Autism TV and Autism Speaks

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true.

Let me get this clear...

The last two episodes of "Autism TV" clearly show both WrongPlanet and Autism Speaks as "sponsors". When did the supporters of WrongPlanet give their approval to Alex to use the money they donated to run this website to instead fund his video exercises?

The new project, about which I have seen no details, will also be sponsored by Autism Speaks, and hence will credit them again. I'd guess it will mention WrongPlanet in some fashion. Whatever the content of any video produced, the implication will be that Autism Speaks is approved of by the membership of WrongPlanet.

Actually, WrongPlanet.net is just a domain name owned by Alex Plank. It is his to do with as he likes - without taking any notice of the membership.

The assimilation of NAAR (founded 1994) and CAN (founded 1995) seem to have escaped your notice.

It's quite astounding how effective the tactics of Autism Speaks have been - and how completely they have suppressed most of their competition.

I'm just hoping that the UK's NAS (founded 1962) will continue to hold out against the creep of Autistica - formerly known as (from July 2004)...
NATIONAL ALLIANCE FOR AUTISM RESEARCH (UK) (Old Name )
NAAR (UK) (Old Name )
AUTISM SPEAKS (Old Name )
AUTISM SPEAKS (Working Name ).

Well Lau, if you want to get sticky about it . . . Wrong Planet does not have any money, because people do not donate enough to cover the running costs. So don't tell me the Wrong planet donors paid for anything on Autism Talk TV . . . they did not. Alex has that logo there for the purpose of cross promotion only.

I paid for them to go with my personal funds, so if anything, I personally sponsored those first videos but we did not say that when we put the credits together. Autism Speaks will reimburse some of my costs with their underwriting grant.

I wish what you said were true, that thousands of dollars pour in from grateful website supporters, but it isn't.

the advertisements on the sidebar don't pay for anything? if they are ineffective at generating revenue, perhaps they could be discontinued?

Sure, the sidebar ads pay for stuff. Lau mentioned donations. They (donations) are nowhere close to covering the site costs. The Google ads on the sidebar pay the running/hosting costs and leave a few hundred surplus dollars for Alex each month.

Autism Reeks, again. My, oh my.

Curious... how much does it cost to run this?

As Alex has never given anyone else any indication of what his costs are and what donations he receives, I'll have to take your word for it that the donations do not cover costs.

But then again...

I see... the donations and the Google ads together pay for the running costs... and between them they "leave a few hundred surplus dollars for Alex each month" - whatever that means.

...

And then you "personally sponsored those first videos", but allowed the credit for that sponsorship to go to WrongPlanet.net and Autism Speaks... because you say you are confident that "Autism Speaks will reimburse some of my costs with their underwriting grant". Are you saying that WrongPlanet.net neither did sponsor, nor will be (sic), sponsoring those videos?

And when you mentioned that "Alex has that logo [WrongPlanet.net] there for the purpose of cross promotion only", you are agreeing that WrongPlanet.net is now being used to promote Autism Speaks?

The Autism TV videos? Probably nothing. All you have to do is film someone talking then upload it to YouTube, it isn't hard

Wrong Planet does not pay to promote anything at this moment because it does not generate surplus funds though it is self sustaining.

I dont know where you get the idea that any of us are promoting Autism Speaks; we're promoting the TV project, which Autism Speaks also supports.

As to Asp-Z's "nothing" comment . . . it takes camera, wireless mics, stands, lights to produce these videos. All that stuff has to be bought. There are travel costs to go do the interviews. There are costs to promote the site using online ads. The idea that any of these websites are free is nutty.

This thread was addressed directly to Alex, not John Robison, why hasn't Alex responded, they are not one in the same person or has Aut$peak$ truly become like The Borg. Alex please explain your Aut$peak$ connection to everyone on WP we deserve to know your reasons for joining with Aut$peak$, we have heard lots from Robison, nothing from you. Until I for one hear otherwise, I will give Alex the benefit of the doubt per his actions and hope that his intentions are still on the side of Neurodiversity. Be brave Alex and come clean.

There are many awful things about Autism Speaks:

1) It focuses on curing autism rather than helping people with autism
2) It popularizes the belief that people with autism are incapable of emotions
3) It has often been hostile to people on the spectrum who are able to advocate for ourselves
4) It has failed to include people with autism on its boards or in its activities.

Reaching out to Alex and John Elder Robison represents a huge change from where they used to be. It is a victory for our civil rights movement. The biggest organization that claims to speak for us is actually listening to us. A little. The awful woman whose lack of compassion for us let her go on camera and suggest that we might all be better off dead actually sat down with a smart guy who has autism and was confronted with our humanity.

This is how progress happens. Enjoy it.

agreed.

Ah, I thought so ...



Two things I am pretty sure about:

1) Alex is only doing whatever he believes best for people on the spectrum;
2) Nobody else could do even as well in his place.

I mean the site and forum too. I hear a lot about how the site doesn't have enough money, but also I see many who contribute and I can't see it matching up.