Saturday, March 31, 2012

The Truth about Bullying and LD




National Center for Learning Disabilities

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National Center for Learning Disabilities



March 27, 2012

LD News for Parents


Dear Kathy,
The impact of bullying can be devastating for any child — especially one with LD. And kids with LD are at greater risk for bullying. In fact, in our recent online poll, nearly 70% of you said you know your child has been bullied, while another 14% suspect your child has been a victim.

The magnitude of this menacing problem has prompted NCLD to launch a Stop Bullying campaign. This newsletter is devoted to the topic of bullying, so read on to get the facts and get fired up. Join us as we stand up against bullying!
Sincerely,
The NCLD Team



ABOUT NCLD
"The power to hope, to learn, to succeed."



 Bully Campaign





Featured Articles
Bullying is more widespread than ever, and it's especially troublesome for kids with LD. This article offers some disturbing statistics along with proven solutions and insights parents can use. Arm yourself with facts and get ready to act!


Bullying: What's a parent to do?
Preventing bullying — and taking action when it occurs — is everyone's responsibility. Dr. Sheldon Horowitz tells parents how to play an active role, from spotting signs of trouble in their kids to learning about their legal rights. Learn more.

  
  
  

 Bullying: real stories
We asked you — our NCLD community — to tell us about your children's experiences, and we were moved by the stories you submitted. Read some of the powerful stories we received, and share your own thoughts and experiences.




Featured Activities

Hirsch
Watch clips from the new documentary Bully, and hear director Lee Hirsch explain how and why kids with special needs are especially vulnerable to bullying. Watch the video (3 min., 25 sec.)


parent-educator
Bullying — its causes and effects — extend well beyond school. One Parent Leader explains how schools can strengthen their bullying prevention programs by involving parents and community partners.


Safe Schools
This important legislation will create stricter and more uniform policies for dealing with and preventing all forms of bullying. NCLD urges you to contact your member of Congress and voice support for this bill.


poll
Recent Poll Results
During my child's school career:
I am sure that my child has been bullied: 69.9%
I know that my child has not been bullied: 15.7%
I suspect that my child has been bullied: 14.4%





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Menu Complaints Served Up (The Province)

http://www.theprovince.com/health/Menu+complaints+served/6371074/story.html

Source:
The Province (http://www.theprovince.com)

Pair Claims Discrimination over Restaurant Chain's "Albino Rhino Beer"( canada.com)

http://www.canada.com/Restaurant+chain+albino+rhino+discriminatory+pair+claim/6369292/story.html

Source Link from:
Canada.com (http://www.canada.com)

Albino Rhino Beer Complaint (Victoria Times Colonist)

http://www.timescolonist.com/business/Albino+rhino+prompts+complaint/6371306/story.html

Perhap they forgot that there are animals with albinism as well. Maybe this is their way of calling attention to the condition as the protest makes no sense otherwise, IMHO. Come on! ~K


_______________________________________
This is a free service courtesy of
The Victoria Times Colonist (http://www.timescolonist.com)

Albino Beer Draws Complaint




Perhaps it's gone a bit far. ~K
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
'Albino' beer name draws complaint

Furor over albino rhino beer has me stampeding for common sense


Furor over albino rhino beer has me stampeding for common sense
Peter Ash and Ikponwosa Ero have no doubt convinced themselves that they're doing the right thing by trying to pour Earls Restaurant's albino rhino beer down the drain.
 

Tuesday, March 27, 2012

My two sons look like Trayvon






Millions are calling for justice for Trayvon Martin. On the one-month anniversary of his killing, help grow the movement fighting the racial profiling that led to his death by sharing this powerful video.


Watch the Trayvon Video
Dear fellow MoveOn member,
I'm a MoveOn member and a mother, and my two sons look like Trayvon Martin.
As parents, we all have to warn our children about the dangers of the world—strangers, bullies, which streets not to walk down. But there's a special pain in explaining to my sons the suspicion and dangers they face, simply by being young black men.
One month ago today, Trayvon Martin was walking through a gated community in Florida with nothing more than an iced tea and a bag of skittles. But being a young black man in a hoodie made him "suspicious" to George Zimmerman, who got out of his SUV, tracked Trayvon down, and shot him dead.1
On that terrible day, my special pain and fear as a parent became very urgent ... and very real. Racial profiling is a sickness in the soul of our nation. It limits our promise. It divides us. And one month ago, it robbed Trayvon Martin of his life.
Trayvon's story is already inspiring millions in the call for justice and an end to racial violence. It also moved writer/activist Kevin Powell, Akila Worksongs, Jasiri X and the folks at MoveOn and ColorOfChange to record a new powerful video "A Song for Trayvon." Please watch it and share it with your family and friends to inspire more people to join this growing movement:
http://moveon.org/SongForTrayvon?id=38007-18795821-AlkVOMx&t=2
When my husband shared the news about Trayvon, my eyes welled with tears. I pictured my own two boys innocently walking home, just like Trayvon, and then never seeing them again—never hugging them. It was more than I could bear.
That's why I started a SignOn petition calling for justice for Trayvon. It's been signed by more than 500,000 MoveOn members, and I'm delivering it to the Justice Department today. Already, the public pressure from us and our allies is making a difference.
The Justice Department, the State of Florida, and the FBI have launched new investigations, a new state prosecutor has been appointed, and a grand jury date has been set.2 But we need to keep building the call for justice. And we do that by making sure each and every American knows Trayvon's story.
President Obama said, "if I had a son, he'd look like Trayvon."3 He might be like Trayvon too, and Trayvon might have been like my two boys; or your son; or friends of your children, joining you at the dinner table.
But Zimmerman couldn't see past Trayvon's race and hoodie to the promising young man he was—a football player, a horseback rider, a hero who pulled his father from a burning kitchen.4 Trayvon was young, he was alive, he was beautiful.
All of us sharing Trayvon's story and calling out for justice are fighting back against racism and senseless violence, so one day we no longer have to fear our child's walk home in the darkness.
It's up to us to make sure that every person in America knows what happened to Trayvon and how his death moved us to tears and action. Help us grow this movement by sharing this video with everyone you know.
Thank you for standing up for Trayvon.
–Maria Roach
P.S. Today, vigils and rallies are taking place around the country to mark the one-month anniversary of Trayvon's death. To find an event near you, go to http://vigilsfortrayvon.tumblr.com/ or check on Twitter using #vigils4trayvon.
P.P.S. Writer/activist Kevin Powell, who helped pull 500 people together in Brooklyn yesterday for the "A Song for Trayvon" event, has written a stirring and reflective piece for The Guardian on "Trayvon Martin and the fatal history of American racism." Check it out here.
Sources:
1. "Trayvon Martin: Zimmerman was not following Neighborhood Watch 'rules,'" Chicago Tribune, March 24, 2012
http://www.moveon.org/r?r=273396&id=38007-18795821-AlkVOMx&t=6
2. "Calls for justice rage on a month after Trayvon Martin's killing," CNN, March 26, 2012
http://www.moveon.org/r?r=273406&id=38007-18795821-AlkVOMx&t=7
"Obama: Shooting death of Trayvon Martin a 'tragedy,'" Newsday, March 23, 2012
http://www.moveon.org/r?r=273398&id=38007-18795821-AlkVOMx&t=8
3. "Obama: Shooting death of Trayvon Martin a 'tragedy,'" Newsday, March 23, 2012
http://www.moveon.org/r?r=273398&id=38007-18795821-AlkVOMx&t=9
4. "Trayvon Martin's Family Calls For Arrest Of Man Who Police Say Confessed To Shooting (UPDATE)," The Huffington Post, March 8, 2012
http://www.moveon.org/r?r=273399&id=38007-18795821-AlkVOMx&t=10
Want to support our work? We're entirely funded by our 5 million members—no corporate contributions, no big checks from CEOs. And our tiny staff ensures that small contributions go a long way. Chip in here.

PAID FOR BY MOVEON.ORG POLITICAL ACTION, http://pol.moveon.org/. Not authorized by any candidate or candidate's committee. 


Technology for blindness: iPhone Opens Doors for the Visually Impaired

iPhone opens doors for the blind and visually impaired
89.3 KPCC
At a blind technology conference in Culver City, Brian Albriton, who's completely blind, shows a visually impaired friend how he connects his Braille Bluetooth keyboard to his iPhone. "Check this out here," Albriton says. A beep sounds.
http://www.scpr.org/news/2012/03/05/31516/iphone-opens-doors-blind-and-visually-impaired-acc/ 

89.3 KPCC

Monday, March 26, 2012

This is new. He's just started doing this...and just sits

Subject: This is new

New seat for Bob


Modern Medicine -- Glaucoma may be neurologic disorder

Ms. Kathy has sent you this article from Modern Medicine.
Message from Ms. Kathy:
Glaucoma
By Ophthalmology Times Staff Reports
San Francisco—A new research paradigm may move glaucoma out of the realm of eye disease and characterize it as a neurologic disorder that causes nerve cells in the brain to degenerate and die, similar to what occurs in Parkinson's and Alzheimer's diseases. For many years, the prevailing theory was that...
Click here to view this content.
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© 2012 Advanstar Communications Inc.
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Is personalisation working in social care? Live discussion

Ms. Kathy spotted this on the guardian.co.uk site and thought you should see it.
To see this story with its related links on the guardian.co.uk site, go to http://www.guardian.co.uk/social-care-network/2012/mar/20/personalisation-working-social-care-live-discussion
Is personalisation working in social care? Live discussion
Four years after the government's paper Putting People First, is a personalised social care system becoming a reality? Join our panel on Wednesday 21 March 12-2pm to discuss
Jessica Fuhl
Wednesday March 21 2012
Guardian Professional

http://www.guardian.co.uk/social-care-network/2012/mar/20/personalisation-working-social-care-live-discussion

Four years ago, following the white paper Our health, our care, our say [http://webarchive.nationalarchives.gov.uk/+/www.dh.gov.uk/en/Publicationsandstatistics/Publications/PublicationsPolicyAndGuidance/Browsable/DH_4127552" title="] the government set out a vision of a transformed adult social care system where "person-centred planning and self-directed support [was] to become mainstream".
Putting People First [http://www.dh.gov.uk/prod_consum_dh/groups/dh_digitalassets/@dh/@en/documents/digitalasset/dh_081119.pdf" title="], or personalisation, was initiated across 13 pilot councils, before the government set the target that a personalised adult care system was to be rolled out to all adult service users across the country by April 2013.
Councils are moving toward a system of personal budgets for all those eligible for publicly-funded adult social care support, and are required to provide universal information, advice and advocacy services for service users and carers, regardless of eligibility for public funding. Currently, more than a third of adult service users already use a personal budget.
However this week on the network [http://www.guardian.co.uk/social-care-network/2012/mar/19/personal-budget-older-people-social-services?intcmp=239" title="] we reported that the Association of Directors of Adult Social Services (Adass) has called for a review of the implementation of personal budgets in order to "identify how they can be overhauled to work more effectively in the future". In a discussion paper, the association argued that personal budgets may not be having sufficient impact on changing personal experiences for older people.
And previously on the network, professor of social policy at Brunel University Peter Beresford argued [http://www.guardian.co.uk/social-care-network/2012/jan/17/personal-budgets-way-ahead-social?intcmp=239" title="]: "Personalisation and personal budgets are beginning to look like just the latest in a long line of good ideas in social care, from patch and community social work, to genericism, care management and community care, which through underfunding and poor implementation have withered on the vine."
Blogger Pollyanna Perkins also has criticised the use of personalisation, claiming: "Personalisation is bogging us down. Whatever happened to social work? [http://www.guardian.co.uk/social-care-network/2011/dec/19/personalisation-bogging-us-down-social?intcmp=239" title="]"
Our online live discussion will look at personalised care approaches in social work and how they are being implemented across the country. Are systems and processes overtaking the principles of personalisation? Are service users receiving the right support in managing their personal budgets and direct payments? And are personal budgets achieving the right outcomes?
Join us from midday on Wednesday to discuss these issues, or leave your comments below ahead of the debate. You can also tweet your questions or follow the debate at @GdnSocialCare [https://twitter.com/#!/GdnSocialCare] on Twitter.

Panel
Peter Hay is president of the Association of Directors of Adult Social Services [http://www.adass.org.uk/" title="] and chair of Research & Practice for Adults [http://www.ripfa.org.uk/" title="](RiPfA).
Richard Humphries is a senior fellow at The King's Fund [http://www.kingsfund.org.uk/" title="]. He was previously a joint director of social services and health authority chief executive and worked for the Department of Health [http://www.dh.gov.uk/en/index.htm" title="] in helping to support the implementation of national health and social care policy.
Charlotte Hammond leads area operations and change implementation in the active intervention and safeguarding team at Lancashire County Council [http://www.lancashire.gov.uk/home/2010/search/index.asp" title="].
Sue Brown is head of public policy at Sense [http://www.sense.org.uk/" title="], a national charity that supports and campaigns for people who are deafblind.
Elaine Cotterill is a full-time carer for her husband of 23 years, John, who has multiple sclerosis. She has written about the her own experience of the benefits of personal budgets [http://www.in-control.org.uk/support/support-for-individuals,-family-members-carers/personal-stories/elaine.aspx" title="] and how it has helped her and her husband John manage his care.
Peter Beresford is professor of social policy at Brunel University [http://www.brunel.ac.uk/shssc/people/social-work/peter-beresford" title="] and chair of Shaping Our Lives [http://www.shapingourlives.org.uk/" title="], a national network for service users and disabled people. He has written numerous articles on social care policy for the Guardian [http://www.guardian.co.uk/profile/peterberesford" title="].
Sarah Carr is author of Personalisation: a rough guide [http://www.scie.org.uk/publications/reports/report20.pdf" title="] and a senior research analyst at the Social Care Institute for Excellence [http://www.scie.org.uk/index.aspx" title="].
Martin Routledge is programme director at Think Local, Act Personal [http://www.thinklocalactpersonal.org.uk/" title="] and co-author of Personal Budgets: Taking Stock, Moving Forward [http://www.google.co.uk/url?sa=t&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&source=web&cd=1&ved=0CCgQFjAA&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.thinklocalactpersonal.org.uk%2F_library%2FResources%2FPersonalisation%2FTLAP%2FPaper5TakingStockMovingForwards.pdf&ei=FpdnT7a-EYGR0AXmuMTnCA&usg=AFQjCNHseuj03z_u4piXTcbnlwuHS5Rx-w" title="]. He is also head of operations for In Control [http://www.in-control.org.uk/].
Jenny Pitts works as an independent social care consultant and is managing director of Ambrey Associates [http://www.ambrey.co.uk/" title="]. She was previously West Midlands co-ordinator for In Control [http://www.in-control.org.uk/" title="].
Jon Glasby is director of the health services management centre [http://www.birmingham.ac.uk/schools/social-policy/departments/health-services-management-centre/index.aspx" title="] at Birmingham University and a qualified social worker.
Wendy Lowder works as the assistant director for personalisation at Barnsley Metropolitan Borough Council [http://www.barnsley.gov.uk/" title="]and is a fellow at the Centre for Welfare Reform [http://www.centreforwelfarereform.org/" title="].
This article is published by Guardian Professional. [http://reg.guardian.managemyaccount.co.uk/social-care/start.php" title="]Join the social care network to receive regular emails and exclusive offers.

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DNA - Sportsperson crosses all hurdles with ‘I can’ spirit

Sportsperson crosses all hurdles with 'I can' spirit

Vaishali Salavkar wears several hats with ease — chess champion, half-marathon runner and professional masseuse. And between all this, she has managed to find time to raise a 12-year-old daughter.
That Vaishali is partially visually challenged is one of the many things that makes her an inspiration for many.
She recently won her sixth national blind chess title and now plans to take advanced coaching so that she can play against sighted opponents. "A few months training and I am sure I can do it," she says.
It is this ‘’I Can" spirit that has egged her on to achieve commendable personal and professional goals.
Vaishali has a skin condition called albinism which makes her melanin-deficient and partially sighted. "I can’t see anything from my right eye and the left can only make out shapes, not faces, unless they are really close," she adds.
Growing up in a society which is not necessarily sensitive to the needs of the differently-abled, Vaishali struggled for years to fit in. One of the teachers at her school saw a spark in Vaishali and taught her to play chess as an extracurricular activity. "I beat him at a game and there has been no looking back since," she says.
The 40-year-old loves to jog and has also participated in the 7km Dream Run and the 21km half marathon a couple of times along with her husband Narendra and other members of the National Association of the Blind.
"A lot of physically challenged people take up activities that are perceived to be difficult or beyond their reach. For me, the loud cheers and encouragement from the viewers and fellow participants are exhilarating," Vaishali says.
She and her husband keep fit by brisk walking and light jogging. The couple is helped in their regime by their daughter Tanvi. "When Tanvi was born, I couldn’t help but wonder if I would be able to take care of her or whether sightless parents can bring up a well-adjusted child," she says.
And when Vaishali started playing chess in 1999, she was worried whether she would be able to juggle her job and parenthood with her passion for the game. "But I have managed to do all that is important to me with sheer determination on my part and a lot of help from my husband," she adds.

Ooyala: World's Largest Family with Albinism Video

Hello,
Ms. Kathy has sent you a video on Ooyala.
To view the video, please click the link below:
http://www.thesun.co.uk/sol/homepage/video/sun-exclusive/4174671/Albino-Indians-Exclusive.html#ooid=9qNGVvMzo7k54oR3JGw-BVFsGU91oIvT

Cornelia de Lange Syndrome (Spanish video)

Sindrome Cornelia de Lange - YouTube
Tribute to Sebastian Michael Hornadayby skudmissal67 views; Cornelia de Lange Syndrome 0:54. Add to. Cornelia de Lange Syndromeby angzter86181 views ...www.youtube.com/watch?v=8C0lyFKoyXU
Visual Impairments Specialist Scotlandville Elementary http://lee.ebrschools.org/kathynicholslee
http://www.kathyskids.org
http://teacherweb.com/LA/RobertELeeHigh/MrsMichael/t.aspx
http://mskathyskids.blogspot.com

Tuesday, March 20, 2012

Testing Prayer: Can Science Prove the Healing Power of Prayer?

Kathy has shared a Huffington Post article with you
Article: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/candy-gunther-brown-phd/testing-prayer-science-of-healing_b_1299915.html?ref=email_share

Sent by Kathy

Sweep Visual Evoked Potential Testing as a Predictor of Recognition Acuity in Albinism


 

Modern Medicine -- Finding clues for unsolved mysteries in glaucoma

kathyskids.org has sent you this article from Modern Medicine.
Message from knl@ebrschools.org:
glaucoma
By Lynda Charters
Orlando, FL—The glaucomas continue to intrigue us with unsolved mysteries. Paul Palmberg, MD, PhD, enumerated several examples during Glaucoma Subspecialty Day at the annual meeting of the American Academy of Ophthalmology. He challenged investigators to find the answers. ● What causes the unilateral transformation of the corneal endothelium in the...
Click here to view this content.
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© 2012 Advanstar Communications Inc.
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Afghan Code Declares "Men are Fundamental, and Women are Secondary"

Pooooot. ~K

Subject: Afghan Code Declares "Men are Fundamental, and Women are Secondary"

In Afghanistan, the hard won-progress of
women's rights that Afghan women have gained since the
fall of the Taliban is now in danger of being cast
away. President Hamid Karzai recently endorsed an
oppressive "code of conduct" that will ban Afghan women
from traveling without a male escort and from mingling
with men in public places. Worst of all, the code was
released with the official statement, "Men are
fundamental and women are secondary." Tell President
Karzai that women are NOT second-class citizens!
http://www.care2.com/go/z/e/AGgK8/zmkX/BVsEg

In addition, women are still given full right
to physically assault their spouse if it is for a
"Shariah-compliant reason."

Karzai is apparently willing to sacrifice the
rights and independence of half his citizens in order
to appease the extremist conservative forces.
Stop the disintegration of women's rights in
Afghanistan and tell President Karzai to retract his
endorsement of this extremist code!
http://www.care2.com/go/z/e/AGgK8/zmkX/BVsEg

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Baton Rouge Zoo Photo Contest

Baton Rouge Zoo Photo Contest


[Image]http://www.kathyskids.orgMs. Kathy's Kids Blog: http://mskathyskids.blogspot.com/

----- Forwarded Message -----

From: Baton Rouge Zoo

To: mskathy
Sent: Tuesday, March 20, 2012 5:08 AM

Subject: Baton Rouge Zoo Photo Contest



Sent by: Friends of the Baton Rouge Zoo

Reply to the sender [Image] [Image] Get your cameras ready! [Image] Join us for the BREC's Baton Rouge Zoo Photo Contest sponsored by The Advocate.ENTER NOW:Go to theadvocate.com/contests. Click on the BR Zoo photo contest rules to get all of the rules for the contest. Upload your photo at theadvocate.com/contests by this Friday, March 23. Get your friends and family to vote for your photo. One vote per person per day. DEADLINES

All photos must be uploaded by March 23. Voting for Fan Favorite will end March 25.Visit theadvocate.com/contests or brzoo.org for complete contest rules. [Image] [Image] [Image] [Image] [Image] connect with us [Image][Image] [Image] [Image] [Image] [Image] This e-mail was sent from Friends of the Baton Rouge Zoo

Immediate removal with PatronMail®

Should African-Americans be routinely Screened fo Glaucoma?

Should All African American get Screeened for Glaucoma?



Tue Mar 13 21:29:50 UTC 2012 By Andrew M. Seaman NEW YORK (Reuters Health) - Screening middle-aged African Americans for glaucoma may prevent some from losing their vision, but the benefits are modest and costly, suggests a new study. About two percent of Americans over age 40 are affected by glaucoma, which is caused by too much pressure in the eye, but one of the study's authors says it is a bigger threat to certain groups -- particularly African Americans.

My dad, who is a coauthor on the paper, actually has glaucoma. He was diagnosed late and has some visual impairment from it... It's been a gradual process of different treatments and gradually worsening condition," said Dr. Joseph Ladapo, the study's lead author and an assistant professor at the New York University School of Medicine. The researchers wanted to know whether annual glaucoma screenings as part of a routine eye exam would stave off vision impairment or loss in some people. We thought (African Americans) would get hit the worst. So, if we can't show a benefit in this population, it's unlikely that we'll be able to show benefits in other populations," Ladapo told Reuters Health.

Instead of conducting a clinical trial, Ladapo and his colleagues created a computer simulation using data on African Americans between 50 and 59 years old in the Eye Diseases Prevalence Research Group and the Baltimore Eye Study. Based on their calculations, the rate of undiagnosed glaucoma in African Americans would drop from 50 percent to 27 percent if regular screenings were adopted nationwide. However, the benefits of preventing vision loss or blindness were much more modest. The proportion of African Americans blinded by glaucoma would go from 6.1 percent to 5.6 percent, and those with glaucoma-related vision impairment would fall from 4.6 percent to 4.4 percent. While any reduction in glaucoma rates may prevent people from losing some or all of their vision, the researchers determined 875 people would have to be screened to prevent one person from losing some of their vision. It's just horrible when people develop visual impairment, but we didn't find that the benefits were that great," Ladapo told Reuters Health. And at about $80 per screening, preventing that one person from losing some vision carries a price tag of over $70,000. But, the researchers write in the Archives of Ophthalmology, they consider the number needed to be screened to be comparable to other tests. Dr. Nathan Radcliffe, director of Glaucoma Service at NY-Presbyterian/Weill Cornell Medical Center, said he also thinks it's important for people to be screened, because it's the only way to diagnose glaucoma and the examination may help find other unrelated conditions. The only way a patient is going to know if they have (glaucoma) is if they have someone look into their eye," said Radcliffe, who was not involved in the study. He recommended people over 40 years old and those with a family history of glaucoma-related vision loss should get a baseline exam to reference as they get older. Doctors identify glaucoma by looking at the person's optic nerve and by testing their field of vision. Radcliffe said glaucoma is treatable with drops or surgery, but not once they've lost the main parts of their vision." Still, he added, There is a huge window where we can diagnose glaucoma."

SOURCE: bit.ly/zn9axj Archives of Ophthalmology, March 2012.

Will we ever restore sight to the blind?

Will we ever restore sight to the blind?
Will we ever restore sight to the blind?
Anatomy | Here's the third piece from my new BBC columnA 46 year-old man called Miikka spotted a simple spelling mistake. A group of scientists had misspelled his name as
 

Sarah caden: Thank you to the outspoken professor who spoke up for all of us - Analysis, Opinion - Independent.ie





Sarah caden: Thank you to the outspoken professor who spoke up for all of us - Analysis, Opinion - Independent.ie
Source: independent.ie

Given that I'd listened to Professor Michael O'Keefe on Today With Pat Kenny last Thursday on the cancelling of treatment of cataracts and childhood eye cancers in Temple Street because they are scheduled and not emergency procedures, it was odd that I didn't recognise him as he oversaw my child's treatment there the following day.
 

Fw: Trayvon

Listening to TJMS this morning and heard about the phone call Trayvon was having with a girlfriend. He told her someone was following him. She heard his last words. Shame.
----- Forwarded Message -----
From: "Rashad Robinson, ColorOfChange.org
To: Kathy
Sent: Monday, March 19, 2012 3:05 PM
Subject: Trayvon


Trayvon Martin was shot dead on his way home from buying candy.
Trayvon Martin
Please join us in calling on the Dept. of Justice to arrest Trayvon's killer and launch an investigation into Sanford's police department:
Join Us
Dear Kathy,
Three weeks ago, 17-year old Trayvon Martin was gunned down by self-appointed neighborhood watch captain George Zimmerman. Despite Zimmerman admitting to following, confronting, and killing Trayvon, he has yet to be arrested or charged with any crime.1
Just minutes before Trayvon was killed, Zimmerman had called police stating that Trayvon looked "suspicious." Trayvon was unarmed and walking back to his father's home in Sanford, Florida when Zimmerman accosted him.
At the crime scene, Sanford police botched their questioning of Zimmerman, refused to take the full statements of witnesses, and pressured neighbors to side with the shooter's claim of self-defense.2 As it turns out, Sanford's police department has a history of failing to hold perpetrators accountable for violent acts against Black victims, and the police misconduct in Trayvon's case exemplifies the department's systemic mishandling of such investigations.3 And now, the State Attorney's office has rubber-stamped the Sanford police's non-investigation, claiming that there is not enough evidence to support even a manslaughter conviction.4
Trayvon's family and hundreds of thousands of people around the country are demanding justice.5 Please join us in calling on the Department of Justice to take over the case, arrest Trayvon's killer, and launch an independent investigation into the Sanford police department's unwillingness to protect Trayvon's civil rights. It takes just a moment:
http://act.colorofchange.org/go/1216?akid=2383.1421847.u5_ma9&t=3
Walking home from the store shouldn't cost you your life, but when Black youth are routinely assumed to be violent criminals, being randomly killed is a constant danger.6 Before Zimmerman decided to get out of his parked car — gun in tow — to pursue Trayvon on foot that night, he called the police to identify Trayvon as a "suspicious person" — apparently because he was wearing a hoodie and walking too slowly in the rain for Zimmerman's liking. Despite being instructed not to follow Trayvon, Zimmerman proceeded to confront and fatally shoot the boy in the chest within a matter of minutes.7
The case has been compromised from the beginning. When Sanford police arrived on the scene, Zimmerman was first approached by a narcotics detective — not a homicide investigator — who "peppered him with questions" rather than allowing him to tell his story without prompting. Another officer "corrected" a witness giving a statement that she'd heard Trayvon cry for help before he was shot, telling her she had heard Zimmerman instead.8 And beyond the questions of professional competence or even the police's disregard for the facts, Florida's notorious "Shoot First" law takes a shooter's self-defense claim at face value — incentivizing law enforcement not to make arrests in shooting deaths that would lead to murder charges in other states.9
Sanford has a history of not prosecuting when the victim is Black. In 2010, the white son of a Sanford police lieutenant was let go by police after assaulting a homeless Black man outside a downtown bar. And, in 2005, a Black teenager was killed by two white security guards, one the son of a Sanford Police officer. The pair was arrested and charged, but a judge later cited lack of evidence and dismissed both cases.10
Please join us in calling on the Department of Justice to arrest Trayvon's killer and launch an investigation into the Sanford police department's mishandling of the case and when you do, ask your friends and family to do the same:
Thanks and Peace,
-- Rashad, Gabriel, Dani, Matt, Natasha, Kim and the rest of the ColorOfChange.org team
   March 19th, 2012
Help support our work. ColorOfChange.org is powered by YOU—your energy and dollars. We take no money from lobbyists or large corporations that don't share our values, and our tiny staff ensures your contributions go a long way. You can contribute here:
References
1. "Witnesses in Trayvon Martin death heard cries before shot," Miami Herald, 03-15-12
http://act.colorofchange.org/go/1228?akid=2383.1421847.u5_ma9&t=6
2. "Orlando Watch Shooting Probe Reveals Questionable Police Conduct," ABC News, 03-13-12
http://act.colorofchange.org/go/1219?akid=2383.1421847.u5_ma9&t=8
3. "Trayvon Martin Case Salts Old Wounds And Racial Tension," Huffington Post, 03-14-12
http://act.colorofchange.org/go/1220?akid=2383.1421847.u5_ma9&t=10
4. "Police: No Grounds For Arrest in Trayvon Martin's Death," WESH-2 Orlando, 03-16-12
http://act.colorofchange.org/go/1227?akid=2383.1421847.u5_ma9&t=12
5. "Trayvon Martin Family Seeks FBI Investigation of Killing by Neighborhood Watchman," ABC News, 03-18-12
http://act.colorofchange.org/go/1221?akid=2383.1421847.u5_ma9&t=14
6. "Ramarley Graham: NYPD Slays Unarmed Black Teen as Outrage over Targeting of People of Color Grows," Democracy Now!, 02-08-12
http://act.colorofchange.org/go/1222?akid=2383.1421847.u5_ma9&t=16
7. "Trayvon Martin would be alive if Neighborhood Watch rules followed," Orlando Sentinel, 03-14-12
http://act.colorofchange.org/go/1223?akid=2383.1421847.u5_ma9&t=18
8. See reference 2.
9. "Teen's death suggests review of 'Stand Your Ground Law' needed," Tallahassee Democrat, 03-16-12
http://act.colorofchange.org/go/1224?akid=2383.1421847.u5_ma9&t=20
10. "Five years since Florida enacted 'stand-your-ground' law, justifiable homicides are up, Tampa Bay Times, 10-17-10
http://act.colorofchange.org/go/1225?akid=2383.1421847.u5_ma9&t=22



Louisiana Food at OneTrueMedia.com

This is the new video for the community based and resource classes.  Enjoy while you learn!

Thursday, March 15, 2012

Braille Notebook/Index Cards for Children with Multi-disabilities

This is a project I promised a teacher of a multi-disabled student in a class for severely disabled children. The wonderful  teacher goes through the alphabet, the days of the week and the months of the year every day and needed a way to present the same info to the blind child.

I gathered index cards which I cut in half, a Sharpie marker, stick paste, poster letters, a manual Perkins braille writer. Everything here except the brailler came from one of the good VI supply stores: Dollar General. :)
I also found this notebook of index cards. 

Since the poster letters have three of each letter I made two sets of loose alphabet cards and one set I pasted onto the unruled side of the cards in the notebook to the far left on each card. I used a pen  write what each letter means as it stands alone in braille where applicable; Example "b" means "but"; "m" means "more." For a list of braille contractions CLICK HERE.


Next I stuck each card, as well as the cards from the notebook (they rolled in as far as I needed while still attached) and brailled each letter on each card on the lower right side.
The notebook has enough cards for me to write the other items the teacher needs to present. This child needs days of the week, months and daily schedule words. The yellow tabs inside are removable so I was able to label them with my Sharpie and move them around. After I wrote the words I needed. I  brailled the words beneath the printed words using grade two braille. The reason I did not use puffy braille or grade one braille is to keep in realistic for the student. The child is impaired enough not to become a reader of novels and newspapers but I want her to have survival braille that will look like what is found in the environment. She will learn the words by shape and not letter-by-letter, sign-by-sign.
The notebook comes with a plastic insert so a teacher can label this set of cards however she wants. 
 
This photo shows the notebook of cards standing. The letter is shown in large print so that a low vision child can use it or the teacher can present before the small groups class then allow the child with the VI to see the braille letter. Textured glue like puffy paint or glitter glue can add more texture for low vision, cortical blindness and other perceptual differences. 

If your student does not need texture on the print letter but you would like more durability on the loose cards, have them laminated before they are brailled. 

For folks working with students on my caseload: After you make your cards and you'd like braille on them contact me and I'll get that done ASAP. The same for labels around your classroom.

Sorry, I'm delivering this one today for the child involved and the loose cards for another. But now that I have posted directions for making them you can make some inexpensively for your self.