Erol Akcay
@akcay.theoretical.bio
3.8K followers 3.6K following 310 posts
Ecology, evolution, and social dynamics at the University of Pennsylvania. He/him https://akcay.theoretical.bio
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akcay.theoretical.bio
I deleted my twitter/X account. I am now only on here and (rarely) on Mastodon.
Reposted by Erol Akcay
brendannyhan.bsky.social
Resistance to authoritarianism is a coordination game. That's why universities and law firms and nonprofits can't let themselves be picked off one by one. www.nytimes.com/2025/10/08/o...
Opinion | You Beat Trumpism by Banding Together. It’s as Hard and as Simple as That.
www.nytimes.com
akcay.theoretical.bio
Most chromosomes of any animal on Earth so far!
Reposted by Erol Akcay
vancleve.theoretical.bio
Many excellent points in this op-ed from @jeremymberg.bsky.social about how we scientists haven't stood up for our principles when the Trump administration attacked representation and diversity efforts.

We should stand up for what we believe in just like our brave federal worker colleagues.
jeremymberg.bsky.social
I have been trying to get this published as an op-ed, but I am going to post it here since I think it is timely in light of the "consent" extortion events.

Deafening Quiet from the Scientific Establishment

jeremymberg.github.io/jeremyberg.g...

1/14
jeremymberg.github.io
Reposted by Erol Akcay
stanfordpress.bsky.social
Population Biology Modeling & Theory (PBMT) is a peer-reviewed journal reporting advances in modeling and theory within population biology. Its scope spans demography, ecology, epidemiology, evolutionary biology, population genetics, and phylogenetics. PBMT will be online soon.
Reposted by Erol Akcay
kyledcheney.bsky.social
A WILD ONE: A man broke his leg during an arrest by ICE at a car wash south of L.A.

ICE has held him under 24/7 guard at a hospital, registering him under a pseudonym, for *37 days* without telling him why.

A judge has ordered his immediate release.

storage.courtlistener.com/recap/gov.us...
Reposted by Erol Akcay
bgrueskin.bsky.social
If a federal judge, appointed by Trump, can call him “simply untethered to facts,” our White House press corps can as well.

storage.courtlistener.com/recap/gov.us...
In sum, the President is certainly entitled "a great level of deference," Newsom II, 141
F.4th at 1048, in his determination that he "is unable with the regular forces to execute the laws
of the United States." 10 U.S.C. § 12406(3). But "a great level of deference" is not equivalent to
ignoring the facts on the ground. As the Ninth Circuit articulated, courts must "review the
President's determination to ensure that it reflects a colorable assessment of the facts and law
PAGE 22 - OPINION AND ORDER
Case 3:25-cv-01756-IM Document 56
Filed 10/04/25
Page 23 of 31
within a 'range of honest judgment.'" Id. at 1051 (quoting Sterling, 278 U.S. at 399). Here, this
Court concludes that the President did not have a "colorable basis" to invoke § 12406(3) to
federalize the National Guard because the situation on the ground belied an inability of federal
law enforcement officers to execute federal law. Id. at 1051-52. The President's determination
was simply untethered to the facts.
c. Whether there is a Rebellion or Danger of Rebellion
Defendants also aroue that the Sentember 28 2025 federalization order is authorized
Reposted by Erol Akcay
oregonian.com
Federal officer blasts chemical spray into vocal but nonviolent Portland protester, video shows

The interaction illustrates how federal law enforcement officers do use aggressive tactics against protesters who yell and needle officers but don’t appear to present clear physical threats.
Reposted by Erol Akcay
govpritzker.illinois.gov
This morning, the Trump Administration’s Department of War gave me an ultimatum: call up your troops, or we will. It is absolutely outrageous and un-American to demand a Governor send military troops within our own borders and against our will.
Reposted by Erol Akcay
fishkin.bsky.social
News coverage of the Trump administration's proposed "compact" with universities has been, so far, shockingly bad.

I hate to pick on NPR reporter Elissa Nadworny, who's usually a solid reporter, but almost every important thing I heard her say this morning about the proposed "compact" was false.
Reposted by Erol Akcay
tomtmwolf.bsky.social
BREAKING -- 1st Cir. says Trump's attempt to end birthright citizenship REMAINS BLOCKED.

Opinion includes a helpful TL;DR:

Don't mistake the length of our answer for the existence of a real question. Birthright citizenship is broad-based and it's sacred. @brennancenter.org
Reposted by Erol Akcay
jamellebouie.net
a heartwarming story of how being an unethical and talentless hack is no barrier to success when you are willing to endlessly flatter the wretched views of rich dipshits
phillewis.bsky.social
Bari Weiss is set to be named the editor in chief of CBS News, the New York Post reports
Paramount Skydance is poised to name Bari Weiss as editor in chief of CBS News in the coming days — giving the hard-charging journalist unusual clout to revamp the struggling network as it also acquires her scrappy news site the Free Press, The Post has learned.

Weiss — a 41-year-old former New York Times opinion writer who has built the Free Press into a buzzworthy site with a contrarian bent — is expected to be named to the top post in a Monday announcement, although the talks are in flux and the timing could change, a source close to the situation said.
Reposted by Erol Akcay
aaup.org
AAUP @aaup.org · 5d
The Trump admin’s offer to give preferential treatment to institutions that toe the party line reeks of bribery in exchange for allegiance to a partisan ideological agenda.

This is corruption.

Adherence to ‘loyalty oaths’ would usher in a new era of thought policing in American higher education.
Universities Must Reject Trump Admin 'Loyalty Oath' Compacts
The AAUP and AFT warn that the Trump administration’s offer to give preferential treatment to colleges and universities that court government favor in exchange for allegiance to a partisan ideological...
www.aaup.org
Reposted by Erol Akcay
mcopelov.bsky.social
Unprecedentedly illegal & unconstitutional crimes happening in front of us daily. Folks look at you like you’re crazy when you say we’re in the midst of the worst, most unprecedented Article I constitutional crisis in American history, &, well, here we are:
ronfilipkowski.bsky.social
All blue states. What a surprise. I guess all we can do is vote out every single Republican candidate for every office in those states since none of them will speak up or do anything. And the Appropriations Chair Susan Collins.
Reposted by Erol Akcay
donmoyn.bsky.social
We are now in the domain of not just illegal impoundments, but targeted illegal impoundments to punish liberal spaces. Not different from what Trump is doing to to universities.
ndhapple.bsky.social
OMB Director Russell Voight says that US DOT will announce that the federal government is "pausing" funding for both Gateway and the Second Avenue Subway because of "unconstitutional DEI principles" -- x.com/russvought/s...
Voight's tweet
Reposted by Erol Akcay
mcopelov.bsky.social
I know we're desensitized, but it's important to note, again, that today's events would have led to the immediate impeachment & removal of any president from at least Truman to at least Obama. We're hundreds of miles on the interstate past Richard Nixon's high school prank-level crimes compared to 👇
atrupar.com
Trump wraps up a speech to military leaders that represented a major escalation of his effort to weaponize the armed forces into a tool he can use to violently quash domestic dissent. Hard to imagine how anyone with a shred of dignity can keep serving after this, which of course is the point.
Reposted by Erol Akcay
charlesgaba.com
📣 OK, with ~3 hours to go before the midnight government shutdown, I'm going to go through ALL 50 STATES +DC ONE BY ONE to remind everyone of how many Americans healthcare Democrats are fighting to save (and this is just #ACA exchange enrollees; don't forget about Medicaid).

Please bear with me.
Reposted by Erol Akcay
gregpak.net
This is a long clip, but I want you to see how BIG this New Yorkers Against ICE march was. At least two city blocks of people. You are not alone and we are going to win.
Reposted by Erol Akcay
electproject.bsky.social
Again...Republicans WANT the government shutdown. They would do it even if they controlled every congressional seat
jacobbogage.bsky.social
👀 Just Now -- President Trump in the Oval Office said a government shutdown gives his administration the power to cut benefit programs, which include Social Security and Medicare.

www.washingtonpost.com/business/202...
“We can do things during the shutdown that are irreversible, that are bad for them, and irreversible by them, like cutting vast numbers of people out, cutting things that they like, cutting programs that they like. And, you all know Russell Vought. He’s become very popular recently because he can trim the budget to a level that you couldn't do any other way. So they're taking a risk by having a shutdown. Because of the shutdown, we can do things medically and other ways, including benefits. We can cut large numbers of people. We don't want to do that, but we don't want fraud, waste and abuse.”
Reposted by Erol Akcay
jamellebouie.net
pete hegseth, who you will recall has been accused of domestic abuse and sexual assault, has announced a new policy by which you cannot file anonymous complaints of mistreatment. sex criminal solidarity.
Reposted by Erol Akcay
gbbranstetter.bsky.social
Really the only question that matters
Reposted by Erol Akcay
jamellebouie.net
the president of the united states wants to use the american military to kill american citizens on american soil. that's the whole story!
Reposted by Erol Akcay
kjephd.bsky.social
Trump must be removed from office ASAP

Every Republican in Congress should be bombarded with the question of why they don't support removing him office, given that he's suggested today using the US military against Americans
radleybalko.bsky.social
The president just gathered the highest ranking officers in the military to tell them that he may order them to kill American citizens -- and that they better follow his orders. All in response to a series of crises that have no basis in reality.

I don't know how to yell any louder.
Reposted by Erol Akcay
Reposted by Erol Akcay
macfarlanenews.bsky.social
Amid an ongoing wave of conspiracy theories and bogus claims about Jan 6, I’ll note this from our reporting:

Rioters made all kinds of claims and defenses in court … and jurors convicted 100% of the defendants who went to trial

100%