#Operations Management course fees

[pgdmcourses]

Explore the PGDM in Operations Management at IMS Ghaziabad, covering course details, fee structure, career opportunities, and the extensive scope in the field of operations management.

[mostlysignssomeportents]

Nurses whose shitty boss is a shitty app

If you'd like an essay-formatted version of this post to read or share, here's a link to it on pluralistic.net, my surveillance-free, ad-free, tracker-free blog:

https://pluralistic.net/2024/12/17/loose-flapping-ends/#luigi-has-a-point

Operating a business is risky: you can't ever be sure how many customers you'll have, or what they'll show up looking for. If you guess wrong, you'll either have too few workers to serve the crowd, or you'll pay workers to stand around and wait for customers. This is true even when your "business" is a "hospital."

Capitalists hate capitalism. Capitalism is defined by risk – like the risk of competitors poaching your customers and workers. Capitalists all secretly dream of a "command economy" in which other people have to arrange their affairs to suit the capitalists' preferences, taking the risk off their shoulders. Capitalists love anti-competitive exclusivity deals with suppliers, and they really love noncompete "agreements" that ban their workers from taking better jobs:

https://pluralistic.net/2023/04/21/bondage-fees/#doorman-building

One of the sleaziest, most common ways for capitalists to shed risk is by shifting it onto their workers' shoulders, for example, by sending workers home on slow days and refusing to pay them for the rest of their shifts. This is easy for capitalists to do because workers have a collective action problem: for workers to force their bosses not to do this, they all have to agree to go on strike, and other workers have to honor their picket-lines. That's a lot of chivvying and bargaining and group-forming, and it's very hard. Meanwhile, the only person the boss needs to convince to screw you this way is themself.

Libertarians will insist that this is impossible, of course, because workers will just quit and go work for someone else when this happens, and so bosses will be disciplined by the competition to find workers willing to put up with their bullshit. Of course, these same libertarians will tell you that it should be legal for your boss to require you to sign a noncompete "agreement" so you can't quit and get a job elsewhere in your field. They'll also tell you that we don't need antitrust enforcement to prevent your boss from buying up all the businesses you might work for if you do manage to quit.

In practice, the only way workers have successfully resisted being burdened with their bosses' risks is by a) forming a union, and then b) using the union to lobby for strong labor laws. Labor laws aren't a substitute for a union, but they are an important backstop, and of course, if you're not unionized, labor law is all you've got.

Enter the tech-bro, app in hand. The tech-bro's most absurd (and successful) ruse is "it's not a crime, I did it with an app." As in "it's not money-laundering, I did it with an app." Or "it's not a privacy violation, I did it with an app." Or "it's not securities fraud, I did it with an app." Or "it's not price-gouging, I did it with an app," or, importantly, "it's not a labor-law violation, I did it with an app."

The point of the "gig economy" is to use the "did it with an app" trick to avoid labor laws, so that bosses can shift risks onto workers, because capitalists hate capitalism. These apps were first used to immiserate taxi-drivers, and this was so successful that it spawned a whole universe of "Uber for __________" apps that took away labor rights from other kinds of workers, from dog-groomers to carpenters.

One group of workers whose rights are being devoured by gig-work apps is nurses, which is bad news, because without nurses, I would be dead by now.

A new report from the Roosevelt Institute goes deep on the way that nurses' lives are being destroyed by gig work apps that let bosses in America's wildly dysfunctional for-profit health care industry shift risk from bosses to the hardest-working group of health care professionals:

https://rooseveltinstitute.org/publications/uber-for-nursing/

The report's authors interviewed nurses who were employed through three apps: Shiftkey, Shiftmed and Carerev, and reveal a host of risk-shifting, worker-abusing practices that has nurses working for so little that they can't afford medical insurance themselves.

Take Shiftkey: nurses are required to log into Shiftkey and indicate which shifts they are available for, and if they are assigned any of those shifts later but can't take them, their app-based score declines and they risk not being offered shifts in the future. But Shiftkey doesn't guarantee that you'll get work on any of those shifts – in other words, nurses have to pledge not to take any work during the times when Shiftkey might need them, but they only get paid for those hours where Shiftkey calls them out. Nurses assume all the risk that there won't be enough demand for their services.

Each Shiftkey nurse is offered a different pay-scale for each shift. Apps use commercially available financial data – purchased on the cheap from the chaotic, unregulated data broker sector – to predict how desperate each nurse is. The less money you have in your bank accounts and the more you owe on your credit cards, the lower the wage the app will offer you. This is a classic example of what the legal scholar Veena Dubal calls "algorithmic wage discrimination" – a form of wage theft that's supposedly legal because it's done with an app:

https://pluralistic.net/2023/04/12/algorithmic-wage-discrimination/#fishers-of-men

Shiftkey workers also have to bid against one another for shifts, with the job going to the worker who accepts the lowest wage. Shiftkey pays nominal wages that sound reasonable – one nurse's topline rate is $23/hour. But by payday, Shiftkey has used junk fees to scrape that rate down to the bone. Workers have to pay a daily $3.67 "safety fee" to pay for background checks, drug screening, etc. Nevermind that these tasks are only performed once per nurse, not every day – and nevermind that this is another way to force workers to assume the boss's risks. Nurses also pay daily fees for accident insurance ($2.14) and malpractice insurance ($0.21) – more employer risk being shifted onto workers. Workers also pay $2 per shift if they want to get paid on the same day – a payday lending-style usury levied against workers whose wages are priced based on their desperation. Then there's a $6/shift fee nurses pay as a finders' fee to the app, a fee that's up to $7/shift next year. All told, that $23/hour rate cashes out to $13/hour.

On top of that, gig nurses have to pay for their own uniforms, licenses, equipment and equipment, including different colored scrubs and even shoes for each hospital. And because these nurses are "their own bosses" they have to deduct their own payroll taxes from that final figure. As "self-employed" workers, they aren't entitled to overtime or worker's comp, they get no retirement plan, health insurance, sick days or vacation.

The apps sell themselves to bosses as a way to get vetted, qualified nurses, but the entire vetting process is automated. Nurses upload a laundry list of documents related to their qualifications and undergo a background check, but are never interviewed by a human. They are assessed through automated means – for example, they have to run a location-tracking app en route to callouts and their reliability scores decline if they lose mobile data service while stuck in traffic.

Shiftmed docks nurses who cancel shifts after agreeing to take them, but bosses who cancel on nurses, even at the last minute, get away at most a small penalty (having to pay for the first two hours of a canceled shift), or, more often, nothing at all. For example, bosses who book nurses through the Carerev app can cancel without penalty on a mere two hours' notice. One nurse quoted in the study describes getting up at 5AM for a 7AM shift, only to discover that the shift was canceled while she slept, leaving her without any work or pay for the day, after having made arrangements for her kid to get childcare. The nurse assumes all the risk again: blocking out a day's work, paying for childcare, altering her sleep schedule. If she cancels on Carerev, her score goes down and she will get fewer shifts in the future. But if the boss cancels, he faces no consequences.

Carerev also lets bosses send nurses home early without paying them for the whole day – and they don't pay overtime if a nurse stays after her shift ends in order to ensure that their patients are cared for. The librarian scholar Fobazi Ettarh coined the term "vocational awe" to describe how workers in caring professions will endure abusive conditions and put in unpaid overtime because of their commitment to the patrons, patients, and pupils who depend on them:

https://www.inthelibrarywiththeleadpipe.org/2018/vocational-awe/

Many of the nurses in the study report having shifts canceled on them as they pull into the hospital parking lot. Needless to say, when your shift is canceled just as it was supposed to start, it's unlikely you'll be able to book a shift at another facility.

The American healthcare industry is dominated by monopolies. First came the pharma monopolies, when pharma companies merged and merged and merged, allowing them to screw hospitals with sky-high prices. Then the hospitals gobbled each other up, merging until most regions were dominated by one or two hospital chains, who could use buyer power to get a better deal on pharma prices – but also use seller power to screw the insurers with outrageous prices for care. So the insurers merged, too, until they could fight hospital price-gouging.

Everywhere you turn in the healthcare industry, you find another monopolist: pharmacists and pharmacy benefit managers, group purchasing organizations, medical beds, saline and supplies. Monopoly begets monopoly.

(Unitedhealthcare is extraordinary in that its divisions are among the most powerful players in all of these sectors, making it a monopolist among monopolists – for example, UHC is the nation's largest employer of physicians:)

https://www.thebignewsletter.com/p/its-time-to-break-up-big-medicine

But there two key stakeholders in American health-care who can't monopolize: patients and health-care workers. We are the disorganized, loose, flapping ends at the beginning and end of the healthcare supply-chain. We are easy pickings for the monopolists in the middle, which is why patients pay more for worse care every year, and why healthcare workers get paid less for worse working conditions every year.

This is the one area where the Biden administration indisputably took action, bringing cases, making rules, and freaking out investment bankers and billionaires by repeatedly announcing that crimes were still crimes, even if you used an app to commit them.

The kind of treatment these apps mete out to nurses is illegal, app or no. In an important speech just last month, FTC commissioner Alvaro Bedoya explained how the FTC Act empowered the agency to shut down this kind of bossware because it is an "unfair and deceptive" form of competition:

https://pluralistic.net/2024/11/26/hawtch-hawtch/#you-treasure-what-you-measure

This is the kind of thing the FTC could be doing. Will Trump's FTC actually do it? The Trump campaign called the FTC "politicized" – but Trump's pick for the next FTC chair has vowed to politicize it even more:

https://theintercept.com/2024/12/18/trump-ftc-andrew-ferguson-ticket-fees/

Like Biden's FTC, Trump's FTC will have a target-rich environment if it wants to bring enforcement actions on behalf of workers. But Biden's trustbusters chose their targets by giving priority to the crooked companies that were doing the most harm to Americans, while Trump's trustbusters are more likely to give priority to the crooked companies that Trump personally dislikes:

https://pluralistic.net/2024/11/12/the-enemy-of-your-enemy/#is-your-enemy

So if one of these nursing apps pisses off Trump or one of his cronies, then yeah, maybe those nurses will get justice.

Image: Cryteria (modified) https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:HAL9000.svg

CC BY 3.0 https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/deed.en

[race-week]

FOM, The FIA and Liberty Media

What are they? Who is part of them? Do I have to know the difference?

I mean, it might help…

Let’s start with Liberty Media, it is an American mass media company.

Formula One Group (FOG) is a subsidiary of Liberty Media. The President and CEO of FOG is Stefano Domenicali. FOG has a few subsidiaries of its own, but we only need to be concerned with one

Formula One Management (FOM) is the main operating company of the group, and controls the broadcasting, organisation and promotional rights of Formula One. The season calendar for the championship is structured by FOM

The FIA (or Fédération Internationale de l'Automobile) It is the governing body for many auto racing events, including Formula One. The FIA is responsible for regulating competition, whether that be issuing licences and permits to drivers and teams or establishing safety regulations. The current FIA President is Mohammed Ben Sulayem.

The Race Director has the 'overriding authority' in a number of areas during a grand prix weekend, working with the clerk of the course to give out orders. The race director controls practice, qualifying and the race, making sure that the timetable is followed properly. If necessary, the race director can propose changes to the timetable; for example, if heavy rain delays a session. He decides if red flags are brought out, he deploys the safety car and the virtual safety car, and instructs lapped cars to overtake, among other responsibilities

The job of the Stewards is to rule on racing incidents and apply penalties for breaches of the sporting code and technical regulations if they have been reported to them by officials or delegates. Their job is to apply the FIA Sporting or Technical Regulations, they can’t penalise something that’s not mentioned in the regulations.

Things FOM/Liberty Media control: Circuit contracts/fees, calendar layout, TV broadcast deals

Things that the FIA control: Circuit licensing, driver superlicenses, sporting regulations.

[mr-deep-downer]

So since a jerkoff tonight wanted to mention “entry level positions” here’s the starting pay for grade 1’s/2’s for the waste water industry here california.

For a small fee of 99 dollars at my local community college (where I saw a flyer for this since I had gone in to take my Brit Lit final) I can take a three hour online course from 9am to 12 pm for a duration of four months. I’ll get my credentials for my grade one and will be eligible to take my grade 2 immediately. Even the minimum starting salary at 60 grand a year is very much doable to live on my own and save up to buy a house, even around here. There are five grades for operators as well as other types of positions for plant management and leadership that require a degree.

My father makes last time I checked 52 an hour as a grade two (he can’t pass his grade three because he’s not good at taking tests) along with all sorts of other benefits due to working for the city/county. He has no education higher than a high school diploma and he’s been doing this for over two decades. In fact the only reason why he learned about the job in the first place was because he knew a guy.

So what’s my point?

Opportunities like this in spite of the seeming ease of entry, are hard to come by. If I hadn’t taken a class in the building this flyer was posted in, I might not have seen it, and if my dad didn’t know a guy, he never would’ve found a breadwinner job so easily.

And sure 99 dollars isn’t much of an expenditure for me, but someone who is actually living paycheck to paycheck might have to think about it, even though it pays well because they’re always hiring operators as they build more plants. 9am to 12pm might be hard for some people to schedule around as it is kind of awkward time placement wise, and unless you have a laptop or computer (which can be another couple hundred dollar investment that some people might not have money to spend if they’re making minimum wage and living paycheck to paycheck) you’re going to have to find a public library with good internet access and hope they have computers available if at all, and honestly online classes really aren’t for everyone especially if you get distracted easy or find the lack of direct access to an instructor discouraging.

Social mobility/advancement has always been gatekept by money, because a lot of time to make money you need to spend money you might not have. This is really nothing to me money wise because I’ll be the first to admit I’m privileged in a lot of ways but a lot of people aren’t me. People don’t even talk about wastewater as industry because it’s also dirty work, the kind of work people turn their nose up to because you work with literal shit and shit water and piss and all sorts of other gross stuff.

Yet the entry level position that requires a 99 dollar enrollment fee and spending 3 hours a week for four months pays a lot better than most jobs that require a degree or trade school/apprenticeship.

So when people say entry level positions shouldn’t be livable I’m going to share this, and say “I bet you feel real stupid now huh?”

And some will say “but downer waste water is really important work our society couldn’t function without it!” yeah you’re right so would every other entry level wagie shit because I doubt most people have the means to live on their own without having to go to the grocery store every couple of weeks. Not even that but people lose their shit about not having access to caffeine, and if you have a pet especially an exotic one like a snake that requires mice whether dead or frozen how are you going to feed without some schmuck like me grabbing it for you?

now never did I say wagie shit needs to be a high paying career cause I’m a firm believer in a job being a job till the next one, but if people take me saying what amounts to “I don’t think people should have to struggle to live even a little comfortable” as some kind of… attack? then I really don’t know what to say other than go fuck yourself and develop real issues to be angry about.

[seat-safety-switch]

Something about the way that Big Business likes to operate in this country rubs me the wrong way. They stride into little, upstanding communities and push them around to get a slightly better deal on extracting our precious, non-renewable natural resources. Only pollution and human misery is left behind. For a brief, shining moment, I was the solution to this corruption. And then I kind of let things go to my head.

Running for office is easier than you'd think. All you need to do is get signatures of a hundred people. An afternoon at the mall, asking folks to save the endangered Pacific African Grey Rhino, will just about do you. Of course, there's also the filing fee, but I managed to distract the lady working the counter at City Hall and transfer the cheque from another mayoral application to mine when she wasn't looking.

Quite why I fell out of favour with The Mayor is between him and I. We go way back, and it would not reflect well on my upbringing to reveal our private feud in public. Not like it stopped him, though, as he blabbed to every talk-radio host, morning-news talking head, and local newspaper about how awful I was. They just laughed, thinking that nobody could be that bad, and surely it was some kind of desperate lie, another sign that he had lost touch with the common man. Such embellishment did get my name in the public ear, and I won in a landslide after promising to double speed limits (that's all it takes.)

From day one, I went about kicking all the huge-capitalism greedheads out of my city, mostly because I got tired of them driving their Porsches slowly on my newly speed-unlimited corners. Big lawsuits were launched, rich folks ejected into the nearest river. I was on the news every day in my stained coveralls and greasy sweater, adding further credibility to my regular-dude motif. If you were some kind of crank weirdo who liked to tell other people at the bar what the government should do, then I was your representative. And crank it I did. Wait, that came out wrong.

After about a week of this, I think the big business monsters got together. They went to their little gangster restaurant and they decided the best way to get rid of me would be to catch me up in a bribery scandal. Didn't work: I took the bribe and bragged about it to the news. That bribe? 2005 Dodge Neon, with an un-torn drivers' seat and only about 180,000 km on the odometer. Mint. They did their homework. The problem was that I now had a fancy new car, which I had effectively stolen from rich people, but I didn't want to look rich, so I didn't drive it to work.

The problem is that I slowly became paranoid. As with my forebear, I lost touch with the common man. I began to fear that they were going to steal my Neon – my retirement fund – while I was at City Hall, doing stupid mayor stuff. Soon, I lost focus on my work, and I slipped in the polls. There was only one thing left to do: stop coming to work for a few weeks and don't answer the phone. Works every time!

[columbiauniversity-schoolboard]

With the end of the semester approaching fast, Columbia wants to settle out a guide for this year's fall if any students might be interested.

L͟e͟a͟r͟n͟ ͟m͟o͟r͟e͟

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Columbia Housing provides our residential students with safe and comfortable accommodations, and a friendly face whenever they have questions or concerns. We're responsible for maintaining the physical integrity, cleanliness and operations of Columbia's 30+ undergraduate residence halls. While we manage a lot of moving parts to keep our buildings in top shape, our number one priority is our undergraduate student residents.

Online Classes

Join our programs from anywhere in the world and experience interactive classes with high-achieving peers and dedicated instructors, engaging co-curricular activities, and resources like our online library. Monday through Friday, students will join their virtual classrooms to refine their academic skills through a variety of activities—class discussions, debates, simulations, individual and group projects, Student Life workshops, and more.

Columbia’s Fall Course

Interested in enrolling in the upcoming semester for the fall here at Columbia? Whether you’re aiming to explore a budding passion or fulfilling degree requirements, consult with your advisor for approvals and to ensure that you meet the eligibility requirements to register or enroll in Columbia Fall semester.

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FALL TERM 2024

Dates

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Holidays

Labor Day–Sep 2nd

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Registration Dates ☏

Late registration, which is the same for all students, takes place on the second, third, fourth, and fifth days of each session. For some courses, permission from the instructor may be required. A $50.00 fee will be charged during the late registration period. A $100.00 fee will be charged after the late registration period.

Registration for the fall semester will be accepted below with a students name and their term or a teacher and their class.

OOC NOTE: Just like how Student Mods may decide they want to continue through the summer, Teacher Mods should be able to, too. So, please, comment your respective characters their existing classes within the RP (dorms are optional) below if they will be able to be present through the fall unless they are absent.

[thoughtportal]

TPM has obtained and analyzed over a dozen contracts and invoices related to the construction and operation of Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis’ so-called “Alligator Alcatraz” migrant detention camp in the Everglades. The documents identify eight previously undisclosed companies — including two firms with a Fortune 500 pedigree — involved with the controversial facility. They also show that, in at least one instance, resources allocated for the state’s “disaster preparedness” apparatus were diverted to the site as DeSantis’ office used emergency powers to quickly establish the camp, causing a shortfall that needs to be addressed during the ongoing hurricane season. 

The camp was first announced by Florida Attorney General James Uthmeier, who is DeSantis’ former chief of staff and was manager of the governor’s unsuccessful 2024 presidential campaign, late last month. The state began to move quickly to stand it up. That quick pace was captured by the contracts, which included at least one with “rush” fees, the diverted disaster resources, and indications the facility was still being built out and supplied after it was officially opened on July 1. 

In the weeks since plans for the site were revealed, opponents have raised alarms about its potential environmental impact, whether it would afford due process to detainees, and the harsh conditions in the swampy region. There have also been concerns about transparency, including attorneys’ access to the people being held and the identities of the firms that received contracts for equipment and services provided to the facility. 

TPM has identified contracts and invoices totaling $19,983,785.03 in the Florida Accountability Contract Tracking System (FACTS) that were issued to nine different firms. In one instance, the chief executive of a company contacted by TPM stated that he was unaware the business’ products were being used for the detention camp. 

The FACTS system, which is maintained by the state’s Department of Financial Services, lists all of these contracts and invoices as coming from the executive office of the governor and categorizes them as “Emergency procurement per Executive Order.” At points during the reporting of this story, TPM observed figures changing on the FACTS website. It is not certain the figures cited in these contracts represent the final amount paid. For 11 of the contracts and invoices in this story, PDF files of the “original” were initially available in FACTS. All of those PDF files were removed during the course of our reporting. Except in one instance, all of the data cited in this story is from these “original” documents. The Department of Financial Services did not immediately respond to a request for comment. 

DeSantis is building the facility, which will reportedly cost at least $450 million a year, by leveraging an ongoing state of emergency that he first declared with an executive order in early 2023 in response to what he described as an “alarming influx of migrants.” All of the contracts and invoices cited by TPM mention “TNT,” an acronym which has been used to describe the site of the camp, which was constructed at the Dade-Collier Training and Transition Airport in the Big Cypress National Preserve. 

One of the contracts, which the system identified as being created on July 1, provided for $499,869.60 to be paid to Baker’s Electronics & Communications Inc. for an “Atlas trunked radio system,” a platform often used by public safety agencies for critical and emergency communications. The contract specified that the system was for the “TNT” facility and that the “Atlas systems deployed at the site” were “pulled from disaster preparedness platform” [sic]. The document further indicated that, as a result of radio systems from the state’s emergency infrastructure being “pulled” to “Alligator Alcatraz,” the system needed to “be back-filled to prevent a response gap during hurricane season given the unknown duration of detention center operation.” 

While the contract outlined a plan to address the issue, it also indicated the push to quickly supply the detention camp led to a shortfall of necessary disaster preparedness equipment during hurricane season, which runs from June 1 until November 30. 

Douglas Baker, the CEO of Baker’s Communications, did not respond to a request for comment from TPM. DeSantis’ office also did not respond to a request for comment on this story. 

‘I Do Not Know What They’re Doing With That’ 

“Alligator Alcatraz” has been part of DeSantis’ efforts to assist with President Donald Trump’s “mass deportation” agenda in his state. It has provided the governor a political boost and helped heal the rift between him and Trump that emerged after they ran against each other in last year’s Republican presidential primary. The detention camp officially opened on July 1 with a ceremony attended by both DeSantis and Trump. 

“Welcome to Alligator Alcatraz — I like that name by the way,” DeSantis told the president as Air Force One arrived for the event. 

Trump and other Republicans have reveled in that nickname and in the idea that the harsh environment surrounding the site would prove hazardous for the migrants detained there. The project has inspired mocking memes from White House aides and even merch sold by the House GOP with an image of a smirking gator and the slogan “ICE WITH A BITE.” As he toured the grounds, Trump declared that it was “not a place I want to go hiking anytime soon.”

“We’re going to teach them how to run away from an alligator … if they escape prison,” Trump said. “You have a lot of bodyguards, you have a lot of cops, that are in the form of alligators.” 

Since that opening event, other officials have been allowed to tour the facility. While Republicans have defended the conditions there, Democrats have described it as inhumane. In a news conference after she visited the site on July 12, Rep. Debbie Wasserman Schultz (D-FL) blasted it as an “internment camp.”

“They are essentially packed into cages, wall to wall humans, 32 detainees per cage,” Wasserman Schultz said. 

In addition to the Baker’s Electronics contract, TPM identified 11 other contracts and invoices that the FACTS system indicated went to eight different companies for products and services provided at the “TNT” site. The largest was an $11,903,977.18 contract with Meridian Rapid Defense Group LLC, a firm that builds “anti-vehicle” barriers that are used to secure facilities and events. Meridian’s products have been deployed at many high-profile gatherings, including the 2024 Democratic National Convention and DeSantis’ 2023 inauguration. 

According to the system, the contract, which was executed on July 9, provided for the “purchase of 100 meridian barrier trailer sets – to be delivered in increments of 20 per month over the next five months.” It specified these items would be used for the “TNT” facility and indicated they would be delivered between August 31 and December 31 of this year. 

In a conversation with TPM on Tuesday evening, Peter Whitford, Meridian’s CEO, suggested that his company was unaware where state officials were using its products. 

“When we supply the Division of Emergency Management out of Florida, we supply product to them,” Whitford told TPM. “What they do with that product is not part of our purview.

“You’re reading a contract I have no visibility to,” he added.

Whitford declined to review the contract TPM obtained via the FACTS system. 

“I do not need to see any document other than what I get from the division of Homeland Security,” he said. “I do not know what they’re doing with that. I do not know if one set is going there or 100 sets are going there. So, for me to make a comment on hypothetically where they’re going would not be appropriate.”

“We have received the purchase order,” he added. “We are advised prior to delivery where they are going.”

Whitford referred all questions to Florida’s Department of Emergency Management, which was listed as the purchaser on all of the detention camp contracts identified by TPM. A spokesperson for the department did not immediately respond to a request for comment. 

Heavy Equipment

After the Meridian contract, the next largest payment that TPM could identify going to a company was a $5,955,875.35 invoice to Lemoine CDR Logistics LLC, a company that works on projects related to construction, infrastructure, and disaster response. The invoice was part of a $36,848,875 contract that went to another business, Longview International Technology Solutions Inc., which does business as “LTS.” That contract was created on July 9. Since then, its status has been listed as “terminated” in the FACTS system and the total amount reduced to zero dollars. It is not clear if this invoice was paid. All of the other contracts cited in this story have, as of this writing, an “active” status in FACTS.

According to the documents posted in the FACTS system, the larger LTS contract was for “initial TNT site preparation” that began on June 24, the day after Uthmeier, the Florida attorney general, said the detention camp plan was approved by the federal government. The LTS contract lists an address located at the airport site as the “mission location.” Lemoine CDR Logistics LLC did not respond to a request for comment. 

Williams Communications, another firm dedicated to “mission critical communications,” has two contracts that appear in the database. One, which was executed on July 1, said they would be paid $245,141.04 for the purchase of LRAD100X systems “to be used in conjunction with the TNT mission.” The LRAD100X is marketed as a device with a “warning tone” that “commands attention to the voice messages that follow and provides a safer alternative to non-lethal and kinetic measures for changing behavior.” A second contract, executed on July 4, said Williams would be paid $47,730 for 300 “Batteries for XL series radios” for the “TNT” facility. Williams Communications did not respond to a request for comment. 

Another contract in the FACTS system that was executed on July 3 indicated Will-Burt Integration & Elevation Systems, Inc. would be paid $259,012 to provide a “New Alumitower” for the “TNT” facility. The company offers “tower-trailer-shelter systems that withstand the harshest environments of today’s battlefields.” Will-Burt did not respond to a request for comment. 

There are two “TNT” contracts in the FACTS system with CDW Government, a wholly owned subsidiary of the Fortune 500 IT firm CDW. One of the contracts, which was executed on July 3, said CDW Government would be paid $128,132.40 for “Pepwave items for WiFi at TNT.” A pdf file of the second contract was not posted in FACTS, but based on information displayed in the system as of this writing, it was executed on July 12 and provided $42,828.24 “for the [computer-aided dispatch] system in the TNT dispatch center. with additional items for the radio system.” 

Another Fortune 500 corporate giant, Motorola Solutions Inc., has two “TNT” contracts that appear in FACTS and were executed on July 3. The company, which is the legal successor to Motorola Inc., was formed after that business split off its mobile phone division. One of the Motorola Solutions Inc. contracts indicated $27,865 would be paid for “the purchase of 150 batteries, 50 belt clips and 50 Multiband antennas” for the “TNT” facility. The other provided $2,192 for “Motorola belt clips for 200 radios” for the “TNT” facility. A spokesperson for Motorola Solutions Inc. did not respond to a request for comment. 

Memes and NDAs

In its previous reporting on the “Alligator Alcatraz” contractors, the Miami Herald identified three that “have given money to Gov. Ron DeSantis or the Republican Party of Florida for statewide campaigns.” The biggest donors were Carlos Duart and Tina Vidal-Duart, who the paper reported “have given a total of $1.9 million to the two state political action committees supporting DeSantis’ bids for governor and to the Republican Party of Florida.” The pair are married Miami socialites who are the chief executives of two firms involved with the facility, CDR Maguire and its affiliate, CDR Health. In a text message exchange with TPM earlier this month, Duart declined to comment and said they were “under NDAs.” 

There was only one DeSantis donor among the chief executives of the companies newly identified by TPM as being involved with “Alligator Alcatraz.” Ed Mansouri, the owner, founder, and chief executive of WeatherSTEM Inc., gave $3,000 to DeSantis in late November 2021. According to FACTS, WeatherSTEM Inc. received a contract that was executed on July 3 and stipulated $24,740 would be paid for “2 lightning alert sirens” that would be “added to the portable WeatherSTEM station located at the EMS base and at the staff village of the TNT site to efficiently alert staff of lightning detection for safety purposes.” The contract listed an address located adjacent to “Alligator Alcatraz” and indicated there would be a $750 “rush fee” charged for delivery of each siren. 

In a phone conversation with TPM on Tuesday afternoon, Mansouri described himself as “a big fan of Governor DeSantis.” However, he stressed that his donation and support “has nothing to do with my business interests.” 

“I was very grateful for how he handled the situation with the lockdown, keeping the schools open,” Mansouri said of DeSantis. “I just want to make sure to be clear and unambiguous that my admiration for Gov. DeSantis has nothing to do with my business.”

Mansouri also discussed his firm’s involvement with the detention camp. He said WeatherSTEM Inc. works “very closely” with Florida’s Department of Emergency Management at multiple locations to provide “lifesaving weather technology” that can warn of lightning, winds, and high heat.

“When the Florida Division of Emergency Management reaches out to us and says they need to deploy some weather-related technology, we’re just going to do whatever we need to do to support them,” Mansouri said. “We’re focused on how can we develop technology that protects people, if those people are prisoners, if those people are guards, if those people are on a beach or in a football stadium. We are focused on deploying technology that keeps people safe.”

Mansouri said he initially didn’t realize the contract was related to “Alligator Alcatraz” — until he saw the chatter online. 

“I gleaned that just because of some of the social media,” Mansouri explained. “I had sort of seen some of the memes with pictures of the alligators.”

By Hunter Walker | July 16, 2025 11:21 a.m.

[the-garbanzo-annex-jr]

by Seth Mandel

Rebuilding Gaza, which ultimately will be done once this war is at an end, will take money. A good plan for postwar Gaza will have no trouble finding investors among the Gulf states, but there’s an easy way to raise money while also ending Hamas’s reign of terror in the enclave: Sell Hamas for parts.

The problem has never been that Gaza is poor; it’s that Gazans are poor. Now that Hamas is on its knees, hold it upside down and shake out its pockets. Hamas was always flush with cash and that money has to go somewhere. It might as well help fix what Hamas used that money to break in the first place.

When was the last time we had a good old-fashioned terrorist fire sale, anyway?

In the spirit of our president’s favorite subject, let’s start with real estate. Hamza Elhassan Mohamed Khair was sanctioned by the Treasury Department in October 2023 for his role as a Hamas financier through his Sudan- and Spain-based development and investment companies. The same is true for Hamas’s “covertly held assets in Algeria-based Sidar Company and UAE-based Itqan Real Estate JSC, both of which appeared to operate as legitimate businesses, but in practice, were controlled by Hamas and transferred money to the group,” Treasury noted in 2022.

Turkey-based developer Trend GYO was also sanctioned for managing “a key component of Hamas’s global asset holdings which had previously been estimated to be worth over $500 million.” Hamas held the majority of that company’s capital and had planned to distribute shares to senior Hamas figures. Surely that can be put to better use.

As several terrorism-finance experts testified after the Oct. 7 attacks, cash fronts posing as Islamic charities are a source of income for these groups. Hamas also reportedly had a practice of sending credit cards to its allies and agents outside Gaza; how much of that is still floating around? Hamas and Palestinian Islamic Jihad have gotten into the crypto game as well, and drug smuggling has long been a method used by terrorist groups to raise money in the West.

Of course, simply governing the Gaza Strip is worth hundreds of millions of dollars. As NBC reported, “In addition to levying taxes on Gaza’s businesses and residents, Hamas imposes unofficial fees on smuggled goods and other activity, for a combined income of up to $450 million per year.” Getting Hamas off the border crossings will stop the siphoning-off of local wealth that ought to stay put instead of finding its way into the pockets of terrorists.

As the Atlantic Council points out, there are also gaps in the anti-Hamas alliance that can be closed. Not all allied countries have designated Hamas as a terrorist organization, and that’s especially true in the Gulf. At this point, no one should be doing business with the remnants of Hamas.

Since the Oct. 7 attacks, other avenues of drying up Hamas’s cash flow have emerged. Last year, about 100 Israelis sued UNRWA, the UN agency that works with Hamas in Gaza, over the money it provided to the enclave. Several current and former officials “are accused of knowing that Hamas siphoned off more than $1 billion from the agency to pay for, among other things, tunneling equipment and weapons that aided its attack on Israel on Oct. 7,” according to the New York Times.

It shouldn’t be difficult to starve Hamas of cash now. And in the process, we can learn a lot about how to more effectively get money to its proper destination in the Gaza Strip.

[kindheart525]

What are Nee and Dur’s adult lives like?

I’m so glad you asked, thank you so much! I previously joked that Nee and Dur were “in and out of jail and fleeing from the law” as adults, but that’s not exactly true. In reality they’re doing very well, no longer going on grandiose Mr. Frog-style rampages that make national news but now settled down and running a humble little laundromat. They’ve really turned themselves around.

That’s what the public sees, anyway. The real story is that their antics got them in a lot of trouble that only mounted as they got older. Their habit of biting people as children evolved into serious criminal offenses as they approached adulthood, in a lifestyle that was not sustainable. See, their childhood idol Mr. Frog can get away with such extreme violence because he’s a beloved TV star and former President of the United States, but ordinary citizens like Nee and Dur don’t enjoy such immunity. It eventually came to a point where the law caught up with them and they were facing life in prison, or even the death penalty.

They got out of it, of course. Daddy Pim had to blow his life savings on legal fees, but he managed to get their life-ruining sentences whittled down to 5 years + community service, because money fixes everything in this society. However, the experience made both Nee and Dur realize that they couldn’t carry on committing crimes in the open like this, because Daddy Pim was now dry on legal funds and next time they wouldn’t be so lucky. Knowing his boys needed help getting back on their feet, Pim suggested they establish a charity or business of sorts that serves the community in a positive way, much like the Smiling Friends company does. It would teach them how to care for their fellow citizens and grow as critters, he reasoned. 

So here they are running a laundromat, helping the community keep their clothes clean while keeping their images clean. It totally isn’t a money laundering front. I mean, laundromat, money laundering? That’s too on the nose. They aren’t that dumb. And so what if customers randomly disappear sometimes? They just operate in a bad neighborhood! It’s just a coincidence that everyone who’s disappeared had a particularly bad experience with the laundromat, or perhaps expressed unfounded suspicion about the business’s integrity. All of that has nothing to do with Nee and Dur. No, the Pimling Brothers are better than that. They’ve changed!

In all seriousness, Nee and Dur could never truly live a life free of crime. They would rather die than be deprived of the thrill of immorality. After Pim inadvertently planted the seed, it was Nee’s idea to establish the laundromat and he is also the one who interacts with the public the most. He has a certain charisma that easily deflects suspicion and makes folks believe he’s trustworthy and innocent. It’s how he got himself and his brother out of trouble with their dad, teachers, and other authority figures when they were young, and the skill is still serving him well now. You’ll often hear of Nee offering free laundry services for the local fire department or paying for dinners for the local hospital staff. In this way he’s spreading smiles like Daddy Pim wanted, and he does genuinely enjoy it. Not enough to quit crime, but it’s a nice bonus. While Nee came up with the idea, Dur is the muscle behind it, working behind the scenes to keep things running, including engaging in all the shady business deals that are the true reason this laundromat exists. He’s the Saul Goodman type, able to weasel his way into all the best deals and to keep the exorbitant amounts of money flowing no matter how much he’s screwing over others. 

While Nee’s people skills would not amount to much without Dur’s undercover dealings, Dur would be nowhere without Nee’s ingenious ideas and excellent deflection skills that allow him to do the work he does without trouble. It’s what makes them such a great team, knowing exactly what the other needs to succeed without even having to say so. It’s that twin intuition. And of course, when their work makes it necessary to kill (the definition of “necessary” being VERY loose), they’re both all in just like their childhood hero, just with better cover-up skills.

Does Daddy Pim know what’s really going on? Or their sisters? How would this affect the Smiling Friends if the truth came out? None of that matters because they won’t get in trouble. They’ve learned from last time. Plus, their family members know better than to ask questions. Sure, Pim might start to worry a little when he reads an article about the latest unsolved murder in town, but that could have been anything. He ought not to be so mistrusting of his darling boys. They wouldn’t do that anymore. But if they did, he can’t save them this time, so he’d rather not know.

[dcaandadcacouse]

DCA & ADCA COURSE

DCA & ADCA COURSE

Best Career Option After 12th Grade with DCA & ADCA Course | Ideal Eyes

Computer education has become essential in today's digital world. Possessing computer skills can lead to a variety of opportunities, regardless of your status as a professional, student, or job seeker. The Diploma in Computer Application (DCA) and the Advanced Diploma in Computer Application (ADCA) are two examples of such necessary courses. Enrolling in these courses through Ideal Eyes can be the ideal first step if you want to begin a career in the IT industry.

What DCA and ADCA are, their advantages, their curricula, employment opportunities, and the reasons Ideal Eyes is the best place to learn will all be covered in this blog.

What is a DCA course?

A short-term diploma program called DCA (Diploma in Computer Application) equips you with the essential computer skills.

Important Points to Remember:

Duration of Course: 6–12 months

Qualifications: 10th or 12th grade

Mode: Offline/Online

Languages: English and Hindi

Overview of the DCA Syllabus: Computer Fundamentals

Word, Excel, and PowerPoint from Microsoft Office

Email and the Internet

Typing on a computer in Hindi and English

HTML fundamentals

Simple Accounting Software (Tally)

ADCA Course: What Is It?

DCA is a lower-level course than ADCA (Advanced Diploma in Computer Application). It covers more complex and in-depth subjects like database administration, graphic design, and programming. The course lasts for a full year.

Important Points to Remember:

Course Length: 12 months

Eligibility: Completion of grades 10 and 12 (DCA preferred but not required)

Mode: Offline/Online

Languages: English and Hindi

Overview of the ADCA Syllabus: Advanced Microsoft Office

Add up the GST.

Python and C programming

Applications for the Internet

HTML, CSS, and JavaScript web design

CorelDRAW and Photoshop

Database (MS Access/MySQL)

Fundamentals of Computer Hardware

Why Opt for Ideal Eyes for ADCA & DCA?

A reputable brand in computer education and career-focused training is Ideal Eyes. Ideal Eyes makes sure that every student is prepared for the workforce with its certified trainers, modern curriculum, and emphasis on practical skills.

The following are the main reasons to enroll at Ideal Eyes

✅ Certified and experienced faculty

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Who Needs to Take These Courses?

Students after the tenth or twelfth grade are ideal candidates for DCA and ADCA courses.

Students in college seeking new abilities

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You can work in a variety of settings after earning your DCA or ADCA, including banks, government offices, schools, retail establishments, and private offices. You can also open your own computer center or work as a freelancer.

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Freshmen can anticipate a starting salary of ₹8,000 to ₹15,000 per month, though this will vary depending on the company, location, and experience. You can make even more money with time and skill, particularly in professions like freelancing and design.

Accreditation and Acknowledgment

After completing your DCA or ADCA course successfully, you will receive a government-recognized certificate from Ideal Eyes.

Testimonials from Our Students 🗣 "I joined Ideal Eyes for ADCA and was hired by a reputable school to work as a computer operator. The curriculum is career-oriented, and the teachers are very encouraging. - Ravi Kumar 🗣 Within a year, I was able to learn web design, Tally, and Microsoft Office thanks to Ideal Eyes. I now work from home as a freelancer and get paid every month. Anjali Sharma

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[hypergamiss]

Tips on becoming a freelance portfolio/ investment manager for private wealthy clients.

I’ve got a bit of experience as an assistant Portfolio manager, and I’ve been looking into starting my own business working with private wealthy individuals client.

There's so much to this, this is the shortest I could keep my answer:

Build Your Foundation:

Hone Your Skills: Sharpen your investment analysis, portfolio construction, and risk management knowledge as much as you can. Maybe consider courses or certifications to fill any gaps and boost your credibility more.

Define Your Niche: Are you drawn to specific asset classes (tech stocks, real estate, etc.) or client types (retirees, entrepreneurs)? Specializing adds value. This will boost referrals.

Get Regulatory Clarity: Depending on your location, there might be licensing or registration requirements for freelance advisors. Do your homework to stay compliant and track any changes.

Marketing and Client Acquisition:

Build Online Credibility: A polished LinkedIn profile and a basic website showcasing your expertise and background are essential. Network strategically!

Content is King: Share insightful market commentary through blog posts or a newsletter. You can try all the other social platforms as well. This establishes you as a thought leader and attracts potential clients.

Target the Right Audience: Where do your ideal clients hang out (online and offline)? Charity events, industry conferences, upscale networking groups – be where they are.

Leverage Your Existing Network: Don't underestimate the power of your current contacts. Let clients, colleagues, and friends know about your new venture(optional).

Operational:

Pricing Model: Will you charge hourly, flat fees, or a percentage of assets under management? Consider your services and market rates.

Tech Tools: Invest in the right software for portfolio management, reporting, and client communication to streamline your workflow.

Contracts and Compliance: Have a lawyer draft airtight client agreements that protect you both.

Bonus Tips:

Get a Mentor: Connect with a seasoned advisor who can offer guidance and share their experience.

Start Small and Scale: Begin with a few strategic clients, and as your expertise and reputation grow, expand your clientele.

Embrace the Freelance Mindset: Be prepared for the hustle; managing your own business requires discipline and adaptability.

Remember, building a successful freelance practice takes time, dedication, and top-notch client service. Stay passionate, stay focused, and let your expertise pave the way to becoming a trusted advisor for your wealthy clientele.

[mostlysignssomeportents]

Cars bricked by bankrupt EV company will stay bricked

On OCTOBER 23 at 7PM, I'll be in DECATUR, presenting my novel THE BEZZLE at EAGLE EYE BOOKS.

There are few phrases in the modern lexicon more accursed than "software-based car," and yet, this is how the failed EV maker Fisker billed its products, which retailed for $40-70k in the few short years before the company collapsed, shut down its servers, and degraded all those "software-based cars":

https://insideevs.com/news/723669/fisker-inc-bankruptcy-chapter-11-official/

Fisker billed itself as a "capital light" manufacturer, meaning that it didn't particularly make anything – rather, it "designed" cars that other companies built, allowing Fisker to focus on "experience," which is where the "software-based car" comes in. Virtually every subsystem in a Fisker car needs (or rather, needed) to periodically connect with its servers, either for regular operations or diagnostics and repair, creating frequent problems with brakes, airbags, shifting, battery management, locking and unlocking the doors:

https://www.businessinsider.com/fisker-owners-worry-about-vehicles-working-bankruptcy-2024-4

Since Fisker's bankruptcy, people with even minor problems with their Fisker EVs have found themselves owning expensive, inert lumps of conflict minerals and auto-loan debt; as one Fisker owner described it, "It's literally a lawn ornament right now":

https://www.businessinsider.com/fisker-owners-describe-chaos-to-keep-cars-running-after-bankruptcy-2024-7

This is, in many ways, typical Internet-of-Shit nonsense, but it's compounded by Fisker's capital light, all-outsource model, which led to extremely unreliable vehicles that have been plagued by recalls. The bankrupt company has proposed that vehicle owners should have to pay cash for these recalls, in order to reserve the company's capital for its creditors – a plan that is clearly illegal:

https://www.veritaglobal.net/fisker/document/2411390241007000000000005

This isn't even the first time Fisker has done this! Ten years ago, founder Henrik Fisker started another EV company called Fisker Automotive, which went bankrupt in 2014, leaving the company's "Karma" (no, really) long-range EVs (which were unreliable and prone to bursting into flames) in limbo:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fisker_Karma

Which raises the question: why did investors reward Fisker's initial incompetence by piling in for a second attempt? I think the answer lies in the very factor that has made Fisker's failure so hard on its customers: the "software-based car." Investors love the sound of a "software-based car" because they understand that a gadget that is connected to the cloud is ripe for rent-extraction, because with software comes a bundle of "IP rights" that let the company control its customers, critics and competitors:

https://locusmag.com/2020/09/cory-doctorow-ip/

A "software-based car" gets to mobilize the state to enforce its "IP," which allows it to force its customers to use authorized mechanics (who can, in turn, be price-gouged for licensing and diagnostic tools). "IP" can be used to shut down manufacturers of third party parts. "IP" allows manufacturers to revoke features that came with your car and charge you a monthly subscription fee for them. All sorts of features can be sold as downloadable content, and clawed back when title to the car changes hands, so that the new owners have to buy them again. "Software based cars" are easier to repo, making them perfect for the subprime auto-lending industry. And of course, "software-based cars" can gather much more surveillance data on drivers, which can be sold to sleazy, unregulated data-brokers:

https://pluralistic.net/2023/07/24/rent-to-pwn/#kitt-is-a-demon

Unsurprisingly, there's a large number of Fisker cars that never sold, which the bankruptcy estate is seeking a buyer for. For a minute there, it looked like they'd found one: American Lease, which was looking to acquire the deadstock Fiskers for use as leased fleet cars. But now that deal seems dead, because no one can figure out how to restart Fisker's servers, and these vehicles are bricks without server access:

https://techcrunch.com/2024/10/08/fisker-bankruptcy-hits-major-speed-bump-as-fleet-sale-is-now-in-question/

It's hard to say why the company's servers are so intransigent, but there's a clue in the chaotic way that the company wound down its affairs. The company's final days sound like a scene from the last days of the German Democratic Republic, with apparats from the failing state charging about in chaos, without any plans for keeping things running:

https://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/2023/03/07/east-germany-stasi-surveillance-documents/

As it imploded, Fisker cycled through a string of Chief Financial officers, losing track of millions of dollars at a time:

https://techcrunch.com/2024/05/31/fisker-collapse-investigation-ev-ocean-suv-henrik-geeta/

When Fisker's landlord regained possession of its HQ, they found "complete disarray," including improperly stored drums of toxic waste:

https://techcrunch.com/2024/10/05/fiskers-hq-abandoned-in-complete-disarray-with-apparent-hazardous-waste-clay-models-left-behind/

And while Fisker's implosion is particularly messy, the fact that it landed in bankruptcy is entirely unexceptional. Most businesses fail (eventually) and most startups fail (quickly). Despite this, businesses – even those in heavily regulated sectors like automotive regulation – are allowed to design products and undertake operations that are not designed to outlast the (likely short-lived) company.

After the 2008 crisis and the collapse of financial institutions like Lehman Brothers, finance regulators acquired a renewed interest in succession planning. Lehman consisted of over 6,000 separate corporate entities, each one representing a bid to evade regulation and/or taxation. Unwinding that complex hairball took years, during which the entities that entrusted Lehman with their funds – pensions, charitable institutions, etc – were unable to access their money.

To avoid repeats of this catastrophe, regulators began to insist that banks produce "living wills" – plans for unwinding their affairs in the event of catastrophe. They had to undertake "stress tests" that simulated a wind-down as planned, both to make sure the plan worked and to estimate how long it would take to execute. Then banks were required to set aside sufficient capital to keep the lights on while the plan ran on.

This regulation has been indifferently enforced. Banks spent the intervening years insisting that they are capable of prudently self-regulating without all this interference, something they continue to insist upon even after the Silicon Valley Bank collapse:

https://pluralistic.net/2023/03/15/mon-dieu-les-guillotines/#ceci-nes-pas-une-bailout

The fact that the rules haven't been enforced tells us nothing about whether the rules would work if they were enforced. A string of high-profile bankruptcies of companies who had no succession plans and whose collapse stands to materially harm large numbers of people tells us that something has to be done about this.

Take 23andme, the creepy genomics company that enticed millions of people into sending them their genetic material (even if you aren't a 23andme customer, they probably have most of your genome, thanks to relatives who sent in cheek-swabs). 23andme is now bankrupt, and its bankruptcy estate is shopping for a buyer who'd like to commercially exploit all that juicy genetic data, even if that is to the detriment of the people it came from. What's more, the bankruptcy estate is refusing to destroy samples from people who want to opt out of this future sale:

https://bourniquelaw.com/2024/10/09/data-23-and-me/

On a smaller scale, there's Juicebox, a company that makes EV chargers, who are exiting the North American market and shutting down their servers, killing the advanced functionality that customers paid extra for when they chose a Juicebox product:

https://www.theverge.com/2024/10/2/24260316/juicebox-ev-chargers-enel-x-way-closing-discontinued-app

I actually owned a Juicebox, which ultimately caught fire and melted down, either due to a manufacturing defect or to the criminal ineptitude of Treeium, the worst solar installers in Southern California (or both):

https://pluralistic.net/2024/01/27/here-comes-the-sun-king/#sign-here

Projects like Juice Rescue are trying to reverse-engineer the Juicebox server infrastructure and build an alternative:

https://juice-rescue.org/

This would be much simpler if Juicebox's manufacturer, Enel X Way, had been required to file a living will that explained how its customers would go on enjoying their property when and if the company discontinued support, exited the market, or went bankrupt.

That might be a big lift for every little tech startup (though it would be superior than trying to get justice after the company fails). But in regulated sectors like automotive manufacture or genomic analysis, a regulation that says, "Either design your products and services to fail safely, or escrow enough cash to keep the lights on for the duration of an orderly wind-down in the event that you shut down" would be perfectly reasonable. Companies could make "software based cars" but the more "software based" the car was, the more funds they'd have to escrow to transition their servers when they shut down (and the lest capital they'd have to build the car).

Such a rule should be in addition to more muscular rules simply banning the most abusive practices, like the Oregon state Right to Repair bill, which bans the "parts pairing" that makes repairing a Fisker car so onerous:

https://www.theverge.com/2024/3/27/24097042/right-to-repair-law-oregon-sb1596-parts-pairing-tina-kotek-signed

Or the Illinois state biometric privacy law, which strictly limits the use of the kind of genomic data that 23andme collected:

https://www.ilga.gov/legislation/ilcs/ilcs3.asp?ActID=3004

Failing to take action on these abusive practices is dangerous – and not just to the people who get burned by them. Every time a genomics research project turns into a privacy nightmare, that salts the earth for future medical research, making it much harder to conduct population-scale research, which can be carried out in privacy-preserving ways, and which pays huge scientific dividends that we all benefit from:

https://pluralistic.net/2022/10/01/the-palantir-will-see-you-now/#public-private-partnership

Just as Fisker's outrageous ripoff will make life harder for good cleantech companies:

https://pluralistic.net/2024/06/26/unplanned-obsolescence/#better-micetraps

If people are convinced that new, climate-friendly tech is a cesspool of grift and extraction, it will punish those firms that are making routine, breathtaking, exciting (and extremely vital) breakthroughs:

https://www.euronews.com/green/2024/10/08/norways-national-football-stadium-has-the-worlds-largest-vertical-solar-roof-how-does-it-w

Tor Books as just published two new, free LITTLE BROTHER stories: VIGILANT, about creepy surveillance in distance education; and SPILL, about oil pipelines and indigenous landback.

If you'd like an essay-formatted version of this post to read or share, here's a link to it on pluralistic.net, my surveillance-free, ad-free, tracker-free blog:

https://pluralistic.net/2024/10/10/software-based-car/#based

[patelharshal]

The Impact of Environmental Policies on Driver’s Licensing in Canada: What You Need to Know for 2025

In recent years, Canada has seen a growing emphasis on sustainability and climate change mitigation, and this shift is making its way into the driver’s licensing process. By 2025, several provinces are adopting new policies aimed at promoting eco-friendly driving habits, electric vehicles (EVs), and green transportation technologies. If you're planning to get or renew your driver's license in Canada this year, it’s important to understand how these policies may affect you.

This blog explores how Canada’s environmental goals are influencing the driver’s license system, from new regulations for EV drivers to mandatory eco-driving courses and changes to driver education.

1. EV-Focused Licensing: Special Requirements for Electric Vehicle Drivers

One of the most significant changes is the rise of electric vehicles (EVs). With the Canadian government pledging to reduce carbon emissions, many provinces have introduced new licensing and training programs for those who drive EVs. In British Columbia and Ontario, for instance, drivers of electric commercial vehicles now have to meet specific certification requirements.

As of 2025, these drivers may be required to take specialized courses to understand the unique features of EVs, such as battery management, energy consumption, and charging stations. Some provinces are even offering discounted fees for EV owners to encourage the switch to electric vehicles, thus supporting Canada’s broader environmental goals.

The push for EV-friendly policies doesn’t stop with commercial drivers; private drivers may soon see incentives in the form of rebates or tax credits when upgrading to an electric car. As more Canadians make the transition to EVs, understanding the related licensing rules will become an important part of the driver’s licensing process.

2. Eco-Driving Courses as a Licensing Requirement

To further promote sustainable driving, provinces like Quebec and Nova Scotia have started offering eco-driving courses that focus on fuel-efficient driving techniques. These programs teach drivers how to minimize fuel consumption by optimizing their driving habits—such as maintaining a steady speed, reducing idling time, and using energy-efficient routes.

In the future, some provinces may even mandate eco-driving training for first-time drivers or those renewing their licenses. This would not only benefit the environment but also help drivers save money on fuel and maintenance. As climate-conscious policies become more ingrained in Canada’s transportation sector, drivers will need to adapt to new standards and regulations related to sustainable driving.

3. Changes to Driver Education in Response to Climate Change Policies

Canadian driving schools have begun updating their curriculum to reflect green driving principles. These updates focus on the importance of reducing greenhouse gas emissions and encouraging responsible driving. In 2025, driver education programs now include modules on alternative fuel vehicles, the impact of air pollution, and the importance of reducing personal carbon footprints.

In addition to traditional driving skills, learners are now being taught how to operate hybrid vehicles and EVs and how these cars differ from gasoline-powered cars in terms of driving habits and maintenance needs. The inclusion of these topics in driver education ensures that new drivers are aware of their environmental responsibilities, preparing them to be more conscious of their impact on the planet.

4. Licensing Adjustments for Carpooling and Shared Mobility

As part of efforts to reduce traffic congestion and carbon emissions, several provinces are now introducing shared mobility programs and policies that encourage carpooling and the use of ride-sharing services. In response, some regions are offering incentives to drivers who participate in carpooling and have earned a special driver certification that allows them to access high-occupancy vehicle (HOV) lanes or qualify for discounts on tolls and parking.

To facilitate these initiatives, license renewals may involve a brief online course or check-in to confirm participation in shared mobility programs. This is part of a broader initiative to make cities more sustainable and improve the efficiency of urban transportation.

5. Digital Driver’s Licenses (eDL) and Sustainability

The move toward digital driver’s licenses (eDL) in Canada is not just about convenience—it’s also part of the effort to reduce the environmental footprint associated with traditional paper licenses. Provinces like Ontario and British Columbia are already offering residents the option to use mobile apps to access their driver’s license digitally, eliminating the need for a physical card.

By reducing the production and distribution of plastic cards, Canada is making strides toward a more sustainable system. eDLs also offer enhanced security, making it harder for drivers to lose their licenses or have them stolen. As digital technologies continue to evolve, more Canadians will likely embrace the convenience and environmental benefits of the eDL system.

6. The Future of Sustainable Transportation Policies in Canada

Looking toward the future, Canada’s sustainability goals will continue to shape its licensing and transportation policies. By 2030, Canada is aiming for net-zero carbon emissions, which will likely include stricter regulations on driving habits, vehicle emissions, and the adoption of electric vehicles.

As part of this initiative, Canada may roll out new policies related to automated driving systems, such as driverless cars, which have the potential to drastically reduce carbon emissions by optimizing driving patterns and vehicle efficiency. Canadians should expect continued changes in the licensing process as more technological innovations in transportation are integrated into everyday life.

Adapting to New Sustainability-Driven Licensing Rules:

Stay Informed: Keep up with the latest environmental policies in your province to ensure you are aware of new licensing requirements for EVs and eco-driving courses.

Consider EV Training: If you’re planning to switch to an electric vehicle, look into the certification programs and training offered to ensure a smooth transition.

Use Online Resources: Platforms like licenseprep.ca can help you stay up-to-date on the latest driving laws and prepare for any changes related to eco-friendly policies.

Take an Eco-Driving Course: Whether it’s mandatory or optional, consider enrolling in an eco-driving course to improve your driving habits and reduce your carbon footprint.

Go Digital: Opt for a digital driver’s license (eDL) for convenience and to reduce your environmental impact.

Learn the Rules with licenseprep.ca Driving laws may differ from what you're used to. Use licenseprep.ca to study road signs, local rules, and prepare for your tests confidently.

[itsscromp]

Hi, I have a funny idea, what if Rocket and the reader go on a roller coaster? but Rocket is told that he can't go on the attraction because of his short height. Of course he managed to climb up with the help of his friend

Must be this tall to ride

Ohohohoho now this is something I can get by, Y/n would have a good plan to help him get on that rollercoaster. Word count:919

Word has spread that a new theme park has opened on New Xandar and like any normal kid at heart, you were excited to hear about it. "You sure you don't need to use the bathroom humie ??" Rocket snickered when he saw your excitement, but he was also excited for the theme park to open too, you've been rambling on about it for a few months on end.

The day the park opened, you and Rocket Hyper jumped straight away to New Xandar and landed soon after. "Jeez a lot has changed since the battle of old Xandar" You looked around and saw how much has been changed and upgraded since then.

"Yeah, It ain't that much for one lunatic to turn a whole planet into a cluster flark." He said, stretching as he walked out "Now come on, we got a theme park to explore, race ya !!" He smirked, getting on all fours and then sprinting. "Hey no fair !!" You shouted, giggling as you raced after him as quickly as possible.

Finally making it to the theme park, you were almost out of breath by the time you made it to the entrance. "Damn... *pant* you.... *pant*"

"You did pretty well, to begin with." He said as he dusted himself off, Once you caught your breath. He climbed up on your shoulder and paid your entrance fees. This just killed any theme park back on Terra, The rides and attractions were more advanced than you could ever see. "Woah..." Rocket could see the child-like sparkle in your eyes and noogied your head. "*Whistles* This place is something else huh pal ??"

"Yeah... this is freaking insane !!!" You smiled looking around, finding what looked like an interactive water set. walking over, you then began to trigger the water to shoot out of the hole in the ground. "Hey watch it" Rocket chuckled as a tad bit of water got onto him.

"Alright alright no more water buddy" You walked away from the set, the two then tried out the variety of games and attractions on offer, even sitting down to try the food. "Damn, this has to be the best freaking ice cream I ever had." Rocket said as he wiped his mouth. "No doubt about it." You said as you finished it off, you then heard Thrill screaming, looking up to see the tallest and longest coaster you had ever seen in your life. "Oh, we are so going on that !!" You said as you then dragged rocket to the line of the coaster.

It was a long wait, and Rocket started to tap his foot on the ground impatiently. "Come on it can't take this long" He grumbled. "Almost their buddy, It'll be worth the wait"

it was soon to be your turn to get on the ride, but as soon as Rocket started to move, the ride operator stopped him. "Sorry you can't go on"

"What ?? Whattya mean I can't go on, I waited in this damn line for so...long" He turned to where he was pointing, there was a height limit on the ride. You too were a little bummed out he couldn't experience the ride too. But then... "Actually I changed my mind, I'll come back later" The operator guided you two to the way out. "Y/n what are you doing, you could've gone on" He looked up at you. You kneeled down to his height with a smirk on your face. "I have a plan"

"Go on..."

So the plan was simple, when the lines died down at the end of the day, you would sneak Rocket into your backpack before lining up for the ride again, then once you placed your backpack in the locker area, you would unzip it before hoping on the back of the ride which he could easily sneak to.

Coming back to the ride, you put the plan in motion. "Ready Buddy ??" You unzipped your bag open, and he climbed in, soon zipping it up. "Ready." He said inside, and you then lined up on the ride again, this time it was a much shorter wait time this time around as you then got into the carriage. Dropping your bag gently into the locker and unzipping it, soon after, Rocket emerged from the backpack, zoomed to the back carriage and sat down. "And just like that, we beat the system again" Rocket smirked and folded his arms.

A different ride attendant, oblivious to what happened before, then clamped the harnesses onto you two before the ride started up. All in all the plan was a success and the ride was a fun time, you have never seen Rocket so happy and cheered so loud. You were glad you got this plan to work, once the ride ended, rocket quickly then once his harness was released, hid past the crowds and then waited outside for you.

"Oh man that was freaking awesome dude !!!" He smiled as he climbed back on your shoulder still smiling.

"I know !!, Like those loop de loops and the turns, oh it was just so fun. Oh and let's not forget the speeds..." You turned and saw him falling asleep on your shoulder, after having a fun day, the energy in him ran out. Softly smiling, you then began to walk back to the bowie, due for a nap yourself. It was a fun day out, and with your best friend made it even better.

Taglist: @callofdudes @fun-k-board @rogertaylorswift

[dailyanarchistposts]

J.5.8 What would a modern system of mutual banking look like?

One scenario for an updated system of mutual banking would be for a community to begin issuing an alternative currency accepted as money by all individuals within it. Let us call this currency-issuing association a “mutual barter clearinghouse,” or just “clearinghouse” for short.

The clearinghouse would have a twofold mandate: first, to extend credit at cost to members; second, to manage the circulation of credit-money within the system, charging only a small service fee (one percent or less) sufficient to cover its costs of operation, including labour costs involved in issuing credit and keeping track of transactions, insuring itself against losses from uncollectable debts, and so forth. Some current experiments in community money use labour time worked as their basis (thus notes would be marked one-hour) while others have notes tied to the value of the state currency (thus, say, a Scottish town would issue pounds assumed to be the same as a British pound note).

The clearinghouse would be organised and function as follows. People could join the clearinghouse by pledging a certain amount of property (including savings) as collateral. On the basis of this pledge, an account would be opened for the new member and credited with a sum of mutual pounds equivalent to some fraction of the assessed value of the property pledged. The new member would agree to repay this amount plus the service fee into their account by a certain date. The mutual pounds could then be transferred through the clearinghouse to the accounts of other members, who have agreed to receive mutual money in payment for all debts or work done.

The opening of this sort of account is, of course, the same as taking out a “loan” in the sense that a commercial bank “lends” by extending credit to a borrower in return for a signed note pledging a certain amount of property as security. The crucial difference is that the clearinghouse does not purport to be “lending” a sum of money that it already has, as is fraudulently claimed by commercial banks. Instead it honestly admits that it is creating new money in the form of credit. New accounts can also be opened simply by telling the clearinghouse that one wants an account and then arranging with other people who already have balances to transfer mutual money into one’s account in exchange for goods or services.

Another form of mutual credit are LETS systems. In this a number of people get together to form an association. They create a unit of exchange (which is equal in value to a unit of the national currency usually), choose a name for it and offer each other goods and services priced in these units. These offers and wants are listed in a directory which is circulated periodically to members. Members decide who they wish to trade with and how much trading they wish to do. When a transaction is completed, this is acknowledged with a “cheque” made out by the buyer and given to the seller. These are passed on to the system accounts administration which keeps a record of all transactions and periodically sends members a statement of their accounts. The accounts administration is elected by, and accountable to, the membership and information about balances is available to all members.

Unlike the first system described, members do not have to present property as collateral. Members of a LETS scheme can go into “debt” without it, although “debt” is the wrong word as members are not so much going into debt as committing themselves to do some work within the system in the future and by so doing they are creating spending power. The willingness of members to incur such a commitment could be described as a service to the community as others are free to use the units so created to trade themselves. Indeed, the number of units in existence exactly matches the amount of real wealth being exchanged. The system only works if members are willing to spend. It runs on trust and builds up trust as the system is used.

It is likely that a fully functioning mutual banking system would incorporate aspects of both these systems. The need for collateral may be used when members require very large loans while the LETS system of negative credit as a commitment to future work would be the normal function of the system. If the mutual bank agrees a maximum limit for negative balances, it may agree to take collateral for transactions that exceed this limit. However, it is obvious that any mutual banking system will find the best means of working in the circumstances it finds itself.

[udonlawyers]

Thailand Privilege Visa

The Thailand Privilege Visa, commonly known as the Thailand Elite Visa, is a long-term residency program designed for affluent individuals seeking an extended stay in Thailand with exclusive benefits. Managed by the Thailand Privilege Card Company Limited, this program is part of the government’s initiative to attract high-net-worth individuals and boost tourism and investment.

1. Purpose and Target Audience

1.1 Objectives

To promote Thailand as a desirable destination for living and business.

To attract affluent foreign nationals and encourage investment in tourism, real estate, and other sectors.

1.2 Target Audience

High-net-worth individuals.

Retirees seeking long-term residency.

Frequent travelers who value premium services.

Businesspeople managing regional operations.

2. Membership Packages

The Thailand Privilege Visa offers several membership options tailored to different needs:

2.1 Elite Easy Access

Duration: 5 years.

Cost: 600,000 THB.

Best For: Individuals seeking flexibility for frequent visits.

2.2 Elite Family Excursion

Duration: 5 years for two family members.

Cost: 800,000 THB.

Additional Family Member Fee: 300,000 THB.

Best For: Families traveling together.

2.3 Elite Superiority Extension

Duration: 20 years.

Cost: 1 million THB.

Best For: Long-term residents seeking stability.

2.4 Elite Privilege Access

Duration: 10 years.

Cost: 1 million THB.

Additional Family Member Fee: 800,000 THB.

Best For: Individuals or families requiring medium-term flexibility.

2.5 Elite Ultimate Privilege

Duration: 20 years.

Cost: 2.14 million THB.

Best For: High-net-worth individuals desiring the highest level of privileges.

3. Benefits of the Thailand Privilege Visa

Extended Stay Options:

Stay for up to 20 years without visa renewals.

Multiple entries allowed, with each entry permitting a 1-year stay.

Airport Services:

VIP fast-track immigration and security clearance.

Access to luxury airport lounges.

Government Liaison Services:

Assistance with 90-day reporting, visa renewals, and driving licenses.

Healthcare and Lifestyle Benefits:

Discounts at top hospitals, golf courses, spas, and hotels.

Family Inclusion:

Options for family members to be included at reduced rates in certain packages.

4. Application Process

4.1 Eligibility Requirements

No age restrictions, but applicants must have no criminal record and meet financial thresholds.

4.2 Steps to Apply

Membership Application:

Submit an application with a valid passport and personal information.

Approval and Payment:

Once approved, pay the membership fee to the Thailand Privilege Card Company.

Visa Issuance:

Obtain the visa at a Thai embassy, consulate, or immigration office.

5. Limitations and Considerations

Non-Work Visa:

The Elite Visa does not permit employment without an additional work permit.

Cost-Effectiveness:

High upfront costs may not suit all applicants, especially those with shorter-term plans.

No Permanent Residency Path:

The Thailand Privilege Visa does not lead directly to permanent residency or citizenship.

6. Practical Applications

For Retirees:

Offers a hassle-free long-term residency option with healthcare discounts.

For Frequent Travelers:

Simplifies immigration processes for business or leisure trips.

For Investors:

Provides long-term stability while managing investments in Thailand.

Conclusion

The Thailand Privilege Visa program is an innovative solution for affluent individuals and families seeking a premium residency experience. While the program offers unparalleled convenience and benefits, applicants must carefully consider their long-term plans and financial capacity to maximize its advantages. Engaging with authorized consultants or legal professionals ensures a smooth application process and clarity on the program’s terms.