Latest news with #publicservice
Wall Street Journal
13 hours ago
- Business
- Wall Street Journal
Trump Expects $20 Million More in Ad Dollars From ‘60 Minutes' Settlement
President Trump said that he anticipates receiving advertising and public service ad commitments worth $20 million from Skydance Media, the company in the process of acquiring CBS PARA 0.58%increase; green up pointing triangle parent Paramount Global. The additional compensation would come on top of the $16 million the current owner agreed to pay earlier this month to settle Trump's lawsuit alleging election interference by the network's news magazine '60 Minutes.'
Yahoo
20 hours ago
- Business
- Yahoo
Vermont engineer revives pay phones for free calls in areas with poor cell service
TUNBRIDGE, Vt. (AP) — An electrical engineer by trade, Patrick Schlott has spent countless hours tinkering with new and old technology. But it wasn't until he found himself living in rural Vermont that he realized his penchant for repairing old pay phones could provide a public service. 'I realized, wow, there's no cell service for 10 miles (16 kilometers) in either direction,' he said. 'The community could really benefit from something like this.' Schlott, a full-time engineer at electric airplane manufacturing company BETA Technologies, decided to approach the owners of his local general store with the idea to install old pay phones around town and make them free for public use. After he explained that there would be no cost to the host, North Tunbridge General Store owners Mike and Lois Gross let Schlott install his first phone outside the store. 'Everyone's pretty surprised, and they're like, 'Is that a real payphone? Does that really work?' And I'm like, 'Yeah, but it doesn't cost any money now,'" said store owner Mike Gross. "We've had people use it that broke down. It's a great thing because service is so spotty in Vermont.' The first free public phone installation was Schlott's idea, but he says the two other locations, the Latham Library in Thetford and inside an informational booth in Randolph off Interstate 89, came from community members requesting the service. 'All the other phones so far have been people reaching out, which is pretty cool,' he said. Schlott buys the old pay phones, which can range in cost from $100-$500, at flea markets, from internet listings or at auction and fixes them up in his basement workshop. All that's needed to install one of his phones is an internet connection — no coins necessary. 'Basically, there's a small piece of equipment that converts an internet telephone line to an analog line that these phones can operate off of,' he said. Along with covering the costs, which are about $2-$3 a month for each phone line and less than $5 a month for calls, Schlott acts as the operator for each phone and can field or transfer calls, helping users when needed. If a user dials zero, the phone will ring Schlott's personal cellphone, though he uses an app to keep his number private. So far, the phone at the Latham Library location has seen the most use. According to Schlott, 370 calls have been made since the phone was installed five months ago, filling a need for students without cellphones to call their parents for after-school pickups. Hannah McClain is a regular at the North Tunbridge General Store and says she finds comfort in knowing the phone is there whenever her 16-year-old daughters might need it. 'It does make me feel safer if the kids are out and about, that if they had an emergency up this way that they could stop and use this. I think these are a great service,' she said. Schlott is seeing increased interest in the service, with another free phone install in the works at the Brownell Library in Essex. For now, he plans to continue covering the costs associated with each phone, but noted that may change as the project scales. 'It's cool to see something retro that has that old-school appeal but also works. To actually hear it ring, to pick it up and have a dial tone, I think there's real power in that," he said. "And I don't think they should end up in a landfill. They should be recycled and put to good use.' Amanda Swinhart, The Associated Press
The Independent
20 hours ago
- Business
- The Independent
Vermont engineer revives pay phones for free calls in areas with poor cell service
An electrical engineer by trade, Patrick Schlott has spent countless hours tinkering with new and old technology. But it wasn't until he found himself living in rural Vermont that he realized his penchant for repairing old pay phones could provide a public service. 'I realized, wow, there's no cell service for 10 miles (16 kilometers) in either direction,' he said. 'The community could really benefit from something like this.' Schlott, a full-time engineer at electric airplane manufacturing company BETA Technologies, decided to approach the owners of his local general store with the idea to install old pay phones around town and make them free for public use. After he explained that there would be no cost to the host, North Tunbridge General Store owners Mike and Lois Gross let Schlott install his first phone outside the store. 'Everyone's pretty surprised, and they're like, 'Is that a real payphone? Does that really work?' And I'm like, 'Yeah, but it doesn't cost any money now,'" said store owner Mike Gross. "We've had people use it that broke down. It's a great thing because service is so spotty in Vermont.' The first free public phone installation was Schlott's idea, but he says the two other locations, the Latham Library in Thetford and inside an informational booth in Randolph off Interstate 89, came from community members requesting the service. 'All the other phones so far have been people reaching out, which is pretty cool,' he said. Schlott buys the old pay phones, which can range in cost from $100-$500, at flea markets, from internet listings or at auction and fixes them up in his basement workshop. All that's needed to install one of his phones is an internet connection — no coins necessary. 'Basically, there's a small piece of equipment that converts an internet telephone line to an analog line that these phones can operate off of,' he said. Along with covering the costs, which are about $2-$3 a month for each phone line and less than $5 a month for calls, Schlott acts as the operator for each phone and can field or transfer calls, helping users when needed. If a user dials zero, the phone will ring Schlott's personal cellphone, though he uses an app to keep his number private. So far, the phone at the Latham Library location has seen the most use. According to Schlott, 370 calls have been made since the phone was installed five months ago, filling a need for students without cellphones to call their parents for after-school pickups. Hannah McClain is a regular at the North Tunbridge General Store and says she finds comfort in knowing the phone is there whenever her 16-year-old daughters might need it. 'It does make me feel safer if the kids are out and about, that if they had an emergency up this way that they could stop and use this. I think these are a great service,' she said. Schlott is seeing increased interest in the service, with another free phone install in the works at the Brownell Library in Essex. For now, he plans to continue covering the costs associated with each phone, but noted that may change as the project scales. 'It's cool to see something retro that has that old-school appeal but also works. To actually hear it ring, to pick it up and have a dial tone, I think there's real power in that," he said. "And I don't think they should end up in a landfill. They should be recycled and put to good use.'
Associated Press
20 hours ago
- Business
- Associated Press
Vermont engineer revives pay phones for free calls in areas with poor cell service
TUNBRIDGE, Vt. (AP) — An electrical engineer by trade, Patrick Schlott has spent countless hours tinkering with new and old technology. But it wasn't until he found himself living in rural Vermont that he realized his penchant for repairing old pay phones could provide a public service. 'I realized, wow, there's no cell service for 10 miles (16 kilometers) in either direction,' he said. 'The community could really benefit from something like this.' Schlott, a full-time engineer at electric airplane manufacturing company BETA Technologies, decided to approach the owners of his local general store with the idea to install old pay phones around town and make them free for public use. After he explained that there would be no cost to the host, North Tunbridge General Store owners Mike and Lois Gross let Schlott install his first phone outside the store. 'Everyone's pretty surprised, and they're like, 'Is that a real payphone? Does that really work?' And I'm like, 'Yeah, but it doesn't cost any money now,'' said store owner Mike Gross. 'We've had people use it that broke down. It's a great thing because service is so spotty in Vermont.' The first free public phone installation was Schlott's idea, but he says the two other locations, the Latham Library in Thetford and inside an informational booth in Randolph off Interstate 89, came from community members requesting the service. 'All the other phones so far have been people reaching out, which is pretty cool,' he said. Schlott buys the old pay phones, which can range in cost from $100-$500, at flea markets, from internet listings or at auction and fixes them up in his basement workshop. All that's needed to install one of his phones is an internet connection — no coins necessary. 'Basically, there's a small piece of equipment that converts an internet telephone line to an analog line that these phones can operate off of,' he said. Along with covering the costs, which are about $2-$3 a month for each phone line and less than $5 a month for calls, Schlott acts as the operator for each phone and can field or transfer calls, helping users when needed. If a user dials zero, the phone will ring Schlott's personal cellphone, though he uses an app to keep his number private. So far, the phone at the Latham Library location has seen the most use. According to Schlott, 370 calls have been made since the phone was installed five months ago, filling a need for students without cellphones to call their parents for after-school pickups. Hannah McClain is a regular at the North Tunbridge General Store and says she finds comfort in knowing the phone is there whenever her 16-year-old daughters might need it. 'It does make me feel safer if the kids are out and about, that if they had an emergency up this way that they could stop and use this. I think these are a great service,' she said. Schlott is seeing increased interest in the service, with another free phone install in the works at the Brownell Library in Essex. For now, he plans to continue covering the costs associated with each phone, but noted that may change as the project scales. 'It's cool to see something retro that has that old-school appeal but also works. To actually hear it ring, to pick it up and have a dial tone, I think there's real power in that,' he said. 'And I don't think they should end up in a landfill. They should be recycled and put to good use.'
Independent Singapore
a day ago
- Politics
- Independent Singapore
'No career, no friends, no way out: Is the government sector a dead end?'
SINGAPORE: In the corridors of a government bureau, an employee sits gaping vacantly at the computer screen. Around, co-workers chatter over cups of steaming coffee, while others scroll through their phones nonchalantly. In the silence, a digital clamour is posted to Reddit: 'Anyone else miserable working in the government sector?' It was a question that hit a nerve with several fellow public servants and netizens. The original poster depicted a drab picture — a noxious workplace where gossip is currency, ambition is castigated, and people turn on others in a frantic clamber for limited prospects. 'Some in my department don't even pretend to look busy,' the poster bewailed. 'They openly play games on their phones. Others spend half the day gossiping… Information is weaponised. I don't have a single friend here, and I trust no one.' However, most hurtful was the comparison to peers in the private sector: 'Most of my friends earn several times more. Their grind feels worth it. I'm so jealous of my friend who resigned without a job lined up—she could afford to. I feel stuck here forever.' A familiar struggle What ensued was a torrent of reactions; a few were compassionate, others critical, but all profoundly expressive of the current public service experience. 'It sounds like a localised issue,' one netizen said. 'There are government departments where work overflows and people are swamped.' Another, more battle-hardened from experience, offered his opinion without the euphemisms: 'I've worked in three different agencies and all of them burnt me out mentally and physically. If you're pushing for promotion, you're in the rat race, but if you want to earn more, you need to get out. Government experience may not translate well to the private sector. It's your call.' For many, the sentiment was that the 'iron rice bowl,' a rewording for job security in the public sector, comes with its veiled risks. 'Sure, it's stable,' one commenter said. 'But it's an iron bowl on boiling water.' Is the grass greener? As the poster's observation triggered arguments, an obvious theme surfaced — the legend of the 'better' sector. See also AI may impact high-skilled professional jobs the most in SG 'Private sector may not necessarily be better,' several Redditors pointed out. 'You could be overworked and underpaid. At least here, you're underpaid but not overworked!' For the others, the stress-free pace of government work was a secret blessing: 'It's good to have little to do and still be earning income, lol.' However, not everyone viewed it that way. Others talked of government jobs with overwhelming assignments, extreme KPIs, and diminutive recognition. 'I work in the public sector too,' one netizen joined. 'It's always so busy for us—I wonder what line of work you're in!' The real enemy — disillusionment Underneath the opinions over workload, compensation, and status lies something more profound — disillusionment. The original poster's disappointment and misery aren't just about cash or toxic colleagues; it's about that sense of being trapped in a system where work devotion and trustworthiness don't result in progress, and effort doesn't always equate to reward and promotions. 'Even the scholars don't make as much as those in the private sector,' the original poster wrote. 'But at least they have the prestige.' Why am I staying? What would it take to leave? The thread echoed a universal truth — workplace unhappiness isn't exclusive to any one segment. Office politics, exhaustion, and inertia can be found in both public and private realms. What's important is positioning one's values with the environment, and not being scared of re-evaluating one's path. The original poster may still be at that solitary small table. But in expressing his frustrations online, he has kindled an unpretentious and candid dialogue, one that might help others ask the same tough question: Why do I stay? And what would it take to leave?
