Rolling Rains Report:

MTB-Amputee - Rsources for Amputee Mountain Bike Riders

Victor G. Walther has created a site for amputees who ride mountain bikes. He includes tips for riding, photos, links, and events

MTB-Amputee is currently working on establishing a week long clinic for amputee mountain bikers to be held on Mount Washington in July 2008.

From the web site:

The purpose of the Clinic is to provide instruction and guidance for beginner and novice amputee mountain bikers, as well as develop advanced MTB skills, technique, and prosthetic devices for expert and competitive riders. Additionally, MTB-Amputee is working on establishing a Ride & Race program that would provide support for competitive riders as well as guidance and instruction for those that wish to compete. Please note that as of yet, MTB-Amputee has not secured the necessary funding in order to cover the cost of hosting the Clinic or Race program. If you would like information on becoming a sponsor, please contact Victor. If you would like to participate or would like more information, please contact Victor at: mtb-amputee@mtb-amputee.com

http://www.mtb-amputee.com/bikeweek.htm

Keese Buchanan on "Remembering Why I Travel"

As Kevin Connolly travels around the world on a skateboard documenting photos of what he encounters as a travelers with no legs, Keese Buchanan reflects on an encounter with a un-named disabled African man in "Remembering Why I Travel":

There are few wheelchairs in Africa and even fewer wheel-chair accessible areas so people who can't walk will buy flip flops and put their hands in them, using them to drag themselves along through mud, garbage and crowds of people's feet. It always breaks my heart, imagine all day scuffling along without anyone to even look into your eyes as they step over you.

A man like this was dressed in a suit, the navy blue sleeves skimming through piles of garbage. He pulled himself up to the table I was at. I bought him and myself some steaming french fries (chips) wrapped, as usual, in someone's old math homework on notebook paper.

Maybe it is hard to travel the way I do, but I travel more to meet people than to see sights, and traveling alone I have opportunities I would never have if I always took solace in other travelers. ... It is scary and lonely sometimes, well, a lot of the time. But in the end, I know traveling this way is the most powerful way to travel. It gets me under the skin of a culture- blisters and all.

And hopefully the reason you write is to open the world that only you see to the rest of us. Thanks, for sharing lunch, Keese. It fed multitudes.

For the full post see Remembering Why I Travel:

http://dailycamera.com/blogs/community-blog-journey-through-africa/2008/mar/16/whytravel/

Changemakers - Open Source Social Solutions

From the "Fun with Widgets File" comes this little gizmo that can be added to an email, dropped onto your desktop, or plopped into your blog so you can keep up with what is being said about the Inclusive Tourism Centers of Excellence Proposal under consideration at the Ashoka Changemaker Geotourism Challenge:

Scroll down to see all the comments. You will find the Inclusive Tourism centers of Excellence Proposal here:

http://www.changemakers.net/en-us/node/5951

Advertising to Baby Bomers Blog - Chuck Nyren on Boomeropia

Over at Advertising to Baby Boomers Chuck Nyren included a flattering profile of the Rolling Rains blog and this sage advice on Boomeropia:

The name Boomeropia is abominable. In my book I warn against calling Boomers Boomers and naming anything “Boomer-whatever”. But they’ll find out soon enough. When I see “Boomeropia” I think of those neologism contests, mostly blends. Boomeropia sounds to me like a blend of boomer and myopia - a term boomer-bashers (a neoligism! as is 'baby boomers') might come up with:

Boomeropia: A psychological disorder prevalent in Baby Boomers who have convinced themselves that they are the only generation of any importance. In advanced stages of the disease, patients believe that there is only one generation - Baby Boomers. All other generations are merely cohorts and wannabes. Also known as “The Me Generation”.)

Source: http://advertisingtobabyboomers.blogspot.com/2008/02/boomertopia.html

They don't call these guys "creatives" for nothing!

Chuck, I'll be up next month. I'm looking forward to being regaled by your wit through another cup of coffee -- or two or three -- at Starbucks in Crossroads if you're free.

Dança em Cadeira de Rodas (Portuguese)

Importante ferramenta de reabilitação física e social de pessoas com
deficiência através da arte.
A exploração dos movimentos que mostram a eficiência da pessoa e não
somente a limitação, já que esta é óbvia.
"O grande barato, cara, é a gente além de se mostrar, conquistar!".

Try to Catch Johnny Jet!

Doing some travel planning and have access to the Internet but maybe not all the time you need? See if Johnny Jet's list of Online Travel Resources has what you need:

http://johnnyjet.com/LATimes2008.html

India: Disability Research & Design Foundation (DRDF)

Meet Nilesh Singit and Abhisek Ray co-founders of Disability Research and Design Foundation (DRDF). DRDF qualifies as the sort of "Knockout Idea" that Ashoka Foundation looks for in selecting social entrepreneurs:

The Knockout Test: A New Idea

Ashoka cannot elect someone to the Fellowship unless he or she is possessed by a new idea—a new solution or approach to a social problem—that will change the pattern in a field, be it human rights, the environment, or any other. We evaluate the idea historically and against its contemporaries in the field, looking for innovation and real change potential.

The also select on creativity, social impact, ethical fiber, and entrepreneurial quality:

Perhaps our most important criterion, entrepreneurial quality is the defining characteristic of first class entrepreneurs. It defines leaders who see opportunities for change and innovation and devote themselves entirely to making that change happen. These leaders often have little interest in anything beyond their mission, and they are willing to spend the next ten to fifteen years making a historical development take place. This total absorption is critical to transforming a new idea into reality, and it is for this reason that Ashoka insists that candidates commit themselves full-time to their ideas during the launch phase.

Ashoka is looking for the Andrew Carnegies, Henry Fords, and Steve Jobses of the citizen sector.

If you know someone pursuing a project that fits these criteria nominate them here: http://ashoka.org/support/nominate

DRDF has been started by two individuals with diverse backgrounds who have
contributed towards making an inclusive society in Mumbai. DRDF seeks to
exercise influence well beyond the economics, helping to shape political,
social, environmental and cultural arenas. DRDF’s endeavor is to bridge the
technological divide and to liaison with various government, non-government
and private and corporate organizations and create the resources for market
feasibility by providing cost-effective assistive technologies, adhering to
universal design standards, legislative/policy changes through lobbying and
advocacy, new skills and competency to users and manufacturers taking into
consideration the needs of individuals with disabilities.

Design and technology are increasingly becoming the means wherein a person
with disability can achieve independence and lead a life of self sufficiency.
However a large percentage of people with disabilities in developing
countries like India do not have access to these fundamental resources.
Barrier free environments are the first step towards inclusion in Indian
cities where individuals with disabilities remain excluded from the public
realm. Accessibility is thus a vital tool towards promoting education,
employment and social amalgamation of the individual.

As a growing liberalised world we need to endorse an attitudinal change which
is deemed vital in the formation of an all inclusive society. In a society
where disability is considered as a curse by religion and tradition, it is a
challenge to institute such a change.

Our Services

Planning and execution of Barrier Free Environments/ Accessible and Universal
Design.
Design of Assistive devices for individuals with disability.
Access audits and consultancy/recommendations of public and private realms.
Advocacy and rights awareness on issues pertaining to disability and access.

Our Experience

Access Audits

1)Domestic Airport, Victoria Terminus, Mahalaxmi, Kharghar, Kopar Khairane,
Turbhe Rlwy Stns, Mumbai
2)In Orbit Shopping Mall, Imax Adlabs, Fame Adlabs , Fun Republic, Mumbai
3)Reserve Bank of India, Mumbai
4)Taj Malabar, Cochin
5)Welingkar School of Management

Assistive Devices

1)Electrically operated wheelchair lift for Reserve Bank of India, Mumbai.
2) Hydraulically operated wheelchair lift for the High Court, Mumbai.
Barrier Free Design
1)Design of barrier free weekend Bungalow, Neral
2)Design of ramp for High Court, Mumbai
3)Design of accessible toilets for Reserve Bank of India, Mumbai
4)Residential interiors for a person with Polio myletis.
5)Design for Weligkar Institute of Management, Mumbai.
6)Development of driving and passenger aids for people with disabilities.

Advocacy

1)Presentation on Barrier free design for Indian Institute of Architects, Pune
Chapter.
2)Presentation on Barrier free design for Indian Institute of Architects,
Cochin Chapter.
3)‘Katha- Stories from the Desert’ Film on post earthquake rehabilitation in
Kutchh, Gujarat.
4)Presentation on Access and disability rights for India Centre for Human
Rights and Law, Kerala.
5)Presentation and film premiere at the Universal Design Conference, Rio de
Janeiro, Brazil.
6)Presentation on Barrier free design at the People Building Better Cities,
UIA, 2005, Istanbul, Turkey.
7)Presentation on Barrier Free Design for Sukriti Social Foundation, Chennai,
2007
8) UNRCPD : Presentation at the sixth adhoc session August 2005 on
Accessibility at NY UNCRPD with emphasis on accessibility in India

Entrevista com Eduardo Camara e Bianca Marotta do Blog Mão na Roda

Meet Brazilians Eduardo Camara and Bianca Marotta in this interview from Programa Especial on TVE Brasil. You will find the blog here - http://www.oglobo.com.br/blogs/maonaroda

East Meets West: An Iconographer's Approach

With a touch of humor and an artist's eye for economy of expression the attached .pdf document looks at culture along an East/West divide.

Download file

Ahoy! Accessible Yachts from Waypoint Charter

Perusing the Bellingham Herald I found:

Waypoint books custom charters to explore waterways around the world — including the Pacific Northwest, Alaska, Mexico, the Caribbean, the Mediterranean and the canals of Europe. An independent charter broker representing thousands of luxury vessels worldwide, Waypoint has begun brokering handicapped-accessible charters in part due to company owner Sherri Backstrom’s own physical challenges.

A lifelong sailor and yachting enthusiast who has been diagnosed with a neurological disease, Backstrom started her company with the mission of helping people of all ability levels travel the world’s waterways.

To learn more about Waypoint Charter’s broker services for yacht and sailboat vacations, go to www.waypointcharter.com or call the Waypoint office at 656-5934.

For the whole article see:

http://www.bellinghamherald.com/business/story/298127.html

Those who read "below the fold" here are likely to have a serious and ongoing interest in the success of the demographic of travelers with disabilities. For you I offer this excerpt from Waypoint on the value-add of working with a broker:

Why Use a Broker?

You're eager to start planning your charter dream vacation. But is it really necessary to use the services of a charter broker? The answer is yes-for several important reasons:

1. We have first hand knowledge. An independent charter broker, Waypoint Charter Services represents many different power yachts and sailboats including a variety of catamarans, monohulls and multihulls. Our reputation depends on recommending only the best vessels to our clients, so we get to know each and every operation personally. With this kind of firsthand knowledge, we are able to recommend only the packages that are a good match for you.

2. We have the skills to assess your charter vacation needs. As a broker with over a decade of experience in the charter industry, we'll ask questions designed to ensure you have a clear picture of your dream yacht or sailboat vacation-and the kind of charter package that will make it a reality.

3. We offer comprehensive services. If you have questions or concerns about your charter package, we will address them right away. With our team working for you, you can forego the hassle of contacting a busy vessel owner or crew. Instead we handle everything, allowing you to prepare for your trip.

4. Our services cost you absolutely nothing. Waypoint's services are complimentary-you never pay additional costs or hidden fees. Compensated by the charter operations we represent, we are paid to focus on your needs and best interests before, during and after your vacation.

Remember, with Waypoint Charter Services you pay no additional costs or hidden fees, ever.

http://waypointcharter.com/accessible_travel.htm

Calculating Inclusive Travel Satisfaction

John Macdonald describes himself as engaging in "the great Canadian indoor pastime of dreaming about warmer locations " in his piece, Daydreams of Warmer Places.

In a bit of algorithmic creativity that could have come straight from the chalkboards of Numb3rs
he offers:

A (attitude of staff) x B (building amenities) = C (customer satisfaction)

See his whole article here:

http://www.mykawartha.com/news/article/25640

Travel at Insight Radio: "Europe's First Radio Station for Blind and Partially Sighted Listeners"

Insight Radio is "Europe's First Radio Station for Blind and Partially Sighted Listeners" and they have a travel section:

Simon Pauley chats with Amar Latif from Traveleyes and Kirsty Major about a recent Traveleyes trip to Canada
http://streaming.planetwideradio.com/viparchive/TraveleyesCanada.mp3

Presenter Simon Pauley chatted with Hannah Williams about some of the holidays the charity organise for blind and partially sighted people.
http://streaming.planetwideradio.com/viparchive/Accessible%20holidays%20-%20Action%204%20blind%20people.mp3

Interview with Scott Rains on Xable.com

Here is a link to a conversation I had with Elio Navarro of Xable.com on Inclusive Tourism:

http://www.xable.com/videos/100370

No Need to Choose Between Attractiveness and Accessibility

I have been calling it "the distinction between and sterile and style." Rita St. Clair of the Chicago Daily Herald sets it out at, "No need to choose between attractiveness and accessibility" in this brief nod to Universal Design.

Samartha Travels in Mumbai has Rentals: Do India in a Lift Van!

Prasad Phanasgaonkar of Mumbai runs a car rental agency. He also has Muscular Dystrophy. They built this lift-equipped van.

Check out their web site at http://www.samarthatravels.com/

"FlexHouse": Canadian for "Universal Design"

Here's how Shannon Proudfoot, of CanWest News Service, presents

Three doors down from their current home in Edmonton, Alison and Peter Faid are building a new house they hope will be their last.

The one they live in now has 62 stairs and an elevated living room that already pose problems for some friends with multiple sclerosis or joint replacements. The Faids -- 55 and 63, respectively, with two grown sons -- aren't ready to retire, but down the road, they don't want to be forced "out the door to Horizon Village or whatever, because of accessibility issues," Alison says.

The answer was a FlexHouse, a concept that originated with the Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation (CMHC) in the 1990s but never caught on in the mainstream, despite the alluring sales pitch that it means never having to move again. The basic principle -- a house that grows with its occupants and their future needs -- is also called universal design.

In a way, on the principle that "imitation is the sincerest form of flattery," it is encouraging to see people flocking to claim Ron Mace and companions' concretization of the goals of the Disability Rights Movement in architecture -- the seven principles of Universal Design. Much like AARP has popularized this product of crip culture through its extensive online resources on lifespan home design the concept continues to win converts. Taken to the next step of neighborhood and municipal planning we have the Liveable Community movement and Age-Friendly Cities.

Business Travel in the Sports Industry

Often the entries here are about leisure travel and disability. Today here is a story about another person with a disability (PwD) in a non traditional job -- and how travel is essential to it:

He spends hours on the football field, but his feet never touch the turf. His specialty is dissecting offenses, but he's never played a down.

Meet Brian Kajiyama, a first-year graduate assistant for Hawaii who was born with cerebral palsy, scoots around in a motorized wheelchair and communicates by typing into a small computer that speaks in a robotic voice.

As a member of the coach June Jones' staff, Kajiyama is responsible for breaking down game film and preparing scouting reports for the defense.

In spite of succumbing to the "brave crip inspires TABs" (look it up) narrative, the story is worth reading as one more reason why Article 9 on the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities and the pent-up consumer demand for accessibility in the travel & hospitality industry is changing the face of travel.

The full story:

http://www.iht.com/articles/ap/2007/12/24/sports/FBC-T25-Sugar-Bowl-Kajiyama.php

David Greenhalgh and DisabilityFilms.co.uk

David Greenhalgh is making a difference.

“I had an operation to stop things from getting worse. They cut away part of my spinal cord c4 to c7. When I came out of the hospital, I was trapped at home for months. After becoming disabled, my first idea was to compile a general database of disability resources but my hobbies were films and books. Eventually, I made the decision to compile a list of films that involved disabilities. I put it on the web in 1994,” Greenhalgh said. “The Internet was such a free-spirited place, I felt I was giving something back. The website I created www.disabilityfilms.co.uk was and still is in its scope unique. There are hundreds of disability-related sites offering general information, but I think the more specialized ones are the most useful.”

“There is a rash of films these days involving disabilities; some good, some bad. I did want to increase the scope of the site and add some extended essays on aspects of disability in films, but some of what I wanted to say is slightly controversial. Most people think disabled actors should play disabled characters. I believe being an actor is about acting. My roots are in repertory theatre where the same group of actors played all the roles; women as old and young, women as men, and vice versa. But obviously disabled actors should get equal chances. I shun politically correct terms like actors with disabilities,” Greenhalgh explained. “An actor with Down Syndrome or an actor using a wheelchair should not play just characters like themselves. In most drama an actor with a disability can play a father, a mother, a student who just happens to be disabled and this is not the focus of the plot.”

There is a lot more to the story. You can read it here:

http://www.americanchronicle.com/articles/viewArticle.asp?articleID=46901

Carol Abrahamson on Easy Living

Carol Abrahamson is a prolific writer on home design and remodeling. Fortunately for us she has an eye for accessibility and Universal Design. I won't steal her thunder but rather give you the insiders' tip that she has a helpful post called "Ten Convenience Built-Ins That'll Help Seniors And The Disabled Live Independently."

Building for a Lifetime

There are some people who should be put out of business. Take the RV Care-A-Vanners group.

Don't get me wrong these folks do fantastic work and some chapters of Habitat for Humanity have learned the value of Universal Design and adopted it. If UD - or at least Visitability - was standard practice then maybe the mn mentioned in this article never would have been seprarted from his family -- and the Browns and Vandevelds could go fishing (or build some new homes instead of doing emergency retrofits.)

http://www.thebrunswicknews.com/open_access/news/290413716283284.php

For more on RV Care-a-Vanners:

http://www.habitat.org/rv/

Spain & Inclusive Tourism: Ara Lleida

Ara Lleida presents Inclusive Tourism in the typical European fashion as a "social benefit that ought to be available to all." This "rights-based" orientation may be somewhat foreign to those in the United States. It should not be. The United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (CRPD) affirms transportation accessibility as a right. Tourism is a specific case of that right to transportation access. In fact, in Asia, the UNESCAP Biwako Plus Five document explicitly calls for promotion of Inclusive Tourism as goal of regional development policy.

Take a look t Ara Lleida's approach to inclusion on the Iberian Peninsula available here in Spanish

A Disability Movement is to be Born - Some Reflections from an Outsider

The situation of people with disabilities in Malta is similar to many other countries. In 2005 Dr Andrew Azzopardi published a reflection on the dynamics of the Disability Rights Movement in his country.

A Disability Movement is to be Born - Some Reflections from an Outsider
by Dr Andrew Azzopardi

Dr Andrew Azzopardi asks why is there is so much struggle within disability groups
Friday, 27 May, 2005

In this last decade, the disability community in Malta has made significant progress on the "services" dimension. What was previously focused on charity-based and individualised, fragmented and sporadic initiatives, is now emerging in a package of community services and new programmes in the health, welfare and educational spheres. There has also been a significant increase in public awareness with certain disability issues finding their way into the national agenda.

However, locally we look as if we have given a lot of impetus to "needs based initiatives" and focused almost entirely on the conception of new services. Little, in my opinion, has been invested so far in dialogue and maturing discourse - in this facet we have been left with a dearth.

Disabled people in Malta have really and truly been silenced by the fears that non-disabled citizens have created. The politics of "difference" within the disability community began to be recognised following the establishment of the National Commission Persons with Disability in the 80's and the momentum of initiatives this strategy produced.

In the UK and the USA, other influential movements like Black activism, Feminist campaigning and Gay pride militancy, contributed to the "conception" of an organised disability lobby (Oliver, 1990; Corbett, 1994; Davies, 1994), Even though gays and disabled communities vary in other fundamental concepts, such as, the 'body beautiful notion', which is fundamental for gays and an issue of oppression for disabled people, the convergence of such issues as citizenship, lack of political involvement, oppressive discourses, invisibility, a-sexualisation and discrimination in employment opportunities are all issues that find a great deal of commonality. An assortment of minorities have lots to learn from each other on how to do activism. Maybe it is the right time to join forces and share tactics.

The local situation is probably unique in many ways. We have only seen one organised activist group made up solely of disabled people these last couple of years (Maltese Council of Disabled People). It is the one and only group completely controlled by disabled people in these last ten years that attempts to create an activist approach to disability issues, which in my opinion is still too meagre and far apart in its inventiveness and enterprise. The Maltese Disability Studies Group is a welcome addition of the MCODP that will now start creating a forum for debate based on the converging of numerous research projects that are happening around us.

However, within all this hullabaloo, I find myself asking a number of questions:

- Why it is so difficult in Malta to recognise the importance of such groups controlled by disabled people?

- Why do professionals and some of the parents of disabled parents find it so threatening to have organisations managed by disabled persons themselves, whatever the impairment?

- Why is there such an intense internal struggle and fragmentation amongst and within disability groups? Don't they recognise that this disallows coalition?

- Why is the parent lobby so strong and seemingly overpowering at times? Is there a power struggle between the parents lobby and disabled activists? Do they talk?

- Why is there so much diffusion of roles and personality clashes that heighten discontinuity rather than convergence amongst professionals and organistaions?

Understanding the disability context in Malta requires a thorough reflection on our historical context, understanding "group" politics, developing a clear picture of policy direction and reflecting on personality dynamics.

I don't think anyone knows for sure what a disability movement is but essentially what we are talking about is a set of ideas and an analysis which people can then support in different ways. I always think of the movement as a set of people that have somehow made a connection with a set of ideas (Lisicki as cited in Campbell & Oliver, 1997, p. 21).

The basic premise is to look at disability politics in Malta and identify areas that need to be addressed on the policy, political and service realm, to make sure that there is the right climate to set up a respectable disability movement based on the values of intelligence, motivation and research.

Dr. Andrew Azzopardi is a social worker and teacher by profession. He is qualified in inclusive education and disability politics, lectures at the University of Malta and has presented research papers in numerous conferences and symposia.

E-Mail: drew@waldonet.net.mt

Tom Chun is " Rolling Down Under!"

Tom Chun reports on his current wanderings:

Hi Friends,

From Auckland I took a couple side trips out of the city. My first trip is to Rotorua to see the geothermal springs in the Maori Whakarewarewa Village. The boiling hot springs give out the smell of sulfur, some say it smells like rotten eggs. While on my way there, I stopped at the Agrodome where I was introduced to the many varieties of sheep and sheep shearing.

"Mary had a little lamb", ...and the Kiwis have 40 million sheep. For a country of 4 million residents, that's heaps! I met up with some Kiwi friends who took me to Whakatane ("Wha-" pronounced as "Fah-", at first I thought they were swearing at me. LOL!) Whakatane is on the East coast in the Bay of Plenty. It is a picturesque beachside town that is many people retire to. It took all but 1 1/2 hours to tour the town and vista points. And that was taking our time, including a picnic! =) On my second venture out, I head north to the Bay of Islands to take a boat cruise out to the "Hole in the Rock" and visit the Waitangi Treaty House. This is where the Maori and British sign their famous treaty. It is the only treaty agreed upon during peace and not war. Unusual huh? In Wellington at Archives New Zealand, I was able to see the original Waitangi Treaty up close and personal. It's like going down to Washington D.C. to see our founding document. Incredible!

All aboard! Choo! Choo! From Auckland, I took a 12 hour TranScenic train down to Wellington, New Zealand's capital. It was one of the most scenic train rides I have been on. Every view from my carriage was a picture taking opportunity. Unfortunately, I wasn't able to get to the rear open deck carriage to take unobstructed photos. Wellington is a harborside city surrounded by steep hills. You can take a cable car up the steep hills of Wellington to the Botanical Gardens for some fresh air, nature, and great views. The city is so steep, there are 400 box-like private cable cars that climb up to some homes. It's not just for the old or lazy. People have built private cable cars so that their aging dogs don't have to climb the stairs. Ah, how nice! =) The Te Papa Museum has 6 floors of amazing facts and museum articles of every kind. It truly is the country's museum! Cuba Street is the bohemian district and cannot be missed, literally, it's in the center of town. Inside Old St. Paul's Cathedral is unique in that it is Gothic structure but built with wood, instead of stone that you see in other churches.

New photos: tompchun.shutterfly.com
Old blogs: tompchun.blogspot.com

Cheers mates!
Tom =)
"International Man or Leisure"

Walt Balenovich: North America's Disabled Adventurer

Walt Balenovich just wrote to tell me about his excellent adventures!

I' know some PwD who do a lot of travel - but Walt just moved himself to the top of the list in terms of places he has been in the world. See his blog at http://travelsinabluechair.blogspot.com/:

6 Continents, 28 Countries, over 50 stories, countless new friends and only 1 backpacker in a dusty old blue chair.

Take a look at his book "Travels in a Blue Wheelchair."

What would you do as you lay in a Zambian clinic alone with a broken leg? Or stranded aboard a small boat, in the dark, on the Java Sea, off Indonesia?

How To Judge a Bathroom: Tips from the "Bathroom Diaries"

"How to judge a bathroom" is the title of this page at Mary Ann Racin's Bathroom Diaries. You won't find ADA/DDA regulations or auditors checklists. Instead she sets cleanliness as the highest criteria and:

Other considerations for good restrooms are: safety, handicap access, changing tables (anyone who changed his/her baby on an airport floor will agree) and hours of operation. Unisex bathrooms are helpful both to parents with young children as well as to our pre-and post-op trans-gendered brothers and sisters

Her site sets out to answer the age old question, "So we know what we want, but how do we find it?"

Read Elizabeth Tai's review in theStarOnline.

VibeAgent Unveiled

This afternoon I had the opportunity to get a behind-the-scenes look at VibeAgent just 24 hours after its public launch from Adam Healey, VibeAgent’s co-founder and CEO.

We know that the travel industry has not yet built the "killer travel research & reservation app" for the market of people with disabillities. We also know, from studies by the Open Doors Organization, that this market depends on the advice of trusted sources - usually other PwD - because it looks for very specific data. Simon Darcy and Bruce Cameron in Australia have published reports on the importance of visual documentation of hotel accommodations in the decision making of people with disabilities. That is one of the reasons I found TripTV.com to be so promising.

I think VibeAgent surpasses them in usefulness to the disability community right out of the box -- and they don't even offer video yet. Rather than write a definitive review of VibeAgent at the moment I am going to invite readers to register. Play with it and join the group that I have started: Disability & Travel.

Press Release:

Features Personalized Hotel Recommendations and Booking at Best Available Rates

Orlando, FL, Wednesday, November 14, 2007 – Pushing the envelope in online travel, VibeAgent (www.vibeagent.com) announced today at the PhoCusWright Travel Conference the general availability of a new online resource for travelers to save time and money when researching and booking hotel accommodations. VibeAgent is the first travel site that combines user-generated content, meta-search, and social networking to deliver personalized, trustworthy hotel recommendations and booking at the best available rates, all in one convenient place. VibeAgent is addressing an unmet need that helps travelers simplify the hotel research and booking process by providing hotel recommendations based on the reviews of friends, colleagues, and like-minded travelers.

PhoCusWright, the leading travel research firm, estimates that online hotel bookings will total $86.6 billion in 2007 and grow by 20% in 2008. When researching accommodations online, consumers are increasingly turning to travel community sites for objective advice. While these sites provide feedback, their trustworthiness and relevance to the user often falls short. There are few reliable mechanisms in place to keep hotel operators and businesses from posting biased reviews. Feedback is presented in a cumbersome way with minimal information provided about the review writer. Some sites take advertising money from hotels to prioritize their placement in search results, limiting their value for consumers and creating mistrust about their relevance. Lastly, because the source for the best available hotel rates fluctuates so widely, travelers typically visit 4 different web sites before booking a hotel room.

VibeAgent improves the hotel research and booking process by being the first site to offer travelers personalized hotel recommendations, for more than 120,000 hotels, based on the content and connections within a traveler’s social network. VibeAgent then “meta” searches a multitude of travel and hotel web sites in real-time to find all the available room rates for each hotel, so users know they are booking their chosen accommodations at the best available rate. VibeAgent’s features include:

VibeIndex – VibeAgent has developed a proprietary algorithm that combines demographics, site behavior, and the concept of six degrees of separation to rank hotels based on the likelihood they will appeal to each individual traveler. This “VibeIndex” incorporates how the members and groups in each user’s network have rated and tagged hotels to create personalized recommendations for each search. By mining the content and connections in each user’s social network, VibeAgent provides two people conducting the same hotel search with two different sets of recommendations.

Meta-Search – When a hotel search is conducted on VibeAgent, the site gathers rates and availability in real time from multiple online travel agencies (OTAs) and directly from the hotels’ web sites. In total, VibeAgent provides rates and availability for over 120,000 hotels, making it the fifth-largest collection of bookable hotel inventory in the world. VibeAgent users frequently have access to the best rates available online for each of these hotels.

Hotel Tagging – VibeAgent helps travelers make informed hotel booking decisions via a unique tag-based tool that quickly personalizes a search via three categories: Ambience, Activities, and Recommended For. These categories drive the customization of hotel preferences, such as a hotel with a romantic ambience, a day spa, and gourmet dining for food lovers. Registered users can tag a hotel from any search or hotel page without writing a review, for easy reference later.

Groups & Forums – VibeAgent enables registered users to create custom groups or join groups of like-minded travelers, to exchange stories, tips and recommendations with people that share similar travel interests. VibeAgent features a broad array of groups, ranging from Marathon Travelers, to Napa Valley wine lovers, to company groups for business travelers. Once users have joined a group, they have access to the group members' reviews and can create and post messages in group-only forums. Groups can be open or closed for added privacy.

“My Map” - My Map is a customizable dashboard that presents a personalized map of one’s friends, reviews, and groups. Using “My Map,” a traveler can do a quick geo-search of their network to pull up any city in the world and see all the hotels where people in their network have stayed. They can also read reviews, view hotel photos, check room availability, and book a hotel room ─ all without leaving the dashboard.

“My Trips” – The My Trips feature lets travelers keep track of their planned trips while updating their friends, family and colleagues. Conversely, they can also stay informed of their friends’ adventures or planned trips. A status bar gives users a dynamic snapshot of where the friends within their personal network are traveling to at any given time.

“My News” – My News is a personalized news feed of all the activity occurring in one’s travel network. Users are informed whenever their friends, family and colleagues write reviews, plan trips, post questions, or expand their network. VibeAgent also gives users the option to customize what news is presented in their personalized news feed.

“VibeAgent has strived to create a best-of-breed site that provides travelers with trustworthy hotel recommendations, personalized to their individual tastes and preferences, at the best available rates,” stated Adam Healey, VibeAgent’s co-founder and CEO. “VibeAgent users can be confident they’re making the best accommodation choice possible.”

VibeAgent’s formal launch comes on the heels of announcing a round of financing and the appointment of Trip Davis, President and CEO of TRX Inc. (NASD: TRXI), to the company’s Board of Directors. Mr. Davis is recognized as a travel technology industry leader and has received numerous honors and awards, including Business Travel News magazine’s 2007 “Top 25 most influential executives” in the travel industry.

About VibeAgent Inc.

VibeAgent.com is a new online resource for travelers to research and book hotel accommodations. It is the first and only site that combines user-generated hotel reviews, meta-search, and social networking to provide its users with personalized hotel recommendations and booking at the best available rates. VibeAgent’s unparalleled meta-search engine assembles rates and availability for more than 120,000 hotels worldwide from leading sites and providers such as Priceline, HotelBook, InterContinental Hotels, Holiday Inn, Skoosh, Reserve Travel, Venere, Booking.com, Crowne Plaza, Staybridge Suites, TravelWorm, and Travel Intelligence. Founded in 2006, VibeAgent is based in Charlottesville, Virginia. For more information, please visit www.vibeagent.com.

A Photo Essay on Accessibility in China -- And a Show for Outsiders

Ember Swift has a great collection of photos and anecdotes at "A Canadian in Beijing: Accessibility? If You Roll When You Stroll, 麻烦！"

Stephen Hallet of the BBC writes about the cosmetic changes taking place in China in preparation for the upcoming Olympics. See "One Eye on China; Mainly for Show"

Thanks to Marti at Global Access News for this research. Read the entire issue of her e-zine here:

http://www.globalaccessnews.com/november07.htm

Subscribe. It's free and always worth the read!

TV Trip.com: Increments of Innnovation

I am preparing the keynote, Global Trends in Accessible Tourism, for ICAT 2007. When we met two years ago my focus was Universal Design of facilities that were emerging as islands of innovation. This year policy and consumer education will get equal focus.

Figures on the purchasing power of travelers with disabilities and data on the travel behavior of this niche are driving improvements in service. Social movements championing inclusion and legal frameworks, such as the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities, asserting a rights-based approach to governance and business strengthen this trend.

Innovative consumer education initiatives like TV Trip.com represent the next phase of significant progress for Inclusive Tourism.

TV Tip offers the unique resource of videotaped tours of hotels. For those with mobility impairments this ability to visually inspect a facility prior to booking it is essential as persuasively argued by Simon Darcy and Bruce Cameron

A TV Trip review does remarkably well for a site that is not designed with travelers with disabilities in mind. It includes professionally produced video revealing both interior and exterior of the venue. The main clip for a hotel includes a quick tour of the highlights. Captioning is used effectively. Detailed presentations are available under a tab labeled "Experience!" or one labeled "Features" (example) A Google map locates the hotel. A list of nearby hotels is generated. Space is available for user feedback.

In order for TV Trip to live up to its potential to serve the growing disability and senior niche the following practices ought to be adopted:

Attend to stature -

Video clips on the site are shot from a height, and therefore and an angle, that distorts the perspective for a wheelchair user or person of short stature. Height of beds and space between furniture or fixtures is not as easy to discern as it could be.

Solution: Use a wheelchair or scooter as a dolly when shooting inside the hotel room and its bathroom.

Attend to scene selection -

Video clips of rooms do not include examples of all classes of rooms in the venue. Most relevant to this market they do not include rooms that are typically adapted for guests with disabilities.

Solution: Include at least one example of a DDA or ADA compliant room for each venue; two if bathrooms offer both roll-in shower and bathtub options. Obtain training for production crews and site editors on hospitality venue accessibility audits and supplement with disability simulations for each team member. The latter practice will give the teams a visceral sense of the elements of interest to people with disabilities allowing the creative to integrate relevant shots with artistic integrity.

Attend to Completeness of Information -

Venue information ("Amenities" and "Features") is incomplete. Items such as "restaurant", "cable tv", and parking" are listed but not "elevators", "non-auditory emergency alarm systems", "number of accessible rooms", etc.

Solution: Adopt a standard list of accessibility features. Display their availability at each venue whether the items are present or not.

Attend to Paths of Travel

The site does not indicate distance to public transit or whether the nearest transit stop is accessible to people with disabilities. The videos do not indicate if main entrances are wheelchair accessible with power-assisted doors and, if not, where the location of the accessible entrance is.

Solution: Calculate the path of travel for a hypothetical user with a mobility disability at each site and document it visually. Identify paths of travel to and from both public transit and parking.

The Gimpy Girls

Just for fun try the Gimpy Girls blog: A Lifestyle Magazine for Aging Baby Boomers, the Disabled and the Just Plain Lazy.

Keep an ye on them as they fill out their Travel section

The Freedom to Roll on Your Own

For 25 years Whirlwind Wheelchairs has been improving access around the world. In this video you will see the new Rough Rider go through its paces:

Here is a video about the Rough Rider in Spanish:

And here is a little rock crawling -- power wheelchair style!

Lingo 24 - Professional Translation and a Little Geography Fun!

For a bit of fun and geographic challenge try Lingo 24's entertaining map game Web Whereabouts:

http://www.lingo24.com/resources/games/eurogame/index3.html

Lingo24 Web Whereabouts - web
geography educational game provided by Translation Service

Creating an Age-Free Environment

Amy Nutt writes for Ezine Articles. Here she explores Universal Design in the context of homes and "Age-Free Environments."

The Evolution of Kitchen Home Appliances in an Age-Free Environment
By Amy Nutt

The “new” retirement would wisely be referred to as “unretirement,” a decades-long, active, involved extension of life. Home will be headquarters during this exciting stage of life, and the kitchen will be command central. From untraditional housing styles to universal design, the kitchen will be the first true age-free space.

Kitchen-Centric Housing

Retirement age is dropping steadily and even people in their twenties and thirties eagerly contemplate their move into the phase of life that used to mean the end of all that mattered. Not so in the 21st century; unretirement can bring new freedoms, lucrative ventures, broader horizons, personal fulfillment and global connections - and all this as you sit at the kitchen table enjoying a morning coffee. Kitchens will continue to come in all shapes, sizes and price ranges. They will always be loved as much for their flaws as their charm and convenience. Housing styles and development patterns that isolate residents and create urban sprawl will be replaced by designs and plans that are both environmentally sound and people friendly. One trend will shift couples and single homeowners towards compact, green new homes and away from energy- hungry monster houses. These scaled-down residences will not just be smaller, they’ll be smarter. For instance, some homeowners may concentrate food production in the kitchen through hydroponic or soilless gardening in glassed-in extensions that double as dining rooms. Kitchen-centric, multi-unit housing will become more common with home-like variations that include:

• cluster homes constructed around central courtyards that function as common outdoor eating areas and kitchen gardens,
• co-housing communities which integrate separate family units with communal recreation and eating areas to strengthen community connections, and
• mingle-style high-rise units with private bed-sitting rooms radiating off central kitchens and living areas to offer affordable, elegant lifestyles.

Our First Age-Free Environments

Too often thoughts of the future focus on how technology will change our lives, ignoring an important fact: we’re going to change, too. Every aspect of life will be touched as the demographic revolution represented by almost 10 million Baby Boomers moves through life. Kitchens will be our first age-free spaces as they transform into multi-purpose, multigeneration work and entertainment spaces where safety and functionality are paramount for all sizes, shapes and abilities of users. Children and grandchildren, parents and grandparents, the able-bodied and those with disabilities must all be comfortable socializing, cooking and eating in these activity centres. Age-Free environments have flexibility designed in. Universal Design, an emerging concept that will soon become commonplace, stresses the elimination of all barriers to functionality and enjoyment for everyone. These Age-Free features range from wide hallways, levered door handles and adjustable-height counters to visually-cued ergonomic design applied to everything from control knobs to furniture. All of which furnish a kitchen that allows the joy of cooking to be the focal point.

Voice-activated appliances with robotic features for repetitive tasks like cleaning and equipment maintenance will be among future innovations that save time, effort and money. Comfort will be ensured by advances in computer-chip embedded products and materials like chameleon wall surfaces which change colour on demand to match mood and weather, and heated floors that recognize the walker and automatically adjust room temperature to suit that person’s preprogrammed preferences.

Room for Improvement

Home owners and tenants will continue to strive for a personal balance of affordability and luxury in their homes. Not every family or community will have access to the same levels of technology and sophistication of design—there will still be room for improvement. Here are a few improvements that may be available to you:

• Food shopping will shift from a time-consuming physical task to an automatic electronic undertaking. Home appliances that continuously monitor freshness and inventory levels will automatically place orders with grocery warehouses and food distributors to ensure you never run out of anything.
• Bulk ordering and cooperative arrangements for purchasing food and other goods will cut costs and support essential local infrastructures within subdivisions, condominium complexes and neighbourhoods.
• Systems and equipment will have back up capacity to protect food during power brown outs and failures. Some kitchens may be designed to double as a self-contained safe living environment in times of natural disaster, pandemic or interruption of municipal services.
• Your refrigerator, through its wireless connection to the health monitor you’ll wear, may keep track of calories, salt or other health issues for you and make suggestions or issue warnings when you open the door. Particularly outside urban areas, online medical services will reinforce the connection between nutrition and wellness using the kitchen as the health hub. No aspect of home and housing will see as many changes as the multi-purpose kitchen over the coming decades. Since the origins of the word “kitchen” relate only to cooking, these evolving spaces may eventually even earn themselves a new name.

Offers superior quality home appliances, kitchen appliances and accessories, including washers, dryers, refrigerators and includes product catalog and descriptions.
http://www.kitchenaid.ca/

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Amy_Nutt
http://EzineArticles.com/?The-Evolution-of-Kitchen-Home-Appliances-in-an-Age-Free-Environment&id=718548

Universal Design in Homes Around the World: Trends for Hoteliers to Watch

In the US AARP has taken leadership in promoting Universal Design for homes through their Social Impact initiatives. Prince Williams County, Virgina in the US has a Universal Design demonstration home. A project is underway at the Universal Design Living Laboratory in Columbus, Ohio. In Brazil Sandra Perito has been doing so for several years at Universal Home.

In Australia Alex and Desiree have come at the field from the consumer standpoint and offer a unique voice as they disseminate Universal Design thinking by turning their home into a demonstration project at Universal Design Renovations.

From the web site:

Home renovations and home improvements can be stressful at the best of times, for those of us who want to consider the needs of the wheel chair bound or elderly, the stress levels can get even higher.

This is the place I found myself.

Early in April 2006 my partner Desireé suffered a significant stroke while we were on holidays interstate. Months on, she is still in full time rehabilitation and together we are facing a lengthy period of her being wheel chair bound.

We live and work in Sydney Australia and are fortunate enough to own a duplex house on the far south coast of New South Wales. We intend to renovate this duplex so that not only is it friendly to Desireé and I but will also provides a easy living holiday venue for those families that have similar accessibility issues. We hope to involve the private sector in this project. It will be an ideal vehicle to showcase products in a hands on environment.

We are going to use the seven principles of universal design to guide the project.

* Principle 1 : Equitable Use
The design is useful and marketable to people with diverse abilities.
* Principle 2 : Flexibility in Use
The design accommodates a wide range of individual preferences and abilities.
* Principle 3 : Simple and Intuitive Use
Use of the design is easy to understand, regardless of the user's experience, knowledge, language skills, or current concentration level.
* Principle 4 : Perceptible Information
The design communicates necessary information effectively to the user, regardless of ambient conditions of the user's sensory abilities.
* Principle 5 : Tolerance for Error
The design minimizes hazards and the adverse consequences of accidental or unintended actions.
* Principle 6 : Low Physical Effort
The design can be used efficiently and comfortably, and with a minimum of fatigue.
* Principle 7 : Size and Space for Approach and Use
Appropriate size and space is provided for approach, reach, manipulation, and use, regardless of the user's body size, posture, or mobility.

I want to invite you to travel this journey with me via this website.

Source:

http://www.universaldesignrenovations.com/pages/Our-Story.html

Mary Furlong: Turning Silver into Gold

From Mary Furlong's book "Turning Silver into Gold":

Travel is the one business category that covers all the themes outlined in this book. It is a global business; it benefits from increases in longevity, health, and wellness; it caters to the boomer's hunger for family and community; it is being transformed by online services and other technology; it is a purchase that often accompanies life transitions; it offers learning and enhances creativity, and it feeds a hunger for spirituality and service.

Tom Chun is "Rolling Down Under"...Somewhere!

International traveler, scuba diver, photographer, and sometime correspondent Tom Chun has launched off on another jaunt. This time he is meandering around the Pacific. Below is from his newsletter:

Rolling Down Under - Part I

Dear Friends,

It's another crazy adventure in progress for me. My mission: to find Nemo for my two darling nieces. The title of my travelogue is not 100% correct. I just left Fiji, am now in Australia, and will be in New Zealand afterwards. Some of you may be wondering what happened to my human mule, my brother Paul, who traveled with me last summer. Well, I left the gate open and he got lost and wandered away. LOL! I am traveling solo this time. Seriously though, Paul just returned from Africa where he took some amazing photos: paulchun.shutterfly.com

"Bula, Bula!" from the Islands of Fiji. The Fijian people are some of the most hospitable and friendly that I have encountered on my travels. The guys are big, tall, and burly; and and crazy about rugby. I believe there's a 400lb. bench press that you have to achieve to become an honorary Fijian (j/k!). I'm working on it. LOL! I took some boat trips to see a couple of the 300 surrounding Islands (most uninhabitable). One trip was to Beachcomber Island, a party Island for the young, but there are resorts for honeymooners and relaxation as well. On a second Island trip, we "sailed" (the crew casted the sails up, but they used the engine on board for the duration) to "Snorkel Island". The crew carried me on/off/all over the boat and around the Island. The snorkeling was fantastic, but no Nemo! On our way back our ship's engine broke down and we had to call in for a smaller boat to save us before nightfall. I thought I had signed up for a day cruise, but it turned out that they upgraded me to a sunset cruise. Fiji time!!! I like it! I have met some great new friends and hope to visit them some day soon. I'm now in Cairns, near the Great Barrier Reef. I will be doing some scuba diving soon. So, the elusive Nemo will perhaps show up after all. Today I took the scenic train to Kuranda that winds around the rainforest north of Cairns. The train cabin they lifted me up on (literally, it was like a small forklift) was brand spanking new. From there, I took the Skyrail back down over the top of the rainforest. The scenery and smells were spectacular! It was a breath of fresh air. Photos at: tompchun.shutterfly.com under "Down Under - Part I" Old blogs at: tompchun.blogspot.com Ciao, Tom =) "International Man of Leisure"

Collective Intelligence & Disability Movement Values

Helpdesk4Seniors.org is a startup dream being floated by Greg Tsutaoka from MiDocs Foundation. It is one of several un- or under-funded initiatives starting 20 years after Mary Furlong's pioneering work with SeniorNet to increase social capital for older adults using technology. Who knows, maybe they will be the first such group to champion binary economics and we will see a SeniorSite with Boomer sensibilities and deep pockets to accomplish their mission!

On the Helpdesk4Seniors blog yesterday was a post introducing collective intelligence and technology with specific reference to disability thus suggesting connections to Universal Design. Below is a response to that post, Collective Intelligence: Include The Everyone for Success

A response to Collective Intelligence: Include The Everyone for Success

Collective Intelligence is what you observed when you worked with SeniorNet Learning Centers like the one in Almaden -- the sense of purposefulness, shared by peers, around a defined task. One characteristic of mature learners is the ability to value the limits of their knowledge not as a cause of frustration but as the starting point for personally relevant learning. That self-knowledge becomes a meeting point for teacher and learner as Charles Curran taught in his Counsel-Learning methodology. Shared life experience (generational affinity/culture) among seniors creates the peer-community which is the engine for the Centers' pedagogical practice of classes with a 1/3 instructor/learner ratio. The "co-opetition" is energizing!

As you discuss Universal Design and Assistive Technology (i.e talk about disability) be cautious not to trigger the generational aversion to "coming out" about the disabilities. Let no one fool you. Disabilities are experienced by each and every senior. It takes self-knowledge and social resiliency skills to admit it however.

Your arguments on the value and power of disability are classic Social Model of Disability but your vocabulary is the conflicting Medical Model of Disability. You will need to make a fuller presentation of the Social Model to overcome seniors' aversion. Your advice to value diversity is a start. It is core Disability Rights Movement philosophy:

"Not only do physically disabled people have experiences which are not available to the able-bodied, they are in a better position to transcend cultural mythologies about the body, because they cannot do things the able-bodied feel they must do in order to be happy, 'normal,' and sane....If disabled people were truly heard, an explosion of knowledge of the human body and psyche would take place." -- Susan Wendell, author of The Rejected Body: Feminist Philosophical Reflections on Disability

One of the characteristics of Boomers moving into the space you intend to serve with Helpdesk4Seniors is a different level of comfort with disability as well as a demand for usability as defined by the aged bodies of Boomers. That trend is being consciously strengthened as those of us in the leadership of the Disability Rights movement -- Boomers by birth -- intentionally redefine aging on every level.

Note the opposite of your diversity-aware approach to knowledge in David Weinberger's piece in this issue of KM World, "The Adversity of Knowledge":
http://www.kmworld.com/Articles/ReadArticle.aspx?ArticleID=37313

Passenger or Pilot Disabled Travelers Take to the Sky

Mahesh Chandrasekar commented that generosity on the part of the worldwide disability community in sharing quality information contributed to his work negotiating breakthrough in Indian civil air regulations. While our friends in the Service Employees International Union expressed shock at the original regulation, and we applaud progress toward inclusion in air transportation, reader Marty Sweeney wrote to share this vision of a world beyond fear of people with disabilities as passengers.

Watch this video as one disabled pilot documents the modifications he made to keep him flying. Maybe he'll start a local Day in the Sky.

Inclusive Tourism Over at the Gimp Parade

Kay Olson has some great photos from Flickr.com up at her blog the Gimp Parade.

Contributing to the online event designed to balance the distorted images of people with disabilities presented at Jerry Lewis' telethon she has some shots of people with disabilities enjoying travel and fun!

See her response to Jerry's command to people with disabilities to , "Stay in your house!" at:

http://thegimpparade.blogspot.com/2007/09/stay-in-your-house.html

She's on a roll!

See "Stay in your house!" part 2:

http://thegimpparade.blogspot.com/2007/09/stay-in-your-house-part-2.html

Got a great photo? Share it with Kay!

Patricia E. Bauer on Disability

Patricia E. Bauer has a long list of journalistic accomplishments. She has recently started a blog on disability-related news issues that looks like it will tackle a breadth of issues.

Here is a link to a story on trails access in Vermont. For a little spice try "I Hate Motivational Cripples" where she quotes BBC's Disability Bitch challenging a blind motivational speaker named Miles after he did aerial stunts in a fighter jet:

It wouldn’t bother me - if you want to do aerobatics, go ahead - but why do all these motivational cripples have to be doing things which are so outlandish. I have a new challenge for Miles: go to any major city in the UK during rush hour and get from one end to the other on public transport. Go on.

Read Patricia E. Bauer at:

http://www.patriciaebauer.com/

An Invitation from [with]TV

Dear Friends,

As a volunteer working with the folks at [with]tv I have recently been honored with the title “blog master”. In that capacity I am writing to disability bloggers I know and respect to ask for support. I (we) are hoping you would be willing to either write a post, submit a post you’ve already written, or even join us as a “columnist” and submit posts whenever the mood strikes.

Posts can be submitted to my attention at articles@with-tv.com. This blog is a work in progress and I (we) sure would appreciate your support. While you’re here, please sign the Guest Book and let us know what you think. We’re working hard to spread the word. Anything you can do to help would surely give us a boost!

Thank you,

Connie Kuusisto
Blog Master, [with]tv

P.S. A person need not be a blogger to submit articles to [with]tv or to sign the Guest Book. Anyone interested in the topic of disability is encouraged to participate.

The Humor Treatment at "Chronic Holiday"

For a strong dose of reality therapy and the bracing slap of gimp humor sidle on over to "Chronic Holiday." It gives a new meaning to the concept of vacation (and outs everyone who thinks their effusions of good intention, malice, projection, or self-consumed pity are received equanimously.)

(Visual description of a black and white photo A nurse is pouring liquid into a spoon and looking outward at the viewer. A though bubble next to her contains the words, "You have a laissez-faire attitude toward healing." At the bottom of the photo are the words, "Get Well Soon.")

From author Donimo's profile on the site:

I have chronic pain-- it's the result of too many car accidents, fibromyalgia, degenerative disc disease, osteoarthritis, thoracic outlet syndrome, and some other causes that have yet to be determined. I have pain from head-to-toe and a lot of fatigue. I can’t work. I am a perfect target for unsolicited advice! When you have chronic health problems, people love to comment on your life or offer advice. In fact, hardly a day goes by without someone--friend, family member, passerby, acquaintance, salesperson, hairdresser, friend of a friend, friend of a friend of a friend, whoever--offering words of wisdom. These are some of my favourites. I’ve got hundreds of them! I bet you’ve got quite a collection as well.

Read Chronic Holiday here:

http://chronicholiday.blogspot.com/

Able to Travel

United Spinal's travel service -- Able to Travel -- offers some useful tips on travel with a disability.

Combine that with their helpful brochure on air travel for UK citizens and Candy Harrington's classic reference, Barrier-Free Travel, and you will be well outfitted with information!

Services at Able to Travel include:

* Accessible ground transportation to and from the airport
* Stowage of mobility equipment on board an aircraft
* Accessible hotel accommodations
* Accessible cruise ships
* Renting medical equipment at your destination
* Accessible train travel
* Travel insurance
* Tour groups and package deals
* Adaptive van or car rentals

More information at http://www.abletotravel.org/index.php

Rafting the River Jacarepepira, Brazil

In this film clip by Aventura Especial we follow founder Dada Moreira as he accompanies a trip down the level 3-4 rapids of Jacarepepira River near Brotas in the state of Sao Paulo, Brazil.

The captioning track does not seem to be working. Roughly Dada explains that Brotas is a watersports haven offering a wide variety of eco-adventure possibilities for people with disabilities. In this clip we follow a rafting trip.

After a warmup exercise and seated in the Zodiak he comments on his sitting stance as an adaptation to his disability. The guide comments how fulfilling it was for himself and last week's group of blind rafters to make the adaptations necessary to enjoy this sport.

With a team building shout, "1-2-3 Aventura especial", they are off down the river.

At the end Dada interviews one rafter who enthusiastically plans to bring her deaf sister next time. He close