Caroline B
@cbsunflowers.bsky.social
Transportation resilience + urban planner in Houston. History, politics, reading, cats, a little bit of everything. 🌻 deaf so let’s make the future accessible and just for all 🌻
Reposted by Caroline B
Trump’s latest executive order (that was no doubt written by psychopath RFK Jr.) goes after antidepressants.
As someone whose life was saved by them, you will pry my prozac from my cold dead hands.
www.whitehouse.gov/presidential...
As someone whose life was saved by them, you will pry my prozac from my cold dead hands.
www.whitehouse.gov/presidential...
February 14, 2025 at 12:01 AM
Trump’s latest executive order (that was no doubt written by psychopath RFK Jr.) goes after antidepressants.
As someone whose life was saved by them, you will pry my prozac from my cold dead hands.
www.whitehouse.gov/presidential...
As someone whose life was saved by them, you will pry my prozac from my cold dead hands.
www.whitehouse.gov/presidential...
Reposted by Caroline B
♿️ MTA wants your input! Help decide which subway stations should get accessibility upgrades over the next 5 years.
Over 60 stations will become accessible — let’s make sure they get it right.
www.mta.info/accessibilit...
Over 60 stations will become accessible — let’s make sure they get it right.
www.mta.info/accessibilit...
Help us select stations for accessibility upgrades
Share your input on which stations to prioritize for accessibility improvements.
www.mta.info
February 3, 2025 at 4:47 PM
♿️ MTA wants your input! Help decide which subway stations should get accessibility upgrades over the next 5 years.
Over 60 stations will become accessible — let’s make sure they get it right.
www.mta.info/accessibilit...
Over 60 stations will become accessible — let’s make sure they get it right.
www.mta.info/accessibilit...
Reposted by Caroline B
Democrats in the Senate must grind everything to a halt. No movement on legislation, certainly no movement on nominees. Nothing moves until this lawlessness is undone. How is this even controversial? You could easily sustain a talking filibuster just by describing the current horrors.
February 2, 2025 at 12:00 AM
Democrats in the Senate must grind everything to a halt. No movement on legislation, certainly no movement on nominees. Nothing moves until this lawlessness is undone. How is this even controversial? You could easily sustain a talking filibuster just by describing the current horrors.
Let’s stop shortening ideas into acronyms that hide the truth of these words. Why does the government want to get rid of different kinds of people from the workplace? Why does the government want to separate us? Credit to professor_crunk on Threads for the words below (#AltText Included).
February 2, 2025 at 12:10 AM
Let’s stop shortening ideas into acronyms that hide the truth of these words. Why does the government want to get rid of different kinds of people from the workplace? Why does the government want to separate us? Credit to professor_crunk on Threads for the words below (#AltText Included).
Reposted by Caroline B
I appreciate all of you who use the Alt-text description for the images you post. As a blind dude I feel so much more included here.
For those of you who forget:
Did you know there’s a reminder in Settings/Accessibility to toggle on & then it won’t let you post image without Alt-text.
Thanks 🙏😎
For those of you who forget:
Did you know there’s a reminder in Settings/Accessibility to toggle on & then it won’t let you post image without Alt-text.
Thanks 🙏😎
November 18, 2024 at 7:04 AM
I appreciate all of you who use the Alt-text description for the images you post. As a blind dude I feel so much more included here.
For those of you who forget:
Did you know there’s a reminder in Settings/Accessibility to toggle on & then it won’t let you post image without Alt-text.
Thanks 🙏😎
For those of you who forget:
Did you know there’s a reminder in Settings/Accessibility to toggle on & then it won’t let you post image without Alt-text.
Thanks 🙏😎
Reposted by Caroline B
One thing I think people talking about the threat of authoritarian creep have gotten, if not exactly wrong, not quite right either is to frame discussion in terms of various European precedents.
Those are relevant to be sure, but we also have an American precedent - namely the South before 1965.
Those are relevant to be sure, but we also have an American precedent - namely the South before 1965.
November 20, 2024 at 2:10 AM
One thing I think people talking about the threat of authoritarian creep have gotten, if not exactly wrong, not quite right either is to frame discussion in terms of various European precedents.
Those are relevant to be sure, but we also have an American precedent - namely the South before 1965.
Those are relevant to be sure, but we also have an American precedent - namely the South before 1965.
Reposted by Caroline B
<whispers loudly>
Don't forget to add alt-text to your images
Don't forget to add alt-text to your images
November 20, 2024 at 3:16 PM
<whispers loudly>
Don't forget to add alt-text to your images
Don't forget to add alt-text to your images
Reposted by Caroline B
This is not “a bid to end birthright citizenship,” it’s an attempt to strip citizens, *infant* citizens, of their rights so they can pretend they’re not citizens.
Infant American citizens, those are the targets.
Infant American citizens, those are the targets.
November 18, 2024 at 11:41 PM
This is not “a bid to end birthright citizenship,” it’s an attempt to strip citizens, *infant* citizens, of their rights so they can pretend they’re not citizens.
Infant American citizens, those are the targets.
Infant American citizens, those are the targets.
Reposted by Caroline B
Accessible Pedestrian Signal = communicates information about walk/don't walk to visually impaired people = good
Beg button = you have to push it or you will never get a walk signal = bad
Beg button = you have to push it or you will never get a walk signal = bad
This but also get rid of beg buttons that affect light cycles.
November 19, 2024 at 3:09 PM
Accessible Pedestrian Signal = communicates information about walk/don't walk to visually impaired people = good
Beg button = you have to push it or you will never get a walk signal = bad
Beg button = you have to push it or you will never get a walk signal = bad
Reposted by Caroline B
To mark "Trump will declare a national emergency for mass deportations" day: here is the initial spreadsheet of our crowd-sourced *local* immigration advocacy/support organizations.
Please share widely, put to good use, and keep letting me know about more organizations folks can connect with.
Please share widely, put to good use, and keep letting me know about more organizations folks can connect with.
November 19, 2024 at 12:01 AM
To mark "Trump will declare a national emergency for mass deportations" day: here is the initial spreadsheet of our crowd-sourced *local* immigration advocacy/support organizations.
Please share widely, put to good use, and keep letting me know about more organizations folks can connect with.
Please share widely, put to good use, and keep letting me know about more organizations folks can connect with.
Where are my #Houston urbanists and planners? #UrbanPlanning
November 18, 2024 at 11:30 PM
Where are my #Houston urbanists and planners? #UrbanPlanning
Recent book haul from Kindred Stories in Houston and Target’s Buy Two Books, Get One Free sale. I just finished reading Parable of the Sower so I think I’ll read Parable of the Talents next. Can’t wait to dive in to all of these!
November 18, 2024 at 5:57 PM
Recent book haul from Kindred Stories in Houston and Target’s Buy Two Books, Get One Free sale. I just finished reading Parable of the Sower so I think I’ll read Parable of the Talents next. Can’t wait to dive in to all of these!
Reposted by Caroline B
I would love to tell you about the times vaccines prevented me from getting sick, but every time it happens, I don’t notice. I just keep feeling well.
Neither do you.
Public health, when it’s working, is invisible.
Neither do you.
Public health, when it’s working, is invisible.
November 15, 2024 at 11:20 AM
I would love to tell you about the times vaccines prevented me from getting sick, but every time it happens, I don’t notice. I just keep feeling well.
Neither do you.
Public health, when it’s working, is invisible.
Neither do you.
Public health, when it’s working, is invisible.
Started reading Parable of the Sower today and the fact that it starts in July 2024 is very unsettling 1/3
November 16, 2024 at 4:44 AM
Started reading Parable of the Sower today and the fact that it starts in July 2024 is very unsettling 1/3
Reposted by Caroline B
Reupping this. Newskies, alt text is an important part of keeping Bluesky welcoming and accessible. I always have people who grumble that they’re “not good at it” or don’t know how. If you’re serious and not just deploying learned helplessness, here’s a whole guide. It’s one of many floating around.
If anyone is interested, this is an alt text style guide I wrote for a project and brushed up today. It is deliberately written without images; I wanted people to work to visualize what they can. Obviously this does not work for everyone.
docs.google.com/document/d/1...
docs.google.com/document/d/1...
Alt Text Style Guide
Alt Text Style Guide General notes: alt text should be concise as possible while covering the breadth of the information an image gives. Consider alt text like a conversation with a blind or low visi...
docs.google.com
November 14, 2024 at 7:54 PM
Reupping this. Newskies, alt text is an important part of keeping Bluesky welcoming and accessible. I always have people who grumble that they’re “not good at it” or don’t know how. If you’re serious and not just deploying learned helplessness, here’s a whole guide. It’s one of many floating around.
Reposted by Caroline B
One part of our upgraded infrastructure may affect your profile.
If you see your handle now says “Invalid handle,” please reverify it by navigating to Settings > Change my handle > Type in your current handle > Verify DNS Record > Update.
(Basically, update to the same handle.)
If you see your handle now says “Invalid handle,” please reverify it by navigating to Settings > Change my handle > Type in your current handle > Verify DNS Record > Update.
(Basically, update to the same handle.)
August 18, 2023 at 9:35 PM
One part of our upgraded infrastructure may affect your profile.
If you see your handle now says “Invalid handle,” please reverify it by navigating to Settings > Change my handle > Type in your current handle > Verify DNS Record > Update.
(Basically, update to the same handle.)
If you see your handle now says “Invalid handle,” please reverify it by navigating to Settings > Change my handle > Type in your current handle > Verify DNS Record > Update.
(Basically, update to the same handle.)
Man, I really missed Twitter. I was following all these cool people and it was so much easier to connect to other disabled people and planners. Glad to try and build that up again on bsky. This (paywalled) post is fire!
Signed, a person who also begrudgingly has a car
Signed, a person who also begrudgingly has a car
November 14, 2024 at 12:25 AM
Man, I really missed Twitter. I was following all these cool people and it was so much easier to connect to other disabled people and planners. Glad to try and build that up again on bsky. This (paywalled) post is fire!
Signed, a person who also begrudgingly has a car
Signed, a person who also begrudgingly has a car
Reposted by Caroline B
I keep getting better at adding alt-text and making it part of the rhythm of my online conversations by having this button on. Writing alt-text as my default means that I never forget it and it becomes my normal. Make alt-text your normal!
November 2, 2024 at 6:42 PM
I keep getting better at adding alt-text and making it part of the rhythm of my online conversations by having this button on. Writing alt-text as my default means that I never forget it and it becomes my normal. Make alt-text your normal!
Reposted by Caroline B
Telehealth expiring: Now, folks. Please go sign this *right now.* And thanks very much to Amanda Crist on the other platform for working so hard on this.
actionnetwork.org/letters/pres...
actionnetwork.org/letters/pres...
Preserving Telehealth
Preserving Telehealth Many U.S. telehealth benefits are set to expire shortly at the end of this year (December 31, 2024). With this email campaign, you can simply fill out your information and it wi...
actionnetwork.org
November 13, 2024 at 11:33 PM
Telehealth expiring: Now, folks. Please go sign this *right now.* And thanks very much to Amanda Crist on the other platform for working so hard on this.
actionnetwork.org/letters/pres...
actionnetwork.org/letters/pres...
Reposted by Caroline B
No, auto captions are not “enough.” They’re a starting point. The automation helps the caption writer, not disabled people.
Auto captions are draining. I have to do so much mental calculation. Usually by the time I triangulate sound, other words, and visuals I’ve fallen behind the audio.
It sucks.
Auto captions are draining. I have to do so much mental calculation. Usually by the time I triangulate sound, other words, and visuals I’ve fallen behind the audio.
It sucks.
November 13, 2024 at 7:40 PM
No, auto captions are not “enough.” They’re a starting point. The automation helps the caption writer, not disabled people.
Auto captions are draining. I have to do so much mental calculation. Usually by the time I triangulate sound, other words, and visuals I’ve fallen behind the audio.
It sucks.
Auto captions are draining. I have to do so much mental calculation. Usually by the time I triangulate sound, other words, and visuals I’ve fallen behind the audio.
It sucks.
Reposted by Caroline B
This is why it’s important to understand technoableism.
The belief that technology will fix everything is a harmful one. It leads to people believing that a problem is solved, and doesn’t need more action.
Auto captioning for example. I can’t count how many people have asked if it’s “enough.”
No.
The belief that technology will fix everything is a harmful one. It leads to people believing that a problem is solved, and doesn’t need more action.
Auto captioning for example. I can’t count how many people have asked if it’s “enough.”
No.
November 13, 2024 at 7:37 PM
This is why it’s important to understand technoableism.
The belief that technology will fix everything is a harmful one. It leads to people believing that a problem is solved, and doesn’t need more action.
Auto captioning for example. I can’t count how many people have asked if it’s “enough.”
No.
The belief that technology will fix everything is a harmful one. It leads to people believing that a problem is solved, and doesn’t need more action.
Auto captioning for example. I can’t count how many people have asked if it’s “enough.”
No.
Reposted by Caroline B
As AirPods as hearing aids gains attention, please be aware of at least 2 things:
1. They’re not powerful enough for people with greater hearing loss. Me, for example.
2. Stronger hearing aids are costly. Mine were $4,000. Insurance paid half.
Please just avoid thinking they’re one-size-fits-all.
1. They’re not powerful enough for people with greater hearing loss. Me, for example.
2. Stronger hearing aids are costly. Mine were $4,000. Insurance paid half.
Please just avoid thinking they’re one-size-fits-all.
November 13, 2024 at 7:32 PM
As AirPods as hearing aids gains attention, please be aware of at least 2 things:
1. They’re not powerful enough for people with greater hearing loss. Me, for example.
2. Stronger hearing aids are costly. Mine were $4,000. Insurance paid half.
Please just avoid thinking they’re one-size-fits-all.
1. They’re not powerful enough for people with greater hearing loss. Me, for example.
2. Stronger hearing aids are costly. Mine were $4,000. Insurance paid half.
Please just avoid thinking they’re one-size-fits-all.
I called my rep, Rep. Lizzie Fletcher, and was glad to see she voted no!
Disappointed to see some of the Dems who voted Yes, though….
Disappointed to see some of the Dems who voted Yes, though….
Was there today for the H.R. 9495 vote (bill that would have allowed labeling nonprofits as terrorist supporting organizations).
Voted no, of course - but I do want to report that the activism DID work and persuaded members.
I thought it’d be a lonely NO vote, which we take often. It wasn’t.
Voted no, of course - but I do want to report that the activism DID work and persuaded members.
I thought it’d be a lonely NO vote, which we take often. It wasn’t.
November 13, 2024 at 6:14 AM
I called my rep, Rep. Lizzie Fletcher, and was glad to see she voted no!
Disappointed to see some of the Dems who voted Yes, though….
Disappointed to see some of the Dems who voted Yes, though….
Reposted by Caroline B
3. Screenshot of text? Copy and paste that into the alt-text. Folks who are using screen readers or even just reading on a screen where the text is hard to read, an image that's a wall of text is just kind of pain.
November 13, 2024 at 2:50 AM
3. Screenshot of text? Copy and paste that into the alt-text. Folks who are using screen readers or even just reading on a screen where the text is hard to read, an image that's a wall of text is just kind of pain.
Reposted by Caroline B
Okay, a couple of alt-text tips from someone who does it imperfectly but has been trying hard to make it a habit since joining Bsky...
1. If you're sharing a photo from your phone (as we often do with pets), and you hate typing on a small screen, dictate your alt-text instead.
1. If you're sharing a photo from your phone (as we often do with pets), and you hate typing on a small screen, dictate your alt-text instead.
November 13, 2024 at 2:47 AM
Okay, a couple of alt-text tips from someone who does it imperfectly but has been trying hard to make it a habit since joining Bsky...
1. If you're sharing a photo from your phone (as we often do with pets), and you hate typing on a small screen, dictate your alt-text instead.
1. If you're sharing a photo from your phone (as we often do with pets), and you hate typing on a small screen, dictate your alt-text instead.