Matthew Petersen
@meptrsn.bsky.social
Transportation Planner, Allston-Brighton Resident, Union Steward
Reposted by Matthew Petersen
Since 2000 water use in Santa Cruz has dropped 45%, while the City added 8,000 people. lookout.co/ask-lookout-... #CAwater @lookoutsantacruz.bsky.social
December 10, 2025 at 3:35 AM
Since 2000 water use in Santa Cruz has dropped 45%, while the City added 8,000 people. lookout.co/ask-lookout-... #CAwater @lookoutsantacruz.bsky.social
Reposted by Matthew Petersen
The Allston incident is the most high-profile example in Boston to date of masked agents targeting Black and Brown people without criminal records. In some instances, those seized by ICE are being shipped out of state and/or deported w/out legal counsel or a hearing.
www.dotnews.com/2025/allston...
www.dotnews.com/2025/allston...
Allston Nine migrants tell of abusive conditions, pressure tactics after Nov. 4 ICE raid - Dorchester Reporter
A group of nine migrant workers, including some who were working with permission in the United States but were nevertheless seized and hauled away in chains by ICE agents at an Allston car wash last m...
www.dotnews.com
December 9, 2025 at 5:14 PM
The Allston incident is the most high-profile example in Boston to date of masked agents targeting Black and Brown people without criminal records. In some instances, those seized by ICE are being shipped out of state and/or deported w/out legal counsel or a hearing.
www.dotnews.com/2025/allston...
www.dotnews.com/2025/allston...
Reposted by Matthew Petersen
“Why are folks getting dumber?” Because they don’t read. “Why aren’t men as romantic & poetic as they used to be?” Because they don’t read. “Why are people so vulnerable to propaganda?” “Why is everyone a conspiracy theorist?” Because they don’t read. Because they don’t read.
December 8, 2025 at 11:49 PM
“Why are folks getting dumber?” Because they don’t read. “Why aren’t men as romantic & poetic as they used to be?” Because they don’t read. “Why are people so vulnerable to propaganda?” “Why is everyone a conspiracy theorist?” Because they don’t read. Because they don’t read.
Reposted by Matthew Petersen
One theme here is the speed of American institutional collapse.
“It took Erdoğan 15 years to do what Trump did in 100 days. If [Americans] do not accept the fact that this is a long game, and it will be brutal, I think you won’t have the patience and stamina to bear it.”
“It took Erdoğan 15 years to do what Trump did in 100 days. If [Americans] do not accept the fact that this is a long game, and it will be brutal, I think you won’t have the patience and stamina to bear it.”
We asked activists from authoritarian regimes what they wish they’d known sooner. Here’s what they said www.theguardian.com/us-news/2025...
We asked activists from authoritarian regimes what they wish they’d known sooner. Here’s what they said
Activists from Hungary, El Salvador and Turkey offer advice to the US about what they’ve learned about authoritarians
www.theguardian.com
December 9, 2025 at 12:19 PM
One theme here is the speed of American institutional collapse.
“It took Erdoğan 15 years to do what Trump did in 100 days. If [Americans] do not accept the fact that this is a long game, and it will be brutal, I think you won’t have the patience and stamina to bear it.”
“It took Erdoğan 15 years to do what Trump did in 100 days. If [Americans] do not accept the fact that this is a long game, and it will be brutal, I think you won’t have the patience and stamina to bear it.”
Reposted by Matthew Petersen
bring back shame, combat vice signaling
we all got cowed into avoiding "virtue signaling" as if the public affirmation of socially agreed upon ethical principles was somehow cringey instead of a significant part of what a "society" even is. now all there's left is vice signaling, and it's reshaping society.
December 8, 2025 at 7:34 PM
bring back shame, combat vice signaling
Reposted by Matthew Petersen
the "15 minute city" is an urban planning concept where residents can access a big bowl of hot soup within 15 minutes of waking up in the morning. if other less important things like going to the doctor take a little longer that's okay
December 9, 2025 at 11:38 AM
the "15 minute city" is an urban planning concept where residents can access a big bowl of hot soup within 15 minutes of waking up in the morning. if other less important things like going to the doctor take a little longer that's okay
Reposted by Matthew Petersen
Almost half the Waymos on California streets are driving around empty. They're either waiting for the next customer or en route for a pickup.
If robotaxis scale, anything close to that level of deadheading would create crushing gridlock.
www.thedriverlessdigest.com/p/what-cpuc-...
If robotaxis scale, anything close to that level of deadheading would create crushing gridlock.
www.thedriverlessdigest.com/p/what-cpuc-...
November 19, 2025 at 7:14 PM
Almost half the Waymos on California streets are driving around empty. They're either waiting for the next customer or en route for a pickup.
If robotaxis scale, anything close to that level of deadheading would create crushing gridlock.
www.thedriverlessdigest.com/p/what-cpuc-...
If robotaxis scale, anything close to that level of deadheading would create crushing gridlock.
www.thedriverlessdigest.com/p/what-cpuc-...
Reposted by Matthew Petersen
The "Historical Perspective on the #AASHTO Guide for the Development of Bicycle Facilities and the Impact of the Vehicular Cycling Movement" by @schlthss.bsky.social @rebeccasanders.bsky.social & Jennifer Toole is an all time best paper @trb.org journals.sagepub.com/doi/abs/10.1... #Fridayfacts
Sage Journals: Discover world-class research
Subscription and open access journals from Sage, the world's leading independent academic publisher.
journals.sagepub.com
August 22, 2025 at 6:40 PM
The "Historical Perspective on the #AASHTO Guide for the Development of Bicycle Facilities and the Impact of the Vehicular Cycling Movement" by @schlthss.bsky.social @rebeccasanders.bsky.social & Jennifer Toole is an all time best paper @trb.org journals.sagepub.com/doi/abs/10.1... #Fridayfacts
Reposted by Matthew Petersen
I do not want to hear someone say “they need to come in the right way” ever again. Never again, ever. www.wgbh.org/news/local/2...
Immigrants kept from Faneuil Hall citizenship ceremony as feds crackdown nationwide
Trump administration is pausing naturalizations for immigrants from 19 countries.
www.wgbh.org
December 9, 2025 at 3:15 AM
I do not want to hear someone say “they need to come in the right way” ever again. Never again, ever. www.wgbh.org/news/local/2...
Reposted by Matthew Petersen
When cameras are installed, they issue many violations in the first month, followed by a steep decline in the second month. This suggests that the cameras effectively deter speeding by changing underlying driver behavior rather than relying on sustained revenue extraction.
December 8, 2025 at 8:19 PM
When cameras are installed, they issue many violations in the first month, followed by a steep decline in the second month. This suggests that the cameras effectively deter speeding by changing underlying driver behavior rather than relying on sustained revenue extraction.
Reposted by Matthew Petersen
Herman Melville on moderates, all the way back in 1857:
May 27, 2024 at 8:27 PM
Herman Melville on moderates, all the way back in 1857:
Reposted by Matthew Petersen
‘providing computers to students without sufficient pedagogical support
may have limited the effects on academic performance and may have led to negative effects on
students’ grade progression over time.’
may have limited the effects on academic performance and may have led to negative effects on
students’ grade progression over time.’
Laptops in the Long Run: Evidence from the One Laptop per Child Program in Rural Peru
Founded in 1920, the NBER is a private, non-profit, non-partisan organization dedicated to conducting economic research and to disseminating research findings among academics, public policy makers, an...
www.nber.org
December 8, 2025 at 12:01 PM
‘providing computers to students without sufficient pedagogical support
may have limited the effects on academic performance and may have led to negative effects on
students’ grade progression over time.’
may have limited the effects on academic performance and may have led to negative effects on
students’ grade progression over time.’
Reposted by Matthew Petersen
Varvara Stepanova, Circle Points—Teal and Orange, textile design, Russia, 1923
November 30, 2025 at 3:32 PM
Varvara Stepanova, Circle Points—Teal and Orange, textile design, Russia, 1923
👏ban👏left👏turns👏
I constantly hear in some planning circles that "speed isn't a big issue for new transit", downplaying issues with our new LRTs.
and yet today i heard sooo many riders, young and old, ask "why is it so slow?"
"transit should be frequent, reliable, and FAST" shouldn't be a hot take!
and yet today i heard sooo many riders, young and old, ask "why is it so slow?"
"transit should be frequent, reliable, and FAST" shouldn't be a hot take!
December 8, 2025 at 12:26 PM
👏ban👏left👏turns👏
Reposted by Matthew Petersen
The problem with every post-Millennial generation is they got to go straight to high speed internet. Of course you'll get computer madness that way. Make them start with those old screeching modems and work their way up
November 10, 2024 at 12:14 AM
The problem with every post-Millennial generation is they got to go straight to high speed internet. Of course you'll get computer madness that way. Make them start with those old screeching modems and work their way up
Reposted by Matthew Petersen
The news from Oklahoma and Nebraska is so depressing. The US public university system is one of the greatest achievements of the 20th century, created to democratize liberal arts education, and it's being destroyed by greedy people who think only the rich are deserving of such learning.
December 7, 2025 at 1:58 PM
The news from Oklahoma and Nebraska is so depressing. The US public university system is one of the greatest achievements of the 20th century, created to democratize liberal arts education, and it's being destroyed by greedy people who think only the rich are deserving of such learning.
Reposted by Matthew Petersen
I think you just invented potholes.
Tired: flat streets
Wired: Speed humps, tables, etc
Inspired: Speed *dips*, because modern clearance and suspension makes taking speed bumps at speed no big deal, but dips still make drivers worry they'll damage their car, and that has the highest level of encouraging compliance
Wired: Speed humps, tables, etc
Inspired: Speed *dips*, because modern clearance and suspension makes taking speed bumps at speed no big deal, but dips still make drivers worry they'll damage their car, and that has the highest level of encouraging compliance
December 8, 2025 at 4:06 AM
I think you just invented potholes.
Reposted by Matthew Petersen
Me before becoming a CS professor: "with tightly scoped and heavily regulated use-cases, it's worth developing an extremely limited form of AI"
Me after 3 years as a CS professor: "we have to destroy all AI of any and every kind immediately and ban any future development work of any kind"
Me after 3 years as a CS professor: "we have to destroy all AI of any and every kind immediately and ban any future development work of any kind"
December 7, 2025 at 6:40 PM
Me before becoming a CS professor: "with tightly scoped and heavily regulated use-cases, it's worth developing an extremely limited form of AI"
Me after 3 years as a CS professor: "we have to destroy all AI of any and every kind immediately and ban any future development work of any kind"
Me after 3 years as a CS professor: "we have to destroy all AI of any and every kind immediately and ban any future development work of any kind"
Spending some time taking the bus today to run some errands - thinking a lot about the impact of the micro-interactions of bus stops, intersections, and crosswalk placements on bus speed and reliability
December 7, 2025 at 6:57 PM
Spending some time taking the bus today to run some errands - thinking a lot about the impact of the micro-interactions of bus stops, intersections, and crosswalk placements on bus speed and reliability
Reposted by Matthew Petersen
It is both deeply ironic and profoundly funny that all these overconfident maga chud dudebros are convinced they'll be at the top of a meritocratic system, when in reality they're actually the ones who've benefited most from what they themselves characterize as non-meritocratic factors.
Ending DEI practices in college admissions will expose an uncomfortable truth. Women now outperform men academically.
If universities stop trying to gender balance incoming classes but instead admit based on merit, they’ll reject men at higher rates than they do today.
If universities stop trying to gender balance incoming classes but instead admit based on merit, they’ll reject men at higher rates than they do today.
Trump’s attack on DEI may hurt college men, particularly White men
The Trump administration’s ban on diversity, equity and inclusion also targets gender. The ban may impact gender balancing practices that often benefit college men.
www.washingtonpost.com
December 7, 2025 at 6:25 PM
It is both deeply ironic and profoundly funny that all these overconfident maga chud dudebros are convinced they'll be at the top of a meritocratic system, when in reality they're actually the ones who've benefited most from what they themselves characterize as non-meritocratic factors.
Reposted by Matthew Petersen
it does feel like an intense societal problem that the founder of palantir, the biggest survellience company, thinks like this
December 7, 2025 at 5:27 PM
it does feel like an intense societal problem that the founder of palantir, the biggest survellience company, thinks like this
Reposted by Matthew Petersen
"Today’s microwave can cook a frozen burrito. Tomorrow’s microwave will be able to cook an entire Thanksgiving Dinner. Ten years from now a microwave may even be able to run the country."
December 7, 2025 at 5:32 PM
"Today’s microwave can cook a frozen burrito. Tomorrow’s microwave will be able to cook an entire Thanksgiving Dinner. Ten years from now a microwave may even be able to run the country."
Reposted by Matthew Petersen
Reposted by Matthew Petersen
"Extreme wealth is never earned; it is only enabled."
"Because working people have been shunted into defined contribution, self-funded retirement schemes, their futures are wedded to stock market returns in a way that people in similarly wealthy democracies find unimaginable." Inequality in the US is obscene. My thoughts:
buttondown.com/surekhadavie...
buttondown.com/surekhadavie...
The case for a 100% tax bracket for billionaires
I was looking through my photos, stumbled upon this image, and realized that I had to get out a seasonal newsletter today with a wish for 2025. Caption....
buttondown.com
December 7, 2025 at 1:12 PM
"Extreme wealth is never earned; it is only enabled."
Reposted by Matthew Petersen
We should take it way more seriously than we do that these unspeakably wealthy and powerful men are publicly equating summary judgement and public execution with their gender.
That’s real sick. Real real sick.
www.thenerdreich.com/joe-lonsdale...
That’s real sick. Real real sick.
www.thenerdreich.com/joe-lonsdale...
Joe Lonsdale Calls For Public Hangings
Silicon Valley radicalization escalates
www.thenerdreich.com
December 7, 2025 at 1:20 PM
We should take it way more seriously than we do that these unspeakably wealthy and powerful men are publicly equating summary judgement and public execution with their gender.
That’s real sick. Real real sick.
www.thenerdreich.com/joe-lonsdale...
That’s real sick. Real real sick.
www.thenerdreich.com/joe-lonsdale...