iiinova — where your digital self keeps evolving

I read this one a few years back.

Book cover in white, gray and black. It reads: Concrete and Culture, A Material History, Adrian Forty, Reaktion Books.

Matt Beckman @daphsci.bsky.social · 06/10/2026

I visited the Science History Institute in 2019 and enjoyed it so much. The first author's affiliation is with it. I can't wait to update my lectures on this topic!

The front of the Science History Institute in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. The building entrance has glass and metal doors--two sets and a hand railing leading up to them. The building above the doors has the Name Plate and above that are multiple glass windows only separated from one another by metal bracing strips. There is a banner to the left that reads: Uncover the story behind the science.

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Matt Beckman @daphsci.bsky.social · 28/09/2026

That Bryn Mawr location needs good micromobility to be effective. On another note, I'll be happy to lead a "Birding Along the SWLRT". Not sure if folks know, but the Southwest terminal in Eden Prairie is walking distance to Purgatory Creek, a birding hotspot. Nice city park, still car-centric.

A map of the area around Purgatory Creek and the Southwest Transit Station in Eden Prairie, MN. There is Hwy 212 and Prairie Creek Dr. with all of the lake, trails, Allina Clinic and SW Transit station below those two highways.

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Matt Beckman @daphsci.bsky.social · 24/09/2026

Who is going to make "Never Forget" t-shirts to commemorate the time Jim Schulz was cozy with Omar Jamal, the target of a big fraud inquiry? #Minnesota #DFL

Washed up political wannabe Jim "Law and Order" Schultz smiling and shaking hands with Omar Jamal during a campaign event in 2022. Jim now schills for the Minnesota Private Business Council and publishes long, rambling, unedited, pious Op-Ed pieces in the Minnesota Star Tribune.

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Matt Beckman @daphsci.bsky.social · 23/09/2026

Biscuits with sausage gravy and kale.

A white plate on a light brown wooden table. Biscuits and gravy plus kale on the plate.

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Matt Beckman @daphsci.bsky.social · 23/09/2026

Tomorrow is gonna start with “Biscuits in the oven, gonna watch ‘em rise…”. I’m sure Bluesky baking insists on layered biscuits, but my go-to is this recipe for cloud biscuits. Add some cashew nut yeast gravy with sausage and some pan-seared kale and call it breakfast.

Cloud biscuit recipe. 2 c. sifted all-purpose flour
4 tsp. baking powder
1/2 c. shortening
Scant 1/2 c. milk
1 tbsp. sugar
1/2 tsp. salt
1 beaten egg
Sift together dry ingredients; cut in shortening until mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Combine egg and milk to make 1/2 cup milk. Add to flour mixture all at once. If it seems too dry, add more milk. Turn out on lightly floured surface; knead gently for about 20 strokes. Roll out and cut with biscuit cutter. Place on ungreased baking sheet (apart for crusty biscuits, close together for soft sides). Bake in a very hot oven (450 degrees) for 10 to 14 minutes or until golden brown.

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Matt Beckman @daphsci.bsky.social · 20/09/2026

Canada is trolling dear leader with these discounted prices on Cheezies. #cheezies

An ad from Amazon for a three-pack of Cheezies, a delightful crunchy Canadian snack that's like Cheetos but better. It is an orange clear pack with red and white stripes. You can see the cheezies through the orange part. The package says, BIg Boy Cheezies, Hawkins. Real Cheddar. The ad says 14.99, but typically 17.15 so they are on sale.

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Matt Beckman @daphsci.bsky.social · 20/09/2026

Glossy/white-faced Ibises. My spouse and I saw these last weekend on the Western Minnesota/ Eastern South Dakota border and a lake called Salt Lake. It is very unique in having about a third of the salinity of the ocean. And these Ibises are rare there so it was quite exciting. photos not great.

Two birds against a white sky, flying from right to left they have black wings extended high above their bodies their bodies are completely outstretched horizontally, and the birds are partly overlapped. They have long beaks that curved slightly downward.

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Matt Beckman @daphsci.bsky.social · 15/09/2026

Salt Lake in far western Minnesota, part of which extends into South Dakota, is a treasure. Due to alkaline soil, it has 1/3 the salinity of the ocean. Artemia (aka, brine shrimp—think “sea monkeys”) live in it. We went there to see birds. We saw these very rare Glossy/white Ibises! #birds

Two Glossy/white Ibises in flight. These large and dark birds are rare in Minnesota. They are shown here in flight with their bodies fully extended, their wings completely extended above their heads and their slightly downward curved beaks out front. They are flying from right to left in this image.

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Matt Beckman @daphsci.bsky.social · 13/09/2026

Lac qui parle state park. Pretty great! #Minnesota.

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Matt Beckman @daphsci.bsky.social · 11/09/2026

Here's the John Brown Memorial and his statue in Osawatomie, Kansas (March 2022). Those battles between the Missouri Ruffians and the Free-staters in Kansas were bloody.

A stone building which is the memorial to abolitionist John Brown.

A statue of the abolisionist, John Brown, atop a stone platform with trees in the background.

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Matt Beckman @daphsci.bsky.social · 10/09/2026

That's excellent! I didn't buy a parking pass at work last year or this year. The e-bike is nice if I have to rush to work and be in a lecture or meeting and don't want to look like this:

Actor Robert Hays as pilot Ted Striker in the move Airplane. He is in the cockpit wearing the pilot headphone and a khaki pilots shirt. His hair is tossled on his forehead and sweaty. He is pouring sweat down his face due to stress.

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Matt Beckman @daphsci.bsky.social · 08/09/2026

I saw it just a few feet from that spot last week, and its friend was close by.

A green Heron in Minnehaha Creek along with a mallard. This picture shows a short 10 foot stretch of Minnehaha Creek with boulders and cement on the far side of the creek and Sandy narrow beach on the near side.

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Matt Beckman @daphsci.bsky.social · 06/09/2026

Today, Trader Joe's parking lot, St. Paul. I'm basic like that.

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Matt Beckman @daphsci.bsky.social · 04/09/2026

It is time for Mpls Parks to close this lot to the public (Mill Ruins Parking Lot). Allow access only for those who have an accessiblity need. Also, install light system for exiting cars (only on green light) and install warning beacons for ped/cyclists.

Aerial view from Google Maps of Mill Ruins Parking Lot on West River Parkway in Downtown Minneapolis along the Mississippi River near the Stone Arch Bridge. The entrance exit is frequently blocked by cars which blocks the heavily used bike and pedestrian path. Thus, the cars, illegally blocking a designated crosswalk, cause conflicts and accidents. The parking lot should be decommisioned with a provision for accessilbility to the Stone Arch Bridge.

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Matt Beckman @daphsci.bsky.social · 04/09/2026

I will turn this incadescent rage into anthother angry missive that I'll peddle around to the various media outlets. Just had a head-on-collision with another bike on W. River Pkwy just north of the Stone Arch Bridge and it was caused by a CAR IN THE CROSSWALK!!! Bloody finger! #bikes #Minneapolis

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Matt Beckman @daphsci.bsky.social · 04/09/2026

Techbros are to like dazzle camoflage in many ways--so much facade and distraction.

boats clustered together in the water. Each has a series of horizontal white and black lines so it's tough to see where one boat ends and another begins and you cannnot tell which direction they are going. There are a few people on the boats.

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Matt Beckman @daphsci.bsky.social · 03/09/2026

This is a must read for all progressives.

The cover of a now famous book by Donald Shoup titled: The high cost of free parking. The design includes an orange background. And part of what appears to be the board for the game Monopoly. Showing the corner tile labeled free parking with a red car on it.

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Matt Beckman @daphsci.bsky.social · 01/09/2026

#birds #Minneapolis It's gonna be huge soon in Minneapolis (already lots of warblers). These are the counts at Hawk Ridge from earlier today for 7hours & 45 min!

A table titled Hawk Ridge Bird Observatory--Hawkwatch (MN)
Tuesday 1 september 2026
Here is a link to the table which is compatible with a screen reader:
https://www.trektellen.org/count/view/3670/20260901

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Matt Beckman @daphsci.bsky.social · 01/09/2026

Something about doing the same thing over and expecting different results. #Minneapolis #bikes

A lamp post under I-94 on the North Cedar Lake Trial into downtown. These posts have access panels at their base housed in a plastic box with a plastic cover and hex-head (not tamper-proof) fastner. It is mounted on a round white cement platform has a square black plastic boot at the base and is a black metal pole rising straight up and out of this picture. There is orange tape labeled "Construction Area Do Not Enter" draped over the open access box with copper wires sticking out.

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Matt Beckman @daphsci.bsky.social · 29/08/2026

In Akeley last August enroute to the Big Bog and Canada. Stopped at this shop (pictured) and Epstein was heavily in the News. Guy had some AI flag on the ceiling showing dear leader with muscles and stuff. Said if Epstein was actually in his grave he'd eat part of him. Vinyl selection sucked.

Antique store in Akeley, Minnesota with green awning, sheet-metal and wood exterior adn a guitar mounted on the front. Bikes parked out front and an American Flag also mounted on the front. Sign over white metal exterior door says, "Leprechaun Crossing."

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Matt Beckman @daphsci.bsky.social · 28/08/2026

I am not interested in astrophotography, but this was my best effort at something I'm not interested in...no tripod.

The moon against a black sky iwth about 2/5 of the reflected light of the sun obscured by the planet earth giving it the appearance that it's not full and part of it has been bitten off.

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Matt Beckman @daphsci.bsky.social · 26/08/2026

Procured some Cheezies before the sh*t goes down. Three dollars cheaper than 6 months ago. #IYKYK

A 3-pack of Cheezies. They call this package Big Boy Grand Format. Cheezies are a Canadian snack that are crunchier and cheezier than Cheetos. They are orange lumps that are elongated and contain real cheddar cheese.

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Matt Beckman @daphsci.bsky.social · 25/08/2026

Here’s a couple pictures of the Konza Prairie in Kansas to heal Monday.

Konza Prairie near Manhattan, Kansas. Grasses (brown and green in the foreground with trees and a blue white sky above.

A panoramic view of part of the cons of Prairie near Manhattan, Kansas. At the bottom is green and brown Prairie grass in the middle one can see trees in the far distance and above that is the blue sky with white clouds.

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Matt Beckman @daphsci.bsky.social · 25/08/2026

I used to use oil pastels directly on plywood panels. And I found that the cattle markers which are oil-based were a lot of fun to use and somewhat cheaper and bigger than those I could buy at art stores, but there were not as many colors. www.jrgsupply.com/products/la-...

A painting of a fire and brimstone preacher in a white collared shirt. With red flames in the background and a blew behind that the preacher has his mouth open and is yelling and is wearing small wide room glasses. Matt Beckman, 2002.

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Matt Beckman @daphsci.bsky.social · 24/08/2026

I’ve been aching to see a Sora since April and searched all spring and summer for one. Today along the Minnesota River, I finally saw one. My spouse spotted it first. These elusive birds are so funny. Did not manage to get the perfect photo but these confirm it’s a Sora! Merlin also heard it. #birds

A Sora bird poking its yellow beak into the mud, feeding. It has greenish legs and is white black and gray with white lines and also brownish wings.

A Sora bird poking its yellow beak into the mud, feeding. It has greenish legs and is white black, brown and gray with white lines and also brownish wings.

A Sora bird walking. It has greenish legs and is white black, brown and gray with white lines and also brownish wings.

A Sora bird looking into the mud to try to
Find food. It has greenish legs and is white black, brown and gray with white lines and also brownish wings.

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Matt Beckman @daphsci.bsky.social · 23/08/2026

Konza Prairie, south of Manhattan, Kansas is located within the largest area of tallgrass prairie which hasn't been plowed in North America--the Flint Hills. Amazing place. kpbs.konza.k-state.edu/history/

A panel of 6 photographs from the Konza Prairie in northeastern Kansas. From top left to bottom right: A common whitetail dragonfly which has clear and black wings, a common collared lizard which is brown and gray and has a long slender tail, an indigo bunting on a branch (dark blue/black bird), a dark black Turkey Vulture in flight, a Yellow-billed Cuckoo perched in a tree with green leaves around and this bird is gray on top (wings) has a white belly and a yellow underbeak, last image is a variegated frittilary which is a small orange and black butterfly that looks superficially like a Monarch butterfly but is much smaller.

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Matt Beckman @daphsci.bsky.social · 21/08/2026

Cicada. Lawrence, Kansas. Collectively hitting 80dB.

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Matt Beckman @daphsci.bsky.social · 21/08/2026

Necessary and sufficient. Missouri, USA.

A road sign for Waffle House in yellow with black letters

An oval shaped plate with a brown design around the rim. A patty melt on Texas toast, and hashbrowns with jalapeños and onions.

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Matt Beckman @daphsci.bsky.social · 20/08/2026

Late to participating in e-bike summer, but joined the club with a Velotric folding shorttail. Didn’t buy a parking pass at work again this year so it will be doing some car-trip replacements, bigger hauls as well as rides for fun on top of my acoustic habit. #ebike #bike #Minneapolis

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Matt Beckman @daphsci.bsky.social · 18/08/2026

The Dodge Omni and the Plymouth horizon are two of my favorite cars from the 80s. hips.hearstapps.com/hmg-prod/ima...

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Matt Beckman @daphsci.bsky.social · 18/08/2026

Here is one of the anti-seed oil screeds at that Colorado restaurant.

100% grass fed tall fries. And there is an image of some french fries. SEA SALT Our founders set out to create a healthier burger restaurant for both the consumer and the planet. That's why we use healthier frying oils for our fries, and the absolute best frying oil in our opinion is 100% grass-fed tallow. As is the case with our beef, our tallow is sourced from regenerative American family farms where our cattle graze on lush grass pastures free from
pesticides and herbicides. Tallow is a more stable cooking oil and isn't prone to oxidation and damage to the fats as is the case with inflammatory vegetable and seed oils. These other oils are typically derived from GMO monocrops such as corn or soy which can be highly environmentally destructive. On the other hand, tallow is rich in healthy fats such as stearic acid and conjugated linoleic acid, as well as
being high in monounsaturated fats and much lower in potentially inflammatory omega-6 fats. Tallow fries not only TASTE better than fries cooked in harmful vegetable oils, but they're the
ONLY fries that we feel comfortable eating and giving to our families from a health perspective.
"Eat Up... It's Aul Good!"

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Matt Beckman @daphsci.bsky.social · 18/08/2026

Here is one of the anti-seed oil screed posters at that Colorado restaurant.

100% grass fed tallow fries. SEA SALT Our founders set out to create a healthier burger restaurant for both the consumer and the planet. That's why we use healthier frying oils for our fries, and the absolute best frying oil in our opinion is 100% grass-fed tallow. As is the case with our beef, our tallow is sourced from regenerative American family farms where our cattle graze on lush grass pastures free from
pesticides and herbicides. Tallow is a more stable cooking oil and isn't prone to oxidation and damage to the fats as is the case with inflammatory vegetable and seed oils. These other oils are typically derived from GMO monocrops such as corn or soy which can be highly environmentally destructive. On the other hand, tallow is rich in healthy fats such as stearic acid and conjugated linoleic acid, as well as
being high in monounsaturated fats and much lower in potentially inflammatory omega-6 fats. Tallow fries not only TASTE better than fries cooked in harmful vegetable oils, but they're the
ONLY fries that we feel comfortable eating and giving to our families from a health perspective.
"Eat Up... It's Aul Good!"

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Matt Beckman @daphsci.bsky.social · 18/08/2026

I need an e-bike. I’m exhausted with this pace even though I’m the cause! In other news, I did my first volunteer shift with MPRB volunteer group at Cedar Lake.

A screenshot from a phone app showing I biked 30.5 miles today over 3 hours, 25 min

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Matt Beckman @daphsci.bsky.social · 16/08/2026

Today was a perfect #Minneapolis summer day and I capped a week of riding 143mi on the trails. The Twin Cities Metro area has world-class trails serving cyclists of all types, runners, walkers and even scooter riders. I have a lot of thoughts on improving them, but this is a celebratory post!

A map showing a bike route from south Minneapolis' Longfellow neighborhood to Minnehaha Falls (along the West River Pkwy bike trail) to the Minnehaha Creek bike trail to the trails around Lakes Harriet, Bde Maka Ska, then Cedar and on to the North Cedar Lake trail out through Saint Louis Park and Hopkins and then back on Cedar Lake LRT Trail to Minneapolis and to the Midtown Greenway.

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Matt Beckman @daphsci.bsky.social · 15/08/2026

Pepper Vinegar, an under-appreciated condiment I came to love while living in Alabama. Garden peppers, garden garlic, vinegar and a little salt.

This image shows five small glass bottles with black caps, about 8 inches tall each. They contain white vinegar along with sliced up yellow and red peppers and some garlic. This is pepper vinegar.

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Matt Beckman @daphsci.bsky.social · 13/08/2026

Classic Prank, metal hand buzzer, but for nazis.

Ad for a prank toy metal handbuzzer. It’s a round metal device that has a ring. You wind it up and when you shake someone’s had it buzzed and startles them.

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Matt Beckman @daphsci.bsky.social · 12/08/2026

There are many oddities in these maps, but I find this one to be among the most perplexing. What's goin' on up there. And, why is the mall supporting Craig more?

A composite of two maps. One on the left shows areas that gave more support to Peggy Flanagan in purple and pink. there is an area right in the middle that takes up about 1/3 of this maps and is green--supporting Angie Craig. The right side shows the same area in Coon Rapids area of the map on the left but it's a google map in sattelite mode.

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Matt Beckman @daphsci.bsky.social · 12/08/2026

It's not an imaginary problem. From State Auditor Julie Blaha's report: Minnesota Town Finances 2023 Revenues, Expenditures, and Debt. www.osa.state.mn.us/media/r2deno...

A footnote from the 2023 Town Finances Report (Minnesota). While there were 1,777 Minnesota towns in 2023, a total of 118 towns failed to comply with the statutory reporting
requirements. In the previous reporting period, 209 towns failed to comply with the reporting requirement. The difference
in the number of towns reporting from 2022 to 2023 may skew comparisons between the two years.

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Matt Beckman @daphsci.bsky.social · 12/08/2026

They slapped a QR code on the front page! Problem solved.🤣

This is an exerpt from Wed 8/12/26 Minnesota Star Tribune front page. It shows text and a QR code. Text reads: Minnesota voters headed to the polls Tuesday for primary election day. Scan the QR code at right to visit the Minnesota Star Tribune's election results page, which has UPDATED information.

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Matt Beckman @daphsci.bsky.social · 09/08/2026

I have 4 bikes and three are in the hospital so I had to ride the fat tire bike all 120 miles this week, mostly on bike paths. It was a ridiculous experiment, but also zany and fun. #biking #Minneapolis

A log of my biking on 5 of 7 days this week. 120.28 miles in 10 hours, one minute and 29 seconds.

Bike route: Longfellow to Minnehaha falls to lakes Harriet, Bde Maka ska, cedar and LOTI plus a loop through Hopkins and SLP then through downtown and back to Longfellow.

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Matt Beckman @daphsci.bsky.social · 09/08/2026

This plates shows my garden dinner. Fried okra (grown in garden). Salad with tomatoes and basil from garden. Garden pickles (garlic, cukes and dill from garden). Box Mac and cheese (I’m not above it).

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Matt Beckman @daphsci.bsky.social · 08/08/2026

I saw that for the first time the other day and couldn’t believe it. Got my picture where the new data center is gonna be. That pesky sign kept appearing.

The old star tribune printing plant in Minneapolis with a stop sign to the right

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Matt Beckman @daphsci.bsky.social · 06/08/2026

This w-to-east distance along Minneapolis’ Lake St is closer to the length of Vancouver’s Granville Island.

A cartoon like map of Minneapolis around the Lake Street area no streets are limited

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