Brad Skillman
@bradqskillman.bsky.social
Data trainer and journalist at Bloomberg News. Opinions my own.
Reposted by Brad Skillman
Around 70 percent of states in the contiguous U.S. have seen declining snowfall in recent winters, although parts of the West and some of the South have experienced more snow.
See how snowfall is changing across the United States here:
See how snowfall is changing across the United States here:
Column | How snowy could it be where you live this winter? Look up your area.
Swaths of central and eastern states have received much less snow than average over the past five winters – a trend that may continue this season.
www.washingtonpost.com
November 19, 2025 at 12:00 PM
Around 70 percent of states in the contiguous U.S. have seen declining snowfall in recent winters, although parts of the West and some of the South have experienced more snow.
See how snowfall is changing across the United States here:
See how snowfall is changing across the United States here:
Reposted by Brad Skillman
Wow commute times in NYC are solidly twice per year what they are in any other major city.
I would take an hour on a train though over half that in bumper-to-bumper traffic.
Created in #rstats using @kylewalker.bsky.social's #tidycensus
I would take an hour on a train though over half that in bumper-to-bumper traffic.
Created in #rstats using @kylewalker.bsky.social's #tidycensus
November 18, 2025 at 12:32 PM
Wow commute times in NYC are solidly twice per year what they are in any other major city.
I would take an hour on a train though over half that in bumper-to-bumper traffic.
Created in #rstats using @kylewalker.bsky.social's #tidycensus
I would take an hour on a train though over half that in bumper-to-bumper traffic.
Created in #rstats using @kylewalker.bsky.social's #tidycensus
Reposted by Brad Skillman
Tracking the spread of bird flu using genetic markers, satellite imagery, property records, and more reminds me of John Snow’s Cholera investigation/map. Howe’s Hens is the modern day Broad Street Pump. Amazing work from @natlash.bsky.social & @chrisalcantara.com. www.propublica.org/article/meth...
November 18, 2025 at 1:32 PM
Tracking the spread of bird flu using genetic markers, satellite imagery, property records, and more reminds me of John Snow’s Cholera investigation/map. Howe’s Hens is the modern day Broad Street Pump. Amazing work from @natlash.bsky.social & @chrisalcantara.com. www.propublica.org/article/meth...
Reposted by Brad Skillman
Material viewed by 404 Media shows data giant Thomson Reuters enriches license plate data with marriage, voter, and ownership records. The tool can predict where a car may be in the future.
This App Lets ICE Track Vehicles and Owners Across the Country
Material viewed by 404 Media shows data giant Thomson Reuters enriches license plate data with marriage, voter, and ownership records. The tool can predict where a car may be in the future.
www.404media.co
November 17, 2025 at 2:30 PM
Material viewed by 404 Media shows data giant Thomson Reuters enriches license plate data with marriage, voter, and ownership records. The tool can predict where a car may be in the future.
Reposted by Brad Skillman
📣Bloomberg Economics is hiring a climate specialist:
bloomberg.avature.net/careers/JobD...
bloomberg.avature.net/careers/JobD...
Bloomberg Economics - Geoeconomics - Climate Economist/Econometrician
bloomberg.avature.net
November 16, 2025 at 6:01 PM
📣Bloomberg Economics is hiring a climate specialist:
bloomberg.avature.net/careers/JobD...
bloomberg.avature.net/careers/JobD...
Reposted by Brad Skillman
In this week’s newsletter, spoke with Yale University’s William Rankin about his new book on rethinking how we draw maps.
www.howtoreadthisch.art/putting-the-...
www.howtoreadthisch.art/putting-the-...
November 15, 2025 at 8:31 PM
In this week’s newsletter, spoke with Yale University’s William Rankin about his new book on rethinking how we draw maps.
www.howtoreadthisch.art/putting-the-...
www.howtoreadthisch.art/putting-the-...
Reposted by Brad Skillman
For all the criticisms of LLMs, they have opened the door (along with open source software like Python and R) to do a lot of incredible stuff, regardless of age.
At a high school journalism conference and there's a panel on data journalism led entirely by students. More of this, please.
November 14, 2025 at 7:49 PM
For all the criticisms of LLMs, they have opened the door (along with open source software like Python and R) to do a lot of incredible stuff, regardless of age.
Reposted by Brad Skillman
It's hard to overstate what a disaster Kash Patel is. See the many disturbing details here, from @vermontgmg.bsky.social, an expert on the FBI. "The longer this chaos continues," he writes, "the more likely we’re going to face a catastrophic intelligence failure." www.motherjones.com/politics/202...
Kash Patel, the FBI's agent of chaos
The biggest little scandal in Washington right now is how bad Patel is at being FBI director.
www.motherjones.com
November 14, 2025 at 4:31 PM
It's hard to overstate what a disaster Kash Patel is. See the many disturbing details here, from @vermontgmg.bsky.social, an expert on the FBI. "The longer this chaos continues," he writes, "the more likely we’re going to face a catastrophic intelligence failure." www.motherjones.com/politics/202...
Reposted by Brad Skillman
If the U.S. had 100 people, what would religious affiliation look like? 🧵👇
Find the full analysis here:
Find the full analysis here:
If the U.S. had 100 people: Charting Americans’ religious affiliations
If the U.S. had 100 people, 62 would be Christians, including 40 Protestants, 19 Catholics, two Latter-day Saints and two who identify with other Christian groups.
www.pewresearch.org
November 14, 2025 at 3:05 PM
If the U.S. had 100 people, what would religious affiliation look like? 🧵👇
Find the full analysis here:
Find the full analysis here:
Reposted by Brad Skillman
Good article from Edsall on Mamdani and impressed with how he says his thinking was changed by the evidence. www.nytimes.com/2025/11/11/o...
Opinion | Young Voters Are the Holy Grail. Zohran Mamdani Just Showed Democrats How to Win Them.
www.nytimes.com
November 11, 2025 at 1:13 PM
Good article from Edsall on Mamdani and impressed with how he says his thinking was changed by the evidence. www.nytimes.com/2025/11/11/o...
Reposted by Brad Skillman
Tell me you don’t understand risk pools without telling me you don’t understand risk pools
November 10, 2025 at 3:02 PM
Tell me you don’t understand risk pools without telling me you don’t understand risk pools
Reposted by Brad Skillman
There are a lot of great posts out there that aren't very highly ranked.
Don't rely on bluesky to find you great content; you can find it on your own! Here's how:
#Rstats via @northeasternu.bsky.social's Storybench
www.storybench.org/how-to-analy...
Don't rely on bluesky to find you great content; you can find it on your own! Here's how:
#Rstats via @northeasternu.bsky.social's Storybench
www.storybench.org/how-to-analy...
How to Analyze bluesky Posts and Trends with R - Storybench
If all you're doing on bluesky is scrolling, liking and posting, then you're riding a bike with training wheels. Here are simple tools using its open-source skeleton.
www.storybench.org
November 5, 2025 at 7:58 PM
There are a lot of great posts out there that aren't very highly ranked.
Don't rely on bluesky to find you great content; you can find it on your own! Here's how:
#Rstats via @northeasternu.bsky.social's Storybench
www.storybench.org/how-to-analy...
Don't rely on bluesky to find you great content; you can find it on your own! Here's how:
#Rstats via @northeasternu.bsky.social's Storybench
www.storybench.org/how-to-analy...
Reposted by Brad Skillman
Datasette 1.0a20 is out, with an entirely new SQL-powered permissions system. This is by far the most ambitious project I've attempted with the help of coding agents (Claude Code and Codex CLI) - notes on how it works and what I learned along the way:
simonwillison.net/2025/Nov/4/d...
simonwillison.net/2025/Nov/4/d...
A new SQL-powered permissions system in Datasette 1.0a20
Datasette 1.0a20 is out with the biggest breaking API change on the road to 1.0, improving how Datasette’s permissions system works by migrating permission logic to SQL running in SQLite. …
simonwillison.net
November 4, 2025 at 9:36 PM
Datasette 1.0a20 is out, with an entirely new SQL-powered permissions system. This is by far the most ambitious project I've attempted with the help of coding agents (Claude Code and Codex CLI) - notes on how it works and what I learned along the way:
simonwillison.net/2025/Nov/4/d...
simonwillison.net/2025/Nov/4/d...
Reposted by Brad Skillman
this may be of interest/useful to people tomorrow. github.com/elliottmorri...
GitHub - elliottmorris/county-election-benchmarks: estimates of what tied statewide elections would look like in each county in the U.S. useful for figuring out if candidates are on track to win while...
estimates of what tied statewide elections would look like in each county in the U.S. useful for figuring out if candidates are on track to win while results are being reported - elliottmorris/coun...
github.com
November 3, 2025 at 7:46 PM
this may be of interest/useful to people tomorrow. github.com/elliottmorri...
Reposted by Brad Skillman
I recently went to Prudhoe Bay, Alaska w/US scientists to study the effect of saltwater on fast-thawing permafrost. 1st in a series by @bloomberg.com on the world's natural carbon sinks with @hayleywarren.bsky.social and @eroston.bsky.social
A thread follows: www.bloomberg.com/graphics/202...
A thread follows: www.bloomberg.com/graphics/202...
The Biggest Arctic Carbon Sink Is Increasingly Unstable
Scientists at the top of the world are racing to uncover how rapidly the Arctic’s permafrost is thawing.
www.bloomberg.com
November 3, 2025 at 3:16 PM
I recently went to Prudhoe Bay, Alaska w/US scientists to study the effect of saltwater on fast-thawing permafrost. 1st in a series by @bloomberg.com on the world's natural carbon sinks with @hayleywarren.bsky.social and @eroston.bsky.social
A thread follows: www.bloomberg.com/graphics/202...
A thread follows: www.bloomberg.com/graphics/202...
Reposted by Brad Skillman
Desis are kicking ass in these early voting numbers!
I've spent countless hours canvassing in Parkchester - specifically thanks to a @thecity.nyc article in the spring talking about the need for Bangla speakers there - so I'm particularly stoked to see these stats.
I've spent countless hours canvassing in Parkchester - specifically thanks to a @thecity.nyc article in the spring talking about the need for Bangla speakers there - so I'm particularly stoked to see these stats.
November 3, 2025 at 3:36 PM
Desis are kicking ass in these early voting numbers!
I've spent countless hours canvassing in Parkchester - specifically thanks to a @thecity.nyc article in the spring talking about the need for Bangla speakers there - so I'm particularly stoked to see these stats.
I've spent countless hours canvassing in Parkchester - specifically thanks to a @thecity.nyc article in the spring talking about the need for Bangla speakers there - so I'm particularly stoked to see these stats.
Reposted by Brad Skillman
Last chance to turn it off.
On Monday, November 3rd, Microsoft will start using your LinkedIn data for AI training. And remember, you're opted in by default.
To toggle it off 👉 Account - Settings & Privacy > Data privacy > Data for Generative AI Improvement.
On Monday, November 3rd, Microsoft will start using your LinkedIn data for AI training. And remember, you're opted in by default.
To toggle it off 👉 Account - Settings & Privacy > Data privacy > Data for Generative AI Improvement.
October 31, 2025 at 1:37 PM
Last chance to turn it off.
On Monday, November 3rd, Microsoft will start using your LinkedIn data for AI training. And remember, you're opted in by default.
To toggle it off 👉 Account - Settings & Privacy > Data privacy > Data for Generative AI Improvement.
On Monday, November 3rd, Microsoft will start using your LinkedIn data for AI training. And remember, you're opted in by default.
To toggle it off 👉 Account - Settings & Privacy > Data privacy > Data for Generative AI Improvement.
Annoyed that I couldn't watch the live coverage from ESPN/ABC7 of the NYC Marathon today (though can lean outside from my window to see) because I use YouTube TV. I think the bigger pain point will be tomorrow's Monday Night Football. I look forward to my $20 credit. #youtubetv #nycmarathon #nfl
November 2, 2025 at 5:47 PM
Annoyed that I couldn't watch the live coverage from ESPN/ABC7 of the NYC Marathon today (though can lean outside from my window to see) because I use YouTube TV. I think the bigger pain point will be tomorrow's Monday Night Football. I look forward to my $20 credit. #youtubetv #nycmarathon #nfl
Reposted by Brad Skillman
Thanks to the invaluable @redistrictnet.bluesky.bot, @donnermaps.bsky.social has uploaded the Ohio redistricting commission’s new proposed congressional map to @davesredist.bsky.social
Screenshot shaded to 2024 presidential results.
davesredistricting.org/maps#viewmap...
Screenshot shaded to 2024 presidential results.
davesredistricting.org/maps#viewmap...
October 30, 2025 at 9:34 PM
Thanks to the invaluable @redistrictnet.bluesky.bot, @donnermaps.bsky.social has uploaded the Ohio redistricting commission’s new proposed congressional map to @davesredist.bsky.social
Screenshot shaded to 2024 presidential results.
davesredistricting.org/maps#viewmap...
Screenshot shaded to 2024 presidential results.
davesredistricting.org/maps#viewmap...
Reposted by Brad Skillman
Here's a way to search all food banks:
www.feedingamerica.org/find-your-lo...
After you put in your zip code, if there aren't many results then click on "see nearby pantries" and it'll give you a map with everything on it.
www.feedingamerica.org/find-your-lo...
After you put in your zip code, if there aren't many results then click on "see nearby pantries" and it'll give you a map with everything on it.
important reminder: food banks usually prefer money to direct food donations because they can buy at discounted rates
check with your local food bank to be sure but now is the time to help out
check with your local food bank to be sure but now is the time to help out
Americans brace for food stamps to run out: ‘the greatest hunger catastrophe since the Great Depression’
October 28, 2025 at 4:27 PM
Here's a way to search all food banks:
www.feedingamerica.org/find-your-lo...
After you put in your zip code, if there aren't many results then click on "see nearby pantries" and it'll give you a map with everything on it.
www.feedingamerica.org/find-your-lo...
After you put in your zip code, if there aren't many results then click on "see nearby pantries" and it'll give you a map with everything on it.
Reposted by Brad Skillman
As other people have noted, if you have local food banks, now would be an excellent time to donate cash to them, if you have the cash to spare. We will be upping our donations to food banks and hunger-related charities here in Ohio.
US Department of Agriculture says no food aid benefits will be issued next month reut.rs/3WohHMk
US Department of Agriculture says no food aid benefits will be issued next month
The U.S. Department of Agriculture said on Saturday that food benefits under one of the country's biggest social assistance programs will not be issued next month amid the ongoing federal government shutdown.
reut.rs
October 26, 2025 at 6:31 PM
As other people have noted, if you have local food banks, now would be an excellent time to donate cash to them, if you have the cash to spare. We will be upping our donations to food banks and hunger-related charities here in Ohio.
Reposted by Brad Skillman
Food banks across the U.S. were stretched thin even before the federal government shut down. Rising food prices had driven a growing number of people to their doors. Cuts to federal programs had left them with less to give. Now, that system is anticipating an even greater surge in demand.
Food Banks in U.S. Brace for Surging Demand as SNAP Aid Cutoff Looms
Growing need and decreased resources are squeezing the charitable food system beyond its capacity, leaders say.
nyti.ms
October 26, 2025 at 7:43 PM
Food banks across the U.S. were stretched thin even before the federal government shut down. Rising food prices had driven a growing number of people to their doors. Cuts to federal programs had left them with less to give. Now, that system is anticipating an even greater surge in demand.
Reposted by Brad Skillman
Reposted by Brad Skillman
Musk: X will delete all heuristics from its recommendation system within six weeks. ...the familiar logic of likes, replies, and reposts that shaped Twitter for years is about to disappear. In its place, Grok, the platform's in-house Al model, will read and watch more than one hundred million posts.
October 26, 2025 at 4:06 PM
Musk: X will delete all heuristics from its recommendation system within six weeks. ...the familiar logic of likes, replies, and reposts that shaped Twitter for years is about to disappear. In its place, Grok, the platform's in-house Al model, will read and watch more than one hundred million posts.