Allen

Allen

@thisisallen.bsky.social

I’m the guy on the left. I taught English as a foreign language. I’m from Virginia.I lived in China. I lived in South Korea. YIMBY. Urbanist. Learning stuff is fun.

528 followers1.1K following359 posts

Allen reposted

Stan Oklobdzija
@stano.bsky.social

The reason I say that it's OK to look down on Trump supporters and to consider them morally beneath you is that they've been hearing him say things like this for 10 years and not once did they decide that it was too much.

Aaron Rupar@atrupar.com

Trump says of Somalia that "all they have is people that shoot you all the time ... it's a shit house country"

Allen reposted

Sam
@samd.bsky.social

Hawaii is converting 364 units of dilapidated public housing into 2,400 brand new mixed income homes, with current public housing residents guaranteed a subsidized spot in the new buildings this is what the future of public housing looks like: more homes for everyone, right near transit

Hawaii News Now@hawaiinewsnow.com

2,400 homes, 10 towers: Ground broke today on Hawaiʻi's largest public housing redevelopment. What's planned for Mayor Wright Homes and when the first building opens ⬇️ https://www.hawaiinewsnow.com/2026/10/23/2400-homes-10-towers-how-redevelopment-will-transform-mayor-wright-public-housing/ 

Allen reposted

David Roberts
@volts.wtf

Right-wing billionaires now own the Washington Post, the LA Times, CNN, CBS News, virtually every local TV station, virtually every news radio station, most local newspapers, X, Facebook, Threads, and TikTok. (Did I miss any?) They own almost the entire information environment.

Alex Gibney@alexgibneyfilm.bsky.social

Note: TikTok - 15% owned by Musk pal Larry Ellison - permanently banned our "Musk" the movie account on the platform. www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/politic...

hollywoodreporter.comTikTok “Permanently Suspends” the ‘Musk’ Film Ad Account, Raising Suppression Fears (Exclusive)Move comes just as Alex Gibney doc film expands to nearly 500 screens. Distributor Bleecker Street says it is appealing.

Allen reposted

Max Dubler 🏳️‍🌈
@maxdubler.com

We live in a society and we have responsibilities to each other, damn it.

Cameron 🇺🇸🗽🦅@cameroncorduroy.bsky.social

i have a bad feeling in the pit of my stomach that eventually the boomer property tax revolt will foment a reverse-polarity version in young people ("well then why should i keep paying Social Security taxes?") and the entire concept of cooperative public goods disintegrates

Allen reposted

Max Dubler 🏳️‍🌈
@maxdubler.com

The generation that got to buy cheap houses thanks to a postwar construction boom, then blocked new housing construction to juice their asset values is now whining that they have to pay taxes on their unearned wealth. Just breathtaking selfishness.

jamelle@jamellebouie.net

a tax revolt fueled by stupid people who don’t understand escrow payments www.politico.com/news/magazin...

politico.comDo You Really Own Your Home? A Tax Revolt Says No.The argument that property taxes make Americans renters in their own houses has fueled the biggest anti-tax uprising in half a century, and local governments are scrambling.
Allen
@thisisallen.bsky.social

"When being online is good, there’s a joy to it, there’s a genuine community built around shared interests. If you’re only online to be afraid, sad, and angry, there’s no community there, just a downward spiral for your mental health." As a sometimes angry guy, I appreciate this article.

Boo!-per Lund@cooperlund.online

Anyway, I wrote about this last year cooperlund.medium.com/crack-up-05f...

Allen
@thisisallen.bsky.social

This is a good reminder to never associate with scumbags because the scumbag will always throw you under the bus. open.substack.com/pub/theargum...

open.substack.comThe scumbag style in American politicsBad people make bad allies
Henry @henrythedog.bsky.social

Graham Platner's campaign has spent $2.3 million since he dropped out in July, most of it to pay staffers, the top pay out? his wife

pressherald.comGraham Platner had millions of dollars on hand when he dropped out. Where has it gone?Platner's campaign has spent over $2.3 million since July, new filings show, much of it toward reimbursing those who powered his ascent.

Allen reposted

Ned Resnikoff
@resnikoff.bsky.social

I wish we had time series data on this stretching back centuries. I remember reading somewhere that Thomas Jefferson identified as not much of a drinker compared to his peers because he usually only had one bottle of wine with dinner.

Boo!-per Lund@cooperlund.online

If you're not familiar with the alcohol consumption by decile chart, it's a real eye opening look at what being a hardcore alcoholic is like

Allen reposted

William B. Fuckley
@opinionhaver.bsky.social

Many voters are cross pressured this cycle, between their traditional commitment to the principles of making things worse for everyone but a little bit worse for Those People with their addiction to the noxious ooze slowly killing the world.

William Burns@williameburns.bsky.social

The district has a strong tradition of voting for the Party of Evil that will be difficult to overcome, unless the price of the substance to which they are addicted (gasoline) rises further.

Allen reposted

Sam
@samd.bsky.social

it should probably be a bigger story that Republican operatives are boosting a socialist candidate to siphon off votes from Sherrod brown

Allen reposted

Aaron Reichlin-Melnick
@reichlinmelnick.bsky.social

Does arresting the wife of an enlisted man and mother of four US citizen children, a person who’s been here since she was 6 years old, make our country great again?

Nick Miroff@nickmiroff.bsky.social

NEW: ICE is trying to deport a mother of 4 while her husband is at Fort Benning in Army basic training. When she went to pick up the family's military IDs, Navy personnel turned her over to ICE. She's been in the US since age six. With @nancyayoussef.bsky.social www.theatlantic.com/politics/202...

theatlantic.comHe Joined the Military. They Reported His Wife to ICE.When a soldier’s wife went to pick up her military ID at a base in Texas, ICE officers showed up.

Allen reposted

jamelle
@jamellebouie.net

this guy gets it. your typical voter just does not care about this shit. does not mean that they support trans inclusion, it just means that it is incredibly low on the bottom of things they even think about.

gwen howerton@kissphoria.bsky.social

Fascinating tidbit in this interview with former Texas House Speaker Dade Phelan (R-Beaumont), he says that Texas Republicans anti-transgender ads aren't "resonating." "What Republicans are talking about is just not what the swing voter is really interested in." www.texasmonthly.com/news-politic...

Allen reposted

ghost malone ergo propter bones
@proptermalone.bsky.social

btw if you haven't clicked through on the Hindu temple not-shooting thing, apparently the not-shooter tried to shoot up the place but his rifle jammed and he got caught because he told his coworkers about it and how he was going to go back and try again

Allen reposted

Matthew Gertz
@mattgertz.bsky.social

An attempted attack on a Hindu temple came amid a weeks-long right-wing frenzy over "The Indian Question"; police found a manifesto from the alleged shooter "containing statements expressing white supremacist and extremist ideologies."

Josh Marshall@joshtpm.bsky.social

www.chicagotribune.com/2026/10/15/r...

chicagotribune.comUS Rep. Raja Krishnamoorthi and family were at Aurora temple when Palatine man tried to carry out attackU.S. Rep. Raja Krishnamoorthi said he and his family were at the Aurora Hindu temple Sunday when authorities allege a 19-year-old Palatine man attempted to carry out a mass shooting there.

Allen reposted

Ned Resnikoff
@resnikoff.bsky.social

The main difference I’ve noticed between West Coast NIMBYs and East Coast NIMBYs is that the former will tell you that they’re worried about gentrification, overpopulation and out of control capitalism, and the latter will just say the thing.

Sam@samd.bsky.social

Long Island right-NIMBYs are genuinely some of the worst people on earth. they’ll beg for a government handout in the form of NIMBY policies that artificially inflate the value of their homes, and then turn around and say that simply making it legal to build apartments is “charity” or something

Allen
@thisisallen.bsky.social

The only people to benefit from building no new housing are the people who already own their own home and will benefit from the captial gains of their home's value. Ms. Gluszak below is a great example of that from the homeowners perspective.

Sam@samd.bsky.social

Long Island right-NIMBYs are genuinely some of the worst people on earth. they’ll beg for a government handout in the form of NIMBY policies that artificially inflate the value of their homes, and then turn around and say that simply making it legal to build apartments is “charity” or something

Allen reposted

Sam
@samd.bsky.social

THE ONLY REASON THAT EASTERN EUROPEAN STATES JOINED NATO IS BECAUSE THEY ARE AFRAID OF RUSSIA ATTACKING THEM, AS EVIDENCED BY THE FACT THAT RUSSIA INVADED UKRAINE, SLAUGHTERED CIVILIANS, AND KIDNAPPED CHILDREN just fucking insane victim blaming.

TrueSync@truesync.bsky.social

Maybe but having the USA lead an organization that is pushing to put an alliance that is anti Russian in Russias border is not going to lead to peace Just look at the domination and colonialism of the USA to Cuba because Cuba aligned with the Soviets

Allen reposted

Kevin
@reginageorgebush.bsky.social

life in prison for everyone who touches this

Kyle Griffin@kylegriffin1.bsky.social

BREAKING WSJ: The Trump admin's investigation into Rep. Ilhan Omar is aimed at building a case to strip her of her U.S. citizenship and ultimately deport her, according to U.S. officials and other people familiar with the probe.

wsj.comIlhan Omar Investigation Aims to Build Case for Stripping Her CitizenshipAuthorities have subpoenaed members of the Democratic congresswoman’s family as part of a broader look at their immigration paperwork.

Allen reposted

Max Dubler 🏳️‍🌈
@maxdubler.com
Team Talarico@teamtalaricohq.bsky.social

Voter: So many young people can’t afford to buy a home James Talarico: I’m hearing this from young people all over the state. In the state legislature, I passed a bipartisan bill to repeal outdated regulations and allow for a new kind of housing to be built here in Texas.

Allen
@thisisallen.bsky.social

salt water is corrosive y'all. steel is not going to last long in these conditions

Matt Novak@paleofuture.bsky.social

I love taking the train between San Diego and Los Angeles since it's such a gorgeous view but there's just no way it'll still exist on the same track a generation from now. www.instagram.com/reels/DeSCAh...

Allen reposted

Katherine Alejandra Cross
@quinnae.com

Wynn's Law remains undefeated.

Chris Sommerfeldt@c-sommerfeldt.bsky.social

Pro-Palestinian protesters gather outside City Hall to call out Mayor Zohran Mamdani for what they see as his betrayal of the movement. "Mayor Mamdani, you can't hide we charge you with genocide" was a chant that just rang out.

Allen reposted

Max Dubler 🏳️‍🌈
@maxdubler.com

One of the most salient divisions in American urban politics is between people who choose to live in cities because they actually like urban life and temporarily embarrassed suburbanites.

Sam@samd.bsky.social

Lmfao now a *republican* city councilmember is in my replies defending Kayla (a Democrat) for being a NIMBY the biggest dividing line in NYC is not Democrat vs Republican but it’s people who like New York vs. outer borough chuds who wished they lived in the Dallas suburbs

Allen reposted

Kevin M. Kruse
@kevinmkruse.bsky.social

More Democrats need to be telling the online casino owners behind Polymarket to shut the fuck up

Qasim Rashid, Esq.@qasimrashid.com

ANGIE NIXON DID NOT COME TO PLAY. LETS GOOOOO! Click below and donate to her campaign for us senate❤️✊🏽 secure.actblue.com/donate/frien...

Allen reposted

jamelle
@jamellebouie.net

someone call up will smith we need him to do something

Mediaite@mediaite.com

Chris Rock Compares ‘Woke 1’ to the Old Testament and Salem Witch Trials: ‘No Forgiveness’

dlvr.itChris Rock Compares ‘Woke 1’ to the Old Testament and Salem Witch Trials: ‘No Forgiveness’Chris Rock dished the big "problem with wokeness" is it turned its true believers into coldhearted prudes who are unwilling to forgive people for mistakes The post Chris Rock Compares ‘Woke 1’ to the Old Testament and Salem Witch Trials: ‘No Forgiveness’ first appeared on Mediaite.
Allen
@thisisallen.bsky.social

being alone in the cab of a truck for most of their waking hours and listening to guys like Joe Rogan all day is partially why they are the way they are. propoganda works!

Kent Lind@camasonian.bsky.social

I have extended family who are truck drivers. They basically spend all day every day alone in their trucks cooking their brain on right-wing talk radio. Contrast that to say auto-workers who are around a diversity of people at work and aren't listening to right wing propaganda while working.

Allen
@thisisallen.bsky.social

it's the full embrace of culture war by a bunch of men who are very insecure about their masculinity and desperate to appear tough

Sam@samd.bsky.social

what the fuck is wrong with the teamsters man Roger Marshall is a ghoul who sued his own patients and threw them in prison!

Allen
@thisisallen.bsky.social

Homelessness is primarily caused by the high price of housing, not addiction or anything else. The Trump administration's ending of funding for housing first initiatives will leave more vulnerable people homeless. apnews.com/article/trum...

apnews.comWhat Trump’s homelessness policy means for the most vulnerableThe Trump administration is shifting federal policy and dollars away from the “Housing First” approach that has been at the heart of federal homelessness policy.
Allen
@thisisallen.bsky.social

If Trump has done one positive thing in his entire life, it's that his stupidity has led to the unintended consequence of exposing our overreliance on diesel in our transportation system thus encouraging electrification.

David Roberts@volts.wtf

I'm not good at math, is $800 million a lot?

electrek.coFedEx believes $300M electric truck spend will save them $800M in dieselIn a record-setting commercial truck deal, international shipping giant FedEx has placed an order for 2,000 all-electric box trucks from...
Allen
@thisisallen.bsky.social

It's so disappointing how we cotinue to build for cars only in this country. The first two locations are so isolated. What a shame!

YIMBYonese Liberation Army@dingbattitude.bsky.social

Here are some recently built high schools in SoCal. Santa Clarita, South OC, Riverside County. The last one being the only one that has any hope of a student ever getting there without a car or bus.

Allen reposted

Stan Oklobdzija
@stano.bsky.social

It may seem like small potatoes in the grand scheme of things, but I'd argue that "trunk or treat" represents American society's greatest failure.

Urban Land Rent 🇸🇴🚰@urbanlandrent.bsky.social

This is so much better than these “truck or treat” monstrosities that are gaining popularity.