text:
#KeepItOn campaign's 'shutdown stories' offer a lesson in listening, adapting and participation
After the campaign's launch, Access Now saw that those affected by internet blackouts were interested in contributing their personal stories. So, the organisation created a way to do so.
Amy Fallon
Journalist and communications specialist
When the #KeepItOn campaign team received a photo of a dirt track from a citizen affected by an internet shutdown, they were puzzled.
"We were saying 'why (did) this person send us this photo? It doesn't make any sense'," says Melody Patry, advocacy director at Access Now, the digital rights nonprofit that has convened the campaign with 141 organizations from 59 countries.
It eventually emerged that the sender had no internet where they were, forcing them to trek on foot and then get the bus to the border of another country in order to receive an internet signal.
Internet shutdowns are occurring with increasing frequency around the world. According to data from the Shutdown Tracker Optimization Project (STOP) created by Access Now, there were 188 in 2018, compared to just 75 in 2016.
When those in power decide to pull the plug, they are interfering with people's fundamental rights and dealing a serious blow to the economy. But these are far from the only consequences, and talk of rights and economics can feel intangible. How do people experience "blackouts" on a personal level?
That's what the #KeepItOn campaign's Shutdown Stories aims to capture.
The project is an example of not only how to tell compelling stories around an issue, but also how a campaign can jump on opportunities to incorporate broader and meaningful participation — even when already underway.
It also highlights the importance of nourishing a campaign with a variety of perspectives to achieve better outcomes.
"We were (highlighting) a lot the freedom of expression angle, the economic impact angle, but sometimes for people it was difficult to actually just see what (shutdowns) look like for people affected in their daily lives," says Patry.
#KeepitOn, unveiled at the 2016 RightsCon gathering, didn't start out having a structured way for people to contribute their stories of how they live the ramifications of losing connectivity.
The campaign did, however, have a mechanism for people to report when disruptions happen, as part of a larger effort centred on investigating shutdowns, pressuring internet service providers to push back against shutdown requests, and building consensus in international governance spaces that people have a basic right to access information and speak freely online.
'An intentional disruption'
An internet shutdown is defined by experts as "an intentional disruption of internet or electronic communications, rendering them inaccessible or effectively unusable, for a specific population or within a location, often to exert control over the flow of information".
When it comes to blackouts, Asia is the most impacted region. India alone accounts for the world's majority: there were over 300 documented shutdowns over six years, according to the Software Freedom Law Center tracker.
The next affected area is Africa. In March 2019, Chad marked one of the continent's longest ever shutdowns, with a blackout reaching 365 days. Meanwhile in the Anglophone parts of Cameroon, the internet was cut for 230 days between January 2017 and March 2018, according to Access Now. The month of June 2019 also saw disruptions to connectivity in Algeria, Ethiopia, Liberia and Sudan.
Nevertheless, Access Now started to receive spontaneous stories and see people sharing their own personal experiences — or the personal experiences of those close to them — on social media, so Shutdown Stories was launched in September 2017.
The project is now gathering testimonies to better inform their campaign and goals, as well as to better support those affected by blackouts.
They collect them through an online form but also receive accounts via email, Twitter and Facebook. Stories are told in many languages including French, English, Spanish, Arabic, Hindi and Urdu. Often people include their contact details. If they do, Access Now may follow up their story.
Overall, the campaign has seen that people are very willing to share their stories when provided with the opportunity, although less so if they're living in contexts where retaliation from authorities is a major fear.
Patry says they have received a lot of photos.
"People are very creative and it's interesting because for us it's the first look into how they interpret the impact of the shutdown," she says.
"Some people send us photos of the street, especially when an internet shutdown happens during a protest or elections, as (an) alternative of what they would have posted on social media."
The perspectives they receive have shed light on the perhaps less obvious consequences of disrupted internet access, such as young people's ability to study. One area of life impacted by blackouts which Access Now hadn't realised the magnitude of is health.
"We collected so many stories of people who were telling us 'I needed medical help. I wasn't able to contact my doctor because of the shutdown'," says Patry.
Health practitioners who use the internet to update their supply chain of medicines that need to be dispatched to remote areas have also reported being affected.
Internet shutdowns are having a horrific consequences for women and girls in particular, says Patry.
"We got a few stories on pregnant women who were looking for information and not able to get it with some really sad – sad is an understatement – really devastating effects for their baby," she says.
And a blackout can cut off critical lines of communication for family and friends to find their missing loved ones during moments of unrest.
"According to Samar, a protester was killed and tortured amid the chaotic situation in Sudan, and his family was only able to find him through his photo taken by the hospital and posted on Facebook. Many others wounded and detained were found in the same way. Social media blackouts not only disconnect Sudanese people from the world, but also cut the channels where they could find their missing family and friends in this hard situation." Credit: Access Now. Used with permission
Just as individuals experience shutdowns differently, governments invoke different reasons to justify hitting the kill switch.
"They think that people are mobilising using social media and that's the reason why they cut access to social media for example," says Patry.
"But some other governments I think genuinely believe that cutting the internet can sometimes be a solution." For example, there have been instances where some countries have decided to disrupt connectivity because they want to prevent cheating during school exams.
All this underlines the importance of understanding the particular circumstances in which a blackout is occurring and the real and varied ways it affects people's lives, if campaigners want to make progress towards a lasting solution.
Since the #KeepItOn launch, there have been some promising victories, including resolutions from the United Nations Human Rights Council and African Commission on Human and Peoples' Rights (ACHPR) condemning blackouts.
But there is more to be done, Patry says, including working with internet service providers, social media companies, tech companies, local start-ups and civil society.
And, surely, there are many more shutdown stories to listen to and learn from.
Check out the #KeepItOn website to see how you can get involved in the campaign.
Top photo: "Safaa faced great difficulties in continuing studies and staying in touch with family during the blocking of social media amid the Sudan uprising." Credit: Access Now. Used with permission.
narrative, framing and storytellingorganising, mobilising and engagement
Amy Fallon has reported from Africa, Asia, the UK, Australia, and Canada for a wide variety of media outlets and done communications and media consultancy work for organisations such as CIVICUS.
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text:
New season of 'The Bachelor: After the Rose' with Emmanuel Acho
NewsNFL News
Rajani Gurung
This article was last updated by krishna Gurung on January 20, 2023
Multi-talented Emmanuel Acho is officially the new host for the ABC reality television dating show 'The Bachelor: After the Rose' as former host Chris Harrison steps down.
It's nearly been weeks long as The Bachelor's nation has been served with controversy. Also, it was on March 15 that the rocky roads came to an end alongside the shady comments of the contestants and scandals.
Initially, it was contestant Rachael Kirkconnell and her husband, Bryan Abasolo, who actually suggested Acho for the host.
During their interview with The People, they suggested that Acho step up for the new season.
Altogether, Emmanuel had accepted the hosting plea on February 27, as he posted himself on the Instagram uploads. Indeed, withholding a rose in his hand, he captioned his picture,
A post shared by Emmanuel Acho (@emmanuelacho)
"IT'S OFFICIAL: I've accepted the Rose and am honored to be hosting the @bachelorabc After the Final Rose this year. It's been a pivotal season, and this episode will hopefully be one of the most storied shows in TV history. Empathy is needed, and change is coming. Share the news! I'll see y'all then! ? ❤."
After two-decades-long careers, Drew Brees has stepped out of the games officially>>>
So, what made Chris Harrison leave the show?
Back in the mid-February show of the season, Chris Harrison made a controversial question during an interview with Rachel Kirkconnell. Apparently, his statements got the allegations of racism.
As a matter of fact, it emerged in the show when one of her's social media posts showcased it as a scandal. Well, it was related to the pre-Civil War era and reinforced racist imagery from that time.
Regarding the images, Chris Harrison made a question which goes like this;
"Is it [not] a good look in 2018, or is it not a good look in 2021?"
I usually get something positive mid March #TheBachelor https://t.co/BXIHfF0wyM
— Chris Harrison (@chrisbharrison) February 9, 2021
Well, as the words were said, it later fell into the controversial abyss. Following it, Harrison made an apology later in an interview on "Good Morning America."
"It was a mistake. I made a mistake. And I'm not a perfect man, I made a mistake, and I own that. I'm sorry to Rachel Lindsay and the black community."
"I am ashamed over how uninformed I was. I was so wrong. To the Black community, to the BIPOC community: I am so sorry. My words were harmful."
Therewith, Chris Harrison announced his leave from the show stating he will be temporarily stepping down.
Now, who is Emmanuel Acho?
As a matter of fact, Emmanuel Acho is not someone who can be explained in a few words. Hence, here are few words for him and from him.
"I love being a bridge for reconciliation. Our world is disconnected & divided; my goal is to unify."
Read more about the NFL star and a model, Devin Goda, right here>>
Emmanuel Acho is the author of the 2020 New York Times and Amazon bestseller, "Uncomfortable Conversations with a Black Man."
Apparently, his book showcases systemic racism and portrays the uncomfortable situations in the world. Additionally, it depicts the reality of white privileges and the racism surging in the community.
All in all, he ends with an encouraging note for everyone to fight racism.
NFL Player
Emmanuel Acho is a professional former linebacker who played in the National Football League. Apparently, he commenced playing during his collegiate years and was first drafted by the Cleveland Browns.
Emmanuel Acho is a man with versatile talent (Source: Instagram)
However, Acho had a short-lived career for just around four years.
Working in Media
Furthermore, Emmanuel Acho is a co-host of the Fox sports show, Speak for Yourself. Alongside it, he also hosts the weekly activist webcast Uncomfortable Conversations with a Black Man.
Altogether, Acho is a baritone and piano player and also anchors the Texas Gameday Desk on the Longhorn Network.
Rachael Kirkconnell and Bryan Abasolo's Support
Apparently, Emmanuel Acho stood for the couple after the scandal, and thus, they have their back.
Rachael Kirkconnell is the first African-American "Bachelorette." Thus, she took his back as he took hers, stating she wanted Acho to be the finale's host.
Right as he started with his hosting with The Bachelor, he put forward his intention and motive to reconcile.
What's more interesting is that he reconciles first before breaking the tension that arises. All in all, Acho is the one who is not afraid to speak and express the words as per the situation.
As per the guess, that is what makes him eligible for hosting the show, where he brings the love together.
As hyped as we are for the seasons, so is Acho preparing in the same level of excitement.
THATS A WRAP! @BachelorABC and Bachelor Nation, thanks for having me.
Until next time! ❤🌹 pic.twitter.com/MNwwVGyjTu
— Emmanuel Acho (@EmmanuelAcho) March 16, 2021
Also, a day before his new start, he posted an Instagram upload with the caption,
"Prepare to witness conversations you've likely never seen on linear television. It's an honor to serve y'all."
The start of new seasons has bought the tightening of each team's member, click to find out more about Jonnu Smith's contract>>
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redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


text:
Q: Python: customized YAML dumping format I'm using PyYAML 3.12 for parsing and dumping YAML files. In a special case, I have to dump a string which can be used in config files.
config: "# something like this"

By default, PyYAML dumps it like this:
config: # something like this

it obviously doesn't work because it essentially removes it. I tried to do follow_style='"'. It appears to be working but the output is butchered into something that cannot be read by human.
Is there a way to do this nicely? A hook or something that dumps all string with quotes?
ps. I am aware (only from a few minutes ago) of the existence of ruamel.yaml but not sure if it fits my needs. Plus PyYAML has been working fine otherwise for a while now.

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaStackExchange


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Traditional dentures have a tendency to slip and shift and can make simple, everyday tasks like talking and eating very difficult. For patients with few or no remaining teeth, All-On-4 denture implants may provide a more permanent and comfortable solution.
All-On-4 denture implants attach an entire set of full or partial dentures using only four implants. The specialized doctors at Lightfoot Center for Laser Periodontics surgically attach four metal implants into the jaw bone of the patient. The denture is attached to implants the same day. A more permanent set of dentures is attached during a follow-up visit once the implants have fully fused with the bone.


text:
Q: SMT Timestamp converter throwing NullPointerException Using : confluent-5.1.0
SINK Configuration :
curl -X POST \
  http://localhost:8083/connectors \
  -H 'cache-control: no-cache' \
  -H 'content-type: application/json' \
  -d '{
  "name": "dbz-sink-connector-1",
  "config": {
    "connector.class": "io.confluent.connect.elasticsearch.ElasticsearchSinkConnector",
    "type.name": "dbauditt4",
    "topic.index.map": "our3.platform.business:plat_index",
    "topics.regex":"our3.platform.business",
    "key.ignore": "true",
    "connection.url": "http://localhost:9200",
    "group.id":"plot",
    "key.converter":"org.apache.kafka.connect.json.JsonConverter",
    "value.converter":"org.apache.kafka.connect.json.JsonConverter",
    "key.converter.schemas.enable":"false",
    "value.converter.schemas.enable":"false",
    "transforms": "timestamp_convertor",
    "transforms.timestamp_convertor.type": "org.apache.kafka.connect.transforms.TimestampConverter$Value",
    "transforms.timestamp_convertor.target.type": "string",
    "transforms.timestamp_convertor.format": "yyyy-MM-dd HH:mm:ss.SSSSSS",
    "transforms.timestamp_convertor.field":"data.ts_ms"
  }
}';

Sample message in kafka topic is  :
{
  "data": {
    "before": null,
    "after": {
      "Id": 331458,
      "business_id": 532334,
      "sms_opted": 1
    },
    "source": {
      "version": "0.7.5",
      "name": "our3",
      "server_id": 810143323,
      "ts_sec": 1548661255,
      "gtid": null,
      "file": "mysql-bin-changelog.001786",
      "pos": 1719980,
      "row": 0,
      "snapshot": false,
      "thread": 11674162,
      "db": "platform",
      "table": "business"
    },
    "op": "c",
    "ts_ms": 1548661255851
  }
}

Connector is throwing null pointer exception.
java.lang.Thread.run(Thread.java:748) Caused by: java.lang.NullPointerException at org.apache.kafka.connect.transforms.TimestampConverter.inferTimestampType(TimestampConverter.java:422) at
Can someone please help me out. What am i doing wrong ?

A: Out of the box, none of the SMTs support nested field access, such as data.ts (which I think you meant data.ts_ms instead)
It appears that you are using Debezium, so you can do CDC Event Flattening, or you could just configure Elasticsearch to do dynamic mapping for time fields


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