Morning Coffee (7/21/19)

World hunger on the rise as 820m at risk, UN report finds

Trump’s racism is part of his larger con

The House just passed a $15 minimum wage. It would be the first increase in a decade.

Labor fight roils Bernie Sanders campaign, as workers demand the $15 hourly pay the candidate has proposed for employees nationwide

Oh New Hampshire: New Hampshire Lawmaker: ‘Owning Slaves Doesn’t Make You Racist’

Netflix just read the ‘straight pride’ organizers for filth

Whoa: FBI Seeks More Victims of Hollywood Con Artist After Marvel Executive Targeted

Someone write me the picture book immediately: Bears and wolves to coexist in UK woods for first time in 1,000 years

Found: A Seditious Cufflink From the Colonial Resistance Wardrobe

Sky Italia & ‘Gomorrah’ Producer Cattleya Unveil First-Look At Latin Drama ‘Romulus’

Morning Coffee (7/15/19)

Me elsewhere: TV news for the week.

Border Patrol Agents Are Passing Around A Commemorative Coin Mocking Care for Migrant Kids

This affects a lot of important research (including climate change) as well as the obvious education aspect: Political chaos roils Alaska as universities face devastating cuts

Uh, I'm pretty sure we've all read this book: Amazon, Microsoft wage war over the Pentagon’s ‘war cloud’

Agriculture Department suspends data collection for honeybees after Trump budget cuts (WEIRDLY ENOUGH this came right after they got rid of a rule banning pesticides that hurt bees!)

Sanders and Warren voters have astonishingly little in common

WOW, this is awful: ‘Big Little Lies’ Season 2 Turmoil: Inside Andrea Arnold’s Loss of Creative Control

The Milky Way Has Battle Scars from Colliding With a Ghostly Galaxy

AWW: Paul McCartney Brings Ringo Starr to the Stage for End-of-Tour Surprise

Unesco Recognizes Heritage Sites, Ancient to Modern, Around the World

Good! Essex drops library closure plans following sustained public protests

My Top Ten Takeaways from the First Round of Debates

1. I've been trying not to commit to a candidate too early, but it's time to stop pretending Warren hasn't completely won me over here. My "Warren Has a Plan for That" t-shirt arrives today. There is nothing in the world I love more than plans so I don't know why I though I could hold out.

(1b. Yes, I agree that her handling of the "Pocahontas" thing was Not Great, and I hope she does more to make things right with the Native American community, but there's SOMETHING I don't like about literally every candidate. Holding out for perfection is dangerous and counterproductive. And, you know, impossible.)

2. Of the rest, Castro and Harris did the best and seemed like the other adults on stage, and then probably Booker and Buttigieg. I'd be pretty happy with any of them as VP. Warren/Castro is my dream ticket at this point.

(2b. My main issue with Booker was the way he implied that Warren wanting good research and plans regarding gun violence meant she didn't CARE. Gross.)

3. Bernie did himself no favors but didn't really change my opinion of him in either direction. You know what you're getting with him and you either like it or you don't. I don't. I think he'd be bad at the job of being president and nothing he said made me think otherwise.

4. I miss when Joe Biden was someone I had mostly warm feelings about. (Not in this race, just in general.) He really, really, really needs to go.

5. Actually, let's just get rid of all the white cishet men. They are unnecessary. And it's great to have so many female candidates that we can be CHOOSY and deeply dislike at least two of them and still have options!

6. If one more person criticizes a (usually female) candidate for SEEMING TO HAVE THOUGHT ABOUT SOME OF THESE ISSUES BEFORE rather than being totally! spontaneous! I am going to murder someone.

7. I hope other candidates follow Castro's lead and use inclusive language when talking about abortion rights.

8. I woke up thinking about how many people I know would be really into Marianne Williamson's nonsense about "politics are icky, no need for plans or action or actually confronting difficult things, love will magically heal the world," and that's sad and scary.

9. So much yelling and interrupting and talking over each other! That is not helpful to anyone. Future moderators, please take a stronger stance on this. If the Oscars can cut mics, you can too.

10. I would ABSOLUTELY 100% vote for ANY of these candidates in the general election if they were the nominee, because they are all better than Trump, and if you do not do that you are a bad person.

Afternoon Tea (5/20/19)

Long and worth your time: John Bolton on the Warpath

This history is fascinating and I have a LOT OF SYMPATHY for his annoyed constituents: Mayor and ‘Foreign Minister’: How Bernie Sanders Brought the Cold War to Burlington

Lessons From the Kosher Meat Boycott

Oh gosh, remember this nonsense? Stuff Your ‘Rules’

Great book recommendations here: Warrior Girls

Morning Coffee (5/2/19)

All this is just... wow: Barr’s refusal to testify before House panel increases likelihood of contempt citation from Congress

The Democrats' Fatal Impeachment Error

This is just awful: Caster Semenya: Olympic 800m champion loses appeal against IAAF testosterone rules

Indonesia's planning minister announces capital city move (BECAUSE THE CITY IS SINKING)

THIS IS HORRIFYING: Bernie Sanders' 2020 campaign unveils tech tool to increase its voter database (specifically the "report on which of your neighbors might not be sufficiently loyal" part)

U.N. Issues Urgent Warning on the Growing Peril of Drug-Resistant Infections

Revealed: populists far more likely to believe in conspiracy theories

!! Denisovan Jawbone Discovered in a Cave in Tibet

Jo Sullivan Loesser, Singer and Guardian of a Legacy, Dies at 91

Release of “13 Reasons Why” Associated with Increase in Youth Suicide Rates

Morning Coffee (4/17/19)

An important piece from Dahlia Lithwick: What Happened While We Were Waiting for the Mueller Report

Congress Subpoenas Deutsche Bank As Part Of Democrats' Probe Of Trump Finances

Trump moves to resist House inquiries, setting up fight over congressional subpoena powers

The Notre-Dame Rooster and Other Statues That Escaped the Fire

Mirjana Markovic, the ‘Lady Macbeth’ of War-Torn Serbia, Dies at 76

Not a great look! Bernie Sanders Accuses Liberal Think Tank of Smearing Progressive Candidates

Ohh, this is an interesting aspect of the strike I hadn't thought about: Jews face having to find Passover foods without Stop & Shop

!! Unknown Daphne du Maurier poems discovered behind photo frame

Wow: For months, she fell ill at work. Then, police say, she watched video of a co-worker spiking her drink.

Nepalese Expedition Seeks to Find Out if An Earthquake Shrunk Mount Everest

Morning Coffee (3/20/19)

US government uses several clandestine shelters to detain immigrant children

I've seen Sirota's now-deleted tweets and THIS IS SO GROSS: Bernie Sanders Just Hired His Twitter Attack Dog

It is wildly unclear whether Beto O’Rourke supports Medicare-for-all

PBS Chief Paula Kerger Responds To Third Donald Trump Push To De-Fund

Whoa: Nowata County Sheriff, Deputies Resign Over Jail Concerns (EVEN THE K-9. What a good boy.)

lol: Devin Nunes Suing Twitter, Twitter Accounts 'Devin Nunes' Mom' & 'Devin Nunes' Cow'

Baltimore mayor resigns from board of U.-Md. Medical System FOR HAVING THEM SPEND $500k ON HER SELF-PUBLISHED KIDS' BOOKS.

After Years Of Abuse By Priests, #NunsToo Are Speaking Out

Good for them: WNBA stars respond to homophobic SNL skit

US detects huge meteor explosion

Morning Coffee (3/2/19)

What’s next after the Trump-Kim summit? An expert explains.

U.S. and Taliban Begin Highest-Level Talks Yet on Ending Afghan War

Border Patrol Fed Pork To Muslim Detainee For 6 Days

Is It Cruel and Unusual to Execute a Man With Dementia?

No, Mark Meadows. Having a black friend doesn’t mean you’re not racist.

UGH: United Methodist Church votes to maintain its opposition to same-sex marriage, gay clergy

Bernie Sanders' Sexism Problem

André Previn, Whose Music Knew No Boundaries, Dies at 89

Whoa: Fox Rocked by $179M 'Bones' Ruling: Lying, Cheating and "Reprehensible" Studio Fraud

BAN MEN: Charles Dickens Tried to Banish His Wife to an Asylum, Letters Show

Morning Coffee (2/20/19)

This is worth a read even if you think you know the outlines: Intimidation, Pressure and Humiliation: Inside Trump’s Two-Year War on the Investigations Encircling Him

The National Emergency and the President’s Lawyers

16 States Sue to Stop Trump’s Use of Emergency Powers to Build Border Wall

Top Trump appointees promoted selling nuclear power plants to Saudi Arabia over objections from national security officials, House Democratic report says

Sigh: CNN hires GOP operative with no journalism experience to run its 2020 coverage

"So, in the first 15 seconds of his campaign announcement, Sanders engages in the casual erasure of a campaign strategy developed by the nation's first Black president and replicated by the nation's first major-party female candidate."

Meanwhile: 7 Labour Lawmakers Resign in U.K., in Rebuke of Jeremy Corbyn

Vatican’s Secret Rules for Catholic Priests Who Have Children

U.S.A. Gymnastics Hires N.B.A. Executive as President

!! Russia reopens investigation into 60-year-old Dyatlov Pass mystery

Morning Coffee (1/9/19)

Manafort Shared Trump Campaign Data With Russian Associate, Prosecutors Say

“He’s not hurting the people he needs to be”: a Trump voter says the quiet part out loud

Why Men Find the New Congresswomen So Frightening

I Was Sexually Harassed On Bernie Sanders’ Campaign. And No One Cared.

Yay! Ex-felons can now sign up to vote in Florida

Of course: Trump administration considers rollback of anti-discrimination rules

'It's like 1984': Venezuela targets human rights defenders

Another Black Man Has Died in the Home of Democratic Donor Ed Buck

!! Lin-Manuel Miranda and Friends Purchase Drama Book Shop

The Americans finally wins a Golden Globe for best drama

Morning Coffee (1/5/19)

2019's Barrier-Breaking Politicians Get to Work

Sexism Claims From Bernie Sanders’s 2016 Run: Paid Less, Treated Worse (The most problematic part of this is Bernie's response - that he was too busy to care about any of this.)

Justice Dept. investigating whether Zinke lied to inspector general

Conservatives’ obsession with Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez’s high school, explained

Hackers Leak Details of German Lawmakers, Except Those on Far Right

Congo's Catholic church says it knows election's clear winner

The Faces Behind Transgender Troops’ Struggle for Acceptance

Whee: Michelle Obama’s Book Is No. 1 Here — and No. 1 in Finland, Singapore and Portugal

Women in Hollywood Suffer ‘Radical Underrepresentation’ in Top 2018 Films, Study Says

An Elephant-Size Relative of Mammals That Grazed Alongside Dinosaurs

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

Morning Coffee (10/14/18)

Of course: Trump administration weighs new family-separation effort at border

Turks tell U.S. officials they have audio and video recordings that support conclusion Khashoggi was killed

Sure, who needs that? E.P.A. to Disband a Key Scientific Review Panel on Air Pollution

Trump’s USA Today op-ed demonstrates why it’s time to unbundle news and opinion content

Oh go away: Sanders barnstorming country ahead of midterm elections

Uh, not good: Germany’s Far-Right AfD Urges Students to Report Biased Teachers

Awful: Babysitting While Black: Georgia Man Was Stalked by Woman as He Cared for 2 White Children

SLIGHT progress... Diversity of TV Directors Ticks Up in DGA Study: "The Compass Is Pointing in the Right Direction"

Dutch museums discover 170 artworks stolen by Nazis

A home with some Salem witch trials history is up for sale

Morning Coffee (5/23/18)

Congress Rolls Back Part Of Dodd-Frank, Easing Rules For Midsize, Smaller Banks

I love this Adam Serwer piece: There Is Only One Trump Scandal

The recent mass shootings in the US all have one thing in common: misogyny

Puerto Rico’s rocky recovery is distracting from its pre-existing struggles, residents say

Met Opera Accuses James Levine of Decades of Sexual Misconduct

"Mr. Batali, who has denied engaging in nonconsensual sex, has so far declined to send out another baked goods recipe."

"According to campaign spokesperson Arianna Jones, Sanders plans to seek the Democratic nomination in Vermont’s August primary. If he wins, she said, he would 'respectfully' decline the nomination and run as an independent in the general election." I hate him!

THIS IS NOT HOW YOU RUN A CONVENTION: My FanX craziness, annotated

Oh, Florida: Florida city warns of 'extreme zombie activity' during power outage

I'd still rather have a chronological timeline, but this is good: Instagram Is Finally Going To Let You Mute People

Morning Coffee (4/28/18)

Hmm: North and South Korea Set Bold Goals: A Final Peace and No Nuclear Arms

All 4 service chiefs on record: No harm to units from transgender service

Bill Cosby Found Guilty Of All Charges In Sexual Assault Retrial

Charlie Rose Is Getting A New Show Because We Don't Care About The Women He Hurt

This is good in THIS case but... not great as precedent in general: Relative's DNA from genealogy websites cracked East Area Rapist case, DA's office says

This case is so terrible in so many ways: Hart Family, Before Driving Off Cliff, Hid Dark Home Life From View

Conventions are NOT AN EASY THING TO PULL OFF and I don't know why people keep thinking they are: Universal Fan Con: Peeling Back the Layers

I hate him so much! Bernie Sanders Is Quietly Building a Digital Media Empire

Swedish archaeologists uncover brutal 5th century massacre

Guys. Yankees Spell Didi Gregorius' Name Wrong While Promoting Bat Day Giveaway

Morning Coffee (3/27/18)

Linda Brown, Who Was At Center Of Brown v. Board Of Education, Dies

The most radical part of Anderson Cooper’s interview with Stormy Daniels

Bernie's Russia Problem

In Seville, Burial of Civil War Commander Reopens Decades-Old Wounds

They arrested Keith Raniere!!

Oh, how sad: Remembering Philip Kerr

This is... not wildly surprising: Tinder's parent company sues Bumble over patents

!!! Gina Rodriguez To Star As Carmen Sandiego In Netflix Live-Action Feature

What Makes Some Hair Curly? Not Quite What Scientists Thought

Medieval Women With Artificially Deformed Skulls Migrated to Form Strategic Alliances

Morning Coffee (2/26/18)

Me elsewhere: TV news for the week!

2 Weeks After Trump Blocked It, Democrats’ Rebuttal of G.O.P. Memo Is Released

Russian spies hacked the Olympics and tried to make it look like North Korea did it, U.S. officials say

And speaking of the next Olympics... China Moves to Let Xi Stay in Power by Abolishing Term Limit

105 Nigerian Girls are Missing Because Donald Trump is a Racist Idiot

Of course: The Trump administration is quietly helping states defund Planned Parenthood

This nonsense enrages me: Feinstein loses California Democratic Party’s endorsement

AS DOES THIS: Bernie Sanders promoted false story on reporting Russian trolls

Winter Olympians Face Same Brain Injury Risks as Boxers and Football Players

Yay! Michelle Obama’s Memoir to Arrive in November

Heh, I love her: Chrissy Teigen Tweets About Bringing 'Emotional Support Casserole' On Flight

Morning Coffee (11/1/17)

Bernie Sanders stated that attacks on women and non-white people and LGBT people aren't things that matter to "ordinary Americans", in case you still weren't sure where THAT jerk thinks you stand.

20 of America's top political scientists gathered to discuss our democracy. They're scared.

My West Wing

This is important: I've decided to tell you guys a story about piracy.

ALSO IMPORTANT: Some of the SiriusXM holiday stations start today!

Native American Secrets Lie Buried in Huge Shell Mounds

Archaeologists Discover Trove of Cuneiform Tablets in Northern Iraq

Perfect: Honest Unsubscribe Options

The “Science” Behind “Geostorm”, the Newest Weather-Fueled Doomsday Flick

Aw: Not so nasty: dinosaurs liked to snuggle up and socialise

Morning Coffee (10/14/17)

In Spain, Confusion And Uncertainty About Catalonia's Future

How Israel Caught Russian Hackers Scouring the World for U.S. Secrets

SIGH: Bernie Sanders to deliver opening-night speech at Women's Convention

Trump claims he ‘met with the president of the Virgin Islands.’ There’s just one problem. THAT'S YOU, YOU IDIOT.

Why Donald Trump Doesn't Care About Puerto Ricans

This is good, by Jon Favreau: American Awakening

Whoa: Unsent text message accepted as valid will by Australian court

How A Venezuelan Chef Is Teaching Women To Make Chocolate And Money

Important PSA: Covergirl's Slogan is No Longer "Easy, Breezy, Beautiful Covergirl" This is weirdly upsetting to me given that I don't think I've ever purchased one of their products.

Metal detectorists unearth unique hoard of Roman artefacts

Morning Coffee (9/21/17)

Iceland’s Government Falls After Letter Asking to Pardon Pedophile

Mueller Seeks White House Documents Related to Trump’s Actions as President

"Two people familiar with the matter told Reuters that Trump was using money donated to his re-election campaign and the Republican National Committee to pay for his lawyers in the probe."

Why Is Congress Conducting Its Russia Investigation in Secret?

SIGH: "As for Mr. Obama, Mr. Sanders sees the man who many Democrats believe will go down as one of the country’s greatest presidents as largely incidental to his vision."

OH PROBABLY: Is Trump Mulling Peter Thiel for a Top Intelligence Advisory Post?

Artist unveils design for Parliament Square suffragist statue (First female artist to design a Parliament Square statue!)

The Resegregation of Jefferson County

Real face of mummified warrior revealed at British Museum

The Story Behind the Greatest Internet Recipe Comment of All Time