This article was published in The Phoenix on August 5, 2005
Id you are disabled and ever want to go to the movies, other than our own beautiful Colonial Theater in town, let me suggest you go to the Pottstown Theaters on Route 724, right across from the North Coventry Mall. Why there? Because if you're disabled, you can get in free with a companion! Movie tickets now run close to $10 each, so that could save you a lot of money.
The other thing I like about the Pottstown theaters are that if you're in a wheelchair, you can sit anywhere- in the back or up front- there are even cutouts in the middle of the theater. The theaters in Oaks are beautiful, but not handicapped friendly. You enter the theater from the front, and unless you want to climb a flight of stairs, you're more or less stuck in the front. And who wants to be in the front of the theater, your neck aching from looking up, your ears almost deaf from the sound, your eyes blurry from the screen?
Speaking of movies, we have really come a long way since I was a kid. I remember seeing films like "Bye, Bye Birdie"and "Old Yeller" at the Colonial otherwise, movie theaters were pretty much inaccessible for wheelchairs, so I really didn't see my first movie until 19850 I was 29-years-old- with a date ( other than my mom). Appropriately, it was titled "Back to the Future". I was amazed at the sights and sounds and just being with the crowd. Plus, it's still one of my favorite movies.
This year's Best Actor Oscar went to Jamie Foxx, rightfully so, for his portrayal of the late, great Ray Charles. If you take notice, usually portrayals of a disabled person win at the Academy Awards. Look at Dustin Hoffman for his performance in "Rain Man".
But I think my favorite movie of all time regarding disabilities is a film from 1987 called "My Left Foot. " If you haven't seen it, rent it. Daniel Day-Lewis, who played Irish artist/author Christy Brown, gives another Oscar-winning performance. It is a story of Christie Browns' life of, coping with cerebral palsy. The only part of his body he could use was his left foot, thus the name of the movie. He painted while holding a brush in his left foot, and eventually wrote his life story. by painstakingly typing his story, letter-by-letter, with his left foot only.
What I really like about the film is that, yes, it's touching and has it's sad moments, but it is also funny and never mundane or melodramatic. It shows the pains as we as the joys of Christie's life. Most of all, it's very honest. It portrays Christy as the genius he was as an artist, but also shows the human side of Christy.
Whenever he was unable to cope with his life, he would escape to alcohol. The film shows that not every disabled person is a saint or a sinner. We are what we are- each person an individual.
Speaking of which, I never had a problem with the terms for being "disabled". I suppose the politically correct term now is "physically challenged:. I know some disabled people are very sensitive about this, whether using the word "handicapped", "crippled" or "disabled."
To me, I never really cared. I look in the mirror each day, knowing I can't walk, so it doesn't bother me.
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If you are in a wheelchair and want to see a sporting event or a concert, what I do is call the venue ahead of time and find out if there is a special number to call for accessible tickets. Most venues now actually have people who handle accessible seating. It sure beats calling Ticket Master, who more often than not, are not sensitive to these accessibility issues. Plus, you have to wait in line, only to be ultimately transferred to several other people. Chances are if you get through in time, you may still end up with tickets in the middle row.
So try to find a contact person at each venue who handles accessible seating. Most likely the box office will give you an "inside number" of the person who handles the seating.
It shows how far we have come in society. Back in the old days, if I wanted to see a concert of Flyers game, the Spectrum's handicapped section wasn't very accessible. You were stuck in the back of the venue, and when the crowd stood up, you couldn't see anything.
Now, most new venues have their handicapped seating on elevated platforms, so if the crowd does stand up you can still see.
I know at the Wachovia Center, you are allowed to bring one companion to sit with you in that section. At the new Phillies ballpark, I sat with three other friends, all able-bodied, and the seats were great, not in the back.
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Finally, one of the questions I still get asked almost daily is, "Do you need a push?" This is a sensitive issue. Now in my situation, normally, unless it's a heavy door, I can make it up a ramp or hill. But it's nice when people ask if they can help. Most of the time, I will politely answer, "No, thanks.Good exercise."Most people are satisfied with that answer, some grab the wheelchair anyway and say "C'mon, let me do it!"
In that case, I'm at their mercy and let them push the chair up the hill.
I think most people are nice, not meaning to be rude. It is almost like they're " good deed of the day", so I don't fight in. And if you say no, it may discourage the person from asking to help the next disabled individual they meet.
So, if you ever wonder, "Should I ask to help?" I always say that it never hurts to ask. Always favor the helping side. You may hear whispers of "No, don't...they would rather do it themselves." But it is good to ask because you never know- it may be a steep hill or heavy door which someone in a wheelchair cannot handle alone.
You also never know when you may really need help. Being disabled is a minority anyone can join at any time. I remember years ago when President Bill Clinton had knee surgery and was confined to a wheelchair for several weeks. It was then he mentioned that he truly knew what it was like to be dependent on others.
Iv'e learned over the years to swallow my pride and ask for help if I need it. Most people are only too glad to pick something up off the floor for you, or whatever the request may be.
Once the issue of pride and fear of the unknown are broken, there is a special bond which develops- even temporarily- from even just opening the door.
NOTE: The North Coventry Movie Theater is currently closed.The Wachovia Center is now the Wells fargo center.
Wednesday, November 9, 2016
Tuesday, November 8, 2016
IN THE NEWS- CAREGIVER FRAUD WIDESPREAD
This disturbing story from Kaiser Health news...
An Alaska man developed gangrenous toes. A Philadelphia woman froze to death on the street. An Illinois woman died emaciated, covered in excrement.
These individuals suffered as their government -paid caretakers neglected them, collecting paychecks under a Medicaid program that gives people who are elderly and those with disabilities non-medical assistance at home. In some cases, the caretakers convicted of neglect were the victims' own family members.
The Personal Care Services program, which exceeded $14.5 billion in 2014, is rife with financial scams, some of which threaten patient safety, according to a recent report from the Office of Inspector General at the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.
The OIG has investigated over 200 cases of fraud and abuse since 2012 in the program, which is paid for by the federal government and administered by each state. These caretakers, often untrained and largely unregulated, are paid an average of $10 an hour to help vulnerable people with daily tasks like bathing, cleaning and cooking.
The report exposes vulnerabilities in a system that more people will rely on as baby boomers age. Demand for personal care assistants is projected to grow by 26 percent over the next 10years- an increase of roughly half a million workers- according to the U.S. Department of Labor.
The risks increase because the car takes place out of view in people's homes, and because neglected patients may not advocate for their own care.The OIG report describes a range of rip-offs, some of which involve caretakers caught up in the nation's opioid epidemic. In one Illinois case, a woman whose nursing license had been suspended for allegedly stealing drugs at work signed up as a caretaker. She billed Medicaid for $34,000 in caretaking services she didn't provide-including charges made while she was on a Caribbean vacation. In Vermont, a caretaker on probation for drug possession split her paychecks with the patient's wife- in exchange for stealing the patient's prescription painkillers, while he lay in visible discomfort.
In other cases, Medicaid beneficiaries colluded in hoaxes, faking disability so they could hire unneeded help.
In the worst cases, patients got hurt, sometimes fatally.
In Philadelphia, a 37-year-old woman with severe autism, froze to death on the street after her caretaker lost her in a crowded department store five miles away.
In some cases, elderly patients were neglected by their own children, who signed up for caretakers payments. In Idaho, a woman was hospitalized for severe dehydration and malnourishment after her son and caretaker neglected her. Investigators found the home they shared littered with drug paraphernalia.
In Illinois, a woman was found incoherent and covered in feces after her daughter and caretaker failed to show up for over a week. The patient, who lived crocheting and quilting, died seven months later at just 46.
Investigators provided no count of how many cases of fraud and abuse involved relatives, but it seems to be fairly common, said the OIG report.
In California, an investigation last year revealed widespread problems, as well as lack of training and oversight in the state's program, which is the largest in the U.S.In one disturbing Illinois case, a family member found a 62-year-old woman on the floor in her home- covered with feces, malnourished, with deep-bone ulcers and open wounds.
Her alleged caretaker, who herself had a disability, had billed Medicaid for six years using fraudulent names.
The negligence extended beyond the caregiver to the system, which failed to dig into the caretaker's criminal history. notice forged signatures or monitor the patient's well-being.
The inspector general's office, which has documented years of fraud and neglect in the program, urged federal action. The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services requires no standard training-nor background checks- for personal care attendants. Fraud can be hard to track, because many states don't register caretakers, or even identify the worker in Medicaid c;aims, the OIG report found.
In the report, the OIG called on CMS to establish national qualifications, including background checks, and ensure every claim identifies the worker and time of service. It also called on CMS to require states to enroll all personal assistants, so they can be tracked by unique numbers.
That's just what Alaska has done. It began requiring enrollment for personal care assistants in 2011 and now has 8,000 workers assigned unique identifying numbers, used with every claim.
The system helped investigators determine that Good Faith Services, a large home health care company in Alaska, was billing Medicaid for half a million dollar' worth of caretaker services never performed. Its workers made claims while they were out of the country, or after Medicaid benficiaries were dead. As part of a criminal prosecution that convicted 50 people, the company dissolved and its owner pleaded guilty to fraud. She was sentenced in 2015 to three years in prison, and ordered to pay $1.5 million in restitution and fines.
That case couldn't have been cracked without the state database of workers' identifying numbers. The system enabled the state to see that one caretaker billed over 24 hours of service in a day. Another caretaker purported to be in Anchorage caring for one patient, just two minutes after caring for another patient in a town an hour away.
In one case, investigators visited the home of a 63-year-old man with diabetes who had signed up to receive home help. The man told her that no help ever came- though a man would knock on his window and ask him to sign paperwork he didn't understand. Without a caretaker to bathe him, dress him and remind him to take medications, the man's diabetes intensified and he grew gangrene on his toes. The window=knocker, who had been falsifying time sheets, was later charged with fraud, as was his wife, who claimed to be the caregiver but never entered the home.
Alaska and Minnesota are among the states that now require caretaker enrollment . To detect impropriety, Illinois now requires personal assistants to call in at the beginning and end of each client visit; their phone calls are recorded in an electronic database.
Meanwhile, CMS is trying to strengthen the [program's integrity.Earlier in the year, CMS started training states to monitor fraud, waste and abuse. The agency also published a bulletin offering states several options, including creating a registry, where consumers could look up which caretakers meet state qualifications.
But disability groups have pushed back against stricter regulations, arguing they don't want to limit Medicaid beneficaries' access to caretakers. So CMS is treading lightly.
Instead of making background checks mandatory, CMS has granted $50 million to 26 states to set up background check programs.
And instead of requiring mandatory training, CMS has offered states the option of offering basic caretaker training-"without usurping beneficiary decisions on what skills are most appropriate for their business workers".
An Alaska man developed gangrenous toes. A Philadelphia woman froze to death on the street. An Illinois woman died emaciated, covered in excrement.
These individuals suffered as their government -paid caretakers neglected them, collecting paychecks under a Medicaid program that gives people who are elderly and those with disabilities non-medical assistance at home. In some cases, the caretakers convicted of neglect were the victims' own family members.
The Personal Care Services program, which exceeded $14.5 billion in 2014, is rife with financial scams, some of which threaten patient safety, according to a recent report from the Office of Inspector General at the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.
The OIG has investigated over 200 cases of fraud and abuse since 2012 in the program, which is paid for by the federal government and administered by each state. These caretakers, often untrained and largely unregulated, are paid an average of $10 an hour to help vulnerable people with daily tasks like bathing, cleaning and cooking.
The report exposes vulnerabilities in a system that more people will rely on as baby boomers age. Demand for personal care assistants is projected to grow by 26 percent over the next 10years- an increase of roughly half a million workers- according to the U.S. Department of Labor.
The risks increase because the car takes place out of view in people's homes, and because neglected patients may not advocate for their own care.The OIG report describes a range of rip-offs, some of which involve caretakers caught up in the nation's opioid epidemic. In one Illinois case, a woman whose nursing license had been suspended for allegedly stealing drugs at work signed up as a caretaker. She billed Medicaid for $34,000 in caretaking services she didn't provide-including charges made while she was on a Caribbean vacation. In Vermont, a caretaker on probation for drug possession split her paychecks with the patient's wife- in exchange for stealing the patient's prescription painkillers, while he lay in visible discomfort.
In other cases, Medicaid beneficiaries colluded in hoaxes, faking disability so they could hire unneeded help.
In the worst cases, patients got hurt, sometimes fatally.
In Philadelphia, a 37-year-old woman with severe autism, froze to death on the street after her caretaker lost her in a crowded department store five miles away.
In some cases, elderly patients were neglected by their own children, who signed up for caretakers payments. In Idaho, a woman was hospitalized for severe dehydration and malnourishment after her son and caretaker neglected her. Investigators found the home they shared littered with drug paraphernalia.
In Illinois, a woman was found incoherent and covered in feces after her daughter and caretaker failed to show up for over a week. The patient, who lived crocheting and quilting, died seven months later at just 46.
Investigators provided no count of how many cases of fraud and abuse involved relatives, but it seems to be fairly common, said the OIG report.
In California, an investigation last year revealed widespread problems, as well as lack of training and oversight in the state's program, which is the largest in the U.S.In one disturbing Illinois case, a family member found a 62-year-old woman on the floor in her home- covered with feces, malnourished, with deep-bone ulcers and open wounds.
Her alleged caretaker, who herself had a disability, had billed Medicaid for six years using fraudulent names.
The negligence extended beyond the caregiver to the system, which failed to dig into the caretaker's criminal history. notice forged signatures or monitor the patient's well-being.
The inspector general's office, which has documented years of fraud and neglect in the program, urged federal action. The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services requires no standard training-nor background checks- for personal care attendants. Fraud can be hard to track, because many states don't register caretakers, or even identify the worker in Medicaid c;aims, the OIG report found.
In the report, the OIG called on CMS to establish national qualifications, including background checks, and ensure every claim identifies the worker and time of service. It also called on CMS to require states to enroll all personal assistants, so they can be tracked by unique numbers.
That's just what Alaska has done. It began requiring enrollment for personal care assistants in 2011 and now has 8,000 workers assigned unique identifying numbers, used with every claim.
The system helped investigators determine that Good Faith Services, a large home health care company in Alaska, was billing Medicaid for half a million dollar' worth of caretaker services never performed. Its workers made claims while they were out of the country, or after Medicaid benficiaries were dead. As part of a criminal prosecution that convicted 50 people, the company dissolved and its owner pleaded guilty to fraud. She was sentenced in 2015 to three years in prison, and ordered to pay $1.5 million in restitution and fines.
That case couldn't have been cracked without the state database of workers' identifying numbers. The system enabled the state to see that one caretaker billed over 24 hours of service in a day. Another caretaker purported to be in Anchorage caring for one patient, just two minutes after caring for another patient in a town an hour away.
In one case, investigators visited the home of a 63-year-old man with diabetes who had signed up to receive home help. The man told her that no help ever came- though a man would knock on his window and ask him to sign paperwork he didn't understand. Without a caretaker to bathe him, dress him and remind him to take medications, the man's diabetes intensified and he grew gangrene on his toes. The window=knocker, who had been falsifying time sheets, was later charged with fraud, as was his wife, who claimed to be the caregiver but never entered the home.
Alaska and Minnesota are among the states that now require caretaker enrollment . To detect impropriety, Illinois now requires personal assistants to call in at the beginning and end of each client visit; their phone calls are recorded in an electronic database.
Meanwhile, CMS is trying to strengthen the [program's integrity.Earlier in the year, CMS started training states to monitor fraud, waste and abuse. The agency also published a bulletin offering states several options, including creating a registry, where consumers could look up which caretakers meet state qualifications.
But disability groups have pushed back against stricter regulations, arguing they don't want to limit Medicaid beneficaries' access to caretakers. So CMS is treading lightly.
Instead of making background checks mandatory, CMS has granted $50 million to 26 states to set up background check programs.
And instead of requiring mandatory training, CMS has offered states the option of offering basic caretaker training-"without usurping beneficiary decisions on what skills are most appropriate for their business workers".
Monday, November 7, 2016
IN THE NEWS- EMPLOYMENT & TV
In the news ...thanks to Disability Scoop...
The number of characters with disabilities on prime-time television is on the rise, with a new report finding such representation nearly doubled since last year.
Among series regulars appearing this season on scripted prime-time programs on ABC, CBS, The CW, Fox, and NBC, 15 are expected to have disabilities.
By contrast, there were just eight portrays of disabilities on network shows last season.
The findings come from an analysis released this month , The annual report assesses representation of minority groups on television- including people with disabilities.
For the 2016-2017 season, the report found that characters with disabilities account for 1.7 percent of all series regulars on network t percentage recorded on TV since 2010.
There are five characters with disabilities appearing on Fox shows, four on NBC, three on ABC, two on CBS and one on the CW.
"As noteworthy as these numbers are, in comparison with previous tracked seasons, they lack far behind the actual representation of people with disabilities found in our communities nationwide, said the report. "The only way to create authenticity within entertainment television is if characters with obvious and hidden disabilities are included within every script and story line, just as they are found within the diversity of our everyday lived experience."
Network shows expected to feature disability portrayals include "Empire", "24 Legacy", and "Rosewood"on Fox; "Superstore," "Taken,""Trial & Error," and "This is Us" on NBC; "Grey's Anatomy," "How to Get Away with Murder," and "speechless" on ABC;" NCIS: New Orleans" and "Scorpion" on CBS and The CW's "The 100".
Meanwhile, on cable, Freeform's "Switched at Birth"and "Pretty Little Liars" and Showtime's "Shameless" will include Amazon's "One Mississippi" and "Transparent" and Netflix's "Wentworth" and" DreamWorks' Dragons".
*****************************************************************************
After improving significantly, the unemployment rate for Americans with disabilities is ticking back up as more people within this population look to join the workforce.
Numbers released recently from the U.S. Department of Labor indicate that the jobless rate for people with disabilities rose to 9.9 percent last month. (October 2016). That's up markedly from 8.7 percent in September.
The rise came as fewer people with disabilities were employed, but more sought to join the labor force.
Meanwhile, the unemployment rate for the general population dipped just slightly to 4.9 percent as the economy added 161,000 jobs.
Federal officials began tracking employment among people with disabilities in October 2008. There is not yet enough data compiled to establish seasonal trends among this population, so statistics for this group are not seasonally adjusted.
Data on people with disabilities cover those over the age of 16 who do not live in institutions. The first employment report specific to this population was made available in February 2009. Now, reports are released monthly.
The number of characters with disabilities on prime-time television is on the rise, with a new report finding such representation nearly doubled since last year.
Among series regulars appearing this season on scripted prime-time programs on ABC, CBS, The CW, Fox, and NBC, 15 are expected to have disabilities.
By contrast, there were just eight portrays of disabilities on network shows last season.
The findings come from an analysis released this month , The annual report assesses representation of minority groups on television- including people with disabilities.
For the 2016-2017 season, the report found that characters with disabilities account for 1.7 percent of all series regulars on network t percentage recorded on TV since 2010.
There are five characters with disabilities appearing on Fox shows, four on NBC, three on ABC, two on CBS and one on the CW.
"As noteworthy as these numbers are, in comparison with previous tracked seasons, they lack far behind the actual representation of people with disabilities found in our communities nationwide, said the report. "The only way to create authenticity within entertainment television is if characters with obvious and hidden disabilities are included within every script and story line, just as they are found within the diversity of our everyday lived experience."
Network shows expected to feature disability portrayals include "Empire", "24 Legacy", and "Rosewood"on Fox; "Superstore," "Taken,""Trial & Error," and "This is Us" on NBC; "Grey's Anatomy," "How to Get Away with Murder," and "speechless" on ABC;" NCIS: New Orleans" and "Scorpion" on CBS and The CW's "The 100".
Meanwhile, on cable, Freeform's "Switched at Birth"and "Pretty Little Liars" and Showtime's "Shameless" will include Amazon's "One Mississippi" and "Transparent" and Netflix's "Wentworth" and" DreamWorks' Dragons".
*****************************************************************************
After improving significantly, the unemployment rate for Americans with disabilities is ticking back up as more people within this population look to join the workforce.
Numbers released recently from the U.S. Department of Labor indicate that the jobless rate for people with disabilities rose to 9.9 percent last month. (October 2016). That's up markedly from 8.7 percent in September.
The rise came as fewer people with disabilities were employed, but more sought to join the labor force.
Meanwhile, the unemployment rate for the general population dipped just slightly to 4.9 percent as the economy added 161,000 jobs.
Federal officials began tracking employment among people with disabilities in October 2008. There is not yet enough data compiled to establish seasonal trends among this population, so statistics for this group are not seasonally adjusted.
Data on people with disabilities cover those over the age of 16 who do not live in institutions. The first employment report specific to this population was made available in February 2009. Now, reports are released monthly.
CHIRPING BIRDS-Week 9
My thoughts on the Eagles 28-23 loss to the Giants yesterday...
Doug Pederson panicked. He choked last week and panicked yesterday. After falling behind 14-9 in the early going, Coach Pederson changed his game plan, and instead of going for easy field goals he took two chances on 4th down calls and failed, leaving 6 points on the field (the Eagles lost by 5).
Rookie coach, making rookie mistakes. Let's not forget that the Eagles were the only team to have interest in Pederson during the off=season. Jeffrey Lurie was looking for an Andy Reid clone, plus someone the front office could control, unlike a Chip Kelly, who wanted total control. Pederson is a puppet- look what happened last week with the Josh Huff situation- and he screwed up time management and play-calling last year with Kansas City, so it shouldn't be a surprise when we see rookie-type, basic mistakes.
It's easy to say -again- how bad the Birds' wide receivers are. Bryce Treggs gives the team a much-needed speed threat. Still, the wide-outs need to catch the ball. There is no number one guy in this offense. Jordan Matthews is at best, a number two option. But they are what they are and this group can't be overhauled until the season ends.
The Eagles had the ball at the end of the game in all 4 of their losses, with a chance to win. Despite the mistakes, turnovers, penalties, etc..they had a chance to win. Carson Wentz has failed in all 4 chances. It hasn't been all his fault, but let the record show that in two-minute warning situations-with the game on the line- Wentz is 0-4 .
I mentioned the awful defensive backs before. Our first round draft pick next spring should be used to grab the best cornerback on the board.
Remember the days, not long ago, when the Eagles had an elite , number one running back and wide receiver? The days of McCoy, Jackson and Maclin seem so far away.
Before the Giant defeat, I thought the Eagles still had a shot at a wild card spot. And they still do, with 5 home games remaining, 3 of them divisional games, with the other two against contenders Atlanta and Green Bay. But now, math is against the Eagles. They are 0-3 in the NFC East and 2-4 in the conference. Beating then undefeated Pittsburgh and Minnesota was terrific, but since, how good are the Steelers and Vikings? It's hard to figure which Eagle squad will show up every week.
No turnovers , scoring first, and controlling the ball were all keys in the early Eagles season. Now, the opposite is true, and the team is losing. It seems like a simple formula: run the ball, keep the defense off the field, take care of the ball, and get off to fast starts.Since the bye week, everything has gone downhill. Throw in questionable coaching decisions, and that tells you why the record is 4-4
4-4 is average. That's the Eagles- average. Mediocre in a watered down league. Eight games remaining. Winning at least six games is a must.10-6 may insure a wild card slot. Despite this, this was deemed a "transition" year, a rebuilding year after Kelly destroyed the franchise. 8-8 brings them an average first-round draft pick. Everything is average about the Philadelphia Eagles. Nothing special.
Beating the Falcons next Sunday would be a good start to coming back. Even then, will the Eagles make the playoffs? Probably not. And if they do, will they go far in the playoffs? Probably not. They just aren't good enough.
Final point: Lurie will give Pederson lots of rope to hang himself this year. He won't pull the plug. He knows Pederson is a rookie coach and he knows the team just isn't good enough. The Eagles could end up 4-12 for the year and Pederson will be back next year.But one question remains: will Jeffrey Lurie EVER get it right?
I made it through week 9 of the WIP Last Fan Standing pool, when Kansas City beat Jacksonville. So far I haven't picked the Eagles, and I don't think I will use them. I don't see one team in the next eight games they can or will positively beat.
Doug Pederson panicked. He choked last week and panicked yesterday. After falling behind 14-9 in the early going, Coach Pederson changed his game plan, and instead of going for easy field goals he took two chances on 4th down calls and failed, leaving 6 points on the field (the Eagles lost by 5).
Rookie coach, making rookie mistakes. Let's not forget that the Eagles were the only team to have interest in Pederson during the off=season. Jeffrey Lurie was looking for an Andy Reid clone, plus someone the front office could control, unlike a Chip Kelly, who wanted total control. Pederson is a puppet- look what happened last week with the Josh Huff situation- and he screwed up time management and play-calling last year with Kansas City, so it shouldn't be a surprise when we see rookie-type, basic mistakes.
It's easy to say -again- how bad the Birds' wide receivers are. Bryce Treggs gives the team a much-needed speed threat. Still, the wide-outs need to catch the ball. There is no number one guy in this offense. Jordan Matthews is at best, a number two option. But they are what they are and this group can't be overhauled until the season ends.
The Eagles had the ball at the end of the game in all 4 of their losses, with a chance to win. Despite the mistakes, turnovers, penalties, etc..they had a chance to win. Carson Wentz has failed in all 4 chances. It hasn't been all his fault, but let the record show that in two-minute warning situations-with the game on the line- Wentz is 0-4 .
I mentioned the awful defensive backs before. Our first round draft pick next spring should be used to grab the best cornerback on the board.
Remember the days, not long ago, when the Eagles had an elite , number one running back and wide receiver? The days of McCoy, Jackson and Maclin seem so far away.
Before the Giant defeat, I thought the Eagles still had a shot at a wild card spot. And they still do, with 5 home games remaining, 3 of them divisional games, with the other two against contenders Atlanta and Green Bay. But now, math is against the Eagles. They are 0-3 in the NFC East and 2-4 in the conference. Beating then undefeated Pittsburgh and Minnesota was terrific, but since, how good are the Steelers and Vikings? It's hard to figure which Eagle squad will show up every week.
No turnovers , scoring first, and controlling the ball were all keys in the early Eagles season. Now, the opposite is true, and the team is losing. It seems like a simple formula: run the ball, keep the defense off the field, take care of the ball, and get off to fast starts.Since the bye week, everything has gone downhill. Throw in questionable coaching decisions, and that tells you why the record is 4-4
4-4 is average. That's the Eagles- average. Mediocre in a watered down league. Eight games remaining. Winning at least six games is a must.10-6 may insure a wild card slot. Despite this, this was deemed a "transition" year, a rebuilding year after Kelly destroyed the franchise. 8-8 brings them an average first-round draft pick. Everything is average about the Philadelphia Eagles. Nothing special.
Beating the Falcons next Sunday would be a good start to coming back. Even then, will the Eagles make the playoffs? Probably not. And if they do, will they go far in the playoffs? Probably not. They just aren't good enough.
Final point: Lurie will give Pederson lots of rope to hang himself this year. He won't pull the plug. He knows Pederson is a rookie coach and he knows the team just isn't good enough. The Eagles could end up 4-12 for the year and Pederson will be back next year.But one question remains: will Jeffrey Lurie EVER get it right?
I made it through week 9 of the WIP Last Fan Standing pool, when Kansas City beat Jacksonville. So far I haven't picked the Eagles, and I don't think I will use them. I don't see one team in the next eight games they can or will positively beat.
Friday, November 4, 2016
OLD-SCHOOL WHEELING- MOVIE REVIEW
The next article of Wheeling Around Phoenixville was originally printed in The Phoenix newspaper on July 29, 2005. Check it out...
Documentry about Disabled Sport Entertains and Inspires.
"Murderball" is a recently released film that won honors at this year's Sundance Film Festival. Despite its gloomy title, "Murderball" is actually an exciting, entertaining and inspiring movie, :Hell on wheels" as one promotion goes.
The story follows Team USA through several seasons of wheelchair rugby, a smashing, crashing sport like a combination of football and demolition derby. The basic rules of rugby apply, cross the other team's goal line with the ball, only this sport is played in specially-designed, gladiator-like reinforced wheelchairs, which can sustain all the hammering and crashes. The athletes are strapped into their chairs. There are a lot of flying wheels, chairs tipping over and collisions going on. Yet knocking over a chair is not a foul, and is considered a tactic of the game, and no one has ever been seriously hurt in a game of wheelchair rugby.
The film works on several levels. First, it's a sports film, with a lot of action, passion and harrowing wheelchair duels. But most of all, "Murderball" tells the story of men outside the court, human beings seeking a purpose in life.
It is about guys who encourage questions about disability issues, who want to spread awareness, who yearn for acceptance away from their world of wheelchair rugby. On the court, players are on a level playing ground. Away from rugby, the real world is ever-present, with its share of prejudice and discrimination. Team USA does its best to try and ease these barriers, and not just on the court.
We see life through the eyes of a team of men, sharing their hopes, fears and dreams. We can imagine how these guys had to pick up their suddenly shattered lives, waking up in hospitals, being told they would never walk again. We experience the guilt, the grief and ultimately, the triumph of overcoming adversity.
We especially follow the world of Mark Zupan, probably the best wheelchair rugby player in the world. Mark was only 18 years old when he fell asleep in the bed of his friend Christopher's pick-up. The truck crushed and Mark was thrown into a canal, not found for 13 hours. He suffered a broken neck and instantly became a quadriplegic, unable to use any of his limbs.
Other than the grueling rehabilitation to regain control over his body, it took years for Mark to overcome his anger. Christopher ( who was unhurt in the accident) to overcome his guilt and for the two to become friends again.
We also follow the story of Joe, a polio survivor as a child, who came from a working-class family. Joe wa son Team US A until he was cut in 2000 due to age. Bitter, Joe became coach of the rival Canandian team, which hadn't beaten the Americans in 12 years- until Joe became coach. it starts a heated rivalry, one which is chronicled over several years and ultimately, to the 2004 Paralympics in Athens, Greece.
We are also introduced to a young man who has been injured in Iraq and is now painfully undergoing the slow process of rehabilitation. We see him on the verge of giving up, a place where many of these guys have been, and Team USA trying to encourage him never to give up.
We learn about the interesting paradox in the sport of wheelchair rugby. There is a disability level rated on a scale from 0.5 to 3.5. Teams can have a total of 8 points on the court at once. It's interesting how these athletes have spent their lives overcoming and diminishing their disabilities and then hope for a higher handicap on the court.
it is also interesting that instead of escaping into alcoholism or drugs, these athletes escaped into sports. Instead of venting their frustrations on the world around them, they hammer on each other.
There is also a side story of Joe and his son. Joe wants his son to be an athlete. His son wants to play music, and there is a power struggle going on during the film, until,almost miraculously caught on camera, a sudden event changes both of their lives and attitudes.
One of my favorite scenes was during a school visit. An 8 year old biy displays the honesty and innocence of children when he asks a player named Bob, "How do you eat pizza?" Bob has no arms or legs. Bob proceeds to show him how, the same way Bob drives a car and dresses himself, all without limbs. Bob merely states, "no arms, no legs, no problem."
The players talk frankly about their lives and disabilities in an honest, refreshing manner. For instance, many people think that quads have no control over their limbs, but most retain some degree of movement. The guys also talk about sex and disability. They describe how they hate to be stared at, yet each movement is closely followed on the rugby court. It is information like this which enlightens throughout the movie.
As Mark says, "I'm a guy in a chair. I'm just like you, except I'm sitting down."
When the movie won Best Documentary at Sundance, Mark was there. He commented that the accident that left him with a disability was probably the best thing that ever happened to him. Hard to believe, but after seeing this movie, you do believe him. His disability made him take a hard look at himself and the world around him.
That is really the theme to "Murderball". We all have disabilities, sometimes of the spirit rather than the body. When you consider the bleak months and sleepless nights when these men first confronted the reality of their injuries, and now to see them in full force of athletic exuberance, one learns something valuable about the human will. I won't give away the ending, only to say that because the film is a documentary and all characters are real, it has an even more incredible and amazing climax, one which no screenwriter could better.
The reactions in the crowd were pretty interesting. Some people, mostly the younger people, cheered during the games, especially during the crashing scenes. Some people cried. Others seemed to feel uncomfortable, hearing and seeing certain aspects of the film.
Uneasy is good. It means awareness, enlightenment and understanding are occurring, the main objectives of this movie. Mark and the rest of Team USA would be happy.
As a person with a disability, I could relate to many scenes, especially when the players talked about wanted to be seen as people, not objects. I can relate to the long hours of depression and rehabilitation. I can relate to everyday life, as being "just like everyone else, only sitting down." I can't relate to the wheelchair rugby, as I would probably get killed the first time I played the sport.
But I look at mark and the others as heroes for having the courage and guts to even try. And I admire everyone who put this film together for bringing the topic of disability to the silver screen in such an honest and forthright manner. No cliches here. Just pure honesty and emotion.
Documentry about Disabled Sport Entertains and Inspires.
"Murderball" is a recently released film that won honors at this year's Sundance Film Festival. Despite its gloomy title, "Murderball" is actually an exciting, entertaining and inspiring movie, :Hell on wheels" as one promotion goes.
The story follows Team USA through several seasons of wheelchair rugby, a smashing, crashing sport like a combination of football and demolition derby. The basic rules of rugby apply, cross the other team's goal line with the ball, only this sport is played in specially-designed, gladiator-like reinforced wheelchairs, which can sustain all the hammering and crashes. The athletes are strapped into their chairs. There are a lot of flying wheels, chairs tipping over and collisions going on. Yet knocking over a chair is not a foul, and is considered a tactic of the game, and no one has ever been seriously hurt in a game of wheelchair rugby.
The film works on several levels. First, it's a sports film, with a lot of action, passion and harrowing wheelchair duels. But most of all, "Murderball" tells the story of men outside the court, human beings seeking a purpose in life.
It is about guys who encourage questions about disability issues, who want to spread awareness, who yearn for acceptance away from their world of wheelchair rugby. On the court, players are on a level playing ground. Away from rugby, the real world is ever-present, with its share of prejudice and discrimination. Team USA does its best to try and ease these barriers, and not just on the court.
We see life through the eyes of a team of men, sharing their hopes, fears and dreams. We can imagine how these guys had to pick up their suddenly shattered lives, waking up in hospitals, being told they would never walk again. We experience the guilt, the grief and ultimately, the triumph of overcoming adversity.
We especially follow the world of Mark Zupan, probably the best wheelchair rugby player in the world. Mark was only 18 years old when he fell asleep in the bed of his friend Christopher's pick-up. The truck crushed and Mark was thrown into a canal, not found for 13 hours. He suffered a broken neck and instantly became a quadriplegic, unable to use any of his limbs.
Other than the grueling rehabilitation to regain control over his body, it took years for Mark to overcome his anger. Christopher ( who was unhurt in the accident) to overcome his guilt and for the two to become friends again.
We also follow the story of Joe, a polio survivor as a child, who came from a working-class family. Joe wa son Team US A until he was cut in 2000 due to age. Bitter, Joe became coach of the rival Canandian team, which hadn't beaten the Americans in 12 years- until Joe became coach. it starts a heated rivalry, one which is chronicled over several years and ultimately, to the 2004 Paralympics in Athens, Greece.
We are also introduced to a young man who has been injured in Iraq and is now painfully undergoing the slow process of rehabilitation. We see him on the verge of giving up, a place where many of these guys have been, and Team USA trying to encourage him never to give up.
We learn about the interesting paradox in the sport of wheelchair rugby. There is a disability level rated on a scale from 0.5 to 3.5. Teams can have a total of 8 points on the court at once. It's interesting how these athletes have spent their lives overcoming and diminishing their disabilities and then hope for a higher handicap on the court.
it is also interesting that instead of escaping into alcoholism or drugs, these athletes escaped into sports. Instead of venting their frustrations on the world around them, they hammer on each other.
There is also a side story of Joe and his son. Joe wants his son to be an athlete. His son wants to play music, and there is a power struggle going on during the film, until,almost miraculously caught on camera, a sudden event changes both of their lives and attitudes.
One of my favorite scenes was during a school visit. An 8 year old biy displays the honesty and innocence of children when he asks a player named Bob, "How do you eat pizza?" Bob has no arms or legs. Bob proceeds to show him how, the same way Bob drives a car and dresses himself, all without limbs. Bob merely states, "no arms, no legs, no problem."
The players talk frankly about their lives and disabilities in an honest, refreshing manner. For instance, many people think that quads have no control over their limbs, but most retain some degree of movement. The guys also talk about sex and disability. They describe how they hate to be stared at, yet each movement is closely followed on the rugby court. It is information like this which enlightens throughout the movie.
As Mark says, "I'm a guy in a chair. I'm just like you, except I'm sitting down."
When the movie won Best Documentary at Sundance, Mark was there. He commented that the accident that left him with a disability was probably the best thing that ever happened to him. Hard to believe, but after seeing this movie, you do believe him. His disability made him take a hard look at himself and the world around him.
That is really the theme to "Murderball". We all have disabilities, sometimes of the spirit rather than the body. When you consider the bleak months and sleepless nights when these men first confronted the reality of their injuries, and now to see them in full force of athletic exuberance, one learns something valuable about the human will. I won't give away the ending, only to say that because the film is a documentary and all characters are real, it has an even more incredible and amazing climax, one which no screenwriter could better.
The reactions in the crowd were pretty interesting. Some people, mostly the younger people, cheered during the games, especially during the crashing scenes. Some people cried. Others seemed to feel uncomfortable, hearing and seeing certain aspects of the film.
Uneasy is good. It means awareness, enlightenment and understanding are occurring, the main objectives of this movie. Mark and the rest of Team USA would be happy.
As a person with a disability, I could relate to many scenes, especially when the players talked about wanted to be seen as people, not objects. I can relate to the long hours of depression and rehabilitation. I can relate to everyday life, as being "just like everyone else, only sitting down." I can't relate to the wheelchair rugby, as I would probably get killed the first time I played the sport.
But I look at mark and the others as heroes for having the courage and guts to even try. And I admire everyone who put this film together for bringing the topic of disability to the silver screen in such an honest and forthright manner. No cliches here. Just pure honesty and emotion.
IT'S ALL TRIVIAL TO ME-Vol. 4
Trivia to amaze all..
Both the tomato and the jellyfish are 95% water...More flower seeds come from Lompoc, Calif., than from anyplace else in the world...Christopher Columbus visited Iceland long before he ever set sail for America...People eat more sharks than sharks eat people...Left-handed players are barred from playing Polo..A fourth of the bones in your body are in your hands...Only one person in 50 has an I.Q. over 140...Amish children quit school after the eighth grade... Kilts originated in France, not Scotland...If typical, you have about 110 hairs in every square inch of skin on the back of your hand...Dreams ordinarily last about 20 minutes...Bees are most inclined to sting people on very windy days...Experts in the game of Poker say your opponents can't judge whether it's your policy to bluff or not if you don't bluff more than 6% of the time...Nobody can fold a piece of paper in half ten times.
TIME
Taking a trip from New York City to Los Angeles? Consider this...
Mode of transport NYC to LA (2,450 miles)
Feet 38 days, 3 hours
Bike 11 days,17 hours
Car 41 hours, 40 minutes
Bus 2 days, 21 hours, 55 minutes
Train 62 hours
Plane 5 hours
How often do we....?
Pray- 58% of Americans pray daily. Folks in southern states are most likely to say they pray, while those in the Northeast are the least likely. Young people pray less than older adults-only 46% between the ages of 18-29 say they pray daily.
Time Quiz
1- How much do you reduce your life by smoking ONE cigarette?
a) By a year
b) By 3 months
c) by 11 minutes
d) by 1 hour and 10 minutes
2- Which country has the highest life expectancy?
a) Japan
b) Monaco
c) United States
d) Japan and Switzerland tied for first place
3- What's the worst month to be in the hospital?
a) July
b) January
c) December
d) August
4- How long did it take to build the Empire State Building?
a) 1 year and 45 days
b) 3 years, 2 months
c) 6 years, 12 days
d) 2 years
5- How long did it take for the Titanic to sink?
a) 12 hours
b) 3 hours and 10 minutes
c) 35 minutes
d) 2 hours and 40 minutes
Answers
1- c
2- b
3- a
4- a
5- d
Not So Trivia
* Lassie was never female. A series of male dogs played the part.
* Alcohol doesn't warm you. In fact, it helps cool you off, internally and externally.
* No witches were burned at the stake in Salem, Mass. Most were hanged.
* Autumn leaves actually do not turn color. They lose the color green, and show other colors they've had all along. The change is caused by the shortening of the days than by cooler weather,
People don't start most forest fires. Lightning does.
* The funny bone is not a bone but an exposed nerve.
Both the tomato and the jellyfish are 95% water...More flower seeds come from Lompoc, Calif., than from anyplace else in the world...Christopher Columbus visited Iceland long before he ever set sail for America...People eat more sharks than sharks eat people...Left-handed players are barred from playing Polo..A fourth of the bones in your body are in your hands...Only one person in 50 has an I.Q. over 140...Amish children quit school after the eighth grade... Kilts originated in France, not Scotland...If typical, you have about 110 hairs in every square inch of skin on the back of your hand...Dreams ordinarily last about 20 minutes...Bees are most inclined to sting people on very windy days...Experts in the game of Poker say your opponents can't judge whether it's your policy to bluff or not if you don't bluff more than 6% of the time...Nobody can fold a piece of paper in half ten times.
TIME
Taking a trip from New York City to Los Angeles? Consider this...
Mode of transport NYC to LA (2,450 miles)
Feet 38 days, 3 hours
Bike 11 days,17 hours
Car 41 hours, 40 minutes
Bus 2 days, 21 hours, 55 minutes
Train 62 hours
Plane 5 hours
How often do we....?
Pray- 58% of Americans pray daily. Folks in southern states are most likely to say they pray, while those in the Northeast are the least likely. Young people pray less than older adults-only 46% between the ages of 18-29 say they pray daily.
Time Quiz
1- How much do you reduce your life by smoking ONE cigarette?
a) By a year
b) By 3 months
c) by 11 minutes
d) by 1 hour and 10 minutes
2- Which country has the highest life expectancy?
a) Japan
b) Monaco
c) United States
d) Japan and Switzerland tied for first place
3- What's the worst month to be in the hospital?
a) July
b) January
c) December
d) August
4- How long did it take to build the Empire State Building?
a) 1 year and 45 days
b) 3 years, 2 months
c) 6 years, 12 days
d) 2 years
5- How long did it take for the Titanic to sink?
a) 12 hours
b) 3 hours and 10 minutes
c) 35 minutes
d) 2 hours and 40 minutes
Answers
1- c
2- b
3- a
4- a
5- d
Not So Trivia
* Lassie was never female. A series of male dogs played the part.
* Alcohol doesn't warm you. In fact, it helps cool you off, internally and externally.
* No witches were burned at the stake in Salem, Mass. Most were hanged.
* Autumn leaves actually do not turn color. They lose the color green, and show other colors they've had all along. The change is caused by the shortening of the days than by cooler weather,
People don't start most forest fires. Lightning does.
* The funny bone is not a bone but an exposed nerve.
Thursday, November 3, 2016
IN THE NEWS- SEGREGATION AND ADA
The latest, via Disability Scoop...
Just as people with disabilities have a right to live in the community, the U.S. Department of Justice is warning states that the same rights apply to employment and other activities too.
In a 13-page guidance document issued recently, the federal agency says that the integration mandate of the Americans with Disabilities Act applies broadly.
"The integration mandate of Title II of the ADA is intended to allow individuals with disabilities to live integrated lives like individuals without disabilities, including by working, earning a living and paying taxes," the guidance states.
"The civil rights of persons with disabilities, including individuals with mental illness, intellectual or developmental disabilities, or physical disabilities, are violated by unnecessary segregation in a wide variety of settings, including iin segregated employment, vocational and day programs."
Nationally, the Justice Department said that millions of people with disabilities spend most of their day as sheltered workshops or in other segregated programs. Many of these individuals could be successful in competitive work environments earning at least minimum wage, but have not been given the resources to pursue such opportunities, the agency said.
The rights of people with disabilities under the ADA to access services in the most integrated setting possible were affirmed by a 1000 U.S. Supreme Court decision in a case known as Olmstead v. I.C. With the new guidance, the Justice Department is making its viewpoint clear that the nearly two decade old ruling applies to more than where people with disabilities are housed, but also how they spend their days.
While state and local government offerings can include sheltered workshops and facility-based day programs, the Justice Department said that other opportunities need to be available and that individuals with disabilities must have an opportunity to "make an informed decision" about what setting is right for them.
The guidance come son the heels of two significant case where the Obama administration steppe din to pressure states to provide integrated employment options.
In 2914, the Justice Department reached a settlement with the state of Rhode Island to overhaul its system of sheltered workshops and day programs for people with disabilities after an investigation by the federal agency found that the state's approach to transition and employment violated the ADA.
More recently, federal officials helped broker a deal in a class-action suit brought by people with developmental disabilities who accused the state of Oregon of violating the ADA by failing to provide supported employment services.
Just as people with disabilities have a right to live in the community, the U.S. Department of Justice is warning states that the same rights apply to employment and other activities too.
In a 13-page guidance document issued recently, the federal agency says that the integration mandate of the Americans with Disabilities Act applies broadly.
"The integration mandate of Title II of the ADA is intended to allow individuals with disabilities to live integrated lives like individuals without disabilities, including by working, earning a living and paying taxes," the guidance states.
"The civil rights of persons with disabilities, including individuals with mental illness, intellectual or developmental disabilities, or physical disabilities, are violated by unnecessary segregation in a wide variety of settings, including iin segregated employment, vocational and day programs."
Nationally, the Justice Department said that millions of people with disabilities spend most of their day as sheltered workshops or in other segregated programs. Many of these individuals could be successful in competitive work environments earning at least minimum wage, but have not been given the resources to pursue such opportunities, the agency said.
The rights of people with disabilities under the ADA to access services in the most integrated setting possible were affirmed by a 1000 U.S. Supreme Court decision in a case known as Olmstead v. I.C. With the new guidance, the Justice Department is making its viewpoint clear that the nearly two decade old ruling applies to more than where people with disabilities are housed, but also how they spend their days.
While state and local government offerings can include sheltered workshops and facility-based day programs, the Justice Department said that other opportunities need to be available and that individuals with disabilities must have an opportunity to "make an informed decision" about what setting is right for them.
The guidance come son the heels of two significant case where the Obama administration steppe din to pressure states to provide integrated employment options.
In 2914, the Justice Department reached a settlement with the state of Rhode Island to overhaul its system of sheltered workshops and day programs for people with disabilities after an investigation by the federal agency found that the state's approach to transition and employment violated the ADA.
More recently, federal officials helped broker a deal in a class-action suit brought by people with developmental disabilities who accused the state of Oregon of violating the ADA by failing to provide supported employment services.
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