Thanks to @waba.org for their initiative on this one! Saving a bike lane I'm about to use...

This Is Just To Say

I have turned off
the AI features
that were in
the update

and which
you were probably
hoping
to monetize

Fuck you
they were stupid
so unnecessary
and so annoying

"Holy Fuck, the cars."
Is one of the major public health crises afflicting America.

They are talking like traffic engineers haven't been trying - and failing - to fix traffic congestion for the last 70+ years

It's the wrong question to ask

And a good part of the reason we're in the mess that we're in

"They've spent the past 20 years investing in the technology of the future while we keep on lobbying our government to go easy on us so we can make big bucks on a tiny niche of consumers. You have to protect us from our shortsightedness -- it's just not fair!"

Do you live near a data center?

Do you know anyone who lives near a data center?

I want to talk to you!

jael@heatmp.news

Philly w/the right approach to transit exposes the dumb consequences of NY/NJ's: "It is currently possible to travel on a World Cup match-day by rail for a much lower price from New York City to Philadelphia’s venue (a 96-mile journey) compared to New Jersey’s MetLife Stadium (an 18-mile journey)."

Understanding induced demand is CRITICAL to getting long-term infrastructure planning right. Like sure FHWA doesn't do it or require it, but I assumed it just a political problem, not an educational one?

Ford, GM could be about to make weapons for the first time since WWII The Pentagon has approached major U.S. automakers about helping to expand America’s military supplies, according to WSJ.

What am I supposed to say? We can’t have affordable cars or good EVs, but we can make bombs to blow people up around the world?

www.newsweek.com/ford-gm-coul...

America First Nostalgia Is Bad for American Cars Few industries do patriotism quite like autos. Clint Eastwood’s somber but stirring “halftime in America” Super Bowl commercial for Chrysler that aired in 2012, more national address than advertisemen...

America First will put Detroit last.
My take on Ford's week, including Field's departure, and the mix of trade war, actual war, and Chinese competition swirling around US car makers
@opinion.bloomberg.com
www.bloomberg.com/opinion/arti...

I Wish I Didn't Know That Real-life tales of close calls, screw ups, and nuclear near misses.

One of the most memorable projects I recall in my time @ucs.org was this roulette wheel from a number of years ago by my Global Security colleagues that pulled up examples of nuclear near misses, and you realize how lucky we have been to avoid armageddon: www.ucs.org/resources/i-...

- Increases and prolongs reliance on fossil (so next crisis hurts even more)

- Often doesn't pass through to consumers (fossil co's just pocket it)

- Benefits enjoyed more by the rich (who drive bigger cars longer distances)

- Decreases gov't revenue so you end up paying for it in different ways

Chinese EVs in western markets generally provide the most cost competitive entry point, but they are *not* Chinese market priced. This vehicle is roughly 2x the price in western market (UK).

Great, affordable EV, just clarifying as the 'bring $10k Chinese #EV to Canada/U.S.' is growing, wrongly.

The Slow Dismantling of American Science (and What We Can Do about It) A rallying call to scientists: you have more power than you think to resist the politicization of your work.

"Given where we are now, we cannot return to the old way of trying to ignore power and politics... We have to find ways to fight for science." Our latest guest blog outlines why and how:

UCS just released a very nice and concise guide for how to stay safe in the public eye -- for scholars and researchers, but also for anyone else concerned about safety during autocratization:
www.ucs.org/sites/de...

"All bicyclists must dismount" sign altered to say "all bicyclists get discount."

Graffiti seen in Portland, OR.

High Gas Prices Are Tempting Americans Back to EVs Sales of electric vehicles plunged after the president ended a $7,500 tax credit, but high gas prices just helped drive a 12% jump in used-EV sales.

“In the short term, a lot of Americans—and this has nothing to do with regulations—are coming back to EVs because of the cost of ownership." Gift link:

www.wsj.com/business/aut...

Comparing motor-vehicle crash risk of EU and US vehicles This study examined the hypotheses that passenger vehicles meeting European Union (EU) safety standards have similar crashworthiness to United States …

The big US moneymakers fail EU standards on pedestrian safety, and OEMs are whining right now about that fact preventing them from being sold overseas, so it's not a US>EU safety thing as you suggest. Data shows the stds are comparable but different (e.g., www.sciencedirect.com/science/arti...).

"Consumers" didn't move away from cheap cars -- the used car market is robust enough that it picks up the slack when prices rise. OEMs pursued pricing for higher income folks, who now make up a larger share of the new market. Also, safety stds exist elsewhere...that's a complete red herring.

Sure, much of the transaction price increase today is just from mix shift and trimflation, but many OEMs have abandoned the low-end new car market. Toyota and Honda have LESS competition now but still have lost ground in annual sales. The used market is where "affordability" is today.

A Civic 30 years ago was $10k base price, which puts it in the low $20ks today, still cheaper than even the base model Civic, which does not have the hybrid and gets only 32 mpg. The hybrid has a base of $30k today, considerably higher than 30 yrs ago. Factor in as well the # models available.

Opinion | The Affordable Car Is Dead. What Happened? (Gift Article) This is how cars got so ridiculously, forbiddingly expensive.

Nice opinion piece by Cliff Winston @brookings.edu about auto industry protectionism, but 1 thing only touched on is the lobbying done against alternatives by auto and oil industries. They jack prices up cuz govt grants the car a virtual monopoly on mobility in US. www.nytimes.com/interactive/...

New rules mean many DC restaurants are closing streateries The District made streateries permanent. But restaurant owners say the rules are too costly and complicated to keep them up.

DC implemented a new policy for its streeteries that cost restaurants $20,000 to implement.

The result: virtually every restaurant eliminated their outdoor dining, many have reduced their hiring, & now a few cars can park more easily.

Congrats on the successful policy change, DC government!

Californians Are Changing How They Drive—and It’s Paying Off Over the last 4 years, gasoline sales in California have dropped by over 180 million gallons per year.

UCS's Dave Reichmuth explains EVs, efficiency, and alternatives to driving are saving Californians money—a lot of it.

Cry more.

Nearly 20,000 people have been detained in just over a year, in the DC area. READ THAT NUMBER AGAIN.

The impact? Communities living in fear, avoiding public life (going to work, dropping their kids at school), and constantly questioning the occupation of our city.

ICE OUT NOW 🗣️

How often are your policy solutions actually trading one for the other? This sounds like a philosophical exercise rather than a useful question to consider.

2026 Spring Cleanup Week is almost here! 🌱🧹✨
 
From April 11th until April 19th, neighbors, students, and local businesses are coming together to host a week of community cleanups from Takoma to Manor Park, to Brightwood, and many more locations.
 
More: ➡️ springcleanupweek.com

everything we are seeing now is the consequence of having a political environment in which indifference to the deaths and suffering of other people - even by the state whose supposed responsibility is to safeguard their welfare - is a superpower rather than a political liability

I feel sick to my stomach waiting around to see what atrocity Trump has in mind for the people of Iran this evening. It's hard to fathom our other elected leaders aren't able to check him in any meaningful way. It's an indictment not just of voters but of our whole system. We're ruled by a mad king.