Morning Coffee (5/18/16)

Me elsewhere: Okay, I've had a few pieces come out in the last 24 hours, so here's a rundown:
* At Insatiable Booksluts: 10 Must-Read Patriarchy-Smashing Crime Solvers
* At The Televixen: Exploring Personal Space with Dana Luery Shaw and ABC's Fall Schedule
* Also: Here's Tuesday's Daily Read, and my TV reference spreadsheet has been updated.

On to the links!

"Loud cursing, shouting, obscene gestures and vile insults, including crude comments about the female anatomy. It was all on display over the weekend as supporters of Bernie Sanders turned the Nevada State Democratic Convention into chaos."

"But the bigger worry for Democrats may not be that Sanders's supporters view Donald Trump as a better presidential candidate, but rather that they come to regard the whole electoral system — and Clinton's nomination — as inherently fraudulent."

"He can’t go to the convention and argue that his pissed off white support is somehow more valid than all the votes and all the delegates Hillary has won from a far more diverse cross section of the Democratic party."

Donald Trump’s Plan for America Includes Shutting Down the Media

The Trump Campaign Told A Reporter They’re Not Interested In Spanish-Language Media Coverage

Muslim Leaders Wage Theological Battle, Stoking ISIS’ Anger

I agree with most of what Dan Fienberg says here about the Castle finale, especially the part at the end about Beckett's agency.

Welp: Who Said It: Roald Dahl or Judy Blume?

Inside Evan Spiegel's very private Snapchat Story

How To Tell If You’re In A Robert Frost Poem

Morning Coffee (5/17/16)

Me elsewhere: FOX's fall schedule, plus the trailer for Love, Nina and yesterday's Daily Read.

This is a "revolution" of which I want no part: From Bernie Sanders Supporters, Death Threats Over Delegates

This makes good points: The Wackiest Donald Trump Conspiracy Theory Yet

Unearthing the Secrets of New York's Mass Graves

This profile of Lin-Manuel Miranda is just thoroughly delightful. (185 days until I see Hamilton, not that I'm counting.) (Okay, I'm really not counting in any ongoing way, I just looked it up right now.)

WOW: ‘An amazing way to go’: Jane Little, world’s longest-serving orchestra musician, collapses and dies performing ‘There’s No Business Like Show Business’ (My violin teacher collapsed and died while performing as well. I wonder how common this is?)

Dear actors, please only speak words others have scripted.

Whoa: LA Times Music Critic Sasha Frere-Jones Exits, Accused of Expensing $5K Strip Club Tab

Castle is over and the finale was... passable... but this alternative ending is much better.

If You Are What You Eat, America Is Allrecipes

Relevant to my interests: Paperback Writer: Books about the Beatles

Morning Coffee (9/11/14)

The important news you need: Gilmore Girls will be on Netflix on October 1st.

Why Disruptors Are Always White Guys

Castle fans, take a gander at the new poster. I think it's striking, but I hope they don't think anyone is actually in suspense as to whether Castle is dead.

Ooh: British ship from 1845 Franklin expedition found by Canada

Worth a read: I Was the Weirdest Person at BronyCon 2014

The vanishing islands of Kiribati

Hee: Proper Cultural Criticism for Serious Men: Introducing ‘Actually…’ Magazine

The Onion: Startup Very Casual About Dress Code, Benefits

Morning Coffee (5/13/14)

Oh no: Casey Kasem is missing.

Has the Santa Maria been found?

Castle fans, if you're reeling after last night's finale, here's a postmortem with Andrew Marlowe.

Broadchurch and/or David Tennant fans, here's the trailer for Gracepoint. Unpopular opinion: I'm fascinated to see how they start from the same place and wind up somewhere different.

Hieroglyph seems like this year's Sleepy Hollow, as in "FOX concept that sounds bizarre and terrible but might end up being awesome."

Why are people freaking out about Satanism at Harvard?

On Grief and Eating

The Onion: Stone-Hearted Ice Witch Forgoes Exclamation Point

Morning Coffee (10/9/13)

Elsewhere: I recapped this week's episode of Castle at TheTelevixen.com.

Important background reading for the Janet Yellen nomination: A Study in Scarcity: Women at Central Banks

Did you want to see that CBS pilot starring Stephen Fry and Rupert Grint that didn't go to series? Here you go.

Norwegian public TV is airing a sheep-to-sweater event. Five hours straight. Of spinning and knitting. On national TV. Why don't I live in Norway?

Here is an adorable picture of the President writing a school excuse note for a five-year-old.

I love this sort of thing: Morning Coffee Orders from Around the World

Ooh: Bletchley Park wartime hut restored by donation

Watch Gene Kelly Channel "Combat Fatigue Irritability" in a WWII Navy Training Film

Whoa, it's a Cheez-It wedding cake.

Morning Coffee (10/1/13)

October already! Somehow!

Elsewhere: At TheTelevixen.com, I wrote about new comedy We Are Men and recapped last night's Castle.

In case you went to sleep early, yes, the government is shut down.

IKEA starts selling solar panels for homes

Here are some rather upsetting spoilers for the third Bridget Jones book.

Accidentally left out of the original translation: Pope Francis seeks a greater role for women.

The Muppets Take the Smithsonian (Well, if/when it isn't shut down.)

Yes: Hugs Are Falsely Intimate Power Plays. Stop Imposing Them on Everyone You Meet.

Some interesting history: Widow's Walk

These imaginary inn packages for readers are delightful.

Morning Coffee (9/24/13)

Me, elsewhere: At TheTelevixen.com I wrote about the premieres of Hostages (good!) and Mom (not good) and recapped the season premiere of Castle.

Give Me My Remote has some fun backstage Emmy reactions.

Ugh. Energy companies are taking advantage of the Amish religious rules against suing people.

8 Ways to Make a Movie About a Female Superhero Happen

You can stream Lorde's new album now.

Remember that librarian who said the kid who read the most every year should take himself out of SRP contention? The library aide who defended him was apparently fired over it.

The golden age of TV is dead; long live the golden age of TV

Ooh, they're releasing Tintin editions in Scots and Gaelic.

A Brief History of Slash

Where I'm Writing About TV This Fall

Well, this sort of crept up on me. The first fall season show that I write about comes back tonight. So I figured it was time for a little roundup of where and about what I'll be writing this year!

At The Televixen, I will again be recapping each episode of Haven and Castle. I'll be aiming to have the recaps up either the night the show airs or early the next day, so by Saturday morning for Haven and Tuesday morning for Castle. I'll also be reviewing the first episode of almost every new show there, to help you get an idea of whether you should try it, and my Sunday morning TV news column and other occasional features will continue as well.

At Read the Screen, I'll be reviewing (though not recapping) each episode of Sleepy Hollow and Dracula. The Sleepy Hollow posts will probably be the first post on Tuesdays (so at about 11 Eastern), and Dracula posts will go up at some point over the weekend, depending on my schedule. I'll also be covering news about and occasionally checking in on other shows based on books or comics, including Elementary, Arrow, The Vampire Diaries, Marvel's Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D., Once Upon a Time in Wonderland, and more.

At Vampire-Diaries.net, my colleagues and I will be continuing to cover all things Vampire Diaries, along with new spinoff The Originals. (We have awesome recaps there. I don't write them. That's part of why they're so awesome.)

And here? I'm thinking of writing about Beauty and the Beast, because I thought season one was really problematic in ways I didn't see anyone writing about much. I'm not committing to weekly posts on anything else, because I need to sleep sometime, but I'll probably write about whatever else strikes my fancy. But are there any specific shows you want my thoughts on? I'd rather write things people want to read.

And my other question: Do you want me to post links here to my reviews and recaps elsewhere? I don't want to be obnoxiously self-promoting, but I also don't want to expect people to check three or four different sites if they want to find my writing. So. Opinions? If I do post links here, should I give them their own posts or just throw them in the next day's Morning Coffee? Tell me in the comments!

Morning Coffee (5/15/13)

Hi! How's your week going? I had a few minutes this morning so I thought I'd throw together a few links.

Chris Pine and Jake Gyllenhaal as the princes in Into the Woods? That would be amazing.

Oooh, finally, a trailer for The Bridge.

A Medieval Times movie? HAHAHAHA.

I have concerns.

Reconstructing Neolithic Homes

Oooh, Castle card game!

The Fading Diversity of Lost Girl

Morning Coffee (4/18/13)

It's Thursday. Everything is terrible. Can we just declare this week over now?

Boston:

Why Boston's Hospitals Were Ready

This is an interesting read on how Breaking News decided NOT to report the "arrest."

FYI, Castle fans, ABC is swapping next week's episode with the following one because the one originally scheduled deals with a bomb situation.

Other:

Gabrielle Giffords: A Senate in the Gun Lobby's Grip

Hey look, it's a giant profile of John Le Carre!

And Le Carre in his own words: "I was a secret even to myself."

I haven't seen confirmation yet, but according to Krysten Ritter, unaired episodes of Don't Trust the B---- in Apt. 23 are going online. Yay.

These creepy abandoned theme parks are fascinating.

Morning Coffee (4/10/13)

This just went up this morning so I haven't read it yet, but you probably want to read the New York Times Magazine profile of Anthony Weiner and Huma Abedin.

Oooh, this archaeological dig in London is so exciting that they're calling it "Pompeii of the north."

Did Margaret Thatcher really invent soft-serve ice cream? (No, but I am demanding a trip to Dairy Queen this weekend and all these Thatcher stories are basically why.)

Why 'Accidental Racist' Is Actually Just Racist

Were you looking for an interactive guide to Thatcher's funeral? Here you go.

Starz continues to pick up shows that sound like they were designed for me.

The Onion: I'm Weighing Whether Or Not I Want To Go Through The Hell Of Appealing To You Idiotic, Uninformed Oafs "by" Hillary Clinton

Not The Onion: Jon Huertas of Castle is releasing an album, and IT INCLUDES A CASTLE/BECKETT SONG. I'm not sure why I find this QUITE so hilarious, but I do.

Morning Coffee (4/1/13)

PSA: It's April 1st, so TRUST NO ONE. Including me, apparently, because I'm totally unprepared for Morning Coffee today. (But I promise all my links are real to the best of my knowledge, because I hate April Fool's Day.)

Castle fans should read this interview with EP Andrew Marlowe in preparation for the landmark 100th episode tonight.

And here are some older links I bookmarked but never posted . . .

Food stamps put Rhode Island town on monthly boom-and-bust cycle

The Cossacks are back. May the hills tremble.

Australia's coup culture

The Lyndon Johnson tapes: Richard Nixon's 'treason'

A Fork of One's Own

Return to Provence

Our Comprehensive Living Archive of Apples

Morning Coffee (3/22/13)

Happy/fun/positive links for Friday!

To a very specific demographic, this will be the BEST THING EVER: Anne of Cleves Gables

New dinosaur species named after its five-year-old discoverer

Aww, adorable new baby pictures of the universe!

Castle fans, here are some photos from the milestone 100th episode.

I usually love Texas Monthly for its crime features, but they just hired a BARBECUE EDITOR and I find that delightful.

Nancy Pelosi's granddaughter would like you to know that only leaders of the free world have the authority to send her to bed.

Here's an adorable royal Tube appearance.

And here's a delightful interview with my boss, Maureen Johnson, about her books, Jack the Ripper, why mint chocolate chip is the best, and more.

Morning Coffee (2/11/13)

If you hadn't seen the news yet this morning, the Pope is resigning. Wow.

Castle fans, don't miss this: Andrew Marlowe teases episode 100.

A British romance author is actually an 89-year-old grandfather and World War II vet. Awesome.

Here's an interview about race in YA with Holly Black and Sarah Rees Brennan.

Whoa: The Apollo 11 immigration form.

Fringe fans, check out this teaser for a movie John Noble made with his daughter.

Your feel-good story of the day: Baby fawn licked back to life by family.

Oh hey, a deleted chapter from Anna and the French Kiss!

Castle Recap: Significant Others

Castle returned from hiatus this week, and my recap of "Significant Others" is now up at TheTelevixen:

Castle returned from its holiday hiatus with a character-intensive episode aptly named “Significant Others.” The show has done a particularly good job with the slow burn of Castle and Beckett’s relationship, but it makes sense that now that they are together, some episodes will focus more on personal issues, with the actual procedural element serving as a subplot.

Read more.

What I Watched: Castle, Gossip Girl, & More

HIMYM, "Who Wants to Be a Godparent (EP804)" - I actually really liked this episode, not because I thought it was funny but because I thought it was emotionally real and touching, and um, obviously I have Comedy Issues. And goodness, those children playing Marvin were ADORABLE.

Gossip Girl, "High Infidelity (EP602)" - I am completely bored by Blair's fashion storyline, but liked much of the rest of this. Georgina is delightfully evil, and I kind of love the idea that Dan has been so disillusioned that he just wants to burn everything down. The Chuck/Lily/Bart dynamic always gets me. And of COURSE Serena and Nate are dating a father and daughter. And no one sees any real problem with this. Dear Matt Camden: DO NOT TAKE PARENTING ADVICE FROM SERENA.

Castle, "Murder He Wrote (EP504)" - Castle and Beckett take a trip to the Hamptons, and this episode basically felt like fanfic, but I mean that in the best possible way, I swear. They are somehow still adorable together without being TOO perfect or the relationship being too easy/flawless. I love the way Ryan figured out about the relationship, and I can't wait to see what he does with that information.

Copper, "A Day to Give Thanks (EP109)" - It's Thanksgiving but Corcoran is NOT FEELING VERY THANKFUL because he found his wife but she's insane or drugged or something and may or may not have murdered their daughter. So that's all fun. And hey, John Wilkes Booth shows up, so that won't possibly end badly.

Morning Coffee (10/15/12)

This weekend at TheTelevixen: My weekly news round-up (Coulson lives!) and recap of the most recent Castle, "Secret's Safe With Me."

I'm increasingly unconvinced that there's a way to make football acceptably safe, but standardizing concussion evaluations would be a start.

HOLIDAY. PRINGLES.

This Torah fraud case is fascinating.

If TV Shows Were Relationships

You must read Cassie Clare on cyberbullying.

Andrea Arnold's Wuthering Heights recognizes that it "isn't really a romance at all" and now I can't wait to see it.

Morning Coffee (10/10/12)

There are three new shows premiering tonight, and hey, I will tell you what to think about all of them before they even air. Don't say I never do anything for you. Here's Arrow, Chicago Fire, and Nashville.

Would you like to hear me speak about TV for a change? Here I am talking about Castle and White Collar and a little bit about various new shows.

Oh, hey, National Book Award finalists. I have read . . . none. Yet.

Don't know much about the new Georgian prime minister? Yeah, no one does, apparently.

Masterpiece continues being Masterpiecey and co-producing things I want to watch.

Hey look, Amazon came up with yet another way to drive authors to drink!

I won't bother trying to claim that this article about Taylor Swift-branded Walgreens store sections didn't make me immediately look up my nearest Walgreens locations.

Alyssa Rosenberg declares for team Mindy-skeptical.

What I Watched: Bones, Castle, HIMYM, Gossip Girl

HIMYM, "Nannies (EP803)" - This was a cute episode, and the nanny stuff was all funny and in character. (And I'm always happy when we get to see Marvin a lot.) And the rest of the episode did a good job of laying the groundwork for the upcoming breakups, though I'm a little concerned that we're in for another round of Robin and Ted before either of them actually make any progress.

Bones, "The Tiger in the Tale (EP804)" - This was . . . not my favorite episode. The case itself was, I don't know, fine I guess, but I didn't enjoy the rest. The stuff about Brennan running for president was just silly, and this was one of those times when they suddenly wanted us to believe that she had literally no idea how the world works. Since they kept messing with Sweets and Daisy, I'm just as happy that they went ahead and broke them up, but it wasn't done very well. And the conflict between Hodgins and Angela just seemed manufactured and out of the blue.

Gossip Girl, "Gone Maybe Gone (EP601)" - Oh, I don't know. At this point I'm trying to think about this as little as possible and just enjoy what I can from the last handful of episodes. I hate what they've done to a lot of the characters, but there were several really funny lines in this premiere. And Barry Watson was an interesting addition.

Castle, "Secret's Safe with Me (EP503)" - This was a fun episode - I liked the case, and the relationship stuff is still adorable but believable. I was happy to see Martha and Alexis back, and the scene with Alexis and Castle at the end made me cry. It was nice to see the human side of Gates, too. Overall, this felt like an episode from the early seasons, with the added bonus of Castle and Beckett being together.

Morning Coffee (10/9/12)

Canada's maple syrup: Found.

Here's your daily crazy Rebecca update.

N.H. School Board Member Proposes Football Ban. Good for him.

Important: Gender Balance in YA Award Winners since 2000

Barnes & Noble's featured mystery writer of the month is Richard Castle, and this annotated list of his favorite books is actually really cute.

This is great: Take Back Halloween!

Uh, wow: Reasons Why You Cannot Be a Bridesmaid

Ooh, Buckingham Palace is having a fashion show.