Shirley Leung, PhD
@shirleyswirley.bsky.social
Climate/water scientist💧🌊
People = Good. Billionaires = Bad.
Land back, save the salmon, house and feed everybody.
People = Good. Billionaires = Bad.
Land back, save the salmon, house and feed everybody.
Pinned
Anti-housing, self-proclaimed "tree advocates" are missing the forest for the trees - or worse
“I have to wait HOW long?!”
One of the five neighborhood kids gathered around me threw their dirt-caked hands up in disbelief. They were gardening for the first time ever and simply refused to believe...
blog.moreparksmoreneighbors.org
I wrote a rant that addresses EVERY Seattle anti-housing "tree advocate" talking point I have ever seen.
It's long but honestly not THAT long lol. I will be very, VERY happy if 5 people read it.
Come be one of them :)
blog.moreparksmoreneighbors.org/page/anti-ho...
It's long but honestly not THAT long lol. I will be very, VERY happy if 5 people read it.
Come be one of them :)
blog.moreparksmoreneighbors.org/page/anti-ho...
Made a video showing all the cool stuff I got from the art market. You can still go today (Sunday Nov 30)! youtu.be/O_iid3XVmt0
Longer vlog coming about getting there by bus. Native community has been asking for a bus that goes to the Duwamish Longhouse forever - NOW'S OUR CHANCE TO MAKE IT HAPPEN
Longer vlog coming about getting there by bus. Native community has been asking for a bus that goes to the Duwamish Longhouse forever - NOW'S OUR CHANCE TO MAKE IT HAPPEN
November 30, 2025 at 11:14 AM
Made a video showing all the cool stuff I got from the art market. You can still go today (Sunday Nov 30)! youtu.be/O_iid3XVmt0
Longer vlog coming about getting there by bus. Native community has been asking for a bus that goes to the Duwamish Longhouse forever - NOW'S OUR CHANCE TO MAKE IT HAPPEN
Longer vlog coming about getting there by bus. Native community has been asking for a bus that goes to the Duwamish Longhouse forever - NOW'S OUR CHANCE TO MAKE IT HAPPEN
Reposted by Shirley Leung, PhD
In Barcelona rn and it is the best designed city I’ve ever been to by a mile
Heard this one? The City of Barcelona traded 3 lanes of vehicle traffic for an exceptional 4.7km green pedestrian corridor in the heart of the Eixample grid. Businesses sued, & eventually won in court. Then they admitted that they actually like the change.
Streets for people are good for business.
Streets for people are good for business.
The Legal Attack on Superblock Barcelona - City Lab Barcelona
In this blog post, I attempt to unpack what this court ruling is about, the legal arguments, and who is behind it. Did the city really do something wrong? What will happen to the Consell de Cent proj...
citylabbcn.org
November 30, 2025 at 7:39 AM
In Barcelona rn and it is the best designed city I’ve ever been to by a mile
Reposted by Shirley Leung, PhD
There is One Simple Trick for JB Pritzker and Kathy Hochul to punish Columbia and Northwestern:
Since both schools have committed to end academic freedom, their land is no longer used for education.
Revoke their property tax exemptions and redistribute millions to public schools like CUNY or UIC.
Since both schools have committed to end academic freedom, their land is no longer used for education.
Revoke their property tax exemptions and redistribute millions to public schools like CUNY or UIC.
November 29, 2025 at 7:47 PM
There is One Simple Trick for JB Pritzker and Kathy Hochul to punish Columbia and Northwestern:
Since both schools have committed to end academic freedom, their land is no longer used for education.
Revoke their property tax exemptions and redistribute millions to public schools like CUNY or UIC.
Since both schools have committed to end academic freedom, their land is no longer used for education.
Revoke their property tax exemptions and redistribute millions to public schools like CUNY or UIC.
This is the best thing on the topic I’ve seen even tho haven’t fully finished
Love this latest Public Health is Dead episode from @DaniAtomicus with @juliadoubleday.bsky.social & @wanderingkayli.bsky.social
A perfect breakdown of how media manufactured consent for mass disability, death & the "vax and relax" Covid narrative
🎯
www.publichealthisdead.com/episodes/bad...
A perfect breakdown of how media manufactured consent for mass disability, death & the "vax and relax" Covid narrative
🎯
www.publichealthisdead.com/episodes/bad...
Bad Press — Public Health is Dead
Coming Soon
www.publichealthisdead.com
November 29, 2025 at 8:00 PM
This is the best thing on the topic I’ve seen even tho haven’t fully finished
Reposted by Shirley Leung, PhD
This is to say: this golf course could be housing 13000-25000 people, AND generating $20-30 million / year in taxes, the entire size of the Dept of Neighborhoods, or >25% of the Seattle Public Schools deficit.
Instead it’s paying $85,770 in taxes and housing no one.
bsky.app/profile/just...
Instead it’s paying $85,770 in taxes and housing no one.
bsky.app/profile/just...
Assessments consider land and "improvements" (the structures) separately.
The land only (no improvements) of a parcel near me is assessed at $11,000,000\acre.
At that value, this golf course would pay over 12 mil in taxes.
The land only (no improvements) of a parcel near me is assessed at $11,000,000\acre.
At that value, this golf course would pay over 12 mil in taxes.
November 27, 2025 at 8:31 AM
This is to say: this golf course could be housing 13000-25000 people, AND generating $20-30 million / year in taxes, the entire size of the Dept of Neighborhoods, or >25% of the Seattle Public Schools deficit.
Instead it’s paying $85,770 in taxes and housing no one.
bsky.app/profile/just...
Instead it’s paying $85,770 in taxes and housing no one.
bsky.app/profile/just...
This is bc Harrell’s friends don’t own cohousing or baugruppen but they do own the office towers lol
it's pretty incredible we are exempting construction sales tax on office to residential rehabs (not a great deal for downtown) - but not affordable housing, or community-led development like cohousing, coops, baugruppen, CLTs
harrell.seattle.gov/2025/02/11/s...
harrell.seattle.gov/2025/02/11/s...
Seattle Adopts Sales Tax Exemption to Encourage Office-to-Residential Conversions - Office of the Mayor
Seattle – Today, Mayor Bruce Harrell and Councilmember Mark Solomon celebrated the adoption of new legislation that will create a tax exemption for the conversion of underutilized commercial property ...
harrell.seattle.gov
November 27, 2025 at 6:47 PM
This is bc Harrell’s friends don’t own cohousing or baugruppen but they do own the office towers lol
Reposted by Shirley Leung, PhD
Reposted by Shirley Leung, PhD
Meanwhile, this ONE SINGLE HOUSE inside the gated golf club is assessed at $10 million.
This one house on 0.42 acre had to paid $74,608 in property taxes in 2025.
And yet the ENTIRE 122 ACRE private golf course - paid just $85,770 in combined taxes that can go toward our schools.
This one house on 0.42 acre had to paid $74,608 in property taxes in 2025.
And yet the ENTIRE 122 ACRE private golf course - paid just $85,770 in combined taxes that can go toward our schools.
November 27, 2025 at 7:19 AM
Meanwhile, this ONE SINGLE HOUSE inside the gated golf club is assessed at $10 million.
This one house on 0.42 acre had to paid $74,608 in property taxes in 2025.
And yet the ENTIRE 122 ACRE private golf course - paid just $85,770 in combined taxes that can go toward our schools.
This one house on 0.42 acre had to paid $74,608 in property taxes in 2025.
And yet the ENTIRE 122 ACRE private golf course - paid just $85,770 in combined taxes that can go toward our schools.
Reposted by Shirley Leung, PhD
Paul has been talking about the tax loophole that Seattle country clubs have been enjoying for a while now but WOW I did not know how big
This is Broadmoor Golf Club. It's a gated right-wing enclave for the rich in Seattle. The golf course is 7 parcels, 122.2 acres. It's assessed at just $76k/ACRE!
This is Broadmoor Golf Club. It's a gated right-wing enclave for the rich in Seattle. The golf course is 7 parcels, 122.2 acres. It's assessed at just $76k/ACRE!
November 27, 2025 at 7:19 AM
Paul has been talking about the tax loophole that Seattle country clubs have been enjoying for a while now but WOW I did not know how big
This is Broadmoor Golf Club. It's a gated right-wing enclave for the rich in Seattle. The golf course is 7 parcels, 122.2 acres. It's assessed at just $76k/ACRE!
This is Broadmoor Golf Club. It's a gated right-wing enclave for the rich in Seattle. The golf course is 7 parcels, 122.2 acres. It's assessed at just $76k/ACRE!
These are also the absolute most ecologically and environmentally destructive neighborhoods in all of Seattle. Massive amounts of polluting pesticides and fertilizers for invasive lawn grass. Huge docks and armored shorelines that OBLITERATE salmon habitat. Absolutely 100% car dependent lifestyles.
Shown in red are where extremists live in Seattle.
Here are what some of these areas look like.
Here are what some of these areas look like.
November 27, 2025 at 7:12 AM
These are also the absolute most ecologically and environmentally destructive neighborhoods in all of Seattle. Massive amounts of polluting pesticides and fertilizers for invasive lawn grass. Huge docks and armored shorelines that OBLITERATE salmon habitat. Absolutely 100% car dependent lifestyles.
Reposted by Shirley Leung, PhD
Great ACCR study: Shell actively lobbies to increase demand for the stuff it sells, even though using more of it causes more destruction and damage to our lives.
ie: Suppliers create demand. And so putting a leash on supply is vital for climate.
www.accr.org.au/research/com...
ie: Suppliers create demand. And so putting a leash on supply is vital for climate.
www.accr.org.au/research/com...
November 26, 2025 at 8:15 AM
Great ACCR study: Shell actively lobbies to increase demand for the stuff it sells, even though using more of it causes more destruction and damage to our lives.
ie: Suppliers create demand. And so putting a leash on supply is vital for climate.
www.accr.org.au/research/com...
ie: Suppliers create demand. And so putting a leash on supply is vital for climate.
www.accr.org.au/research/com...
Reposted by Shirley Leung, PhD
The spike in fees for non-US residents comes as the National Park Service budget faces potential cuts next year.
US will charge non-residents $100 to visit its most popular national parks
The spike in fees for non-US residents comes as the National Park Service budget faces potential cuts next year.
bit.ly
November 26, 2025 at 7:00 AM
The spike in fees for non-US residents comes as the National Park Service budget faces potential cuts next year.
Reposted by Shirley Leung, PhD
In October, statewide news reported that a sheriff's deputy in Texas searched thousands of Flock cameras in Washington for 'Had an abortion, search for female.’ New documents obtained by RANGE show Spokane County Sheriff's Office cameras were accessed in that search:
Texas deputy searched Spokane County Flock cameras for a woman who had an abortion– RANGE Media
Amidst nationwide and state scrutiny of the cameras, Spokane County’s Flock network was used by an out-of-state cop looking for a woman who had an abortion.
rangemedia.co
November 26, 2025 at 2:09 AM
In October, statewide news reported that a sheriff's deputy in Texas searched thousands of Flock cameras in Washington for 'Had an abortion, search for female.’ New documents obtained by RANGE show Spokane County Sheriff's Office cameras were accessed in that search:
Reposted by Shirley Leung, PhD
I have been yelling about this for 15 years that it was absurd to build a light rail station with non-signalized freeway ramps. WSDOT still on track to wait til 25 years after the light rail station opens to fix anything. Close the ramps now.
Also NONE of this will work (or is working) for transit riders traveling north bound on Rainier without dedicated bus-only lanes south of Massachusetts. In these designs, and in the current situation, the bus gets stuck behind cars queuing in the right lane to get on I-90.
November 26, 2025 at 2:02 AM
I have been yelling about this for 15 years that it was absurd to build a light rail station with non-signalized freeway ramps. WSDOT still on track to wait til 25 years after the light rail station opens to fix anything. Close the ramps now.
Reposted by Shirley Leung, PhD
If you live in a city with a decent Chinatown and are hosting or attending a potluck Thanksgiving, I highly recommend getting some char siu and chopped roast duck. Always a hit with my friends, not that expensive, and barely any leftovers. Sometimes I pick up egg tarts for dessert.
November 25, 2025 at 5:30 PM
If you live in a city with a decent Chinatown and are hosting or attending a potluck Thanksgiving, I highly recommend getting some char siu and chopped roast duck. Always a hit with my friends, not that expensive, and barely any leftovers. Sometimes I pick up egg tarts for dessert.
Reposted by Shirley Leung, PhD
This is genuinely good news (it’s wild that regulators only consider impacts to male bodies in their testing). But we desperately need safety testing for people outside vehicles. The auto industry keeps building models with higher crosswalk kill rates, but regulators don’t even test this so 5 Stars!
At least we're one step closer to finally getting an officially authorized female crash test dummy. Even a broken clock is right twice a day.
Read More: www.jalopnik.com/2032752/dot-...
Read More: www.jalopnik.com/2032752/dot-...
DOT Finally Realizes Women Exist, Authorizes Female Crash Test Dummies - Jalopnik
Women have been driving since Bertha Benz took one of Karl's contraptions without his permission on the first real drive of more than 60 miles back in 1888.
www.jalopnik.com
November 24, 2025 at 4:44 PM
This is genuinely good news (it’s wild that regulators only consider impacts to male bodies in their testing). But we desperately need safety testing for people outside vehicles. The auto industry keeps building models with higher crosswalk kill rates, but regulators don’t even test this so 5 Stars!
This is pretty much exactly what Affordable Talaris imagined for Talaris. Right, @socklessinseattle.bsky.social??
November 24, 2025 at 12:39 AM
This is pretty much exactly what Affordable Talaris imagined for Talaris. Right, @socklessinseattle.bsky.social??
Reposted by Shirley Leung, PhD
Welp, after years of planning, pots of dedicated funding, promises that despite other elements getting yanked from the plans that sidewalk repairs were still on the table, the only sidewalk on LWB that got repaved this year was the segment right in front of Bruce's house.
November 22, 2025 at 6:06 PM
Welp, after years of planning, pots of dedicated funding, promises that despite other elements getting yanked from the plans that sidewalk repairs were still on the table, the only sidewalk on LWB that got repaved this year was the segment right in front of Bruce's house.
Reposted by Shirley Leung, PhD
Synthetic voters/audiences are increasingly being used by political campaigns. They’re being sold as a more affordable alternative to real focus groups and polls.
This is a horrible idea for many reasons, including that the results are weird and bad.
This is a horrible idea for many reasons, including that the results are weird and bad.
Morgan McSweeney (UK Labour's Dominic Cummings knock-off) is reportedly experimenting with 'synthetic voters' – "essentially fake focus groups of AI voters who can tell ministers more quickly and cheaply what the public thinks of policies" www.spectator.co.uk/article/can-...
#govtech #govcomms
#govtech #govcomms
November 22, 2025 at 3:03 AM
Synthetic voters/audiences are increasingly being used by political campaigns. They’re being sold as a more affordable alternative to real focus groups and polls.
This is a horrible idea for many reasons, including that the results are weird and bad.
This is a horrible idea for many reasons, including that the results are weird and bad.
Reposted by Shirley Leung, PhD
An Oregon pilot program giving cash to homeless youths sees a staggering reduction in homelessness. The program gave participants $1,000 cash payments each month for two years, and at the end of the project's first phase, 91% of participants reported being in stable housing.
Oregon pilot program giving cash to homeless youths sees staggering reduction in homelessness
The state program gave participants $1,000 cash payments each month for two years. At the end of the project's first phase, 91% of participants reported being in stable housing.
www.streetroots.org
November 21, 2025 at 2:35 AM
An Oregon pilot program giving cash to homeless youths sees a staggering reduction in homelessness. The program gave participants $1,000 cash payments each month for two years, and at the end of the project's first phase, 91% of participants reported being in stable housing.
Reposted by Shirley Leung, PhD
Insane but true fact: making US roads as safe as Canadian, Australian, or European roads would save more lives than eliminating murder from the US.
November 21, 2025 at 3:01 AM
Insane but true fact: making US roads as safe as Canadian, Australian, or European roads would save more lives than eliminating murder from the US.
Reposted by Shirley Leung, PhD
5 things i hope katie wilson implements in the first few months.
1. path to eliminating parking minimums - and introduce maxes and caps - *citywide*
there are more cars in seattle today than ever before. we need a path to deprioritize cars and reclaim space for people
1. path to eliminating parking minimums - and introduce maxes and caps - *citywide*
there are more cars in seattle today than ever before. we need a path to deprioritize cars and reclaim space for people
November 20, 2025 at 8:42 PM
5 things i hope katie wilson implements in the first few months.
1. path to eliminating parking minimums - and introduce maxes and caps - *citywide*
there are more cars in seattle today than ever before. we need a path to deprioritize cars and reclaim space for people
1. path to eliminating parking minimums - and introduce maxes and caps - *citywide*
there are more cars in seattle today than ever before. we need a path to deprioritize cars and reclaim space for people
Reposted by Shirley Leung, PhD
RTO is like "You wanna work 8 hours a day? Fuck that! Let's add 1-2 hours for commute, another 30 min to an hour to get ready, etc. Oh and we're reducing your take home pay! You now need to shell out for transportation, wardrobe, etc. But it's okay - here's some shitty pizza! Make small talk bitch!"
November 20, 2025 at 5:32 PM
RTO is like "You wanna work 8 hours a day? Fuck that! Let's add 1-2 hours for commute, another 30 min to an hour to get ready, etc. Oh and we're reducing your take home pay! You now need to shell out for transportation, wardrobe, etc. But it's okay - here's some shitty pizza! Make small talk bitch!"
Reposted by Shirley Leung, PhD
if we do indeed get widespread uptake in autonomous vehicles, without proactive bold radical policy it will be an unprecedented nightmare of congestion on our roads and highways, with significant air pollution and climate implications, and also all urban streets will just be downright unpleasant
Almost half the Waymos on California streets are driving around empty. They're either waiting for the next customer or en route for a pickup.
If robotaxis scale, anything close to that level of deadheading would create crushing gridlock.
www.thedriverlessdigest.com/p/what-cpuc-...
If robotaxis scale, anything close to that level of deadheading would create crushing gridlock.
www.thedriverlessdigest.com/p/what-cpuc-...
November 20, 2025 at 7:39 AM
if we do indeed get widespread uptake in autonomous vehicles, without proactive bold radical policy it will be an unprecedented nightmare of congestion on our roads and highways, with significant air pollution and climate implications, and also all urban streets will just be downright unpleasant
Reposted by Shirley Leung, PhD
Can’t believe the whole country has to suffer through the return of Dickensian childhood diseases because the worst, most ignorant attention-demanders decided other people’s expertise makes them feel bad
November 20, 2025 at 4:19 AM
Can’t believe the whole country has to suffer through the return of Dickensian childhood diseases because the worst, most ignorant attention-demanders decided other people’s expertise makes them feel bad