A Boring Dystopia
- An out-of-warranty battery almost left this paralyzed man’s exoskeleton uselesswww.theverge.com An out-of-warranty battery almost left this paralyzed man’s exoskeleton useless
He couldn’t walk using the machine for two months.
Alternative link where I'm told the story is written better, but unfortunately has a signup wall and I'm not willing to sign up https://www.404media.co/paralyzed-jockey-loses-ability-to-walk-after-manufacturer-refuses-to-fix-battery-for-his-100-000-exoskeleton/
- Labour adopts hated Tory bank surveillance and DWP search and seize powerswww.benefitsandwork.co.uk Labour adopts hated Tory bank surveillance and DWP search and seize powers
Get the benefits you're entitled to: help with personal independence payment (PIP), universal credit (UC), employment and support allowance (ESA),disability living allowance (DLA). Claims, assessments, reviews, appeals.
cross-posted from: https://sh.itjust.works/post/25812215
> Labour is to revive the hated Tory plan to force banks to carry out surveillance on claimants’ accounts and give the DWP police type power to search premises and seize possessions. > > The Tory provisions were contained in the Data Protection and Digital Information Bill, but this failed to be passed into law before the general election and was therefore scrapped. > > Now, however, Labour have announced that they are to include what appear to be very similar provisions in a new Fraud, Error and Debt Bill. > > According to the DWP, the new law will give the DWP powers to: > > - Better investigate suspected fraud and new powers of search and seizure so DWP can take greater control investigations into criminal gangs defrauding the taxpayer. > > - Allow DWP to recover debts from individuals who can pay money back but have avoided doing so, bringing greater fairness to debt recoveries. > > - Require banks and financial institutions to share data that may show indications of potential benefit overpayments > > The Tory bank surveillance provisions would have forced banks to monitor the accounts of all means-tested benefits claimants and report every time an account went over the capital limit or was used abroad for more than four weeks. > > In late 2023, it was estimated that almost 9 million claimants would be caught in the Tory surveillance net, including: > > - 8 million universal credit claimants > > - 6 million employment and support allowance claimants > > - 4 million pension credit claimants > > That number is likely to have increased by now, especially with the push to get more people to sign-up for pension credit. > > Labour’s new bill will also give the DWP the power to search premises and seize evidence, such as documents, laptops and phones. > > The Tory Bill contained similar powers. > > It would have allowed designated DWP staff to arrest claimants, search premises and seize any evidence they found without needing to use the police. The DWP said this would put them on a par with HMRC and the Gangmasters and Labour Abuse Authority (GLAA). > > In an attempt to reassure claimants, the DWP today claimed that: > > “The Bill will also include safeguarding measures to protect vulnerable customers. Staff will be trained to the highest standards on the appropriate use of any new powers, and we will introduce new oversight and reporting mechanisms, to monitor these new powers. DWP will not have access to people’s bank accounts and will not share their personal information with third parties.” > > Labour claim that these powers will only be used against criminal gangs. But, until we see the text of the bill, we will have no way of knowing whether the law will actually prevent the DWP using their new powers against individual claimants if they so choose. > > The outline of the new bill was published today by the DWP to coincide with Kier Starmer’s first speech as prime minister to a Labour party conference. > > In his speech, Starmer made only a brief reference to the new bill, saying, “If we want to maintain support for the welfare state, then we will legislate to stop benefit fraud and do everything we can to tackle worklessness.” > > Back in April of this year the then prime minister, Rishi Sunak, outlined his plan to give the DWP police powers. He did this whilst setting out his five point plan for welfare reform in a speech at the right-wing think tank, the Centre for Social justice, founded by Iain Duncan-Smith. > > Just five months later, Keir Starmer has announced similar measures, this time in a speech to the Labour party conference. > > The other four Sunak points were: > > - The WCA to be made harder to pass > > - GPs no longer to issue fit notes > > - Legacy benefits claimants to move to UC sooner and work requirements to be increased > > - PIP no longer always a cash benefit and fewer people to be eligible > > We will now have to wait for Labour’s welfare reform white paper to see whether any of the four remaining points will also be adopted as Labour policy.
- Philanthropic colonialism: US non-profits supporting Israel’s settlementswww.aljazeera.com Philanthropic colonialism: US non-profits supporting Israel’s settlements
American non-profits are engaging in pro-Israel political activity while enjoying tax-exempt status.
> American non-profits are engaging in pro-Israel political activity while enjoying tax-exempt status.
- 'Global Oligarchy' Reigns as Top 1% Controls More Wealth Than Bottom 95% of Humanitywww.commondreams.org 'Global Oligarchy' Reigns as Top 1% Controls More Wealth Than Bottom 95% of Humanity | Common Dreams
"The ultra-wealthy and the mega-corporations they control are shaping global rules to serve their interests at the expense of people everywhere."
- Justice Department accuses Visa of debit network monopoly that affects price of 'nearly everything’www.cnbc.com Justice Department accuses Visa of debit network monopoly that affects price of 'nearly everything’
Visa and Mastercard have surged over the past two decades, reaching a combined $1 trillion market cap. That has attracted unwanted attention from regulators.
- Norms
The israeli school children all got together for the girl and sang a song called "may your village burn"
- Raise Wages? No Need — McDonald’s Is Hiring Inmates Insteadjacobin.com Raise Wages? No Need — McDonald’s Is Hiring Inmates Instead
Citing labor shortages, Alabama prisons are accused of “leasing” inmates to McDonald’s and other fast-food chains —and taking a cut of their wages.
- The Insurance Apocalypse Is Upon Usjacobin.com The Insurance Apocalypse Is Upon Us
As climate change intensifies extreme weather and claims pile up, insurance companies are raising their rates and limiting their coverage. This leaves those who can least afford insurance unprotected as climate disasters grow more frequent and severe.
- Up against a 'ghost network' for mental health care? Here's what you can do.
Is in network with your insurance plan. Treats the condition you are concerned with. Has good reviews. Pick 2.
I have Autism Spectrum Disorder (Level 1), Generalized Anxiety Disorder with Panic Attacks, and Major Depressive Disorder in Partial Remission. Ghost networks are the bane of my fuuuuucking existence. You know what's monumentally hard to do when you are a depressed autist with high anxiety? Endlessly and fruitlessly search for care related to those conditions.
FUCK insurance companies, and FUCK Republicans for propping them up.
- Bulletproofing America’s Classrooms - Ballistic armor companies are marketing protective products designed for the military to parents and schoolswww.nytimes.com Bulletproofing America’s Classrooms
Ballistic armor companies are marketing protective products designed for the military to parents and schools. Some people see the items as unsettling but prudent; others find them infuriating.
Archived at https://ghostarchive.org/archive/ijAM7
- Child abuse camps
YouTube Video
Click to view this content.
I just watched this documentary series. I'm flabbergasted. Truly. Internationally, this is considered crimes against humanity. They use banned torture techniques. The fact this ever existed is insane. The fact the people responsible for this are still walking free makes me sick. The fact that these people are still operating similar facilities is fucking outrageous. What the actual fuck. HOW! Like, how is it possible to operate child torture facilities for years and years without repercussions? I already thought the US incarceration system was fucked up but this is the ultimate dystopian horror.
- How a Child Got 65 Years for a Murder the Police Committed: lawyer explains broken US justice system (10min 14 sec video)
Olayemi Olurin tells the stories of Lakeith Smith, Tay K, and those who've been affected by the felony murder rule.
- There Are So Many Armed Cops on Subways That Now They’re Shooting Each Othertheintercept.com There Are So Many Armed Cops on Subways That Now They’re Shooting Each Other
A police shooting that injured three people and one officer is the result of New York Mayor Eric Adams’s enforcement-first mentality.
- A Twitter-like app where you are the only actual user and every other "user" is an AI bot.www.theverge.com SocialAI: We tried the Twitter clone where no other humans are allowed
Surround yourself with adoring bots instead of humans.
- As families searched, a Texas medical school cut up their loved oneswww.nbcnews.com As families searched, a Texas medical school cut up their loved ones
The University of North Texas Health Science Center built a flourishing business using hundreds of unclaimed corpses. It suspended the program after NBC News exposed failures to treat the dead and their families with respect.
cross-posted from: https://lemmy.world/post/19869252
> Archived at https://web.archive.org/web/20240917114909/https://www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news/university-north-texas-corpses-dissected-unclaimed-bodies-rcna170478
- Indiana police have dogs that sniff specifically for cash at the US’s 2nd biggest FedEx hub, then they simply keep the moneyeu.indystar.com Indiana police use state law to steal money without cause
This isn’t crime fighting. It’s an actual crime — a blatant, naked theft carried out by officers, Libertarian Party Chair Evan McMahon writes.
cross-posted from: https://slrpnk.net/post/13349939
> cross-posted from: https://slrpnk.net/post/13145612 > > > (edit) Would someone please ship some counterfeit money through there and get it confiscated, so the police can then be investigated for spending counterfeit money?
- 'Death Should Not Be the Only Relief': Seniors Lead Their First Action Against Student Debtwww.commondreams.org 'Death Should Not Be the Only Relief': Seniors Lead Their First Action Against Student Debt | Common Dreams
Borrowers over 50 are the fastest-growing demographic of student debtors, and, for the first time in history, some of them are calling on the Biden-Harris administration to take advantage of federal regulations that empower the Department of Education to cancel debt based on age.
- Hot queen conch seeks cool mates: Florida’s new ‘speed dating’ service to save endangered shellfishwww.theguardian.com Hot queen conch seeks cool mates: Florida’s new ‘speed dating’ service to save endangered shellfish
Soaring sea temperatures have made the celebrated gastropod lethargic and infertile, so scientists are helping the threatened species to reproduce
- No sleeping bags, keep moving: California cities increase crackdown on homeless encampmentscalmatters.org No sleeping bags, keep moving: California cities increase crackdown on homeless encampments
More than two-dozen California cities passed, strengthened or are considering ordinances banning homeless camps, after a key Supreme Court ruling.
- Meet the 10 biggest wealth gainers this year — who've added a combined $360 billion to their fortunes in 2024www.businessinsider.com Meet the 10 biggest wealth gainers this year — who've added a combined $360 billion to their fortunes in 2024
Nvidia's Jensen Huang, Meta's Mark Zuckerberg, and Oracle's Larry Ellison are all up over $50 billion this year thanks to soaring stock prices.
- Florida department of health posts updated COVID-19 booster guidance that is just a list of anti-vax conspiracieswww.floridahealth.gov Updated Guidance for COVID-19 Boosters for the Fall and Winter 2024–2025 Season | Florida Department of Health
Updated Guidance for COVID-19 Boosters for the Fall and Winter 2024–2025 Season
Their surgeon general is something else
- Shein is officially the biggest polluter in fast fashion. AI is making things worse.grist.org Shein is officially the biggest polluter in fast fashion. AI is making things worse.
The company nearly doubled its emissions in 2023.
- Colorado teen shot in the face by town councilman after going to home to ask permission to take homecoming photoswww.nbcnews.com Colorado teen shot in the face by town councilman after going to home to ask permission to take homecoming photos
A woman who lives at the home thought trespassers were on her property, authorities said. Her boyfriend was arrested in connection with the shooting.
- Biden and Starmer are set to meet as Ukraine pushes to ease weapons restrictionsapnews.com Biden and Starmer are set to meet as Ukraine pushes to ease weapons restrictions
Ukraine’s push to ease restrictions on the use of weapons from the United States and Britain is on the agenda in White House talks between President Joe Biden and Prime Minister Keir Starmer.
- Almost 1 in 4 millennials and Gen Z-ers say they won't have kids due to financeswww.cbsnews.com Almost 1 in 4 millennials and Gen Z-ers say they won't have kids due to finances
Raising a child in the U.S. costs hundreds of thousands of dollars. Many younger Americans say they can't afford it.
- Meta fed its AI on almost everything you’ve posted publicly since 2007www.theverge.com Meta fed its AI on almost everything you’ve posted publicly since 2007
Making Facebook and Instagram private won’t delete that data.
- Kroger Posts Massive Profits Amid Price Gouging Outcry and Merger Pushwww.commondreams.org Kroger Posts Massive Profits Amid Price Gouging Outcry and Merger Push | Common Dreams
Kroger's price gouging to pass on "inflation" to consumers has paid off, earning $466 million in Q2 2024. Its proposed merger with Albertsons faces FTC challenge over fears of a monopoly and job losses. Should consumers pay the price for corporate greed? #CorporateGreed
- The House of Dead Updoots
If you ever feel hopelessly useless, remember that every reddit ad has a vote widget that does absolutely nothing. And, at least that, is not your fault.
- Hotel Chains Accused of Collusion Among “Worst Offenders” of Junk Fees - Accountable USaccountable.us Hotel Chains Accused of Collusion Among “Worst Offenders” of Junk Fees - Accountable US
A new report from government watchdog Accountable.US revealed today that five out of six major hotel operators involved in a “major class action” lawsuit for alleged price-fixing violations are among the worst offenders when it comes to resort fees and have faced various lawsuits and scrutiny for th...
>Hilton, Wyndham, Hyatt, Omni Hotels, Choice Hotels, and Four Seasons stand accused of exploiting G3 RMS, an artificial intelligence algorithm, to illegally collude in price fixing their room rates, in violation of federal antitrust law. All six hotels are represented on the board of directors of the American Hotel & Lodging Association (AHLA), the “largest hotel association in the U.S.,” which has spent nearly $3 million while lobbying against fee disclosure legislation since 2022.
- The associated press now has a front page news "category" for shootings
https://apnews.com/hub/shootings
- Federal Reserve unveils toned-down banking regulations in victory for Wall Streetwww.cnbc.com Federal Reserve unveils toned-down banking regulations in victory for Wall Street
Bank CEOs led by JPMorgan Chase CEO Jamie Dimon have lambasted the proposed Basel Endgame regulation since it was unveiled last year.
- Gaza: Children’s hair greying, falling out from shock and traumawww.newarab.com Gaza: Children’s hair greying, falling out from shock and trauma
Over 11 months of heavy Israeli bombardment on the enclave and harrowing scenes have left children debilitated by trauma and under extreme stress.
- Elon Musk on pace to become world’s first trillionaire by 2027, report sayswww.theguardian.com Elon Musk on pace to become world’s first trillionaire by 2027, report says
In addition to world’s richest person, who has $251bn, report names others on track to receive trillionaire status