John Semley
@johnsemley3000.bsky.social
writer and researcher, covering books, films, and psychoactivity, in no particular order. a pocket full of spare change and anger unlimited.
Whether or not they call themselves that, it’s what everyone else thinks about it.
A CBS News staffer told me this after Tony Dokoupil kicked off his CBS Evening News tenure tonight with a lengthy Pete Hegseth interview:
"If this is what Bari and Tony’s CBS Evening News is going to look like, then the we may as well just call ourselves Trump Administration State TV. Pathetic."
"If this is what Bari and Tony’s CBS Evening News is going to look like, then the we may as well just call ourselves Trump Administration State TV. Pathetic."
January 4, 2026 at 2:01 AM
Whether or not they call themselves that, it’s what everyone else thinks about it.
Not to talk politics, but I worry all this Venezuela business will distract the American public from the Buffalo Sabres 10-game winning streak.
January 3, 2026 at 9:56 PM
Not to talk politics, but I worry all this Venezuela business will distract the American public from the Buffalo Sabres 10-game winning streak.
Weird day. Yesterday felt like Sunday and yet today it’s Friday. And also somehow there’s NFL football tomorrow. Off. Maybe I’ll go to a movie.
January 2, 2026 at 5:40 PM
Weird day. Yesterday felt like Sunday and yet today it’s Friday. And also somehow there’s NFL football tomorrow. Off. Maybe I’ll go to a movie.
My most stunning quirk is that I don’t care for French fries.
January 1, 2026 at 6:00 PM
My most stunning quirk is that I don’t care for French fries.
The cultural loser of 2025 has to be that band Goose. They were only one goose off from being the hottest band on the year.
December 31, 2025 at 6:10 PM
The cultural loser of 2025 has to be that band Goose. They were only one goose off from being the hottest band on the year.
People got mad at me because I said TV is a debased medium, with very little of quality to actually recommend it. Looking back, I can understand their frustration, particularly if they’ve wasted a lot of time watching television or—god forbid—making it.
What’s the funniest reason someone got mad at you on Bluesky this year?
December 31, 2025 at 5:25 AM
People got mad at me because I said TV is a debased medium, with very little of quality to actually recommend it. Looking back, I can understand their frustration, particularly if they’ve wasted a lot of time watching television or—god forbid—making it.
I may take this opportunity to post a few stories from 2025 I enjoyed working on. I am choosing to do this here, because links no longer seem to "travel" on Twitter anymore. Alas!
(Stories to follow...)
(Stories to follow...)
December 30, 2025 at 8:07 PM
I may take this opportunity to post a few stories from 2025 I enjoyed working on. I am choosing to do this here, because links no longer seem to "travel" on Twitter anymore. Alas!
(Stories to follow...)
(Stories to follow...)
Got a pair of those enormous foam sole Brooks running shoes for Christmas.
December 30, 2025 at 2:45 PM
Got a pair of those enormous foam sole Brooks running shoes for Christmas.
Chalk! Where’s Crass? Crisis?!?
December 29, 2025 at 10:04 PM
Chalk! Where’s Crass? Crisis?!?
Reposted by John Semley
On this day in 1922, William Gaddis was born. In 1955, our art critic, the great John Berger, panned Gaddis’s 950-page debut novel, "The Recognitions." www.thenation.com/article/arch...
December 29, 2025 at 8:24 PM
On this day in 1922, William Gaddis was born. In 1955, our art critic, the great John Berger, panned Gaddis’s 950-page debut novel, "The Recognitions." www.thenation.com/article/arch...
Buffalo Sabres = team of destiny! I have never been happier in my life!
December 28, 2025 at 2:35 AM
Buffalo Sabres = team of destiny! I have never been happier in my life!
The Jazz Pianist will play “Mele Kalikimaka” at gunpoint until such a time as moral approves.
The Kennedy Center is planning legal action after jazz musician Chuck Redd canceled an annual holiday concert. Redd pulled out after President Trump's name appeared on the building. n.pr/49tB0uS
Kennedy Center vows to sue musician who canceled performance over Trump name change
The Kennedy Center is planning legal action after jazz musician Chuck Redd canceled an annual holiday concert. Redd pulled out after President Trump's name appeared on the building.
n.pr
December 27, 2025 at 7:45 PM
The Jazz Pianist will play “Mele Kalikimaka” at gunpoint until such a time as moral approves.
Snapshot of my circa high school CD shelf at my parents’ house. Interesting to note that my taste in music basically has not evolved one iota in 20 years. Oh well!
December 27, 2025 at 4:15 PM
Snapshot of my circa high school CD shelf at my parents’ house. Interesting to note that my taste in music basically has not evolved one iota in 20 years. Oh well!
We will finally be able to find out what happens in “Harry Potter,” now.
Back in January, Bloomsbury Children’s Books announced the "first-of-its-kind” Pocket Potters: Little Guides to the Harry Potter Stories by JK Rowling from new illustrators 👇
#TheBooksellerMostRead
#TheBooksellerMostRead
Bloomsbury Children’s Books unveils new illustrated Harry Potter series for 2025, Pocket Potters
ebx.sh
December 27, 2025 at 3:39 PM
We will finally be able to find out what happens in “Harry Potter,” now.
The case for Philly-Buffalo-Niagara solidarity. I have never seen a piece of writing reflect my exact politics. via @mikesielski.bsky.social in the @inquirer.com. www.inquirer.com/sports/eagle...
Eagles fans should be able to relate to long-suffering Bills followers | Mike Sielski
The Eagles have quelled much of the anger and anxiety that once characterized Philadelphia sports fandom. For Buffalo, though, there has been no great expulsion of joy and relief.
www.inquirer.com
December 26, 2025 at 8:01 PM
The case for Philly-Buffalo-Niagara solidarity. I have never seen a piece of writing reflect my exact politics. via @mikesielski.bsky.social in the @inquirer.com. www.inquirer.com/sports/eagle...
Make a Bond film casual
Live And Let Live
Live And Let Live
Make a Bond film casual
Dr. Maybe, We’ll See
Dr. Maybe, We’ll See
Make a Bond film casual
The Spy Who Swiped Right On Me
The Spy Who Swiped Right On Me
December 26, 2025 at 7:44 PM
Make a Bond film casual
Live And Let Live
Live And Let Live
For Christmas, I asked my mom for a book and she thought it was “a book about woke.” Then she said, “oh that’s John! he’d want to read about woke!” This is the book I asked for:
December 26, 2025 at 2:35 PM
For Christmas, I asked my mom for a book and she thought it was “a book about woke.” Then she said, “oh that’s John! he’d want to read about woke!” This is the book I asked for:
Merry Christmas to all!
December 25, 2025 at 1:43 PM
Merry Christmas to all!
The time has come. To go flagrantly, and brazenly, NOG MODE. Merry Christmas to all.
December 25, 2025 at 3:07 AM
The time has come. To go flagrantly, and brazenly, NOG MODE. Merry Christmas to all.
"The administration’s goal, he said, was to deport immigrants as efficiently as Amazon moves packages: 'Like Prime, but with human beings.'"
WaPo reports that ICE is planning 7 massive human warehouses holding 5,000 to 10,000 people.
Recalls the acting ICE director 2015 statement that he wanted to see a “business”-oriented approach to deportations, “like [Amazon] Prime, but with human beings”.
www.washingtonpost.com/business/202...
Recalls the acting ICE director 2015 statement that he wanted to see a “business”-oriented approach to deportations, “like [Amazon] Prime, but with human beings”.
www.washingtonpost.com/business/202...
ICE documents reveal plan to hold 80,000 immigrants in warehouses
The Trump administration wants to build seven large-scale deportation hubs to speed up deportations, internal ICE documents show.
www.washingtonpost.com
December 24, 2025 at 3:40 PM
"The administration’s goal, he said, was to deport immigrants as efficiently as Amazon moves packages: 'Like Prime, but with human beings.'"
I am interested in cool places to eat, drink, explore in Madrid, Bilbao, San Sebastián, and Barcelona, if you have them.
December 23, 2025 at 8:19 PM
I am interested in cool places to eat, drink, explore in Madrid, Bilbao, San Sebastián, and Barcelona, if you have them.
Positively MOWING through a big tin of Quality Streets this season.
December 23, 2025 at 5:49 PM
Positively MOWING through a big tin of Quality Streets this season.
Reposted by John Semley
Donald Trump’s war on narcoterrorism is misguided. Cocaine is not the problem
#Opinion from @johnsemley3000.bsky.social
#Opinion from @johnsemley3000.bsky.social
John Semley: Donald Trump’s war on narcoterrorism is misguided. Cocaine is not the problem
A great many Americans feel hopeless — a direct link to increased opioid consumption
www.thestar.com
December 22, 2025 at 7:24 PM
Donald Trump’s war on narcoterrorism is misguided. Cocaine is not the problem
#Opinion from @johnsemley3000.bsky.social
#Opinion from @johnsemley3000.bsky.social
For the @thestar.com, I wrote about the return of a peculiar 1980s phenomenon: the U.S. war on “narcoterrorism.” The ‘80s are back!
www.thestar.com/opinion/cont...
www.thestar.com/opinion/cont...
John Semley: Donald Trump’s war on narcoterrorism is misguided: Cocaine is not the problem
A great many Americans feel hopeless — a direct link to increased opioid consumption
www.thestar.com
December 22, 2025 at 6:24 PM
For the @thestar.com, I wrote about the return of a peculiar 1980s phenomenon: the U.S. war on “narcoterrorism.” The ‘80s are back!
www.thestar.com/opinion/cont...
www.thestar.com/opinion/cont...