May 31, 2006
For Your Consideration
Film Your Issue is a competition inviting young adults ages 18-26 to create a short, short film (thirty to sixty seconds) on an issue important to the auteur. One of the entrants is "Thumbs Down to Pity" by 19-year-old Ben Snow. Ben's film takes on a subject that is close to my own heart: Hollywood's less-than-flattering portrayals of people with disabilities. You can view the film here (warning: the site is hosted by MSNBC and the film clips are viewable only in Internet Explorer, natch). It's a bit talky, but it gets the point across. If you like Ben's work, you can cast a vote for it. Votes from the public and the opinions of a celebrity jury will be equally weighed to determine the winners.
Thanks to my friend Amy for the tip.
If you tried posting a comment recently and were rewarded with a somewhat obscure error message for your trouble, I suggest trying again. The anti-spam monster that came with my new hosting package needed to be tamed. It should play nice with you now so long as you aren't trying to sell me a longer-lasting erection or a lower mortgage rate.
Posted by wintermute2_0 at 07:31 PM | Comments (1)
May 30, 2006
All Of Me
A friend recently confessed to me, "I think I sometimes pretend that you're not in a wheelchair because you're such a, well, normal guy. But I know I shouldn't do that because your disability shapes so much of who you are." Her honest assessment of her own perception of me made me wonder: what role do I play in reinforcing my friend's selective view of me. In my efforts to put people around me at ease, I probably do tend to minimize my disability and its implications for my daily existence. I don't get into the details of it unless someone specifically asks me, mostly because I assume these things about me aren't very interesting.
But as my friend remarked, my disability is an essential part of who I am and I want the people in my life to acknowledge it without making it the totality of my identity. I used the analogy of hair color or eye color with my friend; a characteristic that is distinguishable but not defining. But that's not quite right either. Having hazel eyes isn't going to make it difficult for me to enter someone's split-level house. Maybe being friends with me is like being friends with--I don't know--a vegan. You have to give a little thought to where you're going to take your friend when you go out, but you don't spend too much time thinking about your friend's veganism, other than the occasional question prompted by simple curiosity.
I also had to contradict my friend's notion that I have "all [my] shit together." Because I most definitely do not. I keep a separate blog that chronicles my insecurities, my self-destructive behavior, and my assorted fetishes. But there's no way in hell I'm providing that link. You'll simply have to rely on your imagination.
Posted by wintermute2_0 at 09:45 PM | Comments (1)
May 29, 2006
Can I Start Wearing White Now?
I hope everyone is having an enjoyable Memorial Day. I think I'm going to celebrate the unofficial start of summer by venturing out to my building's deck for a while. This extended weekend has reminded me that I should probably think about taking time off this summer. I don't think I can afford to travel anywhere just yet, but it might be nice to have a week with absolutely no obligations, leaving me with nothing to do but some quality loafing.
And I must warn the subcommanders of the invasion fleet to stay away from the ducks once they arrive.
Posted by wintermute2_0 at 05:12 PM | Comments (0)
May 28, 2006
Fountain Of Youth
I'm beginning to suspect that my wheelchair has magical age-combatting properties. I was ordering a beer yesterday when the server, no doubt a well-meaning and conscientious lad, asked me, "You sure you're old enough?" I desperately wanted to reply, "Sonny, I was drinking beer when you were still fascinated by your own boogers. Now run along and get me my damn drink." But I simply smiled politely and nodded. Throughout my whole life, strangers have tended to assume I'm younger than my actual age. Perhaps it's because of my small stature or my lack of a deep, manly voice. I suppose this perception of me could come in handy as I get older, but I still find it annoying at present. Maybe I'm destined to be a gimpy version of Bob Costas, looking eternally young even when I'm in my dotage.
Posted by wintermute2_0 at 06:47 PM | Comments (1)
May 27, 2006
Ebony And Ivory
A piano is available on the library's second floor for any inclined to show off their musical skills. One can only imagine the number of times "Chopsticks" will be played on this thing.
Posted by wintermute2_0 at 02:21 PM | Comments (1)
Surrounded By Knowledge
The new library has four floors, with approximately 50-75 computer stations and kiosks on each floor. As I was wandering through it, I was reminded of the library scene from Wim Wenders' Wings of Desire .
Posted by wintermute2_0 at 02:18 PM | Comments (0)
May 26, 2006
A Haven For Nerds
The exterior of the new library. The cantilevered roof is its most distinctive feature.
Posted by wintermute2_0 at 08:40 PM | Comments (0)
Reading Is Fundamental
I visited the new Minneapolis Public Library earlier this week and took some pictures suitable for blog posting. The new library is impressive and a wonderful example of how taxpayer dollars can be used to create a public space that is both useful and beautiful. The ambience is open and inviting, with plenty of windows to fill the interior spaces with natural light. The children's area is especially well-designed, with shelves built to kid-height and reading chairs that are built for kids to perch themselves alongside a more grown-up reader.
I'll post more observations on the library over the weekend, but stay tuned for the first of the photos.
Posted by wintermute2_0 at 08:35 PM | Comments (0)
May 25, 2006
Das Ist Gut
Over on the sidebar, I've highlighted my latest obsession: German band Klee and their album Honeysuckle. I first heard them on the Current and I can't get enough of lead singer Suzie Kerstgens' chilly vocals over the band's sugary mid-80s dance-pop synth washes. They're like a musical Sno-Cone to usher in the coming summer. I don't grasp much of the lyrics, but I think I'd rather just close my eyes and invent my own meaning for the words.
Posted by wintermute2_0 at 11:38 PM | Comments (0)
May 24, 2006
Wall Of Sound
Using my Jedi mind powers (and Erin's gentle but firm instructions to other concertgoers to get the hell out of the way), we were able to snag seats right next to the stage, giving us a completely unobstructed view of last night's concert. Imogen Heap is something of a one-woman band and she spent a little time showing the audience how all of her beatboxes and keyboards work together. She also played a few songs on an old-fashioned piano, which was a nice contrast to her more electronica stuff. And Erin and I both agreed that opening act Zoe Keating, besides being a gifted cellist, is a total hottie.
Okay, back to grading proposals for a meeting twelve hours from now.
Posted by wintermute2_0 at 09:20 PM | Comments (0)
May 23, 2006
Late For A Very Important Date
Tonight's Imogen Heap concert has been sold out for weeks and it didn't look like I was going to get ticket. But I've got connections, thanks to my friend Erin. I'm sure she'll expect me to thank her profusely when I meet her shortly at the Loring. Oops, look at the time. Mustn't keep her waiting. More later.
Posted by wintermute2_0 at 05:54 PM | Comments (0)
May 22, 2006
Getting Our Props
I know that I live in a great town, but our little corner of the Midwest doesn't figure very prominently in the national consciousness. That's why it's always good to see a major media outlet give us a little love. In Kiplinger's list of 50 Smart Places to Live, the Twin Cities came in at #2. It praises our diverse economy, our arts scene, and our scenic parks and lakes. You would think our elected leaders would want to pursue policies that would preserve and enhance our quality of life--the same quality of life which is earning us media attention. Alas, you would be mistaken. A proposal in the Legislature to raise the sales tax ever so slightly (we're talking a fraction of a penny) for dedicated funding of natural resources and the arts died an ignoble death at session's end--in part because House Republicans remain steadfast in their refusal to consider a tax hike (unless it's for a new baseball stadium, in which case it's perfectly acceptable).
I ran into a lobbyist friend this evening who had worked on this issue on behalf of arts organizations. It sounds like friction between the outdoor and arts lobbies might have hurt both their causes. I'm sure Republicans will defend their action as a principled stand against tax-and-spend liberals, but I think Minnesotans don't mind paying a few cents more each year for a state that doesn't just work, but thrives. We do a lot a things well in Minnesota, but we can also do so much better.
Posted by wintermute2_0 at 09:55 PM | Comments (0)
May 21, 2006
All Better Now
Everything should be displaying properly in IE. Thanks, Bran.
I picked up a copy of Sims 2 on eBay a few days ago, so I'm going to sign off and find out how much suffering I can inflict on my digital creations before I start feeling guilty. But before I go, I just noticed that Amazon is beginning to roll out its Upgrade program, which allows customers to purchase both a physical copy of a book as well as access to a digital version that can be read via any Web connection. Not many books are available with this option, but I'm betting that publishers will get on board soon. The paperless society is probably a pipe dream, but damnit, I want to read a book without clipping down pages or constantly interrupting my nurse's dinner.
Posted by wintermute2_0 at 06:38 PM | Comments (0)
May 20, 2006
City Vs. Country
It's come to my attention that the blog isn't displaying properly in Internet Explorer. However, everything looks good when I put the site up on Firefox. I'd appreciate any suggestions on how to fix this problem.
I spent last night and most of today at a Civics retreat located at a YMCA camp near Hudson, just across the Wisconsin border. I didn't stay overnight because I was pretty sure I wouldn't sleep well on the wafer-thin mattresses available in the cabins. I also didn't think others would have appreciated being woken up by my vent alarm should it have gone off during the night. But even a devoted city dweller like myself could appreciate being in a more pastoral setting. Some friends and I were sitting around a bonfire when I looked up and saw countless stars strewn like brilliant pebbles across the dark sky.
Posted by wintermute2_0 at 06:07 PM | Comments (0)
May 19, 2006
Please Hold
Busy day today. I'll try posting again later tonight.
Posted by wintermute2_0 at 03:51 PM | Comments (1)
May 18, 2006
Dark Days
The mainstream media isn't touching this story, but a few progressive blogs are reporting that Karl Rove may be indicted Friday. Could be true, could be a lot of smoke. An indictment might be enough to sink the President's poll numbers into the high 20s. Not that this President needs much help in becoming ever more unpopular. The story about phone companies collaborating with the NSA's secret effort to construct a massive database of Americans' calling records isn't likely to go away soon, particularly in light of the federal lawsuit filed against some of the participating telecoms (kudos, by the way, to my regional Bell, Qwest, for telling the NSA to screw off). Iraq is still a complete mess. Gas prices are still high.
If there's any good news to be had, it's that Americans seem to be growing weary of this Administration. These two maps compare Bush's current approval ratings with those of a year ago. I'm still not confident that we can capture either the House or the Senate in the fall, but watching this country come to its senses gives me a total case of the warm fuzzies.
Posted by wintermute2_0 at 09:41 PM | Comments (0)
May 17, 2006
Talking To Inanimate Objects
The Star Tribune did another disability-themed story yesterday about Rollie Berg, a St. Paul man living with multiple sclerosis. The article describes how Berg uses Dragon NaturallySpeaking, an off-the-shelf speech recognition software package, to operate his computer. I continue to be dismayed that speech recognition technology hasn't made more significant advances in the couple decades since its introduction. A colleague of mine uses this method to access her computer and I've watched her struggle with the software's penchant for erroneously transcribing her words. I can't imagine cranking out the amount of writing I do each day using an interface that seems more than a little unreliable.
That, and I think I'd get a little self-conscious about my nurses overhearing my end of my sundry and torrid e-mail correspondences.
Posted by wintermute2_0 at 09:11 PM | Comments (2)
May 16, 2006
Rise To Power
I'm writing this entry much later than usual because I was co-teaching a Civics class and then went out for drinks with some of the students afterwards. I don't think I've written much about my involvement with Civics Connection. We're a small organization that promotes "active citizenship"--building a person's capacity to be an effective leader in the places where they are invested (work, community, etc.). We offer a ten-week educational seminar in the fall and spring to young professionals in their 20s and 30s. I was a student last year and then I ended up on the Board of Directors. A few weeks ago, I was elected Board Chair. Now I can check off Step #3(b) in my plan to achieve total world domination.
Posted by wintermute2_0 at 11:05 PM | Comments (0)
May 15, 2006
Yellow Brick Road
If somebody out there can hook me up with 2-3 tickets for the musical Wicked on July 22nd or 23rd, I'll be your bestest friend for life. I'll write your kid's college term papers and I'll even throw in a few years' worth of free computer tech support. My younger sister is desperate to see this show and I wouldn't mind making it a birthday present for myself. I can usually get accessible tickets to big events, but no such luck this time.
By the way, don't forget to mark yourself on the Frappr map if you haven't already done so.
Posted by wintermute2_0 at 08:13 PM | Comments (1)
May 14, 2006
Uncle Sam Wants You
The US Army is the target of much media flak for recruiting 18-year-old Jared Guinther, who has autism. The Army released Jared from his contract, but I'm a little troubled by the way the press is portaying people with autism. Autism is shorthand for describing a whole spectrum of capabilities. Asperger's Syndrome, sometimes referred to as the Geek Syndrome, is thought to be a mild form of autism. People who fall on the more significant end of the autism spectrum are not necessarily any less intelligent than the rest of us. Autism generally describes how a person perceives and interacts with the world; it doesn't say much about one's cognitive functioning.
If I was the parent of this kid, I would certainly not want him shipped off to Iraq. But I'm willing to bet thousands of people with autism have served in the military over the decades, many of them quite capably. We should not assume that people with disabilities should be automatically excluded from any facet of public life in America, including service in our armed forces.
Posted by wintermute2_0 at 02:51 PM | Comments (2)
May 13, 2006
Meet The Parents
The other day, I e-mailed a young woman whose profile I came across on Match. She seemed bright, self-aware, and most definitely cute. I wrote her a quick message introducing myself. The following day, I checked my e-mail and saw a reply from her. I started reading it.
It was from her mom. Apparently, Mom had set up the profile in an effort to get her daughter to meet some nice young men. Mom screened the responses that were sent to her daughter but, as Mom went on to inform me, her daughter was having none of it and wasn't interested in pursuing any of the candidates presented to her. In my various forays into on-line dating, I don't think I've ever received a response from someone's mother, so this was a new experience for me. Mom did seem to like what I wrote and said that she would put in the good word for me with her daughter. Of course, I'm unlikely to meet either one of them, but at least I wasn't dismissed as "not good enough." But what mom wouldn't want her daughter dating a brilliant young attorney with an undeniably winsome personality?
This concludes my daily self-affirmation exercise.
Posted by wintermute2_0 at 08:24 PM | Comments (0)
May 12, 2006
Pearl Of Wisdom
During the question and answer portion of Wednesday's forum on disability, policy, and opera, some dude raised his hand and proceeded to make the following observation:
My dog plays with the neighbor's three-legged dog and they seem to get along fine. The four-legged dog treats the three-legged dog like anyone else and the three-legged dog doesn't seem to notice that anything's wrong with it. It seems that dogs have all this stuff figured out already. We could learn a lot from them.
I'm paraphrasing, but you get the idea. So I guess the solution to disability discrimination and marginalization in all its pervasive forms is for every household to have a three-legged dog that can serve as a model of behavior and a source of inspiration for all us humans (especially the denser ones among us). Ideally, the three-legged dog should have a four-legged companion, just to emphasize the point, but the four-legged dog could probably be optional. Dogs are so cool. Not only do they have highly developed codes of ethical behavior, but they also get to run around naked and lick themselves in public. We could learn a lot from them.
Posted by wintermute2_0 at 07:32 PM | Comments (0)
May 11, 2006
To Switch Or Not To Switch
The new Apple ad campaign is clever and I admit that I identify more with the laid-back Mac persona than the suit-and-tie Windows PC. I'm still on the fence as to whether my next computer will be a Macintosh. I might wait to see how Leopard compares to Microsoft Vista, assuming Vista is eventually released. If anyone from Apple is reading this, how about lending me one of your upcoming PowerMac desktops and letting me blog about Mac accessibility vs. Windows accessibility? The first computer that I could use with my HeadMaster was an old Mac. Convince me to rejoin the fold.
Posted by wintermute2_0 at 10:25 PM | Comments (0)
May 10, 2006
Spring Planting
I'm trying to make my place a little more inviting by adding some plants and I need your suggestions. I have a jade plant that's been with me for a decade and a friend gave me some kind of ivy a few months ago that seems to be doing nicely, but a couple of pansies just died on me. I'm not always great at remembering to water my plants (and then I compensate by overwatering them), so I'd like to find something that won't punish my occasional inattention by shriveling up immediately. I suppose I could get a cactus, but having a cactus seems to be an open admission that I'm incapable of taking care of something that is even the slightest bit demanding. I'm not sure that's the message I want to convey to visitors, especially the cute ones.
Posted by wintermute2_0 at 05:52 PM | Comments (2)
May 09, 2006
No Good Deed Goes Unpunished
I encountered this story a while ago and it pissed me off then. It still pisses me off. The FDA is close to approving a vaccine for the human papillova virus, which causes cervical cancer in women. The vaccine will likely save thousands of lives. Most people would struggle to see the controversy in such a thing. But leave it to the paranoid, sex-obsessed religious right to crank up the histrionics and proclaim this medical advance a threat to public morality. The vaccine is most effective when administered to girls between ten and twelve years old. Social conservatives make an argument so absurd and ignorant that it's completely horrifying: administering this vaccine to girls will instantly transform them into wanton hedonists.
Religious conservatives love to depict themselves as defenders of family values, but I often wonder to what degree their worldview is influenced by a deep-seated, almost pathological fear and mistrust of female sexuality.
Thanks to Digby for reminding me how much this story annoyed me.
Posted by wintermute2_0 at 07:48 PM | Comments (0)
May 08, 2006
We Have A Winner
Keith Ellison, a state legislator and fellow University of Minnesota Law School alumni, won the DFL endorsement for the 5th District Congressional seat. While it's likely Ellison will be challenged in a September primary, the endorsement makes Ellison the odds-on favorite to succeed Sabo. I heard Ellison speak at a convention a couple months ago and he was easily the most charismatic and passionate orator to take the stage that day. I'm confident that he will make a great Congressman and that he will make all of us in the Fightin' Fifth proud. He certainly has my vote.
Posted by wintermute2_0 at 07:58 PM | Comments (0)
May 07, 2006
Power In Numbers
One thing that really pissed me off about my server outage last week was that I missed out on participating in Blogging against Disablism Day on May 1. The event was organized by Goldfish of Diary of a Goldfish and she did a magnificent job of spreading the meme; the list of participating blogs is long and varied. I've spent some time looking at the various posts and I'm encouraged to know that there are some quite talented bloggers with disabilities out there in the ether. Great work, Goldfish. I look forward to participating next year.
Posted by wintermute2_0 at 04:08 PM | Comments (0)
May 06, 2006
Speaking Truthiness To Power
In the latest CBS poll, President Bush has an abysmal 33% approval rating. Even my Republican friends are starting to admit that Bush is not Ronald Reagan reincarnate. And while the mainstream seemed determined to ignore it at first, Stephen Colbert's scathing roast of the Prez is starting to get the attention it deserves. C-SPAN, which originally aired Colbert's monologue, is hoping to take advantage of the buzz and make a few bucks by selling DVDs of the event. Then there's the surprise resignation of CIA Director Porter Goss, which might indicate that things are not going well for the Administration as it continues to wage the War on Terror (or World War III, for the drama queens out there). All in all, another bad week in a long string of bad weeks for the President.
Things might be a little wonky around here for the next day or two as I move the blog to a new server. I've decided to go with LivingDot for my hosting needs. I like the fact that they market specifically to bloggers and they have gotten some good reviews from other customers. Stay tuned.
Posted by wintermute2_0 at 02:27 PM | Comments (0)
May 05, 2006
Blue Ribbon Panel
Today, I attended the first meeting of the Wireless Minneapolis Task Force. Of course, I'm thrilled to be on the Task Force, especially after all the blogging I've done about the city's efforts to set up a wireless network (and in case you're wondering, my blog didn't get me this appointment; it came through my work with the Mayor's Advisory Committee on People with Disabilities). Hopefully, my work on the Task Force will give me the opportunity to realize my vision of creating an assistive technology fund for Minneapolis residents with disabilities. I'm also looking forward to getting to know the other Task Force members; the City seems to have recruited heavily from the non-profit, government, and private sectors. I'm all about the networking.
Yesterday, my primary physician told me I'm healthier than most of his more able-bodied patients. Yet more evidence that I am indeed the toughest cripple on the block.
Posted by wintermute2_0 at 08:38 PM | Comments (0)
May 04, 2006
I Am Not An Animal!
The Minnesota Opera and the Humphrey Institute are co-sponsoring a public forum on Wednesday, May 10th entitled The Elephant Man: A Conversation on Disability, Policy, and Opera. More information on the event can be found in this PDF file. This event is a tie-in to the Minnesota Opera's new production of Joseph Merrick, the Elephant Man. I'm anticipating a good discussion since the panelists include Senator David Durenberger and my friend John Tschida, Vice President of Public Affairs at Courage Center. My only knowledge of the Merrick's story is from David Lynch's film, which is probably much trippier in tone than this opera. I'd love to see part of the discussion focus on how people with disabilities are portrayed in other media venues.
I promised my friend Lani Willis, Communications Director at the Minnesota Opera, that I would spread the word about this event. I'm asking all of you to do the same. I mean, c'mon, how many times are we going to see an event with the words "disability" and "opera" in the title?
Posted by wintermute2_0 at 08:19 PM | Comments (0)
May 03, 2006
If You Build It...
I'll be at the Metrodome tonight to watch two baseball teams try to figure out which one of them sucks more. Meanwhile, the Legislature seems poised to do...something...about the long-simmering stadium debate here in Minnesota. I really like the current bill in the Senate, which would raise the sales tax in the seven-county metro area by a half-cent, which would pay for stadiums for both the Twins and Vikings while also generating additional funding for some much-needed transit projects. The only thing I don't like about the bill is that it would require voter approval through a referendum. Referenda are wasteful affairs that allow legislators to shirk their accountability to voters while simultaneously undermining our system of representative democracy.
But this bill probably has little chance of passage, given the fact that Governor Pawlenty and House throw their arms in the air and scream like adolescent schoolgirls when anyone suggests anything that looks like a tax increase. The most likely result is that Hennepin County will foot much of the bill for a new baseball stadium. I suppose I can live with that, but the new stadium better have killer disability seating.
Posted by wintermute2_0 at 06:09 PM | Comments (0)
May 02, 2006
Primary Source
You can blame my web hosting company for missing your May Day edition of the blog. I need to quit procastinating and find myself a new hosting service. Affordablehost , my current provider, used to be excellent, but the quality of their technical support has steadily deteriorated over the past year.
When I started writing this blog, I didn't really intend for it to be an educational resource. My initial motivation could be summed up in the following formula:
Blogging + ? = PROFIT! (oh, and GIRLS!)
But apparently, the youth of America are mining a rich vein of academic material from my daily blathering. Or at least one youth is. A couple weeks ago, I received an e-mail from Aviva, a college sophomore who was writing a paper about me and my blog. She sent me the final version of her paper today and it's insightful and, I must admit, flattering. In my completely unbiased opinion, she deserves an A. I look forward to the day when major universities offer seminars on my varied contributions to American culture and politics and scholars pore over my collected writings in hopes of gleaning some fresh perspective on my character that might have been overlooked in the innumerable treatises and books devoted to my singular life.
Posted by wintermute2_0 at 09:12 PM | Comments (4)