Dunno how it is everywhere else but in Toronto the FIFA preparations have also fenced off certain public parks around the stadium which were heavily used for through-traffic, forcing pedestrians and cyclists to have to take massive detours around them. It’s particularly annoying because they’ve just been fenced off for weeks now with barely anyone inside except for some half asleep volunteer guards on their phones. How this is legal, I don’t know, but I’m assuming it came with the bribes. Just stinks of classism and corruption and it makes me like this World Cup even less (among all the other reasons).

Out of touch execs still chasing metrics instead of focusing on quality. Their desperation betrays the awareness that an end is near.

No need to interrupt your enemy while they make mistakes. Just let the US continue to make fools of itself while the government and populace divests further.

Ok, give me an example from the report.

Nothing in the article states what type of influence is being pushed. All I saw was warnings about China, but I am already pretty prepared for fact all nations are trying to influence each other. The real question I care about is “what type of influence”? If the message is to promote better conditions for public health, infrastructure, and education then I’m all for it. If it’s about ceding public rights in favor of corporate entities and the wealthy then I’m against it. Which countries are pushing the latter message? Is it China? Doesn’t seem like it to me.

People need to demand more out of their municipal leaders. Public transport and pedestrian infrastructure needs to be higher priority. Social spaces like plazas, markets, and parks should be protected and expanded. Other public infrastructure like schools and hospitals and mom and pop stores should be supported to allow jobs to flourish outside of cities and reduce the need for people to drive if they can’t live in higher density zones. Cars make people miserable, both inside them and outside them. They destroy the environment with their noise, pollution, accidents, and concrete carpeting. They make people lazy and unhealthy. It shouldn’t be our number 1 priority for travel solutions.

All part of the weapons industry plan. The myth that you need guns to be free, that you need guns to revolt, that the world is full of criminals waiting to launch an attack on your home, that global supply chains and regulations that disseminate the food you buy are not to be trusted and you need to drive 4 hours out of your suburbia to go hunting for meat - all an advertising scheme to sell you metal fireworks toys. Not negating their real utility in niche applications but those applications remain just that - niche. Civilized nations don’t need to kowtow to this predatory industry.

Should’ve been happening since the 70s when we already knew about all the risks and issues. Boggles the mind how easily fooled humans are by corporate lobbying. I really hope we get past this planning stage eventually.

Hello to all the new users!

This is simple sabotage. There is nothing beneficial about this outside of showing some green on Wallstreet LEDs. Pure pump and dump scheme.