Shirley Leung, PhD
@shirleyswirley.bsky.social
Climate/water scientist💧🌊
People = Good. Billionaires = Bad.
Land back, save the salmon, house and feed everybody.
People = Good. Billionaires = Bad.
Land back, save the salmon, house and feed everybody.
Pinned
Anti-housing, self-proclaimed "tree advocates" are missing the forest for the trees - or worse
“I have to wait HOW long?!”
One of the five neighborhood kids gathered around me threw their dirt-caked hands up in disbelief. They were gardening for the first time ever and simply refused to believe...
blog.moreparksmoreneighbors.org
I wrote a rant that addresses EVERY Seattle anti-housing "tree advocate" talking point I have ever seen.
It's long but honestly not THAT long lol. I will be very, VERY happy if 5 people read it.
Come be one of them :)
blog.moreparksmoreneighbors.org/page/anti-ho...
It's long but honestly not THAT long lol. I will be very, VERY happy if 5 people read it.
Come be one of them :)
blog.moreparksmoreneighbors.org/page/anti-ho...
Reposted by Shirley Leung, PhD
If you live in a city with a decent Chinatown and are hosting or attending a potluck Thanksgiving, I highly recommend getting some char siu and chopped roast duck. Always a hit with my friends, not that expensive, and barely any leftovers. Sometimes I pick up egg tarts for dessert.
November 25, 2025 at 5:30 PM
If you live in a city with a decent Chinatown and are hosting or attending a potluck Thanksgiving, I highly recommend getting some char siu and chopped roast duck. Always a hit with my friends, not that expensive, and barely any leftovers. Sometimes I pick up egg tarts for dessert.
Reposted by Shirley Leung, PhD
This is genuinely good news (it’s wild that regulators only consider impacts to male bodies in their testing). But we desperately need safety testing for people outside vehicles. The auto industry keeps building models with higher crosswalk kill rates, but regulators don’t even test this so 5 Stars!
At least we're one step closer to finally getting an officially authorized female crash test dummy. Even a broken clock is right twice a day.
Read More: www.jalopnik.com/2032752/dot-...
Read More: www.jalopnik.com/2032752/dot-...
DOT Finally Realizes Women Exist, Authorizes Female Crash Test Dummies - Jalopnik
Women have been driving since Bertha Benz took one of Karl's contraptions without his permission on the first real drive of more than 60 miles back in 1888.
www.jalopnik.com
November 24, 2025 at 4:44 PM
This is genuinely good news (it’s wild that regulators only consider impacts to male bodies in their testing). But we desperately need safety testing for people outside vehicles. The auto industry keeps building models with higher crosswalk kill rates, but regulators don’t even test this so 5 Stars!
This is pretty much exactly what Affordable Talaris imagined for Talaris. Right, @socklessinseattle.bsky.social??
November 24, 2025 at 12:39 AM
This is pretty much exactly what Affordable Talaris imagined for Talaris. Right, @socklessinseattle.bsky.social??
Reposted by Shirley Leung, PhD
Welp, after years of planning, pots of dedicated funding, promises that despite other elements getting yanked from the plans that sidewalk repairs were still on the table, the only sidewalk on LWB that got repaved this year was the segment right in front of Bruce's house.
November 22, 2025 at 6:06 PM
Welp, after years of planning, pots of dedicated funding, promises that despite other elements getting yanked from the plans that sidewalk repairs were still on the table, the only sidewalk on LWB that got repaved this year was the segment right in front of Bruce's house.
Reposted by Shirley Leung, PhD
Synthetic voters/audiences are increasingly being used by political campaigns. They’re being sold as a more affordable alternative to real focus groups and polls.
This is a horrible idea for many reasons, including that the results are weird and bad.
This is a horrible idea for many reasons, including that the results are weird and bad.
Morgan McSweeney (UK Labour's Dominic Cummings knock-off) is reportedly experimenting with 'synthetic voters' – "essentially fake focus groups of AI voters who can tell ministers more quickly and cheaply what the public thinks of policies" www.spectator.co.uk/article/can-...
#govtech #govcomms
#govtech #govcomms
November 22, 2025 at 3:03 AM
Synthetic voters/audiences are increasingly being used by political campaigns. They’re being sold as a more affordable alternative to real focus groups and polls.
This is a horrible idea for many reasons, including that the results are weird and bad.
This is a horrible idea for many reasons, including that the results are weird and bad.
Reposted by Shirley Leung, PhD
An Oregon pilot program giving cash to homeless youths sees a staggering reduction in homelessness. The program gave participants $1,000 cash payments each month for two years, and at the end of the project's first phase, 91% of participants reported being in stable housing.
Oregon pilot program giving cash to homeless youths sees staggering reduction in homelessness
The state program gave participants $1,000 cash payments each month for two years. At the end of the project's first phase, 91% of participants reported being in stable housing.
www.streetroots.org
November 21, 2025 at 2:35 AM
An Oregon pilot program giving cash to homeless youths sees a staggering reduction in homelessness. The program gave participants $1,000 cash payments each month for two years, and at the end of the project's first phase, 91% of participants reported being in stable housing.
Reposted by Shirley Leung, PhD
Insane but true fact: making US roads as safe as Canadian, Australian, or European roads would save more lives than eliminating murder from the US.
November 21, 2025 at 3:01 AM
Insane but true fact: making US roads as safe as Canadian, Australian, or European roads would save more lives than eliminating murder from the US.
Reposted by Shirley Leung, PhD
5 things i hope katie wilson implements in the first few months.
1. path to eliminating parking minimums - and introduce maxes and caps - *citywide*
there are more cars in seattle today than ever before. we need a path to deprioritize cars and reclaim space for people
1. path to eliminating parking minimums - and introduce maxes and caps - *citywide*
there are more cars in seattle today than ever before. we need a path to deprioritize cars and reclaim space for people
November 20, 2025 at 8:42 PM
5 things i hope katie wilson implements in the first few months.
1. path to eliminating parking minimums - and introduce maxes and caps - *citywide*
there are more cars in seattle today than ever before. we need a path to deprioritize cars and reclaim space for people
1. path to eliminating parking minimums - and introduce maxes and caps - *citywide*
there are more cars in seattle today than ever before. we need a path to deprioritize cars and reclaim space for people
Reposted by Shirley Leung, PhD
RTO is like "You wanna work 8 hours a day? Fuck that! Let's add 1-2 hours for commute, another 30 min to an hour to get ready, etc. Oh and we're reducing your take home pay! You now need to shell out for transportation, wardrobe, etc. But it's okay - here's some shitty pizza! Make small talk bitch!"
November 20, 2025 at 5:32 PM
RTO is like "You wanna work 8 hours a day? Fuck that! Let's add 1-2 hours for commute, another 30 min to an hour to get ready, etc. Oh and we're reducing your take home pay! You now need to shell out for transportation, wardrobe, etc. But it's okay - here's some shitty pizza! Make small talk bitch!"
Reposted by Shirley Leung, PhD
if we do indeed get widespread uptake in autonomous vehicles, without proactive bold radical policy it will be an unprecedented nightmare of congestion on our roads and highways, with significant air pollution and climate implications, and also all urban streets will just be downright unpleasant
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 20, 2025 at 7:39 AM
if we do indeed get widespread uptake in autonomous vehicles, without proactive bold radical policy it will be an unprecedented nightmare of congestion on our roads and highways, with significant air pollution and climate implications, and also all urban streets will just be downright unpleasant
Reposted by Shirley Leung, PhD
Can’t believe the whole country has to suffer through the return of Dickensian childhood diseases because the worst, most ignorant attention-demanders decided other people’s expertise makes them feel bad
November 20, 2025 at 4:19 AM
Can’t believe the whole country has to suffer through the return of Dickensian childhood diseases because the worst, most ignorant attention-demanders decided other people’s expertise makes them feel bad
Reposted by Shirley Leung, PhD
They fucking killed this guy it's so fucking awful I don't even have words for it
Moreover, ICE must be destroyed
Moreover, ICE must be destroyed
"A Chinese immigrant was found dead in U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) detention, with his hands and feet tied behind him, an attorney has alleged."
www.newsweek.com/ice-detainee...
www.newsweek.com/ice-detainee...
Man detained by ICE found dead, hanging with hands and feet tied—attorney
The Chinese national died in Pennsylvania in August, but his family's requests for answers from DHS have gone unmet.
www.newsweek.com
November 20, 2025 at 7:29 AM
They fucking killed this guy it's so fucking awful I don't even have words for it
Moreover, ICE must be destroyed
Moreover, ICE must be destroyed
If there is an urban forestry commission then there should also be an urban salmon commission, urban beaver commission, urban camas meadow commission, urban wetlands commission, urban stream commission, urban eel grass bed commission, urban bull kelp commission, urban floodplain commission, urban…
Why does Seattle just have an Urban Forestry commission, instead of an Urban Ecology commission?
Trees are just one small part of the health of wetlands, watersheds, wildlife habitat, and the health of an urban ecosystem.
It’s be like if your hospital *only* had a hepatology department.
Trees are just one small part of the health of wetlands, watersheds, wildlife habitat, and the health of an urban ecosystem.
It’s be like if your hospital *only* had a hepatology department.
November 20, 2025 at 6:33 AM
If there is an urban forestry commission then there should also be an urban salmon commission, urban beaver commission, urban camas meadow commission, urban wetlands commission, urban stream commission, urban eel grass bed commission, urban bull kelp commission, urban floodplain commission, urban…
Reposted by Shirley Leung, PhD
Why does Seattle just have an Urban Forestry commission, instead of an Urban Ecology commission?
Trees are just one small part of the health of wetlands, watersheds, wildlife habitat, and the health of an urban ecosystem.
It’s be like if your hospital *only* had a hepatology department.
Trees are just one small part of the health of wetlands, watersheds, wildlife habitat, and the health of an urban ecosystem.
It’s be like if your hospital *only* had a hepatology department.
November 19, 2025 at 11:52 PM
Why does Seattle just have an Urban Forestry commission, instead of an Urban Ecology commission?
Trees are just one small part of the health of wetlands, watersheds, wildlife habitat, and the health of an urban ecosystem.
It’s be like if your hospital *only* had a hepatology department.
Trees are just one small part of the health of wetlands, watersheds, wildlife habitat, and the health of an urban ecosystem.
It’s be like if your hospital *only* had a hepatology department.
Omgggg such biodiverse much wow
I got deer ferns, evergreen huckleberries, Kinnikinnik, low Oregon grape, mock orange, nodding onion, oceanspray (my fave!) pacific rhododendron, red flowering current, salmon berry, Salal, sword ferns, thimbleberries, fringe cup, Oregon iris, Nootka rose, and red osier dogwoods!!!!
So many things!
So many things!
November 19, 2025 at 9:42 AM
Omgggg such biodiverse much wow
Reposted by Shirley Leung, PhD
woot woot!!!!!
South Korea pledges to phase out coal plants at COP30
South Korea pledged Monday to phase out coal power plants that lack emission-reducing measures, an ambitious step for a country that generates a third of its electricity from the fossil
www.cbs19news.com
November 18, 2025 at 1:57 PM
woot woot!!!!!
Reposted by Shirley Leung, PhD
"Microsoft warns that Windows 11's agentic AI could install malware on your PC: 'Only enable this feature if you understand the security implications.'"
bro what--
what are we doing here, exactly, how can you--anyone be okay with this?
bro what--
what are we doing here, exactly, how can you--anyone be okay with this?
November 18, 2025 at 3:42 PM
"Microsoft warns that Windows 11's agentic AI could install malware on your PC: 'Only enable this feature if you understand the security implications.'"
bro what--
what are we doing here, exactly, how can you--anyone be okay with this?
bro what--
what are we doing here, exactly, how can you--anyone be okay with this?
Reposted by Shirley Leung, PhD
In case you missed it: my follow-up video op-ed responding to ongoing conversations surrounding the COP30 climate conference and seemingly widespread misconception regarding how harmful 2-3°C of global warming would actually be for human societies, economies, and global ecosystems.
I recorded a short video op-ed to help cut through the noise surrounding the ongoing COP30 climate conference. In short: now is not the time to scale back our efforts to address climate change--quite the opposite, as the intensifying consequences have never been clearer.
Now is not the time to scale back efforts to address climate change!
As the #COP30 #climate conference unfolds, competing narratives from scientists, politicians, and influential billionaires swirl. In this brief video op-ed, climate scientist Daniel Swain cuts through the noise to explain why the present moment is an especially consequential one--including where wer
www.youtube.com
November 17, 2025 at 5:18 PM
In case you missed it: my follow-up video op-ed responding to ongoing conversations surrounding the COP30 climate conference and seemingly widespread misconception regarding how harmful 2-3°C of global warming would actually be for human societies, economies, and global ecosystems.
Reposted by Shirley Leung, PhD
Importantly, this is the first time in recent memory that none of the major U.S. broadcasters — CBS, (which fired it's entire climate desk), NBC, ABC, and Fox — bothered to send anyone to Belém, Brazil for the ongoing COP30 global climate conference
www.theguardian.com/us-news/2025...
www.theguardian.com/us-news/2025...
November 17, 2025 at 5:17 PM
Importantly, this is the first time in recent memory that none of the major U.S. broadcasters — CBS, (which fired it's entire climate desk), NBC, ABC, and Fox — bothered to send anyone to Belém, Brazil for the ongoing COP30 global climate conference
www.theguardian.com/us-news/2025...
www.theguardian.com/us-news/2025...
Reposted by Shirley Leung, PhD
Adding carfree households but not more carfree space 👎
Living in Capitol Hill is a study in contradictions: you're in a place has added more carfree households than maybe any other neighborhood on the west coast over the past two decades, and yet every net new car that gets added actively degrades your quality of life.
November 17, 2025 at 3:32 AM
Adding carfree households but not more carfree space 👎
Reposted by Shirley Leung, PhD
Seattle — Now that we have electeds that listen to left urbanists, we have to be clear about what we want & be very loud so they have political cover. We have to make sure media hears us so electeds respond to us. Next 3 years hinges on being very active at council. Election was only the beginning!
November 16, 2025 at 5:33 PM
Seattle — Now that we have electeds that listen to left urbanists, we have to be clear about what we want & be very loud so they have political cover. We have to make sure media hears us so electeds respond to us. Next 3 years hinges on being very active at council. Election was only the beginning!
Reposted by Shirley Leung, PhD
The housing shortage is THE central issue facing major US cities and I'm not sure how you're supposed to be the "next Mamdani" if you don't share his commitment to expanding supply. www.latimes.com/california/n...
She's challenging Bass from the left. Could she become L.A.'s Mamdani?
Rae Huang, a 43-year-old community organizer and democratic socialist, is waging a long-shot campaign for L.A. mayor, focusing on free buses, public housing and police abuse.
www.latimes.com
November 16, 2025 at 4:34 PM
The housing shortage is THE central issue facing major US cities and I'm not sure how you're supposed to be the "next Mamdani" if you don't share his commitment to expanding supply. www.latimes.com/california/n...
Reposted by Shirley Leung, PhD
“straight up giving the president a bar of gold” is where we’re at now on the “corruption isn’t real” scale
good work, John Roberts
good work, John Roberts
"It was tough to beat Apple, but the Swiss did it." said one administration official.
How the Swiss convinced Trump to drop tariffs with gifts of a Rolex desk clock and a 1 kg gold bar.
www.axios.com/2025/11/14/t...
How the Swiss convinced Trump to drop tariffs with gifts of a Rolex desk clock and a 1 kg gold bar.
www.axios.com/2025/11/14/t...
How to lobby Trump with Swiss precision: gifts, gold and gab
How the Swiss broke a diplomatic logjam on tariffs by arriving with tributes fit for a king.
www.axios.com
November 15, 2025 at 5:16 PM
“straight up giving the president a bar of gold” is where we’re at now on the “corruption isn’t real” scale
good work, John Roberts
good work, John Roberts
Reposted by Shirley Leung, PhD
You know that you live in Italy when you read this:
"Dear Parents,
We would like to inform you about the Canteen Committee's organization for the current school year. A weekly tasting rotation has been established, with one parent tasting each lunch shift, on a weekly basis."
"Dear Parents,
We would like to inform you about the Canteen Committee's organization for the current school year. A weekly tasting rotation has been established, with one parent tasting each lunch shift, on a weekly basis."
October 23, 2025 at 12:36 PM
You know that you live in Italy when you read this:
"Dear Parents,
We would like to inform you about the Canteen Committee's organization for the current school year. A weekly tasting rotation has been established, with one parent tasting each lunch shift, on a weekly basis."
"Dear Parents,
We would like to inform you about the Canteen Committee's organization for the current school year. A weekly tasting rotation has been established, with one parent tasting each lunch shift, on a weekly basis."