I'd love to have a beer with Prez O

White House Pub Opens at 6 - The Daily Beast

Uh, Mr. President...do you have a straw?

Don't touch this...

...Woman in wheelchair to purse snatcher...

Thank you Guv Schwarzenegger

Kinda sad...we see these kind of glitches..check vs. credit card...in my goverment office with nother agencies.

We work in a "Rules is rules" environment. Sometimes it takes a guv to stop the madness:

Schwarzenegger: Overlook glitch, let paralyzed grad take bar exam - CNN.com: "'Government should work for the people, not against them, and I'm calling on the state bar to allow Sara Granda to take next week's test. Sara is a fighter, and I am with her all the way.'

The state bar's Web site never processed Granda's application for Tuesday's test because California's Department of Rehabilitation paid her $600 fee with a check, according to the Sacramento Bee. The Web site requires a credit card number, but Granda said she was assured by a state bar representative that she was properly registered with the check, the newspaper reported."

Continued prayers for Moo...

...and his post surgery pain managment.

The aftermath @ Terrible Palsy

Palin's numbers are down

Surprise! To complex for me to understand:

Sarah Palin's Poll Numbers Tumble -- Politics Daily: "There's an obvious disconnect here. Weren't you 'Miss Congeniality' in that Alaska pageant back in 1984? Isn't presidential politics just another beauty contest? So surely this latest survey is wrong -- another creation of the 'haters.'

Once you look closely, you can breathe a sigh of relief: 57 percent don't believe Sarah Palin 'understands complex issues.' Big deal. Only about 2 per cent of those who love you understand complex issues. Even so, a 40 percent overall rating beats the heck out of say, '30 Rock.' So take that Tina Fey. Gosh darn it."

What are "The Birthers?"

The party who loss the last presidential election can't seem to gain any traction attacking President Obama's politics, so they are aiming at his credibility. Where was he born? Is he a real US citizen?

Harry Shearer: Why The Birthers?: "Enter Barack Obama. One could be satisfied with opposing him on issues, as I do on the lunacy of the Afghanistan venture (al Qaeda has long since moved its leaders to Pakistan and its recruiting to Somalia) and the vacancy of his response to the continuing federal betrayal of New Orleans. But events show you can't turn out livid opponents to town hall meetings on those policy grounds. You can generate mouth-foamers, however, with the question of his nation of birth. Republicans, dependent on consultants to advise them on the exquisite variety of methods of nay-saying, gaze longingly at the emotional power of a charge of illegitimacy. The birthers are their wind turbines."

Ah...the Palenists....

Prayers for Moo

He's not rolling over the principal's foot this time...he's having surgery.

A new, junior, sports authority on the scene

Some of you might know Mr. E.

Yes, I will one day be able to retire...

Madea with a heart

We just watched "Madea goes to jail" over the weekend...TP is very funny...and has a big heart:

Tyler Perry Treats 65 Swimming Pool Excluded Kids To Disney World

Nice July weekend

Eric rode his bike, and Jodie and I rode our scooters, to downtown Gresham on Saturday. We wanted to see farmers market, but were pleasantly surprised to see the Art Walk. I saw a beautiful painting of Crater Lake.

I had wanted to go to the Troutdale parade, but Eric informed me he was too old for that...whatEVER!

We met our new interim pastor, Craig Jorgensen. He likes to ride horses and motorcycles. Very nice guy. Spoke on how radical Jesus was/is.

The top of my legs are beet red! I knew there was a reason I don't where shorts.

A nice response

Troy,

First, please accept my apology for the incident yesterday at Safeway. You were more than inconvenienced by our apricots not scanning and then a lack of urgency on our part to remedy the situation appropriately. You are obviously an extraordinary individual who makes it his business to find good in all people and all circumstances. I am not a computer savy guy and the only reason I read your kind words about your Safeway experiece was because one of our Safeway associates in California saw your posting and sent it to me. I was humbled by your kind words and thoroughly enjoyed reading more about you and your family. I feel blessed to have had a brief encounter with you.
Thanks for your Safeway patronage. Best wishes to you and your family.
Warmest regards,


Steve Frisby

"I can put the apricots back..."

I went to Safeway again today...a different one from yesterday. Eric did not want to come. Jodie made me a list. I walked it so I could take a cart, because I had a much bigger list today.

When I was in the fruit area, I saw plastic containers of apricots. I like apricots. I am trying to eat better. I could put a couple in my lunch cooler each day.

I went up to checkout. The guy behind me in line was really friendly. He grabbed the box of of pop for me that was on the lower shelf of my cart and hoisted it to the counter for me.

When I went to checkout everything went well until the checkout gal tried to scan the apricots. They would not scan. She typed the number in and it did not come up. She told the bagger girl, but she did not respond. A couple minutes later the checkout gal asked the bagger to go grab another thing of apricots.

She asked me if I had gotten them from the produce section. I confirmed that I did. The bagger went too get another one. Not that she had to run, but she seemed to take a long time.

Same thing...they would not scan and the number would not ring up.

The guy behind me spoke up. He said he was the president of this division of Safeway and he told the checkout gal that she should give me the apricots for free because of the delay they were causing me. He had a southern drawl. I thought, "I'm going to Google this guy when I get home and see who he is."

The bagger girl had not looked at the price of the apricots when she went back, so she walked back to get the price.

She took a long time. The guy behind my reiterated his position that I should get the apricots for free.

I was nervous. I hate being the guy holding up the line. The "president of the division" guy behind me was upset over how I was being made to wait.

I said "I can put the apricots back."

The checkout gal asked "Are you sure?" as she started to reach for them. The guy behind me did not like that.

The bagger returned after a very uncomfortable wait and said "Two fifty!"

When I got home I Googled to find out who the president of the local division of Safeway. His name is Steve Frisby. He started in Arkansas, went to Texas, and then came to Portland. He is president of the Portland division of Safeway. I found a couple older pictures of him.

I am positive that it was Steve Frisby behind me in the checkout line.

He saw me loading the van and offered to help. "I got it, but thank you," I said.

A very gracious man with customer service on the brain.

Angels all around

After a baseball doubleheader with nephew Vance's American Legion team, Eric went went with Vance and family back to their house to go swimming with a friend. Jodie and I went down to the river to see the sights.

On the way home, we stopped at Safeway. I parked on the outer edge of the parking lot. Our Sprinter van is so big, and our rear lift comes out so far...I like to operate it where there is less traffic.

I got my scooter out and went in the store. I keep forgetting to put my basket back in the van. It was filled with parade candy last week.

I piled what groceries I could on the floor of the scooter and on my lap. My helper, Eric, wasn't with me to help me. I was having trouble balancing everything.

I don't feel "disabled"...but when I am on my own around people who don't know...I feel really disabled.

I made it up to the checkout line. An older lady was in front of me. She had straight white hair. When she saw me on the scooter loaded down with groceries, she instantly started helping me get the groceries onto the conveyer belt. I did not find her as being intrusive at all, just hospitable, part of her nature.

The checkout lady was seasoned as well. She seemed well acquinted with the lady who had helped me. As she checked out, she gave her the maximum five dollars cash that her card would allow.

After I checked out, the checkout lady came around. She and the bag girl hung a plastic grocery bag on each arm of my scooter and helped me arrange stuff on the floor of the scooter.

I scooted out to the van and loaded up. I was thinking that the ladies in the store probably would not imagine me driving our monsterous rig.

I drove out onto Division and I stopped at the light at Burnside. I saw the same older lady who had helped me waiting at the corner to cross Division. She was talking to another lady who was with her. She did not see me

A tingle went down my spine as I realized...there truly are angels all around us.

Obama's partying ways...

...miffs the Russians:

The decision to brush off the Russians on one of his two nights here miffed some in the Moscow government who did not understand why he would not devote the scarce time to his hosts. Mr. Obama had dinner with President Dmitri A. Medvedev on Monday and lunch with him on Tuesday. But with the second dinner slot unavailable, he ended up having breakfast Tuesday with Prime Minister Vladimir V. Putin, a known night owl not given to American-style early morning business meals.

Wombat love? No, that's bad...

Man raped by wombat? From Harprer's:

A New Zealand man who claimed he was raped by a wombat and that the experience left him speaking with an Australian accent has been found guilty of wasting police time… Wombats are native to Australia and are not found in New Zealand. –“Man said ‘wombat rape’ led to accent change,” Nick Squires, The Telegraph

Goliath vs, Goliath?

Google drops a bomb on Microsoft:

In the second half of 2010, Google plans to launch the Google Chrome OS, an operating system designed from the ground up to run the Chrome web browser on netbooks. “It’s our attempt to re-think what operating systems should be,” Google writes tonight on its blog.

But let’s be clear on what this really is. This is Google dropping the mother of bombs on its chief rival, Microsoft. It even says as much in the first paragraph of its post, “However, the operating systems that browsers run on were designed in an era where there was no web.” Yeah, who do you think they mean by that?

I love the Google Chrome browser. It is very fast and lightweight. I know it's not a huge deal for people not as addicted to the internet as myself. I look forward to trying GCOS on my netbook.

Celebrating the 4th

For the last five or six years, we have started our Fourth of July festivities with a trip to Corbett for their annual parade.

Small town pride all over the place.

We were late this year and had to go in the back way. A sheriff told us where to park. I turned around our big rig, Jet White, and parked partly on blacktop and partly on the soft shoulder. Luckily our lift came down without any trouble. We scootered about a quarter mile, passing through the parade formation area, to get to the parade route.

We found a open spot at the beginning of the parade route and we decided not to look further down the route...it looked pretty full.

Someone told the color gaurd to get ready. It was only10:30. The formed and started to march. Seconds later, a more senior organizer told them to stop. The parade of cars had to go through first. He told the marines and the sailor to get in the shade that was behind us as the hundred or so cars went by.

Firetrucks, tractors, fancy cars, dirt bikes, horses, kids young and old showing American pride.

A great day to celebrate America's birth in a small town.

30 years

The Walkman turns 30.

I can't believe it has been that long. I remember the amazement of having your favorite music so portible. Did not know then about the 30 gig Zune that gets me through my day now!

Firefox 3.5...twist those fingers!

So, if I twist my fingers on my touchpad I can change tabs??

Right....

Four year old Oregon cold case

CNN cold case Oregon.

I am a "Cold case" fan...but I like it better when they are solved.

Disabled performers pay tribute to Michael Jackson | The Autism News

“They came in and they were very sad, and they had wanted to do a tribute to him,” she said. “And that’s how they show their love for an artist is by dancing to their music.”

“Oh, he was their king, man,” Darden added. “That’s all they talked about when they walked in the door. One girl cried. One girl kept saying ‘Can you believe it? Can you believe it? He’s gone.’ “

Disabled performers pay tribute to Michael Jackson | The Autism News

The Cohost, the Starlet, and the King of Pop

Michael Jackson, Farrah Fawcett, Ed McMahon and celebrity death

The defining Sidekick, Starlet and King of Pop.

This week, three boomer icons gone.

Ed was always on the couch with Johnny to keep the conversation flowing. He was also the man with the Publishers Clearinghouse checks.

Farrah was a starlet whose beauty carried her before her acting ability kicked in. I remember that PeeChee drawing by Greg H in the 7th grade of Farrah's...never mind.

During my college days, Micheal was all over the radio. I confess, I never bought one of his albums, but I do love some of his songs ... "Thriller" and "Billy Jean." Jodie said one of her workers cried when she heard the news of Micheal's death. That took me back 32 years when Elvis died, and the tears my mom shed for him.

I find it odd coincidence the fame and the struggles these three icons shared. Health and money for Ed and Michael; health for Farrah.

Just as Elvis did 32 years ago, these three have "left the building."

In our hearts, Ed will always be the consummate cohost, Farrah the consummate starlet, and Michael the consummate king of pop.

Bam Bam is pitching? Naa!

Eric's baseball team had a tournament in Scappoose over the weekend. We played higher caliber teams.

Two games Saturday, two games Sunday. We lost them all. A couple of the games were close...except for a few errors.

The final game Sunday was against a team from Scappoose. Their first up they hit a few homeruns and had over 10 runs. I stopped keeping track.

The game could have been a lost cause. The coaches decided to have some fun. They let boys pitch who never pitched before.

Bam Bam is a boy on Eric's team who has ADHD. He is a special kid with a huge heart. While the other kids are dealing with the 13-14 year old attitude stuff, Bam Bam is positive. He is also loud at times, sometimes drawing taunts from opposing teams.

Each time he is up to bat, he pounds the plate with his bat -- Bam! Bam! His mom yells "Give it a ride Bam Bam!" We all cheer for him, all the parents and all the team.

On Sunday, the news that the coach was going to put Bam Bam in to pitch. We all thought "Naa!" His mom told us that he had never even tried to pitch.

Bam Bam got to the mound. We were all yelling our fool heads off for Bam Bam.

I then noticed that over from the dugout, my own precious son, Eric, was calling out step by step instructions to Bam Bam. It was Father's Day, and for me my gift was to hear my son coaching and rooting Bam Bam on.

The Scappoose players were hitting at everything. One kid got on base, one kid homered, one kid even struck out.

Bam Bam's pitching debut was a short one, and it may be his last one, but it will not be forgot.

A lesson that there is more to the game of baseball than scoring the most runs.

How thing have changed since the year I was born

GM's 'Tomorrow-Land' at the 1964 World's Fair - Boing Boing

Naughty Obama!!

PETA wishes Obama hadn't swatted that fly

Demolation buses??

Buses behaving badly | GlobalPost

Thanks Wheelie for this gem...

A CP'er pitching, opponents taunting, skill silencing:

WHEELIE CATHOLIC: Mark Selvaka on the Mound

Accessibility at baseball tournament

Jodie and I like it when the places we need to go are accessible, but we have come to realize that is not always the case.

Eric had a baseball tournament at Fiveoaks Middle School over the weekend. The first two games on Saturday were played at the far diamond by the tennis courts. There was a chain across the entrance to the path. Our first time through the chain was down. Jodie and I were able to scoot over it in our motorized scooters.

The path was pretty bumpy in spots, but we were able to make it to the baseball field.

On our way out, the chain was up. My mom helped Jodie and I do the limbo to get under the chain. One of the other parents on our team asked if anyone had the key to lower the chain, but the people running the tournament didn't seem to know.

After lunch, we returned for game 2. We had to go back to the same field. Nobody was there to help us get under the chain. I helped Jodie under. I took my mirror off to get under myself. I felt like I was going to decapitate myself getting under the chain!

The nondisabled have no idea how ingenius we disabled have to be to get by the barriers we come against.

Game 3 was Sunday morning at the front field. The presented accessaibility issues as well. The field was at the bottom of a pretty steep hill. Jodie and I were just going to watch the game from the top of the hill. One of the dads on the team said that if we went way over yonder, we could get around the hill. I did that, but the grass had lots of holes and bumps. You don't realize they are there until you are on a scooter and trying to not tip over. I made it, but it was not a ride Jodie would have liked.

Eric's team dropped two close games Saturday, but came back to win one on Sunday.

He has another tournament next weekend in Scappoose. I wonder what accessibility challenges it will bring for Jodie and I.

Teen 'speaks' through camera

Teen 'speaks' through camera: "A smile forms on his face, as teaching assistant Yvone Pierce readjusts the camera fastened to his wheelchair. She asks if the positioning is all right and his light blue eyes roll upward, indicating the affirmative.
“When he’s ready to take a picture, he’ll snap it,” Pierce explains."

Shorty's Corner

Eric had a baseball game last night at Firwood school in Sandy last night, right by Shorty's Corner.

It proved to be an accessibility challenge for Jodie and I. We parked on the grass where everybody was parking. I brought the lift in our van, Jet White, down, but flipdown ramp would not come down. I got on the lift, took it up a little, then brought it down, and the ramp came down.

We had to scoot a good distance across the grass...holes and bumps everywhere. Jodie followed real close...making me go really slow. She has tipped over before...

The game? Dad's should not ump. Enough said...

When we got back to the van, the ramp on the lift would not come down...no matter what I did. It was Eric that figured out` there is a lever under the ramp that has to land on ground firm enough to activate the ramp. He pressed it and the ramp came down.

What would we do without a smart kid?

Humility from an eleven year old genius...

The 11-Year-Old College Grad - The Daily Beast: "Cavalin doesn’t like to brag: “I don't consider myself a genius because there are 6.5 billion people in this world and each one is smart in his or her own way.”"

Communicator for deaf-blind, Treky styke

WHEELIE CATHOLIC: Immediate Empowerment: "Well, it's here. It's called the DeafBlind Communicator and it allows deaf-blind folks to make phone calls and engage in face to face communication. Washington state and HumanWare designed and manufactured it jointly, in a government -business cooperative effort that has resulted in immediate empowerment for those who have access to this technology."

Outside the box thinking to Middle East

A good move:

Breakthrough with Syria - OregonLive.com: "Kerry's role in all this is intriguing for two reasons: First, it shows that the former Democratic presidential candidate is carving out a role for himself as a foreign-policy player -- courageously taking on issues that are sensitive in political and policy terms. Second, it shows a fluid and creative foreign policy process in the Obama administration, in which people outside the White House inner circle are able to get the president's attention and push the envelope."

Stop trying to be happy....

Ken Dychtwald Ph.D.: Who's Happy And Why?: "So here's the thing. At the end of the day, it may be wisest to judge each of our own life successes not from the outside looking in but from the inside out. It's not about the material things I can show the world, but about how I feel about the work I do; it's about the relationships I have and the love I share.

It may well be, as novelist Edith Wharton said, that 'if only we'd stop trying to be happy we'd have a pretty good time.'"

Teens with special needs get a prom to remember - CNN.com

Nice story:

Teens with special needs get a prom to remember - CNN.com: "This year's prom, dubbed 'The Cinderella Ball,' was held Saturday night at the Willard InterContinental Hotel in Washington. More than 150 teens attended the gala, where they were greeted by 41 Marines. Each one of the teens went down a red carpet, under a Marine Corps sword arch, before being seated for dinner."

Michael Moore: Goodbye, GM

They should have listened 20 years ago:

Michael Moore: Goodbye, GM

Searching for Larry King

I got an email the other day from a mom on behalf of her disabled daughter, Michelle. Her daughter attended Holladay Center in Portland, OR, from 1971-1981.

Holladay Center is a school for the disabled. Currently I believe it is a preschool, but years ago it went through 4th grade. It was a Montessori style of learning, with a heavy dose of therapy.

Jodie and I went there from the mid-60's to the early 70's.

This mom is looking for a classmate of her daughter's named Larry King.

If you know anything about the Larry King who attended Holladay Center in Portland, Oregon, during the 1970's, please contact me.

Also, if anyone who is a Holladay Center alumni would like to, please contact me. I was thinking it might be a good idea for us to share stories and have a place to make contact with each other.

Coffee Shop Aims To Empower Disabled - Portland News Story - KPTV Portland

A great story:

Coffee Shop Aims To Empower Disabled - Portland News Story - KPTV Portland: "Northeast Portland is the new home to a coffee shop that offers a lot more than lattes and mochas. The Full Life coffee shop is enriching the lives of some very special clientele.

Independent contractor Suzanne Foster helped set up the coffee house along Sandy Boulevard that opened two weeks ago to complement the existing Full Life headquarters next door."

The price of freedom

Another fine one by Pitts:

Freedom is worth security risks - Leonard Pitts Jr. - MiamiHerald.com: "No one denies a need to take every reasonable precaution for security. But we need to get over the idea we can guarantee we are never hit again. You simply cannot make that promise and have left a country worth living in. Or as President Eisenhower reputedly said, ``If you want total security, go to prison.''

Some of us would prefer not to. Some of us realize that a degree of risk is inextricable from any degree of freedom."

Quiet long weekend at home

Eric mowed and edged the grass. I weeded the flower beds. Jodie worked on further decluttering our garaged turned storage room.

I took Eric to see Star Trek. We were joined by a couple of his school buddies. I really enjoyed it! It is a prequel to the 60's tv series.

Eric and I went and bought a gas trimmer. Our back garden area is overgrown grass and weeds. Eric had them down in no time!

We watched the NBA semi-finals. Denver should have gotten game 3; at least they got game 4. King Jame's way-out game winning three-shot was magical in game 2...game 3, he was not too impressive.

We waited to hear if Eric had a make-up game on Memorial Day. We never heard, so we barbecued steak instead.

A quiet weekend at home...

Tot has Ebay thing all figured out...

BBC NEWS | Asia-Pacific | Toddler buys real digger online: "The child, Pipi Quinlan, was trying out her online skills while her parents were asleep in bed.

They only unearthed the truth when they received an email demand for NZ$20,000 (£8,000) from the seller.

Pipi's mother, Sarah, had left the computer logged on. The owner of the digger is not insisting on the sale."

Only in the movies...

...Or on CNN:

Sis finds long-lost brother living across the street - CNN.com

Let Vick play?

I have not decided myself. I like Martin's commentaries, and this is a good one:

Commentary: Let Michael Vick play football - CNN.com: "Enough with the public bullying. Vick was sentenced and served his time. And now he's gotten out. If you want to be angry with him, fine. But please, cut the sanctimonious crap. He deserves to make amends and get on with his life. If you were in his shoes, you would want to do the same."

Jodie's turn to see Dr. Molly

Jodie has been dealing with swollen ankles and poor circulation in her legs.

I had an annual checkup scheduled with Dr. Molly today, but with no pressing issues myself right now, I called and canceled my appointment and they let us move Jodie to that slot. I know that my time is coming when I will need the appointments, but not at the moment.

With Jodie's spastic cerebral palsy, poor leg circulation is nothing new. Last week they did an ultrasound to make sure there was now blood clots.

We have both expressed surprise that our doctors we have now know less about our disabilities than the doctors we had when we were young.

Dr. Molly is no slouch. She heads therapy over at Providence Hospital, which makes what she told Jodie today all the more interesting. She said that most people with the amount of spasticity that Jodie has in her legs are not still walking at our age.

We are in uncharted territory. People with our sort of disabilities in previous times did not work full time and were not as active as we are. By no means their fault. The opportunities we have had were not there for them. Dr. Molly said most of them were in wheelchairs and in institutions.

Jodie still walks and Dr. Molly is amazed. If Jodie did not fight to walk every day and did not press on the way she does, she would quickly lose her ability to walk.

Dr. Molly asked how old Jodie will be when she can retire. Well, she told Jodie, "you won't be walking then."

We can live with that. With God's grace, we can live with what comes today and with what comes tomorrow.

Prayers for Brian Grant

I always liked Brian's positive attitude...it continues with added challenge:

Former Blazer Grant reveals big secret | KATU.com - Portland, Oregon | News: "PORTLAND, Ore. - Former NBA forward and Portland resident Brian Grant revealed Monday that he has Parkinson's disease and is starting a Web site devoted to his fight with the neurological disorder.

The 37-year-old Grant told ESPN.com that he was diagnosed in January with 'young onset Parkinson's' and began having tremors in his left hand last summer. He consulted two other well-known Parkinson's suffers, Michael J. Fox and Muhammad Ali, and quickly implemented several lifestyle changes"

There We Go Again. No, Micropayments Won’t “Save Journalism”

There We Go Again. No, Micropayments Won’t “Save Journalism”: "For more perspective on micropayments, you should read “What Would Micropayments Do for Journalism? A Freakonomics Quorum”, in case you haven’t already. I’m lifting this part from the piece, a quote by Marshall W. Van Alstyne (associate professor in the Information Systems department at Boston University and a research scholar at M.I.T) because I think there’s no better way to conclude this post:

Putting micropayments on news is like putting tollbooths on an open ocean. Internet users, awash in a sea of information, will avoid new barriers by navigating around them. And frankly, the interests of a free society are rarely served by building barriers between the people and their news."

Yusuf, formerly Cat Stevens, brings good vibes - CNN.com

His new album, "Roadsinger" is wonderful!

Yusuf, formerly Cat Stevens, brings good vibes - CNN.com

Pay per view for NYT?

I'd go broke fast if I had to pay for all the news I look at on the web. I just move on to free stuff. We need a new broker model...quality news from various sources that I choose. Content that is new and not available for free, with a content clipper I can use on my blog. Give me a fair price for this and I will pay.

New York Times Considers Two Plans to Charge for Content on the Web | The New York Observer: "One includes a 'meter system,' in which the reader can roam freely on the Web site until hitting a predetermined limit of word-count or pageviews, after which a meter will start running and the reader is charged for movement on the site thereafter. He warned staff at the meeting that this pay model would be 'tricky.'"

My time...

Yesterday at work, a caseworker came to my cube mate needing some work done. I remember that I needed something from her.

I review Title IV-E on eligibly kids once a year. I need to have caseworkers sign the reviews. I normally do the review, then I put it in the case worker's box for them to review, sign and get back to me.

For this caseworker I had two reviews from last December, and one from October, that I had not received back. I have emailed her reminders, and given her copies to sign to no avail.

When I hit her up yesterday she said that I need to bring them to her when she is at her desk and wait for her to sign.

So I did that.

Her time is more valuable than mine...I get that.

Next time she needs a Guardianship Assistance IV-E or Adoption Assistance IV-E form from me...I might just wait...

Happy birthday FB founder

25? He's only 25?

Happy 25th Birthday, Mark Zuckerberg

Immigration control - crash the economy...

America's Quiet Border - The Daily Beast

Intoxicated Alaskan woman puts 7-year-old son at the wheel, cops say - Northwest Headlines

Intoxicated Alaskan woman puts 7-year-old son at the wheel, cops say - Northwest Headlines: "A concerned neighbor at the Lakeview Terrace mobile home park called troopers Monday evening after seeing a young boy driving a silver Mazda Protege with a passed-out adult passenger. The neighbor told troopers the young driver came within feet of striking her own parked vehicle."

"Opie!"

Ron Howard Does Letterman Top Ten (VIDEO)

"Find someone to be succesful for..."

Obama ASU Speech: FULL TEXT: "I think one student said it best when she spoke about her senior engineering project building medical devices for people with disabilities in a village in Africa. Her professor showed a video of the folks they'd be helping, and she said, 'When we saw the people on the videos, we began to feel a connection to them. It made us want to be successful for them.'"

This coulda been my office...

Office refrigerator stench packs punch, sends seven to hospital - CNN.com

What's up with Cheney?

Is he running, or is he worried?

Turning down invite from the Prez

Susan Boyle, a lesson in humility:

No Thanks, Mr. President - The Daily Beast

Video: The Comedian-in-Chief -- Politics Daily

10 minute humor boost:

Video: The Comedian-in-Chief -- Politics Daily

The Day Jack Kemp Helped Get MLK His Holiday -- Politics Daily

The Day Jack Kemp Helped Get MLK His Holiday -- Politics Daily: "And so, on that August day, Jack Kemp strode to the lectern in the well of the House and made a blunt and fiery statement. 'I have changed my position on this vote,' he told his colleagues and the world, 'because I really think that the American Revolution will not be complete until we commemorate the civil rights revolution and guarantee those basic declaration of human rights for all Americans and remove those barriers that stand in the way of people being what they were meant to be.'"

I'm not her fan...but I like that she stood up...

...even if it was "Joe the plumber."

Elisabeth Hasselbeck Uninvites Joe the Plumber From Around Her -- Politics Daily

I am a fan of Karl the plumber myself.

Bend woman helps climber with MS scale Mount Everest - Northwest Headlines

Bend woman helps climber with MS scale Mount Everest - Northwest Headlines: "A Bend climber is helping a Boston woman with multiple sclerosis accomplish her dream: summit Mount Everest. This morning's Bend Bulletin reports on the progress of Wendy Booker, 54, the first person with MS to climb the Seven Summits. Booker is accompanied by Brooke Barnes, a guide for Mountain Link Guide Service in Bend, the paper reports."

Out of India: First the $2,000 Nano Car, Now the $7,800 Nano Home - TIME

Out of India: First the $2,000 Nano Car, Now the $7,800 Nano Home - TIME: "Tata Housing Development, the real estate arm of the giant Tata group, is poised to start building apartment-style homes priced from $7,800 to $13,400 in a township being planned at Bhoisar, an industrial suburb located 31 miles (50 km) north of Mumbai. Like the Nano, which was designed to bring some middle-class comforts to the masses, the homes are geared for the hundreds of millions of Indians making less than $5,000 a year who are unable to afford decent dwellings. 'We have realized that there is an opportunity at the bottom of the pyramid,' says Brotin Banerjee, CEO of Tata Housing Development. (Read 'India's Top Automaker, Tata Motors, Hits a Rough Patch.')"

Obama supports...

...my SEIU brethren:

Obama Vs. Schwarzenegger: White House Threatens To Rescind Stimulus Funds

Cerebral Palsy: Step of Mind

Thank you Annette for finding this gem. A young cp'er from Palestine learning to walk with a special boot.

Makes me wonder how many problems we could solve in a world focused on solutions....

YouTube - Learning to Walk with Cerebral Palsy: Step of Mind

I want to move to France

Nine hours sleeping...two hours eating...


Quiet, the French Are Sleeping - The Daily Beast

An e-newspaper

This sounds like a great idea. Make the service affordable...


Big-Screen e-Readers May Help Save Newspapers - NYTimes.com

Disability dress up day

Be sure to follow the link from Terrible Palsy...just amazing!

I think I will dress up like an abled bodied...

What??? (Edited) « Terrible Palsy

Just like our house ;)

Sasha and Malia Shirk Dog Duty - The Daily Beast

Leave it to California...

I can make fun of my birth state....

Miss California's Breast Implants Funded By Pageant: CONFIRMED

Swine flu

I keep waiting to hear that it's not a big deal, but apparently it is:

CDC - Influenza (Flu) | Swine Influenza (Flu)

Besides being a money maker on Ebay, what is this all about?

Pray...and wash your hands!

Work....

I don't say much about work here. Eric says I have the most boring job in the world. That's part of it. Confidentiality is another part.

Title IV-E is a federal funding stream that reimburses states for the costs of kids being in foster care.

Sounds simple enough, I know.

Throw in court orders without the right best interest or reasonable efforts wording, financial verification, deprivation in the home, legal removal.

Throw in SSI, Adoption Assistance, Guardianship Assistance, COBRA...

At the end of the day my brain is dead!

I am one of about 30 people who do this statewide. I help some of the newer IV-E specialists around the state by answering their questions. Rarely is there a simple answer.

One less worry...

;)

Astronomers take virtual plunge into black hole - CNN.com: "Anyone worried about Earth being swallowed by a black hole should also be relieved to know the closest one astronomers know about is 3,000 light years away, which McClintock called a 'super, super, super safe' distance. He added that we wouldn't be sucked in even if the sun, which is only 8 light minutes away from Earth, were suddenly replaced by a black hole of the same mass."

This was not funny...

As one who has taken notes on staffings and seen pics of real shaken babies...this was not funny:

Apple Pulls 'Baby Shaker' iPhone Program

Optimism will carry us through...

We are in a slump, yes, but I think perception of that slump can make it worse:

Obama Fuels Optimism - The Daily Beast

But then again, I'm not looking for a job...

Sticks and stones...

Of all the names I've been called, "retard" has always stung the most. This is a good move:

Disability News | PatriciaEBauer.com » News Archive » Texas takes on ‘R-word’: "The Texas legislature is considering a bill that would ban variations of the word “retarded” in official state business. The bill, promoted by state Sen. Judith Zaffirini (D-Laredo) would ban terms including “mental retardation” in all state statutes and resolutions, replacing them with variations of the phrase “intellectual disabilities.”"

Mama Obama

BBC World Service - Outlook - Mama Sarah: Barack Obama's grandmother: "'When there is a football match, you look at the foot of those who are playing,' she said, 'In this case Barack is determined and the rest is God who can determine."

Economy: How bad is it around the world?

Click on a country to see what's happening there:

Global News | World | International: "Special Report
20 correspondents, 20 countries and a world of pain. Meet the ground truth of the global economic crisis."

Sad, happy story...

Siberian husky found after crash, death of owner - OregonLive.com: "Lynn, who declined to give her full name, said in a telephone interview she's spent more than 60 hours over the last week 'networking for Neo.' She's been in daily contact with Moore, whom she never knew before the story of the lost dog touched her heart.

'It's my joy and my pleasure to do this,' she said. 'It's a very happy ending to a very rough couple of weeks for everybody.'"

Laugh or cry?

"human wet blanket"...made me laugh...but this is a smart dude:

Krugman: Economy Still Bad - The Daily Beast: "Krugman: Economy Still Bad

The human wet blanket, New York Times columnist Paul Krugman warns that recent optimism over the economy may be overblown in a piece today. 'The most you can say is that there are scattered signs that things are getting worse more slowly,' Krugman wrote."

A mother's journey

This brave mother did not take her son's 9/11 death sitting down. It drove her to service.

Sad ending to article...should drive us to prayer folks.

Global News | World | International: "BOSTON — Ever since that crystal clear fall morning of Sept. 11, 2001, Sally Goodrich has been on a journey.

It led her to Afghanistan, where she has spent the last several years reaching out to the very country where the hijackers who took the life of her son, Peter, were trained, funded and inspired. Hers was a long journey toward healing and then hope."

That smell...

A sweet story...Institute of Perfumery:

Grasse Institute of Perfumery: "“A perfume hides a story,” said Laurence Fauvel, a perfumer and one of the teachers at the school, which opened in February 2002. “To create something really new is very difficult.”

In class, the students flared their nostrils against white tester strips dipped in scented, mostly clear liquid. The exercise tested their olfactory memories as they built on the more than 300 natural and synthetic odors they had memorized since the course began in late January. The task included identifying the scents’ compounds and family."

Through my eyes

My first published article was "Life through my eyes" when I was in eight grade...same idea as this:

'Self-portraits' of life with disabilities: "Those messages come through loud and clear in the photos he took as part of the art show titled 'Through Our Eyes: Life as Seen By Young People With Special Needs.'"

Big DUH!

Small Cars: Collision Test Losers

I get nervous whenever I pull up behind one of these micro cars. Our Sprinter would decimate these little things if something unfortunate were to happen.

I don't buy the argument that they should be driven only in safe, low traffic areas...Where is that?

Or that we'd all be be driving 18 wheelers if safety were paramount.

Crazy!

A Brief History of the White House Easter Egg Roll - TIME

Interesting stuff...from the Turf Protection Act...to the gay crashing...to the environmentally friendly Easter egg:

A Brief History of the White House Easter Egg Roll - TIME

Thank you!

Mike, Vance, and Eric - thank you for mowing, edging, and fertilizing our yard.

Front and back...it looks wonderful!

Thank you!

He is risen!

He has risen indeed!

Happy Easter all.

It was an emotional Easter service for Jodie. It was the first one she has attended without her mom. Ma2 is still recovering at home from her recent stroke.

Jodie's sisters, the grandkids, family friend Joyce and her boys, we all gathered with Ma2 for Easter. We feasted on Chinese food.

Before the stroke, Ma2 had been working on scrapbooks for each of the basketball players on Vance's team. Today the ladies helped her finish them. Happy comradery. A smile on her face. Great therapy I'd say.

He is risen!

Honda going to the dogs...

New York Auto Show - Dog Friendly Honda Element Concept - It Brakes for Fire Hydrants - List - NYTimes.com

Bolivian President is serious about equal rights

Bolivian President On Hunger Strike - The Daily Beast

BYU NewsNet - Miss Iowa goes national about living with cerebral palsy

Abby is still getting the message out there. A beauty from the inside out.

BYU NewsNet - Miss Iowa goes national about living with cerebral palsy: "Tell Abby Curran she can’t do something and her reply will be, “watch me.” This was her attitude when she wanted to run for the Miss Iowa State beauty pageant."

“When I was told I could never enter a beauty pageant because of my condition, I not only entered, but competed and placed,” she said. “I’m living proof that believing in yourself and reaching for the stars can make all the difference in the world.”

Curran, 21, became the first person with a disability to compete for the Miss Iowa State pageant.

Iraq stalemate

I heard Tom Ricks on Mark and Dave last night. Iraq is the biggest foreign policy mistake US has ever made. No good way to proceed.

Chris Snethen at the Vig went to the book signing last night:

Eat, drink, and be merry

Love you Ma2!

I began twittering about Ma2 two weeks ago. Ma2 is my mother-in-law...my beloved Ma2.

She has not been herself for months. Severe back pain has kept her down. A couple times we all (Jodie, her two sisters, and grandkids) went to ER with her. Each time was a different diagnosis.

Two weeks ago, Ma2's head was hurting. Probably a migraine...we all thought. She was confused after a church service, but she was ok when she got home.

On Thursday we went to nephew Vance's tournament baseball game. Ma2 loves watching his games. She was there, but she felt rough.

The next day, day 2 of the tournament, Ma2 was too sick to go. Jodie, Eric and I went and sat with her. Jodie's sister, her boyfriend, and Vance live with her.

Ma2 got sicker and sicker. She got really confused. We took her to the ER.

Turns out Ma2 had a series of two or three strokes. After a week in the hospital she is at home resting.

Physically she is fine. Her vision on the right side is limited. She is using a walker for now for a little more stability.

She is having trouble processing. Reading is hard for now. But therapists are coming to her house help Ma2 recover.

Jodie and her sisters are teaming up to make sure Ma2 is not alone for awhile.

Prayers for Ma2...prayers for all of us as we support her too...thanks!

Smelly offense....

Sorry, I couldn't resist:

Referee warns soccer player for farting - Boing Boing

What do you get when you cross a netbook with a desktop?

But of course:

Acer, Nvidia Team Up for Ion-Powered Nettop PC

Clubbing for all teens...

Bringing disabled teens and non-disabled teens together:

Club nights for disabled teens - Hemelhempstead Today

Accesibility...good business sense

Facebook Commits To Making Social Networking More Accessible For Visually Challenged Users: "Facebook is working together with the American Foundation for the Blind (AFB) to make its social networking service more accessible to users who are blind or visually impaired. In a company blog post, the non-profit organization’s President, Carl Augusto, explains which problems visually challenged users encounter when surfing the web and how they’re able to overcome these issues with the help of website publishers, developers and designers.

This makes sense from Facebook’s perspective too, of course. There are a lot of visually impaired people on the planet, and they want to connect to their friends, relatives and peers just as much as you and me."

"PUMA" ...pretty cool...

Segway, GM "PUMA" Vehicle Unveiled: "The Personal Urban Mobility and Accessibility, or PUMA, project also would involve a vast communications network that would allow vehicles to interact with each other, regulate the flow of traffic and prevent crashes from happening.

'We're excited about doing more with less,' said Jim Norrod, chief executive of Segway, the Bedford, N.H.-based maker of electric scooters. 'Less emissions, less dependability on foreign oil and less space.'"

China Takes a Small Step Away from the Dollar - TIME

Dollar's fall from grace?? I wonder why...

China Takes a Small Step Away from the Dollar - TIME

Barbie goes to China...

Barbie Targets Shanghai Women - The Daily Beast

Nail lodged in nose?

Man coughs up 30-year-old nail - Boing Boing

Might as well have fun with it...

Postcard: New York's Unemployed Olympians - TIME: "Unemployment Olympians must show proof of their unemployment in the form of a New York State unemployment card, a termination letter or other evidence of job loss. They register for events at a lopsided cardboard stand with the words 'Unemployment Office,' painted above it, which looks like a recession-weary version of Lucy's 'Doctor is in' lemonade stand from Peanuts."