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500 Limos to Protest Ride Sharing Apps like Uber at City Hall on 12-16-15

On Wednesday, 12-16-16, from 11:30am until 3:00pm, approximately (500) members with vehicles, of the Taxi and Limo drivers of Philadelphia plan to protest against the illegal ride-sharing programs in Philadelphia such as Uber and Lyft ride sharing services. They plan on parking limousines, (black, luxury sedans of various makes and models), on S. Penn Square in front of the DA’s office as well as other streets surrounding City Hall.

The Civil Affairs Unit will assign personnel to this event. The Commanding Officer ofCentral Police Division and the Commanding Officer of the 6th & 9th Police District have been notified of this event.

Sent by William Hughes through Alert Philadelphia

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#lyft protest #protest philadelphia #taxi protest #taxi strike #taxi strike philadelphia #Uber Protest #Uber protest philadelphia

Pope Francis Security Map - Philadelphia

Pope Francis Security Map for Philadelphia

City officials on Thursday announced additional security zones to manage access for pedestrians and restrict the presence of motor vehicles for Pope Francis’ visit on Sept. 26-27.

Event perimeters, outlined in red in the map, will use fences and checkpoints to screen visitors for the pope’s appearances on the Parkway and at Independence Hall. No vehicles can be driven or parked on the street inside this zone.

A “secure-vehicle perimeter,” outlined in black on the map, will also ban vehicular traffic and cars parked on the street.

These security measures are in addition to those announced last week, which include:

• A traffic box within Center City and parts of West Philadelphia encompassing 3.5 square miles that will ban incoming vehicular traffic.

• Highway closures, including the Schuylkill Expressway, the Vine Street Expressway, and the Benjamin Franklin Bridge. The bridge will remain open for pedestrians.

• Authorized vehicle access roads reserved for the exclusive use of emergency vehicles.

Schedule for security measures

Thursday, Sept. 24

10 p.m.: The event perimeter for the Parkway, and the secure-vehicle perimeter west of 12th Street, goes into effect.

Friday, Sept. 25

6 a.m.: The Parkway event perimeter east of 20th Street will be open to screened pedestrians.

8 a.m.: Authorized vehicle access roads, outlined in yellow, are closed to non-emergency traffic.

6 p.m.: In Central Philadelphia, the traffic box, shown in green on the map, goes into effect. People with vehicles within this area will be allowed to drive with some restrictions, but will not be permitted to reenter if they exit the box.

10 p.m.: The event perimeter around Independence Hall and the secure-vehicle perimeter east of 12th Street go into effect. The West Philadephia traffic box also goes into effect.

Saturday, Sept. 26

6 a.m.: The event perimeters on the Parkway west of 20th Street, and for Independence Hall, will open to ticketed and screened pedestrians.

Sunday, Sept. 27

Pedestrians at Independence Hall will no longer be screened, but the perimeters will remain in place for the duration of the event. No vehicles will be permitted within any perimeter through Sunday night.

SOURCE: Mayor’s Office

The Philadelphia Inquirer Read more at http://www.philly.com/philly/infographics/321846572.html#KCc3OBPAXsjJbBKQ.99

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#philadelphia #pope #pope closures #Pope Francis #Pope francis security philadelphia #Pope Philadelphia #pope philly #pope roads #Pope security #Pope Security Map #pope security map philadelphia #security check points #security philadelphia

SEPTA Celebrates 150 Miles of Success

Heather Redfern and David Gaines SEPTA Media Relations

Previously reported by Metro Magazine Transit Dispatches

Maintaining just basic levels of service with an aging, and often failing, infrastructure is a challenge many legacy transportation agencies across the country struggle with on a daily basis. And funding shortages often leave transit organizations battling to provide reliable service while identifying and making only the most needed and cost-effective repairs.

SEPTA’s Regional Rail system was inherited from the Pennsylvania and Reading Railroads and the infrastructure in many sections of the system has been serving the Philadelphia area for more than 100 years. Fifteen years ago, overhead catenary system (OCS) failures were a common occurrence on SEPTA Regional Rail, a result of fatigue cracks and wear. The all too common OCS failures were frustrating for SEPTA customers who occasionally found it difficult to depend on train service for their travels and for SEPTA, whose crews were constantly working to repair and maintain the system.

“We performed an analysis of the failures and determined that the entire OCS needed to be replaced,” said SEPTA Deputy General Manager Jeff Knueppel. “Our crews were excellent at responding to and patching the failures, but we could not reduce their rate of incidence. Not only did we need to obtain the funding for materials and train workers for the replacement, we also needed to devise a plan that would allow us to replace the catenary while keeping the Regional Rail lines in service for our passengers.”

SEPTA’s Power Department measured their crew’s skill level and the ability of their equipment in order to gauge what was needed to safely complete the work. Maintenance crews had electrical training and took Northeast Operating Rules Advisory Committee (NORAC) and Roadway Worker classes, and a training program for lineman was also implemented to ensure that the work was being completed entirely by the Authority’s in-house forces.

Fast-forward 15 years and on Friday, June 12th 2015, SEPTA gathered at Wallingford Train Station to celebrate the completion of 150 miles of catenary wire replacement. Most of the work was completed at night or during mid-day service outages to minimize customer inconvenience. A modified open gondola car stores old wire without crews having to cut it into smaller sections. The open gondola and tower cars allow crews to safely and effectively remove, replace and store OCS wire and hardware. Five OCS lines have been completely replaced, three have been partially replaced and two will be completed over the next two years.

“My work is rewarding because I live around this area,” said Will Wilson, a member of the maintenance crew that worked diligently to renew the wire. “I get to come out my front door every day and see how my work helps my neighbors get in and out of the city in a timely fashion.”

Bernie Shine, who recently celebrated his 20th year as SEPTA maintenance worker, was thrilled at the celebration. “Safety is our top priority on this crew,” said Shine. “We work next to a live wire in order to keep service running for customers. No other transportation organization does that, especially as carefully as we do here at SEPTA.”

The benefits of replacing the OCS can be seen in SEPTA’s Regional Rail ridership increase. “Over the past 15 years, our catenary-component related failures are down drastically,” said Knueppel. “This work was among several key initiatives that allowed railroad ridership to grow 50 percent in this same time period. The investment in our infrastructure was done out of necessity, but has proven to be invaluable.”

Knueppel gave a congratulatory speech at the celebration and presented the SEPTA Power Department with a commemorative marker to place on the new catenary wire.

“Back in 1999, when I became chief engineer, there were two issues in my division that were in crisis mode-one, elevators and escalators, and two, our railroad catenary wire system. Our customers were being impacted by both. If you flash forward to today, our crew is amongst the best in the country in both of these areas.”

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SEPTA Stays in the Loop at 23rd and Venango

David Gaines SEPTA Media Relations

SEPTA is always looking for new ways to improve service for riders, from providing more customer amenities to replacing aging infrastructure. This week SEPTA completed the renovation of the 23rd and Venango bus loop, creating a safer environment for customers and encouraging economic development in the neighborhood.

On Monday, June 15th, SEPTA gathered with elected officials and community members for a ribbon cutting ceremony to inaugurate the newly reconstructed 23rd and Venango Bus Loop in the Allegheny West section of North Philadelphia.

This $1.7 million project fully renovated a key, but aging center for bus transfers and connections in the rapidly redeveloping commercial and neighborhood corridor. Over 5,000 riders connect daily to transit services at the loop. The 23rd and Venango Bus Loop is served by six SEPTA bus routes (1, 33, 56, H, R, and XH). Beyond connections to transit, the loop provides access to the area’s business and community institutions including the Salvation Army’s Kroc Center and the Bakers Centre’ Shopping Complex.

“Now, our 23rd and Venango facility is not only an improved SEPTA bus loop, but a grand gateway and transfer point for riders and the residents of North Philadelphia.” said SEPTA General Manager Joseph M. Casey. At the renovated loop, passengers will enjoy newly raised bus boarding islands, modern rider shelters, enhanced lighting and landscaping; new trash/recycling bins and additional bike parking racks. Safety upgrades around the loop were also addressed with the installation of ADA-accessible curb cuts, added bus lane and crosswalk striping, lighting enhancements in and around the site, and repaved pedestrian sidewalks.

“This is an exciting day for Philadelphia, for SEPTA, for this neighborhood, and most importantly, for the 5,000 riders that travel through the 23rd and Venango Bus Loop daily. I am pleased to have helped secure the federal funding that made this improvement project possible, and SEPTA deserves immense credit for their sustained commitment to advancing our region’s transit infrastructure,” said U.S. Congressman Chaka Fattah who spoke at today’s ribbon cutting ceremony. “Not only does this project stand to improve accessibility and safety for all residents of the community, the renovated transit hub is integral to the overall revitalization of the Allegheny West neighborhood.”

Joining SEPTA and Congressman Fattah at the ribbon cutting were Philadelphia City Councilwoman Cindy Bass and Allegheny West Foundation President Ronald Hinton. “We’re excited about the reinvestment,” said Hinton, “we think that it shows that this is a place where people want to live and raise their families, and we really thank SEPTA for their commitment to our neighborhoods.” SEPTA resumed normal service through the loop this week. Riders had been directed to board bus service at temporary stops nearby during the year-long project. “I want to thank our customers who use this loop for their patience and support during the renovation – and I hope you’re pleased with the new and improved 23rd and Venango Bus Loop.” said Casey.

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Transit Worker's Union 234 ratifies two-year contract with SEPTA

The union that represents SEPTA bus, subway and trolley drivers ratified a new contract with SEPTA.

TWU 234 President Willie Brown encouraged members to support the agreement that was voted on Friday, according to a statement released Friday.

Voting for the union’s three bargaining units took place in 20 locations and concluded at 7 p.m. Friday. evening.

Here are the results:

City: 2478 voted in favor of the contract, 791 voted no.

Frontier: 144 voted in favor to 23 opposed,

Red Arrow: 61 voted in favor, 40 cast no votes.

TWU Local 234 represents bus drivers, subway and trolley operators and maintenance workers at the Southeastern Pennsylvania Transit Authority. The local union is an affiliate of the Transport Workers Union of America, AFL-CIO.

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Uncle to Dr. Drew: 'I suspected it was him'

Posted: Sunday, November 9, 2014, 3:01 AM

IT WAS horrific. A 22-year-old nursing assistant viciously kidnapped in Philadelphia; a video showing her kicking, struggling against her assailant who – it was later discovered – allegedly kidnapped, raped, and attempted to murder a 16-year-old girl just a month before.

But there may be something more horrific: A relative of the suspect could have notified the police of the man’s identity, but chose not to.

“I suspected it was him,” Lamar Barnes, answered when asked on the cable network show, “Dr. Drew On Call” last night if he recognized his nephew, Delvin Barnes from the many videotapes and photographs released by the police.

When the show’s host, Dr. Drew Pinsky, then asked why he didn’t call the police, Lamar Barnes answered that family doesn’t turn over family members to the police. Then added: Especially people of color.

Carlesha Freeland-Gaither’s kidnapping ordeal ended Wednesday – three days after her abduction, through the efforts of law enforcement officials in three states, and the help on one man – Dwayne Fletcher, 37, who witnessed the ordeal, and immediately called the police, using a cellphone that Freeland-Gaithers was said to have deliberately dropped on the sidewalk during the attack.

But it might have ended sooner if Barnes’ uncle or any other family member had contacted the police as soon as they suspected it was him in the video.

When asked if the Police Department had any comment about Lamar Barnes’ admission, Public Affairs Officer Jillian Russell would only say: “At this point, Carlesha is safe and in custody and we are going to let the prosecution process take place.”

Philadelphia community activist Maisha Ongoza said there may be systemic reasons for people of color to hesitate going to the police.

“But let’s make it clear, it’s not because they have some allegiance to crime. I think it’s more of a fear that if they turn someone in, that person might get beaten by the police, or not get a fair hearing,” said Ongoza, who recently retired as coordinator of the Say Yes to Education, Bryant Chapter.

Ongoza also wanted to make clear that she believes that Barnes’ uncle should have notified the police when he suspected that his nephew was the perpetrator, especially since he knew about Barnes’ violent history toward women.

Barnes was arrested in 2005 for breaking into the home of his estranged wife, hitting and choking her, and then attacking her parents when they tried to come to her aide. According to reports, Barnes was sent to prison for seven years and, moved to Virginia when released last year.

Just last month Barnes allegedly walked up on a 16-year-old girl in Virginia and hit her in the head with a shovel. He allegedly then kidnapped and raped her, then showed her photographs of other girls who he said were his previous victims. Barnes is said to have doused the girl with bleach and gasoline, and had started digging her grave. Miraculously, the girl was able to escape. DNA evidence allegedly linked Barnes to the crime, and Virginia authorities put out a warrant for his arrest.

Surveillance cameras show Freeland-Gaither had just gotten off a SEPTA bus at the intersection of Coulter and Greene streets at 9:40 p.m. Sunday when she was approached by a man who grabbed her. Though she fought him all the way, he dragged her to his car and shoved her inside.

The sole witness to the crime was Fletcher, and Philadelphia police have said that had it not been for him, they may not have even known, until too late, that a crime had been committed.

The question, though, is whether the crime could have been more quickly solved if Lamar Barnes had notified the police when he suspected the man shown in the pictures and videotapes was his nephew.

“That’s just preposterous. He ought to be ashamed of himself,” said East Oak Lane resident Gelea Matthews, 26, when she heard about Lamar Barnes’ remarks on the show. “I understand family ties, but you have a duty, as a human being, to say something when you know someone’s life in danger.”

Supreem Da Rezarekta’, a well-known Philadelphia MC, said that there was simply no justifiable excuse for anyone who recognized Delvin Barnes on the videotape to sit back and do nothing.

“I even understand the whole ‘no-snitch’ stuff, but the deal is sometimes you have to step up and do the right thing,” said the entertainer. “Don’t worry about the code of the streets or anything. How would he feel if it was his daughter?”

In his defense Lamar Barnes, who has said that he has a daughter and granddaughters, claimed that if he knew how to contact his nephew he would have tried to convince him to turn himself in.

Lamar Barnes also told Dr. Drew that he wished the Freeland-Gaither’s family well, and is glad that their daughter is back home with them.

Karen E. Quinones Miller Essence is a best-selling author.

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SEPTA union ratifies contract, avoids strike

VINNY VELLA, Daily News Staff Writer [email protected], 215-854-2513

Posted: Sunday, November 9, 2014, 3:01 AM

AFTER A late-night ratification vote, SEPTA’s largest union finalized a new labor contract yesterday, ending the threat of a strike that would have shuttered the city’s subways, buses and trolleys.

The nearly 5,000 train operators and bus and trolley drivers represented by Transportation Workers Union Local 234 approved a two-year agreement with the transit authority last night, union officials said.

The new contract provides wage increases of 5 percent over two years, broken into a 2 percent increase on Dec. 14 and an additional 3 percent bump in December 2015.

SEPTA and the union were locked in a bitter dispute after the previous agreement lapsed, with TWU members working since the spring without a contract.

During the spat, union leader Willie Brown threatened to call a strike more than once.

Tensions reached a boiling point on Halloween, when both sides sat at the bargaining table for several hours at the Wyndham Philadelphia Historic District hotel in Old City. Bolstered by support from U.S. Rep. Robert Brady (D-Phila.) and other local politicians, a deal was reached about 11 p.m.

“We got it done; I’m satisfied.” Brown said in announcing the agreement.

Two big sticking points, pensions and the grievance procedure, still need to be hashed out, according to Brown.

Both sides reached a temporary agreement with the former: a onetime pension bonus of $175 for each year of service for members who retire in the next two years.

Retiring union workers will also receive a boost in the dental benefits offered to their eligible family members, bringing the total to $2,150 a year for each person covered in the plan.

Brown said his members will look to reach a more permanent solution long before 2016, when this new contract lapses.

“This is an ongoing battle for fairness,” he said Thursday.

“The contract we are voting on now is a very good interim agreement that allows our members to make gains and does not inconvenience the public.

“We’re not done yet.”

On Twitter: @Vellastrations

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TWU local OKs SEPTA pact

Robert Moran, Inquirer Staff Writer

Last updated: Friday, November 7, 2014, 10:59 PM Posted: Friday, November 7, 2014, 9:27 PM

Members of Transport Workers Union Local 234 on Friday ratified a two-year contract with SEPTA that will provide a 5 percent pay raise over that span.

The sides reached a tentative agreement late last week after the union threatened to strike.

The union represents 5,000 bus drivers, subway and trolley operators, cashiers, and mechanics. The two-year deal allowed both sides to postpone decisions on pension and health-care issues.

The terms are expected to set the pattern for other unions representing SEPTA employees.

Local 234 is the largest of SEPTA’s 17 unions. Its members had been working without a contract since March and April.

[email protected]

215-854-5983 @RobertMoran215

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SEPTA Riders choose Trains and Treats during Halloween 2014

Manuel McDonnell Smith Public Information Manager

Shunning the usual costumes styles of ghosts and goblins, the always -creative class of SEPTA’s riders and fans decided to take an alternate route. Their Halloween theme would celebrate transit, and they delighted with a series of costumes that brought smiles instead of shrieks. Curated from our social media feeds, here is a selection of our 2014 costume favorites.

(View the images individually below or see them in a slideshow to the right)

“Token Surprise”

We spotted this this “token” traveling all over, at one point he even stopped to pose with a life-sized chicken, also known as “#partyfowl.” However, our favorite pose came from behind a kitchen counter where “@Ginabelle” commented that this costume “Nailed it. I’m so impressed.” We couldn’t agree more.

“Dynamic Duo”

Near Clark Park in West Philadelphia, tiny twin trollies were spotted on trick-or-treat patrol. Rigged with all of the accoutrements of their real-life counterparts including working headlights and air horns, even trolley drivers stop to declare that these costumes exhibited a special flair.

“They wanted something the boys would love that was specific to West Philly” explained their Aunt, speaking of the boys’ parents and friends who collaborated to create the unique designs. We here at SEPTA award them an “A+” for awesome!

“Best Couple”

First spotted on the Market Frankford Line and then later in Suburban Station, this duo stole the Halloween show in both stations and social media. “This was, bar none, the best couples costume of last night,” proclaimed one Instagram poster. Many here at SEPTA would agree, pointing out that that our tokens and their dispensers have been paired together for many years. We wish the masquerading couple the same loving longevity.

“Record Ridership on Halloween”

Whether they chose to dress up or go plain, it seems that SEPTA riders identify with Halloween as a night to entertain. Compared to regular weekday ridership, passenger counts on the Broad Street and Market Frankford Lines were up by more than 23,000. In fact, many travelers continued their celebrations late into the night all weekend, initial travel counts indicate that ridership on Night Owl trains increased more than 120%. These numbers show that whatever the affair, SEPTA is always an option to help get you there.

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Help for a bartender hit by a car

If you’ve bent an elbow in Midtown Village, you may have been served by Theo Webb, whose CV includes the former Fish, Caribou Cafe and current home Bru Craft & Wurst.

He worked the busy Halloween shift at Bru.

Owner Teddy Sourias and co-workers were concerned the next day when he didn’t show up for work.

He wasn’t picking up his phone, so Webb’s sister was dispatched to his North Philadelphia house, whose door was open. When his wallet and keys were found inside, everyone feared the worst.

“We thought he was attacked,” Sourias said.

Tuesday morning, Webb, 29, was identified as a “John Doe” patient lying unconscious at Hahnemann University Hospital.

Witnesses said he was on his bike as he tried to pass a SEPTA bus at the same time a car did the same thing.

For now, Sourias said, all he and his friends can do is pray for his recovery.

They’ve set up a fundraiser for Sunday, Nov. 16 from 3 to 6 p.m. at Bru, 1318 Chestnut St.

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Kidnapping 'person of interest' stares at surveillance camera in new footage

Police are seeking public assistance in identifying a person of interest linked to the abduction of a Germantown woman Sunday night.

Newly released footage taken on the day of the kidnapping but hours before the actual abduction shows the male person of interest walk into a grocery store with a hand partially covering his face. He then staresdirectly at a surveillance camera before going in the store and buying a bag of chips.

Carlesha Freeland-Gaither, 22, was abducted around 9:30 p.m. on the evening of Nov. 2 after getting off a SEPTA bus.

At a press conference Tuesday, police said that Freeland-Gaither’s ATM card was used in Aberdeen, Maryland, and released surveillance stills from the ATM of the “person of interest” believed to be linked to Freeland-Gaither’s disappearance.

The person of interest has not been identified. Authorities are also not revealing when or where the latest surveillance images were recorded.

Surveillance footage of the abduction shows Freeland-Gaither struggle with her abductor as he drags her into his vehicle. Police said she smashed the front and rear passenger side windows before being driven off.

The suspect is described as a black male aged 25 to 30, about 5’10” with a medium-heavy build and driving a four-door metallic gray 2000-2002 Ford Taurus with a PA tag.

City authoritities, the Citizen’s Crime Commission, and the Philadelphia Federal Credit Union are jointly offering a $47,000 reward for information leading to the arrest of the abductor of Freeland-Gaither.

Below, watch surveillance video taken hours before the abduction and the day after, both believed to depict the person of interest in the abduction.

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THE INSIDER: Michael Klein

Help a bartender: If you’ve bent an elbow in Midtown Village, you may have been served by Theo Webb, whose CV includes the former Fish, Caribou Cafe and current home Bru Craft & Wurst. Tuesday morning, Webb, 29, was in Hahnemann University Hospital after being hit by a car. Witnesses said he was on his bike as he tried to pass a SEPTA bus. Friends are praying for his recovery and organizing a fundraiser, to be held 3-6 p.m. Nov. 16 at Bru, 1318 Chestnut St.

Alison Barshak comes out of her shell: Twenty years ago, Alison Barshak prepared lobster at Striped Bass, one of the destinations that helped define Walnut Street as Philadelphia’s restaurant row. Now she’s in the product-development game with Absolutely Lobster, a frozen tail that goes from freezer to fork in under three minutes. Di Bruno Bros. will host Atlanta-based Barshak for tastings on three Saturdays from noon to 2:30 p.m. this Saturday, Farmer’s Market, Suburban Square, 120 Coulter Ave., Ardmore; Nov. 15, 1730 Chestnut St., Rittenhouse Square; Nov. 22, The Franklin, 834 Chestnut St.

Earthshaking Italian restaurant for Rittenhouse: The earthquake that destroyed much of L’Aquila, Italy in 2009 has led to a significant restaurant and Italian cultural project in Rittenhouse. Riccardo Longo, whose family restaurant holdings include Toscana 52, in Bensalem, was touring Abruzzo when he struck up a friendship with the chef-owners of the landmark, earthquake-destroyed Gran Caffe L’Aquila, Stefano Biasini and Michele Morelli.Longo invited them here. Last year, they signed a deal and, in December, a new Gran Caffe L’Aquila will open at 1716 Chestnut St. The place was built in Italy and transported here for assembly.

As in Italy, coffee and gelato will be specialties, but you’ll also find a bar, lots of Italian wine and food and, later, Italian culture classes.

Michael Klein, editor/producer of Philly.com/food, has covered the restaurant scene in Philadelphia since 1993. Email: [email protected].

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.xyz is helping you protect your freedom speech

Who defends your speech, rights, and privacy in this massive digital world? This is exactly what the heroic folks over at the Electronic Frontier Foundation (EFF) do!

#GenXYZ, we’ve done it again. With the help of our partners over at Gandi, .xyz is the first new registry to support a nonprofit organization through the registration of domains. For the entire month of November, .xyz and Gandi will each donate $0.50 to EFF for every .xyz domain name registered.

And the cherry on top? Gandi is currently offering .xyz at the amazing price of $4, meaning, the equivalent of 25% of your registration will go towards supporting EFF. How awesome is that? You truly are killing two birds with one stone: get your fresh new .xyz domain AND support EFF, the defenders of your civil liberties in the digital world.

So show your support and act now! Head on over to Gandi and take advantage of this unique November promotion.

Do you have another project you’d like us to support in December? Shoot us a message on Twitter, Facebook, or Instagram and let us know!

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#bad #december #domains #france #frontier #frontier-foundation #gtld #instagram #invalid #septa #twitter-

Big in Japan

Which one of the XYZ videos was your favorite, #GenXYZ?

As the domain extension for every website, everywhere, .xyz is the most popular new ending for domains all over the world. Have you heard? One of the largest .xyz markets is all the way across the Pacific Ocean from here in the US, in the island country of Japan.

Japan is, of course, famous for being a world leader in tech and electronics. Did you know? There are over 110 million internet users in Japan. And this is all from a country that can physically fit entirely within the state of California!

So what kind of .xyz websites are they building in Japan? We featured a couple way back when (here and here), but check out these freshly picked gems for this week’s #WebsiteWednesday!

jagzzi.xyz

jagzzi is an online fashion and trend magazine run by a group of likeminded Japanese college students in the heart of Tokyo. They ditched their .com (test it out: jagzzi.com will redirect you to their .xyz domain) and publish an eyecatching, sometimes-disruptive, online magazine that they plan, research, edit, and put into production all on their own.

As college students, they wanted a space where they can express themselves before “now” turns into something of the past. Even if you don’t speak Japanese, definitely flip through jagzzi.xyz to check out fashionable snaps from the streets of Harajuku.

ampersand.xyz

Ampersand is the name of this freelance web developer’s hybrid personal and business website. Right off the bat, it’s obvious how creative and innovative she is! From the colorful floating figures in the background, to even the little details in her “about” page. “Ampersand” (for those who might not know, is the word for the symbol “&”) was chosen as the site name because her last name is “Ando”: the Japanese pronunciation for the word “and”. Clever, don’t you think?

She even created this fun little page for anyone who wants to feast their eyes on a few soothing aquarium scenes during their work day. She personally recorded aquarium footage from Tokyo for your enjoyment at ampersand.xyz/aquarium.

What do you think of these awesome .xyz sites from Japan, #GenXYZ? As always, let us know what YOUR favorite .xyz sites are by dropping us a line on Facebook, Twitter, or Instagram.

With Halloween right around the corner, Team XYZ has a lantern full of fun things coming your way. Be sure to keep an eye out!

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#domain #facebook #halloween #japanese #name #tokyo #videos #work

SEPTA Begins Operation of New Fleet of Hybrid/Electric Articulated Buses

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Where in the world is the #XYZsquad?

The #XYZsquad has had a long couple weeks. First was the international ICANN conference, which was held in our backyard in sunny Los Angeles. If you happened to be there, it’s needless to say that you definitely caught a glimpse of a few them and probably even received a goodie. For everyone else, they’ll just have to watch the video and hope to catch them at the next one.

After a busy but successful ICANN week, the XYZ Team celebrated by hosting our very own tailgate at the USC campus for homecoming. You can check out the photo album by clicking here, but we’ve made a montage below:

And last but not least was Ad:Tech in London. The #XYZsquad grabbed a lot of attention across the pond, and fortunately a couple fans were able to capture some great footage for us.

Where will the #XYZsquad be next? We’re not totally sure to be honest, but we’ve got a feeling they might pop up in Vegas in January. As always, be sure to check back in with us on Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram to get all the latest from our team. Have a good weekend, #GenXYZ!

Go here to see the original: Where in the world is the #XYZsquad? Read the original

http://septablog.com/where-in-the-world-is-the-xyzsquad/

#angeles #check-out-the #facebook #icann #january-#october #posted-by-team #team #twitter-#watch-the-video #world #xyz

More .xyz domains sold than .org and .net @Hover

Great news, #GenXYZ! While we’ve been highlighting awesome .xyz websites the past few weeks, we also wanted to break the news of a huge milestone that we hit with one of our innovative registrar partners, Hover. Hover is part of the Tucows family and is famous for their no-fuss and top-notch customer support.

It started earlier this month, when Hover kicked-off a special .xyz promotion:

We’ve got .xyz domains for just $5! Don’t mean to boast, but that’s the lowest price around. Search for yours: https://t.co/6WiWiZq5Yb

— Hover (@hover) August 1, 2014

There was an overwhelmingly enthusiastic response from Hover’s customers and after the first week of the promotion, we debuted on their Top 20 gTLDs list at #7. When the second week rolled around, we hopped over a couple to #5. And then the third week happened…and tweet! We wake up to the sweet sound of a Twitter notification that:

.XYZ has risen all the way to no. 2 in this week’s Top 20 gTLDs! http://t.co/jGaxVFsKBx pic.twitter.com/33DpF7m8TE

— Hover (@hover) August 18, 2014

According to Michael from Hover, “For the first time, the #2 spot is not being taken up by the classic TLDs .ORG or .NET, with newcomer .XYZ taking over that coveted spot.”

To say that taking over the #2 position from .net and .org is “big news” is an understatement. We’re still shy of 3 months old and we’re quickly proving that we can play ball with the big players. And as NPR said, a “contender to take on .com”.

We had a feeling that great things were happening when a giant like Hover, believed enough in .xyz to offer their customers such an amazing promotion. And even more rewarding is seeing live websites from users who bought their .xyz domains at Hover like www.chs.xyz (which we featured in last week’s #WebsiteWednesday).

We’re excited to be working with our awesome partners to grow #GenXYZ, and we can’t wait to break more news and world records with them!

If you haven’t already, don’t miss out on a brand new posting on CEO Daniel Negari’s blog, and drop us a line through the wonderful world of social media @xyz on Twitter, Instagram, and Facebook.

Welcome to the next generation of the internet.

Read more: More .xyz domains sold than .org and .net @Hover Read the original

http://septablog.com/more-xyz-domains-sold-than-org-and-net-hover/

#break-the-news #daniel-negari #facebook #great #hover #internet #king #news #social #third #website

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