April Urban
@aprilurban.bsky.social
Data janitor at heart. Believer in the power of community and that data + information = power.
Reposted by April Urban
"your work is also part of a system that needs public support and trust, which it earns by demonstrating not just its usefulness, but also its openness, transparency, and accountability"
❤️❤️
Yup!
❤️❤️
Yup!
I wrote for Columbia University Press: I would like to say that whether to engage with the public is a career choice reasonably left to the individual scholar. In today’s world, I don’t think so. Everyone needs to find a way to express how our work matters. cupblog.org/2025/07/10/w...
July 10, 2025 at 8:05 PM
"your work is also part of a system that needs public support and trust, which it earns by demonstrating not just its usefulness, but also its openness, transparency, and accountability"
❤️❤️
Yup!
❤️❤️
Yup!
Reposted by April Urban
Chatbots — LLMs — do not know facts and are not designed to be able to accurately answer factual questions. They are designed to find and mimic patterns of words, probabilistically. When they’re “right” it’s because correct things are often written down, so those patterns are frequent. That’s all.
June 19, 2025 at 11:21 AM
Chatbots — LLMs — do not know facts and are not designed to be able to accurately answer factual questions. They are designed to find and mimic patterns of words, probabilistically. When they’re “right” it’s because correct things are often written down, so those patterns are frequent. That’s all.
Reposted by April Urban
“There is a vast chasm between the concept of freedom inscribed on paper and the reality of freedom in our lives.” Revisit Jelani Cobb‘s piece, from 2020, on Juneteenth and the meaning of freedom.
Juneteenth and the Meaning of Freedom
Emancipation is a marker of progress for white Americans, not black ones.
www.newyorker.com
June 19, 2025 at 3:05 PM
“There is a vast chasm between the concept of freedom inscribed on paper and the reality of freedom in our lives.” Revisit Jelani Cobb‘s piece, from 2020, on Juneteenth and the meaning of freedom.
Reposted by April Urban
Trump cut staffing at the VA, and now Dallas vets are waiting months for care.
Surgeries are being delayed. Vets are being left without mental health care.
I’ve called for an investigation—because if you claim to support veterans, act like it.
Surgeries are being delayed. Vets are being left without mental health care.
I’ve called for an investigation—because if you claim to support veterans, act like it.
May 23, 2025 at 3:44 PM
Trump cut staffing at the VA, and now Dallas vets are waiting months for care.
Surgeries are being delayed. Vets are being left without mental health care.
I’ve called for an investigation—because if you claim to support veterans, act like it.
Surgeries are being delayed. Vets are being left without mental health care.
I’ve called for an investigation—because if you claim to support veterans, act like it.
Take a moment to submit a comment on the proposed restrictions to COVID vaccines. I'm personally pretty sure getting the COVID boosters along with the annual flu shot has helped my family stay healthier during peak disease season that's lately been swarming with RSV and so many other viruses.
GUYS. The comment period for this ends in THREE DAYS. PLEASE if you have even a little bit of time, submit a comment here: www.regulations.gov/commenton/FD...
Let them know EVERYONE should be able to get COVID vaccines. They BACK DOWN when WE PUSH BACK. www.statnews.com/2025/05/20/f...
Let them know EVERYONE should be able to get COVID vaccines. They BACK DOWN when WE PUSH BACK. www.statnews.com/2025/05/20/f...
FDA will limit Covid vaccines to people over 65 or at high risk of serious illness, leaders say
The FDA announced it will limit access to Covid-19 vaccines going forward to people 65 and older and others at high risk of serious illness
www.statnews.com
May 23, 2025 at 9:44 PM
Take a moment to submit a comment on the proposed restrictions to COVID vaccines. I'm personally pretty sure getting the COVID boosters along with the annual flu shot has helped my family stay healthier during peak disease season that's lately been swarming with RSV and so many other viruses.
Reposted by April Urban
“No one is watching, no one will hold them accountable, so they can just do what they want,” said one HUD attorney. “The civil rights laws that people marched for and fought for, ... it’s not happening. And people are really being harmed by it.”
By @jessecoburn.bsky.social
By @jessecoburn.bsky.social
How the Trump Administration Is Weakening the Enforcement of Fair Housing Laws
Starting with cases involving sexual orientation and identity, the Department of Housing and Urban Development is hobbling enforcement of the Fair Housing Act. Said one HUD attorney: “People are…
www.propublica.org
May 18, 2025 at 11:30 PM
“No one is watching, no one will hold them accountable, so they can just do what they want,” said one HUD attorney. “The civil rights laws that people marched for and fought for, ... it’s not happening. And people are really being harmed by it.”
By @jessecoburn.bsky.social
By @jessecoburn.bsky.social
Reposted by April Urban
"Our parent company, Paramount, is trying to complete a merger. The Trump administration must approve it. Paramount began to supervise our content in new ways"
And now, a note on Bill Owens who, until this past week, was the executive producer of 60 Minutes.
We’ll be back next week with another edition of 60 Minutes.
We’ll be back next week with another edition of 60 Minutes.
April 28, 2025 at 1:38 AM
"Our parent company, Paramount, is trying to complete a merger. The Trump administration must approve it. Paramount began to supervise our content in new ways"
Reposted by April Urban
We're hiring! Join the Eviction Lab as a Data Engineer and help build powerful, scalable data tools that inform housing research and policy nationwide. Apply now: tinyurl.com/evictionlab2025
April 25, 2025 at 3:41 PM
We're hiring! Join the Eviction Lab as a Data Engineer and help build powerful, scalable data tools that inform housing research and policy nationwide. Apply now: tinyurl.com/evictionlab2025
Reposted by April Urban
ERICA to the Rescue! Read about our volunteer efforts to rescue & revive ERIC, Dept of Ed's research repository. www.datarescueproject.org/erica-to-the... Thanks to crizzo, @archive.org & @safeguardingdata.bsky.social for all of the hard work. Check out more rescued data on our Data Rescue Tracker!
ERICA to the Rescue!
ERIC, the research repository of the Department of Education, was defunded this week. The ERIC catalog lists over 2 million education-related publications. More than 500,000 of these publications are ...
www.datarescueproject.org
April 25, 2025 at 6:31 PM
ERICA to the Rescue! Read about our volunteer efforts to rescue & revive ERIC, Dept of Ed's research repository. www.datarescueproject.org/erica-to-the... Thanks to crizzo, @archive.org & @safeguardingdata.bsky.social for all of the hard work. Check out more rescued data on our Data Rescue Tracker!
Reposted by April Urban
Toxicologist here! This will improve the health of zero Americans. Current synthetic food dyes are not causing health problems, and are often times used because they are actually safer than natural food dyes. Reminder that guns are the #1 cause of death of children but we are going to ban food dyes.
BREAKING: The FDA has officially announced they will be banning artificial dyes in the food supply by the end of 2026
This includes Red 40, Yellow 5, Yellow 6, Blue 1, Blue 2, Green 3
This includes Red 40, Yellow 5, Yellow 6, Blue 1, Blue 2, Green 3
April 23, 2025 at 3:45 PM
Toxicologist here! This will improve the health of zero Americans. Current synthetic food dyes are not causing health problems, and are often times used because they are actually safer than natural food dyes. Reminder that guns are the #1 cause of death of children but we are going to ban food dyes.
We just brought Data Days over to Bluesky-- follow us at @datadayscle.bsky.social . Take our survey to let us know how Data Days CLE can best help you with #data and #civictech in 2025. Go to datadayscle.org for the survey.
April 21, 2025 at 10:08 PM
We just brought Data Days over to Bluesky-- follow us at @datadayscle.bsky.social . Take our survey to let us know how Data Days CLE can best help you with #data and #civictech in 2025. Go to datadayscle.org for the survey.
Reposted by April Urban
FDA inspectors found serious problems at a Glenmark factory in India that manufactured the recalled drugs. Another medication made there has been tied to deaths of U.S. patients.
By @sheinvestigates.bsky.social
By @sheinvestigates.bsky.social
An Indian Drugmaker, Investigated by ProPublica Last Year, Has Recalled Two Dozen Medications Sold to U.S. Patients
FDA inspectors found serious problems at a Glenmark factory in India that manufactured the recalled drugs. Another medication made there has been tied to deaths of U.S. patients.
www.propublica.org
April 18, 2025 at 11:01 PM
FDA inspectors found serious problems at a Glenmark factory in India that manufactured the recalled drugs. Another medication made there has been tied to deaths of U.S. patients.
By @sheinvestigates.bsky.social
By @sheinvestigates.bsky.social
Why do we build the wall, my children, my children, why do we build the wall?
The president has reportedly urged Congress to pass $175 billion for border security. But residents of Del Rio, Texas, and Douglas, Arizona, say their basic needs — like safe drinking water and hospital access — aren’t being met. @anjeanette-damon.bsky.social and Perla Trevizo w/ @texastribune.org
Trump Is Spending Billions on Border Security. Some Residents Living There Lack Basic Resources.
The president has reportedly urged Congress to pass $175 billion for border security. But residents of Del Rio, Texas, and Douglas, Arizona, say their basic needs — like safe drinking water and hospit...
www.propublica.org
April 16, 2025 at 3:51 PM
Why do we build the wall, my children, my children, why do we build the wall?
Reposted by April Urban
New on my blog: OpenAI dropped a trio of models yesterday that they claim result from "focusing closely on real-world developer needs." I was curious whether this might mean stronger #rstats coding performance.
www.simonpcouch.com/blog/2025-04...
www.simonpcouch.com/blog/2025-04...
April 15, 2025 at 3:49 PM
New on my blog: OpenAI dropped a trio of models yesterday that they claim result from "focusing closely on real-world developer needs." I was curious whether this might mean stronger #rstats coding performance.
www.simonpcouch.com/blog/2025-04...
www.simonpcouch.com/blog/2025-04...
Reposted by April Urban
We filed suit today to compel the Office of Management & Budget to resume disclosing key federal spending plans called “apportionments,” which tell federal agencies how and when to spend federal funds. The law requires this disclosure—and the public has a right to know: protdem.org/4ijKGJV
April 14, 2025 at 3:25 PM
We filed suit today to compel the Office of Management & Budget to resume disclosing key federal spending plans called “apportionments,” which tell federal agencies how and when to spend federal funds. The law requires this disclosure—and the public has a right to know: protdem.org/4ijKGJV
Reposted by April Urban
It was very frustrating to watch reporters in the Oval allow Bukele's assertion these people are "terrorists" to go unquestioned
Wouldn't it be nice if every news outlet that covered the Bukele Oval Office meeting noted:
District court wrote: Abrego Garcia "has never been charged with or convicted of any crime."⤵️
Fourth Circuit: The government presented "NO EVIDENCE" of MS-13 affiliation. Abandoned argument before court. ⤵️
District court wrote: Abrego Garcia "has never been charged with or convicted of any crime."⤵️
Fourth Circuit: The government presented "NO EVIDENCE" of MS-13 affiliation. Abandoned argument before court. ⤵️
April 14, 2025 at 10:38 PM
It was very frustrating to watch reporters in the Oval allow Bukele's assertion these people are "terrorists" to go unquestioned
If I were a writer, I'd start on a short story where former US citizens shipped to El Salvador by a traitorous US President and tech oligarchy end up building the new mecca in El Salvador while the US and it's weird remaining cult-enraptured citizens crumble.
April 12, 2025 at 3:19 PM
If I were a writer, I'd start on a short story where former US citizens shipped to El Salvador by a traitorous US President and tech oligarchy end up building the new mecca in El Salvador while the US and it's weird remaining cult-enraptured citizens crumble.
Reposted by April Urban
Spurred by ProPublica’s reporting, Democrats have introduced a measure designed to block a right-wing strategy to disallow ballots after they were cast. It’s being used to try to upend the results of a key state Supreme Court race.
By @dougbockclark.bsky.social
By @dougbockclark.bsky.social
N.C. Lawmakers Move to Stop Votes From Being Discarded Based on Postelection Rule Changes
Spurred by ProPublica’s reporting, Democrats have introduced a measure designed to block a right-wing strategy to disallow ballots after they were cast. It’s being used to try to upend the results of…
www.propublica.org
April 12, 2025 at 3:00 PM
Spurred by ProPublica’s reporting, Democrats have introduced a measure designed to block a right-wing strategy to disallow ballots after they were cast. It’s being used to try to upend the results of a key state Supreme Court race.
By @dougbockclark.bsky.social
By @dougbockclark.bsky.social
Reposted by April Urban
NEW: Whooping cough is killing babies. It’s not just measles cases that are soaring as vaccine rates decline. And the Trump administration recently cut $11 billion from state and local agencies on the front lines of protecting Americans from outbreaks. www.propublica.org/article/whoo...
“Not Just Measles”: Whooping Cough Cases Are Soaring as Vaccine Rates Decline
While much of the country is focused on the spiraling measles outbreak, experts warn that whooping cough and other preventable diseases could get much worse with falling vaccination rates and Trump’s ...
www.propublica.org
April 11, 2025 at 11:53 PM
NEW: Whooping cough is killing babies. It’s not just measles cases that are soaring as vaccine rates decline. And the Trump administration recently cut $11 billion from state and local agencies on the front lines of protecting Americans from outbreaks. www.propublica.org/article/whoo...
Yet again we put more work on schools and kids. So ridiculous.
So some people are plainclothes ICE agents interrogating small children, other people are random sociopaths impersonating ICE agents but everyone is supposed to know the difference, surely this won’t get even worse
April 11, 2025 at 7:19 PM
Yet again we put more work on schools and kids. So ridiculous.
Reposted by April Urban
NEW on @npr.org:
A DOGE staffer working in the Social Security Administration has been pushing questionable claims about noncitizens voting — apparently using data that court records suggest DOGE shouldn't have.
More on the claims and the latest in DOGE access concerns:
A DOGE staffer working in the Social Security Administration has been pushing questionable claims about noncitizens voting — apparently using data that court records suggest DOGE shouldn't have.
More on the claims and the latest in DOGE access concerns:
How DOGE may have improperly used Social Security data to push voter fraud narratives
A DOGE staffer working in the Social Security Administration has been pushing questionable claims about noncitizens voting — apparently using data that court records suggest DOGE shouldn't have.
www.npr.org
April 11, 2025 at 10:38 AM
NEW on @npr.org:
A DOGE staffer working in the Social Security Administration has been pushing questionable claims about noncitizens voting — apparently using data that court records suggest DOGE shouldn't have.
More on the claims and the latest in DOGE access concerns:
A DOGE staffer working in the Social Security Administration has been pushing questionable claims about noncitizens voting — apparently using data that court records suggest DOGE shouldn't have.
More on the claims and the latest in DOGE access concerns:
Reposted by April Urban
For @propublica.org: measles vaccination rates were *below herd immunity* in most states in the 2023-24 school year. Read the story on vaccine hesitancy & rising cases of measles and whooping cough by @deldeib.bsky.social:
www.propublica.org/article/whoo...
www.propublica.org/article/whoo...
April 11, 2025 at 3:17 PM
For @propublica.org: measles vaccination rates were *below herd immunity* in most states in the 2023-24 school year. Read the story on vaccine hesitancy & rising cases of measles and whooping cough by @deldeib.bsky.social:
www.propublica.org/article/whoo...
www.propublica.org/article/whoo...
Seriously.
"The data analytic tools now being used to scour social media [of non-citizens for grounds to deport them] were enhanced during the Biden administration"
If only we could've foreseen that a system designed to surveil protected speech could be prone to abuse!
www.nbcnews.com/politics/nat...
If only we could've foreseen that a system designed to surveil protected speech could be prone to abuse!
www.nbcnews.com/politics/nat...
April 10, 2025 at 6:19 PM
Seriously.
Reposted by April Urban
I'm making an ID.me account (a private identity vendor selling its services to government), required to log into my IRS.gov account, and their privacy policy says I'm also creating an "an ID.me Rx Account," and consent to this company collecting my health information. *What*? www.id.me/privacy
April 9, 2025 at 1:48 AM
I'm making an ID.me account (a private identity vendor selling its services to government), required to log into my IRS.gov account, and their privacy policy says I'm also creating an "an ID.me Rx Account," and consent to this company collecting my health information. *What*? www.id.me/privacy