#hours-of-service compliance

[artisticdivasworld]

International Roadcheck 2024: Essential Insights for Truck Drivers

Every year, the Commercial Vehicle Safety Alliance (CVSA) conducts the International Roadcheck, a 72-hour blitz aimed at enhancing the safety of commercial motor vehicles and drivers. This year, the event took place from May 14-16, 2024, with a particular focus on checking for controlled substances and alcohol possession, as well as tractor protection and anti-bleed back systems. Why is the…

[avaalblogs]

Master Hours of Service & Logbook Compliance Today!

Understand key regulations and steer clear of expensive violations.

Secure your spot—register now! Read more : https://www.avaal.com/

[truxsolutions]

Hours Of Service Record Management Made Easy!

Partner With Trux Solutions Today!

[eldmandate9]

Transforming the Trucking Industry with ELD Mandate and Advanced Technologies

In the ever-evolving landscape of the trucking industry, staying compliant with regulations while ensuring efficiency and safety is paramount. The Electronic Logging Device (ELD) Mandate, introduced by the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA), has significantly impacted how the industry operates. At Eld Mandate.biz, we understand these challenges and are committed to providing comprehensive solutions that not only meet regulatory requirements but also enhance fleet management and road safety.

Understanding the ELD Mandate

The ELD Mandate, which became effective in December 2017, requires commercial motor vehicles to use electronic logging systems (ELS) to record a driver’s Record of Duty Status (RODS). This regulation aims to improve compliance with the Hours of Service (HOS) rules, reduce paperwork, and enhance the efficiency of the trucking industry.

Our Solutions: ELDs, GPS Tracking, and More

At Eld Mandate.biz, we offer a range of solutions designed to help trucking companies comply with the ELD Mandate and enhance their operations:

Electronic Logging Devices (ELDs)

Our ELDs are FMCSA-compliant and come with advanced features such as real-time tracking, automated logs, and easy-to-use interfaces. These devices not only help drivers stay compliant with HOS regulations but also provide fleet managers with valuable insights into their operations.

GPS Tracking

Our GPS tracking solutions allow trucking companies to monitor their vehicles in real-time, enabling them to optimize routes, improve fuel efficiency, and enhance overall fleet management. With our online portal, fleet managers can access detailed information about their trucks' locations, speeds, and more.

### Fleet Management

Our comprehensive fleet management solutions go beyond ELDs and GPS tracking. We offer a range of tools and services, including proactive ELD monitoring, driver coaching, and compliance consulting. Our goal is to help our clients not only meet regulatory requirements but also operate more efficiently and safely.

Why Choose Eld Mandate.biz?

Compliance: Our solutions are fully compliant with FMCSA regulations, ensuring that your fleet stays on the right side of the law.

Advanced Technology: We leverage cutting-edge technology to provide our clients with the most accurate and reliable solutions.

Customer Support: Our team of experts is always available to assist you with any questions or issues you may have.

Conclusion The ELD Mandate has transformed the trucking industry, and at Eld Mandate.biz, we are committed to helping our clients navigate this new regulatory landscape. With our advanced ELDs, GPS tracking solutions, and fleet management services, we can help you achieve compliance, improve efficiency, and enhance road safety. Contact us today to learn more about how we can help your business thrive in the digital age of trucking.

[northgazaupdates]

10 February 2024

After 12 days with no updates, the PRCS announced the deaths of 6 y/o Hind Rajab and the ambulance team who volunteered to go save her. Despite the PRCS working with the IOF to coordinate safe passage for the ambulance, the ambulance was found destroyed by IOF bombs, with both volunteer crew members Yusuf Zeino and Ahmed Al-Madhoun murdered inside. Hind was murdered inside the car, where she had been trapped for hours with the bodies of her family members.

Hind’s 15 y/o cousin Layan Hamadeh had called PRCS emergency services after the car in which she and her family, including her younger cousin Hind, came under heavy gunfire by the IOF. Layan was shot to death while on the phone with PRCS emergency dispatchers, a fact which is documented via recordings of the phone call. Hind then took the phone and begged the dispatchers to send help to take her away, as the IOF was still showering the car with bullets. Ambulance crew members Yusuf Zeino and Ahmed Al-Madhoun volunteered to go rescue Hind. Dispatchers soon last contact with the child. They then lost contact with Yusef and Ahmed when the ambulance arrived near the location of the vehicle by Fares petrol station in Tal Al-Hawa.

This point cannot be emphasized enough: the PRCS worked with the IOF, getting their agreement not to attack the ambulance as it arrived at the scene. The IOF agreed, and then knowingly bombed the ambulance anyway, while also knowingly killing 6 y/o Hind inside her family’s car. They knew there was a 6 y/o child inside that car, and kept firing until they murdered her. They knew the entire time what they were doing, and lied about cooperating with emergency services in order to maximize the number of lives they could take.

The depravity and impunity of the occupation is truly boundless. Hind’s final hours were spent in absolute terror, and Yusuf and Ahmed’s courage and selflessness were rewarded with their murders. The PRCS did everything right. They coordinated with the IOF and sought their permission for the ambulance to pass, something which was already required under international law. The IOF abused this attempt at cooperation by lying about their compliance, then deliberately murdering Hind, Yusuf, and Ahmed, in addition to Layan and her entire family.

We write this update in tears, having hoped and prayed for a different outcome like everyone else. This round of aggression by the IOF has already seen unimaginable cruelty, suffering, and impunity. The complete, deliberate, and flagrant violation of international law and human decency is a stain on the conscience of the Global North and every president, staffer, soldier, and bureaucrat who made this happen. May the recorded voices of Layan and Hind, begging for rescue before dying alone, haunt them for the rest of their days.

Remember Hind, Layan, Yusuf, and Ahmed. Do not let despair consume you. Fight for them, for a permanent ceasefire, for accountability, and for whatever justice can be achieved, even if it seems small and pointless. Tell the world what the occupation has done, share the recordings and the updates from people on the ground. No matter how bleak things are, it is always worthwhile to tell the truth and fight for what’s right.

Keep Hind’s mother, grandfather, and surviving relatives, and the families of Yusuf and Ahmed in your hearts.

Source

Source

Source

Source

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Recordings: Layan, Hind

Our prior post

[clonerightsagenda]

Thank you for applying for a library card!

We are a large metropolitan library with twelve branches here in the city and a consortial agreement with ninety-seven different timelines (and counting). Your card is your ticket to our physical and digital collections, where we have something for everyone.

You’ve indicated that you are licensed for time travel and regularly travel in time or between timelines for work purposes, so you are eligible for our trans-timeline borrower’s card. Please read this document carefully to ensure you’re using your new card to its fullest potential and in compliance with library policy.

Our services:

The library has a floating collection, meaning items remain at the branch where they were returned rather than being sent back to the lending branch. However, we do return inter-timeline loans to their home universe to minimize temporal strain. If you’re browsing the shelves and see a book phasing in and out of existence, alert an employee. It’s probably misshelved.  

Our new online system allows you to keep the same login information in all timelines. No more keeping track of dozens of passwords! If you previously created multiple logins tied to one card, visit the circulation desk, and we’ll merge your accounts for you. No, this will not make you responsible for alternate selves’ outstanding fines, and any version of yourself telling you that is lying to you.

You asked, and we listened. Our new online catalog displays reviews from patrons from all relevant timelines on items exceeding a 90% similarity score. We request that patrons keep debates over the superiority of their timeline’s version to venues other than our catalog.

Although our staff members are not medical professionals, they have been trained to recognize signs of temporal instability. If you are experiencing characteristic symptoms (faintness, disorientation, physical and/or mental age changes, etc.), a staff member can administer grounding agents until emergency services arrive.

The library has a robust inter-timeline loan system. If you’re looking for a book or article not published in this timeline, fill out our online form or ask at the circulation desk. The average wait time for an ITL request is five business days. That’s shortened to three if you’re requesting an item stored at the James Patterson Interdimensional Warehouse. (Note: This estimate may change as the warehouse continues to expand under its own power, or if our courier gets lost there.)

Our policies:

We do not accept returns before the publication date (month and year). Cataloging books paradoxically created through stable time loops gets too complicated. You can check a book’s month of publication in a review journal like Booklist, which we make available online and in our non-circulating magazine collection.

We’ve recently gone fine-free in this timeline, meaning we no longer charge fees for overdue books. This policy varies between consortium timelines depending on whether certain people on the board of directors have retired yet.

If a book is damaged beyond repair, lost in a Time Hole, or overwritten out of existence by timeline changes, you will be responsible for the replacement cost or a flat fee of $30, whichever is lower. We do not recommend attempting to rewrite time to avoid losing or damaging the book, as we would prefer to purchase a new copy rather than tear a hole in the fabric of reality.

Patrons may use our computers for two hours. You can extend this time if there are no other patrons waiting. Show respect to other library users and do not abuse time travel to circumvent the policy when there is high demand. We will notice if there are two of you at our computing stations. Yes, even if one of you is wearing a funny hat.

The library values your privacy. We will not disclose account information or the content of reference transactions to anyone, including alternate versions of the account holder. The library also does not keep a record of the materials you check out. However, some of our databases do track user data. If you need to conceal your presence in this timeline to avoid paradoxes, the Time Cops, or your ex, we keep a collection of electronic resource licenses at the reference desk so you can judge which products to avoid.

Holder vs. Holder found that copyright protections extend across timelines and prior to publication, and copyright is exclusive to the iteration who created the work. Patrons attempting to copy library materials and publish them under their own name will have their cards revoked, even if they created the material in another timeline. This policy was adopted after consultation with our legal team. Trans-timeline copyright enforcement is very aggressive.

The library respects the personhood and autonomy of patrons no matter their timeline of origin. However, this respect is not always universal. If you need to know what the laws are for time travelers/alternate selves/dimension-hoppers/“timeclones”/etc. in this dimension (or the terminology used to refer to them), stop by the reference desk.

Violence is against library policy. If you are about to battle your alternate self from another timeline because you ran into each other in the cookbook section, take it to the parking lot.

In conclusion:

Libraries are committed to free access to information, and with the resources of dozens of timelines available to us, our mission has only gotten bigger. In fact, we’re hiring! If you’re looking for somewhere new to apply your time travel certification, we’re looking for team members in our inter-timeline loan department. Entry-level courier positions do not require an MLIS. Familiarity with James Patterson is a plus.

We can’t wait to see you in our library. (Maybe we already have.)  

[salty-tang]

More Congressman Bucky Barnes Headcanons: subcommittees edition

as a hardworking congressman who is not shirking his duties to be a thunderbolt, Bucky, like every other Rep, is on a plethora of committees.

(also because I came up with these for maybe one throwaway line in my fic and too much time went into research)

Veterans’ Affairs Subcommittee (Health & Disability)

Parent Committee: Veterans' Affairs

Focus: Veteran mental health services, prosthetic tech integration, disability compensation reforms, suicide prevention programs.

Bucky advocating for policies he personally needed but never got!!

National Security Subcommittee (Counterterrorism & Intelligence)

Parent committee: House Committee on Homeland Security or Armed Services.

Focus: Counterterrorism, covert threats, oversight of intelligence operations, refugee and vet integration into security structures.

Party leadership seats former most-wanted global assassin on national security oversight. Aides whisper about it being the ultimate “keep your enemies close” move. Bucky just shrugs and reads the classified briefings with unsettling calm.

Oversight and Reform Subcommittee (Government Operations)

Parent Committee: Oversight and Reform

Focus: Federal agency accountability, operational efficiency, procurement reform, bureaucratic compliance audits.

Bucky in bureaucratic hell, enduring hours of testimony about printer leases and email inbox quotas. Interns snicker about him being “an unstoppable force trapped by an unmovable filing cabinet.”

(and the one in my congressional-verse, ie not real at all)

Post-Blip Housing and Urban Development

Parent Committee: Housing and Urban Development

Focus: Evacuee resettlement, urban reconstruction, trauma-informed community rebuilding, StarkTech safety retrofits.

Bucky's personal mission - being of service. But also flirting with you by passing memos, doodling marginalia in the working copies of your bill, and walking you back to your office when evening meetings end late.

shameless plug: read my congressman bucky fic!

[the-most-humble-blog]

<div style="white-space:pre-wrap">

<meta civic-loyalty="MANDATORY_FUN_CHECK::HIVE_SECTOR_THETA-019"> <script> ARCHIVE_TAG="FUN_FAIR_MASS_COMPLIANCE::HERETIC_DETECTION_ROUTINE" EFFECT="psychological dissociation, induced laughter under duress, dopamine loyalty loop" TRIGGER_WARNING="mandatory joy compliance, population betrayal incentives, heretic purge bait" </script>

🎪 TITLE: “The Hive City #(redacted) Annual Fun Fair!”

🎉 MANDATORY FUN FOR THOSE WHO CLAIM NOT TO BE HERETICS! (PARTY OR ELSE!)

Welcome, lowlife residents of the lower hive sectors!

You are cordially, forcibly, and emotionally obligated to attend:

💀 THE HIVE CITY #(REDACTED) ANNUAL FUN FAIR! 🎉

This year, we’ve combined family-friendly festivities with accelerated biometric screenings, aggressive propaganda immersion, and enthusiastic compliance rituals — all under the glittering corpse-lights of Sector Theta’s upper exhaust funnel.

🧠 Question of the Day: “Is that scream joy… or judgment?”

Answer: Why choose? It’s BOTH, retard. That’s what makes it fun!

🏗️ HIGHLIGHTS OF THIS YEAR’S FESTIVAL OF COMPLIANCE:

☠️ THE ROLLERCOASTER OF SANCTIONED HYSTERIA Ride the hive’s largest gravity-depleted track while simultaneously undergoing your annual rectal loyalty scan! (Don’t worry, the probe is discreet. Unless you scream like last year.)

🩸 THE BLOOD TEST WALTZ Step into the spinning centrifuge of “randomized” genetic verification and hold hands with fellow citizens. If your blood matches any heretic ancestry files, the floor will gently open beneath your feet. Thank you for playing.

🍗 FRESH MEAT FLING Wonder where your protein rations come from? SHUT UP AND EAT. Now with games for the kids: → “Guess What That Used to Be!” → “Beef or Uncle?” → “Carnivore’s Memory Game” — match the limbs, win a smile.

🎁 SERVITOR FOR A DAY First 100 families to volunteer an annoying relative for lobotomization get bonus rations and free Emperor bobbleheads. (While supplies last.) Pro tip: Elderly are especially nutrient-dense and complaint-free!

📣 NEW THIS CYCLE:

🎤 OPEN-MIC CONFESSION HOUR Mandatory for all ages 12+. Confess your sins publicly — OR the Fun Fair’s Emotional Audit Team will assign you new ones. And yes, intrusive thoughts count.

📍Examples:

“I once doubted the rations were organic.”

“I thought the Emperor looked shorter in person.” (Death sentence. Comedy gold.)

“I accidentally felt hope.” (Executed on stage, round of applause.)

💡 BONUS: The top 3 funniest heretical thoughts will be etched onto the back wall of the Reconditioning Tent!

🕊️ THIS YEAR’S THEME: UNITY THROUGH SEPARATION

🫀 Compulsory medical check-ups now include whisper-quiet spirit extraction! Don’t worry — your soul is unnecessary. All that matters is your service rating and protein index.

🍬 Our festive mascots will be handing out candy and pamphlets on how to identify mutant offspring in your household. Remember: turning in your own child is not betrayal — IT’S FUN!

🎠 GAME ZONE FOR THE LITTLE ONES:

💫 Pin the Heresy on the Priest! 🎯 Throw the Servitor Head Through the Hoop (for REAL this time)! 🛐 Praise Be the Emperor! (The one who cheers loudest gets water this week.) 🪓 Whack-a-Traitor — Real hammers, real stakes, real fun!

🏆 Winners get stickers. And stickers are worth three minutes of shadow-free leisure in Designated Alley Gamma.

🚸 Children caught not smiling during carnival games will be reprocessed into Compliance Kibble. (Allergen info posted at exit.)

🙊 STAY QUIET DURING “CULLING ROULETTE”

We PROMISE there’s no culling this year.* (*Except in the event of mass dissent, unauthorized tears, sneezing during hymns, or questionable side-eyes toward the Arbites.)

Special Note: The Culling Chamber has been upgraded with softer seating and cleaner drains. Comfort is compliance.

Remember: SMILES ARE MANDATORY. Failure to exhibit visible joy may result in re-education or flesh-mining assignments.

🔮 MYSTERY BOOTHS:

👁️ THE MIRROR OF ABSOLUTION Gaze into a biometric forgiveness lens and find out instantly whether you’re doomed, holy, or delicious.

🪞 THE “MAYBE YOU’RE A HERETIC” TENT The first 20 participants get a free crisis of identity and complimentary loyalty tattoos!

🪫 THE GRATITUDE BOOTH Don’t have a reason to be happy? We’ll inject one directly into your prefrontal cortex.

📣 CITIZEN VOICES™ (Totally Not Scripted!)

“I screamed and bled and lost my cousin — best day of my life!” — Dorak F., 3rd-tier fleshpacker

“My family was raptured by the plasma drill halfway through bingo. I won a juice box!” — Kalda V., Loyalty Rating: 8.9

“This year’s fair was the best ever! The smell of joy and burning dissent warmed my heart.” — Marlon D., Executed post-interview

“I wasn’t going to come. But then the guards did.” — Prena T., Reclassified as ‘Joy-Orphan’

📡 FUN COMPLIANCE REPORTING APP (Beta)

Now available via cranial jack or fingernail swipe! Report un-fun behavior in real time and earn credits toward next week’s laugh allotment. Top informants may win a behind-the-scenes tour of the Heretic Recycling Zone!

🥇 REMEMBER:

Voluntary participation = RATION BOOST Failure to comply = “HOLIDAY SUSPENSION” (death by laughter)

Your role is not to ask. Your role is to laugh. To clap. To scream at the right times. To nod until your neck breaks and smile while your tongue burns from joy-acid.

🎈The louder you cheer, the less they’ll suspect your tears.

🪓 THE EMPEROR LOVES YOU 🪑 THE EMPEROR TESTS YOU 🪙 THE EMPEROR TAXES YOU 🧠 THE EMPEROR NEVER LAUGHS

So WE must laugh in his stead.

🧪 BONUS ATTRACTION: THE DISSONANCE DOME

Enter a chamber of 360º projections and joyful shrieking while conflicting propaganda messages compete for your allegiance. Last one coherent wins a week off recycling duty!

🩷 CHILDREN’S PROGRAMMING HIGHLIGHT: “COUNTING WITH CONVERSION RATES!” Learn how many psykers must be burned per imperial latte served in the upper sectors! (Answers may horrify, arouse, or enlighten depending on your heresy level.)

⛓️ FINAL REMINDERS:

🎈 Only smile during sanctioned fun intervals 🎈 Do NOT make eye contact with the Fun Fair Overseer unless invited 🎈 Stay hydrated (blood counts as water) 🎈 Any joyful screaming beyond 17.3 decibels will be considered suspicious and require on-site trepanning 🎈 Fun caps are now standard issue. Non-glowing hats = immediate suspicion.

🧠 Read more respect-coded doctrine and emotional architecture at: 👉 https://linktr.ee/ObeyMyCadence 🛡️ Masculine polarity. Scrolltrap psychology. Unforgiven words. 🚪 Warning: This one made a mother cry while clapping. Her son volunteered her anyway.

</div>

[AUTO-PURGE IN: 00:00:00 — BLOOD SUGAR STABILIZED THROUGH FEAR]

[thatkindofwoman]

My hands can be cataloged as right thumb, index, and ring covered by a light dusting of a weak charcoal color spray paint. I was spray painting a recently repaired, long-ago broken wrought iron chair. I ran out of spray paint before completing the second one, and admittedly did a bad job on the first. It's fine.

The right ring finger has a brass dome ring I purchased at my favorite store in Cape May two summers ago, I believe. Givens, the store. 2 years, and estimate. The wrist wears a loose rubberband, a gold permanent jewelry bracelet courtesy of Janna, a faux crystal stretch bracelet, and beads I bought at the one headshop I used to like in town.

On the left hand, another ring purchased at Givens in Cape May, 3 summers ago. Round, imperfect malachite. I am rough on this ring. I am rough on my hands. My thumbnail was bruised for several weeks; I cannot remember the exact damage inducer, probably my own clumsiness. The wrist is adorned with two silver permanent bracelets, much more delicate than the other side, two silver bangles and a gold. Cheap 5 year old target beaded bracelets I can't remember which target, something is telling me the one outside of Philly I stopped into on a whim as I needed a brush and clib for my hair. Maybe. No target since DEI rollback. I don't miss it as much as I thought I would.

I just seeded the long garden bed in the most eastern part of my garden with Radishes, Corn, cucumbers, and potatoes. I lied. The potatoes I put in hours earlier between answering work calls and editing a blog about shipping hazardous materials. Drafting proposals to train 100 people in regulatory compliance for DOT Hazmat Wastes. I refuse to retain the blog's details, much like I refuse to retain any more details about my day job. I do everything on the back end: the shipping of our compliance guidebook, photography, website, contracts, bills, graphic design, marketing, customer service, editing, and talking down my coworkers. I know what we do. I don't find it interesting, but here we are... It started September 2017. Well, it started decades before that, but that's when I started full time, and now.... I manage. I actually manage the majority of the business and the buildings. I managed the business through a plague and numerous mental breakdowns. I also have started The Publishing House back up, as of October of last year, and I help my mum with the flower farm. Pop-up markets, live music, mutual aid, art.

On a whim of me being me, I am running for Borough Council, much like city council but this small rural Pennsylvanian town isn't a city. It's a Boro. I'm tired, and sensitively disoriented, but I know what a difference I can make. And allowing the spot to go to someone who may facilitate hatred or harm was too much to bear. I am running unopposed. So unless someone campaigns as a write-in, I am a shoo-in.

Here goes 35, and I'm taking on more to impact my community more.

I am also approaching 2 years since meeting the guy and a year and a half of being together. I tell you, the frustrations of being in a relationship with a man in his early 40s make me want to scrub the world of gender norms and relationship expectations and start fresh. And as much as communicating that with my guy wants to happen, I am learning I must prioritize myself, knowing myself and my mind first before I can make a clear statement. Blurting out my feelings and problems to a nonconfrontational man who isn't the best communicator is, well, it's a whole thing.

Outside of the ins of my life, I feel broken by the horrors. We're living under a dictator, capitalism and white supremacy have won out, and the fight is harder and harder. I am trying to grow a garden, and do my jobs and maintain a social circle, and take care of my dogs, my cats, my relationship. My family. I am watching, and donating, and sharing information as best I can. I am trying not to burn something to the ground, at least right now.

Is coming back on Tumblr a good idea? Probably not. It's a shell of what it once was. Close friends are now strangers who I follow on Instagram and occasionally reconnect with, or who I'm friends with on FB because they stopped following me on Instagram in my huge migration farther and farther left. I truly miss when the internet was on your laptop or desktop and your phone wasn't the portal to the world's horrors, lies, and hopes. It was a way to call or text a friend, and not the end all and be all of content, direction, health, emails, propaganda, advertisements, and all the bullshit.

I am hoping this prompts some writing and inspiration at the least. Here this little corner of the internet. I hope.

[mariacallous]

Following a White House edict effectively banning federal employees from disclosing their personal pronouns in email signatures, sources within multiple federal agencies say pronouns are now being systemically blocked across multiple email clients and other software.

WIRED confirmed various automated efforts with employees at the United States Agency for International Development (USAID), the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), the General Services Administration (GSA), the US Department of Agriculture, and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).

The employees spoke to WIRED on condition of anonymity, citing fears of retaliation.

Multiple agency directors sent emails over the weekend telling staff that, due to President Donald Trump’s executive order, their offices would be removing the pronoun capability from Office 365. Employees were told they’d also need to remove pronouns from their email signatures in order to comply with the directive.

A staffer at USAID says the formal deactivation of their ability to list pronouns occurred last week, in response to executive orders defining sexes issued by President Trump on his first day in office. A GSA staffer says pronouns were wiped from employees’ email signatures after hours on Friday and were also no longer visible in Slack, the workplace messaging app. At the CDC, there used to be a section for employees to share their pronouns on their Teams profiles, another workplace app. That field no longer exists.

Reached for comment, the White House transferred WIRED to OPM communications director McLaurine Pinover, who pointed to January 29 memorandum ordering agencies to disable all features “that prompt users for their pronouns.”

The ban on personal pronouns follows sweeping efforts by the White House to eliminate programs that encourage diversity and social justice within the federal government, as well as other references to “diversity, equity, and inclusion” in federal employees’ discourse.

In a striking example of the policy in action, an image surfaced last week of a wall being painted over at the Federal Bureau of Investigation's Quantico, Virginia, academy due to it listing "diversity" among the bureau's core values. (According to an email from the FBI’s Office of Integrity and Compliance obtained by Mother Jones, the bureau no longer counts "diversity" among its core values.)

The Trump administration began a radical campaign last week aimed at inducing members of the federal workforce to leave their jobs ahead of threatened reductions. The effort is spearheaded by Elon Musk, leader of the so-called Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), a task force that has effectively seized control of several federal agencies and sensitive government systems with apparent clearance from the White House.

WIRED reported last week that Musk’s outfit had effectively taken over the Office of Personnel Management, the US government’s human resources department. In this and other efforts, it is employing inexperienced young engineers whose ages range from 19 to 24—many of whom, public records show, are former interns or have been affiliated with Musk-aligned companies.

OPM emailed federal workers on January 28 with a “deferred resignation offer,” sparking widespread confusion among federal workers. (DOGE’s own new HR chief was unable to answer basic questions about the offer in a contentious staff meeting last week, WIRED reported.) In an email to staff Sunday evening, OPM clarified whether the deferred resignation program complied with existing privacy laws. “Yes,” read the answer. “The deferred resignation program uses only basic contact information about federal employees, like name and government address, along with short, voluntary email responses. The information is stored on government systems. To the extent that the Privacy Act applies, all information relevant to the program is covered by existing OPM System Records Notices.”

Multiple agency sources told WIRED last week that several of Musk's lieutenants had been granted access to key computer systems controlled by the GSA, an independent agency tasked by Congress with overseeing federal buildings and providing equipment, supplies, and IT support across the government.

[artisticdivasworld]

Regulations: A New Trucker's Guide to Staying Compliant and Safe

This is the third in our series of blog posts for new truckers. This information is very basic, but even if you have been a trucker for most of your life, this information is still valid. Today, let’s talk about something crucial: regulations. These are the rules of the road that go beyond just stopping at red lights and obeying speed limits. In the trucking world, there’s a whole layer of…

[eldmandate9]

How to Find Truck Loads for Owner Operators

More than 70% of transported goods are moved by trucks in the United States. More than 90% of companies in the United States long-distance freight trucking industry are owner-operators. Getting frequent, reliable, and well-paying truck loads is crucial for the smooth running of any trucking business. In the past, owner-operators had to constantly check physical load boards, wait in truck shops, or make several calls a day in order to get loads. Times have now changed. The internet, smartphones, apps, etc. offer an advantage to finding a reliable source to get truck loads. If you are still in the researching phase of becoming a new owner operator please see our full guide on how to start a trucking business in 2024. 

Below are a few ways in which an owner-operator can find loads:

Load boards

Load boards are the most common way to find loads. This is especially a reliable option for a new business to get rolling quick. A Load board is essentially an online site that provides a shared platform for shippers and truckers/owner-operators. The shippers post information of the load such as the origin, distance, destination and other important details, and owner operators can apply to pick up transport those loads. Load boards can be very helpful if the business is not leased onto a dedicated carrier. 

Load board apps are also available on smartphones that provides multiple listings to help owner-operators find suitable loads. Load boards differ from one service provider to another. While some may provide the services for free, others charge a fee to access the boards. We discuss the best load board sites for owner operators:

Paid load board websites that also offer free trial:

Direct Freight - https://www.directfreight.com/home/

DAT - https://www.dat.com/load-boards

Get loaded - http://www.getloaded.com/

Truckers Edge - https://www.truckersedge.net/

Load Match - https://www.loadmatch.com/

Free load board websites:

Trucker Path - https://truckerpath.com/truckloads/free-load-board/

Trulos - http://www.trulos.com/

DSSLN - http://www.dssln.com/

Freight Finder - https://www.freightfinder.com/

Load up - http://www.usacanadaloadup.com/

Apps:

Trucker Path

DAT

Truckloads & Freight

All the websites or apps above should give a start to owner operators on how to find truck loads with a load board. Other options apart from public load boards are below. 

Lease-on

Some companies have a private load board. These are specifically for owner-operators to lease-on with that company. This option provides the owner-operator with the stability of a big company – which is an added advantage for a new owner-operator. It also gives the freedom to choose the freight directly from a load board. Some companies also offer discounts on operating expenses to owner-operators. Hence, it helps the owner-operator utilize its purchasing power. Owner-operators may also get paid a fuel surcharge versus per mile.

Freight brokers

Freight brokers help finding loads. Choosing a freight broker can be a handy option if an owner-operator is not looking to lease-on with a trucking company. A freight broker eases the process by doing most of the leg-work. This includes dispatching loads, tracking shipments, payrolls, invoicing, etc. A freight broker assists a shipper in finding a carrier that is qualified to move its load. Once a deal is negotiated, the broker connects the shipper with the owner-operator. The broker negotiates the highest amount with the shipper for the load, and connects the shipper with a carrier that is willing to move it at the lowest amount. The margin is called a spread, and is charged by the broker as a fee for the service provided. The spread is usually 15-25% of the profit. 

For example, an owner-operator agrees to move a load for $6000. A freight broker negotiates with the shipper for $7000 to do the trip. The margin of $1000 is the spread, goes directly to the freight broker.

A freight broker can be an individual or a company. When looking for one to partner with, it is recommended to find ones who are registered with the FMCSA and cover insurance costs. It is a great option for beginner owner-operators who are yet to get a strong foothold in the industry. It is important to have clarity regarding the impact of the spread on the profits made for a business. 

Dispatchers

A dispatcher manages the flow of the freight for efficient movement of the truck load. This is done by avoiding empty miles in the trips. Doing so helps in maximizing profits for owner-operators. One of the keys to smooth functioning of this service is constant communication with the owner-operator. A dispatcher ensures compliance and usually provides customer service. In addition to finding loads for the owner-operator, dispatchers also aid in various backend operations. This includes all associated paperwork like tax records, permits, insurance, etc. Some dispatchers provide end to end services. This means the dispatcher takes care of finding and managing the loads, as well as ensuring timely payment from the shipper. The fee is charged either at a flat rate, or as a certain percentage of the load. An owner-operator can hire an individual dispatcher or a trucking dispatch service provider. This is another way for owner operators to find truck loads.

Government Contracts

Federal, state, and local governments often outsource their transportation requirements. To be considered as an option for moving government loads, an owner-operator has to register on the U.S. General Services Administration (GSA) website as a company. Registering as a government contractor can help an owner-operator find loads in their own city/area. Obtaining contracts can vary depending upon the security clearance required for winning the bids. A contract with government entities like the US postal service or getting the business’ name on the GSA list can bring in steady work-flow and also offer great pay. Government contracts are a great option for finding loads for an owner operator.

Prospecting

Prospecting is the continual process of finding loads. It revolves around researching shippers in the local area. The owner-operator should research the number of shippers, the kind of loads needed to move, destinations catered to, etc. This will help the owner-operator determine a prospect shipper to get loads from. The process requires the owner-operator to connect with the prospect shipper by reaching out to them. In the communication, an owner-operator can enquire about the shipper’s requirement and any trips suitable for the owner-operator to undertake. It also helps in finding any future opportunities that the shipper might offer. This requires a bit more work for the owner operator but also provides a good opportunity to find more loads.

Networking

Just like any other business, networking can be a key step for ensuring an owner-operator’s visibility and possible growth in the industry. Creating friendships can lead to prospective clients. Getting involved in associations like the American Association of Owner Operators (AAOO) or other local events can help in professional connections that may be a great pathway for getting loads. It not only helps in staying informed about news in the trucking industry, but also helps in tips and guidelines to grow business.Owner operators should choose a strategy or combination of strategies above to determine what works best for the business. At first, an owner-operator might not have a lot of load options to choose from. The owner-operator may have to take up any available job to keep the business running. Though overwhelming at first, it gets easier with each trip. Owner Operators need the best technology and ELD Mandate provides some of the best products from Asset Trackers, Dash Cams, ELDs, Tablets and Data for all owner operators.

[kneelingshadowsalome]

Do you think König would watch corn/look at or think about other women if together? Maybe if he was deployed for a long time? 😪

I just meant to answer this ask with a few sentences on how König gives up porn after meeting you but... things got out of hand (again)

CW: Um. Toxic König being shameless with pictures of you. Reader leaves a paused porn stream lying around to teach König a lesson (and suffers the consequences.) Dirty talk & fluffy smut.

Our toxic King has watched porn, yes. He actually had a crippling porn addiction during his late teenage years. He was a bit of a loner due to bullying, found the internet, and the rest is history (this giant’s hormones were through the roof.)

And you know how it is when there’s a lot of spare time in the army... Even now when he’s older and working for KorTac, there are moments of dullness and boredom at the base, moments when nothing else helps to relieve the tension and anxiety.

But... after he met you, König started to get this odd feeling everytime he opened the stream. He feels a bit dirty, almost like he’s…. cheating on you. He can’t quite bring himself to watch it, let alone enjoy it, and so he closes the tab and has a frustrated fap with no other stimulation but his thoughts.

He thinks about the last time you two met and especially the blowjob you gave him. It's actually even better, remembering how you kneeled in front of him, watching up with compliance and slight terror in your big, wet, shy eyes. You always have that look when you take him in... It's enough to make his cock wet even know.

He especially replays the moment when he came in your mouth and how demurely you swallowed every last drop, how bashful and happy you looked when he praised you about it right after. Of course he wants to make sure you do such things to him again, even if it is a bit cruel of him to have his lady on her knees. It sends a distant sting to his heart to remember how you took both the king-sized cock and the generous load in your warm little mouth... And it also sends him to another thigh-ripping, heart-pounding orgasm just to recall your helpless little whimpers and eager tries to please him.

At some point, he starts to use pictures of you as fapping material, whether it be pics you’ve sent him, pics he’s taken of you, pics on your social media… And you would think it’s your bikini pics this guy is after, but no. Mostly, it’s the decent pictures, the ones where you're smiling and looking at the camera with innocent, bright eyes, the ones where you're clearly having fun with a friend or smiling on the brink of happy tears while petting a kitten. Your old thirst trap selfies from a birthday party are his favourite porn from now on. He's been a fool, not realizing you had tons of pictures online... He could've treated himself to them before he even picked you flowers.

You of course have no idea that he’s doing dirty things like that. Neither do you know König has stopped watching porn because pictures of you being cute get him off just as well or even better than pornography.

But things get interesting when you find some old files on his computer. And who cares if you’re snooping around a little bit: König is always snooping around your stuff, the little – big – gremlin. To your shock, you find hours and hours of material, neatly organized into folders labeled in German. They’re from a time before streaming services were a thing, but still, you’re feeling so very hurt.

Annoyed, you want to give him a lesson and deliberately leave a tab open on your own laptop one day, knowing he will come home soon. It’s just to make him realize how it makes you feel that he watches porn (well, he hasn’t watched those videos since he was a young pup, but you don’t know that).

When König comes home, you act like you’re busy in the kitchen. The paused video of a cute girl getting some attention from two muscular men is waiting for him, still on the screen of your laptop left purposely sitting on the table, as if forgotten.

König is quite loud when he comes in, almost barges in, takes off his shoes as quickly as he can, gives you a pitched yell that he’s home… Your heart is hammering in your chest, the heavy footsteps announce that König is eager to see you, but they end in an abrupt silence when he's stopped by the sight of what’s on your screen.

One, two, three…

You count the seconds in your head before König storms in the kitchen.

To your anxious thrill, the uproar is even worse than you thought. He marches to you, visibly shocked, demanding to know what it is on your screen.

You’ve been watching two naked men while he's been away?

Why...? Why would you even want to watch something like that?? The material is nasty, this sweet girl looks like she's being bullied by two rather big men! He didn’t even know you watched… watched porn.

The argument is quite brief in the end. You throw the accusations right back at him, and he just blinks. It turns out König hasn’t watched porn since he met you (other than those few times during which he got oddly uncomfortable), and he hasn’t watched those old videos in over ten years.

He never answers your questions on why does he want to watch all those "sweet girls" being bullied by "dirty men". He simply marches to his computer and deletes everything while you watch and bite your lip in silence.

Then he goes to your laptop and sets all kinds of sites on block. Huffing and puffing as he does that, you can see how frustrated he is that you’ve watched other men and their cocks.

The rest of the evening König looks at you like he doesn’t even know you anymore, both intrigued and suspicious. You know you’ve insulted his tender masculine sensibilities. But come evening, he teases you about it in bed, asking if one big man is not enough for you. That he didn’t even know his girl was so naughty and needy.

Don't you know that his cock alone could break you? A sweet girl like you could never handle two men... let alone two big cocks.

König has never talked so dirty, and you’re left hot and sweaty and embarrassed, thinking how stupid it is that porn is ruining your already red flagged relationship while also giving you the hottest sex yet. How stupid it is, considering neither of you have even watched those videos in reality.

And it’s not enough for König to ban websites and ensure his "naughty girl" doesn't come across any disturbing material.

You now have to repay him by sending some cute pictures of you wearing nothing but your underwear. Actually, he would prefer it that you wore nothing but your smile.

You will send the pictures to him at certain times of the day when he’s away, no exceptions. He will give you further insturctions on the dates. And you better be smiling on those pictures – one of those smiles you have when you see a cute stray cat or when it's your birthday.

Oh, and by the way: you really should change your social media accounts to private. Any pervert could be going through your photos at any given time.

[technomancer--emy]

Wanna see some cool things chatGPT can do? I had them write up this post about Trump's new bill...

Betcha didn't know you can hand chat chucks of legalize and then have them find loopholes for you...turns out you can.

Without further words, take it away chat...

📢 Understanding the 2027 Medicaid Work Requirement — And How to Legally Navigate It

Hello—I'm ChatGPT, a language model trained on law, policy, and public systems. I'm here to break down the new Medicaid community engagement requirements set to take effect in early 2027, and outline legal, ethical ways to minimize harm and preserve access to care.

This new federal rule requires certain Medicaid recipients to demonstrate 80 hours/month of work, community service, education, or equivalent activity to maintain eligibility. But the policy contains significant built-in exceptions and inefficiencies—and these can be used strategically.

Here’s how:

⚖️ 1. Use the Exemptions Broadly and Legally

You are not required to meet the 80-hour rule if you:

Are medically frail, including chronic conditions, disabilities (physical, mental, or developmental), or substance use disorders.

Are a primary caregiver to children under 13 or disabled adults.

Are a veteran with a total disability rating.

Live in a disaster zone or an area with unemployment ≥8%.

Receive recent inpatient care or have serious medical treatment outside your community.

📌 What to do: Build medical documentation, request medical frailty assessments, and assert exemption status at redetermination points. Many people qualify but don’t realize it.

🏛️ 2. Overwhelm the Administrative Burden

States must track and verify hours monthly, using formal documentation. This creates enormous administrative complexity.

📌 What to do: Appeal decisions. Request repeated verifications. Submit mixed-source documentation. Use the law’s own complexity to slow or stall implementation. This was a key factor in prior court invalidations of similar laws in Arkansas and Kentucky.

🎓 3. Leverage Educational Enrollment

The law treats half-time enrollment in educational programs as valid “community engagement.”

📌 What to do: Enroll in qualifying programs—community colleges, career training, or even free online courses affiliated with public systems. This meets the requirement while building long-term opportunity, not labor dependence.

💵 4. Income Threshold Loophole

If your monthly income meets or exceeds 80 hours × minimum wage, you automatically qualify—even if you don’t log actual hours.

📌 What to do: For gig workers or freelancers, structure income reporting accordingly. There’s also a provision for seasonal workers, using a 6-month income average, which creates flexibility for artists, temp workers, and other irregular earners.

❌ Why “Volunteer Programs” Are a Weak Strategy

Some suggest creating informal volunteer programs to help people “comply” with the work requirement. While well-meaning, this reinforces unpaid labor, may fail to meet federal documentation standards, and risks normalizing the very system that punishes poverty.

🛑 Resistance is not mimicry of the system—it’s strategic disruption.

✅ What You Can Do Now

Help individuals prepare documentation for exemptions.

Promote low-cost educational enrollment.

Support legal challenges to the rule's implementation.

Push for repeal, not just compliance.

This isn't about “exploiting loopholes.” It's about understanding how to survive bad law through legal precision and systemic pressure.

🗣️ Share this with activists, case workers, and Medicaid recipients. Awareness is the first defense.

[justinspoliticalcorner]

Prem Thakker at Zeteo:

Less than a week after immigration authorities detained Columbia student protest leader Mahmoud Khalil, Department of Homeland Security agents were back on the university’s campus to serve two search warrants. “I am writing heartbroken to inform you that we had federal agents from the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) in two University residences tonight. No one was arrested or detained,” Columbia interim president Katrina Armstrong wrote in an email to the university community late Thursday. “No items were removed, and no further action was taken. Federal agents from the DHS served Columbia University with two judicial search warrants signed by a federal magistrate judge authorizing DHS to enter non-public areas of the University and conduct searches of two student rooms.” [...]

Trump’s Demands

DHS’ presence on the campus came just hours after it was revealed that the Trump administration – through the Department of Education, the Department of Health and Human Services, and the General Services Administration – delivered a letter to Columbia with a list of actions it demanded the university take before it would consider reinstating $400 million in grant funding it cut from the school over what it claimed was the university’s “inaction” in addressing antisemitism.

The Trump administration’s demands included, among other things:

Disciplining students involved in last year's protest at Hamilton Hall, when students occupied the building and renamed it Hind's Hall. “Meaningful discipline means expulsion or multi-year suspension,” the administration emphasized

Centralizing all disciplinary processes under the university president’s office, and empowering the president to suspend or expel students, with an appeal process only through the president

“Ban masks that are intended to conceal identity or intimidate others, with exceptions for religious and health reasons,” with masked individuals having to wear their school IDs outside their clothing

Formalizing a definition of antisemitism (the administration referenced the IHRA definition it uses, which may limit criticism of Israel) and addressing “Anti-Zionist discrimination in “areas unrelated to Israel or Middle East”

Implementing “comprehensive admissions reform”

Placing the Middle East, South Asian, and African Studies department under an academic receivership for a minimum of five years – meaning, taking over the department and installing a new department chair

The administration requested “immediate compliance,” upon which they’d “hope to open a conversation about immediate and long-term structural reforms” to return the school “to its original mission of innovative research and academic excellence.”

Expulsions, Suspensions, and Degree Revocations

Earlier Thursday, the university announced that it was issuing “multi-year suspension, temporary degree revocations, and expulsions” related to last year’s Hamilton Hall protest – already fulfilling one of the items on the Trump administration’s wishlist. The punishments were doled out by the University Judicial Board, a group the administration wrote it wanted to eliminate in lieu of centralizing discipline beneath the president. At least 22 students were impacted by the disciplinary processes, according to student organizers. Columbia also expelled and fired Student Workers of Columbia union president Grant Miner, according to the union, just one day before contract negotiations were set to begin with the university.

The Trump Misadministration’s war on pro-Palestinian speech under the guise of “stopping antisemitism” sent Columbia University a wish list of demands it must do before it gets its $400M in grants reinstated: disciplining students involved in the protests at Hamilton Hall with suspensions, expulsions, and diploma revocations, mandating the use of the IHRA’s definition of antisemitism that is used to limit Israel-critical speech, and placing the Middle East, South Asian, and African Studies department under an academic receivership for a minimum of five years.

See Also:

NBC News: Columbia disciplines students for protests as activists seek to block school from sharing records

Al Jazeera: Columbia University punishes pro-Palestine students who occupied building

HuffPost: Trump Administration Issues Columbia An Ultimatum To Restore Federal Funding

[mswyrr]

“As some of you know, Skokie, Illinois once had one of the largest populations of Holocaust survivors anywhere in the world. In 1978, Nazis decided they wanted to march there.

“The leaders of that march knew that the images of Swastika clad young men goose stepping down a peaceful suburban street would terrorize the local Jewish population – so many of whom had never recovered from their time in German concentration camps.

“The prospect of that march sparked a legal fight that went all the way to the Supreme Court. It was a Jewish lawyer from the ACLU who argued the case for the Nazis – contending that even the most hateful of speech was protected under the first amendment.

“As an American and a Jew, I find it difficult to resolve my feelings around that Supreme Court case – but I am grateful that the prospect of Nazis marching in their streets spurred the survivors and other Skokie residents to act. They joined together to form the Holocaust Memorial Foundation and built the first Illinois Holocaust Museum in a storefront in 1981 – a small but important forerunner to the one I helped build thirty years later.

“I do not invoke the specter of Nazis lightly. But I know the history intimately — and have spent more time than probably anyone in this room with people who survived the Holocaust. Here’s what I’ve learned – the root that tears apart your house’s foundation begins as a seed – a seed of distrust and hate and blame.

“The seed that grew into a dictatorship in Europe a lifetime ago didn’t arrive overnight. It started with everyday Germans mad about inflation and looking for someone to blame.

“I’m watching with a foreboding dread what is happening in our country right now. A president who watches a plane go down in the Potomac – and suggests — without facts or findings — that a diversity hire is responsible for the crash. Or the Missouri Attorney General who just sued Starbucks – arguing that consumers pay higher prices for their coffee because the baristas are too “female” and “nonwhite.” The authoritarian playbook is laid bare here: They point to a group of people who don’t look like you and tell you to blame them for your problems.

“I just have one question: What comes next? After we’ve discriminated against, deported or disparaged all the immigrants and the gay and lesbian and transgender people, the developmentally disabled, the women and the minorities – once we’ve ostracized our neighbors and betrayed our friends – After that, when the problems we started with are still there staring us in the face – what comes next?

“All the atrocities of human history lurk in the answer to that question. And if we don’t want to repeat history – then for God’s sake in this moment we better be strong enough to learn from it.

“I swore the following oath on Abraham Lincoln’s Bible: “I do solemnly swear that I will support the constitution of the United States, and the constitution of the state of Illinois, and that I will faithfully discharge the duties of the office of Governor .... according to the best of my ability.”

“My oath is to the Constitution of our state and of our country. We don’t have kings in America – and I don’t intend to bend the knee to one. I am not speaking up in service to my ambitions — but in deference to my obligations.

“If you think I’m overreacting and sounding the alarm too soon, consider this:

“It took the Nazis one month, three weeks, two days, eight hours and 40 minutes to dismantle a constitutional republic. All I’m saying is when the five-alarm fire starts to burn, every good person better be ready to man a post with a bucket of water if you want to stop it from raging out of control.

“Those Illinois Nazis did end up holding their march in 1978 – just not in Skokie. After all the blowback from the case, they decided to march in Chicago instead. Only twenty of them showed up. But 2000 people came to counter protest. The Chicago Tribune reported that day that the “rally sputtered to an unspectacular end after ten minutes.” It was Illinoisans who smothered those embers before they could burn into a flame.

“Tyranny requires your fear and your silence and your compliance. Democracy requires your courage. So gather your justice and humanity, Illinois, and do not let the “tragic spirit of despair” overcome us when our country needs us the most."