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James Barrass

@jamesbarrass

Toronto. Real estate. Community builder. Dog person.

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Latest posts by James Barrass @jamesbarrass

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How far back in time can you understand English? An experiment in language change

If you liked this experiment, I published a full piece today in the same vein: a text that gets 100 years older with every section, from a modern blog post to a medieval chronicle.

It's a single story spanning 1000 years of English. See how far you get.

www.deadlanguagesociety.com/p/how-far-ba...

18.02.2026 18:40 ๐Ÿ‘ 3564 ๐Ÿ” 1300 ๐Ÿ’ฌ 194 ๐Ÿ“Œ 478

one of the serious difficulties with how Citizens United is generally understood is that it let corporations give money to SuperPACs to influence campaigns, when it turns out big corps don't like to spend a lot of dough on candidate support. But very very rich individuals DO use the ruling!

22.02.2026 03:03 ๐Ÿ‘ 30 ๐Ÿ” 6 ๐Ÿ’ฌ 2 ๐Ÿ“Œ 1
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Democracy Americana A newsletter on U.S. politics and history - and the ongoing struggle over how much democracy, and for whom, there should be in America

This piece is free for everyone to read - no paywall.

If you are a frequent reader of Democracy Americana, please consider becoming a paid member.

As an independent writer, I fully rely on the support of my readers to make this work possible. Thank you!

15.02.2026 17:27 ๐Ÿ‘ 52 ๐Ÿ” 17 ๐Ÿ’ฌ 0 ๐Ÿ“Œ 0
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What is โ€œUn-Americanโ€? We must acknowledge Americaโ€™s history of state authoritarianism and racial violence โ€“ but also dare to claim its aspirational tradition. Make MAGA un-American, finally.

Sunday reading: What is โ€œUn-Americanโ€?

We must acknowledge Americaโ€™s history of state authoritarianism and racial violence โ€“ but also dare to claim its aspirational tradition of egalitarian democracy.

Letโ€™s Make MAGA un-American, finally.

Some thoughts from my new piece:

๐Ÿงต

15.02.2026 14:05 ๐Ÿ‘ 451 ๐Ÿ” 174 ๐Ÿ’ฌ 8 ๐Ÿ“Œ 16
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happening this morning in Minneapolis -- ICE agents drawing guns on observers. I reiterate again that it is only a matter of time before DHS kills more innocent people in Minnesota. Congress needs to shut this shit down right now.

03.02.2026 16:19 ๐Ÿ‘ 43240 ๐Ÿ” 19357 ๐Ÿ’ฌ 2398 ๐Ÿ“Œ 1614
FULL SPEECH: PM Carneyโ€™s Most Inspiring Remarks at Davos โ€” Greenland, Trump Tariff Threats | AQ1B
FULL SPEECH: PM Carneyโ€™s Most Inspiring Remarks at Davos โ€” Greenland, Trump Tariff Threats | AQ1B YouTube video by DRM News

Seriously, WHEREVER you are in the world, I recommend watching all of Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carneyโ€™s powerful & already famous speech at Davos.

Canโ€™t underestimate its leadership importance.

Key line: โ€œMiddle powers must work together, because if weโ€™re not at the table, weโ€™re on the menu.โ€

21.01.2026 18:39 ๐Ÿ‘ 761 ๐Ÿ” 221 ๐Ÿ’ฌ 30 ๐Ÿ“Œ 32
Elderly man wearing only shorts with a blanket over his shoulders is flanked by ICE officers on either side as he descends the front stairs of him home in the snow.

โ€œA man, whose family requested a Hmong interpreter, is detained after ICE agents and other law enforcement officers conducted an immigration raid at his home, days after an ICE agent fatally shot Renee Nicole Good, in St. Paul, Minnesota, U.S., January 18, 2026.REUTERS/Leah Millisโ€

via @idreesali114.bsky.social on X

Elderly man wearing only shorts with a blanket over his shoulders is flanked by ICE officers on either side as he descends the front stairs of him home in the snow. โ€œA man, whose family requested a Hmong interpreter, is detained after ICE agents and other law enforcement officers conducted an immigration raid at his home, days after an ICE agent fatally shot Renee Nicole Good, in St. Paul, Minnesota, U.S., January 18, 2026.REUTERS/Leah Millisโ€ via @idreesali114.bsky.social on X

Hmong man detained by ICE today in St. Paul, Minnesota.

(Photo via Reuters)

19.01.2026 00:33 ๐Ÿ‘ 2655 ๐Ÿ” 1215 ๐Ÿ’ฌ 287 ๐Ÿ“Œ 444
Gingerbread house with Star of David over the doorway.

Gingerbread house with Star of David over the doorway.

14.01.2026 00:10 ๐Ÿ‘ 8 ๐Ÿ” 0 ๐Ÿ’ฌ 1 ๐Ÿ“Œ 0
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How to de-risk from America There is no precedent of a dominant power abandoning its primacy, as Trump is doing

LUCE: "..There is no historic precedent of a dominant power voluntarily abandoning its leadership ..

".. Americaโ€™s allies are now at that hinge point between the past and the future. Trump is making their choice easier."

@edwardluce.bsky.social @financialtimes.com
www.ft.com/content/331e...

13.01.2026 16:46 ๐Ÿ‘ 290 ๐Ÿ” 84 ๐Ÿ’ฌ 10 ๐Ÿ“Œ 4
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08.01.2026 20:30 ๐Ÿ‘ 13875 ๐Ÿ” 5786 ๐Ÿ’ฌ 153 ๐Ÿ“Œ 172
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Jacob Frey: "To ICE -- get the fuck out of Minneapolis"

07.01.2026 18:40 ๐Ÿ‘ 38597 ๐Ÿ” 11568 ๐Ÿ’ฌ 1248 ๐Ÿ“Œ 1135

Threats in academe: "Bend to our will or we'll assign you to teach an 8:00 am class!"

07.01.2026 15:35 ๐Ÿ‘ 1 ๐Ÿ” 0 ๐Ÿ’ฌ 0 ๐Ÿ“Œ 0
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What isย Instagramโ€™sย Adam Mosseri really saying inย his year-end memo? On the last day of 2025, Instagram chief Adam Mosseri posted aย 20-slideย memo onย Instagram.ย It covered AI, fake content, reality distortion, and howย the platformย will cโ€ฆ

"Deep down, Instagram is frightened."
om.co/2026/01/01/w...

02.01.2026 06:20 ๐Ÿ‘ 6 ๐Ÿ” 0 ๐Ÿ’ฌ 2 ๐Ÿ“Œ 0
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Opinion | The White House Is a Lost Cause

"The embrace of the unitary executive theory by both the president and the court has given us the worst of all worlds: an ultrapowerful presidency without an actual president at the helm."
www.nytimes.com/2025/12/17/o...

18.12.2025 06:14 ๐Ÿ‘ 2 ๐Ÿ” 0 ๐Ÿ’ฌ 0 ๐Ÿ“Œ 0
The Psychological Impact of Digital Isolation: How AI-Driven Social Interactions Shape Human Behavior and Mental Well-Being
Felix Eling
3697-3705
Apr 30, 2025
 Education
The Psychological Impact of Digital Isolation: How AI-Driven Social Interactions Shape Human Behavior and Mental Well-Being

Felix Eling

Faculty of Health Sciences, Department of Pharmacy, Gulu College of Health Sciences, Gulu City, Northern Uganda

DOI: https://dx.doi.org/10.47772/IJRISS.2025.90400265

Received: 13 March 2025; Revised: 22 March 2025; Accepted: 25 March 2025; Published: 30 April 2025

ABSTRACT
The increasing integration of artificial intelligence (AI) in social interactions has transformed how humans experience companionship, communication, and mental well-being. This review examines the psychological impact of AI-driven social interactions, focusing on virtual assistants, AI chatbots, and digital companions. It explores the benefits, risks, and ethical concerns associated with AI companionship. A systematic review methodology was employed, detailing inclusion criteria, databases searched, and analysis techniques. Findings suggest that while AI can offer emotional relief and support, over-reliance may disrupt real-world social bonding. Ethical concerns such as data privacy, emotional manipulation, and regulatory gaps are highlighted. The study underscores the need for balanced AI integration in human socialization. The study also addresses gaps in previous literature by examining AIโ€™s influence on different demographic groups and cultural contexts.

The Psychological Impact of Digital Isolation: How AI-Driven Social Interactions Shape Human Behavior and Mental Well-Being Felix Eling 3697-3705 Apr 30, 2025 Education The Psychological Impact of Digital Isolation: How AI-Driven Social Interactions Shape Human Behavior and Mental Well-Being Felix Eling Faculty of Health Sciences, Department of Pharmacy, Gulu College of Health Sciences, Gulu City, Northern Uganda DOI: https://dx.doi.org/10.47772/IJRISS.2025.90400265 Received: 13 March 2025; Revised: 22 March 2025; Accepted: 25 March 2025; Published: 30 April 2025 ABSTRACT The increasing integration of artificial intelligence (AI) in social interactions has transformed how humans experience companionship, communication, and mental well-being. This review examines the psychological impact of AI-driven social interactions, focusing on virtual assistants, AI chatbots, and digital companions. It explores the benefits, risks, and ethical concerns associated with AI companionship. A systematic review methodology was employed, detailing inclusion criteria, databases searched, and analysis techniques. Findings suggest that while AI can offer emotional relief and support, over-reliance may disrupt real-world social bonding. Ethical concerns such as data privacy, emotional manipulation, and regulatory gaps are highlighted. The study underscores the need for balanced AI integration in human socialization. The study also addresses gaps in previous literature by examining AIโ€™s influence on different demographic groups and cultural contexts.

Let me tell you a story. Perhaps you can guess where this is going... though it does have a bit of a twist.

I was poking around Google Scholar for publications about the relationship between chatbots and wellness. Oh how useful: a systematic literature review! Let's dig into the findings. ๐Ÿงต

05.12.2025 22:35 ๐Ÿ‘ 693 ๐Ÿ” 357 ๐Ÿ’ฌ 21 ๐Ÿ“Œ 94
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The Problem is Epistemic. The Solution is Not. | Blog of the APA Doubts about the wisdom of the masses are as old as philosophy itself. Yet interest in democracyโ€™s โ€œepistemicโ€ merits has surged in the last decadeโ€”and it is no mystery why. Democracy is collapsing ar...

People do not use information to determine their social identities; they use their social identities to determine what counts as information. The climate fight is, and has always been, an identity fight. Gonna talk with @samuel-bagg.bsky.social about this soon.

30.11.2025 20:24 ๐Ÿ‘ 204 ๐Ÿ” 68 ๐Ÿ’ฌ 10 ๐Ÿ“Œ 3

They keep booking these guests thinking that theyโ€™re informing Americans by asking โ€œtough questionsโ€ into the air, and having them ignored.

If you want answers, invite actual experts. Look some people up. Do some โ€œreportingโ€ and find someone knowledgeable. Come on, already.

30.11.2025 15:36 ๐Ÿ‘ 890 ๐Ÿ” 178 ๐Ÿ’ฌ 24 ๐Ÿ“Œ 10
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Have you wondered what types of businesses Torontonians work in? The 2025 #TorontoEmploymentSurvey has the answers, showing that the largest share of employment continues to be in the Office sector with half of Torontoโ€™s jobs.

See our very first #TorontoEmploymentSurvey:
https://ow.ly/igNY50Xzcgy

29.11.2025 16:50 ๐Ÿ‘ 2 ๐Ÿ” 2 ๐Ÿ’ฌ 0 ๐Ÿ“Œ 0
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29.11.2025 05:50 ๐Ÿ‘ 20277 ๐Ÿ” 5189 ๐Ÿ’ฌ 896 ๐Ÿ“Œ 237
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Watch this.
I swear your blood will boil.

18.11.2025 16:05 ๐Ÿ‘ 859 ๐Ÿ” 400 ๐Ÿ’ฌ 42 ๐Ÿ“Œ 41

Oh wow @reuters.com got the photo here:

14.11.2025 21:25 ๐Ÿ‘ 13271 ๐Ÿ” 5222 ๐Ÿ’ฌ 215 ๐Ÿ“Œ 536
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Trump administration says it will fully fund SNAP while court appeal plays out The administration has asked a federal appeals court for an emergency pause on a judge's order to fully fund the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program.

www.nbcnews.com/politics/pol...

It's almost as if the White House *wants* Congress to exercise its authority. Who knew?

07.11.2025 23:44 ๐Ÿ‘ 1 ๐Ÿ” 0 ๐Ÿ’ฌ 0 ๐Ÿ“Œ 0

Ellis: "Requiring the government to comply with its obligations under the Constitution, in particular the Fourth Amendment, is simply not a harm."

06.11.2025 17:22 ๐Ÿ‘ 1351 ๐Ÿ” 327 ๐Ÿ’ฌ 5 ๐Ÿ“Œ 28
Poster from 1936 says: Join the March to Old Age Security, with a long line of happy people

Poster from 1936 says: Join the March to Old Age Security, with a long line of happy people

Poster with picture of old man holding pipe: More Security for the American Family (1939)

Poster with picture of old man holding pipe: More Security for the American Family (1939)

The Social Security Administration used to have an incredible communications arm, including even a film unit. This was crucial in helping people understand the program, and how it would work. From 1936, 1939.
www.ssa.gov/history/puba...

06.11.2025 14:13 ๐Ÿ‘ 566 ๐Ÿ” 150 ๐Ÿ’ฌ 18 ๐Ÿ“Œ 12
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Mamdani: "We can respond to oligarchy and authoritarianism with the strength it fears, not the appeasement it craves. After all, if anyone can show a nation betrayed by Donald Trump how to defeat him, it is the city that gave rise to him."

05.11.2025 04:38 ๐Ÿ‘ 18519 ๐Ÿ” 4366 ๐Ÿ’ฌ 163 ๐Ÿ“Œ 345
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Powerful new antibiotic that can kill superbugs discovered in soil bacteria Surprise discovery could pave the way for new treatments against drug-resistant infections.

An antibiotic for superbugs? "They discovered an intermediate compound โ€” called premethylenomycin C lactone โ€” whose antimicrobial activity was 100 times stronger than that of the final product. Tiny doses of it killed strains of bacteria known to cause hard-to-treat infections"

03.11.2025 05:54 ๐Ÿ‘ 42 ๐Ÿ” 21 ๐Ÿ’ฌ 3 ๐Ÿ“Œ 3

centrists will tell you to your face that we all need to abandon identity issues, and focus on kitchen table issues instead and yet when a leftist candidate runs a generational campaign based on kitchen table issues, it's the centrists weaponizing identity politics to smear the leftist.

28.10.2025 00:08 ๐Ÿ‘ 9331 ๐Ÿ” 1990 ๐Ÿ’ฌ 219 ๐Ÿ“Œ 109
The Ronald Reagan Presidential Foundation and Institute learned that the Government of Ontario, Canada, created an ad campaign using selective audio and video of President Ronald Reagan delivering his "Radio Address to the Nation on Free and Fair Trade," dated April 25, 1987. The ad misrepresents the Presidential Radio Address, and the Government of Ontario did not seek nor receive permission to use and
edit the remarks. The Ronald Reagan Presidential Foundation and Institute is reviewing its legal options in this matter. We encourage you to watch President Reagan's unedited video on our
YouTube channel.

The Ronald Reagan Presidential Foundation and Institute learned that the Government of Ontario, Canada, created an ad campaign using selective audio and video of President Ronald Reagan delivering his "Radio Address to the Nation on Free and Fair Trade," dated April 25, 1987. The ad misrepresents the Presidential Radio Address, and the Government of Ontario did not seek nor receive permission to use and edit the remarks. The Ronald Reagan Presidential Foundation and Institute is reviewing its legal options in this matter. We encourage you to watch President Reagan's unedited video on our YouTube channel.

The post from the Reagan Foundation is just complete gibberish.

The ad did not, in fact, misrepresent Reagan's views. But the idea that anyone needs the Reagan Foundation's goddamn permission to use the publicly broadcast official remarks of a former president and/or edit them for brevity is crazy

25.10.2025 14:42 ๐Ÿ‘ 13595 ๐Ÿ” 3170 ๐Ÿ’ฌ 868 ๐Ÿ“Œ 253
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Mike Johnson doesn't know sh*t

22.10.2025 23:22 ๐Ÿ‘ 13250 ๐Ÿ” 4688 ๐Ÿ’ฌ 997 ๐Ÿ“Œ 616