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Reposted by JC Strzalka-Steil

jamelle @jamellebouie.net · 07/09/2026

under remarked on aspect of trump is his deep hatred of natural beauty and the natural world.

JC Strzalka-Steil @jcstrzalkasteil.bsky.social · 27/08/2026

We need serious, thoughtful people on the Chicago School Board - the kind of folks who understand our community and what our schools need to thrive. That's why we're excited to support our friend and neighbor, Ed Bannon, for District 1A! We need leaders like Ed, now more than ever.

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JC Strzalka-Steil @jcstrzalkasteil.bsky.social · 13/08/2026

On July 9, 1864, Union forces under Gen. Lew Wallace made a pivotal stand along the Monocacy River. With only 6600 troops, they had to hold off 14000 Confederates to allow reinforcements to reach Washington. Union soldiers endured 5 brutal assaults that day before falling back, the Capital secured.

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JC Strzalka-Steil @jcstrzalkasteil.bsky.social · 19/07/2026

I'm pretty sure my hair turned even grayer just reading that this was 8 years ago, but, graying hair or not, I am still committed to showing that young people are the leaders who will save our country.

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JC Strzalka-Steil @jcstrzalkasteil.bsky.social · 06/07/2026

Claudia is a fantastic candidate and a great friend! Come to support her exciting campaign for School Board, and then stay to watch the conclusion of an exciting World Cup (at an awesome neighborhood restaurant)!

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JC Strzalka-Steil @jcstrzalkasteil.bsky.social · 04/07/2026

America is a country founded on ideals - not on ancestry, royal conquests, or ethnic rivalry. We have the duty to uphold those freedoms and values for each and every one of us. It is the challenge entrusted to us as Americans. That challenge - 250 years old - is the true test of patriotism.

A photograph of a cannon from the late 19th century and an American flag on a flagpole at Fort Union National Monument in New Mexico.

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Reposted by JC Strzalka-Steil

Angry Staff Officer @pptsapper.bsky.social · 02/07/2026

Happy “liberal arts professor helps save the Union” day to all who celebrate

Charge of the 20th Maine at Little Round Top

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JC Strzalka-Steil @jcstrzalkasteil.bsky.social · 30/06/2026

3 conservative justices think a president can overrule the extremely clear, plain language of the Constitution by executive order (and a 4th thinks Congress can by law). Conservatism is a hypocritical, anti-American movement, and the only way to defend American values and freedom is to defeat it.

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JC Strzalka-Steil @jcstrzalkasteil.bsky.social · 26/06/2026

We had a great time seeing so many friends at Personal PAC's Next Gen Event tonight, as well as supporting the important work Personal PAC does protecting reproductive freedom in Illinois!

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JC Strzalka-Steil @jcstrzalkasteil.bsky.social · 20/06/2026

It is a picture-perfect day in Chicago, holy cow.

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Reposted by JC Strzalka-Steil

Dems 45 @dems45th.bsky.social · 19/06/2026

Happy Juneteenth! Today we celebrate the ending of slavery and the freedom of Black Americans. We must also reflect on the legacy of racism in the United States and the Trump administration's ongoing campaign to erase Black history. The work to dismantle white supremacy continues.

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JC Strzalka-Steil @jcstrzalkasteil.bsky.social · 17/06/2026

Another amazing trip has come to an end. During my journey, I got to visit friends and family, experience the history, culture, and cuisine of New Mexico, and hike gorgeous trails. Although its back to regular life now, I return with a plethora of photographs, memories, and - as always - books.

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JC Strzalka-Steil @jcstrzalkasteil.bsky.social · 15/06/2026

Although the Raton-Clayton Volcanic Field is 9 million years old, Capulin Volcano is a youngster, erupting only 60,000 years ago. Capulin Volcano National Monument is considered an outstanding example of cinder cone shape - and the views from the rim are pretty sweet, too.

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JC Strzalka-Steil @jcstrzalkasteil.bsky.social · 14/06/2026

Fort Union was arguably the most important US fort in the Southwest. Why? Because in addition to being the only fort for 100s of miles around, it was home to the depot that supplied 46 other forts. That made Fort Union NM a busy and vital place on the Santa Fe Trail for soldiers and civilians alike

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JC Strzalka-Steil @jcstrzalkasteil.bsky.social · 14/06/2026

Located on the Santa Fe Trail, Pecos NHP is home to many important sites. Pecos Pueblo was a powerful trade center between the Rio Grande and the Great Plains In the Civil War, Union volunteers ended the Confederate invasion of New Mexico at the Battle of Glorieta Pass and destroyed their supplies

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JC Strzalka-Steil @jcstrzalkasteil.bsky.social · 13/06/2026

1.2 million years ago, there was a giant volcanic eruption at what is now Valles Caldera National Preserve. When the volcano collapsed, it formed the caldera. There was later volcanic activity, too. Now, it is a beautiful place to hike and watch wildlife, like the elk and coyotes I saw this morning

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JC Strzalka-Steil @jcstrzalkasteil.bsky.social · 12/06/2026

To say "the secret project to produce an atomic bomb changed the world in ways we are still grappling with" is an understatement. Manhattan Project National Historical Park and museums and parks around Los Alamos tell the story of the men and women who worked here and the legacy of their work.

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JC Strzalka-Steil @jcstrzalkasteil.bsky.social · 12/06/2026

Bandelier National Monument is famous both for its Ancestral Puebloan ruins and its amazing scenery. Frijoles Canyon is a beautiful place for a hike, whether short or long, including the park's very popular Pueblo Loop Trail.

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JC Strzalka-Steil @jcstrzalkasteil.bsky.social · 11/06/2026

Petroglyph National Monument is filled with - you guessed it! - incredible petroglyphs. They were drawn by the Ancestral Puebloans who lived east of this location. I find petroglyphs fascinating; they make me very curious about the lives of those who left their art on these rocks so long ago.

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JC Strzalka-Steil @jcstrzalkasteil.bsky.social · 11/06/2026

El Malpais NM is home to 5 major lava flows. The views of the lava beds from above at Sandstone Bluffs are amazing. The Lava Falls Trail is one of the coolest I've ever hiked - a mile loop in a lava flow, following cairns over giant cracks in the volcanic rock and through the rugged, broken terrain

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JC Strzalka-Steil @jcstrzalkasteil.bsky.social · 10/06/2026

Because it had the only water for miles around, El Morro NM became the crossroads of western New Mexico. Ancestral Puebloan petroglyphs, inscriptions by Spanish Conquistadors and US Cavalrymen, and the names of many travelers adorn Inscription Rock. It is an incredible piece of American history

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JC Strzalka-Steil @jcstrzalkasteil.bsky.social · 09/06/2026

Acoma Sky City is the oldest continuously occupied community in America, dating back a millenium. I toured the pueblo today through the Sky City Cultural Center. The history and culture of the Acoma people was wonderful to learn about during my visit. (I also bought some beautiful pottery!)

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JC Strzalka-Steil @jcstrzalkasteil.bsky.social · 09/06/2026

Salinas Pueblo Missions NM preserves the remains of the pueblos of Abó, Quarai, and Gran Quivira, as well as the churches constructed there by Spanish Franciscan missionaries in the mid-1600s. The three pueblos thrived for hundreds of years as agricultural and regional trade hubs until the 1670s.

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JC Strzalka-Steil @jcstrzalkasteil.bsky.social · 08/06/2026

Fort Craig was an important army outpost in New Mexico from 1854-84. In the Civil War, it was a strategic point in the nearby Battle of Valverde. Despite gaining the field, the Confederates' inability to dislodge the Union garrison dealt a huge blow to their attempt to conquer the southwest.

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JC Strzalka-Steil @jcstrzalkasteil.bsky.social · 07/06/2026

Nestled deep in the Gila Wilderness, Mogollon familes built their homes in these cliffsides in ~1275 and lived there for about a quarter century. Gila Cliff Dwellings NM protects their structures. The trail leads through some of them, giving visitors a window into the lives of people 750 years ago

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JC Strzalka-Steil @jcstrzalkasteil.bsky.social · 07/06/2026

The dunefields at White Sands National Park are tremendous. Anywhere you stop, you'll find otherworldly views. Spending time walking over and through the dunes makes the experience even better. The peaceful stillness is calming while the sun glistening off the sand is dazzling.

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JC Strzalka-Steil @jcstrzalkasteil.bsky.social · 06/06/2026

When you want to see some wildlife on Arrakis... um, I mean, at White Sands National Park

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JC Strzalka-Steil @jcstrzalkasteil.bsky.social · 06/06/2026

White Sands National Park! This park is home to the largest white gypsum dune field in the world. The brilliant, bright sand is something to behold! As if that weren't cool enough, White Sands is also home to the oldest preserved human footprints in North America - 23000 years old!

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JC Strzalka-Steil @jcstrzalkasteil.bsky.social · 06/06/2026

The Rio Grande changed course from time to time - causing a century of border disputes between the US and Mexico. In the West Texas town of El Paso, Chamizal Nat'l Mem'l commemorates the boundary issue's peaceful resolution in 1963 and celebrates the shared culture and traditions of our two nations

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JC Strzalka-Steil @jcstrzalkasteil.bsky.social · 06/06/2026

It has been a great week camping at Pine Springs below the Guadalupe Mountains, but its time to continue on my way. As I become the latest traveler to pass westward under the gaze of El Capitan, I'm grateful for every night I got to stay here (even the stormy ones).

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JC Strzalka-Steil @jcstrzalkasteil.bsky.social · 06/06/2026

The Devil's Hall Trail at Guadalupe Mountains National Park is quite the hike. Although only 4.2 miles roundtrip, the upper half of the route involves bouldering through a dry wash. Getting all the way to Devil's Hall is well worth the effort - both for the scenic trail and the cool destination.

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JC Strzalka-Steil @jcstrzalkasteil.bsky.social · 05/06/2026

The desert is filled with plant life. The Foothills Trail at Guadalupe Mountains National Park features grasses, cacti, shrubs, trees - all manner of flora adapted to the region's climate. There are also great views of the mountains, like this one of El Capitan rising in the distance.

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JC Strzalka-Steil @jcstrzalkasteil.bsky.social · 04/06/2026

McKittrick Canyon is one of the prettiest areas in Guadalupe Mountains National Park and a great example of its riparian ecosystem. Today I hiked out to the Grotto, a tiny cave with cool rock formations. There was a lot of wildlife on the trail - I got this good photo of a crevice spiny lizard!

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JC Strzalka-Steil @jcstrzalkasteil.bsky.social · 03/06/2026

It is Wednesday in Guadalupe Mountains National Park, my dudes!

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JC Strzalka-Steil @jcstrzalkasteil.bsky.social · 02/06/2026

Guadalupe Mountains National Park! Now a remote corner of West Texas desert, this area was once an ancient sea. A massive coral reef formed below it. Now, 270,000,000 years later - thanks to some tectonic movement - the Capitan Reef rises high above the ground as the Guadalupe Mountains.

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JC Strzalka-Steil @jcstrzalkasteil.bsky.social · 02/06/2026

The Natural Entrance Trail at Carlsbad Caverns NP is quite a trek - 800 feet down and 50 feet back up to the Big Room. It features plenty of incredible cave formations from top to bottom. The hike down was cool, but I'm glad I took the elevator back up.

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JC Strzalka-Steil @jcstrzalkasteil.bsky.social · 01/06/2026

What better way to celebrate #CaveWeek than in a cave? The Big Room at Carlsbad Caverns NP is remarkable both for the intricacy of its features and for its sheer size (8.2 acres). I had some stretches of the cavern to myself, so I could even hear the water dripping off the rock around me.

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JC Strzalka-Steil @jcstrzalkasteil.bsky.social · 01/06/2026

Spent the morning exploring some of the quieter corners of Carlsbad Caverns National Park. I hiked a slice of remote and beautiful Slaughter Canyon. In addition to many lizards and birds, I saw an ornate box turtle cross the trail in front of me!

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JC Strzalka-Steil @jcstrzalkasteil.bsky.social · 31/05/2026

Carlsbad Caverns National Park! This is a park experienced both below ground and above. I look forward to hiking the Chihuahuan desert trails, exploring the spectacular caverns, and seeing the bats on their evening flight!

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JC Strzalka-Steil @jcstrzalkasteil.bsky.social · 31/05/2026

Good morning from Roswell, New Mexico, where I "crashed" last night (figuratively, not literally, and not in a UFO) and explored this morning.

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JC Strzalka-Steil @jcstrzalkasteil.bsky.social · 30/05/2026

Since I was passing southwest through Amarillo, decided to make a quick detour to the Route 66 icon, the Cadillac Ranch. (I don't bring spray paint on my trips, so no, I didn't write on them - next time)

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JC Strzalka-Steil @jcstrzalkasteil.bsky.social · 30/05/2026

Alibates Flint Quarries NM is where Native peoples quarried Alibates Flint. They turned the beautiful, durable, sharp-edged rock into every tool imaginable. The flint is agatized dolomite. Regular dolomite covers hills in Lake Meredith NRA, where AFQNM's visitor center is, with a nice short trail.

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JC Strzalka-Steil @jcstrzalkasteil.bsky.social · 30/05/2026

Washita Battlefield NHS protects the sacred ground where, on a frigid morning in 1868, Custer's 7th Cavalry attacked Chief Black Kettle's Cheyenne camp. Black Kettle and his wife were among the dozens killed. The cavalry burned the camp's supplies, looted belongings, and slaughtered over 800 ponies

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JC Strzalka-Steil @jcstrzalkasteil.bsky.social · 30/05/2026

Good evening from Clinton, Oklahoma! This historic western OK town is on Route 66 and is also tonight's stopping point on my trip. Although I'm not doing Route 66 this time, I did mostly follow the Mother Road westward to kick off my latest National Park journey.

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Reposted by JC Strzalka-Steil

John Garrison Marks @johngmarks.com · 27/05/2026

Do not let the White House convince you that they are dictating what happens for the 250th. They're doing a bunch of stuff, but it's all fleeting spectacle. There is genuine, thoughtful, history-focused programming happening all over the United States. Get offline and go find it.

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JC Strzalka-Steil @jcstrzalkasteil.bsky.social · 25/05/2026

The Wildlife Prairie Park, near Peoria, is a real neat place! We enjoyed the beautiful summer weather, checked out the animals, and rode the park's train. The preserve is home to over a hundred animals, including this bison herd, bear, & fox. I definitely plan to return to hike some of the trails!

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JC Strzalka-Steil @jcstrzalkasteil.bsky.social · 22/05/2026

The prosecutors in the Broadview Six case are a scourge on the legal profession and our society. They must all be sanctioned, disbarred, and publicly shamed. None of them should ever set foot in a courtroom again, except as defendants on trial for their own misbehavior.

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JC Strzalka-Steil @jcstrzalkasteil.bsky.social · 21/05/2026

This is tremendous good news. I am so relieved (especially for Michael Rabbitt, a personal friend of mine) that this bullshit case is over. I am also infuriated that the evil liars in the Trump admin could even take it this far, costing the defendents so much time, stress, and money.

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JC Strzalka-Steil @jcstrzalkasteil.bsky.social · 17/05/2026

The Northwest Side is featured in American Truck Sim! Both the Montrose Blue Line station and the intersection of Cicero/Caldwell are recreated digitally in the Illinois DLC. I am delighted that other players will get glimpses of my corner of the city in addition to Chicago's beautiful lakefront!

Screenshot from the video game American Truck Simulator depicting a Chicago L station that resembles the Montrose Blue Line station.

Screenshot from the video game American Truck Simulator that depicts a green semi with bison painted on it stopped at a fairly accurate rendering of the intersection of Cicero Avenue and Caldwell Avenue.

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Reposted by JC Strzalka-Steil

jamelle @jamellebouie.net · 29/04/2026

The court has simply recreated the pre-Brown world in allowing racial discrimination across a broad number fields as long as it is “facially neutral,” gutting the Reconstruction Amendments in the process.

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