Jen Richmond
@jenrichmond.bsky.social
PhD Candidate in Public Policy at UMD. Social Scientist at DC's Department of Energy and Environment (DOEE). Trying to run experiments. Opinions are all mine.
Reposted by Jen Richmond
The Kuznets Curve assumed falling inequality once structural transformation has peaked. But today, unforeseen headwinds—populism, climate damage, and more—complicate that path, especially for developing economies.
More from @nbirdsall.bsky.social:
https://bit.ly/45DsCr4
More from @nbirdsall.bsky.social:
https://bit.ly/45DsCr4
Global Headwinds to Kuznets’ Low-Inequality Transformation: Plutocrats, Populism, and More
Kuznets’s prediction that inequality would fall after structural transformation faces major obstacles in today’s globalized economy, including tax evasion by elites, restrictions on labor migration, a...
bit.ly
September 12, 2025 at 8:16 PM
The Kuznets Curve assumed falling inequality once structural transformation has peaked. But today, unforeseen headwinds—populism, climate damage, and more—complicate that path, especially for developing economies.
More from @nbirdsall.bsky.social:
https://bit.ly/45DsCr4
More from @nbirdsall.bsky.social:
https://bit.ly/45DsCr4
Reposted by Jen Richmond
NEW – Guest post: How the role of carbon storage has been hugely overestimated | @gidden.bsky.social @joerirogelj.bsky.social
Read here: buff.ly/QY7LyJ8
Read here: buff.ly/QY7LyJ8
Guest post: How the role of carbon storage has been hugely overestimated - Carbon Brief
Removing carbon dioxide (CO2) from the atmosphere is widely expected to play a key role in meeting the goals of the Paris Agreement.
buff.ly
September 8, 2025 at 2:46 PM
NEW – Guest post: How the role of carbon storage has been hugely overestimated | @gidden.bsky.social @joerirogelj.bsky.social
Read here: buff.ly/QY7LyJ8
Read here: buff.ly/QY7LyJ8
It's definitely not about this thing (ie academic freedom) that it's totally 100% about.
Texas A&M fires instructor involved in viral video on gender teachings
www.washingtonpost.com/nation/2025/...
Texas A&M fires instructor involved in viral video on gender teachings
www.washingtonpost.com/nation/2025/...
Texas A&M fires instructor involved in viral video on gender teachings
A video of a student accusing an instructor of illegally teaching “gender ideology” at Texas A&M has also led to the removal of a dean and department head.
www.washingtonpost.com
September 10, 2025 at 12:15 PM
It's definitely not about this thing (ie academic freedom) that it's totally 100% about.
Texas A&M fires instructor involved in viral video on gender teachings
www.washingtonpost.com/nation/2025/...
Texas A&M fires instructor involved in viral video on gender teachings
www.washingtonpost.com/nation/2025/...
Reposted by Jen Richmond
NEW: The first evidence of a solar take-off in Africa☀️✈️
x33 rise in Algeria solar panel imports in the 12 mths to June 2025, compared to previous 12 mths.
x8 in Zambia
x7 in Botswana
x6 in Sudan
x3 in each of Liberia, DRC, Benin, Angola, Ethiopia
🧵
x33 rise in Algeria solar panel imports in the 12 mths to June 2025, compared to previous 12 mths.
x8 in Zambia
x7 in Botswana
x6 in Sudan
x3 in each of Liberia, DRC, Benin, Angola, Ethiopia
🧵
August 26, 2025 at 7:23 AM
NEW: The first evidence of a solar take-off in Africa☀️✈️
x33 rise in Algeria solar panel imports in the 12 mths to June 2025, compared to previous 12 mths.
x8 in Zambia
x7 in Botswana
x6 in Sudan
x3 in each of Liberia, DRC, Benin, Angola, Ethiopia
🧵
x33 rise in Algeria solar panel imports in the 12 mths to June 2025, compared to previous 12 mths.
x8 in Zambia
x7 in Botswana
x6 in Sudan
x3 in each of Liberia, DRC, Benin, Angola, Ethiopia
🧵
We'll see how it endures, but this is so refreshing right now.
August 23, 2025 at 5:08 PM
We'll see how it endures, but this is so refreshing right now.
This article did not start the way I thought it might...
New data from NORC's General Social Survey: married men and women ages 25-55 are more than twice as likely to report being "very happy"compared to their unmarried peers.
Brad Wilcox explores these findings and more in @theatlantic.com.
Find out more: go.norc.org/3Hs6CpP
Brad Wilcox explores these findings and more in @theatlantic.com.
Find out more: go.norc.org/3Hs6CpP
Why Marriage Survives
The institution has adapted, and is showing new signs of resilience.
go.norc.org
August 22, 2025 at 7:10 PM
This article did not start the way I thought it might...
Reposted by Jen Richmond
A fascinating new WaPo poll shows that despite Trump's claims that D.C. is a dystopian hellscape run by criminal gangs, the percentage of residents who say crime is a serious problem is down significantly from 2023 and 2024. Also, fears of assaults and carjackings are down.
August 20, 2025 at 12:19 PM
A fascinating new WaPo poll shows that despite Trump's claims that D.C. is a dystopian hellscape run by criminal gangs, the percentage of residents who say crime is a serious problem is down significantly from 2023 and 2024. Also, fears of assaults and carjackings are down.
Reposted by Jen Richmond
Hell yes!!
The judiciary is being asked to serve as a check on presidential abuses of power, but in case after case the Supreme Court has shirked that responsibility. The justices owe the public explanations for their decisions. bit.ly/4mzvX0p
Supreme Court Must Explain Why It Keeps Ruling in Trump’s Favor
The Court has repeatedly halted lower court orders and allowed administration policies to go forward via its “shadow docket” without any explanation.
www.brennancenter.org
August 19, 2025 at 1:46 PM
Hell yes!!
Reposted by Jen Richmond
A problem with science, one that stands in the way of public trust and even public benefit, is that scientists sometimes have become (and have been incentivized to become) cynical, careerist monsters.
Researchers seek to influence peer review with hidden AI prompts | TechCrunch
Academics may be leaning on a novel strategy to influence peer review of their research papers — adding hidden prompts designed to coax AI tools to deliver positive feedback.
techcrunch.com
July 7, 2025 at 12:43 PM
A problem with science, one that stands in the way of public trust and even public benefit, is that scientists sometimes have become (and have been incentivized to become) cynical, careerist monsters.
Reposted by Jen Richmond
Still marveling at the phrase "Ethical AI," which does not and cannot mean anything.
July 10, 2025 at 12:54 PM
Still marveling at the phrase "Ethical AI," which does not and cannot mean anything.
Reposted by Jen Richmond
1. Federal funding for research promotes tech, biomedical, and scientific discovery in the US, and provides training for the sci/tech workforce that has brought immeasurable wealth to the US over the past 75 years.
Today's executive order includes a provision that will obliterate both functions.
Today's executive order includes a provision that will obliterate both functions.
Improving Oversight of Federal Grantmaking
By the authority vested in me as President by the Constitution and the laws of the United States of America, and to improve the process of Federal
www.whitehouse.gov
August 8, 2025 at 1:13 AM
1. Federal funding for research promotes tech, biomedical, and scientific discovery in the US, and provides training for the sci/tech workforce that has brought immeasurable wealth to the US over the past 75 years.
Today's executive order includes a provision that will obliterate both functions.
Today's executive order includes a provision that will obliterate both functions.
Some classic baby-bath water moves are being made with legitimate fraud as cover.
www.nytimes.com/2025/08/04/s...
www.nytimes.com/2025/08/04/s...
Fraudulent Scientific Papers Are Rapidly Increasing, Study Finds
www.nytimes.com
August 6, 2025 at 11:23 AM
Some classic baby-bath water moves are being made with legitimate fraud as cover.
www.nytimes.com/2025/08/04/s...
www.nytimes.com/2025/08/04/s...
Reposted by Jen Richmond
This chart @pbump.com crated for his @washingtonpost.com newsletter today really illustrates the responsibility—the guilt—of Rupert Murdoch and bad-faith alternative-facts Fox News for getting and keeping us in our current mess. More impact than any single U.S. news media enterprise has ever had.
June 14, 2025 at 2:41 PM
This chart @pbump.com crated for his @washingtonpost.com newsletter today really illustrates the responsibility—the guilt—of Rupert Murdoch and bad-faith alternative-facts Fox News for getting and keeping us in our current mess. More impact than any single U.S. news media enterprise has ever had.
"Not everyone thinks it's funny" is a ridiculous understatement.
www.washingtonpost.com/technology/2...
www.washingtonpost.com/technology/2...
The White House wants you to laugh at its deportation memes
The administration is using dark memes, music videos and personal jabs to boost its immigration policy across social media. Not everyone thinks it’s funny.
www.washingtonpost.com
June 14, 2025 at 3:06 PM
"Not everyone thinks it's funny" is a ridiculous understatement.
www.washingtonpost.com/technology/2...
www.washingtonpost.com/technology/2...
Milkweed for the butterflies
June 10, 2025 at 7:10 PM
Milkweed for the butterflies
Reposted by Jen Richmond
Protected bike lanes have a near-magical ability to produce cyclists.
This new study of 28 US cities finds that census block groups w/protected bike lanes expanded bike commuting almost 2x faster than those w/standard bike lanes & >4x faster than those w/o new lanes.
www.nature.com/articles/s44...
This new study of 28 US cities finds that census block groups w/protected bike lanes expanded bike commuting almost 2x faster than those w/standard bike lanes & >4x faster than those w/o new lanes.
www.nature.com/articles/s44...
June 2, 2025 at 4:10 PM
Protected bike lanes have a near-magical ability to produce cyclists.
This new study of 28 US cities finds that census block groups w/protected bike lanes expanded bike commuting almost 2x faster than those w/standard bike lanes & >4x faster than those w/o new lanes.
www.nature.com/articles/s44...
This new study of 28 US cities finds that census block groups w/protected bike lanes expanded bike commuting almost 2x faster than those w/standard bike lanes & >4x faster than those w/o new lanes.
www.nature.com/articles/s44...
"D.C.’s Department of Energy & Environment is among the hardest-hit agencies in the mayor’s proposal, seeing a 24 percent reduction to its budget compared to this year."
Bowser bets on business-friendly D.C. budget while cutting some programs
www.washingtonpost.com/dc-md-va/202...
Bowser bets on business-friendly D.C. budget while cutting some programs
www.washingtonpost.com/dc-md-va/202...
Bowser bets on business-friendly D.C. budget while cutting some programs
Mayor Muriel E. Bowser (D) is betting on her ‘growth agenda’ to keep business in D.C., while council members are concerned about cuts to services for the needy.
www.washingtonpost.com
May 28, 2025 at 4:07 PM
"D.C.’s Department of Energy & Environment is among the hardest-hit agencies in the mayor’s proposal, seeing a 24 percent reduction to its budget compared to this year."
Bowser bets on business-friendly D.C. budget while cutting some programs
www.washingtonpost.com/dc-md-va/202...
Bowser bets on business-friendly D.C. budget while cutting some programs
www.washingtonpost.com/dc-md-va/202...
Reposted by Jen Richmond
Budget news 🧵: No furloughs or facility closures will need to happen to close the budget hole that Congress created in the city's current year budget. City officials did some fiscal maneuvering and made $347 million in spending cuts, but avoided their worst-case scenarios.
It’s a big day in D.C.: @mayorbowser.bsky.social is unveiling her proposed budget for the 2026 fiscal year (which starts on Oct. 1), and the revised 2025 budget incorporating $410 million in spending cuts from the mess Congress made with the city’s current budget.
May 27, 2025 at 3:08 PM
Budget news 🧵: No furloughs or facility closures will need to happen to close the budget hole that Congress created in the city's current year budget. City officials did some fiscal maneuvering and made $347 million in spending cuts, but avoided their worst-case scenarios.
Reposted by Jen Richmond
As someone who has relied on SNAP to put food in the fridge, I'm incredibly proud of the work we're doing at @dataforprogress.org to shine a light on how disastrously unpopular cutting nutrition assistance is
There is not a single congressional district in the U.S. where more than 15% of voters support cuts to SNAP, the federal program that provides food assistance to millions of low-income Americans.
May 22, 2025 at 9:57 PM
As someone who has relied on SNAP to put food in the fridge, I'm incredibly proud of the work we're doing at @dataforprogress.org to shine a light on how disastrously unpopular cutting nutrition assistance is
If only I had made it in time for this year's commencement!
Kermit the Frog set to deliver U-Md. commencement speech Thursday
www.washingtonpost.com/education/20...
Kermit the Frog set to deliver U-Md. commencement speech Thursday
www.washingtonpost.com/education/20...
Kermit the Frog set to deliver U-Md. commencement speech Thursday
Kermit the Frog, the world-famous amphibian, will talk to University of Maryland graduates about “finding your people ... and making connections,” a school official said.
www.washingtonpost.com
May 22, 2025 at 4:39 PM
If only I had made it in time for this year's commencement!
Kermit the Frog set to deliver U-Md. commencement speech Thursday
www.washingtonpost.com/education/20...
Kermit the Frog set to deliver U-Md. commencement speech Thursday
www.washingtonpost.com/education/20...
Betsy inspecting our paw paw sapling
May 10, 2025 at 3:10 PM
Betsy inspecting our paw paw sapling