Morning Coffee (7/17/18)

Donald Trump, Vladimir Putin, and America’s “geopolitical suicide”

Trump and Putin vs. America

Feds Charge Russian Student, Linked To NRA, With Conspiracy

Inside Mueller's New Army

Made to Suffer for Her Sins: The Trump administration’s policies on family separation and abortion are driven by one view: A woman’s pain is fitting punishment.

4,500 Tech Workers, 1 Mission: Get Democrats Elected

UGH: Increasingly Agitated Elon Musk Labels Diver Who Mocked His 'Submarine' a 'Pedo Guy'

GOOD: Yankees Suspend Relationship with Papa John's After Founder's Racist Comments

Yay! J.K. Rowling's next Cormoran Strike novel Lethal White coming in September

Good for her: Seeking Pay Equity, Female Flutist Sues Boston Symphony Orchestra

Morning Coffee (4/10/18)

Congratulations to her!! Tammy Duckworth gives birth to girl: First senator to have baby while in office

F.B.I. Raids Office of Trump’s Longtime Lawyer Michael Cohen; Trump Calls It ‘Disgraceful’

At least Republicans care so much about... *checks notes* oh. Federal Budget Deficit Projected to Soar to Over $1 Trillion in 2020

Stormy Daniels’ Motion to Depose Trump Is on Stunningly Solid Legal Footing

Huh: Jared Kushner’s $1.2 billion miracle

I can't believe it's been ten years: The Raid on YFZ Ranch, Ten Years Later

A Fossilized Finger Bone May Be From the Earliest Humans on the Arabian Peninsula

Oh yay! ‘C.B. Strike’ Gets Summer Premiere Date On Cinemax

Ugh: Anti-vaccine reviewers target children’s books on Amazon

Oh neat: 19th-Century Playbills to Be Restored and Digitized

Morning Coffee (8/25/17)

Time for Friday happy links! Make sure you come back this afternoon for TWO posts, including the return of Friday afternoon links. I've got a doozy for you.

NEW TAYLOR SWIFT SINGLE. I love it.

Eee, trailer for Strike, new show based on J.K. Rowling's mystery novels!

Whoa: Antares: astronomers capture best ever image of a star’s surface and atmosphere

I'm always so relieved when an author I like doesn't say anything terrible in her By the Book interview, and Louise Penny's is great.

Look at my friend Holly's elf ears in the New York Times!

Penguins Filmed Their Own Videos of Antarctica, and the Footage Is Incredible

YES I DO: 15 Next-Level Ice Cream Sandwiches You Need in Your Life

Netflix’s Latest Hit Series Is a Boring, Soothing Japanese Reality Show. I'm in.

Beatles Monuments in Unexpected Places

I have read bachelorette party instruction letters that sound JUST LIKE THIS: Tips for Emily’s Low-Key Destination Bachelorette! PLEASE READ

Morning Coffee (8/8/17)

Scientists gave this to the Times because they feared the Trump administration would suppress it: Government Report Finds Drastic Impact of Climate Change on U.S.

This is, you know, terrorism, just so we're all clear: FBI: Explosive Device Detonated At Minnesota Mosque

Oh my God, you idiots, STOP LEAVING STUFF ON YOUR WHITEBOARDS IN PICTURES: The Trump agenda, as told by Steve Bannon's whiteboard

Find Out If President Trump Would Let You Immigrate to America Nope!

Hillary Wants to Preach

Bitcoin Has Split Into Two Cryptocurrencies. What, Exactly, Does That Mean? (Update: I still don't understand bitcoin AT ALL.)

Well, good: J.K. Rowling is the world's highest-paid author, Forbes says

This makes me SO ANGRY, I... should just give you the link and not get into it: The Toxic Drama on YA Twitter

Laura Dern Could Make History If She's Elected President of the Academy of Motion Pictures

Found: The Oldest Known Family of Asteroids in the Solar System

Morning Coffee (6/14/17)

This is a difficult, important story: Turning Pain Into Hope: Rwanda’s children of rape are coming of age — against the odds.

Putin's Monster

Russian Cyber Hacks on U.S. Electoral System Far Wider Than Previously Known

Trump’s Tweets Must Now Be Taken Seriously

Yesterday was really quite a time for new restrictions on media access to the Senate, given the SECRET HEALTH CARE BILL and all.

Why James Comey’s prepared testimony reads like a great American short story

The Madness of King Trump

The J.K. Rowling response is what makes this: Donald Trump blocked Stephen King on Twitter, according to the author

Remembering the Murder You Didn't Commit

Ooh: Ta-Nehisi Coates unveils cover for Obama-era book We Were Eight Years in Power

Posh Roman London teen's skeleton to return to her final resting place

Morning Coffee (1/6/17)

Time for some happy Friday links. It's been a weird week, huh? Remember, if you'd like to receive my thoughts on books in your email inbox, sign up here.

Ooooh: J.K. Rowling Says This Painting Is A Clue To Her Future Projects

I jumped up in the middle of writing this to try the Bookout app because it says it's like a workout tracker for your reading. SOUNDS GOOD.

Yeah, I absolutely want lip color that looks like Crayola crayons.

I don't often read actor interviews, but this one with Matthew Daddario of Shadowhunters is a COMPLETE JOY.

Aaah, look at this Hamilton hat knitting pattern.

Whoa: P.E.I. Lego aficionado recreates Anne of Green Gables out of iconic toy

Speaking of, let's have an Anne of Green Gables party.

I LOVED this stuff: Remembering Pepsi Holiday Spice, the Winter Tradition That Could Have Been

The Onion, BARELY: Man Not Accepting Any More Television Recommendations At This Time

The Ice-Skating Dandies of 18th-Century Paris

Striking New Maps Show the Beauty of Earth's Shadows

18 Book Bags (And Totes) You’ll Want To Spend Your Holiday Loot On

Morning Coffee (6/6/16)

Me elsewhere: TV news!

ICE CREAM TURF WARS are all I want to read about this summer. (And a follow-up.) (Obviously I am joking and real people are getting hurt and that is bad!)

Good for her: J.K. Rowling Slams Critics of Hermione Casting as "Bunch of Racists"

"Forty-seven percent of Americans, what are you thinking? I know Mitt Romney was mean to you that one time, but that's no reason for decision-making this awful. No matter your politics, you should be able to see Donald Trump would be a terrible guest at your barbecue."

Meet one of Hillary Clinton's biggest donors in California. They hardly ever talk politics.

Zuckerberg’s GOP Meeting Shows a Master Politician in the Making

This is... this is... something. Make Yourself Great Again! A group of millennial bros find salvation in the teachings of Donald J. Trump.

!!!!! Bagpipes the New Zealand penguin gets 3D printed foot

They took out a full page ad for Jonah Ryan, a fictional candidate on the show Veep, in the Union Leader, New Hampshire's largest nonfictional newspaper. What a time to be alive.

This video from the British Library of a conservation team caring for degraded silk flags is great.

Great House Therapy: The Dashwoods’ Casual and Tolerably Comfortable Cottage

Morning Coffee (4/25/16)

Ireland Seeks Peaceful Path to Marking 1916 Easter Rising

Nothing to see here, I'm sure: Russia’s New Human Rights Ombudsman Is Former Police General

Hmmmm: The U.S. government just withdrew its iPhone-unlocking case against Apple in New York

Heh: An Incomplete List of Topics J.K. Rowling and President Obama May Have Discussed

Ooh, fascinating: Triangles in the Sky Tell the Story of the Universe's Birth

This is what I'd expect from Bernie Ecclestone, but I'd hoped for better from Mario Andretti. For... some reason.

Meet the Association Upholding the Integrity of Instant Noodles

Researchers Discover Ancient Observations of a 1006 AD Supernova

Confession: I gave up keeping track of the current name of Lockhart Gardner etc. etc. years ago.

Amazing: Audubon Made Up At Least 28 Fake Species To Prank A Rival

Morning Coffee (1/13/16)

Come join me on Patreon and get the inside scoop on what I'm working on here!

The Cologne sexual assaults at the center of German politics, explained

Why Maine’s Gov. Paul LePage Is the Proto-Trump (He is, I should point out, supporting Chris Christie, and they're making a LOT of it, at least in New Hampshire, presumably because they fear Christie doesn't seem terrible enough on his own!)

The writer does not look exactly... neutral... but I will continue to pass along updates on the Litvinenko case anyway because at heart I want to be living in a Le Carre novel.

This is soothing: "What would not change, though, is that Clinton would remain the clear favorite for the Democratic nomination."

I saw these new Deadpool ads and actually went and looked it up on IMDb because I thought maybe it was something completely different than I'd thought, so... well done? I guess? Maybe?

The Funny Thing About Abusive Relationships

There are still basically no female directors.

Adorable: J.K. Rowling Celebrated the End of Harry Potter by (Very Lightly) Trashing Her Hotel Room

Ooh! Archaeologists uncover the best-preserved Bronze Age dwellings ever found in Britain

This is perfect: A Guide to Flirting with Plausible Deniability

Morning Coffee (12/15/15)

Aaaah, the first Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them trailer is out! It doesn't reveal much, of course, but I love the look and tone of it so far.

We also have the first trailer for Star Trek Beyond, and people on Twitter were freaking out (I know, I know) for various reasons but I think it looks mostly fine so far? (One of the specific concerns I saw was that no women spoke in the trailer, and while I'd love these movies to have more/better female roles, I just don't think that's . . . true? That alien woman spoke a few times, right?)

And related to that other big movie thing everyone's talking about: Lawyers Weigh in on Han v Greedo, Because That’s Where We’re at as a Society

Okay. On to more serious matters. (Sorry!) GOP leaders hate Ted Cruz, but he may be their last best hope

New Yorker profiles are basically my favorite thing; here's David Remnick on John Kerry.

This New York Times profile of Justin Trudeau is also a great read.

Related: He did Justin Trudeau in 60 Seconds for Macleans and it's DELIGHTFUL.

Sad news: Lillian Vernon has died. Her story is QUITE SOMETHING and I loved that catalog as a kid.

Marlon James is writing an "African Game of Thrones." Seriously, click on that and read his quotes about why he's doing this. I love him.

Hee: The Best Books You Didn't Read in 2015

Morning Coffee (6/12/15)

New Robert Galbraith pub date!!!

I couldn't decide what to quote from this interview with Cassie Clare and Maggie Stiefvater about fandom, because there was so much good and important stuff there, so you should probably just read it.

What a world: Twitter and Medium Announce They've Invented Email

Did you all see this terrible thing about Goodfellas? Yeah. Sigh.

Fascinating: I Fooled Millions Into Thinking Chocolate Helps Weight Loss. Here's How. And this is so, so true; I do it myself and am always astonished when it works: "If you lay out the information just right, you can shape the story that emerges in the media almost like you were writing those stories yourself. In fact, that’s literally what you’re doing, since many reporters just copied and pasted our text."

2 million misinformed Internet-shamers just upstaged a bride at her own wedding

What Coca-Cola's logo reveals about the history of writing in America

Huh: The words every state finds hardest to spell

Perfect: Oh No! I Thought You Were Interesting But

Morning Coffee (5/22/15)

Happy Friday!

Neville Longbottom And J.K. Rowling Had A Perfect Twitter Exchange Over His Half-Naked Photo Shoot

I have never been so proud to be from Connecticut.

New emoji are coming! I'm excited about some of the food ones, and "face palm" will be useful.

I tend to be somewhat skeptical of new Oreo flavors, but brownie batter has potential.

As we sort of unofficially start summer this weekend: The Brief History of the Ferris Wheel

Apparently everyone who's anyone is turning up in car parks these days.

9 Great Science Fiction Books For People Who Don't Like Science Fiction

IT'S FRIDAY: What Wine-Cat Combo Matches Your Personality?

If Shakespeare’s Richard III were your coworker, he’d say things like, “Thanks for flagging that!” and “Good catch!” and “Just let me know if you need anything else from me on that front,” and you’d know in your bones that he was imagining throwing your lifeless body down the elevator shaft.

Morning Coffee (5/19/15)

Me elsewhere: A few thoughts on the Casual Vacancy miniseries.

What Hollywood’s Acceptance Of Sexism Looks Like In Practice

Ezra Klein makes a good point: The attacks on George Stephanopoulos are getting the problem backward

A former undercover agent explains what's behind the Waco biker gang shootout

Adnan Syed Of “Serial” Wins Right To Petition Court To Hear Alibi Testimony

Greece is not taking legal action to reclaim the Elgin Marbles.

Sigh: Austin greets first majority-female city council session with special training on dealing with women

Huh: The Most Distinctive Words in Online Dating Profiles, By State

5. Take the compliment to your Alchemy Dungeon and transmute it into something negative about yourself.

9. Find out what they’re trying to hide by saying nice things at you. Expose them.

13. CHOKE on the words “THANK YOU” so that you DIE and it’s ALL THEIR FAULT and if ONLY THEY HAD HONORED THE SOCIAL COMPACT by NEVER MENTIONING ANYTHING YOU DID WELL EVER, you would be alive today, and now you’re not, and they’ll never do it again.

Morning Coffee (2/3/15)

More Women Than Ever in Congress, but With Less Power Than Before

Headline of the day: German neo-Nazi party cancels protest after boarding wrong train

The Psychopaths of GamerGate Are All That's Left, and They're Terrifying

Here are yesterday's ALA Youth Media Award winners!

Curious about this Classic Alice thing I keep talking about? They have a shiny new trailer for the show, so that's a good place to start!

These videos have me very excited for the Casual Vacancy miniseries.

Life-changing: Here’s How to Turn on Chrome’s Mute Button for Obnoxious Audio Tabs

Lip Smackers are no more. Nooooo.

My friend Daye did some of the voices for new game Life Is Strange, and it looks really neat!

Morning Coffee (1/15/15)

A Woman Has Pressed Charges Against Bill Cosby That Could Lead To Prosecution

Amazon’s deal with Woody Allen is historic — and remarkably stupid

Why Political Dynasties Are Good for Women

Why a Generation of Adoptees Is Returning to South Korea

Harry Potter author mocks Rupert Murdoch for ignorant tweets about Islamic terrorism

What Happens When a Woman Walks Like a Man?

This Thomas Hardy infographic is the greatest thing I have ever seen. It's called BLEAKNESS IS MY WEAKNESS.

Quiz: Can you name a city just by looking at its streets?

Don't forget to save Alice!

Morning Coffee (10/27/14)

Me elsewhere: TV news roundup.

Taylor Swift's new album is out today. Here's a funny (and useful) glossary.

I bet your Monday needs 12 British Actors Rocking Cravats in Period Dramas

The Queen has started tweeting!

I mean, if you were J.K. Rowling, wouldn't YOU just build Harry Potter things whenever you felt like it?

This is awesome: The Age of YA: A Timeline of Historical Fiction

I didn't know much about Sofiya Tolstoy, so this piece fascinates me.

A Human Pulp-Fiction Factory Becomes a Cult Hero

APOLLO: we havent met
but you know me
DAPHNE: sorry?
APOLLO: ever seen THE SUN

Morning Coffee (7/9/14)

New Harry Potter story! "Does Hermione Granger prove that a witch really can have it all? (No – look at her hair.)" Hee.

Awesome: George Clooney takes on the Daily Mail.

Wow: The New Yorker is making everything available online for three months and then instituting some sort of metered paywall.

What I Learned From Talking to Tinder’s Justin Mateen About Women

I still haven't watched the Warren Jeffs biopic, but this liveblog is great.

xkcd is so good at what it does.

Yahoo is trying to purchase credibility with the Community renewal

Dirtbag John Milton

Morning Coffee (2/28/14)

Happy Friday! Finally.

Six more Cormoran Strike books? Yes please.

Diet Coke Frost? YES PLEASE.

The BBC is making two new Agatha Christie adaptations. Whee.

Scandal paper dolls!

Ooh, new Ben & Jerry's flavors.

This Game of Thrones pop-up book looks gorgeous.

The Onion: Modern Science Still Only Able To Predict One Upcoming Tetris Block

Very important Friday quiz: What Kind Of Drink Are You Going To Need After Work Tonight? (As Eleanor Barkhorn pointed out, this is the most clever BuzzFeed quiz ever because it implies that you should go back and take it again every day.)

Morning Coffee (2/18/14)

I'm so excited for Meryl Davis and Charlie White. Ice Network has a great gallery celebrating them.

And Willa Paskin is correct: Tara Lipinski and Johnny Weir are doing a great job as figure skating announcers.

Great news: There's a national clown shortage. (I'm being sincere. I hate clowns.)

J.K. Rowling's sequel to The Cuckoo's Calling is coming in June!

Important American Girl news: They're bringing back Samantha!

And horrifying toy news: 50 Shades of Bear

The One Literary Reference You Must Know to Appreciate ​True Detective

What State Do You Actually Belong In? (I got Maine. Hmm.)

Morning Coffee (12/20/13)

Happy Friday! Next week I'll be traveling and celebrating with my family, so I'm going to take the week off from regular Morning Coffee posts, though I will pop in if I have a moment or something I feel the need to share.

If you missed it yesterday, I'm having a little contest in which you can guess how many Christmas cookies I'll wind up making this year.

Alert: J.K. ROWLING IS COLLABORATING ON A HARRY POTTER STAGE PLAY.

And speaking of Harry Potter, check out these images from a new illustrated edition.

Prince Charles and Camilla's holiday card is adorable.

In other adorable Windsor news, Prince William left his brother a voicemail pretending to be Chelsy Davy.

Hot Men in Warm Sweaters

I almost said "I'd get a dog if it did my laundry," but no, a dog is way more work than laundry. STILL. Neat.

Here's the first teaser for the new Salem drama. HI THERE, Seth Gabel's voice.

Happy birthday, crossword puzzles!

First World War Christmas Cards

The Best American Infographics 2013 sounds fun.

There's finally a Star Trek version of those family car decals.

Hee: Bo Obama Receives Visiting Dognitaries From Furuguay