Aksel
@macasson.bsky.social
Sometimes archaeologist, anthropologist, and professor in SRU’s College of Liberal Arts.
Co-director of SRU’s Center for Middle East Studies.
Co-director of SRU’s Center for Middle East Studies.
Reposted by Aksel
An arsonist hit a Mississippi synagogue Saturday. Seven Torahs were damaged or destroyed in the fire.
One Torah, from the Holocaust, was in a glass case and wasn't touched.
The same synagogue was bombed by the KKK in 1967.
mississippitoday.org/2026/01/10/f...
One Torah, from the Holocaust, was in a glass case and wasn't touched.
The same synagogue was bombed by the KKK in 1967.
mississippitoday.org/2026/01/10/f...
Predawn fire reduces parts of Mississippi's largest synagogue to charred ruins - Mississippi Today
A fire heavily damaged Jackson’s only synagogue before dawn Saturday – the same house of worship that was firebombed by the Ku Klux Klan in 1967 because the rabbi had been an advocate for civil rights...
mississippitoday.org
January 11, 2026 at 3:59 AM
An arsonist hit a Mississippi synagogue Saturday. Seven Torahs were damaged or destroyed in the fire.
One Torah, from the Holocaust, was in a glass case and wasn't touched.
The same synagogue was bombed by the KKK in 1967.
mississippitoday.org/2026/01/10/f...
One Torah, from the Holocaust, was in a glass case and wasn't touched.
The same synagogue was bombed by the KKK in 1967.
mississippitoday.org/2026/01/10/f...
Reposted by Aksel
A woman recording an ICE agent tells him "Shame on you."
The agent responds, "Have you all not learned from the past couple of days?"
"Learned what?" she asks
Then he knocks her phone out of her hand
The agent responds, "Have you all not learned from the past couple of days?"
"Learned what?" she asks
Then he knocks her phone out of her hand
January 10, 2026 at 2:52 PM
A woman recording an ICE agent tells him "Shame on you."
The agent responds, "Have you all not learned from the past couple of days?"
"Learned what?" she asks
Then he knocks her phone out of her hand
The agent responds, "Have you all not learned from the past couple of days?"
"Learned what?" she asks
Then he knocks her phone out of her hand
Reposted by Aksel
Thanks to Prof. David Chang from the U for writing this for us.
Fort Snelling: The Advance Guard of Federal Invasion Since 1805 - Racket
Federal agents are once more using Fort Snelling for its established purpose: to maintain a “monopoly of violence.”
racketmn.com
January 9, 2026 at 8:34 PM
Thanks to Prof. David Chang from the U for writing this for us.
Reposted by Aksel
This is the ninth shooting by ICE since September (I did not know that). All of them were into vehicles.
Deadly Minneapolis Encounter Is the 9th ICE Shooting Since September
www.nytimes.com
January 7, 2026 at 10:45 PM
This is the ninth shooting by ICE since September (I did not know that). All of them were into vehicles.
Reposted by Aksel
The “prosecute the former regime at every level” candidate has my vote in 2028.
January 7, 2026 at 8:26 PM
The “prosecute the former regime at every level” candidate has my vote in 2028.
Reposted by Aksel
They did a school shooting to prevent a movie screening
"Israeli forces stormed the campus shortly before the screening [of The Voice of Hind Rajab]. The Israeli army said it targeted a “gathering in support of terrorism” at the university."
www.aljazeera.com/news/2026/1/...
"Israeli forces stormed the campus shortly before the screening [of The Voice of Hind Rajab]. The Israeli army said it targeted a “gathering in support of terrorism” at the university."
www.aljazeera.com/news/2026/1/...
Israeli school assault wounds dozens of Palestinians in West Bank raid
Casualties taken to Istishari Arab Hospital in Ramallah following an Israeli army attack on Birzeit University.
www.aljazeera.com
January 7, 2026 at 3:30 AM
They did a school shooting to prevent a movie screening
"Israeli forces stormed the campus shortly before the screening [of The Voice of Hind Rajab]. The Israeli army said it targeted a “gathering in support of terrorism” at the university."
www.aljazeera.com/news/2026/1/...
"Israeli forces stormed the campus shortly before the screening [of The Voice of Hind Rajab]. The Israeli army said it targeted a “gathering in support of terrorism” at the university."
www.aljazeera.com/news/2026/1/...
Reposted by Aksel
This sucks but I think non-Americans being justifiably angry at Americans for what the American government is doing and threatening to do, and Americans experiencing that anger and frustration personally in ways that are unpleasant, is probably an important part of any path back to stability
January 7, 2026 at 1:15 AM
This sucks but I think non-Americans being justifiably angry at Americans for what the American government is doing and threatening to do, and Americans experiencing that anger and frustration personally in ways that are unpleasant, is probably an important part of any path back to stability
Reposted by Aksel
Thinking of this, and remembering that our administration refused to even negotiate on increasing student health resources when we fought for our first contract. But we have an AI center now.
Every time I see a news article about ChatGPT pushing vulnerable people to harm themselves and others, I want to know how the universities who have eagerly proclaimed their partnerships with this company intend to account for the increasing evidence of the harms of this tech
He put his complete trust in a chat bot that turned him into a savage murderer.
January 4, 2026 at 3:28 PM
Thinking of this, and remembering that our administration refused to even negotiate on increasing student health resources when we fought for our first contract. But we have an AI center now.
Reposted by Aksel
My whole life, advocating war has been fed to me as “the adult position,” akin to drinking your coffee black or reading the business section of the newspaper. Let’s be very clear — war is the childish nonsense of impulsive destructive idiots playing baby-brained video games with real human lives.
January 4, 2026 at 2:02 AM
My whole life, advocating war has been fed to me as “the adult position,” akin to drinking your coffee black or reading the business section of the newspaper. Let’s be very clear — war is the childish nonsense of impulsive destructive idiots playing baby-brained video games with real human lives.
Reposted by Aksel
The kidnapping of Maduro inaugurates a highly dangerous era of U.S. empire that for perhaps the first time in an era of mass media is not pretending to be anything other than a violent, extractive enterprise of domination.
A Criminal Empire
The United States launches a conquest and occupation of Venezuela to extract its oil wealth. The neocon dream is the America First dream
www.forever-wars.com
January 3, 2026 at 7:50 PM
The kidnapping of Maduro inaugurates a highly dangerous era of U.S. empire that for perhaps the first time in an era of mass media is not pretending to be anything other than a violent, extractive enterprise of domination.
Reposted by Aksel
And there ya have it…
Officials from top Wall Street firms will be traveling to Venezuela to investigate “investment prospects” of the country. “The trip will feature about 20 officials from the finance, energy and defense sectors.”
Officials from top Wall Street firms will be traveling to Venezuela to investigate “investment prospects” of the country. “The trip will feature about 20 officials from the finance, energy and defense sectors.”
Finance Industry Eyes Investment Opportunities in Venezuela
Some on Wall Street are already considering possible investment opportunities in Venezuela following the capture of Nicolás Maduro, according to Charles Myers, chairman of consulting firm Signum Globa...
www.wsj.com
January 3, 2026 at 7:13 PM
And there ya have it…
Officials from top Wall Street firms will be traveling to Venezuela to investigate “investment prospects” of the country. “The trip will feature about 20 officials from the finance, energy and defense sectors.”
Officials from top Wall Street firms will be traveling to Venezuela to investigate “investment prospects” of the country. “The trip will feature about 20 officials from the finance, energy and defense sectors.”
Reposted by Aksel
if you are talking today about how bad maduro was and were alive, at all, during the run-up to the iraq war you are potentially the dumbest person to ever live
January 3, 2026 at 5:00 PM
if you are talking today about how bad maduro was and were alive, at all, during the run-up to the iraq war you are potentially the dumbest person to ever live
Reposted by Aksel
On the "boots on the ground" question and Trump saying that it will mainly be about protecting oil operations.
Given this framing, we should expect a massive payday for politically connected mercenary companies, who will use this to expand their private armies.
Given this framing, we should expect a massive payday for politically connected mercenary companies, who will use this to expand their private armies.
January 3, 2026 at 5:38 PM
On the "boots on the ground" question and Trump saying that it will mainly be about protecting oil operations.
Given this framing, we should expect a massive payday for politically connected mercenary companies, who will use this to expand their private armies.
Given this framing, we should expect a massive payday for politically connected mercenary companies, who will use this to expand their private armies.
Reposted by Aksel
Is ICE going to kidnap Maduro and return him to Venezuela?
January 3, 2026 at 6:20 PM
Is ICE going to kidnap Maduro and return him to Venezuela?
Reposted by Aksel
It's an old and obvious pattern. An unpopular president - failing on the economy and losing his grip on power at home - decides to launch a war for regime change abroad.
The American people don’t want to “run” a foreign country while our leaders fail to improve life in this one.
The American people don’t want to “run” a foreign country while our leaders fail to improve life in this one.
January 3, 2026 at 5:08 PM
It's an old and obvious pattern. An unpopular president - failing on the economy and losing his grip on power at home - decides to launch a war for regime change abroad.
The American people don’t want to “run” a foreign country while our leaders fail to improve life in this one.
The American people don’t want to “run” a foreign country while our leaders fail to improve life in this one.
Reposted by Aksel
We are a rogue state, run by a dictator, and the international community should treat us as such including all appropriate economic and diplomatic sanctions
January 3, 2026 at 3:36 PM
We are a rogue state, run by a dictator, and the international community should treat us as such including all appropriate economic and diplomatic sanctions
Reposted by Aksel
The belligerent violation of the lives of human beings, the imagery of fire and flames over there, the screams muted under the overdub of commentators— fuels the tech, the violence, the l racism and hate, that legitimates kidnappings here.
You cannot be for one and against the other.
You cannot be for one and against the other.
January 3, 2026 at 7:07 PM
The belligerent violation of the lives of human beings, the imagery of fire and flames over there, the screams muted under the overdub of commentators— fuels the tech, the violence, the l racism and hate, that legitimates kidnappings here.
You cannot be for one and against the other.
You cannot be for one and against the other.
Reposted by Aksel
Bari Weiss Launches Jar Of Mayonnaise Into CBS Evening News Anchor Chair
www.wonkette.com/p/bari-weiss...
By Gary Legum @glegum.bsky.social
www.wonkette.com/p/bari-weiss...
By Gary Legum @glegum.bsky.social
Bari Weiss Launches Jar Of Mayonnaise Into CBS Evening News Anchor Chair
She's so good at this.
www.wonkette.com
January 2, 2026 at 5:58 PM
Bari Weiss Launches Jar Of Mayonnaise Into CBS Evening News Anchor Chair
www.wonkette.com/p/bari-weiss...
By Gary Legum @glegum.bsky.social
www.wonkette.com/p/bari-weiss...
By Gary Legum @glegum.bsky.social
Reposted by Aksel
“Zeki Müren’den Yeni Yıla Mesaj 🎄”
YouTube video by YUHABAA
youtube.com
December 31, 2025 at 3:49 PM
Reposted by Aksel
The reason this Harvard history professor decided he was done with one of the best and most privileged jobs in the world was, in his own words, because he was forced to lecture in a mask during peak Covid.
I’m not making this up.
I’m not making this up.
December 31, 2025 at 12:22 AM
The reason this Harvard history professor decided he was done with one of the best and most privileged jobs in the world was, in his own words, because he was forced to lecture in a mask during peak Covid.
I’m not making this up.
I’m not making this up.
Reposted by Aksel
Israel says it will suspend several humanitarian groups, including Doctors Without Borders, in 2026 for failing its new vetting rules for groups working in Gaza. Some international organizations have said that Israel’s rules are arbitrary and could endanger staff.
Israel says it will halt operations of several humanitarian organizations in Gaza starting in 2026
Israel says it will suspend several humanitarian organizations, including Doctors Without Borders, for failing to meet its new rules to vet international organizations working in Gaza.
bit.ly
December 30, 2025 at 1:59 PM
Israel says it will suspend several humanitarian groups, including Doctors Without Borders, in 2026 for failing its new vetting rules for groups working in Gaza. Some international organizations have said that Israel’s rules are arbitrary and could endanger staff.
Reposted by Aksel
As a public service, I am reading Scott Beardsley’s book on higher education.
Just as Beardsley sacrificed a lucrative career at McKinsey to take a $700k a year job as Dean of Darden on his way to the very sketchy appointment as UVA president, I paid $12 for the kindle edition of “Higher Calling.”
Just as Beardsley sacrificed a lucrative career at McKinsey to take a $700k a year job as Dean of Darden on his way to the very sketchy appointment as UVA president, I paid $12 for the kindle edition of “Higher Calling.”
December 21, 2025 at 4:34 PM
As a public service, I am reading Scott Beardsley’s book on higher education.
Just as Beardsley sacrificed a lucrative career at McKinsey to take a $700k a year job as Dean of Darden on his way to the very sketchy appointment as UVA president, I paid $12 for the kindle edition of “Higher Calling.”
Just as Beardsley sacrificed a lucrative career at McKinsey to take a $700k a year job as Dean of Darden on his way to the very sketchy appointment as UVA president, I paid $12 for the kindle edition of “Higher Calling.”
Reposted by Aksel
Every Democrat running for office needs to promise investigations and full prosecutions from top to bottom, remove its funding bloat then break up the agency and distribute its core remaining useful functions across other agencies.
ICE detain father shopping on Christmas Eve—then steal his family's groceries.
Then 3 agents divvy up his paid for food—taking what they want for themselves.
"Can I just get the wife's number to call and let her know?" woman asks.
"No, guess he should've complied," agent says.
Yakima, Washington
Then 3 agents divvy up his paid for food—taking what they want for themselves.
"Can I just get the wife's number to call and let her know?" woman asks.
"No, guess he should've complied," agent says.
Yakima, Washington
December 26, 2025 at 10:20 AM
Every Democrat running for office needs to promise investigations and full prosecutions from top to bottom, remove its funding bloat then break up the agency and distribute its core remaining useful functions across other agencies.
Reposted by Aksel
Merry Christmas everyone! 🎄🌟
We all love a good reindeer at Christmas! These ones were painted in Font-de-Gaume cave in France 18,000 years ago!
Rudolph the Red-backed Cave deer? 🎶🦌
#RockArtThursday #archaeology 🏺
We all love a good reindeer at Christmas! These ones were painted in Font-de-Gaume cave in France 18,000 years ago!
Rudolph the Red-backed Cave deer? 🎶🦌
#RockArtThursday #archaeology 🏺
December 25, 2025 at 1:21 PM
Merry Christmas everyone! 🎄🌟
We all love a good reindeer at Christmas! These ones were painted in Font-de-Gaume cave in France 18,000 years ago!
Rudolph the Red-backed Cave deer? 🎶🦌
#RockArtThursday #archaeology 🏺
We all love a good reindeer at Christmas! These ones were painted in Font-de-Gaume cave in France 18,000 years ago!
Rudolph the Red-backed Cave deer? 🎶🦌
#RockArtThursday #archaeology 🏺