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James Crossland

@jamescrossland.bsky.social

2.1K followers 890 following 1.3K posts

Professor of #History. Author of "Rogue Agent" and "The Rise of Devils". #spies, #terrorism, extremism, fake news, weird stories, terrible people and things that are not real 🗃️

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James Crossland @jamescrossland.bsky.social · Sep 1

🔊Summer's over. Back to work.

Upcoming "Rogue Agent" events in Cheshire, London and the Isle of Wight
#history #historybookchat
🗃️📝💙📚✏️

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James Crossland @jamescrossland.bsky.social · 1d

www.theguardian.com/politics/202...

Is there anything AI graphic design can't do?

Tories set a low bar after misspelling Britain on conference chocolate

Misprinted wrappers pulled from Manchester goodie bags after derision on social media

www.theguardian.com

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Reposted by James Crossland

Maartje Abbenhuis @maartjeabb.bsky.social · 2d

Lectureship in the history of Aotearoa New Zealand at Waipapa Taumata Rau University of Auckland! Come join me and my wonderful colleagues! jobs.smartrecruiters.com/TheUniversit...

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John Horgan @johnhorgan.bsky.social · 2d

The meme-ification of political violence

Very thoughtful discussion here

www.msnbc.com/msnbc/news/m...

The meme-ification of political violence

It's less ideology than the internet — what the media and Trump don't understand about the current wave of shootings.

www.msnbc.com

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James Crossland @jamescrossland.bsky.social · 2d

This is an extreme example, but if people travelled abroad more via train there might be a little less tolerance for the shit burger of public transport Britain gets served.

Arthur Snell @snellarthur.bsky.social · 2d

After a trip across Ukraine on trains that keep running in spite of Russian air raids, nothing says welcome home quite like those three magical words:

Rail Replacement Bus

Reposted by James Crossland

Seth Cotlar @sethcotlar.bsky.social · 2d

It's time we do something to make our overly woke military more violently masculine, says this fella named George Lincoln Rockwell (who you may have heard of) in the pages of the American Mercury in 1957.

WHO WANTS PANTY-WAIST MARINES?
by G. Lincoln Rockwell
On his flank, a Marine assault group under Colonel "Chesty"
ing. Three times he had led his Puller had been making simulta-men up that Korean hill in the face of murderous fire, and three times
neous attacks up the hill. He had also been driven back three times,
he had been beaten back, with men with fearful losses. But the Ma-dropping like fies. He had risen to lead
rines came back four times, under
a fourth charge up that the blazing leadership of the pint-bloody slope. But he had risen sized colonel, and took the hill. alone. In spite of personal gallant-
Now, back at field headquar-
ry and inspiring leadership, he had ters, the Army Colonel who had been unable to rally his demoral- been unable to get that last ounce ized men.
of fight out of his men was emo-

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James Crossland @jamescrossland.bsky.social · 2d

Bari Weiss is someone who drops six substacks a day and the alerts for them go into my junk folder.

Outside of that, I have no idea who this person is or why I should care

David_j_roth @davidjroth.bsky.social · 2d

Here's a good blog: defector.com/bari-weiss-s...

Bari Weiss Signs Huge Deal To Usher CBS News Into Its Vichy Era | Defector

On Monday, newly appointed Paramount CEO David Ellison announced that his company had acquired the Free Press, the smirking blood-and-soil blog founded and run by former New York Times hall monitor Ba...

defector.com

James Crossland @jamescrossland.bsky.social · 2d

Yes, but the last three decades have lasted for about 612 years.

James Crossland @jamescrossland.bsky.social · 2d

www.isleofwightliteraryfestival.com/jamescrossland

Looking forward to talking about Robert Bruce Lockahrt's plots, misteps and legacy @iowlf.bsky.social this Friday!
🗃📚 #booksky #books

Tickets 🔽🔽

JAMES CROSSLAND

www.isleofwightliteraryfestival.com

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James Crossland @jamescrossland.bsky.social · 3d

www.theguardian.com/news/ng-inte...

The damage isn't just physical.

‘A collective anxiety attack’: the psychology of unexplained drone sightings across Europe

Incursions have so far caused few physical effects but experts say such incidents can leave people feeling more vulnerable

www.theguardian.com

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Reposted by James Crossland

John Moe @johnmoe.bsky.social · 3d

When musicians don’t know how to end a song, they just fade out. I think other writers should do that too. Sketch comedy, screenwriting, playwrights. Have everyone talk softer and softer as they slowly sneak off stage.
Novelists can end chapters with gradually shrinking type.

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Reposted by James Crossland

Robert Saunders @robertsaunders.bsky.social · 3d

The best thing Conservatives could do - whatever they think of Margaret Thatcher - is to face up to the challenges of their own times, rather than trying to cosplay a leader who was formed in the 1930s and 40s, who took power half a century ago & who governed for the challenges of her day, not ours.

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James Crossland @jamescrossland.bsky.social · 3d

Quite apart form anything else, the sheer amateur hour of this is astonishing. These are just guys in masks. No training. No procedure. No clue.

Cristian Farias @cristianfarias.com · 3d

This video of Chicagoans intervening to save a man from being abducted off the streets by ICE is making the rounds on Instagram.

Community action works.

Source: www.instagram.com/reel/DPZL2AL...

Reposted by James Crossland

Ian Kikuchi @curatorian.bsky.social · 4d

Aaand that's enough internet for today.

depths of wikipedia @depthsofwikipedia.bsky.social · 4d

Since 2012, individuals adopting the name of the Star Wars character Darth Vader (Ukrainian: Дарт Вейдер) have entered local, presidential, and parliamentary elections in Ukraine.[1] "Vader" also participated in political and social activism, notably in the Odesa region.

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Chris Bertram @crookedfootball.bsky.social · 5d

Oh God, not this again. The use of -ize rather than -ise does not mark a US/British English divide. Standard Oxford is -ize for example. There's a whole Inspector Morse episode about this. Expected better from the FT

Why I welcome Americanisation. Sorry, Americanization

News of the British Museum’s fundraising gala smacks of the sort of imitation and assimilation we’re good at

www.ft.com

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James Crossland @jamescrossland.bsky.social · 5d

Quietly confident that this will be fantastic

Chagrin Documentary Film Festival @chagrinfilmfest.bsky.social · 5d

John Candy: I LIKE ME - see it first at #CDFF16, Oct 7. Director Colin Hanks’ new documentary celebrates the beloved comedian with rare footage + heartfelt stories. Tickets are limited: cdff2025.eventive.org/schedule

Reposted by James Crossland

Jo Wolff @jowolff.bsky.social · 5d

Sick and tired of people wanting to defend “western civilisation” especially when they are also attacking arts and humanities in the universities.

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James Crossland @jamescrossland.bsky.social · 5d

The cowbell and drums animations are unforgivablely out of time with the beat.

Given recent events, that is the only thing I find jarring about this video.

Christina(Tina) Hendriks @renissance1.bsky.social · 5d

www.thedailybeast.com/donald-trump...

Trump, 79, Posts Bizarre Grim Reaper-Themed AI Music Video

If the music video is to be believed, Russell Vought is the Grim Reaper.

www.thedailybeast.com

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Reposted by James Crossland

Annalee Newitz @annaleen.bsky.social · 6d

The renaissance of the jello dessert is yet another sign that our culture is in a seriously bad place

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James Crossland @jamescrossland.bsky.social · 5d

"Blood on their consciences"?

Even the Mail's hyperbole is badly written.
#news

Simon Gosden @simongosden.bsky.social · 5d

Sowing the seeds of hate

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Reposted by James Crossland

Robert Evans (the Only Robert Evans) @iwriteok.bsky.social · 6d

Pete Davidson just became the only victim of 9/11 to get reparations from the Saudi regime.

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James Crossland @jamescrossland.bsky.social · 5d

Meanwhile, in beer news
www.reuters.com/technology/t...

Asahi beers tapping out in Japan as cyberattack shutdown lingers

Japanese restaurants, bars and stores are running low on beer and other beverages from industry leader Asahi Group as the impact from a cyberattack entered a fifth day on Friday, with no resolution in sight.

www.reuters.com

Reposted by James Crossland

doctober @docseuss.bsky.social · 5d

Thank you to the creator of the quesadilla. Thank you for inventing a perfect food

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James Crossland @jamescrossland.bsky.social · 7d

The cheery jingle theme at the start is now in my head and will remain there for at least the next 72 hours

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Reposted by James Crossland

Barbara J. King @bjking.bsky.social · 7d

Donkeys and camels, life size! Rock art in Saudi Arabia from around 12,000 years go: "They are the oldest large-scale naturalistic animal art ever found in the Middle East and are among the oldest in the world." #art #rockart #anthropology #archaeology

Stunning 12,000-Year-Old Rock Art Emerges in Saudi Arabia

www.nytimes.com

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Reposted by James Crossland

Margot Finn @eicathomefinn.bsky.social · 8d

Might be wise to do a wee bit of reading up on the actual history of technology.

Research Professional News @resprofnews.bsky.social · 8d

AI can be ‘primary driver of prosperity’, says Dsit minister.

Labour 2025: Kanishka Narayan calls achieving UK “transformation” through tech “the central political question”.

www.researchprofessionalnews.com/rr-news-uk-p...

AI can be ‘primary driver of prosperity’, says Dsit minister - Research Professional News

Labour 2025: Kanishka Narayan calls achieving UK “transformation” through tech “the central political question”

www.researchprofessionalnews.com

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