Link Roundup: Thursday, May 4th

The Texas police officer who shot and killed fifteen-year-old Jordan Edwards has been fired but not charged. Police officers Blane Salamoni and Howie Lake II will not face federal charges in the murder of Alton B. Sterling. The Department of Justice is prosecuting a woman for laughing at Attorney General Jeff Sessions.

I am drafting this on Wednesday night, and it looks as though there will be a vote on the Republicans’ horrible healthcare bill today. One of its many potential targets: Medicaid reimbursements for schools providing services to students with disabilities. Another: the ACA’s current bar on lifetime limits and employer out-of-pocket annual cost cap.

“When Republicans talk about freedom and choice, they don’t realize that Medicaid gives those very things to people with disabilities.”

NICOLE CLIFFE HAS A NEW ADVICE COLUMN FOR ELLE.COM AND I AM HERE FOR IT:

I recommend sitting down with your husband and saying “if you literally never have to interact with my mother again, apart from eventually attending her funeral or occasionally seeing her at the next table at a family wedding, and I support you in this, can you, in turn, give me the gift of listening to me complain about/express tentative hope about her no more than once a week?” I think that’s a good ask. I think a reasonable person should say yes to that, especially when you trot out the bog standard “I’m not looking for advice, I just want to vent,” which after nineteen pop-psych books about marriage and how women are from Klepton IV there’s really no excuse for not being able to grasp as a concept.

The science of fancy gowns

“They named [the new apple] Cosmic Crisp because the apple’s flecks of yellow reminded someone of stars in the sky.”

Fact-checking new Times columnist Bret Stephens on his climate claims, because lol the Times isn’t really doing it

Jia Tolentino profiles G. Willow Wilson, the writer behind the Kamala Khan Ms. Marvel comics:

Wilson had told me that when she converted, some of her friends had worked to hide their apparent unhappiness; years later, she realized that they had experienced her choice as a referendum on American life. It occurred to me that this may be how some conservative comic-book fans experience her Ms. Marvel—as a referendum on “American” comics. Wilson agreed: “They’re asking, ‘What was wrong before?’ And you’re like, ‘It’s not about wrong. It’s about more.’”

They may have cast Daisy Ridley, Olivia Coleman, Judi Dench, and LESLIE ODOM, JR. in the new Murder on the Orient Express, thus compelling me to watch despite my many reservations, but that does not make Kenneth Branagh’s ridiculous mustache okay, and he owes David Suchet and also me and Emma Thompson an apology.

Over at Goodreads, authors Celeste Ng and Alexandria Marzano-Lesnevich chat about true crime versus fiction and creating suspense in narrative.

Ashley Ford’s essay about talking with her dad now that he is out of prison is so beautiful:

When he calls, we talk about our days, our weeks, and our hopes. Occasionally, we rant, but not often. Because of how much time we’ve lost, we’re constantly catching each other up. He tells me about his childhood, and I tell him about mine. He’s called at least once when I was deeply depressed. He asked if everything was okay, and I didn’t have the energy to lie. I told him I knew I wasn’t much fun when I was like this or interesting to talk to. He said, “You’re my daughter. Everything you do is interesting to me. I know you’re upset, but if you’ll let me, I’d like to try and help. Can we just keep talking?” I smiled at the longing in his voice. This was what he never got to do, be there for me in hard times. I could give him this.

“Lordy, has this been painful,” [Comey] said. “I’ve gotten all kinds of rocks thrown at me and this has been really hard, but I think I’ve done the right thing at each turn.” (CAN YOU GUYS BELIEVE THIS GUY)

How Trump Could Get Fired

The Eagles are suing the Hotel California.

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