Chris Oates
@chrisoates.bsky.social
Civic tech and making government accessible to policy professionals and #COYS
Let’s give credit to the Democrats who voted to censure Chuy Garcia for robbing his constituents of a real election. It might not be the biggest news happening today but that kind of BS insidery games should be drummed out of politics.
November 19, 2025 at 12:48 AM
Let’s give credit to the Democrats who voted to censure Chuy Garcia for robbing his constituents of a real election. It might not be the biggest news happening today but that kind of BS insidery games should be drummed out of politics.
Great coverage by @gintautasd.bsky.social on public funds for the World Cup, and issue that could have slipped through the crack.
The consensus from the parents at soccer practice was that the prices are too high for any of us to go. So why is my government spending money on it?
The consensus from the parents at soccer practice was that the prices are too high for any of us to go. So why is my government spending money on it?
November 18, 2025 at 12:39 PM
Great coverage by @gintautasd.bsky.social on public funds for the World Cup, and issue that could have slipped through the crack.
The consensus from the parents at soccer practice was that the prices are too high for any of us to go. So why is my government spending money on it?
The consensus from the parents at soccer practice was that the prices are too high for any of us to go. So why is my government spending money on it?
Look like FIFA has got ahead of this threat for the World Cup by pricing the tickets as absurdly expensive to begin with
November 17, 2025 at 10:42 PM
Look like FIFA has got ahead of this threat for the World Cup by pricing the tickets as absurdly expensive to begin with
To give an example based on today's Politico MA Playbook, this took me only three prompts to get here. While it doesn't say who to vote for explicitly, it's a pretty obvious thumb on the scale for many voters
November 17, 2025 at 3:27 PM
To give an example based on today's Politico MA Playbook, this took me only three prompts to get here. While it doesn't say who to vote for explicitly, it's a pretty obvious thumb on the scale for many voters
Yesterday the Joint Committee on Econ Dev had a remarkable hearing on gambling, including this even more remarkable testimony from Sen John Keenan
massachusettsdigest.substack.com/p/has-gambli...
massachusettsdigest.substack.com/p/has-gambli...
November 14, 2025 at 11:46 AM
Yesterday the Joint Committee on Econ Dev had a remarkable hearing on gambling, including this even more remarkable testimony from Sen John Keenan
massachusettsdigest.substack.com/p/has-gambli...
massachusettsdigest.substack.com/p/has-gambli...
Slightly random question for the #mapoli crowd. In a feed of press releases, would you rather a format of Name - Title, Name: Title, or [Name] Title?
Example of the first option below
Example of the first option below
November 13, 2025 at 3:59 PM
Slightly random question for the #mapoli crowd. In a feed of press releases, would you rather a format of Name - Title, Name: Title, or [Name] Title?
Example of the first option below
Example of the first option below
If you work in comms in #mapoli public policy, would love to get your thoughts on a new statements feed I'm building.
Would you rather:
- Load press releases yourself and tag them with bills and legislators mentioned
- Add an email to your distro list and hope auto-detection works?
Would you rather:
- Load press releases yourself and tag them with bills and legislators mentioned
- Add an email to your distro list and hope auto-detection works?
November 10, 2025 at 3:01 PM
If you work in comms in #mapoli public policy, would love to get your thoughts on a new statements feed I'm building.
Would you rather:
- Load press releases yourself and tag them with bills and legislators mentioned
- Add an email to your distro list and hope auto-detection works?
Would you rather:
- Load press releases yourself and tag them with bills and legislators mentioned
- Add an email to your distro list and hope auto-detection works?
With city and town officials elected last night across #mapoli, a reminder that Legislata has AI-generated transcripts of about 30+ municipalities, available for free for journalists and gov't employees. If your city isn't there, let me know and I'll try to add it.
app.legislata.com/posts/267324...
app.legislata.com/posts/267324...
November 5, 2025 at 4:23 PM
With city and town officials elected last night across #mapoli, a reminder that Legislata has AI-generated transcripts of about 30+ municipalities, available for free for journalists and gov't employees. If your city isn't there, let me know and I'll try to add it.
app.legislata.com/posts/267324...
app.legislata.com/posts/267324...
Something may have gone wrong in the off-ball positioning in my football match engine
November 4, 2025 at 7:42 PM
Something may have gone wrong in the off-ball positioning in my football match engine
Learning some programming by making a football match engine and may have to tweak it a little bit.
November 3, 2025 at 9:35 PM
Learning some programming by making a football match engine and may have to tweak it a little bit.
The headlines now are much more clearly three distinct stories. @bostonglobe.com can I take credit for sparking this change?
October 24, 2025 at 12:37 PM
The headlines now are much more clearly three distinct stories. @bostonglobe.com can I take credit for sparking this change?
Why working in state level politics is so difficult. Six hearings happened yesterday on Beacon Hill, meaning you had to choose which to cover AND miss out on Nazi tattoo discourse
October 22, 2025 at 2:12 PM
Why working in state level politics is so difficult. Six hearings happened yesterday on Beacon Hill, meaning you had to choose which to cover AND miss out on Nazi tattoo discourse
Either these are three different stories, or @wutrain.bsky.social is having a very busy October
October 21, 2025 at 11:20 AM
Either these are three different stories, or @wutrain.bsky.social is having a very busy October
Happy deepavali to all!
(My South Indian mother-in-law would not like if I called it Diwali)
(My South Indian mother-in-law would not like if I called it Diwali)
October 20, 2025 at 9:25 PM
Happy deepavali to all!
(My South Indian mother-in-law would not like if I called it Diwali)
(My South Indian mother-in-law would not like if I called it Diwali)
Sure, these are all fine places to visit, but it feels like they asked ChatGPT to come up with a handful of cities they could dock at on the way
October 14, 2025 at 9:33 PM
Sure, these are all fine places to visit, but it feels like they asked ChatGPT to come up with a handful of cities they could dock at on the way
Federal Reserve report also suggests that economic decline will continue to be a big story through the next year
October 10, 2025 at 3:14 PM
Federal Reserve report also suggests that economic decline will continue to be a big story through the next year
From S&P Global Market Intelligence, this is a very scary chart. Basically, the sector of the economy we're relying on for innovative growth and high income salaries have seen the most layoffs in the last 12 months. That's not good!
October 3, 2025 at 4:08 PM
From S&P Global Market Intelligence, this is a very scary chart. Basically, the sector of the economy we're relying on for innovative growth and high income salaries have seen the most layoffs in the last 12 months. That's not good!
Curious what @skoczela.bsky.social and @gelliottmorris.com make of the methodology of this poll from my grandfather's unit in WWII. While it may not be as representative as a modern poll, the cartoons are much better.
September 18, 2025 at 7:55 PM
Curious what @skoczela.bsky.social and @gelliottmorris.com make of the methodology of this poll from my grandfather's unit in WWII. While it may not be as representative as a modern poll, the cartoons are much better.
Working in public policy isn't always glamorous. But I don't know if I've come across a less glamorous example than this.
September 18, 2025 at 5:00 PM
Working in public policy isn't always glamorous. But I don't know if I've come across a less glamorous example than this.
This took me all of 30 second to find googling
September 9, 2025 at 1:41 PM
This took me all of 30 second to find googling
What's funniest about this is that Bari Weiss, a Columbia alum, apparently has not told the reporter about the Core Curriculum, something every Columbia student remembers. Here are some of the required readings for Contemporary Civilization (which is why the Quran is required)
September 9, 2025 at 1:32 PM
What's funniest about this is that Bari Weiss, a Columbia alum, apparently has not told the reporter about the Core Curriculum, something every Columbia student remembers. Here are some of the required readings for Contemporary Civilization (which is why the Quran is required)
Just want to leave this here. The Fed should release data on a blockchain is an all-time Silicon Valley-who-doesn't-understand-government take.
September 8, 2025 at 5:56 PM
Just want to leave this here. The Fed should release data on a blockchain is an all-time Silicon Valley-who-doesn't-understand-government take.
Also, shout out to the guy on WEEI who recommended taking the over on Miami and Tyreek Hill getting 100 yards
September 7, 2025 at 8:39 PM
Also, shout out to the guy on WEEI who recommended taking the over on Miami and Tyreek Hill getting 100 yards
One of the more interesting stats on housing comes from the state website, but not in the way that’s often seen.
For all the talk of the MBTA Communities Act, it’s still a tiny amount compared to “other housing development”. A reminder that no one law will fix it
substackcdn.com/image/fetch/...
For all the talk of the MBTA Communities Act, it’s still a tiny amount compared to “other housing development”. A reminder that no one law will fix it
substackcdn.com/image/fetch/...
August 8, 2025 at 4:05 PM
One of the more interesting stats on housing comes from the state website, but not in the way that’s often seen.
For all the talk of the MBTA Communities Act, it’s still a tiny amount compared to “other housing development”. A reminder that no one law will fix it
substackcdn.com/image/fetch/...
For all the talk of the MBTA Communities Act, it’s still a tiny amount compared to “other housing development”. A reminder that no one law will fix it
substackcdn.com/image/fetch/...