Mike Hicks
@mulad.bsky.social
Tech guy into transpo and urbanism, politics to push the needle. Once a streets.mn person. A Swiftie to ease my unhappy singleness
Transit blog: https://hizeph400.blogspot.com/
I get lots of fake followers, so apologies for any errant blocks
Transit blog: https://hizeph400.blogspot.com/
I get lots of fake followers, so apologies for any errant blocks
My apartment retains too much heat
February 17, 2026 at 2:07 AM
My apartment retains too much heat
Reposted by Mike Hicks
Good news. But, we hope @Amtrak will also announce a heavy re-build program for the Superliner fleet used on the western long-distance trains and the AutoTrain. It is unlikely the Superliners will last through the procurement period without it:
www.allaboardohio.org/posts/finall...
www.allaboardohio.org/posts/finall...
Finally, A Timeline: What Amtrak's Long-Distance Fleet Replacement Means for Ohio | All Aboard Ohio
A realistic, updated timeline on when passengers will finally see the aging long-distance fleet replaced with modern equipment. This will impact trains in Cincinnati, Toledo, and Cleveland
www.allaboardohio.org
February 16, 2026 at 6:03 PM
Good news. But, we hope @Amtrak will also announce a heavy re-build program for the Superliner fleet used on the western long-distance trains and the AutoTrain. It is unlikely the Superliners will last through the procurement period without it:
www.allaboardohio.org/posts/finall...
www.allaboardohio.org/posts/finall...
Reposted by Mike Hicks
Just saw these bad boys on Saturday, may be familiar with where it is.
February 16, 2026 at 8:59 PM
Just saw these bad boys on Saturday, may be familiar with where it is.
Reposted by Mike Hicks
“False herring” is stupid, but the most dishonest & manipulative word here is “now.” As if this is some novelty. But warrants for entering homes, like cops who show their faces & badges, is how we’ve done things for 250 years. The radical novelty is suggesting we STOP doing these things.
Emmer: "It's a false herring for these guys to suggest, 'Oh, we now we need a judicial warrant,' because they know that that's going to delay any enforcement of the actual administrative warrant."
February 17, 2026 at 1:18 AM
“False herring” is stupid, but the most dishonest & manipulative word here is “now.” As if this is some novelty. But warrants for entering homes, like cops who show their faces & badges, is how we’ve done things for 250 years. The radical novelty is suggesting we STOP doing these things.
Reposted by Mike Hicks
A judge has ordered the release of an 18-year-old who was detained by federal agents in a chaotic scene inside the Hennepin County Government Center last week.
Judge orders release of man who was detained in chaotic scene at courthouse
The 18-year-old was in court for a hearing on first-degree drug possession charges stemming from his arrest in January.
bit.ly
February 16, 2026 at 7:23 PM
A judge has ordered the release of an 18-year-old who was detained by federal agents in a chaotic scene inside the Hennepin County Government Center last week.
Reposted by Mike Hicks
US rail services that switch ends/reverse mid-run:
NYC PATH JSQ-33 via Hoboken (soon to be discontinued)
LA Metrolink Ventura County Line
SF BART Red Line
Amtrak in Portland, ME, Denver, and Tampa
What else?
NYC PATH JSQ-33 via Hoboken (soon to be discontinued)
LA Metrolink Ventura County Line
SF BART Red Line
Amtrak in Portland, ME, Denver, and Tampa
What else?
February 16, 2026 at 6:04 PM
US rail services that switch ends/reverse mid-run:
NYC PATH JSQ-33 via Hoboken (soon to be discontinued)
LA Metrolink Ventura County Line
SF BART Red Line
Amtrak in Portland, ME, Denver, and Tampa
What else?
NYC PATH JSQ-33 via Hoboken (soon to be discontinued)
LA Metrolink Ventura County Line
SF BART Red Line
Amtrak in Portland, ME, Denver, and Tampa
What else?
Reposted by Mike Hicks
Google Translate won’t admit it but “Keir Starmer” is Welsh for “Gavin Newsom.”
"UK Labour over the past couple years has tried to out-fash the fascists in many ways—particularly on immigration, where Labour officials sound a lot like far-right German parties—and now their popularity has plummeted" liberalcurrents.com/a-blaring-wa...
A Blaring Warning For The Democratic Party From Across The Pond
Popularism has been tried in the UK, and failed.
liberalcurrents.com
February 16, 2026 at 11:53 AM
Google Translate won’t admit it but “Keir Starmer” is Welsh for “Gavin Newsom.”
Reposted by Mike Hicks
Despite the FBI refusing to allow access to their use of force investigations into the shootings of Alex Pretti and Julio Sosa-Celis, the HCAO and the BCA are committed to our work on these cases, as well as the in killing of Renee Good.
dps.mn.gov/news/bca/sta...
dps.mn.gov/news/bca/sta...
Statement from BCA Superintendent Drew Evans on Alex Pretti shooting investigation | Minnesota Department of Public Safety
Statement from BCA Superintendent Drew Evans updating the efforts to conduct a joint investigation into the death of Alex Pretti.
dps.mn.gov
February 16, 2026 at 4:21 PM
Despite the FBI refusing to allow access to their use of force investigations into the shootings of Alex Pretti and Julio Sosa-Celis, the HCAO and the BCA are committed to our work on these cases, as well as the in killing of Renee Good.
dps.mn.gov/news/bca/sta...
dps.mn.gov/news/bca/sta...
I still believe ads could've worked fine for news sites, but they kept getting overloaded with video and heavy Javascript, making the sites unusable without ad blockers. Coffee Geek is a rare example of how old-style banner ads can be used without completely breaking things
coffeegeek.com
coffeegeek.com
February 16, 2026 at 4:20 PM
I still believe ads could've worked fine for news sites, but they kept getting overloaded with video and heavy Javascript, making the sites unusable without ad blockers. Coffee Geek is a rare example of how old-style banner ads can be used without completely breaking things
coffeegeek.com
coffeegeek.com
Reposted by Mike Hicks
The cover up continues.
Breaking news DPS “The FBI formally notified the Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension (BCA) on Feb. 13 that it will not provide the BCA with access to any information or evidence that it has collected in the shooting death of Alex Pretti…lack of cooperation is concerning and unprecedented”
February 16, 2026 at 3:53 PM
The cover up continues.
The One Minute Tours guy was unfortunately a standout of Twin Cities folks on TikTok, since he was doing something other than complaining about traffic and parking
February 16, 2026 at 3:31 PM
The One Minute Tours guy was unfortunately a standout of Twin Cities folks on TikTok, since he was doing something other than complaining about traffic and parking
Reposted by Mike Hicks
Tesla ‘Robotaxi’ status check: 8 months in, 19% availability, and all of Musk’s promises are missing
Tesla ‘Robotaxi’ status check: 8 months in, 19% availability, and all of Musk’s promises are missing
Tesla launched its “Robotaxi” service in Austin eight months ago. In that time, Elon Musk promised 500 cars in Austin, coverage for half the US population, fully unsupervised rides, and expansion to 8-10 cities, all by the end of 2025. None of it happened.
Today, the service has roughly 42 cars in Austin, availability below 20%, a crash rate 9 times worse than human drivers, and the “unsupervised” rides Musk hyped before earnings have vanished from the tracker. Here’s the full status check.
more…
electrek.co
February 16, 2026 at 2:57 PM
Tesla ‘Robotaxi’ status check: 8 months in, 19% availability, and all of Musk’s promises are missing
I wonder how close this is to some real scenes we might get with California HSR
February 16, 2026 at 3:02 PM
I wonder how close this is to some real scenes we might get with California HSR
Reposted by Mike Hicks
Reposted by Mike Hicks
Chicago's Black population in 1930
February 16, 2026 at 2:00 PM
Chicago's Black population in 1930
Reposted by Mike Hicks
Manhattan's Black population in 1930
February 16, 2026 at 2:30 PM
Manhattan's Black population in 1930
Reposted by Mike Hicks
On Presidents’ Day, I’m proud to celebrate our President - by which of course I mean Minneapolis City Council President Elliott Payne.
February 16, 2026 at 2:33 PM
On Presidents’ Day, I’m proud to celebrate our President - by which of course I mean Minneapolis City Council President Elliott Payne.
Reposted by Mike Hicks
How many ICE and CBP agents are in Minnesota right now? We deserve to know. How many will be here as of Tuesday? Thursday? We deserve to know.
February 15, 2026 at 9:03 PM
How many ICE and CBP agents are in Minnesota right now? We deserve to know. How many will be here as of Tuesday? Thursday? We deserve to know.
Here's Last Week Tonight's segment on ICE and DHS from last night
youtu.be/5-KDUOHEZFk
youtu.be/5-KDUOHEZFk
ICE & DHS: Last Week Tonight with John Oliver (HBO)
YouTube video by LastWeekTonight
youtu.be
February 16, 2026 at 12:54 PM
Here's Last Week Tonight's segment on ICE and DHS from last night
youtu.be/5-KDUOHEZFk
youtu.be/5-KDUOHEZFk
Reposted by Mike Hicks
Mayor Frey resisted our $1 million rental assistance funding to the very end. Now he’s claiming credit.
But we’re not fooled. “Pause Evictions, Save Lives” is up next to give residents more time to connect with rental assistance before facing eviction. Tell your Council Member to vote "yes"!
But we’re not fooled. “Pause Evictions, Save Lives” is up next to give residents more time to connect with rental assistance before facing eviction. Tell your Council Member to vote "yes"!
February 16, 2026 at 8:31 AM
Mayor Frey resisted our $1 million rental assistance funding to the very end. Now he’s claiming credit.
But we’re not fooled. “Pause Evictions, Save Lives” is up next to give residents more time to connect with rental assistance before facing eviction. Tell your Council Member to vote "yes"!
But we’re not fooled. “Pause Evictions, Save Lives” is up next to give residents more time to connect with rental assistance before facing eviction. Tell your Council Member to vote "yes"!
Reposted by Mike Hicks
Sometimes you wonder. Bloomberg this morning saying that you can't both believe that AI is a big deal and that we're in a bubble. But you absolutely can! That's exactly the story of the tech bubble of the 90s, major economic impact but not big profits. Sigh.
February 16, 2026 at 11:59 AM
Sometimes you wonder. Bloomberg this morning saying that you can't both believe that AI is a big deal and that we're in a bubble. But you absolutely can! That's exactly the story of the tech bubble of the 90s, major economic impact but not big profits. Sigh.
Reposted by Mike Hicks
I'm going to promote the heck out of this:
The Minneapolis Foundation has $4 million in grants available to small businesses for everything from rent and payroll costs to legal help and temporary relocation.
More details and the application here: www.minneapolisfoundation.org/stories/comm...
The Minneapolis Foundation has $4 million in grants available to small businesses for everything from rent and payroll costs to legal help and temporary relocation.
More details and the application here: www.minneapolisfoundation.org/stories/comm...
Economic Response Fund Grant Guidelines
Small businesses in Minnesota that have experienced operational disruptions in recent weeks may now apply for emergency financial support through the Economic Response Fund.
www.minneapolisfoundation.org
February 15, 2026 at 8:10 PM
I'm going to promote the heck out of this:
The Minneapolis Foundation has $4 million in grants available to small businesses for everything from rent and payroll costs to legal help and temporary relocation.
More details and the application here: www.minneapolisfoundation.org/stories/comm...
The Minneapolis Foundation has $4 million in grants available to small businesses for everything from rent and payroll costs to legal help and temporary relocation.
More details and the application here: www.minneapolisfoundation.org/stories/comm...
Reposted by Mike Hicks
This scheme to make passports harder to obtain comes as Republicans are trying to make passports one of the few documents that can be presented in order to be permitted to register to vote.
State Department orders nonprofit libraries to stop processing passport applications
The State Department has ordered nonprofit public libraries to stop taking passport applications, cutting off a popular local service.
apnews.com
February 15, 2026 at 4:38 PM
This scheme to make passports harder to obtain comes as Republicans are trying to make passports one of the few documents that can be presented in order to be permitted to register to vote.
Reposted by Mike Hicks
We are over $5500! Only $2000 to get this asylum seeker’s legal fees covered. Please help us raise this last part to keep them safe!
Hi friends, there is a south Mpls neighbor in need of funds for their asylum case. They received a court summons today & need an attorney to help. @danielsuitor.com has given some pro bono resources but we think they will need paid representation.
Please see images for details & how to help.
Please see images for details & how to help.
February 16, 2026 at 1:46 AM
We are over $5500! Only $2000 to get this asylum seeker’s legal fees covered. Please help us raise this last part to keep them safe!
Reposted by Mike Hicks
Urge your reps to ban Surveillance Pricing and boycott any business that uses it. If it’s allowed to take root, you will be robbed for the rest of your lives.
(1/11) If you live in NY, you’ve probably started seeing a new warning: “THIS PRICE WAS SET BY AN ALGORITHM USING YOUR PERSONAL DATA.” This mandatory disclosure went into effect late last year, and it’s the first attempt by a US state to grapple with a new generation of surveillance pricing.
February 15, 2026 at 7:21 PM
Urge your reps to ban Surveillance Pricing and boycott any business that uses it. If it’s allowed to take root, you will be robbed for the rest of your lives.