BBC's Day in Pictures

Do you all know about this? Maybe you all know about this. But maybe you don't! So I thought I should recommend the BBC's Day in Pictures feature - for an example, here's yesterday. It's a slideshow of about a dozen pictures from around the world, showing major news events, holiday and festival celebrations, sporting events, etc. And the pictures are usually quite good, too. Check it out!

Morning Coffee (11/27/12)

Intrigue! Maine news anchors quit on air, together.

Which new Christmas album is right for you? My result was the new Olivia Newton-John/John Travolta one, which . . . yep, sounds about right.

Michael Fassbender + Formula One? Sure!

Hmm: The Audience Effect explains how fans can screw up a franchise

This is pretty great: Was Team Jacob Just a Big Scam All Along?

The Hard Life of an N.F.L. Long Shot

Need something to read? Check out some great New Yorker profiles.

'Also, the Drink Helps': Famous Writers' Daily Writing Routines

These 19th-century diagrams were one man’s attempt to illustrate human consciousness

Morning Coffee (11/20/12)

I'm pretty excited about this Gertrude Bell movie.

And this WWII movie written by Philip Kerr.

The Recent Discovery of the Cave In ‘Island of the Blue Dolphins’ Reminds Us That History Is Often Terrible

Hee: A Date With Nate

Interesting: Police Commissioner Elections in the Nineteenth Century

A Mormon Reporter On The Romney Bus

This is great: The Oatmeal on making things.

Why New Adult Is - And Isn't - A Thing

Trailer: City of Bones

SO EXCITED.

Morning Coffee (11/15/12)

EXCITING NEWS: SiriusXM holiday programming has started!

The one post I most excitedly await every year: Beck's review of Oprah's gift suggestion list!

Read Alyssa Rosenberg on why The Mindy Project is awful.

In case you, like me, missed the whole beginning of this Petraeus thing, Jezebel has a decent primer.

This is A MILLION TIMES MORE CONFUSING than just calling beverages by their proper names.

Ooh: Knopf to Publish Pulitzer Prize Winner’s Investigation of Scientology

Archaeologists find Europe's most prehistoric town

The Nate Silver backlash

Morning Coffee (11/14/12)

Hello! I'm back, theoretically, although I'll be traveling a lot from now through the holidays, so posting will be sporadic. But I should at least manage to post Morning Coffee a few times a week. Thanks for your understanding and support.

(Some of these links are old, but I'm catching up on my bookmarks.)

Crazy: Shark drops out of sky onto golf course

I just like this headline: Hey, Sexy Dino, Show Me Your Feathers

I'm sure this isn't actually the most ridiculous lawsuit ever, but it's up there.

Awesome: VP Biden suggests end cards on films to explain cost of piracy.

These book pumpkins are incredible.

Matt Bomer, Liv Tyler, and Patrick Wilson in a dramatic comedy IN SPACE? Sign me up.

I have mixed feelings about football, but this comic is pretty great.

Twenty Stories That Will Absolutely Run The Week 'Star Wars: Episode VII' Is Released

Sad News

A quick explanation for the lack of posting: My cat Dewey's health problems were both recurring and worsening, and today we made the very difficult decision to end his suffering. It's been a very tough week, and obviously I'm extremely sad, but I know it was the right decision. I may not be around much for a bit more time. Thanks for understanding.

Note

I'm dealing with some personal stuff, so blogging will be light to nonexistent for the time being. I'm not ready to talk about it yet but I didn't want to disappear and worry anyone. Thanks for understanding.

What I Watched: The Vampire Diaries, Scandal, Guys With Kids

The Vampire Diaries, "The Rager (EP403)" - This episode had a lot of clever lines and fun/cute moments - not to mention some music I really love - but it wasn't my favorite overall - it felt scattered, and for an episode with so much happening, it felt oddly slow. I'm used to glancing at the clock and suddenly realizing the hour is almost over when I feel like it's just started, and that didn't happen here. But it was all worth it for Damon's exploding kitten line, really.

Scandal, "Beltway Unbuckled (EP304)" - As soapy as this show is, I think the acting really sells it. Here's my weekly statement that I don't want to like Olivia and Fitz together, but I do. Of all the various political shows, Fitz is probably the most compelling version of the "brilliant, flawed powerful man" I can think of. And that thing at the end - wow. WOW. I literally squealed aloud when I saw who was walking into that room. I am INTRIGUED.

Guys With Kids, "Apartment Halloween (EP106)" - This is still mostly cute. It was a pretty organic-feeling Halloween episode, which was nice. I've seen people saying they think the show makes Sheila a completely one-sided villain, but it doesn't really come across that way to me. Seen from the viewpoint of her ex's friends, pretty much anyone would come across badly.

Morning Coffee (10/26/12)

Vacation day! So of course I have a list of 27 things I really need to get done. SIGH.

I basically want to make out with this new promo for The Following.

Tumblr of the day: Life in Publishing

I don't actually find the Nashville guys hard to tell apart, but this is hilarious.

This may save your Friday: Emergency Compliment Generator