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Philadelphia’s transit system plunged into crisis on August 24, when the Southeastern Pennsylvania Transportation Authority (SEPTA) slashed bus, trolley, subway, and Regional Rail service by 20%. SEPTA eliminated 32 bus routes, shortened 16 more, and reduced the frequency of other bus and train lines. The crisis occurred as a result of state lawmakers failing to close a USD 213 million budget gap. The funding standoff left the city’s 746,500 SEPTA riders stranded and pushed the nation’s sixth-largest transit agency toward what officials call a “death spiral” – which has deeply impacted the disproportionately Black and lower-income SEPTA ridership. Nearly three-quarters of Philadelphia transit riders don’t own a car; more than half are Black, and nearly half earn under USD 30,000 a year.

Cuts to public transit in Philadelphia have forced commuters to double their commute time, says longtime Philly-based organizer Talia Giles. In the process of interviewing Philly residents following SEPTA cuts, Giles said, “one of the people that we spoke to was a student, and she said that she’s lucky now if she makes it home within 45 minutes. But originally her commute was 20.”

But amid this crisis, as students and workers struggled to get to their destinations, a sports betting company stepped in to fill in the gaps to make sure that people could get to the first football game of the season on September 4. FanDuel, an online gambling company, pledged USD 80,000 to keep trains running on the Broad Street Line for the Philadelphia Eagles’ home opener.

Transit across the country faces similar crisis

What led to this mass transit crisis? A huge boost in funds from the federal government to SEPTA during the pandemic has since been exhausted.

During the COVID-19 pandemic, aid was distributed by the US government to transit systems of major cities. Federal COVID relief funds provided to SEPTA amounted to about USD 1.5 billion, but this money was exhausted by June 2024. SEPTA never recovered its pre-pandemic ridership, and this, combined with the end of federal relief funds, contributed to the budget crisis that has raised new questions about the federal government’s role in supporting transit systems in major cities.

In Philadelphia, the lack of federal aid for SEPTA was exacerbated by the fact that unlike New York or Los Angeles, Philadelphia lacks a dedicated regional tax to fund transit.

Other transit systems which could face similar budget challenges with the end of federal COVID relief include the public transit in Chicago, Dallas, Portland, and San Francisco. For example, Chicago transit faces a USD 771 million budget deficit.

Service returns, but at a cost

On September 4, days after the service reductions went into place across Philadelphia, a Pennsylvania court ordered SEPTA to halt all planned service cuts, including eliminations of bus routes, Regional Rail lines, station closures, and curfews, and to immediately restore any services that had been reduced or eliminated. On Monday, September 8, Pennsylvania Governor Josh Shapiro approved SEPTA’s request to redirect up to USD 394 million in capital assistance funds initially earmarked for infrastructure, to maintain and restore daily operations. This funding shift is expected to stave off further cuts for approximately two years.

Despite the restored service, SEPTA plans to implement a 21.5% fare hike, from USD 2.50 to 2.90, effective September 14. Despite the cuts to service, Giles claims that “we’ve also seen increased police presence and then increased fines and arrests” for fare evasion.

Philadelphia is labeled as the “poorest big city” in the US, with the highest poverty rate of any of the nation’s 10 largest cities. The SEPTA cuts hit lower income riders the hardest, a disproportionate number of whom are Black in a city with a plurality of Black residents, making up almost 40% of the city’s population. In 2023, the Transit app conducted a survey which revealed that in Philadelphia, nearly three-quarters of transit riders lack access to a car. Over half are Black, and almost half live in households making under USD 30,000 a year.

“The SEPTA crisis is a clear example of how poor and working people are so often denied basic public services,” said Walter Smolarek, a longtime Philadelphia resident and editor of Liberation News. “Even though major corporations like Comcast and Vanguard Financial are headquartered in the Philadelphia area, the city still lacks the tax revenue to meet its residents’ needs. Philadelphia is also home to about half of Pennsylvania’s Black population, and right-wing politicians from majority white areas routinely refuse to provide the city its fair share of state funding.”

In response to SEPTA’s restoration of transit services, some riders are reacting with indignation to the upcoming fare hikes. “It’s a racket, it’s a money grab. They already knew they had the money, they had the funding. They just want people to possibly suffer who can’t afford it as is at 2.50 dollars. It wasn’t that long ago we went up to 2.50 dollars and now 2.90 dollars, it’s impossible,” said Goldie Chavous, a SEPTA rider, told FOX 29.

The post Philadelphia public transit “death spiral” is a warning for other underfunded cities across the US appeared first on Peoples Dispatch.

From Peoples Dispatch via this RSS feed

New details on SEPTA restoring services, fare hikes and funding controversy

A deadline has been set for SEPTA to reverse all the service cuts it has recently made. Plus more on the fare increases.

^{Steve Keeley (FOX 29 Philadelphia)}

!photography@piefed.social

piefed.social/c/photography

Photography group

From mastodon / pixelfed @photography@piefed.social

A new survey conducted by the U.S. Census Bureau and reported on by Apolloseems to show that large companies may be tapping the brakes on AI. Large companies (defined as having more than 250 employees) have reduced their AI usage, according to the data (click to expand the Tweet below). The slowdown started in June, when it was at roughly 13.5%, slipping to about 12% at the end of August. Most other lines, representing companies with fewer employees, are also at a decline, with some still increasing.

AI adoption rate is declining among large companies — US Census Bureau claims fewer businesses are using AI tools

Strong start, but what now?

^{Hassam Nasir (Tom's Hardware)}

https://thedailyadda.com/2025/09/08/news/politics/white-house-in-total-meltdown-after-trumps-shocking-epstein-letter-leaks/

cross-posted from: programming.dev/post/37123109

The lawsuit between Nintendo and Modded Hardware has been settled, with the site's operator agreeing to a final judgment of $2 million. The proposed settlement includes a broad permanent injunction that bans operator Ryan Daly from selling, distributing, or even linking to circumvention devices such mod chips and hacked consoles. The defendant also agreed to transfer his website domain to Nintendo and destroy any remaining circumvention devices.

Pro

2025-09-09 01:51:34

'Modded Hardware' Agrees to Settle Nintendo's Copyright Lawsuit for $2 Million

The lawsuit between Nintendo and Modded Hardware has been settled, with the site's operator agreeing to a final judgment of $2 million. The proposed settlement includes a broad permanent injunction that bans operator Ryan Daly from selling, distributing, or even linking to circumvention devices such mod chips and hacked consoles. The defendant also agreed to transfer his website domain to Nintendo and destroy any remaining circumvention devices.

'Modded Hardware' Agrees to Settle Nintendo's Copyright Lawsuit for $2 Million * TorrentFreak

^{Ernesto Van der Sar (TF Publishing)}

cross-posted from: programming.dev/post/37100629

Google's CEO, Sundar Pichai, said in May that web publishing is not dying. Nick Fox, VP of Search at Google, said in May that the web is thriving. But in a court document filed by Google on late Friday, Google's lawyers wrote, "The fact is that today, the open web is already in rapid decline."

Pro

2025-09-08 17:32:30

New Google Court Doc: Open Web Is In Rapid Decline

Google's CEO, Sundar Pichai, said in May that web publishing is not dying. Nick Fox, VP of Search at Google, said in May that the web is thriving. But in a court document filed by Google on late Friday, Google's lawyers wrote, "The fact is that today, the open web is already in rapid decline."

New Google Court Doc: Open Web Is In Rapid Decline

Google's CEO, Sundar Pichai, said in May that web publishing is not dying. Nick Fox, VP of Search at Google, said in May that the web is thriving. But in a court document filed by Google on late Fri

^{Barry Schwartz (Search Engine Roundtable)}

cross-posted from: programming.dev/post/37110847

::: spoiler Comments
- Hacker News;
- Reddit.
:::

Pro

2025-09-08 20:46:45

Largest NPM Compromise in History(Packages With Over 2.6 Billion Total Weekly Downloads) - Supply Chain Attack

::: spoiler Comments
- Hacker News;
- Reddit.
:::

npm debug and chalk packages compromised

The popular packages debug and chalk on npm have been compromised with malicious code

^{Charlie Eriksen (Aikido Security)}

cross-posted from: programming.dev/post/37112962

::: spoiler Comments
- Hacker News;
- Lobsters;
- Reddit.
:::

Pro

2025-09-08 21:41:49

Signal announces a backup feature that includes 100MB of storage for texts and the last 45 days' worth of media for free, or 100GB of storage for $1.99/month

::: spoiler Comments
- Hacker News;
- Lobsters;
- Reddit.
:::

Introducing Signal Secure Backups

In the past, if you broke or lost your phone, your Signal message history was gone. This has been a challenge for people whose most important conversations happen on Signal.

^{Signal Messenger}

cross-posted from: programming.dev/post/37113232

::: spoiler Comments
- Yellow Flag— Mastodon.
:::

Pro

2025-09-08 21:46:46

LookCam App Users Exposed to Critical Security Risks

::: spoiler Comments
- Yellow Flag— Mastodon.
:::

A look at a P2P camera (LookCam app)

I’ve got my hands on an internet-connected camera and decided to take a closer look, having already read about security issues with similar cameras.

^{Almost Secure}

cross-posted from: programming.dev/post/37113232

::: spoiler Comments
- Yellow Flag— Mastodon.
:::

Pro

2025-09-08 21:46:46

LookCam App Users Exposed to Critical Security Risks

::: spoiler Comments
- Yellow Flag— Mastodon.
:::

A look at a P2P camera (LookCam app)

I’ve got my hands on an internet-connected camera and decided to take a closer look, having already read about security issues with similar cameras.

^{Almost Secure}

cross-posted from: programming.dev/post/37120773

Complaint.

Pro

2025-09-09 00:33:10

Attaullah Baig, ex-head of security at WhatsApp, sues Meta for allegedly ignoring critical security flaws, claims Meta staffers could access sensitive user data

::: spoiler Comments
- Hacker News.
:::

Complaint.

WhatsApp's former security boss claims reporting infosec failings led to ousting

: Meta shrugs off allegations of improper dismissal, ignoring privacy and security

^{Thomas Claburn (The Register)}

cross-posted from: programming.dev/post/37122335

• Sexual extortion, or ‘sextortion’ scams against children and young people on the rise, with ‘hideous and callous cruelty’ used to blackmail victims.
• Boys still at particular risk as numbers surge – making up 97% of confirmed sextortion cases seen by the Internet Watch Foundation (IWF).
• UK’s Report Remove service, run jointly by Childline and the IWF, sees significant rise in children self-reporting nude or sexual imagery which may have got out of control online.

Pro

2025-09-09 01:12:28

Child sexual extortion cases in the UK soar: Charities warn threat of sexual extortion (or sextortion) against children ‘not diminishing’ as new data show sextortion cases soar 72% in a year.

• Sexual extortion, or ‘sextortion’ scams against children and young people on the rise, with ‘hideous and callous cruelty’ used to blackmail victims.
• Boys still at particular risk as numbers surge – making up 97% of confirmed sextortion cases seen by the Internet Watch Foundation (IWF).
• UK’s Report Remove service, run jointly by Childline and the IWF, sees significant rise in children self-reporting nude or sexual imagery which may have got out of control online.

Child sexual extortion cases in the UK soar

^{www.iwf.org.uk}

The lawsuit between Nintendo and Modded Hardware has been settled, with the site's operator agreeing to a final judgment of $2 million. The proposed settlement includes a broad permanent injunction that bans operator Ryan Daly from selling, distributing, or even linking to circumvention devices such mod chips and hacked consoles. The defendant also agreed to transfer his website domain to Nintendo and destroy any remaining circumvention devices.

'Modded Hardware' Agrees to Settle Nintendo's Copyright Lawsuit for $2 Million * TorrentFreak

^{Ernesto Van der Sar (TF Publishing)}

By AMELIA THOMSON-DEVEAUX
Updated 11:08 AM EDT, September 8, 2025

Capitalism’s image has slipped with U.S. adults overall since 2021, the survey finds, and the results show a gradual but persistent shift in Democrats’ support for the two ideologies over the past 15 years, with socialism rising as capitalism falls. The shifts underscore deep divisions within the party about whether open support for socialism will hurt Democrats’ ability to reach moderates or galvanize greater support from people who are concerned about issues like the cost of living.

...But Democrats under 50 are much less likely to view capitalism favorably, while the opinions of Democrats ages 50 and older haven’t shifted meaningfully, according to Gallup.

https://apnews.com/article/socialism-socialist-capitalism-big-business-free-enterprise-poll-c052ca687269a2cc075423877b7904e6

cross-posted from: lemmy.ml/post/35882926

By AMELIA THOMSON-DEVEAUX
Updated 11:08 AM EDT, September 8, 2025

Capitalism’s image has slipped with U.S. adults overall since 2021, the survey finds, and the results show a gradual but persistent shift in Democrats’ support for the two ideologies over the past 15 years, with socialism rising as capitalism falls. The shifts underscore deep divisions within the party about whether open support for socialism will hurt Democrats’ ability to reach moderates or galvanize greater support from people who are concerned about issues like the cost of living.

...But Democrats under 50 are much less likely to view capitalism favorably, while the opinions of Democrats ages 50 and older haven’t shifted meaningfully, according to Gallup.

Peter Link

2025-09-09 01:29:39

What Americans think about socialism and capitalism, according to a new Gallup poll

By AMELIA THOMSON-DEVEAUX
Updated 11:08 AM EDT, September 8, 2025

Capitalism’s image has slipped with U.S. adults overall since 2021, the survey finds, and the results show a gradual but persistent shift in Democrats’ support for the two ideologies over the past 15 years, with socialism rising as capitalism falls. The shifts underscore deep divisions within the party about whether open support for socialism will hurt Democrats’ ability to reach moderates or galvanize greater support from people who are concerned about issues like the cost of living.

...But Democrats under 50 are much less likely to view capitalism favorably, while the opinions of Democrats ages 50 and older haven’t shifted meaningfully, according to Gallup.

https://apnews.com/article/socialism-socialist-capitalism-big-business-free-enterprise-poll-c052ca687269a2cc075423877b7904e6

The number of reported arrests is relatively few, but immigrant rights advocates said the operation appears to mark a shift in ICE tactics. Before this operation, local activists said, agents had been targeted in their tactics, presenting warrants at specific homes or detaining people at immigration court. Stopping people on the street in what appeared to be a fairly random fashion is new, they said.

In short, the Supreme Court decision not to uphold an injunction barring the use of racial profiling a basis for arrest is having fairly immediate consequences .

Access options:
* gift link — registration required
* archive.today — should load a few minutes after this post goes up

Jon Queally
Sep 08, 2025

Many thousands marched in solidarity through downtown Chicago over the weekend to denounce the growing threat of Trump's authoritarianism, with the Midwest's largest city his latest target.

Organized by the Coalition Against the Trump Agenda and the Illinois Coalition for Immigrant and Refugee Rights, city residents demonstrated in droves on Saturday afternoon, walking down Michigan Avenue carrying signs that read: "National Guard Stay Out of Chicago!"; "ICE Out of Chicago!"; "No Trump! No Troops!"; "No Nazis - No Kings"; and "Rise Up! Fight Back!"

'No Trump! No Troops!' Thousands March in Chicago as President Threatens 'War'

"Trump has spent billions on federal guards and the militarization of our community, pouring money into weapons and intimidation instead of investing in schools, hospitals, jobs, and housing."

^{jon-queally (Common Dreams)}

cross-posted from: lemmy.ml/post/35882855

Jon Queally
Sep 08, 2025

Many thousands marched in solidarity through downtown Chicago over the weekend to denounce the growing threat of Trump's authoritarianism, with the Midwest's largest city his latest target.

Organized by the Coalition Against the Trump Agenda and the Illinois Coalition for Immigrant and Refugee Rights, city residents demonstrated in droves on Saturday afternoon, walking down Michigan Avenue carrying signs that read: "National Guard Stay Out of Chicago!"; "ICE Out of Chicago!"; "No Trump! No Troops!"; "No Nazis - No Kings"; and "Rise Up! Fight Back!"

Peter Link

2025-09-09 01:21:27

'No Trump! No Troops!' Thousands March in Chicago as President Threatens 'War' | Common Dreams

Jon Queally
Sep 08, 2025

Many thousands marched in solidarity through downtown Chicago over the weekend to denounce the growing threat of Trump's authoritarianism, with the Midwest's largest city his latest target.

Organized by the Coalition Against the Trump Agenda and the Illinois Coalition for Immigrant and Refugee Rights, city residents demonstrated in droves on Saturday afternoon, walking down Michigan Avenue carrying signs that read: "National Guard Stay Out of Chicago!"; "ICE Out of Chicago!"; "No Trump! No Troops!"; "No Nazis - No Kings"; and "Rise Up! Fight Back!"

'No Trump! No Troops!' Thousands March in Chicago as President Threatens 'War'

"Trump has spent billions on federal guards and the militarization of our community, pouring money into weapons and intimidation instead of investing in schools, hospitals, jobs, and housing."

^{jon-queally (Common Dreams)}

• Sexual extortion, or ‘sextortion’ scams against children and young people on the rise, with ‘hideous and callous cruelty’ used to blackmail victims.
• Boys still at particular risk as numbers surge – making up 97% of confirmed sextortion cases seen by the Internet Watch Foundation (IWF).
• UK’s Report Remove service, run jointly by Childline and the IWF, sees significant rise in children self-reporting nude or sexual imagery which may have got out of control online.

The venture capital giant, behind cyber giants Wiz and Databricks, said it has notified current and former employees and the firm's limited partners of its January breach.

VC giant Insight Partners notifies staff and limited partners after data breach | TechCrunch

^{Zack Whittaker (TechCrunch)}

::: spoiler Comments
- Hacker News.
:::

Complaint.

WhatsApp's former security boss claims reporting infosec failings led to ousting

: Meta shrugs off allegations of improper dismissal, ignoring privacy and security

^{Thomas Claburn (The Register)}

"If a man has a little fight with the wife, they say this was a crime, see? So now I can't claim 100 percent [reduction in crime]," the president said Monday.

The one crime Trump doesn't seem to have a problem with? Domestic violence.

^{Mother Jones}

Earlier policy on transgender service personnel has effectively created a list for the Pentagon

Trump asked trans troops to get an official diagnosis. Now he’s using it to kick them out

^{Oliver O'Connell (The Independent)}

Good lord, here comes another act of preemptive cowardice in service of ensuring the most powerful man in the world enjoys his appearance before a crowd he can’t control or doesn’t own.

Archived version: archive.is/newest/techdirt.com…

Disclaimer: The article linked is from a single source with a single perspective. Make sure to cross-check information against multiple sources to get a comprehensive view on the situation.

US Open Tells Broadcasters Not To Broadcast Trump Being Booed At The US Open

Good lord, here comes another act of preemptive cowardice in service of ensuring the most powerful man in the world enjoys his appearance before a crowd he can’t control or doesn’t own.…

^Techdirt

Union says ‘Amazon is breaking the law’ after drivers working for contractor Cornucopia were terminated

Amazon fires 150 unionized third-party drivers, Teamsters says

^{Lauren Aratani (The Guardian)}

The surrender of Britain, France and Germany to US dictates puts serious question marks to their credibility in the global politics, claims Iranian foreign minister Abbas Araghchi in an article in The Guardian.

Archived version: archive.is/newest/peoplesdispa…

Disclaimer: The article linked is from a single source with a single perspective. Make sure to cross-check information against multiple sources to get a comprehensive view on the situation.

Mamdani said the city needs to find out where its investments are 'directly implicated' in violations of international law

Mamdani says he will keep New York City pension fund out of Israel Bonds

New York City’s Democratic nominee for mayor, Zohran Mamdani, said in a television interview on Sunday that he does not believe the city’s pension funds should be invested in Israel Bonds because of the country's violations of international law. 

^{MEE staff (Middle East Eye)}