Morning Coffee Link Roundup (2/28/23)

Today is Tuesday and somehow it's the last day of February already??

Ukraine war: Zelensky says situation in Bakhmut worsening (BBC)

IOC should consider banning Russia from Paris 2024 Olympics, 34 countries urge (Politico EU)

Progress! In a first, a South Korean court says same-sex partners should get government benefits (NPR)

I... see. Mexican president posts photo of what he claims is a Maya elf (The Guardian)

The FDA has cleared the first home flu and Covid test — but its maker just declared bankruptcy (STAT)

NH Senate committee recommends making Medicaid expansion permanent (NHPR)

Research shows Republicans and Democrats think differently about mental health (Grid)

‘Culture is hard to break’: Kenya’s medical schools face a shortage of cadavers (The Guardian)

Interesting... Longtime New York Times Film Critic A.O. Scott Moving to Book Review After the Oscars (THR)

A New View of the Most Explosive Moon in the Solar System (NYT)

And some longer reads...

Kherson's underground resistance: How ordinary people fought Russia from the shadows (NPR)

The unexpected ‘winners’ of the war in Ukraine: The people, companies and countries that have benefited from the turmoil (Grid)

A Turkish Photographer’s Tribute to the Girls of Quranic Schools (New Yorker)

The Sierra Club Tries to Move Past John Muir, George Floyd and #MeToo (NYT)

How Should Scientists Navigate the Ethics of Ancient Human DNA Research? (Smithsonian)

Morning Coffee Link Roundup (2/27/23)

Oh, Monday. Here's my weekly TV news roundup at The Televixen.

Results are still coming in, but this is good background: Nigeria is about to pick a new leader. What the election means for the country — and for Africa. (Grid)

SOMEONE is definitely at fault!! (Not necessarily the skater herself.) After Russia finds 'no fault' in doping scandal of figure skater, WADA appeals case (NPR)

With an eye on 2024, some states consider new protections for election workers (The 19th*)

Good for them: Gabrielle Union-Wade and Dwyane Wade Fight for Justice for Black Trans People at 2023 NAACP Image Awards (THR)

NH House gives initial marijuana legalization OK (NHPR)

FINALLY. He's been terrible in lots of ways for years. Dilbert cartoon dropped by US newspapers over creator’s racist comments (The Guardian)

Health leaders are ‘cheerleading’ for childhood vaccines as student vaccination rates drop (NH Bulletin)

From outdoor sessions to historically close split, NH House Clerk Paul Smith aims to keep 400 lawmakers moving (NHPR)

Space dust from 4.2bn-year-old asteroid could hold key to preventing cataclysmic collisions with Earth (The Guardian)

Digital Scans Reveal Secrets of ‘Golden Boy’ Mummy (Smithsonian)

And some longer reads:

A year of war in Ukraine as witnessed by Guardian photographers – photo essay (The Guardian)

How Vladimir Putin sells his war against ‘the West’ (Politico EU)

Jimmy Carter’s real legacy: Saving millions of lives from a debilitating disease (Grid)

For British Farmers, the Effects of Brexit Have Become Clearer (NYT)

9 diseases that keep epidemiologists up at night (NPR)

Morning Coffee Link Roundup (2/26/23)

Today is Sunday! I hope you get to relax a bit.

Ukraine to Russia: Stop using food as a weapon (Politico EU)

RT videos spreading Ukraine disinformation on YouTube despite ban – report (The Guardian)

Why Georgia is a game-changer in the Trump investigations (Grid)

Democrats prevail in Rochester special election, narrowing GOP margin at the State House (NHPR)

Project Veritas founder James O'Keefe is forced out at the right-wing group (NPR)

Rebranding McDonald's In Kazakhstan Is A Minefield Of National Identity, Geopolitics (RFE)

A first! It is 2023!!! In a First, a Woman Issues a Thunderstorm Watch, Officials Say (NYT)

Pastry Chefs Aren’t Disappearing — We’re Evolving (Eater)

Researchers Find Rare 17-Pound Meteorite in Antarctic Ice (Smithsonian)

This is so cool: ‘3D medieval puzzle’: Newport ship to be reassembled from 2,500 pieces of timber (The Guardian)

And some longer reads:

Putin’s Move on Nuclear Treaty May Signal End to Formal Arms Control (NYT)

Europe’s winter energy crisis didn’t happen, but the continent may not be able to beat another hot summer (Grid)

‘A slippery slope’: A looming nationwide abortion pill ban could undermine the entire drug approval system (STAT)

Depleted Under Trump, a ‘Traumatized’ E.P.A. Struggles With Its Mission (NYT)

I agree with most of this: Loud Noises on the Western Front (New Yorker)

Morning Coffee Link Roundup (2/25/23)

Today is Saturday!

Biden and Putin’s speeches made two things clear: the war in Ukraine is global and it won’t end soon (Grid)

Dylan Lyons, a 24-year-old TV journalist, was killed while reporting on a shooting (NPR)

Anti-LGBTQ+ violence in Europe hits decade-high, report finds (Politico EU)

Portsmouth pushes back on overnight wave of hateful graffiti targeting temple and local businesses (NHPR)

U.N.: Progress on reducing global maternal mortality has stalled since 2015 (STAT)

Patient Cured of HIV After Stem Cell Transplant, Researchers Say (Smithsonian)

Amazing: Kinks-shamed: Dave Davies asks Elon Musk to stop flagging band-related tweets (The Guardian)

Neutron Imaging Reveals Tiny Bones Inside 800-Year-Old Pendant (Smithsonian)

Unlocking the Genes That Made Whales Into Giants (NYT)

I really liked this one: Karen Pirie is a Moody, Reflective Series About the Power of Moments in Time (CrimeReads)

And some longer reads:

Why the West won’t just give Ukraine all the weapons it wants (Grid)

Nigeria elections 2023: Why young people are excited (BBC)

How NH lawmakers are weighing changes to the state's abortion laws post-Roe (NHPR)

Bomb Cyclone? Or Just Windy with a Chance of Hyperbole? (NYT)

The Misunderstood Roman Empress Who Willed Her Way to the Top (Smithsonian)

Morning Coffee Link Roundup (2/24/23) - Friday Happy Links!

Yay, time for some Friday happy links!

James Webb telescope detects evidence of ancient ‘universe breaker’ galaxies (The Guardian)

Happy Aromantic Spectrum Awareness Week 2023! (LGBTQ Reads)

‘Queen Charlotte’: Netflix Unveils First Look & Premiere Date for ‘Bridgerton’ Spinoff (TV Insider)

Ooh! Tor Publishing Group Announces Bramble, a New Romantic Imprint (Tor)

Can You Spot the Secret Medieval Graffiti Demon? (History Hit)

You Can Travel in a Vintage 1940s Train Along the Hudson River (Smithsonian)

Who Was Richard Scarry? (Book Riot)

Quiz: What Should You Play After Stardew Valley? (Autostraddle)

Alexander the Great versus the elephants (Medieval manuscripts blog)

Frankly we all deserve it: Fug Nation Loves to Buy a Little Treat!! (GFY)

And some longer reads:

Wise Gals: The Spies Who Built the CIA and Changed the Future of Espionage (History Hit)

Most Anticipated LGBTQ+ Romance of 2023 (LGBTQ Reads)

Author Jan Brett Pans for Creative Gold in Alaska (Smithsonian)

6 Gorgeous Home Library Aesthetics and How to Achieve Them (Book Riot)

Scrumptious Cozy Mysteries to Tempt Your Palate (CrimeReads)

Morning Coffee Link Roundup (2/23/23)

Today is Thursday and it is snowing!

Russia draining a Ukrainian reservoir is a reminder that water can be a weapon in a warming world (Grid)

Ugh: Kate Forbes seeing out SNP leader race ‘at the moment’ amid backlash to gay marriage comments (Politico EU)

How Dominion Voting Systems filing proves Fox News was ‘deliberately lying’ (The Guardian)

This is great! Spain approves menstrual leave, teen abortion and trans laws (NPR)

Good for her: Brittney Griner Will Return to W.N.B.A. (NYT)

Not great! Oceans Break Record for Highest Temperatures Four Years in a Row (Smithsonian)

Ooh, I like her: MSNBC to Launch New Sunday Program Led by Former White House Press Secretary Jen Psaki (Variety)

That Henry III, such a troublemaker: City of London market plans run into sheep trouble (BBC)

10 Mummified Crocodiles Emerge From an Egyptian Tomb (NYT)

The Artist Whose Book Covers Distilled the Nineteen-Eighties (New Yorker)

And some longer reads:

Turkey’s earthquake was devastating enough — rain, snow and regional politics have made things worse (Grid)

‘This will happen before 2030’: how the science behind Covid vaccines might help to fight cancer (The Guardian)

M.L.B. Works to Build a New Generation of Black American Players (NYT)

How Space Radiation Threatens Lunar Exploration (Smithsonian)

The Victorian Reformers Who Defended Same-Sex Desire (New Yorker)

Morninig Coffee Link Roundup (2/22/23)

Today is Wednesday. Sorry if the spacing wound up weird on some screen resolutions yesterday - hopefully that was a fluke.

A view from the epicenter of Turkey’s nightmare earthquake: “It’s bleak” (Grid)

U.N. says recorded civilian toll of 8,000 in Ukraine is 'tip of the iceberg' (Yahoo! News)

Russian journalist Maria Ponomarenko sentenced to 6 years in jail over post on Mariupol strike (Politico EU)

Bangladesh shuts down main opposition newspaper (The Guardian)

Safety measure or book banning tool? K-12 obscene materials bill sparks heated debate (NH Bulletin)

Yay for him!! Chicago White Sox prospect Anderson Comas comes out as gay: "Fight for your dreams" (CBS News)

Oh no: The maker of Enfamil recalls 145,000 cans of infant formula over bacteria risks (NPR)

Anti-Defamation League Releases New Report on Impact of Kanye “Ye” West’s Antisemitic Statements (THR)

Drying Great Salt Lake Could Expose Millions to Toxic Arsenic-Laced Dust (Smithsonian)

Scientists steer lightning bolts with lasers for the first time (The Guardian)

And some longer reads:

Inside the hell of East Palestine: Unanswered questions, frustration and the lingering threat of toxic chemicals (Grid)

Sickle Cell Cure Brings Mix of Anxiety and Hope (NYT)

Can 3-D Printing Help Solve the Housing Crisis? (New Yorker)

Busted and Broken Fossils Show How Dinosaurs Fought (Smithsonian)

Learning From Queer Libraries and Archives in a Time of Erasure (Autostraddle)

Morning Coffee Link Roundup (2/21/23)

Today is TUESDAY, which I have already had to remind myself of 15 times.

Turkey earthquake: Deadly new tremor traps people under rubble (BBC)

Putin says Russia will suspend role in New START nuclear accord with U.S. (WaPo)

Buttigieg calls for stronger railroad safety rules after East Palestine disaster (NPR)

The Supreme Court prepares to decide the fate of Section 230, the internet’s Magna Carta (Grid)

Christa McAuliffe memorial to be built at NH Statehouse (NHPR)

Scientists find first evidence that black holes are the source of dark energy (Phys.org)

‘Extinction crisis’ of sharks and rays to have devastating effect on other species, study finds (The Guardian)

Everything you didn't know you need to know about MLB's new rules (Yahoo! Sports)

Maryland girl finds ancient tooth from a 50-foot-long megalodon in the Chesapeake Bay (NPR)

Archaeologists Unearth 3,000-Year-Old Wishing Well in Germany (Smithsonian)

And some longer reads:

Ecuador Tried to Curb Drilling and Protect the Amazon. The Opposite Happened. (NYT)

The Getty Family’s Trust Issues (New Yorker)

Global Push to Treat H.I.V. Leaves Children Behind (NYT)

This Canadian Ski Area Doesn’t Make Snow—It Farms It (Smithsonian)

17 Collections of Short Stories and Essays with a Strong Sense of Place (SSoP)

Morning Coffee Link Roundup (2/20/23)

Today is Monday and I have the day off! This would not have been my first choice of a holiday for my company to add this year, but I am also not looking a day off gift horse in the mouth. Here's my weekly TV news roundup at The Televixen.

Biden has made a secret trip to Kyiv as Russia's war there enters its 2nd year (NPR) 

East Palestine train derailment is the latest in a disturbing trend of hazmat incidents along America’s railways (Grid)

Farmworker group says Hannaford's ethics help line hasn't fixed living conditions (NHPR)

Ashley Diamond won a legal victory to protect incarcerated trans people in 2016. Now, she’s suing again. (The 19th*)

The radicalization of Michel Houellebecq (Politico EU)

An Interview With the Guy Who Has All Your Data (Gizmodo)

Congratulations to Jupiter! Jupiter Reclaims Title of Planet With the Most Moons (Smithsonian)

An A.I. Translation Tool Can Help Save Dying Languages. But at What Cost? (Slate)

Archaeologist hails possibly oldest mummy yet found in Egypt (The Guardian)

A Fossil Flower Trapped in Amber Had a Mistaken Identity for 150 Years (NYT)

And some longer reads:

Exxon Scientists Predicted Global Warming, Even as Company Cast Doubts, Study Finds (NYT)

In a post-Dobbs world, pathologists who study pregnancy loss walk a thin line between medicine and the law (STAT)

What does a world with billions of old people look like? Asian countries are searching for answers (Grid)

Five Revolutionary Technologies Helping Scientists Study Polar Bears (Smithsonian)

John le Carré’s Search for a Vocation (New Yorker)

Book Review: The Spare Man by Mary Robinette Kowal

The Spare Man by Mary Robinette Kowal
Adult science fiction/mystery
Tor Books
October 11, 2022

Tesla Crane, a brilliant inventor and an heiress, is on her honeymoon on an interplanetary space liner, cruising between the Moon and Mars. She’s traveling incognito and is reveling in her anonymity. Then someone is murdered and the festering chowderheads who run security have the audacity to arrest her spouse. Armed with banter, martinis and her small service dog, Tesla is determined to solve the crime so that the newlyweds can get back to canoodling—and keep the real killer from striking again.

The Spare Man has a great, simple hook - it's The Thin Man in space! And if that one-liner grabs you, then yes, it's as delightful as it sounds, go get it right now. However, if you haven't read or seen The Thin Man, don't worry - like the best retellings, there are some fun references here for fans of the original, but it also stands fully on its own. (And yes, Nick and Nora fans, there's a dog. Her name is Gimlet. She's great.

I love traditional mysteries, but I've also been increasingly appreciating books that blend mysteries with other genres, and an interplanetary spaceship, once you start thinking about it, is a perfect mystery setting. Talk about a locked room. Kowal does a great job of really integrating the mystery with the science fiction elements - the setting isn't window dressing, but intrinsic to the way the mystery unfolds, and the different genre aspects feel very balanced. And the sci-fi worldbuilding is fascinating and intricate without ever feeling like a data dump; this is definitely helped by the humor and the way Kowal's style keeps things moving at a bright, sparkling pace.

The main couple is M/F and never mentions who else they might or might not be attracted to, so I hesitate to call the book queer, but it definitely feels queer, and it's a thoroughly queernorm world, where everyone mentions their pronouns as a matter of course, relationships and families come in all sorts of configurations, and characters' hobbies, styles of dress, etc. have nothing to do with their genders. In this way it was extremely refreshing. There's also lots of ethnic and racial diversity, and explorations of the effects that disability and trauma have had on the characters' lives.

I highly recommend this one and definitely hope there are more Tesla Crane mysteries in our future. Bonus: There are fun cocktail recipes at the beginning of each chapter!

Author's Site | Amazon | Bookshop

Morning Coffee Link Roundup (2/19/23)

Today is Sunday! My goal is to get a bunch of stuff done so I can relax on my day off tomorrow.

China may be on brink of supplying arms to Russia, says Blinken (The Guardian)

Russia is planning coup in Moldova, says President Maia Sandu (Politico EU)

Where does space begin? Chinese spy balloon highlights legal fuzziness of ‘near space’ (Grid)

Jimmy Carter to begin receiving home hospice care (CNN)

UGH: Bill requiring single-sex school bathrooms divides parents, students (NH Bulletin)

A post-pandemic drop in kindergarten vaccinations is making public health officials very nervous (Grid)

‘It is a balance’: Scientists grapple with ethics of cutting-edge stem cell research (STAT)

Amazing: English police say they foiled an 'eggs-travagent' plot to steal Cadbury chocolates (NPR)

Skull Found in Alaska Is Linked to New York Man Missing Since 1976 (NYT)

Ancient DNA Charts Native Americans’ Journeys to Asia Thousands of Years Ago (Smithsonian)

And some longer reads:

White Supremacy Is a Script (The Atlantic)

The New Soldiers in Propane’s Fight Against Climate Action: Television Stars (NYT)

The Corrupt World Behind the Murdaugh Murders (New Yorker)

What the Lesbian Best Friend Trope Leaves Out (them)

Shop Talk: Jane Harper Makes a Plan for Her Novels…Then Several Hundred Mugs of Tea (CrimeReads)

Morning Coffee Link Roundup (2/18/23)

Yay, it's Saturday!

Syrians in Turkey cross border after earthquake (BBC)

Georgia grand jury: ‘Perjury may have been committed’ in Trump election probe (WaPo)

Unidentified flying objects seem to be everywhere all of a sudden. Just how dangerous are the skies? (Grid)

This is great: Narcan Is Safe to Sell Over the Counter, Advisers to the F.D.A. Conclude (NYT)

Why Some Florida Schools Are Removing Books from Their Libraries (New Yorker)

Related: Author George M. Johnson: We must ensure access to those who need these stories most (NPR)

NH Supreme Court weighs confidentiality of police disciplinary files (NHPR)

Elon Musk’s Twitter fails first EU disinformation test (Politico EU)

And: Tesla Workers Fired in Alleged Retaliation Following Union Push (Gizmodo)

Svante Pääbo: ‘It’s maybe time to rethink our idea of Neanderthals’ (The Guardian)

And some longer reads:

House ‘weaponization’ panel’s agenda consists of GOP talking points that often stretch the truth (Grid)

Reporter's dismissal exposes political pressures on West Virginia Public Broadcasting (NPR)

Why the Odds Are Stacked Against a Promising New Covid Drug (NYT)

Scientists are finding increasing evidence for a link between air pollution and neurodegenerative diseases like Alzheimer’s (STAT)

Ice-Cold Winter Thrillers to Watch This Season (CrimeReads)

Morning Coffee Link Roundup (2/17/23)

Whew, it's Friday! This was another VERY LONG WEEK, somehow, but it's time for some happy links!

SO EXCITED for this: Secrets, Magic, and Bloody Sacrifice: Revealing A Power Unbound by Freya Marske (Tor)

Webb Telescope Spots a Distant Spiral Galaxy Like Our Own (NYT)

Oh this is so cool! ‘The Night Manager’: Stars Anil Kapoor & Aditya Roy Kapur To Feature On New Novel Cover (Deadline)

‘Outlander’: Hear Sinéad O’Connor Sing Theme Song for Season 7 (TV Insider)

Metal Detectorist Discovers Rare Gold Pendant Celebrating Henry VIII’s First Marriage (Smithsonian)

I only massaged my answers SLIGHTLY to get the response I wanted: Quiz: Which Marvel Hero Is Your Wife? (Autostraddle)

Reading Pathway: Daphne du Maurier Books (Book Riot)

Adorable: Man, 30, completes encyclopedia of animals he started at nine (The Guardian)

Colorwork for Hygge Lovers (The Woolly Thistle)

Locating the earthly paradise (Medieval manuscripts blog)

And some longer reads:

25 New And Upcoming LGBTQ Romance Novels You’ve Got To Read (BuzzFeed Books)

This is SO CUTE: 7 Must-Try Dishes at the New Super Mario Brothers Restaurant Inside Universal Studios Hollywood (Eater)

10 Great Young Adult Space Operas (Tor)

The Quest to Find Rectangles in a Square (NYT)

Need a vacation? Thrillers Set in Stunning Locales (CrimeReads)

Morning Coffee Link Roundup (2/16/23)

Thursday! So close to a three-day weekend! (My company added Presidents Day as a holiday this year and I have mixed feelings on that specific choice but am VERY excited for a day off.)

Nicola Sturgeon unexpectedly quits as first minister of Scotland amid swirl of political setbacks, citing ‘brutality’ of public life (CNN)

Russian banks and exports set to be hit in new EU sanctions (Politico EU)

‘We’re Scared, Too’: Ohio Residents Press for Answers on Train Derailment at Meeting (NYT)

The Myth of the Iowa Caucuses Got Busted (New Yorker)

'New York Times' stories on trans youth slammed by writers — including some of its own (NPR)

Twitter is just showing everyone all of Elon Musk’s tweets now (The Verge)

This is great: Now available at a public library in Lebanon: naloxone, an opioid reversal drug (NHPR)

Phony Managerial Positions Created to Avoid Overtime Pay, New Study Shows (Gizmodo)

Scary monsters: how virtual reality could help people cope with anxiety (The Guardian)

Real "don't know why these guys would live together! Obviously just roommates!!!" energy here: See the Lavish Pompeii Home Owned by Two Men Freed From Slavery (Smithsonian)

And some longer reads:

Turkey’s Earthquake Response Is as Political as the Conditions That Increased the Devastation (New Yorker)

Is an Arctic ‘Cold War’ coming? How climate change and the war in Ukraine are driving tensions. (Grid)

How the Myth of the American Frontier Got Its Start (Smithsonian)

Not so faux: How the ‘fake’ fur industry is secretly selling you real fur (Grid)

I am VERY SKEPTICAL: A behind-the-scenes look at how the pitch timer works (MLB.com)

Morning Coffee Link Roundup (2/15/23)

I guess it's Wednesday! I was supposed to go to the dentist this morning but they called and rescheduled. A reprieve!

Dianne Feinstein is retiring. Could Adam Schiff replace her? (Vox)

Nikki Haley Is Running for President, the First G.O.P. Rival to Take On Trump (NYT)

Not great!! Italy regional elections: Right-wing coalition wins landslide victory (Politico EU)

Dictator Hun Sen shuts down Cambodia’s VOD broadcaster (The Guardian)

“I Owe Turkey, Because I Was a Refugee”: A Young Syrian on the Earthquake’s Devastation (New Yorker)

South Dakota is about to pass a trans healthcare ban (LGBTQ Nation)

Four things to consider as Sununu presents state budget plan to lawmakers (NHPR)

"Ebbs" is a strong word!! But wow, I spend so much time looking at this tracker. I'll miss it. As the pandemic ebbs, an influential COVID tracker shuts down (NPR)

Aw, good for him! (He's one of the highest-level male players to come out while playing.) Jakub Jankto: Czech Republic international midfielder comes out as gay (BBC)

Ancient DNA Reveals a Genetic History of the Viking Age (Smithsonian)

And some longer reads:

Can Putin win? (Politico EU)

Want to stop police abuse? Screen out the abusers, experts say. (Grid)

Sigh: Vaccine Makers Kept $1.4 Billion in Prepayments for Canceled Covid Shots for the World’s Poor (NYT)

The Meaning of African American Studies (New Yorker)

A.I. Is Becoming More Conversational. But Will It Get More Honest? (NYT)

Morning Coffee Link Roundup (2/14/23)

Today is Tuesday. Unfortunately we're opening with something awful that was breaking as I was heading to bed last night, so I haven't read a ton yet, but linking you to updates...

Live Updates: Gunman Is Dead After Killing 3 at Michigan State, Police Say (NYT)

Netanyahu launches contentious overhaul as thousands protest (WaPo)

Dissident Iranian director Mohammad Rasoulof released from prison (The Guardian)

Cyprus’ ex-Foreign Minister Christodoulides elected president (Politico EU)

Ugh: A judge blocks the release of most of a grand jury report in Georgia election probe (NPR)

UGH: New ‘provisional ballot’-type system to debut next week during Rochester special election (NH Bulletin)

The U.N. Secretary-General’s Searing Message for the Fossil-Fuel Industry (New Yorker)

“Loving” Christian Super Bowl ads connected to anti-LGBTQ+ hate group (LGBTQ Nation)

A New Discovery Puts Panama as the Site of the First Successful Slave Rebellion (Smithsonian)

William Hogarth works at London’s oldest hospital to be restored (The Guardian)

And some longer reads:

Amnesty in Turkey for Construction Violations Is Scrutinized After Quake (NYT)

The U.S. effort to arm Ukraine starts in Scranton, Pennsylvania (Grid)

A philosopher’s death and the two realities of Orbán’s Hungary (Politico EU)

Coming soon: Beef, coffee, and chocolate, without a side of environmental destruction (Vox)

‘I’ve been in that room’: How HBO’s ‘The Last of Us’ resonated for a survivor of the AIDS crisis (The 19th*)

Morning Coffee Link Roundup (2/13/23)

Today is Monday! Are we being invaded by aliens? Who's to say! Oh, here's my weekly TV news roundup at The Televixen.

Over Lake Huron, the U.S. downs a 3rd unidentified object in 3 days (NPR)

Turkey and Syria earthquake death toll passes 35,000 (The Guardian)

Ukraine war: Russians slowly take ground around Bakhmut (BBC)

Well, that's something: Florida drops menstruation reporting from student sports forms after backlash (WaPo)

Good: Federal government will offer grants to sex education programs defunded by NH Executive Council (NHPR)

New York Public Library Acquires Joan Didion’s Letters, Drafts and Notes (Smithsonian)

A.I. Turns Its Artistry to Creating New Human Proteins (NYT)

The pandemic showed the power of viral sequencing. Now the U.K. plans to decode other respiratory bugs (STAT)

Madagascar’s unique wildlife faces imminent wave of extinction, say scientists (The Guardian)

Ron Labinski, Who Designed a Cozier Future for Stadiums, Dies at 85 (NYT)

And some longer reads:

World in Photos: Turkey’s 7.8 earthquake devastates northern Syria as well (Grid)

Afghanistan's Undercover Athletes: Sportswomen Pose For Portraits Amid Taliban Threats (RFE)

What happens when a huge ship sinks? A step-by-step guide to averting disaster (The Guardian)

Where the Bison Could Roam (NYT)

How Much Netflix Can the World Absorb? (New Yorker)

Morning Coffee Link Roundup (2/12/23)

Today is Sunday!

Russia is draining a massive Ukrainian reservoir, endangering a nuclear plant (NPR)

Turkey arrests building contractors as earthquake death toll mounts (The Guardian)

The U.S. military shot down an unidentified object over Canada's Yukon territory (NPR)

Utah's new anti-trans law is "brutally unfair" and will face a legal challenge, advocate says (LAWdork)

NH health providers say state's low Medicaid rates add to staffing ‘crisis’ (NHPR)

Crypto Super Bowl commercials dominated last year’s game. This year, they’re absent. (Grid)

Charles Silverstein, 87, Dies; Helped Destigmatize Homosexuality (NYT)

For the First Time, U.S. Repatriates an Artifact to the Palestinian Authority (Smithsonian)

It's a testament to their buzz that this made me say "ooh!" even though I don't know if I can eat anything there: In-N-Out Is Headed East After Years of Insisting It Wouldn’t (Eater)

Creating Trans Futures in “The Sims” (Autostraddle)

And some longer reads:

Russia’s economy is now forecast to grow faster than Germany’s and Britain’s in 2023. How is that possible? (Grid)

After a train derailment, Ohio residents are living the plot of a movie they helped make (CNN)

Farmers Embrace the Growing Domestic Spice Trade (Civil Eats)

How Should We Think About Our Different Styles of Thinking? (New Yorker)

The New L.A. Crime Canon (CrimeReads)

Morning Coffee Link Roundup (2/11/23)

Today is Saturday and I made an absurdly long to do list, so let's see how I do!

Pence subpoenaed by special counsel investigating Trump (CNN)

I see he's staying with his platform of "killing children": Trump vows to 'stop' gender-affirming care for minors if re-elected president (NBC)

China’s Mideast buildup stirs security worries for U.S. (Politico)

The Killing of Tyre Nichols and the Issue of Race (New Yorker)

SIGH: Sununu moves closer to presidential run with creation of new fundraising committee (NHPR)

Striking HarperCollins Workers Reach Tentative Agreement With Publisher (NYT)

Ridiculous: Temple University cuts tuition and health benefits for striking graduate students (NPR)

The Tests Are Vital. But Congress Decided That Regulation Is Not. (ProPublica)

Burt Bacharach, Composer Who Added a High Gloss to the ’60s, Dies at 94 (NYT)

‘A landmark step’: how pioneering foetal surgery is transforming lives (The Guardian)

And some longer reads:

Turkey’s earthquake was devastating enough — rain, snow and regional politics have made things worse (Grid)

Biden said 107 words on abortion and LGBTQ+ issues in the State of the Union. Here’s why that matters. (The 19th*)

UPS and the Package Wars (New Yorker)

How an Unorthodox Scholar Uses Technology to Expose Biblical Forgeries (Smithsonian)

All of your questions about the new rules, answered (MLB.com)

Morning Coffee Link Roundup (2/10/23) - Friday Happy Links!

We made it to Friday! Let's celebrate with some happy links!

Tadpole scientists: Two NH kids co-publish a research paper on frog eggs (NHPR)

Ooh: ‘Great Expectations’ Teaser: Olivia Colman’s Miss Havisham Meets Young Pip In Steven Knight’s Dickens Adaptation (Deadline)

Queer Fans Coming Out at Harry Styles Shows Makes for a Special Space (Autostraddle)

This Black Bear Took Hundreds of ‘Selfies’ on a Wildlife Camera (Smithsonian)

Revealing Nghi Vo’s Mammoths at the Gates, a New Novella in the Singing Hills Cycle (Tor)

Quiz: Which Judy Blume Character Are You? (Book Riot)

Metal heads: the thriving detectorist scene digging up Britain’s past (The Guardian)

Into it: The Pistachio Moment Is Already My Favorite Food Trend of 2023 (Eater)

The Accidental Culinary Cozy Author (CrimeReads)

I'm not a purse person, but some of these veer dangerously close to messenger bags... Fug Nation Loves Cute New Day Bags! (GFY)

And some longer Friday reads:

FANCY CHOCOLATES: Where to Buy Bonbons for Valentine’s Day (Eater)

Hundreds of Frank Lloyd Wright’s Designs Were Never Built. Here’s What They Might Have Looked Like (Smithsonian)

8 Books About African Mythology from Around the Continent (Book Riot)

Getting Lost in the World’s Largest Stack of Menus (Taste)

TBRainbow Alert: 2023 MG and YA Starring QTBIPoC (LGBTQ Reads)

Morning Coffee Link Roundup (2/9/23)

It's Thursday. We're almost there.

The Ukraine Crackup in the G.O.P. (New Yorker)

Yay! Democrats build on midterm wins with new control of Pennsylvania House (Vox)

Media watchdog urges release of journalist detained in Kabul (WaPo)

Why the FBI’s attempt to track police violence hasn’t worked (Grid)

UK to open probe into Northern Ireland’s deadliest bombing (Politico EU)

Here's How Moms for Liberty Is Lying About Books (Book Riot)

Points of progress, grim statistics shape child advocate’s annual report (NH Bulletin)

Checking In With the Starbucks Union as a Supreme Court Labor Decision Looms (Eater)

U.S. Restores Protections for Alaska’s Tongass National Forest (Smithsonian)

‘Holy grail’ wheat gene discovery could feed our overheated world (The Guardian)

And some longer reads...

The Hunt for Russian Collaborators in Ukraine (New Yorker)

Can police brutality be reduced through better training? Here’s what the evidence says. (Grid)

It’s Not Just What Manchester City Won. It’s What Others Lost. (NYT)

Big Meat just can’t quit antibiotics (Vox)

10 Wizarding Games You Can Play Instead of 'Hogwarts Legacy' (Lifehacker)

Morning Coffee Link Roundup (2/8/23)

Somehow it is only Wednesday, but we can get through it together! BTW, I haven't had time to read much SOTU analysis yet so there will probably be more to come of that in the next few days, but there's a decent overview at the top of the "longer reads" section below if you're looking for that.

This is just tragic, and obviously still unfolding, so pointing you to another page for live updates today: Live Updates: Quake Death Toll Passes 11,000 in Turkey and Syria (NYT)

Iranian Activists Greet Prisoner Amnesty With Skepticism, Calling It An Attempt To Change The Narrative (RFE)

This is so great! Hong Kong’s top court rules surgery is not needed to register gender change (WaPo)

Don't love this!! French Senate backs AI-powered video surveillance for Paris 2024 Olympics (Politico EU)

Such an important step: AbbVie's blockbuster drug Humira finally loses its 20-year, $200 billion monopoly (NPR)

This is SO LATE: After this weekend’s cold, 'ice-in' is declared on Lake Winnipesaukee (NHPR)

I love this idea: A new bill in the Mass. Legislature could subsidize local newspaper subscriptions (Boston Globe)

Oh phew: Radioactive Capsule Safely Recovered in Western Australia (Smithsonian)

Picture imperfect: light pollution from satellites is becoming an existential threat to astronomy (The Guardian)

Quarry workers make 'unexpected' discovery of ship from Queen Elizabeth I's reign (Live Science)

And some longer reads:

5 winners and 2 losers from Biden’s 2023 State of the Union (Vox)

Russia after Putin: When and how it might happen — and how dangerous it might get (Grid)

The Crisis of Missing Migrants (New Yorker)

Somalia hunger crisis raises a question for the world: When is a famine a famine? (Grid)

How to Write English Prose (The Lamp)

Morning Coffee Link Roundup (2/7/23)

Today is Tuesday and there's . . . lots going on.

A dire situation in northwest Syria: Devastating quake amid civil war (WaPo)

A landmark subversion trial opens against high-profile Hong Kong democracy activists (NPR)

Ukraine Renews Threat to Boycott Olympics if Russians Compete (NYT)

Cyprus presidential election heads for runoff next Sunday (Politico EU)

The New G.O.P. Takes the Country Hostage with the Debt Ceiling (New Yorker)

Rep. Ilhan Omar ties GOP vote on her committee post to her identity as a Muslim woman of color (The 19th*)

Ugh, of course. He is so, so scary: Ron DeSantis announces plan to block DEI programs in state colleges (The Guardian)

Yay Kim!! Kim Petras Wins Grammy for ‘Unholy,’ First Transgender Woman to Win for Pop Duo/Group Performance (Variety)

And! Viola Davis earns coveted EGOT (NBC)

Animals at the Dallas Zoo Keep Mysteriously Disappearing (Smithsonian)

And some longer reads:

Promoters of Election Lies Also Hyped a Hospital for Ukraine. That Never Happened Either. (ProPublica)

A history of spy balloons: From the French revolutionary wars to the China incident over the U.S. (Grid)

UK Labour Party raids Trump and Brexit playbooks as power beckons in 2024 (Politico EU)

‘Consciousness’ in Robots Was Once Taboo. Now It’s the Last Word. (NYT)

Franz Kafka, Party Animal (New Yorker)

Morning Coffee Link Roundup (2/6/23)

Monday again. We can do this! Here's my TV news roundup at The Televixen.

I'm sending you to the BBC's live coverage page as this is just unfolding as I write this: Second earthquake hits Turkey after more than 1,000 killed (BBC)

Chinese province ends ban on unmarried people having children (The Guardian)

Ooh wow this also just broke as I was writing: Manchester City Charged With Dozens of Financial Violations (NYT)

It was very cold!! Mount Washington sets a new wind chill record (NHPR)

Good: The U.S. renames 5 places that used racist slur for a Native woman (NPR)

Also probably good: F.D.A. Seeks More Authority to Oversee CBD Products (NYT)

The Case for Public Child Care (The Atlantic)

Bob Born, Who Brought Marshmallow Peeps to the Masses, Dies at 98 (NYT)

Hawk this Way (History Today)

I am FOR THIS: The Rise of Customizable Bowls (The Takeout)

And some longer reads:

Tyre Nichols’ death brings debate on qualified immunity for police back into the spotlight (Grid)

The Conservative Who Wants to Bring Down the Supreme Court (New Yorker)

‘They’re erased’: When trans people are misgendered after death, the consequences extend beyond paper (The 19th*)

The Nuclear Dump That Created a Generation of Indigenous Activists (NYT)

Who Were the First Britons? (History Hit)

Morning Coffee Link Roundup (2/5/23)

Today is Sunday and it's above zero out already!!! Balmy!

The U.S. has downed a Chinese spy balloon off the coast of South Carolina (NPR)

Pervez Musharraf, Pakistan's ex-president, dies aged 79 (BBC)

Heartbreaking and terrifying: Hide your books to avoid felony charges, Fla. schools tell teachers (WaPo)

Ukrainian Artist Creates Mirror Mandala At Jewish Cemetery In Poland (RFE)

I think this is GREAT and truly cannot wait to see the fallout here in NH: Democrats Overhaul Party’s Primary Calendar, Upending a Political Tradition (NYT)

I hate this so much. This is money from the public school budget. Amazon, private schools are among the top beneficiaries of NH's school choice program (NHPR)

California’s dark history of forced sterilizations comes into focus as it seeks victims to pay reparations (STAT)

Social Media Use Is Linked to Brain Changes in Teens, Research Finds (NYT)

Charles Tuckett Senior and the British Museum Bindery fire of 1865 (Untold lives blog)

True: America Deserves Coffee Cubes (The Takeout)

And some longer reads:

How the ‘contagion effect’ leads to group use of excessive force by police: Expert (Grid)

Muzzled by DeSantis, Critical Race Theory Professors Cancel Courses or Modify Their Teaching (ProPublica)

Emergency Medical Treatment and Labor Act is no end-run around abortion bans (STAT)

The Science Behind the Oldest Trees on Earth (Smithsonian)

The Archaeological Excavation of Clachtoll Broch (History Hit)

Morning Coffee Link Roundup (2/4/23)

Good morning! Today is Saturday and it is VERY COLD here in New Hampshire.

Chinese balloon punctures Blinken's plans, leaving U.S.-China ties adrift (NPR)

‘We’re fighting for a free future’: the Chechen battalions siding with Kyiv (The Guardian)

Jordan, Latvia and Israel Shake Up Diplomatic Corps After “Shadow Diplomats” Investigation (ProPublica)

EU top court: Belgium can’t refuse to extradite Catalan separatists without very good reason (Politico EU)

What a good list of senators: Senators ask mifepristone manufacturer to list miscarriage as a use for abortion pill (The 19th*)

True: Sexual orientation census undercounts older people and those who shun labels (The Guardian)

YUP: Charging for Twitter API access risks killing the things that made Twitter great (Grid)

This story is WILD: Painter Peter Doig Wins $2.5 Million in Sanctions Against a Gallery That Tried to Force Him to Take Credit for Another Artist’s Work (Artnet)

‘Self-Healing’ Concrete May Have Preserved Ancient Roman Structures (Smithsonian)

8 Brilliant Dark Academia Books by Authors of Color (Book Riot)

And some longer reads...

Who is Yevgeny Prigozhin? The bloodsoaked rise of a key figure in Putin’s Ukraine war (Grid)

Atlanta shooting part of alarming US crackdown on environmental defenders (The Guardian)

A Toxic Stew on Cape Cod: Human Waste and Warming Water (NYT)

8 Memoirs by Women About Multicultural Identity and Belonging (Electric Lit)

A Philosophy Professor’s Final Class (New Yorker)

Morning Coffee Link Roundup (2/3/23) - Friday Happy Links!

WE MADE IT TO FRIDAY. Time for some happy links.

! Apple TV+ Says Gay Rights, Makes Frog and Toad Show (Vulture)

Okay, I still haven't actually READ Lavender House, but two people who get my taste say I'll love it, so I'm excited about the sequel anyway: The Bell in the Fog: Excerpt and Cover Reveal (CrimeReads)

Oh does she!!! Well then! Gillian Anderson Wants To Know Your Sexual Fantasies (Autostraddle)

Astronomers Find the Edge of Our Galaxy (Gizmodo)

What a delightful bunch of people: Ina Garten’s ‘Be My Guest’ Season 3 Welcomes Stanley Tucci, Laura Linney, Norah Jones and Misty Copeland (Variety)

Rare 'mother-of-pearl' cloud spotted in Scotland (BBC)

Never-Before-Seen Photos by Paul McCartney Take You Inside Beatlemania (Smithsonian)

The Best Dark Academia in Science Fiction and Fantasy (Book Riot)

Build a Better Non-Alcoholic Cocktail (Punch)

What Makes a Story Comforting? (Tor)

And some longer reads, again mostly book lists, sorry not sorry:

Happy Black History Month 2023! (LGBTQ Reads)

54 Queer and Feminist Books Coming Out Winter 2023 (Autostraddle)

A Tour of America’s Beloved Regional Cocktails (Punch)

15 of the Best Queer SFF Romance Books (Book Riot)

25 Historical Crime, Mystery, and Horror Novels to Look Forward To In 2023 (CrimeReads)

Morning Coffee Link Roundup (2/2/23)

It's Thursday! My job is trying to kill me this week but we're almost there!

Human Rights Watch urges investigation of alleged use of land mines by Ukraine (NPR)

New Czech president risks China’s rage with call to Taiwanese leader (Politico EU)

Ugh. Happy Black History Month? The College Board Strips Down Its A.P. Curriculum for African American Studies (NYT)

More women are being detained as jail populations near pre-COVID levels (The 19th*)

India has banned TikTok and over 300 Chinese apps. Some US officials see it as a model to follow. (Grid)

New England states propose coordinated transmission development to support wind power (NHPR)

Half of glaciers will be gone by 2100 even under Paris 1.5C accord, study finds (The Guardian)

Paying research participants — a lot — may be a key to increasing diversity in studies (STAT)

Mesoamericans Have Been Using a 260-Day Ceremonial Calendar for Millennia (Smithsonian)

‘They are holding on to a dream’: the last bohemians at New York’s Chelsea Hotel (The Guardian)

And some longer reads:

How a Chinese naval blockade could isolate Taiwan and send shockwaves across the world (Grid)

How Biden Could Appoint More Judges Than Trump (FiveThirtyEight)

When does life begin? (NYT)

The Instagram Reels Gold Rush (New Yorker)

The Strangely Beautiful Experience of Google Reviews (Longreads)

Morning Coffee Link Roundup (2/1/23)

Today is Wednesday and it's February!

4 suspects in the assassination of Haiti's president were transferred to U.S. custody (NPR)

Ukraine wants to join EU within two years, PM says (Politico EU)

‘It is a war’: senator and Auschwitz survivor Liliana Segre on fighting Italy’s far right (The Guardian)

This is awful: These benefits will disappear when Biden ends the Covid national and public health emergencies in May (CNN)

Important! CDC warns that a brand of eyedrops may be linked to drug-resistant bacterial infection (NBC)

How Wisconsin’s upcoming Supreme Court election became a referendum on abortion access (Grid)

Researchers say the FBI's statistics on hate crimes across the country are flawed (NPR)

You don't say (I joke but having data is good!!): Long Covid Is Keeping Significant Numbers of People Out of Work, Study Finds (NYT)

Advocates want to change a NH law that criminalizes drug checking equipment (NHPR)

Science journals ban listing of ChatGPT as co-author on papers (The Guardian)

And some longer reads:

Police body cameras filmed Tyre Nichols’ killing. But they were supposed to prevent it in the first place. (Grid)

U.S. Pours Money Into Chips, but Even Soaring Spending Has Limits (NYT)

Climate change puts more women at risk for domestic violence (WaPo)

The Writer Who Burned Her Own Books (New Yorker)

With This Japanese Ace, the Ghost Stories Are True (NYT)