How to Help During Hurricane Gustav

Over at La Chola, a listing of ways to help women of low income with evacuation costs.

Ways to donate can also be found here.

MORE INFORMATION TO PASS ALONG

Also: travel advisories for those trying to get out of New Orleans and/or relatives on the phone trying to help them.

For Evacuees who reach Alabama:

The Alabama Emergency Management Agency has opened a hotline to provide information on shelter locations for those fleeing from Hurricane Gustav. The call center number is 1-800-206-0816.

Also, evacuees can dial 211 to reach a hotline set up by the United Way to help people find shelter locations.

Comprehensive MULTISTATE LISTINGS OF SHELTER INFORMATION FOR EVACUEES, storm updates - check this site for listings in TX, AL, MS, FL, etc. from this site information for cancer patients:
Cancer Patients: As Hurricane Storm Gustav nears the Gulf Coast, the American Cancer Society wants to remind cancer patients that: It's important to contact your treatment facility to know whether it's open or closed, Know your health information in case you are displaced by the storm, And take your medication with you if you are displaced. The American Cancer Society is available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week by calling 1-800-ACS-2345 or visiting www.cancer.org.

Gustav Information Center

Gustav Wiki page containing aid agencies, helpline numbers, animal rescue resources, relocation advisories, shelters, ham radio resources, ways to post offers of help or help needed and more

Angels in Action - Katrina's Angel's page - information about ways to find housing and other resources

Register with the Red Cross as safe and well if displaced by storm

If you have medical equipment you can donate for evacuees who lose theirs in transit, please contact an organization such as UCP. Here's a link to UCP in Middle Tennessee, where they set up ways to donate equipment during Hurricane Katrina. Similar needs will arise now in states from Florida to Texas to Tennesse to Arkansas, basically wherever evacuees go for walkers, wheelchairs, crutches,etc.

New Orleans Assisted Evacuation Numbers & Shelters

Volunteers in New Orleans have been telling me that this information needs to be out there. Those who did not register can still call these numbers.


For those who need financial help to evacuate or have medical needs or a disability:

New Orleans residents are asked to call 311 or 1-866-205-6485 to register if they need evacuation assistance. It is critically important that those with special medical needs who need assistance in order to leave their homes call 311 or 1-866-205-6485 so that appropriate arrangements can be made for their evacuation.



From the American Red Cross Site:

Transportation Assistance:
Services such as providing transporation for evacuees, search and resuce, advanced medical care, and medical sheltering are best performed by government agencies or organization that have the resources, the trained workers, the expertise to carry out those functions. Please call your local Parish's Office of Emergency Preparedness hotlines.

• Orleans: 311
• Jefferson Parish: 736-6086
• Assumption Parish: 985-369-7386
• Lafourche Parish: 985-357-7603
• Terrebonne Parish: 985-873-6357
• St. Mary Parish: 337-828-4100
• St. Charles Parish: 985-783-5050
• St. John Parish: 985-652-2222

Louisiana Medical Special Needs Shelters Open Today

• New Orleans: 1-866-280-2068
• Houma-Thibodaux: 1-800-228-9409
• Lake Charles: 1-866-280-2711
• Shreveport: 1-800-841-5776
• Mandeville: 1-866-280-7724
• Baton Rouge: 1-800-49-1372
• Lafayette: 1-800-901-5778
• Alexandria: 1-800-841-5778
• Monroe: 1-866-280-7287

Shetler Information Points
People who are evacuating on their own-should stop at shelter-information points along the evacuation route to get the most up-to-date information about which shelters are open. The shelter-information points for this storm are located at:

• Tourist Welcome Center, U.S. 65 & 84, 1401 Carter St. , Vidalia
• Tourist Welcome Center, 836 I-20 West, Tallulah
• Paragon Casino, 711 Paragon Place, Marksville
• Sammy's Truck Stope, I-49, Exit 53, 3601 La. 115 West, Bunkie
• Med Express office, 7525 U.S. 71, Alexandria
• LSU- Shreveport, P.E. Gym, One University Place, Shreveport
• Pickering High School, 180 Lebleu Road, Leesville
• Moward Civic Center, Fifth Avenue and 10th Street, one block off U.S. 165, Oakdale

Senior Center New Orleans Evacuation Pick-Up Locations

• Arthur Mondy Center, 1111 Newton Avenue, Algiers
• Kinglsey House, 1600 Constance Street, Lower Garden District
• Mater Dolorosa, 1226 S. Carrollton Ave., Carrollton

General Population New Orleans Evacuation Pick-Up Locations

• Smith Barney Library Bus Stop, 6300 Canal Blvd., Lakeview
• Palmer Park, S. Claiborne and S. Carrollton, West Carrollton
• McCain High School, 5712 S. Clairborne Ave., Broadmoor
• Lyons Community Center, 624 Louisiana Ave., Irish Channel
• Dryades YMCA, 1924 Philip Street, Central City
• Warren Easton High School, 3019 Canal Street, Treme
• Municipal Auditorium, 801 N. Rampart, 7th Ward
• O.Perry Walker High School, 2832 General Meyer, Algiers
• Stallings Community Center, 4300 St. Claude, Bywater
• Snachez Center, Caitlin and North Clairborne, Lower 9th Ward
• Gentilly Mall Parking Lot, Chef Menteur and Press Drive, Gentilly
• Walgreen's Lake Forest and Read Boulevard, New Orleans East
• Mary Queen of Vietnam, 14001 Dwyer, New Orleans East

American Red Cross (866) GET-INFO
www.preparelouisiana.redcross.org or (866) 438-4636

The sign of the cross, quad style

There are times when I pass the church in town and the bells go off. Often I stop to make the sign of the cross and pray and because of my hand and arm impairment, I suppose it's not clear to people what I'm doing.

I don't care. God knows what I'm doing. However it does lead to some humorous incidents.

One passerby thought I was trying to get something off my glasses and offered to help. Since my glasses were dirty, I took her up on it. Another asked if I'd lost my keys. And , no, I wasn't even wearing a lanyard.

Today I stopped and made the sign of the cross, quad style. A woman passing by smiled. I smiled back. "What a wonderful idea," she said.

I was thrilled that she could figure out what I was doing. "Yes," I said. "I make the sign of the cross and say a prayer whenever I'm passing by and the bells ring."

"Oh," she said, her face falling. "I thought you were sitting there charging your chair up and were trying to plug it in."

I have no idea where she got that from, but she was right about one thing - I do find those moments of prayer charge me up spiritually.

Satirization without Representation

Lawrence Carter-Long weighs in on the Tropic Thunder controversy, explaining that it goes beyond political correctness and the "understandable condemendation of the word 'retard' " in an article at Disaboom, noting that Dreamworks failed to screen the movie to the right audiences.

Still, limiting the debate to charges of censorship or political correctness misses the point. The deeper issue isn’t about words, it’s satirization without representation.

Census figures put the disabled population of the United States at 1 in 5 -- that's 54 million, arguably our largest minority -- but culturally speaking disability is still considered a distant threat, something that happens to people segregated to telethons and fundraising campaigns. Only when our brothers and sisters return from wars missing limbs or our parents are debilitated by hip or knee replacements do we take notice. Seldom do we consider people who 'join the club' like Christopher Reeve could one day be us. Seldom do we consider that the children hurt by schoolyard taunts could be our own. People with disabilities are simply not yet recognized as a constituency to be reckoned with and, as such, have not been afforded the same concern as other groups.

Perhaps, that is, until now.

To date, over 200 groups have signed on to a letter of opposition and thousands turned out to protest the opening of the film across the nation August 13th. Media coverage has been unprecedented. Hollywood can ill afford to dismiss the views of disabled advocates and their allies now.

from the article, the author's bio:
Lawrence Carter-Long is the Director of Advocacy for the Disabilities Network of NYC (dnnyc.net) and the founder/curator of the disTHIS! Film Series: disability through a whole new lens (disthis.org). As a media critic/social commentator, he has been featured on CNN, the NEW YORK TIMES (Style section, above the fold!), NBC’s TODAY SHOW and NATIONAL PUBLIC RADIO, among others. He is a producer for the LARGEST MINORITY Radio Show on WBAI in NYC

Protest by Catholic schools in India against violence and persecution

Clashes between Hindu groups and Christians over the conversion of poor tribes and low-caste Hindus have escalated after the shooting death on Saturday of Swami Laxmanananda Saraswati.
Government officials have blamed Maoist rebels for the shooting, which precipitated the burning of Christians' homes, churches and monasteries. Thousands of Christians have fled their homes due to the burnings and violence in India and are now refugees, some in government relief camps, while others are in the jungle without food or water. Catholic officials are calling for government aid to assist them. The Catholic Bishops Conference of India stated all Catholic schools and colleges in India would stay closed on Friday as rallies were planned to protest the violence.

"I firmly condemn any attack on human life," Pope Benedict told a crowd of pilgrims on Wednesday.

"I express spiritual closeness and solidarity to the brothers and sisters in faith who are being so harshly tested."

He labelled the death of Swami Laxmanananda Saraswati as "deplorable". via news.bbc.co.uk

Hindus claim Christians bribe low caste members to convert, while Christians say that they convert willingly to escape the caste system.

This article in the Catholic Herald states:

Attracted by the Church's emphasis on social service, equality and human dignity, many Dalits have converted in an effort to escape their impoverished state and abusive treatment under India's caste system. Most of the attacks against Christians have taken place in the country's "tribal belt", home to 81 million indigenous people whose ancestors inhabited India before 2,000 BC. Animists or spirit worshipers by nature, many tribal groups are neither Hindus nor practise Hinduism. Much like Dalits, they fall outside the Hindu fold. Dalits, constituting nearly 167 million people, continue to suffer from social discrimination, segregation and violence because of their rank at the bottom of India's caste system.

Human rights activists in India contend that tribal conversions to Christianity must be placed in the social context. The Citizens' Commission report, which studied anti-Christian violence in Gujarat in 1999, concluded: "The question of conversion cannot be considered without taking into account the background of the people involved, particularly tribals who live in abject poverty, illiteracy, and with no facility for healthcare and comfort."

Until recently Christians enjoyed a relatively peaceful coexistence with their Hindu neighbours. In the past few years, however, Christians have become the target of a campaign of violence and propaganda orchestrated by Hindu fundamentalist groups attempting to stem the tide of defecting Dalits. In 1996 two Catholic priests were killed in Bihar, their skulls crushed. In October 1997 the decapitated body of a third priest was found in a forest. Eight years ago a Catholic nun was stabbed to death in full view of the public for apparently aiding Dalits and tribal people.

Sometimes parents drop the ball

...so I walked with my friend S and her guide dog over to the store so she could get some. Cappucino. And an interesting thing happened. It's called teaching kids how to act around people with disabilities. Sometimes parents just drop the ball.

The store is in an outside mall and kids were playing ball on the wide sidewalks. This is, under the best circumstances, not a good idea, but that's what was happening. Their parents were standing there. We approached, my friend S, her guide dog and me in the Beast, my power chair.

We were coming around the mall, which is in a rectangle, so this took awhile.

By the time we were almost there, I realized I was going to have to say something so we could pass by so I said "Excuse me" in a loud voice. The kids looked. The parents looked. The kids looked at the parents. They started throwing the balls again, so I said "You need to stop throwing the balls until we pass by, thank you." And the kids stopped throwing the balls.

When we turned around to come back, the kids saw us and stopped tossing the balls. On their own.

I know parents are busy. I realize they're watching a number of kids and all kinds of other things are going on. But common courtesy, which is really what this boils down to, matters.

There was an eight year old bilateral above the knee amputee using a manual chair racing around the mall last night. We said hi. He told me none of the kids would play with him. I saw him go over to this group of kids a few times, sit on the sideline, watching. No one spoke to him. His mother stood by me, watching, crying. She spoke very little English and said to me "I don't know how to fix this for him."

I called him over and told him to pick up a ball and toss it back. To show them he could play. He zoomed over and did that and soon was playing. He gave me a thumbs up.

Kids are quick learners.

She's got game

As the US open goes on, I ran across this NY Times story about Kelly Bruno, a 24 year old Paralympian, triathlete, aspiring medical student and....ball girl. And, oh yeah, she's an amputee.

Bruno was born with several defects in her right leg and has been an amputee since she was 6 months old. By 18, she had turned herself into a track star among disabled athletes, with her own sponsorship deals. And as a world-class triathlete and Ironman competitor, she has raced in some of the most grueling events on the planet.

Now, at 24, Bruno has scaled back her training for three weeks to shuttle back and forth across courts at the Billie Jean King National Tennis Center to scoop up balls at the net. In a job done correctly only by those who are barely noticed, Bruno has stood out by blending in.

via NYTimes.com

{image description: Kelly Bruno is pictured, leaning down in her navy blue, red striped US Open ball girl outfit, holding a tennis ball.}

This I Believe

A video of a film by a 13 year old of her brother with Down syndrome - is up over at Big Blueberry Eyes . Please take four minutes to go see it.

The D word at the DNC

Disability, that is,

On Monday, August 25, 2008, Senator Tom Harkin spoke at the DNC for the first few minutes in sign language, an interpreter at his side.

(In American sign language) I'm happy to see so many people with disabilities here. I am proud to have your support for the Democratic Party.

(Spoken) We Iowans have a strong, vibrant, two-party political system. However, we do not genuflect to blind ideology. We value thoughtful discourse rather than slogans and posturing we hold dear our freedom.

Governor David Paterson also addressed the DNC on disability issues, briefly describing his own experiences with education and employment opportunities. He provided statistics showing the high unemployment rate of people with disabilities. A vide of his speech is below.



And what about Disaboom at the DNC being movers and shakers? Check it out.

Beth Robinson, a military wife who has MS, addressed the convention last night, as reported here at Disabled Politico. While you're over there, check out the blow by blow convention coverage!

Key to longevity based on social factors, study says

Improving health care in the UK has benefitted those who are well off, a study says, pointing out that social factors are key to longevity of life. Studies like these are of benefit when considering how disability impacts our lives.

There is a very real stress level I've encountered in my work as a professional that affects people living with poverty . It results from the level of uncertainty poverty engenders as to housing, education or job training, the ability to feed oneself and one's children - all basic security needs.

"A more effective way of increasing life expectancy and improving health would be for every government policy and programme to be assessed for its impact on health and health equity; to make health and health equity a marker for government performance."

"People need the opportunity, the possibility, to take control of their lives - but the conditions need to be right to allow them to do that."

...

The report highlights education, affordable housing, management of access to unhealthy foods and social security protection as key.

It also said that governments should take action to ensure a living wage for workers, and working conditions that reduce work-related stress and ensure a healthy work-life balance.

via news.bbc.co.uk

According to the report, where you live has a big impact and a video shows the difference a few blocks make in Glasgow- where one child's life expectancy is 53 years of age and another's is 81.

Sr. Catherine Pinkerton to give closing prayer at DNC tonight

Sr. Catherine Pinkerton, an 86 year old nun who has worked as a lobbyist for the past 24 years, will be giving the closing prayer at the Democratic National Convention tonight, as noted on the America site.

From the Deacon's Bench:

"I think you have a different perspective when you've lived some history," says Catherine Pinkerton, a member of the Cleveland-based religious order Congregation of St. Joseph who once served as principal of the West Side secondary school it founded, St. Joseph Academy.

Pinkerton says that she has never been an activist for either political party but that she admires Barack Obama's "vision of where we stand as a nation and where we stand among nations" and agreed to deliver the benediction at the request of his campaign.

For the past 24 years, Pinkerton has worked for Network, a national Catholic social-justice lobby in Washington, D.C., where she works to establish international trade and investment policies that benefit the United States as well as the developing world.

"We are standing at one of the critical moments of our history," says Pinkerton, who is still drafting the remarks she'll deliver in Denver on Wednesday, Aug. 27.


[image description: Sr. Catherine Pinkerton is shown. She is wearing glasses, has gray hair and wears a turquoise scarf with a blue suit - and a big smile.]

Meet Tyler

Tyler Genest, who has spina bifida, talks about his work with a youth group through his church (in the second video) and how he's learned to handle dealing with a few bouts of depression due to multiple operations (seen in the first video) . Tyler is a well spoken young man who wants a future in radio.

Put down that bagpipe!

Bagpipe player Andrew Aitken, from Galashiels, who went to the Olympics to raise money for the National Deaf Children's Society on a sponsored walk along the Great Wall of China, was almost arrested when he was practicing his bagpipe near the stadium (the Birds Nest), not realizing that he was close to a major electricity source, a sensitive security location. When a Chinese officer stopped to arrest him, a passing tourist helped explain that the bagpipe was not a weapon.

Mr Aitken said: "I'm not all that good on the pipes so I thought I'd go off on my own and have a practice before I had to play in front of the people I was doing the walk with.

"I had a silly soldier's hat on and my kilt and a few locals gathered round and seemed to be enjoying me playing, but just as I finished a police car pulled up with four officers.

"They weren't happy and it emerged that it was heightened security all over China because of the opening ceremony." via bbc.co.uk

There's no crying in baseball..

...but there is replay now after Selig agreed to allow the technology to be used for boundary calls, whether the ball goes over the fence, was touched by a fan or goes around a foul pole. This article asks what other changes will be made to the game of baseball now that the door has been opened.

How long, though, before baseball is asked to look at whether a ball was trapped in one of those mattress-sized outfielders' gloves, or whether a ball hit the foul line deep in left, or whether, say, a certain deviously clever catcher for a certain South Side Chicago team was really interfered with.....

These are dangerous, techie-filled waters in which baseball has dipped its toe. How long before somebody, ripped off by an umpire's incorrect call that is deemed un-reviewable, goes for the whole foot?

via SI.com

I just keep hearing Tom Hanks saying "There's no replay in baseball!" [WARNING: The clip from the movie below has colorful language which may be offensive to some.]

ReWalk Exoskeleton Suit

An exoskeleton suit has been designed to allow some paraplegics to walk with the aid of crutches. The Israeli inventor, who has quadriplegia, says that use of the suit requires arm function. Users strap on leg supports, body sensors and a backpack with a computerized control box, then lift themselves forward, using crutches to balance. The suit is set to be available in 2010. In the photo at left, a male paraplegic is using the suit and crutches to walk across a concrete pathway in front of a tall building.

Being someone's hands

Meredith wrote a post today about being my aide and helping me out with things that are hard or impossible for me to do because of paralysis in my arms. She expressed disappointment that on my list of things to do I've never included asking her to do shadow puppets! LOL

Anyway, I found this very cool video of shadow puppets - just for her - and all the aides -who make this a wonderful world....

Being a contortionist to use the dishwasher

Wheelchair Dancer wrote about how letters have been sent out to enforce the provisions of the Fair Housing Act regarding accessibility for those with disabilities in New York city recently.

Another NY Times article talks about accessible homes in New York that aren't accessible, according to people with disabilities who live in them.

To spend an afternoon with Ms. Galler, 72, as she navigates her supposedly accessible apartment in Battery Park City is to understand the difficulties those who use wheelchairs can confront in newer housing. “Most people might never imagine these difficulties,” said Ms. Galler, who contracted polio at the age of 10 but was able to walk until a few years ago.

She cannot open or close windows by herself because the locks are too high. She cannot get her wheelchair into the bedroom closet — and has not returned to her bathroom in the wheelchair since being trapped there for two hours. Now she takes several laborious steps with braces to enter the room. Her bathtub is unreachable. “I can use the dishwasher only by being a contortionist,” she said.

The garbage disposal room down the hall is a wheelchair barricade. And, she added, “my kitchen cabinets? Very beautiful. But I can’t reach them.”

Due to the lack of accessible housing, some disabled tenants are like virtual prisoners, according to Ms. Galler, who have to live in basements while seeking out accessible housing that is difficult to find. Some end up in either shelters or nursing homes when they don't need to be there.

Sasha, the microphone and Uncle Teddy

Early in the day yesterday, before the Democratic Convention began, Sasha Obama, her sister and her mother visited the stage and the podium. Seven year old Sasha amused the crew and press by picking up the gavel and banging it (photo at left). But that was nothing compared to what she did with the microphone almost eight hours later, when her daddy appeared via satellite on the big screen behind the stage after her mother's speech.

Sasha ran toward the screen, greeting her father. "Hi, Daddy....what city are you in?" she said. And when he asked her how she thought her mom did in her speech, Sasha replied that she was good.

It was really cute, but that's not what I was thinking about. What I noticed is that Michelle Obama let Sasha hold the microphone the entire time Barack was on screen. How many politicians would trust their own child rearing enough to do that? We all know how seven year olds can be.

But seven year old Sasha definitely could handle the limelight in a seven year old way.

Before that Caroline Kennedy introduced her Uncle Teddy in an impassioned speech.Ted Kennedy spoke about hope, saying

"This November the torch will be passed again to a new generation of Americans. So with Barack Obama, and for you, and for me, our country will be committed to his cause. The work begins anew, the hope rises again, and the dream lives on."

And so it seemed very appropriate not only that young Sasha got to hold the microphone to talk to her daddy, just like other nights when he calls home from trips, but that she was the first one to bang the gavel.

Sister Italia 2008

I can think of much better ways to let people know the wonderful work that nuns do. I have a feeling that the nuns I know wouldn't be in favor of this idea, but maybe I'm wrong.

Anyhow, an Italian priest who planned an online beauty contest for nuns in September called Miss Sister 2008 and spoke to the press about it now has his blog down.

Father Rungi said: “Nuns are women above all else, and beauty is a gift from God.” He told Corriere della Sera that it was the nuns themselves who had suggested the idea while helping him to run prayer services on the beach. He said: “Many have assured me they will take part.” Father Rungi conceded that he risked being seen as a publicity seeker, but added: “You need a bit of courage to do something like this. Nuns deserve much more attention than they get.”

Nuns had both “physical and spiritual beauty”, he said, and often did social, caring or hospital work in which an “attractive presence” was an advantage. The Sister Italia 2008 contest was a way of showing that female beauty was “not just the plasticised beauty you see on television. There is also such a thing as a chaste ideal, which comes from the heart and the soul, and has a beneficial effect on those who come into contact with it.”

He admitted that not all Catholics were in favour of the idea. “I have had some e-mails from Christians who perhaps have not grasped the evangelising spirit of the initiative, or the potential of the internet, which is a marvellous tool for spreading the Christian message. Unfortunately, some people still have a closed mentality”.

There is no equivalent contest in Italy for priests. However, for the past four years a calendar featuring handsome young priests and seminarians posing against Rome landmarks has been a bestseller at newspaper kiosks.

via www.timesonline.co.uk

Ships (I mean people) passing in the night...

Zac, the 16 year old sailing around the world, writes on his blog about AIS ship radar. When there is a ship within range, an alarm sounds and the display shows me the ship's speed, direction and position.

Yesterday, I was thinking I need something like this on my power chair, the Beast. I was going into Panera's , struggling with a door. Doors are the bane of my existence, since I really can't grip them, nor do I have the strength to elbow them. I managed to aim the footplate of the Beast at the bottom of the door and then the front of the chair so I could pry it open slowly, a feat that took three to five minutes.

After the door opened, I looked into the restaurant. A woman and man were standing in the lobby. They looked as if they were ready to leave, but they were a good distance from the door. I was stuck in the still half open door, and intended to go inside rather quickly so the door didn't shut, but they began to have this conversation with me about them being first and how I should back up.

Back up? I thought, panting. I was exhausted and had no idea if I could back up because the street behind me had people walking by. (Yeah I did try asking for help with the door. No takers. It happens. Most of the time people will help, but it's a busy tourist season now.)

I hit the joystick and sped past them. There was a safe distance and there was no way I was going to be able to safely back through that door anyhow. Nevertheless, not a situation I like. I try to be courteous but explaining all this is easier done on a blog than when you're stuck in a doorway.

But to think this kind of thing could be avoided if I had a radar that let me know the speed, direction and position of folks! That would be, as my nephews say, sweet.

New to the blogroll: Grace Young's site

I'm adding Grace R. Young OT's site to the blogroll this morning. Grace is an OT with a MA from USC. Grace has published and lectured extensively on disability. Her site offers a great deal of useful information, but also contains writing about her own experiences as a person with a disability, which provide a great deal of insight.

Grace writes: I welcome your comments and suggestions for future posts. If you would like to see a topic discussed that relates to living with a disability or chronic condition please leave your comment.

Welcome to the blogroll!

New technology with tongue control

Georgia Tech researchers are working on a system that "turns the tongue into a joystick of sorts, allowing the disabled to manipulate wheelchairs, manage home appliances and control computers."
Researchers are hopeful that, should the system work, it would provide more options for controls than systems already in use, such as sip and puff or pads for head and neck movements, due to the ability of the tongue to be more flexible, sensitive and less likely to tire. Moreover, the tongue is not affected by spinal cord injury.

At a loss for words

I figured out yesterday what's been bugging me about my mobility issues. I haven't been able to understand the way I feel, which has been very disconcerting.

A friend drove over several state lines to take me out in her accessible car yesterday. We had a great time, although I discovered that a number of places are now closed that I used to go to several years ago (yes, it's been that long since I was there). But I ran into an acquaintance who hadn't seen me yet in the power chair and she asked me "Do you still drive?"

My friend, who I apparently told that I've been asked that question over and over again, piped up "Of course she does. She just can't get her power chair into her car."

People assume things when they see I'm in a power chair now. And what it boils down to is that some start scratching off what I'm able to do. I detest that. It's just not true. A lot of the issues are about logistics.

As I rolled off my friend's car ramp to come home, I looked at the distance between the curb and the inside of her car. A mere couple of feet, if that. And yet, I'm at a loss for words as to what it sometimes means not to have that distance bridged.

What bothers me the most, I learned yesterday, is when people mix up a failure to afford equipment with being less able. I start mixing it up too. I didn't grow up with a sense of entitlement to things, nor could we even afford the education I was lucky enough to get with scholarships. So I don't expect to be handed what I need - or want. I knew that wasn't what has been bothering me.

It's being seen as less able. That puts me at a loss for words when the reality is so much different than that. Disability is not equivalent to an inability to do things.

It just isn't.

Uppity disability calls Obama VP race a day early....

Uppity disability called it yesterday-and the NY Times and everyone else confirms this morning that Obama has picked Biden as his Vice President. (Uppity disability is asking for links, so there ya go!) Biden is good on disability issues and has a working class background.

But if you still think it's not official, here you go:


[image description: From the Obama site, a photo of Obama with Biden behind his right shoulder, a blue background and text that reads Barack has chosen Joe Biden to be his running mate. Text to the left says Obama Biden.]

Newsweek, in an article entitled No Ordinary Joe, writes this about Biden:

First of all, he has a love of politics and public service. He never tried to get rich from his role, even though he has been in the Senate for decades. He is a fancy dresser--given to stick pin collars and French cuffs--and yet he is an unassuming son of a car salesman who takes the train home to Wilmington almost every night.

His personal story is compelling: a riches-to-rags family background; a first wife killed in a car crash; a devoted life with his second wife; a passel of grandchildren whom he adores as much as they adore him. And he's never had a hint of financial or sexual scandal.

Biden is a Catholic--a demographic must for a Democratic ticket eager to get swing voters in heavily Catholic states such as Pennsylvania and Ohio.

Blogger: The Musical

Have you heard about this new show? It includes hit tunes like:

1.I'm Gonna Wash that Spam Right Outta my Hair
2. Richard Harris singing Post-a-lot
3. Somewhere (There's a Blog For Us)
4. Don't Cry For Me, Technorati
5. Hopelessly Devoted to YouTube
6. I Could Have Blogged All Night
7. Can't Help Loving that Link of Mine
8. It Might as Well be Ping
9. Oh What a Beautiful Comment, Oh What a Beautiful Day
10. Come On-A My Sidebar

No? You don't think so? I thought I saw a commercial for this on late night TV...
[image description: A man in a dark cap and cloak sits with his back against a brick wall with a cup in front of him. He holds a sign that reads Blogger: The Musical.]

Zac having a rough week....

16 year old Zac is sailing around the world on a yacht, attempting to be the youngest person to accomplish that. He's hanging tough and has a can do attitude, but it's been a rough week. He could use some prayers and if you have a minute, maybe an encouraging comment over at his blog.


Today I had sustained winds of 25 knots for most of the day. I had a squall hit me with 35 knots gusting to 40 knots. I ran up on deck to secure some lines. I didn't have time to put on a shirt. The rain was coming sideways and felt like pins hitting my skin. Before I was able to reef for this squall I was nearly knocked down because I still had so much sail up when it hit. I caught a lot of this on film. I don't know if it can capture how intense it really was though. At one point today I had water in both windows; one side because of being heeled over and the other side because of a huge wave smashing against it.
You could say it has been a rough week. I am so tired and I have to be extra vigilent because there are islands and reefs all around me. I am considering going hove to (Daveh will explain) so I can get some sleep. I have to wait until I am clear of some nav hazards first.
On a positive note, I ate some freeze dried food that my Grandma sent to me in Majuro. It was terriyaki chicken and rice and it was great. I have also been eating power bars and soup trying to keep up on eating because the weather is going to be pretty much the same for awhile as far as I can tell.
Mom says she has asked a lot of people to pray. Thanks for that. The seas have laid down this afternoon so I am hoping to get a good nap before some serious navigating tonight.
Cheers,
Zac

Relatives say 79 year old woman with disabilities in China sentenced to labor camp

Disability Nation reports on the case of two elderly women, one who is nearly blind and uses crutches to ambulate, who have been sentenced to labor camp as part of a re-education program after applying to protest their housing eviction.

Perhaps you caught the NBC Nightly News Report earlier this week that examined the process that China established through which citizens could petition for the right to protest at three specially appointed locations during the Olympics. It turns out that of 77 requests filed by citizens that none of them were granted. Further, it appears that some who have made these requests have been arrested or, as in this case, sentenced to re-education programs which appear to be nothing more than a quick and convenient way to punish people without allowing the individuals any rights or chance to defend themselves.

Wu Dianyuan, 79, and her neighbor Wang Xiuying, 77, were notified Sunday that they were to serve a yearlong term of re-education through labour, said Wang’s son, Li Xuehui. Officials did not specify a reason and still had not acted on the order, he said. via Disability Nation

A spokeswoman for the re-education through labor program denied having either woman's name on record.

[image description: Wu Dianyuan, standing on crutches, and Wang Xiuying are pictured standing on a brick walk on a street with an officer nearby.]

ASL Mass in Newark NJ to be held regularly

An article about bringing Mass to the deaf in Newark, New Jersey is quoted in the blog The Deacon's Bench. A regularly scheduled ASL Sunday Mass will begin on September 7 at 1 p.m. at St. John's parish on Mulberry Street.

From the Catholic Advocate article:
The fact it will be an ASL Mass is significant. There is, Deacon Smith stressed, a major difference for the deaf community between an "interpreted" Mass and ASL Mass. At interpreted masses, which are celebrated throughout the archdiocese at a number of parishes and will continue in conjunction with the ASL Mass at Saint John's, what is being said by the priest is being conveyed to the Deaf in the pews by a third party-the sign language interpreter.

Unfortunately, Deacon Smith explained, "this is not direct participation in the Mass," as deaf people find it difficult to "completely focus on the actions and words of the priest, because they are trying to see and understand the ASL interpreter."

By contrast, a deaf person can participate fully in the Mass by following what the priest is signing in ASL. This represents a direct connection between parishioner and priest-no third-party interpreter. Instead of trying to keep up with the pace of English-the dominant "language" during an interpreted Mass-the prayers and readings of the liturgy at an ASL Mass are presented in a "pace and visual style that are more natural and understandable to the Deaf," he explained. The priest or presiding deacon leads the Mass and deaf Catholics will sign all the readings and petitions, as well as lead all the responses.

In addition to the use of hands to convey words and phrases, Deacon Smith said the nuances of body movement and facial expressions also are essential components of ASL communication. Although the signed Mass will be silent, Deacon Smith pointed out hearing people (family members and ASL students) are "always welcome" since there will be "voicing for the signing impaired."

Deacon Smith is "joyfully anticipating" the ASL Mass at Saint John's, stressing it will be "creating access to Sunday liturgy for a group of alienated Catholics." The program at Saint John represents a desperately needed outreach to serve the spiritual needs of hearing-impaired Catholics. Deacon Smith said only 2 percent of deaf Catholics worldwide attend church services.

To get directions to St. John's Roman Catholic church, here is the address information:

22 Mulberry St
Newark, NJ 07102

Medicare fraud report results rejected by inspector general's report

A report by the Office of Inspector General, due to be publicly released within the next week, challenges Medicare's figures relating to fraud. AdvanceMed, the company hired by Medicare to audit fraud, submitted a report that is being challenged by the inspector general's office. Some say AdvanceMed itself may be investigated.

The Office of Inspector General’s report details scrutiny of a program known as Comprehensive Error Rate Testing, or CERT, that audits a sample of Medicare claims submitted by sellers of durable medical equipment. That program is supposed to randomly choose claims and review the medical records and other documents supporting submitted claims to determine whether payment is justified.

According to the inspector general’s report, officials at Medicare instructed AdvanceMed to disregard those policies. Instead, AdvanceMed was told to examine only the documents submitted by the companies selling the medical equipment, rather than verify those documents against physicians’ records.

Medicare reported to Congress that, for the fiscal year of 2006, AdvanceMed’s investigations had found that only 7.5 percent of claims paid by Medicare were not supported by appropriate documentation. But the inspector general’s review indicated that the actual error rate was closer to 31.5 percent. via NY Times.com

I hear birds

In fact I feel like I'm in an Alfred Hitchcock movie.

The Beast is making a sound like birds, but only when it goes forward and has been running awhile. When I go backward it makes a squealing, squeaking sound like chalk on a board.

I was going along last night when an elderly neighbor came up beside me and walked along.

"Funny," he said. "Are the birds migrating already?"

"Don't think so," I said, looking down at the Beast.

We came to the corner. I slowed down. The sound stopped. My neighbor was straining his neck, looking left, right. Then he shrugged. "Oh well. Early migration I guess. Maybe just a few stragglers."

I think I should find a birdwatcher to date. Or, if I'm in the mood to go backwards, a teacher. I wonder if anyone has done any studies on subliminal noise from power chairs and attraction. There must be some since noise is apparently an acceptable thing if the whatchamacallit shows that the thingamagig is okay.

I've had cars with noises like this, but I didn't have to sit in them all day.

My manual chair, on the other hand, is blessedly quiet. And cheaper, much cheaper.

It's not the Para-Olympics Bob..

Bob Costas, during a feature on Natalie du Toit, referred to the Paralympics as the Para-Olympics which , if you think about it, could be because he's just spent over a week saying the word Olympics hundreds of times a day.

Or it could be because he really thinks the Paralympics are called that.

I have an idea how to fix all of this. Let's break the word down in disability terms.

Para as in paraplegic

Lymp as in limp

Ics as in prosthet"ics".

Whereas Para-O -lympics sounds like cheerleaders running around, shouting "give me an O". Reminiscent of CheeriOs. It just doesn't work.

This could be the first controversy of the Paralympics.

Paralympics.

No O.

Natalie du Toit finishes marathon

Fulfilling her dream of being in the Olympics, she finished in 16th place in the marathon event and now looks forward to the upcoming Paralympics, where she'll compete in numerous swimming events.

And du Toit says no quarter is given by her rivals in the water and she wouldn’t have it any other way.

“Whatever the competition, able-bodied or not, nobody is going to hold back,” she said.

“I don’t look at other amputees and think ‘her leg is off higher than mine, so I’ll swim slower’. You train hard and give it everything." via www.thetimes.co.za

Du Toit swims without a prosthesis and can’t move her left leg, which was amputated just below the knee. She’s got half the kicking power of her opponents. She compensates with her left arm.

She stayed near the leaders for the first half of the race, but lost ground when her cap got caught on a turning buoy. She got stuck in the pack and got "dunked" on a couple turns, when the race becomes a Roller Derby of pushing and yanking.

via news.bostonherald.com

She finished in fourth place at the world championships in May.

Natalie, who told reporters she gets frustrated when people "look at her stump or prosthetic leg before they look at her face", says she loves racing "because it's pure meritocracy" and going to the Olympics was a victory of inclusion.

[image description: Natalie, an amputee, is shown diving into a pool.]

From the dugout

Well I'm off the bench - the tech says the plastic thingamagig that's loose on the motor on the Beast isn't a big deal and the squealing, whistling noise emitting from the chair is not an issue since all tests okay on the electronic whatchamacallit device.

I don't understand either.

See the picture of this baseball dugout? It's empty because I'm outta there.

While I was in the dugout, however, I learned a few things.

1. Sometimes you have to sit in the dugout a while to appreciate when you get a chance to play.
2. Don't believe all the rumors you hear in the dugout
3. Be very careful what you assume while you're in the dugout. Sometimes the players out there aren't having a very good day either
4. If you know you're going to be in the dugout, try to relax and watch the game. It'll make the time go faster

Anyhow, I'm very grateful that the whatchamacallit says the thingamagig is okay.

Tomorrow, I'm pitching.

Dealing with silence

The Beast is taking its turn being broken - not sure if it's serious yet, trying to get the tech out here since something is loose and I don't want to risk damaging it until someone takes a look at it. Turns out there's no pictures or diagrams of wheelchair motors online so I have no idea what part it is. Rather difficult situation since pushing is extraordinarily painful.

Just a musical video today, to remind myself that songs have been written about being greeted with silence, whether it's the silence of not having answers, the silence of not having your needs heard, the silence of others when you need support, the silence of those you are trying to support, the silence of all, sometimes, except God and His workings in the world, which I believe are there if I scan the horizon....

Video on air travel with a power chair

So as not to scare off people with disabilities when we hear stories about bad travel experiences, I'd like to remind readers that many people with disabilities travel every day without mishap. One of the keys is preparation and that comes from learning from those who have travel experience. This video is a good start.



I also am a member of Tour Watch, whose members can offer valuable resources for travel for people with disabilities.


Visit Tour Watch

Woman with muscular dystrophy has to crawl off plane....

According to the Consumerist

On July 20th, Julianna's (delayed) Delta flight landed in Atlanta at 7:30pm, with a connecting flight scheduled for 8:05pm. Julianna, who has muscular dystrophy, missed the connecting flight because nobody came with a wheelchair until 8:05—the same time the connecting flight took off. To make matters worse, the plane crew told Julianna she might make the flight anyway if she stopped waiting for help and got off the plane right now, so she crawled down the stairs on her own.

She was then taken into a back room and told her plane had taken off. Her letter details the next eight hours of her harrowing journey trying to fly, which included difficulty getting to a restroom, getting food or water and, eventually, having to crawl again onto a shuttle service at 3:15 a.m.

Back in life

Greg over at Pitt Rehab has posted a video about a 19 year old young man who is a C5-6 quadriplegic and decided to make a short film about his life since he acquired his disability. His motivation: to help others the way he was helped by other quads. It's a great video for everyone to watch since his message is one all of us can relate to.

Those who hear the minstrels

Amidst the sound of carillon bells, Bach bouncing off the clouds
A lone golfer in the sandpit putts a ball and sighs as it returns
Little girls in pink dresses jump and pirouette, giggling
A gray haired woman with freckles claps her hands
This is the mosh pit for seniors, her son remarks. His teenage daughter smirks
as I sit in the shade of a tree reserved for royalty,

Those who hear the minstrels

Like the guitarist who sings American Pie outside an ice cream shop
On a Sunday in August while
Tourists at tables spoon vanilla, chocolate, and strawberry into their mouths
and toss dollars into his cup.
I sit in the shade of an awning across the street
singing of broken church bells
Little girls in shorts jump over the steps in front of me, smiling
A veteran in a wheelchair, flag draped across the back,
Leans toward me and asks where there's an accessible bathroom
And how I like my power chair as the minstrel ends his song.

Huffington reports Pew results on news consumption

From the Huffington Post, a report that TV remains the top source of news:

Pew found that the largest group of news consumers _ 46 percent of those polled _ have a "heavy reliance" on television for their news at all times of the day. This group is the oldest, with a median age of 52, and least affluent, with 43 percent unemployed. They are unlikely to own a computer or go online for news.

Overall, among those who get some of their news from TV, fewer are watching the 6:30 broadcast network newscasts, and instead opting for cable news sources such as CNN or Fox News Channel.....The group that relies most on the Internet for news is the youngest at a median age of 35. .. and the shift among integrators online led to an overall decline in the percentage of people who said they read a newspaper the day before, to 34 percent from 40 percent two years ago, the researchers found.

Beware this movie trailer...

I wish I had.

The only reason to watch the film Sleepwalking, other than a great performance by Charlize Theron (who isn't in enough scenes to justify that reason), is that your life will look great the next day, no matter what is going on. Not only does an atmosphere of despair prevail over this film until the very end when a cliche message is conveyed to one character by another- and then another - the movie revolves around returning to one's abusive family roots and playing that dysfunction out until it leads to tragedy.

I not only watched this movie, but invited the friend who asked me to order it based on the movie trailer. "That looks good," she said. Poetic justice. She had to sit through it with me. Afterwards, she sheepishly said "Well the trailer looked good."

And, also, as I mentioned before, did our lives. We switched over to the Olympics happily, our problems forgotten. The next day the sun shone brighter. After all, I thought, I wasn't any of them.

Whew.

Politico article says Obama may have edge with disabled

So they guess. I mean, don't ask anyone with a disability. Why do I say that? Among other reasons, check this out:

Pollsters normally do not use disability as a demographic sub-group, so there is no publicly available data on the disability community’s leanings in this election, and both campaigns declined to discuss their internal polling. None of the independent pollsters or consultants contacted for this piece had ever polled disabled people or were aware of others having done so

Here is the article.

An Olympic sized role model

A great post from the ADHD & LD Resource blog about Michael Phelps, with links to his blog and his mom's facebook page, called ADHD Moms.

Praying for lower gas prices

Literally. The Pray at the Pump group credits trekking to gas stations and leading groups in prayer to recent lower US gas prices. The group formed when seniors volunteering at a soup kitchen at the First Seventh Day Adventist Church in Petworth, outside of the US capital, discussed how higher gas prices meant they could no longer serve the people they were trying to help. They walked to a local Shell station and began praying. Since then, the group has traveled.


"We were down in Huntsville, Alabama. We finished praying," Mr Twyman said. "Immediately the owners came out and changed the gas prices. They brought it down. We had marvellous success down in St Louis, Missouri."

This week the group returned to the site of their first prayer meeting to celebrate. Singing "We shall overcome," they changed the words of the well-known hymn to "We'll have lower gas prices". via bbc.com

In most cases, such as Friday, the prayers are welcomed. But when Twyman's group gathered outside the Saudi Arabian embassy, "the Secret Service was called on us," he said. via www.stltoday.com

Members have also changed their driving habits, car pooling more often.

The Paralympics are coming!

And here's a video about Esther Vergeer, Wheelchair Tennis



The ParalympicSportTV channel on YouTube has more videos. The Paralympics can be viewed on ParalympicSportTV via this link and run from September 6 through 17, 2008. The schedule for sporting events can be found here.

What's a bike box?

Before I set out this morning in my power chair, an article in USA Today about car-free Portland Oregon caught my eye. Known for its progressive urban mass transit, including the use of street cars, Portland has become attractive to those looking for easy ways to get around.

Among the smitten is Paul Kahn, a Philadelphia lawyer who recently arrived in Portland via Amtrak from Seattle. After hopping a MAX train for a seven-minute ride from downtown to lushly forested, 130-acre Washington Park, Kahn and his wife, Janet, are ensconced on a free shuttle bus that runs May through September between the zoo and two of the city's best-known attractions, the International Rose Test Garden and the Japanese Garden.

"We never considered renting a car, because it's so compact and easy to get around," says Kahn, whose appreciation of what he calls Portland's "edgy East Village" vibe extends to the tattoo of mountains and waterfalls that spreads across his middle-aged bus driver's right calf.

The city is also friendly to bicyclists and has added bike boxes, one of which is shown in the photo above. A bike box provides a lane running toward the front of the line of traffic that leads to an outlined box which allows a biker to go in front of stopped cars at an intersection to make a turn. Bike boxes are showing up in New York city and other urban areas, to make sharing the road safer. Cities like Washingon, D.C., New York, Santa Barbara, and the state of Virginia have developed park and ride your bike programs, ranging from offering discounts to those who use mass transit to weekly designated car free zones.

As a wheelchair user, I like the idea of a bike box as a buffer between me and the front of cars, especially trucks and SUV's since it helps solve the "height differential" issue that arises when drivers in high vehicles stop right in front of crosswalks and can't see wheelchairs. And it might even help clear up what can become a curbcut problem if bicyclists are given a space on the street to wait rather than be forced to wait near curbcuts, adding to pedestrian traffic there that blocks wheelchair users and parents pushing carriages.


This just goes to show there are better ways to share the streets - ways that make all of us safer.

[image description: An animated map courtesy of City of Portland, Office of Transportation, showing the increase in number of bicycle routes built over the years 1973-2003.]

Disability blog carnival 43 is up

..over at CherylBeryl's blog. Lots of great posts as usual.

Thanks for your work on this, Cheryl.

Dancer falls in Olympic rehearsals

A Chinese dancer slated to perform a solo who fell during rehearsals for the Olympics opening ceremonies has been diagnosed with paralysis of her lower legs.

In her first photo after injury, Liu Yan smiled ... and made a victory sign. "I'm not going to feel sorry for myself. I fell at the Olympics, but I will be back to create beauty for the world in one way or another," she said.


via china.org.cn

The full story and videos can be found here.

Having tea with a friend

Yesterday one of my blogging friends mentioned that maybe we'll have tea together some day. It brought tears to my eyes and I told her yes, that we will. Some day. When I can get where I need to go. This summer is so much better than last year. Last year I didn't have a power chair and couldn't push my manual one, so I bought a power chair on ebay only to find out it couldn't go over the sidewalks and I was stuck inside. Now I have a power chair that can take me outside and I'm happily paying it off and taking walks nearby.

I haven't been able to see friends however which is hard. And although I'm trying to push my manual chair, it's not going well. Perhaps prayers might help, so I ask for those. In the end, however, considering my disability, I have to accept that using a power chair most, if not all, of the time is the likelihood. I don't dislike the power chair - just the fact that I can't get it into my car. But that's another story. This summer things are so much better than last year and I pray for those who aren't lucky enough to be able to work to buy a wheelchair.

I will have tea with that friend. And I'll let all of you know about it when it happens too.

Image of Protests of Tropic Thunder

[photo of an African American man with an intellectual disability wearing a sign at a NY protest that reads: When we have equality, then we will laugh. Behind him a middle aged woman carries a sign reading Retard is a Hate Word.]

from the Justice for All blog by AAPD (American Association of People with Disabilities)

An online petition protesting Tropic Thunder can be found at the blog, which reads in part:

What constitutes hate speech can only be defined by the community it seeks to reference, and as a community of people with disabilities, we adamantly declare the "R-word" and its prolific use in the film "Tropic Thunder" a prime example of such hate speech...

To sign the petition, go to the above link.

UPDATE from marketwatch.com (WSJ)

Peter V. Berns, Executive Director of The Arc of the United States remarked, "I've heard interviews of Ben Stiller in the last several days and he dismisses the controversy surrounding the movie. Stiller said that we don't understand that the movie is making fun of actors and they didn't intend to offend people with disabilities."The head of the Arc has written to Ben Stiller to ask him to meet with disability advocates. The letter says in part:

In recent interviews you've said that the film is not intended to make light of people with intellectual disabilities but is instead a satire on actors and the industry. I've seen the movie and the use of words such as "retard," "imbecile," and "moron" and the use of caricature in the depiction of an individual with intellectual disabilities are simply unacceptable.

It is offensive to the 4-5 million people that are living with intellectual disabilities, and the tens of millions of their parents, siblings, family members and friends. In fact, many people in the disability community would consider use of the "r" word in reference to a person with an intellectual disability to be hate speech, equivalent to use of the "n" word in reference to an African American.

I invite you to meet with a group of people with intellectual disabilities and their families in a city of your choosing - New York, Washington, DC, or Los Angeles. I look forward to a favorable reply.


The letter sent can be read here.

Public service announcement by ARC of Va and Northern Va....

by the Arc of Virginia and the Arc of Northern Virginia, plus Blueberry Shoes Productions h/t to NJ Coalition of Inclusive Ministries

Tropic Thunder rated morally offensive by USCCB

..in their review here. The review merely refers to the "non-PC" use of the "r word", apparently joining those who claim this is a PC issue. I find this rather disappointing considering the strong stance of the USCCB on disability issues and not congruent with their position on societal inclusion for people with disabilities.

The film contains nonstop rough language and profanity, crass expressions, strong violence and gore, torture, brief irreverence, drug use, scatological humor and frank sexual references. The USCCB Office for Film & Broadcasting classification is O -- morally offensive

via catholicnewsservice.com


For updates on Tropic Thunder, see the Causa Nostrae Laetitiae blog.



(Thanks, Edward, for the link to the movie review.)

Court ruling affects open source software, creative commons licenses

In a ruling Wednesday, the federal appeals court in Washington said that just because a software programmer gave his work away did not mean it could not be protected.

The decision legitimizes the use of commercial contracts for the distribution of computer software and digital artistic works for the public good. The court ruling also bolsters the open-source movement by easing the concerns of large organizations about relying on free software from hobbyists and hackers who have freely contributed time and energy without pay.

It also has implications for the Creative Commons license, a framework for modifying and sharing creative works that was developed in 2002 by Larry Lessig, a law professor at Stanford.

via NYtimes.com

The rest of the article is here.

Worst writing award of 2008

The winner compared his love to a New York city street in the worst writing award contest of 2008 that asks folks to submit the bad opening lines of imaginary novels. The prize is $250 and, perhaps, the chance to joke about the whole thing.

Humor and writing don't necessarily go together, although many times they should. It would make the process easier. Learning the craft of writing is a process. Being able to laugh at ourselves helps.

I used to write lyrics on napkins in dark coffeehouses in my youth for friends in a band who would compose music on the spot. Most of them were awful and my friends would toss the napkins over their shoulder, grinning at me, but every now and then there would be a good song, one they would keep and perform.

I haven't written lyrics in umpteen years, not since I stopped playing guitar after my accident. I suppose, since I was a classical guitarist and played some rock and blues, that there's no coincidence to the fact that my current writing often includes a character who is a musician or who pretends to be one. But there are no lyric writers. I forgot the napkin thing.

Until this morning.

Tim Shriver interview on Fox News about Tropic Thunder

Silver and bronze medals rock too

Last night, the US women's gymnastics team won a silver medal and the night before the men's team won the bronze.

One of the women team members faltered twice on events and, since her name is splashed all over the media, I'm not going to add it. Been there, done that myself. The gold medal was on the line, but the team rallied together and won the silver. Afterwards team member Memmel revealed that she competed on a broken ankle.The underdog men's gymnastic team felt fortunate to get the bronze medal. And their team spirit was powerful, showing heart and soul as one member said. Meanwhile Phelps led the men's relay swim team to another great win last night, swimming a world record first lap to give them a comfortable lead they maintained.

In the middle of all this a friend called.

"Can't talk," I said. "We're about to do the beam."

"The what?"

"It's the Beam Team," I said. "Gotta see their beam routine. Call you back."

That was when the first big mistake happened, when the female gymnast mounted the beam only to fall. I called my friend back.

"On the other hand," I said, "I can multitask."

Which just goes to prove that the hype behind who's going to get this or that medal or which routine will be the strongest doesn't work sometimes. It left the announcers rather quiet afterwards as well. And raised some interesting media discussion about whether gymnasts are pushed too hard, the number of injuries this year and the new point system.

I think silver and bronze medals rock too.

What has happened....

Tropic Thunder will open today. No changes may have been made to the movie, but as Dave writes, progress was made.

The Simple Jack website was pulled. The trailors were changed. The 'Don't Go Full Retard' clip was removed from You Tube. The tee shirt was taken off the market. Our protests were heard all over the media. Ben Stiller had to address the controversy and found himself explaining his 'humour'. Our voices were heard, in unison, around the world.

My boss is on holiday up in hinterland Ontario, she sent me an email that the local radio station, The Moose, actually editorialized against the movie suggesting it is not appropriate for teens and advising parents of the hateful language. Everywhere I have gone this week, people were talking about the issue. Not just the movie, the issue of hate speech regarding disability

And the biggest progress is the dialogue about speech regarding disability.

It's the knee jerk, assumed responses which belittle or demean people with disabilities that require a dialogue. That applies not only to actions, but to speech.

***


There's a post up over at Catholic Media Review about the movie by Leticia.

To see what other bloggers are saying, click here for an excellent gathering of posts.

An excerpt from the dialogue of the movie is in What Tropic Thunder Thinks is Funny, by Timothy Shriver. He writes:

Sadly, they're such an easy target that many people don't realize whom they are making fun of when they use the word "retard." Most people just think it's funny. "Stupid, idiot, moron, retard." Ha, ha, ha.

I know: I could be too sensitive. But I was taught that mean isn't funny. And I've been to institutions where people with intellectual disabilities are tied to beds or lie on concrete floors, forgotten. I've heard doctors say they won't treat them. I know Gallup found that more than 60 percent of Americans don't want a person with an intellectual disability at their child's school.

I've talked to people with intellectual disabilities who cry over being insulted on a bus. I've received too many e-mails from people who are devastated not by their child's disability but by the terror of being laughed at, excluded and economically devastated.

It wasn't funny when Hollywood humiliated African Americans for a generation. It's never funny when good and decent human beings are humiliated. In fact, it is dangerous and disgusting.

This film is all that and more. DreamWorks went so far as to create a mini-version of Simple Jack and posted it online. The studio has since pulled it down, realizing it had gone too far, even in an age of edgy, R-rated comedies.

and a great article over at Media and Mayhem that sums it up well:

But never, ever — if you claim to have even a minimum of guts or decency — mess with people who cannot speak back.

UPDATE: Via CNN by Timothy Shriver, Why Tropic Thunder Shouldn't Be Seen

Love You to Pieces, an anthology

Love You To Pieces: Creative Writers on Raising a Child with Special Needs by Suzanne Kamata includes pieces by numerous parents about raising children with autism, Down syndrome, muscular dystrophy and other disabilities.

"Powerful, unflinching, and beautifully rendered, Love You to Pieces is not just an anthology about raising children with special needs, but true literature. Many parents will find moving depictions of a reality they know so well. Others with no knowledge of this world will find a literary experience they'll never forget."
—Rachel Simon, author of Riding the Bus with My Sister


"Love You To Pieces is groundbreaking. Our public discourse about disability is dominated by the voices of medical professionals and fix-your-child tomes. These stories elevate the experience of people with disabilities to the level of literature. Love You To Pieces bears witness to cognitive and physical difference as an essential and beautiful fact of human experience. It is a must buy book for anyone who parents, educates, or supports young people with disabilities."
—Jonathan Mooney, author of The Short Bus: A Journey Beyond Normal

One of the contributors, Vicki Forman, is also a blogger whose son Evan recently passed away. There is an online tribute to her son, which allows folks to leave pictures of swings with flowers on them through Flickr, as shown in the photo.

Why everyone, especially Catholics, should boycott Tropic Thunder

I've been praying over the past few days about this post. My answer came during a conversation with a Catholic mom of children with disabilities who said to me that she believed what is best for people with disabilities is best for all of us. Sometimes we say things that provide the answer others are looking for.

And so I ask for a boycott of Tropic Thunder with my heart and soul and I'm asking other Catholics to read this post and consider the Church's teachings and our moral obligations.

The movie Tropic Thunder makes fun of and mocks people with cognitive disabilities. It repeatedly uses the "r" word. It provides catch phrases to add further fuel to negative stereotypes and, sadly, to dehumanization of our fellow brothers and sisters in Christ. I firmly believe as a Catholic that when any human being is treated as less than, it is a spiritual defilement of the body of Christ. So I ask with my soul.I also have a nephew with a disability whom I dearly love. So I also ask with my heart.

In discussions I've seen and have had, people argue the negative content of this movie away as satire or invoke the right to free speech. These arguments ignore the history of name calling and civil rights. To insist on the right to mock people with cognitive disabilities in a free country has nothing to do with freedom or being free. It has a high price, a cost that far exceeds anything we as humans really can comprehend. It adds to exclusion and discrimination, with wide ranging consequences in quality of life issues such as employment, education, and even hate crimes.

Our children, whom we love dearly, need to be taught that this kind of laughter at the expense of a vulnerable human being is wrong and harmful. Taking a stand is setting an example that guides future generations toward recognizing indeed that what is best for people with disabilities is best for all of society.

We as Catholics have a moral obligation to uphold the teachings of the Church, the dignity of every human being, and the USCCB's teachings on inclusion of people with disabilities not only in the Church but in society at large. It is a higher standard than for those who use a secular standard, but a clear one.

Below I've posted a National Statement put out by groups in support of the boycott of Tropic Thunder. It states the reasons why. I'd ask you to read it and consider your stand on this movie. Perhaps you'll feel called to pray about it, as I have, before asking others to boycott the movie. Perhaps you belong to a group who wishes to add its name. Please know I have prayed, long and hard, and I ask you to consider these actions with all my heart and soul.

Statement of Support and Solidarity

We, as organizations and self-advocates representing members of the disability community, recognize the dignity of individuals with intellectual disabilities, the challenges they and their families face, and the meaningful and powerful contributions they make to their families, their communities, and their country,

Acknowledge that individuals with intellectual disabilities have been subject to discrimination, abuse, and exclusion from society throughout history;

Recognize that the more than 200 million individuals with intellectual disabilities worldwide, and more than 6 million individuals with intellectual disabilities in the US, have suffered severe consequences including: institutionalization, physical, sexual, and emotional abuse,denial of education, employment, and healthcare, segregation, and targeted hate crimes;

Acknowledge that "attitudes and expectations of the public, in part, determine the degree to which children, adolescents and adults with intellectual disabilities are able to learn, work and live alongside their peers without disabilities." (President's Committee for People with Intellectual Disabilities, 2004);

Understand that for over four decades, the media has consistently mischaracterized people with intellectual disabilities; (Pardun, 2005)

Realize that over 80% of U.S. adults surveyed feel that media portrayals are an obstacle to the acceptance and inclusion of people with intellectual disabilities. (Pardun, 2005)

Recognize that many people, including those with intellectual disabilities, their families and friends, consider the "R-word" just as offensive as the "N-word;" and

Declare that under the guise of "parody," whether intentional or not, Tropic Thunder demeans, insults, and harms individuals with intellectual disabilities by using the "R- word." Furthermore, it perpetuates derogatory images and stereotypes of individuals with intellectual disabilities including mocking their physical appearance and speech, supports the continuation of inappropriate myths and misperceptions, and legitimizes painful discrimination, exclusion, and bullying;

TOGETHER, we declare our intention to make the public aware of the need to create and foster inclusion of individuals with intellectual disabilities as a matter of social justice by:
. Boycotting the film and explaining to our nation's children why the film is harmful;
. Educating the public, especially young people, about intellectual disabilities through far-reaching awareness campaigns to ban the use of the "R-word," and other initiatives to permanently change attitudes and promote inclusion;
. Calling on Hollywood studios, writers and executives to pledge to make this the final chapter in a sullied history of demeaning portrayals of individuals with intellectual disabilities and assist in public education campaigns;
. Requesting that Congress investigate and conduct oversight of how Hollywood portrays individuals with intellectual disabilities and the effect these portrayals have on our nation and around the world.

Signatories:

National:

American Association of People with Disabilities
American Foundation for the Blind
Arc of the United States
Autistic Self-Advocacy Network
Best Buddies International
Council of Parent Attorneys and Advocates, Inc.
National Council on Independent Living
National Down Syndrome Society
National Down Syndrome Congress
Special Olympics
TASH

State:
Disabilities Network of NYC

If your group is interested in signing on to the attached Statement of Support and Solidarity, please send your name, group name, and contact information to Barbara Kornblau at Special Olympics, ASAP at
bkornblau@specialolympics.org