David Sewell
@davidsewell.bsky.social
Native southern Californian, Swarthmore alum, former Tucsonan, retired from University of Virginia Press, living in Charlottesville. Interests include the greater Southwest, Lebanon/MENA (family members in Beirut); Quaker concerns.
Since getting involved with activism around the Farmville Detention Center in Virginia, I've set a Google news alert for articles about its operator, CoreCivic, and Geo Group, the other big private prison company in the U.S. Dismaying to see the glee in the financial press about their earnings.
October 21, 2025 at 2:09 PM
Since getting involved with activism around the Farmville Detention Center in Virginia, I've set a Google news alert for articles about its operator, CoreCivic, and Geo Group, the other big private prison company in the U.S. Dismaying to see the glee in the financial press about their earnings.
And also the Apache Stronghold appeal on the grounds of religious freedom of the permit allowing Resolution Copper to destroy Oak Flat. Gorsuch in his outlier role as an upholder of tribal rights.
October 6, 2025 at 1:49 PM
And also the Apache Stronghold appeal on the grounds of religious freedom of the permit allowing Resolution Copper to destroy Oak Flat. Gorsuch in his outlier role as an upholder of tribal rights.
Anyone who has seen Jim Henson's "The Dark Crystal" will be reminded of the aging Skeksis draining the life essence of their captives and underlings to seek personal immortality.
September 3, 2025 at 3:47 PM
Anyone who has seen Jim Henson's "The Dark Crystal" will be reminded of the aging Skeksis draining the life essence of their captives and underlings to seek personal immortality.
Close to 200 people showed up today on fairly short notice for a silent vigil for Kilmar Albrego Garcia and all immigration detainees at the intersection of the road leading to Farmville Detention Center where they are held.
August 31, 2025 at 11:12 PM
Close to 200 people showed up today on fairly short notice for a silent vigil for Kilmar Albrego Garcia and all immigration detainees at the intersection of the road leading to Farmville Detention Center where they are held.
Sign of the times: at first sight of the new issue of Charlottesville’s alt weekly, I thought it was featuring a cover story about ICE raids or similar. Then realized that the helmets and insignia was just for high school football, or whatever.
August 21, 2025 at 5:21 PM
Sign of the times: at first sight of the new issue of Charlottesville’s alt weekly, I thought it was featuring a cover story about ICE raids or similar. Then realized that the helmets and insignia was just for high school football, or whatever.
"Among my people are the wicked who lie in wait like men who snare birds and like those who set traps to catch people. ... Their evil deeds have no limit; they do not seek justice" (Jeremiah 5:26-28). I'm anything but a Biblical literalist, but those prophets did know how to speak truth to power.
August 14, 2025 at 10:14 PM
"Among my people are the wicked who lie in wait like men who snare birds and like those who set traps to catch people. ... Their evil deeds have no limit; they do not seek justice" (Jeremiah 5:26-28). I'm anything but a Biblical literalist, but those prophets did know how to speak truth to power.
Probably not a coincidence that this design was created in Charlottesville.
August 14, 2025 at 4:52 PM
Probably not a coincidence that this design was created in Charlottesville.
(Seen last week in a Chapters bookstore, St. Catharines, Ontario)
August 10, 2025 at 10:27 PM
(Seen last week in a Chapters bookstore, St. Catharines, Ontario)
(Duke Ting asked Confucius:) 'Is there any one phrase through which a country may be ruined?'
'No phrase can be expected to have such force as that,' replied Confucius. 'But there is the popular saying, "I should have no gratification in being a prince, unless none opposed my commands." ...
'No phrase can be expected to have such force as that,' replied Confucius. 'But there is the popular saying, "I should have no gratification in being a prince, unless none opposed my commands." ...
August 8, 2025 at 10:56 PM
(Duke Ting asked Confucius:) 'Is there any one phrase through which a country may be ruined?'
'No phrase can be expected to have such force as that,' replied Confucius. 'But there is the popular saying, "I should have no gratification in being a prince, unless none opposed my commands." ...
'No phrase can be expected to have such force as that,' replied Confucius. 'But there is the popular saying, "I should have no gratification in being a prince, unless none opposed my commands." ...
Brightspeed, our awful phone/Internet provider in the eastern US, has an online support chatbot named "Cody". It took me a while to realize that the name must be a cute homophone for "code-y". I guess someone on their staff was channeling Pee Wee's Playhouse. (Think "Chairry" the armchair.)
July 24, 2025 at 2:57 PM
Brightspeed, our awful phone/Internet provider in the eastern US, has an online support chatbot named "Cody". It took me a while to realize that the name must be a cute homophone for "code-y". I guess someone on their staff was channeling Pee Wee's Playhouse. (Think "Chairry" the armchair.)
For #charlottesville area folks. The religious right must not be an uncontested voice in the public arena. #quaker #immigration
July 10, 2025 at 2:40 PM
For #charlottesville area folks. The religious right must not be an uncontested voice in the public arena. #quaker #immigration
More of the protest song.
July 4, 2025 at 7:26 PM
More of the protest song.
For anyone in Charlottesville and beyond who hasn't yet seen it. UVA president Jim Ryan's letter to the university community explaining his decision to resign in response from pressure from the Trump administration to do so.
![[University of Virginia logo on letterhead]
To the University community:
I am writing, with a very heavy heart, to let you know that I have submitted my resignation as President of the University of Virginia.
To make a long story short, I am inclined to fight for what I believe in, and I believe deeply in this University. But I cannot make a unilateral decision to fight the federal government in order to save my own job. To do so would not only be quixotic but appear selfish and self-centered to the hundreds of employees who would lose their jobs, the researchers who would lose their funding, and the hundreds of students who could lose financial aid or have their visas withheld. This is especially true because I had decided that next year would be my last, for reasons entirely separate from this episode—including the fact that we concluded our capital campaign and have implemented nearly all of the major initiatives in our strategic plan.
While there are very important principles at play here, I would at a very practical level be fighting to keep my job for one more year while knowingly and willingly sacrificing others in this community. If this were not so distinctly tied to me personally, I may have pursued a different path. But I could not in good conscience cause real and direct harm to my colleagues and our students in order to preserve my own position.
It has been an honor to be your President. Thanks for the outpouring of support over the last few days and weeks. My deepest gratitude to all of the faculty, staff, students, and alumni, who make this University and this community both great and good. This was an excruciatingly difficult decision, and I am heartbroken to be leaving this way.
Best,
Jim
Jim Ryan](https://cdn.bsky.app/img/feed_thumbnail/plain/did:plc:76gsrebx55loezozqrvle2uu/bafkreibbjci5jcbz2p6ocvnmrrg3sifnyvdm3f2b5z3rh7usccbsqifeze@jpeg)
June 27, 2025 at 9:00 PM
For anyone in Charlottesville and beyond who hasn't yet seen it. UVA president Jim Ryan's letter to the university community explaining his decision to resign in response from pressure from the Trump administration to do so.
For #Nokings I had to dust off tank-drawing skills I last used circa age 10. Surprisingly (to me) someone thought the poster was great and took a photo. Thousands of people lined US Hwy 29 today in #Charlottesville -- peacefully, exuberantly, of all ages, in solidarity.
June 14, 2025 at 6:52 PM
For #Nokings I had to dust off tank-drawing skills I last used circa age 10. Surprisingly (to me) someone thought the poster was great and took a photo. Thousands of people lined US Hwy 29 today in #Charlottesville -- peacefully, exuberantly, of all ages, in solidarity.
The University of Arizona alumni magazine should maybe have thought twice about the story title and headline layout. (The story is about hockey, not ... you know.)
May 31, 2025 at 8:32 PM
The University of Arizona alumni magazine should maybe have thought twice about the story title and headline layout. (The story is about hockey, not ... you know.)
When I was first using computers in the early 1980s, someone shared the old chestnut, "Computers save nearly as much time as they waste". Substituting "LLMs" for "computers" captures the state of things today. I'm dealing with needing to use AI to clean up a mess that AI has created.
May 28, 2025 at 3:39 PM
When I was first using computers in the early 1980s, someone shared the old chestnut, "Computers save nearly as much time as they waste". Substituting "LLMs" for "computers" captures the state of things today. I'm dealing with needing to use AI to clean up a mess that AI has created.
Taken a half hour ago at the edge of a nearby pond. These goslings are about ten days old. Charlottesville, Virginia.
May 6, 2025 at 11:46 PM
Taken a half hour ago at the edge of a nearby pond. These goslings are about ten days old. Charlottesville, Virginia.
Are those shirts available for sale somewhere? It reminds me of this one that Spadefoot Nursery in Tucson has carried for several years.
May 3, 2025 at 5:33 PM
Are those shirts available for sale somewhere? It reminds me of this one that Spadefoot Nursery in Tucson has carried for several years.
In today's paper.
April 15, 2025 at 12:42 PM
In today's paper.
"The people must fight for the law as for the city wall." —Heraclitus of Ephesus (tr. Curd/McKirahan)
April 14, 2025 at 10:55 PM
"The people must fight for the law as for the city wall." —Heraclitus of Ephesus (tr. Curd/McKirahan)
Refrigerator magnet from the Ben's Bells project that I brought back from last month's travel. Under the current administration, it qualifies as a subversive message.
April 10, 2025 at 5:34 PM
Refrigerator magnet from the Ben's Bells project that I brought back from last month's travel. Under the current administration, it qualifies as a subversive message.
Ted DeGrazia, crucifix. The color photo shows the version in the museum courtyard; the B/W is a photo by Louise Serpa from 1966 currently on exhibit. Enough differences that I guess they represent two versions, or a restoration of a damaged original. Striking stylization either way.
March 25, 2025 at 2:23 AM
Ted DeGrazia, crucifix. The color photo shows the version in the museum courtyard; the B/W is a photo by Louise Serpa from 1966 currently on exhibit. Enough differences that I guess they represent two versions, or a restoration of a damaged original. Striking stylization either way.
Decor in the restroom of Revolutionary Grounds coffee shop in Tucson, where I'm back spending ten days. A lot going on here--apparently I missed a Project 2025 protest just blocks away at Rep. Ciscomani's office. Here for restoration rather than revolution but may need a protest or two also.
March 20, 2025 at 6:42 PM
Decor in the restroom of Revolutionary Grounds coffee shop in Tucson, where I'm back spending ten days. A lot going on here--apparently I missed a Project 2025 protest just blocks away at Rep. Ciscomani's office. Here for restoration rather than revolution but may need a protest or two also.