Ben Floyd

We need these reforms right now or we will not survive as a nation.

We need to invest in education, in health, in public service, in community building. All things that make for a strong democracy that is resilient to authoritarians.

Finally, we need to change our institutions and our communities to never allow this to happen again. We must shut down authoritarianism swiftly and definitively whenever it arises.

If any member of congress refuses to do their duty and carry out the reforms and investigations that we demand they must be removed from office. If any members of the judicial branch refuse the same they too must be impeached and removed.

Fourth, the members of our legislative and judicial branches need to step up and fulfill their oath to support and defend the Constitution of the United States against all enemies, foreign and domestic; to bear true faith and allegiance to the same.

Third, multiple members of the administration need to be impeached by the House of Representatives and convicted and removed from office by the Senate. These members should also be investigated for multiple accounts of corruption.

Secondly, criminal charges need to be brought to every single ICE agent that has participated in these brutal murders. Further investigations and charges should be carried out regarding the myriad of other abuses and human rights violations that has occurred by ICE's terrorism of our communities.

We need major reforms to come from this.
First of all, ICE must be abolished. No half measures, the whole thing must be removed.

The people need to make a choice, right here, right now. The fascist authoritarians that are in so many levels of government and their violent thugs that are ever so willing to enable them are not just going to go away. If we do nothing, then the last 250 years of our nation will be for nothing.

Alex Pretti was a true hero by any definition. He died trying to help a woman that ICE agents were trying to attack. "Look for the helpers" is a phrase I always have in my head. It's something I strive to live by everyday and Alex Pretti was an excellent example of such a helper.

It's taken a lot for me to be in the right headspace about what happened yesterday.

I found out about the state-sanctioned murder of Alex Pretti while I was on a train back from a conference and it was all I could do to not just break down in the middle of a full train.

And because we've still not managed to land on an easily recognizable sign when we stick together, I'm going to suggest this marine signal flag.

It's the letter "U", but it also means "Standing into danger".
Flown by ships anchored at or moving in dangerous places.

Sounds right.

The images coming out of my home country are haunting. It breaks my heart and makes me incredibly angry to see this authoritarian attempt to take over society. And that again, Minneapolis has become a battleground in this slow, "cold" civil war that's been brewing in America for decades.

Just when you think she's done, she gets pulled back in!

@lizcookkc.bsky.social: always the finest words for your enjoyment!

From 2006. A younger and shell-shocked looking Catherine on a balcony holding a very tiny baby with the mountains of Vancouver in the background. The baby is so new, Catherine still has the pregnant bump.

Conventional wisdom says motherhood should wait for tenure as before you land a permanent post, #academia is just not that family friendly🙁

@carersinstemm.bsky.social are calling for change and to celebrate their new report, a Saturday🧵on parenting & academia! 1/9 👩‍🔬🧪🔭⚛️

ℹ️: carersinstemm.co.uk

If you can't recognize how dystopian this headline is, I don't think I can help you.

A State Department employee shared with PBS News an image from inside the department. The image includes a piece of paper taped to a mirror with the words, "Colleagues, if you remain: RESIST FASCISM. Remember the oath you vowed to uphold."

a woman in a black dress says it - it - the f - it - flam - flames Alt: a woman in a black dress says "it - it - the f - it - flam - flames on the side of my face", while gesturing at her face.

Just got warned that the new "Voice Isolation" feature in Teams, if turned on and trained on a male voice, will filter out all the women in the room, while still allowing the men in the room to be heard online.

*clears throat*

IF YOU USE A BIASED TRAINING SET, YOUR TECHNOLOGY WILL BE BIASED.

LEGO Hubble Space Telescope set completed

A partially completed LEGO Discovery set

In honor of Hubble Space Telescope's 35th launch day, I have finally started to put together the LEGO Discovery+ HST set.

Hubble is complete but Discovery has run over schedule.

Astronomers will keep pointing out to folks that the Roman telescope is *already built* and is being prepped for launch *next year* and I know we live in a stupid timeline but cancelling Roman at this point would be SO STUPID.

🚀🚀

Agreed but with one change: "No government...should dictate what *universities can teach..."

Public universities are the backbone of the American higher education system. All universities need to stand together private or public in fighting authoritarianism and anti-intellectualism.

HST proposals this year really have a certain last call at the bar feel.

It was art!

Having worked for the same previous institution (and many similar complaints), I'm so glad and proud of you!

My friend @trayford.bsky.social does amazing work on sonification, where we convert visual data into audio information which allows for better accessibility of astronomy. It also lets us make new insights into the data that might not be as obvious in the visual medium.

Proud of my fellow Kansas Citians!

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It may not be cool or hip in some circles, but we legitimately do need a massive amount of people to run for office.

Flood the school boards, councils, county seats, state legislatures, Congress, etc.

Big changes at the top happen when the ground shifts at the bottom. And that can start now.