::BOLDFACERS::
She was raised in a refugee camp, he was raised in a Nepalese monastery, and now they have a fantastically beautiful store in Boston. Scroll down to watch the video interview with them.
Thursday, February 07, 2008
Really interesting story
Thin Bones Seen In Boys With Autism And Autism Spectrum Disorder
Thin Bones Seen In Boys With Autism And Autism Spectrum Disorder
(Bookmarking this so that I can find it later...I've always thought that a dietitian should be part of an autism team).
Wednesday, February 06, 2008
The girl, 10, who could die from shock just by watching a scary film | the Daily Mail
The girl, 10, who could die from shock just by watching a scary film | the Daily Mail
I thought that I was up on medical conditions, but this is just weird! Poor kid.
Tuesday, February 05, 2008
Monday, February 04, 2008
Quarter of Brits think Churchill was myth: poll - Yahoo! News
Quarter of Brits think Churchill was myth: poll - Yahoo! News
Apparently the UK has the same education problems as anywhere else!
Maybe the most beautiful bookstore I've ever seen
Wow- I would love to see this in person! 
thecoolhunter.net - A Book Store Made in Heaven
Saturday, February 02, 2008
I've always liked Matt Damon
Sarah Silverman finally does something funny again
Friday, February 01, 2008
If this is true, it's disgusting
Female bombers strike markets in Baghdad - Yahoo! News
But it does also sound like propaganda, so who knows. But using disabled people as suicide bombers is about as low as you can go.
Absolutely unbelievable
Junkfood Science: No fat people allowed: Only the slim will be allowed to dine in public!
Apparently this bill is serious. "An act to prohibit certain food establishments from serving food to any person who is obese, based on criteria prescribed by the state department of health;"
I can't see it passing, but the fact that anyone could even propose it with a straight face is a little bit frightening.
Tuesday, January 29, 2008
Backboards and Bandaids, Papers and Projects...: Sex Education: Zoo Style
Backboards and Bandaids, Papers and Projects...: Sex Education: Zoo Style
I would NOT want to be those teachers! Or that poor little girl who cries.
Virtual Reality Teaches Autistic Children To Cross Streets Safely
Virtual Reality Teaches Autistic Children To Cross Streets Safely
This is GREAT! I hope that this program becomes available to the public, or at least schools.
Monday, January 28, 2008
Sunday, January 27, 2008
The Greatest Duets of All time
retroCRUSH: The Greatest Duets of All time
Fun list, and for a change, I can't find too much wrong with it. I even found a couple of new ones that I'd never heard before.
I'm still an 80s kid though- Under Pressure is one of the best songs ever.
Saturday, January 26, 2008
The Five Worst Online Dating Video Profiles - Esquire
The Five Worst Online Dating Video Profiles - Esquire
Makes me glad that I'm not dating!
Thursday, January 24, 2008
Kent Rogowski - Bears
Kent Rogowski - Bears
Well, this is different! Take the stuffing out of a teddy bear, turn it inside out, and re-stuff it. I'm not sure whether they're cute or creepy, but they are definitely interesting.
Wednesday, January 23, 2008
Damn, just what we need
Eli Stone - Television - Notebook - New York Times
"A new legal drama making its debut this month on ABC is stepping into a subject that is the source of heated debate among some parents — the relationship between autism and childhood vaccines — and seemingly coming down on the side that has been all but dismissed by prominent scientific organizations."
Because we know that what's put on TV as entertainment is NEVER effective at influencing the credulous. This is a show that cries out for a boycott.
Tuesday, January 22, 2008
Monday, January 21, 2008
One of my favourite bloggers, supporting one of our biggest causes
Movin' Meat: I'm a Beautiful Man
We were lucky in that Kirsten survived her cancer...a simple click is all that it takes to help ensure that other kids have that chance.
Sunday, January 20, 2008
Saturday, January 19, 2008
Friday, January 18, 2008
The 5 Most Horrifying Bugs in the World | Cracked.com
The 5 Most Horrifying Bugs in the World | Cracked.com
Just as a change from autism stuff :-)
Karen McCarron Ruled Guilty on All Counts
Karen McCarron Ruled Guilty on All Counts
While I don't think that there could be any good outcome to this case after Katie's death, I'm glad to see that the court re-affirmed the value of Katie's life. Hopefully the next parent who feels this desperate will be able to ask for help before this happens again.
Thursday, January 17, 2008
Wednesday, January 16, 2008
I don't know what it is about polar bears
Video - Breaking News Videos from CNN.com
But damn, the babies are cute. This one is pretty loud though! I love the fat little tummy after he's eaten.
Trial of Karen McCarron: Day 7
Trial of Karen McCarron: Day 7
(I would also suggest following her link to Moi's article, as it raises some interesting points).
Tuesday, January 15, 2008
Horrendously traumatic Bollywood disco dancing
YouTube - Disco Dancer - Jimmy Adja
It's a pretty emotional scene at the end.
Monday, January 14, 2008
Sunday, January 13, 2008
From the WTF column
FOXNews.com - PETA Asks That Accused Cannibal Not Eat Meat in Jail - Local News | News Articles | National News | US News
Life is always more ridiculous than we ever think that it can be.
Saturday, January 12, 2008
Trial of Karen McCarron: Day 5—McCarron blames herself for letting her child be vaccinated
Trial of Karen McCarron: Day 5—McCarron blames herself for letting her child be vaccinated
Unfortunately you had to guess that vaccination would enter into this somewhere.
Friday, January 11, 2008
Thursday, January 10, 2008
Trial of Karen McCarron: Day 2
Trial of Karen McCarron: Day 2
Heartbreaking on all sides.
Study Says DNA Flaw May Raise Autism Risk - New York Times
Study Says DNA Flaw May Raise Autism Risk - New York Times
Interesting...this is one of the research consortiums that has access to our family's DNA, so it always makes me wonder when they find something! It's exciting to see so much research going on in so many different directions.
Wednesday, January 09, 2008
The absolute "best" theory of autism cause that I've heard yet
Mentioned here Thimerosal Exposure Declines, Autism Rates Increase, and a Note About Myself
"From my own observation: Moms of autistic kids are party goers or ex-party goers. Leaves me to think that birth control or drugs is the cause."
It's actually a close second to the theory that autistic kids are sent here by aliens to be emissaries to the rest of the world (kind of difficult if they're non-verbal I'd say), but the "party-going mom" one is pretty classic too.
And I knew that the anti-vaccine people weren't going to take the new study lying down- so far my favourite theory that they've come up with is that the large amount of immigrants coming from thimerosal using countries account for the increase. Sometimes you just have to laugh so that you don't scream.
Tuesday, January 08, 2008
Trial of Karen McCarron:Day 1
Katie McCarron. Regardless of the evidence or the verdict, I hope that people remember that it's really all about this little girl, and trying to prevent this from happening to another child.
Monday, January 07, 2008
Another exciting leap forward in medical research
FOXNews.com - Scientists Help Mice Paralyzed by Spinal Injuries Walk Again - Health News | Current Health News | Medical News
There are some very cool things going on in medicine today.
Saturday, January 05, 2008
Fascinating article about how DNA tests can enable parents to connect
The DNA Age - Parents Whose Children Share Genetic Mutations Seek Each Other for Support - New York Times
Interesting angle for a story...one of the most surprising things to me is that there is actually an insurer who will cover the testing!
Almost anything that helps parents to connect is good in my books though- it's amazing how much support makes a difference.
Thursday, January 03, 2008
Author George MacDonald Fraser Dies
The Associated Press: Author George MacDonald Fraser Dies: "Author George MacDonald Fraser Dies"
Damn. If you've never read any of the Flashman books (and have any interest in history), pick one or two up. They're amazing.
Wednesday, January 02, 2008
ER stories...love and lust in the ER
Site Map
I've seen a fair amount of discussion on the medical blogs whether these stories are true or not,
but there are definitely some amusing ones.
Tuesday, January 01, 2008
Monday, December 31, 2007
Sunday, December 30, 2007
The 2007 Ignoble Awards
Improbable Research
I think that my favourite this year is "LINGUISTICS: Juan Manuel Toro, Josep B. Trobalon and Núria Sebastián-Gallés, of Universitat de Barcelona, for showing that rats sometimes cannot tell the difference between a person speaking Japanese backwards and a person speaking Dutch backwards.
REFERENCE: "Effects of Backward Speech and Speaker Variability in Language Discrimination by Rats," Juan M. Toro, Josep B. Trobalon and Núria Sebastián-Gallés, Journal of Experimental Psychology: Animal Behavior Processes, vol. 31, no. 1, January 2005, pp 95-100"
Who knew that rats had so many language problems?
Saturday, December 29, 2007
Friday, December 28, 2007
I hadn't seen this one for a while, and it always makes me laugh
(and yes, this is what having triplets is like!)
Free-fall "zero-g dance" to be performed this weekend, inspired by Hugo-winning novel "Stardance" - Boing Boing
Free-fall "zero-g dance" to be performed this weekend, inspired by Hugo-winning novel "Stardance" - Boing Boing
Wow- this is COOL! I love both Spider's and Jeanne's work, so I'm very excited about seeing this. It's also neat to see that what we considered "science fiction" in the 70s is actually coming true. Cool.
Sunday, December 23, 2007
Friday, December 21, 2007
Thursday, December 20, 2007
Wednesday, December 19, 2007
Tuesday, December 18, 2007
Monday, December 17, 2007
I think that THIS is the way that you advocate (and fundraise) for children with disabilities
From a great post at The Joy of Autism this morning...
Curepity
And a full-page ad (.pdf) in one of Canada's leading newspapers....it's sure a change from "ransom notes"!
Saturday, December 15, 2007
A great (sane) article on autism
Freedom of expression - Times Online
If only we'd see more stories like this!
Thursday, December 13, 2007
Tuesday, December 11, 2007
The Autistic Self Advocacy Network
Even with the best of motivations, sometimes organizations make mistakes. It sounds like The NYU Child Study Center had the very best of intentions with their new ad campaign, but it is unfortunate that it reinforces negative stereotypes of the very people that they are trying to help. Although we definitely have daily problems and worries associated with autism, and I wish that my kids didn't have to deal with it, they don't need "rescuing"...they need support and acceptance to make their lives better.
I find the idea of "ransom notes" particularly appalling...my children are autistic- they were not "kidnapped", and have not been taken hostage by this diagnosis...it is part of who they are. I would definitely prefer that they didn't have to struggle every day, but if they were not autistic they would NOT be the wonderful people that they are...they might be wonderful in a different way, but autism has not ruined their lives (or mine, for that matter). They are not a "detriment" to the people around them (check out the ADHD "ransom note")- in fact, I've been told many times by their workers and doctors that their lives are richer for having known them.
While I know that NYU is doing some great work, and I am sure that they had the best of intentions with this ad campaign, I find it incredibly frustrating that they are trying to make my children (and people who share a psychiatric diagnosis) objects of pity and fear. I have long ago come to some kind of acknowledgment within myself that they will never get all of the help and support that they deserve in order to help them live their lives to the fullest, but it is painful and appalling to me that the organizations who are most in a position to support them apparently still view them as objects of pity and scorn.
If you have a minute, please write a simple email to one of the addresses in the link. Changing social views of autistic people is a slow process, but it will make the world of difference to my kids, at least, and they deserve to be seen as the wonderful, talented, loving, and "useful" people that they are, and not just as people who have been taken "hostage" by a trick of birth.
Thanks.
Wednesday, December 05, 2007
Flying Puppets / Wonder Bread -
Flying Puppets / Wonder Bread - Boing Boing TV
Fun stuff- neat flying machines. I like the "Jules Verne" made out of Saran Wrap and drinking straws.
Tuesday, December 04, 2007
Fever can temporarily unlock autism's grip
CTV.ca | Fever can temporarily unlock autism's grip
Interesting new study- I'd certainly never heard of this angle before. My kids definitely have improved behaviour when they have a fever, but I've always put it down to lethargy!
Sunday, December 02, 2007
Saturday, December 01, 2007
Friday, November 30, 2007
Wednesday, November 28, 2007
Kmareka.com � A Connection between Cell Phone Use and Autism?
Kmareka.com � A Connection between Cell Phone Use and Autism?
My new favourite "cause" of autism (sarcasm heavily on). So far my all-time favourite "cause" was one that I found the night that I was told that all 3 of my triplets had autism. We got home from the doctor's office in pretty much a state of shock...being who I am, as soon as I got them to bed that night I went online to find out what I could about it, as prior to then my only experiences of autism had been "Rain Man", and a friend who worked as an aide and got bitten every day by the child that she was working with.
Google didn't even exist at that point...I think that I used Hotbot to search. And the very first site that I read was a "wonderful" website which posed the theory that autistic children were actually emissaries for the aliens who had been trying to contact us for the last 50 years (unfortunately I think that the site is gone now, but this was is 1997, which is officially the dark ages as far as the internet is concerned)...finally the aliens had given up on stealing trailer trash on their way home from the bars and anal-probing them, and decided to breed a new race of "super-communicators" instead, hence, autistic children were created.
I live in hope that at some point most of the human race might be able to use their critical thinking facilities and stop coming up with these ass-brained ideas.
Cell phone use? Aside from the fact that this idiot seemingly has no idea of autism incidence over the last 20 years (look at http://autismdiva.blogspot.com/ for information on incidence and the "epidemic"), does this guy actually think that autism can be boiled down to one specific cause, especially one as minor as this?
I weep for the future of our kids at times...if half of the energy that was spent looking for "cause" was as devoted to accepting our kids, and figuring out the most appropriate ways to help them function in society as much as they need to in order to be happy and productive citizens, I think that we'd all be a lot better off. My blood pressure level would be, at least.
Tuesday, November 27, 2007
http://www.treesfortroops.org
http://www.treesfortroops.org
A nice idea if you're looking for a charity to donate to before Christmas. I know that one of my military triplet families benefited from this last year, and it was a great start to their Christmas season.
Monday, November 26, 2007
YouTube - Nationl Anthem Fenway Park
YouTube - Nationl Anthem Fenway Park
So cool...Boston kicks ass!
17 Ways to Get Free Books | Frugal Panda
17 Ways to Get Free Books | Frugal Panda
Free books are NEVER a bad thing...there are some great swapping sites out there, even for non-Americans!
Saturday, November 24, 2007
Father Slashes Autistic Son to Death
Father Slashes Autistic Son to Death
I can't even begin to understand this, and with my kids, I think that I've pretty much been to the brink of despair a few times.
Friday, November 23, 2007
The Travel Justly campaign
SuicideGirls > News > Culture > Tis the Season: "the Jewish Funds for Justice, the Progressive Jewish Alliance, and the Jewish Labor Committee [has] collaborated to launch the Travel Justly campaign. The effort is designed to call attention to -- and perhaps even improve -- the relatively crappy working conditions of many hotel housekeepers. Ninety percent of these workers are women."
Sphere: Related ContentTuesday, November 20, 2007
Denial
Denial - Psychology - Mental Health and Behavior - New York Times
Interesting article. I don't know whether I completely agree with it, but I do find that denial is helpful in a lot of situations. Sometimes refusing to think about something might be the only way that you can cope with it (cue thoughts of Dylan).
Saturday, November 17, 2007
Something Down The Drain? Retrieve it Without a Wrench. | Family Hack
Something Down The Drain? Retrieve it Without a Wrench. | Family Hack
Simple but brilliant...I wish I'd known about this years ago.
Tuesday, November 13, 2007
Why is peer review important?
A good, simple article on why peer-reviewed research is important. VERY important if you have autistic children.
Why is peer review important?
Friday, November 09, 2007
Unanswerable questions on Snopes
Urban Legends Reference Pages: Unanswerables
I like the one where the guy asks is pre-packaged foods contain enough estrogen to turn him gay.
Thursday, November 08, 2007
Michael Yon : Online Magazine � Blog Archive � Thanks and Praise
Great picture...Christians and Muslims working together to re-open a church in Baghdad.
Michael Yon : Online Magazine � Blog Archive � Thanks and Praise
Wednesday, November 07, 2007
Sunday, November 04, 2007
Saturday, November 03, 2007
‘Autistics': We don't want a cure
It's nice to see a pretty balanced article that looks at one of the growing divides in the autism community.
globeandmail.com: ‘Autistics': We don't want a cure
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