Opinions

Congestion pricing, one year in

Traffic mitigation, the main goal of the congestion relief program, has been an inarguable and impressive success. The major bridge and tunnel crossings into the tolled area of Manhattan saw an astounding 23% average decrease in rush hour travel time, ranging from 6.7% on the Manhattan Bridge all the way to 51% in the Holland Tunnel. Read More

The hard truth about decarbonization: why half-measures will not save us

This creates a dilemma. If we only mandate what is easy for companies to implement, emissions keep rising. If we pretend everything can be decarbonized quickly, climate policy collapses under its obvious failures. A serious approach has to accept two tenets at once: we need full decarbonization everywhere that it is possible, and  we need honest promises from sectors where it is not. Read More

State of the Campus Times

As is tradition for the University of Rochester Campus Times, I’m going to take advantage of this Spring’s first print edition to introduce myself and to update all of you on our goals for this coming semester. Read More

The United States’ AI dominance starts with a dominant clean energy supply-chain

This imbalance represents a major strategic risk: Without an independent, clean, scalable, and economically viable energy scheme of its own, the U.S.’ lead in energy-intense AI tech will be short-lived. Read More

From $1,300 to New York State

. I spent the night on the airport floor with $1,300 in my account — money meant to last until I found work in a country whose systems I did not yet understand. I was afraid. But I also knew I could not go back. Read More

F*ck AI

I have a distinct hatred for generative artificial intelligence (AI). As a creative person, who loves the process of writing essays and deeply cares about the environment and humanity of the world, generative AI is one of the worst things you can do with technology. Read More

Littering is a global problem, and here’s what you can do to help

The change can start with you, and it’s only one step away. Read More

The value of op-eds: Interpretation, not gospel

Op-eds matter when they are honest about their limitations and point to evidence, rather than replace it. Read More

The far right and their economics in the U.S. and the U.K., as observed by a recent Rochester immigrant.

Clearly, we need a far different approach to conserving government funds and setting tax rates than what the Anglo-American right is providing. Read More

Are film and literature playing into the rise of American political violence?

When tackling a problem as complex and deep-rooted as political violence, we must understand all the factors at play.  Read More