Morning Coffee (12/11/18)

Theresa May halts Brexit deal vote to avoid defeat, throwing British politics into chaos

And DRAMA: MP causes uproar in parliament by grabbing mace in Brexit protest

To Protect Migrants From Police, a Dutch Church Service Never Ends

Phew: Supreme Court sides with Planned Parenthood, declines to take case

This is an important read: The Hardest Glass Ceiling in Politics

Good riddance to John Kelly

Rosanell Eaton, Fierce Voting Rights Advocate, Dies at 97

Good: YouTube Bans Proud Boys Founder Gavin McInnes

!!! John le Carré’s Next Novel to Land in 2019

Oh no! Change Brewing in Harvard Square: Tealuxe to Close by End of Month

Morning Coffee (10/12/18)

TIME FOR FRIDAY HAPPY LINKS.

Eeeeeee: ‘The Little Drummer Girl’ Trailer: Here’s Your First Look At What Could Be The Best TV Series Of The Year

!! Emma Roberts to Star in Netflix Ice Skating Drama 'Spinning Out'

Also !! All-Star ‘Greatest Showman’ Album Entices Pink, Panic!, Sara Bareilles and Others

Aww: "The couple met in 2012 while working on President Barack Obama’s re-election campaign in Chicago, and began dating while working in Brooklyn on Hillary Clinton’s presidential campaign, in 2015."

Between the X-Files ones and now Doctor Who Barbie I... need to buy some Barbies?

Apple Cider Doughnuts Are the Truth

QUIZ: Which Literary Witch Are You?

To start your holiday shopping: nail polish gift sets.

And Nintendo cartridge soap??

And Grinch makeup!

Morning Coffee (10/7/18)

A disciple of Brazil's dictatorship moves closer to the presidency

Brett Kavanaugh proves the Never Trump movement was a sham all along

All the men who never assaulted me

This is just evil: Transgender student barred from shelter in locker rooms during school safety drill

Most Twitter Accounts Linked To 2016 Disinformation Are Still Active, Report Finds

Banksy Painting Self-Destructs After Fetching $1.4 Million at Sotheby’s

Heh: Tronc changing name back to Tribune Publishing

Leon Lederman, 96, Explorer (and Explainer) of the Subatomic World, Dies (He sold his Nobel Prize to pay for health care, because America is terrible.)

Remains of real Wolf Hall discovered by archaeologists

! Get a Sneak Peek at Author John le Carré's Cameo on The Little Drummer Girl

Afternoon Tea (8/24/18)

I loved this essay by a YA author marrying a politician: A good mayor is hard to find

If you're interesting in figure skating, this interview with choreographer Sam Chouinard is fascinating.

A New Vision of a John le Carré Classic

How to Dress Like Lara Jean Covey From “To All The Boys I’ve Loved Before”

10 Romances That’ll Have You Wishing You Were Back In College

Morning Coffee (11/9/17)

Ritz-Carlton Has Become a Gilded Cage for Saudi Royals

Of course: Trump Tells Senate Democrats He Had to Give the Rich Something

The Limits of Trumpism

The Republican tax plan’s original sin

America’s pathetic autocrat

The logistics of this seem BANANAS on several levels: Shocker: Kevin Spacey Dropped From ‘All The Money In The World;’ J Paul Getty Role Recast With Christopher Plummer

How to Kill a Union

Central Park Is Finally Getting Its First Statues of Real-life Women

Okay, I will ABSOLUTELY try this: Harry Potter AR game is coming from the makers of 'Pokémon Go'

Yay! 'Little Drummer Girl' Set as Latest John le Carre Adaptation for AMC

Morning Coffee (10/19/17)

ICYMI, my first (In)expert Advice column went live yesterday!

I love this: MI6 boss: George Smiley a better role model for agents than James Bond

Oh: Trump voter fraud commission researcher arrested on child pornography charges

A reporter finally asked Trump to just explain his health care plan. His response was a train wreck.

Biden says that FOURTEEN foreign heads of state have contacted him about WTF is going on with Trump.

Donald Trump and the Cheney Doctrine

2017! Congressional Candidate Believes She Was Visited by Aliens

A TV Executive Sexually Assaulted Me: A Critic’s Personal Story

What Really Helps Women Succeed at Work? Access to Birth Control.

How Facebook Outs Sex Workers

A Centuries-Old Frieze, Newly Deciphered, Tells the Story of the End of the Bronze Age

Morning Coffee (9/25/17)

Me elsewhere: TV news for the week.

German election: Merkel wins fourth term but far-right AfD surges to third

New Order Indefinitely Bars Almost All Travel From Seven Countries

Good thing no one gets upset about this kind of thing: Kushner used private email account for some White House business

This New G.O.P. Publication Looks a Lot Like a News Website

Heh: White House Denies John Kelly Is Having an Existential Crisis

John le Carré on Trump: ‘Something seriously bad is happening’

My Star Trek: Discovery post will be up at The Televixen later today, but in the meantime, I like Todd's piece: Star Trek: Discovery nails the important stuff in a surprisingly terrific debut

Interesting: Jury to Decide Whether or Not "Comic-Con" Has Become Generic

Whee: Bill Clinton & James Patterson’s Novel ‘The President Is Missing’ Lands At Showtime For TV Series Adaptation

Much ado about nothing: ancient Indian text contains earliest zero symbol

Afternoon Tea (9/12/17)

I LOVE this. The ordering is useful but it also gets at exactly why I love le Carré's work: The Best Way to Read John le Carré’s George Smiley Books

I'm a little behind on Outlander, but if you aren't, I guarantee you should be reading Nicole Cliffe's recaps: "Outlander is an EPIC ROMANCE about high-quality knitwear and incredible sex, it is not about Scottish history, and no one will convince me otherwise, including Diana Gabaldon."

Shades of Noir: My Hunt for an Eclipse Glasses Villain

Castle of the Sealand kings: Discovering ancient Iraq’s rebel rulers

What the Rich Won’t Tell You

Afternoon Tea (8/30/17)

This is great: Spies Like Us: A Conversation With John le Carré and Ben Macintyre

Sally Hemings, Thomas Jefferson and the Ways We Talk About Our Past

Wagner, Incest, and “Game of Thrones”

The Camera That Will Transform Our Understanding of the Universe

Yak Herders’ Vanishing Way of Life

Afternoon Tea (8/14/17)

What a Fraternity Hazing Death Revealed About the Painful Search for an Asian-American Identity

The Women of Formula One

This is great: Explore Smiley's London

Time-Travelling with Merriam-Webster's Dictionary

The 1922 Eclipse Adventure That Sought to Confirm the Theory of Relativity

Afternoon Tea (8/10/17)

I teared up reading this, so I'm sure I'll handle the actual book very well: John le Carré Goes Back Into the Cold

The Mystery of Sylvia Plath's Lost Novel

When Dinosaurs Ruled the Earth, Mammals Took to the Skies

The Strange, Sad Story of Joe Orton, His Lover, and 72 Stolen Library Books

Tourist Trinkets: The Medieval Pilgrim Badge

Friday Chat: Ridiculous party themes

I had a 1920s British country house murder mystery party for my birthday last weekend, and while my mom and I were poking around for ideas, we found some CRAZY but seemingly earnest lists of party themes. (Anna Karenina, anyone?) I started brainstorming joke party themes for some of my favorite shows and books but got stuck on these two really good ones and didn't end up making a post out of it. What are YOUR ideas?

Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy Party - Give each guest a cup of tea and a section of newspaper and have them read silently while occasionally making meaningful eye contact. Later, make everyone file into your dining room decorated as a conference room, where they will say as little as possibly as cryptically as possible.

Grantchester Party - Dance with your crush to one really upbeat, fun song, then go home and lock yourself in your room listening to jazz and drinking whisky.

What else??

Morning Coffee (5/17/17)

Me elsewhere: I'm rounding up the fall TV schedules at The Televixen: ABC, FOX, NBC

Comey Memo Says Trump Asked Him to End Flynn Investigation

Donald Trump has committed the exact offense that forced Richard Nixon to resign

Israel Said to Be Source of Secret Intelligence Trump Gave to Russians

“The president wasn’t even aware where this information came from,” Mr. McMaster said. “He wasn’t briefed on the source or method of the information either.”

What Pepe The Frog's Death Can Teach Us About The Internet

Whoa: Girl Scout Troop Leader Indicted For Stealing Around $20,000 Worth of Cookies, Remains at Large

Aww: A British man needs help finding the last photo ever taken of his late wife

!!! John le Carré to make rare public appearance to discuss new novel

This sounds amazing: Ben Whishaw, Alan Cumming, Russell Tovey to Headline BBC’s ‘Queers’

Morning Coffee (3/9/17)

British TV streaming service BritBox is here!!!

And we're getting a new Smiley novel!!!!

Okay, back to our regularly scheduled terrible news, I guess: Trump’s New Ban Leaves Few Spots for Refugees, Even the Hunted

Right-wing groups strongly oppose Trump’s healthcare plan, pretend Trump has nothing to do with it

The Republican plan to pay for their new health care plan is: ¯\_(ツ)_/¯

Meet the Hundreds of Officials Trump Has Quietly Installed Across the Government (Click through and at least read the first paragraph. It's quite something.)

He ‘may not even understand Watergate’: Former Nixon lawyer schools Trump’s Obama-wiretap claim

Hm: Nigeria rejected British offer to rescue seized Chibok schoolgirls

Today in things I wish were surprising: STUDY: Women’s Voices Marginalized In 2016 News Coverage Of Foreign Affairs And National Security

Good for her: Chrissy Teigen Opens Up for the First Time About Her Postpartum Depression

!! Rabbit hole leads to 700-year-old Knights Templar cave

Huh: A Scottish-Style Whisky With Indian Characteristics

Morning Coffee (9/26/16)

Me elsewhere: TV news! And I have been neglecting to share new episodes of my podcast with my friend Holly, but here we were talking about sports fandom!

This piece on Clinton's policy team and agenda was really really great and enlightening.

The Folly of the Protest Vote

Hillary Clinton’s unusual ad strategy: show people listening to Donald Trump talk

Hillary Clinton's problem? We just don't trust women

Enough, 2016: "Kevin Johnson, the mayor of Sacramento, Calif., and a former NBA star, repeatedly punched a protester in the face after getting hit with a pie during an event, witnesses say."

"Generally speaking, people who dislike le Carré novels find them boring. I too find them boring, but gloriously so."

I love this story of a Swiss aristocrat and an Indian tech geek teaming up to save child brides.

!!! Ship found in Arctic 168 years after doomed Northwest Passage attempt (AMC is working on an adaptation of Dan Simmons's novel about this! Starring Tobias Menzies! Good timing, AMC!)

What Happened In Brisbane

I'll admit I'm curious to check out the Boston-area Amazon bookstore.

Morning Coffee (9/6/16)

Phyllis Schlafly, Conservative Leader and Foe of E.R.A., Dies at 92

U.S. investigating potential covert Russian plan to disrupt November elections

Um: Donald Trump volunteers are signing a lifelong contract never to criticize him (I signed NOTHING in order to volunteer for Clinton, for the record.)

This could be worth, you know, talking about... EXCLUSIVE: Donald Trump made millions from Saudi Arabia, but trashes Hillary Clinton for Saudi donations to Clinton Foundation

This is great, from Paul Krugman, taking his own paper (and many other outlets) to task: "If reports about a candidate talk about how something 'raises questions,' creates 'shadows,' or anything similar, be aware that these are all too often weasel words used to create the impression of wrongdoing out of thin air."

The Sandy Hook conspiracy theorists are really some of the worst people in the world.

John Le Carre has a new memoir out and the Guardian has an excerpt!!

This New Yorker profile of New York Times restaurant critic Pete Wells is fascinating and just really good writing.

And Vulture has a great Ann M. Martin profile. She fosters kittens!

This piece about 18th century female felons is interesting and involves YARN-RELATED CRIMES.

Morning Coffee (8/5/16)

It's been a REALLY long week, huh? Time to take a break from current events with some happy Friday links!

The Vice President tweeted about the President's birthday WITH FRIENDSHIP BRACELETS. Never tell me this friendship isn't real; I couldn't take it.

A Wrinkle in Time, which is exciting for any number of reasons, is also a milestone: it makes Ava DuVernay the first woman of color to direct a movie with a budget over $100 million.

Oldman et al. are INDEED continuing their Le Carre adaptations with Smiley's People and EVERYTHING IS AMAZING.

Teaser for Dunkirk!

Trailer for Victoria!!

GOOD QUESTION: Why Don’t I Ever Run Into Shirtless Justin Trudeau While Hiking? (I mean, I don't hike much, and certainly not in Canada, BUT STILL.)

DELIGHTFUL: I Made a Shipwreck Expert Watch The Little Mermaid And Judge Its Nautical Merits

I love real life Last Tango in Halifax stories. He let her go 60 years ago because she was in college and he didn't want to hold her back!

Ooh, pretty libraries.

It's Friday. Let's ogle superheroes.

Morning Coffee (7/22/16)

It's Friday and BOY do we need some happy distracting links this week.

First, me elsewhere: It's Star Trek week at Insatiable Booksluts so I wrote you an explainer about the new show.

Now in the name of Friday happiness this is going to become a John Cho appreciation blog for a bit. No, seriously, I have three interviews with him bookmarked and I swear they are all worth reading and DELIGHTFUL and he is now my favorite:

You Haven’t Seen Everything John Cho Can Do

John Cho on representation and his concerns with gay Sulu

John Cho, Sulu of ‘Star Trek Beyond,’ Navigates a Beckoning Universe

And... well, let's just look at this for a while.

Okay, moving on to non-Cho-related content. This is a real section on the real NBC Olympics site: Puppies and Rio 2016 Olympians

Also: Royal romances that began at the Olympics

Sometimes TV is on my side: John le Carré’s ‘The Spy Who Came In From The Cold’ To Be Developed As Limited Series By Paramount TV & Ink Factory

AND Tara Lipinski is producing a figure skating drama for Hulu.

My friend Jonny got married and the Internet got very excited.

Let's all run away and buy a castle.

Halloween Morning Coffee (10/31/14)

Happy Halloween!

Me elsewhere: Haven recap

I love these L.L. Bean jack-o'-lanterns.

I bet your Halloween also needs Tom Mison and John Noble in a pumpkin patch.

What if your favorite books were Halloween candy?

Eeee! AMC picked up that John Le Carre limited series starring Hugh Laurie and Tom Hiddleston.

I want these Kate Spade for GapKids gift bow flats with every fiber of my being.

I love the cover of Sarah Dessen's next book.

LOOK AT THIS ANNE OF GREEN GABLES WEDDING PHOTOSHOOT.

Trust me, you probably want to watch this behind-the-scenes video by the director of Taylor Swift's Diet Coke kittens ad. (Hint: The director is a cat.)

How Well Can You Decode Taylor Swift Songs Through Emoji? I had an embarrassingly hard time with some of these.

The Taylor Swift/San Francisco Giants conspiracy, explained

I love England: 'Tree of the Year' competition finalists announced

Morning Coffee (10/7/14)

Eeee: Hugh Laurie & Tom Hiddleston to Star in Le Carre Miniseries

This is both true about Ello and has some interesting stuff about gender and tech that definitely matches my experiences: You’re Not Stupid; Ello Is Badly Designed

Speaking of: The Forgotten Female Programmers Who Created Modern Tech

Interesting: A Day In The Life Of “The Vampire Diaries” And “The Originals” Executive Producer Julie Plec

How to Get a Knitter to Make You Stuff: A List

The secret history of Jews in baseball

My friend Christine has another great set of history links up on her blog.

“Well, you shouldn’t have eaten all that lady’s candy or whatever,” Aslan said.