Disability Commentary
News & Observations About Disability Culture

As relieved as I was by last week’s election (except for California’s continued homophobia) I was especially pleased to see recognition of our voting power in our local newspaper.
My disability story on election day is when I went down the hill to my polling place. As I came in the front door I was greeted [...]

Continue reading “We’re Voting” »

From what I can tell from this side of the pond, there was a huge hue and cry when it was announced in 2005 that a sculpture of a naked, pregnant, disabled woman would be on display in Trafalgar Square for 18 months.
I can’t imagine a statue like this in a public space in the [...]

Continue reading “Statues…That Reminds Me” »

Last saturday, October 18, the People’s Republic of Berkeley, birthplace of the independent living movement, unveiled a massive, social realist statue honoring the town’s political activism. It’s depicts people engaged in some of the town’s different protests. For once a righteous, angry, political, powerful wheelchair user is depicted in public art.
As soon as I say [...]

Continue reading “Berkeley Big People’s Wheelchair User” »

One of the pleasant surprises using my Tivo is the programs it records on its own using my favorites. Last night I noticed that I could watch Tavis Smiley’s interview of the governor of New York from Monday, July 21, 2008. The governor, David Paterson, is the first African American governor for that state and [...]

Continue reading “Who We Are” »

The day before the nation’s independence day (not ours on July 26) the US Mint unveiled a new bicentennial silver dollar celebrating the 200th anniversary of Louis Braille’s birth. The picture at Language Log shows a rather large, copper colored, coin with a four braille characters spelling Brl, short for Braille, and a relief of [...]

Continue reading “First US Braille Coin” »

It’s been months since I had been in a meeting discussing disability topics. (I’ve been spending most of my time helping get SoCo Depot up and running.) The meeting was at a conference sponsored by the California Department of Alcohol and Drug Programs (ADP). The disabled people in the room were explaining to the ADP [...]

Continue reading “Selling Tragedy” »

Best New Disabled Performer (who declines the disability label)
Melody Gardot, www.melodygardot.com
Best Newly Discovered Song with Disability Content by Disabled Artists
Ray Charles and Chet Atkins, “We Didn’t See a Thing”
Best Rediscovered Disability Autobiography by an Amputee in Music
The Barbarians, “Moulty” Nuggets: Original Artyfacts from the First Psychedelic Era, 1965-1968
Best Reclaimed Disabled Performer
Carl Perkins [...]

Continue reading “Disability Music: Best of 2007” »

Best Soul Rediscovery
Betty Davis, www.lightintheattic.net/releases/bettydavis/
Most Surprising Kick-Ass Performance & Roof Raising by an All Acoustic Trio Ever
Devil Makes 3, Mystic Theater, Petaluma, September 7, 2007
Still Rockin’ After All These Years, Garage Rock Division
Little Steven, www.littlestevensundergroundgarage.com/
Kevin Smith’s State Represents (Web Radio)
WFMU, www.WFMU.org/ssaudionet.shtml
Best Live Show of the Last Five Years
1st three songs by the Zombies, Raven Theater, [...]

Continue reading “Non-Disability Music: Best of 2007” »

Well, I spoke too soon about Music Within, the ADA movie. It was universally panned and when I saw a few more clips I realized it would be as boring as the critics said it would be. I don’t think I’m even going to rent this one.

Continue reading “Music Within, a new big budget movie REDUX” »

Well, well, well. It has been awhile since we’ve had a big-budget movie about us with name, AB, actors. It’s Music Within, opening in limited release October 26, 2007. You can see the trailer at
http://www.musicwithinmovie.com/
The plot is about the creation of the ADA. From the trailer I actually am kind of excited. The movie shows [...]

Continue reading “Music Within, a new big budget movie” »