Some funny quotes to lighten up your day

• Commenting on a complaint from a Mr. Arthur Purdey about a large gas bill, a spokesman for North West Gas said, "We agree it was rather high for the time of year. It's possible Mr. Purdey has been charged for the gas used up during the explosion that destroyed his house." (The Daily Telegraph)

• Police reveal that a woman arrested for shoplifting had a whole salami in her underwear. When asked why, she said it was because she was missing her Italian boyfriend. (The Manchester Evening News)

• Irish police are being handicapped in a search for a stolen van, because they cannot issue a description. It's a Special Branch vehicle and they don't want the public to know what it looks like. (The Guardian)

• A young girl who was blown out to sea on a set of inflatable teeth was rescued by a man on an inflatable lobster. A coast guard spokesman commented, "This sort of thing is all too common". (The Times)

• At the height of the gale, the harbourmaster radioed a coastguard and asked him to estimate the wind speed. He replied he was sorry, but he didn't have a gauge. However, if it was any help, the wind had just blown his Land Rover off the cliff. (Aberdeen Evening Express)

Daily Times - Leading News Resource of Pakistan - Pakistan’s first Internet caf� for the blind inaugurated

Why shouldn't we try the same here?

Daily Times - Leading News Resource of Pakistan - Pakistan’s first Internet caf� for the blind inaugurated: "Pakistan’s first Internet caf�for the blind inaugurated

Staff Report

ISLAMABAD: The country’s first-ever Internet caf�for the visually impaired was inaugurated here on Tuesday. The project was funded by the World Bank and the Pakistan Foundation Fighting Blindness (PFFB).

The WB granted Rs 1.5 million to the facility that promises to help bridge the technological gap between the blind and those blessed with eyesight. The caf�would also link national and international blind communities.

IT Helpline Project Director Zahid Abdullah said the caf�involved the use of the JAWS software that provides voice output for every command given to the computer, enabling the blind to know what their fingers are doing. Aqil Sajjad, the first visually impaired Pakistani pursuing his PhD at Harvard introduced the software in Islamabad in 1999. The software was developed in the US 20 years ago."

Rolling Rains Report:: US Census Reports Releases Statistics on Disability

Hmm... whenever I look at these sort of figures, I wonder how South African politicians really believe that the prevalence of Disability is a fraction of these figures in South Africa?

Rolling Rains Report:: US Census Reports Releases Statistics on Disability: "US Census Reports Releases Statistics on Disability

U.S. Census Bureau releases disability statistics

The Census Bureau recently released a Fact Sheet on Disabilities
in preparation for the 17th Anniversary of the Americans with
Disabilities Act. Updated numbers show the following:

* 51.2 million people have some level of disability
(18 % of population).

* 32.5 million have a severe disability (12% of whole population).

* 4 million children have a disability (or 11% of children
ages 6 to 14)

To view the entire fact sheet, go to:
http://www.census.gov/Press-Release/www/releases/archives/
facts_for_features_special_editions/010102.html"

The Elders

I am watching this latest development "The Elders" with huge interest & hope!!! Please have a look at http://www.theelders.org/elders/ and show your support...

BBC NEWS | UK | Magazine | Who cares

this is a very good article, which could be written about any country I feel, certainly the situation in South Africa is even worse. I hope that the soon to be launched African Employers' Forum on Disability will skirt to tackle such situations.

BBC NEWS | UK | Magazine | Who cares: "Having a degree and excellent skills count for little if you are disabled and live in residential care. Why?"