Friday, November 30, 2018

Afternoon Tea (11/30/18)

NPR'S BOOK CONCIERGE IS BACK!!

This feature is always fun and Philadelphia is a place I've been known to visit so I was particularly interested in this one: A History of Philadelphia in 10 Dishes

The Glamorous Grandmas of Instagram

Useful list! 2018 Holiday RomComs Starring People of Color

Ooh: The 100 Best Pens, As Tested by Strategist Editors

Morning Coffee (11/30/18)

Time for Friday happy links!

YAY: Small bookstores are booming after nearly being wiped out

Rachel is a Twitter pal and I'm very excited for this one: A queer romance in the royal family? Her Royal Highness will make you swoon

AWWW: Barack Obama surprises wife Michelle at book tour stop

Oh, this sounds great! Introducing Carina Adores, a trope-driven LGBTQ+ contemporary romance line, now open for submissions!

Phew: ‘To All the Boys I’ve Loved Before’ Sequel in the Works

I am cautiously optimistic: ‘The ABC Murders’: John Malkovich & Rupert Grint In BBC/Amazon Drama – First-Look

Whoa: Rosé Cider Cheese From Angry Orchard & Crown Finish Caves Will Dazzle Your Cheese Board This Holiday Season

Create Your Own Hallmark Christmas Movie and We'll Tell You Which One to Watch

Heh: Christmas movies would be better if all of them starred Gritty

Star Trek Beyond crew assemble in Fleet Command game footage

Thursday, November 29, 2018

Afternoon Tea (11/29/18)

This is a great piece about women coaching men's sports: The Glass Sideline

Maine Is Scaling Up its Local Grain Economy

The Rockies, the Alps, the Caucasus? Georgia Plans for the Future

A mammoth, woolly rhino and a medieval village: the unexpected treasures beneath the A14

Some good YA on this list! 75 Books You Might’ve Missed This Year (But Definitely Shouldn’t Have)

Weekly Rec: The Grinch

Now, let me start by saying that new animated movie The Grinch does not need to exist. The book is great! The 1966 animated TV special is great! (We don't accept the Jim Carrey movie as a real thing.) There was no hole this was filling. We don't need to remake things over and over if there's no particular new point of view. (There's some backstory here, but it doesn't at all change the impression of the story you have from the earlier versions.) This movie certainly isn't necessary, and it's fairly redundant.

But all that said . . . I saw it and it was pretty good! It's a very cute Christmas movie with a few different nice messages and if you're looking for something to see with your family you could certainly do much worse! The voice cast is solid, though I remain confused about Benedict Cumberbatch's choices, and the animation is also . . . solid, though I thought the Whoville stuff was REALLY GOOD. It looked like a Department 56 village come to life and I would have happily watched a whole movie about life there that did not have the Grinch in it at all, honestly. I would also read a sociological article about this culture. (Also, the Whos are no longer all white and that is great.) The writing was better than I expected for faux-Seuss. The whole thing was better than I expected! Hey, for 2018, that's pretty good.

Morning Coffee (11/29/18)

Wow: Senators back effort to suspend U.S. support for Saudi-led campaign in Yemen

GOOD: It’s official: Nancy Pelosi is Democrats’ nominee for speaker

U.S. Seeing Lowest Level Of Unauthorized Immigrants In A Decade, Pew Study Says

This is a great story about a very Republican town near me! Blue Wave, Red Town

I don't blame the faculty union here, they're trying to do what they can within their limits, but this is ridiculous: For Defense Against Active Shooters, University Hands Out Hockey Pucks

!!! I am sort of excited but also alarmed: Margaret Atwood to publish sequel to ‘The Handmaid’s Tale’

"Claims." Chinese Scientist Claims to Use Crispr to Make First Genetically Edited Babies

This is an important update on that viral burger piece: Did a Rave Review Really Shut Down Portland Burger Bar Stanich’s? Maybe It Was the Owner’s Legal Troubles.

Oh, good for him (but bad wording in the headline!): Kent State recruit Kalin Bennett becomes first player with autism to get D1 basketball scholarship

Easter Island governor begs British Museum to return Moai: 'You have our soul'

Wednesday, November 28, 2018

Afternoon Tea (11/28/18)

This is FASCINATING: This college student created a way for nonbinary people to speak Hebrew

I loved this essay: I'm a Great Cook. Now That I'm Divorced, I'm Never Making Dinner for a Man Again

Here's What College Freshmen Are Reading

'We had to get out': 80 years since the Kindertransport

How Amazon Web Services Reinvented the Internet and Became a Cash Cow

Morning Coffee (11/28/18)

Manafort’s Lawyer Said to Brief Trump Attorneys on What He Told Mueller

Manafort held secret talks with Assange in Ecuadorian embassy, sources say

We are Jamal Khashoggi’s daughters. We promise his light will never fade.

None of this is normal: White House denies Haspel prevented from briefing Senate on Khashoggi murder

FACT CHECK: What's Happening On The U.S.-Mexico Border?

This is horrifying: The Latest: US nixed FBI checks for teen migrant camp staff

In case you, like me, didn't manage to read this over Thanksgiving: U.S. Climate Report Warns of Damaged Environment and Shrinking Economy

Christine Blasey Ford Is Donating Her GoFundMe Money To Sexual Assault Survivors

Democrats smash Watergate record for House popular vote in midterms

Burial sites from 5th and 6th centuries yield unexpected treasures

Tuesday, November 27, 2018

Afternoon Tea (11/27/18)

The Stylish Socialist Who Is Trying to Save YouTube from Alt-Right Domination

This is lovely: Mosul, the city with two springs

A Mixtape for a Broken Heart

Ugh I don't want to start having to ask if my cocktails are vegetarian, too: The Secret to That Bright-Red Drink? Little Bugs

Marketing Emily Dickinson as a Children’s Poet

Morning Coffee (11/27/18)

THIS IS STRESSFUL: Manafort Breached Plea Deal by Repeatedly Lying, Mueller Says

How a march at the US-Mexico border descended into tear gas and chaos

It’s Time to Face the Real Impact of Tear Gas Use on Migrant Children

This is what Trump’s caravan 'invasion' really looks like

This headline will make you say "yes of course" but the details are quite something! Revealed: Matthew Whitaker favors hardline anti-abortion policies

Of course: White House Asks Supreme Court To Fast-Track Ruling On Transgender Military Ban

In the United States, right-wing violence is on the rise

The White House Continues Its Tradition of Turning Christmas Into a Horror Film

Yay! NASA’s Mars InSight Mission Has Touched Down on the Red Planet’s Surface

GOOD: Graphic novel 'steeped in Islamophobia' pulled after protests

Monday, November 26, 2018

Afternoon Tea (11/26/18)

Whee, the Times' 100 Notable Books list is out for 2018!

This was fascinating: American Exorcism

The decline of David’s Bridal says a lot about millennial attitudes toward weddings

Zume, the Robotic Pizza Company, Makes Pies Only a Robot Could Love

You Snooze, You Lose: Insurers Make The Old Adage Literally True

Morning Coffee (11/26/18)

Me elsewhere: TV news for the week.

This is horrifying. They're firing tear gas AT CHILDREN. San Ysidro border crossing closed, U.S. fires tear gas as migrants rush toward border

Tension escalates after Russia seizes Ukraine naval ships

E.U. Leaders and U.K. Agree on Brexit Divorce Terms

Conservative nonprofit with obscure roots and undisclosed funders paid Matthew Whitaker $1.2 million

lol: Steve Bannon's far-right Europe operation undermined by election laws

U.S. Judge Strikes Down Mississippi Law That Bans Abortions After 15 Weeks

The time Nancy Pelosi saved Social Security

How a $50-a-year nutrition program cut domestic violence in Bangladesh

Ohhh: As Teenagers, They Started the Swine Bowl. As Octogenarians, They Played the Last Game.

Egypt unveils previously unopened ancient female sarcophagus

Thursday, November 22, 2018

Morning Coffee (11/22/18)

Happy Thanksgiving! We're on a holiday schedule of one post a day until Monday; today I've got a few pieces of news and a bunch of Thanksgiving-related links, and then tomorrow will be Friday happy links as usual.

Well, this is a delightful relief: Interpol presidency vote: Russia in surprise loss to South Korea

Good: John Roberts is mad at Trump for attacking an “Obama judge”

Trump’s ties to the Russian mafia go back 3 decades

America’s two economies remain far apart

This is great: How to Cope with Holiday Panic

Jamelle Bouie took over Dear Prudence for a special Thanksgiving edition!

A wonderful piece about refugees: The First Thanksgiving

I love this: I should spare my loved ones from the most annoying Thanksgiving host in the world: me

A message to men (other than my father and brother who are very good about this!): This Thanksgiving, Just Do the Dishes

Heh: 9 Breezy Responses to Those Awkward Family Holiday Questions

Wednesday, November 21, 2018

Afternoon Tea (11/21/18)

I love this: #MeToo Has Debunked the ‘Lean In’ Philosophy

12 Authors On The Books That Best Represent America

Food, Adoption, And The Language of Love

As usual, Todd VanDerWerff's pieces are smart and interesting: Why do so many animated films have great stories? One secret: storyboarding.

No Nut November: the insidious internet challenge encouraging men not to masturbate

Morning Coffee (11/21/18)

In case you somehow didn't see! Do Not Eat Romaine Lettuce, Health Officials Warn

Let's start with some good political news because then we have a whole run of bad: Judge stops Trump from enforcing asylum ban

Not a surprise, but still... UH. Trump Wanted to Order Justice Dept. to Prosecute Comey and Clinton

VERY BAD: Trump’s Khashoggi statement is a green light for murder

ALSO BAD: Trump administration officials suggested sharing census responses with law enforcement, court documents show

More bad! How Trump administration pressure to dump 4-H's LGBT policy led to Iowa leader's firing

She has since dropped her bid for Pelosi's job, but this is still not good! (She's also Not Great on LGBTQ+ issues.) Marcia Fudge vouched for man now accused of killing ex-wife

Yes, the campaign to take down Nancy Pelosi is sexist — not to mention a terrible idea

Okay, SOMETHING ELSE GOOD: In New Class of Young Lawmakers, a Former Girl Scout Goes to the Statehouse

Have a wild art theft story to finish: A Dutch writer thought she’d found a stolen Picasso. The real story is much weirder.

Tuesday, November 20, 2018

Afternoon Tea (11/20/18)

What a story: How the World’s Only Feudal Lord Outclassed the Nazis to Save Her People

I Found the Best Burger Place in America. And Then I Killed It.

Some Libraries Are Facing Backlash Against LGBT Programs — And Holding Their Ground

Relief efforts want money. So why do we insist on donating canned goods?

13 Dance Books to Read After Being Dazzled by ‘The Nutcracker and the Four Realms’

Morning Coffee (10/20/18)

There Are Now More Than 14,000 Immigrant Kids in Federal Custody—a New Record

Good thing there's never been an uproar about someone using personal email . . . wait. Ivanka Trump used a personal email account to send hundreds of emails about government business last year

This is awful: Just 96 of 30,000 people who applied for public service loan forgiveness actually got it

Jim Acosta: White House backs down in fight over CNN reporter's pass

Good: After 181 Years of No Hats in Congress, Dems Eye Exception for Religious Garb

The real reason conservative critics love talking about Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez’s clothes

Here is a big profile of Donald Trump Jr. if you want to torture yourself (no, it's well done, really): From Rebellious to Reliable

FBI now classifies far-right Proud Boys as 'extremist group', documents say

They’re Black. They’re Trans. And They’re Ready To Shake Up Brazil’s Politics.

Good for them: Book People unionizing for better wages and benefits

Monday, November 19, 2018

Afternoon Tea (11/19/18)

Wow: We Thought We Knew Faith, Until We Didn’t: The making of a white-nationalist poster girl.

Reclaiming our Mohawk heritage, one app-supplied word at a time

A new study further undermines the myth of the “savage” Neanderthal

Should Pregnant Women Take Anti-Anxiety Medication? Some Have No Choice.

Claire Legrand on the Importance of Feminist Horror

Morning Coffee (11/19/18)

Me elsewhere: TV news update!

The many scandals of Trump’s new acting Attorney General Matt Whitaker, explained

‘He was yelling’: Whitaker pushed back against early fraud complaints about company he advised

Well: ICE Detention Center Says It’s Not Responsible for Staff's Sexual Abuse of Detainees

Merkel Joins Macron in Calling for a European Army ‘One Day’

The 2018 electorate was older, whiter, and better educated than in 2016

"Every other wax figure at Madame Tussauds has human hair, but Trump’s orange mane could not be realistically duplicated with anything human."

New Peanut Allergy Drug Shows ‘Lifesaving’ Potential

I hope the choice of a gay director bodes well for this: Greg Berlanti Attached To Direct Rock Hudson Biopic For Universal

Ooh, I might actually try this one: ‘Harry Potter: Wizards Unite’ Augmented-Reality Game to Launch in 2019

This should be interesting: ‘Star Trek’: Michael Chabon “Thrilled” To Be On-Board With Patrick Stewart & ‘Calypso’ Short

Friday, November 16, 2018

Afternoon Tea (11/16/18)

Romance Unlaced: It's time for historical romance Christmas anthologies

A Guide to the Met for the Crowd-Averse

The overview effect: what Earth looks like from space – in pictures

Hogarth’s London in the 18th century Latin poetry of Benjamin Loveling

The Best Cheese Events for Winter 2018

Morning Coffee (11/16/18)

FRIDAY HAPPY LINKS!

National Book Award winners!

The Dumplin' trailer looks great!

Aaaah: Lily James, Armie Hammer to Star in Daphne du Maurier Adaptation ‘Rebecca’

So cute: The British Royals Released New Family Pics

Well, this is exciting casting: J.K. Simmons Joins 'Veronica Mars' Revival

You have my attention: Jonny Lee Miller & Common To Star In Ursula K. Le Guin Adaptation ‘Nine Lives’

This is cool as art but also sort of upsets me as a person who likes order: This artist uses jigsaw puzzles, with the same die cut pattern, to make these terrific mashups

Intriguing: 'Somewhere Only We Know' By Maurene Goo Is Basically 'Roman Holiday' With A K-Pop Twist & You Can Start Reading Now

18 Thanksgiving Pie Recipes, Because You Gotta Have Pie!

Huh: Coffee or tea? The answer might be in your genes

Thursday, November 15, 2018

Afternoon Tea (11/15/18)

This is fascinating: One Legacy of Merkel? Angry East German Men Fueling the Far Right

A Toy Monkey That Escaped Nazi Germany And Reunited A Family

Wayne Gretzky and the Mysteries of Athletic Greatness

I got my dream job and had my baby the same week. So I brought my baby to work.

You’re Doing Women No Favors With Your Mocking ‘Ugh, Only Straight White Men Like This’ Takes

Weekly Rec: NWS's Probabilistic Snowfall Forecasts

We're waiting for the first snowstorm of the year to start here in New England later today, so I figured I'd recommend a very useful weather resource - the National Weather Service's Probabilistic Snowfall Forecasts. Instead of just giving a range, they give you the percent chance of the snow accumulating in a bunch of different small ranges, and it's really interesting. New Hampshire (and Maine) are included on the Gray - Portland, ME page, but they've got all different areas - just search for your zip code, click on the city after "Your local forecast office is," then scroll down and click on Winter Weather. Enjoy!

Morning Coffee (11/15/18)

Crown Prince’s wings clipped as Khashoggi death rattles Riyadh

Israel and Gaza just saw their worst violence in years. It could get worse.

DC Neo-Nazi Who Said Pittsburgh Victims ‘Deserved’ It Arrested; Has Deep Ties To ‘Alt-Right’

Meet the Native American Woman Who Beat the Sponsor of North Dakota’s ID Law

Steve King dared a conservative magazine to release audio of him calling immigrants ‘dirt.’ It did.

Can't imagine why: Attacks on religious and racial minorities fueled sharp rise in hate crimes in 2017, FBI says

Jim Acosta vs. the Trump White House, explained

House Democrats plan to push for $15 federal minimum wage

Scientists divided over new research method to combat malaria

Dozens of cat mummies found in 6,000-year-old tombs in Egypt

Wednesday, November 14, 2018

Afternoon Tea (11/14/18)

THIS STORY!!! The Watcher

Whoo boy: The War Inside 7-Eleven

Thanks to Michelle Obama and other celebs, infertility is no longer a dirty word

12 Native American Authors to Read During Native American Heritage Month

Equality at the Gallows: The Hanged Women of England

Morning Coffee (11/14/18)

Deployed Inside the United States: The Military Waits for the Migrant Caravan

Democrats’ blue wave was much larger than early takes suggested

I love her: Nancy Pelosi: 'I want women to see that you do not get pushed around'

Good: CNN sues White House to regain access for reporter Jim Acosta

What Happens if Elections Are No Longer Legitimate?

The New Face of Power Is Taking Shape

Trump’s Misleading Claims About California’s Fire ‘Mismanagement’

This is great! Scotland to embed LGBTI teaching across curriculum

I read this headline and said "whoa" so clearly I need to get out more: HTTP-over-QUIC to be renamed HTTP/3

We need to do better, publishing: The PW Publishing Industry Salary Survey, 2018

Tuesday, November 13, 2018

Afternoon Tea (11/13/18)

This is a difficult read, but important: Everyone Believed Larry Nassar

I can't wait to read this book: Michelle Obama Gets Candid With Oprah About Her New Memoir, 'Becoming'

Amazon Was Never Going to Choose Detroit

The growth of yoga and meditation in the US since 2012 is remarkable

18 Key Bomber Aircraft From World War One

Morning Coffee (11/13/18)

YAY: Democrat Kyrsten Sinema Wins Arizona Senate Race, Flipping Second GOP Seat

YES PLEASE: Democrats Say Their First Bill Will Focus On Strengthening Democracy At Home

This is horrifying: Veterans haven't received GI Bill benefits for months due to ongoing IT issues at VA

In addition to the obvious racism here, this shows that "good guys with guns" are not the answer: A black security guard caught a shooting suspect — only to be shot by police minutes later

Elections have consequences! Next Kansas governor to reinstate LGBT protections for state workers

What he said is actually even worse than this summary! GOP official resigns after saying Sharice Davids would be sent back to reservation

Democrats Flipped The House — All Thanks To Women

Macron denounces nationalism as avowed “nationalist” Trump stands steps away

Stan Lee, Marvel Comics' Real-Life Superhero, Dies at 95

Whee! Best-seller Sarah Dessen has new book, new publisher

Monday, November 12, 2018

Afternoon Tea (11/12/18)

‘The Tattooist of Auschwitz’ and the History in Historical Fiction

What if the Placebo Effect Isn’t a Trick?

Instagram Has a Massive Harassment Problem

‘St. Elsewhere’: Why You Should Revisit TV’s Groundbreaking Medical Drama

Oscars: A Guide to the 2018 Foreign-Language Entries Accepted by the Academy

Morning Coffee (11/12/18)

(As you're reading this, I'm getting home and starting to catch up on news. WISH ME LUCK. Back to normal posting tomorrow.)

America's Problem Isn't Tribalism—It's Racism

There’s Nothing Virtuous About Finding Common Ground

Children of the Caravan

Thank goodness: Science Returns to the House

How professional! 'Will you murder anybody?': Texas judge releases juveniles after election loss

Macron stirs anger with WW1 tribute to Nazi collaborator Petain

THIS IS RACISM, BERNIE: Bernie Sanders on Andrew Gillum and Stacey Abrams: Many Whites Made ‘Uncomfortable’ Voting for Black Candidates

Gretchen Whitmer of Michigan Was Overlooked. Not Any Longer.

The ‘good guy with a gun’ is Hollywood’s most dangerous lie

Scientists reveal 10,000-year-old mummy is Native American ancestor

Friday, November 9, 2018

Afternoon Tea (11/9/18)

Chrissy Teigen on Kanye, Getting Blocked by Trump, and Actually Caring About Her Comments

A Definitive Guide to 2018’s Made-for-TV Christmas Movies, Divided by Trope

Stress Purchase of the Week: A Brush Fit For a Princess

Excited for this one: Read an Exclusive Excerpt of Emily A. Duncan’s Bloody Gothic Fantasy, Wicked Saints

Rome's Heroes and America's Founding Fathers

Morning Coffee (11/9/18)

Friday happy links!

Beautiful: This Indian City Lit a Record-breaking 300,000 Clay Lamps to Celebrate Diwali

Aww: A Store Had to Move Thousands of Books. So a Human Chain Was Formed.

Idris Elba is this year's People's Sexiest Man Alive. Sure! I have no strong feelings about ranking men by sexiness but I am delighted to see they didn't pick another boring white guy.

Aaaah: Cover Reveal: The Right Swipe by Alisha Rai

AND a new Alyssa Cole F/F novella in her royals series!

YAY: Veronica Mars: Max Greenfield to Return as Leo for Hulu Limited Series Revival

Ooh, a contemporary Pride & Prejudice movie with an all-black cast? I'm in.

11 Nonalcoholic Thanksgiving Drink Recipes

12 Must-Haves for Setting the Perfect Literary Thanksgiving Table

Hmm: Pringles offers Thanksgiving dinner chips in turkey, stuffing, pumpkin pie flavors

Thursday, November 8, 2018

Afternoon Tea (11/8/18)

The first year every state sent a woman to Congress, in one map

Only We Can Save Us: A Brief History of Jewish Superheroes, Real and Fictional

This ‘Psychological' AI System Mimics Religious Violence to Understand It

My Childhood as an International Cheese Smuggler

8 Modern Gothic Mysteries to Read Now

Morning Coffee (11/8/18)

Welp: Jeff Sessions forced out as attorney general

He sure seems terrible! Meet Trump’s New Acting Attorney General, Matthew Whitaker

The Rainbow Wave Has Arrived: Tuesday's midterms saw more than 100 LGBTQ candidates elected.

Early numbers suggest voter turnout soared in the 2018 midterms

This is how you write a press release: AFL-CIO Statement on Scott Walker Defeat

Oh good: Idaho, Nebraska and Utah Vote to Expand Medicaid

YAY: N.H. Libertarians Fail to Meet Threshold to Maintain Major Party Status

Ugh: West Virginia Voters Approve Anti-Abortion Constitutional Amendment

Brian Kemp’s Lead in Georgia Needs an Asterisk

2018! Pimp Dennis Hof wins Nevada legislative race after death

Wednesday, November 7, 2018

Afternoon Tea (11/7/18)

How a Group of Gay Male Ballet Dancers Is Rethinking Masculinity

The ‘Doctor Zhivago’ Nobel Dust-up

Cheesy music: Swiss experiment with sound to make cheese tastier

After years of being mistaken for a 'Parent Trap' villain, I talked to the actress who played her

The real Lake of Grendel

Morning Coffee (11/7/18)

HI. I AM TIRED. (I worked at the polls from 5:30am to 10pm yesterday.) BUT MOSTLY HAPPY, especially with our NH results. This morning posts includes some results and reactions I've happened to see so far, but I haven't been online much yet, so I'll have more for you over the next few days!

First of all. THANK GOD WE WON THE HOUSE: Two Years After Trump’s Victory, Voters Erect an Impediment to His Power

And we had some great local results: Democrats Retake Both Chambers Of New Hampshire Legislature

PLUS: Democrat Chris Pappas Becomes New Hampshire's 1st Openly Gay Member Of Congress

Elsewhere, YAY: Tony Evers denies Scott Walker a third term as Wisconsin's governor

AND YAY: Mass. Votes 'Yes' On Question 3 To Keep Law Protecting Transgender People In Public Accommodations

A List Of Firsts For Women In This Year's Midterm Elections

Young People Voted More, And More Democratic

Whoa: USOC Statement Regarding Action To Revoke USA Gymnastics' Recognition As Member National Governing Body

My Jewish wedding was the day of the Pittsburgh shooting. Anti-Semites threatened it.

You don't say: Right-Wing Hate Groups Are Recruiting Video Gamers

Tuesday, November 6, 2018

Afternoon Tea (11/6/18)

This is wild: Was Gary Hart Set Up?

Ezra Miller Is the Gender-Bending, Goat-Delivering Hollywood Star of the Future

Brown Point Shoes Arrive, 200 Years After White Ones

Migrants Bring Cricket (and Victory) to Life in Northern France

Sylvia Plath is My Problematic Fave. So What Does This Say About Me?

Morning Coffee (11/6/18)

Happy Election Day! All related links today. Go vote!

Vox has a LOT of good coverage: The 2018 midterm elections, explained

How To Watch The Midterms: An Hour-By-Hour Guide

How to Get Free and Discounted Rides to the Polls on Election Day

6 Types of Misinformation to Beware of on Election Day. (And What to Do if You Spot Them.)

Why Don’t Young People Vote? This System Doesn’t Want Them To.

Of course: Trump ally Kris Kobach accepted donations from white nationalists

THIS guy: Kemp calls targets Abrams with false claims that she will "steal" election with undocumented voters

And THIS guy: LePage’s future plans: Move to Florida, take teaching job

This is awful: Pa.’s restrictive election laws make it hard for Philly firefighters and EMS workers to vote

I MISS HIM: Obama: ‘Nobody In My Administration Got Indicted. Which, By The Way, Is Not That High A Bar.’

Monday, November 5, 2018

Afternoon Tea (11/5/18)

This is fascinating and important: Becoming Anne Frank

How a Woman Becomes a Lake

Now I'm curious to read this: The Children’s Classic That Secretly Brought Existentialist Philosophy Into American Homes

Awesome: A New Illustrated Database for Women Artists Spans the 15th to 19th Centuries

The future of the kilo: a weighty matter

Morning Coffee (11/5/18)

Me elsewhere: TV news for the week.

How mass shooters practice their hate online

Abortion May Be Mobilizing More Democratic Voters Than Republicans Now

Sigh: Brian Kemp’s office opens investigation into Georgia Democratic Party days ahead of the election

SIGH: Trump’s top agriculture official calls Florida’s gubernatorial race “cotton-pickin’ important”

Not the biggest campaign issue, but interesting: Sununu Says He's An Engineer, But Whether That's Technically True Is A Judgment Call

Two Capitals, One Russian Oligarch: How Oleg Deripaska Is Trying to Escape U.S. Sanctions

How zero tolerance forces undocumented victims into the shadows

This is heartbreaking: The NYPD Does Not Believe Two Saudi Sisters Found Dead And Tied Together Near The Hudson River Were Victims Of A Crime

Origin of chocolate shifts 1,400 miles and 1,500 years

New dinosaur species unearthed in Argentina

Friday, November 2, 2018

Afternoon Tea (11/2/18)

Witchy Wheys: Cast Spells and Predict the Future with Cheese

In other cheese news: What a cheesy sandwich looks like in 15 places around the world

How to Write Consent in Romance Novels

I can't WAIT to read this: These Witches Don’t Burn Cover Reveal and Exclusive Excerpt!

This is a nice interview: Figure skater Joe Johnson came out without a big coming-out moment

Weekly Rec: The Proposal by Jasmine Guillory

It's been - well, it's been a hard couple years, but it feels like it's been a PARTICULARLY rough month or so, and Jasmine Guillory's new novel The Proposal was EXACTLY WHAT I NEEDED RIGHT NOW, and perhaps it is what you need too! This is a romance that starts with a public proposal at a baseball game, but as everyone knows, PUBLIC PROPOSALS ARE TERRIBLE and so this goes very badly. Don't worry, the proposer is NOT the love interest. The Proposal is a feminist romance full of anger and punching and cupcakes and awesome messed up people doing their best and figuring stuff out, and it's INCREDIBLY satisfying.

Morning Coffee (11/2/18)

FRIDAY HAPPY LINKS!

Oh gosh, look at this Get Out the Vote letter from JFK to Madeleine L'Engle.

!!! 'Penny Dreadful' Revived at Showtime

This is great: Tokyo 2020 Medal Project To Turn Scrap Metal Into Precious Olympic, Paralympic Medals

Watching Jenny retweet all these was great: 'To All The Boys I've Loved Before' Costumes Make Jenny Han Cry — In A Good Way

I love them: John Legend and Chrissy Teigen will host 'legendary' Christmas special

! Harrods, Now Available at Williams Sonoma

I did not expect to read about a Thomas & Friends and the United Nations collaboration.

YAY: Lionsgate Boards Helen Hoang Romance ‘The Kiss Quotient’ From Pilgrim Media Group — AFM

Ben & Jerry's Just Released an Anti-Trump Ice Cream Flavor

10 of the Best Bookish Knitting Patterns

Thursday, November 1, 2018

Afternoon Tea (11/1/18)

This piece about child rape at a school in Liberia run by an American charity is long and difficult reading but so important: Unprotected

O'Connor, Rehnquist And A Supreme Marriage Proposal

What Kind of Person Steals Their Co-workers’ Lunch?

The Ghost Story Persists in American Literature. Why?

Teen Girls Fight Back: 15 YA Books Featuring Revenge

26 Hallmark Christmas movies worth watching (if you like Hallmark Christmas movies)

Happy November! It's Christmas now! Hallmark says so! People on Twitter were asking about my favorite Hallmark Christmas movies, so here is a list of some I remember enjoying in past years. They will probably be airing multiple times between now and Christmas, so just check the listings when you're looking for something to watch.

PLEASE NOTE: I am in no way saying these movies are GREAT FILM or anything. I know. I KNOW. But Hallmark movies are all about women getting exactly what they want on their own terms, and that is definitely something I know a lot of us need this year. Plus the Christmas ones have great set decoration. ENJOY.

(My favorites are starred.)

12 Gifts of Christmas
Best Christmas Party Ever
Catch a Christmas Star
Christmas at Pemberley Manor
Christmas Cookies
The Christmas Cottage
Christmas Festival of Ice
Christmas in Evergreen
Christmas in Homestead
Christmas Land
Christmas List
Coming Home for Christmas
* Crown for Christmas
Hitched for the Holidays
Ice Sculpture Christmas
Let It Snow
Marry Me at Christmas
Miss Christmas
The Mistletoe Inn
* The Nine Lives of Christmas
Once Upon a Holiday
A Perfect Christmas
* Snow Bride
* The Sweetest Christmas
A Very Merry Mix-Up
Window Wonderland

Morning Coffee (11/1/18)

I LOVE THIS: You’re Disillusioned. That’s Fine. Vote Anyway.

And HA. (This is satire! Not real!) Why I, a young person, probably won’t vote

Wow, good for them: Son, daughter oppose father’s election to Missouri House

And good for him: Pharrell Williams Sends Trump Cease-and-Desist for Playing ‘Happy’ at Rally

Republican Campaign Mailer Fuels Anti-Semitism Complaints In State Senate Race

How the rise of conspiracy theory politics emboldens anti-Semitism

Not good! Wait times for citizenship applications stretch to 2 years

!!! The Obamas Have Optioned A Series For Netflix Based On Trump's Disastrous Start At The White House

Whoa: That Waitrose Food Editor Who Proposed A Series On Killing Vegans Has Quit

Humanity has wiped out 60% of animal populations since 1970, report finds