Home Care In Universal, IN

Subway and bus riders voted overwhelmingly for Mayor-elect Zohran Mamdani, who won neighborhoods where most people commute by transit by 29 points. It’s little wonder, given his unprecedented promise to make buses fast and free.

Thanks to Mamdani’s historic campaign, focus on bus policy has surged, teasing apart the relationship between fast and free. Riders Alliance, which has organized to win affordable transit for a decade, is especially excited by the prospect of pairing fast and free buses with a transformed Fair Fares program.

As Mamdani prepares his budget, we urge our next mayor to fund free buses for every rider, free subway rides for very low-income New Yorkers, and half fares for more workers, who are often burdened with punishing commutes and multiple transfers to reach jobs everyone else depends on.

Critics have argued that free buses sound good in theory but fall apart in practice. We disagree. When done right, and paired with an expanded Fair Fares program and the mayor-elect’s co-equal commitment to making buses faster, free buses are not only fair, they’re fiscally and operationally smart policy.

Free buses, like Social Security, is a universal policy that most bus riders will feel. Today, 1 in 5 New Yorkers can’t afford the fare, including more than one-third of low-income working mothers and nearly 2 in 5 Latino riders. On average, bus riders earn more than 20% less than subway riders. For millions, the cost of getting around is no small change.

For many reasons – including poverty, operational difficulties and pandemic-era disruptions – the bus fare is faltering as a reliable source of revenue to fund public transit service. Already, little more than half of bus riders pay the fare. Even assuming everyone paid, fares would cover significantly less than half the cost of providing each ride.

Making the bus free would just increase the amount of subsidy per rider, not inaugurate a new funding paradigm. It’s a difference of degree rather than kind.

Free buses would also save money. Fare collection costs money and time, which is money, both for riders and the MTA, which could reinvest savings in more service. Pouring resources into fare enforcement, when so many riders can’t afford to pay, is throwing good money after bad.

While many riders can’t afford their own fare, free buses would cost less than 1% of the New York City budget, and less than 0.5% of the state budget. There’s no question that New York can afford to eliminate bus fares.

What’s rarer, and more valuable than any budget line, is the political mandate and courage the new mayor brings to finally get buses out of traffic, a pragmatic policy goal that just about every expert agrees on, yet no mayor has ever been bold enough to deliver.

Meanwhile, the success of congestion pricing shows that smart policy can help manage traffic and fund transit. For example, if we were to modestly raise parking meter rates or charge for more of the city’s 3 million mostly free spaces, New York could raise new revenue to make buses free while also speeding up service by reducing double parking.

A funding source like this matches the operational reality. Any new revenue source must be renewable, bondable and scalable. The funding must come in every year reliably, support MTA borrowing the way farebox revenue does and grow as more New Yorkers get on board better buses.

But we can’t stop there. Free buses alone won’t deliver more affordable transit for low-income New Yorkers who transfer to the subway, where fares generate several billion dollars each year for service and maintenance provided by the transit workers who keep our city moving.

New York’s Fair Fares program, which offers discounted fares to riders at or below 150% of the federal poverty level, is an existing fare subsidy that already defrays the direct cost that hundreds of thousands of riders pay for public transit.

Since its creation in 2019, after years of organizing and advocacy, Fair Fares has become a lifeline. But too few New Yorkers can reach it. Enrollment can be cumbersome. Outreach has lagged.

Fair Fares eligibility currently stops at just $23,475 for an individual or $48,225 for a family of four. That’s simply too low in the richest city. As a recent report underscored, the current program leaves out full-time minimum wage workers, who nevertheless still struggle to afford the cost of getting to work.

We can and must fix that. A next-generation Fair Fares program should automatically enroll eligible residents, fully cover the cost of transit for those earning up to 150% of the poverty level, and offer half-price fares for those earning up to 300% of the poverty level.

This expansion can be accomplished for no more than $300 million – an investment in a fairer, stronger New York, where a thriving economy depends on every commuter and community being able to get where they need to go regardless of ability to pay.

New York has never had a mayor so ready to invest in transit, especially buses. For the millions of New Yorkers who rely on the bus – overwhelmingly working-class immigrants who are essential to the city’s core functions, but who struggle like few others to afford life in our city – this moment calls for ambition.

Taken together, free buses and a transformed Fair Fares program can make New York the national leader in treating public transit as the cornerstone of a true affordability agenda, putting thousands of dollars back into people's pockets every year and connecting more New Yorkers to all the opportunities this city offers.

Mamdani’s transit agenda is both visionary and pragmatic. It’s about restoring the promise that this city belongs to the people who make it move. And at Riders Alliance, we’re ready to help make it real: fast, free and fair.

Theme parks are meant to transport visitors into immersive, magical worlds where fun, creativity, and imagination reign supreme. Yet sometimes, even the most carefully designed attractions can be overshadowed by moments that spark controversy, concern, or even outrage online.

Recently, a video from Universal’s Super Nintendo World at Epic Universe surfaced, showing a child climbing the central set of the park and striking a pose at the top—an action both alarming and strangely captivating to viewers.

While many theme park fans were quick to react, the incident also highlights a growing challenge in the age of viral content: distinguishing genuine incidents from artificially created or exaggerated footage.

The video, shared on X by Alexis Garcia (@AlexisWET), captured attention almost immediately. Garcia wrote, “I was so upset when I saw one of my favorite Latin American actresses allow her nephews to climb this at SNW at EPIC. So I definitely feel your pain. Embarrassing.”

The clip shows the child making it all the way to the top of a key central installation in the park, seemingly posing for a photo, while nearby guests appear mostly nonchalant.

I was so upset when I saw one of my favorite Latin American actresses allow her nephews to climb this at SNW at EPIC. So I definitely feel your pain. Embarrassing. pic.twitter.com/bwq8T0HGY8

— Alexis Garcia (@AlexisWET) November 28, 2025

When I first received the video from a friend, my immediate reaction was, “Is this real?” This hesitation wasn’t about disbelief in the child’s abilities—it was about the broader context: the rise of AI-generated content, deepfakes, and viral clips created to garner clicks or provoke outrage. With so many manipulated videos circulating online, any unusual or shocking park footage must be scrutinized carefully.

Even if this particular video is authentic, the casual behavior of those around the child only amplifies concern: Why was no staff intervening? Why did other guests seemingly ignore the situation?

Real or Fabricated? The AI Factor in Theme Park Viral Moments

In today’s digital landscape, not every viral video is what it appears to be. AI tools can generate realistic video content showing people doing things they never did, and the stakes for theme parks are high. Imagine a manipulated video appearing to show children or guests breaking rules at Universal or Disney parks—suddenly, these images can spread widely, shaping public perception even before any official clarification is issued.

For Universal Studios and Disney, this is more than just a digital nuisance—it’s a reputational risk. Theme parks are built on trust: families expect safe, controlled environments where their children can explore and interact with iconic worlds without incident.

A viral clip, real or artificially generated, that implies negligence or unsafe behavior can erode that trust and spark unnecessary panic. Worse, it can unintentionally encourage dangerous behavior, as impressionable viewers see climbing sets or ignoring safety rules as socially acceptable or even desirable.

The Super Nintendo World incident, in particular, touches on this concern. While it’s likely real, the fact that it’s being shared widely and commented on as if it’s normal raises the question: are viewers internalizing risky behaviors as part of the experience? Viral content has power, and even a single moment can influence guests’ actions or expectations.

Guest Behavior and the Role of Theme Park Staff

Observing the video, one of the most striking elements isn’t the child climbing the set, but the lack of immediate intervention from park staff or other guests. At high-traffic, immersive attractions like Super Nintendo World, staff are trained to monitor safety constantly, but large crowds or highly themed areas can create blind spots.

From a personal standpoint, this makes me uneasy. Part of the magic of these parks comes from structured, safe immersion. When guests—or their children—begin interacting with the environment in unsafe or unapproved ways, it undermines the experience for everyone.

Beyond physical safety concerns, it also raises a social question: should bystanders intervene or assume staff will handle situations? And in an era where every unusual act can be filmed and shared globally, the pressure on staff to react swiftly is higher than ever.

Social Media Amplification and Its Implications

This incident also highlights the role of social media in amplifying minor—or potentially staged—moments. One short video can generate thousands of reactions, leading to comment sections filled with criticism, speculation, and in some cases, misinformation. The line between harmless fun, genuine concern, and dangerous promotion of bad behavior becomes blurry.

For Universal, these videos present a dilemma. On one hand, viral attention can boost interest in Epic Universe and Super Nintendo World. On the other, uncontrolled content—particularly footage showing guests breaking rules—can create a perception that safety protocols are lax or that the park condones risky behavior.

From my perspective, theme parks should take a two-pronged approach:

The Larger Picture: Safety, Responsibility, and Digital Ethics

The Super Nintendo World video is emblematic of a larger cultural and technological shift. AI-generated or viral video content can distort reality and inadvertently influence behavior. Theme parks must now navigate not only the physical safety of their environments but also the digital narratives created around them.

As someone who loves theme parks, I find this situation both fascinating and concerning. On one hand, it’s thrilling to see guests interact with immersive environments in ways that feel spontaneous and memorable. On the other hand, there’s a line between engagement and danger, and viral clips like this blur that line in ways that are hard to control.

Ultimately, whether the video is entirely real or slightly exaggerated, it serves as a wake-up call: guests, staff, and theme park operators must all remain vigilant, both in person and online. The magic of parks like Epic Universe relies on safe, shared experiences—and maintaining that magic in the age of viral content is increasingly complex.

The rise of AI-generated content introduces a new and serious challenge for theme parks: the potential for fabricated or exaggerated incidents to go viral, creating false impressions of danger or mismanagement. Imagine a deepfake video showing a guest performing unsafe stunts, staff ignoring emergencies, or attractions malfunctioning—all entirely fabricated.

Even if these videos are not real, they can spread rapidly across social media platforms, fueling outrage, panic, or misguided criticism. For parks like Universal and Disney, which rely heavily on reputation and the promise of safe, family-friendly experiences, the impact of viral AI content could be catastrophic.

Guests might cancel trips, parents could hesitate to bring children, and the park’s brand could be associated with recklessness rather than fun. Beyond reputational harm, AI videos also create a logistical nightmare: staff and management may be forced to respond publicly to events that never actually occurred, diverting resources away from legitimate safety and operational concerns.

For theme park enthusiasts and families, the takeaway is clear: enjoy the immersive worlds, capture memories, but respect boundaries. The next viral video may be real—or it may be AI-fueled. Either way, we all have a role in keeping these magical spaces safe, enjoyable, and authentic.