Podcasts about Twin cities

"You don't just want more years—you want good years." That's the mindset Chris Freytag brings to wellness, content creation, and building a life you love. In this episode of The Curious Builder Podcast, Mark sits down with the powerhouse behind Get Healthy U TV to talk about entrepreneurship, reinvention, and why failure is often the start of your best chapter. From selling workout DVDs in the 90s to surviving Google algorithm chaos, Chris shares how she's stayed ahead in the digital fitness space—and what builders and designers should consider when creating truly healthy homes. Support the show - https://www.curiousbuilderpodcast.com/shop See our upcoming live events - https://www.curiousbuilderpodcast.com/events The host of the Curious Builder Podcast is Mark D. Williams, the founder of Mark D. Williams Custom Homes Inc. They are an award-winning Twin Cities-based home builder, creating quality custom homes and remodels — one-of-a-kind dream homes of all styles and scopes. Whether you're looking to reimagine your current space or start fresh with a new construction, we build homes that reflect how you live your everyday life. Sponsors for the Episode:  Pella Website: https://www.pella.com/ppc/professionals/why-wood/  Adaptive  Website: https://referrals.adaptive.build/u8Gkiaev  Sauna Camp Website: https://www.saunacamps.com/ Where to find the Guest:  Website: https://www.gethealthyutv.com/  Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/chrisfreytag Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/chrisfreytagpage Where to find the Host:  Website - https://www.mdwilliamshomes.com/  Podcast Website - https://www.curiousbuilderpodcast.com Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/markdwilliams_customhomes/  Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/MarkDWilliamsCustomHomesInc/  LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/mark-williams-968a3420/  Houzz - https://www.houzz.com/pro/markdwilliamscustomhomes/mark-d-williams-custom-homes-inc

President Trump has taken aim at Minnesota’s Somali community, with xenophobic remarks and calls for their removal from the U.S. It coincides with a new ICE operation in the Twin Cities targeting Somali immigrants. Special correspondent Fred de Sam Lazaro reports on the community’s response and how we arrived at this point, including a sweeping fraud scandal that has gripped the state. PBS News is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy

Chad opens with talk about reports of ICE agents setting up near Twin Cities schools and argues that ICE doing their work at schools is unacceptable.

This week, President Trump made some of the most openly abusive, racist, and dehumanizing comments yet — aimed directly at the Somali community in St. Paul and Minneapolis. He's also deploying federal agents to intimidate them. As a pastor who spent 20 years in the Twin Cities — and as a neighbor — I'm speaking up.

Minnesota is in national news due to President Donald Trump's recent targeting of the state's Somali population. In a cabinet meeting this week, the president made xenophobic and racist comments about Somali people. MPR News is also following reports that the White House is sending federal agents to the Twin Cities to arrest Somali immigrants who have final deportation orders. All of this has spread fear among Somali Minnesotans, most of whom are U.S. citizens or green card holders. Salman Fiqy, who is Somali, threw his energy into campaigning for Republican candidates in his Somali community in the south Twin Cities metro during the 2024 election. This was after he had ended an unsuccessful campaign for a Republican house seat. Results from the 2024 presidential election showed Democrats lost support in Minneapolis neighborhoods with high numbers of Somali voters. A survey from that time also showed growing support for the Republican party.Since President Donald Trump's recent xenophobic comments, Fiqy has shared that he can no longer support the party. Salman Fiqy spoke with host Nina Moini more about his decision.

Following xenophobic comments from President Donald Trump and an immigration operation targeting some Somalis in the Twin Cities, a local Somali Republican with aspirations to run for office is now questioning his political future. With the first half of the school year winding down, mental health and addiction struggles are becoming unmanageable for some students. We checked in with a counselor in Chisago county.We also learned more about St. Paul's growing homeless encampment as temperatures reach frigid lows.And mountain lion sightings led two Duluth schools to go into lockdown Wednesday. We got more details about the big cat.Plus, a tour of the hard-won University of Minnesota's men's gymnastics gym. Our Minnesota Music Minute was “The Holly and the Ivy” arranged and performed by Peter Ostroushko. Our Song of the Day was “Hans Painted with Flowers” by Steven J. Schmidt.

Lots of thinking about thinking in this episode as the Nice Hosts attempt to define some core concepts to gameplay. What even is a game? Interactivity? Play? A failstate?!Buckle in for an intellectual conversation, and remember to go to nicegames.com/feedback to tell Stephen exactly why he's wrong about any of it. Word Play - Steam This Is Minnesota Orchestra: Søndergård and Symphonie fantastique - YouTubeWho is the Sky - David ByrneTwin Cities violin maker saves the day for David Byrne's bandleader - Brianna Kelly, Bring Me The NewsNoble Robot Website - Noble Robot0:14:47Interactivity vs. PlayBlippo+Steam0:35:24Fail States in ArtThis topic is a continuation of Lydia's previous roundtable topic/therapy session in"I saw a Beatle."Stephen brought forward the concept of purposefully designing friction into games earlier in the year. You can find that conversation in"This is an impossible challenge."

Tutita Casa, Anna Strauss, Jenna Waggoner & Mhret Wondmagegne, Developing Student Agency: The Strategy Showcase ROUNDING UP: SEASON 4 | EPISODE 7 When students aren't sure how to approach a problem, many of them default to asking the teacher for help. This tendency is one of the central challenges of teaching: walking the fine line between offering support and inadvertently cultivating dependence.  In this episode, we're talking with a team of educators about a practice called the strategy showcase, designed to foster collaboration and help students engage with their peers' ideas.  BIOGRAPHIES Tutita Casa is an associate professor of elementary mathematics education at the Neag School of Education at the University of Connecticut. Mhret Wondmagegne, Anna Strauss, and Jenna Waggoner are all recent graduates of the University of Connecticut School of Education and early career elementary educators who recently completed their first years of teaching. RESOURCE National Council of Teachers of Mathematics  TRANSCRIPT Mike Wallus: Well, we have a full show today and I want to welcome all of our guests. So Anna, Mhret, Jenna, Tutita, welcome to the podcast. I'm really excited to be talking with you all about the strategy showcase. Jenna Waggoner: Thank you.  Tutita Casa: It's our pleasure.  Anna Strauss: Thanks.  Mhret Wondmagegne: Thank you. Mike: So for listeners who've not read your article, Anna, could you briefly describe a strategy showcase? So what is it and what could it look like in an elementary classroom? Anna: So the main idea of the strategy showcase is to have students' work displayed either on a bulletin board—I know Mhret and Jenna, some of them use posters or whiteboards. It's a place where students can display work that they've either started or that they've completed, and to become a resource for other students to use. It has different strategies that either students identified or you identified that serves as a place for students to go and reference if they need help on a problem or they're stuck, and it's just a good way to have student work up in the classroom and give students confidence to have their work be used as a resource for others. Mike: That was really helpful. I have a picture in my mind of what you're talking about, and I think for a lot of educators that's a really important starting point.  Something that really stood out for me in what you said just now, but even in our preparation for the interview, is the idea that this strategy showcase grew out of a common problem of practice that you all and many teachers face. And I'm wondering if we can explore that a little bit. So Tutita, I'm wondering if you could talk about what Anna and Jenna and Mhret were seeing and maybe set the stage for the problem of practice that they were working on and the things that may have led into the design of the strategy showcase. Tutita: Yeah. I had the pleasure of teaching my coauthors when they were master's students, and a lot of what we talk about in our teacher prep program is how can we get our students to express their own reasoning? And that's been a problem of practice for decades now. The National Council of Teachers of Mathematics has led that work. And to me, [what] I see is that idea of letting go and really being curious about where students are coming from. So that reasoning is really theirs. So the question is what can teachers do? And I think at the core of that is really trying to find out what might be limiting students in that work. And so Anna, Jenna, and Mhret, one of the issues that they kept bringing back to our university classroom is just being bothered by the fact that their students across the elementary grades were just lacking the confidence, and they knew that their students were more than capable. Mike: Jenna, I wonder if you could talk a little bit about, what did that actually look like? I'm trying to imagine what that lack of confidence translated into. What you were seeing potentially or what you and Anna and Mhret were seeing in classrooms that led you to this work. Jenna: Yeah, I know definitely we were reflecting, we were all in upper elementary, but we were also across grade levels anywhere from fourth to fifth grade all the way to sixth and seventh. And across all of those places, when we would give students especially a word problem or something that didn't feel like it had one definite answer or one way to solve it or something that could be more open-ended, we a lot of times saw students either looking to teachers. "I'm not sure what to do. Can you help me?" Or just sitting there looking at the problem and not even approaching it or putting something on their paper, or trying to think, "What do I know?" A lot of times if they didn't feel like there was one concrete approach to start the problem, they would shut down and feel like they weren't doing what they were supposed to or they didn't know what the right way to solve it was. And then that felt like kind of a halting thing to them. So we would see a lot of hesitancy and not that courage to just kind of be productively struggling. They wanted to either feel like there was something to do or they would kind of wait for teacher guidance on what to do. Mike: So we're doing this interview and I can see Jenna and the audience who's listening, obviously Jenna, they can't see you, but when you said "the right way," you used a set of air quotes around that. And I'm wondering if you or Anna or Mhret would like to talk about this notion of the right way and how when students imagined there was a right way, that had an effect on what you saw in the classroom. Jenna: I think it can be definitely, even if you're working on a concept like multiplication or division, whatever they've been currently learning, depending on how they're presented instruction, if they're shown one way how to do something but they don't understand it, they feel like that's how they're supposed to understand to solve the problem. But if it doesn't make sense for them or they can't see how it connects to the problem and the overall concept, if they don't understand the concept for multiplication, but they've been taught one strategy that they don't understand, they feel like they don't know how to approach it. So I think a lot of it comes down to they're not being taught how to understand the concept, but they're more just being given one direct way to do something. And if that doesn't make sense to them or they don't understand the concepts through that, then they have a really difficult time of being able to approach something independently. Mike: Mhret, I think Jenna offered a really nice segue here because you all were dealing with this question of confidence and with kids who, when they didn't see a clear path or they didn't see something that they could replicate, just got stuck, or for lack of a better word, they kind of turned to the teacher or imagined that that was the next step. And I was really excited about the fact that you all had designed some really specific features into the strategy showcase that addressed that problem of practice. So I'm wondering if you could just talk about the particular features or the practices that you all thought were important in setting up the strategy showcase and trying to take up this practice of a strategy showcase. Mhret: Yeah, so we had three components in this strategy showcase. The first one, we saw it being really important, being open-ended tasks, and that combats what Jenna was saying of "the right way." The questions that we asked didn't ask them to use a specific strategy. It was open-ended in a way that it asked them if they agreed or disagreed with a way that someone found an answer, and it just was open to see whatever came to their mind and how they wanted to start the task. So that was very important as being the first component.  And the second one was the student work displayed, which Anna was talking about earlier. The root of this being we want students' confidence to grow and have their voices heard. And so their work being displayed was very important—not teacher work or not an example being given to them, but what they had in their mind. And so we did that intentionally with having their names covered up in the beginning because we didn't want the focus to be on who did it, but just seeing their work displayed—being worth it to be displayed and to learn from—and so their names were covered up in the beginning and it was on one side of the board.  And then the third component was the students' co-identified strategies. So that's when after they have displayed their individual work, we would come up as a group and talk about what similarities did we see, what differences in what the students have used. And they start naming strategies out of that. They start giving names to the strategies that they see their peers using, and we co-identify and create this strategy that they are owning. So those are the three important components. Mike: OK. Wow. There's a lot there. And I want to spend a little bit of time digging into each one of these and I'm going to invite all four of you to feel free to jump in and just let us know who's talking so that everybody has a sense of that.  I wonder if you could talk about this whole idea that, when you say open-ended tasks, I think that's really important because it's important that we build a common definition. So when you all describe open-ended tasks, let's make sure that we're talking the same language. What does that mean? And Tutita, I wonder if you want to just jump in on that one. Tutita: Sure. Yeah. An open-ended task, as it suggests, it's not a direct line where, for example, you can prompt students to say, "You must use 'blank' strategy to solve this particular problem." To me, it's just mathematical. That's what a really good rich problem is, is that it really allows for that problem solving, that reasoning. You want to be able to showcase and really gauge where your students are. Which, as a side benefit, is really beneficial to teachers because you can formatively assess where they're even starting with a problem and what approaches they try, which might not work out at first—which is OK, that's part of the reasoning process—and they might try something else. So what's in their toolbox and what tool do they reach for first and how do they use it? Mike: I want to name another one that really jumped out for me. I really—this was a big deal that everybody's strategy goes up. And Anna, I wonder if you can talk about the value and the importance of everybody's strategy going up. Why did that matter so much? Anna: I think it really helps, the main thing, for confidence. I had a lot of students who in the beginning of starting the strategy showcase would start kind of like at least with a couple ideas, maybe a drawing, maybe they outlined all of the numbers, and it helps to see all of the strategies because even if you are a student who started out with maybe one simple idea and didn't get too far in the problem, seeing up on the board maybe, "Oh, I have the same beginning as someone else who got farther into the problem." And really using that to be like, "I can start a problem and I can start with different ideas, and it's something that can potentially lead to a solution." So there is a lot of value in having all of the work that everyone did because even something that is just the beginning of a solution, someone can jump in and be like, "Oh, I love the way that you outlined that," or "You picked those numbers first to work on. Let's see what we can use from the way that you started the problem to begin to work on a solution." So in that way, everyone's voice and everyone's decisions have value. And even if you just start off with something small, it can lead to something that can grow into a bigger solution. Mike: Mhret, can I ask you about another feature that you mentioned? You talked about the importance, at least initially, of having names removed from the work. And I wonder if you could just expand on why that was important and maybe just the practical ways that you managed withholding the names, at least for some of the time when the strategy showcase was being set up. Can you talk about both of those please? Mhret: Yes, yeah. I think all three of us when we were implementing this, we—all kids are different. Some of them are very eager to share their work and have their name on it. But we had those kids that maybe they just started with a picture or whatever it may be. And so we saw their nerves with that, and we didn't want that to just mask that whole experience. And so it was very important for us that everybody felt safe. And later we'll talk about group norms and how we made it a safe space for everyone to try different strategies. But I think not having their names attached to it helped them focus not on who did it, but just the process of reasoning and doing the work. And so we did that practically I think in different ways, but I just use tape, masking tape to cover up their names. I know some of—I think maybe Jenna, you wrote their names on the back of the paper instead of the front. But I think a way to not make the name the focus is very important. And then hopefully by the end of it, our hope is that they would gain more confidence and want to name their strategy and say that that is who did it. Mike: I want to ask a follow up about this because it feels like one of the things that this very simple, but I think really important, idea of withholding who created the strategy or who did the work. I mean, I think I can say during my time in classrooms when I was teaching, there are kids that classmates kind of saw as really competent or strong in math. And I also know that there were kids who didn't think they were good at math or perhaps their classmates didn't think were good at math. And it feels like by withholding the names that would have a real impact on the extent to which work would be considered as valuable. Because you don't know who created it, you're really looking at the work as opposed to looking at who did the work and then deciding whether it's worth taking up. Did you see any effects like that as you were doing this? Jenna: This is Jenna. I was going to say, I know for me, even once the names were removed, you would still see kids sometimes want to be like, "Oh, who did this?" You could tell they still are almost very fixated on that idea of who is doing the work. So I think by removing it, it still was definitely good too. With time, they started to less focus on "Who did this?" And like you said, it's more taking ownership if they feel comfortable later down the road. But sometimes you would have, several students would choose one approach, kind of what they've seen in classrooms, and then you might have a few other slightly different, of maybe drawing a picture or using division and connecting it to multiplication. And then you never wanted those kids to feel like what they were doing was wrong. Even if they chose the wrong operation, there was still value in seeing how that was connected to the problem or why they got confused. So we never wanted one or two students also to feel individually focused on if maybe what they did initially—not [that it] wasn't correct, but maybe was leading them in the wrong direction, but still had value to understand why they chose to do that. So I think just helping, again, all the strategies work that they did feel valuable and not having any one particular person feel like they were being focused on when we were reflecting on what we put up on display. Mike: I want to go back to one other thing that, Mhret, you mentioned, and I'm going to invite any of you, again, to jump in and talk about this, but this whole idea that part of the prompting that you did when you invited kids to examine the strategies was this question of do you agree or do you disagree? And I think that's a really interesting way to kind of initiate students' reflections. I wonder if you can talk about why this idea of, "Do you agree or do you disagree" was something that you chose to engage with when you were prompting kids? And again, any of you all are welcome to jump in and address this, Anna: It's Anna. I think one of the reasons that we chose to [have them] agree or disagree is because students are starting to look for different ways to address the problem at hand. Instead of being like, "I need to find this final number" or "I need to find this final solution," it's kind of looking [at], "How did this person go about solving the problem? What did they use?" And it gives them more of an opportunity to really think about what they would do and how what they're looking at helps in any way. Jenna: And then this is Jenna. I was also going to add on that I think by being "agree or disagree" versus being like, "yes, I got the same answer," and I feel like the conversation just kind of ends at that point. But they could even be like, "I agree with the solution that was reached, but I would've solved it this way, or my approach was different." So I think by having "agree or disagree," it wasn't just focusing on, "yes, this is the correct number, this is the correct solution," and more focused on, again, that approach and the different strategies that could be used to reach one specific solution that was the answer or the correct thing that you're looking for. Tutita: And this is Tutita, and I agree with all of that. And I can't help but going back just to the word "strategy," which really reflects students' reasoning, their problem solving, argumentation. It's really not a noun; it's a verb. It's a very active process. And sometimes we, as teachers, we're so excited to have our students get the right answer that we forget the fun in mathematics is trying to figure it out.  And I can't help but think of an analogy. So many people love to watch sports. I know Jenna's a huge UConn women's basketball… Jenna: Woohoo! Tutita: …fan, big time. Or if you're into football, whatever it might be, that there's always that goal. You're trying to get as many more points, and as many as you can, more points than the other team. And there are a lot of different strategies to get there, but we appreciate the fact that the team is trying to move forward and individuals are trying to move forward. So it's that idea with the strategy, we need to as teachers really open up that space to allow that to come out and progressively—in the end, we're moving forward even though within a particular time frame, it might not look like we are quite yet. I like the word "yet." But it's really giving students the time that they need to figure it out themselves to deepen their understanding. Mike: Well, I will say as a former Twin Cities resident, I've watched Paige Bueckers for a long time, and… Tutita: There we go. Mike: …in addition to being a great shooter, she's a pretty darn good passer and moves the ball.  And in some ways that kind of connects with what you all are doing with kids, which is that—moving ideas around a space is really not that different from moving the ball in basketball. And that you have the same goal in scoring a basket or reaching understanding, but it's the exchange that are actually the things that sometimes makes that happen. Jenna: I love it. Thank you.  Tutita: Nice job. Mike: Mhret, I wanted to go back to this notion that you were talking about, which is co-naming the strategies as you were going through and reflecting on them. I wonder if you could talk a little bit about, what does co-naming mean and why was it important as a part of the process? Mhret: Mm-hmm. Yeah. So, I think the idea of co-naming and co-identifying the strategies was important. Just to add on to the idea, we wanted it all to be about the students and their voice, and it's their strategy and they're discussing and coming up with everything. And we know of the standard names of strategies like standard algorithm or whatever, but I think it gave them an extra confidence when it was like, "Oh, we want to call it—" I forgot the different names that they would come up with for strategies. Jenna: I think they had said maybe "stacking numbers," something like that. They would put their own words. It wasn't standard algorithm, but like, "We're going to stack the numbers on top of each other," I think was maybe one they had said. Mhret: Mm-hmm. So I think it added to that collaboration within the group that they were in and also just them owning their strategy. And so, yeah. Mike: That leads really nicely into my next question. And Anna, this is one I was going to pose to you, but everyone else is certainly welcome to contribute.  I'm wondering if you could talk a little bit about what happened when you all started to implement this strategy showcase in your classroom. So what impacts did you see on students' efficacy, their confidence, the ways that they collaborated? Could you talk a little bit about that? Anna: So I think one of the biggest things that I saw that I was very proud of was there was less of a need for me to become part of the conversation as the teacher because students were more confident to build off of each other's ideas instead of me having to jump in and be like, "Alright, what do we think about what this person did?" Students, because their work became more anonymous and because everyone was kind of working together and had different strategies, they were more open to discussing with each other or working off of each other's ideas because it wasn't just, "I don't know how to do this strategy." It was working together to really put the pieces together and come to a final agree or disagree.  So it really helped me almost figure out where students are, and it brought the confidence into the students without me having to step in and really officiate the conversation. So that was the really big thing that I saw at least in some of my groups, was that huge confidence and more communication happening. Mhret: Yeah. This is Mhret. I think it was very exciting too, like Anna was saying, that—them getting excited about their work, and everything up on the board is their work. And so seeing them with a sticky note, trying to find the similarities and differences between strategies, and getting excited about what someone is doing, I think that was a very good experience and feeling for me because of the confidence that I saw grow through the process of the kids, but also the collaboration of, "It's OK to use what other people know to build upon the things that I need to build upon." And so I think it just increased collaboration, which I think is really important when we talk about reasoning and strategies. Mike: Which actually brings me to my next question, and Jenna, I was wondering if you could talk a little bit about: What did you see in the ways that students were reasoning around the mathematics or engaging in problem solving? Jenna: Yeah, I know one specific example that stood out was—again, that initial thing of when we gave a student a problem, they would look to the teacher and a little bit later on in the process when giving a problem, we had done putting the strategies up, we'd cocreated the names, and then they were trying a similar problem independently. And one of my students right off the bat had that initial reaction that we would've seen a few weeks ago of being like, "I don't know what to do." And she put a question mark on the paper. So I gave her a minute and then she looked at me and I said, "Look at this strategy. Look at what you and your classmates have done to come together." And then she got a little redirection, but it wasn't me telling her what to do. And from there I stepped away and let her just reference that tool that was being displayed. And from there, she was able to show her work, she was able to choose a strategy she wanted to do, and she was able to give her answer of whether she agreed or disagreed on what she had seen. So I think it was just again, that moment of realizing that what I needed to step in and do was a lot smaller than it had previously been, and she could use this tool that we had created together and that she had created with her peers to help her answer that question. Anna: I think to add onto that, it's Anna, there was a huge spike in efficiency as well because all these different strategies were being discovered and brought to light and put onto the strategy showcase. Maybe if we're talking about multiplication, if some student had repeated addition in the beginning and they're repeatedly adding numbers together to find a multiplication product, they're realizing, "Oh my goodness, I can do this so much more efficiently if I use this person's strategy or if I try this one instead." And it gives them the confidence to try different things. Instead of getting stuck in the rut of saying, "This is my strategy and this is the way that I'm going to do it," they became a little more explorative, and they wanted to try different things out or maybe draw a picture and use that resource to differentiate their math experience. Mike: I want to mark something here that seems meaningful, which is this whole notion that you saw this spike. But the part that I'm really contemplating is when you said kids were less attached to, "This is my strategy" and more willing to adopt some of the ideas that they saw coming out of the group. That feels really, really significant, both in terms of how we want kids to engage in problem solving and also in terms of efficacy. That really I think is one to ponder for folks who are listening to the podcast, is the effect on students' ability to be more flexible in adopting ideas that may not have been theirs to begin with. Thank you for sharing that. Anna.  I wonder if you could also spend a bit of time talking about some of the ways that you held onto or preserve the insights and the strategies that emerged during a showcase. Are there artifacts or ways that a teacher might save what came from a strategy showcase for future reference? Anna: So, I think the biggest thing as a takeaway and something to hold onto as a teacher who uses the strategy showcase is the ability to take a step back and allow students to utilize the resources that they created. And I think something that I used is I had a lot of intervention time and time where students were able to work in small groups and work together in teams and that sort of thing, keeping their strategies and utilizing them in groups. Remember when this person brought up this strategy, maybe we can build off of that and really utilizing their work and carrying it through instead of just putting it up and taking it down and putting up another one. Really bringing it through. And any student work is valuable. Anything that a student can bring to the table that can be used in the future, like holding onto that and re-giving them that confidence. "Remember when this person brought up that we can use a picture to help solve this problem?" Bringing that back in and recycling those ideas and bringing back in not just something that the teacher came up with, but what another student came up with, really helps any student's confidence in the classroom. Mike: So I want to ask a question, and Tutita and Mhret, I'm hoping you all can weigh in on this. If an educator wanted to implement the strategy showcase in their classroom, I want to explore a bit about how we could help them get started. And Tutita, I think I want to start with you and just say from a foundational perspective of building the understanding that helps support something like a strategy showcase, what do you think is important? Tutita: I actually think there are two critical things. The first is considering the social aspect and just building off of what Anna was saying is, if you've listened carefully, she's really honoring the individual. So instead of saying, "Look," that there was this paper up there—as teachers, we have a lot on our walls—it's actually naming the student and honoring that student, even though it's something that as a teacher, you're like, "Yes, someone said it! I want them to actually think more about that." But it's so much more powerful by giving students the credit for the thinking that they're doing to continue to advance that. And all that starts with assuming that students can. And oftentimes at the elementary level, we tend to overlook that. They're so cute—especially those kindergartens, pre-K, kindergarten—but it's amazing what they can do. So if you start with assuming that they can and waiting for their response, then following up and nurturing that, I think you as teachers will get so much more from our students and starting with that confidence. And that brings me to the next point that I think listeners who teach in the upper elementary grades or maybe middle school or high school might be like, "Oh, this sounds great. I'll start with them." But I want to caution that those students might be even more reticent because they might think that to be a good math student, you're supposed to know the answer, you're supposed to know it quickly, and there's one strategy you're supposed to use. And so, in fact, I would argue that probably those really cute pre-K and kindergartners will probably be more open because if anyone has asked a primary student to explain what they have down on paper, 83 minutes later, the story will be done.  And so it might take time. You have to start with that belief and just really going with where your class and individuals are socially. Some of them might not care that you use their name. Others might, and that might take time. So taking the time and finding different ways to stay with that belief and make sure that you're transferring it to students once they have it. As you can hear, a lot of what my coauthors mentioned, then they take it from there. But you have to start with that belief at the beginning that elementary students can. Mike: Mhret, I wonder if you'd be willing to pick up on that, because I find myself thinking that the belief aspect of this is absolutely critical, and then there's the work that a teacher does to build a set of norms or routines that actually bring that belief to life, not only for yourself but for students. I wonder if you could talk about some of the ways that a teacher might set up norms, set up routines, maybe even just set up their classroom in ways that support the showcase. Mhret: Yeah. So practically, I think for the strategy showcase, an important aspect is finding a space that's accessible to students because we wanted them to be going back to it to use it as a resource. So some of us used a poster board, a whiteboard, but a vertical space in the room where students can go and see their work up I think is really important so that the classroom can feel like theirs. And then we also did a group norm during our first meeting with the kids where we co-constructed group norms with the kids of like, "What does it look like to disagree with one another?" "If you see a strategy that you haven't used, how can you be kind with our words and how we talk about different strategies that we see up there?" I think that's really important for all grades in elementary because some kids can be quick to their opinions or comments, and then providing resources that students can use to share their idea or have their idea on paper I think is important. If that's sticky notes, a blank piece of paper, pencils, just practical things like that where students have access to resources where they can be thinking through their ideas.  And then, yeah, I think just constantly affirming their ideas that, as a teacher, I think—I teach second grade this year and [they are] very different from the fourth graders that I student taught—but I think just knowing that every kid can do it. They are able, they have a lot in their mind. And I think affirming what you see and building their confidence does a lot for them. And so I think always being positive in what you see and starting with what you see them doing and not the mistakes or problems that are not important. Mike: Jenna, before we go, I wanted to ask you one final question. I wonder if you could talk about the resources that you drew on when you were developing the strategy showcase. Are there any particular recommendations you would have for someone who's listening to the podcast and wants to learn a little bit more about the practices or the foundations that would be important? Or anything else that you think it would be worth someone reading if they wanted to try to take up your ideas? Jenna: I know, in general, when we were developing this project—a lot of it again came from our seminar class that we did at UConn with Tutita—and we had a lot of great resources that she provided us. But I know one thing that we would see a lot that we referenced throughout our article is the National Council of Teachers of Mathematics. I think it's just really important that when you're building ideas to, one, look at research and projects that other people are doing to see connections that you can build on from your own classroom, and then also talking with your colleagues. A lot of this came from us talking and seeing what we saw in our classrooms and commonalities that we realized that we're in very different districts, we're in very different grades and what classrooms look like. Some of us were helping, pushing into a general ed classroom. Some of us were taking kids for small groups. But even across all those differences, there were so many similarities that we saw rooted in how kids approach problems or how kids thought about math. So I think also it's just really important to talk with the people that you work with and see how can you best support the students. And I think that was one really important thing for us, that collaboration along with the research that's already out there that people have done. Mike: Well, I think this is a good place to stop, but I just want to say thank you again. I really appreciate the way that you unpack the features of the strategy showcase, the way that you brought it to life in this interview. And I'm really hopeful that for folks who are listening, we've offered a spark and other people will start to take up some of the ideas and the features that you described. Thanks so much to all of you for joining us. It really has been a pleasure talking with all of you. Jenna: Thank you.  Anna: Thank you Mhret: Thank you.  Tutita: Thank you so much. Mike: This podcast is brought to you by The Math Learning Center and the Maier Math Foundation, dedicated to inspiring and enabling all individuals to discover and develop their mathematical confidence and ability. © 2025 The Math Learning Center | www.mathlearningcenter.org

Ben Leber, a longtime Vikings linebacker and current television and radio personality locally, joins the Alec Lewis Show to talk about J.J. McCarthy, Kevin O'Connell's recent comments, the Vikings' offense, the run game, getting Justin Jefferson involved, Eric Wilson and more. This show is presented by First Resource Bank, which serves the needs of small businesses, entrepreneurs, and individuals in the Twin Cities and surrounding areas. For more information, here is their website:   https://myfrbank.com/    And here is a link to all of their locations!   https://myfrbank.com/locations-hours/    Sponsored By: UNRL (unrl.com (http://unrl.com/)) — NFL collection: https://www.unrl.com/pages/unrl-x-nfl    Sponsorship inquiries: aleclewis54@gmail.com 

Bill Guerin gives us two fantastic segments on Team USA hockey and the Wild before Chad shares stories of some trouble with Waymo vehicles in other parts of the country and if that impacts his opinion on using them in the Twin Cities.

Is Chad still in favor of Waymo vehicles taking over Twin Cities roads after reading reports of Waymos running over a dog and acting like a typical jerk driver?

The Twin Cities are bracing for ICE raids, and POTUS fires back hard at Mayor Jacob Frey and the city's police chief — you have to hear this one. Then Liz Collin joins Pags for an explosive deep dive into what's really happening in Minnesota. She breaks down the billions flowing to Somalia, why AG Keith Ellison and Gov. Tim Walz are scrambling for reelection, and why Minnesota refuses to hand over its voter rolls to the DOJ. Collin also reveals the real numbers behind Minnesota's massive fraud cases — 78 defendants and counting — and what that could mean for Walz. Plus, she explains why the Minneapolis mayor and police chief are fighting ICE, and even addresses the long-circulated question: did Ilhan Omar marry her brother to get him into the country? Liz Collin tells it all in a can't-miss conversation. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Watch The X22 Report On Video No videos found (function(w,d,s,i){w.ldAdInit=w.ldAdInit||[];w.ldAdInit.push({slot:17532056201798502,size:[0, 0],id:"ld-9437-3289"});if(!d.getElementById(i)){var j=d.createElement(s),p=d.getElementsByTagName(s)[0];j.async=true;j.src="https://cdn2.decide.dev/_js/ajs.js";j.id=i;p.parentNode.insertBefore(j,p);}})(window,document,"script","ld-ajs");pt> Click On Picture To See Larger PictureThe [CB] is pushing their agenda across the country and world. They are now pushing their Universal Basic Income in Illinois, this will fail. US production is picking up. SEC is cracking down on ETF’s. Trump has now nominated Kevin Hassett to take over the position of Powell. This restructuring will begin soon and the alternative currency will show it. The [DS] knows they are running out of time and they are losing control over Zelensky, this is why they are now pushing a war with Russia. They do not want peace. Trump is exposing the corruption and pushing for elections to remove Zelensky. Trump has null and voided everything Biden/Obama have done over the last 4 years. It’s like everything they did doesn’t exist. The [DS] is boxed in, there is no escape. Economy https://twitter.com/MJTruthUltra/status/1996238986650464720?s=20   government, and I’m here to help,”. (function(w,d,s,i){w.ldAdInit=w.ldAdInit||[];w.ldAdInit.push({slot:18510697282300316,size:[0, 0],id:"ld-8599-9832"});if(!d.getElementById(i)){var j=d.createElement(s),p=d.getElementsByTagName(s)[0];j.async=true;j.src="https://cdn2.decide.dev/_js/ajs.js";j.id=i;p.parentNode.insertBefore(j,p);}})(window,document,"script","ld-ajs"); https://twitter.com/AwakenedOutlaw/status/1996060994892955661?s=20   logs, program letters, etc. weekly or be limited to 3-months of SNAP benefits in a 3-year period. US Industrial Production Sees Biggest Annual Gain In 3 Years Despite Slowing Capacity Utilization    Industrial Production rose just 0.1% MoM (as expected) up from the downwardly revised 0.3% MoM decline in August. On a YoY basis, production rose 1.62% – its best since Nov 2022… US Manufacturing output was unchanged in September (slowing from the 0.1% MoM rise in August), but, like IP, that supported a 1.5% YoY rise in output, its highest level since April 2022… Source: zerohedge.com https://twitter.com/KobeissiLetter/status/1996217766366400884?s=20  registration of ETFs that seek to provide more than 200% (2x) leveraged exposure to underlying indices or securities,” the SEC wrote. Leverage is clearly out of control. Bessent says White House may ‘veto’ Federal Reserve presidents   Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said Wednesday he would push a new requirement that the Federal Reserve’s regional bank presidents live in their districts for at least three years before taking office, a move that could give the White House more power over the independent agency.  Bessent said that “there is a disconnect with the framing of the Federal Reserve” and added that, “unless someone has lived in their district for three years, we’re going to veto them.” Source: msn.com https://twitter.com/KobeissiLetter/status/1995954684859941373?s=20   In a July 2025 interview, Hassett highlighted the Fed’s origins under the gold standard in 1913 to critique current practices: “When the Federal Reserve was created, we were under the Gold Standard—and the idea that the Fed could print money and then spend $2.5B on a building… I think that we’ve got a real problem of oversight and excess spending.”   This aligns with sound money ideals, where gold symbolizes disciplined, non-inflationary currency, but he stops short of calling for reinstatement.  Monetary economist Judy Shelton (author of Good as Gold) praised Hassett in July 2025 for referencing the gold standard, noting it as a reminder that “Fed has a lot to answer for” in deviating from that era’s stability.  Hassett views Bitcoin as “digital gold” for its scarcity and hedge qualities—echoing sound money without physical backing. Political/Rights https://twitter.com/amuse/status/1996252623209373754?s=20  created sweeping exemptions covering Afghans who worked for the Taliban during the first regime (1996-2001) and again after August 2021, enabling hundreds of individuals normally barred under terrorism laws to enter the U.S. TRIG waivers skyrocketed to 6,848 in FY 2024, the vast majority for refugees, including 374 Taliban civil servants and more than 3,000 individuals who provided “limited” support to Tier 1 or 2 terror groups. Now, after the ambush killing of a West Virginia National Guard soldier by Afghan national Rahmanullah Lakanwal, critics say Biden knowingly imported massive security risks into American neighborhoods. OUTRAGE: Minneapolis Police Chief Urges Somali Community to Dial 911 on Masked ICE Agents — Promises Cops Will “Intervene” Against Federal Arrests Minneapolis Police Chief Brian O'Hara speaks at a press conference alongside city officials as he urges Somali residents to call 911 on masked individuals Police leadership in Minneapolis is urging the city's Somali community, and other immigrant residents, to call 911 if they spot masked individuals detaining people in their neighborhoods. He urged community members to call 911 if they were unsure whether those enforcing arrests were legitimate law enforcement — and pledged MPD would investigate and log every such call. He did not stop at documentation, however. “If there is anything that is … a violation of someone's human rights or civil rights, excessive force or anything like that, they absolutely have a duty to intervene as police officers,” O'Hara declared. https://twitter.com/libsoftiktok/status/1995956308902879320?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw%7Ctwcamp%5Etweetembed%7Ctwterm%5E1995956308902879320%7Ctwgr%5E19002c76c52297fc2dd58664d00870448c39f149%7Ctwcon%5Es1_c10&ref_url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.thegatewaypundit.com%2F2025%2F12%2Foutrage-minneapolis-police-chief-urges-somali-community-dial%2F Source: thegatewaypundit.com UNREAL: Mayor Jacob Frey Declares He Won't Cooperate With ICE… and Suddenly Starts Speaking Somali to His Audience Mid-Speech Minneapolis far-left Mayor Jacob Frey abruptly shifted a public address into Somali, all while promising that city police will refuse to cooperate with federal immigration enforcement. At a press conference held on Tuesday, Frey stood alongside St. Paul Mayor Melvin Carter, Ward 6 Council Member Jamal Osman, Police Chief Brian O'Hara, and other city leaders, reacting to reports that the federal government is preparing a targeted immigration enforcement operation in Minnesota's Twin Cities. This is not the first time the far-left mayor has drawn backlash from conservatives for switching into Somali during public remarks. Source: thegatewaypundit.com https://twitter.com/DHSgov/status/1995991450530553880?s=20 https://twitter.com/RapidResponse47/status/1995920756203516224?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw%7Ctwcamp%5Etweetembed%7Ctwterm%5E1995920756203516224%7Ctwgr%5E7752673c29b3a4de82187485d2de8512019722ba%7Ctwcon%5Es1_c10&ref_url=https%3A%2F%2Fredstate.com%2Frusty-weiss%2F2025%2F12%2F02%2Ftim-walz-gets-skewered-by-kristi-noem-over-visa-fraud-warns-minnesota-is-about-to-feel-the-wrath-of-ice-n2196746 https://twitter.com/townhallcom/status/1995918101200703814?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw%7Ctwcamp%5Etweetembed%7Ctwterm%5E1995918101200703814%7Ctwgr%5E6e01980749bee6d0aabd2036c6c2b51da5cb194a%7Ctwcon%5Es1_c10&ref_url=https%3A%2F%2Fredstate.com%2Fkatie-jerkovich%2F2025%2F12%2F02%2Fpam-bondi-proves-trumps-flipped-script-on-crime-in-us-n2196748 https://twitter.com/DiligentDenizen/status/1996268038895907125?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw%7Ctwcamp%5Etweetembed%7Ctwterm%5E1996268038895907125%7Ctwgr%5Efc686f6c13365f75910a196f3fa3620a5f168083%7Ctwcon%5Es1_c10&ref_url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.thegatewaypundit.com%2F2025%2F12%2Fbreaking-house-oversight-committee-dems-release-never-before%2F https://twitter.com/JoeLang51440671/status/1996022839250461041?s=20 DOGE Geopolitical https://twitter.com/disclosetv/status/1996173544884154529?s=20  https://twitter.com/CynicalPublius/status/1996233719469035734?s=20 https://twitter.com/JimFergusonUK/status/1996175636352700892?s=20  , and even Hezbollah have a presence in South America — and their anchor presence is inside Venezuela.” Let that sink in. 8 million Venezuelans displaced Spillover into Colombia, Brazil, the U.S. Cartels, trafficking networks, and Iranian intelligence embedded in the region Rubio isn't speaking hypothetically — he's confirming what U.S. intel has known for years: Venezuela is no longer just a failed socialist state. It's a forward operating base for Iran and Hezbollah in the Western Hemisphere. This is why the situation is escalating. This is why Trump's ultimatum matters. This is why Maduro's regime cannot be ignored or “managed.” The threat isn't local — it's global. War/Peace https://twitter.com/sentdefender/status/1995724042285056018?s=20  that was left in unsecured parking lot in an industrial area near Burg in Saxony-Anhalt, according to the German Ministry of Defense. https://twitter.com/EricLDaugh/status/1996226688363979160?s=20   the beginning of the war for fossil fuels. Now we’re down to €1.5 billion per month…we aim to bring it down to ZERO.” “This is a good day for Europe and for our independence from Russian fossil fuels — this is how we make Europe resilient.”    “The European Union agreed on Wednesday to phase out Russian gas imports by late 2027 as part of an effort to end the bloc’s decade-long dependency on Russian energy.” – Reuters https://twitter.com/MyLordBebo/status/1996207752134488284?s=20 https://twitter.com/MarioNawfal/status/1996197728167043438?s=20   text does not address our concerns.” Meaning: No legal cover, no political suicide. The plan was simple on paper – use immobilized Russian funds as collateral for loans to keep Ukraine afloat. But Belgium is the custodian of the largest chunk of those assets. If something goes wrong, they're the ones holding the radioactive bag. This isn't some bureaucratic squabble. It's the EU's financing strategy cracking in real time. Prévot's pushback signals the core fear: If Europe touches Russian state money without watertight legal armor, Moscow retaliates – economically, diplomatically, and possibly through countersanctions on European firms. And here's the thing: the Commission thought it had majority backing. Belgium saying “nope” on the morning of rollout is a political body-slam. Happening next? The EU will scramble to rewrite the legal plumbing. Germany and France will pressure Belgium quietly – nobody wants to admit the plan is wobbling. Russia will weaponize the hesitation as proof the West can't agree on how to bankroll Ukraine. And Kyiv? Still waiting for the money that was supposed to be “already there.” Another example of Europe discovering that seizing assets is easy. Using them? That's where the real war begins.    Ursula von der Leyen did not state that she received “permission” from the US to seize Russian assets. In a recent appearance at the GLOBSEC forum, she said that she informed the incoming Trump administration (specifically mentioning a conversation with Treasury Secretary nominee Scott Bessent) about the EU’s proposal to use frozen Russian assets as collateral for a “reparations loan” to Ukraine, and that “it was positively received.” https://twitter.com/briefing_block_/status/1996241939931201801?s=20 https://twitter.com/Dubinsky_pro/status/1996242036417028176?s=20  regime. Now the system is falling apart. Yermak is out. The crackdown is collapsing. Ukraine must release all political prisoners. I call on everyone involved in peace talks to demand this from Zelensky. These people committed no crimes. They were jailed for their faith, political views and demanding peace. Zelensky built a dictatorship – and filled prisons with dissent. I know what I'm talking about: I spent 24 months behind bars under this system. https://twitter.com/MarioNawfal/status/1996231792752287822?s=20  to Brussels to meet Zelensky, the team returned to Washington. No official reason was given, but the message is clear: there's no deal, yet. Putin's warning didn't help. He said Russia is “ready” for war in Europe and claimed any future conflict would be so fierce that “nobody will be left to negotiate with.” This setback casts doubt on whether a negotiated end to the war is possible anytime soon. It also suggests Kyiv isn't ready to engage on Moscow's terms. What's next: Watch for how Ukraine positions itself diplomatically in the coming weeks, and whether Trump's team will try again with a revised proposal. https://twitter.com/MJTruthUltra/status/1996059724173754525?s=20   situation may quickly arise where there is no one left for us to negotiate with” https://twitter.com/Panchenko_X/status/1996192741508645286?s=20  been given the black mark and is seen globally as corrupt. Many Ukrainian politicians are already quietly fleeing to Moscow in an attempt to negotiate. They hope that the Russians and Americans will come and shower everyone with money for the elections. It won’t happen that way. According to my information, the US and Russia are already discussing possible candidates for the position of President. I cannot make the names public. https://twitter.com/TimOnPoint/status/1995949121929138184?s=20   targets is the rule, not the exception. The physical status of possible survivors is not part of the consideration with stand-off weapons. This has been the norm under both Republican and Democrat administrations since the first Hellfire was mounted on a Predator years ago. Anyone who tells you otherwise, is lying or ignorant. The method is ugly, no doubt about it, but there's nothing new here except politics. https://twitter.com/WarClandestine/status/1996006625333727410?s=20 Medical/False Flags https://twitter.com/JoeLang51440671/status/1996048243516456967?s=20 Man in TSA Sues Feds for Not Allowing Him to “Pat Down” Women   A man who says he is a woman is suing the federal government over restrictions in his job at the Transportation Security Administration that do not allow him to “pat down” female travelers. That restriction followed an executive order from President Donald Trump against recognizing transgenderism claims in the federal government. The claim being made by Mittereder is that the policy violates federal civil rights law. According to the report on the recently filed lawsuit, Mittereder began working at the TSA in 2024 and now is stationed at Dulles International Airport in Virginia. He claims because he is not allowed to pat down women, his job prospects are being hurt. Source:  thelibertydaily.com  [DS] Agenda https://twitter.com/TheLastRefuge2/status/1996069477197451483?s=20   questioning people (McCord, Wolfe, Jones, Warner and various staff), not merely discussing them. Rather than talk about what XXX is doing, or what motivates XXX, they would simply be going to XXX asking questions (on/off camera) and then reporting on what XXX responds with. Instead, what we are getting is a screenplay, that the ‘journalists’ (battle for influence) sell through various platforms. From here on out when I see it, I will draw attention to it. After a few examples it will become obvious. https://twitter.com/LauraLoomer/status/1996183770790048092?s=20  1, 2025, Maxine's California residence remains in default with a redemption amount still due totaling $21,302.95, despite her recent payment of $19,033.94 on August 13, 2025. Maxine also is incurring a monthly penalty of $301.45. Maxine is not competent to serve as the ranking member on the House Financial Services Committee when she cannot even keep her own house in order. https://twitter.com/SBA_Kelly/status/1995846331202457607?s=20   executives implicated in these schemes. Despite Governor Walz's best efforts to obstruct, SBA continues to work to expose abuse and hold perpetrators accountable, full stop. https://twitter.com/GOPoversight/status/1996237594514915451?s=20 https://twitter.com/TonySeruga/status/1996226960393957435?s=20 https://twitter.com/IlhanMN/status/1995957774510162165?s=20 https://twitter.com/almostjingo/status/1996051371251155359?s=20 https://twitter.com/elonmusk/status/1996222235783401610?s=20 So all of these people were installed. https://twitter.com/amuse/status/1996195848087384084?s=20 https://twitter.com/disclosetv/status/1995934359569007036?s=20 President Trump's Plan https://twitter.com/StateDept/status/1996218048458490302?s=20   imminent threat to the world and to the broader West, but especially the United States who they identify as the chief source of evil on the planet.” https://twitter.com/elonmusk/status/1996213829802307948?s=20  that received benefits more than twice – multiple people received benefits in 6 states – In February, for the first time ever, the Federal Government asked for alls rates to turn over their data to root out the fraud. —— 29 Red states said yes —— 21 Blue states said no “So as of next week, we have begun and will begin to stop moving federal funds into those states until they comply. California, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, Hawaii, Illinois, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Nevada, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Vermont, Virginia, Washington https://twitter.com/MediasLies/status/1996279507079008317?s=20   states already share the data with zero privacy disasters. – USDA's own audits show $10–15 billion a year in improper payments and fraud. – The “court order” she keeps citing is a preliminary injunction, not a final ruling. Refusing basic federal oversight of a fully federally funded program isn't about privacy. It's about protecting bloated rolls and hiding waste. BREAKING: In Stunning Development, President Trump Issues Full and Unconditional Pardon to Texas Democrat Rep. Henry Cuellar  Biden's DOJ charged Cuellar, a nine-term Democrat Texas lawmaker who represents an area along the US-Mexico border, after he lashed out at both Joe Biden and Kamala Harris for allowing illegal aliens to pour over the border.    the TRUTH. It is unAmerican and, as I previously stated, the Radical Left Democrats are a complete and total threat to Democracy! They will attack, rob, lie, cheat, destroy, and decimate anyone who dares to oppose their Far Left Agenda, an Agenda that, if left unchecked, will obliterate our magnificent Country. Because of these facts, and others, I am hereby announcing my full and unconditional PARDON of beloved Texas Congressman Henry Cuellar, and Imelda. Henry, I don't know you, but you can sleep well tonight — Your nightmare is finally over! Source: thegatewaypundit.com https://twitter.com/MarioNawfal/status/1996053923820351745?s=20  despite recent disagreements: Senator Paul: “I know we have been at odds recently but in ur first term you signed an executive order to legalize Association Health Plans (that allow individuals to buy collectively health insurance via Costco, Amazon, or Sam’s Club). This collaboration brought us together and still holds the promise of lowering insurance premiums.” Paul noted the plan failed because Democrat AGs fought it in court, but it could now pass through Congress. Here’s why this matters: the current system forces individuals to buy insurance alone, giving them zero bargaining power against massive insurance companies. Association Health Plans let people band together through retailers or organizations to negotiate as a group, the same way large corporations do for their employees. More buyers in a pool means more leverage. More leverage means lower premiums. It costs nothing to implement and simply changes labor law. Competition works. Let Americans shop for insurance the same way they shop for everything else. https://twitter.com/EliseStefanik/status/1995856738994565416?s=20  Raskin against Trump Republicans to block this provision to protect the deep state. This is an easy one. This bill is DOA unless this provision gets added in as it was passed out of committee https://twitter.com/FBIDDBongino/status/1996205447917781326?s=20 -The Director and I made a long series of important personnel changes. The new leadership team has produced dramatic results which we will produce for you, in detail, as the year wraps up. They will include a historic drop in the homicide rate, along with record disruptions, arrests and drug interdictions. Many of these personnel changes have upset a group of Comey-Wray era disgruntled former agents who prefer the old ways of operating. We are not going back -We have been working on an AI project to assist our investigators and analysts in the national security space. I received an update yesterday and I am happy to report that the product looks promising. More coming on this. – We are in the end stages of a redesign of the FBI crisis management process. The redesign is intended to make information more accessible and transparent in a crisis to enable quick and effective decision making. The project should be complete by the end of the calendar year. -We saved the taxpayers billions of dollars by scrapping the plan for an expensive new FBI headquarters building. We will be moving to the existing Reagan building after decades of fruitless haggling as the current FBI headquarters building crumbles. -We relocated over a thousand headquarters based personnel out of the Washington DC area and into the field to focus on violent crime, crimes against children, and terrorism. Those agents are now working on the mission in those regional offices. -In recognition of the growing threat, and in conjunction with the President's Executive Order, we designed, launched and completed the FBI's first-ever counter-drone school last month. Special thanks to Sebastian Gorka and DDCOS Regan for their help on the project. -The work force apprehended 4 of the FBI's 10 most wanted fugitives, and we are hunting down the rest. -We produced unprecedented disclosures, and took action on documents related to January 6, Crossfire Hurricane, Arctic Frost, and more. -The new leadership team, and the work force, made a series of ANTIFA related arrests in multiple states and assisted in record numbers of deportations and apprehensions. -Some of the culture changes we implemented include eliminating DEI, reforming the physical fitness test, making promotions contingent on real world results, severing ties with the SPLC and ADL, and implementing a new training curriculum to reflect current mission requirements. We dedicated significant personnel and financial assets to streamlining FOIA reform to ensure responsiveness. -We shut down multiple open air drug markets nationwide and, in conjunction with the White House, had 12 fentanyl precursors from China listed. -We created CIO and CTO positions to work with the CFO to find efficiencies and implement new technologies to assist in our mission. We conduct bi-weekly meetings and we have found and eliminated tens of millions of dollars in duplicative contracts, unnecessary real estate, and outdated technology. These are real savings to the taxpayer and each budget dollar allocated is intensely scrutinized for value. -We vastly expanded the overseas biometrics program to stop bad actors before they board a plane or vessel to the US. This gives us the ability to expand the border outwards and prevent the problems from coming here. -We are in the end stages of a reform project on our intelligence analysis positions to make them more responsive to current mission needs. We have been working with the field on this and we're happy with the progress. -We implemented a technology working group to ensure our technology tools evolve with the mission. Thank you, and God bless America and all those who defend Her.  https://twitter.com/WhiteHouse/status/1995992366553981026?s=20 (function(w,d,s,i){w.ldAdInit=w.ldAdInit||[];w.ldAdInit.push({slot:13499335648425062,size:[0, 0],id:"ld-7164-1323"});if(!d.getElementById(i)){var j=d.createElement(s),p=d.getElementsByTagName(s)[0];j.async=true;j.src="//cdn2.customads.co/_js/ajs.js";j.id=i;p.parentNode.insertBefore(j,p);}})(window,document,"script","ld-ajs");

ICE agents are descending on two more blue cities, with threats of more on deck. New Orleans and Minneapolis are bracing for major deportation operations, the next steps in the administration's immigration crackdown. Our Priscilla Alvarez is learning that ICE is aiming to arrest 5,000 in the Big Easy, while in the Twin Cities the targets will be undocumented immigrants from Somalia, who President Trump has been talking about in increasingly racist terms in recent days.    Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

President Donald Trump has escalated rhetoric about Minnesota's Somali community in recent weeks. And according to reports from The New York Times and the Associated Press, the Trump administration now plans to target hundreds of Somali immigrants living unlawfully in the Twin Cities.MPR News guest host Catharine Richert talks about what we know so far, what remains unclear and the impact it's all having on the Somali community in Minnesota.Guests:State Sen. Zaynab Mohamed (DFL-Minneapolis) has represented south Minneapolis since 2023. She is the first Somali woman elected to the Minnesota Senate. She is also the youngest member in Minnesota Senate history. Tatiana Padilla is a postdoctoral fellow at the Institute for Social Research and Data Innovation at the University of Minnesota where she researches how immigration enforcement affects communities.Steve Thal is an attorney practicing immigration law in Minnetonka.

Fear has rippled through the state's East African community following reports of an immigration enforcement push in the Twin Cities targeting Somali immigrants who have final deportation orders. The New York Times and the Associated Press reported Tuesday morning that Immigration and Customs Enforcement will send 100 federal agents to the Twin Cities this week and that the operation could sweep up legal residents including U.S. citizens.Most of Minnesota's 80,000 Somali residents are U.S. citizens or legal residents. A much smaller number in the hundreds have temporary protected status, a designation President Donald Trump has said he will end for Somali immigrants in Minnesota.For perspective, MPR News host Nina Moini talked with three leaders of the Minneapolis Somali community, State Senator Omar Fateh, Imam Hassan Jama and police sergeant Mukhtar Abdulkadir.Read the full reporting at MPRNews.org.

The Somali community is at the center of a reported ICE operation in the Twin Cities, bringing fear to a community of 80,000 people. We spoke to state senator Omar Fateh, who represents many Somali Minnesotans and is Somali himself. Plus, we checked in with a Minneapolis Imam and a Somali Minneapolis police sergeant about how community leaders are responding. MPR News reporter Jon Collins was also out in the Somali community, asking what they've seen in the last 24 hours. Plus, temperatures are plummeting due to arctic air in our region. MPR meteorologist Brandon Weatherz gave us the details on how long these cold temperatures will last. And, a local author is bringing together the first refugee writing cohort. We learned more about the project ahead of their first event Wednesday. Our Minnesota Music Minute was “Lullaby” by Low and our Song of the Day was “Cerulean” by Ocean Blue.

Join City Cast DC co-host Bridget Todd alongside fellow hosts from Austin, Chicago, Denver, Las Vegas, Madison, Nashville, Philly, Pittsburgh, Portland, Salt Lake, Seattle, and the Twin Cities for a special episode that'll help you knock out your holiday shopping early and support small businesses around the country. From a handlebar mount (and app!) that'll turn your phone into a bike cam, to a mustard-of-the-month subscription box, our hosts are here to tell the stories of local businesses in their cities making cool stuff that you can order online right now. Visit our website to find the full list of recommendations with links for holiday shopping! Want some more DC news? Then make sure to sign up for our morning newsletter Hey DC. You can text us or leave a voicemail at: (202) 642-2654. You can also become a member, with ad-free listening, for as little as $10 a month. Learn more about the sponsors of this December 3rd episode: Nace Law Group Gay Men's Chorus of Washington, DC St. Ann's Center for Children, Youth and Families Interested in advertising with City Cast? Find more info HERE.

Admitting he didn't see the controversial "double tap" strike that killed two survivors of the US military's September attack of a suspected drug boat, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth makes Admiral Bradley the fall guy for what's been described as a "war crime" ... President Trump labels Congresswoman Ilhan Omar and her friends "garbage" as a new ICE operation targets Somali Americans in the Twin Cities ... Costco says it's suing the Trump Administration over tariffs.    Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Some may think it's not a good time to sell a home, but the Twin Cities doesn't follow normal trends, and things will pick up in just a few short months says our friend John Schuster. He joined Vineeta on The WCCO Morning News.

Minnesota again in the National Spotlight politically again. A look at what is happening in the Twin Cities from Blois Olson and Vineeta Sawkar on The WCCO Morning News.

More background on the Lutheran Social Services as it might be related to the Dept of Human Services. It is entirely clear that Walz' role in all MN fraud situations has now gained National attention. A letter from an employer to his employees regarding the family leave and medical act which debuts Jan 1st. Johnny Heidt with guitar news. Heard On The Show:ICE agents to descend on Twin Cities as soon as this week, sources tell ABC NewsU.S. Treasury Secretary investigating claims that defrauded Minnnesota tax dollars were sent to terrorist groupHegseth cites ‘fog of war' in defending follow-on strike in scrutinized attack on alleged drug boatSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

On this episode of The Wisconsin Sportsman, Pierce is joined by Caleb Frostman to hear all about how he was able to fill two buck tags on public land this archery season! Caleb is a Wisconsin-native and avid outdoorsman who has spent a lot of time pursuing wild game all around the state of Wisconsin, and even in the Twin Cities area. The guys dive into what Caleb's early years of hunting looked like in the northwoods, and how those lessons lead to him punching not one, but TWO buck tags a couple of weeks ago! Then the guys discuss plans for deer camp and the camaraderie that accompanies the 9-day gun season, and the importance of connecting with good people through the outdoors. All that and more in this week's episode!   Huge thanks to Caleb for taking time to come on the show! Follow along with his adventures @frostmancaleb Big thanks to our fantastic partners: Lone Wolf Custom Gear: www.lonewolfcustomgear.com onX Hunt: www.onxmaps.com Huntworth: www.huntworthgear.com Good Chance Fly Fishing: www.goodchanceflyfishing.com Wisconsin Backcountry Hunters & Anglers: www.backcountryhunters.org/wisconsin TAKE ACTION THROUGH BACKCOUNTRY HUNTERS & ANGLERS www.backcountryhunters.com/take_action Call the US Capitol Switchboard at (202) 224-3121 and ask to speak with your representative  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On today's episode, we meet David Ash, a filmmaker who perfectly embodies the spirit of the weekend warrior — balancing a demanding corporate career, a family of four, and a thriving passion for filmmaking. Living in the Twin Cities, Ash proves that a creative life doesn't have to mean abandoning stability. With a degree in business administration and a full-time job as a treasury director, he still finds time to write, shoot, and direct independent films fueled by sheer willpower and resourcefulness.His journey began after a screenwriting contest brought him to Los Angeles, where he realized Hollywood wasn't going to make his stories — so he decided to make them himself. From there, he dove into every filmmaking class he could find, learned the craft from the ground up, and began creating short films that would eventually lead to his first feature.His early projects, including the $800 mockumentary Love: A Documentary, showcased his ability to stretch every dollar while maintaining a sharp creative vision. As his filmmaking matured, Ash produced Twin Cities, a powerful drama exploring identity, duality, and personal transformation. Balancing his corporate life and creative drive, he continues to inspire other aspiring filmmakers to stop waiting for permission and simply start creating. His message is simple but profound: you don't need Hollywood money or endless free time to make films — you just need passion, persistence, and the courage to begin.Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/indie-film-hustle-a-filmmaking-podcast--2664729/support.

President Donald Trump is intensifying his disparaging remarks about Minnesota's Somali community and lobbing criticism at Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz.According to reports, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement is beginning an operation targeting undocumented Somali immigrants in the Twin Cities.Tens of thousands of Somali immigrants live in Minnesota, and most are U.S. citizens. Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey raised concerns that citizens will be caught up in a federal operation.That story and more in today's evening update from MPR News. Hosted by Elena See. Music by Gary Meister.

The quick change from mild fall to winter cold means an increasing need for shelter beds across the Twin Cities. A Duluth nonprofit that operates the largest homeless shelter north of the Twin Cities is getting the largest gift it has ever received. The former leader of the Minneapolis Regional Chamber of Commerce has pleaded guilty to embezzling money from the organization. Minneapolis attorney Chris Madel has announced he's running for governor. He's competing for the Republican endorsement against eleven other candidates. The Minneapolis Poison Control Center says there's been a 176-percent increase in reports about potential cannabis poisonings in children and pets since 2021.

The Trump administration is pointing negative rhetoric and government action at Somali Minnesotans. The White House is citing the Feeding Our Future fraud scandal to cast suspicion on Somali immigrants. We got some perspective from a Twin Cities professor who is a leading expert on Somali studies.St. Paul police and federal agents have used chemical irritants to control crowds at two sites of federal immigration arrests recently. We talked to a doctor who has studied the impact of products like tear gas and pepper spray on human health. We learned how Minnesota fruit growers are trying to adapt to a changing climate. A Minnesota horror writer has a special delivery. It's a novel in the form of a newspaper, delivered over 12 months. Our Minnesota Music Minute was “4th” by FPA and our Song of the Day was “Radio” by Laura Hugo.

One week ago Tuesday, a confrontation led to St. Paul police using chemical irritants and projectiles on a crowd. Hundreds of people gathered to protest and document the arrest of two people by federal immigration agents. The police department says it is reviewing officers' response. The incident came just days after a similar confrontation with federal agents in another part of the city. They, too, used chemical irritants and projectiles. In cities across the country, federal immigration actions have resulted in frequent clashes between law enforcement and community members who are organizing to respond. More could be on the horizon after reports came out Tuesday that federal agents are expected to target hundreds of Somali immigrants in the Twin Cities. Minneapolis and St. Paul leaders said in a press conference that local law enforcement will not assist the operation but will respond to public safety threats. To understand more about the health impacts of what are called less lethal methods of crowd control, MPR News host Nina Moini talked with Dr. Rohini Haar. She is an emergency physician, a medical advisor for the group Physicians for Human Rights and a lecturer in the University of California-Berkeley law school.

On this episode of The Wisconsin Sportsman, Pierce is joined by Caleb Frostman to hear all about how he was able to fill two buck tags on public land this archery season! Caleb is a Wisconsin-native and avid outdoorsman who has spent a lot of time pursuing wild game all around the state of Wisconsin, and even in the Twin Cities area. The guys dive into what Caleb's early years of hunting looked like in the northwoods, and how those lessons lead to him punching not one, but TWO buck tags a couple of weeks ago! Then the guys discuss plans for deer camp and the camaraderie that accompanies the 9-day gun season, and the importance of connecting with good people through the outdoors. All that and more in this week's episode! Huge thanks to Caleb for taking time to come on the show! Follow along with his adventures @frostmancalebBig thanks to our fantastic partners:Lone Wolf Custom Gear: www.lonewolfcustomgear.comonX Hunt: www.onxmaps.comHuntworth: www.huntworthgear.comGood Chance Fly Fishing: www.goodchanceflyfishing.comWisconsin Backcountry Hunters & Anglers: www.backcountryhunters.org/wisconsinTAKE ACTION THROUGH BACKCOUNTRY HUNTERS & ANGLERSwww.backcountryhunters.com/take_actionCall the US Capitol Switchboard at (202) 224-3121 and ask to speak with your representative  Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Alec Lewis, who writes about the Vikings for The Athletic, hosts The Alec Lewis Show. This episode features conversation about J.J. McCarthy's return to play, his mechanics, what the Vikings wanted to work on initially, QB options for 2026, what's so broken about the offense, Kwesi Adofo-Mensah situation and much more. This show is presented by First Resource Bank, which serves the needs of small businesses, entrepreneurs, and individuals in the Twin Cities and surrounding areas. For more information, here is their website:   https://myfrbank.com/    And here is a link to all of their locations!   https://myfrbank.com/locations-hours/    Sponsored By: UNRL (unrl.com (http://unrl.com/)) — NFL collection: https://www.unrl.com/pages/unrl-x-nfl    Sponsorship inquiries: aleclewis54@gmail.com 

This episode of The Curious Builder Podcast is a masterclass in building (and keeping) awesome relationships in the design and construction world. Mark Williams gets real with Amy Hendel, Melissa Oholendt, and Kristine Anderson live at Roth Living as they swap stories about winning dream clients, surviving tricky situations, and why being honest and caring always pays off. If you want to hear what really makes a job memorable (hint: it's the people!), you'll love all the insights and laughs in this episode. Support the show - https://www.curiousbuilderpodcast.com/shop See our upcoming live events - https://www.curiousbuilderpodcast.com/events The host of the Curious Builder Podcast is Mark D. Williams, the founder of Mark D. Williams Custom Homes Inc. They are an award-winning Twin Cities-based home builder, creating quality custom homes and remodels — one-of-a-kind dream homes of all styles and scopes. Whether you're looking to reimagine your current space or start fresh with a new construction, we build homes that reflect how you live your everyday life. Sponsors for the Episode:  Pella Website: https://www.pella.com/ppc/professionals/why-wood/  Adaptive  Website: https://referrals.adaptive.build/u8Gkiaev  Sauna Camp Website: https://www.saunacamps.com/ Where to find the Guests:  Melissa Oholendt of Oho Interiors: https://www.ohointeriors.com/ Amy Hendel of Hendel Homes: https://hendelhomes.com/ Kristine Anderson of PKA Architecture: https://pkarch.com/ Where to find the Host:  Website - https://www.mdwilliamshomes.com/  Podcast Website - https://www.curiousbuilderpodcast.com Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/markdwilliams_customhomes/  Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/MarkDWilliamsCustomHomesInc/  LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/mark-williams-968a3420/  Houzz - https://www.houzz.com/pro/markdwilliamscustomhomes/mark-d-williams-custom-homes-inc

Monday is World AIDS Day, but the United States government is sitting out the commemoration this year. The World Health Organization created the day in the 1980s to remember those lost to the disease and rally support for prevention and treatment. This is the first year since 1993 that the President of the United States has not signed a proclamation to recognize the day. The Trump Administration also told federal employees not to use government funds or social media for World AIDS Day, according to the New York Times. Matt Toburen leads the Aliveness Project, which supports people living with HIV in the Twin Cities. He joined Minnesota Now host Nina Moini to talk about how his organization is still raising awareness.

We begin where we spend most of the week this week on The Music of America...the Twin Cities of Minneapolis/ St. Paul. Our first guest is the band Elour. Songs include Ha! Break Me, Is It True, The Look In Your Eyes and Sleep

Bernie and Perko break down a discouraging end of season loss for Wisconsin at Minnesota, discuss what's next for the Badgers at signing day and in the transfer portal, and preview the big conference title games this upcoming weekend. Make sure to subscribe to our friend Jake Kocorowski's newsletter, The Badger Observer: https://www.badgerobserver.com/ Follow us on Twitter/X @BleavInBadgers and Instagram @BleavInBadgers. And make sure to check out Perko's weekly show on Badger247.com with Jon McNamara and Nick Osen on YouTube. While you're at it, tune into the Money Down Podcast with James White, LeGarrette Blount, Sojourn Shelton, and Warren Herring. Make sure to get your hands on a copy of Rich Thompson's book Relentless, which we will be reviewing in the future: https://a.co/d/7jZQ5zC Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

John 12:1-8,Six days before the Passover, Jesus therefore came to Bethany, where Lazarus was, whom Jesus had raised from the dead. 2 So they gave a dinner for him there. Martha served, and Lazarus was one of those reclining with him at table. 3 Mary therefore took a pound of expensive ointment made from pure nard, and anointed the feet of Jesus and wiped his feet with her hair. The house was filled with the fragrance of the perfume. 4 But Judas Iscariot, one of his disciples (he who was about to betray him), said, 5 “Why was this ointment not sold for three hundred denarii and given to the poor?” 6 He said this, not because he cared about the poor, but because he was a thief, and having charge of the moneybag he used to help himself to what was put into it. 7 Jesus said, “Leave her alone, so that she may keep it for the day of my burial. 8 For the poor you always have with you, but you do not always have me.”And the Lord, in verse 7, defends the way Mary of Bethany expresses her devotion to him.What Mary does in verse 3 is good and right, and I think we can learn from her. So that's the goal of this sermon. All last week, my prayer for today has been that through Mary's example in John 12, the Spirit would reawaken in us Mary-like devotion to Jesus. I want us to learn from Mary how to be more like Mary for the glory of Jesus. To that end, this morning I want to show you seven truths of Mary-like devotion.1. Mary-like devotion is surprising. Verse 1 opens with the setting: we are six days away from Passover, and Jesus has come back to Bethany. Now remember that Bethany is where he raised Lazarus from the dead in Chapter 11, verse 43, but then when the Jewish leaders plotted to kill Jesus, John tells us in verse 54 that Jesus “no longer walked openly” among them, because they were looking for him. The Pharisees wanted to arrest him. So Jesus left that area and went to Ephraim, which gave him more distance from Jerusalem. (Bethany was 2 miles outside Jerusalem, Ephraim was about 15 miles). So by the end of Chapter 11, Jesus is laying low.But Chapter 12 opens here and he's back in Bethany, where news travels quickly to Jerusalem, which means this is dangerous — why would he do it? Why would he come back to Bethany now? It's because Passover is six days away. Remember Jesus has a purpose to accomplish in Jerusalem, and now he's getting closer. But since Jesus is in Bethany they throw a special dinner for him. And because it's Bethany, we would expect our favorite Bethany family to be there. We saw these three siblings in Chapter 11 — Mary, Martha, and Lazarus. Now, John knows we'd expect their attendance, so he takes roll in verse 2. Look what he says:“So they gave a dinner for him there. Martha served [check her name off — she's there], and Lazarus was one of those reclining with him as table [check his name off — he's just happy to be in the room].And right away that's Martha and Lazarus. Which sibling is missing?Mary. Now look at verse 3 (verse 2 was just a build up to this):“Mary therefore took a pound of expensive ointment made from pure nard, and anointed the feet of Jesus and wiped his feet with her hair.”The first thing I want you to see is that this was not expected. This is a dinner! People are sharing a meal. Martha is staying busy like she does. Lazarus is at the table (you know he's getting seconds). And then Mary, finally, enters into this dining room with a bottle of ointment (or perfume) and she does this extravagant display of worship.Most of us had big dinners a few days ago. Imagine for a minute if something like this happened! It was not on the menu. It's never happened before. This was a surprise! That's the first thing to know about Mary-like devotion. This is not what most people would expect — because it responds in the moment to the glory of Jesus regardless of the context.2. Mary-like devotion is costly.We can see in verse 3 that this perfume was expensive. John tells us that plainly. But he also gives us two details that explain why. It has to do with quantity and quality.First, with quality, this perfume was made from “pure nard.” That's a plant that's grown in India. The root of this plant produced an oil that was collected to make this perfume.So it's a product derived from nature, created by a process, imported from far away — that sounds expensive. (This is why many scholars believe this Bethany family was well off — this perfume would have only been owned by the luxury class of the Mediterranean world.)Second, notice the quantity. John tells us it was a pound — and that's a Roman pound. The Greek word is litra — and it's equivalent to about 12 ounces. So imagine the American pop can. (I don't know the last time you turned a can of pop upside down to pour it out, but it takes a little longer to empty it than you might think.)Twelve ounces is not a little bit. And Mary doesn't have pop, it's perfume — 12 ounces of perfume — that's a lot of a really nice thing. And to give us more of an idea of how precious it is, John tells us the number value in verse 5. Judas says it's worth 300 denarii — which is about a year's wages.So to draw a parallel to our day, this is what we'd call an annual salary, and the average annual salary in the Twin Cities, Google says, is between $80,000–$90,000. So translate this in your imagination... Picture this: Someone at dinner this past week walks into the dining room and pours out $90,000 on somebody else's feet … Again, this is stunning. And the costliness amplifies the surprise! Those two things go together in Mary-like devotion. It's surprising because it's costly.3. Mary-like devotion is humble.Now, for our imagination's sake, it helps to know how people ate together at this culture and time. They didn't use raised tables and chairs like we do, but they used low tables, and sat on cushions on the floor. They “reclined” on the table, like verse 2 says, and their feet were stretched out behind them, away from the table. So Mary approached Jesus, verse 3, while he was sitting like that, and she anointed his feet.This is a key detail. Because with the extravagance of her gift, we might imagine Mary's actions to be surrounded by pomp. Like maybe Mary enters the room and first clears her throat, and makes sure somebody's getting the video, and then she does it. But it's just the opposite.Mary comes into the room, and stays at the feet's distance away from the table. She's not the center of attention. Nobody was probably even looking in her direction, and then she pours the perfume on Jesus's feet and wipes his feet with her hair. This is borderline undignified. She definitely looked a little silly. To everyone's surprise, with likely the costliest thing she's got, she humbles herself at the feet of Jesus in worship — but then the most vivid display of her humility is the use of her hair.In the ancient world, a woman's hair was her glory. It was her honor. This was Mary's strength, but here she turns her strength into a servant's towel … Her radiance into a rag. Her splendor into a sponge. Her crown becomes a cloth. … to wipe feet.Which means, Mary gives the best part of herself for the least part of Jesus. The highest aspect of her presentation (hair) is submitted to the lowest aspect of his (feet).This is profound humility.Mary is not even audacious enough to pray here: “Jesus, take my utmost for your highest.” She just says, “Jesus, take my utmost!” — And I don't care what anybody else thinks. I'm not concerned about appearance. It doesn't matter what people might say. This is all about Jesus. Mary shows us a marvelous self-forgetfulness. Mary-like devotion is humble.4. Mary-like devotion is fitting.This is #4 of 7, and it really is the central truth in Mary's example.So far we've seen that Mary-like devotion is surprising, costly, and humble, but here's where we need to be clear that the only reason any of this makes sense is because of Jesus. And Jesus doesn't just make Mary's actions make sense, he makes them right. Because of who he is, what Mary does is fitting. John calls her act an “anointing,” which is something done to set someone apart for a certain office. The examples we have in the Old Testament are individuals anointed as a priest or king, and we should think especially of kings in the Gospel of John. If you remember, way back in Chapter 1, when Nathaniel first met Jesus he confessed right away that Jesus is the Son of God and the King of Israel (1:49). Then in Chapter 6, verse 15, after Jesus fed the five thousand, the crowd wanted to take him by force and make him king.So we've seen a kingship theme already.But then right here in Chapter 12, the very next day after Mary anoints Jesus, Jesus rides into Jerusalem on a young donkey, and the crowd paves the way for him with palm branches, and they say — in verse 13 — “Hosanna! Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord, even the King of Israel!”So we have every reason to see that Mary's anointing of Jesus is anointing him as King.Because that is who he is. It'll be explicit and public tomorrow in this story, in Jesus's ‘triumphal entry,' but tonight, at this dinner, with Mary, it's implicit and private. In the moment, even Mary doesn't know the full extent of what she's doing, but we as readers can see it. In Chapter 11, we saw her fall at Jesus's feet in grief, here she bows at Jesus's feet in worship.Last chapter she came to Jesus needing his help; now she comes to him just giving him glory.This doesn't mean we ever stop coming to Jesus for help — we do! We always need his help! But sometimes we can also just come to him in simple worship.This is when we come to him, not to ask him for things, but to give him whatever we can because he is worthy — just because he's our king and he's a good king! It is fitting to worship him!Think about this: When was the last time your heart moved toward Jesus, not for what he gives, but for who he is? When was the last time you were simply compelled by the worth of Jesus?The Little Drummer BoyMary's devotion here in Chapter 12 actually reminds me of what used to be one of my least favorite Christmas songs. “Santa Baby” is dead bottom, but not far from there used to be “The Little Drummer Boy.” And the reason I didn't like the song is because for years it didn't make sense to me, and it was kinda irritating. The pa-RUM-pa-pum-pums are distracting. But if we can get rid of that part and focus on the real words in the song, it's actually beautiful. It's a song about a boy who is invited to meet the newborn Jesus (and it's fictional; didn't really happen; we're supposed to use our imaginations). The boy starts the song by saying:Come, they told meA newborn king to see, Our finest gifts to bring,To lay before the king,So to honor himWhen we come You get it? The boy is invited to come meet Jesus, so he does. And in the second stanza he's at the manger, and he speaks to the infant Jesus:Little baby,I am a poor boy tooI have no gifts to bringThat's fit to give a KingShall I play for you on my drum?See, I imagine that's what Mary of Bethany thought. While Martha was busy serving and Lazarus was sitting at the table, Mary thought: The king is here. He's in the room. What do I have that's fit to give a King?And the technical answer is nothing. Nothing we have is enough to match the glory of this King, but Mary thinks I've got that bottle of perfume — just like the boy thought, I've got this drum. And the boy says, “Shall I play the drum?” Mary thinks, “Shall I pour the perfume?” So the boy plays his best, and Mary pours it all. I don't have enough to give you, but I'll give you my best because you're worthy.That's what the song is about. That's what Mary does here. And it's fitting because of the King!And John tells us that the fragrance of her worship fills the entire house. Which means: her personal reverence and self-forgetfulness in recognizing the glory of Jesus becomes uncontainable. Everybody around her can literally sense her devotion for Jesus.5. Mary-like devotion is criticized. This is verses 4–5: But Judas Iscariot, one of his disciples (he who was about to betray him), said, “Why was this ointment not sold for three hundred denarii and given to the poor?”Apparently, Judas caught the aroma, but instead of recognizing Mary's act as a surprising, costly, humble, and fitting act of devotion, he criticized her. He immediately liquidated the value of the ointment in his head, and he corrected her decision. That could have been used for something better! That could have been a lot of money to help poor people! Mary is being unwise!Now, before we look closer into the criticism, I just want to note that it happened, and right away, because that's just how things go — even things as wholesome as Mary's devotion.The Bible gives us no impression that devotion to Jesus will be easy — it actually ensures the opposite. There's a Forest Frank lyric my younger boys love. It goes: Jesus promised that the bad would come along, ‘Cause if life is always easyProbably doin' something wrong.That's true. I want everybody to know: when your devotion to Jesus meets difficulty, that's a good sign. The question for us is about our willingness to endure difficulty. Are we willing to be criticized? Are we willing to express devotion to Jesus that others would call wasteful but Jesus calls beautiful?6. Mary-like devotion is vindicated.Let's look closer at what Judas said in verse 5.At face-value, we might think Judas is onto something, because what he says is not untrue. That perfume was worth a lot of money — three hundred denarii/$80–90K — that's a lot of money you can do a lot with. Judas names one possibility. The problem, though, is that he's thinking about it all the wrong way. See, he's thinking about gifts from the giver's perspective, not from God's perspective. He's thinking about everything from earth looking around, not from heaven looking down.In his mindset — the ‘Judas mindset' — all value is monetary, and all that is monetary is a zero-sum category: which means I'm always thinking, “whatever I give here is what I cannot give there.” And see, Judas is so caught up in this mindset — he cares so much about the optimal management of the gift — that he's blind to the One the gift is for. That is what is most striking about verse 5 — it's the absence of anything to do with Jesus. Judas says nothing about him. So Judas not only rebukes Mary here, but he also registers how little he thinks of Who she worships.And if that wasn't clear, John adds in verse 6. He wants us to know that Judas said what he said:“…not because he cared about the poor, but because he was a thief, and having charge of the moneybag he used to help himself to what was put into it.”Judas was part of a program called ‘Feeding Our Future' …Greed is an ancient sin — it's the root of all evil, and it ruined Judas. (And it's behind the ruin of our state. God help us.)In verse 7, Mary doesn't say anything back to Judas, but Jesus speaks up on her behalf, and he says, first, “Leave her alone.”Which is amazing. Jesus doesn't argue with Judas. He doesn't explain why his mindset is wrong, he first just tells him to stop. Jesus defends Mary, and he makes the issue about himself, because it is!With this perfume Mary has prepared Jesus for the day of his burial, because, verse 8:“…the poor you always have with you, but you do not always have me.”And it's clear now, with the mention of his burial and that he won't always be here, Jesus is talking about his death. Which raises the question for us: Was Mary anointing Jesus as king or preparing him for his death? And the answer is Yes.Again, Mary is doing more here than she realized. She is anointing Jesus as King — it's just that he's a king who will sacrifice his life for his people.He's a King who has come to die. His reign will conquer the grave for good — remember Lazarus — but first Jesus's reign will come through the grave. Our triumphant King will also be a slain Lamb. And John wants us so badly to get this! He gives us hints here in Mary's devotion, but then later in the Book of Revelation he tells us about a vision when saints and angels together pour out their praise to Jesus, and they say, “Worthy is the Lamb who was slain to receive power and wealth and wisdom and might and honor and glory and blessing!” (Revelation 5:12)Listen: I want you to know that the final vindication of our every sincere act of devotion to Jesus will come on that day when we see him. If it's Mary-like devotion, it is never wasted. Jesus is worth it. And this brings us to the last point.7. Mary-like devotion is instructive. We're gonna finish how we started: I think we can learn from our sister Mary. It is a gift to us to be able to see her gift to Jesus, and I want us to be more like her. That's been my prayer: that the Spirit would reawaken or awaken in us Mary-like devotion to Jesus.Devotion that is surprising because it responds to Jesus in the moment, even if it doesn't fit the setting. Costly because it brings Jesus our best, humble because it doesn't worry about what others might think, fitting because Jesus is the King and nothing given to him is too much, criticized because it's not supposed to be easy, and vindicated because the King who Mary worshiped is the Lamb who was slain and one day we will see his worth with our own eyes.Mary's devotion is instructive because it shows us what it looks like when a heart is overcome by the worth of Jesus.And what's incredible for us, is that we know more about Jesus's worth than Mary does here. We already know the end of the story! That Jesus who has come will die, will be resurrected, and will come again.So in closing, I want to invite you to ask yourself this: For Advent, in this season of waiting, what is Jesus calling you to do that would simply reflect his worth?That's what brings us to the Table.The TableWe come here to this Table to rest in the worth of Jesus Christ. Let his glory be your comfort by taking refuge in him. That's what it means to trust in Jesus, and that is who this table is for. If you're here and you have put your faith in Jesus, we invite you to eat and drink with us and give him thanks.

We begin the show today with Ted Farrell sharing his late father Jack Farrell's Shepherds Pie recipe, some ideas for your leftover food pairings with wine - including how to properly seal your leftover wine with a vacuum wine seal! Ted shares a couple recommended sherry and other fortified wines! Visit any one of the 11 Haskell's locations in and around the Twin Cities area or visit haskells.com

THE BEST BOOK CLUB IN THE MULTIVERSE! Aeric, Malcolm and Jacob enter the final lap of Geoff Johns' THE FLASH! But this week, it's time for the Rogues to reign! Captain Cold. Heatwave. Weather Wizard. Mirror Master. The Trickstah. After a year in hell, the Rogues have returned to the Twin Cities with revenge on their minds. They were betrayed, they were abducted, and worst of all… they were forced to break their number one rule: No Killing Speedsters. And at the center of it all? Thaddeus Thawne aka Inertia. Now, before the Rogues hang it up and leave their careers of crime behind them, they are determined to find Inertia… and break their rule one last time. Covers All Flash #1, Final Crisis: Rogues Revenge #1-3 & Blackest Night: The Flash #1-3 by Geoff Johns, Mark Waid, Karl Kerschl, Ian Churchill, Manuel Garcia, Joe Bennett, Daniel Acuña and Scott Kolins Time Stamps: 00:00:30 Intro & Whatcha Doin'? 00:20:50 Book Club Begins 01:52:28 Break 01:54:30 Speed Force Mailbag 02:18:20 Patreon Shout-Outs & Wrap-Up Support us on Patreon! https://www.patreon.com/c/geeksplained Geeksplained Merch: https://www.teepublic.com/user/geeksplained Follow us! Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/geeksplained.bsky.social Instagram: www.instagram.com/geeksplainedpod/?hl=en Send us your questions for the Geeksplained Mailbag! Email: Geeksplained@gmail.com Check out THE POD UNIVERSE! Writers Dalton Deschain and Dylan Roth first joined together to create Are You Afraid of the Dark Universe? a podcast in which they pitched new installments of the canceled Dark Universe of monster movies. After completing their 30-part saga, they've set out to do something new - an all-original cinematic universe of imaginary movies, written, workshopped, and performed on all podcatchers and YouTube: https://open.spotify.com/show/0Dfy9XX1PMGZbu8iSxtPW3 https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCV48aQBx58PA5d_HqNyRZeQ Music Sampled: “Alive” by Warbly Jets

In this episode of The Curious Builder Podcast - Losers Are Winners, Alyssa Abbott of Olive and Vine Socials joins Mark to talk through the real challenges of building a business you love while raising kids. We talk about everything from from hiring mistakes to breakthrough systems and finally building a team that works. Alyssa shares how loosing her "unicorn" VA was the best (and most stressful) thing that happened this year and why structure and trust matter more than sparkle. It's the open and honest pep talk every entrepreneur needs. Enjoy!   Support the show - https://www.curiousbuilderpodcast.com/shop   See our upcoming live events - https://www.curiousbuilderpodcast.com/events   The host of the Curious Builder Podcast is Mark D. Williams, the founder of Mark D. Williams Custom Homes Inc. They are an award-winning Twin Cities-based home builder, creating quality custom homes and remodels — one-of-a-kind dream homes of all styles and scopes. Whether you're looking to reimagine your current space or start fresh with a new construction, we build homes that reflect how you live your everyday life.   Sponsors for the Episode: Pella Website: https://www.pella.com/ppc/professionals/why-wood/   Adaptive Website: https://referrals.adaptive.build/u8Gkiaev   Sauna Camp Website: https://www.saunacamps.com/   Where to find the Guest: Website: www.oliveandvinesocials.com Instagram: @oliveandvinesocials   Where to find the Host: Website - https://www.mdwilliamshomes.com/ Podcast Website - https://www.curiousbuilderpodcast.com Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/markdwilliams_customhomes/ Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/MarkDWilliamsCustomHomesInc/ LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/mark-williams-968a3420/ Houzz - https://www.houzz.com/pro/markdwilliamscustomhomes/mark-d-williams-custom-homes-inc

Yes, the holidays are upon us. Getting together with family can be a wonderful, loving experience. It can also be a lot. There can be old grudges, chafing at family roles, the specter of politics might play in. We're here to help. In This Family is a podcast produced by our host, John Moe, for Nexus Family Healing, a mental health nonprofit based in the Twin Cities. It's all about the connections between family and mental health.In this miniature episode, that show's host, Dr. Michelle K. Murray goes over some good ways to manage your boundaries, take care of yourself, and have a good time. Dr. Murray is a licensed family and marriage therapist and CEO of Nexus Family Healing. Give this short episode a quick listen in the car on the way to see family and give In This Family a listen. You'll find episodes with some Depresh Mode favorite guests like Maria Bamford and Gary Gulman and some new voices you'll enjoy.Thank you to all our listeners who support the show as monthly members of Maximum Fun.Check out our I'm Glad You're Here and Depresh Mode merchandise at the brand new merch website MaxFunStore.com!Hey, remember, you're part of Depresh Mode and we want to hear what you want to hear about. What guests and issues would you like to have covered in a future episode? Write us at depreshmode@maximumfun.org.Depresh Mode is on BlueSky, Instagram, Substack, and you can join our Preshies Facebook group. Help is available right away.The National Suicide Prevention Lifeline: 988 or 1-800-273-8255, 1-800-273-TALKCrisis Text Line: Text HOME to 741741.International suicide hotline numbers available here: https://www.opencounseling.com/suicide-hotlines

Join City Cast Chicago host Jacoby Cochran alongside fellow hosts from Austin, DC, Denver, Las Vegas, Madison, Nashville, Philly, Pittsburgh, Portland, Salt Lake, Seattle, and the Twin Cities for a special episode that'll help you knock out your holiday shopping early and support small businesses around the country. From a handlebar mount (and app!) that'll turn your phone into a bike cam, to a mustard-of-the-month subscription box, our hosts are here to tell the stories of local businesses in their cities making cool stuff that you can order online right now.  Visit our website to find the full list of recommendations with links for holiday shopping!  Want some more City Cast Chicago news? Then make sure to sign up for our Hey Chicago newsletter.  Follow us @citycastchicago You can also text us or leave a voicemail at: 773 780-0246 Become a member of City Cast Chicago. Learn more about the sponsors of this November 26th episode:  Chicago Symphony Orchestra Joffrey Ballet Paramount Theatre Interested in advertising with City Cast? Find more info HERE 

Join City Cast Denver host Bree Davies alongside fellow hosts from Austin, Chicago, DC, Las Vegas, Madison, Nashville, Philly, Pittsburgh, Portland, Salt Lake, Seattle, and the Twin Cities for a special episode that'll help you knock out your holiday shopping early and support small businesses around the country. From a handlebar mount (and app!) that'll turn your phone into a bike cam, to a mustard-of-the-month subscription box, our hosts are here to tell the stories of local businesses in their cities making cool stuff that you can order online right now.  Visit our website to find the full list of recommendations with links for holiday shopping!  For even more news from around the city, subscribe to our morning newsletter Hey Denver at denver.citycast.fm. Follow us on Instagram: @citycastdenver Chat with other listeners on reddit: r/CityCastDenver Text or leave us a voicemail with your name and neighborhood, and you might hear it on the show: (720) 500-5418 Learn more about the sponsors of this November 26th episode: Blue Sky CBD - Use promo code CITY CAST DENVER to receive 30% off. AEG Presents Ballpark Denver Looking to advertise on City Cast Denver? Check out our options for podcast and newsletter ads at citycast.fm/advertise

Join City Cast Salt Lake host Ali Vallarta alongside fellow hosts from Austin, Chicago, DC, Denver, Las Vegas, Madison, Nashville, Philly, Pittsburgh, Portland, Seattle, and the Twin Cities for a special episode that'll help you knock out your holiday shopping early and support small businesses around the country. From a handlebar mount (and app!) that'll turn your phone into a bike cam, to a mustard-of-the-month subscription box, our hosts are here to tell the stories of local businesses in their cities making cool stuff that you can order online right now.  Visit our website to find the full list of recommendations with links for holiday shopping! Get more from City Cast Salt Lake when you become a City Cast Salt Lake Neighbor. You'll enjoy perks like ad-free listening, invitations to members only events and more. Join now at membership.citycast.fm.  Subscribe to Hey Salt Lake, our daily morning newsletter. You can also find us on Instagram @CityCastSLC. Text or leave us a voicemail with your name and neighborhood, and you might hear it on the show: (801) 203-0137 Looking to advertise on City Cast Salt Lake? Check out our options for podcast and newsletter ads. Learn more about the sponsors of this November 26th episode: Harmons Live Crude - Get $10 off your first CRUDE purchase with promo code CITYCASTSLC Cozy Earth - Use code COZYSALTLAKE for 40% off best-selling temperature-regulating sheets, apparel, and more

Join City Cast Pittsburgh host Megan Harris alongside fellow hosts from Austin, Chicago, DC, Denver, Las Vegas, Madison, Nashville, Philly, Portland, Salt Lake, Seattle, and the Twin Cities for a special episode that'll help you knock out your holiday shopping early and support small businesses around the country. From a handlebar mount (and app!) that'll turn your phone into a bike cam, to a mustard-of-the-month subscription box, our hosts are here to tell the stories of local businesses in their cities making cool stuff that you can order online right now.  Visit our website to find the full list of recommendations with links for holiday shopping! Learn more about the sponsor of this November 26th episode: AIDS Free Pittsburgh Become a member of City Cast Pittsburgh at membership.citycast.fm. Want more Pittsburgh news?  Sign up for our daily morning Hey Pittsburgh newsletter. We're on Instagram @CityCastPgh. Text or leave us a voicemail at 412-212-8893. Interested in advertising with City Cast? Find more info here.

Join City Cast Portland host Claudia Meza alongside fellow hosts from Austin, Chicago, DC, Denver, Las Vegas, Madison, Nashville, Philly, Pittsburgh, Salt Lake, Seattle, and the Twin Cities for a special episode that'll help you knock out your holiday shopping early and support small businesses around the country. From a handlebar mount (and app!) that'll turn your phone into a bike cam, to a mustard-of-the-month subscription box, our hosts are here to tell the stories of local businesses in their cities making cool stuff that you can order online right now.  Visit our website to find the full list of recommendations with links for holiday shopping! Become a member of City Cast Portland today! Get all the details and sign up here.  Who would you like to hear on City Cast Portland? Shoot us an email at portland@citycast.fm, or leave us a voicemail at 503-208-5448. Want more Portland news? Then make sure to sign up for our morning newsletter, Hey Portland, and be sure to follow us on Instagram.  Looking to advertise on City Cast Portland? Check out our options for podcast and newsletter ads at citycast.fm/advertise. Learn more about the sponsors of this November 26th episode: Northwest Children's Theater Ace Handyman DUER - Mention code CCPDX for 15% off

Earlier this year, South Korea's government admitted that widespread corruption had tainted hundreds of thousands of adoptions from its country. Babies who were thought to be orphaned had living parents. Some children were trafficked. Paperwork was falsified. Records were destroyed.Korean adoptees worldwide were left reeling, including here in Minnesota, home to the largest population of Korean adoptees in the U.S. Many had already wrestled with questions of identity and racial and cultural belonging. Now even the small bits of information they had about their past could no longer be trusted.How are Korean adoptees who call Minnesota home responding to this foundational earthquake? Earlier this month, MPR News' North Star Journey Live project hosted a gathering of adoptees who are deeply invested in the search for truth about their origin stories at Arbeiter Brewing in Minneapolis. Moderated by Twin Cities PBS reporter Kaomi Lee, who is herself an adoptee, the panel shared their personal histories and how the work they do today is moving the narrative forward. Guests: Kaomi Lee is a reporter at Twin Cities PBS. She is also the host of Adapted, one of the longest running Korean adoptee podcasts.Ami Nafzger has been working on behalf of Korean adoptees for decades as the founder of the Korean-based GOAL (Global Overseas Adoptees' Link) and the newer Minnesota-based Adoptee Hub. Matt McNiff is the board president and director at Camp Choson, one of many Korean culture camps started in the Upper Midwest in response to the wave of adoptions from Korea. Cam Lee Small is a licensed clinical therapist who specializes in adoption literacy, working both here in the Twin Cities and online. He's also the author of “The Adoptee's Journey.”Mary Niedermeyer is the CEO of Communities Advocating Prosperity for Immigrants, also known as CAPI, a Minnesota-based nonprofit.Find a resource guide to learn more about this topic at MPRnews.org.

The first snow storm of the season swept through the state Tuesday into Wednesday. That means new Minnesotans have now been properly baptized. Duluth picked up the most snow with 10.3 inches and the Twin Cities received 3.1 inches. In Rochester, which got 1-2 inches of snow, the public works department and other organizations have been helping prepare new Minnesotans for winter. Earlier this fall, they put on the second annual Rochester Snow Summit, a winter-preparedness event organized by the city. Jake Busho is the public works street maintenance supervisor and one of the organizers of the Rochester Snow Summit. He talked with MPR News host Chris Farrell along with Jessica Thornton. She is aging services program manager at Family Service Rochester, an organization that participated in the summit.

Join City Cast Nashville host Marie Cecile Anderson alongside fellow hosts from Austin, Chicago, DC, Denver, Las Vegas, Madison, Philly, Pittsburgh, Portland, Salt Lake, Seattle, and the Twin Cities for a special episode that'll help you knock out your holiday shopping early and support small businesses around the country. From a handlebar mount (and app!) that'll turn your phone into a bike cam, to a mustard-of-the-month subscription box, our hosts are here to tell the stories of local businesses in their cities making cool stuff that you can order online right now.  Visit our website to find the full list of recommendations with links for holiday shopping! Get more from City Cast Nashville when you become a City Cast Nashville Neighbor. You'll enjoy perks like ad-free listening, invitations to members only events and more. Join now at membership.citycast.fm/nashville   Want some more City Cast Nashville news? Then make sure to sign up for our Hey Nashville newsletter.  Follow us @citycastnashville You can also text us or leave a voicemail at: 615-200-6392 Interested in advertising with City Cast? Find more info HERE.

Join City Cast Madison executive producer Hayley Sperling (filling in for host Bianca Martin) alongside fellow alongside fellow hosts from Austin, Chicago, DC, Denver, Las Vegas, Nashville, Philly, Pittsburgh, Portland, Salt Lake, Seattle, and the Twin Cities for a special episode that'll help you knock out your holiday shopping early and support small businesses around the country. From a handlebar mount (and app!) that'll turn your phone into a bike cam, to a mustard-of-the-month subscription box, our hosts are here to tell the stories of local businesses in their cities making cool stuff that you can order online right now.  Visit our website to find the full list of recommendations with links for holiday shopping!

Twin Cities radio legend Mary Lucia talks T-Wovles, Stones and her new book (out today!) Plus, J. Peterman himself John O'Hurley on 25 years hosting the National Dog Show, one of his most memorable contestant flubs on Family Feud and the funny thing that happened right before he took the part on Seinfeld, and you get all fired up about the best way to prep potatoes. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.