No adblocker detected.
::: spoiler Comments
- Hacker News.
:::
Internet ads are horrible: They waste your time, and the advertising industry makes the internet a worse place. Payouts are so small that the only way to survive is to turn your site into an ad filled hellhole with no real substance.
Technology Channel reshared this.
Pakistan: Mass surveillance and censorship machine is fueled by Chinese, European, Emirati and North American companies
cross-posted from: programming.dev/post/37138319
Full Report: “Shadows of Control”.::: spoiler Investigation Partners
- Paper Trail Media;
- DER STANDARD;
- Follow the Money;
- The Globe and Mail;
- Justice For Myanmar;
- InterSecLab;
- The Tor Project.
:::
The investigation exposes how Pakistani authorities have obtained technology from foreign companies, through a covert global supply chain of sophisticated surveillance and censorship tools, particularly the new firewall (the Web Monitoring System [WMS 2.0]) and a Lawful Intercept Management System (LIMS). The report documents how the WMS firewall has evolved over time, initially using technology supplied by Canadian company Sandvine (now AppLogic Networks). Following Sandvine’s divestment in 2023, new technology from China-based Geedge Networks, utilising hardware and software components supplied by Niagara Networks from the U.S. and Thales from France, were used to create a new version of the firewall. The Lawful Intercept Management System (LIMS) uses technology from the German company, Utimaco, through an Emirati company called Datafusion.
Pakistan: Mass surveillance and censorship machine is fueled by Chinese, European, Emirati and North American companies
cross-posted from: programming.dev/post/37138319
Full Report: “Shadows of Control”.::: spoiler Investigation Partners
- Paper Trail Media;
- DER STANDARD;
- Follow the Money;
- The Globe and Mail;
- Justice For Myanmar;
- InterSecLab;
- The Tor Project.
:::
The investigation exposes how Pakistani authorities have obtained technology from foreign companies, through a covert global supply chain of sophisticated surveillance and censorship tools, particularly the new firewall (the Web Monitoring System [WMS 2.0]) and a Lawful Intercept Management System (LIMS). The report documents how the WMS firewall has evolved over time, initially using technology supplied by Canadian company Sandvine (now AppLogic Networks). Following Sandvine’s divestment in 2023, new technology from China-based Geedge Networks, utilising hardware and software components supplied by Niagara Networks from the U.S. and Thales from France, were used to create a new version of the firewall. The Lawful Intercept Management System (LIMS) uses technology from the German company, Utimaco, through an Emirati company called Datafusion.
Pakistan: Mass surveillance and censorship machine is fueled by Chinese, European, Emirati and North American companies
cross-posted from: programming.dev/post/37138319
Full Report: “Shadows of Control”.::: spoiler Investigation Partners
- Paper Trail Media;
- DER STANDARD;
- Follow the Money;
- The Globe and Mail;
- Justice For Myanmar;
- InterSecLab;
- The Tor Project.
:::
The investigation exposes how Pakistani authorities have obtained technology from foreign companies, through a covert global supply chain of sophisticated surveillance and censorship tools, particularly the new firewall (the Web Monitoring System [WMS 2.0]) and a Lawful Intercept Management System (LIMS). The report documents how the WMS firewall has evolved over time, initially using technology supplied by Canadian company Sandvine (now AppLogic Networks). Following Sandvine’s divestment in 2023, new technology from China-based Geedge Networks, utilising hardware and software components supplied by Niagara Networks from the U.S. and Thales from France, were used to create a new version of the firewall. The Lawful Intercept Management System (LIMS) uses technology from the German company, Utimaco, through an Emirati company called Datafusion.
a minimal text-based reddit alternative
hey guys, so i’ve been working on this minimal, text-based reddit alternative for the past few weeks, and i think it’s coming along nicely.
i'm calling it nooki (name might change in the future). for now, you can only share text-only posts (this could also change if it takes off and people want to share images or other media)
it has most of the basic features of reddit, and i’d love to get your feedback on the UI and any features you’d like to see added
here are some more screenshots of the site so far
ibb.co/album/BzdNkF
Pakistan: Mass surveillance and censorship machine is fueled by Chinese, European, Emirati and North American companies
cross-posted from: programming.dev/post/37138319
Full Report: “Shadows of Control”.::: spoiler Investigation Partners
- Paper Trail Media;
- DER STANDARD;
- Follow the Money;
- The Globe and Mail;
- Justice For Myanmar;
- InterSecLab;
- The Tor Project.
:::
The investigation exposes how Pakistani authorities have obtained technology from foreign companies, through a covert global supply chain of sophisticated surveillance and censorship tools, particularly the new firewall (the Web Monitoring System [WMS 2.0]) and a Lawful Intercept Management System (LIMS). The report documents how the WMS firewall has evolved over time, initially using technology supplied by Canadian company Sandvine (now AppLogic Networks). Following Sandvine’s divestment in 2023, new technology from China-based Geedge Networks, utilising hardware and software components supplied by Niagara Networks from the U.S. and Thales from France, were used to create a new version of the firewall. The Lawful Intercept Management System (LIMS) uses technology from the German company, Utimaco, through an Emirati company called Datafusion.
Pakistan: Mass surveillance and censorship machine is fueled by Chinese, European, Emirati and North American companies
cross-posted from: programming.dev/post/37138319
Full Report: “Shadows of Control”.::: spoiler Investigation Partners
- Paper Trail Media;
- DER STANDARD;
- Follow the Money;
- The Globe and Mail;
- Justice For Myanmar;
- InterSecLab;
- The Tor Project.
:::
The investigation exposes how Pakistani authorities have obtained technology from foreign companies, through a covert global supply chain of sophisticated surveillance and censorship tools, particularly the new firewall (the Web Monitoring System [WMS 2.0]) and a Lawful Intercept Management System (LIMS). The report documents how the WMS firewall has evolved over time, initially using technology supplied by Canadian company Sandvine (now AppLogic Networks). Following Sandvine’s divestment in 2023, new technology from China-based Geedge Networks, utilising hardware and software components supplied by Niagara Networks from the U.S. and Thales from France, were used to create a new version of the firewall. The Lawful Intercept Management System (LIMS) uses technology from the German company, Utimaco, through an Emirati company called Datafusion.
Technology Channel reshared this.
Pakistan: Mass surveillance and censorship machine is fueled by Chinese, European, Emirati and North American companies
cross-posted from: programming.dev/post/37138319
Full Report: “Shadows of Control”.::: spoiler Investigation Partners
- Paper Trail Media;
- DER STANDARD;
- Follow the Money;
- The Globe and Mail;
- Justice For Myanmar;
- InterSecLab;
- The Tor Project.
:::
The investigation exposes how Pakistani authorities have obtained technology from foreign companies, through a covert global supply chain of sophisticated surveillance and censorship tools, particularly the new firewall (the Web Monitoring System [WMS 2.0]) and a Lawful Intercept Management System (LIMS). The report documents how the WMS firewall has evolved over time, initially using technology supplied by Canadian company Sandvine (now AppLogic Networks). Following Sandvine’s divestment in 2023, new technology from China-based Geedge Networks, utilising hardware and software components supplied by Niagara Networks from the U.S. and Thales from France, were used to create a new version of the firewall. The Lawful Intercept Management System (LIMS) uses technology from the German company, Utimaco, through an Emirati company called Datafusion.
Klimapolitik, Geopolitik und Mario Draghis Rede – Überlegungen zum Standard-Interview mit Kywan Riahi
Der Standard bringt heute ein langes Interview zur Festlegung der europäischen Klimaziele, dass Benedikt Narodoslawsky mit Kywan Riahi geführt hat (Narodoslawsky 2025b). Riahi sagt deutlich, dass Europa bis 2050 nicht CO2-neutral werden kann, wenn die Emissionen nicht bis 2040 um 90% gesenkt werden. Der Standard hat in der letzten Woche darüber berichtet, dass die ÖVP aktiv versucht, dieses Ziel zu blockieren (Narodoslawsky 2025a), die österreichische Regierung darüber aber nicht einig ist. Über die Konflikte auf der europäischen Ebene gibt es einen ausführlichen Artikel im Guardian (Harvey 2025). Macron und Merz spielen hier unrühmliche Rollen und setzen dabei offenbar auch auf den Antieuropäer Orbán.
Die geopolitische Dimension dieser Entscheidung wird in dem Interview nicht erwähnt. Für mich gehört die Rede, die Mario Draghi vor zwei Wochen in Rimini gehalten hat, zum Hintergrund (Draghi 2025). Draghi fordert eine gemeinsame europäische Industriepolitik, eine Stärkung des Binnenmarkts und eine viel engere politische Integration Europas, damit Europa seine Interessen gegenüber China und den USA durchsetzen kann. Er stellt fest, dass die neoliberale Ära, in der Europa fast ausschließlich auf wirtschaftlichen Erfolg gesetzt hat, um internationales politisches Gewicht zu haben, endgültig vorbei ist. Die Klimakrise erwähnt er dabei nicht. Die Dekarbonisierung spielt aber in dem genau vor einem Jahr entstandenen Draghi-Report eine wichtige Rolle, wenn sie auch nur unter dem Aspekt der Wettbewerbsfähigkeit und damit des Wachstums behandelt wird (“The Draghi Report: In-Depth Analysis and Recommendations” 2024).
Die Politik, die Riahi befürwortet, und Draghis Konzepte sind nicht nur kompatibel, sie setzen sich gegenseitig voraus. Um die (bereits verwässerten) Ziele der EU-Kommission durchzusetzen und damit wenigstens im Wesentlichen bei der bisherigen EU-Klimapolitik zu bleiben, ist die Bereitschaft zu einer Art Neugründung der europäischen Institutionen nötig, wie sie Draghi vorschlägt. Anders ist die dazu nötige Industriepolitik nicht zu finanzieren. Das wäre das Gegenteil der Politik der Rechtspopulisten, mit denen Leute wie Macron im Zweifel gegen die Linke zusammenarbeiten. Eine solche Politik wäre auch weit entfernt von der bisherigen Politik der deutschen und österreichischen Konservativen, die sich vor allem an der kurzfristigen Wettbewerbsfähigkeit der eigenen nationalen Industrien orientiert.
Um die schlimmsten Folgen der Klimakatastrophe zu begrenzen, ist allerdings viel mehr nötig als das Erreichen der derzeitigen europäischen Klimaziele. Auch das wird im Interview mit Riahi nicht angesprochen. Es gibt kein CO2-Budget mehr zu verteilen, um das 1,5°-Ziel des Pariser Abkommens auf irgendeinem Reduktionspfad zu erreichen. Die CO₂-Uhr des Potsdam-Instituts zeigt, dass das globale Budget für 1,5° in nicht einmal 4 Jahren aufgebraucht sein wird. Auch die Politik die Draghi vorschlägt und zu der Riahis Argumentation passt, entspricht also nicht dem Ernst der Lage.
Ich lese gerade Karl Polanyis The Great Transformation (Polanyi 2001). Ausführlich schildert Polanyi darin, wie das, was wir heute als kapitalistische Marktwirtschaft kennen, Anfang des 19. Jahrhunderts durchgesetzt wurde – bevor man begriffen hatte, dass die Grundlagen der bisherigen ökonomischen Strukturen vor allem durch die Industrialisierung bereits zerstört waren. Über Jahrzehnte bemühte man sich mit nicht funktionierenden Gesetzen, an bisherigen Herrschaftsformen festzuhalten und gleichzeitig die Industrialisierung nicht zu blockieren. Mir kommen die Auseinandersetzungen in der EU ähnlich vor. Die Radikalität der nötigen Transformation wird entweder nicht wahrgenommen – oder, und das scheint mir bei Draghi der Fall zu sein – sie wird wahrgenommen, aber im Sinne des bisherigen Wachstumsparadigmas interpretiert. Zu Anfang des 19. Jahrhunderts mussten ökonomistische (wie es Polanyi nennt) Paradigmen erst durchgesetzt werden, um zu begreifen, wie radikal sich Wirtschaft und Gesellschaft verändert hatten. Heute verhindert vor allem der Ökonomismus das Verständnis der nötigen Transformationen. Wenn man Draghis Konzepte „dreht“ und von der Fixierung auf Wachstum und den globalen Markt löst, kommt man einem solchen Verständnis näher. Man erkennt aber auch – denn Draghis Argumente sind stringent – wie eng jede Form der Bekämpfung des Klimanotstands an geopolitische Auseinandersetzungen gebunden ist.
Draghi, Mario. 2025. “EU-Wirtschaft: Europa ist schlecht gerüstet für eine Zeit der Handelskriege.” Die Zeit, August 28, 2025. zeit.de/2025/37/eu-wirtschaft-….
Harvey, Fiona. 2025. “EU States Still Fighting over Crucial Targets in Run-up to Cop30, Leaked Draft Shows.” The Guardian, September 8, 2025, sec. Environment. theguardian.com/environment/20….
Narodoslawsky, Benedikt. 2025a. “ÖVP Bremst in Brüssel EU-Klimaziel Aus – Ohne Zustimmung von SPÖ Und Neos,” September 5, 2025. derstandard.at/story/300000028….
———. 2025b. “Klimaziel Aufweichen? ‘Das Wäre Unverantwortlich,’ Warnt Klimaforscher Riahi.” Der Standard, September 9, 2025. derstandard.at/story/300000028….
Polanyi, Karl. 2001 [1944]. The Great Transformation: The Political and Economic Origins of Our Time. 2nd Beacon Paperback ed. Boston, MA: Beacon Press. archive.org/details/in.ernet.d….
“The Draghi Report: In-Depth Analysis and Recommendations.” 2024. European Commission. commission.europa.eu/topics/eu….
EU states still fighting over crucial targets in run-up to Cop30, leaked draft shows
Exclusive: Experts decry lack of nationally determined contributions in negotiating document with weeks to go before UN-set deadlineFiona Harvey (The Guardian)
galleria miuistica fa lo schifo e ruba spazio porta così ai peli del dentro telefono
Mi sembra strano di non aver mai raccontato questa cosa prima, ma in effetti non l’ho mai fatto… il cosa sono costretta a patire per colpa della MIUI. Non in generale, perché quello lo avrò già raccontato, ma con la app Galleria, che ha un comportamento a dir poco insensato per cui finisce a rubare […]
Pakistan: Mass surveillance and censorship machine is fueled by Chinese, European, Emirati and North American companies
Full Report: “Shadows of Control”.
::: spoiler Investigation Partners
- Paper Trail Media;
- DER STANDARD;
- Follow the Money;
- The Globe and Mail;
- Justice For Myanmar;
- InterSecLab;
- The Tor Project.
:::
The investigation exposes how Pakistani authorities have obtained technology from foreign companies, through a covert global supply chain of sophisticated surveillance and censorship tools, particularly the new firewall (the Web Monitoring System [WMS 2.0]) and a Lawful Intercept Management System (LIMS). The report documents how the WMS firewall has evolved over time, initially using technology supplied by Canadian company Sandvine (now AppLogic Networks). Following Sandvine’s divestment in 2023, new technology from China-based Geedge Networks, utilising hardware and software components supplied by Niagara Networks from the U.S. and Thales from France, were used to create a new version of the firewall. The Lawful Intercept Management System (LIMS) uses technology from the German company, Utimaco, through an Emirati company called Datafusion.
Leaked files show a Chinese company is exporting the Great Firewall’s censorship technology
Geedge Networks is providing censorship capabilities to foreign governments, including those in Myanmar, Pakistan, Ethiopia and KazakhstanJames Griffiths (The Globe and Mail)
Technology Channel reshared this.
ASML becomes largest shareholder in Mistral AI after 1.3 billion EUR deal
::: spoiler Comments
- Hacker News.
- Reddit.
:::
ASML is investing 1.3 billion EUR in Mistral AI’s Series C funding round as lead investor, in order to support its development and reinforce the long-term partnership benefits. This results in ASML holding an approximately 11 percent share on a fully diluted basis in Mistral AI.
Asma ad orologeria: possibile?
Asma: Cortisone Inalatorio all'Ora Giusta? Il Ruolo della Cronoterapia
Asmatico sereno Ciao, sono la tua Infiammazione! E non sono sempre cattiva... ma quando si tratta di asma bronchiale, specialmente quella di...Giuliano (Blogger)
Just sold a special edition set, never been happier about it
Some years ago I found in a garage sale an amazing Power Miners set, 8709. The box was opened, but the plastic bags were intact, instructions a bit crumpled, but everything else was in perfect conditions. I snagged it at a ridiculous price, like 30 euros for this and other random stuff.
I put it up on sale online, I wanted to make some money from it, but didn't want to ship it. Nobody has asked me about the set for 3 years, until last week a guy asked me if I was available to meet for the transaction. At that point, I had lost all interest in buying reselling stuff, I can say that I still enjoy flea markets, but the idea of taking advantage of people on the internet gives me the ick.
I met this guy yesterday, sold him a set that's nearly impossible to find and at a ridiculous price.
Today, he sent me this picture. I am so glad that I made a person this happy, he couldn't believe it and kept on thanking me, I felt like Santa Claus.
Ho creato il mio tracker e ho abbandonato Google Timeline
I built my own self-hosted location tracker and ditched Google Timeline
Discover Reitti, an open-source, self-hosted location tracking app that offers a powerful alternative to Google Timeline. Import data from various sources and enjoy a polished, feature-rich dashboard for visualizing your location history.Dhruv Bhutani (XDA)
Steve McQueen – „Small Axe“ (2020)
Vermutlich ist er der profilierteste schwarze Filmemacher Europas, in jedem Fall aber Großbritanniens, sicher der prominenteste und der bisher einzige, der für einen seiner wenigen Filme einen Oscar mit nach Hause nehmen durfte. Wenn Sie sich an „12 Years a Slave“ (2013) noch erinnern, dann sollten Sie keine weitere Erklärung brauchen, warum Sie die fünf Filme der „Small Axe“ (2020) unter gar keinen Umständen verpassen dürfen! (ARTE, Neu)
Meta hid harms to children from VR products, whistleblowers allege
Meta hid harms to children from VR products, whistleblowers allege
Company accused of manipulating virtual reality research as senator attacks Meta’s ‘disgusting web of lies’Dara Kerr (The Guardian)
C'est comme ça qu'on arrête un foutu génonide!
L'autre jour je suis allé à une manifestation en soutient à la Palestine. Et j'ai invité ma mère pour m'accompagner!
C'était à Repentigny, devant une usine d'armes. Des chercheurs militants ont découvert que cette usine appartenant à General Dynamics a fabriqué des munitions qui ont été vendues aux États-Unis à destination d'Israël. Officiellement, les armes sont vendues aux États-Unis, mais en réalité, c'est pour les renvoyer à Israel.
Je ne savais pas à propos de cette manigance. C'est ce qui permet à nos gouvernements de dire que "on ne vend pas d'armes à Israel" tout en laissant les compagnies continuer à vendre des armes à Israël indirectement. Au final, le Canada est quand même complice du génocide à Gaza. Et nos politiciens nous mentent en jouant sur les mots.
Je suis allé à cette manif avec ma mère. Elle n'est pas vraiment pas habituée d'aller à ce genre d'événements. D'autant que je sache, elle a participé à une ou deux manifs du jour de la Terre mais sinon c'est tout. Je pense qu'elle était un peu intimidée et craintive. Elle me demandait qui l'organisait, si ça allait être bien organisé. J'imagine qu'elle avait peur que ça vire en manif violente ou que la police fonce dans le tas. Je comprends ce genre d'inquiétude, puisque c'est les seules images que les médias nous montrent. Mais de mon expérience, j'ai jamais vu ça dans aucunes manifs où je suis allé. Alors j'ai rassuré ma mère du mieux que j'ai pu.
Et finalement ça s'est super bien passé. Il y avait 100-200 personnes sur le trottoir. Il y avait de la musique, des joueurs de tambours. Des gens ont distribué du melon d'eau et des bouteilles d'eau (c'était jour de canicule). Des gens ont donné des pancartes avec des slogans pour celleux qui n'en avait pas. J'étais bien content de ça, puisque j'étais venu les mains vides.
Les gens chantaient des cris de ralliement. Je ne connaissais pas très bien les slogans, mais j'ai répété comme j'ai pu. Ma mère criait aussi. Je l'ai rarement vu aussi participante à un événement comme ça. Elle était sur le bord de la rue avec moi à faire des signes pour encourager les autos et les camions de klaxonner! Chaque coup de klaxon déclenchait des cris de joie dans la foule! 😄
Mais au final, est-ce que ça a servi à faire changer les choses? Je me pose souvent cette question quand je vais à des manifs. Est-ce que les ministres nous voient? Est-ce qu'ils nous entendent?
Dans ce cas-ci, je pense que la manif a été particulièrement utile pour 2 raisons:
Premièrement, elle ciblait une usine précise. Pas des bureaux vides de ministres. Les employés de l'usine ont tous vu le message. C'était durant leur journée de travail, à l'heure du changement de quart des travailleurs de jours aux travailleurs du soir. On était présents à toutes les sorties de stationnement donc c'est sûr qu'ils nous ont vu. Maintenant qu'ils ont eu le message, ils peuvent décider d'appuyer le mouvement eux aussi. Ils peuvent demander à leurs patrons des preuves que leurs travail n'ira pas alimenter un génocide. Ils peuvent décider collectivement d'arrêter de travailler sur les commandes qui iront à Israël (ou aux États-Unis), comme font de nombreux travailleurs d'usine et débardeurs partout dans le monde.
Deuxièmement, l'usine est sur une rue très passante de Repentigny, donc on a été vu par des centaines voire des milliers de personnes. Toutes ces personnes ont maintenant vu que le soutient pour la Palestine se rend même à Repentigny. Beaucoup d'autos ont klaxonné, crié ou souri en nous voyant. Y'a beaucoup plus de soutient qu'on pense pour la Palestine dans la population en général et dans les banlieues. C'est pas juste à Montréal! Tout ces gens vont peut-être en parler à leurs ami·e·s ou à leurs collègues de travails. Peut-être qu'eux aussi vont découvrir qu'ils achètent des produits de compagnies qui supporte le génocide (Airbnb, Microsoft, Google, Amazon, CIBC, Coca-Cola, Pepsi et plusieurs autres) et décider de boycotter à la maison ou sur leur lieu de travail. Peut-être qu'ils vont mettre un peu plus de pression sur leurs élus. Peut-être que la prochaine fois ils viendront à d'autres manifs!
C'est comme ça qu'on arrête un génocide!
Au final, c'est comme ça qu'on arrête un fucking génocide! En arrêtant de transporter les marchandises de l'oppresseur. En arrêtant de travailler pour l'oppresseur! En arrêtant d'acheter leur produit. En arrêtant de les garder comme client.
On peut pas attendre que les politiciens bougent leurs fesses. On n'a pas besoin d'attendre que les politiciens bougent. On a plus de pouvoir qu'on pense!
Même au Québec, on peut bloquer les usines qui fabriques des armes génocidaires. Celle de Repentigny, mais aussi les autres! On peut et on doit arrêter les usines d'armes de Longueuil, St-Bruno et Montréal qui continuent de vendre des pièces d'avion ou de bombes à Israël!
On peut s'inspirer des débardeurs en Italie:
Italian dockworkers have threatened to “shut down all of Europe” and block all shipments to Israel if communication with the latest aid flotilla bound for Gaza is lost.Speaking at a procession in the port of Genoa – one of Italy’s two largest commercial ports – on behalf of the Unione Sindacale di Base (USB), a syndicate of various grassroots unions in Italy and thought to be the largest of its kind, the dockworker said: “If we lose contact with our boats, with our comrades – even for just 20 minutes – we will shut down all of Europe.”
“Our young women and men must come back without a scratch, and all this cargo, which belongs to the people and is going to the people, must reach its destination, down to the very last box.” “13,000-14,000 containers leave this region every year for Israel. Not a single nail will leave anymore."
De la résistance comme celle des débardeurs en Italie, il y en a partout dans le monde. En Espagne, en Afrique du Sud, au Maroc.
Il est temps que nous, au Canada, on soit courageux nous aussi.
Plus d'information sur comment le Canada soutient le génocide en Palestine.
Passer à l'action en écrivant à votre député.
Suivre la lutte des jeunes pour la Palestine sur Instagram.
Boycott : Liste des marques - Free Palestine
Le mouvement BDS (Boycott, Désinvestissement et Sanctions) a été lancé par la société civile palestinienne en 2005. Il appelle à une pression économique surLa rédaction (Free-Palestine.News)
In court filing, Google concedes the open web is in “rapid decline”
In court filing, Google concedes the open web is in “rapid decline”
Google’s position on the state of the Internet is murky to say the least.Ryan Whitwam (Ars Technica)
New Application Icon for Pidgin 3!
Greetings Programs!! We just committed our new application icon for Pidgin 3 to version control and we want to hear your thoughts!! So please share them on this post!
Philadelphia public transit “death spiral” is a warning for other underfunded cities across the US
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)
adhocfungus likes this.
La singolarità genetica della formica che incorpora due specie nella sua discendenza
La singolarità genetica della formica che incorpora due specie nella sua discendenza - Il blog di Jacopo Ranieri
C’è solo un’altra specie di esseri, su questo pianeta, che vive quotidianamente il nostro stesso stato di conflitto, completo e totalizzante, nei confronti dell’ambiente che si trova attorno.Jacopo (Il blog di Jacopo Ranieri)
Department of War Doesn’t Defend its Web Streams From Hackers
Department of War Doesn’t Defend its Web Streams From Hackers
The Pentagon publicly posts the stream keys to its Facebook, YouTube, and X channels, exposing livestreams to account takeovers.Nikita Mazurov (The Intercept)
Department of War Doesn’t Defend its Web Streams From Hackers
Department of War Doesn’t Defend its Web Streams From Hackers
The Pentagon publicly posts the stream keys to its Facebook, YouTube, and X channels, exposing livestreams to account takeovers.Nikita Mazurov (The Intercept)
adhocfungus likes this.
'GayFemBoy' virus is raising a secret bot army without you even realising
'GayFemBoy' virus is raising a secret bot army without you even realising
Cybersecurity experts warned to Metro that a strain of malware named after the term for feminine men has attacked hundreds of devices.Josh Milton (Metro)
Pro doesn't like this.
Sveda vortaro migras reten – ĉu aliaj sekvos?
Pasis pli ol naŭdek jaroj de kiam pasintfoje aperis tute nova, granda vortaro Esperanta-sveda. En 1933 neniu aŭdis pri interreto. Nun denove aperis ampleksa vortaro Esperanta-sveda, sed ĝi vivas nur en la reto. Eble poste oni disponigos ankaŭ paperan version, se iu ankoraŭ deziros tian. Sed ne ĉiuj Esperanto-vortaroj jam faris la paŝon al la reta mondo.
Russia’s Enteromix cancer vaccine shows promise in early trials
Explained: Russia’s Enteromix cancer vaccine, which shows promise in early trials
Russia’s Enteromix cancer vaccine, developed using mRNA technology, has shown 100 percent efficacy in early trials. Not yet approved for clinical use, it offers a personalised approach to training the immune system to target cancer cellsSamidha Jain (ForbesIndia)
New photography community
!photography@piefed.social
From mastodon / pixelfed @photography@piefed.social
AI adoption rate is declining among large companies — US Census Bureau claims fewer businesses are using AI tools
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.
US immigration officers ramp up sweeps in LA after raid restrictions are lifted
US immigration officers ramp up sweeps in LA after raid restrictions are lifted
Head of US border patrol says operations will start back up in city after temporary restraining order reversedJohana Bhuiyan (The Guardian)
'Modded Hardware' Agrees to Settle Nintendo's Copyright Lawsuit for $2 Million
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.
like this
Thanks Nintendo. Because of this stupid lawsuit, i figured out how to mod my Switch.
I will never buy another nintendo product, they have shown they are a horrible company.
New Google Court Doc: Open Web Is In Rapid Decline
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."
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
cross-posted from: programming.dev/post/37112962
::: spoiler Comments
- Hacker News;
- Lobsters;
- Reddit.
:::
adhocfungus likes this.
Technology Channel reshared this.
Ska
in reply to suoko • • •