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?"

Putting people first � UK usability market to grow 20% in 2007 - new report

Putting people first � UK usability market to grow 20% in 2007 - new report: "The UK market for usability and accessibility will grow by 20% in 2007 to a value of around �180 million, according to a new report published this week by E-consultancy.

Research for the 2007 Usability and Accessibility Buyer’s Guide found that increased competition in the online marketplace is driving investment in a user-centred design approach"

The ONE Campaign | Issues

Please go to this website, and even if you don't sign up, read up on the issues...

The ONE Campaign | Issues: "MORE AND BETTER AID


International assistance saves lives, directly helping and empowering individuals to help themselves. Increasing international assistance by an amount equal to just ONE percent of the U.S. budget will:

* Reduce by half the number of people in the world who suffer from hunger.
* Provide free access to primary education for 77 million out-of-school children.
* Provide access to clean water to 450 million people and basic sanitation to 700 million people.
* Prevent 5.4 million young children from dying of poverty-related illnesses each year.
* Save 16,000 lives a day by fighting HIV/AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria."

www.skillsportal.co.za | employment_equity Manyi believes that racism still prevalent in the workplace

This bit of news is really frightening. I am not sure which is worse; the fact that People with Disabilities only comprise 0.7% of the workforce...or that the figure has dropped by 30% in 4 years!? I am furious that this is being under-reported. Why was Jimmy Manyi allowed to concentrate on just one aspect of employment equity, which by comparison is streets ahead of Disability. We, as a country, are failing People with Disabilities... There needs to be a mind shift in corporate SA, and the wider society. One thing that I believe would help is an active African Employers Forum on Disability. I can only say "watch this space"! More news as soon as I can...

www.skillsportal.co.za | employment_equity Manyi believes that racism still prevalent in the workplace: "The representation of people with disabilities in the workplace had also gone down since 2000. After starting at .9% in 2000, the representation of people with disabilities had risen to 1% in 2002 but was back down at .7% in 2006. "

BBC NEWS | Technology | Smart hat brings play to disabled

Another interesting use of modern technology... I don't think of myself as a geek...but I do get a kick out of how different new technologies can be used to remove barriers that have in some cases been put there by other (older) technologies.

BBC NEWS | Technology | Smart hat brings play to disabled: "A 'smart' cap that allows disabled children to 'drive' radio-controlled cars and boats, has been launched.

The Dream-Racer device has four motion sensors that detect small movements of the head, which are then fed wirelessly to control the toy's direction.

The UK invention has also been adapted to allow disabled people to play games on Sony's PlayStation consoles."

Noesis: VeeSee

Hmm; a counter point to the previous post, Alison was able to point out some issues with VeeSee. I decided to do some more research (I apologise for posting before doing co earlier!). I think her comment to my previous post is well founded. Perhaps, as I come form a country ahead there is precious little sign language available, that I tend to get excited whenever I see that more may be more accessible to a wider audience...

Noesis: VeeSee: "VeeSee is a website that has been launched in the UK by an interpreter, Susie Grant. The site is operating under the Deafeatures Ltd.

Before I go any further, I really want to be positive about online development, but I'm really struggling here. More about that later. The site has a very strange mix of web 1.0 content and design, mixed with a web 2.0 approach through a social network. On the face of it, the site offers:"

BBC NEWS | Technology | IPTV for deaf people takes off

Another interesting development

BBC NEWS | Technology | IPTV for deaf people takes off: "A new web-based television service, or IPTV, for British Sign Language (BSL) users has recently launched in the UK.

VeeSee TV airs news and other programmes in BSL and is available 24 hours a day.

The channel can be viewed on a computer or via a set-top box and is the brainchild of BSL interpreter Susie Grant."

BBC NEWS | Technology | Motion-sensitive laptop developed

An interesting development of Tablet PC technology (which I am already sold on!)

BBC NEWS | Technology | Motion-sensitive laptop developed: "Motion-sensitive laptop developed

Tilting the laptop moves a cursor

A motion-sensitive laptop which can be controlled much like a Nintendo Wii remote is under development.

The tablet PC laptop has been adapted to respond to a user when moving the machine up or down, side to side, or forwards and backwards.

It is hoped the BT Balance system can help people with disabilities or the elderly, for whom using a keyboard or mouse can be difficult."

I really want a pair of these!!

I would love a pair of these wheels on my wheelchair... They even glow differently at night! Hmmm...
The website is:
http://www.sweetskinz.com

BBC NEWS | Europe | Unholy row at clergy soccer game

This is just madness! In a World where the conflict of different religions are causing such issues for us all, we should be looking to the different religious leaders to be trying to build bridges. Still, given my own experiences of religious leaders, I am not at all surprised, but still rather saddened, that they can be so thoughtless... Religions (of all denominations) have much to be ashamed of in this world. This just adds to their list...maybe their God will forgive them... but I don't believe we should.

BBC NEWS | Europe | Unholy row at clergy soccer game: "A friendship-building football match between Muslim and Christian clergy in Norway was called off after a row over the participation of women players.

Muslim Imams had refused to play against women because it went against their beliefs about close physical contact with the opposite sex.

But when the church decided to drop its women players, the priests' team captain walked out in protest."

IOL: Blind pilot flies halfway round the world

this is an impressive achievement!

IOL: Blind pilot flies halfway round the world: "Sydney - A blind British pilot landed his microlight aircraft in Sydney on Monday to complete a record-breaking flight halfway around the world.

Miles Hilton-Barber left London on March 7 and flew more than 21 000km to raise funds to fight blindness in developing countries.

'It's the fulfilment of an amazing dream,' the 58-year-old adventurer said after touching down at Sydney's Bankstown airport. 'I've been wanting to do this flight for about four years.'

Hilton-Barber flies with a sighted co-pilot but relies on speech output from his navigation instruments to steer his course, directing the plane from a wireless keyboard."

South Africa and Iraq: the missing example David Mikhail - openDemocracy

Hmm; an interesting, thought provoking article. But I do feel that the author slightly underplays the significance that the world's only living statesman played in all this: Mandela (or Madiba, as he is affectionately known by all here).

South Africa and Iraq: the missing example David Mikhail - openDemocracy: "The successful transition to democracy in South Africa could be an inspiration to Iraqis struggling with their own legacy of violence and dictatorship, says David Mikhail."

Kwikspar Abuses Parking Reserved for Disabled Motorist

This was kindly sent to me by Willie Bosch. I have left his words untouched.

Apart from the fact that parking for disabled is allocated close to the entrance of shops, they are designed to be a minimum of 3.5 meters wide.

The space is needed for the disabled persons car door to be fully open so that a wheelchair may be moved close to the seat for the person to climb or slide over to the wheelchair or the door must be fully opened for a person on crutches to be able to get out

In most cases the parking are designed with two bays next to each other, (as per above drawing) the one with the wheelchair sign on it where the vehicle should park and the adjacent bay, clearly marked in yellow with a cross through in the middle, where the wheelchair can be wheeled in for the driver or passenger to transfer to.

Should any other vehicle be parked inside the area allocated for parking for disabled motorists, there will be not enough space for the disabled motorist to get out of their car.

At the shopping centre in Seaview, there is a parking reserved for disabled motorists allocated in front of Seaview Kwikspar, but unfortunately a disabled motorist will never be able to use such facility because a silver Mercedes is parked there every day all day long.

After receiving complaints from disabled motorists that there is always a metallic silver Mercedes benze parked in that parking daily and they note that the car does not display a parking sticker for disabled motorists on it, I decided to find the owner of the Mercedes and politely discuss the problem he or she is creating for disabled motorists by parking his/her car there every day.

On Thursday (5/04/07) at Seaview Kwikspar, I was referred to a Mr John vd Berg and when I introduced myself and said that I wish to talk to him about his car parked on the parking reserved for disabled motorists, he immediately went into defence, saying that he can park where he wants and by parking there, he leaves the other parking open for his customers.

I explained that I am also a customer in his shop but I cannot use the parking allocated for disabled motorists, he replied that it must be four months since he had last seen me in his spar, but he knows who I am (he reads the w/post) and that I should leave him alone as he has work to do.

I informed him that I have parked my car in the parking for disabled and requested if he would accompany me to my car so that I could demonstrate to him that I cannot open my door fully and show him what problems he is causing by parking his car there and that a disabled motorist could bump his car with their door should they open it fully.

Mr John vd Berg replied that if that happened, he will respray his whole car and sue for expenses and that I must please go he is busy.

I explained to Mr John vd Berg that if he does not want to listed to reason (and I had even brought the attached drawing for him to see) then I will have no alternative other that to ticket his car with a R200:00 fine and let a judge decide who is right and wrong.

Many persons are under the impression that one may not enforce the law on private property. All traffic laws may be enforced at any property that has free access to the general public except where there are controlled access such as entrance booms etc, but then again if the landlord requests the traffic department to enforce the law on their property, it will happen.

The landlord of the Seaview Shopping Centre, Mr Leonard told me he has had numerous complaints about Mr John vd Berg parking his car on the parking reserved for disabled motorists but has had no joy when asked not to park there.

The above photo`s will show you my LDV parked next to the Mercedes and as you can see there is no space left for a disabled driver to get into a wheelchair

It is a shame that the management has no compassion for his clients that are disabled and would rather use our parking to give more space to his other clients that are not so disabled

BBC NEWS | Business | Africa aid target 'may be missed'

Credit where it is due (pun intended!); we may argue that 0.51% is too small... but at least one country made it; pity a few more could not achieve the same...

BBC NEWS | Business | Africa aid target 'may be missed': "The European Union (EU) set a target for its 15 established members to give 0.51% of Gross National Income (GNI) in aid by 2010 and 0.7% by 2013.

In 2006 the UK provided �6.85bn in aid which amounts to 0.52% of Gross National Income."

Labour on defective lifts and buildings in Durban

When one realizes that a defective lift can be a complete barrier to access for many people with disabilities, or worse, if they are defective then potentially they could strand people on upper floors, with no means of escape; then we should be absolutely horrified at this finding. It is essential that action is taken by the authorities to address this serious, dangerous problem. this work was done in Durban, but I am sure other cities in South Africa would be no better. I will follow this with great interest.

Labour on defective lifts and buildings in Durban: "24 April 2007

A random survey of buildings in parts of Durban's inner city and surrounding suburbs shows that 67% have lifts that are defective or not functioning.

The findings of the study also show that a total of 33 buildings out of 49 have lifts that are not functioning or defective. Sixty seven percent of the buildings' lifts have broken down completely, stalled frequently or are defective.

Fifty three percent of the lifts were not functioning at all from less than a year to 20 years. Approximately 20% have not worked for a period of between four to five years, and 8% between 10 to 11 years with complaints by residents disregarded by the owners or bodies corporate."

BBC NEWS | Health | Research opens way for bionic eye

A long way off yet, but fascinating nontheless:

BBC NEWS | Health | Research opens way for bionic eye: "Research opens way for bionic eye
Eye
A bionic eye could potentially restore sight
US scientists have opened the way for the development of a 'bionic eye'.

They used electrodes to stimulate an area of the brain that processes visual information, the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences reported."