Jonathan Joseph Chiarella
@key.theyellowlight.org
<theyellowlight.org>
<key-5323@theyellowlight.org>
From northern New York, grew up south of Adirondacks.
Interests: politics, IR, theory, urbanism, Buddhism
- MA, PhD (Political Science, Florida)
- MA (Pol. S., Chonnam)
- BA (Hist., Rochester)
<key-5323@theyellowlight.org>
From northern New York, grew up south of Adirondacks.
Interests: politics, IR, theory, urbanism, Buddhism
- MA, PhD (Political Science, Florida)
- MA (Pol. S., Chonnam)
- BA (Hist., Rochester)
To add: The War on Cars podcast did a great two-parter on John Forrester, the patron saint of vehicular cycling. VCs dismiss your "subjective" prefs on protected lanes & want to gatekeep biking for daredevil white men in great health. (That said, I love & use the engineering info that VCs compiled.)
January 10, 2026 at 8:25 PM
To add: The War on Cars podcast did a great two-parter on John Forrester, the patron saint of vehicular cycling. VCs dismiss your "subjective" prefs on protected lanes & want to gatekeep biking for daredevil white men in great health. (That said, I love & use the engineering info that VCs compiled.)
The race to the bottom is *inevitable* without co-ordination, and that co-ordination may require higher government (the horror!).
If, for example, one city bans Amazon vans (over-worked workers w/o CDLs will inevitably park in bike lanes etc.), then Amazon builds its warehouse two towns over.
If, for example, one city bans Amazon vans (over-worked workers w/o CDLs will inevitably park in bike lanes etc.), then Amazon builds its warehouse two towns over.
January 10, 2026 at 8:15 PM
The race to the bottom is *inevitable* without co-ordination, and that co-ordination may require higher government (the horror!).
If, for example, one city bans Amazon vans (over-worked workers w/o CDLs will inevitably park in bike lanes etc.), then Amazon builds its warehouse two towns over.
If, for example, one city bans Amazon vans (over-worked workers w/o CDLs will inevitably park in bike lanes etc.), then Amazon builds its warehouse two towns over.
We all slip up too. For example, someone's championing of chains and specifically the Amazon-owned Whole Foods was not that well received. We just need to not have heroes and focus on the issues.
January 10, 2026 at 7:55 PM
We all slip up too. For example, someone's championing of chains and specifically the Amazon-owned Whole Foods was not that well received. We just need to not have heroes and focus on the issues.
Still, I won't go all or nothing on Strong Towns. I already some lost some interest in *the* one person when he admitted a lack of intellectual curiosity and not reading any urbanism. His knowledge and expertise just plateaued in 2023. ST, luckily, is more than one person.
January 10, 2026 at 7:55 PM
Still, I won't go all or nothing on Strong Towns. I already some lost some interest in *the* one person when he admitted a lack of intellectual curiosity and not reading any urbanism. His knowledge and expertise just plateaued in 2023. ST, luckily, is more than one person.
Chuck himself has had odd takes the past 2 years. I love how he's not leftist and founded a big-tent and nationally famous org., but his adherence to bottom-up made him go from "I will support this good legislation in MN—even stand by Ilhan Omar, b/c allies are allies" to "HSR is bad" and now this.
January 10, 2026 at 7:55 PM
Chuck himself has had odd takes the past 2 years. I love how he's not leftist and founded a big-tent and nationally famous org., but his adherence to bottom-up made him go from "I will support this good legislation in MN—even stand by Ilhan Omar, b/c allies are allies" to "HSR is bad" and now this.
Maybe you could make variants:
- a typewriter with no S key
- a computer with no mouse
- a table with only three legs
- a house with no toilet
- an airplane with no doors (real photos exist of a plane with a missing side panel)
All of them are 90% complete, and yet they have zero users!
- a typewriter with no S key
- a computer with no mouse
- a table with only three legs
- a house with no toilet
- an airplane with no doors (real photos exist of a plane with a missing side panel)
All of them are 90% complete, and yet they have zero users!
January 10, 2026 at 6:10 PM
Maybe you could make variants:
- a typewriter with no S key
- a computer with no mouse
- a table with only three legs
- a house with no toilet
- an airplane with no doors (real photos exist of a plane with a missing side panel)
All of them are 90% complete, and yet they have zero users!
- a typewriter with no S key
- a computer with no mouse
- a table with only three legs
- a house with no toilet
- an airplane with no doors (real photos exist of a plane with a missing side panel)
All of them are 90% complete, and yet they have zero users!
If that bridge is 90% done and has no drivers, why on earth should we pay more money to finish it?
I kid, of course, but I love how this picture with the caption highlights the absurdity.
So tired of explaining why no one uses incomplete sidewalks and bike paths or disconnected bus routes.
I kid, of course, but I love how this picture with the caption highlights the absurdity.
So tired of explaining why no one uses incomplete sidewalks and bike paths or disconnected bus routes.
January 10, 2026 at 6:10 PM
If that bridge is 90% done and has no drivers, why on earth should we pay more money to finish it?
I kid, of course, but I love how this picture with the caption highlights the absurdity.
So tired of explaining why no one uses incomplete sidewalks and bike paths or disconnected bus routes.
I kid, of course, but I love how this picture with the caption highlights the absurdity.
So tired of explaining why no one uses incomplete sidewalks and bike paths or disconnected bus routes.
5/5
Gerrymandering, winner-take-all reigns, malapportionment, single-member districts are huge problems, but we *did* have national elections that were (mostly) free & fair for a few decades.
Losing that is far worse.
It is under threat & also a valid concern.
Saying this—it isn't defeatism.
Gerrymandering, winner-take-all reigns, malapportionment, single-member districts are huge problems, but we *did* have national elections that were (mostly) free & fair for a few decades.
Losing that is far worse.
It is under threat & also a valid concern.
Saying this—it isn't defeatism.
January 10, 2026 at 5:33 PM
5/5
Gerrymandering, winner-take-all reigns, malapportionment, single-member districts are huge problems, but we *did* have national elections that were (mostly) free & fair for a few decades.
Losing that is far worse.
It is under threat & also a valid concern.
Saying this—it isn't defeatism.
Gerrymandering, winner-take-all reigns, malapportionment, single-member districts are huge problems, but we *did* have national elections that were (mostly) free & fair for a few decades.
Losing that is far worse.
It is under threat & also a valid concern.
Saying this—it isn't defeatism.
4/5
It is embarrassing for so-called academic experts to hedge their statements as tautology. "We will have elections—just not the same as before."
In the '90s: "NATO will disappear or change its raison d'être."
Duh. The USSR just folded. An anti-USSR alliance will cease to exist in current form.
It is embarrassing for so-called academic experts to hedge their statements as tautology. "We will have elections—just not the same as before."
In the '90s: "NATO will disappear or change its raison d'être."
Duh. The USSR just folded. An anti-USSR alliance will cease to exist in current form.
January 10, 2026 at 5:33 PM
4/5
It is embarrassing for so-called academic experts to hedge their statements as tautology. "We will have elections—just not the same as before."
In the '90s: "NATO will disappear or change its raison d'être."
Duh. The USSR just folded. An anti-USSR alliance will cease to exist in current form.
It is embarrassing for so-called academic experts to hedge their statements as tautology. "We will have elections—just not the same as before."
In the '90s: "NATO will disappear or change its raison d'être."
Duh. The USSR just folded. An anti-USSR alliance will cease to exist in current form.
3/5
Years ago, in FL, I said, "You're all talking as if the Klan will show up and suppres the vote."
[Stunned silence]
A friend: "You'll have to excuse Jonathan. He's from the North."
This stuff happens.
Years ago, in FL, I said, "You're all talking as if the Klan will show up and suppres the vote."
[Stunned silence]
A friend: "You'll have to excuse Jonathan. He's from the North."
This stuff happens.
January 10, 2026 at 5:33 PM
3/5
Years ago, in FL, I said, "You're all talking as if the Klan will show up and suppres the vote."
[Stunned silence]
A friend: "You'll have to excuse Jonathan. He's from the North."
This stuff happens.
Years ago, in FL, I said, "You're all talking as if the Klan will show up and suppres the vote."
[Stunned silence]
A friend: "You'll have to excuse Jonathan. He's from the North."
This stuff happens.
2/5
Trump doesn't need to rig whole vote. Dems must keep GA & flip 4 more Senate seats. Easy enough to get mobs in *1* state who will discourage voting.
Trump doesn't need to rig whole vote. Dems must keep GA & flip 4 more Senate seats. Easy enough to get mobs in *1* state who will discourage voting.
January 10, 2026 at 5:33 PM
2/5
Trump doesn't need to rig whole vote. Dems must keep GA & flip 4 more Senate seats. Easy enough to get mobs in *1* state who will discourage voting.
Trump doesn't need to rig whole vote. Dems must keep GA & flip 4 more Senate seats. Easy enough to get mobs in *1* state who will discourage voting.
Hear, hear. Some people hate to see hypocrisy pointed out. I'm very anti-MAGA when I say we should condemn Trump—not decry Melania's foreign-ness, trumpet Don Lemon's misogyny, belittle wheelchair users, or make homophobic jokes about Trump. I won't become a bigot just b/c my targets are bad people.
January 10, 2026 at 4:58 PM
Hear, hear. Some people hate to see hypocrisy pointed out. I'm very anti-MAGA when I say we should condemn Trump—not decry Melania's foreign-ness, trumpet Don Lemon's misogyny, belittle wheelchair users, or make homophobic jokes about Trump. I won't become a bigot just b/c my targets are bad people.
It is a sad fact that in many places, many non-cyclists and even daily motorists are less "car-brained" than many cyclists.
On this, I disagree w/ ladder of "#1: no bikes; #2: bikes for kids on cul-de-sacs; #3: bikes as hobbies; #4: bikes as transport."
#3 can be a dead end w/o ever getting to #4.
On this, I disagree w/ ladder of "#1: no bikes; #2: bikes for kids on cul-de-sacs; #3: bikes as hobbies; #4: bikes as transport."
#3 can be a dead end w/o ever getting to #4.
January 10, 2026 at 4:43 PM
It is a sad fact that in many places, many non-cyclists and even daily motorists are less "car-brained" than many cyclists.
On this, I disagree w/ ladder of "#1: no bikes; #2: bikes for kids on cul-de-sacs; #3: bikes as hobbies; #4: bikes as transport."
#3 can be a dead end w/o ever getting to #4.
On this, I disagree w/ ladder of "#1: no bikes; #2: bikes for kids on cul-de-sacs; #3: bikes as hobbies; #4: bikes as transport."
#3 can be a dead end w/o ever getting to #4.
As Secretary of Dept. of Transportation, Pete Buttigieg told world that US could share its wisdom. (I am sure that China and Switzerland were eager to learn how trains can run ¼x speed w/ diesel engines on single tracks or how Japan could quadruple road+street deaths!)
US pride is a hell of a drug.
US pride is a hell of a drug.
January 10, 2026 at 4:18 PM
As Secretary of Dept. of Transportation, Pete Buttigieg told world that US could share its wisdom. (I am sure that China and Switzerland were eager to learn how trains can run ¼x speed w/ diesel engines on single tracks or how Japan could quadruple road+street deaths!)
US pride is a hell of a drug.
US pride is a hell of a drug.
Of course! This GenAI tech is on an S-curve and is plateauing in US.
After earlier exponential gains, progres is logarithmic. *Rounding for illustration:* In the US, it used to be that every extra $1 bil in investment was a 20% improvement. Now, it takes $100 bil for a 1% improvement in the US.
After earlier exponential gains, progres is logarithmic. *Rounding for illustration:* In the US, it used to be that every extra $1 bil in investment was a 20% improvement. Now, it takes $100 bil for a 1% improvement in the US.
January 10, 2026 at 4:09 PM
Of course! This GenAI tech is on an S-curve and is plateauing in US.
After earlier exponential gains, progres is logarithmic. *Rounding for illustration:* In the US, it used to be that every extra $1 bil in investment was a 20% improvement. Now, it takes $100 bil for a 1% improvement in the US.
After earlier exponential gains, progres is logarithmic. *Rounding for illustration:* In the US, it used to be that every extra $1 bil in investment was a 20% improvement. Now, it takes $100 bil for a 1% improvement in the US.