Futurology Today

Is a depiction, description, or simulation, whether real, animated, digitally generated, written, or auditory, that includes a disconnection between biology and gender by an individual of 1 biological sex imitating, depicting, or representing himself or herself to be of the other biological sex by means of a combination of attire, cosmetology, or prosthetics, or as having a reproductive nature contrary to the individual's biological sex.

Yes its proposed, yes it won't pass, yes it would be struck down.

cross-posted from: https://lemmy.sdf.org/post/42442664

Archived

Poland has urged European Union member states that are still buying Russian energy to end those imports by the end of 2026 and will offer them help towards that effort, Energy Minister Milosz Motyka said on Wednesday.

The Druzhba oil pipeline delivers Russian oil to Hungary and Slovakia, which continue to buy energy supplies from Russia after other EU nations cut ties following Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022.

The European Commission will propose speeding up the phasing out of Russian fossil imports, the EU executive head Ursula von der Leyen said on Tuesday after a call with U.S. President Donald Trump.

The bloc had previously planned to end purchases of Russian oil and gas by January 1, 2028.

[...]

This is an automated archive made by the Lemmit Bot.

The original was posted on /r/technology by /u/Logical_Welder3467 on 2025-09-18 03:44:33+00:00.

Latin America is the most dangerous region for environmental advocates, with many of the cases remaining unsolved, according to a new report. Indigenous people, farmers and activists are all among the casualties.

Dili (East Timor) (AFP) – East Timor's parliament on Wednesday said it would scrap lifetime pensions for MPs, bowing to public pressure after dropping a plan to buy SUVs for lawmakers in one of southeast Asia's poorest nations.

Student-led demonstrations against the multi-million dollar purchase drew thousands this week in the capital Dili, with demonstrators and police clashing two days in a row.

Protesters' demands initially focused on cancelling the $4.2 million plan to purchase SUVs for National Parliament members but later widened to include other issues including lifetime pensions for former MPs.

Under a law passed in 2006, former MPs are entitled to pension equivalent to their salary.

Parliament said in a statement Wednesday it would take steps to annul the law following a meeting with representatives of the demonstrators.

"If they don't comply with the agreement, we will hold bigger protests," Cristovao Mato, 27, one of the representatives, said.

Around 2,000 demonstrators gathered near the parliament building in Dili earlier in the day, according to an AFP journalist, with some expressing scepticism after parliament announced Tuesday it had cancelled the plan to buy new cars for MPs.

"Rumours are that the cars are already on the way," protester Trinito Gaio, 42, told AFP.

"So this is why all of these students and myself are here today -- to make sure my tax money is not going in the... wrong direction."

The controversy initially stemmed from a budget item, approved last year, to purchase Toyota Prado SUVs for each of the country's 65 members of parliament.

The tender was due to be completed in September, according to an official parliament document.

The plan triggered widespread anger in a nation where more than 40 percent of the population lives in poverty, according to the World Bank.

Facing mounting protests, parliament made a sharp U-turn on Tuesday.

It unanimously adopted a resolution to "cancel (the) new vehicle procurement process listed in the 2025 budget".

A statement added that parliament's general secretariat must now "adopt administrative and financial measures aimed at maintenance and efficient use" of vehicles already in the MPs' use.

The protests on Monday and Tuesday saw demonstrators hurl rocks at police, who responded with tear gas.

The now-revoked plan triggered strong reactions because it was viewed by many as "a symbol of injustice", said Universidade da Paz economic faculty dean Caetano C. Correia.

"Many people viewed that public officials, particularly the legislators, are not living in the same condition as ordinary people," he said.

President Jose Ramos-Horta told reporters on Tuesday there would be "no tolerance" for violence during the demonstrations.

The unrest occurred while Prime Minister Xanana Gusmao was travelling to London for meetings on land and maritime borders. He is expected to return on September 22.

East Timor, which gained independence from Indonesia in 2002 after more than two decades of occupation, continues to grapple with high inequality, malnutrition, and unemployment.

Its economy remains heavily reliant on its oil reserves.

I have 3 machines I've switched to Linux: an old laptop with Mint, and my primary laptop and PC runing Ubuntu Studio. I use Protonvpn on all 3.

Today I had my app manager on Mint and Discover on Ubuntu showing new updates. I installed Mint's first, via the manager and Proton was an update. It mentioned it would uninstall a few proton things so I figured it had to uninstall them in order to install the new update. Protonvpn stopped working after, it looked uninstalled but my killswitch was still active (so no internet at all and no access to open the vpn app). I had to find out how to kill the network processes via ncmli (good new info to learn!) and do a roundabout uninstall through a process I found in an old Proton post as just uninstalling it with normal commands didn't work, restart the laptop then reinstall Protonvpn.

So on my laptop and PC, I updated via terminal instead, using sudo apt update/upgrade. All smooth and no issues.

Was my Mint problem a one-off glitch or is there a real difference when updating via update manager vs the terminal?

Edit: Thanks guys, seems the general consensus is yes, but some of ya's say no haha. I knew going into the question that having Mint screw up with manager and Ubuntu Studio work with terminal opens a lot of os possibilities beyond simply manager vs terminal.

Next Proton update, I'm going to try the terminal on Mint instead of manager, and the manager on my Ubuntu Studio laptop instead of terminal and see if anything screws up.

This is an automated archive made by the Lemmit Bot.

The original was posted on /r/maliciouscompliance by /u/NoriGaze on 2025-09-18 06:14:29+00:00.

This happened a few weeks ago at the café where I work. New manager came in a couple months ago and decided we needed to fix professionalism. One of the first memos she sent was basically: “Name badges must be worn on the chest and be clearly visible at all times. Failure to comply will result in progressive discipline.” She meant business, multiple managers had been sending reminders and she even stood by the pass watching people like it was her personal hobby.

Normally I wear the standard little magnetic badge clipped to my apron pocket. It’s visible when I’m standing straight, but it disappears behind the tilt of the espresso machine or when I’m leaning over the pastry case. Rather than roll my eyes and risk a write-up, I decided to follow the rule to the letter.

That afternoon I went to the office supply store and bought a large magnetic backed poster board. Back at work I neatly wrote my name in big block letters, like, 6 inches tall and below it in smaller text I wrote the policy..

Name badge must be worn on chest and clearly visible at all times.

I attached the giant badge across my apron so it covered my whole torso. It was impossible to miss. Tall customers could read it from square footage away. Regulars laughed and called me “Sign Girl” in a loving way. New customers asked if we were doing a promotion. The best part was that every time my manager walked by, she stopped, squinted, and read the policy printed on my badge out loud. Then she looked up, looked at me and just left.

No one could say I wasn’t complying. No write-up, no lecture. A couple of days later the manager called a short team meeting about professionalism and dress code and opened by saying, “I can see everyone is taking the policy seriously.” We all looked at each other and silently high-fived.

Lima (AFP) – Tourists were back at Peru's ancient Inca citadel of Machu Picchu Wednesday, officials said, after a protest by residents forced the evacuation of hundreds of stranded visitors.

Access to the site had been blocked since Monday as protesters placed logs and rocks on train tracks to demand their interests be represented in the bidding process for a new bus operator.

Protesters clashed with police, which said 14 officers were injured.

A UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1983, the ancient, fortified complex receives around 4,500 visitors a day, many of them foreigners, according to the tourism ministry.

Visitors travel some 110 kilometers (68 miles) by train from the city of Cusco -- the Inca empire's ancient capital -- to the Aguas Calientes train station, then take a bus to the entrance of Machu Picchu.

Authorities on Tuesday evening evacuated 156 visitors, adding to another 1,400-odd that had to be extricated overnight Monday.

Hundreds more made their own way down on foot.

Among the foreign tourists were French, Japanese, American, Brazilian, German, and Portuguese nationals, according to the list seen by AFP.

PeruRail announced the resumption of operations Wednesday after residents announced a truce until Saturday for negotiations.

The protest was organized by the Machu Picchu Defense Front, which has vowed to continue its action until the new transport company is chosen to provide bus services between Aguas Calientes and the citadel.

The previous company's 30-year concession has expired, but it has continued to provide services to the ire of residents who insist the community must have a stake in a new operator.

The citadel, located at an altitude of 2,438 meters, was built in the 15th century by order of Inca emperor Pachacutec (1438-1470).

It is considered a marvel of architecture and engineering, but has repeatedly been the scene of protests by locals pressing social demands.

Tourism is key to the economy of Peru.

Rizzo and Gracie say "hi."

@aww #dogsofmastodon

This story was originally published by the Guardian and is reproduced here as part of theClimate Desk collaboration.

In the wake of the Trump administration’s announcement that it will overturn the rule which underpins virtually all US climate regulations, a Senate committee has launched an investigation into a suspected lobbying push that led to the move.

On Tuesday, the Senate environment and public works committee sent letters to two dozen corporations, including oil giants, think tanks, law firms, and trade associations. The missives request each company to turn over documents regarding the 2009 declaration, known as the endangerment finding, which the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) said in July that it will unmake.

The finding enshrined that carbon dioxide and five other greenhouse gases harm the health of Americans. “Rescinding the endangerment finding at the behest of industry is irresponsible, legally dubious, and deeply out of step with the EPA’s core mission of protecting human health and the environment, and the American public deserves to understand your role in advancing EPA’s dangerous decision,” wrote Sen. Sheldon Whitehouse (D-R.I,), the ranking member of the committee. “I am concerned about the role that fossil fuel companies, certain manufacturers, trade associations, polluter-backed groups, and others with much to benefit from the repeal of the endangerment finding—including your organization—played in drafting, preparing, promoting, and lobbying on the proposal.”

Fossil fuel companies and their allies are threatened by the endangerment finding because it confirms in law that carbon dioxide, which their products produce, are dangerous, Whitehouse told the Guardian. It also gives the EPA the authority to regulate those emissions under the Clean Air Act.

The letter, which asks for all relevant private communications between the day Trump was re-elected in November to the day the EPA announced plans to rescind the endangerment finding in July, was sent to oil giants ExxonMobil, Chevron, Shell, and BP, as well as coal producers, a rail giant, and two auto manufacturers whose business plans rely on fossil fuels.

“The only interests that benefit from undoing the endangerment finding are polluter interests, and specifically fossil fuel polluter interests,” Whitehouse said.

“The fossil fuel industry owns and controls the Trump administration on all matters that relate to their industry.”

The letter was also sent to trade associations and law firms representing big oil and auto companies. And it was sent to far-right, pro-fossil fuel think tanks Competitive Enterprise Institute, New Civil Liberties Alliance, the Heartland Institute, America First Policy Institute, and the Heritage Foundation, each of which challenge the authority of federal agencies, and some of which have directly praised the proposed endangerment finding rollback.

The Guardian has contacted each recipient for comment.

Because Republicans control the Senate, Democrats on the environment and public works committee lack the power to subpoena the documents. But the Senate committee still expects the companies to comply with their request.

The letter could send a signal to polluting sectors and right-wing firms that they are being watched and could set the stage for continued investigation if Democrats win back a congressional chamber in next November’s midterm elections.

Fossil fuel interests pushed back on the endangerment finding when it was first written, yet little is known about more recent advocacy to overturn it. Immediately following the EPA’s announcement of the rollback, the New York Times reported that groups have not “been clamoring in recent years for its reversal.” But Whitehouse believes that has changed since Trump was re-elected in November.

When Joe Biden was president and Democrats controlled at least one chamber of Congress, Whitehouse said “a request to rescind the endangerment finding would have just looked like useless, pointless, madness.”

“But now that they can actually do it in their desperation and with the mask of moderation pulled off, I think it’s very clear that they were directing this happen,” he said.

Under Trump, former lobbyists and lawyers for polluting industries such as oil, gas and petrochemicals have entered leadership positions at the EPA. “The fossil fuel industry owns and controls the Trump administration on all matters that relate to their industry, and they have subservient Republicans controlling both the House and the Senate,” said Whitehouse. “The change in power has allowed a change in tactics and attitude.”

Two environmental nonprofits have sued the Trump administration for “secretly” convening a group of climate contrarians to bolster its effort to topple the endangerment finding.

The EPA’s proposed undoing of the crucial legal conclusion comes as part of a larger war on the environment by the Trump administration, which has killed dozens of climate rules since re-entering the White House in January.

“The motive is to help fossil fuels survive,” said Whitehouse.

cross-posted from: https://programming.dev/post/37546974

Letter.

A new Harvard survey found that 41% of Amazon employees get their schedule less than two weeks ahead of when they are scheduled to work, a practice known as “just-in-time” scheduling. For many employees — especially for those with responsibilities outside of their Amazon job, like caregiving, education, or additional jobs — just-in-time arrangements are unworkable.

(...)

Just-in-time scheduling could have other consequences beyond leaving workers with little control over their own schedules and lives. The practice could mean that workers aren’t given enough hours, forcing them to become part-time workers with virtually no notice or ability to budget accordingly. Workers in the warehousing and transportation sectors are particularly likely to report high rates of anxiety, stress, and lack of control over their jobs as compared to other sectors — on top of elevated risk of injury and illness. And Amazon’s use of just-in-time scheduling could be indicative of other unfair scheduling practices, like “on-call” requirements — which force workers to remain available for shifts that may or may not come to be — or refusal to reschedule workers.

The City of Vaughan has formally dropped its use of automated speed enforcement cameras as Ontario’s premier urges municipalities that have them to end the “tax grab.”

Vaughan paused its use of speed cameras in June after 32,000 speeding tickets were handed out in just three weeks earlier this year. Del Duca put forward that motion to pause their use until September because council was due to receive a report on ways the city could create more effective signage about the presence of cameras.

Del Duca said in a statement Monday Vaughan needs to “strike the right balance” between protecting citizens and ensuring there is no “unfair financial burden placed on residents at a time of financial uncertainty.”

He added it that with the speed cameras, it was “clear the balance tips too heavily” toward financial penalties.

Ford said Tuesday he was “proud” of Vaughan’s decision.

“It’s nothing but a tax grab. I’m proud of Mayor Del Duca and I’ll be making an announcement with Mayor Del Duca,” he said, without providing specifics on the announcement.

“There’s so many ways to reduce and slow down traffic (other than) gouging people when they go three kilometres over the speed limit. It’s unfortunate some mayors decided to go down that avenue, but we’ll work with the mayors.”

The Association of Municipalities of Ontario has told Ford in a letter there is real evidence the cameras improve road safety, including a July study from SickKids and Toronto Metropolitan University that found they reduced speeding by 45 per cent in Toronto.

“The evidence shows that if (automated speed enforcement) cameras are removed, speeds will increase in community safety zones and more pedestrians will be at risk,” association president Robin Jones wrote in the letter.

“Instead, we strongly recommend that you work with municipalities to ensure we have the tools we need to ensure road safety.”

They wanted the mouse to have a name like "Microsoft® Wireless Notebook Presenter Mouse 8000" but they accidentally used the wrong encoding and the name was invalid. Because they already made thousands of devices without properly testing them, the "obvious" solution was to patch the Bluetooth stack on every single computer in the world to fix this issue. It's the only Bluetooth device released in computer history that requires this.

cross-posted from: https://slrpnk.net/post/27629015

Las Vegas Mayor Shelley Berkley issued a heartfelt plea to Canadian visitors this week, acknowledging the city’s tourism-dependent economy is suffering from a dramatic decline in international visitors, particularly from Canada, which represents the city’s largest international market.

“As the mayor of Las Vegas, I’m telling everybody in Canada, please come. We love you, we need you, and we miss you,” Berkley said during a press conference this week, where she addressed the multiple challenges facing the entertainment capital’s tourism industry.

The mayor’s latest comments echo concerns she first raised in an August press conference, where she painted a stark picture of the tourism decline.

“International travel is way down. People are not coming to the United States,” Berkley said last month. “’

Great yet ?