Thomas Leeper
@thosjleeper.bsky.social
Minnesota, data, transit/urbanism, miscellaneous ramblings
Reposted by Thomas Leeper
Owámniyomni Okhódayapi just announced the Dakota-led design for the restoration of five acres at Owámniyomni (St. Anthony Falls), adjacent to the Upper Lock on the Mississippi River in Minneapolis. Project construction is targeted to begin in spring 2026. Very exciting!
owamniyomni.org/design/
owamniyomni.org/design/
November 17, 2025 at 8:49 PM
Owámniyomni Okhódayapi just announced the Dakota-led design for the restoration of five acres at Owámniyomni (St. Anthony Falls), adjacent to the Upper Lock on the Mississippi River in Minneapolis. Project construction is targeted to begin in spring 2026. Very exciting!
owamniyomni.org/design/
owamniyomni.org/design/
An interesting thing about autonomous vehicles is that the empty repositioning trips between passenger journeys mean they decrease the average number of people moved per vehicle trip, which is already barely above 1. Traffic that doesn't even transport. Not good!
Someone on the Minneapolis subreddit caught Waymos being delivered. We need the City Council need to ban the use of driverless cars. The technology isn't there. Our city cannot be a testing ground for 1.5 ton autonomous projectiles.
November 17, 2025 at 12:07 AM
An interesting thing about autonomous vehicles is that the empty repositioning trips between passenger journeys mean they decrease the average number of people moved per vehicle trip, which is already barely above 1. Traffic that doesn't even transport. Not good!
Cops committing crimes, a graph:
November 17, 2025 at 12:01 AM
Cops committing crimes, a graph:
Reposted by Thomas Leeper
Trigger warning.
“In crashes, SUVs are more likely to strike vital organs in the core of adults’ bodies & heads of children. Hitting pedestrians above their center of gravity means they’re more likely to be knocked forward & down and then be driven over.”
Plus more likely to hit in the 1st place.
“In crashes, SUVs are more likely to strike vital organs in the core of adults’ bodies & heads of children. Hitting pedestrians above their center of gravity means they’re more likely to be knocked forward & down and then be driven over.”
Plus more likely to hit in the 1st place.
November 15, 2025 at 11:18 PM
Trigger warning.
“In crashes, SUVs are more likely to strike vital organs in the core of adults’ bodies & heads of children. Hitting pedestrians above their center of gravity means they’re more likely to be knocked forward & down and then be driven over.”
Plus more likely to hit in the 1st place.
“In crashes, SUVs are more likely to strike vital organs in the core of adults’ bodies & heads of children. Hitting pedestrians above their center of gravity means they’re more likely to be knocked forward & down and then be driven over.”
Plus more likely to hit in the 1st place.
November 12, 2025 at 2:49 AM
Happy Monday, riders! #Mpls
(Someone driving a mini-van almost hit me three blocks after this. First time I've had to brake hard to avoid being hit.)
(Someone driving a mini-van almost hit me three blocks after this. First time I've had to brake hard to avoid being hit.)
November 10, 2025 at 3:27 PM
Happy Monday, riders! #Mpls
(Someone driving a mini-van almost hit me three blocks after this. First time I've had to brake hard to avoid being hit.)
(Someone driving a mini-van almost hit me three blocks after this. First time I've had to brake hard to avoid being hit.)
As everyone expected, it turns out the Trump administration is indeed just waging a Duterte-style murder campaign against low-level drug offenders.
AP reporter Regina Garcia Cano looked into a few of the men killed in Trump's extrajudicial strikes on Caribbean boats.
"They were laborers, a fisherman, a taxi driver. Two were low-level career criminals. One was a local crime boss who contracted out smuggling services"
apnews.com/article/trum...
"They were laborers, a fisherman, a taxi driver. Two were low-level career criminals. One was a local crime boss who contracted out smuggling services"
apnews.com/article/trum...
Trump has accused boat crews of being narco-terrorists. The truth, AP found, is more nuanced
One was a fisherman struggling to eke out a living on $100 a month. Another was a career criminal. A third was a former military cadet.
apnews.com
November 7, 2025 at 4:05 PM
As everyone expected, it turns out the Trump administration is indeed just waging a Duterte-style murder campaign against low-level drug offenders.
Reposted by Thomas Leeper
One analytical model shows that, as of November 5th, the dismantling of U.S.A.I.D. has already caused the deaths of 600,000 people, two-thirds of them children. https://newyorkermag.visitlink.me/jUzNSc
The Shutdown of U.S.A.I.D. Has Already Killed Hundreds of Thousands
The short documentary “Rovina’s Choice” tells the story of what goes when aid goes.
newyorkermag.visitlink.me
November 6, 2025 at 9:00 PM
One analytical model shows that, as of November 5th, the dismantling of U.S.A.I.D. has already caused the deaths of 600,000 people, two-thirds of them children. https://newyorkermag.visitlink.me/jUzNSc
Gotta love a "Bike Lane Closed" sign 50 ft before the closure and some cones that just slowly nudge you into car traffic.
November 7, 2025 at 12:08 AM
Gotta love a "Bike Lane Closed" sign 50 ft before the closure and some cones that just slowly nudge you into car traffic.
Urban Arrow battery went from 8% to 0% on the last uphill before home this morning. That was a rough couple of blocks.
November 6, 2025 at 3:25 PM
Urban Arrow battery went from 8% to 0% on the last uphill before home this morning. That was a rough couple of blocks.
I stand by my view that Minnesota's bipartisan opposition to REALID, resulting in multi-decade nationwide delays in its adoption, is one of the state's greatest accomplishments of the 21st century. No good comes from citizen registries in the hands of tyrannical governments.
DHS Wants States to Hand Over Driver’s License Data for Citizenship Checks talkingpointsmemo.com/news/dhs-wan...
DHS Wants States to Hand Over Driver’s License Data for Citizenship Checks
ProPublica is a nonprofit newsroom that investigates abuses of power. Sign up...
talkingpointsmemo.com
November 4, 2025 at 2:03 PM
I stand by my view that Minnesota's bipartisan opposition to REALID, resulting in multi-decade nationwide delays in its adoption, is one of the state's greatest accomplishments of the 21st century. No good comes from citizen registries in the hands of tyrannical governments.
Imagine making a propaganda video set to the Lord's Prayer while you starve children, murder people, and round up foreigners for the non-crime of fleeing poverty and violence.
Trying to think of a term for this. Something like the antonym of Christ. Hmm...
Trying to think of a term for this. Something like the antonym of Christ. Hmm...
Add a dose of propaganda to your morning coffee.. This smells of Russian-like “special operation”
November 2, 2025 at 9:42 PM
Imagine making a propaganda video set to the Lord's Prayer while you starve children, murder people, and round up foreigners for the non-crime of fleeing poverty and violence.
Trying to think of a term for this. Something like the antonym of Christ. Hmm...
Trying to think of a term for this. Something like the antonym of Christ. Hmm...
Halloween: the annual reminder that we deserve full-sized Krackel bars.
November 1, 2025 at 12:56 AM
Halloween: the annual reminder that we deserve full-sized Krackel bars.
Reposted by Thomas Leeper
Good defense of halloween, the most urban holiday we have. minnesotareformer.com/2025/10/30/t...
Turn your porch light on: Trick-or-treating is an important ritual that builds community • Minnesota Reformer
t. Walking up to a neighbor's door and being greeted warmly, even briefly, breaks down the invisible barriers we often erect.
minnesotareformer.com
October 31, 2025 at 3:42 PM
Good defense of halloween, the most urban holiday we have. minnesotareformer.com/2025/10/30/t...
'Starving children to own the libs' - 2025 Republican Party mission in a nutshell
October 31, 2025 at 2:37 PM
'Starving children to own the libs' - 2025 Republican Party mission in a nutshell
A "Kavanaugh Assault"
"According to his running club, the man, who is a U.S. citizen, was returning from a team run when agents pulled him out of his vehicle, tackled him to the ground and kneeled on top of him, allegedly breaking six ribs and causing internal bleeding"
US citizen, 67, ‘has six ribs broken’ by Border Patrol agents, his running club says
The incident unfolded Saturday in Chicago’s Old Irving Park neighborhood, where residents say federal agents disrupted a children’s Halloween parade
www.independent.co.uk
October 28, 2025 at 11:32 PM
A "Kavanaugh Assault"
Ok, stick with me. I know nothing makes sense any more, but if you watch this movie and try to draw a consistent analogy to the present era then Kristi Noem is the Jason Isaacs character and Mel Gibson is the DC sandwich-throwing guy. In which case this seems to be a call for people to fight ICE?
October 28, 2025 at 2:27 PM
Ok, stick with me. I know nothing makes sense any more, but if you watch this movie and try to draw a consistent analogy to the present era then Kristi Noem is the Jason Isaacs character and Mel Gibson is the DC sandwich-throwing guy. In which case this seems to be a call for people to fight ICE?
Apropos this, almost got hit by a car crossing 40th today because they waited for a westbound car and then didn't think to look for westbound traveling bike (me) that was masked by the car. Luckily I stopped. Luckily they screamed in horror. #HappyMonday
I generally don't like two-way bikeways without grade ad signal separation.
It feels weird biking nearly into oncoming traffic, turns like this seem awkward and unsafe since drivers are unlikely to be looking for you in an unusual part of the road, and right of way is ambiguous.
It feels weird biking nearly into oncoming traffic, turns like this seem awkward and unsafe since drivers are unlikely to be looking for you in an unusual part of the road, and right of way is ambiguous.
October 27, 2025 at 8:23 PM
Apropos this, almost got hit by a car crossing 40th today because they waited for a westbound car and then didn't think to look for westbound traveling bike (me) that was masked by the car. Luckily I stopped. Luckily they screamed in horror. #HappyMonday
If someone has dementia, they should not hold elected office. That applied to Biden and applies to Trump. It should apply to Congress or any office.
No political goal or personal affection is worth the risks of someone with a serious neurological condition being responsible for national welfare.
No political goal or personal affection is worth the risks of someone with a serious neurological condition being responsible for national welfare.
October 27, 2025 at 6:25 PM
If someone has dementia, they should not hold elected office. That applied to Biden and applies to Trump. It should apply to Congress or any office.
No political goal or personal affection is worth the risks of someone with a serious neurological condition being responsible for national welfare.
No political goal or personal affection is worth the risks of someone with a serious neurological condition being responsible for national welfare.
Sunday morning live from the hellscape of Minneapolis. #BdeMakaSka #Mpls
October 26, 2025 at 5:11 PM
Sunday morning live from the hellscape of Minneapolis. #BdeMakaSka #Mpls
Historians, if there is a future, will write whole books on the difference in outrage between a tan suit and the illegal, physical destruction of the actual White House.
October 22, 2025 at 8:56 PM
Historians, if there is a future, will write whole books on the difference in outrage between a tan suit and the illegal, physical destruction of the actual White House.
Reposted by Thomas Leeper
twice-impeached president tears down significant portion of white house with zero oversight, good job america
October 22, 2025 at 7:36 PM
twice-impeached president tears down significant portion of white house with zero oversight, good job america
Honestly the admin must feel incredibly threatened by this given how much free publicity they're giving to this fun party they're sad about not being invited to.
Johnson: "We call it the Hate America Rally that will happen Saturday. Let's see who shows up for that. I bet you you'll see Hamas supporters, I bet you'll see antifa types, I bet you'll see Marxists on full display, people who don't want to stand and defend the foundational truths of this republic"
October 15, 2025 at 5:47 PM
Honestly the admin must feel incredibly threatened by this given how much free publicity they're giving to this fun party they're sad about not being invited to.
Trump wants to turn his assault on cities into visual propaganda for suburbanites.
The inflatable animal suits ruin the imagery.
But so would everyone carrying American flags.
The left should reclaim patriotic imagery so the only videos ICE can make are of beating up banner-waving patriots.
The inflatable animal suits ruin the imagery.
But so would everyone carrying American flags.
The left should reclaim patriotic imagery so the only videos ICE can make are of beating up banner-waving patriots.
October 14, 2025 at 2:55 PM
Trump wants to turn his assault on cities into visual propaganda for suburbanites.
The inflatable animal suits ruin the imagery.
But so would everyone carrying American flags.
The left should reclaim patriotic imagery so the only videos ICE can make are of beating up banner-waving patriots.
The inflatable animal suits ruin the imagery.
But so would everyone carrying American flags.
The left should reclaim patriotic imagery so the only videos ICE can make are of beating up banner-waving patriots.
#Minneapolis bike people: I'm confused by how to take left turns on two-way bikeway (like W 40th St). Are we supposed to:
1. Merge out of the bikeway into the main road and signal left from the center of the road? or
2. Cross the road we want to turn left at and then cross from the corner?
1. Merge out of the bikeway into the main road and signal left from the center of the road? or
2. Cross the road we want to turn left at and then cross from the corner?
October 13, 2025 at 5:21 PM
#Minneapolis bike people: I'm confused by how to take left turns on two-way bikeway (like W 40th St). Are we supposed to:
1. Merge out of the bikeway into the main road and signal left from the center of the road? or
2. Cross the road we want to turn left at and then cross from the corner?
1. Merge out of the bikeway into the main road and signal left from the center of the road? or
2. Cross the road we want to turn left at and then cross from the corner?