Phillies parade makes kids forget Halloween

Phillies fans are celebrating in the streets this afternoon, lined up and down Broad Street and awaiting the players at the stadium. One young fan said it all made him forget Halloween.

I love Philly, mostly because of the welcome we always received as wheelchair tennis players there. Ed Rendell, when he was mayor, always came to our banquet and spoke. Medical staff from local hospitals and nurses who work for the Phillies manned the sidelines in case of injuries. The Phillies sent free tickets for us on Saturday night games. Tourist attractions gave us free entrance and local TV stations filmed us - not just those usual one minute spots, but more complete coverage than anywhere else of our sport as a sport. Philadelphia is a great sports town.

I'll be adding some photos and videos as they come in of the parade. And here's an article about why Comcast may have helped end "the curse". To all my friends who are longsuffering Phillies fans - congrats!

and here's the Phanatic:
Phillies Phanatic at THE PARADE!!!

Name that horror movie

The other day I was passing my neighbor's yard and she and her husband were decorating for Halloween. They have a white picket fence and a large front yard and were putting graveyard headstones into the ground. They also had a few pumpkins on their front step and ghosts waving in the wind.

I stopped to read the headstone. It read "Buried Alive" and two obviously fake arms were reaching out of the ground.

Another neighbor was walking by as I paused to look at it and said "They should just put debt on that gravestone. Everyone's buried in it." Then she paused. "Do you know that three homeowners on this block had to rent out their homes because they can't sell and can't afford to stay?"

I did know that. Rolling around the neighborhood has made me better acquainted with everyone. I ran into one neighbor who was emptying out her garage and told me she couldn't pay her daughter's tuition if she didn't rent her home out. Another was crying while mowing his lawn when I passed by and I found out that way. So indeed the decoration is a sad commentary.

I usually celebrate Halloween by watching a horror movie. I was looking at titles of what's available online after this conversation with my neighbor and couldn't get the economy and politics out of the equation. So titles were changing in my mind, like this:

The Election Horror Picture Show
Invasion of the Vote Snatcher
Whatever Happened to Baby Jane's College Fund?
The Phantom of the Stock Market
Dr. Jekyll and Subprime Bust
(This is for) The Birds

Maybe I'll just watch something safe like The Thing.

Feel free to leave your own horror movie names in the comments.

Happy Halloween!

Being guided

A number of my friends are going through "stuff" .

Last night I saw this BBC article about a Quantas plane that lost its weather radar. Another commercial plane guided it safely to land - with a change in route.

And it struck me that perhaps reading this story might make some of you feel better and/or serve as a reminder that being guided to safety and following another is what we do in a crisis. We're forced to do it - in fires, for example. So why are we so hard on ourselves when we need to find guidance in more everyday circumstances?

You're all in my thoughts and prayers.

Phillies win!

The wait is over. 3 days for 9 innings and 28 years since the last title- in front of 44,000 fans, the Phillies win, closing out with Brad Lidge who kept the Rays from scoring in the 9th, although they never gave up to the end.

The Phillies are the 2008 World Series champions. And it was so cool, after Lidge finished the game, the entire team jumped on top of him-- and a Deaf fan signs with joy after the win in the video below..

The victory parade will be Friday at noon. It will start at 20th and Market Streets and travel south down Broad Street ending at the sports complex.
[image description: The Phillies 2008 World Series Champions hat is shown. It has a black background, white striped piping on the beak and up toward the top. The Phillies letter P is on the front, red background, the P in white, surrounded by the year 2008. Above the P it reads World Series Champions.]

They're baaackkkk.....

The Rays and Phillies have dry uniforms as they resume Game 5 of the World Series on a chilly night in the bottom of the sixth inning, score 2-2, Phillies at bat. Jenkins already has a hit - a double and the crowd is roaring - more later.....

States forced to cut spending on health coverage for poor

USA Today reports that states are being forced to scale back safety net health care resources just as more people qualify to need them. Many cuts affect Medicaid.

Among the cuts are Hawaii's program for uninsured children, and

• South Carolina Gov. Mark Sanford must decide by Thursday whether to sign a budget that would slash $160 million in health care, including an 8.1% cut to Medicaid and a 10.8% cut to the Department of Mental Health. Programs to help autistic children, the elderly who need prescription drugs and low-income workers may be hit.

• California in July cut payments to hospitals 10% under its Medicaid program, Medi-Cal. It had planned to restore 5% in March, but Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger has called an emergency legislative session Nov. 5 to deal with lower-than-expected revenues.

- Massachusetts this month cut $293 million from its Medicaid budget, including $40 million from the Cambridge Health Alliance for care it already provided to low-income residents. The alliance, which runs three hospitals and dozens of clinics, says that cut plus other state cuts could total an amount equal to the cost of 650 full-time employees — or 20% of its workforce.

via USAtoday.com

[visual description: A chart is shown entitled Medicaid's State Spending. Bars show average state spending for education at 34%; Medicaid at 17%; higher education at 11%; corrections at 7%; and public assistance at 2%. At the bottom it reads: Source: National Association of State Budget Officers, By Julie Snider, USA Today.

Senator Ted Kennedy returning to Washington DC

....and expects to remain there until Thanksgiving.

Snow game tonight?

Outside of Philadelphia, it's snowing. In parts of New York state, Pennsylvania and New Jersey, it's really snowing. Which is why the game is scheduled for 8 p.m. tonight - maybe.

The sight of all the fans who paid almost six hundred bucks a ticket scurrying to their cars last night after sitting through a downpour, as Selig proclaimed the game will be played in Philly even if it takes until Thanksgiving made me realize that, perhaps, those who have been saying there's no drama in this World Series are finally happy.

Maybe. They would probably be happier if it was snowing in Philly.

The rest of us just want the precipitation to stop.

Meanwhile the Rays had to move to a hotel in Wilmington Delaware, unable to get lodging in Philly. (Imagine making those calls! Hi we're the Rays and we want a reservation in Philly...) This means a 35 mile trip across state lines whenever the game is (tentatively) rescheduled. Tonight's forecast now says light rain and wind toward evening, but local forecasters last night suggested the game should just be rescheduled for Wednesday, although it will be colder.

Of course some of those same optimists thought the game could be played last night.

UPDATE: Phillies press release, October 28, 2008

Game Five of the 2008 World Series will not resume tonight due to inclement weather. Game Five is now tentatively scheduled to resume on Wednesday evening at 8:37 p.m. (ET), weather permitting. Commissioner Allan H. (Bud) Selig said: "While obviously we want to finish Game Five as soon as possible, the forecast for today does not allow for us to continue the game this evening. We are closely monitoring tomorrow's forecast and will continue to monitor the weather on an hourly basis. We will advise fans as soon as we are able to make any final decisions with respect to tomorrow's schedule."

Advocating for a Hospital Patient

Great article in the Wall Street Journal this morning about how to be a good advocate for someone in the hospital. Concrete suggestions.

Soggy Series: Game 5 rain delay

The Philly weatherman took a ribbing outside the stadium tonight, before Selig halted play after the Rays tied the score 2-2. The downpour made the field unplayable by that point, and fans hurried back to their cars, holding onto precious ticket stubs that will let them back in when play resumes....tomorrow...(rain forecast)....Wednesday....who knows.....

Counting and making change

It happens often. Because of my lack of dexterity, when I try to pay for anything with single dollar bills, it's the wrong amount. The bills stick or bunch together and there's nothing I can do about it without working fingers.

In busy lines, I sometimes have to hand over dollar bills when I'm not sure it's the right amount.

Some cashiers silently hand me the extra bill or two back. Others keep it. And, every now and then, I get a math lesson, which is what happened recently when I went to pick up takeout.

The cashier walked out from behind the cash register and, holding up the line of about eight people, held out my money - a five and what I could now see were six singles which she had spread out like cards with her fingers that aren't paralyzed. In a voice suitable to speaking to a child, she pointed at each bill, counting 1 through 6 and said "You have an extra bill here. You don't know how to count?"

In these moments, I always want to scream "I got an A in Calculus!" but what does that matter? My nephew with CP struggles with math - that shouldn't make him subject to this kind of treatment either. And I became stuck on that thought and did not say "My hands and fingers are paralyzed". I did fantasize about shoving a copy of Murderball at her.

The rest of the people on line watched. Some looked down and away. One customer looked at his watch. I understood. This was a waste of everyone's time - including mine. My fingers will be paralyzed tomorrow and the day after that. My dollar bills will sometimes stick together. Some people with disabilities will never learn how to count bills. Some cashiers will never make allowances for any of that.

I don't know any more if any of this will ever change. But finally the words came to me. "Everyone counts," I said to the cashier. "Just hand me my dollar and my food."

Name your kids Ryan or Howard or Joe....

if you live in Philly! The Phillies roared ahead of the Rays to win 10-2 in Game 4. Joe the Pitcher turned out to also be Joe the Batter as 26 year old Blanton hit his first home run and pitched a solid six innings. (Blanton is now the first pitcher in 34 years to homer in a World Series game.) Ryan Howard put all doubts to rest as he hit left to score home runs after Jimmy Rollins led an offensive drive.

And the fans? They're going wild. One of them decorated his front lawn with the Phillies "P" .

The Familiarity Factor

Like everyone else, I go certain places more frequently than others. I've noticed since acquiring my disability that when people become more familiar with me, it makes an enormous difference in our interactions.

With some people, the first few interactions can be awkward. Perhaps they're assessing my disability, unsure what it is or how to act. This is understandable to a degree, since I never met a person with quadriplegia (or knew what a person with quadriplegia would look like) before I acquired a spinal cord injury. I had a bit of a crash course in spinal cord injury after my accident (no pun intended). But it is also important to realize that people with disabilities have feelings and a right to be treated as a person, not as a label.

Perhaps part of what happens is that it takes people time to see *me* as a person. I can understand that and it certainly bears out in my experiences. The more familiar people are with me, the more likely it is that the interaction extends past social barriers - and other kinds.

Of course it's unfortunate that in our society many interactions are single happenings these days, leaving people with disabilities in the position of encountering folks who are checking them out or struggling with how to respond, etc. This can and does feel alienating.

Although it's reassuring also to know that, with time, familiarity can move what may be an awkward first encounter into a mutually respectful relationship, as long as everyone keeps an open mind and - frequently- a sense of humor, it would be helpful if more people were accepting of seeing disability in our communities. This can only happen as long as individuals on both sides - those with disabilities and the able bodied- eventually see each other as equals.

Back in Life

Zack Weinstein, who acquired a spinal cord injury on a canoe trip in July 2005, talks in this video about living with a disability and the importance of learning from others whose experiences helped him. He says this video was made to "pay it forward". Zac's video is 14 minutes long and it has a great message for everyone. It is called "Back in Life".

ON Networks

Saturday Night Live had to do without Amy Poehler tonight, since she gave birth to her son Archie earlier in the day. She won't be returning to SNL, but will have a new show called Smart Girls At the Partyat ON Network. It's geared toward girls, encouraging them to maximize their potential by being who they are and to teach girls that you don't have to be famous to be interesting.

ON Networks also offers other web TV original programs, as well as other content.

First back to back home runs in World Series by Phillies

It's 2-1 Phillies over Tampa Bay, bottom of the sixth in Game 3 of the World Series. After a rain delay of an hour and thirty minutes, the time is shortly after midnight.

Phillies come to bat. Utley hits a home run. Howard hits a home run. Suddenly it's 4-1.

It's now 53 degrees and 12:10 a.m.

The first back to back home runs [by Phillies] in a World Series.

UPDATE: Phillies win Game 3 in a dramatic showdown

See comments for correction to original post! Go Phillies!

Sister Emmanuelle dies

Sister Emmanuelle, known for her good works among the disenfrachised, has died in France at the age of 99. She was revered for her "candor and caring". {image description: Sister Emmanuelle is shown in the photo at left, smiling, wearing glasses and her habit.]

Her work advocating for the poor spanned many years and has been likened to that of Mother Teresa. She formed the Sister Emmanuelle Association, a charitable organization. Her autobiography will be released Friday.

From the NY Times obituary,:

After she took her vows — in either 1929 or 1931, according to varying reports — she taught in schools in Turkey, Tunisia and Egypt. In 1971, when she was 62, she received permission from her order for what had long been her desire, to move to Cairo and live among the poorest of its citizens in Ezbet El Nakhl, a slum whose residents, known as zabbaleen, share space with refuse, sorting and recycling it for the city, and scavenging in it, too. There she lived in a one-room hut for 22 years, while helping to establish schools, clinics and play areas.

The Sister Emmanuelle Association, which she founded in 1980, eventually extended its work to Brazil, Burkina Faso, Haiti, the Philippines, Senegal and Sudan.

She returned to France in 1993 and became an outspoken advocate for the rights of the poor.

See also Swiss Association of Friends of Sister Emmanuelle

Soeur Emmanuelle (Wikipedia)

World Series moves to Chilly Philly

Ah yes, no more roof, no more balmy weather. The last holdouts in major league baseball 2008 will move outdoors to the roars of Philly fans, where chilly means chilly, not chili as in hot dog n'.

Let's see, what's the weather forecast for Game 3? Thunderstorms in the afternoon, some rain in the evening, a bit chillier than Tampa Bay. Forget the rain- there's more to be concerned about for Philly.

Their "0-for-19 skid with runners in scoring position was the second-longest drought to start a World Series since the 1966 Los Angeles Dodgers finished 0-for-22 against Baltimore, according to the Elias Sports Bureau."

A home field advantage can only help. Buck up, Charlie. It's the city of Rocky Balboa.

[Phillies manager Charlie Manuel is shown standing in the dugout at the last World Series game, holding his head in his hand.]

And just think- the Rays have to get used to things like this:

[visual description: In the video, the Phillies Phanatic, their mascot who wears a green feathered outfit, spars with a Rocky-like fighter and wins in a knock out. ]

New to the blogroll: PhilosopherCrip

PhilospherCrip blogs on a variety of topics, including disability history, politics, and others, but it was his post about the wild west approach we all take toward independence and disability and life that caught my eye.

He writes:

Like the romanticized settlers of the western frontier, folks with disabilities are blazing a trail into a new territory, as rugged individuals. Relying on their own mettle, they take risks and reap rewards accordingly.

Of course, this is also somewhat problematic. This emphasis on the value of the individual is a double edge sword as it largely contributes to the very core of the bigotry of ableism. Interconnectedness and interdependence are the values that will free our people, not individualistic, libertarian ideology. In fact, these values are realities for all Americans that are often ignored. American culture tells us there is shame in having someone help you dress if you need it, but having someone else cut your hair is par for the course. We have this mythology that we are individuals that survive in a harsh world on our own. When folks with physical and cognitive differences need help in different ways, their lives are disvalued as having less quality or dignity.

While our freedoms have a uniquely American flavor, so do some of our oppressions. We need to look elsewhere if we are to understand how we can think outside of this box and move away from this kind of marginalization.

Yes, yes, read on....

Kelsey talks about living with cerebral palsy....

in this video. I'm adding it to the others tagged "learning about disability".

Seven Wheelchairs: A Life Beyond Polio

Author Gary Presley was kind enough to stop by my blog and leave a note about his memoir, Seven Wheelchairs: A Life beyond Polio which was recently released by The University of Iowa Press .

He wrote:

The memoir is a history -- an American tale -- of my fifty year wheelchair journey after being struck by both bulbar and lumbar poliomyelitis after a vaccine accident in 1959. The Press says Seven Wheelchairs gives "readers the unromantic truth about life in a wheelchair, he escapes stereotypes about people with disabilities and moves toward a place where every individual is irreplaceable."

Other reviewers have called Seven Wheelchairs "sardonic and blunt," "a compelling account," and "powerful and poetic."

...We all live different disability stories, I know, but perhaps if you find the memoir worthwhile, you might want to recommend the book to others who are curious about what polio or disability in general.

Of course, the book is also available through Amazon and Barnes & Noble.

I certainly do want people to know about your book, Gary, so here's a post and I look forward to reading it. Readers can find links to buy the book over at Gary's blog which is at this link and request a copy with his signature.

Seniors in trouble with housing

Many of you out there are contacting me because you are facing changed financial circumstances due to parents losing money in retirement accounts. The plan to go into assistive housing or a private senior housing community may no longer be affordable for your family. The question becomes: can the rest of the family pitch in? Sometimes not. If so, I'd like to refer you to a resource.

You can search for subsidized housing for seniors. (You enter the State, county or city where you need housing, whether for yourself, a parent or loved one.) You'll get a list of units your parents can rent that are based on your parents' income . Check the requirements of each facility: for example, with some of them, if your parent(s) currently own a home they need to sell , they can move into certain units , sell their home and their rent is determined accordingly. They do not, however, need to own a home by any means to get into these units! This housing can keep loved ones near you in a way that is affordable and safe and make the transition easier for everyone.

Although this arrangement does not offer the same services as assisted living, it may be a housing alternative that should be checked out by a family. There are many rules and guidelines that determine the rental cost for each resident, but the good news is that as income diminishes and medical costs rise, the rent may be adjusted.

You can also check for information with your county department of the aging and social services to see what type of housing would be most suitable. If you are a senior on your own and need information, do not be afraid to call and ask questions. You can find the information you need in one phone call that may take you months to find by yourself, or, worse yet, lose financial ground while delaying action. As difficult as change may be, there are advantages to facing a situation realistically and taking timely action.

[This is provided for informational purposes only and should not be relied on as professional advice.]

Disability Blog Carnival #48 is up!

Terri has posted this carnival, themed Capacities and Capabilities, over at Barriers, Bridges and Books.

As usual, I'm left amazed at the scope of what the disability community has to say on a topic. This one in particular touches my heart because it so closely parallels my life and my continuing journey toward emphasizing my capabilities to those who sometimes see only my physical limitations.

It is wonderful to know that I am joined in that journey by so many other wonderful folks, to learn from them and see them realizing their goals, but more importantly, sharing their journeys so that others may benefit.

Thank you Terri!

The next disability blog carnival will be over at I hate stairs and the theme is "lists". Go on over to see a YouTube video about the disability blog carnival and join in.

Bring it to Philly for the win!

The Phillies are high fiving each other after beating the Rays in Game 1 of the World Series in the photo above. The score was 3-2, in a game where the Phillies scored early, missed a number of opportunities to score on runs and were threatened late in the game by the Rays, who did manage to get the bases loaded, but couldn't convert that into points. Lidge closed out the game 1,2,3 style.

It was a great game and am looking forward to more between these teams.

Bring it home, guys!

What happens when a person in a wheelchair stays out late...

[image description: A manual wheelchair is shown. On it sits a small pumpkin.]

I am jealous, Greg

Not fair. Greg has a backpack with the name of his blog on it!!!!

He posted this earlier today, saying he was doing it to make his quad friends jealous.....well I am.... and no, I won't make up a 'blog fashion' tag just for this . I'm too jealous.

Of course I'm sitting here chuckling at the thought of some folks wearing the name of their blog around town...Greg's name is tame, but I've seen some wild and silly ones. Would *you* want to do that?


[image description: A blue L.L. Bean backpack hangs off the back of a power chair's handles. Across it reads Pitt Rehab.]

Study debunks myth of uninsured and ER's

USA Today reports a study finding that the large majority of those using ER's, contrary to reports, are not the uninsured and that they are not responsible for ER overcrowding. The study recommends better access to non-emergency care in communities, but overturns oft-repeated myths.

Just a quick post

Busy day here, but wanted to pass along that my jazz musician friend Vince Lardear put up some music over at his site. He plays the saxophone professionally and is so talented. Go on over and have a listen. I've also posted a video below.

Jump City Jazz Orchestra with special Guest Matt Gallagher. Live at Chris' Jazz Cafe: A Tribute to Maynard Ferguson. Recorded 10/25/06 Philadelphia Pa

Danny Boy

Matt Gallagher - Trumpet
Vince Lardear - Alto Sax

We need to stop

A message of peace from Mattie - this song is set to the words of Mattie Stepanek's poem For Our World.

Stop, be silent, and notice…
In so many ways, we are the same.
Our differences are unique treasures.
We have, we are, a mosaic of gifts
To nurture, to offer, to accept.
We need to be.
Just be.

The rest of the words can be found here.

A post about the recent dedication of a statue in Mattie's memory can be found here.

Self fulfilling prophecies and second class existence

"If I was you, I'd kill myself."

I've heard those words a few times from people. Strangers, a friend or two who wandered away when they "couldn't handle" my disability.

So when I read this story about Daniel James, a young UK rugby player who committed suicide rather than face a life of paralysis, I wrote a news post about it. And then deleted it. Because stories like this, for me, are more personal than just a news story. And yet I couldn't say what I wanted to right away.

I've seen this story covered for several days now. Daniel was injured in a rugby practice and became paralyzed. The parents say their son was of sound mind and didn't want to live a second class existence. This statement is unequivocal and assumes that, yes, living with paralysis is a second class existence.

It is difficult to explain what emotions these words evoke in me after more than fifteen years of living with quadriplegia. I don't consider myself a second class citizen, nor do I feel I have a second class existence. I do, however, acknowledge that society creates barriers. Those barriers can seem insurmountable, especially to those who are newly disabled. And they create real problems in my life, despite the privileges I have. So this is not to judge, but to talk about the tragedy of all of this.

This story is tragic in many ways, mostly because it is an avoidable one, one that could be retold if things were to change, including attitudes. It is a self fulfilling prophecy to say that living with a disability is a second class existence and then to continue to fail to provide adequate resources for a person with a disability to have any quality of life.

I've learned from experience that judging others isn't fair. I've met people with disabilities on the internet who get no in home care and go hungry, unable to make themselves food and those who are institutionalized when they could live in the community. I've met people with disabilities who haven't been out of their house in years. I've met families completely burned out from caring for a person with a disability, with no respite and no support. These situations are the result of a failure to have adequate resources and not due to disability per se. I know that because the level of disability is not always the determinant of whether a person becomes institutionalized or homebound - it's a result of a lack of money and resources.

I've also met people with disabilities who travel all over the world, who run major corporations, who work in every profession, who have children and raise them beautifully, who marry and sing, dance, paint, write. The difference? Not to take away from their accomplishments, but they , in one way or another, have resources. It's not the level of disability that's the determining factor most of the time - it's the availability of resources.

It's a disgrace that we still live in a world where a young man would rather die than live with paralysis. I remember the fear I had when it first happened. But that initial state some people go through is different than one where facing a lack of resources makes someone prefer suicide to life. It is imperative that we raise awareness about both states of being, in order to reassure people who acquire and/or live with disabilities - and their families- that a life with a disability is not something to fear in and of itself. We can all work toward a better tomorrow, one with resources for those who are the most vulnerable among us, those who deserve to live with dignity.

But in the meantime, stories like this need to be reframed into what they are - an indictment of society and the way it has treated disability globally, rather than a reaffirmation of the lie that living with a disability is an inevitable state of second class citizenship.

Join me. Feel free to say in the comments, whether you are a person with a disability, a friend or family member, that we are not second class citizens. And that it is not inevitable that any of us have to live second class existences. Do it in memory of Daniel James.

New to the Blogroll: Bad Cripple

If you've never read William Peace's writings, then you need to go here and check out his blog named Bad Cripple . I was quite surprised to discover I didn't have his blog in my blogroll, but added it yesterday!

He writes:

I am a cultural anthropologist and writer interested in disability studies, body art and modification, and the history of anthropology. I am divorced and have a son, Tom, who is 16 years old.

and his is a valuable voice in the disability community. I found this on his blog yesterday and wish more people would read, so I'll post it today:

I know far too much about those barriers. I know barriers are needless, overwhelming and sometimes oppressive. On bad days, I truly struggle to leave my home. I do not want to encounter someone who thinks I am public property and suggests that if I prayed really hard could walk again. I do not want to have a stranger tell me it is "amazing" the way I get my wheelchair in and out of my car. What I want is illusive, the ability to blend in and be, well, ordinary. Social equality is simply not something that I experience often. I am different and in many ways proud of my difference, that is proud to be disabled. However, on those bad days my difference, my disability, feels like a chain pulling me down into an abyss from which I fear I will not emerge. It is on these bad days that I force myself to think not of myself but of all those other people with a disability that are not as lucky as I am. I live in a nice house, have a large and supportive family, am highly educated, and have a son I love very much. I thus force myself to move forward for others who find themselves stuck in a nursing home, are unemployed, alone, or simply not able to deal with social oppression. If I give up, if I accept the stigma associated with disability I fear it will create a domino affect in which one disabled person after another will fall. I will simply not let this happen.
via Bad Cripple

A bad taste campaign that's not political

The last few days I've been coughing and feeling a slight cold come on. I used to fool around with all kinds of over the counter medications, trying various things, but no more. Now I go straight to the cough medicine that I know works.

The stuff that tastes really bad, has a history of tasting bad and is proud of it. Buckley's.

I kid you not. It's a mix of herbal ingredients that include camphor that taste terrible. It's the "take this and then shove a piece of candy in your mouth" cough medicine. But it works. Every time.

They even run a "bad taste campaign" as you can see in the photo above, which shows a bottle of Buckley's on its side, above which it reads Open wide and say "#()$#)@#" (or something along those lines). The bad taste campaign worked to increase sales and won awards as well. The slogan - It tastes awful. And it works.

It's also drowsy-free, a fact I appreciate as I head back to work with that awful taste in my mouth.

Ewwwww....

Making Cornell more accessible

Plans are in the works for improved accessibility at Cornell University after a meeting that was held to discuss lack of signage, lack of wheelchair access to many buildings and what is necessary to eliminate exclusion of people with all disabilities, not just wheelchair users.

The ADA coordinator team met with members of the Student Assembly to discuss plans, although the committee that has been formed does not have any student representation. It was explained to the students that Cornell must comply with requirements in order to continue receiving federal aid.


Cornell has organized a group of administrators, including Susan Murphy, vice president of student and academic services, and Stephen Golding, executive vice president, to assess Cornell’s care of members of the community that have disabilities.

The focus of the team’s initiative is divided into six main areas: physical accessibility, educational programs and services, technology, communication employment and emergency preparedness.

While the committee lacks any student representation, S.A. members asked questions and gave some suggestions to the ADA. via cornellsun.com

**

An organization called the Cornell Union for Disabilities Awareness (CUDA), has been formed to address issues involving disability awareness on campus and their efforts have resulted in a course offering on disabilities awareness.

CUDA was created by students who saw that Cornell did not have a student organization that was committed to disabilities awareness and advocacy, said Sung Min Kim ’10, a member of CUDA.

Aside from pushing for the class, CUDA has also created a forum for students to speak out and discuss disabilities in addition to creating opportunities by which the rest of campus can raise awareness. “To my knowledge there were no outlets for this population of students other than Student Disability Services. CUDA has allowed students who are interested in this topic, whether they have a disability or not, to come together,” said Sember.

In addition to providing a forum, CUDA develops advocacy and awareness projects, a frequent focus being universal design. Universal design is when buildings or other facilities are planned so that everyone, disabled or not, can use them with ease.

Oh yes the digital TV conversion is soooo easy....

Magsaysay Awards

This annual award, given in different categories, honors those who give exceptional service in Asia without looking for public recognition. The credo is here. In 1962, Mother Teresa won this award for International Understanding for her service work. Other awardees can be found here.

In April 1957, the Ramon Magsaysay Award was established by the trustees of the Rockefeller Brothers Fund (RBF) based in New York City. With the concurrence of the Philippine government, the prize was created to commemorate late president of the Philippines and to perpetuate his example of integrity in government, courageous service to the people, and pragmatic idealism within a democratic society.

The RMAF recognizes and honors individuals and organizations in Asia regardless of race, creed, sex, or nationality, who have achieved distinction in their respective fields and have helped others generously without anticipating public recognition. The awards are given in five categories: government service; public service; community leadership; journalism, literature, and creative communication arts; peace and international understanding.

In the 2000 Magsaysay Awards Presentation Ceremonies, the Foundation announced the creation of a sixth Award category, Emergent Leadership. .. An Award in this category was given for the first time in 2001. via website

Candidates' tax plans - a chart

USA Today has posted a tax chart for anyone interested in comparing figures under both candidates' plans.

Wheels of Hope project

Over at TourWatch, there's always something going on. Travel stories, efforts toward better treatment on airlines, and many other topics of interest.

I found a very interesting article about Wheels of Hope, which awarded 52 wheelchairs to allow people with disabilities to become self reliant. Its vision is 'of a sustainable enterprise providing employment for PWD and an ideal venue for holistic development of their physical, mental, economic, social and spiritual well-being."

The wheelchairs are essential equipment that will allow these folks to head toward a productive and better future. In the photo, three recipients of wheelchairs are lined up, shaking hands with those who run the project at the ceremony where they received their chairs.

Visit Tour Watch

The markings look great

So during my lunch break I was very happy to see new markings on the crosswalks of several streets I regularly cross. They were the big white ones shown at left.

I found approximately three, perhaps four, streets with these new markings. This is good because crossing streets around here is dangerous. I've devised ways of getting around that involve the fewest number of intersections.

As I approached one intersection with new markings, I saw a truck speeding rapidly toward the crosswalk, and next thing I knew, it came up on the sidewalk with me. Its back wheel went up, down, several feet from me on the sidewalk, and then the truck continued into the parking lot. Two young guys were in the truck. I think they were high or something because they were laughing. I probably looked funny- you know, the way someone looks like when they think they might die.

You can see why I'd clutch a St. Christopher's medal if I had the dexterity.

I figured I was good to go for the rest of the day without incident. Sure enough, I ran my errand, started home and nothing else happened.

Not until I got to the last corner I have to cross to get back. I saw no cars coming and started to cross on the new, clear markings. I got halfway across and cars approached from both sides. Going forward or back wasn't safe, since they didn't look like they were stopping.

And, sure enough, they didn't. They both kept coming, leaving me stranded in the middle of the street on those nice new crosswalk markings, smelling their tires and fumes.

But hey those markings? They look great.

People with Disabilities Question Candidates

An article at cbs2chicago.com

from the article:

Among the most significant concerns for those with disabilities are jobs. Unemployment is estimated at 70 percent or more for the disabled.

Housing is also a major concern, as is long term care. The article gives specific answers from each campaign on other issues, such as autism.

As for the creation and appointment of a permanent assistant to the president for disability policy at the White House

McCain: "John McCain needs look no further than to his vice-president Sarah Palin. She will be the first VP to raise a special needs child. Her connection to the disabled and special needs families throughout this nation is personal and compelling. You will find no greater advocate."

Obama: "Barack Obama supports the idea of creating a permanent position of an Assistant to the President on Disability Policy in the White House."

via cbs2chicago.com

h/t Coping with Disabilities

Joe Who Can't Afford the Plumber

I don't know about this whole Joe the Plumber business. Last time we called a plumber and got a price, we used a plunger and a can of Drano instead.

There was a time when I had helpers coming in who decided to toss the cloths they were using down my toilet. I understand they wanted to wash their hands in a convenient, quick manner, but unfortunately these were not flushable cloths. I explained that I had to call the plumber to unclog the pipes to this crew once, then twice.

By the third time it was looking like I'd have to get a loan to pay the plumber so I posted this sign over my toilet

"I am an old toilet. Please do not test my limits by throwing anything but toilet paper down me"

This slowed down the plumber's visits, but did not stop them and, in the end, I had to make sure there was nothing around other than regular towels and wash cloths to keep it from happening because, as we all know, plumbers are expensive. And most plumbers have big companies with a number of employees - and their prices reflect their overhead. But it's not a guy with a plunger.

So I was thinking about this last night during the debate. A lot of people may not realize this, but Joe the plumber, who is about to buy a company that makes more than 250 thousand dollars a year, hasn't decided who to vote for yet either.

He believes that if you work hard, anyone can succeed. He feels that being taxed on more income is like being punished for success. He thinks that, because he was able to do it, anyone can. And I applaud him for his hard work, but let me just say this : not everyone who works 12 hour days makes enough money to buy a company.

And the guy with the plunger? That would be Joe Who Can't Afford the Plumber.

Phillies reach World Series

..for the first time since '93.




Kinda reminds you of Rocky....

[left image description: Phillies players congratulate each other after their win.]

[right image description: Sylvester Stallone, who played Rocky, runs with a dog up the famous steps in Philly in the first Rocky movie.]

and the fans celebrate...

Gardening & Other Recreational Aids

A friend of mine always tells me how therapeutic gardening is for her, and how when she first was diagnosed with arthritis she struggled to find items she needed. So I just received a magazine listing some new gardening items for those with arthritis and dexterity issues from aidsforarthritis.com and would like to pass them along! The three items below can be found there.

Bionic Garden Gloves, that improve grip strength by 50% Item 7-05

Upper Hand, a handle you can attach to your garden tools giving more leverage, power and control Item J46

Outside faucet turner, to give better turning leverage for outside faucets, hot water heaters, well pumps, valves under basins, and on water line shut off valves in basements, etc. Can be carried around and transferred. Item E26

You can find more gardening tools here, such as easy grip trowels, hoes and an arm support cuff, among other items.

For other recreational items for those with disabilities who'd like to fish, bowl, cycle, golf or swim, etc. check out Access to Recreation.

Please feel free to leave more links in the comments, if you've found information you'd like to share.

[Disclaimer: This is not an endorsement of their products, but for informational purposes only. I don't receive any compensation from the companies.]

Blog Action Day Poverty 2008

I'm joining the many who are blogging about poverty today, on October 15. This is a day of action, a day when bloggers reach out to highlight the many ways poverty can be brought into the light of day and seen and then - hopefully - eradicated.

In the difficult economic times we are in, many people find themselves struggling to downsize, even explain to their children that they cannot afford the same lifestyle. It is a challenge to all of us, when our own sense of security is at risk, to consider the needs of those worse off. But it is just at those times when it's most important to help others. It provides perspective.

Poverty is about hunger. Poverty is about having no shelter, no health care. Poverty kills people.

I remember a nun telling me a story about her missionary work. She spoke of children having no shoes and walking miles, having no food, no access to immunizations. She described this in terms that, I'm sure, were less stark for a child of seven to hear, but as a young child I was inquisitive, so I asked more questions.

"Sister," I asked, "how come we have so much and they have nothing?" I hesitated, because I was a bit afraid to say what I was thinking, but she nodded at me. "What is God thinking?"

It challenged my faith to hear about children suffering, to see pictures of their bellies extended, flies swirling around their heads which they were too sick to swat away. My own comfortable bed felt wrong that night, my pillow a luxury I didn't need, that could have held a baby, its pillowcase a covering or a diaper. I saw the food on my plate as excessive, food that could have fed more.

I woke up in the morning and said to my parents "We have too much."

I grew up. Somehow I, like many of us, just bought into the status quo that some people live in poverty and the rest of us don't. I saw it as a distant thing, something that affected people far away.

I went on to higher education. It was then that I saw poverty in Detroit. Due to a shortage of student housing, I moved into a room in a neighborhood where poverty left people homeless, standing outside on street corners eating food thrown away by others. I sat across a desk at the free legal aid clinic from people who had no address, no food and no hope. They were castaways, people who fell through the cracks, abandoned by their families and society. All I could give them was a donut, a cup of warm coffee and some very meager legal assistance. And my heart broke when their eyes teared up at these small things. Sometimes I asked "What is God thinking?" Poverty was not a distant problem, but one that I now realized I had to acknowledge and I continued to work with indigent people.

When I acquired my disability, my education about poverty continued. I saw the complex interaction between poverty and disability. Much has been written about how many of the poor people in developing countries have disabilities. Many Americans with disabilities are disproportionately poor, for many reasons. Some are homeless. Some go hungry. Many are invisible and out of sight. It is not always about money, as Kara points out, but sometimes about access.

My own spiritual journey has taught me that it is not God who creates poverty, but injustice that allows it to exist. I believe that poverty, although it is an enormous problem of global proportions, continues because we do not question its existence enough.

Today is a day when we can remember our own first encounter with poverty. It made us uncomfortable. Perhaps you felt, like I did, guilty for having so much. Or you wanted to help, but weren't sure how to.

It's up to you to decide whether to make today an action day or not. You can click here and help others out. Or do something locally. Many food banks are in trouble. Drop off cans of food or donate clothing. If you can't afford any of these things, consider saying a prayer for those suffering in poverty of all kinds - hunger, exposed to the elements, naked, sick and those without hope. Because we are all brothers and sisters, no matter how far away we exist on this planet. We can make the world a smaller place. We can make poverty a bit smaller today too.

The Case of the Lost Cookie

My name is Wednesday, Wendy Wednesday. I was undercover, as undercover as a quadriplegic in a power chair can be who is wearing a bright red Nike T shirt and sporting an orange safety flag. I rolled into the sub shop and looked around.

No one there except the folks behind the counter. I ordered a sub, extra lettuce, extra mustard. That was when it hit me.

"How much are those double fudge cookies?" I asked.

"A buck," the cashier said.

"I'll take one."

In true Dragnet style, I like to keep my conversations brief. You never know when a total stranger will become a witness and have to be questioned. I took my bag with the sub and the double fudge cookie and headed home.

Arrived at my destination while it was still light out. By the time I got there, my cookie was gone. Concluded it fell out when I had to go over that double crack in the sidewalk or skirted around the bicyclist. I was too tired to retrace my steps that day.

The next morning I set out to search for the lost cookie. Double fudge. Wrapped in saran wrap. Clearly identifiable. No fingerprints.

Ruling out the most obvious possibility that the cookie never was put into the bag (since I checked), I did a visual scan of the sidewalks between Point A and Point B. No cookie. I questioned the skateboarder who was playing hooky. He denied seeing the cookie or eating it. His alibi? He's allergic to chocolate.

It was then I found the stray dog laying down beside the white picket fence two blocks away. I leaned down. His breath smelled like double fudge. The wrapper was several feet away, slightly chewed. His tag read Fluffy.

Solved, I thought, rolling back toward the sub shop. It was empty except for the people behind the counter. I ordered a cookie. One. Double fudge.

The story you have just heard is true. The names were changed to protect the innocent.

In this 1954 clip from Dragnet, Leonard Nimoy makes a brief appearance (with the moustache).

Tidal TV: Free online TV

Another freebie for those out there cutting bills - Tidal TV is in beta and offers TV viewing of some well known shows like Star Trek as well as cartoons, animation, adventure shows, sports and newer shows, including CBS, Discovery channel, National Geographic channel, CW, the Food channel, Travel channel and HGTV. Go on over and check it out.

I was hoping we'd play again

It was early morning, out on the tennis courts, and cold for September.

"Come hit some balls with me," my friend said.

We both had final matches that day, but not against each other. "Alright," I said. "It'll warm us up."

We hit the ball back and forth, slowly at first, then harder. People arrived, setting up tables for the competition that day. USTA officials in their distinctive striped shirts started appearing, checking the nets, putting out cans of tennis balls. Volunteers set up breakfast- coffee, juice and trail bars. Other players and tired family members started arriving, parking vans and cars and trucks in the lot not far away, calling out to each other. Their laughter intermingled with the sound of air pumps as tires were filled.

My friend signaled to me and we rolled to the net. "I've always enjoyed playing with you," she said.

"Me, too."

"I was hoping we'd play again this tournament."

"We'll play again," I said.

We didn't. It was her last tournament and she knew it. Her MS was getting worse and by the time the next season rolled around, she wasn't able to play any more.

As I rolled off the court to get ready for my match, I looked back at her. She was in her wheelchair at the center of the court, staring up to the sky, as if asking why.

I didn't understand. I do now.

Phillies one win away from the World Series!

Wild game.............

Disability Blog carnival 47 is up...

over at A Day in Washington.

The theme is policy - of all kinds. Everything from sports to travel to voting to advocacy to government. Go on over and check it out!

And the next carnival?

via Disability Studies, Temple U: Next edition will appear at Barriers, Bridges and Books, where Terri has set the theme as "Capabilities and Capacities." What can you do, what do you know, what have you learned, because of your experience with disability? "Little things and big things," Terri encourages. Submit your links via all the usual means--at the blogcarnival.com form (warning: inaccessible CAPTCHA included), or at BBandB, or just put the phrase "Disability Blog Carnival" in the text of your post, I usually find those too.

Saint John Bosco: Mission to Love- Movie Review

Before I watched this movie, Meredith picked it up and said "This is three hours and 20 minutes long."

"It is?" I said.

And it had subtitles. And the opening scene was poorly acted.

But this was a movie made with love. No doubt some editing of the overused flashbacks would have resulted in a shorter film, but at the same time, that might not have portrayed the work that Don Bosco did with the abandoned youth of Turin as well. Perhaps there wouldn't have been time to show how he stood up to church and state authorities, time after time, simply to provide places for the youth to play and learn, a mission that began after a chance visit to a youth prison where not even the light of day penetrated the crowded, inhumane institution. Or time to have a scene where Don Bosco holds out his empty hand to a boy, striking it in half and saying he would share what he had.

"But you have nothing," the boy said.

What he had was love.

John Bosco, a born student, was put to work in the fields after his father died by an older brother who kept telling him the world was hard and he better learn that. He studied for a time with an older priest, and afterward ran away from home to study for the priesthood. His calling came from God, not from man. At odds with authorities constantly, he turned down assignments and sought ways to help the youth on the street and in jail, such as offering to take groups out of the prison, at the risk of having to go to jail himself if any of them ran away.

His superior kept telling him "You must not insist" whenever Don Bosco tried to change the status quo . But his insistence led to the establishment of the Salesian order and its founding members were some of the youth that he so lovingly protected.

The length of this movie immerses the viewer in stark scenes showing Don Boso working with the children juxtaposed with how authorities saw what he was doing. He was censured for disobedience, labeled a fool, and taken to task for having too much pride. And most of all he was criticized for showing trust toward these abandoned youths, who came to him in droves, seeking a piece of bread, and leaving with an education.

Don Bosco could have chosen not to follow the call of God to help these youths. What I loved about this movie is that his joy of doing so was so clearly shown.
[image description: A picture of the actor playing Saint John Bosco is shown, wearing black robes. Behind him is the actress who played his mother and a group of boys are shown in the background. The words : The Story of the Apostle of Youth are shown on top. Below the title of the film is shown: Saint John Bosco: Mission to Love.]

Well I have my ballot.....

In an irony that hit me more in this election than any other, I find myself rather amused that because I have to do absentee ballots due to (still) accessibility voting issues where I live, I get to vote first.

I think it's more amusing to me this election year than any other because of all of the mobility issues I've been dealing with lately. First my quest to get a power chair as I transition from a manual to a power chair. And now transportation issues as I look around for an affordable van.

In the meantime, I don't need transportation to vote. I'll vote by absentee ballot because it means I get to vote. There was a time I felt outraged that I couldn't get into the voting place with my manual wheelchair and vowed I'd crawl in before using an absentee ballot. And did.

In this election, I look back at other things that outraged me much more in the past four years- conversations I've had with social workers, where I was told that it would just be easier if I stopped working and let the government "take care of me". Move into housing meant for seniors, they said. That way no ramp had to be built on a house in the community. Take the paratransit, even though it wouldn't get me where I need to go for work , where the rules create more barriers than solutions. So stop working, they said again.

They only saw my level of disability, not me.

I have no regrets about going against that advice, but the experiences I've had since will shape my vote. I didn't forge my way this far with the help of so many to cast a vote against community living for others with disabilities. No, I didn't sit inside my house for months waiting to earn money and get resources for a ramp and a power chair to vote for a candidate who doesn't even have a plan for people with disabilities, who lumps our issues in with other, unrelated ones.

Oh yes, I'm ready to vote.

Except I can't until Meredith comes over because I can't fill out the ballot without assistance.

It's a reminder of the barriers that remain, every time the absentee ballot comes in the mail.But I've learned over the past four years that what counts, what matters is that I vote, not how.

I have my ballot.

Reassurance markers

Pennsylvania is a huge state. I learned that once driving through it from Michigan back East when I became lost at night.

I was following a main road and turned off in Pittsburgh to find Chatham College (now Chatham University) that a friend was attending. I thought I'd surprise her with a visit, but when I pulled up, I was told she was out for the night, so I drove back to find the highway. (Yes, the old days, before cell phones!) I suppose, because I was tired and assumed I'd drive back during the day, I didn't pay attention to the route and there were no reassurance markers - those signs that let you know a highway is ahead, that you're on the right route.

I'm looking for reassurance markers with our economy right now, like many others. It's a global issue at this point and will require resolve to address. But I'm constantly reminded how we're all interconnected and that reassurance markers - of the spiritual kind- are all around us.

A woman whose husband has ALS in a state far away contacted me to let me know she needed some equipment for him. That very day, an hour earlier, a person sent me information about an available item - that matched and was in the same state. Using GPS, I found a hauler and the equipment was there within two hours.

I take that as a reassurance marker. No money exchanged hands. Everyone felt good about it. There was no downside. Those folks all played a part in solving a problem that allowed the man with ALS to remain in his home longer. It was a problem an insurance company wasn't going to solve, certainly not on time. And those involved just happened to be "in the right place, at the right time" and acted on it.

This story may do nothing to restore your confidence in the economy, but perhaps it will help restore your confidence in human nature. I see things happening like this almost every day. Perhaps, I thought this morning, it was a good day for me to share this particular reassurance marker.

Katie and the Kids

Meet Katie Banister, who has written a children's book about her disability, teaches handicap awareness in the St. Louis area, runs Access 4 All, works and - well- has a lot to say about living with quadriplegia.

Her book Aunt Katie's Visit can be found at her site here.

A cool leaf blower

It's that season- leaves are rapidly falling off of trees.

As I went through fallen leaves on the sidewalk the other day, my power chair crunched and munched through them. Leaves flew from the side when I hit one spot.

A young boy passing by said "You've got a cool leaf blower!" and turned to his mother and said "We should get one of those."

Medicare drug options fewer for low income

Low-income beneficiaries in Medicare's prescription drug program have fewer plans to choose from next year in every state except Wisconsin, raising concerns among advocates that millions will be forced to change plans — and may find skimpier coverage

An analysis out this week by Avalere Health, a for-profit research firm in Washington, found 308 stand-alone drug plans nationwide next year eligible to serve low-income residents, down about 200 from this year. Those beneficiaries are subsidized by the government. They pay little or no monthly premiums and generally have lower out-of-pocket costs, called deductibles, for drugs than do higher-income policyholders.

via usatoday.com

Advocates note that this is part of a continual disruption in access to benefits to low income recipients of Medicare. Nevada residents will have one plan to choose from; Arizona will have two. Choices will shrink from around 500 plans to 308 overall for residents of other states.

Is anything too hard for the Lord?

Gen 18:14..........Is anything too hard for the Lord?

Apparently not.

I've always hated needing help. I went into a profession so I could help others. It was not in my agenda to ever be the person who "inconvenienced" anyone. I consider myself blessed in so many ways. God has given me intelligence, resourcefulness and a good work ethic. And I always believed that those were enough to get me through any situation. By myself. Truck right through. I prayed to God, but I didn't depend on God.

When I acquired my disability, I decided that perhaps I should reconsider my Lone Ranger act a bit and accept some help. Not much. Just a small bit. And I began to pray differently. God was God, I realized I was not God. Disability or not, this was a very necessary and positive change for me.

I came to yet another crossroad when I needed an aide and Meredith came into my life. Today we are also friends, but that's a miracle. It was rough going at first. Instead of accepting her help graciously, I was frightened because it meant giving up those ideas I had about not needing help. And, boy , did I need help. Things were not working at all because I was pretending I didn't have a disability. Kind of hard to pull off when you have paralysis.

Her favorite line was, and sometimes still is "Are you trying to help me?" as I dropped things while she was trying to help me.

Now we laugh about my initial resistance to help, but the truth is that nothing changed until I changed spiritually. To do that, I had to let go of my idea of how things were going to be. Stepping aside out of my own way,so to speak, involved prayer and an open mind that my life would look different.

Yesterday, Meredith turned to me and said "Things are so much better now, aren't they?" and I nodded yes. Things are phenomenally better.

I can't believe the patience she showed toward my obstinacy and resistance accepting her help. I know God has been with us all along.

Nothing is too hard for the Lord. Even my head.

My waiter looks like a monkey

Well, if you're in a certain restaurant in Japan, maybe he is....





via BBC.com

Yatchan and Fukuchan serve customers hot towels and drinks, and are given soya beans as tips.

The monkeys are family pets who have been allowed to help in the bar. Animal rights regulations mean the premises have been visited to ensure the creatures are not being mistreated

How Canadian candidates debate

On the same night as the US Vice Presidential debate, Canada's debates were held. A blogger writes about the Canadian format and why she preferred it to the podium approach of the single VP debate., including its format.

The CBC shook things up a bit this time ’round (pun intended), and did away with stiff podiums, going with a round table format instead. The 5 leaders (for the benefit of the non-Canadians, they are Gilles Duceppe of the Bloc Quebecois, Jack Layton of the New Democrats, Stephane Dion of the Liberals, incumbent Stephen Harper of the Conservatives, and Elizabeth May of the Green Party) sat around an oval table emblazened with a red maple leaf. The moderator sat at the head of the table. This format, of facing each other, as difficult as it was for the TV crew to shoot, did one thing well - it enabled conversation. And conversational it was! With the leaders facing each other like this, I kind of half expected to see someone come out and serve up a round of beers. I liked the laid back feel, and I think the leaders seemed to enjoy it too. via SuzeMuse

She also discusses the lack of glitz and the "real people, real issues" approach that helped her get information as a voter. Interesting post.

Tonight's Presidential candidate debate will be in the Town Hall format, which provides yet a different "look". 8pm EST.

Crosswalk crush

Crosswalk crush - when drivers from two sides pull up and block the crosswalks, even when pedestrians are already in the crosswalk - drivers making a left or right turn into the crosswalk also ignore the pedestrians in the crosswalk as well as drivers directly facing pedestrians at the intersection they are crossing. So pedestrians already in the crosswalk have two cars to deal with, are going directly in front of vehicles rather than at legal distances, when they were already in the crosswalk and legally have the right of way.

Pedestrian safety involves awareness on both the part of the pedestrian and the driver as to the laws that apply to sharing the road, including the crosswalk areas, sidewalks, driveways, etc. Some tips can be found here.

Apparently, from this crosswalk post I ran into from St. Louis, drivers ignoring crosswalk right of way laws are commonplace. Here's another piece from Westbrook, Maine, where a visually impaired pedestrian has been hit twice due to crosswalk violations by drivers. In Provo, Utah, a plainsclothes undercover officer went out to teach drivers a lesson about crosswalk violations. 52 citations in an hour and a half in Spokane were reported....50 citations in three hours in Riverside, California. See also Crosswalk Sting Nets 800 in Montclair. Police are using decoys as pedestrians to cite crosswalk violators.

The beefed-up enforcement apparently is having an impact.

In conjunction with the crackdown, Ranjit Walia of the Alan M. Voorhees Transportation Center at Rutgers University has been sending out grad students as trained data collectors. At first, they determined a baseline of 11 percent of drivers who yielded to pedestrians in the crosswalk.

In Montclair, he said, that has since risen to 26 percent, and in South Orange, to 32 percent. via nj.com

Enforcement is clearly a large part of the picture in crosswalk safety issues. Understandably, there's much better enforcement around here on streets with red lights than those with stop signs, since those are major intersections, although occasionally I have seen police come by and ticket drivers who block the crosswalk or "race" pedestrians to be first on side streets. I appreciate anything that's done to correct "crosswalk crush", because the sad part about it is that once pedestrians are in a crosswalk, they're pretty vulnerable when cars are coming at them from two directions.



One good thing for visual purposes is that a geometric brick pattern crosswalk was recently installed at a shopping center near me, where I had great difficulty crossing in my wheelchair since drivers just raced through the crosswalk, not even recognizing it. I once waited there twenty minutes trying to cross with cars whizzing by. It remains to be seen, however, if the brick will buckle, causing problems traversing the area for wheelchair users and pedestrians.

As you can see in this photo, it has two wide white lines on each side and the distinctive brick red color is eye catching, making it stand out from the street.

Crosswalks, to some drivers, are just part of the street, I've discovered as a wheelchair pedestrian. Anything that can be done to distinguish them from the streets is a good idea for the safety of those on foot, pushing carriages or wheelchairs, jogging or biking, as long as ADA requirements are followed.

Resources: FHWA Improving Pedestrian Safety
National Safety Pedestrian Campaign
A Resident's Guide for Creating Safe and Walkable Communities
Accessible Sidewalk Videos (For various disabilities- wheelchair users are not the only ones who require accommodations)

For a discussion in the comments about using decoys to cite drivers at crosswalks see this blog post called Cops in a Crosswalk

Teacher suspended for posting Obama youth YouTube video

The video called "Obama Youth - Junior Fraternity Regiment" shows children in military uniforms who speak of being inspired by Obama and chant "Yes We Can". They also highlight points from Obama's health care plan. The teacher works at a charter school.

Joyce McGautha, head of the Urban Community Leadership Academy, was quoted by Fox News saying, "People are upset that possibly taxpayer money is being used to support one particular candidate via Chicago-SunTimes.com

The video can be seen below:

The health care issue

Paul Krugman writes an interesting piece about how the candidates' health plans would affect insurance coverage, pointing out that McCain's plan to deregulate insurance companies would make obtaining coverage difficult to impossible for those with health issues, a topic those of us with disabilities need to consider.

Barack Obama offers incremental reform: regulation of insurers to prevent discrimination against the less healthy, subsidies to help lower-income families buy insurance, and public insurance plans that compete with the private sector. His plan falls short of universal coverage, but it would sharply reduce the number of uninsured.

Mr. McCain, on the other hand, wants to blow up the current system, by eliminating the tax break for employer-provided insurance. And he doesn’t offer a workable alternative.

Without the tax break, many employers would drop their current health plans. Several recent nonpartisan studies estimate that under the McCain plan around 20 million Americans currently covered by their employers would lose their health insurance.

As compensation, the McCain plan would give people a tax credit — $2,500 for an individual, $5,000 for a family — that could be used to buy health insurance in the individual market. At the same time, Mr. McCain would deregulate insurance, leaving insurance companies free to deny coverage to those with health problems — and his proposal for a “high-risk pool” for hard cases would provide little help.

So what would happen?

The good news, such as it is, is that more people would buy individual insurance. Indeed, the total number of uninsured Americans might decline marginally under the McCain plan — although many more Americans would be without insurance than under the Obama plan.

But the people gaining insurance would be those who need it least: relatively healthy Americans with high incomes. Why? Because insurance companies want to cover only healthy people, and even among the healthy only those able to pay a lot in addition to their tax credit would be able to afford coverage (remember, it’s a $5,000 credit, but the average family policy actually costs more than $12,000). via nytimes.com

Another article about health care on the presidential election campaign trail

and here's what the candidates had to say recently on the health care issue

Police arrest of UK man with a disability in the news

Martin James claims police wrenched his arms behind his back while arresting him after he called a newspaper to take a photo of a police van blocking the sidewalk near his home. He called the paper to complain about the way the van was parked by an officer who is a neighbor.



He told magistrates in Llanelli that during the photo-shoot on 19 May an off-duty officer approached him and shouted: "Get off my road, get off my land".

He claimed the row escalated and police wrenched his arm behind him, as they restrained him.

"I was screaming in pain," he said.

"They treated me worse than an animal - they just threw me into the police van onto the floor."

At Carmarthen police station, he claims he was "brutally manhandled" by officers.via news.bbc.co.uk

Officers denied the mistreatment and claim that James was out of control, shouting abuse. They also deny that they threw him in a van. The above photo, taken at the scene, shows officers pulling James' arms behind him. A court ruling is pending.

Free Family Caregiver National Teleclass

The National Family Caregivers Association is offering a free teleclass to assist either professional or family caregivers in learning how to communicate effectively with health care providers. This free two part class will take place on November 6 and 13 at 2pm. Details can be found here.

via NJCIM list serve

An example of accommodation

So many of the accommodations I need as a person with quadriplegia go beyond physical access, such as ramps or accessible bathrooms. Due to dexterity issues, I commonly ask employees for other kinds of assistance - for example, when I go into Starbucks to get a beverage, I ask them to put a straw in it for me since I can't get the paper cover off of the straw, etc.

Often I have to ask numerous times because employees pass the request by word of mouth and it becomes like the telephone game, where by the end of the line the request is lost. But today I saw an employee handle it very well. On my cup, a Starbucks employee wrote the words Put straw in (a closeup on the right is shown and a photo of the cup on the left is pictured). I appreciated this since I didn't have to repeatedly ask for assistance in a crowd, where it can be difficult to be heard. A simple, but effective, solution.