text:
Spatial Distributions of Attitudes and Preferences towards Autonomous Vehicles
Zhiqiu Jiang, Sicheng Wang, Andrew S. Mondschein, Robert B. Noland,
autonomous vehicles attitudes spatial analysis factor analysis spatial patterns
Photo by Sincerely Media on Unsplash
Jiang, Zhiqiu, Sicheng Wang, Andrew S. Mondschein, and Robert B. Noland. 2020. "Spatial Distributions of Attitudes and Preferences towards Autonomous Vehicles." Findings, May. https://doi.org/10.32866/001c.12653.
Table 1: Questions and responses on views of autonomous vehicles in survey
Table 2: Factor loadings for attitudinal variables.
Figure 1: Spatial hotspot analysis of four attitudinal factors.
Figure 2: Spatial hotspot analysis of attitudinal responses.
Figure 3: Spatial hotspot analysis of waiting time for ridesourcing services.
Table 3: Weighted summary statistics by Census region
Prior research on attitudes towards autonomous vehicles (AVs) shows variation across a set of demographic and socio-economic factors, but few consider spatial patterns. We investigate the spatial distributions of attitudes and preferences towards AVs from a U.S. nationally representative on-line panel. We examine 1) four attitudinal dimensions established by an exploratory factor analysis – technology acceptance, driving enjoyment, risk-taking, and traffic regulation – and their spatial variations; and 2) public viewpoints and preferences in purchasing, sharing, and using privately-owned and shared AVs. Findings suggest that the northeastern US is more receptive to AVs, compared to other parts of the country.
1. RESEARCH QUESTIONS AND HYPOTHESES
A growing body of scholarship examines public perceptions and attitudes towards AVs in order to understand future AV adoption rates and their potential impact. This prior research shows variation across a set of demographics and socio-economic factors, but does not consider spatial patterns (Bansal, Kockelman, and Singh 2016; Menon et al. 2019; Wang et al. 2020). One exception is Nodjomian and Kockelman (2019) who found that access to jobs, the mix of land uses, and home location choice are associated with levels of interest in AVs and anticipated use of AV's. Our investigation is further motivated by the observation that the heterogeneity in acceptance of AVs exists across regions and countries (Schoettle and Sivak 2014; Haboucha, Ishaq, and Shiftan 2017). Specifically, we hypothesize that attitudes and preferences towards AVs may also be shaped by regional location in the United States. We focus on the following research questions:
What are both the expressed and latent attitudes towards AVs, and do they vary geographically?
If these vary geographically, do preferences for purchasing, sharing, and using privately-owned and shared AVs co-vary with demographic, travel and accessibility factors?
2. METHODS AND DATA
Using an on-line panel from Qualtrics, a survey was conducted in September 2018 and is demographically representative of the adult US population (see Wang et al. 2020). After removing invalid and incomplete responses for demographic information, we had 782 respondents (from 834 in total). We collected information on attitudes, socio-demographics, location (postal code), and travel behavior (commuting mode, commuting time, daily travel mode, and car ownership). The main limitation of on-line panels is that survey-takers are paid and may be more tech-savvy. We also examined how representative our data is at the regional level. While less so than nationally, we found slightly more survey respondents from the northeast, and fewer from the west, but most demographic variation differed by only a few percent compared to census data for the region. The one exception was more male respondents in the northeast. Our questions and responses on views towards privately-owned and shared AVs are in Table 1.
Table 1:Questions and responses on views of autonomous vehicles in survey
Category Attitudinal questions Response statistics
Privately-owned AVs Q1. Do you have a positive or negative view of self-driving cars? Positive Neutral Negative N
304 (36.7%) 343 (41.5%) 180 (21.8%) 827
Q2. Would you be likely to purchase a fully self-driving car when these are available? Yes Uncertain No N
Shared AV services Q3. Would you use a taxi service that was self-driving? Yes Maybe No N
Q4. Would you use a self-driving taxi that is shared with someone you do not know? Yes Maybe No N
Q5. How many minutes would you be willing to wait to/from work when using ridesourcing services? Min Median Mean Max SD N
0/0 10/10 11.8/11.9 60/60 10.0/10.3 638
Q6. How many minutes would you be willing to wait to/from a grocery store when using ridesourcing services? Min Median Mean Max SD N
0/0 10/10 12.4/11.8 90/80 10.3/10 637
Q7. How many minutes would you be willing to wait to/from a restaurant when using ridesourcing services? Min Median Mean Max SD N
0/0 10/10 13.5/12.7 120/60 11.6/10 638
About 37% of our sample has a positive view of AVs, with one-third likely to purchase their own. Only 24% of our sample would use a self-driving taxi and only 21% would share a self-driving taxi with a stranger. Respondents report marginally more willingness to wait when using ridesourcing services for travel to/from destinations such as restaurants compared to work or shopping.
Additionally, we surveyed attitudes towards new technologies using a 5-point Likert scale from "strongly disagree" to "strongly agree." These questions are shown in Table 2 including the results of a factor analysis that decomposed these into four factors defined as "pro-technology", "driving enjoyment", "risk avoiders", and "regulating traffic". The shaded areas in Table 2 show the largest loadings for each variable.
We used Getis-Ord Gi* (Anselin and Getis 1992), a distance-based statistical method to identify statistically significant clusters of values across a spatial distribution. The method assesses each value within the context of its neighboring values. Using region-scaled (250 to 325 miles) distance bands, we examined spatial distributions of: (1) the four attitudinal factors; (2) preferences for AVs; and, (3) willingness to wait when using ridesourcing services.
Table 2:Factor loadings for attitudinal variables.
Factor 1 Factor 2 Factor 3 Factor 4
Pro-Technology Driving enjoyment Risk Avoiders Regulating traffic
How often do you use Uber, Lyft, or another ridesharing service? 0.89 0.15 0.14 0.12
When did you first use a smartphone app-based ridesharing service? 0.89 0.15 0.10 0.08
I believe that the government should develop regulations for self-driving cars. 0.11 0.15 0.41 0.08
I believe that the technology companies developing self-driving cars should have the freedom to test their vehicles on city streets. 0.45 0.14 0.06 0.22
When I am driven by someone I do not know (such as a cab driver, limo driver, or Uber or Lyft driver) I am not concerned about my safety. 0.45 0.10 0.08 0.26
I think speed limits are too high 0.27 0.08 0.16 0.81
Fines for speeding should be higher. 0.21 0.11 0.33 0.51
I prefer to avoid risky activities. -0.01 -0.01 0.72 0.18
I really dislike not knowing what is going to happen. 0.11 0.15 0.45 0.06
I chose my vehicle because it fits my personality and represents who I am as a person. 0.29 0.37 0.18 0.17
I prefer to drive when I am in a motor vehicle. 0.12 0.68 0.18 0.07
I love to drive and driving seems fun. 0.15 0.80 0.09 0.05
Note: The number of valid responses in our factor analysis is 715 (less than the 782 responses with valid demographic information).
The results of our Getis-Ord Gi* analysis for these four factors is shown in Figure 1. Pro-Technology shows significant clustering of high values in the Mid-Atlantic and Northeast regions, and clustering of low values ranging from parts of Ohio to Mid-South and Central Florida regions. The other three factors show less significant clustering patterns compared to Pro-Technology with a notable positive value of clusters for all the other factors in the upper Midwest.
Figure 1:Spatial hotspot analysis of four attitudinal factors.
A hotspot analysis for preferences towards AVs is shown in Figure 2. In general, "Positive" (or "Yes") responses are spatially clustered around large, dense urban regions such as New York City or the Bay Area in California (home of Silicon Valley), while "Non-positive" (or "Uncertain" / "No") responses are significantly clustered in the South. For the attitudes towards AVs, as shown in Figure 2 (a), positive attitudes are significantly more likely in the Bay Area, Arizona, New England, and the Washington DC metro. Figure 2 (b) to (d) represent the positive responses of the willingness to buy an AV, the willingness to use an AV taxicab and the willingness to share an AV taxi with a stranger; positive responses are significantly clustered in the Mid-Atlantic and New England regions.
Figure 2:Spatial hotspot analysis of attitudinal responses.
Spatial variation in willingness to wait is shown in Figure 3. The results show that the duration respondents are willing to wait for trips to/from grocery stores and restaurants is significantly higher in parts of the South and Midwest. Despite no significant reported interest in sharing AV taxis, respondents in these areas may be more amenable to sharing because of their increased willingness to wait.
Figure 3:Spatial hotspot analysis of waiting time for ridesourcing services.
While we observe significant regional clustering, demographic factors may co-vary across regions in a way that explains the spatial variability. We therefore summarize a range of variables by US census-designated region including an ANOVA or Chi-Square test in Table 3 using weighted data to represent the regional population. Weights were calculated for gender, age, income, and region based on a statistical raking algorithm using the "survey" package in R (Lumley 2020). As displayed in Table 3, respondents from the Northeast region do have substantially more positive attitudes toward AVs overall and they are more "pro-technology", but the demographics of the Northeast also deviate from other regions. The Northeast has higher average and median automobile accessibility than other regions. When we look at the automobility accessibility of each city, we find that New York City and other large, older cities of the Northeast have greater access to jobs within 45 minutes. Moreover, the Northeast and West regions have, on average, higher traffic congestion levels and road density levels than the South and Midwest regions. Demographically, respondents from the Northeast live in more urbanized locations, are wealthier, and more familiar with AVs overall.
Our investigation shows that attitudes toward technology and AV preferences are spatially clustered, however the reasons remain undetermined.
Table 3:Weighted summary statistics by Census region
Midwest Northeast South West F-value / x2
Number of participants 167 169 315 131 -
Mean automobile accessibility1 index 0.06 0.23 0.05 0.12 26.5***
Median automobile accessibility1 index 0.03 0.07 0.03 0.07
Mean workers per job index2 0.38 0.47 0.41 0.44 10.5***
Mean TTI index3 (averaged across respondents) 0.41 0.57 0.45 0.64 23.1***
Mean age 47.68 47.73 46.35 44.18 1.4
Mean commuting time (min) 18.67 19.67 17.39 19.57 0.8
Mean number of children in a household 0.93 0.66 0.62 0.64 3.1*
Income4 >= $200,000 % 5% 10% 3% 8% 3.1*
Income $150,000 - $200,000 % 6% 8% 4% 5% 1.0
Income $100,000 - $150,000 % 14% 16% 11% 12% 0.8
Income $50,000 - $100,000 % 31% 28% 30% 38% 1.4
Income $25,000 - $50,000 % 23% 19% 30% 18% 3.5*
Income Under $25,000 % 20% 19% 22% 20% 0.2
Urban5 % 72% 92% 80% 80% 5.5**
Female % 51% 51% 51% 51% 0.02
Own/be interested in smart devices % 71% 74% 77% 75% 2.23
Be familiar with AVs % 49% 56% 50% 48% 2.22
Positive attitude towards AVs% 37% 40% 32% 38% 3.18
Willing to purchase AVs% 34% 38% 29% 32% 3.61
Willing to use AV taxicab service% 25% 31% 19% 26% 8.22*
Willing to share AV taxi with a stranger% 20% 26% 20% 17% 3.60
Mean of Factor 1: Pro-Technology -0.07 0.13 -0.06 -0.03 1.32*
Mean of Factor 2: Driving enjoyment 0.01 0.05 -0.01 0.03 0.16
Mean of Factor 3: Risk Avoiders -0.01 0.02 0.00 0.04 0.15
Mean of Factor 4: Regulating traffic 0.01 0.12 -0.09 0.04 1.89
Mean of time willing to wait to work 12.8 11.0 11.5 10.8 1.19
Mean of time willing to wait from work 12.2 12.7 12.0 9.5 3.5*
Mean of time willing to wait to a grocery store 13.0 12.1 12.7 11.5 0.71
Mean of time willing to wait from a grocery store 12.7 11.8 12.0 10.3 1.81
Mean of time willing to wait to a restaurant 14.5 12.7 13.7 12.0 1.56
Mean of time willing to wait from a restaurant 13.0 12.8 13.3 10.8 2.50
Significance codes: p<0.000 '***', p<0.001 '**' p<0.01 '*'.
1Automobile accessibility is a normalized value showing the number of jobs within 45 minutes auto travel time at zip code level. Data source: United States Environmental Protection Agency. (2014). Smart Location Database.
2Workers per job index is the household workers per job equilibrium index from the 2014 US EPA Smart Location Database. As the index approaches one, the more balanced are resident workers and jobs in a zip code.
3TTI index is the urban mobility scorecard travel time index (TTI) index at zip code level. Data source: Texas Transportation Institute (2015).
4Income is a categorical variable that reflects the respondent's total household income in 2017.
5Urban indicates whether the respondent lives in an urban area or not. Our questionnaire queried respondents for their home Zip code. Based on the Zip code, we classified respondents living in urban areas using the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) location code.
Anselin, Luc, and Arthur Getis. 1992. "Spatial Statistical Analysis and Geographic Information Systems." The Annals of Regional Science 26 (1): 19–33. https://doi.org/10.1007/bf01581478.
Bansal, Prateek, Kara M. Kockelman, and Amit Singh. 2016. "Assessing Public Opinions of and Interest in New Vehicle Technologies: An Austin Perspective." Transportation Research Part C: Emerging Technologies 67 (June): 1–14. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.trc.2016.01.019.
Costello, Anna B. , and Jason Osborne. n.d. "Best Practices in Exploratory Factor Analysis: Four Recommendations for Getting the Most from Your Analysis." https://doi.org/10.7275/JYJ1-4868.
Haboucha, Chana J., Robert Ishaq, and Yoram Shiftan. 2017. "User Preferences Regarding Autonomous Vehicles." Transportation Research Part C: Emerging Technologies 78 (May): 37–49. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.trc.2017.01.010.
Lumley, T. 2020. "Survey: Analysis of Complex Survey Samples." R Package Version 4.0.
Menon, Nikhil, Natalia Barbour, Yu Zhang, Abdul Rawoof Pinjari, and Fred Mannering. 2019. "Shared Autonomous Vehicles and Their Potential Impacts on Household Vehicle Ownership: An Exploratory Empirical Assessment." International Journal of Sustainable Transportation 13 (2): 111–22. https://doi.org/10.1080/15568318.2018.1443178.
Nodjomian, Adam T., and Kara Kockelman. 2019. "How Does the Built Environment Affect Interest in the Ownership and Use of Self-Driving Vehicles?" Journal of Transport Geography 78 (June): 115–34. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jtrangeo.2019.05.016.
Schoettle, Brandon, and Michael Sivak. 2014. "A Survey of Public Opinion about Connected Vehicles in the U.S., the U.K., and Australia." In 2014 International Conference on Connected Vehicles and Expo (ICCVE). Vienna: IEEE. https://doi.org/10.1109/iccve.2014.7297637.
Wang, S., Z. Jiang, R.B. Noland, and A. Mondschein. 2020. "Attitudes toward Privately-Owned and Shared Autonomous Vehicles." Presented in the Transportation Research Board (TRB) 99th Annual Meeting.


The Great Yorkshire Show features the best of British farming and is England's premier agricultural show. Held at the Great Yorkshire Showground in Harrogate it gives first-hand experience of agriculture and rural life through demonstrations and exhibitions. It is home to the Great Yorkshire Cheese Competition and it is where we launched our company back in 1989.
This year, for the third year in a row, we had two stands for visitors to sample and buy our full range of cheeses, and we had cheeses entered into the Great Yorkshire Cheese Competition.
We also had three members of the Shepherds Purse team helping with stewarding in the Cheese competition. Below are Gemma Butcher, Claire Stevens and Kerry Johnson who absolutley loved their experience supporting the judges.
The cheese competition ran smoothly with judges commenting on the high quality of entries this year.
Other highlights this year were the lovely Jeremy Bowen from Paxton & Whitfield featuring our cheeses on the "Cheese Board Fit For a Queen" and we had a visit from Peter and Julian, our Yorkshire vets from The Yorkshire Vet .
Subscribe to stay up to date with the latest happenings.
Discover more about our history and what drives us to do what we do, our passion for cheese, farming, food and Yorkshire.
© Copyright Shepherds Purse Limited 2013. All rights reserved.
Registered in England No. 03321578.


text:
Tag Archives: Islamic State
Tagged Abu Sayyaf, antiquities, Deir Ezzor, FBI, ISIS, Islamic State, Khums tax, looting, Syria, US Attorney's office
The Lessons of Palmyra: Iconoclasm in the era of Clickbait
Last December I was invited to Harvard to participate in a round table on ISIS and iconoclasm. The event, organized by archaeologist Bastien Varoutsikos and sponsored by Harvard's Standing Committee on Archaeology, sparked a fascinating discussion of iconoclasm through the ages, putting the destructive impulse of the Islamic State into a context that I, for one, had been missing.
The speakers included Harvard's James Simpson, author of Under the Hammer: Iconoclasm in the Anglo-American Tradition, who offered a reminder that iconoclasm is a central strand in Western history. "This is not the other," Simpson said. "This is us, we've been here." Peter Der Manuelian, director of Harvard's Semitic Museum, discussed iconoclasm in ancient Egypt and how 3D technology was allowing us to recreate the destroyed past. Joseph Greene, also at the Semitic Museum, surveyed the destruction of museums – repositories of cultural icons – across Syria and Iraq. And Matthew Liebmann reviewed the smashing of church bells – icons of Spanish colonization – during the Pueblo Revolts of 17th Century New Mexico. Moderating with Bastien was Clare Gillis, whose intrepid reporting on the ground in the region with her friend James Foley is captured in the must-watch documentary about his life and death, Jim.
My contribution to the panel was "ISIS and the Media: Iconoclasm in the Era of Clickbait," a review of how the media has covered the iconoclasm of ISIS. In short, I argued that ISIS iconoclasm was largely (not exclusively) a propaganda effort, and that many of us in the media and social media became complicit in their crimes by spreading those images as clickbait.
With the fall of Palmyra to Assad forces this month, Bastien and I decided to revisit the subject in an essay for this week's The Art Newspaper. What follows are excerpts of that essay with a few slides from my Harvard presentation.
The early assessments [of damage by ISIS] contain several important lessons for those of us who watched the destruction of Palmyra in horror last summer—and then shared it virally on social media.
First, they lend credibility to on-the-ground reports during the city's harrowing occupation that the Islamic State's destruction of historical monuments was motivated less by twisted ideology than a far simpler craving for attention.
"In-country sources… have overheard Isil commanders comment that attacking the ancient monuments 'makes the whole world' talk about them," noted a September report fr om the American Schools for Oriental Research, an archaeological group tasked by the US State Department with monitoring heritage destruction in Syria and Iraq.
Notably, the destruction of historical sites had started months earlier, after international media outlets had collectively decided to stop broadcasting gruesome images of Isil hostage beheadings.
If media attention was indeed what Isil had wanted, the destruction of Palmyra was a coup.
Respected international media outlets republished Isil's carefully choreographed shots of the detonation of the iconic Baalshamin Temple on social media as if they were news photos, not the propaganda of a terrorist regime.
In Palmyra, we first witnessed the collision of iconoclasm and clickbait.
Increasingly, modern media is funded by clickbait and the advertising revenue it generates.
This fact was not lost on Isil, whose sophisticated propaganda machine has created pre-packaged viral content—slick YouTube videos, Facebook posts and 140 character Tweets—designed to be spread on the web.
It is Isil's ability to marry ancient iconoclasm with modern clickbait that has spread their appetite for destruction so far and fast. And it is our fascination with sharing their snuff films on social media that make us complicit in their crimes.
You can read the complete essay here. My thanks to Bastien for his help with it.
Posted in Ideas, News
Tagged Bastien Varoutsikos, Clare Gillis, Harvard University, Iconoclasm, ISIS, Islamic State, James Simpson, Joseph Greene, Peter Der Manuelian, The Art Newspaper
Danti's Inference: The Known Unknowns Of ISIS and Antiquities Looting
Posted on November 18, 2014 | 56 comments
Over the last month, a new meme has spread like a sandstorm across the internet: Looting of antiquities, we're told, has become "the second largest source of revenue" for the hated terror group ISIS.
The claim is almost certainly false, as I explain below. Its provenance can be traced to a State Department-funded archaeologist who is now leading U.S. efforts to protect heritage sites in Syria.
The first reference to it came on October 17 in the magazine Foreign Policy, which published a provocative report on the role that antiquities looting plays in funding the Islamic State terror group.
The terror group's profits from antiquities looting "are second only to the revenue the group derives from illicit oil sales," the article stated. "So understanding the Islamic State's approach to the fate of ancient artifacts actually could be key to stopping its advance." The article's headline went even further: "Degrading and destroying ISIS could take place in the halls of auction houses, not the Pentagon."
Foreign Policy's source was Michael Danti, an assistant professor at Boston University and co-director of the American Schools of Oriental Research's State Department-funded campaign to track cultural heritage destruction in Syria. In August, the State Department gave ASOR $600,000 to launch the Syria Heritage Initiative. The project is doing important work documenting the destruction of cultural heritage sites in the country, primarily through the use of satellite imagery. Weeks before a week after the Foreign Policy article appeared, Sec. of State John Kerry gave a speech at the Metropolitan Museum calling Danti and his ASOR colleagues "literally the gold standard" for information on the issue. (Danti and his ASOR colleagues will give a public presentation on their work in San Diego on Nov. 23rd.)
Danti's claim was surprising for those of us who have followed the looting in Syria. The scale of looting is devastating, undeniable and relatively well documented in satellite imagery. But to date, very little reliable evidence has come to light about where those looted objects are being sold, much less the profitability for sponsors of the plunder. I'm not aware of a single object offered for sale in auction houses having been reliably traced back to the conflict so far. And past research shows that the biggest profits in the illicit antiquities trade happen far upstream from the excavators, who take a paltry share of profits compared to middlemen and dealers.
Curious about his sourcing, I asked Danti for more information in an exchange on Twitter. Initially, Danti said the claim was based on "in-country sources." Danti has dug in Syria for years, but did his Syrian sources really have access to ISIS accounting records? When pressed, he referred to "analogies with AQI [Al Qaeda in Iraq] finances," and pointed me to a 2010 RAND study, Economic Analysis of the Financial Records of al-Qa'ida in Iraq. The study is based on data from Iraq's Al Anbar province dating to 2005 – 2006.
Of course, ISIS did not exist in 2010, much less 2005, and there is ample evidence that, while structurally similar to its predecessor Al Qaeda in Iraq, ISIS enjoys different funding streams. Further, the RAND study Danti cited makes no mention — zero — of antiquities looting. The only reference to "looting" in the entire paper is this chart:
In context, its clear that this "looting" refers more broadly to the spoils of war — seized cars and other commercial goods. "The provincial administration collected revenue mostly from the sale of stolen commercial goods and did not collect much revenue from black market fuel sales, large-scale extortion, or direct taxation," the report states. "The financing of the western sector was similar, where AQI funded itself through the sale of cars and lesser-valued commercial goods."
In short, the study sheds no light on contemporary archaeological looting in Syria by ISIS or any other group, something Danti has conceded only half-heartedly: "Needt to know more on how these estimates are made. In Syria/Iraq 'ghanima' is used for all looting/theft."
I called Danti last week for more thoughts on the issue. After a lengthy discussion, he asked not to be quoted, saying he would need to clear any comments with the Department of State. (He hasn't taken that stance in dozens of other interviews.) In essence, Danti said he stands by his claim while acknowledging there is little public evidence to support it. He also noted that as a "dirt" archaeologist, he is unaccustomed to the media attention his recent role has given him, and says he may have been misquoted.
Apamea, April 2012
There is no question that looting of archaeological sites has exploded across Syria in recent years, and the satellite evidence is unmistakable. I and others have argued that the various groups involved in looting on the ground — ISIS, al Nusra, Syrian opposition groups, the Assad regime, criminal groups and desperate civilians — would be unlikely to engage in such vast, laborious mining efforts if they weren't paying off in some way. So, who's to say Danti's claim may not be right?
Just a week after Danti's Foreign Policy article, David S. Cohen, the Under Secretary for Terrorism and Financial Intelligence, gave a talk at the Carnegie Endowment describing the U.S. government's best assessment of the Islamic States' sources of funding. The assessment is based on intelligence sharing between Treasury, the State Department, the Department of Defense, the intelligence community, law enforcement and foreign governments.
In order, Cohen said ISIS' primary funding sources are:
1. The sale of oil from seized fields and refineries, estimated to generate $1 million a day.
2. The kidnap of civilians to profit from ransoms. With ISIS making "at least 20 million" in ransom in 2014 alone, Cohen described it as "one of the most significant terrorist financing threats today."
3. Sophisticated extortion rackets, which bring in "up to several million dollars per month," Cohen said.
4. Criminal activity, including bank robberies, stealing livestock and crops from farmers and, yes, looting antiquities.
Cohen's testimony did little to stop the spread of Danti's "second biggest source" meme. On Oct 27th, the claim was repeated by the U.S. Naval Institute in a article written by a retired brigadier general and two terrorism finance researchers at the Monterrey Institute ("How ISIS Funds Terror Through Black Market Antiquities Trade." Soon after, in an op-ed for Al Jazeera, Stephennie Mulder, an assistant professor of Islamic Art and Architecture at the University of Texas at Austin, repeated the claim. (She had it removed from the article after Danti's sourcing was brought to her attention by other experts.) On Nov. 6th, Newsweek reported it again.
By Nov 13th, the claim was being repeated by Congressmen during a hearing on terror financing on Capitol Hill:
Danti is hardly the first to speak beyond the available evidence. I have spoken with imprecision about the link between terrorism and the antiquities trade. UNESCO officials frequently cite a $7 billion dollar figure for the global illicit antiquities trade that has a very shaky foundation. The Antiquities Coalition has referred to $3 – $5 billion generated by looting in Egypt alone since 2011 (or in some instances, per year), but the research supporting that claim has yet to be published. Rajendra Abhyankar, a professor at Indiana University and former Indian Ambassador to Syria, declared in the Huffington Post earlier this month that "thirty to fifty percent" of ISIS income comes from the theft and looting of antiquities. When asked for a source, he told me it was based on notes he had taken while reading articles that he could no longer find. (I'm now told Abhyankar relied in part on this story in Al-Monitor, which states, "Some even say the looting of historical artifacts has become the Islamic State's main source of revenue…") The problem is significant enough that Dr. Sam Hardy at Conflict Antiquities has made a cottage industry of debunking such claims.
The truth is we have very little reliable data on the global revenue generated by the illicit antiquities trade, and even less on the role it plays in funding terror groups. It is, to paraphrase Donald Rumsfeld, a known unknown: we know it happens, but not much more. Claiming otherwise may in the short term bring attention to the issue of looting, but ultimately saps it of credibility – and the urgency to answer those important questions with well-documented research. It can also taint important policy decisions, as Patty Gerstenblith, chair of the State Departments Cultural Property Advisory Committee, noted in response to Danti and similar claims: "Commentators and scholars should avoid sensationalism…Exaggerated [or] baseless claims hinder rational policies to restrict trade in illegal antiquities."
This is particularly true, and troubling, when baseless claims come from a highly respected academic group being paid — and held out as the gold standard — by the State Department. When John Kerry gives a speech about looting at the Met, he is using the issue to help justify the escalating U.S. military intervention in Syria.
In that context, it is more important than ever to stick to the known knowns.
Tagged Al Qaeda in Iraq, American Schools of Oriental Research, antiquities, Department of State, Foreign Policy, ISIS, Islamic State, John Kerry, looting, Michael Danti, RAND, Sam Hardy, Syrian Heritage Initiative, terror finance
Twenty Percent: ISIS "Khums" Tax on Archaeological Loot Fuels the Conflicts in Syria and Iraq
Early Sunday morning, a Twitter account associated with ISIS posted a horrifying photo gallery documenting the group's destruction of religious sites.
The images show the demolition of several shrines in the Iraqi city of Mosul, which fell to ISIS forces on June 1oth. Similar pictures and videos, touted by ISIS and its supporters via social media, have in recent months galvanized the world's outrage and inspired rebellion in the local population.
Those dramatic images obscure a far larger and more alarming pattern of destruction, experts say: the rampant pillaging of archaeological sites across the region, with proceeds going to fund all sides in the conflict. Most recently, experts say ISIS has encouraged systematic looting of major archaeological sites in northern Syria and Iraq, and is now taxing the illicit trade under the Islamic principle of Al-Khums, the Arabic word for one-fifth.
"And know ye (O' believers) that whatever of a thing ye acquire a fifth of it is for God, and for the Apostle and for the (Apostle's) near relatives and the orphans and the needy and the wayfarer …" (8:41)
In the Koran, Allah instructs his followers to pay him one-fifth of what they acquire. While the Shia interpret this as an annual tithe on their earnings, the Sunni tradition believes it applies only to war booty. ISIS has cited Al-Khuns in ordering locals to pay one-fifth of the proceeds of looting, which they have sanctioned and overseen across the archaeologically rich northern Iraq and Syria, experts say, citing local sources.
The income from this looting tax is hard to pin down. A report in the Guardian citing flash drives seized from ISIS leadership suggested the group may have brought in as much as USD$36 million from looting in al-Nabuk area, west of Damascus. This figure seems outlandish to many experts, and has not been independently verified. But local sources tell observers that ISIS is dedicating manpower to supervising the looting at major excavation sites, something they would be unlikely to do unless it provided meaningful income.
These now-famous satellite images of Apamea, Syria hint at the scale of destruction:
Apamea on July 2011
While less photogenic than the demolition of shrines, experts say this wave of illicit excavations will have a more lasting impact not just on our understanding of human history, but on ISIS finances and the ability of local communities to find common ground after the conflict. In a region where ancient history is underfoot every day, the archaeological record provides one of the few glues that hold multi-ethic societies together.
MONITORING AND PROTECTION EFFORTS
The situation has intensified efforts by governments, NGOs and foreign and local archaeologists to assess the damage and prevent further destruction to cultural heritage in the region.
In late May, UNESCO hosted an emergency experts meeting with representatives from 22 countries, including Assad's regime and Syrian opposition groups, to discuss ways to protect heritage sites and prevent illicit trafficking. While much of the destruction in Syrian can be attributed to the Assad regime's use of barrel bombs on historically important sites, participants said the focus was on the less contentious issue of looting, which has been conducted by all sides in the conflict. At the conclusion of the meeting, UNESCO agreed to establish an observatory to monitor "monitor the state of buildings, artefacts and intangible cultural heritage to combat illicit trafficking and collect information to restore heritage once the fighting is over." It is unclear in the months since the meeting if progress toward the Observatory has been made. According to one participant, "No one has a plan to reach people inside of Syria."
On the ground in Syria, groups like Association for the Protection of Syrian (APSA) are risking their lives to document the damage to cultural heritage. The Smithsonian and the University of Pennsylvania's Cultural Heritage Center have been working with the Syrian Interim Government's Heritage Task Force in Turkey to train local archaeologists and museum officials to protect high-risk collections and sites, such as the Ma'arra Museum's collection of Byzantine mosaics.
The American School of Oriental Research (ASOR) has signed a $600,000 agreement with the Department of State to "to comprehensively document the current condition of cultural heritage sites in Syria and assess the future restoration, preservation, and protection needs for those sites." The effort will include the use of Cold-War era satellite imagery to record previously unknown archaeological sites in the region and track any subsequent destruction.
The Syria Campaign, funded by non-political Syrian expats, has gathered more than 9,000 signatures as part of a social media effort to ask the UN to ban on the trade in Syrian antiquities. Heritage for Peace, based on Girona, Spain, has received funding from the Dutch government for a variety of protects to protect cultural heritage in Syria.
There are many similar efforts afoot. Please provide links to others in the comments section below.
THREE TYPES OF THREATS
I recently spoke with Dr. Amr Al-Azm, an archaeologist at Shawnee State University who is involved in several of the above efforts and is in frequent touch with Syrians who are monitoring the situation on the ground. Here's an edited version of our discussion:
Jason Felch: What are the current threats to cultural heritage in Syria?
Amr Al-Azm: Generally speaking we can identify three types of threats.
First is intentional damage due to it being a war zone. Monuments become part of the war zone. For example, the regime air force dropping bombs on Crac de Chavealier, a world heritage site, because opposition had taken up residence in then. In Aleppo, itself a world heritage site, the regime takes up residence and the opposition tunnels underneath the building they're in and blows up the entire building. We've seen severe damage to monuments like the minaret at the Grand Mosque in Aleppo, which was brought down by the regime because it was a high point. That's one type of casualty.
Then there's punitive damage, such as what was done to the souks in Aleppo. The burning of the souks was entirely a punitive act by the regime who had told the citizens that if they allowed their citizens to fall prey to the uprising, "we'll destroy your livelihood." It was one of the oldest covered bazaars in the world. Now its gone. Also punitive is ISIS blowing up shrines in Iraq and Syria. They're trying to destroy the identity of one side or the other.
The third type is the most serious and by far the most common: archaeological looting. Its happening all over Syria: regime held areas, opposition areas, no man's land. That's the most dangerous, destructive and most widespread.
JF: What is driving the looting?
AA: First, there is an established historical knowledge that there is wealth to be found under the ground. In times when there is a breakdown of law and order and no authority, combined with extreme poverty, people will reach into their collective memory and someone will remember their great grandfather dug up a tomb and found a pot of silver and was able to survive the winter.
Another reason: Anything to do with your cultural heritage in Syria belongs to the Assad family. That kicks back if you're rebelling against the state and the regime. Anything associated with them becomes an acceptable target. Syria had some of the most stringent laws in terms of antiquities ownership. If you're plowing your field and you hit a stone and discover a mosaic, you must inform the state. The state will come, surround the area, rip out the mosaic and it will disappear. You're not a stakeholder. All he sees is a valuable item removed from him and taken by a kleptocracy. He says, Why should I let the state have it?
JF: Why do you say the looting is worse that the destruction of monuments or holy sites?
AA: It's very widespread…just about everybody is doing it. Its happening all over. Especially in the Eastern areas, along Euphrates, there are thousands upon thousands of archaeological sites. They're destroying many many layers of history and culture that we'll never recover. It's so systematic right now, huge chunks of our history is disappearing.
Now with ISIS on the scene, this has become much much worse. ISIS has instituted the concept of khums, the 20% tax, and said to the locals, you can dig on your own land but pay us a fifth of what you make. On public land, they've started licensing crews to come in – Turks, Kurds, Iraqis coming with bulldozers to get at the few bobbles coming out. Most of the stuff coming out is not priceless artifacts. They're pots, a small statue, a tablet or cylinder seals. This stuff is small potatoes economically, so the income is based on bulk more than a significant piece of great value.
JF: What evidence is there to support this?
AA: The evidence comes from locals who we know who I communicate with regularly. They tell is ISIS representatives are at the archaeological sites to make sure the khums is paid.
JF: What are the trafficking networks that move the objects out of the country to the market?
AA: My sources tell me a lot of this stuff ends up crossing the Turkish border. Some international dealers, non-Turks, started to come in to Syria but it quickly got too dangerous for them. Now the dealers all hang out across the border in Turkey. Only Turkish dealers come into Syria to meet with locals. They buy and take it back. One of the main centers for the illicit trade is Tell Abiab, on the Syrian side, across the border from Urfa. There is also lots of smuggling in Kilis, some of it archaeology. From there, I don't know where it goes.
There is also evidence of some looting to order by wealthy private collectors. For example, in Palmyra, which is under regime control, there is a famous Roman tomb called the Brothers Tomb. I've been told the Tomb of the Three Brothers has been looted and sold off. My suspicion is that it's looting to order for a collector. Something that well known and important won't show up on the market.
JF: What are you and others doing to stop the trade?
AA: There's now a concerted campaign to try to talk to the main auction houses and the art dealers to persuade them not to deal with these antiquities. We've had fairly good progress on that front. Another thing we're working on is setting up and training locals who are no longer employed in museums or archaeological sites because they're not in regime areas. We're getting them working again in a semi-formal function to protect sites and document damage. And we're working with local activists who are out there with their cameras. One of the problems we have is revealing our sources because they're working in a very dangerous state. So for now, much of the information they collect can't be shared.
JF: Given all the loss of human life in the conflict, why should people are about cultural sites?
AA: This cultural heritage is important because it's directly linked to national identity of Syrians. Syria's borders were created artificially. It's very important that Syrians gather around something that helps them claim their common identity, because otherwise the whole things break down. They've been able to do this despite a lot challenges. If this cultural heritage is destroyed, they're going to lose that. Once the current violence ends, if we don't have this cultural heritage and the symbolic value of it, how are we going to unite ourselves across religions and religious sects? The country's past is going to be key to reestablish this national identity and reconnect with the symbols its provides.
ISIS knows this. When they target shrines, that's what they are trying to destroy. But those highly visible and publicized acts are nothing compared to the daily looting of the sites. The history is not in these one or two important shrines. The history is in those hundreds of thousands of archaeological sites stretching hundreds of miles. It is that repository that is being completely decimated.
The destruction of the Bamiyan buddhas as was a catastrophe, but it didn't destroy the history of Afghanistan. In Syria and Iraq, we focus on the Bamiyan Buddhas and forget the rest. There are no big statues coming out of those sites, so we don't see the damage. But in years and decades and centuries to come we'll have huge gaps in our history because of this cultural violence ton an industrial scale.
Tagged Al-Khums, Amr Al-Azm, Apamea, ASOR, Assad, Iraq, ISIS, Islamic State, khums, looting, Palmyra, Syria, UNESCO

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


text:
Robert Strettell
Robert Strettell (1693–1762) was a city councilman and mayor of Philadelphia.
Continue reading Arroba
El término arroba suele verse representado por el símbolo tipográfico «@» en cualquiera de sus...
Continue reading EHealth
eHealth is a relatively recent healthcare practice supported by electronic processes and...
Continue reading Reno Express
The Reno Express are a professional indoor football team in Reno, Nevada. They play their home...
Continue reading 9 (Polina Gagarina...
9 is the third solo album by Russian pop star Polina Gagarina. It was released 9 September 2016.
National Socialist Liberation Front
The National Socialist Liberation Front was originally established as a youth wing of the National Socialist White People's Party in 1969. In 1974 it was reconstituted as a separate neo-Nazi organization after its leader Joseph Tommasi had been expelled by NSWPP leader Matt Koehl.
Sklavenkasse
Sexmo de Navalmanzano
87 BC
Lambada (song)
Index of Wisconsin-related articles
Other Backward Class
Girafa
Awake (Hillsong Worship album)
Deepest Purple: The Very Best of Deep Purple
Sopormetal
Ice Cream (BLACKPINKとセレーナ・ゴメスの曲)
Thailand at the 1996 Summer Olympics


A Grady White type boat with four people aboard waves frantically at a U.S. Coast Guard HC-130 Hercules airplane off the coast of Costa Rica, Oct. 11, 2018.U.S. Coast Guard photo.
PORTSMOUTH, Va. — A Coast Guard aircrew based out of North Carolina responded to boaters in distress Oct. 11, 2018, while supporting Joint Interagency Task Force South operations near Central America.
The Coast Guard Air Station Elizabeth City HC-130 Hercules airplane crew observed four people waving frantically for help in a 25-foot recreational boat as 8 to 12-foot waves crashed over the stern. The aircrew dropped a radio to establish communication and they were getting ready to drop dewatering pumps as they saw the boat capsize.


text:
Stories of Atlantic City
After a decade, 'Back Sov' skatepark wheels hope into Atlantic City
Stories of Atlantic City May 14, 2019 0 Comments Stories, Student Reporting
By Alexa Taylor, Stockton University
At three o'clock on a Thursday afternoon, Atlantic City's Sovereign Avenue skatepark, affectionately nicknamed "Back Sov," truly comes to life. Walking his dog around the park, Zach Katzen watches as dozens of children flood down the street after school dismissal, racing to the skate ramps with boards in hand.
Katzen, program director of the Atlantic City Arts Foundation and one of the prime movers behind Back Sov's installation, visits its site overlooking the Atlantic City bay daily. Katzen is responsible for monitoring the park's activity and keeping the grounds clean.
"I love the community, I always have," says Katzen. "These kids like to skate, and deserve to have a place solidified for them."
Video by Luke Miller.
His two partners, Jason Forslund, 32, and Jason Klotz, 31, also serve as the park's representatives. Together, the three embody the entity "Skate AC," a non-profit organization dedicated to enhancing the community of Atlantic City through its public skatepark.
Forslund and Klotz, two Atlantic City locals and skate-enthusiasts, became advocates for the building of a park almost a decade ago. Katzen joined his friends on the project in 2017.
"I really felt like this place, with a proper skatepark, could be the East Coast's Venice Beach, and it starts with something like a generational skatepark," says Forslund, now a father of two. "Back Sov is a promise to the kids of Atlantic City, and I hope that it's the very first one of many."
After reading an ad that encouraged Atlantic City residents to get involved with their community, Forslund began attending NJ Casino Reinvestment Development Authority (CRDA) meetings in 2010 to propose his ideas of building Atlantic City's first public skatepark.
"I was often the youngest person there," says Forslund. "One day I stood up, introduced myself and said, 'I really love Atlantic City, and I would love to see a skatepark here.' They were all kind of perplexed. At first, they kind of just blew me off, but I just kept coming."
Klotz, who had moved from Atlantic City to California, returned back to the island in 2011 when he heard about the headway Forslund was making on the proposal.
"A park on the island was always my dream," says Klotz, who had run out of spots to skateboard in Atlantic City by age sixteen, due to illegalities. "I heard Jason Forslund was stirring up the idea of a skatepark in AC and I wanted to get involved."
Once the two got the plan for the park on a docket, the NJ CRDA voted their favor. But for every step made that seemed closer to having the skatepark built, there were twice as many hurdles standing in their way.
"I saw the obstacles my friends were facing while interacting with the government," says Katzen. "The struggles have been showing that this park is something that is needed by the community, beating the preconceived notions that a lot of people have about skateboarding."
Feeling discouraged, Forslund took a break from the project.
Klotz took over much of the responsibility, creating and funding the initial "Do-It-Yourself" park in 2014, and launching the GoFundMe campaign after the park was torn down by the city.
"We skated there a lot and would host events to donate boards, shirts, shoes, and wheels to local kids," Klotz says. "One rainy night, the city's public works team was ordered to tear the park down."
However, Klotz decided to push forward. The GoFundMe page helped raise thousands of dollars for the rebuilding of the park, while also spreading awareness to the community about its building process.
"In 2017 the new mayor, Frank Gilliam, who is an advocate for recreation, let me know he would help us," Klotz says. "He stood by his word."
Meanwhile, Katzen, a partner to "48 Blocks AC" and the Atlantic City Arts Foundation, felt his connections within the community could also help drive the project over the finish line.
"I saw they were having a lot of trouble," said Katzen. "I said, 'Let me step in and try to help you.'"
Katzen decided to commit himself to the venture until the goal was achieved, joining the organization known today as "Skate AC."
"All credit goes to the guys who did all the work leading up to it, starting the GoFundMe and getting the community's support," says Katzen. "I was just able to utilize my channels to get everybody together and show them that we're all on the same page, that we're all working towards the same goal to make the community better."
Once the true goal of the project was finally realized, community leaders in Atlantic City started coming together to support the completion of the park.
Katzen's friend, lawyer, Jacob Perskie, volunteered his time by writing a contract for the city to accept the skatepark as a donation. This allowed 5th Pocket Skateparks, a Pennsylvania-based corporation specializing in park design and construction, to come on board to generate the architectural plans for the park, which could be built after approval by officials.
Once the plans were approved, Atlantic City's Hard Rock Hotel and Casino not only donated to the project, but offered the 5th Pocket creators complimentary rooms for three weeks so they could have a place to stay while building the park.
City council members even stopped by the construction site to show their support.
"When we get to do projects like this, it pulls everybody together," says Katzen. "There's less of a divide between the city officials when you see the mayor come out here with Councilmen Fauntleroy and Cheng."
"We were very lucky to have all the support of the community members," Katzen says.
As the process was nearing its final stages, Skate AC felt their vision for the park would not be fully achieved without contributions from local artists. Fortunately, through Katzen's involvement with the Atlantic City Arts Foundation, five artists became quickly available to help, fully willing to lend their talents by painting murals all over the newly-restored park.
One of the Arts Foundation artists, Christian Correa, says each painter was simply encouraged to express him or herself through their work . One of his murals, called "Stay Not Normal" was inspired by the creative process experienced by both skaters and artists.
"It kind of feels organic to the space," says Correa. "I think it's cool that this was a thought, and that this brings the arts and skate communities together."
Katzen says the responses to the artwork have been so positive that the artists have come out in subsequent weeks to continue the murals. Eventually, they want to fill up the entire park with paint.
"While we were painting, people were here skating," Katzen says. "They were asking, 'Can we skate, is it dry yet?'… They've been waiting so many years to have this park that we didn't want to make them wait any longer."
So far, the impact of the park on the community has been far and wide. Before it was even finished, people were visiting Back Sov with their families and friends to see the progress that was made. Every afternoon, when school is dismissed, 20-30 kids run out to the park with skateboards and scooters, and even basketballs.
"When you give them a place that's for them, they will respect it," says Katzen. "They appreciate all the efforts."
Forslund says that the skatepark was not created only for local skaters, but for the entire community. He believes that these types of projects help bring Atlantic City back to its roots as a family-oriented area.
Jason Thomas, 26, of Egg Harbor Township, brings his three-year-old son, Tristan, to Back Sov as often as he can.
"It's so awesome that I can bring my son there to learn how to skate, while being around the great people that go there," Thomas says. "This is something that is special for kids… it gives them a safe place to be."
The Skate AC team plans to expand this venture by giving to the community more safe, public spaces that promote values of creativity and athleticism.
"There is a lot of potential in the formula we used to do this," says Klotz. "The struggles it took hopefully inspire people to know you can make amazing things happen with love and your imagination."
"Down the line, the idea is that this inspires everyday people," says Katzen.
"Having a park like this, having a place that's their own – that's something that they can remember and pass down."
This story was produced as part of Stories of Atlantic City, a collaborative project focused on telling restorative, untold stories about the city and its people. The project was produced in partnership with Free Press, the Center for Cooperative Media at Montclair State University, ivoh (Images of Voices and Hope), Stockton University, Authentic City Partners and ThisIsAC co-founder Evan Sanchez, Grace & Glory Yoga and The Leadership Studio co-founder Alexandra Nunzi, Press of Atlantic City, Route 40, SJNtv and Breaking AC.
Stories of Atlantic City is funded with a grant from the NJ Community News and Information Fund at the Community Foundation of New Jersey, a partnership of the Geraldine R. Dodge Foundation and John S. and James L. Knight Foundation. To read other stories produced as part of the project, visit www.storiesofac.com.
← Mentors guide next generation in Atlantic City
Growing success from Atlantic City roots →
Stories of Atlantic City is a collaborative project focused on telling restorative, untold stories about the city and its people. The project was produced in partnership with Free Press, the Center for Cooperative Media at Montclair State University, ivoh (Images of Voices and Hope), Stockton University, Authentic City Partners and ThisIsAC co-founder Evan Sanchez, Grace & Glory Yoga and The Leadership Studio co-founder Alexandra Nunzi, Press of Atlantic City, Route 40, SJNtv and Breaking AC. Stories of Atlantic City is supported by Stockton University with funding from the NJ Community News and Information Fund at the Community Foundation of New Jersey, a partnership of the Geraldine R. Dodge Foundation and John S. and James L. Knight Foundation.


text:
package com.robotzero.counter.event;

import com.robotzero.counter.event.result.CurrentViewData;

public class CurrentViewState {
  private final ViewState viewState;
  private final String errorMessage;
  private final CurrentViewData data;

  private CurrentViewState(final ViewState viewState, final String errorMessage, final CurrentViewData data) {
    this.viewState = viewState;
    this.errorMessage = errorMessage;
    this.data = data;
  }

  public static CurrentViewState start(final CurrentViewData currentViewData) {
    return new CurrentViewState(ViewState.START, "", currentViewData);
  }

  public static CurrentViewState stop(final CurrentViewData currentViewData) {
    return new CurrentViewState(ViewState.STOP, "", currentViewData);
  }

  public static CurrentViewState pause(final CurrentViewData currentViewData) {
    return new CurrentViewState(ViewState.PAUSE, "", currentViewData);
  }

  public static CurrentViewState tick(final CurrentViewData currentViewData) {
    return new CurrentViewState(ViewState.TICK, "", currentViewData);
  }

  public static CurrentViewState reset(final CurrentViewData currentViewData) {
    return new CurrentViewState(ViewState.RESET, "", currentViewData);
  }

  public static CurrentViewState scroll(final CurrentViewData currentViewData) {
    return new CurrentViewState(ViewState.SCROLL, "", currentViewData);
  }

  public static CurrentViewState failure(final String errorMessage) {
    return new CurrentViewState(ViewState.FAILURE, errorMessage, null);
  }

  public static CurrentViewState init(final CurrentViewData currentViewData) {
    return new CurrentViewState(ViewState.INIT, "", currentViewData);
  }

  public static CurrentViewState idle() {
    return new CurrentViewState(ViewState.IDLE, "", null);
  }

  public CurrentViewData getData() {
    return data;
  }

  public boolean isFailure() {
    return this.viewState == ViewState.FAILURE;
  }

  public String getErrorMessage() {
    return errorMessage;
  }

  public boolean isStart() {
    return viewState == ViewState.START;
  }

  public boolean isStop() {
    return viewState == ViewState.STOP;
  }

  public boolean isPause() {
    return viewState == ViewState.PAUSE;
  }

  public boolean isReset() {
    return viewState == ViewState.RESET;
  }

  public boolean isTick() {
    return viewState == ViewState.TICK;
  }

  public boolean isScroll() {
    return viewState == ViewState.SCROLL;
  }

  public boolean isClick() {
    return (
      viewState == ViewState.PAUSE ||
      viewState == ViewState.START ||
      viewState == ViewState.STOP ||
      viewState == ViewState.RESET
    );
  }

  public boolean isInit() {
    return viewState == ViewState.INIT;
  }

  @Override
  public String toString() {
    return (
      "CurrentViewState{" + "state=" + viewState + ", errorMessage='" + errorMessage + '\'' + ", data=" + data + '}'
    );
  }
}

enum ViewState {
  FAILURE,
  START,
  STOP,
  PAUSE,
  RESET,
  TICK,
  SCROLL,
  INIT,
  IDLE,
}

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaGithub


This is an old New York apple which originated on Hog Island, now known as Syosset Island, located near Long Island. Described as a very sweet apple and a very productive tree. Fruit can be large with thick yellow skin striped with red with rough patches of russet. The aromatic yellow flesh is coarse, tender, slightly aromatic and extremely sweet. Ripens September to October.
Would like to comment on this particular apple. It is in fact from "Hog" Island which is now known as "Centre" Island located in Oyster Bay ( Long Island) NY. The two families ( Smith & Ludlam) who first settled on the Island farmed and raised livestock there for over 150 years.
Do you have any saplings for sale?


The diagonally oriented ring features a prong-set old Natural Orange Old Euro CITRINE*, weighing 1.69ct, SUPER BRILLIANT and CLEAR. The measurements of the Oval Citrine are 8.89x6.90x5.18mm. These Old European are so magical! The facets are large, chunky and beautiful and the Glow is tantalizing.
This stunning CIGAR style with multidimensional Band is additionally encrusted in a symmetrical design with Large Old Mine and Old Euro Diamonds, estimated total weight is 0.74 carats. G-H color, VS-SI clarity Overall.
Beautiful Bold Band with state of the art open work. True to the times! Sparkling Sophistication!
Sits low on the finger - 5.06mm.
Band tappers from 4.35mm to 1.68mm on the bottom.
The Platinum weight is 7.36grams, nice and SOLID.
Crafted in platinum ( tested and traces of stamp).
You can send it back within 3 days for a FULL refund minus shipping- $85! Please, email or call us at (212) 921-7135 with any questions.


We welcome new customers with a 20% discount* on their first order!
This is our way of saying "thank you" for trying out our service, and that we really want to help!
To get started, just schedule a pick up, and we'll handle the rest!
The 20% discount applies for wash and fold, laundry and dry cleaning services. Not applicable for service/transport fees e.g. curtain installation.
Other promotional offers and discounts may not be used in conjunction with this.
Minimum order for free pick up and delivery still applies.
Advance payment to be made during pick up, by cash or NETS.


David drove us to the San Francisco airport. The flight was delayed due to late arrival of international passengers. On arrival at Las Vegas took a taxi to Bill's Gamblin' Hall and Saloon where we booked in to our room. We spent the afternoon and evening wondering up and down "the strip", looking in different places. Lunch was had at Flamingo's and dinner was consumed at Bill's Steak Restaurant (very posh and somewhat expensive). Las Vegas is all gloss and glitter, very tacky, being devoted to thematic casinos, shops, entertainment ("shows"), constant offers of free entertainment in exchange for attending a timeshare presentation, and people handing out cards showing near naked women which are said to be available to come to your hotel room.
Early breakfast and then taken by shuttle van for our day at the Grand Canyon. We started with a scenic flight to the South Rim of the canyon which was somewhat bumpier than usual due to high winds. We were supposed to then take a helicopter flight over the canyon, but due to the weather conditions this was cancelled and we were taken to the National Geographic Visitor Center where we saw a good IMAX movie showing the history and scenic views of the canyon, this was a substitute for the helicopter flight. We had a buffet lunch and then were taken by coach to two viewing vantage points over the canyon followed by the flight back to Las Vegas. After freshening up at the hotel we dashed down the strip and booked ourselves in to see the Cirque du Soleil's production (Zumanity). It was an adults only show involving plenty of interactivity with the audience (fortunately not us).
The Hoover Dam taken from the plane.
Woke up early, did not sleep in as late as expected after the late night. Breakfast at Bill's then finished packing and checked out, left our luggage at Bill's and spent the day wandering the strip, saw the lions at MGM, did some shopping. John bought my (Ruth's) birthday gift in Las Vegas (red jacket). Las Vegas is not really our sort of place although perhaps we could warm to it more than we did with more time. Arrived early at the airport, we were under the impression that we were to be provided with a meal on the flight but discovered this was not the case.
Arrived at John F Kennedy (JFK) airport and took the Air train to Jamaica Station and transferred to the Subway to get to the hotel. What a ride! We had to stand up from Jamaica Station to Queens Plaza with our cases and backpacks. The train jerked and swayed all the way. Dropped our cases in the hotel and then took the Subway again. The hotel was nice enough but it is in a very dirty area. Took the Subway to Macy's New York Store (West 34th Street) where we had a chocolate drink. We then walked to the Empire State Building. We got into a long, long queue (the first of many in New York) and finally arrived at the counter and purchased our "City Passes". Further queues and a security check and we finally took the elevator & stairs to the Observation deck. Fantastic views; and the audio commentary which was included with the City Pass was very good. We both took many photographs. Then down to earth and headed north along 5th Avenue and looked at buildings including Lord & Taylor. Then we went to Bryant Park and the adjacent New York Public library and took photographs and went in to see what we could find on Septimus Swyer (John's paternal great grandfather). Found some, which expanded our knowledge of this elusive gentleman. Had dinner and returned to the hotel to book in and settle for the night.
Found the library again and continued on with our walk from yesterday (downloaded from the Internet), we then went to see Grand Central Station (it's correct name is apparently Grand Central Terminal). A big place! We caught the Subway to Bowling Green and the Alexander Hamilton U.S. Custom House with the mistaken belief that it was Thursday! So the walk of the Financial District was not happening! Walked around Battery Park and saw the Eternal Flame in memory of those killed in the Twin Towers disaster. Returned to the old Custom House to look at its exhibits, it houses the Smithsonian's National Museum of the American Indian which was very impressive. Went to dinner at Mr Biggs (NZ waitress) and then did the harbour cruise (came as part of the City Pass deal). Very good commentary, saw the skyline in daylight one way and evening the other way. After returning walked down Broadway taking photographs of the dazzling lights.
The Sphere in Battery Park.
but, not the Schelling Point.
Visited the Cloisters (a branch of the NY Metropolitan Museum of Art). We travelled by train and bus to get there. A former Roman Catholic Monastery that was well worth the visit. Then we travelled by M4 bus to the main NY Museum of Art. A large institution housing many fine works of sculptures and paintings. Had tea/dinner there and looked some more and then returned to the hotel. Too much for one day - but the entry fee covers both places for one single day.
Walked over the Brooklyn Bridge in the morning, started from the NY end and then caught the Subway back. Arrived at the Museum of Modern Art (MoMA) in time to wait for it to open. Not as exciting or as large as the Metropolitan Museum of Art. The special exhibition on the top floor was mainly about nano technology and was so crowded it was difficult to absorb much. After MoMA continued looking at the buildings of New York including the Rockefeller Center.
Most of the day was spent visiting the Statue of Liberty and Ellis Island. The Statue of Liberty was well worth the visit. We went into the base and saw the museum and then up to the viewing area at the base of the Statue. Wanted to have lunch on Liberty Island but found it too crowded, too slow and too awkward. Found nothing at Ellis Island on Septimus Swyer, but the attendant suggested the Archive in Washington and gave us a brochure. Many immigrants arriving in the US went through Ellis Island. The medical test was done by observing the potential immigrants climb the stairs (several medical conditions checked in about six seconds) and this was followed by an examination of the eyes. If you passed these two then you continued on to the next stage. We returned to Battery Point and then we took a brief walk around the financial district. NY Stock Exchange on Wall Street was heavily guarded. After that we visited Union Square and then had dinner.
The financial district "Charging Bull" from behind.
Some parts are rubbed for good luck.
The Bowling Green Bull - the more popular end for photographing.
We travelled by Subway to the address where Septimus Swyer (John's great grandfather) lived in about 1895. We are not sure if current building was that old, certainly the street level facade seemed relatively recent but we are not experts in NY architecture. Walked through Central Park on the Bridal Path and then visited the Museum of Natural History. We spent the rest of the day there. Again it was impossible to do justice in one day! Returned to the city and had dinner before returning to the hotel.
In the morning we visited the Guggenheim Museum (building designed by Frank Lloyd Wright) and weaved our way through the displays up the great spiral ramp to the top. Very interesting. Much of the building was closed due to renovation so our visit was somewhat curtailed. In the afternoon visited another NY Museum and that was followed by a walk to Washington Square Park where we found infants were being minded by their nannies. Also some young people were sun backing. Then dinner after which we did some more walking before returning to Union Square and then we used the Subway to get back to the hotel.
Packed up and caught the train to Jamaica Station and transferred to the JFK Air Train and arrived at JFK in plenty of time for our flight to Dulles, Washington. After our special attention TSA check (because we were connecting to an international flight?) had some lunch. John had his boots shined by the boot shine for US$7.00. He said they were good Australian boots! The flight departed on time.


Fathoni, Mochammad (2007) MISTERI JANTUNG. UNS Press.
Oepomo , Tedjo Danudjo (2007) DAMPAK ENDOMETRIOSIS PADA KUALITAS HIDUP PEREMPUAN. UNS Press.
Suradi, (2007) PENGARUH ROKOK PADA PENYAKIT PARU OBSTRUKSI KRONIK (PPOK) TINJAUAN PATOGENESIS, KLINIS DAN SOSIAL. UNS Press.
This list was generated on Wed Apr 24 18:09:20 2019 WIB.


Elite Singles is the ultimate online dating platform for intellectual, ambitious Canadian singles to find serious, long-lasting relationships. Over 80% of the website's users have a university degree and are settled in their career. Elite produces highly accurate matches by examining user personalities using a compatibility test that is psychologically-backed. If you're career-oriented and have little time to date, this site will help you discover more singles that are more your type.
Elite's personality test is based on McCrae and Costa's 'Five Factor Model,' which measures members on 5 areas: openness, conscientiousness, extraversion, agreeableness, and neuroticism. The site then uses these results to provide singles with 3-7 daily matches.
Elite also offers easy-to-use inbox messaging with customizable questions to help break the ice. Users can also send each other "winks," "flirts," and "smiles." If you happen to be matched with someone who doesn't have featured photos, you can message them with a "Photo request," prompting them to upload one.
To enrich your profile, you can add posts and photos, which other users will be able to view, like, and comment on under the "Recent photos" section. You can share more about yourself by adding short "blurbs" to your profile. When browsing between singles, users are able to save profiles so they can easily find and reach out to them later.
To sign up to Elite, you must complete a registration form, including your gender, gender of the partner you're looking for, your email address, and password. When picking their nicknames, users are encouraged to use their first names for a more personal feel.
Your profile will be activated immediately upon completing the 5-factor personality test, at which point you can see the results of your test and add more details to your profile.
There are 2 membership options: Basic and Premium. With a basic membership, you can take a personality test, receive partner suggestions, upload photos, and receive messaging. By upgrading to a premium subscription, users enjoy unlimited messaging, a mobile app, and a more detailed personality profile. Premium users are also suggested to other singles more frequently and are able to use the "Have you met…" feature.
The Elite experience is both enjoyable and safe, with an intuitive experience that will remind you of using popular social media platforms. For instance, you can update you profile with posts and photos, which other users can then comment and like. Additionally, messaging with other singles is a rich experience that includes fun gestures and emojis. To keep users safe while using all of these features, Elite implements several techniques (more on that below).
It prevents uploading photos that have been downloaded or copied.
It is an SSL-secured website for protection against credit card fraud.
Offensive messages and harmful keywords are alerted.
Users are able to report abuse and delete inappropriate matches.
All sensitive data is encrypted and isn't shared with third-parties.
Elite's customer support verifies profiles, and offers users a detailed online help section. You can contact customer care at any time through email.
Is Elite Right for Me?
If you're a career-oriented, educated single in Canada—Elite is just for you. When your job is a top priority, finding time to date is a challenge. Elite Singles will help you overcome just that by not only introducing you to singles who share common goals and values as you, but by exposing you to a large amount of people in a short amount of time—finding love doesn't get more efficient than that!


As part of their financial results today, Square Enix looked ahead to the "major titles" yet to release this fiscal year (ending March 31, 2017), and big games like Kingdom Hearts 3, Final Fantasy VII Remake, and NieR: Automata aren't listed.
Square Enix also mentioned that they'll "further strengthen the core franchises by large-scale title launches" as a mid-term target initiative.
Do you think NieR will still be out this year?


Will Titan support 8 foot posts?
I currently have a Trex deck with surface mounted 4x4 posts. The surface mount was from Veranda which has a metal base with a rod extending up 36 inches with an adapter on top. You slip over this device the 4x4 plastic sleeve, all is good.
However, I now want to add some privacy lattice to the top of the railing. To do this I assume I'll need to replace the 4 ft. posts with 8 foot posts.
I'll add back the existing railing. Then add the lattice work between the posts using the top 4 feet. The question is, how can surface mount the 8 foot post?
I'd prefer to not have to dig under the deck to mount the post underground (the deck is only 2 feet above ground as it is so I'd have to rip apart everything to do that).
Will Titan post anchor support the 8 ft post? Since the load isn't much I was hoping this would structurally be ok. Thanks for any advice.
The Titan post anchors are tested with wood 4x4 and 6x6 posts used as railing posts in a rail system and are AC273 compliant at 36" high with 6' post spacing for the 4x4 and 96" post spacing for the 6x6.
You are asking if the post anchor will perform well as an 8' post built into an railing where the panels/sections are like a railing on the bottom and a lattice privacy panel above it or something similar.
This is kind of a loaded question and so I will try to explain as clearly as possible. Your deck is only 24" and therefore under the IRC a guard rail is not required. This is actually a good thing because if it were then I cannot think of any simple method of installing a surface mounted 8' tall wood post that would resist the design load or safety factor.
An 8' post creates so much more leverage - if you are pushing it from the top of the post. But if you are pushing it at the 36" height then it would perform as a deck rail would.
So that is why your question is a bit complicated. We have established that in your case a guard rail is not required and therefore the load values for a guard rail do not apply.
Now the question is whether an 8' post with the 4x4 Titan would work well. That depends on how much stiffness and strength you are looking for.
I would not use if for an 8' post unless that run of railing was tied back and connected to the house in someway. You would need to do that to really make it stronger because the leverage is over 2.5x as much. Otherwise I think it would be to wobbly.
But if you are more interested in appearances and a weaker structure is not a problem then you may well be happy.
Eight foot railing posts are a lot to ask of any kind of surface mounted system. There are plenty of people who use the 6x6 post anchor for 6' fence posts on concrete walls or piers and at say 6' post spacing with great performance. But the 4x4 anchor is much smaller and 8' high posts are very tall.


text:
An aerial view shows the entire Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex in Florida.
An aerial view shows the entire Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex in Florida. In the foreground at left are a full-size orbiter replica, the "Explorer," which allows guests to picture more clearly what it's like to live and work in space, as well as full-size, genuine solid rocket boosters and an external fuel tank (foreground, left). On the right at center is the rocket garden, which features eight authentic rockets from the past, including a Mercury-Atlas rocket similar to the one used to launch John Glenn into space in 1962 and climb-in Mercury, Gemini and Apollo capsule rep¬licas. Photo credit: NASA/Kim Shiflett
Title: An aerial view shows the entire Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex in Florida.
Location: Kennedy Space Center, FL
Owner: KSC
Album: cbabir
Atlantis moves through Space Florida's Exploration Park during its journey from the Vehicle Assembly Building to the Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex.
An aerial view of the KSC Visitor Complex shows the Astronauts Memorial Space Mirror in the foreground.
An aerial view of the KSC Visitor Complex shows the Shuttle Plaza at left with the rocket boosters and external tank.
STS 134 ET-122 XFER TO VAB.
Exterior View of ARF Manufacturing Building.
An artist's concept shows a possible layout of a commercial spacecraft and rocket undergoes a transformation into a multi-user spaceport.
An aerial view of the site in the Industrial Area in Florida a solar power system is being built.
Aerial view of the HMCA Complex.
The Press Site comprising the NASA TV studio and prefabricated buildings for local newspapers and correspondents for CNN AP and others.
At Launch Pad 39A at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida technicians have released for the final time.
Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex


text:
KRODHA (RAGE)
KRODHA (RAGE) is an original story, based on life experiences, written by Arjun Subramanya. A feature film is being developed and is slated for production commencing in September 2019.
TRI-US Entertainment is in association with Sri Maha Rudra Productions producing KRODHA (RAGE): A story written by Arjun Subramanya, showing his experience as an actor and combining his experiences as filmmaker in what is his feature movie directorial debut.
The story is based on facts, focusing on a disturbed main character drawing attention to the importance of love, trust and human emotions. Twisted and tortured by betrayal, our protagonist makes the key decisions, and experiences the consequences of those decisions. Rage is the primary ingredient propelling the story forward, drawing the main characters into a web of truths and broken trust, and creating significant obstacles.
ಕ್ರೋಧ || ಕನ್ನಡ || KRODHA || KANNADA || Official Story Trailer
Click this link for a teaser trailer, with music by All.OK (Alok Babu.R)
Krodha (Rage) Cast
Krodha's cast comprises experienced and first-time actors selected by director Arjun Subramanya.
Arjun Subramanya IMDb profile
Ashwini Rao: IMDb profile
Manjunath Prem IMDb profile
Sanjana Prakash IMDb profile
Surekha Ram Khatri IMDb profile
Tejas Gowda IMDb profile
Yashu Loy IMDb profile
Krodha (Rage) Crew
Krodha's film crew is sourced from professionals in the Kannada Film Industry, and local skilled personnel located in the state of Karnataka, India.
Alok Babu.R (All.OK), Musical Director: IMDb profile
Arjun Subramanya, writer and director: IMDb profile
Chandrashekar Appu, Associate Director: IMDb profile
Prashanth Basavaraj, Drone Camera Operator: IMDb profile
Uday Leela, Cinematographer: IMDb profile
Vijay Singh, Graphic Designer IMDb profile
Indian Filming Locations
KRODHA (RAGE) is using studios and being filmed on locations in Bangalore and Gokarna on the Arabian Sea, in Karnataka, India.
Kannada cinema, also known as Chandanavana or Sandalwood, is the Indian film industry based in the state of Karnataka where motion pictures are produced in the Kannadalanguage. The Kannada film Industry is sometimes metonymously referred to as Sandalwood. As of 2017, the Kannada film industry based in the city of Bengaluru produces more than 190 films each year. Kannada films are released in more than 1250 single screen and multiplex theaters in Karnataka and most of them are also released across the country and in the United Kingdom, United States, UAE, England, Mexico, Brazil, Germany, Nederland, Holland, Russia, Kenya, South Africa, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Nepal, Sri Lanka, China, Japan, Burma, Malaysia, Singapore, Australia and other countries.
TRI-US Entertainment specialises in conceptualising and producing filmed and media entertainment projects for international distribution and staging with selected production partners. Publicity for the project is managed by Trius Global Media. Please note that all materials, communications, and social media and information is to be used in accordance with the Terms of Use.
Indiefilm
TRIUSentertainment
JamesWith
TriusGlobalMedia


Fido offers you a 15-day satisfaction guarantee if you are not satisfied with the phone model recently purchased and a 1-year after-sales manufacturer's warranty from the date of purchase.
We also offer the Fido satisfaction guarantee and manufacturer's warranty on accessories.
Your request must be made within 15 days from the original date of purchase.
If you purchased at the store, count 15 days from the purchase date.
If you purchased from customer service or on fido.ca, count 15 days from the date the order was shipped.
Usage (voice) must not exceed 30 minutes of talk time.
Contacting Fido Customer Service does not count towards the usage limit.
You must have the original proof of purchase.
Please note that you will be billed for all charges until the deactivation of your service.
Only one exchange is allowed.
Exchanges for the same model in a different color are authorized.
The phone cash receipt is the proof of purchase.
You must complete the request at the original point of sale.
The phone warranty letter is the proof of purchase.
You must wait for the replacement phone first. Once received, you have 10 days from this date to send us back the original phone. Otherwise, it will be charged to your account.
The price difference between the two phones, if any, will be charged to your account.
If your account was created less than 90 days ago and the retail price of the new phone is $100 or more, you will be required to pay cash on delivery for the cost of the new model. (Applicable only for purchases made through FidoDirect).
You will need to use the UPS or Canada Post prepaid return waybill found in the original box. What to do if you have lost the prepaid waybill.
You will have to ship the package at your own expense.
If you have provided an email address, you will receive an automated hardware exchange order confirmationemail.
Payable upon delivery (COD); the refund is sent by cheque once the warehouse receives the returned unit.
In the case of a prepaid account, the cost of the phone (retail price) will be payable upon delivery (COD). This charge will then be refunded by cheque once the warehouse receives the defective phone.
Contact us free of charge at 6-1-1, from your Fido phone or 1-888-481-3436 from any other phone.
If you have provided an email address, you will receive an automated hardware exchange order confirmation email.
The refund process will be automatically initiated once we have received the equipment and the refund will be applied on the same credit card you originally used.
Simply refuse the order and place a new one.
Return the device (including all items of the original purchase) by using the prepaid return waybill found in the original order package.
Place a new order on fido.ca.
The return needs to be processed at the original point of sale.
The credit will be applied to your account, if your account is still active. Otherwise, the reimbursement will be applied on the original credit card (used for the payment).
The reimbursement will be applied to your account.
If you wish to return a device and cancel your account, contact us free of charge at 6-1-1, from your Fido phone or 1-888-481-3436 from any other phone.
Once the warehouse receives the unit, the reimbursement will be applied on the original credit card used for the payment.
If the original payment was COD, the refund will be processed by cheque.
Write down the return tracking number.
The after-sales manufacturer's warranty covers problems or malfunctions due to a manufacturer's defect for any Fido phone from 16 days up to 365 days from the date of purchase.
Please note that refurbished iPhones have a warranty of 180 days only. The original proof of purchase is required.
If your phone is defective during the manufacturer's warranty period and the defect is covered, simply bring your phone to any participating Fido store (with your original proof of purchase) and we will send it for repair. If you need a phone during the repair period, we offer a loaner program.
For Apple device repairs, locate an Authorized Service Provider or call 1-800-263-3394.
• Accidental damage or phone abuse, i.e., cracked/damaged faceplate.
• Physical damage or non-functioning phone due to external causes, such as corrosion, water damage, debris inside phone, etc.
• Physical damage to the display's liquid crystals, such as cracking, rupturing or discoloration in one or more places.
• Transmission or reception issues caused by the network, or the location of your phone when making a call, and not by the phone itself.
• Damage to internal parts, such as the battery or the terminal, due to the application of excessive force when attaching an external object to the phone, like a charger, headset or attachable camera.
• Test and/or use of accessories not sold by Fido.
• Cracks, scratches, faceplate color change due to long-time use.
• Any phone where the IMEI identification number on the sticker inside the phone has been modified.
• Phone containing foreign pieces.
See the various phone upgrade options available to you.
You can send your phone for repair. A quote will be provided and you can decide if you want to go ahead with the repair.
After an in-depth inspection, the repair centre may conclude that your phone is beyond repair due to damage. In this case, the phone will not be repaired and will be returned to you.
If you are enrolled for Fido Device Protection, see how you can replace your device.
The Fido Home Phone device is not eligible for the Fido Repair and Loaner program.
For help with a defective device (16-365 days from the date of purchase), contact us free of charge at 6-1-1, from your Fido phone or 1-888-481-3436 from any other phone.


text:
Julie Moreno, Executive Producer/Digital Content
Tags: NEISD, crime, San Antonio, Education
NEISD magnet school director accused of 'inappropriate behavior,' district confirms
NEISD officials say they are moving forward with terminating Robert Lozano
Robert Lozano, Director of NEISD's Engineering & Technologies Academy is under investigation for inappropriately touching a minor, district officials confirmed. (NEISD)
SAN ANTONIO – The director of NEISD's Engineering & Technologies Academy is being investigated for allegedly inappropriately touching a minor, district officials confirmed on Friday.
Robert Lozano is under investigation by San Antonio and Converse police, an NEISD spokesperson said, but no charges have been filed yet.
"The district is moving forward with the termination process," said Executive Director of Communications for NEISD Aubrey Mika Chancellor.
ETA is a college preparatory magnet program on the campus of Roosevelt High School.
Also on KSAT:
With US aid money, schools put bigger focus on mental health
Project YES seeks to reach 3,000 adolescents with free mental health help by Dec. 31
San Antonio charter school employee charged with sexual assault after alleged relationship with student, police say
Julie Moreno
Julie Moreno has worked in local television news for more than 20 years. She came to KSAT as a news producer in 2000. After producing thousands of newscasts, she transitioned to the digital team in 2015. She writes on a wide variety of topics from breaking news to trending stories and manages KSAT's daily digital content strategy.


text:
Our Rights, Our Future
National Campaign to Restore Civil Rights Blog, covering the rollback of civil rights and developments in the courts.
« Civil Rights at the DNC | Main | Interview with San Francisco District Attorney Kamala Harris on the role of Civil Rights at the DNC »
The Disability Community Makes Themselves Heard at the DNC
The Democratic Convention was full of delegates, activists and lobbyists, all working towards the election of their candidate and to raise the profile of the issues they care about most. When thinking about the various powerful issue groups or lobbies, there's a good chance you wouldn't quickly think about the demographic of those with disabilities as one of the most visible interest groups at a convention. The fact that disability rights issues is not often high on any agenda, despite that 54 million Americans live with some form of disability, is why Disaboom, an "online community for people touched by disability" sought to raise the community's profile at this year's DNC.
While blogging at the Big Tent in Denver, I met a man who told me about the various events Disaboom was holding at the convention, and a new poll they just released on who those in the Disability Rights community support for president. All of these events came together under the title "Unheard Voice," and saw that the issue of disability rights didn't get left behind in the political conversation.
I told the Disaboom contact about the work of the National Campaign to Restore Civil Rights, and he sent along some info about the presence of the Disability Rights community at the convention.
"The question of how different minority groups will vote has been a major point of interest in this election and the disability community hasn't been included in the conversation," said Dr. Glen House, founder of Disaboom and a quadriplegic himself. "Disaboom conducted this survey to gauge the political inclinations of the largest minority group in the U.S. -- the 54 million Americans who live with some form of disability...People with disabilities represent 15 percent of the U.S. population, 37 million of us are registered voters, and politically, our voices haven't been heard -- we are the unheard voice of this nation,"
According to Disaboom's poll, 57 percent of respondents support Barack Obama, 27 percent support John McCain, and 16 percent do not support either candidate.
With the community rallied around Obama, it made sense that their presence was so strong and diverse at the convention. Of all the issue-area focused groups I saw in Denver, I have to say that Disaboom's work to raise the visibility of those with a disability was particularly strong.
Disaboom was liveblogging the event, and in the blogging base of the DNC, The Big Tent, Disaboom also partnered with The Unseen Been Coffee Company, a company founded and run by Gerry Leary, a master roaster who is blind, to keep fueled the many bloggers who were working around the clock. I can personally attest to the fabulousness of their coffee.
Along with several other events, PHAMALY, a theater troupe run by those with various disabilities, presented a drama "about inclusion (that) opens up new perspectives on disability and catalyzes a new conversation about the democratic ensemble and (their) role in it."
In addition to the work of Disability Rights groups visiting Denver, the city hosted and Accessible Denver Committee, a partnership of concerned Denver citizens and city personnel, both with and without disabilities, to help ensure a hassle-free and enjoyable stay for Democratic National Convention visitors. Their site provided information about Denver-area hospitals, pharmacies, and medical/adaptive supplies sources; dialysis centers; emergency services locations; mental health centers; and nursing services.
For more information on the role of Disability Rights groups at the DNC, check out the below links. And keep watch on NCRCR's blog for future guest blogging posts from the cadre of Disaboom's political bloggers.
http://www.disaboom.com/
http://www.phamaly.org/index-flash.html
http://www.denvergov.org/Default.aspx?alias=www.denvergov.org/accessibledenver
Posted by Tanene Allison on September 01, 2008 at 01:50 PM | Permalink
Asian Law Caucus
Brennan Center fro Justice at NYU School of Law
CommonDreams.org
Get Involved with NCRCR
health justice NYC
Immigration Equality
Legal Momentum
National Campaign to Restore Civil Rights
National Law Center on Homelessness & Poverty
NCRCR Disclaimer
NCRCR Interview Series
NCRCR on Facebook
NCRCR on Twitter
NCRCR on YouTube
The Innocence Project at Benjamin N. Cardozo School of Law
What's the "rollback"?
NCRCR Interview Series: Dukes v. Wal-Mart Stores, Inc.
NCRCR Interview Series: Flores-Villar v. United States
NCRCR Recognizes the Next Generation of Civil Rights Leaders
Culture Corner: More on Civil Rights and the Courts in Pop Culture
Medi-Cal-tastrophe
NCRCR Interview Series: The Ban on Islamic Law in Oklahoma
Guest Blogger: Supreme Court Considers Slamming The Door On Victims of Climate Change
Further Adventures in Campaign Finance
NCRCR Interview Series: AT&T Mobility v. Concepción
Campaign Partners
New York Lawyers for the Public Interest
Kids Speakout essay contest
What's Happening In Congress
What's happening in the courts


text:
By: Joel Whitaker 14th Sep 2020 14th Sep 2020
Uncategorizedholler, TIFF
TIFF INDUSTRY SELECTS REVIEW: 'Holler' (2020) Impresses With Biting Criticism
"A snapshot of what growing up working class in Trump's America can be."
Precariousness of employment in America is something of a hot topic at the moment. With a President repeatedly promising more jobs despite record unemployment, Nicole Riegel's debut Holler (2020) looks into the heart of industrial America and creates a coming of age film that captures the essence of Trump's presidency.
The film stars Jessy Barden (The End of the F***ing World) as Ruth, a high school senior who, along with her brother, Blaze, played by Gus Halper (Cold Pursuit), lives in stark conditions. Ruth discovers that she has been accepted into college, a life changing opportunity that she cannot afford, so her and Blaze join a dangerous scrap metal crew, led by Austin Amelio's Hark (The Walking Dead).
With a hint of Ken Loach and a dash of Five Easy Pieces (1970), Riegel's film has a quiet anger that blows through the film like a harsh wind. The film's cold setting along with the harsh metal its characters are often handling gives it an icy feel, but not one without heart. The relationship between Ruth and her brother is touching, and the addition of long-time plant worker, Linda (Becky Ann Baker), to the group adds a touch of humour and strength. None of the film's characters are ever self-pitying because they don't have time to be, their world is one that could spiral out of hand very easily, so any way to keep their heads above water is deemed fair. The sense of solidarity between characters given their similar situations is heavily apparent, until we delve into the realm of the scrap metal crews. Riegel has these crews appear tough but not tyrannical as they are not the main villain; his voice is saved for the airwaves and the television, and this is left in no doubt to the audience.
The film's stand out performance is, of course, Jessy Barden, who brings the sharpness and defensive aspects we have seen from her role in The End of the F***ing World, but grounds them in a new sense of reality. Ruth knows what things going wrong can mean, she lives her life in very strict limits, and opportunities such as college do not come often or easily. Barden hints at Ruth's fragility just enough with her anxious mannerisms yet pushes us back with wit and self-assuredness.
The film's music composed by Gene Back, along with a gorgeous soundtrack featuring Phoebe Bridgers, pushes the film slightly away from the hardcore realism its subject matter could easily slide into, and instead provides potent and graceful accompaniment to Ruth's journey. Although this initially felt like slightly too much, Back's music grows into the film, emphasising the strength of Ruth and her family.
Expanding her 2016 short film of the same name, Nicole Riegel creates a film that delivers a snapshot of what growing up working class in Trump's America can be with Holler. Direct but not didactic, and balancing harsh truths with wonderful shows of love and humour, Holler is a feature debut that impresses with its singular vision and biting criticisms.
Holler was shown as part of TIFF Industry Selects.
Holler featurette
Posted by:Joel Whitaker
London based culture writer from Merseyside.
REVIEW: 'Never Be Done: The Richard Glen Lett Story' (2020) is a Portrait of Addiction and Sobriety
'The George Lucas Talk Show' (2020) is an Earnestly Silly Celebration of Star Wars


Let her know that you would choose her again and again and again.
I'd Choose You Again Personalized Keepsake Heart Clock Our elegant clear Personalized Keepsake measures 5″x5″ with edges measuring 1″ thick featuring a silver edged timepiece with quartz movement. Includes FREE Personalization! Personalize with two names.
Poem reads: Everyday that passes I feel that I love you more I know and feel that you are my Perfect companion and friend And I'd choose you again… And again… And again!
The I'd Choose You Again Anniversary Clock is a meaningful gift to give to your husband or wife on a special anniversary.
Another popular gift idea for wedding anniversaries or dating anniversaries is our personalized frame.
I Love You… Personalized Engraved Picture Frame Show how much you love them in four different languages on our Personalized I Love You Photo Frame. Say I love you in English, Spanish, French and Italian. This personalized picture frame makes a great gift for Weddings, Valentine's Day or any Special Occasion. Our Personalized Picture Frame can be personalized with any couples names.
This frame is great for husbands and wives, girlfriends and boyfriends. Celebrate an anniversary, sweetest day, a birthday or Valentine's day with I Love You personalized frame.
For these and more romantic anniversary gifts, visit http://www.gavoon.com.
This entry was posted on August 3, 2009 at 7:42 pm and is filed under Anniversary Gifts with tags Anniversary Gifts, gift for husband, gift for wife, personalized gift, romantic gift.	You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.