Jonathan Bernstein

The Web Summit logo appears behind a stage in the MEO Arena, with some exhibitors on the stage and holding their countries' flags. Portugal's is visible at the left.

Good evening from Lisbon, where #WebSummit opened with an Olympics vibe - a parade of flags of attendees' countries. Among the opening speakers, Lisbon mayor Carlos Moedas risked getting booted from X with this celebration of wokeness: "A country cannot work without social justice."

As #COP30 opens in Belém, the message from mayors and local leaders is clear: we are ready to help national governments go further and faster. Only together can we meet the challenge of the climate crisis.

@mayoroflondon.bsky.social @eduardopaesoficial.bsky.social @annehidalgo.bsky.social

As usual great reads Rob!

Recent weeks treated me to two adventures in electric vehicles that were never going to show up in my driveway:
📬 The U.S. Postal Service's Oshkosh NGDV, aka the "duck truck" or "platypus": www.pcmag.com/news/i-took-...
🛥️ Candela's C-8 battery-electric hydrofoil: www.fastcompany.com/91425601/can...

In the 61 year history of SNAP, the program has never missed payments — until now, because of Donald Trump.

Trump could send out SNAP benefits today. Multiple judges have ordered him to, and the government has the money. But he’s still refusing.

Fully fund SNAP now.

A group of ten people stands in a line outdoors on a wooden deck, posing for a photo in front of trees and a large, colorful art installation.

⭐ GOOD NEWS: C40 Cities and @un-habitat.bsky.social have launched the Urban Planning Accelerator to help cities grow sustainably.

The accelerator helps cities design sustainable, equitable and resilient growth and will help put people at the heart of urban development. www.c40.org/accelerators...

Spelman College receives $38 million ‘unrestricted’ gift from philanthropist MacKenzie Scott The university says Scott’s gift lets it address expanding financial aid and scholarship support and investing in a state-of-the-art technology infrastructure “to enhance the academic experience.”

Again Mackenzie Scott ftw www.atlantanewsfirst.com/2025/11/03/s...

Betsy, are they starting to fluff up for the coming winter?

So @nytimes.com , this seems newsy, no?

I was laid off from Teen Vogue this week, alongside multiple other phenomenal team members.

At our Summit, I was asked how it felt to be 1 of 2 Black women left and what that meant for representation. Now, there are no Black women at Teen Vogue and that is incredibly painful to think about.

So Speaker Johnson seemingly doesn’t care about his constituents who depend on Snap benefits because their full time job doesn’t pay enough to live on.

Louisiana — the red state that Mike Johnson nominally represents — has the second highest percentage of residents enrolled in SNAP in the nation.

They’re pushing this fantasy about these being “Democrat programs” used only in blue states but that’s a PR fantasy divorced from reality.

She helped get her violent husband deported. Then ICE deported her — straight into his arms. Carmen's abusive husband came home drunk one night last summer. He pounded and kicked the door.

Trump deported a victim of domestic violence who was seeking refuge in the US. When she got off the plane, her husband was standing in the airport, waiting for her.

She is once again stuck with her abuser, thanks to Trump and his admin. www.latimes.com/california/s...

This is an excellent idea!!!

Just seeing the @newshour.bsky.social story about WIC program cutbacks reminds that my mother, Dr. Estelle Siker, who worked for the Connecticut Health Department, brought the WIC program to Connecticut. She was an amazing public health physician that my brother and I are so proud of.

Fantastic, as least while public laughter isn’t against the law in the United States yet…

ICYMI: This is my STARTER PACK specifically profiling urbanists OUTSIDE of North America! If you love cities and want them to be better for people, please consider following these folks and orgs, and please share this pack as much as you can! Thanks very much.

I completely agree! It was a series and 7th game for the ages!

A woman in a green suit speaks into a microphone while seated on a panel stage, with a male panelist beside her. The backdrop features logos for "COP30 BRASIL AMAZÔNIA," "GOVERNO DO BRASIL," and "Bloomberg Philanthropies."

At #WMS25, city leaders explored how redesigning neighbourhoods delivers huge benefits.

The panel, including Mayor @annehidalgo.bsky.social and @genslerdesign.bsky.social, discussed how green neighbourhoods make cities like Paris more accessible for all.

Ha!

When Bikes Outnumber Cars: What Scotland’s Cycling Surge Can Teach North America Scotland’s largest city reached a milestone that would make any transportation planner in Portland, or Montreal do a double take.

“In May 2025, Scotland’s largest city [Glasgow] reached a milestone that would make any transportation planner in Portland or Montreal do a double take: during the morning rush hour, there were more bicycles than cars traveling along Victoria Road, a major artery…” Via @momentummag.bsky.social

Moon Duchin on the ‘Mathematical Quagmire’ of Gerrymandering

Gift link to great interview of a mathematician working on redistricting. She even mentions #RankedChoiceVoting! www.nytimes.com/2025/11/03/s...

Geez, Twitter is so full of idiot questions now, that it’s no longer fun to even try there.

Big day for @wmata.com & our region! Very appreciative of our partner @mwcog.bsky.social helping lead DMVMoves to a successful vote of support by our regional leaders & supports🙏. Securing indexed capital funding in upcoming VA/DC/MD budget sessions is critical to our economy & quality of life.

Is he hunting out of the water? Do they eat moles/voles/mice too?

Yes it’s exciting

EVs, Home Charging & Tesla Test Drive - my story I thought it might be helpful to tell our story of shopping for EVs, our decision, and how it's worked out so far.  Comments, please! Our Pl...

If anyone is considering an EV from the surplus of the main automakers, and wants to read my story about how we came to choose ours and our now 6 month experience with our first EV, here's the story: kingsburyassociates.blogspot.com/2025/10/evs-...

This is what democracy looks like. #NoKings

Doctor at my annual check-up: The CDC is now recommending pneumonia vaccination for people 50 and older.
Me: That was last year's CDC that decided that, right?
Doctor: Yes, previous administration.
(I did get the jab and hope it improves my 5G reception.)

Thanks Rob. One comment in your piece reminded me of my regular practice. When we take the train to NYC, the WiFi hotspot from my iPhone usually is much faster than the train wifi