James Callan
@scarequotes.com
Moviegoer, movie lover. PNW denizen. UX content worker. Word nerd. Ich spreche ein wenig Deutsch. Handy on a trivia team. Hard cider, iced tea. he/him, cis
Letterboxd: https://boxd.it/xrv
Letterboxd: https://boxd.it/xrv
Saw It Was Just an Accident this afternoon.
As credits rolled, I heard more audience members complain about the movie than I have since seeing Uncut Gems.
“That’s the last time I trust Rotten Tomatoes!”
“What was that!?”
As credits rolled, I heard more audience members complain about the movie than I have since seeing Uncut Gems.
“That’s the last time I trust Rotten Tomatoes!”
“What was that!?”
February 1, 2026 at 3:44 AM
Saw It Was Just an Accident this afternoon.
As credits rolled, I heard more audience members complain about the movie than I have since seeing Uncut Gems.
“That’s the last time I trust Rotten Tomatoes!”
“What was that!?”
As credits rolled, I heard more audience members complain about the movie than I have since seeing Uncut Gems.
“That’s the last time I trust Rotten Tomatoes!”
“What was that!?”
Probably 90/10 solo/with others.
I just want to see too many movies to wait for other people.
I just want to see too many movies to wait for other people.
curious because i’m curious:
do you watch more movies by yourself or with other people?
(me = 85% alone, 15% with others)
do you watch more movies by yourself or with other people?
(me = 85% alone, 15% with others)
January 31, 2026 at 7:13 AM
Probably 90/10 solo/with others.
I just want to see too many movies to wait for other people.
I just want to see too many movies to wait for other people.
Quite liked Peter Hujar's Day, now on the Criterion Channel.
A ★★★★ review of Peter Hujar's Day (2025)
After a few false starts I've managed to meditate every day for almost 6 years. I'm pretty sure it was one of the meditation apps I used that introduced me to the idea that "if you're bored, you're no...
letterboxd.com
January 30, 2026 at 11:58 PM
Quite liked Peter Hujar's Day, now on the Criterion Channel.
Reposted by James Callan
Farewell to Catherine O'Hara, one of the funniest people ever to funny.
❤️
❤️
January 30, 2026 at 7:37 PM
Farewell to Catherine O'Hara, one of the funniest people ever to funny.
❤️
❤️
That lane is almost always open, unfortunately.
Wild that there was an open lane called "what if we just explain things clearly to people?" and he's the first one to ever fill it
The City’s Budget is our future. And you deserve to know how it works.
January 30, 2026 at 5:04 PM
That lane is almost always open, unfortunately.
Reposted by James Callan
The thing about this interminable debate we all seem incapable of not having, about exactly what terms we should couch our discussion of Democratic party leadership in, is that it's just exceptionally pointless
From a polisci perspective: is this the sort of thing that drives election results?? No!
From a polisci perspective: is this the sort of thing that drives election results?? No!
January 29, 2026 at 8:24 PM
The thing about this interminable debate we all seem incapable of not having, about exactly what terms we should couch our discussion of Democratic party leadership in, is that it's just exceptionally pointless
From a polisci perspective: is this the sort of thing that drives election results?? No!
From a polisci perspective: is this the sort of thing that drives election results?? No!
Learned the word "infobesity" today and boy do I hate it.
I don't have a lot of language peeves but that's a fresh addition to the list.
I don't have a lot of language peeves but that's a fresh addition to the list.
January 29, 2026 at 7:20 PM
Learned the word "infobesity" today and boy do I hate it.
I don't have a lot of language peeves but that's a fresh addition to the list.
I don't have a lot of language peeves but that's a fresh addition to the list.
recently started embracing my German heritage by doing lüften in my office
(aka opening the windows for a while to get fresh air)
(The Germans have a word for everything but this word is pretty straightforward)
(aka opening the windows for a while to get fresh air)
(The Germans have a word for everything but this word is pretty straightforward)
January 29, 2026 at 5:17 PM
recently started embracing my German heritage by doing lüften in my office
(aka opening the windows for a while to get fresh air)
(The Germans have a word for everything but this word is pretty straightforward)
(aka opening the windows for a while to get fresh air)
(The Germans have a word for everything but this word is pretty straightforward)
One of the most intriguing things about Design for Living:
Miriam Hopkins plays a woman named Gilda — pronounced "Jilda."
They spell it on screen so I know it's not just "Jilda."
Miriam Hopkins plays a woman named Gilda — pronounced "Jilda."
They spell it on screen so I know it's not just "Jilda."
January 29, 2026 at 3:59 PM
One of the most intriguing things about Design for Living:
Miriam Hopkins plays a woman named Gilda — pronounced "Jilda."
They spell it on screen so I know it's not just "Jilda."
Miriam Hopkins plays a woman named Gilda — pronounced "Jilda."
They spell it on screen so I know it's not just "Jilda."
Reposted by James Callan
WotD: "homoglyph attack", where "attackers exploit visually similar characters to deceive users or systems". Example: a link to rnarriott [dot com] instead of marriott [dot com]; the first leads to an exploit. Another homoglyph is 0 (zero) for O.
Source:
www.forbes.com/sites/zakdof...
Source:
www.forbes.com/sites/zakdof...
January 29, 2026 at 12:46 AM
WotD: "homoglyph attack", where "attackers exploit visually similar characters to deceive users or systems". Example: a link to rnarriott [dot com] instead of marriott [dot com]; the first leads to an exploit. Another homoglyph is 0 (zero) for O.
Source:
www.forbes.com/sites/zakdof...
Source:
www.forbes.com/sites/zakdof...
Reposted by James Callan
they should invent a drug that gives you the same feeling as watching a movie with someone who’s really good at watching that movie
January 29, 2026 at 12:37 AM
they should invent a drug that gives you the same feeling as watching a movie with someone who’s really good at watching that movie
I'm surprised that she's responding to the blowback on this vote. The district must feel unusually at risk.
Until now she's been happy to ignore her progressive constituents at best, more often just expressing vague contempt for them while repeating the phrase "reach across the aisle."
Until now she's been happy to ignore her progressive constituents at best, more often just expressing vague contempt for them while repeating the phrase "reach across the aisle."
... was this take the best she could do?
Literally, could she not have filmed a second take and actually nail her wishy-washy lines?
The message and the presentation are both terrible.
Literally, could she not have filmed a second take and actually nail her wishy-washy lines?
The message and the presentation are both terrible.
Rep. Marie Gluesenkamp Perez (one of 7 Democrats who just voted to fund DHS) defends her stance.
Argues funding for ICE "is not the question." Instead, Senate Democrats have leverage for various demands.
"I think they could negotiate to replace Noem with someone that doesn't skirt the filibuster."
Argues funding for ICE "is not the question." Instead, Senate Democrats have leverage for various demands.
"I think they could negotiate to replace Noem with someone that doesn't skirt the filibuster."
January 28, 2026 at 11:35 PM
I'm surprised that she's responding to the blowback on this vote. The district must feel unusually at risk.
Until now she's been happy to ignore her progressive constituents at best, more often just expressing vague contempt for them while repeating the phrase "reach across the aisle."
Until now she's been happy to ignore her progressive constituents at best, more often just expressing vague contempt for them while repeating the phrase "reach across the aisle."
"Perez is terrible!"
"Agreed!"
"Can't be that hard to oust a pseudo Republican."
"I regret to inform you that she's the first Democrat to win the seat in 12 years. She beat Joe fucking Kent by just 3000 votes."
"Agreed!"
"Can't be that hard to oust a pseudo Republican."
"I regret to inform you that she's the first Democrat to win the seat in 12 years. She beat Joe fucking Kent by just 3000 votes."
... was this take the best she could do?
Literally, could she not have filmed a second take and actually nail her wishy-washy lines?
The message and the presentation are both terrible.
Literally, could she not have filmed a second take and actually nail her wishy-washy lines?
The message and the presentation are both terrible.
Rep. Marie Gluesenkamp Perez (one of 7 Democrats who just voted to fund DHS) defends her stance.
Argues funding for ICE "is not the question." Instead, Senate Democrats have leverage for various demands.
"I think they could negotiate to replace Noem with someone that doesn't skirt the filibuster."
Argues funding for ICE "is not the question." Instead, Senate Democrats have leverage for various demands.
"I think they could negotiate to replace Noem with someone that doesn't skirt the filibuster."
January 28, 2026 at 11:22 PM
"Perez is terrible!"
"Agreed!"
"Can't be that hard to oust a pseudo Republican."
"I regret to inform you that she's the first Democrat to win the seat in 12 years. She beat Joe fucking Kent by just 3000 votes."
"Agreed!"
"Can't be that hard to oust a pseudo Republican."
"I regret to inform you that she's the first Democrat to win the seat in 12 years. She beat Joe fucking Kent by just 3000 votes."
... was this take the best she could do?
Literally, could she not have filmed a second take and actually nail her wishy-washy lines?
The message and the presentation are both terrible.
Literally, could she not have filmed a second take and actually nail her wishy-washy lines?
The message and the presentation are both terrible.
Rep. Marie Gluesenkamp Perez (one of 7 Democrats who just voted to fund DHS) defends her stance.
Argues funding for ICE "is not the question." Instead, Senate Democrats have leverage for various demands.
"I think they could negotiate to replace Noem with someone that doesn't skirt the filibuster."
Argues funding for ICE "is not the question." Instead, Senate Democrats have leverage for various demands.
"I think they could negotiate to replace Noem with someone that doesn't skirt the filibuster."
January 28, 2026 at 11:15 PM
... was this take the best she could do?
Literally, could she not have filmed a second take and actually nail her wishy-washy lines?
The message and the presentation are both terrible.
Literally, could she not have filmed a second take and actually nail her wishy-washy lines?
The message and the presentation are both terrible.
Reposted by James Callan
...but have you ever used a keyboard with a touchscreen with a keyboard on it?
January 28, 2026 at 9:42 PM
...but have you ever used a keyboard with a touchscreen with a keyboard on it?
Finished my provisional Skandies ballot yesterday, just in time for at least four missing 2025 titles to make themselves available to me. (Peter Hujar's Day, The Secret Agent, It Was Just an Accident, and If I Had Legs I'd Kick You.)
Ballot revisions likely before deadline.
Ballot revisions likely before deadline.
January 28, 2026 at 9:28 PM
Finished my provisional Skandies ballot yesterday, just in time for at least four missing 2025 titles to make themselves available to me. (Peter Hujar's Day, The Secret Agent, It Was Just an Accident, and If I Had Legs I'd Kick You.)
Ballot revisions likely before deadline.
Ballot revisions likely before deadline.
Reposted by James Callan
I guess I would call her Charli XCX, as she seems to be widely called, or charli xcx, if that's indeed her preference. I dunno.
I can't endorse the notion that one should reach for small caps or some other abstruse font; that strikes me as a step too far.
I can't endorse the notion that one should reach for small caps or some other abstruse font; that strikes me as a step too far.
January 28, 2026 at 7:14 PM
I guess I would call her Charli XCX, as she seems to be widely called, or charli xcx, if that's indeed her preference. I dunno.
I can't endorse the notion that one should reach for small caps or some other abstruse font; that strikes me as a step too far.
I can't endorse the notion that one should reach for small caps or some other abstruse font; that strikes me as a step too far.
"Why isn't Apple what it used to be?"
"Are you what you used to be?"
"Are you what you used to be?"
I'd love to see a retrospective like this that just shrugs and says "all things must pass" and "three decades is a long time."
Apple’s unrivalled commitment to excellence is fading – a designer explains why
Poor usability feels unforgivable for a company built on founder Steve Jobs’ mantra: ‘It works like magic’.
theconversation.com
January 28, 2026 at 7:56 PM
"Why isn't Apple what it used to be?"
"Are you what you used to be?"
"Are you what you used to be?"
I'd love to see a retrospective like this that just shrugs and says "all things must pass" and "three decades is a long time."
Apple’s unrivalled commitment to excellence is fading – a designer explains why
Poor usability feels unforgivable for a company built on founder Steve Jobs’ mantra: ‘It works like magic’.
theconversation.com
January 28, 2026 at 7:56 PM
I'd love to see a retrospective like this that just shrugs and says "all things must pass" and "three decades is a long time."
Pre-Revolver Beatles albums and '70s Stephen King novels are still reliable ways for me to feel like a teenager again.
Started listening to Beatles for Sale in the car with my son this morning.
I won't argue that things were better when you had to buy vinyl records, but it did remind me of being 14 and "discovering" the Beatles and buying them an album at a time, listening to each one over and over as a piece.
I won't argue that things were better when you had to buy vinyl records, but it did remind me of being 14 and "discovering" the Beatles and buying them an album at a time, listening to each one over and over as a piece.
January 28, 2026 at 7:12 PM
Pre-Revolver Beatles albums and '70s Stephen King novels are still reliable ways for me to feel like a teenager again.
In the absence of Charli's opinion, does @bcdreyer.social know?
If we want to get technical (and we should), I almost always see her surletters in small font, but not exactly lowercase. Is this anything?
January 28, 2026 at 7:09 PM
In the absence of Charli's opinion, does @bcdreyer.social know?
Reposted by James Callan
Adolescent me would be horrified that I can no longer remember off the top of my head which album includes "I've Just Seen a Face."
(It is not Beatles for Sale.)
(It is not Beatles for Sale.)
January 28, 2026 at 5:55 PM
Adolescent me would be horrified that I can no longer remember off the top of my head which album includes "I've Just Seen a Face."
(It is not Beatles for Sale.)
(It is not Beatles for Sale.)
Started listening to Beatles for Sale in the car with my son this morning.
I won't argue that things were better when you had to buy vinyl records, but it did remind me of being 14 and "discovering" the Beatles and buying them an album at a time, listening to each one over and over as a piece.
I won't argue that things were better when you had to buy vinyl records, but it did remind me of being 14 and "discovering" the Beatles and buying them an album at a time, listening to each one over and over as a piece.
January 28, 2026 at 5:31 PM
Started listening to Beatles for Sale in the car with my son this morning.
I won't argue that things were better when you had to buy vinyl records, but it did remind me of being 14 and "discovering" the Beatles and buying them an album at a time, listening to each one over and over as a piece.
I won't argue that things were better when you had to buy vinyl records, but it did remind me of being 14 and "discovering" the Beatles and buying them an album at a time, listening to each one over and over as a piece.
Reposted by James Callan
I can't think of anything less useful than sitting here yelling "Don't be fooled by Trump's change in tone!" at each other. This is Bluesky. Who here is under the impression that this app is full of people who are easily fooled by Trump?
January 28, 2026 at 5:04 PM
I can't think of anything less useful than sitting here yelling "Don't be fooled by Trump's change in tone!" at each other. This is Bluesky. Who here is under the impression that this app is full of people who are easily fooled by Trump?