alex james
@alxjms.bsky.social
Writer, former librarian, oldster. 🏳️⚧️🏳️🌈
Am I the only one who has trouble reading digital magazines? A paper copy I’ll read almost right away but a digital one will languish in my files forgotten & reading online is hard on my eyes. Anyway, I miss reading short story magazines. It seems most SF mags are digital only now.
August 11, 2026 at 4:09 PM
Am I the only one who has trouble reading digital magazines? A paper copy I’ll read almost right away but a digital one will languish in my files forgotten & reading online is hard on my eyes. Anyway, I miss reading short story magazines. It seems most SF mags are digital only now.
Reposted by alex james
Callback to recent data center discourse - why don't people want them in the community? Because of shit like this:
futurism.com/artificial-i...
futurism.com/artificial-i...
Google Data Center Announces Plans to Pave Over Protected Wetlands
Google is requesting authorization to fill in a chunk of precious wetlands to build three data center buildings in Fort Wayne, Indiana.
futurism.com
August 8, 2026 at 5:50 PM
Callback to recent data center discourse - why don't people want them in the community? Because of shit like this:
futurism.com/artificial-i...
futurism.com/artificial-i...
I’m just sitting here in the PNW waiting for it to stop raining in Philadelphia so I can watch my Phillies play.
July 21, 2026 at 11:23 PM
I’m just sitting here in the PNW waiting for it to stop raining in Philadelphia so I can watch my Phillies play.
Adam Carolla helpfully illustrates what rape culture is and leaves us with the reasonable assumption that he is also a rapist.
The full quote is even worse.
July 15, 2026 at 4:44 PM
Adam Carolla helpfully illustrates what rape culture is and leaves us with the reasonable assumption that he is also a rapist.
Some of my favorite reference desk interactions, in the days before smart phones, were the calls we’d get from bars. You really would hear cheers in the background. You felt like a rock star for answering a question.
They always remind me of this incredible moment in internet history
May 31, 2026 at 12:43 AM
Some of my favorite reference desk interactions, in the days before smart phones, were the calls we’d get from bars. You really would hear cheers in the background. You felt like a rock star for answering a question.
Reposted by alex james
1/ Tear gas was created to incapacitate grown men.
So when I started seeing reports of kids hurt by tear gas deployed by federal immigration agents, I wondered how often it was happening.
My colleagues and I started to count:
So when I started seeing reports of kids hurt by tear gas deployed by federal immigration agents, I wondered how often it was happening.
My colleagues and I started to count:
May 9, 2026 at 2:37 PM
1/ Tear gas was created to incapacitate grown men.
So when I started seeing reports of kids hurt by tear gas deployed by federal immigration agents, I wondered how often it was happening.
My colleagues and I started to count:
So when I started seeing reports of kids hurt by tear gas deployed by federal immigration agents, I wondered how often it was happening.
My colleagues and I started to count:
Reposted by alex james
Reposted by alex james
Never forget this: Working people outnumber the billionaires and CEOs by a huge margin.
When workers stand together, they win.
Solidarity. #MayDay
When workers stand together, they win.
Solidarity. #MayDay
May 1, 2026 at 4:15 PM
Never forget this: Working people outnumber the billionaires and CEOs by a huge margin.
When workers stand together, they win.
Solidarity. #MayDay
When workers stand together, they win.
Solidarity. #MayDay
Reposted by alex james
Reposted by alex james
April 17, 2026 at 2:55 PM
Yesterday I was in a conversation about data centers and we all agreed that Arizona was a horrible place to build them because of water & heat issues. Seems there might be some science to back that up.
Hundreds of millions of people live close enough to data centres used to power AI to feel warmer average temperatures in their local area
AI data centres can warm surrounding areas by up to 9.1°C
Hundreds of millions of people live close enough to data centres used to power AI to feel warmer average temperatures in their local area
www.newscientist.com
April 9, 2026 at 8:35 PM
Yesterday I was in a conversation about data centers and we all agreed that Arizona was a horrible place to build them because of water & heat issues. Seems there might be some science to back that up.
Reposted by alex james
If you are looking for something other than more bad news I give you this
April 9, 2026 at 3:30 PM
If you are looking for something other than more bad news I give you this
Reposted by alex james
Thinking about this quote from Persepolis creator Marjane Satrapi again.
February 28, 2026 at 5:18 PM
Thinking about this quote from Persepolis creator Marjane Satrapi again.
Reposted by alex james
In Printz v. United States, #SCOTUS held that the Constitution bars the federal government from forcing or otherwise compelling local or state governments to enforce federal law.
The liberal squish who wrote the majority opinion in that case? Justice Antonin Scalia:
tile.loc.gov/storage-serv...
The liberal squish who wrote the majority opinion in that case? Justice Antonin Scalia:
tile.loc.gov/storage-serv...
January 28, 2026 at 1:41 PM
In Printz v. United States, #SCOTUS held that the Constitution bars the federal government from forcing or otherwise compelling local or state governments to enforce federal law.
The liberal squish who wrote the majority opinion in that case? Justice Antonin Scalia:
tile.loc.gov/storage-serv...
The liberal squish who wrote the majority opinion in that case? Justice Antonin Scalia:
tile.loc.gov/storage-serv...
Reposted by alex james
"CBP stays at the border" might sound like a win, but keep in mind that this is what "the border" means to them www.aclumaine.org/know-your-ri...
January 27, 2026 at 3:03 PM
"CBP stays at the border" might sound like a win, but keep in mind that this is what "the border" means to them www.aclumaine.org/know-your-ri...
Reposted by alex james
American idioms can be confusing for outsiders.
Like how "I could care less" and "I couldn't care less" mean the same thing.
Or how "I'm a small government conservative" means "I think government agents should be able to shoot citizens in the street for no reason with total impunity."
Like how "I could care less" and "I couldn't care less" mean the same thing.
Or how "I'm a small government conservative" means "I think government agents should be able to shoot citizens in the street for no reason with total impunity."
January 9, 2026 at 10:35 PM
American idioms can be confusing for outsiders.
Like how "I could care less" and "I couldn't care less" mean the same thing.
Or how "I'm a small government conservative" means "I think government agents should be able to shoot citizens in the street for no reason with total impunity."
Like how "I could care less" and "I couldn't care less" mean the same thing.
Or how "I'm a small government conservative" means "I think government agents should be able to shoot citizens in the street for no reason with total impunity."
Reposted by alex james
Political cartoonists are not fuckin’ around this week. (thread)
1. Pat Bagley
1. Pat Bagley
January 9, 2026 at 1:35 PM
Political cartoonists are not fuckin’ around this week. (thread)
1. Pat Bagley
1. Pat Bagley
Amy Grant - "The 6th Of January (Yasgur's Farm)" - Lyric Video
YouTube video by AmyGrantOfficial
youtu.be
January 9, 2026 at 2:41 PM
Reposted by alex james
“The Party told you to reject the evidence of your eyes and ears. It was their final, most essential command.” —George Orwell (1984)
January 8, 2026 at 3:32 PM
“The Party told you to reject the evidence of your eyes and ears. It was their final, most essential command.” —George Orwell (1984)
Reposted by alex james
To anybody who is offended by the governor of Minneapolis telling ICE “get the fuck out of our city,” but not offended by ICE ethnic cleansing secret police summarily executing a local mom, a message: Go fuck yourself.
Learn the difference between a swear word and an obscenity.
Learn the difference between a swear word and an obscenity.
January 8, 2026 at 3:35 PM
To anybody who is offended by the governor of Minneapolis telling ICE “get the fuck out of our city,” but not offended by ICE ethnic cleansing secret police summarily executing a local mom, a message: Go fuck yourself.
Learn the difference between a swear word and an obscenity.
Learn the difference between a swear word and an obscenity.
Sometimes my brain does wacky things with headlines. I first read this as ”drones trailing blood to be carried in Wales”
What?
What?
Drones carrying blood to be trialled in Wales
Drones carrying blood to be trialled in Wales
It is hoped the project could lead to drones delivering life-saving help to the scenes of accidents.
www.bbc.com
January 4, 2026 at 9:53 PM
Sometimes my brain does wacky things with headlines. I first read this as ”drones trailing blood to be carried in Wales”
What?
What?
Don't let them bury this...
"Our investigation developed proof beyond a reasonable doubt that President Trump engaged in a criminal scheme to overturn the results of the 2020 election and to prevent the lawful transfer of power. " - Jack Smith
"Our investigation developed proof beyond a reasonable doubt that President Trump engaged in a criminal scheme to overturn the results of the 2020 election and to prevent the lawful transfer of power. " - Jack Smith
January 4, 2026 at 6:46 PM
Don't let them bury this...
"Our investigation developed proof beyond a reasonable doubt that President Trump engaged in a criminal scheme to overturn the results of the 2020 election and to prevent the lawful transfer of power. " - Jack Smith
"Our investigation developed proof beyond a reasonable doubt that President Trump engaged in a criminal scheme to overturn the results of the 2020 election and to prevent the lawful transfer of power. " - Jack Smith
Reposted by alex james
My whole life, advocating war has been fed to me as “the adult position,” akin to drinking your coffee black or reading the business section of the newspaper. Let’s be very clear — war is the childish nonsense of impulsive destructive idiots playing baby-brained video games with real human lives.
January 4, 2026 at 2:02 AM
My whole life, advocating war has been fed to me as “the adult position,” akin to drinking your coffee black or reading the business section of the newspaper. Let’s be very clear — war is the childish nonsense of impulsive destructive idiots playing baby-brained video games with real human lives.
Reposted by alex james
January 3, 2026 at 6:35 PM
Reposted by alex james
Stephen Miller’s unhinged rage goes straight back to the utter impossibility of his goal: making America white.
It can’t be done. So he lashes out with sadistic attacks on Los Angeles and, of course, innocent immigrants.
www.salon.com/2025/06/11/s...
It can’t be done. So he lashes out with sadistic attacks on Los Angeles and, of course, innocent immigrants.
www.salon.com/2025/06/11/s...
Stephen Miller can't make America white. LA is paying for his impotent rage.
Mass deportations were never going to work, so Trump and Miller resort to authoritarian theater
www.salon.com
June 11, 2025 at 12:24 PM
Stephen Miller’s unhinged rage goes straight back to the utter impossibility of his goal: making America white.
It can’t be done. So he lashes out with sadistic attacks on Los Angeles and, of course, innocent immigrants.
www.salon.com/2025/06/11/s...
It can’t be done. So he lashes out with sadistic attacks on Los Angeles and, of course, innocent immigrants.
www.salon.com/2025/06/11/s...