Category: Infrastructure and Transportation,

US mid-terms: Hackers expose ‘staggering’ voter machine flaws

On By peanutgallerynhIn Domestic Affairs,, Infrastructure and Transportation,Leave a comment

A report outlines major flaws in voting hardware, weeks before US mid-term elections.

One ballot machine, used in 23 US states, carries a cybersecurity flaw that was reported over a decade ago, the hackers claim.

…The report says vulnerabilities mean the M650 can be remotely hacked.

A design flaw reported as far back as 2007 was also found in the model tested during the conference.

The [organizers] of the conference argue that because the unit is designed to process a high volume of ballots, hacking one of the machines could enable an attacker to “flip the electoral college and determine the outcome of a presidential election​.”

…Other machines tested include the AccuVote TSx, currently used by 18 US states. The system includes a smart card reader for users to cast votes, which the report says can be easily disconnected to “disrupt the election” process.

Attendees of the conference were also able to [reprogram] voting smart cards wirelessly, using mobile phones.

US mid-terms: Hackers expose ‘staggering’ voter machine flaws – BBC News

sigh….

Meet the Puerto Rican sisterhood reinventing the island’s future after Maria

On By peanutgallerynhIn Caribbean,, Domestic Affairs,, Infrastructure and Transportation,, Money, Class, and Poverty,Leave a comment

For generations, more than half of Puerto Ricans relied on informal construction to build affordable homes and bypass a costly, bureaucratic process. It was these homes that bore the brunt of María. About 300,000 dwellings suffered significant damage and some 70,000 of those were completely destroyed, according to the island’s Housing Department. Without formal property deeds, home owners struggled to get federal aid.

…The answer: shipping containers.

“They are fabricated to withstand the worst atmospheric conditions, in the middle of the ocean, getting hit by waves and typhoons.”

…HiveCube’s basic model is priced at $39,000. It includes two bedrooms, one bathroom and a kitchen-living area. They are compliant with US building codes and are ADA accessible. The entire structure, including the windows, can withstand a Category 5 hurricane with winds up to 175 miles per hour, assuming it is properly anchored to a foundation.

For an additional cost, the homes can be fitted with a solar power microgrid, rainwater collection and a sewage treatment system that doubles as a garden.

~~~~~

…Vilar put out a call for seeds through her nonprofit, Americas for Conservation and the Arts, …[and] working with Rodriguez Besosa, launched the Resilience Fund, a two-year campaign to restore 200 farms destroyed by María.

…Vilar and Rodriguez Besosa are on the front lines of a fast-growing movement to use locally-grown food as a way to decolonize the island. Their mission has evolved from emergency response to creating a lasting food legacy for future generations.

…Rodriguez Besosa, an architect by training, envisions a fundamental shift in the way farms are run — from large, one-crop, corporate strongholds to small-scale, sustainable, locally owned farms.

~~~~~

…With over 80 manufacturing plants and 10,000 skilled workers, Puerto Rico is a garment powerhouse.

…Puerto Rico is a major source of military apparel in the United States, according to a Congressional Report.

…It brought much needed cash flow, but also created a dependency on military contracts.

…In the first three months of operation, Retazo Moda Lab has received ten orders for high-end ready-to-wear fashion, which they’re in the process of delivering. They have an additional 30 clients on a waiting list.

“We want to plant the seeds for a fashion ecosystem to exist on the island,” said Herrero Lugo. “This is about coming together and seeing the potential of being good at multiple things.”

~~~~~

“After a month, it became clear that there were already these amazing service organizations on the island that had the systems, infrastructure and personnel to help people. But they didn’t have power.”

…”We got materials, solar panels, then flew them down there, got crews on the ground,” said Roig-Morris. Resilient Power’s mission quickly evolved from crisis response to building partnerships with community organizations providing critical services to vulnerable groups like the elderly, children and the impoverished.

…”You are choosing a community asset who is providing other services like education, clean water, health clinics.”

Resilient Power has identified about 100 community centers across the island that meet those criteria.

…Long-term, she explained, Resilient Power plans to emphasize training of young people in collaboration with universities on the island, and to promote an alternative-energy industry that creates jobs.

Meet the Puerto Rican sisterhood reinventing the island’s future after Maria – CNN

Very cool!

Much of the US Electric Grid Could Go the Way of the Landline Phone

On By peanutgallerynhIn Infrastructure and Transportation,, Money, Class, and Poverty,Leave a comment

Making electricity, in other words, is becoming a less profitable business. And Garg worries that these costs will eventually reach consumers and send ripples throughout the economy. “You don’t need a huge amount of people to leave to cause a huge issue with the grid,” he says.

Unlike in the phone industry, an enervated electric grid can hurt just about everybody. Even most folks with solar panels on their roof still need that baseload power when the clouds block the sun long enough for the fridge to suck their Powerwall dry, or wires onto which they can shunt their excess power whenever the panels are generating more juice than any home can use.

…“The regulatory structure basically paid utilities to build power plants, and charge customers for the cost of those plants through bills, but didn’t provide much incentive for the utilities to be efficient,” says Seth Blumsack, who studies energy policy at Pennsylvania State University. So long as you didn’t have any competitors eyeing your market share, why innovate or look for cheaper fuel sources?

…Another tack would be changing the way the industry is regulated, all over again. Even with restructuring and deregulation, government policy still rewards big capital expenditures like new power plants or miles of transmission line. Regulations could easily be written that reward companies that make the existing grid operate more efficiently. However, the current administration hasn’t really caught up to what the market is saying.

Much of the US Electric Grid Could Go the Way of the Landline Phone | WIRED

hmmmm

Amtrak ups its PR game hoping people will forget they are downgrading food options for long-haul riders

On By peanutgallerynhIn Infrastructure and Transportation,, Media and Culture,Leave a comment

Amtrak ups its food game for long-haul riders

Amtrak is pitching a lot of articles about how it is “improving” the prepackaged, might-as-well-be-airline food, not-much-different-than-what-you-could-get-out-a-vending-machine, food offering lately. And press across the cultural spectrum seem to be eating it up and publishing these claims without context or critique.

All of these positive articles that neglect to mention the fact that Amtrak is actually ditching the actual food that has been served in their dining cars on longer trips and downgrading to a lesser level of food service and quality.

Sorry Amtrak, you can improve your you-could-buy-this-shit-in-a-convenience-store crap all you want. It’s still crap. Bring back dining cars!!!!!!!!!!!!

Mobile moves ahead with Amtrak plans

On By peanutgallerynhIn Gulf Coast Region,, Infrastructure and Transportation,, UncategorizedLeave a comment

Amtrak service left Mobile and the Gulf Coast after Hurricane Katrina damaged tracks in 2005. Louisiana, Mississippi, and Florida have already signed off on bringing the service back.

“It would be a shame to send these grant resources back when we can utilize it to have a shovel-ready plan so the governor can hopefully support what we’re trying to do in the near future,” Manzie said.

Mobile moves ahead with Amtrak plans

Very cool.

Americans need passenger rail that serves entire nation — not just the East and West coasts

On By peanutgallerynhIn Domestic Affairs,, Infrastructure and Transportation,, Money, Class, and Poverty,Leave a comment

Amtrak, America’s national passenger rail service, was created to do what freight railroads could not: Provide reliable and efficient passenger rail services to communities and people across this country. Yet, since it was created nearly half a century ago, Amtrak has never received full funding from Congress.

Data from four years of polling show that regardless of political affiliation or geographic location, Americans want more Amtrak service and are willing to pay for it. Amtrak also regularly breaks its own ridership records, with 31.7 million passenger trips in 2017.

To be clear, support is not limited to the Northeast Corridor. Americans across the country want passenger rail services, including more long-distance trains — and for good reason. 

… In small and rural communities across the country, Amtrak is often the only public transportation option available. [emphasis: mine]

…Ticket agents do more than just sell tickets. They help elderly and disabled customers board trains, assist with luggage, and act as Amtrak’s public face. What’s more, [reducing the number of ticket agents] does a grave disservice to many of Amtrak’s customers who are not familiar with or are simply unable to buy tickets online. 

The carrier also announced the elimination of dining-car service on some of its most popular long-distance trains, the Capitol Limited and Lake Shore Limited, both of which service the East Coast. Now, instead of being able to enjoy freshly made entrees on the train, customers’ choices are limited to a handful of premade breakfast and lunch options.

…Further clouding the situation is the fact that Amtrak has made these drastic changes in the dark, without input from the public, stakeholders or lawmakers. 

With strong ridership numbers, national popularity, and service that helps drive local economic growth, Amtrak’s long-distance routes need to be supported. Amtrak [and lawmakers] must commit to fighting for the national passenger rail system so many Americans have come to know and rely on.

Americans need passenger rail that serves entire nation — not just the East and West coasts | TheHill

hmmm

Theories on why American passenger trains are so bad

On By peanutgallerynhIn Infrastructure and Transportation,, Money, Class, and Poverty,Leave a comment

The way Amtrak is currently set up, there’s no real incentive to undertake incremental improvements. The Northeast Corridor already generates an operating profit, which simply defrays losses elsewhere in the system. Making it run better doesn’t generate any wins for the people who would have to do the work, and would plausibly just lead Congress to reduce subsidies.

…America’s railroads ship a dramatically larger share of total goods than their European peers. And this is no coincidence. Outside of the Northeast Corridor, the railroad infrastructure is generally owned by freight companies — Amtrak is just piggybacking on the spare capacity.

That means the technology isn’t optimized for passenger rail needs. But it also means passenger train scheduling needs to take a back seat to freight priorities.

The real reason American passenger trains are so bad – Vox

hmmm

Flight 3407 families unhappy with Transportation Secretary’s comments

On By peanutgallerynhIn Domestic Affairs,, Infrastructure and Transportation,, Money, Class, and Poverty,Leave a comment

Transportation Secretary Elaine Chao discussed a current shortage of pilots, and she feels training requirements are partly to blame.

“There is the 1,500 hour rule, which came about because of a tragic accident in Upstate New York,” Chao said to the moderator, referring to Flight 3407, which crashed in Clarence on Feb. 12, 2009.

…”The 1,500-hour rule has been in place for 30 or 40 years. It’s an FAA rule. We didn’t come up with that number,” Kausner said.

…Kausner and Eckert, along with Rep. Collins say training isn’t to blame for a pilot shortage; Pay and the nature of the job are to blame. Entry level pilots make only about $20,000 a year.

wgrz.com | Flight 3407 families unhappy with Transportation Secretary’s comments

You can trust this administration to do one thing: not get the facts right.

Princeton economists find that unions had historical role in helping address income inequality

On By peanutgallerynhIn Domestic Affairs,, Infrastructure and Transportation,, Media and Culture,, Money, Class, and Poverty,, Race,Leave a comment

The rise in income inequality between skilled and unskilled workers since the 1970s might be due, at least in part, to a decline in union membership, Princeton University researchers have found.

…The researchers examined a new source of union membership data dating to the 1930s: monthly Gallup opinion polls that collected a variety of information about Americans, including their race, gender, income and political opinions. The pollsters also asked interviewees whether a member of their household belonged to a union.

Among the study’s findings were that unions consistently have provided workers with a 10- to 20-percent wage boost over their non-union counterparts over the past eight decades. The researchers also discovered that when unions have expanded, whether at the national or state level, they tended to draw in more unskilled workers and raise their relative wages, with significant impacts on inequality.

…Herbst oversaw the team of research assistants that combed through Gallup archives from 1936 to 1986. The data was indexed primarily in documents handwritten by pollsters who called people’s homes for interviews, which made it a challenge to collect and standardize the information for study. Reporting categories changed over the years, as did the methods of collecting information. In all, the team assessed 980,000 data points across 500 surveys. 

They then filled in union membership numbers from 1986 to the present using the Current Population Survey from the Census Bureau. Doing so gave the researchers a big-picture view of how unions grew to their height in the 1950s and 1960s, then began to recede. Through access to data over a longer time frame, the researchers were able to see certain patterns emerge.

…Disadvantaged groups — those that are non-white, less educated or both — not only were enrolled in unions in higher numbers in the 1950s, but generally, their wage premium was even larger relative to their non-union counterparts than that of white and/or more-educated union workers.

Some economists see changes in technology and a demand for more-skilled workers as leading to lower union numbers and driving inequality in the late 20th century. But the new data suggests there might be more to the story, Herbst said.

“Those theories often predict that as more-skilled workers leave unions, the average union member should be less skilled and less advantaged, and what we’re finding is the opposite,” Herbst said. 

In fact, union members are more skilled than ever, even if smaller in their numbers.

Princeton economists find that unions had historical role in helping address income inequality

hmmm

Amtrak’s decision to degrade service threatens its future

On By peanutgallerynhIn Domestic Affairs,, Infrastructure and Transportation,, Money, Class, and Poverty,Leave a comment

Faced with the financial loss of the mail contracts and competition from the interstate highways, carriers such as the Southern Pacific systematically degraded their remaining passenger trains using tactics which included removing the diner and lounge cars. The hope was this would so upset riders that they would cease to travel by train, and the carrier could get federal permission to end service. A notorious example was the train called the Sunset Limited, which from 1968-1970 offered only vending machine food on a two-day run!

Amtrak quickly restored proper food and beverage offerings, advertising “We’re Making the Trains Worth Riding Again”. Unfortunately, Amtrak recently has begun to copy these 1960s tactics, degrading the on-board experience which it knows will discourage ridership.

Why is this occurring? Amtrak is under pressure from Congress to eliminate food service losses, but this approach is unreasonable and unnecessary. Do the cruise lines or airlines attempt to make money on food? Of course not; these costs are built into their fares. Amtrak has been doing this as well. Railroad diners never made money; they attracted business. If riders are asked to accept only microwaved burgers and pizza on a two-night/three-day EMPIRE BUILDER trip, we know ridership will implode.

…Amtrak knows what happened in the past when the railroads systematically cut back amenities. Ridership collapsed. For fiscal year 2018, Amtrak just received the largest Congressional appropriation for its National Network in history ($1.3 billion). It needs to explain to Congress that not providing quality food service on the Coast Starlight is no more an option than on a cruise ship.

Amtrak’s decision to degrade service threatens its future | Guest Commentary | heraldandnews.com

hmmm

Want airline food? Take Amtrak

On By peanutgallerynhIn Infrastructure and Transportation,, Money, Class, and Poverty,Leave a comment

It’s part of a plan to dismantle the National Network—shutting down most, if not all, long-distance trains, to focus on the Northeast Corridor, Midwest (Chicago) and California short- and medium-distance services, and state-supported trains.

…Why don’t you just come out and say it: “Amtrak is getting rid of dining cars.” No BS. No dancing around the issue. Tell it straight up. It’s what’s happening, right?

Anybody want to eat in a roomette?

…Already gone are the Coast Starlight parlor cars, in-train tour guides on some western trains, most charters, and private railcars bringing up the markers (for a hefty fee, of course). The “cross-country café” is replacing, I’m told, full dining service on Superliner trains: One crew member runs the microwave, another delivers the meal.

Want airline food? Take Amtrak – Railway Age

hmmmm

Why trains run slower now than they did in the 1920s.

On By peanutgallerynhIn Environment,, Infrastructure and Transportation,Leave a comment

The aforementioned Montreal Limited, for example, circa 1942, would pull out of New York’s Grand Central Station at 11:15 p.m., arriving at Montreal’s (now defunct) Windsor Station at 8:25 a.m., a little more than nine hours later. To make that journey today, from New York’s Penn Station on the Adirondack, requires a nearly 12-hour ride. The trip from Chicago to Minneapolis via the Olympian Hiawatha in the 1950s took about four and a half hours; today, via Amtrak’s Empire Builder, the journey is more than eight hours. Going from Brattleboro, Vt., to New York City on the Boston and Maine Railroad’s Washingtonian took less than five hours in 1938; today, Amtrak’s Vermonter (the only option) takes six hours—if it’s on time, which it isn’t, nearly 75 percent of the time.

… 220 mph would be phenomenal, but we would also do well to simply get trains back up to the speeds they traveled at during the Harding administration. Consider, for example, the Burlington Zephyr, …which barreled from Chicago to Denver in 1934 in a little more than 13 hours. (It would take more than 18 today.) An article later that year, by which time the Zephyr had put on the “harness of a regular railroad schedule,” quoted a conductor complaining the train was “loafing” along at only 85 mph. But it was not uncommon for the Zephyr or other trains to hit speeds of more than 100 mph in the 1930s. Today’s “high-speed” Acela service on Amtrak has an average speed of 87 mph and a rarely hit peak speed of 150 mph. (The engine itself could top 200 mph.)

…Less rail capacity (and rail quality) has coincided with a dramatic rise in freight traffic in recent years, owing in part to a buoyant economy and in part to trains’ improving (and now superior) fuel efficiency to trucks—particularly as diesel fuel prices have risen. Despite recent infrastructure spending, bottlenecks are routine, as passenger trains typically yield to passing freight trains.

…As it turns out, there are actually plenty of examples of “technological regress” throughout history. As this fascinating paper notes, the process of building with cement had reached a high point during the Roman Empire, only to be “lost” until its reinvention in the early 13th century. The United States has lost not so much the technology of rail speed as the public will, the cultural memory; this may have made sense for a historical period, but now, weighed in terms of the congestion, carbon emissions, and comfort of other travel modes, it seems time to reach for the way-back machine. As journalist Philip Longman has pointed out, where “fast mail trains” once “ensured next-day delivery on a letter mailed with a standard two-cent stamp in New York to points as far west as Chicago,” today, “that same letter is likely to travel by air first to FedEx’s Memphis hub, then be unloaded, sorted, and reloaded onto another plane, a process that demands far greater expenditures of money, carbon, fuel, and, in many instances, time than the one used eighty years ago.” In building our “bridge to the 21st Century” we might remember the Roman god Janus, patron of, among other things, bridges: He looked backward as well as forward.

Why trains run slower now than they did in the 1920s.

Sigh…

Malaysia Airlines Flight 370 crash was deliberate, aviation experts suggest

On By peanutgallerynhIn Infrastructure and Transportation,Leave a comment

Boeing 777 pilot and instructor Simon Hardy reconstructed the flight plan based on military radar, and says Captain Shah flew along the border of Malaysia and Thailand, crossing in and out of each country’s airspace to avoid detection.

“It did the job,” Hardy said, “because we know, as a fact, that the military did not come and intercept the aircraft.”

Hardy also made a strange discovery: Captain Shah likely dipped the plane’s wing over Penang, his hometown.

Malaysia Airlines Flight 370 crash was deliberate, aviation experts suggest – CBS News

hmmm