service Moves Out of Trump Tower Due to Lease Dispute: Report
SIGH: Trump’s wall will require large seizures of private land — and the cost is unknown
Sad news: Judith Jones, Legendary Editor Who Discovered Julia Child, Has Died
THIS guy: Denmark's Prince Henrik Says He Won't Be Buried With His Wife (because she never named him King, which he KNEW GOING IN)
Why it’s smart to invest in women-led companies
Ooh: The Sun’s Core Rotates Four Times Faster Than the Solar Surface
France: archaeologists uncover 'little Pompeii' south of Lyon
Friday, August 4, 2017
Friday chat: Summer TV!
Most of the summer TV has started, so... which of the new shows are you watching? Liking? Hating? I like The Bold Type and I'm Sorry. Somewhere Between was one of the downright weirdest pilots I've ever seen, like aliens who had read a book about humans once were trying to make a TV show. I only lasted about five minutes into Midnight, Texas. Will is definitely better than Still Star-Crossed when it comes to ridiculous Shakespeare shows. And I have a bunch of other stuff I haven't tried yet - Salvation, Snowfall, The Sinner, Loaded, The Guest Book, The Last Tycoon... anyone liking any of them?
Morning Coffee (8/4/17)
Time for some Friday happy links!
Wow: 8-year-old Becomes Youngest Female Ever to Summit Mount Kilimanjaro
Linda Holmes of NPR wrote a book and it sounds really good!
Ooh! PBS Orders New Series to Choose America’s Favorite Book
The Times' By the Book column has Librarian of Congress Carla Hayden this week! I love her.
Let's take a break to ogle the Bosworth Psalter.
This is truly the greatest act of self-care.
Whoa: Looking at Famous Buildings Through Water Droplets
!! You Can Take Dance Classes With Alpacas at This Canadian Farm
Ooh, let's go: V&A exhibition sets sail for glory days of luxury ocean liners
Sculpting Star Trek Characters With Butter at the Iowa State Fair
Wow: 8-year-old Becomes Youngest Female Ever to Summit Mount Kilimanjaro
Linda Holmes of NPR wrote a book and it sounds really good!
Ooh! PBS Orders New Series to Choose America’s Favorite Book
The Times' By the Book column has Librarian of Congress Carla Hayden this week! I love her.
Let's take a break to ogle the Bosworth Psalter.
This is truly the greatest act of self-care.
Whoa: Looking at Famous Buildings Through Water Droplets
!! You Can Take Dance Classes With Alpacas at This Canadian Farm
Ooh, let's go: V&A exhibition sets sail for glory days of luxury ocean liners
Sculpting Star Trek Characters With Butter at the Iowa State Fair
Thursday, August 3, 2017
Morning Coffee (8/3/17)
In Mosul, Revealing the Last ISIS Stronghold
Spain’s Long Economic Nightmare Is Finally Over
Scott Walker’s $3 billion fraud
Trump Fuels Intrigue Surrounding a Former I.T. Worker’s Arrest
People tried to make a libertarian city and the result was EXACTLY WHAT YOU'D EXPECT.
Libraries are great: Free Lunch at the Library
Ooh, we've got more info on James Comey's book.
!!! Scientists Precisely Edit DNA In Human Embryos To Fix A Disease Gene
CBS has huge diversity problems. But the issues run much deeper than one network.
Ooh let's go: St Cuthbert's coffin features in new display at Durham Cathedral
Spain’s Long Economic Nightmare Is Finally Over
Scott Walker’s $3 billion fraud
Trump Fuels Intrigue Surrounding a Former I.T. Worker’s Arrest
People tried to make a libertarian city and the result was EXACTLY WHAT YOU'D EXPECT.
Libraries are great: Free Lunch at the Library
Ooh, we've got more info on James Comey's book.
!!! Scientists Precisely Edit DNA In Human Embryos To Fix A Disease Gene
CBS has huge diversity problems. But the issues run much deeper than one network.
Ooh let's go: St Cuthbert's coffin features in new display at Durham Cathedral
Wednesday, August 2, 2017
Afternoon Tea (8/2/17)
This is perfect: Please Forgive Us at Blue Apron for This Week’s Meals. We’ve Been Having a Tough Time Lately
Oh cool: A Very Modern Map of Britain’s Ancient Roman Roads
Dear Match Book: Give Me Fictional Family Sagas, the Longer the Better
Frozen in time: the miraculous gold rush movies buried under the Yukon ice
The Fascinating, Regal History Behind Britain’s Swans
Oh cool: A Very Modern Map of Britain’s Ancient Roman Roads
Dear Match Book: Give Me Fictional Family Sagas, the Longer the Better
Frozen in time: the miraculous gold rush movies buried under the Yukon ice
The Fascinating, Regal History Behind Britain’s Swans
Morning Coffee (8/2/17)
This is long but worth reading (and really well written): Why the Scariest Nuclear Threat May Be Coming from Inside the White House
Ughhh: Nashua Telegraph’s Executive Editor Fired; City Editor Gives Notice "Bucknam said he was fired at 1:30 p.m. by publisher Heather Goodwin Henline for refusing to increase the hours of three salaried employees who are already each putting in about 60 hours a week to avoid paying overtime."
¯\_(ツ)_/¯ State Department considers scrubbing democracy promotion from its mission
Of course they are: "The Trump administration is preparing to redirect resources of the Justice Department’s civil rights division toward investigating and suing universities over affirmative action admissions policies deemed to discriminate against white applicants."
This is important to understand, especially given the incorrect stuff going around: John McCain did not kill Obamacare repeal for good. It could still come back.
Success of North Korean Missile Test Is Thrown Into Question
Awful: Premier League youth players targeted by Snapchat groomers posing as agents
Finally some good news! Britain's Best Cook: Mary Berry to judge new BBC cooking contest
Interesting: Amazon's race to make Alexa smarter
Ancient statue unearthed at Cambodia's Angkor temple complex
Ughhh: Nashua Telegraph’s Executive Editor Fired; City Editor Gives Notice "Bucknam said he was fired at 1:30 p.m. by publisher Heather Goodwin Henline for refusing to increase the hours of three salaried employees who are already each putting in about 60 hours a week to avoid paying overtime."
¯\_(ツ)_/¯ State Department considers scrubbing democracy promotion from its mission
Of course they are: "The Trump administration is preparing to redirect resources of the Justice Department’s civil rights division toward investigating and suing universities over affirmative action admissions policies deemed to discriminate against white applicants."
This is important to understand, especially given the incorrect stuff going around: John McCain did not kill Obamacare repeal for good. It could still come back.
Success of North Korean Missile Test Is Thrown Into Question
Awful: Premier League youth players targeted by Snapchat groomers posing as agents
Finally some good news! Britain's Best Cook: Mary Berry to judge new BBC cooking contest
Interesting: Amazon's race to make Alexa smarter
Ancient statue unearthed at Cambodia's Angkor temple complex
Tuesday, August 1, 2017
Afternoon Tea (8/1/17)
In Ancient Rome, Citrus Fruits Were Status Symbols
When Girls Studied Planets And The Skies Had No Limits
Solving the 55-Year-Old Mystery of the White Box That Fell From the Sky
Oooh: Infographic: The Most Iconic Book Set in Each Country in the World
The Wool Brigades of World War I, When Knitting Was a Patriotic Duty
When Girls Studied Planets And The Skies Had No Limits
Solving the 55-Year-Old Mystery of the White Box That Fell From the Sky
Oooh: Infographic: The Most Iconic Book Set in Each Country in the World
The Wool Brigades of World War I, When Knitting Was a Patriotic Duty
Morning Coffee (8/1/17)
Welp. John Kelly, Asserting Authority, Fires Anthony Scaramucci
Oh. Trump dictated son’s misleading statement on meeting with Russian lawyer
Oh. White House officials tricked by email prankster
This doesn't sound important or anything: State Department head of diplomatic security resigns
This by Chris Murphy is definitely worth a read: Behind the Scenes of Last Night’s Health Care Vote
Sally Yates: Protect the Justice Department From President Trump
Interesting: Auschwitz: First travelling exhibition will visit Europe and US
The Hot New Thing in Guatemala, Land of Coffee? It’s Coffee
Uh... Steven Soderbergh's New Movie Writer Likely Doesn't Exist
Hilarious: 20 Literary Would-You-Rathers
Oh. Trump dictated son’s misleading statement on meeting with Russian lawyer
Oh. White House officials tricked by email prankster
This doesn't sound important or anything: State Department head of diplomatic security resigns
This by Chris Murphy is definitely worth a read: Behind the Scenes of Last Night’s Health Care Vote
Sally Yates: Protect the Justice Department From President Trump
Interesting: Auschwitz: First travelling exhibition will visit Europe and US
The Hot New Thing in Guatemala, Land of Coffee? It’s Coffee
Uh... Steven Soderbergh's New Movie Writer Likely Doesn't Exist
Hilarious: 20 Literary Would-You-Rathers