Song in my head: We are the champions.............Queen

In season: American idle, higher gas prices

Bumpersticker Sitings

~ Not another son of a Bush in the White House~

~ Bush/Cheney America's Second Choice~


ALTER-ABLED NEWS


Study firms up link between depression, heart death in women

Depression in older women is strongly linked with a higher risk of dying from heart disease, according to research on more than 90,000 women |link|


Feds unlikely to provide relief for Oregon Health Plan

Possible cuts to the state program also would reduce federal contributions. Oregonians could lose their Medicaid health insurance because of expected budget cuts triggered by voters’ rejection this month of tax increases, U.S. senators said, adding that those affected should not count on help from the federal government.

The defeat of Measure 30 could lead to a $118 million cut in state money for the Oregon Health Plan, the state’s Medicaid program. The federal government’s contribution to the program of $1.71 for every state dollar spent also would shrink if Oregon cuts its spending. |link|

Beam me up Scotty, this planet sucks.


Wirelessly Enabling the Disabled Alter-abled

For most of us, mobile devices are a luxury. But for the 50 million disabled people in the United States, and countless more around the world, wireless technology may soon be a liberator.

Researchers at the Rehabilitation Engineering Research Center on Mobile Wireless Technologies for Persons with Disabilities, located at the Georgia Institute of Technologies, are hacking a variety of off-the-shelf components and mobile devices to improve the quality of life for individuals with various impairments. |link via Boing Boing|

Nice!

Fitness Class Serves the Disabled Alter-abled

..........."It's extremely important," Hagar said of the class. "Exercise is important in everyone's life. They do not have an opportunity to be active, and this lets them understand what exercise can do for them." |link|

I exercise religiously. Hence, I don't have a weight problem. I have enough health problems so I couldn't imagine my health if I wasnt a regular exerciser. I am certain I would be worse off. If I can't get to my local gym, I walk or do yoga. The gym that I am a member of costs me $59 a month. That is a lot of money on an alter-abled (SSD) income. I approached the gym owner last year to see if he would be agrreable to charging disabled customers a cheaper rate, similar to the discount they allow senior citizens. The senior rate is ten dollars less than the regular membership of $59. I didn't have much success in my mission last year. But, I am ready to start harping the owner again. Isn't it perfectly reasonable to allow disabled and senior gym goers a discount?