John Lam
@johnlam.bsky.social
Former software developer, former Rochesterian, former former…
Find this also at @johnlam.bsky.social@BSKY.brid.gy federated for Threads and Mastodon.
Nostr:npub1qu4wxzgtvzy73ergn02y325th665n75gqeylllflqkztsfpvw3ssng0ng6
#SEA #ROC
Find this also at @johnlam.bsky.social@BSKY.brid.gy federated for Threads and Mastodon.
Nostr:npub1qu4wxzgtvzy73ergn02y325th665n75gqeylllflqkztsfpvw3ssng0ng6
#SEA #ROC
ExplainXKCD is the shit!
Title text: "'They really shouldn't let those small cars drive in traffic. I worry I'm going to kill someone if I hit one! They should have to drive on the sidewalk, safely out of the way.'"
Alt text: https://explainxkcd.com/3167#Transcript
Alt text: https://explainxkcd.com/3167#Transcript
November 16, 2025 at 5:46 AM
ExplainXKCD is the shit!
Reposted by John Lam
A remarkable story: Omar Yaghi, born a refugee in Jordan, came to America as a teen to attend community college and later earned a Ph.D. and the 2025 Nobel Prize in chemistry. Immigrants have won 40% of the U.S. Nobel Prizes in science since 2000. @mclem.org
www.forbes.com/sites/stuart...
www.forbes.com/sites/stuart...
Half Of The 2025 U.S. Nobel Prize Winners In Science Are Immigrants
Three of the six U.S. winners in the 2025 Nobel Prize science categories immigrated to the United States, one of them as a teenager.
www.forbes.com
October 9, 2025 at 7:49 PM
A remarkable story: Omar Yaghi, born a refugee in Jordan, came to America as a teen to attend community college and later earned a Ph.D. and the 2025 Nobel Prize in chemistry. Immigrants have won 40% of the U.S. Nobel Prizes in science since 2000. @mclem.org
www.forbes.com/sites/stuart...
www.forbes.com/sites/stuart...
Reposted by John Lam
🚨 ACTION ALERT: Secretary Duffy’s DOT says bike lanes are “not in the public interest” – and is canceling hundreds of millions in grants for biking, walking, and trail projects nationwide. Take action: bikeleague.org/action-center
September 26, 2025 at 5:24 PM
🚨 ACTION ALERT: Secretary Duffy’s DOT says bike lanes are “not in the public interest” – and is canceling hundreds of millions in grants for biking, walking, and trail projects nationwide. Take action: bikeleague.org/action-center
Reposted by John Lam
NEW: Washington residents will be able to access the updated COVID-19 vaccines without an individual prescription under a new standing order the state Department of Health issued Thursday. Under the order, most residents will be able to get the updated forms of COVID-19 vaccines.
DOH: WA residents can access COVID-19 vaccine without prescription
Washington residents will be able to access the updated COVID-19 vaccines without an individual prescription under a new standing order the state Department of Health issued Thursday. The order follow...
www.cascadepbs.org
September 5, 2025 at 10:44 PM
NEW: Washington residents will be able to access the updated COVID-19 vaccines without an individual prescription under a new standing order the state Department of Health issued Thursday. Under the order, most residents will be able to get the updated forms of COVID-19 vaccines.
Reposted by John Lam
US Senator Jon Ossoff has launched an investigation into the abuse of women and children in US immigration detention, citing among other reports, the WIRED story below: www.ossoff.senate.gov/wp-content/u...
August 18, 2025 at 8:53 PM
US Senator Jon Ossoff has launched an investigation into the abuse of women and children in US immigration detention, citing among other reports, the WIRED story below: www.ossoff.senate.gov/wp-content/u...
Reposted by John Lam
People’s brains are fried by the 15 stories a year of a cyclist hitting a pedestrian but completely ignore the 40k per year that are killed by cars.
News is news because it’s different from the norm. But the process of reporting tricks our lizard brains into thinking what’s in the news is common.
News is news because it’s different from the norm. But the process of reporting tricks our lizard brains into thinking what’s in the news is common.
There is no possible justification for limiting e-bikes to 15mph but not cars.
New York Has a New E-Bike Speed Limit—and No Way to Enforce It
August 11, 2025 at 10:44 AM
People’s brains are fried by the 15 stories a year of a cyclist hitting a pedestrian but completely ignore the 40k per year that are killed by cars.
News is news because it’s different from the norm. But the process of reporting tricks our lizard brains into thinking what’s in the news is common.
News is news because it’s different from the norm. But the process of reporting tricks our lizard brains into thinking what’s in the news is common.
Reposted by John Lam
"Motorized vehicles create remoteness which they alone can shrink. They create distances for all, and shrink them for only a few."
—Ivan Illich
📸 #Brasilia
—Ivan Illich
📸 #Brasilia
August 15, 2025 at 2:06 PM
"Motorized vehicles create remoteness which they alone can shrink. They create distances for all, and shrink them for only a few."
—Ivan Illich
📸 #Brasilia
—Ivan Illich
📸 #Brasilia
Reposted by John Lam
In the last 24 hours, Israel has reportedly killed 123 people in Gaza.
This photo is from today:
This photo is from today:
August 13, 2025 at 7:09 PM
In the last 24 hours, Israel has reportedly killed 123 people in Gaza.
This photo is from today:
This photo is from today:
Reposted by John Lam
Metropolitan Planning Organizations (MPOs) shape US #transportation decisions—but evidence shows their voting structures often don’t reflect local populations.
In a new post, Urban #research experts analyze MPO board membership in the largest metro areas.
In a new post, Urban #research experts analyze MPO board membership in the largest metro areas.
Metropolitan Planning Organizations Make Decisions About Transportation Options Nationwide, but They Rarely Represent All Their Constituents.
Adopting population-representative voting systems could help metropolitan planning boards better reflect all residents' transportation needs. ,Across the US, hundreds of metropolitan planning organizations (MPOs) help make transportation planning decisi...
urbn.is
August 13, 2025 at 8:21 PM
Metropolitan Planning Organizations (MPOs) shape US #transportation decisions—but evidence shows their voting structures often don’t reflect local populations.
In a new post, Urban #research experts analyze MPO board membership in the largest metro areas.
In a new post, Urban #research experts analyze MPO board membership in the largest metro areas.
Reposted by John Lam
"Last year there were ten murders in the NYC subway system, with well over a billion total rides taken. During the same time period, there were 253 traffic fatalities in New York City. One person dead every day and a half. Cars? Those things are fucking dangerous."
“You sound real corny being scared of the subway.” www.hamiltonnolan.com/p/the-subway...
The Subway Is Not Scary
Fear of the subway is a mark of low moral character.
www.hamiltonnolan.com
August 12, 2025 at 5:30 PM
"Last year there were ten murders in the NYC subway system, with well over a billion total rides taken. During the same time period, there were 253 traffic fatalities in New York City. One person dead every day and a half. Cars? Those things are fucking dangerous."
Reposted by John Lam
The group "Save our Sammamish" has been pushing back on the idea of allowing additional density in the city's town center area. In response, two teenagers at Skyline high school created a website debunking them.
supersammamish.vercel.app
supersammamish.vercel.app
Super Sammamish
Web site created using create-react-app
supersammamish.vercel.app
July 15, 2025 at 2:23 AM
The group "Save our Sammamish" has been pushing back on the idea of allowing additional density in the city's town center area. In response, two teenagers at Skyline high school created a website debunking them.
supersammamish.vercel.app
supersammamish.vercel.app
Reposted by John Lam
Wish I had a better reference for this, but Sapiens talks about how the Dutch beat the Spanish because the Dutch would enforce contracts and wouldn't soak their investors with threats of violence.
1/US weaponizing law to threaten businesses risks triggering obsolescence bargaining problem. In short, if you invest and then the government can coerce you, why invest in the first place. The result: the US is seen as a bad FDI destination and the economy suffers.
www.wsj.com/finance/stoc...
www.wsj.com/finance/stoc...
Investors Who Were All In on U.S. Stocks Are Starting to Look Elsewhere
American exceptionalism was this year’s big trade. Now some are hedging their bets.
www.wsj.com
March 23, 2025 at 6:52 PM
Wish I had a better reference for this, but Sapiens talks about how the Dutch beat the Spanish because the Dutch would enforce contracts and wouldn't soak their investors with threats of violence.
Reposted by John Lam
"Over time, the prerogative state would distort and slowly unravel the legal procedures of the normative state, leaving a smaller and smaller domain for ordinary law."
archive.is/9Cll3#select...
archive.is/9Cll3#select...
archive.is
March 23, 2025 at 9:08 PM
"Over time, the prerogative state would distort and slowly unravel the legal procedures of the normative state, leaving a smaller and smaller domain for ordinary law."
archive.is/9Cll3#select...
archive.is/9Cll3#select...
Reposted by John Lam
A pie graph worth keeping in mind as the NIH budget plummets jamanetwork.com/journals/jam... for 356 new FDA drugs approved
March 23, 2025 at 4:17 PM
A pie graph worth keeping in mind as the NIH budget plummets jamanetwork.com/journals/jam... for 356 new FDA drugs approved
Reposted by John Lam
“But Mr. Vought and Mr. Musk hit it off when they met, along with Mr. Ramaswamy, at Mar-a-Lago on Nov. 14. They were on the same wavelength in terms of taking the most extreme action possible.”
Incredible reporting in this article.
Incredible reporting in this article.
How Elon Musk planned for DOGE: Our investigation found that he raised the idea in 2023, becoming fixated on gaining insider access to federal systems. By Dec., he chose USDS as a landing place, and future DOGE members began applying for jobs there. www.nytimes.com/2025/02/28/u...
How Elon Musk Executed His Takeover of the Federal Bureaucracy (Gift Article)
The operation was driven with a frenetic focus by the billionaire, who channeled his resentment of regulatory oversight into a drastic overhaul of government agencies.
www.nytimes.com
February 28, 2025 at 12:58 PM
“But Mr. Vought and Mr. Musk hit it off when they met, along with Mr. Ramaswamy, at Mar-a-Lago on Nov. 14. They were on the same wavelength in terms of taking the most extreme action possible.”
Incredible reporting in this article.
Incredible reporting in this article.
Here's to sticking your head in the sand.
The people who produce this Mauna Loa atmospheric CO₂ record have a lab in Hilo, Hawaiʻi, about 50 miles (80 km) from the observatory. By closing the lab, it'll be really difficult to maintain the CO₂ observations.
March 15, 2025 at 12:55 AM
Here's to sticking your head in the sand.
Reposted by John Lam
Since Trump's inauguration, his EPA had announced no major step to address water or air pollution.
That changed today. Trump's EPA BOASTED it plans the biggest rollback of safeguards for health, land, water & air quality in US history. To INCREASE harmful pollution to water, air, to your community.
That changed today. Trump's EPA BOASTED it plans the biggest rollback of safeguards for health, land, water & air quality in US history. To INCREASE harmful pollution to water, air, to your community.
March 12, 2025 at 6:12 PM
Since Trump's inauguration, his EPA had announced no major step to address water or air pollution.
That changed today. Trump's EPA BOASTED it plans the biggest rollback of safeguards for health, land, water & air quality in US history. To INCREASE harmful pollution to water, air, to your community.
That changed today. Trump's EPA BOASTED it plans the biggest rollback of safeguards for health, land, water & air quality in US history. To INCREASE harmful pollution to water, air, to your community.
Reposted by John Lam
Donald Trump just ordered that up to 280 million acres of American forest be cut down.
Who will be the Lorax?
www.whitehouse.gov/presidential...
Who will be the Lorax?
www.whitehouse.gov/presidential...
Immediate Expansion of American Timber Production
By the authority vested in me as President by the Constitution and the laws of the United States of America, it is hereby ordered: Section 1. Purpose.
www.whitehouse.gov
March 4, 2025 at 4:14 AM
Donald Trump just ordered that up to 280 million acres of American forest be cut down.
Who will be the Lorax?
www.whitehouse.gov/presidential...
Who will be the Lorax?
www.whitehouse.gov/presidential...
Reposted by John Lam
Because doge is not really about efficiency
March 2, 2025 at 4:12 PM
Because doge is not really about efficiency
Reposted by John Lam
NIH funding is frozen. @annikabarber.bsky.social is keeping score: 50%+ of study sections planned for this year (77/148) have been cancelled.
I talked to Dr. Barber about why these delays are disastrous, and why scientists should be pooling info and speaking up: www.chronicle.com/article/nih-...
I talked to Dr. Barber about why these delays are disastrous, and why scientists should be pooling info and speaking up: www.chronicle.com/article/nih-...
NIH Funding Is at a Standstill. This Professor Is Tracking the Delays.
More than half of the NIH grant-review meetings that were supposed to take place this year have been cancelled, she says. “Without these meetings happening, nothing can get funded.”
www.chronicle.com
February 26, 2025 at 10:17 PM
NIH funding is frozen. @annikabarber.bsky.social is keeping score: 50%+ of study sections planned for this year (77/148) have been cancelled.
I talked to Dr. Barber about why these delays are disastrous, and why scientists should be pooling info and speaking up: www.chronicle.com/article/nih-...
I talked to Dr. Barber about why these delays are disastrous, and why scientists should be pooling info and speaking up: www.chronicle.com/article/nih-...
Reposted by John Lam
This should be a huge red flag to countries other than just Ukraine. Predatory weaponization of interdependence is something the US can probably exploit in the short term but the rest of the world will, rightfully, avoid American solutions if that's our modus operandi
New: U.S. negotiators pressing Kyiv for access to Ukraine's critical minerals have raised the possibility of cutting off the country's access to Elon Musk's Starlink satellite internet system, per three sources. www.reuters.com/business/us-...
Exclusive: US could cut Ukraine's access to Starlink internet services over minerals, say sources
U.S. negotiators pressing Kyiv for access to Ukraine's critical minerals have raised the possibility of cutting the country's access to Elon Musk's vital Starlink satellite internet system, three sources familiar with the matter told Reuters.
www.reuters.com
February 22, 2025 at 12:30 AM
This should be a huge red flag to countries other than just Ukraine. Predatory weaponization of interdependence is something the US can probably exploit in the short term but the rest of the world will, rightfully, avoid American solutions if that's our modus operandi
Reposted by John Lam
And fully half of it is a humiliating error where they mistake the value of a contract by 1000x confusing 8 million with 8 BILLION
DOGE says it has saved $55 billion in federal spending so far, but its website only accounts for $16.6 billion of that
DOGE Says It’s Saved $55 Billion, Itemized Data Show Far Less
The federal cost-cutting effort dubbed the Department of Government Efficiency says it has saved $55 billion in federal spending so far, but its website only accounts for $16.6 billion of that.
www.bloomberg.com
February 19, 2025 at 12:58 PM
And fully half of it is a humiliating error where they mistake the value of a contract by 1000x confusing 8 million with 8 BILLION
Reposted by John Lam
🧵"So this is how liberty dies..."
Trump’s first 3 weeks have been a relentless flood of actions. It's incredibly hard to keep up.
I’ve gone through 69 actions & mapped out the pattern - showing how they fall within 5 broad domains consistent with authoritarian states 1/9
Trump’s first 3 weeks have been a relentless flood of actions. It's incredibly hard to keep up.
I’ve gone through 69 actions & mapped out the pattern - showing how they fall within 5 broad domains consistent with authoritarian states 1/9
February 13, 2025 at 11:38 AM
🧵"So this is how liberty dies..."
Trump’s first 3 weeks have been a relentless flood of actions. It's incredibly hard to keep up.
I’ve gone through 69 actions & mapped out the pattern - showing how they fall within 5 broad domains consistent with authoritarian states 1/9
Trump’s first 3 weeks have been a relentless flood of actions. It's incredibly hard to keep up.
I’ve gone through 69 actions & mapped out the pattern - showing how they fall within 5 broad domains consistent with authoritarian states 1/9
Reposted by John Lam
2. The surcharge occurred because one of Trump's executive orders froze a grant that assists low-income residents with their energy bills.
In an email, an Alabama official confirmed that the letter from Huntsville Utilities was genuine and the $100 increase was the direct result of Trump's EO.
In an email, an Alabama official confirmed that the letter from Huntsville Utilities was genuine and the $100 increase was the direct result of Trump's EO.
February 13, 2025 at 1:38 PM
2. The surcharge occurred because one of Trump's executive orders froze a grant that assists low-income residents with their energy bills.
In an email, an Alabama official confirmed that the letter from Huntsville Utilities was genuine and the $100 increase was the direct result of Trump's EO.
In an email, an Alabama official confirmed that the letter from Huntsville Utilities was genuine and the $100 increase was the direct result of Trump's EO.
Reposted by John Lam
More than 3 billion phone coordinates collected by a US data broker expose the detailed movements of US military and intelligence workers—and the Pentagon is powerless to stop it.
www.wired.com/story/phone-...
www.wired.com/story/phone-...
Anyone Can Buy Data Tracking US Soldiers and Spies to Nuclear Vaults and Brothels in Germany
More than 3 billion phone coordinates collected by a US data broker expose the detailed movements of US military and intelligence workers in Germany—and the Pentagon is powerless to stop it.
www.wired.com
February 13, 2025 at 9:56 PM
More than 3 billion phone coordinates collected by a US data broker expose the detailed movements of US military and intelligence workers—and the Pentagon is powerless to stop it.
www.wired.com/story/phone-...
www.wired.com/story/phone-...