humphrey ✨
@hoctopi.bsky.social
cities, technology, and democracy | Oakland, CA
Reposted by humphrey ✨
Every "tech" guy is just a VC guy in a subculture that gets called "tech" for no particular reason. Most real "tech" - like, i dunno, cutting edge materials research - doesn't get called that while "a new pizza delivery app" does
I am going to be so fascinated to read the post-mortem about how a revolt lead by tech billionaires lead to a gutting of both scientific research, university education and immigrant labor, all key prerequisites to the very existence of their industries.
I can't stress enough how close U.S. science is to the cliff.
"Numbers released in May by the National Science Foundation (NSF) indicate that if Congress approves the cuts to the agency proposed by the White House, the number of early-career researchers it supports could fall by 78%" (@science.org)
"Numbers released in May by the National Science Foundation (NSF) indicate that if Congress approves the cuts to the agency proposed by the White House, the number of early-career researchers it supports could fall by 78%" (@science.org)
July 10, 2025 at 6:31 AM
Every "tech" guy is just a VC guy in a subculture that gets called "tech" for no particular reason. Most real "tech" - like, i dunno, cutting edge materials research - doesn't get called that while "a new pizza delivery app" does
making a tiny monthly zine for my neighborhood… plus a way to distribute them (zine/postcard holders that attach to existing public infrastructure)
June 28, 2025 at 8:26 PM
making a tiny monthly zine for my neighborhood… plus a way to distribute them (zine/postcard holders that attach to existing public infrastructure)
found on pole (temescal, oakland)
June 21, 2025 at 10:49 PM
found on pole (temescal, oakland)
Reposted by humphrey ✨
Absolutely stellar reporting by @missionlocal.org these past 100 days on Mayor Lurie’s promise to transform 16th St and Mission, and the on the ground reality of open air drug use and illegal vending. This final article in the series is a must read for SF residents. missionlocal.org/2025/06/100-...
100 days after S.F. pledged to clean up 16th St., drugs and vending rage on
“I love the Mission, and I have never seen this,” he said. “I don’t understand it. I don’t know what we’re supposed to do.”
missionlocal.org
June 19, 2025 at 10:43 PM
Absolutely stellar reporting by @missionlocal.org these past 100 days on Mayor Lurie’s promise to transform 16th St and Mission, and the on the ground reality of open air drug use and illegal vending. This final article in the series is a must read for SF residents. missionlocal.org/2025/06/100-...
Reposted by humphrey ✨
Maybe capitalism just works like organized crime now? Before AI, "gig" companies like Uber/Lyft didn't work without breaking the law. They spent $200m to change the law. 5 years later, they're still fighting in court to stiff workers back pay from before the change.
May 27, 2025 at 4:37 AM
Maybe capitalism just works like organized crime now? Before AI, "gig" companies like Uber/Lyft didn't work without breaking the law. They spent $200m to change the law. 5 years later, they're still fighting in court to stiff workers back pay from before the change.
claude screenshot from a project
May 27, 2025 at 5:43 AM
claude screenshot from a project
Reposted by humphrey ✨
Another Library Newsroom meeting tonight — so heartening to hear how everyday folks navigate local bureaucracy, tap local contacts to investigate their stories (when will the rec center re-open?!), and to watch them translate their neighborhood identity into a graphic design
May 7, 2025 at 1:24 AM
Another Library Newsroom meeting tonight — so heartening to hear how everyday folks navigate local bureaucracy, tap local contacts to investigate their stories (when will the rec center re-open?!), and to watch them translate their neighborhood identity into a graphic design
nothing like a good night of not looking at the time, opening up three browser windows, and doing a deep dive on "online discourse architecture"
April 25, 2025 at 9:57 AM
nothing like a good night of not looking at the time, opening up three browser windows, and doing a deep dive on "online discourse architecture"
Reposted by humphrey ✨
Here we have a real world experiment of a single lane Grand handling traffic with ease
When you visit it is very obvious that only one car lane is needed here, even during evening "rush hour"
We can make Grand safe for pedestrians to cross without worrying about congestion. Everyone can win!
When you visit it is very obvious that only one car lane is needed here, even during evening "rush hour"
We can make Grand safe for pedestrians to cross without worrying about congestion. Everyone can win!
April 12, 2025 at 2:40 AM
Here we have a real world experiment of a single lane Grand handling traffic with ease
When you visit it is very obvious that only one car lane is needed here, even during evening "rush hour"
We can make Grand safe for pedestrians to cross without worrying about congestion. Everyone can win!
When you visit it is very obvious that only one car lane is needed here, even during evening "rush hour"
We can make Grand safe for pedestrians to cross without worrying about congestion. Everyone can win!
Reposted by humphrey ✨
... I've started to be depressed about the ways in which federal government is just kind of... going along with the administration. It feels like there are high level holdouts eg at the DOJ. I bet there are more at other agencies and depts.
But now I'm worried it's the same 5/85/10 ratio...
But now I'm worried it's the same 5/85/10 ratio...
April 8, 2025 at 8:07 PM
... I've started to be depressed about the ways in which federal government is just kind of... going along with the administration. It feels like there are high level holdouts eg at the DOJ. I bet there are more at other agencies and depts.
But now I'm worried it's the same 5/85/10 ratio...
But now I'm worried it's the same 5/85/10 ratio...
Reposted by humphrey ✨
Another chapter in AI biting the hand that feeds it: Wikipedia’s bandwidth surged 50% since January thanks to AI crawlers.
Unlike search engines, they send no traffic back so no new users, no new donors. Just rising costs and a shrinking audience.
A raw deal for a cornerstone of the free web.
Unlike search engines, they send no traffic back so no new users, no new donors. Just rising costs and a shrinking audience.
A raw deal for a cornerstone of the free web.
How crawlers impact the operations of the Wikimedia projects
Since the beginning of 2024, the demand for the content created by the Wikimedia volunteer community – especially for the 144 million images, videos, and other files on Wikimedia Commons – has grow…
diff.wikimedia.org
April 2, 2025 at 12:04 PM
Another chapter in AI biting the hand that feeds it: Wikipedia’s bandwidth surged 50% since January thanks to AI crawlers.
Unlike search engines, they send no traffic back so no new users, no new donors. Just rising costs and a shrinking audience.
A raw deal for a cornerstone of the free web.
Unlike search engines, they send no traffic back so no new users, no new donors. Just rising costs and a shrinking audience.
A raw deal for a cornerstone of the free web.
did a sidewalk screenprinting pop-up to get folks’ thoughts on what should go in Oakland’s empty storefronts!!
March 22, 2025 at 2:13 AM
did a sidewalk screenprinting pop-up to get folks’ thoughts on what should go in Oakland’s empty storefronts!!
Reposted by humphrey ✨
Thanks to the work of @safestreetrebel.bsky.social, @sfbike.org and countless others, we now have a 6-mile (nearly) car-free route from the south end of the Upper Great Highway to the east end of the Panhandle.
It is truly a gift to future generations.
It is truly a gift to future generations.
March 18, 2025 at 10:09 PM
Thanks to the work of @safestreetrebel.bsky.social, @sfbike.org and countless others, we now have a 6-mile (nearly) car-free route from the south end of the Upper Great Highway to the east end of the Panhandle.
It is truly a gift to future generations.
It is truly a gift to future generations.
this is an extremely tasty and useful guide (from firsthand experience alongside the author)
If you are in the San Francisco Bay Area and want to eat plants out of the ground when you go on walks, this is for you.
A short foraging guide to our springtime abundance -- 🧵
A short foraging guide to our springtime abundance -- 🧵
March 6, 2025 at 5:25 AM
this is an extremely tasty and useful guide (from firsthand experience alongside the author)
this is maybe my favorite thing I’ve seen all week
March 5, 2025 at 3:16 AM
this is maybe my favorite thing I’ve seen all week
~from idea to reality~
a little nfc holder specifically designed for transit poles! idea is to make it easy to tap into local websites for hyperlocal info, conversations, etc. while waiting for the bus or walking around the neighborhood
a little nfc holder specifically designed for transit poles! idea is to make it easy to tap into local websites for hyperlocal info, conversations, etc. while waiting for the bus or walking around the neighborhood
February 27, 2025 at 5:21 AM
~from idea to reality~
a little nfc holder specifically designed for transit poles! idea is to make it easy to tap into local websites for hyperlocal info, conversations, etc. while waiting for the bus or walking around the neighborhood
a little nfc holder specifically designed for transit poles! idea is to make it easy to tap into local websites for hyperlocal info, conversations, etc. while waiting for the bus or walking around the neighborhood
Just published an essay on addressing power imbalances in democratic deliberation! Been a pleasure to dig into this, and got to cite a lot of my favorite practitioners & scholars in the field ⭐️ carnegieendowment.org/posts/2025/0...
Addressing Power Imbalances in Deliberation
Care and forethought are needed to manage societal inequalities in community discussions.
carnegieendowment.org
February 26, 2025 at 8:52 PM
Just published an essay on addressing power imbalances in democratic deliberation! Been a pleasure to dig into this, and got to cite a lot of my favorite practitioners & scholars in the field ⭐️ carnegieendowment.org/posts/2025/0...
no to american dynamism 👎🏾🙅🏾♂️❌
yes to Deweyan Pragmatism 💖🎉☀️
yes to Deweyan Pragmatism 💖🎉☀️
February 25, 2025 at 6:56 AM
no to american dynamism 👎🏾🙅🏾♂️❌
yes to Deweyan Pragmatism 💖🎉☀️
yes to Deweyan Pragmatism 💖🎉☀️
Reposted by humphrey ✨
We dedicated a week to the post office, one of my favorite institutions — its foundational mission, its vital civic roles, its incremental disenfranchisement, its ideal potential — in our Local Media class (relevant slides start at #48)
localmedia.wordsinspace.net/spring2024/p...
localmedia.wordsinspace.net/spring2024/p...
February 21, 2025 at 1:38 AM
We dedicated a week to the post office, one of my favorite institutions — its foundational mission, its vital civic roles, its incremental disenfranchisement, its ideal potential — in our Local Media class (relevant slides start at #48)
localmedia.wordsinspace.net/spring2024/p...
localmedia.wordsinspace.net/spring2024/p...
*chaotically scheduling an email for 7:43AM*
February 20, 2025 at 10:07 AM
*chaotically scheduling an email for 7:43AM*
Reposted by humphrey ✨
In many ways it's fitting that the showdown between monarchy and democracy ends up being over NYC congestion pricing.
Cities are where the power of kings were first challenged, and few things are more fundamental to government than control of public space.
The cameras are staying on!
Cities are where the power of kings were first challenged, and few things are more fundamental to government than control of public space.
The cameras are staying on!
February 20, 2025 at 4:42 AM
In many ways it's fitting that the showdown between monarchy and democracy ends up being over NYC congestion pricing.
Cities are where the power of kings were first challenged, and few things are more fundamental to government than control of public space.
The cameras are staying on!
Cities are where the power of kings were first challenged, and few things are more fundamental to government than control of public space.
The cameras are staying on!
despite zuck being a digital dictator and totally Not Cool, facebook marketplace still has soul
February 20, 2025 at 6:22 AM
despite zuck being a digital dictator and totally Not Cool, facebook marketplace still has soul
the best part of grad school has been seeing my personal library (in zotero, notion, etc) utterly BALLOON
i have read so many things now, and have so many references for things i love thinking about!! life is good!!
i have read so many things now, and have so many references for things i love thinking about!! life is good!!
February 20, 2025 at 5:04 AM
the best part of grad school has been seeing my personal library (in zotero, notion, etc) utterly BALLOON
i have read so many things now, and have so many references for things i love thinking about!! life is good!!
i have read so many things now, and have so many references for things i love thinking about!! life is good!!
Reposted by humphrey ✨
Public Hearings! posters, c. 1965-70, from the Emergency Committee on the Transportation Crisis Records in the People’s Archive at the DC Public Library
February 19, 2025 at 7:58 PM
Public Hearings! posters, c. 1965-70, from the Emergency Committee on the Transportation Crisis Records in the People’s Archive at the DC Public Library