Crystal
@ccolby.bsky.social
Digital accessibility advocate, transit fan, and native plant gardener in the Twin Cities. Everyone watches women's sports.
Exciting to read while I'm on my way to the Gopher volleyball game! (On the bus, of course, not driving.)
🏐 Just in from @borzmn.bsky.social: Minnesota is getting a pro volleyball team.
Minnesota is already a hub for volleyball. Now, it's getting a pro team.
Many details remain to be worked out, but the yet unnamed franchise will join League One Volleyball Pro (LOVB) for the 2027 season.
www.minnpost.com
November 15, 2025 at 12:27 AM
Exciting to read while I'm on my way to the Gopher volleyball game! (On the bus, of course, not driving.)
I saw really great northern lights twice last year when I was up north, but nothing like this color! Didn't expect to see something so bright, even with the naked eye, among street lights and house lights in the Twin Cities.
November 12, 2025 at 5:28 AM
I saw really great northern lights twice last year when I was up north, but nothing like this color! Didn't expect to see something so bright, even with the naked eye, among street lights and house lights in the Twin Cities.
Reposted by Crystal
if you can’t see the aurora borealis tonight, here is a sewer tunnel which is a wonder in itself.
November 12, 2025 at 3:58 AM
if you can’t see the aurora borealis tonight, here is a sewer tunnel which is a wonder in itself.
If you cut down old plants this year but haven't yet taken them to the compost site, it's too late for the season: insects are hibernating. Saturday I pulled saplings off a pile and found 3 wooly bear caterpillars. Don't know why they chose thistles! (Carefully covered them back up after the photo.)
November 11, 2025 at 6:59 PM
If you cut down old plants this year but haven't yet taken them to the compost site, it's too late for the season: insects are hibernating. Saturday I pulled saplings off a pile and found 3 wooly bear caterpillars. Don't know why they chose thistles! (Carefully covered them back up after the photo.)
Reposted by Crystal
-Oct 18, more than 7 million Americans stand up and stand together.
-Nov 4, millions of Dems turn out for landslide wins in VA, NJ, NY, CA, GA, many other places.
-Nov 9, eight "Dems" say "Oh, this nice Mike Johnson and Mr. Trump say they care about health. If they don't, well shame on them..."
-Nov 4, millions of Dems turn out for landslide wins in VA, NJ, NY, CA, GA, many other places.
-Nov 9, eight "Dems" say "Oh, this nice Mike Johnson and Mr. Trump say they care about health. If they don't, well shame on them..."
November 10, 2025 at 2:55 AM
-Oct 18, more than 7 million Americans stand up and stand together.
-Nov 4, millions of Dems turn out for landslide wins in VA, NJ, NY, CA, GA, many other places.
-Nov 9, eight "Dems" say "Oh, this nice Mike Johnson and Mr. Trump say they care about health. If they don't, well shame on them..."
-Nov 4, millions of Dems turn out for landslide wins in VA, NJ, NY, CA, GA, many other places.
-Nov 9, eight "Dems" say "Oh, this nice Mike Johnson and Mr. Trump say they care about health. If they don't, well shame on them..."
Reposted by Crystal
Reposted by Crystal
look I know being an engaged citizen IS the work of democracy but it is also the work of elected officials not to create situations where everyone has to be mobilized all the time to prevent them from allowing some kind of Dickensian horror on a Sunday night while you're in between loads of laundry
November 9, 2025 at 11:37 PM
look I know being an engaged citizen IS the work of democracy but it is also the work of elected officials not to create situations where everyone has to be mobilized all the time to prevent them from allowing some kind of Dickensian horror on a Sunday night while you're in between loads of laundry
Reposted by Crystal
A lot of Gen X'ers thought Magic would be gone within a year... and here we are almost 35 years later & thankfully, Magic is still with us.
November 7, 1991: Magic Johnson announces his (first) retirement from the NBA, three games into the Los Angeles Lakers' 1991-92 season.
📽️ NBA/ESPN
📽️ NBA/ESPN
November 7, 2025 at 10:10 PM
A lot of Gen X'ers thought Magic would be gone within a year... and here we are almost 35 years later & thankfully, Magic is still with us.
Reposted by Crystal
Week 22 in Prospect Park, Minneapolis. Over I-94.
November 6, 2025 at 4:20 PM
Week 22 in Prospect Park, Minneapolis. Over I-94.
Reposted by Crystal
I don't know if anybody noticed, but Ramsey County's results came through a lot earlier than they have in the past, and the RCV results got counted fast. That's thanks to implementation of new software at Ramsey County. Thanks to the staff and election volunteers that made that possible
November 5, 2025 at 3:43 PM
I don't know if anybody noticed, but Ramsey County's results came through a lot earlier than they have in the past, and the RCV results got counted fast. That's thanks to implementation of new software at Ramsey County. Thanks to the staff and election volunteers that made that possible
Reposted by Crystal
No more Black or trans staffers. No politics of any kind. The cowardice of mainstream media isn't just insulting, it's *boring.* Now TV is just like any other beauty rag. Why not just kill it quickly? Why the slow-motion pretense?
thank you for all the support; the statement from our union is now live here with some more reporting.
now that this is public I can confirm that the majority of today’s layoffs were women of color. there are no longer any Black women working at Teen Vogue.
now that this is public I can confirm that the majority of today’s layoffs were women of color. there are no longer any Black women working at Teen Vogue.
November 4, 2025 at 12:35 AM
No more Black or trans staffers. No politics of any kind. The cowardice of mainstream media isn't just insulting, it's *boring.* Now TV is just like any other beauty rag. Why not just kill it quickly? Why the slow-motion pretense?
The new digital schedule sign is working at the U of M bus stop outside Ridder Arena as of at least yesterday, a month ahead of the opening of the E Line. (Route 6 is on the board until then.) Nice to see the integration of campus transit and Metro Transit info on one sign. #MSPTransitExperience
November 3, 2025 at 3:30 AM
The new digital schedule sign is working at the U of M bus stop outside Ridder Arena as of at least yesterday, a month ahead of the opening of the E Line. (Route 6 is on the board until then.) Nice to see the integration of campus transit and Metro Transit info on one sign. #MSPTransitExperience
Reposted by Crystal
Your periodic reminder that @amyklobuchar.com voted to confirm this ghoul and 6 other Trump cronies in his cabinet.
Brooke Rollins: "I guess the silver lining in all of this is that we're having a national conversation on our SNAP program. This has shined a light on a program that especially under the last administration has just become so bloated."
October 31, 2025 at 2:36 PM
Your periodic reminder that @amyklobuchar.com voted to confirm this ghoul and 6 other Trump cronies in his cabinet.
Reposted by Crystal
I gotta believe this won't hold up in court, but it's so cruel all the same
The White House plans to bar hospitals that treat transgender children and youth from getting any Medicare and Medicaid payments. The move would affect trans youth who have private insurance, too. n.pr/4qFa1mY
Trump pushes an end to medical care for transgender youth nationally
The White House plans to bar hospitals that treat transgender children and youth from getting any Medicare and Medicaid payments. The move would affect trans youth who have private insurance, too.
n.pr
October 30, 2025 at 2:33 PM
I gotta believe this won't hold up in court, but it's so cruel all the same
Feels like a long time since we've had a match at the Pav. Gophers swept Illinois but sets 1 and 3 were close.
October 30, 2025 at 2:23 AM
Feels like a long time since we've had a match at the Pav. Gophers swept Illinois but sets 1 and 3 were close.
Reposted by Crystal
Quite a world when a federal judge has to call in a federal official to specifically tell him he can't use tear gas on children in Halloween costumes
October 28, 2025 at 3:19 PM
Quite a world when a federal judge has to call in a federal official to specifically tell him he can't use tear gas on children in Halloween costumes
Reposted by Crystal
All I want is to live in a country where this story isn’t the 80th most alarming news story of the day
October 28, 2025 at 8:10 PM
All I want is to live in a country where this story isn’t the 80th most alarming news story of the day
Reposted by Crystal
Senator Klobuchar, could you please remind us what your confirmation vote for Brooke Rollins, Secretary of Agriculture and therefore the head of USDA, the agency in charge of these funds, was?
First the administration cut food assistance for Americans in need.
Now they’re refusing to use emergency funds for food assistance—even though their now-deleted shutdown plan said they could.
They have the funding to keep families from going hungry. There’s no excuse.
Now they’re refusing to use emergency funds for food assistance—even though their now-deleted shutdown plan said they could.
They have the funding to keep families from going hungry. There’s no excuse.
October 28, 2025 at 1:34 AM
Senator Klobuchar, could you please remind us what your confirmation vote for Brooke Rollins, Secretary of Agriculture and therefore the head of USDA, the agency in charge of these funds, was?
Reposted by Crystal
Also, this should not need to be said, because "promote the general welfare" def means feeding people, still it's worth noting that food stamps have a huge positive economic impact overall. Every $1 spent on SNAP adds $1.54 to the economy. As is often the case, doing right is also an overall good.
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 5:12 PM
Also, this should not need to be said, because "promote the general welfare" def means feeding people, still it's worth noting that food stamps have a huge positive economic impact overall. Every $1 spent on SNAP adds $1.54 to the economy. As is often the case, doing right is also an overall good.
Reposted by Crystal
As families lose food support and jobs, they also have to make impossible decisions about caring for pets.
Consider a pet food donation to your local food shelf and the pet food shelf at Bond Between if you're able:
www.thebondbetween.org/post/low-cos...
Consider a pet food donation to your local food shelf and the pet food shelf at Bond Between if you're able:
www.thebondbetween.org/post/low-cos...
Low Cost Pet Food and Supply Resources | The Bond Between
The Bond Between Community Solutions team actively partners with various organizations that provide low to no cost dog and cat food assistance. We encourage you to utilize the resources.
www.thebondbetween.org
October 24, 2025 at 1:00 AM
As families lose food support and jobs, they also have to make impossible decisions about caring for pets.
Consider a pet food donation to your local food shelf and the pet food shelf at Bond Between if you're able:
www.thebondbetween.org/post/low-cos...
Consider a pet food donation to your local food shelf and the pet food shelf at Bond Between if you're able:
www.thebondbetween.org/post/low-cos...
Reposted by Crystal
Due to the government shutdown food insecurity is going to rise. Here are food resources in Hennepin and Ramsey counties. Please donate to your local food shelf if you are able and please spread the word!
Ramsey
experience.arcgis.com/experience/6...
Hennepin
experience.arcgis.com/experience/7...
Ramsey
experience.arcgis.com/experience/6...
Hennepin
experience.arcgis.com/experience/7...
October 22, 2025 at 10:09 PM
Due to the government shutdown food insecurity is going to rise. Here are food resources in Hennepin and Ramsey counties. Please donate to your local food shelf if you are able and please spread the word!
Ramsey
experience.arcgis.com/experience/6...
Hennepin
experience.arcgis.com/experience/7...
Ramsey
experience.arcgis.com/experience/6...
Hennepin
experience.arcgis.com/experience/7...
Reposted by Crystal
What a weirdly cruel thing to do. Target employees have the whole weekend to stew, then work from home to start the week and wait to find out Tuesday if they’re getting cut. There had to be a thousand better ways to handle this.
How to Ensure Your Entire Workforce Is Seething, Stressed, and Scared: Target Demonstrates for the B-School Textbooks (as always, no paywall on the Strib article)
Target workers face long weekend as layoffs loom on Tuesday
The announcement has sparked an online debate about whether the lag is fair to employees. Experts weigh in on what is the best practice.
www.startribune.com
October 25, 2025 at 6:33 PM
What a weirdly cruel thing to do. Target employees have the whole weekend to stew, then work from home to start the week and wait to find out Tuesday if they’re getting cut. There had to be a thousand better ways to handle this.
Autumn on the B Line, two ways. #MSPTransitExperience
October 23, 2025 at 11:26 PM
Autumn on the B Line, two ways. #MSPTransitExperience
Reposted by Crystal
In an unanimous decision, the Minnesota Supreme Court has powerfully affirmed that trans athletes have the right to compete without discrimination & every Minnesotan deserves access to equal opportunities to thrive and belong.
October 22, 2025 at 5:07 PM
In an unanimous decision, the Minnesota Supreme Court has powerfully affirmed that trans athletes have the right to compete without discrimination & every Minnesotan deserves access to equal opportunities to thrive and belong.
Rode an A Line without the METRO design tonight. #MSPTransitExperience
October 22, 2025 at 2:26 AM
Rode an A Line without the METRO design tonight. #MSPTransitExperience