Ben Maas
@masbenmaas.bsky.social
Studying water quality for the state of Minnesota
"Negative marks on Operation Metro Surge from independents and suburban voters could be a problem for Republicans... ICE’s approval is lowest in Minneapolis and St. Paul... but 69% of suburban residents also disapprove of how ICE is handling its job."
www.startribune.com/poll-trumps-...
www.startribune.com/poll-trumps-...
Poll: Trump’s immigration crackdown deeply unpopular in Minnesota
Federal deportation efforts are also unpopular nationally, turning immigration from a political strength to a problem for the president ahead of the midterm elections.
www.startribune.com
February 11, 2026 at 4:50 PM
"Negative marks on Operation Metro Surge from independents and suburban voters could be a problem for Republicans... ICE’s approval is lowest in Minneapolis and St. Paul... but 69% of suburban residents also disapprove of how ICE is handling its job."
www.startribune.com/poll-trumps-...
www.startribune.com/poll-trumps-...
Don't worry about breathing those heavy metals from burning coal, kids they are *GOOD* for you /s
Burgum: "CO2 was never a pollutant. When we breathe, we emit CO2. Plants need CO2 to survive and grow. They thrive with more CO2. So the whole endangerment thing opens up an opportunity for the revival of clean, beautiful, American coal."
February 11, 2026 at 4:34 PM
Don't worry about breathing those heavy metals from burning coal, kids they are *GOOD* for you /s
Reposted by Ben Maas
New Strib poll confirms my rough guess: 1/3rd of Minnesotans are shitheads who support ICE, but 2/3rds are with us. 69% in the ‘burbs! (Abolish ICE, like Defund the Police, is a public-opinion loser. Still, 79% say ICE should abolished OR reformed.) www.startribune.com/poll-trumps-... (gift link) 1/
February 11, 2026 at 12:08 PM
New Strib poll confirms my rough guess: 1/3rd of Minnesotans are shitheads who support ICE, but 2/3rds are with us. 69% in the ‘burbs! (Abolish ICE, like Defund the Police, is a public-opinion loser. Still, 79% say ICE should abolished OR reformed.) www.startribune.com/poll-trumps-... (gift link) 1/
"told the teen to call her family & ask them to pick her up. But the agent said that if they came, ICE would send the entire family to Texas. The girl writes “My family decided not to come and pick me up as a result of this threat. ICE decided to take me to a hotel.”"
www.mprnews.org/story/2026/0...
www.mprnews.org/story/2026/0...
After arrest, teen refugee held overnight in hotel room by ICE agents
A girl who entered the United States as a refugee alleges that immigration authorities separated her from her family and detained her overnight in a hotel, where she was forced to share a room with fe...
www.mprnews.org
February 11, 2026 at 2:34 PM
"told the teen to call her family & ask them to pick her up. But the agent said that if they came, ICE would send the entire family to Texas. The girl writes “My family decided not to come and pick me up as a result of this threat. ICE decided to take me to a hotel.”"
www.mprnews.org/story/2026/0...
www.mprnews.org/story/2026/0...
Reposted by Ben Maas
Well, doing nothing to improve the water quality of Iowa’s streams didn't work, so I guess changing the definition of "impaired water" is all that can be done.
iowacapitaldispatch.com/2026/02/10/b...
iowacapitaldispatch.com/2026/02/10/b...
Bill would require identification of fecal material source for impaired water list • Iowa Capital Dispatch
Lawmakers advanced a bill pertaining to the state's impaired water list process and environmental groups plan to sue the EPA.
iowacapitaldispatch.com
February 11, 2026 at 2:55 AM
Well, doing nothing to improve the water quality of Iowa’s streams didn't work, so I guess changing the definition of "impaired water" is all that can be done.
iowacapitaldispatch.com/2026/02/10/b...
iowacapitaldispatch.com/2026/02/10/b...
Reposted by Ben Maas
Academics, do any of you feel like your institution has done an excellent (or even "pretty good") job at instituting policies to manage Generative "AI"? I'm on a committee looking to craft a framework for our school to guide faculty & students.
February 9, 2026 at 11:02 PM
Academics, do any of you feel like your institution has done an excellent (or even "pretty good") job at instituting policies to manage Generative "AI"? I'm on a committee looking to craft a framework for our school to guide faculty & students.
Well, doing nothing to improve the water quality of Iowa’s streams didn't work, so I guess changing the definition of "impaired water" is all that can be done.
iowacapitaldispatch.com/2026/02/10/b...
iowacapitaldispatch.com/2026/02/10/b...
Bill would require identification of fecal material source for impaired water list • Iowa Capital Dispatch
Lawmakers advanced a bill pertaining to the state's impaired water list process and environmental groups plan to sue the EPA.
iowacapitaldispatch.com
February 11, 2026 at 2:55 AM
Well, doing nothing to improve the water quality of Iowa’s streams didn't work, so I guess changing the definition of "impaired water" is all that can be done.
iowacapitaldispatch.com/2026/02/10/b...
iowacapitaldispatch.com/2026/02/10/b...
Reposted by Ben Maas
Keep this in mind when people claim cars mean business — closing Central #Madrid to cars over holidays resulted in a 9.5% boost in retail spending on its main shopping street: STUDY.
There was also a 71% drop in air pollution.
Via @carltonreid.com in @forbes.com. #citymakingmath #citiesforpeople
There was also a 71% drop in air pollution.
Via @carltonreid.com in @forbes.com. #citymakingmath #citiesforpeople
Closing Central Madrid To Cars Resulted In 9.5% Boost To Retail Spending, Finds Bank Analysis
City of Madrid significantly boosted the takings of its shops and restaurants last Christmas by banning cars from the CBD, finds an analysis by Spain's second largest bank.
www.forbes.com
February 8, 2026 at 5:09 AM
Keep this in mind when people claim cars mean business — closing Central #Madrid to cars over holidays resulted in a 9.5% boost in retail spending on its main shopping street: STUDY.
There was also a 71% drop in air pollution.
Via @carltonreid.com in @forbes.com. #citymakingmath #citiesforpeople
There was also a 71% drop in air pollution.
Via @carltonreid.com in @forbes.com. #citymakingmath #citiesforpeople
Reposted by Ben Maas
Minnesota mention.
Really solid story line from Star Trek Enterprise as well.
Really solid story line from Star Trek Enterprise as well.
February 9, 2026 at 1:59 AM
Minnesota mention.
Really solid story line from Star Trek Enterprise as well.
Really solid story line from Star Trek Enterprise as well.
Anybody know any microbiologists that might be able to answer this question/request?
I don't use this platform enough for this to work, but by chance are there any microbiologists out there with Chromobacterium violaceum strains Cv017 and Cv026 for AHL quorum sensing? #microbiology #quorumsensing
February 6, 2026 at 7:39 PM
Anybody know any microbiologists that might be able to answer this question/request?
Posted by a staffer.
February 6, 2026 at 6:21 PM
Posted by a staffer.
*waves hands wildly* If only the local police could do something about this... but alas.
We reviewed more than 100 Minnesota license plates attached to immigration enforcement vehicles in recent weeks.
We found that nearly 60% were not registered with the state of Minnesota, including the Chevy Tahoe that federal agent Jonathan Ross traveled in the day he fatally shot Renee Good.
We found that nearly 60% were not registered with the state of Minnesota, including the Chevy Tahoe that federal agent Jonathan Ross traveled in the day he fatally shot Renee Good.
Swapped, covered and removed: The license plate tactics ICE is using in Minnesota
The Department of Homeland Security defends secretive practices as safety measures.
bit.ly
February 6, 2026 at 6:18 PM
*waves hands wildly* If only the local police could do something about this... but alas.
Reposted by Ben Maas
"Contaminated: The Carpet Industry’s Toxic Legacy"
Frontline - February 3, 2026 #PFAS
"Local governments say the problem is too vast for them to fix alone."
A sobering look at the depth of the PFAS crisis.
www.pbs.org/wgbh/frontli...
Frontline - February 3, 2026 #PFAS
"Local governments say the problem is too vast for them to fix alone."
A sobering look at the depth of the PFAS crisis.
www.pbs.org/wgbh/frontli...
February 5, 2026 at 7:00 PM
"Contaminated: The Carpet Industry’s Toxic Legacy"
Frontline - February 3, 2026 #PFAS
"Local governments say the problem is too vast for them to fix alone."
A sobering look at the depth of the PFAS crisis.
www.pbs.org/wgbh/frontli...
Frontline - February 3, 2026 #PFAS
"Local governments say the problem is too vast for them to fix alone."
A sobering look at the depth of the PFAS crisis.
www.pbs.org/wgbh/frontli...
Reposted by Ben Maas
the Epstein files are really devastating because they remind me of how many girls and women miss out on professional opportunities, mentorship and careers because of how many powerful, rich and influential men only view girls and women — and interactions with them — through the lens of sex
February 5, 2026 at 5:05 PM
the Epstein files are really devastating because they remind me of how many girls and women miss out on professional opportunities, mentorship and careers because of how many powerful, rich and influential men only view girls and women — and interactions with them — through the lens of sex
Got to do something to find a market for all the surplus soybeans...
A bill advancing through the Iowa Senate would require fire districts and city councils in the state to consider switching to a soybean-based firefighting foam in an effort to reduce exposure to forever chemicals, Cami Koons reports.
Soybean-based firefighting foam could replace 'forever chemical' foam • Iowa Capital Dispatch
A bill advancing through the Senate would require Iowa fire districts and city councils to consider switching to a soybean-based foam.
iowacapitaldispatch.com
February 5, 2026 at 2:02 AM
Got to do something to find a market for all the surplus soybeans...
I DID know this!
But this is a very fun geology fact about curling stones.
But this is a very fun geology fact about curling stones.
Did you know that Olympic curling stones come from just one tiny island in Scotland?
Granite from Ailsa Craig has been used to make Olympic curling stones since 1924. Below, you can see a thin section in cross polarised light.
Learn about the stones: britgeoheritage.blogspot.com/2014/02/gran...
Granite from Ailsa Craig has been used to make Olympic curling stones since 1924. Below, you can see a thin section in cross polarised light.
Learn about the stones: britgeoheritage.blogspot.com/2014/02/gran...
February 4, 2026 at 6:07 PM
I DID know this!
But this is a very fun geology fact about curling stones.
But this is a very fun geology fact about curling stones.
I recently left academia... the topics covered here hit HARD
Getting paid WAY too little?✔️
Working multiple years without a raise?✔️
A small pay increase when getting promoted✔️
Worked 10 year at a small liberal arts university & a state university. Both knew they could find someone else for less.
Getting paid WAY too little?✔️
Working multiple years without a raise?✔️
A small pay increase when getting promoted✔️
Worked 10 year at a small liberal arts university & a state university. Both knew they could find someone else for less.
Here's my piece on compensation absurdities in higher. Only scratches the surface, but hopeful we can use this as a springboard to say: this weird thing we do? We don't have to keep doing it. Or, we can do this better. Let's aim higher www.chronicle.com/article/high...
Opinion | Higher Education’s Compensation Charade
We’ve come to accept illogical, unjust, and occasionally insulting pay practices. Why?
www.chronicle.com
February 4, 2026 at 4:36 AM
I recently left academia... the topics covered here hit HARD
Getting paid WAY too little?✔️
Working multiple years without a raise?✔️
A small pay increase when getting promoted✔️
Worked 10 year at a small liberal arts university & a state university. Both knew they could find someone else for less.
Getting paid WAY too little?✔️
Working multiple years without a raise?✔️
A small pay increase when getting promoted✔️
Worked 10 year at a small liberal arts university & a state university. Both knew they could find someone else for less.
February 3, 2026 at 11:56 PM
LEGO shark doo-doo, doo-doo, doo-doo
Another Lego shark has been found! It was discovered on Sunday by Emma Fraser Trecurno at East Portholland beach in Cornwall. It's one of 51,800 Lego sharks that fell into the ocean on 13th February 1997.
Picture credit: Emma Fraser Trecurno
Picture credit: Emma Fraser Trecurno
February 3, 2026 at 12:29 PM
LEGO shark doo-doo, doo-doo, doo-doo
Happy February 2nd!
a man in a suit and tie is holding a microphone that has the number 9 on it
ALT: a man in a suit and tie is holding a microphone that has the number 9 on it
media.tenor.com
February 3, 2026 at 1:10 AM
Happy February 2nd!
Reposted by Ben Maas
Grateful to be part of this important discussion on #PFAS with the amazing @mariahblake.bsky.social and hosted by @wbrangham.bsky.social, anchor of Horizons from PBS News. www.youtube.com/watch?v=VfYN...
How PFAS harm our health — and why they’re everywhere
YouTube video by PBS NewsHour
www.youtube.com
January 30, 2026 at 10:53 PM
Grateful to be part of this important discussion on #PFAS with the amazing @mariahblake.bsky.social and hosted by @wbrangham.bsky.social, anchor of Horizons from PBS News. www.youtube.com/watch?v=VfYN...
Reposted by Ben Maas
We just finished writing an update on how climate change is impacting the CO River flows - chapter 2 in this short compilation on the growing CO River crisis. www.colorado.edu/center/gwc/2...
January 30, 2026 at 11:39 AM
We just finished writing an update on how climate change is impacting the CO River flows - chapter 2 in this short compilation on the growing CO River crisis. www.colorado.edu/center/gwc/2...
Listen to: Minnesota’s mining fight has global consequences
A nice story from OnPoint about proposed mining and the resulting risk of acid rock drainage (AKA acid mine drainage) in the area near the Boundary Waters of Minnesota.
one.npr.org/i/fis-510053...
A nice story from OnPoint about proposed mining and the resulting risk of acid rock drainage (AKA acid mine drainage) in the area near the Boundary Waters of Minnesota.
one.npr.org/i/fis-510053...
🔊 Listen Now: Minnesota’s mining fight has global consequences
On Point With Meghna Chakrabarti from WBUR on NPR One | 31:22
one.npr.org
January 28, 2026 at 3:54 AM
Listen to: Minnesota’s mining fight has global consequences
A nice story from OnPoint about proposed mining and the resulting risk of acid rock drainage (AKA acid mine drainage) in the area near the Boundary Waters of Minnesota.
one.npr.org/i/fis-510053...
A nice story from OnPoint about proposed mining and the resulting risk of acid rock drainage (AKA acid mine drainage) in the area near the Boundary Waters of Minnesota.
one.npr.org/i/fis-510053...