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Showing posts from March, 2022

We Can All Be David

 There are times in our life when it's important to remember, no matter who we are and where we're from, we can all be David. Thousands of years ago a teenage boy went toe to toe with a fierce warrior to defend his nation when everyone was too afraid to. It is my belief that peace should be everyone's default position in their minds and hearts.  No individual person, government, or country has the right to attack another.  To ensure this is the case every citizen should have the skill and will to defend themselves; on the condition it is only done as an act of defense.  "So don't you be afraid of giants in your way. With God, you know that anything's possible. So step into the fight, He's right there by your side, the stones inside your hand might be small but watch the giants fall." ~ Francesca Battistelli, 'Giants Fall'. If we believe in democracy, freedom, and human rights we must be willing to join shoulder to shoulder against what the Aust

When Good Tech Goes Bad (The best and worst of assistive technology)

 It cannot be denied that my forty years on this planet wouldn't be the same without some important assistive technology. I am independent because of an electric wheelchair, a free standing hoist, and a very special automatic front door just to name a few of my assistive devices. Advances in technology have allowed me to have lighter, more portable ramps for easier access; voice activated software from my laptop to smartphone has enabled faster and simpler communication. My life is living proof of the power assistive technology has to a person with a disability but what happens when good tech goes bad? My wheelchair is my only access to mobility and in the past when something went wrong it was quite often a simple mechanical fix that my dad could perform. Now my chair runs on a computer software program which does allow for increased capability of the chair but when it breaks down there is no simple fix. Error warnings with convoluted number systems will pop up and instantly immobi