Brad Skillman
@bradqskillman.bsky.social
Data trainer and journalist at Bloomberg News. Opinions my own.
Reposted by Brad Skillman
💬 Lessons from Building an Online Toolkit to Aid Open-Source Investigations
Publicly available sources can be a tool for all journalists, writes @johannawild.bsky.social of @bellingcat.com.
niemanreports.org/osint-open-s...
Publicly available sources can be a tool for all journalists, writes @johannawild.bsky.social of @bellingcat.com.
niemanreports.org/osint-open-s...
Lessons from Building an Online Toolkit to Aid Open-Source Investigations - Nieman Reports
Publicly available sources can be a tool for all journalists, writes Johanna Wild, an open source researcher for Bellingcat.
niemanreports.org
November 26, 2025 at 3:32 PM
💬 Lessons from Building an Online Toolkit to Aid Open-Source Investigations
Publicly available sources can be a tool for all journalists, writes @johannawild.bsky.social of @bellingcat.com.
niemanreports.org/osint-open-s...
Publicly available sources can be a tool for all journalists, writes @johannawild.bsky.social of @bellingcat.com.
niemanreports.org/osint-open-s...
Reposted by Brad Skillman
The CDC has turned off its vaccine search tool.
The vaccines.gov site now gives an error when you enter a valid zip code.
They also removed text saying “Vaccines can help you stay healthy” and added a banner saying the site is being updated.
The vaccines.gov site now gives an error when you enter a valid zip code.
They also removed text saying “Vaccines can help you stay healthy” and added a banner saying the site is being updated.
November 26, 2025 at 5:50 AM
The CDC has turned off its vaccine search tool.
The vaccines.gov site now gives an error when you enter a valid zip code.
They also removed text saying “Vaccines can help you stay healthy” and added a banner saying the site is being updated.
The vaccines.gov site now gives an error when you enter a valid zip code.
They also removed text saying “Vaccines can help you stay healthy” and added a banner saying the site is being updated.
Reposted by Brad Skillman
The data center boom is built on the assumption that AI chips will last at least five years. But we don’t actually know how long chips are good for.
The AI Industry Is Built on a Big Unproven Assumption
In addition to the projections about reaching artificial general intelligence and replacing millions of human workers, there’s the mundane matter of how long AI chips will last.
bloom.bg
November 24, 2025 at 3:00 PM
The data center boom is built on the assumption that AI chips will last at least five years. But we don’t actually know how long chips are good for.
Reposted by Brad Skillman
A stunning visual of Chicago's 20-year death gap, mapped on the L, via @myersjustinc.bsky.social @chicago.suntimes.com. Here's what residents & community leaders are doing to close this gap: tinyurl.com/47r2vcj5 @wbez.org @chjreportinghealth.bsky.social @watchdogdiva.bsky.social @kffhealthnews.org
November 21, 2025 at 5:31 PM
A stunning visual of Chicago's 20-year death gap, mapped on the L, via @myersjustinc.bsky.social @chicago.suntimes.com. Here's what residents & community leaders are doing to close this gap: tinyurl.com/47r2vcj5 @wbez.org @chjreportinghealth.bsky.social @watchdogdiva.bsky.social @kffhealthnews.org
Reposted by Brad Skillman
Bet on a football game, an election or the price a stock will hit hours from now. How gambling and investing are starting to look the same these days.
Why It’s Harder to Tell Gambling From Investing Nowadays
With a tap on your phone, bet on football, elections and the price a stock will hit just hours from now.
bloom.bg
November 21, 2025 at 6:32 PM
Bet on a football game, an election or the price a stock will hit hours from now. How gambling and investing are starting to look the same these days.
Reposted by Brad Skillman
Today I gave a preview of Scribe, a new tool I'm developing at the Inquirer to track, transcribe and summarize public meetings to aid local reporters.
Here's a slide from my part of a discussion today hosted by INMA, with the Inky's Kevin Hoffman, Matt Boggie and several other great presenters.
Here's a slide from my part of a discussion today hosted by INMA, with the Inky's Kevin Hoffman, Matt Boggie and several other great presenters.
November 20, 2025 at 8:10 PM
Today I gave a preview of Scribe, a new tool I'm developing at the Inquirer to track, transcribe and summarize public meetings to aid local reporters.
Here's a slide from my part of a discussion today hosted by INMA, with the Inky's Kevin Hoffman, Matt Boggie and several other great presenters.
Here's a slide from my part of a discussion today hosted by INMA, with the Inky's Kevin Hoffman, Matt Boggie and several other great presenters.
Reposted by Brad Skillman
Ellis repeatedly accuses multiple CBP and ICE officials of lying (under oath) and says their "widespread misrepresentations call into question everything" they "say they are doing in their characterization of what is happening." She broadly discredits their testimony as objectively false.
U.S. District Judge Sara Ellis just handed down the written opinion version of her preliminary injunction order, regarding use of force by federal agents in Chicago.
It's the one already put on hold by the 7th Circuit.
It's 233 pages.
Here you go: cst.brightspotcdn.com/49/34/daecfb...
It's the one already put on hold by the 7th Circuit.
It's 233 pages.
Here you go: cst.brightspotcdn.com/49/34/daecfb...
November 20, 2025 at 8:14 PM
Ellis repeatedly accuses multiple CBP and ICE officials of lying (under oath) and says their "widespread misrepresentations call into question everything" they "say they are doing in their characterization of what is happening." She broadly discredits their testimony as objectively false.
Reposted by Brad Skillman
The Census Bureau APIs added 6 datasets.
See the full tracker: www.hrecht.com/census-api-d...
See the full tracker: www.hrecht.com/census-api-d...
Tracking Census Dataset Changes
See when the U.S. Census Bureau adds or removes datasets.
www.hrecht.com
November 20, 2025 at 8:45 PM
The Census Bureau APIs added 6 datasets.
See the full tracker: www.hrecht.com/census-api-d...
See the full tracker: www.hrecht.com/census-api-d...
Reposted by Brad Skillman
A Bloomberg Law analysis of federal civil rights lawsuits from 2017 to 2024 found at least 54 pregnant women or their families have alleged severe mistreatment or medical neglect in jails. And it keeps happening.
news.bloomberglaw.com/us-law-week/...
news.bloomberglaw.com/us-law-week/...
Pregnancy Behind Bars Proves Deadly for Women and Their Babies
A yearlong probe reveals dozens of pregnant women in jails face horrific conditions with limited medical care. Many are ignored when seeking help, miscarrying or giving birth on floors or in toilets. ...
news.bloomberglaw.com
November 20, 2025 at 1:46 PM
A Bloomberg Law analysis of federal civil rights lawsuits from 2017 to 2024 found at least 54 pregnant women or their families have alleged severe mistreatment or medical neglect in jails. And it keeps happening.
news.bloomberglaw.com/us-law-week/...
news.bloomberglaw.com/us-law-week/...
Reposted by Brad Skillman
The charts in Elliott's posts are 🔥
November 20, 2025 at 2:26 PM
The charts in Elliott's posts are 🔥
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...