Joseph Wszalek
@josephwszalek.bsky.social
Neuroscientist/lawyer/policy/brain injury advocacy
neurolawandquity.org
neurolawandquity.org
Reposted by Joseph Wszalek
VICTORY! The emergency funding deal we fought so hard for in 2025 has finally been made! The state will issue a $590 million emergency loan to hold off disastrous cuts to BART, Caltrain, AC Transit, and Muni that would have started this July.
(1/x)
(1/x)
January 31, 2026 at 3:32 AM
VICTORY! The emergency funding deal we fought so hard for in 2025 has finally been made! The state will issue a $590 million emergency loan to hold off disastrous cuts to BART, Caltrain, AC Transit, and Muni that would have started this July.
(1/x)
(1/x)
Reposted by Joseph Wszalek
Several thousand people are gathered at Dolores Park in San Francisco right now to protest ICE.
The crowd is audible from several blocks away.
The crowd is audible from several blocks away.
January 30, 2026 at 9:25 PM
Several thousand people are gathered at Dolores Park in San Francisco right now to protest ICE.
The crowd is audible from several blocks away.
The crowd is audible from several blocks away.
Reposted by Joseph Wszalek
Hello this is your lawyer speaking -- every day is Shut The Fuck Up Friday!
important message to all bluesky users
January 7, 2026 at 8:13 PM
Hello this is your lawyer speaking -- every day is Shut The Fuck Up Friday!
Reposted by Joseph Wszalek
Two queer women with a 6 year old in school today stopped to film ICE and for their bravery ICE agents murdered one before the other’s eyes. The grief in the survivor’s voice is a knife to the gut. Destroying people and their bonds is what ICE has always done.
NEWS: In a heartbreaking video, after ICE shot and killed a woman in Minneapolis, a woman who was in the same SUV cries out: “They killed my wife. I don’t know what to do."
“We stopped to videotape, and they shot her in the head,” the distraught woman sobs.
www.advocate.com/news/minneso...
“We stopped to videotape, and they shot her in the head,” the distraught woman sobs.
www.advocate.com/news/minneso...
Distraught woman says ICE killed her wife in video after deadly Minneapolis shooting
“They killed my wife,” the distraught woman says, adding, “They shot her in the head.”
www.advocate.com
January 7, 2026 at 9:49 PM
Two queer women with a 6 year old in school today stopped to film ICE and for their bravery ICE agents murdered one before the other’s eyes. The grief in the survivor’s voice is a knife to the gut. Destroying people and their bonds is what ICE has always done.
Reposted by Joseph Wszalek
SFMTA approved transit-only red lanes on Ocean Ave in February 2024 - nearly two years ago - after a year of outreach. Now merchants along the Ocean corridor are trying to kill the project, less than a month before the paint was set to be applied.
actionnetwork.org/letters/fini...
actionnetwork.org/letters/fini...
Finish the Red Transit-only Lanes On Ocean
Tell City Hall and SFMTA how much you want faster and more equitable transit on Ocean Avenue! For Context: SFMTA approved the K Ingleside Rapid Project to add red transit-only lanes on Ocean in ...
actionnetwork.org
December 30, 2025 at 6:50 PM
SFMTA approved transit-only red lanes on Ocean Ave in February 2024 - nearly two years ago - after a year of outreach. Now merchants along the Ocean corridor are trying to kill the project, less than a month before the paint was set to be applied.
actionnetwork.org/letters/fini...
actionnetwork.org/letters/fini...
Reposted by Joseph Wszalek
California has fire code rules to veto plastic posts for protecting bike lanes
California also has rules that allow Waymo to gridlock an entire city during an emergency with no consequences
Why does state only care about fire response times when regulating bike lanes, but not when regulating tech?
California also has rules that allow Waymo to gridlock an entire city during an emergency with no consequences
Why does state only care about fire response times when regulating bike lanes, but not when regulating tech?
Waymo has halted service in San Francisco after numerous videos & images showed its autonomous cars snarling traffic during the blackout.
With traffic lights down, Waymos across the city stopped dead in their tracks at intersections.
missionlocal.org/2025/12/sf-w...
With traffic lights down, Waymos across the city stopped dead in their tracks at intersections.
missionlocal.org/2025/12/sf-w...
Waymo halts service during massive S.F. blackout after causing traffic jams
Waymo stopped its service across San Francisco on Saturday after numerous autonomous vehicles caused traffic jams in the city.
missionlocal.org
December 21, 2025 at 10:48 PM
California has fire code rules to veto plastic posts for protecting bike lanes
California also has rules that allow Waymo to gridlock an entire city during an emergency with no consequences
Why does state only care about fire response times when regulating bike lanes, but not when regulating tech?
California also has rules that allow Waymo to gridlock an entire city during an emergency with no consequences
Why does state only care about fire response times when regulating bike lanes, but not when regulating tech?
Reposted by Joseph Wszalek
you can't have a governable city if you're just constantly re-litigating major infrastructure decisions made by voters. it's just complete chaos, ensures continued acrimony, and deprives businesses and families of the ability to plan.
it's a fundamentally unserious *and undemocratic* way to exist.
it's a fundamentally unserious *and undemocratic* way to exist.
Sunset Supervisor Alan Wong said he’d back a ballot measure to reopen the city’s westernmost coastal boulevard to cars, closing Sunset Dunes park.
S.F. voters closer to weighing in — again — on fate of Great Highway
Sunset Supervisor Alan Wong said he’d back a ballot measure to reopen the city’s westernmost coastal boulevard to cars, closing Sunset Dunes park.
bit.ly
December 19, 2025 at 10:06 PM
you can't have a governable city if you're just constantly re-litigating major infrastructure decisions made by voters. it's just complete chaos, ensures continued acrimony, and deprives businesses and families of the ability to plan.
it's a fundamentally unserious *and undemocratic* way to exist.
it's a fundamentally unserious *and undemocratic* way to exist.
Reposted by Joseph Wszalek
#OtD 20 Dec 1973 Spanish fascist PM due to succeed Franco, Luis Carrero Blanco, was assassinated and dubbed "Spain's first astronaut" as his car was blown over a five-storey building. His death was credited by some as hastening the return to democracy stories.workingclasshistory.com/article/9258...
December 20, 2025 at 5:10 AM
#OtD 20 Dec 1973 Spanish fascist PM due to succeed Franco, Luis Carrero Blanco, was assassinated and dubbed "Spain's first astronaut" as his car was blown over a five-storey building. His death was credited by some as hastening the return to democracy stories.workingclasshistory.com/article/9258...
Reposted by Joseph Wszalek
Henry Cuellar, Don Davis, and Vicente Gonzalez joined Republicans in voting to criminalize trans health care.
The bill passed only 216 to 214.
4 Republicans voted no. If they did too, it would have failed.
clerk.house.gov/evs/2025/rol...
The bill passed only 216 to 214.
4 Republicans voted no. If they did too, it would have failed.
clerk.house.gov/evs/2025/rol...
clerk.house.gov
December 18, 2025 at 1:01 AM
Henry Cuellar, Don Davis, and Vicente Gonzalez joined Republicans in voting to criminalize trans health care.
The bill passed only 216 to 214.
4 Republicans voted no. If they did too, it would have failed.
clerk.house.gov/evs/2025/rol...
The bill passed only 216 to 214.
4 Republicans voted no. If they did too, it would have failed.
clerk.house.gov/evs/2025/rol...
Reposted by Joseph Wszalek
In a hell of a coincidence, Lurie is supposed to announce some new bullshit taskforce to study a plan to consider changes to street safety tomorrow at 11am at City Hall. Show up and tell him where to shove it. No more dead kids.
www.sfchronicle.com/bayarea/arti...
www.sfchronicle.com/bayarea/arti...
4-year-old boy dies after being run over in S.F., police report says
The driver remained on the scene after the Sunday morning collision in Hayes Valley, police said.
www.sfchronicle.com
December 14, 2025 at 11:12 PM
In a hell of a coincidence, Lurie is supposed to announce some new bullshit taskforce to study a plan to consider changes to street safety tomorrow at 11am at City Hall. Show up and tell him where to shove it. No more dead kids.
www.sfchronicle.com/bayarea/arti...
www.sfchronicle.com/bayarea/arti...
Reposted by Joseph Wszalek
Glad to see the interim S.F. police chief acknowledge how “incredible” it is for SFPD to be “short staffed” yet crime drops dramatically. Almost as if there’s more to crime prevention than larger PD budgets sfstandard.com/2025/12/03/s...
December 4, 2025 at 1:04 AM
Glad to see the interim S.F. police chief acknowledge how “incredible” it is for SFPD to be “short staffed” yet crime drops dramatically. Almost as if there’s more to crime prevention than larger PD budgets sfstandard.com/2025/12/03/s...
Reposted by Joseph Wszalek
“There’s a public health imperative to quickly expand the adoption of autonomous vehicles.”
Would the author say the same about building bike lanes? Installing automatic traffic cameras? Requiring Intelligent Speed Assist?
All of those are proven to save lives — and at a fraction of AVs' cost.
Would the author say the same about building bike lanes? Installing automatic traffic cameras? Requiring Intelligent Speed Assist?
All of those are proven to save lives — and at a fraction of AVs' cost.
Opinion | Don’t Fear Self-Driving Cars. They Save Lives.
www.nytimes.com
December 2, 2025 at 2:46 PM
“There’s a public health imperative to quickly expand the adoption of autonomous vehicles.”
Would the author say the same about building bike lanes? Installing automatic traffic cameras? Requiring Intelligent Speed Assist?
All of those are proven to save lives — and at a fraction of AVs' cost.
Would the author say the same about building bike lanes? Installing automatic traffic cameras? Requiring Intelligent Speed Assist?
All of those are proven to save lives — and at a fraction of AVs' cost.
Reposted by Joseph Wszalek
Hey @nature.com, have you got an explanation for how the hell THIS happened? & especially why you accepted a paper with such a bizarre piece of genAI slop in it?!
& more to the point, why we should take you seriously at all going forward?
www.nature.com/articles/s41...
& more to the point, why we should take you seriously at all going forward?
www.nature.com/articles/s41...
November 27, 2025 at 3:03 PM
Hey @nature.com, have you got an explanation for how the hell THIS happened? & especially why you accepted a paper with such a bizarre piece of genAI slop in it?!
& more to the point, why we should take you seriously at all going forward?
www.nature.com/articles/s41...
& more to the point, why we should take you seriously at all going forward?
www.nature.com/articles/s41...
Reposted by Joseph Wszalek
Grateful to The Verge for publishing my essay on why large-language models are not going to achieve general intelligence nor push the scientific frontier.
www.theverge.com/ai-artificia...
www.theverge.com/ai-artificia...
Is language the same as intelligence? The AI industry desperately needs it to be
The AI boom is based on a fundamental mistake.
www.theverge.com
November 25, 2025 at 12:49 PM
Grateful to The Verge for publishing my essay on why large-language models are not going to achieve general intelligence nor push the scientific frontier.
www.theverge.com/ai-artificia...
www.theverge.com/ai-artificia...
Extremely questionable forensic practices notwithstanding, when I tell clients and audiences that “the law” and “science” are fundamentally incompatible frameworks for interacting with the world around us and each other, this is what I mean
Dissenting from the court's majority, one judge sounded the alarm about ignoring recanted forensic testimony, saying the medical examiner's reversal "calls into doubt the foundation of the trial."
By @pamelacolloff.bsky.social
By @pamelacolloff.bsky.social
Appeals Court Upholds Shaken Baby Conviction Despite Medical Examiner Recanting Testimony
Dissenting from the court’s majority, one judge sounded the alarm about ignoring recanted forensic testimony, saying the medical examiner’s reversal “calls into doubt the foundation of the trial.”
www.propublica.org
November 6, 2025 at 4:56 PM
Extremely questionable forensic practices notwithstanding, when I tell clients and audiences that “the law” and “science” are fundamentally incompatible frameworks for interacting with the world around us and each other, this is what I mean
Reposted by Joseph Wszalek
While @anthonymoser.com is a Gen AI hater, I believe hating something that's pure evil makes you a lover of humanity.
The latest in Stop Gen AI's Anti Gen AI Heroes series!
stopgenai.com/anti-gen-ai-...
(Art by @phineas.bsky.social, link in blog.)
The latest in Stop Gen AI's Anti Gen AI Heroes series!
stopgenai.com/anti-gen-ai-...
(Art by @phineas.bsky.social, link in blog.)
November 5, 2025 at 9:46 PM
While @anthonymoser.com is a Gen AI hater, I believe hating something that's pure evil makes you a lover of humanity.
The latest in Stop Gen AI's Anti Gen AI Heroes series!
stopgenai.com/anti-gen-ai-...
(Art by @phineas.bsky.social, link in blog.)
The latest in Stop Gen AI's Anti Gen AI Heroes series!
stopgenai.com/anti-gen-ai-...
(Art by @phineas.bsky.social, link in blog.)
I hope this monster came face-to-face with every single dead Iraqi child on his way out
Cheney, who extolled the power of the presidency, died Monday, according to a statement from his family. The cause was complications of pneumonia and cardiac and vascular disease.
Dick Cheney, one of the most powerful vice presidents in American history, dies at 84
Cheney, who extolled the power of the presidency, died Monday, according to a statement from his family. The cause was complications of pneumonia and cardiac and vascular disease.
n.pr
November 4, 2025 at 4:43 PM
I hope this monster came face-to-face with every single dead Iraqi child on his way out
Reposted by Joseph Wszalek
After 4 years and 2 failed attempts, California is giving up on the idea of ebike subsidies and dumping the money back into electric car subsidies.
November 2, 2025 at 11:24 PM
After 4 years and 2 failed attempts, California is giving up on the idea of ebike subsidies and dumping the money back into electric car subsidies.
Reposted by Joseph Wszalek
We don't trust tobacco companies to do any single thing, nothing at all, except be excellent at selling their products. If you see research from such companies on lung cancer, which very much still exists, I assume even smokers when they find out are like: nah. Don't trust anybody shilling AI. 4/n
October 29, 2025 at 2:28 PM
We don't trust tobacco companies to do any single thing, nothing at all, except be excellent at selling their products. If you see research from such companies on lung cancer, which very much still exists, I assume even smokers when they find out are like: nah. Don't trust anybody shilling AI. 4/n
Reposted by Joseph Wszalek
“I am not interested, nor will I ever be interested. I'm 61, and I hope to be able to remain uninterested in using it at all until I croak. ... The other day, somebody wrote me an email, said, ‘What is your stance on AI?’ And my answer was very short. I said, ‘I'd rather die.’” 🫡
Filmmaker Guillermo del Toro says 'I'd rather die' than use generative AI
Del Toro's new Frankenstein adaption reimagines Mary Shelley's 1818 Gothic novel. Frankenstein was like a tech bro: "creating something without considering the consequences," he explains.
www.npr.org
October 23, 2025 at 10:08 PM
“I am not interested, nor will I ever be interested. I'm 61, and I hope to be able to remain uninterested in using it at all until I croak. ... The other day, somebody wrote me an email, said, ‘What is your stance on AI?’ And my answer was very short. I said, ‘I'd rather die.’” 🫡
Reposted by Joseph Wszalek
John Brown’s raid on Harpers Ferry began on this day in 1859.
October 16, 2025 at 12:00 PM
John Brown’s raid on Harpers Ferry began on this day in 1859.
Reposted by Joseph Wszalek
Reposted by Joseph Wszalek
After 7 committee hearings, a senate floor vote, an assembly floor vote, a concurrence vote, and the governor's signing this morning... @scottwiener.bsky.social's #SB79, which legalizes new multifamily housing near major public transit stops, is officially law!
Thank you @gavinnewsom.bsky.social!
Thank you @gavinnewsom.bsky.social!
October 10, 2025 at 4:44 PM
After 7 committee hearings, a senate floor vote, an assembly floor vote, a concurrence vote, and the governor's signing this morning... @scottwiener.bsky.social's #SB79, which legalizes new multifamily housing near major public transit stops, is officially law!
Thank you @gavinnewsom.bsky.social!
Thank you @gavinnewsom.bsky.social!
Reposted by Joseph Wszalek
⭕ Two years of genocide in Gaza..
The Government Media Office says the Israeli occupation has, on average, carried out the following crimes every single day for two years:
➤ Killed 92 Palestinians
➤ Killed 27 children
➤ Killed 14 women
➤ Killed 12 mothers and 30 fathers
➤ Attacked 53 different…
The Government Media Office says the Israeli occupation has, on average, carried out the following crimes every single day for two years:
➤ Killed 92 Palestinians
➤ Killed 27 children
➤ Killed 14 women
➤ Killed 12 mothers and 30 fathers
➤ Attacked 53 different…
October 6, 2025 at 4:26 PM
⭕ Two years of genocide in Gaza..
The Government Media Office says the Israeli occupation has, on average, carried out the following crimes every single day for two years:
➤ Killed 92 Palestinians
➤ Killed 27 children
➤ Killed 14 women
➤ Killed 12 mothers and 30 fathers
➤ Attacked 53 different…
The Government Media Office says the Israeli occupation has, on average, carried out the following crimes every single day for two years:
➤ Killed 92 Palestinians
➤ Killed 27 children
➤ Killed 14 women
➤ Killed 12 mothers and 30 fathers
➤ Attacked 53 different…