Diego
@runningman2021.bsky.social
Energy and policy nerd, science and technology advocate, with a side of YIMBY-ism and film interest… Just hoping to be a net benefit to the planet : )
Reposted by Diego
Who could have predicted???
August 4, 2025 at 1:59 AM
Who could have predicted???
Reposted by Diego
Firing the BLS Commissioner — the wonk in charge of the statisticians who track economic reality — is an authoritarian four alarm fire.
It will also backfire: You can't bend economic reality, but you can break the trust of markets. And biased data yields worse policy.
It will also backfire: You can't bend economic reality, but you can break the trust of markets. And biased data yields worse policy.
August 1, 2025 at 8:54 PM
Firing the BLS Commissioner — the wonk in charge of the statisticians who track economic reality — is an authoritarian four alarm fire.
It will also backfire: You can't bend economic reality, but you can break the trust of markets. And biased data yields worse policy.
It will also backfire: You can't bend economic reality, but you can break the trust of markets. And biased data yields worse policy.
Reposted by Diego
These results are relevant for policymakers concerned about renters’ displacement as the costs of housing rise. The findings suggest that not allowing more homes to be built—even for high-income residents—pushes up all rents, making it harder for low-income tenants to remain in their neighborhoods.
New Housing Slows Rent Growth Most for Older, More Affordable Units
The nationwide housing shortage has driven rents up more in low-income neighborhoods than in the U.S. overall, but in areas that have recently added large amounts of housing, rents have fallen the mos...
www.pew.org
August 1, 2025 at 12:55 AM
These results are relevant for policymakers concerned about renters’ displacement as the costs of housing rise. The findings suggest that not allowing more homes to be built—even for high-income residents—pushes up all rents, making it harder for low-income tenants to remain in their neighborhoods.
Reposted by Diego
YIMBY policy prescriptions are firmly rooted in empirical analysis of housing markets and supported by the overwhelming majority of practitioners.
The ONLY way to make housing broadly affordable is to legalize and build enough homes to meet demand in the places people want to live.
The ONLY way to make housing broadly affordable is to legalize and build enough homes to meet demand in the places people want to live.
These results are relevant for policymakers concerned about renters’ displacement as the costs of housing rise. The findings suggest that not allowing more homes to be built—even for high-income residents—pushes up all rents, making it harder for low-income tenants to remain in their neighborhoods.
New Housing Slows Rent Growth Most for Older, More Affordable Units
The nationwide housing shortage has driven rents up more in low-income neighborhoods than in the U.S. overall, but in areas that have recently added large amounts of housing, rents have fallen the mos...
www.pew.org
August 1, 2025 at 12:58 AM
YIMBY policy prescriptions are firmly rooted in empirical analysis of housing markets and supported by the overwhelming majority of practitioners.
The ONLY way to make housing broadly affordable is to legalize and build enough homes to meet demand in the places people want to live.
The ONLY way to make housing broadly affordable is to legalize and build enough homes to meet demand in the places people want to live.
Reposted by Diego
When four homes replace a SFH, each new home is about the same price as the original, and at 5 units or more, the new homes tend to be more affordable. But the critical comparison is to the 1-for-1 replacement — a mansionization, in other words.
July 30, 2025 at 2:55 PM
When four homes replace a SFH, each new home is about the same price as the original, and at 5 units or more, the new homes tend to be more affordable. But the critical comparison is to the 1-for-1 replacement — a mansionization, in other words.
Reposted by Diego
Single family zoning effectively mandates McMansionization and economic displacement in high-demand neighborhoods by making it illegal to replace older single family houses with several smaller, less-expensive homes.
When four homes replace a SFH, each new home is about the same price as the original, and at 5 units or more, the new homes tend to be more affordable. But the critical comparison is to the 1-for-1 replacement — a mansionization, in other words.
July 30, 2025 at 5:34 PM
Single family zoning effectively mandates McMansionization and economic displacement in high-demand neighborhoods by making it illegal to replace older single family houses with several smaller, less-expensive homes.
Reposted by Diego
“We, writers, painters, sculptors, architects, & lovers of the beauty of Paris that was until now intact, come to protest with all our might… against the erection in the very heart of our capital, of the useless & monstrous Eiffel Tower.”
- Protest against Eiffel Tower. 1889 🇫🇷
- Protest against Eiffel Tower. 1889 🇫🇷
July 30, 2025 at 12:18 AM
“We, writers, painters, sculptors, architects, & lovers of the beauty of Paris that was until now intact, come to protest with all our might… against the erection in the very heart of our capital, of the useless & monstrous Eiffel Tower.”
- Protest against Eiffel Tower. 1889 🇫🇷
- Protest against Eiffel Tower. 1889 🇫🇷
Reposted by Diego
Just so’s we’re all clear, almost 3/4 of everything we buy from Europe is now 15% more expensive.
July 28, 2025 at 11:54 AM
Just so’s we’re all clear, almost 3/4 of everything we buy from Europe is now 15% more expensive.
Reposted by Diego
Funny thing about this website is that everyone just assumes everyone else on here hates Trump so a growing number of people have stopped trying to explain why/how a given policy is stupid and just gesture at a headline and be like "stupid, huh?"
Can't possibly see any drawbacks to that strategy.
Can't possibly see any drawbacks to that strategy.
July 28, 2025 at 12:34 PM
Funny thing about this website is that everyone just assumes everyone else on here hates Trump so a growing number of people have stopped trying to explain why/how a given policy is stupid and just gesture at a headline and be like "stupid, huh?"
Can't possibly see any drawbacks to that strategy.
Can't possibly see any drawbacks to that strategy.
Reposted by Diego
⚒️ Another good geologic xkcd (I chuckled at the Quarternary)!
Although there are some opportunities for expansion at the beginning and end.
Although there are some opportunities for expansion at the beginning and end.
Geologic Periods
xkcd.com
July 26, 2025 at 1:35 PM
⚒️ Another good geologic xkcd (I chuckled at the Quarternary)!
Although there are some opportunities for expansion at the beginning and end.
Although there are some opportunities for expansion at the beginning and end.
Reposted by Diego
Ghislane Maxwell is a child sex trafficker that Trump just gave immunity to in exchange for her silence on him.
Wanna bet she only names democrats now and magically gets pardoned in a few years?
Wanna bet she only names democrats now and magically gets pardoned in a few years?
July 26, 2025 at 12:00 PM
Ghislane Maxwell is a child sex trafficker that Trump just gave immunity to in exchange for her silence on him.
Wanna bet she only names democrats now and magically gets pardoned in a few years?
Wanna bet she only names democrats now and magically gets pardoned in a few years?
If we can steer their use for kids primarily as tutors, I think the potential here is huge.
A pilot programme in Nigeria helped students make two years’ worth of progress in six weeks
Can AI be trusted in schools?
A pilot programme in Nigeria helped students make two years’ worth of progress in six weeks
econ.st
July 24, 2025 at 2:08 AM
If we can steer their use for kids primarily as tutors, I think the potential here is huge.
Reposted by Diego
"Trump doesn’t seem to understand that the tariffs are taxes we pay."
- @deanbaker13.bsky.social
substack.com/home/post/p-...
- @deanbaker13.bsky.social
substack.com/home/post/p-...
Trump Keeps Whacking Us with Huge Tax Increases and He Doesn’t Seem to Know It
Donald Trump keeps boasting about the taxes he is imposing on the goods the United States imports from various trading partners.
substack.com
July 23, 2025 at 12:12 PM
"Trump doesn’t seem to understand that the tariffs are taxes we pay."
- @deanbaker13.bsky.social
substack.com/home/post/p-...
- @deanbaker13.bsky.social
substack.com/home/post/p-...
Reposted by Diego
Final CBO score of the "big beautiful bill" is out
Largest Medicaid cuts ever - in fact, at least 4 times the size of the previous largest; $894-$990 bn cut
Kicks 10 million off health insurance
Largest SNAP cuts ever, $197 bn cut
Still increases the deficit by $3.4 trillion from huge tax cuts
Largest Medicaid cuts ever - in fact, at least 4 times the size of the previous largest; $894-$990 bn cut
Kicks 10 million off health insurance
Largest SNAP cuts ever, $197 bn cut
Still increases the deficit by $3.4 trillion from huge tax cuts
July 21, 2025 at 6:44 PM
Final CBO score of the "big beautiful bill" is out
Largest Medicaid cuts ever - in fact, at least 4 times the size of the previous largest; $894-$990 bn cut
Kicks 10 million off health insurance
Largest SNAP cuts ever, $197 bn cut
Still increases the deficit by $3.4 trillion from huge tax cuts
Largest Medicaid cuts ever - in fact, at least 4 times the size of the previous largest; $894-$990 bn cut
Kicks 10 million off health insurance
Largest SNAP cuts ever, $197 bn cut
Still increases the deficit by $3.4 trillion from huge tax cuts
Reposted by Diego
Autocratic populism produces poverty and decline
💥Viktor Orbán’s demographic strategy is a disaster. Over the past decade, 37.8% of Hungary’s population decline was due to emigration to other EU countries. Hungary is losing the competition to retain its own citizens while birth rates tank. Read Direkt36's in-depth article on @vsquare.bsky.social👇
Inside Viktor Orbán’s Failure to Achieve His Demographic Goal - VSquare.org
The Prime Minister has long said that he would like to grow the population of Hungary without bringing in immigrants. Recently, births have fallen, but the number of people leaving the country has als...
vsquare.org
July 21, 2025 at 9:31 AM
Autocratic populism produces poverty and decline
Reposted by Diego
You can talk about being family friendly, and offer money for people to have more kids, but you can't really build a thriving and attractive society via authoritarianism. People who know better, who value freedom, with options - they will leave.
💥Viktor Orbán’s demographic strategy is a disaster. Over the past decade, 37.8% of Hungary’s population decline was due to emigration to other EU countries. Hungary is losing the competition to retain its own citizens while birth rates tank. Read Direkt36's in-depth article on @vsquare.bsky.social👇
Inside Viktor Orbán’s Failure to Achieve His Demographic Goal - VSquare.org
The Prime Minister has long said that he would like to grow the population of Hungary without bringing in immigrants. Recently, births have fallen, but the number of people leaving the country has als...
vsquare.org
July 21, 2025 at 11:29 AM
You can talk about being family friendly, and offer money for people to have more kids, but you can't really build a thriving and attractive society via authoritarianism. People who know better, who value freedom, with options - they will leave.
Reposted by Diego
Ships Could Start Going Nuclear Again
Ships Could Start Going Nuclear Again
As countries around the world try to tamp down emissions (well, some of them, anyway), a major target for improvement is the shipping industry.
www.jalopnik.com
July 20, 2025 at 10:32 PM
Ships Could Start Going Nuclear Again
Reposted by Diego
Trump is closing all four climate observatory stations in Alaska, Hawaii, American Samoa, and Antartica. Because you can't have high CO2 levels if you don't *measure* CO2 levels.
roll_safe.gif
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After 7 Decades of Measurements From a Peak in Hawaii, Trump’s Budget Would End Them
www.nytimes.com
July 19, 2025 at 1:27 AM
Trump is closing all four climate observatory stations in Alaska, Hawaii, American Samoa, and Antartica. Because you can't have high CO2 levels if you don't *measure* CO2 levels.
roll_safe.gif
roll_safe.gif
Reposted by Diego
Everyone in America needs to read this FREE—I’ve gifted it below—report from the conservative WALL STREET JOURNAL about Trump and Epstein.
Apparently the president has now threatened to sue the WSJ over this 100% accurate report due to how damaging it is.
Apparently the president has now threatened to sue the WSJ over this 100% accurate report due to how damaging it is.
Exclusive | Jeffrey Epstein’s Friends Sent Him Bawdy Letters for a 50th Birthday Album. One Was From Donald Trump.
The leather-bound book was compiled by Ghislaine Maxwell. The president says the letter ‘is a fake thing.’
www.wsj.com
July 17, 2025 at 11:33 PM
Everyone in America needs to read this FREE—I’ve gifted it below—report from the conservative WALL STREET JOURNAL about Trump and Epstein.
Apparently the president has now threatened to sue the WSJ over this 100% accurate report due to how damaging it is.
Apparently the president has now threatened to sue the WSJ over this 100% accurate report due to how damaging it is.
Reposted by Diego
"the idea of tariffing inputs into American manufacturing would be a terrific idea if you wanted to tank the American manufacturing sector."
July 12, 2025 at 12:51 PM
"the idea of tariffing inputs into American manufacturing would be a terrific idea if you wanted to tank the American manufacturing sector."
Reposted by Diego
It's odd that even an authoritarian like Trump would want to destroy US science, but there we have it. It is hard to see any other rationale for this random act of chaos.
www.scientificamerican.com/article/trum...
www.scientificamerican.com/article/trum...
Trump Administration Ousts National Science Foundation from Headquarters Building
Employees at the National Science Foundation say they’ve been blindsided by a plan for the Department of Housing and Urban Development to take over their offices
www.scientificamerican.com
June 25, 2025 at 4:40 PM
It's odd that even an authoritarian like Trump would want to destroy US science, but there we have it. It is hard to see any other rationale for this random act of chaos.
www.scientificamerican.com/article/trum...
www.scientificamerican.com/article/trum...
Reposted by Diego
All these business guys have noticed that Trump’s approach to trade is ignorant, chaotic, careless, etc but I am begging them to see that *everything he is doing* is like this — decision-making just gets *worse* when he doesn’t have stock market feedback.
www.slowboring.com/p/its-not-ju...
www.slowboring.com/p/its-not-ju...
It’s not just trade
Trump is addressing scientific research, public health, and other crucial issues with the same lack of care
www.slowboring.com
April 16, 2025 at 1:38 PM
All these business guys have noticed that Trump’s approach to trade is ignorant, chaotic, careless, etc but I am begging them to see that *everything he is doing* is like this — decision-making just gets *worse* when he doesn’t have stock market feedback.
www.slowboring.com/p/its-not-ju...
www.slowboring.com/p/its-not-ju...
Reposted by Diego
*These* tariffs, just not *those* tariffs.
That's the mealymouthed critique of Trump’s trade wars from many Democrats this past week. They awkwardly triangulate between bashing Trump’s catastrophic ideas and touting support for their own similarly spirited, if scaled-down, ideas. wapo.st/42oniEY
That's the mealymouthed critique of Trump’s trade wars from many Democrats this past week. They awkwardly triangulate between bashing Trump’s catastrophic ideas and touting support for their own similarly spirited, if scaled-down, ideas. wapo.st/42oniEY
Opinion | Why are Democrats pulling their punches on Trump’s disastrous trade war?
The party is blowing its chance to mount an offensive against protectionism.
wapo.st
April 12, 2025 at 2:30 PM
*These* tariffs, just not *those* tariffs.
That's the mealymouthed critique of Trump’s trade wars from many Democrats this past week. They awkwardly triangulate between bashing Trump’s catastrophic ideas and touting support for their own similarly spirited, if scaled-down, ideas. wapo.st/42oniEY
That's the mealymouthed critique of Trump’s trade wars from many Democrats this past week. They awkwardly triangulate between bashing Trump’s catastrophic ideas and touting support for their own similarly spirited, if scaled-down, ideas. wapo.st/42oniEY
Upshot of having 3 pro-tariff admins in a row is that you can now run as an outsider who - for the first time since Obama - wants to reduce costs for the ppl by reducing tariffs. Populist pitch: “these idiots - from BOTH sides - think things are too cheap - but WE know things are too expensive!”
April 10, 2025 at 4:05 AM
Upshot of having 3 pro-tariff admins in a row is that you can now run as an outsider who - for the first time since Obama - wants to reduce costs for the ppl by reducing tariffs. Populist pitch: “these idiots - from BOTH sides - think things are too cheap - but WE know things are too expensive!”