Colette Alexander
@colettecello.bsky.social
I'm a cellist, mom, director of engineering @hashicorp, ex-Spotify. Talk to me about resilience engineering 💜
Reposted by Colette Alexander
The value of reading history is you know that in 1860 there were abolitionists who were so demoralized that they thought chattel slavery would be permanent. 5 years later those still alive had lived to see its end.
November 12, 2025 at 8:05 PM
The value of reading history is you know that in 1860 there were abolitionists who were so demoralized that they thought chattel slavery would be permanent. 5 years later those still alive had lived to see its end.
Reposted by Colette Alexander
They’ve laid off so many people that the government is now getting its economic data from DoorDash.
November 12, 2025 at 1:09 AM
They’ve laid off so many people that the government is now getting its economic data from DoorDash.
Reposted by Colette Alexander
I think a lot about the leaked signal chat, in which it was clear that folks were claiming presidential backing without any evidence. That’s how our government is running. People lying that they’ve talked to the president.
So the oldest person ever to become president keeps falling asleep in his office during public events and there’s no big public discussion on how this is a coverup or how republicans are lying to us about how this government is running?
November 9, 2025 at 2:12 PM
I think a lot about the leaked signal chat, in which it was clear that folks were claiming presidential backing without any evidence. That’s how our government is running. People lying that they’ve talked to the president.
Reposted by Colette Alexander
So it turns out... the US air travel system was incredibly, deeply dependent on federal funding to just run day-to-day all this time, to the benefit of private airline shareholders, when everyone thinks that state-run trains are leeching off the government. Weird!
November 9, 2025 at 12:10 AM
So it turns out... the US air travel system was incredibly, deeply dependent on federal funding to just run day-to-day all this time, to the benefit of private airline shareholders, when everyone thinks that state-run trains are leeching off the government. Weird!
Reposted by Colette Alexander
Jeremy, I have followed your science advocacy on this platform with respect, but I find this thread deeply hurtful and sad and I am going to tell you why. While my wife did her postdoc at CSHL, she and our many dear friends had to endure the racist rhetoric of this man, which did constant harm
On one evening, the speakers were divided up and went to dinner parties hosted by some of the wealthy folks who lived around Cold Spring Harbor on Long Island. My dinner was delightful, with good conversation with our host (the mayor of a nearby village), his friends, and some other speakers.
34/41
34/41
November 8, 2025 at 5:15 PM
Jeremy, I have followed your science advocacy on this platform with respect, but I find this thread deeply hurtful and sad and I am going to tell you why. While my wife did her postdoc at CSHL, she and our many dear friends had to endure the racist rhetoric of this man, which did constant harm
Reposted by Colette Alexander
pre-writing a devastating obituary for your enemy is god-tier hating of a kind you don’t often see anymore. renaissance haterism. beautiful stuff.
A Sharon Begley byline, almost 5 years after her death.
Upon hearing the news James Watson had died, a STAT reporter said in our Slack, "I wish I could read what Sharon would have written."
Incredible news: Sharon in fact did pre-write a Watson obit. And it is masterful and excoriating.
🧪🧬🧫
Upon hearing the news James Watson had died, a STAT reporter said in our Slack, "I wish I could read what Sharon would have written."
Incredible news: Sharon in fact did pre-write a Watson obit. And it is masterful and excoriating.
🧪🧬🧫
James Watson, dead at 97, was a scientific legend and a pariah among his peers
James Watson, the co-discoverer of the structure of DNA who died Thursday at 97, was a scientific legend and a pariah among his peers.
www.statnews.com
November 9, 2025 at 12:55 AM
pre-writing a devastating obituary for your enemy is god-tier hating of a kind you don’t often see anymore. renaissance haterism. beautiful stuff.
Reposted by Colette Alexander
what stage of capitalism is this
California police boost patrols at grocery stores as millions set to lose SNAP benefits
California police boost patrols at grocery stores as millions set to lose SNAP benefits
www.foxla.com
October 29, 2025 at 11:41 PM
what stage of capitalism is this
Reposted by Colette Alexander
This is the facility that I and many others have been protesting. We’ve been hit, thrown, gassed, and shot with pepper bullets but none of that holds a candle to what is being done to people *in* the actual facility.
Read this thread. Don’t look away. Keep your eyes and the pressure on Broadview.
Read this thread. Don’t look away. Keep your eyes and the pressure on Broadview.
A family friend was telling us about what her husband shared about his experience in Broadview before he was deported back to Mexico. She's been sharing to friends and family because she's just in disbelief & horror what her husband told her. She wasn't able to talk to him until he was in Mexico.
November 7, 2025 at 3:29 PM
This is the facility that I and many others have been protesting. We’ve been hit, thrown, gassed, and shot with pepper bullets but none of that holds a candle to what is being done to people *in* the actual facility.
Read this thread. Don’t look away. Keep your eyes and the pressure on Broadview.
Read this thread. Don’t look away. Keep your eyes and the pressure on Broadview.
Reposted by Colette Alexander
Nancy Pelosi’s trades over the years have been so good that a startup was created to allow investors to directly mirror her portfolio.
One of the Greatest Wall Street Investors of All Time Announces Retirement
Nancy Pelosi’s trades over the years have been so good that a startup was created to allow investors to directly mirror her portfolio.
www.404media.co
November 6, 2025 at 8:30 PM
Nancy Pelosi’s trades over the years have been so good that a startup was created to allow investors to directly mirror her portfolio.
Reposted by Colette Alexander
lol
November 6, 2025 at 4:47 AM
lol
Reposted by Colette Alexander
Cuomo's grim, graceless concession speech last night could've been one of his regular campaign speeches. (He again mispronounced the name of the guy who'd just beaten him again.) It made me decide to tell the story of my one brief encounter with him, days after he'd become governor. 1/3
November 5, 2025 at 8:29 PM
Cuomo's grim, graceless concession speech last night could've been one of his regular campaign speeches. (He again mispronounced the name of the guy who'd just beaten him again.) It made me decide to tell the story of my one brief encounter with him, days after he'd become governor. 1/3
Reposted by Colette Alexander
I eyeballed it. Okay, turns out it's nearly *half* of Senators got fewer votes than Mamdani.
November 5, 2025 at 6:16 AM
I eyeballed it. Okay, turns out it's nearly *half* of Senators got fewer votes than Mamdani.
Reposted by Colette Alexander
Lots of “never Trumper” encomiums to Cheney today. So who was Dick Cheney? The most powerful & dangerous Vice-President in our history, leading us into an unnecessary war, violating legal & political norms, & expanding his own office and secrecy to harmful proportions.
www.rcfp.org/journals/the...
www.rcfp.org/journals/the...
November 4, 2025 at 8:20 PM
Lots of “never Trumper” encomiums to Cheney today. So who was Dick Cheney? The most powerful & dangerous Vice-President in our history, leading us into an unnecessary war, violating legal & political norms, & expanding his own office and secrecy to harmful proportions.
www.rcfp.org/journals/the...
www.rcfp.org/journals/the...
Reposted by Colette Alexander
Hey, remind me what happened after the Roaring 20s?
Dancers at Trump’s Halloween party as people begin losing food stamps under his administration
November 1, 2025 at 5:31 PM
Hey, remind me what happened after the Roaring 20s?
Reposted by Colette Alexander
The US is the purple line bottoming out. Our economy may still roar, but we’re killing ourselves. Hoarding wealth, refusing to even ensure our kids have enough to eat. That line is an indictment. It reflects our warped values.
This graph never fails to be shocking: "The US has experienced the earliest and greatest slowdown in life expectancy improvements among higher-income countries, reported Eileen Crimmins. “We have horrible life expectancy—and it’s getting worse and worse”"
www.prb.org/resources/se...
www.prb.org/resources/se...
November 1, 2025 at 3:08 AM
The US is the purple line bottoming out. Our economy may still roar, but we’re killing ourselves. Hoarding wealth, refusing to even ensure our kids have enough to eat. That line is an indictment. It reflects our warped values.
Reposted by Colette Alexander
Food bank director: “for every meal that a food bank provides, the SNAP program provides nine. There’s no way we can meet that gap.”
October 27, 2025 at 4:30 PM
Food bank director: “for every meal that a food bank provides, the SNAP program provides nine. There’s no way we can meet that gap.”
Reposted by Colette Alexander
important reminder: food banks usually prefer money to direct food donations because they can buy at discounted rates
check with your local food bank to be sure but now is the time to help out
check with your local food bank to be sure but now is the time to help out
Americans brace for food stamps to run out: ‘the greatest hunger catastrophe since the Great Depression’
Americans brace for food stamps to run out: ‘the greatest hunger catastrophe since the Great Depression’
Nearly 42 million people in danger as federal government shutdown continues and Snap funding to end 1 November
www.theguardian.com
October 26, 2025 at 8:09 PM
important reminder: food banks usually prefer money to direct food donations because they can buy at discounted rates
check with your local food bank to be sure but now is the time to help out
check with your local food bank to be sure but now is the time to help out
Reposted by Colette Alexander
Disabled Americans experience the highest rates of poverty of every marginalized group in America. 27% live below the poverty line (12% for ableds).
Their median earnings are $18,865 compared to $28,983 for the abled.
These numbers WILL get worse.
If you can help you will save lives.
Their median earnings are $18,865 compared to $28,983 for the abled.
These numbers WILL get worse.
If you can help you will save lives.
Feeding America has a page where you can input your zip code and it'll show you all of the food banks near you overlaid on a map. If you need it, it's there. If you don't need it, think about donating money if you have it and your time if you don't.
www.feedingamerica.org/find-your-lo...
www.feedingamerica.org/find-your-lo...
Find Your Local Food Bank | Feeding America
Find the Feeding America member food bank nearest you. Over 200 member food banks can connect you with free food, food pantries, soup kitchens, and mobile pantries in your community.
www.feedingamerica.org
October 26, 2025 at 9:33 PM
Disabled Americans experience the highest rates of poverty of every marginalized group in America. 27% live below the poverty line (12% for ableds).
Their median earnings are $18,865 compared to $28,983 for the abled.
These numbers WILL get worse.
If you can help you will save lives.
Their median earnings are $18,865 compared to $28,983 for the abled.
These numbers WILL get worse.
If you can help you will save lives.
Reposted by Colette Alexander
Other than the personnel involved and their superiors, this alarming incident remained largely unknown until Scott Sagan got the Air Force to declassify the relevant documents and wrote about them in his outstanding 1993 book, “The Limits of Safety: Organizations, Accidents, and Nuclear Weapons.”
October 25, 2025 at 1:25 PM
Other than the personnel involved and their superiors, this alarming incident remained largely unknown until Scott Sagan got the Air Force to declassify the relevant documents and wrote about them in his outstanding 1993 book, “The Limits of Safety: Organizations, Accidents, and Nuclear Weapons.”
Reposted by Colette Alexander
Hey, just want to mumble that this is wildly illegal and inappropriate and would prompt impeachment proceedings if we still had a functional Congress instead of one run by a blind, deaf and mute Renfeld wannabe.
New: The Pentagon confirms to CNN it will funnel $130M from an anonymous Trump “friend” toward military pay.
Asked about the donor’s identity and any foreign or domestic entanglements, the WH referred questions to DoD. DoD then referred questions back to the WH
www.cnn.com/2025/10/24/p...
Asked about the donor’s identity and any foreign or domestic entanglements, the WH referred questions to DoD. DoD then referred questions back to the WH
www.cnn.com/2025/10/24/p...
Pentagon to use $130 million donation from anonymous Trump ‘friend’ to pay military members | CNN Politics
The Trump administration plans to funnel a $130 million donation from an anonymous ally of President Donald Trump toward paying military service members during the government shutdown, the Defense Dep...
www.cnn.com
October 24, 2025 at 7:00 PM
Hey, just want to mumble that this is wildly illegal and inappropriate and would prompt impeachment proceedings if we still had a functional Congress instead of one run by a blind, deaf and mute Renfeld wannabe.
Reposted by Colette Alexander
"Building inspectors, yes. And safety inspectors. Is the water in the ICE office clean? Cut it off, to test it. Fire drills. Tickets on their parked cars. Brake light violations. Health inspections. Sidewalk construction. Street closures. More fire drills. More fire drills!"
ICE vs. NYC
The feds will not have a good time here.
www.hamiltonnolan.com
October 23, 2025 at 2:57 PM
"Building inspectors, yes. And safety inspectors. Is the water in the ICE office clean? Cut it off, to test it. Fire drills. Tickets on their parked cars. Brake light violations. Health inspections. Sidewalk construction. Street closures. More fire drills. More fire drills!"
Reposted by Colette Alexander
34 people killed in 50 days. Their guilt or innocence unknown, for an alleged crime that doesn't carry a death sentence. That's a lot of death.
adamisacson.com/boat-strikes/
adamisacson.com/boat-strikes/
October 22, 2025 at 7:42 PM
34 people killed in 50 days. Their guilt or innocence unknown, for an alleged crime that doesn't carry a death sentence. That's a lot of death.
adamisacson.com/boat-strikes/
adamisacson.com/boat-strikes/
Reposted by Colette Alexander
Terrifying. An Associated Press investigation found more than 420 bills attacking longstanding public health protections such as vaccines, milk safety and fluoride have been introduced in statehouses across the US so far this year. Around 30 bills in 12 states have already been enacted or adopted.
October 22, 2025 at 8:42 PM
Terrifying. An Associated Press investigation found more than 420 bills attacking longstanding public health protections such as vaccines, milk safety and fluoride have been introduced in statehouses across the US so far this year. Around 30 bills in 12 states have already been enacted or adopted.
Reposted by Colette Alexander
One of the less understood beauties of a transition to a renewable economy is: you cannot invade a country and steal its sunshine and its wind, and you will not need to. The uneven distribution of fossil fuel, esp. oil, has corroded geopolitics for more than a century....
Nobel Peace Prize recipient María Corina Machado appeared on Donald Trump Jr.’s podcast.
She touted the oil reserves in Venezuela (the largest in the world) and vowed to privatize the oil industry to enable American corporations to exploit and profit from the country’s resources if she gains power.
She touted the oil reserves in Venezuela (the largest in the world) and vowed to privatize the oil industry to enable American corporations to exploit and profit from the country’s resources if she gains power.
October 17, 2025 at 3:27 PM
One of the less understood beauties of a transition to a renewable economy is: you cannot invade a country and steal its sunshine and its wind, and you will not need to. The uneven distribution of fossil fuel, esp. oil, has corroded geopolitics for more than a century....
Reposted by Colette Alexander
We believe that in the wealthiest city in the wealthiest nation in the history of the world, working people deserve a dignified life.
And to the billionaires who think this movement is an existential threat to their corruption of our democracy: you're right.
And to the billionaires who think this movement is an existential threat to their corruption of our democracy: you're right.
October 16, 2025 at 7:54 PM
We believe that in the wealthiest city in the wealthiest nation in the history of the world, working people deserve a dignified life.
And to the billionaires who think this movement is an existential threat to their corruption of our democracy: you're right.
And to the billionaires who think this movement is an existential threat to their corruption of our democracy: you're right.