Stephanie Gal
@stephaniegal.bsky.social
I used to just post about safe streets, but there's a lot going on right now. I'm worried about the climate, growing fascism, injustice, and my friends in Palestine. Also will be giving my observations of the US after living in Greece for 10 months.
Still in love with the speed bumps on Morrison - they give me the confidence to let my 8-year old go to his friends’ houses by himself.
Throwback pic of installation day, with my daughter who is now 4!
Throwback pic of installation day, with my daughter who is now 4!
November 27, 2025 at 11:58 AM
Still in love with the speed bumps on Morrison - they give me the confidence to let my 8-year old go to his friends’ houses by himself.
Throwback pic of installation day, with my daughter who is now 4!
Throwback pic of installation day, with my daughter who is now 4!
Somerville YIMBY sent out this graphic about the changing demographics in Somerville. Wow. Wowowowow. Although I do have some questions about the chart, see alt text.
November 25, 2025 at 9:08 PM
Somerville YIMBY sent out this graphic about the changing demographics in Somerville. Wow. Wowowowow. Although I do have some questions about the chart, see alt text.
Driving Rt 2 from Boston in the dark - maybe for the first time since 2024? All the signs’ reflectors are so messed up! This is pretty unfortunate.
November 14, 2025 at 11:54 PM
Driving Rt 2 from Boston in the dark - maybe for the first time since 2024? All the signs’ reflectors are so messed up! This is pretty unfortunate.
I will describe this in the alt-text but this picture is worth a thousand words. It's Gaza, on its side from the usual angle. It's just full of waste. How can 2 million people live in this 141 square miles, an area a little larger than Manhattan, in so much ruined infrastructure?
November 14, 2025 at 8:07 PM
I will describe this in the alt-text but this picture is worth a thousand words. It's Gaza, on its side from the usual angle. It's just full of waste. How can 2 million people live in this 141 square miles, an area a little larger than Manhattan, in so much ruined infrastructure?
Wondering if this is the same article or a different one. There is an old maxim that whenever a headline asks a question, you know the answer is "no." But still, some questions don't need to be asked in major newspapers.
November 6, 2025 at 1:59 PM
Wondering if this is the same article or a different one. There is an old maxim that whenever a headline asks a question, you know the answer is "no." But still, some questions don't need to be asked in major newspapers.
Campaign finance data is now available for Somerville ballot question 3. I was interested that the anti-ballot group running the campaign "Focus on Somerville" raised so much money from outside Somerville. They can tell Somerville what to do, but we can't care about broader issues?
October 30, 2025 at 12:57 AM
Campaign finance data is now available for Somerville ballot question 3. I was interested that the anti-ballot group running the campaign "Focus on Somerville" raised so much money from outside Somerville. They can tell Somerville what to do, but we can't care about broader issues?
A helpful list ranking 19 ways to help the environment. Some of them are different levels of the same thing (vegan vs. vegetarianism, going car-free vs. driving less), and others can be used in combination. Source in comment. Composting is real low. Can someone tell me the impacts of dining out?
October 14, 2025 at 12:47 PM
A helpful list ranking 19 ways to help the environment. Some of them are different levels of the same thing (vegan vs. vegetarianism, going car-free vs. driving less), and others can be used in combination. Source in comment. Composting is real low. Can someone tell me the impacts of dining out?
Somerville fire rescuing a cat from a tree in the community path. I’m now hearing that this was not a mayoral candidate. Cat is safely with owner now. There was much cheering.
September 9, 2025 at 1:32 AM
Somerville fire rescuing a cat from a tree in the community path. I’m now hearing that this was not a mayoral candidate. Cat is safely with owner now. There was much cheering.
My family went down for the rescue, there was a lot of cheering. Does anyone know whether it was a mayoral candidate?
September 9, 2025 at 1:28 AM
My family went down for the rescue, there was a lot of cheering. Does anyone know whether it was a mayoral candidate?
I’m not an expert on the availability of data for starvation (and I don’t want to be, frankly), but here are 3 data points. I posted a fourth yesterday: in 2006, Israel calculated that it would provide 2,279 calories (1.8kg) per adult - basically the minimum.
August 1, 2025 at 11:11 AM
I’m not an expert on the availability of data for starvation (and I don’t want to be, frankly), but here are 3 data points. I posted a fourth yesterday: in 2006, Israel calculated that it would provide 2,279 calories (1.8kg) per adult - basically the minimum.
Given, I haven't seen the Hamas proposal, but when the other side is talking about their plans after they're done ethnic cleansing, which one is a bad faith actor for a reaching a ceasefire?
July 24, 2025 at 6:30 PM
Given, I haven't seen the Hamas proposal, but when the other side is talking about their plans after they're done ethnic cleansing, which one is a bad faith actor for a reaching a ceasefire?
Hang on a sec, does the NYTimes think that the war in Gaza is over (left image)? Hard to make that claim when acts of war are still happening (right image is from the Guardian). Both headlines are from *today*.
NYTimes continues to fail at informing their readers of...the news.
NYTimes continues to fail at informing their readers of...the news.
July 21, 2025 at 5:58 PM
Hang on a sec, does the NYTimes think that the war in Gaza is over (left image)? Hard to make that claim when acts of war are still happening (right image is from the Guardian). Both headlines are from *today*.
NYTimes continues to fail at informing their readers of...the news.
NYTimes continues to fail at informing their readers of...the news.
Guys why does a U.S. speedometer go up to 160 mph? I’m pretty sure my speedometer in my Greek car did not go up to 260 kph.
July 18, 2025 at 10:36 AM
Guys why does a U.S. speedometer go up to 160 mph? I’m pretty sure my speedometer in my Greek car did not go up to 260 kph.
From author Isabella Hammad. When our leaders make the choices they’re making now, Palestine may represent the future for all of us.
July 1, 2025 at 12:44 PM
From author Isabella Hammad. When our leaders make the choices they’re making now, Palestine may represent the future for all of us.
Pre-k and kindergarten orientation at my daughter’s new school. Not pictured: at least two more cargo bikes in overflow parking nearby.
June 30, 2025 at 11:47 PM
Pre-k and kindergarten orientation at my daughter’s new school. Not pictured: at least two more cargo bikes in overflow parking nearby.
This empty, closed parking lot in the middle of Porter Square. What’s up with this? What other things could it be instead of reserved for car storage?
June 27, 2025 at 2:03 PM
This empty, closed parking lot in the middle of Porter Square. What’s up with this? What other things could it be instead of reserved for car storage?
In Somerville, drivers who drive into curbs sometimes say the city should pay for the damage to their cars. Here’s a street around the corner from me in Greece. Here it’s assumed that if you drive, you pay attention to what’s on the road.
June 12, 2025 at 7:54 PM
In Somerville, drivers who drive into curbs sometimes say the city should pay for the damage to their cars. Here’s a street around the corner from me in Greece. Here it’s assumed that if you drive, you pay attention to what’s on the road.
The sidewalks aren’t great in my town in Greece. Here’s a wheelchair user in the road. In the US I would say this couldn’t work. But each driver slowed down & went around him, waiting if necessary. Not one driver honked or did anything to shame him. It’s a sharing system, not a separation system.
June 5, 2025 at 1:21 PM
The sidewalks aren’t great in my town in Greece. Here’s a wheelchair user in the road. In the US I would say this couldn’t work. But each driver slowed down & went around him, waiting if necessary. Not one driver honked or did anything to shame him. It’s a sharing system, not a separation system.
Porous pavement parking lot in Veria, Greece.
May 31, 2025 at 5:46 PM
Porous pavement parking lot in Veria, Greece.
Bike parking in Nouasa, Macedonia.
May 23, 2025 at 4:07 PM
Bike parking in Nouasa, Macedonia.
Delacroix's painting The Massacre of Chios shows the injured amongst corpses, waiting for the Ottomans to either enslave them or kill them. Up to 100,000 people died, and there was European outrage and action that led to change.
The world has been looking at this painting for 1.5 years now, in Gaza
The world has been looking at this painting for 1.5 years now, in Gaza
May 21, 2025 at 8:36 AM
Delacroix's painting The Massacre of Chios shows the injured amongst corpses, waiting for the Ottomans to either enslave them or kill them. Up to 100,000 people died, and there was European outrage and action that led to change.
The world has been looking at this painting for 1.5 years now, in Gaza
The world has been looking at this painting for 1.5 years now, in Gaza
Driving down a very narrow street after missing my turn, I had to stop and photograph this sign. It could mean several things - I choose to believe it means that drivers should be worried about the buildings hurting their cars. This is a sadly refreshing perspective.
May 18, 2025 at 4:46 AM
Driving down a very narrow street after missing my turn, I had to stop and photograph this sign. It could mean several things - I choose to believe it means that drivers should be worried about the buildings hurting their cars. This is a sadly refreshing perspective.
Some aggressive bollards in Thessaloniki. They are anti-parking, but also make the sidewalks more relaxing I think.
May 2, 2025 at 12:09 PM
Some aggressive bollards in Thessaloniki. They are anti-parking, but also make the sidewalks more relaxing I think.
Greek municipalities use lots of bollards to prevent people from parking on sidewalks. Where there aren’t bollards, a driver might use the whole sidewalk. I’ve never seen a car parked her before, but here it is.
April 27, 2025 at 2:40 PM
Greek municipalities use lots of bollards to prevent people from parking on sidewalks. Where there aren’t bollards, a driver might use the whole sidewalk. I’ve never seen a car parked her before, but here it is.
