Jillian Allyse (she/her)

There are more ICE agents in Minnesota than Minneapolis and St. Paul police combined. They are here against the wishes of local law enforcement, including Police Chief Brian O'Hara. ICE is not making our communities more safe, and they need to get off our streets.

Most Christians in Germany in the 1930s either supported Hitler or did not openly oppose his imperial ambitions. Why? According to historians, there were at least five reasons: 1. Nationalism After World War I and the humiliating Treaty of Versailles, many Germans felt deeply wounded and longed for restored national pride. Hitler promised to “make Germany great again,” which resonated with nationalists — including many Christians who saw patriotism as a moral duty. 2. Economic desperation Hyperinflation in the early 1920s wiped out savings, and the Great Depression left millions jobless and hopeless. Hitler promised jobs, economic revival, and stability — and many were desperate enough to believe him. 3. Desire for social order and traditional values Hitler promoted family, discipline, obedience, and traditional gender roles. Many conservative Christians saw these as aligned with their moral worldview and felt reassured rather than threatened. 4. Antisemitism and anti-immigration prejudice Antisemitic and anti-immigrant attitudes were widespread in European society long before Hitler. Nazi propaganda exploited these prejudices, portraying Jews and immigrants as threats to the nation’s “purity” and stability. 5. Fear of communism and social chaos The 1920s and early 1930s were marked by economic depression, mass unemployment, and violent clashes in the streets. Many Christians — especially in middle-class and rural communities — feared a communist revolution that would suppress religion and destroy private property. Hitler presented himself as a shield against “godless Bolshevism,” winning support even from conservative church circles. “History doesn’t repeat itself, but it often rhymes.” — Mark Twain

They wrapped themselves in the flag so long they forgot it’s not a cloak of immunity. Now a father with a son in the Army is the one saying what everyone’s been swallowing. That’s the tell: when the people who actually serve this country feel shame, it’s not “security.” It’s something uglier wearing a uniform. Patriotism isn’t cheering raids. Patriotism is recognizing a line has been crossed. If this is what they call “America,” why does a real American sound like he’s grieving it.

"Terrible things are happening outside. Poor helpless people are being dragged from their homes. Families are torn apart. Men, women, & children separated. Children come home from school to find that their parents have disappeared" -Anne Frank's 1/13/43 diary entry

Today in Minneapolis, ICE agents shot and killed a woman in a shocking incident. Governor Walz has announced the state will ensure a fair investigation, and I am grateful for his swift action. Many of us have seen the horrifying and painful video, which makes it clear that the Trump administration's explanation of this shooting is pure gaslighting. A full and fair investigation at the state level is absolutely necessary.

I’m a Marine Corp veteran, trained by LEOs when I served in US embassies on how to handle unruly individuals or protestors. 1) If you are the guys with guns, you are the ones responsible for the situation. Doubly so if you outnumber the person you’re engaging. 2) You do not need to use force except to control the situation in order to deescalate it. Minimal force required. 3) You are NOT here to look for excuses to use more force. Even if the person gives you an excuse which “justifies” using force, that doesn’t mean using force is de facto the right move. 4) “Let the other person retreat” often resolves the situation just fine! Don’t surround people, back them up against a wall, etc. Your job is to control the situation. “I put myself stupidly in danger” is not an excuse to escalate “because I’m in danger.” 5) People will feed off of your energy. If you come rolling up like a fascist thug ready to break skulls, people will meet you at that level. If you show up calm, professional, and having a friendly chat, often that brings the temperature down. Everything I see from ICE agents is they are relishing violence and exercising power, needlessly escalating situations, looking for opportunities to shoot their weapons and beat the shit out of people. ~ Alexander McCoy

What happened in Minneapolis is outrageous and, as usual, the Trump administration’s response is to lie. We need comprehensive immigration reform, not the targeting of hundreds of thousands of people without due process.

Renee was one of my students years ago. I held her baby. She was kind and talented, a working class mom who put herself through school despite circumstances that would’ve crumpled the pathetic rich boy politicians who sadistically abetted her murder God damn them all

When Ted Turner asked Carl Sagan if he was a socialist, Sagan gave an answer that redefines what it means to be a civilized society. It isn't about politics or ideology. It is about how we treat the most vulnerable among us.

Famous final words of Carl Sagan before he died… he was trying to warn us about the AI and disinformation anti-science apocalypse of today. Listen.

As a high school student, Dasia Taylor noticed a serious flaw in the way infections are detected after surgery. Traditional sutures give no visual warning when something goes wrong, often allowing infections to worsen before they are discovered. Determined to find a solution, she developed sutures that change color when harmful bacteria are present. What began as a science fair project quickly gained national attention and evolved into a patented medical innovation. These sutures could help doctors catch infections earlier, reduce complications, and save lives, especially in under resourced hospitals. Dasia’s work is a powerful example of how curiosity and compassion can turn a simple idea into something with global impact.

Congress named it the Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts, and it will stay that name. RETWEET if you stand with the legacy of President Kennedy against Trump!

A stunning "firefall" created by the setting sun illuminating Horsetail Fall in Yosemite National Park

After a long winter scavenging for food, this Arctic fox returns from a thousand-mile journey across the Arctic, dedicated to reuniting with his lifelong mate.

Rest in peace, warrior!

“Big food is taking over,” says Dr. Barry Popkin. The Gillings School professor recently co-led a group of nutrition experts in raising the global alarm on ultraprocessed foods. In a series of papers, they propose policy reforms to improve the food supply. nytimes.com/2025/11/18/wel…

🌿 @NYU & USL's Timon McPhearson, Loan Diep & Ivonne Serna are at #COP30! Join them Nov 20 at 9am at the Planetary Science Pavilion for the global launch of the NATURA Urban NbS Roadmap 🌍 "Taking Stock, Rooting Change: A Global Roadmap for Nature-Based Solutions" #COP30Brazil

The bear, the wolf and the raven. 😊

In a rare sight, a female Polar bear, weighing at around 300kg (661lbs) feasts on a male Sperm Whale weighing over 40 tons, she looks so tiny. The whale was carried by the ocean currents and winds to its location from further south, near the continental shelf.

It is not the strongest of the species that survives, not the most intelligent that survives. It is the one that is the most adaptable to change. - Charles Darwin