Hot Topics
Written by admin2 on March 7th, 2009Filed under: Uncategorized
“Hot Topics” after the jump…
Ben Heck creates new device for Guitar Hero World Tour drum kit that lets wheelchair-bound gamers control kick pedal with their breath. Read about it on Gizmodo. Read about it on benheck.com.
Sylvan Heights Waterfowl Park will break ground by becoming the first public wheelchair-accessible treehouse in North Carolina.
Some disabled children in England and Scotland face average wait of two years for an electric wheelchair.
Wheelchair user Jim Brown wants to go fishing at Laura Anderson Lake. But he can’t.
Ray Stubbs, who is 71 and has only one leg, has perfected a form of “gardening sitting down.”
Features editor Tina L. Arons borrows a wheelchair for a day to experience what it’s like to be physically disabled. And blogs about it!
UK-based Karl “Chip” Chippendale, 45, who suffers from cancer in both feet, has been left housebound after a thief/scumbag stole his wheelchair—and left crutches in their place.
Another thief/scumbag strikes in New Jersey.
Scumbags scumbags everywhere.
Bionic eye gives blind man sight.
National Federation of the Blind president Dr. Marc Maurer to deliver keynote address at Notre Dame’s Blindness Symposium.
Visually impaired students trained as piano technicians at the School of Piano Technology for the Blind in Vancouver.
Gravely important take home lesson: swimming lessons do NOT increase the risk of drowning.
Laughter is the best medicine in the City of Joy.
“Ziggy” cartoonist Tom Wilson II speaks out about his battle with severe depression.
“How absolutely inappropriate for a doctor who has no personal interaction or relationship with someone to diagnose them. And to do so in a public forum,” says Joaquin Phoenix’s publicist.
Fall Out Boy rocker Pete Wentz has credited his new son with helping him keep his bipolar disorder under control.
10 tips for staying sane when your partner is depressed.
Laura Yeager offers some great Tips for the Bipolar Marriage.
Researchers tout success of couples therapy to treat anorexia.
Chitra Ayyar writes a powerful piece for canadianimmigrant.ca stating that immigrant girls could be more prone to eating disorders as they become accustomed to Western ways.
Ellen Porteous, who overcame bulimia, is going on a 10-day hitchhike to raise funds for eating disorders.
Stacey Prussman, a comedian and actress, has a unique approach when she speaks to students about her struggle with bulimia.
Tippie the turtle is 7 years old, and anorexic.
A two-day interactive exhibit entitled Inside the Mind of an Eating Disorder.
Rising basketball star Kristi Fallin, a sophomore at Umpqua Community College, speaks out about bulimia: “Now that I’m conquering it, I feel like I can accomplish anything.”
Holland America Cruises’ new program, called Ship to Shelter, will donate all discarded shampoo bottles and soaps to the homeless and needy.
Fasting teens cook meals for homeless.
In New York City, a group of volunteers counting the homeless on a cold night in February found just over 2300 people—that’s a 30 percent drop compared to last year. But other advocates for the homeless are skeptical about the figures.
Modernity has come to the aid of Beijing’s homeless, in the somewhat unlikely figure of Zhang Shihe—a 55-year-old blogger who’s a marketing expert by day, good Samaritan by night.
A toolkit for saving on summer camp.
Jesuit Order in Oregon declares bankruptcy.
UC Berkeley student project examines what people leave behind after losing homes.
Putting forclosures to good use: match homeless families with people-less homes.
According to a new (stupid unscientific) ranking by BusinessWeek magazine, Portland has been named “Unhappiest City in America.”
Schenectady high school tackles subject of suicide after two students kill themselves in one week. City school district schedules several public forums. Schenectady is not alone.
If you’ve been having more nightmares recently, you’re not alone.
One is the loneliest number.
Police in Malaysia are considering arresting people who attempt suicide as a deterrent to stem the rising number of people killing themselves.
A 62-year-old man is believed to have committed suicide after being stopped for a traffic violation when officers noticed he had expired license plates.
There might be a relationship between the variations in time (measured in milliseconds) between a police officer’s heartbeats and the quality of that officer’s response and performance.
An evangelist cop who saw a demon at 1 Police Plaza and acted “godlike” is suing the NYPD to get his gun back.
Iraq Marine combat veteran denied gun permit over PTSD care.
A South Carolina psychiatrist and a Harvard-educated researcher are looking for veterans with PTSD who are willing to explore a fresh way of getting past the trauma: Ecstasy.
Marine Corp and Vietnam veteran Andrew Brandi is urging soldiers to fight PTSD with the same courage they found the enemy in Iraq.
ABC News profiles the kind of post-traumatic stress known as “battered women’s syndrome.”
The Police Department is investigating allegations that roofies and rape are “common” at the Sigma Chi frat house. Lori M. Berquam, The University of Wisconsin-Madison’s dean of students, is ready to deal with the crisis. Jason Smathers, a senior at the school, is “truly sickened” by the online comments left at badgerherald.com. PAVE (Promoting Awareness, Victim Empowerment) is too.
Female school bus driver brutally assaulted. Two students honoured for trying to defend her. Bus driver’s husband knew his wife’s attacker “since he was in diapers.” The victim speaks. To watch video from the bus camera (warning: graphic content) click here.
Remembering John Philip Keillor Jr.
Remembering Christopher George.
Remembering Gerry Niewood & Coleman Mellett.
A BBC reality show in which children as young as nine compete to create a superhero has been condemned by psychologists after viewers complained about seeing youngsters sobbing as they were criticised by judges and kicked out of the contest.
A rapidly up-and-coming singer-songwriter who’s lactose intolerant, allergic to antibiotocs and antihistamines, a loner, paralyzingly shy, and diagnosed with Asperger syndrome: Meet New Zealand-raised Pip Brown, aka Ladyhawke.
Evidence is slim, but experts say music therapy is valuable for addressing autism.
Top professional golfer Ernie Els leans on former Dolphins quarterback Dan Marino for support. Tim Rosaforte digs deeper.
The health care crisis hits home: TIME reporter shines light on her Aspergian older brother Patrick.
Mary P. Jones (a pseudonym) is the mother of two children, one of whom has been diagnosed with autism. Her edgy blog, A Room of Mama’s Own, has just…hit the Motherlode!
Kids who love sports are depression-proof. Coaching youth sports is “depression-proof,” too.
Kids who watch R-rated movies wanna be like the Marlboro Man.
CNN Chief Medical Correspondent Dr. Sanjay Gupta writes about a new study that claims a direct link has been found between impulsivity in kindergartners and gambling as adults. And then, likely unrelatedly, he withdraws his name from consideration as the nation’s next surgeon general.
Focus, people. Lisa Loomer’s theatrical primer on Attention Deficit Disorder is worth the effort. The New York Times weighs in…again and again!
From Psychologist to fashion designer: Adriana Galimberti-Rennie launches “ethical clothing brand.”
Doodling should be encouraged in boring meetings, claims psychologist.
An audio interview with a University of Buffalo dental student who has researched ways of relieving anxiety.
Photographer Michael Nye’s new art exhibit explores mental illness from the inside out.
Motorist Colin Gant receives counselling and support for his speed camera phobia.
Engineers at the Bath Institute of Medical Engineering have designed and tested an integrated system to help people with dementia live on their own longer—it not only monitors people’s actions, but can speak to them, contact help, turn off appliances and faucets, and even email family and caretakers.
Georgina suffers from a rare and incurable genetic disease called Niemann-Pick Type C which causes “children’s dementia.”
Louis Kissaun is a 16-year-old deaf TV actor.
Ryerson University’s “Emoti-Chair” continues to make headlines.
Kaoutar “Katie” Burrell takes the Yuma Sun to task over their usage of the term “hearing impaired.”
Polio advocate Ann Lee Hussey shares her story.
Former firefighter Shelley Cunningham is on a mission to save the lives of pets across Nova Scotia, one fire station at a time.
Friendly Faces
Anya Peters gives up chocolate AND coffee for Lent this year.
Karen Stuebing’s Spring 2009 photo gallery is off to a beautiful start.
Tony Clemens gets sexy new birthday jeans. Tony Clemens tells a secret.
Karen Putz is proud of her two nieces—one is a speech therapist and the other is on tour with Britney Spears. Karen Putz’s hubby is freaking out.
Donna Williams talks Sartre and Camus. Donna Williams interviews Melbourne based singer-songwriter Heidi Everett. Donna Williams blogs about a very hormonal mother nature. A perfect stranger urges Donna Williams to “Rock on!” Donna Williams’ blog gets mentioned on zacbrowser.blogspot.com.
Lewis Schofield (aka “CodeBoy”) uploads a new YouTube video: If your Net speed is slow use www.netspeed.net.
David Roche gets blogged about.
Stuart Baker-Brown’s photography site is looking amazing. Go purchase a beautiful print or two.
Craig Grimes blogs about Accessible.Travel’s new article in India’s Travel Biz Monitor.
Mark E. Smith has spent 186,880 hours in a power wheelchair…and counting.
Laurie Toby Edison and Debbie Notkin come to Cerrie Burnell’s defense.
