mydreamweaver

Iraq - Our leaders are thinking with an open mind.

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Mon, 08 Jan 2007 02:43:00 +0000

This is really giving the American people an ultamatum not an informed decision.

One official involved in the administration's policy discussion described it this way: "There are several strategic options to choose from. Do we cut and leave, and attempt to exit gracefully? Do we adjust the current strategy and be patient? Do we keep the current strategy without any adjustment? Or do we try to change the dynamic by increasing the troop levels and changing the strategy?

"Given an ample supply of patience on the part of the American people, [the current strategy] would work. However, the president now knows that there's not an ample supply of patience on the part of the American people…. So he has to change the dynamic…. Does he do it by reducing troops and withdrawing, or does he change the mix in a different way?"

Home ownership for people with disabilities

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Thu, 04 Jan 2007 05:02:00 +0000

Dear Nicholas,

I'm excited to announce that I will be hosting a FREE seminar this month on accessible and affordable home ownership. This seminar will show that owning one's own home is a real possibility for people of modest means and dealing with disability.

It is being held at the Keller Williams Realty office in Oakland on Saturday January 27th. Click here to view and print a flyer containing all the details. However, if you cannot view the flyer, all the pertinent information is described below.

If you or anyone you know might be interested in attending, please contact me at the number below. I'd also greatly appreciate it if you could print and post a copy of the attached flyer on your office bulletin board or forward this email to anyone and everyone you know who might want to attend.

SEMINAR DETAILS:
DATE: Saturday January 27th, 2006
TIME: 11:00 AM - 1:30 PM
LOCATION: Keller Williams Realty - Oakland, 4341 Piedmont Avenue, Suite #200, Oakland CA (near the intersections of Pleasant Valley Road)

Light refreshments will be served

Thanks so very much,

Stephen Beard

Stephen Beard, Real Estate Consultant & Accessibility Specialist
Keller Williams Realty
4341 Piedmont Avenue, Oakland, CA 94611
Cell: 510-364-6795, Fax: 510-743-4264
mailto:stephen@stephenbeard.net
http://www.stephenbeard.net
My Commitment is your Peace of Mind
If you do not wish to receive future emails, please click the link to Unsubscribe: Unsubscribe.

Liberalism

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Tue, 19 Dec 2006 05:12:00 +0000

David Duke Writes Cover Article for NYT MAGAZINE
Former KKK leader David Duke published a cover story in Sunday's NYT
Magazine, in which he suggested that the hyper rich have a moral duty to
alleviate the worst poverty in the world by giving away up to one-third
of their fortunes. Despite Duke's motive of seeking to alleviate poverty,
observers were outraged. "I don't care how worthwhile the ideas expressed
in this article were," declared Senator Hillary Rodham Clinton. "Racists
do not deserve the respect that is accorded by having such a prominent
article published in the nation's leading newspaper." The Times issued a
quick apology and blamed the decision to publish Duke on "a distortion in
the editorial process."

Wait a minute. I got the names mixed up. It wasn't David Duke. It was
Peter Singer. And even though Singer advocates the right of parents to
kill infants who are disabled by such conditions as Down syndrome or
hemophilia (and in fact, under personhood theory, any infant who did not
serve the interests of the family), there were no outraged press releases
from Senator Clinton or any other major public figure decrying the Times,
nor, needless to say, was there any Times apology.

This brings up a disturbing dichotomy within the Liberal Establishment,
of which, I think it is fair to say, the Times is a leading member. Does
anyone think the Times would have published the very same article if it
were authored by Duke? Of course not because Duke is considered
(properly, in my view) a racist who is beyond the pale of respectability.
Yet, here is an irony: As far as I know, Duke has never suggested that it
would be okay to kill minority babies. But Singer has, the minority
category being disability, which makes his advocacy at least as
pernicious as Duke's--just aimed at different victims.

Here is another example of this paradox involving Singer: I once spoke at
Princeton and decried America's premier university giving Singer a
tenured chair. A faculty member spoke up and stated that Singer had
sterling credentials and having someone like Singer on campus provided a
diversity of views. I asked the professor if Nobel Prize winner William
Shockley--who clearly had sterling credentials but who was also a
racist--would ever be allowed to teach at Princeton. No, the professor
admitted, which means I guess, that being racist is not an acceptable
diverse view at Princeton, but advocating eugenic infanticide is.

Here is what I think: Liberalism used to be about protecting the equal
worth of all human beings. No longer. The respect for and acceptance of
Peter Singer by such Capital-E Establishment institutions as Princeton
University and the New York Times offers disturbing evidence of this
proposition.

Acting as Advocates and Protecting Our Rights

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Tue, 12 Dec 2006 02:15:00 +0000

We shall overcome......These were words echoed by Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.. Over 40 years later, people with disabilities have developed many laws that forge our civil rights movement. These principles include equal access, accesible/affordable housing, personal assistance services, healthcare, public benefits, working, and protecting laws like the ADA and the Olmstead Act. Theses rights are being threatened every day at every level and everyday as advocates we owe it to our brothers and sisters trapped in the nursing homes who are prisoners to their own disabilities. We must make sure our civil rights and the advancement of people with disabilities in our society is at the forefront of the disability agenda in this country.

Think Tank

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Mon, 11 Dec 2006 03:30:00 +0000

Today I was thinking about starting a think tank for people who have severe spasticity due as a result of Cerebral Palsy. There are many ways to treat muscle spasms. Our government is spending millions of dollars as we send our military to take over foreign land as we watch our boys come home in caskets. Our government doesn’t care about it’s own people. Because the man is so out of touch, we must use people power.

Why people call themselves dumb and stupid.

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Thu, 30 Nov 2006 17:49:00 +0000

I've heard more than once in the DD community, "am I dumb?, am I stupid?". I've become so outraged everytime this question is asked. It poses 2 very big concerns that the PWD community must recon with and solve. Many PWD's don't rise to get a job or go to school, but watch t.v. and mess around on the internet.

When your dealing with a family unit, you can be dealing with many different variables and relationships. A lot of PWD's who have DD, are not communicating with their parents about critical issues involving self-identity, sexuallity, and realistic issues that face everyday people who don't have disabilities.

What makes me even more angry are the people who are designed to help PWD's by providing social services and rehabilitation services. These people have low expectations and fail to teach social skills and how people can live a quality, dignified life.

There comes a time when every disabled person realizes that they may be a part of a natural community and that their social skills and knowledge of world events are left behind. This leaves PWD's in a snowball effect of isolation and not being able to socialize in different circles. In a way, this in itself, represents segregation. The real question is what can we do socially, economically, politically, and from a personal standpoint, to change these issues?

Canine Support Team

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Sun, 29 Oct 2006 21:48:00 +0000

For the past 12 days I have been in Temecula, CA training for a service dog. The program is truly wonderful and accomidates all disablities. The dogs do great with tsk work. Anything from turning on the lightswitch to opening a door to helping me make a purchase at a store. The new love of my life is a black lab named Kate. I hope that if anyone knows of anybody who may be interested in obtaining a support dog that they contact canine support teams. The organization is very understanding of people with disablities who are on fixed income and need financial assistance. These dogs are great for so many different disablities and can serve so many purposes. I will be attending my graduation in Temecula on the 18th of this month. It would mean a lot to me for as many of you to attend as possible. This is a very special occasion.

Nursing Home Waiver Training

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Fri, 13 Oct 2006 17:09:00 +0000

What: Training on Nursing Home Waivers
Who: All consumers, advocates, providers are invited - as is anyone else
interested in nursing home waivers.
Affects people with all disabilities, including developmental and
psychiatric and TBI, including seniors.
When: October 19, 2006; 1:30-4:30 p.m.
Where: 1) By video conference in PAI regional offices, if space is
available
2) By teleconference statewide
More information on video and teleconference below.
Why: Federal Medicaid waivers are a way for states to use federal funds
creatively. Nursing home waivers are an important tool for keeping people
out of and getting people out of nursing homes. California has always
under-used nursing home waivers. Later this fall, the California Health
and Human Services Agency will call together stakeholders to discuss
Californias nursing home waiver and hear how people think the program
could be improved.
PAI offers this training to:
Â§ Inform people on what the waivers are, how they work, who is covered,
how someone can apply for waiver services.
Â§ Equip people with the information they need to take part in the
stakeholder process
Â§ Let providers know of opportunities through the waivers
How to participate:
1) Video-conference: our regional offices are in Sacramento, Oakland, Los
Angeles and San Diego. If you want to participate by video-conference,
contact Brandon Tartaglia - see contact info below. He will tell you
whether we have space available in the location you prefer. ALL PAI
OFFICES ARE SCENT-FREE.

The story of Ryan

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Wed, 11 Oct 2006 03:54:00 +0000

I went to a Ranch camp as a child. It was called Skylake Ranch Camp. In 1986 I was made camper of the week. This was an award given to people who overcome many obstacles in their lives. I felt bad, in a way, I didn't feel like i had achieved much, but for the first time I was in a play, I did gymnastics, I was assisted to the top of a waterfall, participated in a 5 day camp out, hung over the side of a horse doing vaulting and regular camp stuff. I got close to people. I was proud to have my name eternally on a plaque. These plaques started in the late '60s so it was really an honor.

The next year was the last year of the camp. I was a teenager and I was in campers for leadership training. My assistant and I stayed in a cabin and were expected to act as an assistant counselor while learning the skills neccessary.

I remember there was a fellow camper who was causing a lot of problems. My friend, who was a counselor, told me that it was my responsibility to talk to the bad kid. At first I was embarrassed. I was thinking that the others would not like me because I was hanging out with a bad kid. WEll that kid and i started talking and he told me about his feelings of loneliness and the pains of growing up. I listened, and we talked. Over the next four weeks his behavior and attitude improved. I had to do the above mentioned activities in order to get him to do them. He didn't want to admit it, but he liked it. I remeber his smile after he waterskied for the first time.

At the end of the summer, with James Taylor playing in the background, The campe was awarded with camper of the week. The reason was that he had turned his ways into helping others and tried to overcome behavior patterns that were disruptive.

I heard from that camper a month later. He didn't say much, he just said hi.

This made me go into the field of helping others. That counselor, I am trying to find. His name is Lawrence Greene. He grew up in Santa Monica. As for the camper, I don't know how to track him down.

Voting Article

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Sun, 08 Oct 2006 00:26:00 +0000

The mechanics of voting have undergone a major change
since the imbroglio that engulfed presidential
balloting in 2000. Embarrassed by an election that had
to be settled by the Supreme Court, Congress passed the
Help America Vote Act of 2002, which provided funds to
improve voting equipment.

> From 2003 to 2005, some $3 billion flew out of the
federal purse for equipment purchases. Nothing said
"state of the art" like a paperless voting machine that
electronically records and tallies votes with the tap
of a touch screen. Election Data Services, a political
consulting firm that specializes in redistricting,
estimates that about 40 percent of registered voters
will use an electronic machine in the coming elections.

One brand of machine leads in market share by a sizable
margin: the AccuVote, made by Diebold Election Systems.
Two weeks ago, however, Diebold suffered one of the
worst kinds of public embarrassment for a company that
began in 1859 by making safes and vaults.

Edward W. Felten, a professor of computer science at
Princeton, and his student collaborators conducted a
demonstration with an AccuVote TS and noticed that the
key to the machine's memory card slot appeared to be
similar to one that a staff member had at home.

When he brought the key into the office and tried it,
the door protecting the AccuVote's memory card slot
swung open obligingly. Upon examination, the key turned
out to be a standard industrial part used in simple
locks for office furniture, computer cases, jukeboxes
-- and hotel minibars.

Once the memory card slot was accessible, how difficult
would it be to introduce malicious software that could
manipulate vote tallies? That is one of the questions
that Professor Felten and two of his students, Ariel J.
Feldman and J. Alex Haldeman, have been investigating.
In the face of Diebold's refusal to let scientists test
the AccuVote, the Princeton team got its hands on a
machine only with the help of a third party.

Even before the researchers had made the serendipitous
discovery about the minibar key, they had released a
devastating critique of the AccuVote's security. For
computer scientists, they supplied a technical paper;
for the general public, they prepared an accompanying
video. Their short answer to the question of the
practicality of vote theft with the AccuVote: easily
accomplished.

The researchers demonstrated the machine's
vulnerability to an attack by means of code that can be
introduced with a memory card. The program they devised
does not tamper with the voting process. The machine
records each vote as it should, and makes a backup
copy, too.

Every 15 seconds or so, however, the rogue program
checks the internal vote tallies, then adds and
subtracts votes, as needed, to reach programmed
targets; it also makes identical changes in the backup
file. The alterations cannot be detected later because
the total number of votes perfectly matches the total
number of voters. At the end of the election day, the
rogue program erases itself, leaving no trace.

On Sept. 13, when Princeton's Center for Information
Technology Policy posted its findings, Diebold issued a
press release that shrugged off the demonstration and
analysis. It said Princeton's AccuVote machine was "two
generations old" and "not used anywhere in the
country."

I spoke last week with Professor Felten, who said he
could not imagine how a newer version of the AccuVote's
software could protect itself against this kind of
attack. But he also said he would welcome the
opportunity to test it. I called Diebold to see if it
would lend Princeton a machine.

Mark G. Radke, director for marketing at Diebold, said
that the AccuVote machines were certified by state
election officials and that no academic researcher
would be permitted to test an AccuVote supplied by the
company. "This is analogous to launching a nuclear
missile," he said enigmatically, adding that Diebold
had to restrict "access to the buttons."

I persisted. Suppose, I asked, that a test machine were
placed in the custodial care of the United States
Election Assistance Commission, a government agency.
Mr. Radke demurred again, saying the company's critics
were so focused on software that they "have no
appreciation of physical security" that protects the
machines from intrusion.

This same point was featured prominently in the
company's press release that criticized the Princeton
study, saying it "all but ignores physical security and
election procedures." It is a criticism that collides
with the facts on Page 5 of the Princeton study, where
the authors provide step-by-step details of how to
install the malicious software in the AccuVote.

Even before the minibar lineage of the AccuVote key had
been discovered, the researchers had learned that the
lock was easily circumvented: one of them could
consistently pick it in less than 10 seconds.

If skeptics cannot believe what they read about the
ease of manipulating an election, they can watch the
10-minute online video: the AccuVote lock is picked, a
memory card is inserted and the malicious software is
loaded; the machine is rebooted, and within 60 seconds
the machine is ready to throw the election in favor of
any specified candidate.

Computer scientists with expertise in security issues
have been sounding alarms for years. David L. Dill at
Stanford and Douglas W. Jones at the University of Iowa
were among the first to alert the public to potential
problems. But the possibility of vote theft by
electronic means remained nothing more than a
hypothesis -- until the summer of 2003, when the code
for the AccuVote's operating system was discovered on a
Diebold server that was publicly accessible.

The code quickly made its way into researchers' hands.
Suspected vulnerabilities were confirmed, and never-
contemplated sloppiness was added to the list of
concerns. At a computer security conference, the
AccuVote's anatomy was analyzed closely by a team:
Aviel D. Rubin, a computer science professor at Johns
Hopkins; two junior associates, Tadayoshi Kohno and
Adam Stubblefield; and Dan S. Wallach, an associate
professor in computer science at Rice. They described
how the AccuVote software design rendered the machine
vulnerable to manipulation by smart cards. They found
that the standard protections to prevent alteration of
the internal code were missing; they characterized the
system as "far below even the most minimal security
standards."

Professor Rubin has just published a nontechnical
memoir, "Brave New Ballot: The Battle to Safeguard
Democracy in the Age of Electronic Voting" (Morgan Road
Books), that describes how his quiet life was upended
after he and his colleagues published their paper. He
recalls in his book that Diebold's lawyers sent each of
the paper's authors a letter threatening the
possibility of legal action, warning them to "exercise
caution" in interviews with the press lest they make a
statement that would "appear designed to improperly
impair and impede Diebold's existing and future
business." Johns Hopkins rallied to his side, however,
and the university's president, William R. Brody,
commended him for being on the case.

Recently, there have been signs that states are having
second thoughts about trusting their AccuVote
equipment. Officials in California, Florida and
Pennsylvania have been outspoken about their concerns.
In Maryland earlier this year, the state House of
Delegates voted 137 to 0 in favor of a bill to prohibit
the use of its AccuVote machines because they were not
equipped to generate a paper audit trail. (The state
Senate did not take up the measure and it died.)

Professor Rubin favors the use of touch screens only
for "ballot marking" -- capturing a voter's intended
choice -- then printing out a paper ballot with only
the voter's chosen candidates that the voter can
visually check. Election officials can then use the
slip to tally votes with an optical scanner made by a
different manufacturer.

Manual audits of the tallies in at least 1 percent of
all precincts, as is now required in California, would
provide a transparent method of checking for integrity.
Should a full recount be necessary, the paper ballots,
containing only the selected names, provide unambiguous
records of original intent.

"Let computers do what they do best," Professor Rubin
said, "and let paper do what it does best."

------------ --------- --------- ---
Randall Stross is an author based in Silicon Valley and
a professor of business at San Jose State University.
E-mail: digitaldomain@ nytimes.com.

Disability Proclamation

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Wed, 04 Oct 2006 00:46:00 +0000

Subject:

From:
"Cantos, Olegario D."

Date:
Tue, October 3, 2006 4:05 pm

To:
pushinglimits@kpfa.org

TO:
Adrien Lauby
Producer
KPFA

FR:
Olegario D. Cantos VII, Esq.
Associate Director for Domestic Policy
The White House

- - - - - - - - - -

Adrien, I am pleased to inform you that, earlier today, President
George W.
Bush
signed the Proclamation, declaring October 2006 as National Disability
Employment
Awareness Month (NDEAM). Therefore, without delay, I am immediately
sending
you the
text. Please get this out to folks you know and keep me informed about
efforts to
commemorate NDEAM in your community. Also publish this Proclamation on
websites,
distribute via email to your personal network, reprint the Proclamation
in
newsletters and other publications, and engage in other activities to
promote the
fundamental importance of recruiting, hiring, retaining, and advancing
qualified
individuals with all types of disabilities.

Supplementing this Proclamation by the President, Labor Secretary
Elaine L.
Chao has
already established the NDEAM theme for 2006 as "Americans with
Disabilities --
Ready for the Global Workforce."

If you would like to receive a framable copy of the Proclamation which
is
worthy of
prominent display (featuring the Seal of the President in gold and the
signature of
the President), please fax requests to (202) 456-2806. (Note that such
requests are
not processed through my office.)

As we all come together to celebrate the best of what the disability
community has
to offer the American workforce, Adrien, let us all rededicate
ourselves to
making a
difference in order to pave the way for even greater opportunity for
people
with
disabilities than ever before!

--Ollie

**********

NATIONAL DISABILITY EMPLOYMENT AWARENESS MONTH, 2006
- - - - - - -

BY THE PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA

A PROCLAMATION

During National Disability Employment Awareness Month, we pay tribute
to the
accomplishments of the men and women with disabilities whose work helps
keep
America's economy strong, and we underscore our commitment to ensuring
equal
employment opportunity for all of our citizens.

Our country has made great progress to ensure that opportunities are
accessible to
everyone who is willing and able to work. Access to jobs was
significantly
expanded
in 1990 when President George H. W. Bush signed the Americans with
Disabilities Act
(ADA) into law. This important legislation has served as a foundation
for
strengthening our Nation's workforce and advancing innovation and
American
leadership in a global marketplace.

In 2001, my Administration announced the New Freedom Initiative to
build on
the
progress of the ADA and more fully integrate men and women with
disabilities
into
all aspects of life. The New Freedom Initiative has helped expand
access to
technology, training, and education for citizens with disabilities. As
a
result,
those who have a disability and seek employment are better able to
compete
for jobs.
To assist in providing additional access to employment opportunities,
we
have also
implemented the "Ticket to Work" program and strengthened training and
employment
services at One-Stop Career Centers. By visiting DisabilityInfo.gov,
individuals
and employers can learn more about the Federal Government's
disability-related
programs and receive information and resources they need to help
achieve
their
personal and professional ambitions.

To recognize the contributions of Americans with disabilities and to
encourage all
citizens to ensure equal opportunity in the workforce, the Congress, by
joint
resolution approved as amended (36 U.S.C. 121), has designated October
of
each year
as "National Disability Employment Awareness Month."

NOW, THEREFORE, I, GEORGE W. BUSH, President of the United States of
America, by
virtue of the authority vested in me by the Constitution and laws of
the
United
States, do hereby proclaim October 2006 as National Disability
Employment

Awareness Month. I call upon Government officials, labor leaders,
employers, and
the people of the United States to observe this month with appropriate
programs,
ceremonies, and activities.

IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have hereunto set my hand this third day of
October,
in the
year of our Lord two thousand six, and of the Independence of the
United
States of
America the two hundred and thirty-first.

GEORGE W. BUSH

- - - - - - - - - -

Olegario D. Cantos VII, Esq.
Associate Director for Domestic Policy
The White House
Washington, DC 20502
(202) 456-5594 [Phone/Relay]
(202) 456-5557 [Fax]
ocantos@who.eop.gov
[Email]

Berkeley T.V. This Week

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Tue, 03 Oct 2006 16:20:00 +0000

Interview to be Aired this Week
Posted by: "Alana Theriault" expind@comcast.net expressindependence
Mon Oct 2, 2006 4:53 pm (PST)
Dear Fellow Advocates, Friends and Family,

This week a video that I and my colleagues have been working on will
be aired on public access television. If you're unable to watch it,
it will be up on the World Institute on Disability web site soon.

Our Path to Common Sense: An Interview with Alana Theriault
on Health, Benefits, Work & Disability

Interviewer: Rachel Stewart, California Health Incentives
Improvement Project
Director: Bryon MacDonald, World Institute on Disability
Producer: Wun Yip, Rhymingleaf Productions
Funded by: The California Endowment

Open Captioned

Thursday October 5
11:25 AM (Pacific Time)

Saturday October 7
7:44 AM (Pacific Time)

ON B-TV 28 Cable TV

This station only airs in Berkeley but it is streamed live on the
station's web site. People can watch on-line when it's aired at:
http://www.betv. org/ See the left column and click where it says
Watch B-TV28 Now.

Programs are not archived on-line so must be viewed during actual air
time.

We would love to get your feedback!

Alana

Service dog or not?

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Tue, 03 Oct 2006 04:49:00 +0000

I have been offered a service dog. For those of you that don't know, a service dog is a dog that helps people with disabilities. It can do such things as open doors, push elevator buttons, retrieve objects from shelves, and place a wallet (for example) on a table.

My dog is supposed to be coming from Canine support teams in Temecula, Ca. My home and business is in San Francisco, and the trip would cost $3000 roughly. I need to also be able to operate my homecare business, which would mean paying someone four hours a day $15 dollars an hour. It may be possible to get a dog in February..but there are no guarantees, but could give me a chance to plan better.

This is what it all boils down to:

Wait 'til february and risk them not having a dog, or go now and risk my business?

Dare To Dream Movie

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Mon, 02 Oct 2006 04:15:00 +0000

http://vids.myspace.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=vids.individual&videoID=1236817691&n=2

news report from ADAPT

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Sun, 01 Oct 2006 19:59:00 +0000

NEWS REPORT
#085-2006 September 30, 2006 - Saturday
REMEMBER: REGISTER TO VOTE! SEE CDCAN WEBSITE FOR INFO. DECISIONS ARE
MADE BY THOSE WHO SHOW. SHOW UP - REGISTER AND VOTE - AND PARTICIPATE IN
CDCAN TOWN HALL TELEMEETING OCT 2 FEATURING COUNTY REGISTRARS OF VOTERS
INCLUDING LA COUNTY, SACRAMENTO COUNTY AND OTHERS!
Marty Omoto, Director/Organizer
To Respond to THIS email report reply to: martyomoto@rcip. com CDCAN
website: www.cdcan.us

Action By Governor
* GOVERNOR SIGNS AB 1169 BY ASSEMBLYMEMBER TORRICO
* MAJOR VICTORY FOR TENANTS OF RENTAL HOUSING
* BILL REINSTATES 60-DAY NOTICE TO END RENTAL AGREEMENTS

SACRAMENTO - In a major victory for hundreds of thousands of tenants of
rental housing in California, Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger signed AB 1169
by Assemblymember Alberto Torrico (Democrat - Fremont).saying the bill
"strikes a reasonable balance between the needs of tenants and those of
property owners". The bill has major impact on hundreds thousands of
people with disabilities, mental health needs and seniors, their in-home
and and other support workers, especially families with low incomes,
who live in rental housing across California.

The bill renacts previous State law that expired last January, that
requires, until 2010, an owner of a residential rental to give at least
60 days' notice of the owner's intent to terminate a periodic tenancy
(month to month) when the tenant has resided in the dwelling for one
year or more. This bill does change the previous State law, authored by
Sen. Sheila Kuehl (Democrat - Santa Monica) by specifying that the
60-day notice requirement only applies where every tenant and resident
in the dwelling has lived in the dwelling for one year or more.

The Governor said, on signing the measure that "...California faces
significant challenges in its housing market and I believe that AB 1169
strikes a reasonable balance between the needs of tenants and those of
property owners. Most importantly, this bill will better ensure that
groups in need of special accommodations, such as the elderly and the
disabled, have sufficient time to find new housing when asked to leave
their current rental property"
The Republican Governor assured property owners who fiercely opposed the
bill that "As a landlord for many years, I am acutely aware of the
burdens faced by property owners and managers.... This bill does not
change existing law, which ensures the right of landlords to undertake
eviction proceedings against tenants that are damaging property, failing
to pay rent or violating the law. "

Background of Bill
* AB 1169 l passed the Legislature narrowly in August, with the bare
minimum number of votes. It passed the State Senate 21-15 on August 10,
2006, and the Assembly on August 22 by 41-36. The bill takes effect on
January 1, 2007 and stays in effect until 2010.
* In 2001, SB 985 by Sen. Sheila Kuehl (Democrat - Santa Monica)
authorized a pilot program in the Los Angeles area. That pilot program
required landlords in those regions to give 60 days notice before
terminating a month-to-month or other periodic tenancy if the tenant had
lived in the dwelling for a year or longer.
* In 2002, SB 1043, (Chapter 301, Statues of 2002) also by Kuehl, was
passed and signed by then Gov. Davis which expanded the pilot for three
years for the entire State. This notice requirement was expanded to the
* Democrats in 2004 (SB 1145 by Sen. John Burton) and 2005 (SB 51 by
Sen. Kuehl) to extend the State-wide pilot beyond 2006. Both bills
failed on the Assembly floor.

AB 1169 - HOUSING: EXTENSION OF NOTICE OF RENTAL AGREEMENT
AUTHOR: Assemblymember Alberto Torrico (Democrat - Fremont)
MOST CURRENT ACTION 09/30/06: Approved by Governor.
NEXT STEPS: Bill takes effect January 1, 2007 and expires in 2010.
PREVIOUS ACTIONS
Passed State Senate 21-15 on 08/10/06. Passed Assembly 41-36 on 08/22/06.
MESSAGE FROM GOVERNOR ON SIGNING THE BILL:
To the Members of the California State Assembly:
I am signing Assembly Bill 1169, which reinstates a law requiring
landlords to give 60 days notice before ending a rental agreement with a
tenant who has resided in a dwelling for over one year. As a landlord
for many years, I am acutely aware of the burdens faced by property
owners and managers. I support property owners' ability to maximize the
use of their properties in an economically advantageous manner. That
said, California faces significant challenges in its housing market and
I believe that AB 1169 strikes a reasonable balance between the needs of
tenants and those of property owners. Most importantly, this bill will
better ensure that groups in need of special accommodations, such as the
elderly and the disabled, have sufficient time to find new housing when
asked to leave their current rental property. This bill does not change
existing law, which ensures the right of landlords to undertake eviction
proceedings against tenants that are damaging property, failing to pay
rent or violating the law. Further, this law will be in place only until
2010, giving policy makers time to review its impact on both tenants and
property owners. I look forward to reviewing this law at that time and
making any appropriate alterations.
Sincerely, Arnold Schwarzenegger
SUMMARY OF BILL:
* Provide, until January 1, 2010, that, in the case of a tenant or
resident who has resided in the dwelling unit for less than one year,
notice shall be given 30 days prior to the proposed date of termination.
* Provide, until January 1, 2010, that an owner need only provide 30
days notice if all of the following conditions are met:
a) The dwelling or unit is alienable separate from the title to any
other dwelling unit;
b). The owner has contracted to sell the dwelling or unit to a bona
fide purchaser for value and has established an escrow with a licensed
escrow agent or a licensed real estate broker
c). The purchaser is a natural person or persons;
d). Notice is given no more than 120 days after the escrow has been
established;
e) Notice was not previously given to the tenant pursuant to this
section; and,
f) The purchaser in good faith intends to reside in the property for
at least one full year after the termination of the tenancy.
* Allow, until January 1, 2010, a tenant, after being served with a
60-day notice of termination, to give 30 days' notice, provided the
notice is for a period at least as long as the periodic tenancy and
terminates before the owner's proposed termination date.
IMPACT TO PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES, MENTAL HEALTH NEEDS & SENIORS
Major impact to people with disabilities, mental health needs and
seniors, especially those with low incomes, who live or want to live in
rental housing. The issue of affordable and accessible housing is
critical - one that advocates say is linked equally to affordable and
accessible transportation, employment, education, support services, and
healthcare that are key to successful implementation of the 1999 US
Supreme Court Olmstead Decision and other existing federal and state
rights for poeple with disabilities, mental health needs and seniors.

CDCAN News Reports and Alerts
These CDCAN Reports are partially funded by a small grant from the USC
UCEDD, Grant #90DD0540 from the Administration on Developmental
Disabilities. The opinions expressed or content in these reports do not
necessarily reflect the views or opinions of the USC UCEDD.
The California Disability Community Action Network is a non-partisan
link to tens of thousands of Californians in every community, including
people of color, people of every type of disability, including people
with physical disabilities, people with developmental and other
disabilities, people with traumatic brain and other injures, people with
mental health needs, seniors, people with MS, Alzheimer's and others,
and all of their families, community organizations and providers, direct
care and other workers, and other advocates. These action alerts and
news reports is for all of them. If you would like to get on this
distribution (and conversely, get off of it) please send an email with
that request to: martyomoto@rcip. com OR sign up via the NEW CDCAN
website at www.cdcan.us Sharing information is part of our organizing
effort. Please feel free to forward or copy this (attribution is nice
but not necessary). We're all in this together!
MANY THANKS to Training Toward Self Reliance, UCP, California NAELA,
Californians for Disability Rights, Inc (CDR), CHANCE Inc, Parents
Helping Parents, Arriba, Strategies Toward Empowering People, Parents
Helping Parents, Asian American parents groups, Resources for
Independent Living and many other Independent Living Centers, several
regional centers, People First chapters, IHSS workers, other self
advocacy and family support groups, developmental center families, and
hundreds of individuals. Thanks also to partnerships and the good
people with the State Council on Developmental Disabilities, and also
the Department of Health Services, the Department of Developmental
Services, Department of Social Services and the CA Health and Human
Services Agency and other agencies, and the State Legislature and staff,
the Legislative Analyst Office. Good people who do good things can make
a difference together.

Autism

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Sun, 01 Oct 2006 19:44:00 +0000

Print | Close
Challenges for adults with autism
Friday, September 29, 2006

By BOB IVRY
STAFF WRITER

DANIELLE P. RICHARDS / THE RECORD
Scott Robertson, right, diagnosed himself with Asperger's syndrome when he was in college.

Photo Gallery: Austism in Adults
(please enable pop-ups to see the gallery)

A bus comes to Jonathan Lam's home in Tenafly every weekday morning and takes him to a private school for autistic children in Rockleigh. His education is paid for by the Tenafly school district. It's an entitlement mandated by law.

But four years from now, when Jonathan turns 21, the entitlement goes away. So does more than half of the money the government pays for his care. So does a guaranteed place for Jonathan to go during the day.

And if Jonathan's parents don't plan ahead, so does all the progress their son has made over the course of two decades -- the very skills he needs to find his way in the world.

"When the bus stops coming, there will be nothing," says Jonathan's mother, Natalie. "It's scary."

In Autism's Grip

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Challenges for adults with autism

Life with Asperger's:
One man tells his story

David Bloom:
On his own, in a new world

Tony Meyer:
Autism diagnosed at age 56

Editorial:
Congress drops the ball

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Complete coverage: In Autism's Grip

Forum: A place for parents, teachers and others to discuss the broad spectrum of autism's effects.

The public face of autism is young and cute. When most people think of autism, they think of children. But children grow up. They stop being cute. At 21, they stop getting the help they need.

"It's like falling off a cliff," says Larry Lam, Jonathan's father.

North Jersey suffers from a severe shortage of day programs that cater to the specific needs of autistic adults. The situation is even more desperate for those who need a place to live: There are 8,000 developmentally disabled adults on the waiting list for group homes or supervised apartments.

These problems will get worse in the coming years as the first wave of what some experts call the "autism epidemic" reaches adulthood.

For many parents, it's a race against time. Geoff Dubrowsky's autistic son is only 11, but he's already worried.

"I can't die without knowing that my child is in a safe environment where he knows he'll be protected," Dubrowsky says.

People with autism age out of entitlement programs at a time when many are just coming into their own. At 21, many have attained a level of maturity that eases some of the problems they have fitting into their communities. Their expensive education is finally starting to pay off. Many are ready to hold jobs or learn how to live on their own.

"How do you tell a parent there's nothing for their child?" asks Leslie Long, director of adult resources for a leading advocacy group, the New Jersey Center for Outreach and Services for the Autism Community, or COSAC.

"It's a dilemma nobody wants to deal with," she says. "But you have kids aging into a system that's so ill-prepared. Parents will be unemployed because they'll have to stay home with them. It's tragic."

Planning is crucial

Parents are forced to navigate an often tangled bureaucratic system in order to get on the right waiting lists, secure available money and apply to suitable programs. The problem is, many parents are so overwhelmed caring for a child with endless needs they can't see past the end of the week, let alone plan ahead five or 10 years.

The price of a rocky transition to adulthood is high. Experts say autistic adults with nothing to do will regress. Faye Schwartz Grossman watched it happen to her son, Daniel.

In 2004, when Daniel Grossman aged out of the Advantage Program, an academic and vocational training school in Ridgefield Park, the Teaneck mother says she was assured that her son would be able to get a job. After all, he'd already worked shelving videos and CDs at the Fort Lee Library and sorting mail at Englewood Hospital and Medical Center.

But he fell through the cracks when it came to adult programs. Though he can prepare a meal for himself, walk alone to the neighborhood synagogue for evening prayers and converse intelligently about his favorite subject, music, he doesn't know how to make friends. Some of his verbal quirks -- he raises his voice when he's excited and asks the same question again and again -- make him different from other 23-year-olds.

He was too smart for the available slots in sheltered workshops, where the work would have bored him, and the other workers -- developmentally disabled adults without autism -- were too noisy for him. On the other hand, he didn't have the social skills to succeed in a job without support. Grossman says the state Division of Vocational Rehabilitation offered to have a job coach help her son adapt to a new job -- but the coach would be able to spend only 30 hours total with him.

"Daniel would love to work around music," his mother says. "He could conceivably work in the music department at Barnes & Noble. But give him only 30 hours to get used to it and it's not going to fly."

So the young man was stuck at home during the day while his mother, who teaches middle school in Maywood, worked.

"He was going crazy," says Grossman, a single mother. "It was extremely frustrating. "

He began having temper tantrums. He clung to his mother when she returned home from work, and to his younger sister, Ahuva.

"He became a little bit more physical," his mother says. "He wouldn't do this in public, but, within the family confines, he'd strike out. He'd hit. Which was never, ever an issue before."

For two years, Grossman could find nothing for her son.

She says she got "a lot of misinformation" from caseworkers -- a common complaint among parents. Only after she contacted COSAC in frustration did Grossman learn her son was entitled to a social worker's assessment to determine what programs would be a good fit. He was also eligible for transportation to and from work and state money for a home health aide to help him get ready in the morning.

"There's a gap," Grossman says. "It's a type of discrimination. If my kid can't avail himself of what's out there, you're discriminating against him."

With COSAC's help, Grossman found a workshop for her son at the Daughters of Miriam Center, a nursing home in Clifton. This month, he started assembling folders for doctors' offices.

Grossman noticed an immediate change in her son.

"The difference just the first day -- he came back a totally different person," she says. "He said to me, 'I did it. I went.' There was a sense of accomplishment. "

One day, she hopes to find an even better job for her son.

New state efforts

There are many cases like Daniel Grossman's throughout the state -- capable but idle graduates of solid special-education programs who create a needless strain on their families, says Linda Walder Fiddle, whose Ridgewood-based Daniel Jordan Fiddle Foundation funds programs for autistic adults.

"Look at it from a financial viewpoint," Fiddle says. "It costs a tremendous amount for special education -- and we need to make that investment. If we drop the ball when these people become adults, they won't contribute to society and we're creating a burden. They're capable of contributing, and it's not just the high-functioning individuals. We're talking about individuals who have very little language and not exceptional skills who can go from being tax burdens to taxpayers."

State officials say they're working to make the transition to adulthood less onerous. The Division of Developmental Disabilities started a program called Real Life Choices, which allots families up to $28,000 a year to spend on programs they choose for their adult autistic children. The division also has begun setting up informational meetings for families with children expected to age out of the educational system in coming years, says Carol Grant, acting chief of staff of the Department of Human Services and the former director of the disabilities division.

"It's been a priority of ours since 2002 to ensure the transition is as seamless as we can make it," Grant says. "We need the resources to do that."

Part of the problem is a lack of money. Running an adult day program -- which offers a range of programs, including job training, life-skills instruction (like managing money and cooking) and baby-sitting -- is a money-losing proposition. While school districts spend up to $78,000 a year per special-education student, the state gives adult programs between $13,000 and $28,000 per client a year. COSAC estimates that adult programs need $30,000 to $60,000 a year per client. Most programs get by only with the help of grants and parent fund-raisers.

Typically, if parents are savvy enough to apply -- and have been careful to keep financial assets out of their child's name -- an autistic man or woman begins receiving supplemental Social Security income at age 18. At age 21, a mix of federal Medicaid money and state funds doled out by the Division of Developmental Disabilities is available for programs that replace school. Adults with higher skill levels can get help finding jobs through the state Department of Labor's Division of Vocational Rehabilitation.

Going it alone

More troubling than the lack of money is the difficulty parents have finding appropriate services. Six years ago, when Jim and Jennifer Hoppe began searching for an adult program for their daughter, Jaimie, they were so disheartened they decided to start one of their own.

If anyone could make a go of it, they figured, it was Jim. After all, he was chief financial officer for Citigroup. The Wyckoff father quit his job in 2000, enlisted 11 other families from the Alpine Learning Group, Jaimie's school in Paramus, and organized the Quest Autism Foundation.

The Hoppes signed a sweetheart deal with the Wyckoff YMCA. If they established a pilot project, one that could be duplicated at other YMCAs, Quest could rent 1,700 square feet of space for $1 a year for 40 years.

The result is the Quest Autism Foundation Adult Day Program, which opened in June 2005 with Jaimie and one other participant. This summer, two more young adults joined. All four have jobs sorting mail, setting tables, collecting recyclables and bagging groceries.

"People with autism have the same life span as typical people," Jenn Hoppe says. "You can't wait for someone to provide it for you. Sometimes you have to be a pioneer."

But the expense can be daunting. With just four participants, the Quest program costs $300,000 a year, Jim Hoppe says. They get $100,000 through state grants and tuition. That leaves a $200,000 gap that must be filled by fund raising, like a dinner dance scheduled for October.

"It's a lot easier to raise money for a cute child than it is for an adult," Jim Hoppe acknowledges.

"We compete against the Cancer Society and other charities like that," he says. "When people hear we help four families, we're not on the radar screen."

Nowhere to live

Finding a place for autistic adults to live is even more difficult.

Jeffrey Douma's parents want him to live on his own like the adult he is. They also want the peace of mind that will come with his future being settled.

"More terrifying than what happens after graduation is what happens to him when we're gone," says Cathy Douma, his mother.

Jeffrey works part-time cleaning offices in Morristown as part of a program called The Daily Plan It. He's a handsome man who plays the piano, but whose verbal skills are childlike. He'll ask his parents or his 19-year-old sister, Erica, bizarre questions over and over, such as "Air Bud or Air Buddy?" -- referring to the children's movies. When he's bothered by noise, he plugs his ears with his thumbs. Sometimes, he hits his mother.

Every once in a while, he approaches a stranger in, say, the supermarket, and touches her. He's gentle, his mother says, but still. She has to explain it to the startled stranger.

Cathy Douma wants to find her son a place where he is safe and happy.

The good news: Because she just turned 55 and her husband is 59, their son qualifies for the priority waiting list for a group home because he has older parents.

The bad news: 7,912 others are ahead of him. It could be eight years before he moves out. That means she and her husband could be 63 and 67 before they are relieved of the day-to-day stress of caring for an autistic son -- a job they've already held day and night since he was born 22 years ago.

"It's sort of like, I did my job," the Morris Township mother says. "We're ready to go to the next phase. You feel like you put in your time, but you can't stop. You have this responsibility. "

The housing crisis is only going to get worse. Beginning in 2010, the swelling number of children diagnosed with autism will begin aging out of school. So far, the state hasn't allocated any money to pay for more group homes or supervised apartments.

For Robin Sims, the best option for her 23-year-old daughter is the Hunterdon Developmental Center, a place often dismissed as an "institution. "

New Jersey has seven developmental centers -- large residential and vocational facilities for people with all kinds of developmental disabilities. Together, they house about 3,000 people, most of whom have nowhere else to go. Just about everyone in the disabled community lobbies for them to be shut down. Even the U.S. Supreme Court, in its 1999 Olmstead ruling, called for moving people into "community settings" and out of places like Hunterdon.

Sims, however, says Hunterdon saved her family.

"I got lucky," she says.

Heather was a frustrated, stubborn teenager. For some reason -- Sims isn't sure why, because her daughter can't speak -- Heather didn't like her school. In April 1997, when she was 14, Heather took it out on her family. She broke every window of their home in Bloomfield and pounded holes in the walls. Sims has a video showing the bloody cuts those tantrums left on her daughter's wrists.

"One day we couldn't take it anymore and we called 911," Sims says.

Hunterdon is currently admitting new residents on an emergency basis only. Most emergency admissions, like Heather's, are court-ordered.

The center, set on rolling hills in Clinton, has been Heather Sims' home for nine years. It is where she and 600 disabled people live, work and play. She has a tightly structured schedule. She holds a paying job on site packaging Sleep-Snugs -- plastic clips that hold bed sheets in place -- that are sold at Bed, Bath & Beyond. She swims in the indoor pool, bicycles, Rollerblades, takes trips to the beach and, Sims says, has a young man interested in her, though she's done nothing to encourage him.

Sims says her daughter respects the Hunterdon staff and doesn't let her frustration bubble over into violence nearly as often as she did at home.

"The environment is predictable and dependable, so she does well," Sims says. "She's been happy and healthy and functioning. She knows she won't always get her way. With me, she'd destroy herself. It's amazing that she's happy."

Sims is well aware of the stigma attached to what she calls state institutions. A caseworker once accused her of trying to get rid of her daughter. But when Sims could no longer control her and she became a danger to herself and others, what alternative was there?

"Every parent wants to quit the [I-have-an-autistic -child] club, and you get to a certain point and you realize you're not quitting the club," she says. "So you realize there's a point where your desires end and hers begin. It's not what I want for her, it's what she wants for herself."

E-mail: ivry@northjersey. com

__._,_.___

Outrageous MADD Commercial

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Sun, 01 Oct 2006 06:06:00 +0000

MADD Commercial Outrageous

Here is the link to the commercial for those of you who want to see this: http://www.madd.ca/english/news/pr/madd_best_friend_1.mov

All can write letters to the address below.

Mothers Against Drunk Driving National Office

511 E. John Carpenter Frwy. Suite 700

Irving, TX 75062

9/24/06

Dear Mr. Birch,

I am writing this letter because as a person with a disability, I am very concerned about a recent commercial that was pulled from the air. The issue has to do with the way the commercial portrays and stereo-types people with disabilities.

Your organization has a wonderful mission which says, "a nation without drunk driving" is truly a worthwhile and admirable cause. I strongly support MADD because in elementary school I was in a play with a young woman, who was supposed to be the star, and her mother. They were both tragically killed by drunk drivers while waiting for a tow truck. Given the sincerity of your message about drunk driving, I am puzzled and offended by a commercial recently pulled from the airwaves.

This commercial portrays incorrect stereo-types about people with disabilities. The commercial that I am referring to is a scene shot from a window where a man is sitting on a bench and a young woman approaches. They embrace and the camera then pans back to someone sitting in a wheelchair in a room. No one in the commercial used or referred to alcohol and in the final segments a black screen come on and says, "you have too much to lose".

To myself and other people with disabilities, we face challenges of being treated equally in all aspects of our lives. This commercial basically tells society that people with disabilities and people who use wheelchairs are forever doomed, never able to have a relationship, or carry on a life. I certainly hope that this lack of education about people with disabilities is not portrayed incorrectly ion the future. In my own personal opinion, I fear that this commercial may have gotten out to the public. I would like to know about MADD's education of people with disabilities and how training is conducted and how the decisions regarding disabilities are made. It is a well known fact that many people with physical disabilities have been injured by drunk drivers and would not want to be portrayed this way.

I ask for a timely response in writing to my letter. Thank you for your time and I am anxiously awaiting your response. I hope that MADD and the large community of people with disabilities can come together and educate each other about disability related issues and why this commercial does not portray the reality of people living with disabilities.

Sincerely,

Nicholas Feldman

Monday Monday

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Sun, 01 Oct 2006 06:02:00 +0000

MONDAY MONDAY

The weekend was great. Started at Joe's on Friday, and Saturday went to Berkeley for a meeting and lunch with a friend. Sunday went to the Folsom St. Fair, had dinner and then back to work today.

Saw the MADD commercial and wrote a letter to their president. Hope others do the same.

Overall good weekend.

Interesting Article from the New York Times

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Sun, 01 Oct 2006 05:58:00 +0000

Judge rules against women who sued to get out of nursing homes

By Kathy McCormack, Associated Press Writer | September 29, 2006

CONCORD, N.H. --A judge has ruled in favor of the state in a nearly
7-year-old lawsuit that accused it of unfairly keeping disabled people
institutionalized.

Bonnie Bryson and Claire Shepardson sued the Department of Health and Human
Services in late 1999, arguing the state is violating the federal law by
failing to provide support services that would allow them to live at home.
The matter became a class-action lawsuit.

A U.S. District judge ruled in their favor two years later, but the state
appealed.

On Friday, U.S. District Judge Steven McAuliffe found in favor of the state
and closed the case, saying the state's program is sizable and that its
commitment to moving people out of institutions into community-based care is
"genuine, comprehensive and reasonable, though obviously not complete."

Health and Human Services Commissioner John Stephen said he was pleased with
the ruling. "It affirms what we've said all along," he said. "We are fully
committed to doing everything we can to move people with disabilities into
the community as quickly and appropriately as possible."

The women sued on behalf of themselves and others with acquired brain
disorders -- people who are significantly disabled from accidents, strokes
or degenerative neurological diseases such as multiple sclerosis. They
wanted to force the state to pay for services that would let people move
from nursing homes, psychiatric facilities and rehabilitation centers to
private apartments or group homes.

The state participates in a Medicaid program to help some disabled people
live independently, but there is a waiting list. The state has argued that
it is not required to provide services beyond what it can afford under the
Medicaid program.

Currently, the state funds 132 slots in the program, and slots are filled as
they become available. That list holds steady at about 20 to 24 people,
McAuliffe noted, adding that the cap on the number of participants has
steadily increased through the years.

Since 2001, the state has increased the budgeted allocations for the program
from $6.6 million to about $11.2 million, and the state plans to seek more
funds in the next budget.

But Bryson and Shepardson argued that the state has a broader obligation
under the federal Americans with Disabilities Act to help disabled people
live in the "most integrated settings" possible. The case went to trial.

McAuliffe said the basic point of contention is whether Bryson and
Shepardson are entitled to relief that would force the state to obtain
enough program slots to afford placement in the program to all eligible
candidates.

"Under the circumstances presented in this case, they are not," McAuliffe
wrote. He said the request would constitute a "fundamental alteration of the
state's program," which is not required by the Americans with Disabilities
Act.

"Although more can always be done, the reality is that states must make
difficult decisions when allocating necessarily limited resources,"
McAuliffe said. Federal law does not require states to "raise, appropriate,
and spend whatever amount is necessary to immediately afford all qualified
disabled persons community-based services, without regard to other needs and
spending priorities."

In recent years, both Bryson and Shepardson were moved off the waiting list
to receive home or community-based care.

Shepardson, who was diagnosed with a rare form of muscular dystrophy when
she was 18, spent 23 years in a Nashua nursing home before returning home in
2001. Bryson, who has multiple sclerosis, spent several years in a Boscawen
nursing home before, she, too, began receiving community-based care.
(c) Copyright 2006 The
New York Times Company

Accessible Home Ownership Seminar

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Sun, 03 Sep 2006 23:10:00 +0000

Dear Nicholas,

I'm excited to announce that I will be co-hosting a seminar on accessible and affordable home ownership this month in Hayward CA..

In cooperation with the Communtiy Resource for Independent Living (CRIL), we will be presenting a a seminar on many of the critical issues of concern for people with disabilities who are interested in home ownership. The seminar will include information on California's terrific 3% home loan for people with disabilties and their families. It will also show that owning one's own home is a real possibility for people of modest means and dealing with disability.

It is being held at the First United Methodist Church in Hayward on Saturday September 16th. Click here to view and print a flyer containing all the details. However, if you cannot view the flyer, all the pertinent information is described below.

If you or anyone you know might be interested in attending, please contact me at the number below. I'd also greatly appreciate it if you could print and post a copy of the attached flyer on your office bulletin board or forward this email to anyone and everyone you know who might want to attend.

SEMINAR DETAILS:
DATE: Saturday September 16th, 2006
TIME: 11:00 AM - 1:00 PM
LOCATION: First United Methodist Church, 1183 B Street, Hayward (near the intersection of 2nd and B Streets)

A light lunch will be served
Please refrain from wearing scented products to this event.

Thanks so very much,

Stephen Beard

Stephen Beard, Real Estate Consultant & Accessibility Specialist
Keller Williams Realty
4341 Piedmont Avenue, Oakland, CA 94611
Cell: 510-364-6795, Fax: 510-743-4264
stephen@stephenbeard.net
www.stephenbeard.net
My Commitment is your Peace of Mind

Unemployment Crisis for People with Disabilities: You Can Help!

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Sun, 03 Sep 2006 23:00:00 +0000

Tell Your Representatives to Help People with Disabilities Find Work

Labor Day is a holiday to honor workers. It is a day of festive outings, spending time with family and hosting cookouts.For millions of unemployed people with disabilities, however, the holiday is bittersweet. Only 35 percent of people with disabilities report being employed compared to 78 percent of those who do not have disabilities, with three times as many living in poverty. The majority of people with disabilities report that their disability has made it difficult to find a job.People with disabilities want to work, and they can work, but the government must do more to ensure they are provided employment opportunities.

Sadly, this unemployment crisis is rarely mentioned during political campaigns. This problem cannot be ignored any longer. Please challenge your Representative and Senators to share their ideas during their election campaign on how they will alleviate this crisis: send them a quick e-mail now.
Take Action!
And don't forget to tell your friends to take action as well!

Feeding homeless outlawed

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Mon, 28 Aug 2006 05:03:00 +0000

ACLU calls measure unenforceable
By DAVID MCGRATH SCHWARTZ
REVIEW-JOURNAL

If someone looks like he could use a meal, be warned: Giving him a sandwich in a Las Vegas park could land you in jail.

The Las Vegas City Council passed an ordinance Wednesday that bans providing food or meals to the indigent for free or a nominal fee in parks.The measure is an attempt to stop so-called "mobile soup kitchens" from operating in parks, where residents say they attract the homeless and render the city facilities unusable by families. The American Civil Liberties Union of Nevada called the ordinance blatantly unconstitutional, unenforceable and the latest attempt by the city to hide and harass the homeless instead of constructively addressing their plight.

"So the only people who get to eat are those who have enough money? Those who get (government) assistance can't eat at your picnic?" asked ACLU attorney Allen Lichtenstein. "I've heard of some rather strange and extreme measures from other cities. I've never heard of something like this. It's mind-boggling." The city's new ordinance, which officials could begin enforcing as early as Friday, defines an indigent as a "person whom a reasonable ordinary person would believe to be entitled to apply for or receive assistance" from the government under state law.Mayor Oscar Goodman, who has been a vocal advocate of cracking down on the homeless in city parks, dismissed questions about how marshals, who patrol city parks, will identify the homeless in order to enforce the ordinance, the violation of which would be a misdemeanor.

"Certain truths are self-evident," Goodman said. "You know who's homeless." City officials said they instituted the law in part because of recommendations from some who work with the homeless who say offering food separately from other services, such as counseling and drug treatment, is counterproductive."This is not a punishment; this is to help people," Goodman said. "The people who provide sandwiches have good intentions, but they're enabling people not to get the help that is needed."Residents near Huntridge Circle Park, on Maryland Parkway near Charleston Boulevard, say people who bringing food to the homeless draw them to the area.

But one advocate who feeds the homeless at the park said she will continue to do so.
"I'm going to do whatever I think is necessary to keep people alive," said Gail Sacco.Sacco has been cited twice while feeding the homeless, for holding a gathering of 25 or more people without a permit.That ordinance is currently the subject of litigation by the ACLU of Nevada, and Gary Peck, the group's executive director, said the ordinance adopted Wednesday probably will be included in the lawsuit. City Attorney Brad Jerbic said the city tried to negotiate with the ACLU and Sacco, including attempting to find a place where Sacco could provide food to the homeless.
Peck said negotiations "ended badly because, from our perspective, they're not negotiating in good faith. They're trying to figure out ways of making homeless invisible or kicking them out of our community." Sacco said the city's approach has been to spout rhetoric and push the problem out of view, instead of offer constructive solutions."If the city and county and nonprofits are getting out there doing outreach to the people, then (the homeless) won't be at Circle Park and I won't have anyone to feed down there," Sacco said. "If they're just putting people in jail, the city is making it look like they are doing a wonderful job on the homeless issue. It's just a farce."Sacco said in addition to providing food, she works to get the homeless housing, treatment, identification and jobs.

For the past month, the city has been cracking down on the homeless at Circle Park, arresting those inside the park before it opens at 7 a.m. and citing others for trespassing if they're on private property.Neighbors have applauded the city's efforts, which have also included threats to increase the number of mentally ill homeless that they force to be hospitalized.But Peck said despite residents' concerns, any sweep or crackdown has to be done in a legal manner. "It doesn't matter if they're unsightly, if neighbors don't like them. It doesn't trump the Constitution," he said.

The council unanimously passed the ordinance. Councilwoman Lois Tarkanian was absent.
Councilman Steve Wolfson, who last week raised concerns that the measure would prohibit someone from giving a sandwich to a homeless person, said after talking with Jerbic he felt comfortable with how the ordinance would be enforced."The marshals will get specialized training on enforcement," Wolfson said. "If you bought a couple of burgers and wanted to give them out, you technically would be in violation, but you wouldn't be cited."Jerbic said police make judgment calls based on the severity of the crime, and this would be no different.Lichtenstein said the city's statements were a clear indication they intend to use selective enforcement, which is unconstitutional under the equal protection clause of the Constitution.

"Thanks Kendra Nicole"

Nicholas Feldman
Dare to Dream Attendant Services, LLC
275 5th St. #203
San Francisco, CA 94102
(800)988-9927
Fax: (415)541-8590
www.daretodreamattendantservices.com
(Assistant may answer the phone)

What to know before you take that flight

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Mon, 28 Aug 2006 04:40:00 +0000

Due to enhanced security measures, liquids, gels, lotions, and other items of similar consistency will not be permitted in carry-on baggage. These types of items must be packed in your checked baggage. Additionally, liquids, gels,and lotions purchased beyond the checkpoint must be disposed of before boarding the aircraft.

PERMITTED ITEMS

* Baby formula, breast milk, or milk if a baby or small child is traveling.
* Liquid or gel prescription medicines with a name that matches the passenger's ticket (name on bottle must match your ticket).
* Liquids (to include juice and water) or gels for persons with diabetes or other medical conditions in quantities up to 5 oz per container.
* Essential non-prescription liquid and gel medications up to 4 oz per container (to include saline solution, eye care products, and KY jelly).
* Gel-filled bras and similar prosthetics worn for medical reasons.
* Gel-filled wheelchair cushions.
* Life support and life sustaining liquids (bone marrow, blood products,
body organs).

We encourage everyone to pack gel-filled bras in their checked baggage. We recognize the sensitivity of the issue, and we are reaching out to key women's medical associations to assist passengers and make information available to them while respecting their privacy. Passengers with medical gel prosthetics will be permitted through security checkpoints. All disability-related equipment, aids, and devices continue to be allowed through security checkpoints once cleared through screening.

Disability and medically-related items permitted beyond the checkpoint include: Wheelchairs; scooters; crutches; canes; walkers; prosthetic devices; casts; support braces; support appliances; service animals; any and all diabetes related medication, equipment, and supplies; orthopedic shoes; exterior medical devices; assistive/adaptive equipment; augmentation devices; ostomy supplies; medications and associated supplies; hearing aids; cochlear implants; tools for wheelchair disassembly/ reassembly; personal supplemental oxygen; CPAP machines; respirators; CO2 personal oxygen concentrators; baby apnea monitors;Braille note takers; slate and stylus; tools for prosthetic devices; and any other disability-related equipment and associated supplies.

TSA's Checkpoint Security Screening Procedures for persons with disabilities, medical conditions, and the mature have not changed as a result of the current threat situation.

People with Disabilities, those with prosthetic devices, and those with medical conditions DO NOT have to remove their shoes during this heightened security level, nor has this been the case during routine travel times. Those who keep their shoes on will be subjected to additional screening that includes a visual/physical and explosive trace detection sampling of their footwear.

You are permitted to bring solid cosmetics and personal hygiene items such as lipstick, lip balm, and similar solids. Please remember these items must be solid and not liquid, gel, or aerosol. Only the items mentioned above are permitted in your carry-on bags and through security checkpoints once theyhave been screened. If you have questions or doubts on certain items, place those in your checked baggage.

PROHIBITED ITEMS

To help you understand what you should or should not bring in your carry-on baggage, we have provided the following list of common items you may be traveling with. Remember, liquids, gels and aerosols are prohibited. Please leave those items at home or pack them in your checked baggage:

* Makeup and Personal Items.
* Aerosol spray bottles and cans.
* All creams and lotions including Neosporin or first-aid creams and ointments, topical or rash creams and ointments, suntan lotions, moisturizers,etc.
* Bug and mosquito sprays and repellents.
* Deodorants made of gel or aerosol.
* Hair styling gels and spray of all kinds including aerosol.
* Hair straightener or detangler.
* Lip gels such as Carmex or Blistex.
* Liquid lip glosses or other liquids for lips.
* Liquid bubble bath including gel or liquid filled bubble bath balls or bath oils or moisturizers.
* Liquid foundations.
* Liquid, gel or spray perfumes or colognes.
* Liquid sanitizers.
* Liquid soaps.
* Liquid mascara.
* Make up removers or facial cleansers.
* Mouthwash.
* Nail polish and removers.
* Shampoos and conditioners.
* Toothpaste.

Food and drinks:
* All beverages.
* Cheese in pressurized containers.
* Gel-based sports supplements.
* Jellos.
* Pudding.
* Whipped cream.
* Yogurt or gel like food substances.

Other items:
* Gel-type candles.
* Gel shoe inserts.

Please keep in mind that, while we cannot provide an exhaustive list of items that cover all eventualities, all liquids, gels, or aerosols of any kind are prohibited at security checkpoints, in airport sterile areas, and aboard aircraft. You may pack these items in your checked baggage.

We ask for your cooperation in the screening process by being prepared before you arrive. We also ask that you follow the guidelines above and try not to over-think these guidelines. Please pack liquids, gels, and aerosols in your checked baggage even if you do not normally check a bag.

Travelers with disabilities, medical conditions, and the mature may want to consider the following:

* Arriving at the airport well in advance, 2-3 hours prior to flight.
* Following all published rules on carry-on items and medications.
* Viewing TSA website tips for persons with disabilities and medical conditions and other TSA screening advisements located on TSA's website under"Our Travelers".
* Bringing documentation on medications, devices, and medical conditions where possible. (This is not a requirement and will not exempt a passenger from the screening process.)
* Packing medications in a clear bag separate from other carry-on items/bags.
* Ensuring that medically-prescribe d medication bottles (name on bottle) match your ticket.
* Exercising patience with the lines, delays, and stringent screening procedures.

WHERE TO GO FOR FURTHER INFORMATION

For additional information on transportation security, the Transportation
Security Administration Contact Center may be reached at:

1-866-289-9673 (Voice/Relay)
tsa-contactcenter@dhs.gov (Email)
http://www.tsa.gov (Web)

For concerns about potential rights violations, contact the TSA Office of Civil Rights at:

1-877-336-4872 (Voice)
1-800-877-8339 (TTY)
tsa-contactcenter@dhs.gov (Email)

For information about overall air travel accessibility, contact the Air Carrier Access Act Hotline of the Department of Transportation at:

1-800-778-4838 (Voice)
1-866- 754-4368 (TTY)
airconsumer@ost.dot.gov
http://airconsumer.ost.dot.gov (Web)

- - - - - - - - - -

Olegario D. Cantos VII, Esq.
Associate Director for Domestic Policy
The White House
Washington, DC 20502
(202) 456-5594 [Voice/Relay]
(202) 456-5557 [Fax]
ocantos@who.eop.gov [Email]

_____________________________________________

"Thanks to Maggie Dee!"

Nicholas Feldman
Dare to Dream Attendant Services, LLC
275 5th St. #203
San Francisco, CA 94102
(800)988-9927
Fax: (415)541-8590
www.daretodreamattendantservices.com
(Assistant may answer the phone)

AB 2536 (Montanez): Overtime – Passed the Senate floor with a vote of 24/13

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Thu, 24 Aug 2006 17:35:00 +0000

"AB 2536 (Montanez): Overtime – Passed the Senate floor with a vote of 24/13. The measure now moves over to the Assembly for the vote for concurrence on the amendments that were accepted in the Senate."
Most of the bad stuff for people with disabilities has been thankfully removed – thanks to the hard work of many good advocates.
CFILC is opposed to the Bill as it stands because we don't want to see that definition of personal attendant as it is in AB 2356 be codified into law and would rather see a definition that encompasses the work of a personal attendant, rather than the work of a babysitter trying to squeeze a definition for children into a definition of what personal attendants for adults do... currently wage order 15 PA workers are limited to bathing, feeding and supervising..
A lot of effort went out to make a poorly worded bill work, but sometimes it just can't be done. This bill was a real community divider.
My hope is the Governor does not sign the bill into law, but that is a 50/50 bet at this point.
Assuming we get a second shot at it next year, lets hope they do it right and have us at the table this time before the bill is written.

Bob Roberts
Executive Director
Marin CIL
710 4th St.
San Rafael, CA 94901
415-459-6245

Axis Dance Company

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Thu, 24 Aug 2006 15:25:00 +0000

Since 1987, AXIS Dance Company has created an exciting body of work developed by dancers with and without disabilities. They are in the forefront of paving the way for a powerful and inclusive dance form, “physically integrated dance”. AXIS has performed in theaters and dance spaces at its home base in the Bay Area, on tour throughout the U.S., as well as in Germany and Siberia. Described as a "visual and physical discovery, creating fascinating works of movement art, " the Company has become internationally known for its high artistic and educational standards and innovative movement vocabulary. Under the Artistic Direction of Judith Smith, their stellar repertory includes works by choreographers, Stephen Petronio, Bill T. Jones, Joe Goode, Joanna Haigood, Sonya Delwaide, Victoria Marks and Ann Carlson.

FALL SESSION 2006:

September 19 - November 16, 2006

All Classes are at Malonga Casquelourd Center
1428 Alice Street (between 14th & 17th Sts.)
3rd Floor, Studio E, Oakland, CA
* The Teens class this session will take place in Studio A on the second floor of the Malonga Center

Physically Integrated Dance Class for Teens: Tuesdays, 4:00-5:00pm
(*This class will take place in Studio A on the second floor of the Malonga Center)
This class focuses on students ages 13-21 with and without physical disabilities who have prior dance and movement experience including those who use wheelchairs, have a neuro-muscular disability such as cerebral palsy or spinabifida or have an amputation. Classes focus on exploration of individual dance vocabulary while building confidence, cooperation skills and developing appreciation of each other’s creative _expression.

Connect Mentoring Program for Teens:
Connect is a mentoring program for youth ages 12-21.The program focuses on teenage girls with disabilities who are interested in dance. Activities include field trips to see dance performances, visits to AXIS rehearsals and mentoring by AXIS dancers. Teens in Dance Access/KIDS! classes encouraged to get involved.

Adult Physically Integrated Dance Class: Thursdays, 6:30pm -8:00pm
This dance class is for adult students with and without physical disabilities who have intermediate/advanced level dance experience. Classes will range from more traditional modern dance technique classes that address fundamental principals of alignment, strength, flexibility and movement initiation, to classes in choreographic process and development.

Adult Improvisation & Creative Movement: Thursdays, 1pm-2pm
For dance enthusiasts with any level of dance experience interested in exploring movement by using improvisation.
Fees & Registration Information
Pre- registration is required for all classes! Please download a registration form below, complete and mail or fax to the AXIS office. Or you may contact our office at 510-625-0110 or email alisa@axisdance.org to be mailed the registration packet. Class fee is $80 for 8- week session. Registration deadline is September 15th.

Dance Access/KIDS! & Teens Registration Form

Dance Access Adults Registration Form

Class Placement:
At the time of initial registration, the appropriate placement for your child will be assessed on the basis of an intake interview with the parent or guardian. The initial level of placement may be adjusted at the teachers’ discretion within the first week of participation. Once the final placement has been made, it is our policy to keep a child in that level for a full year of classes before they may advance. This is to ensure the best possible experience for your child as she or he becomes familiar with our classes. Dance Access/KIDS! classes are appropriate for students interested in taking a creative dance class, students who can follow direction and participate socially as well as initiate their own movement response.

Locations
MOST DANCE ACCESS CLASSES and MASTER CLASSES take place at the Malonga Casquelourd Center for the Arts , 1428 Alice St (at 14th St), Oakland.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
New Dance Access/KIDS! class in San Francisco
Fridays, September 22 - December 15th, 5-6pm
Final Showing December 17th
AXIS offers a Creative Dance Class for kids with and without disabilities ages 7-12 in the spacious ODC Dance Commons. Kids will have fun while moving creatively and exploring individual dance vocabulary. Classes focus on building cooperation skills and developing appreciation of each other's own creative _expression.
ODC Commons, 351 Shotwell St.
San Francisco, CA 94110
For more information call ODC School: 415-863-9830, info@odcschool.org