Alan
@akgerber.bsky.social
he/him
literally just some guy— mostly shooting the shit about transportation/climate change/architecture/urban planning/economics/land use
also computer stuff
literally just some guy— mostly shooting the shit about transportation/climate change/architecture/urban planning/economics/land use
also computer stuff
you can download and run a pretty ok LLM on a laptop that uses as much energy as an incandescent light bulb (but only when it's running all out), as an example of how the technology will remain even if funding to the sector disappears
November 28, 2025 at 2:22 AM
you can download and run a pretty ok LLM on a laptop that uses as much energy as an incandescent light bulb (but only when it's running all out), as an example of how the technology will remain even if funding to the sector disappears
old law tenements as are common in the LES definitely are more crowded-feeling than lower lot coverage new law tenements uptown and in the boros (often also around 2-3 FAR)
November 28, 2025 at 1:41 AM
old law tenements as are common in the LES definitely are more crowded-feeling than lower lot coverage new law tenements uptown and in the boros (often also around 2-3 FAR)
that said the 25' lot (divided down the middle for two apartments per floor, in the case of my building) does mean my apartment is very long and narrow so a wider lot would be nice
November 28, 2025 at 1:39 AM
that said the 25' lot (divided down the middle for two apartments per floor, in the case of my building) does mean my apartment is very long and narrow so a wider lot would be nice
looks pretty similar to your hypothetical rebuilt block tho
November 28, 2025 at 1:37 AM
looks pretty similar to your hypothetical rebuilt block tho
the one I live in is probably about 66% lot coverage with a nice backyard (on a block with many identical buildings) but I don't wanna dox my block
November 28, 2025 at 1:37 AM
the one I live in is probably about 66% lot coverage with a nice backyard (on a block with many identical buildings) but I don't wanna dox my block
Looks basically like New Law Tenements in Brooklyn
November 28, 2025 at 1:33 AM
Looks basically like New Law Tenements in Brooklyn
as a high schooler in 2002 I certainly wanted a Canon F1 but settled for a K1000 from eBay for $75
November 28, 2025 at 1:24 AM
as a high schooler in 2002 I certainly wanted a Canon F1 but settled for a K1000 from eBay for $75
The place you go into from 48th between and Park and Lex so probably, I was taught about it by my Westchester coworker so I could get a train to New Rochelle to get a rental car after work
November 27, 2025 at 6:14 PM
The place you go into from 48th between and Park and Lex so probably, I was taught about it by my Westchester coworker so I could get a train to New Rochelle to get a rental car after work
Look at this very silly sign they went to the trouble of making
November 27, 2025 at 3:28 PM
Look at this very silly sign they went to the trouble of making
I bought my Milwaukee drill from a dude whose dad stole it from a steel mill that laid him off, I would also like to be recognized as a working class whisperer
November 27, 2025 at 4:13 AM
I bought my Milwaukee drill from a dude whose dad stole it from a steel mill that laid him off, I would also like to be recognized as a working class whisperer
hey some of us just like stuff that says our hometown on it
November 27, 2025 at 4:12 AM
hey some of us just like stuff that says our hometown on it
He's a good fit for the role because, like Schwarzenegger, his political ceiling is limited by not being born in the USA
November 26, 2025 at 7:31 PM
He's a good fit for the role because, like Schwarzenegger, his political ceiling is limited by not being born in the USA
Pittsburgh is fortunately compact enough that even needing to walk across the whole city is mostly limited to an hour or two (but that's still Not A Good Time as a middle of the night surprise)
November 26, 2025 at 7:18 PM
Pittsburgh is fortunately compact enough that even needing to walk across the whole city is mostly limited to an hour or two (but that's still Not A Good Time as a middle of the night surprise)
I also heard of this happening to people trying to get back to Oakland from the South Side after the buses stopped running
November 26, 2025 at 7:16 PM
I also heard of this happening to people trying to get back to Oakland from the South Side after the buses stopped running
NYC started issuing green cab medallions I believe one year before Uber showed up here which made the traditional taxi market briefly much more functional before massive Uber subsidies upended everything
November 26, 2025 at 7:03 PM
NYC started issuing green cab medallions I believe one year before Uber showed up here which made the traditional taxi market briefly much more functional before massive Uber subsidies upended everything
Even when I moved to NYC in 2011, street hailing black cars and negotiating a price was standard albeit illegal in the outer boroughs
November 26, 2025 at 7:00 PM
Even when I moved to NYC in 2011, street hailing black cars and negotiating a price was standard albeit illegal in the outer boroughs
I saw an NY Times reporter hail a taxi in Pittsburgh during the G20 in 2009 and I was shocked because I didn't even realize such a thing was possible in Pittsburgh
November 26, 2025 at 6:59 PM
I saw an NY Times reporter hail a taxi in Pittsburgh during the G20 in 2009 and I was shocked because I didn't even realize such a thing was possible in Pittsburgh
this will require 70 hours a week of labor for 40 years
November 25, 2025 at 6:40 PM
this will require 70 hours a week of labor for 40 years
the economic possibility I am seeking for my grandchildren is being able to spend $10M for a desirable house lot with $300k light wood-frame box on it
November 25, 2025 at 6:39 PM
the economic possibility I am seeking for my grandchildren is being able to spend $10M for a desirable house lot with $300k light wood-frame box on it
how will we send inner-suburban and favored-quarter urban land values to the moon in a few metros if we don't let the upper upper middle class immiserate itself by using most of its income to bid up parcels against each other
November 25, 2025 at 6:32 PM
how will we send inner-suburban and favored-quarter urban land values to the moon in a few metros if we don't let the upper upper middle class immiserate itself by using most of its income to bid up parcels against each other
Come to NYC if you want to see a whole lot of Fisker Oceans being worked very hard as Uberlyfts (bought for pennies on the dollar with a plan to run them into the ground)
November 25, 2025 at 3:52 PM
Come to NYC if you want to see a whole lot of Fisker Oceans being worked very hard as Uberlyfts (bought for pennies on the dollar with a plan to run them into the ground)
For some reason there's no hype about Hyundai now owning Boston Dynamics, which has been making incrementally better humanoid robots for well over a decade (by hiring people who put years into academic research on hard problems to continue working on those hard problems for years)
November 25, 2025 at 3:51 PM
For some reason there's no hype about Hyundai now owning Boston Dynamics, which has been making incrementally better humanoid robots for well over a decade (by hiring people who put years into academic research on hard problems to continue working on those hard problems for years)
It did have some stains for several years until I bought a Bissell machine
November 24, 2025 at 7:22 PM
It did have some stains for several years until I bought a Bissell machine
I got my Steelcase by paying the $33 I had in my wallet at the time to some random guys clearing out a server room in my office at the time
November 24, 2025 at 7:20 PM
I got my Steelcase by paying the $33 I had in my wallet at the time to some random guys clearing out a server room in my office at the time