Morning Coffee (2/24/16)

ICYMI, yesterday's Oscar project posts: The Martian (YAY!), Prologue (meh), Bear Story (whoa). (I have a book review for you for February that I'm working on, but because of the avalanche of movie posts, I might hold it until early March, when I will not want to think about another movie for a while. So you'd get February's review in early March and March's review a few weeks later. Would that be okay, Patreon folks?)

So. Nevada happened. Brian Beutler, as usual, is worth reading on this: "Assuming the trend continues after Trump’s overwhelming victory in Nevada’s Republican caucuses, it’s both redundant and stunning to note that what’s happening in American politics right now is completely novel: An unwelcome insurgent is commandeering one of the country’s two major political parties, and its leaders are simply pretending it isn’t happening."

Also: "Republican operatives have told major donors it would require an eight-figure advertising campaign or campaigns to make any kind of dent in Trump’s surprisingly durable popularity. While many of the donors have privately voiced support for the cause, most have begged off writing big checks."

ALSO: "Nearly 20 percent of Mr. Trump’s voters disagreed with the freeing of slaves in Southern states after the Civil War."

And: Donald Trump on Protester: ‘I’d Like to Punch Him in the Face’ (Among many other things, I sincerely worry about Trump inspiring his supporters to lots of random violence against pretty much anyone they don't like.)

This is worrisome: More than half of Americans think Apple should comply with FBI, finds Pew survey

Considering everything else happening in the world, I guess this is ...good ...news? Don't buy the hype: Russia's military is much weaker than Putin wants us to think

This certainly is: The First Day of the New Supreme Court

Shocker: Hollywood Is a ‘Straight, White, Boys’ Club,’ Blistering Study Finds

And for a perspective on that: A Hollywood Agent Explains How Negotiations Work and Why Actresses Get Paid Less

Ava DuVernay is directing the Wrinkle in Time movie and I am SO excited.