David Barboza
@sosuburbia.bsky.social
Tweets about politics and city planning mostly. Personal account. Husband, father and city planner working on ADUs (he/him). Bluskying from Whittier, CA.
I hesitate to fly, in no small part because I worry about the environmental damage. This is paired with a sense that I'm missing out on things, which I sometimes regret. It seems sometimes there are no good choices. But when I drive across the desert and I see how beautiful it is . . .
January 2, 2026 at 4:29 AM
I hesitate to fly, in no small part because I worry about the environmental damage. This is paired with a sense that I'm missing out on things, which I sometimes regret. It seems sometimes there are no good choices. But when I drive across the desert and I see how beautiful it is . . .
I just did my first road trip in an electric car! It was Los Angeles to Tucson, which is about 500 miles (805 km). A good solid day of driving each way. Tucson was neat. Got to see Saguaro National Park, downtown, the streetcar, etc. Pics:
December 31, 2025 at 2:25 AM
I just did my first road trip in an electric car! It was Los Angeles to Tucson, which is about 500 miles (805 km). A good solid day of driving each way. Tucson was neat. Got to see Saguaro National Park, downtown, the streetcar, etc. Pics:
Lately the air quality in my part of Greater Los Angeles has been bad. Right now the local Air Quality Management District data say it's "unhealthy" with an air quality index score that's color coded an ominous shade of red on their map. The main culprit is PM 2.5: fine particulate matter.
December 18, 2025 at 8:54 PM
Lately the air quality in my part of Greater Los Angeles has been bad. Right now the local Air Quality Management District data say it's "unhealthy" with an air quality index score that's color coded an ominous shade of red on their map. The main culprit is PM 2.5: fine particulate matter.
Truly deranged behavior by Trump. The US should leave Venezuela alone. No war for oil!
www.npr.org/2025/12/11/g...
www.npr.org/2025/12/11/g...
Trump says the U.S. has seized an oil tanker off the coast of Venezuela
Using U.S. forces to take control of a merchant ship is unusual and marks the Trump administration's latest push to increase pressure on Maduro, who has been charged with narcoterrorism.
www.npr.org
December 11, 2025 at 8:29 PM
Truly deranged behavior by Trump. The US should leave Venezuela alone. No war for oil!
www.npr.org/2025/12/11/g...
www.npr.org/2025/12/11/g...
Great piece about the Amtrak Southwest Chief, a train which connects Los Angeles and Chicago over the course of about 43 hours. I've ridden this train from LA to Albuquerque, but not all the way to Chicago . . . yet :)
www.latimes.com/travel/story...
www.latimes.com/travel/story...
It's 43 hours from L.A. to Chicago. These train people like it that way
Passengers say the journey on Amtrak’s Southwest Chief is worth it: no TSA lines, ground-level scenery spanning deserts and mountains, and hours of unrushed conversation with fellow travelers.
www.latimes.com
December 9, 2025 at 8:14 PM
Great piece about the Amtrak Southwest Chief, a train which connects Los Angeles and Chicago over the course of about 43 hours. I've ridden this train from LA to Albuquerque, but not all the way to Chicago . . . yet :)
www.latimes.com/travel/story...
www.latimes.com/travel/story...
Using social media less has proven mental health benefits!
What to do instead? Go for a walk, socialize in real life, get some sleep. Scroll less, live more :)
www.npr.org/2025/12/02/n...
What to do instead? Go for a walk, socialize in real life, get some sleep. Scroll less, live more :)
www.npr.org/2025/12/02/n...
A short social media detox improves mental health, a study shows. Here's how to do it
Young adults who took just a one-week break from social media showed improvement in depression, anxiety and insomnia symptoms, a new study says. Plus, tips for how to take a break from your feed.
www.npr.org
December 2, 2025 at 8:17 PM
Using social media less has proven mental health benefits!
What to do instead? Go for a walk, socialize in real life, get some sleep. Scroll less, live more :)
www.npr.org/2025/12/02/n...
What to do instead? Go for a walk, socialize in real life, get some sleep. Scroll less, live more :)
www.npr.org/2025/12/02/n...
Great piece about child labor on California farms. Although state law does allow this practice under some conditions, there are widespread problems, including wage theft, exposure to pesticides, inadequate shade for breaks, etc.
www.latimes.com/california/s...
www.latimes.com/california/s...
California's child farmworkers: Exhausted, underpaid and toiling in toxic fields
State officials are failing to protect the health and safety of thousands of young field laborers, an investigation has found.
www.latimes.com
November 20, 2025 at 8:09 PM
Great piece about child labor on California farms. Although state law does allow this practice under some conditions, there are widespread problems, including wage theft, exposure to pesticides, inadequate shade for breaks, etc.
www.latimes.com/california/s...
www.latimes.com/california/s...
Man, it would be sooooooooo stupid to start a war with Venezuela. Like, really, really . . . really stupid.
Did I mention it would be stupid? Because, yeah, it would be.
www.npr.org/2025/11/18/n...
Did I mention it would be stupid? Because, yeah, it would be.
www.npr.org/2025/11/18/n...
Trump says he won’t 'rule out' sending troops to Venezuela : The NPR Politics Podcast
President Trump says he won’t “rule out” sending troops to Venezuela, and over the weekend, the world’s largest aircraft carrier arrived in the Caribbean Sea. We discuss why the United States has amas...
www.npr.org
November 19, 2025 at 3:39 AM
Man, it would be sooooooooo stupid to start a war with Venezuela. Like, really, really . . . really stupid.
Did I mention it would be stupid? Because, yeah, it would be.
www.npr.org/2025/11/18/n...
Did I mention it would be stupid? Because, yeah, it would be.
www.npr.org/2025/11/18/n...
Trump and Republicans in Congress dismantled USAID, which provided lifesaving aid to vulnerable people around the world.
As a result, people are dying. It's cold, cruel and wrong.
Support good groups doing similar work if you can, like Doctors Without Borders.
www.democracynow.org/2025/11/13/u...
As a result, people are dying. It's cold, cruel and wrong.
Support good groups doing similar work if you can, like Doctors Without Borders.
www.democracynow.org/2025/11/13/u...
Dr. Atul Gawande: Hundreds of Thousands Have Already Died Since Trump Closed USAID
“We had the cure for death from malnutrition, and we took it away.” We speak to surgeon and health policy expert Atul Gawande about the Trump administration’s near-total dismantling of USAID. Gawande,...
www.democracynow.org
November 13, 2025 at 8:25 PM
Trump and Republicans in Congress dismantled USAID, which provided lifesaving aid to vulnerable people around the world.
As a result, people are dying. It's cold, cruel and wrong.
Support good groups doing similar work if you can, like Doctors Without Borders.
www.democracynow.org/2025/11/13/u...
As a result, people are dying. It's cold, cruel and wrong.
Support good groups doing similar work if you can, like Doctors Without Borders.
www.democracynow.org/2025/11/13/u...
Wishing the rest of the world luck in their meeting in Belem as they try to figure out how to accelerate climate solutions. The U.S. federal government is essentially not even bothering to show up. Luckily many Americans are better than their government on this issue.
www.latimes.com/world-nation...
www.latimes.com/world-nation...
Leaders of world's biggest polluters are no-shows as heads of state gather for U.N. climate summit
President Trump, who withdrew the U.S. from the Paris climate accords the same day he entered office, won’t send any senior officials. China will send its deputy prime minister, Ding Xuexiang.
www.latimes.com
November 6, 2025 at 8:34 PM
Wishing the rest of the world luck in their meeting in Belem as they try to figure out how to accelerate climate solutions. The U.S. federal government is essentially not even bothering to show up. Luckily many Americans are better than their government on this issue.
www.latimes.com/world-nation...
www.latimes.com/world-nation...
Can we please not force air traffic controllers to be distracted by worrying about how they're going to pay their bills? I don't know about you, but I prefer my air traffic controllers to be rested and focused, not picking up shifts for a taxi app to make ends meet.
www.latimes.com/california/s...
www.latimes.com/california/s...
Airport delays worsen in Southern California, with growing fears of holiday travel meltdown
As Americans prepare for Thanksgiving holiday travel, the government shutdown is likely to result in more airport delays due to a shortage of air traffic controllers.
www.latimes.com
November 4, 2025 at 8:13 PM
Can we please not force air traffic controllers to be distracted by worrying about how they're going to pay their bills? I don't know about you, but I prefer my air traffic controllers to be rested and focused, not picking up shifts for a taxi app to make ends meet.
www.latimes.com/california/s...
www.latimes.com/california/s...
Thanks Trump, now America is losing many of its most distinguished researchers. Really smart people are looking at America and thinking "actually, this kind of sucks."
youtu.be/yLvO070E_dI?...
youtu.be/yLvO070E_dI?...
Top researchers consider leaving U.S. amid funding cuts: 'The science world is ending'
YouTube video by PBS NewsHour
youtu.be
October 31, 2025 at 2:07 AM
Thanks Trump, now America is losing many of its most distinguished researchers. Really smart people are looking at America and thinking "actually, this kind of sucks."
youtu.be/yLvO070E_dI?...
youtu.be/yLvO070E_dI?...
Trump and Republicans in Congress are refusing to negotiate with Democrats to preserve existing support that helps people pay for health care. Now the GOP is threatening to withhold food aid from low-income families. Please consider supporting your local food bank.
www.latimes.com/politics/sto...
www.latimes.com/politics/sto...
'I'm terrified': Hunger looms as millions prepare to lose food aid amid shutdown
Federal and state officials warn that November SNAP funds will not be issued without a resolution to the ongoing federal shutdown, and there is no sign of a breakthrough in Congress.
www.latimes.com
October 28, 2025 at 7:21 PM
Trump and Republicans in Congress are refusing to negotiate with Democrats to preserve existing support that helps people pay for health care. Now the GOP is threatening to withhold food aid from low-income families. Please consider supporting your local food bank.
www.latimes.com/politics/sto...
www.latimes.com/politics/sto...
Just a reminder that social media isn't really healthy, and it would probably be better to talk to someone face to face if you can. It's not natural to be fed what we want to see all the time. Real life isn't like that. So, to live a life that's more real, you have to unplug, at least, sometimes.
October 15, 2025 at 3:19 AM
Just a reminder that social media isn't really healthy, and it would probably be better to talk to someone face to face if you can. It's not natural to be fed what we want to see all the time. Real life isn't like that. So, to live a life that's more real, you have to unplug, at least, sometimes.
As an alum, I urge USC to reject Trump's compact, which is a critical threat to academic freedom. The compact discriminates against transgender students, faculty and staff and would suppress speech and protests that are disfavored by the regime, among other problems.
www.latimes.com/california/s...
www.latimes.com/california/s...
USC faculty members denounce Trump compact that would shift university to the right
The USC Academic Senate held a special meeting to discuss the Trump administration's education compact, which was presented to the school last week.
www.latimes.com
October 7, 2025 at 7:11 PM
As an alum, I urge USC to reject Trump's compact, which is a critical threat to academic freedom. The compact discriminates against transgender students, faculty and staff and would suppress speech and protests that are disfavored by the regime, among other problems.
www.latimes.com/california/s...
www.latimes.com/california/s...
Bummer about the federal government shutdown that seems likely to start soon. This is what happens when there's a lack of willingness to strike a reasonable bipartisan compromise. Federal workers and the American people deserve better.
www.npr.org/2025/09/30/g...
www.npr.org/2025/09/30/g...
As 2 spending bills fail in Senate, chances to avoid a government shutdown fade
Two separate, partisan spending bills failed in the Senate on Tuesday. The government will shut down at the end of the day barring a last-minute breakthrough.
www.npr.org
October 1, 2025 at 1:11 AM
Bummer about the federal government shutdown that seems likely to start soon. This is what happens when there's a lack of willingness to strike a reasonable bipartisan compromise. Federal workers and the American people deserve better.
www.npr.org/2025/09/30/g...
www.npr.org/2025/09/30/g...
I learned about the video game "Hollow Knight" on NPR because they had a story about its long-awaited sequel coming out. This was perfect for me because I hadn't even played the original, but so far . . . I like it :)
September 26, 2025 at 2:22 AM
I learned about the video game "Hollow Knight" on NPR because they had a story about its long-awaited sequel coming out. This was perfect for me because I hadn't even played the original, but so far . . . I like it :)
I had a chance to travel to San Diego to speak at an Accessory Dwelling Unit conference. I'm proud of the message I delivered and that I got here and am heading back by train. Downtown San Diego has come a long way in being a good urban place too :)
September 19, 2025 at 12:48 AM
I had a chance to travel to San Diego to speak at an Accessory Dwelling Unit conference. I'm proud of the message I delivered and that I got here and am heading back by train. Downtown San Diego has come a long way in being a good urban place too :)
I'm against the death penalty in all cases. It's unnecessary, immoral and hypocritical. Apparently the whole "political violence is bad" thing hasn't sunk in for this prosecutor.
www.latimes.com/world-nation...
www.latimes.com/world-nation...
Prosecutors will seek death penalty for suspect in killing of Charlie Kirk
Prosecutors will seek the death penalty for Tyler Robinson, the 22-year-old man accused of killing conservative activist Charlie Kirk, officials announced Tuesday.
www.latimes.com
September 16, 2025 at 7:24 PM
I'm against the death penalty in all cases. It's unnecessary, immoral and hypocritical. Apparently the whole "political violence is bad" thing hasn't sunk in for this prosecutor.
www.latimes.com/world-nation...
www.latimes.com/world-nation...
I think I found out why Teslas are so expensive. Forking over obscene amounts of money to Elon doesn't make sense, as his increasingly erratic decision making and toxic political involvement are already harming the brand. Time for new leadership if you ask me.
www.latimes.com/business/sto...
www.latimes.com/business/sto...
Commentary: That $1-trillion Tesla pay package for Elon Musk isn't as bad as you think. It's worse
Tesla says it set difficult targets for Musk to collect his $1-trillion pay. But the goals have been tweaked to make it easier
www.latimes.com
September 16, 2025 at 7:18 PM
I think I found out why Teslas are so expensive. Forking over obscene amounts of money to Elon doesn't make sense, as his increasingly erratic decision making and toxic political involvement are already harming the brand. Time for new leadership if you ask me.
www.latimes.com/business/sto...
www.latimes.com/business/sto...
Recently I was able to switch what a retirement account I have though work invests in. Before a lot of the investment was in companies on the S&P 500 Index. That was bad because that index includes fossil fuels, weapons, tobacco, alcohol, even casinos, among other things.
September 12, 2025 at 1:52 AM
Recently I was able to switch what a retirement account I have though work invests in. Before a lot of the investment was in companies on the S&P 500 Index. That was bad because that index includes fossil fuels, weapons, tobacco, alcohol, even casinos, among other things.
Arellano penned a strong critique of racial profiling by ICE, which the Supreme Court just failed to stop by striking down a lower court injunction while the trial proceeds.
His solution is to carry his U.S. passport at all times to prove his citizenship.
www.latimes.com/california/s...
His solution is to carry his U.S. passport at all times to prove his citizenship.
www.latimes.com/california/s...
Commentary: I'm a U.S. citizen. I'm always going to carry my passport now. Thanks, Supreme Court
My dad’s passport is among his most valuable possessions, a document that not only establishes that he’s a U.S. citizen but holds the story of his life.
www.latimes.com
September 9, 2025 at 7:26 PM
Arellano penned a strong critique of racial profiling by ICE, which the Supreme Court just failed to stop by striking down a lower court injunction while the trial proceeds.
His solution is to carry his U.S. passport at all times to prove his citizenship.
www.latimes.com/california/s...
His solution is to carry his U.S. passport at all times to prove his citizenship.
www.latimes.com/california/s...
You know what's good? Solar power is CHEAP and CLEAN. Listen to this podcast on Heated where Emily Atkin and Bill McKibben talk about that, and how we can make it easier for more people, including renters, to get in on the action.
heated.world/p/where-does...
heated.world/p/where-does...
Where does the climate movement go from here?
In the face of Trump's climate assault, Bill McKibben proposes a sun-soaked path forward.
heated.world
September 5, 2025 at 1:18 AM
You know what's good? Solar power is CHEAP and CLEAN. Listen to this podcast on Heated where Emily Atkin and Bill McKibben talk about that, and how we can make it easier for more people, including renters, to get in on the action.
heated.world/p/where-does...
heated.world/p/where-does...
Charging an electric car overnight slashes emissions by something like 80% compared to a gasoline car. But what if you want to overachieve and reduce emissions even more? Charge during the day and you can tap into abundant solar power on the grid.
www.latimes.com/opinion/stor...
www.latimes.com/opinion/stor...
Contributor: Why electric vehicle drivers should charge their cars at the office
Powering up at home is convenient, but midday plug-ins put less stress on the grid — and your wallet.
www.latimes.com
September 2, 2025 at 7:25 PM
Charging an electric car overnight slashes emissions by something like 80% compared to a gasoline car. But what if you want to overachieve and reduce emissions even more? Charge during the day and you can tap into abundant solar power on the grid.
www.latimes.com/opinion/stor...
www.latimes.com/opinion/stor...
I just made my first political donation of the 2026 election cycle to the Democratic National Committee, which provides campaign tech/data support, voter protection and mobilization services, and strategic transfers of funds to key races. More info here: democrats.org/who-we-are/w...
What we do - Democrats
The DNC is working around the clock to build a strong Democratic Party capable of lifting Democrats all across the country to victory in 2019, 2020, and beyond, from the state house, to the Senate, to...
democrats.org
August 28, 2025 at 7:33 PM
I just made my first political donation of the 2026 election cycle to the Democratic National Committee, which provides campaign tech/data support, voter protection and mobilization services, and strategic transfers of funds to key races. More info here: democrats.org/who-we-are/w...