Depressed? Or Tired of Responsibilities

WARNING YOU COULD FLUNK OUT

In college one stretches out one’s wings and soars to new heights.  The freedom of the open sky can feel exhilarating, but college studies requires discipline and focus, so one has to come down to earth and manage themselves.  The combination of responsibility and adventure can cause someone who is young to get knocked off track, and can result in making one feel out of control.

When a student was in high school, they had a lot of their life managed by adults.  They had school at regular hours, and family time controlled much of their free time, but when one gets to college, they have lost the structure of all that, and have to manage themselves 24/7. 

Another factor that leaps into the crazy age of the late teens and early twenties is the access to drugs and alcohol.  Video gaming is also a concern,  Without having parents around to patrol your life, these temptations entice you to live a little on the wild side.  People tend to experiment a lot when they are in college, and to test their own limits.

Again, if one doesn’t take care of business, then they may end up flunking out.  The rates of freshmen being spit out after their first year is staggering.  “According to reports, 72 percent of students attending four-year public institutions return to that same school for their sophomore year. 

Disabled students are no more immune to failure then are the rest of college students. Read the following article about a student in England who flunked out freshman year.  http://www.post-gazette.com/pg/07150/789803-51.stm#ixzz0f4GuXndj)

What’s in a Noodle?

Are you mad about food?  Instead of being what you eat, you actually may think like you eat.  Studies are showing that food is an important factor in mental health.  As college students, you may tend to blow off several issues of physical and mental health.  Do you get enough sleep?  Are you eating properly, or is pizza, raman noodles and peanut butter and crackers your principle diet?

Now Mental Health is not something most people feel comfortable talking about.  Being young, strong and vivacious, may allow you to stretch yourself to limits older folks only dream about, but if you aren’t managing your health, it can soon manage you.

According to statistics, 10 percent of students entering college already have trouble with depression.  Each year about one in five Americans experience a diagnosable psychiatric disability, which includes major depressive disorders, schizophrenia, eating disorders, and anxiety disorders (National Institute of Mental Health, 2002.  Major mental illness often occurs between ages 18-25—a time when many young adults are seeking postsecondary education, preparing for future careers, and developing social relationships.  So the statistics tell you that the developmental age for college students can cause some to become unhinged and disconnected from reality.

But back to food!  Yes food can be part of how to stay healthy mentally.  The Mediterranean diet is supposed to help us keep healthier in many ways, but research has shown that it has a direct impact on dementia (http://www.cnn.com/2010/HEALTH/02/08/mediterranean.diet.brain/index.html).  Now that study really is about old folks and their health habits.  Yet we all know the average diet of a college student is subpar.  Yet most of us know that unless our grandmom is living with us, we have little chance of eating such a vibrant diet.

“Irregular class schedules, part-time jobs, and variable homework loads can disrupt normal eating patterns among college students, leading to unhealthy habits that may be hard to break. Despite these difficulties, it is important for students to find time for nutritious and varied foods.” (Read more at the following site: http://www.diet.com/store/facts/college-students-diets-of)

How many of you have realized your grades are dependent on how well you retain information?  Well if you eat well, you are able to retain more information and do better on tests, let alone manage stress and anxiety.  Without proper sleep, exercise and nutrition, you can really disable your noodle.  Comment with your experiences!

Courting the Disability and the Classroom

It has been noted recently that blogging is losing its appeal among young people, and if you don’t grab the irony in that claim, chances are you aren’t cut from the gen-x age cloth.  Myself – I am new to the practice of blogging, less new to text thread posts in newsgroups and Facebook fan page threads, but that’s another blog entry.  What has struck me, maybe in a somewhat quasi-romantic fashion, is how small that blogging community actually  is.  Now, before plowing into the firestorm Ari Ne’eman (National Counsel on Disability) found himself in; I should first disclose, to the reader, an article I found in the research for this blog from journal Disability Studies Quarterly (Vol 28, #4, Fall 2008) available online

at www.dsg-sds.org, reference http://www.dsq-sds.org/article/view/146/146.

The article, “Growth of Neurodiversity in Society and Academia” is everything an article should be and more.  For those that care to get a primer, some basics, on the American history (recent) of the disability known as “autism” – not extensive, but a good brief – this article is a must read.  It specifically touches onto the higher education dynamic, changing culture and the emergence of “neurodiversity.”  The article’s authors are Scott M. Robertson and Ari D. Ne’eman.  For me, I found some endearing humor in a passage at the thought of this “Autreat” conference, “where autistic people and non-autistic allies gather in a sensory-compatible and socially friendly atmosphere.  Participants of the conference wear colored badges (red, green, yellow) that indicate their communication preferences; the different the different colors convey whether autistic people don’t want to be approached (red), only want to be approached by people they know (yellow), or want to be approached by everyone (green).”  Man – if I could get that system going here at CSULA for everyone on campus…I’m just sayin; that non-coffee day – boom, out the door I go with my red badge.  Any way without further digression the article makes this point; “The growth of this autistic disability culture and the maturation of the autistic self-advocacy community have resulted in numerous implications for service delivery for autistic people”   Just like that, I’m glad to be an American, because evolve is what we do.  Now, that said; headlong into politics – and of fellow blogger Dana Commandatore.

February 5^th 2010 brought the NJ Voices Public Blog, entry “Christie, Coast to Coast” by Ethan Ellis.  The implications of the issues surrounding the noted people, will, affect the health care reform debate – specific the ‘crossing-states’ coverage ideas, and even the ‘public option’ proposals.  Ellis’s blog,

http://blog.nj.com/njv_publicblog/2010/02/christie_coast_to_coast.html

as it should, treads lightly on the political scene of disability policy, and it makes no bones of at once tipping his hat to Dana Commandatore (son with autism),  in praise of Ari Ne’eman – this a reflection of the complications in any clear liberal or conservative views, as both Commandatore (“inclusive education” http://www.salon.com/env/feature/2009/04/27/autistic_culture/advocate )   …and Ne’eman                                   (‘cure-is-for-cancer-not autism’ stance advocating “not at changing them into non-autistic people” http://www.autreat.com/)  are pitted against, very, very different viewpoints, such as as both Jenny McCarthy (Solon suggests ’she jump off a cliff’) and New Brunswick lawyer Harold Doherty (‘it’s a disease – find a cure’) represent.  Thus, those ‘numerous implications for service delivery for autistic people’ — namely a quality education is at stake.  Rather than, fielding my usual comment that avows this and ridicules that posture on the issue of identity politics (in part to dissuade emotive flame replies), this blog entry will simply ask the reader: What political party stands with people with disabilities? By that I mean, BEST, stands with advocating inclusion and cultural awareness — and why.  Unlike some respondents I won’t mention by name; if your reply is free from name-calling and/or berating, I will promptly post it (within a few hour from submission).  In particular I welcome CSULA students and Facebook fan page readers.  Is the GOP, less Sara Palin, considerate of disability rights, and does the democrats erroneously assume an allegiance from disability advocates?  Could the healthcare reform effort affect education?  Hit me up, and tell me what’s up with this crazy world.

Is Education Going YOUTUBE?

The latest challenge for making an education accessible is working with the use of video lectures.  For those who aren’t aware, folks who are deaf or hard of hearing don’t get much from uncaptioned video.  But, because of the shift toward many institutions of higher learning to use these products that capture the faculty’s lecture, I expect we will be hearing from them!

In many ways, capturing lectures has positives.  First, you can replay the class and study from the lecture – taking notes again.  You can add extra education tools that develop or enhance content in the lecture using these tools. 

As long as you aren’t deaf, this is cool.

BUT

With adding captions (synched hopefully) gives the content to the deaf and hard of hearing.  I did watch a youtube with Stephen Hawking’s digital voice out of synch with the captioning – made for a bad video – I don’t been cool.

Better yet is a transcription – but transcription is expensive.  Tools exist for captioning materials for the web in Flash, Camtasia and Captivate.  I suggest folks in education use them.

Caveat: Recently I posted links to some video that was not captioned.  So the deaf were left out – but that shows how easily we forget our brothers and sisters who can’t hear. See http://osdhorn.wordpress.com/2010/02/02/amazing-abilit…rom-disability/

Sources

http://www.streamingmedia.com/r/printerfriendly.asp?id=10966

http://campustechnology.com/articles/2009/06/01/lecture-capture-bonus

Sample Lectures

Captioned (you will need to turn on captioning (far right button on bottom)

Earth the Common Heritage

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nuRG2v0Put0Noncaptioned

Speech on Race

Non-captioned

Dietrich  Bonheffer on Truth and Politics (1 hour)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FPPJCkfxdTs

Darwin’s Legacy (1 Hour)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fysSblKjjvA

Amazing Ability comes from Disability

It’s midterms here at CSULA, and instead of adding more textual content, I’m adding some video to be instructive and entertaining at the same time.  Many folks have disabilities and the result changes their ability to do something else.  The brain is especially amazing.  Both autism, epilepsy and brain injury can dramatically alter one’s abilities.   The following videos are about those who are considered savants.  When you have time, watch through the one titled “The Boy with the Incredible Brain,” as the video is the longest.

Music Savant

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3oZaCrkCxu8

Autistic Artist

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3qLsm0gHIPM

“The Boy with the Incredible Brain” — Longer Piece

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hKk96kOAnLg&feature=related

20 years before they get it!

The fact that attorneys, judges and other legal pundits finally give up on discriminating against blind law students is amazing.  Some thought they would never release their bony fingers from the gavel.  The technology for making a bar exam accessible has been around for over 20 years, but discrimination takes years to kill.

http://chronicle.com/blogPost/Blind-Student-Can-Use/20964/

Next on the horizon is Blackboard and other products that could be made accessible, but aren’t fully accessible.  The knowledge is there for making it work, but maybe technologists don’t really care.

Free Speech in College?

I have heard from students at different universities that their free speech and expression is limited by faculty who can or will give them poor grades for views that are not analogous to faculty points of view.  Though I support free speech, I usually tell students to avoid talking about political, religious or other controversial issues with faculty, as I know from firsthand experience that those who are against you will “d” grade you whenever they can.   I’ve been told by many that they have to agree with faculty in their writing and that they cannot argue against faculty philosophical ideas in order to maintain their GPA.   This infuriates many.  Have you had this experience?  In academia, faculty should be able to discuss about viewpoints or ideas that are not popular or are politically incorrect.  Faculty just shouldn’t be docking students for their viewpoint, offensive or contrary as they may be.  I’m not sure what one can do about being docked either, unless they can present their case effectively to their college Dean or chair.

 Another issue of freedom of speech is the types of subjects and ideas studied in the classroom.  Faculty should be able to present works from controversial people that are not popular, but stimulate thought and feeling alike.   Being that we are in academia, we should also be able to entertain in our studies content that is problematic, offensive, racists, sexists or worse.  But, it appears that on many campuses that some students actually support abuses of the first amendment.  If one does not agree with the guy preaching , or the woman who is a vegan, or the person who shares alternative political views,  that does not mean we have the right to stop them from free expression.  

Faculty members too have a similar issue when their expression in the classroom that can be jeopardized by administrative policies.  Faculty should be able to state what their opinions are without being afraid of being fired.    Another place where first amendment rights are in jeopardy is with the faculty being able to say what they want without having their administration punitively? For more on academic freedom of faculty read: http://chronicle.com/article/AAUP-Announces-Effort-to-Sh/49100/

 The reason these issues are important is that once you lose your right to free speech, you start living in a totalitarian state.  There are extremes such as harassment and vulgarity that may be agreed upon, but denying someone the ability to express themselves in academia is just wrong.  We should have the most open discussion of topics.  All points of view should have their place.  Everyone should be free to think as they wish and to express their thoughts.  Somewhere there is a line which is crossed into the realm of hatred, violence, and other negative expressions that are harmful to others – that is called a hate crime.  We have laws for battery as well.  Pornography is keep from children.  Here in the world of knowledge and ideals, we should be able to discuss those issues and to express our opinions and to change our minds as we are adults.  We shouldn’t be run out on a rail because we disagree with you.

Further reading:

Fire is an organization that zealously support free.  Their third annual report on campus speech codes… “The State of Free Speech on Our Nation’s Campuses” found that American colleges and universities continue to systematically violate students’ and faculty members’ right to freedom of expression. About 75 percent of colleges surveyed continue to support policies that restrict speech protected by the First Amendment.  They post the following link that presents a letter to a college about free speech problems:

http://www.crossroad.to/Quotes/Education/re-learning/letter-u-minnesota.htm

In the Higher Ed web site, the following link was found stating the nearly 70% of campuses are in violation of the federal bill of rights:

http://www.higheredmorning.com/nearly-70-of-campuses-in-this-state-violate-speech-laws

Keeping it Unreal; Steve Mehlman gets lame

About three hours ago, at about 1am 02/01/2010, Steve Mehlman of the UDW Homecare Providers Union published an article online in the California Progress Report – the article “How Low We’ve Sunk.”

http://www.californiaprogressreport.com/site/?q=print/7404

Let me first disclaim before I get into Mehlem’s posture; it ain’t hard to knock a government bureaucrat, specific under the veil of ambiguity by only referring to that person as an “agent from the Department of Health Care Services” not to mention if one used blinders while playing loose with the facts.  Truth be told the civil servant is an easy target for an array of reasons, most of them stemming from the reality that with few exceptions, social problems, the same social problems ‘agents’ tackle are still around.  Unless one has a crystal ball, what a difference that “agent” made is anyone’s guess.  Further, government workers don’t have the best reputation for reflecting efficiency.  With that said, let’s bring some light into Mehlman’s rant of a DCHS ‘raid.’  According to this article the DCHS has oversight to at least “400,000 homecare providers” and the state (California) is worried about fraud, regardless that fraud percent being “as high as 25 percent” or “no more than one to two percent” within the county system.  If anyone every wanted a lesson as to what propaganda reads like, and I’m talkin equivocated well past “Totally Against Graffiti; because there is a Difference Between Art and Graffiti” (CBS/Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors) – then Mehlman’s article is for you.

We do get from this article that an “agent” contacted Nancy Jo Riley, a homecare provider from San Diego, with regard to the care of a “quadriplegic Vietnam veteran” and from this contact a meeting was arranged, under ‘threats.’  What nature of such threat, is not disclosed – fine.  We get from the article that Nancy Jo Riley and her client were subjected to an interview, to include a “long series of “humiliating” questions.”  What nature of the questions, are not disclosed – fine.  Further, we get from the article, that Nancy Jo Riley’s civil rights were violated, her “Fourth Amendment rights against unreasonable searches and seizures.” Again, the nature of this allegation is not disclosed by the author – fine.  I’d be even willing to give Nancy Jo Riley and her unnamed client the benefit of doubt and guess that the unnamed agent was insensitive as well to include mismanaging the case, as Assembly Member Noreen Evans (D-&th) puts it, “possibly” the home visit unwarranted and premature.  Here is where this short article by Mehlman went, in conclusion, with this one case:

“We raid the homes of our most vulnerable citizens; we brand thousands of low-wage homecare providers as “fraud criminals”; we waste tens of millions of dollars to investigate widespread fraud that doesn’t exist.  All the while, white collar crimnals and crooked government contractors run free.”

Yes sir, branded them there ‘low-wage homecare’ providers, “thousands” of them “crimnals.”  Speaking of sinking low; is Mehlman, labor’s fat speak (union) just bloviating, or does Arnold’s men terrorize the disabled services?  Will this incident result in a lawsuit against the state, or should Mehlman get a clue, use spell checker, and leave journalism to more objective souls? Hit me up, and tell me what’s up with this crazy world.

Has Apple Exploded Again

New Product tops the hype list

From the hype, the pitch, the song and dance, you’d think the ipad is going to be the next best thing since the development of the ipod — well the a, e, oooooooos are real, and the impressions I’m getting is that this new tech is all that, and will set the tone of mobile computing.  Here is what the industry is saying:

Associate Press: http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/n/a/2010/01/27/financial/f142818S95.DTL

Critics at PCWorld  (who hate Apple) wrote: http://www.pcworld.com/article/188073/apple_ipad_reviews_the_critics_weigh_in.html

YouTube Fan:  Gal does nice  and funny job of introducing it — says other than the camera omitted, “Freakin awesome!” http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ah02m_2xBCg

Disabled get cut first in CA

Since California leads the nation in both positive and negative terms, the populace that are disabled are most likely to have cuts in their disability services, civil rights and incomes.  When the state had the budget crisis last year, the first place the state cut was the monies they provided to those who are permanently disabled.  The crisis has not abated, so now government offices are soon to feel the sharpened axe of budget cuts.  Could more disability services at colleges be headed for the chopping block shortly?  Well, we will have to see.

Well here is a bit of news that confirms this trend:

The City of Los Angeles Department on Disability and the Commission on Disability may be eliminated as it now exists, by this March.  The following came off a fact sheet.  You might like to know that these organizations are funded by te city of Los Angeles.

“CALL FOR SUPPORT: Department on Disability at Risk of Being Dismantled by March 2010”

We are requesting that the disability community, its advocates, and community-based organizations attend the Los Angeles City Council Committee Meeting (in large numbers) to voice your concerns and support for the Department, immediately.  Time is of the essence and these are critical issues, which will negatively impact the disability community!

Monday, February 1, 2010 at 1:00 p.m.

LOS ANGELES CITY COUNCIL COMMITTEE MEETING

Los Angeles City Hall, 10th Floor, Room 1010

200 North Spring Street, Los Angeles, CA 90012

For further information about the DEPARTMENT ON DISABILITY, please call between 8 a.m. and 5 p.m., Monday through Friday, at (213) 202-2764 voice, (213) 202-2755 TTY, or visit our website at www.Disability.LACity.org.

—————–

COMMISSION ON DISABILITY

On behalf of the City of Los Angeles, the Commission on Disability work together with the Office of the Mayor and Department on Disability to

respond to the needs and concerns of an estimated 1.3 million residents with disabilities in Los Angeles. The Commission advocates for people with disabilities and serves in an advisory capacity to the Department. The Commission holds its regular meeting on the first Wednesday of each month; annually presents a public hearing on current critical issues; identifies priority issues to be addressed; and makes recommendations to the Mayor and City Council for the benefit of the disability community. For more information about the Commission on Disability, call the Department on Disability (213) 202-2764 voice, or (213) 202-2755 TTY, or visit

www.Disability.LACity.org.

201 North Figueroa Street, Suite 100

213.202.2764 Voice

§

Los Angeles, California 90012§ 213.202.2755 TTY § 213.202.2715 Fax § www.Disability.LACity.org

– F A C T S H E E T –

THE DEPARTMENT IS VITAL BECAUSE DOD:

·

ENFORCES THE CITY’S AMERICANS WITH DISABILITIES ACT COMPLIANCE EFFORTS;

·

OVERSEES THE ACTIVITIES OF THE CITY AIDS COORDINATOR TO EXPAND THE AVAILABILITY AND ACCESSIBILITY OF HIV TESTING, PREVENTION AND TREATMENT;

·

WORKS TO COORDINATE FIRST RESPONDER EMERGENCY SERVICES FOR PERSONS WITH DISABILITIES;

·

PROVIDES EXPERT TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE AND ADVICE TO CITY DEPARTMENTS AND ORGANIZATIONS (PUBLIC AND PRIVATE); AND

·

IS THE CITY’S PRIMARY RESOURCE TO LINK THE DISABILITY COMMUNITY TO PROGRAMS AND SERVICES; SUCH AS DOD’S ANNUAL EVENT, “ACCESSIBLE CITY EXPO,” ATTENDED BY OVER 5,000 PEOPLE. THE COMMISSION IS VITAL BECAUSE COD:

·

HOLDS MONTHLY MEETINGS FOR PERSONS WITH DISABILITIES TO BRING THEIR CONCERNS TO THE CITY, AND IN ADDITION, HEARINGS ARE CONDUCTED ON ISSUES OF IMPORTANCE TO THE COMMUNITY;

·

PROVIDES OVERSIGHT FOR THE ACCESS ADVISORY COMMITTEE FOR LOS ANGELES WORLD AIRPORTS;

·

PROVIDES RECOMMENDATIONS FOR THE IMPROVEMENT OF PARATRANSIT SERVICES (e.g., ACCESS SERVICES, INC.) AND IS RESPONSIBLE FOR MANY IMPROVEMENTS IN SERVICES;

·

PROVIDES OVERSIGHT FOR LAUSD SPECIAL EDUCATION SERVICES FOR STUDENTS WITH DISABILITIES AND ADVOCATES FOR PARENTS WITH DISABLED CHILDREN; AND

·

PROVIDES EXPERT ADVICE TO LOCAL GOVERNMENT AGENCIES FOR INTERACTING WITH THE DISABILITY COMMUNITY.