Matt
@mjrossi.com
🏙️ NYC via Chicago and Detroit.
☀️Programmer and urbanist by day
🌑Comedic improviser, sketch performer, musician and raver by night.
☀️Programmer and urbanist by day
🌑Comedic improviser, sketch performer, musician and raver by night.
It is a stab in the gut every time I see, read, or watch videos about what is happening in Chicago; communities of hard working people who are just trying to live their lives being terrorized by our own gov't. This was home for most of my 20s and I still have a connection to these places. Sigh.
October 29, 2025 at 1:04 PM
It is a stab in the gut every time I see, read, or watch videos about what is happening in Chicago; communities of hard working people who are just trying to live their lives being terrorized by our own gov't. This was home for most of my 20s and I still have a connection to these places. Sigh.
I took my first Waymo ride in LA. I’ll say this: I will always advocate for dense, urban, transit-oriented cities first and foremost. Autonomous cars, EVs, etc do not solve the fundamental problem of cars.
But what a crazy futuristic experience. I’d use it again over a regular ride share anytime.
But what a crazy futuristic experience. I’d use it again over a regular ride share anytime.
September 8, 2025 at 2:52 PM
I took my first Waymo ride in LA. I’ll say this: I will always advocate for dense, urban, transit-oriented cities first and foremost. Autonomous cars, EVs, etc do not solve the fundamental problem of cars.
But what a crazy futuristic experience. I’d use it again over a regular ride share anytime.
But what a crazy futuristic experience. I’d use it again over a regular ride share anytime.
What’s happening in DC is abhorrent. The excuse they’re using to usurp home rule and transform the city into a militarized zone is nonsense. And even if it was true, that crime was “out of control” it wouldn’t justify what they’re doing. This is Berlin circa 1933.
August 14, 2025 at 3:03 PM
What’s happening in DC is abhorrent. The excuse they’re using to usurp home rule and transform the city into a militarized zone is nonsense. And even if it was true, that crime was “out of control” it wouldn’t justify what they’re doing. This is Berlin circa 1933.
In our current, extremely divided country, there is a beauty to the communal dining experience on Amtrak. Coastal liberals sharing a meal with religious conservatives; city folks with rural folks. All just having a chat and getting along, and humanizing each other even among disagreements.
July 31, 2025 at 3:05 PM
In our current, extremely divided country, there is a beauty to the communal dining experience on Amtrak. Coastal liberals sharing a meal with religious conservatives; city folks with rural folks. All just having a chat and getting along, and humanizing each other even among disagreements.
Reposted by Matt
Heard from a colleague spending a few months in the Netherlands.
"Went on a 35-mile bike ride today, entirely on bike paths, through all kinds of landscapes. Turns out I love biking, I'm just scared of biking with cars."
😢
"Went on a 35-mile bike ride today, entirely on bike paths, through all kinds of landscapes. Turns out I love biking, I'm just scared of biking with cars."
😢
July 24, 2025 at 6:09 AM
Heard from a colleague spending a few months in the Netherlands.
"Went on a 35-mile bike ride today, entirely on bike paths, through all kinds of landscapes. Turns out I love biking, I'm just scared of biking with cars."
😢
"Went on a 35-mile bike ride today, entirely on bike paths, through all kinds of landscapes. Turns out I love biking, I'm just scared of biking with cars."
😢
tl;dr - freedom that comes from having their own mobility, instead of living in car infested wastelands (which also sucks for the parents, too).
Why are Dutch kids the world’s happiest? A teenager weighs in | CNN
Freedom for kids to move through the world on their own may be the key to the Netherlands’ top spot in childhood happiness.
www.cnn.com
July 2, 2025 at 6:02 PM
tl;dr - freedom that comes from having their own mobility, instead of living in car infested wastelands (which also sucks for the parents, too).
I really miss cycling. But despite improvements in the NYC cycling infrastructure, it’s not enough, especially in the outer boroughs. It’s terrifying for so many reasons and I can’t shake it.
Cycling - and it feeling safe riding - was one of the best parts of my short stay in the Netherlands.
Cycling - and it feeling safe riding - was one of the best parts of my short stay in the Netherlands.
July 2, 2025 at 12:30 PM
I really miss cycling. But despite improvements in the NYC cycling infrastructure, it’s not enough, especially in the outer boroughs. It’s terrifying for so many reasons and I can’t shake it.
Cycling - and it feeling safe riding - was one of the best parts of my short stay in the Netherlands.
Cycling - and it feeling safe riding - was one of the best parts of my short stay in the Netherlands.
we’re currently at the “aaaaaand” part.
bender from futurama is standing next to a man with the letter a on his sleeve
ALT: bender from futurama is standing next to a man with the letter a on his sleeve
media.tenor.com
July 2, 2025 at 2:21 AM
we’re currently at the “aaaaaand” part.
I read about cycling deaths on a regular basis; it’s an unfortunate reality of the state of our streets and how much work we still need to do to build safe infrastructure and take back our streets from automobiles. It hits a lot harder though when that death is an old friend. Sigh.
July 1, 2025 at 6:52 PM
I read about cycling deaths on a regular basis; it’s an unfortunate reality of the state of our streets and how much work we still need to do to build safe infrastructure and take back our streets from automobiles. It hits a lot harder though when that death is an old friend. Sigh.
Reposted by Matt
Tonight, I'll go home and sleep in my bed. I have a lawyer, I'll get due process.
But Edgardo, whose arm was ripped from mine by ICE agents, has none of those things.
That's why I'll keep coming back to court, week after week, to make sure that people's rights are protected.
But Edgardo, whose arm was ripped from mine by ICE agents, has none of those things.
That's why I'll keep coming back to court, week after week, to make sure that people's rights are protected.
Brad Lander: "I'll keep coming back to court, week after week"
YouTube video by Brad Lander for NYC
youtu.be
June 18, 2025 at 1:31 AM
Tonight, I'll go home and sleep in my bed. I have a lawyer, I'll get due process.
But Edgardo, whose arm was ripped from mine by ICE agents, has none of those things.
That's why I'll keep coming back to court, week after week, to make sure that people's rights are protected.
But Edgardo, whose arm was ripped from mine by ICE agents, has none of those things.
That's why I'll keep coming back to court, week after week, to make sure that people's rights are protected.
Reposted by Matt
seen some people complaining that this is a political stunt and lemme say if this was the kind of political stunt more politicians were doing on a regular basis we wouldn't be where we are today
dude is actually putting himself on the line here, fuck off with that shit
dude is actually putting himself on the line here, fuck off with that shit
Breaking News: Brad Lander, the New York City comptroller who is running for mayor, was detained by ICE agents at an immigration court as he tried to escort a migrant out of the courthouse to prevent his arrest. nyti.ms/4jWkANE
June 17, 2025 at 5:44 PM
seen some people complaining that this is a political stunt and lemme say if this was the kind of political stunt more politicians were doing on a regular basis we wouldn't be where we are today
dude is actually putting himself on the line here, fuck off with that shit
dude is actually putting himself on the line here, fuck off with that shit
The free roam mode in Mario Kart World reminds me so much of Diddy Kong Racing and I’m super here for it.
June 8, 2025 at 3:49 PM
The free roam mode in Mario Kart World reminds me so much of Diddy Kong Racing and I’m super here for it.
This is pretty much where I’m at right now; top 2 at least are locked for me. 3-5 might still shift slightly over the next few weeks before Election Day.
May 14, 2025 at 1:06 AM
This is pretty much where I’m at right now; top 2 at least are locked for me. 3-5 might still shift slightly over the next few weeks before Election Day.
Ohh R211T on the G! It’s so new and shiny! The open gangway helps better distribute the crowds too. Keep em’ coming MTA!
May 11, 2025 at 3:07 PM
Ohh R211T on the G! It’s so new and shiny! The open gangway helps better distribute the crowds too. Keep em’ coming MTA!
First observation being back in NYC after 3 weeks in The Netherlands -- OMG cars are SO LOUD. Also, vehicle sizes in the US are insane...it's so noticeable after seeing virtually zero ridiculously oversized trucks and SUVs for an extended length of time.
April 24, 2025 at 5:01 PM
First observation being back in NYC after 3 weeks in The Netherlands -- OMG cars are SO LOUD. Also, vehicle sizes in the US are insane...it's so noticeable after seeing virtually zero ridiculously oversized trucks and SUVs for an extended length of time.
First bike ride in The Netherlands: it’s one thing to watch videos (shout out NotJustBikes!), it’s another to experience first hand how safe and comfortable cycling is here. Fantastic!
April 6, 2025 at 11:34 AM
First bike ride in The Netherlands: it’s one thing to watch videos (shout out NotJustBikes!), it’s another to experience first hand how safe and comfortable cycling is here. Fantastic!
Next observation: this city, despite its small size and population, has really good amenities. Shops, grocery, bars, restaurants, pharmacies, etc - all within a 15-20 min walk. A true 15 minute city! And it’s lively and vibrant; showing that density, small streets, and few cars make a city great.
April 4, 2025 at 10:12 PM
Next observation: this city, despite its small size and population, has really good amenities. Shops, grocery, bars, restaurants, pharmacies, etc - all within a 15-20 min walk. A true 15 minute city! And it’s lively and vibrant; showing that density, small streets, and few cars make a city great.
Spending an extended time (~3 weeks) in The Netherlands, specifically a much smaller city between Amsterdam and The Hague. First observation: I didn’t even realize that my noise cancellation wasn’t active on my AirPods during my morning walk, affirming the adage “cities aren’t loud, cars are loud.”
April 4, 2025 at 7:10 AM
Spending an extended time (~3 weeks) in The Netherlands, specifically a much smaller city between Amsterdam and The Hague. First observation: I didn’t even realize that my noise cancellation wasn’t active on my AirPods during my morning walk, affirming the adage “cities aren’t loud, cars are loud.”
I wonder if we’ll see a consolidation of some of the smaller candidates in the mayoral race to try and strategically get a solid ranking of 5 that can ensure a loss for Adams and/or Cuomo. Nobody should rank either of them at all, period.
March 6, 2025 at 8:02 AM
I wonder if we’ll see a consolidation of some of the smaller candidates in the mayoral race to try and strategically get a solid ranking of 5 that can ensure a loss for Adams and/or Cuomo. Nobody should rank either of them at all, period.
There was a time I really wanted to work at 18F, but relocating to DC wouldn’t have been on the table. To see this department destroyed is sad and infuriating. But yes, as said here it’s not about efficiency, it’s about destroying the government.
There goes 18F, a government department that helped agencies modernize their IT, and which produced open source everything.
I thought I read somewhere it was profitable or at least break even.
Then again DOGE is about breaking the government not efficiency.
I thought I read somewhere it was profitable or at least break even.
Then again DOGE is about breaking the government not efficiency.
March 3, 2025 at 1:15 AM
There was a time I really wanted to work at 18F, but relocating to DC wouldn’t have been on the table. To see this department destroyed is sad and infuriating. But yes, as said here it’s not about efficiency, it’s about destroying the government.
Reposted by Matt
New Yorkers: Do not rank Cuomo or Adams on your RCV primary ballot.
March 1, 2025 at 7:32 PM
New Yorkers: Do not rank Cuomo or Adams on your RCV primary ballot.
As someone who lives close to this and has taken advantage a ton…this is extremely unfortunate. The city really does need to do so much more to encourage these programs.
Vanderbilt Avenue will only be converted to a car-free paradise on Saturdays from May to September this year, a money-saving rollback for a thriving neighborhood institution that used to be all weekend from early spring to fall.
Vanderbilt Ave. Open Street Trims Hours For Second Straight Year - Streetsblog New York City
There will be less Vanderbilt Avenue open street than ever to enjoy this year. Organizers of the crown jewel of the city’s open streets program announced on Wednesday that the roadway will be…
buff.ly
March 3, 2025 at 1:00 AM
As someone who lives close to this and has taken advantage a ton…this is extremely unfortunate. The city really does need to do so much more to encourage these programs.
Reposted by Matt
18F was doing exactly the type of work that DOGE claims to want – yet we were eliminated shortly after midnight. Read our letter to the American people:
18f.org
18f.org
We're not done yet | 18F
18f.org
March 1, 2025 at 11:38 PM
18F was doing exactly the type of work that DOGE claims to want – yet we were eliminated shortly after midnight. Read our letter to the American people:
18f.org
18f.org
I’ve been in Seoul for about 5 days now & the Metro system here is great. A few specific things I found interesting:
1. Restrooms at basically every station. And they’re clean!
2. Air quality indicators at most stations.
3. Quiet. So quiet!
4. Platform screen doors everywhere!
5. Super cute mascot!
1. Restrooms at basically every station. And they’re clean!
2. Air quality indicators at most stations.
3. Quiet. So quiet!
4. Platform screen doors everywhere!
5. Super cute mascot!
March 1, 2025 at 9:36 AM
I’ve been in Seoul for about 5 days now & the Metro system here is great. A few specific things I found interesting:
1. Restrooms at basically every station. And they’re clean!
2. Air quality indicators at most stations.
3. Quiet. So quiet!
4. Platform screen doors everywhere!
5. Super cute mascot!
1. Restrooms at basically every station. And they’re clean!
2. Air quality indicators at most stations.
3. Quiet. So quiet!
4. Platform screen doors everywhere!
5. Super cute mascot!
MAGA: "The biggest threat in Europe is 'banning free speech'" (which is not a thing)
Also MAGA: "The team behind 60 Minutes needs to be jailed! AP News is banned from the White House!"
We are living in an increasingly dark timeline.
Also MAGA: "The team behind 60 Minutes needs to be jailed! AP News is banned from the White House!"
We are living in an increasingly dark timeline.
February 18, 2025 at 12:09 AM
MAGA: "The biggest threat in Europe is 'banning free speech'" (which is not a thing)
Also MAGA: "The team behind 60 Minutes needs to be jailed! AP News is banned from the White House!"
We are living in an increasingly dark timeline.
Also MAGA: "The team behind 60 Minutes needs to be jailed! AP News is banned from the White House!"
We are living in an increasingly dark timeline.