Amazon movie problem: I’ve asked them, do you have answer?
For several months, my Amazon movies have had a problem: About every second, there is a little hiccup in the video, a short pause of action. Movie-lovers who watch with me have noted the problem. This only has impacted the visual part of the movie, not the audio. I informed Amazon of the problem using live chat. We provided a bunch of information. First challenge I noticed that the Amazon helpers would often repeat the questions, wish they had read what had already happened. Second, I was handed off to several helpers at Amazon. I think...
read moreNEWS RELEASE: Disability Activist Launching New Consulting Business. Aciu!
David W. Oaks, community organizer with more than four decades of experience in nonprofit advocacy, is launching a for-profit consulting firm, oriented towards green accessibility and empowerment. In 2012, David experienced a major accident, and he is “quad” (or “tetra”) in a power chair, with disabled voice and fingers. With the support of Vocational Rehabilitation (VR), he prepared a business plan to launch this business, with a focus on disability. Now VR has given a green light to support this launch. This firm, Aciu...
read moreLaunching Business: Disability, Memorization, Revolution! Ačiū!
Bongo the Cat (recovering from an injury, probably from a fight), myself, and Ian pose with 112 playing cards that I just memorized! I’ve just gotten some very good news: After a year-and-a-half of preparation, I am finally about to officially launch my consulting business, Aciu Institute. More about that soon. Memorizing 112 Cards Readers of my blog know that I have been working on my memory, in order to prepare for launching my consulting business. Rather than just memorize the order of a deck of playing cards, I have...
read moreMy Great Friend, Rev. Phil Schulman, Still Delivers Message Filled with Wisdom, Humor & Love
One of my very best friends for many years is the creative, loving, wise, funny Phil Schulman. Phil is a minister who has led several Unitarian Universalist congregations. Phil has been such a prominent, positive leader in so many movement gatherings of mental health consumers and psychiatric survivors that I affectionately call him “The Mad Movement Minister”! In November 2017, while biking from home to an Alcoholics Anonymous meeting (Phil has been clean and sober for many decades) a truck hit him. Phil suffered a major traumatic...
read moreMeet & Greet John Bola, PhD, Psych Survivor, Researcher: MF Oregon
Those of you in the Eugene, Oregon area can be in for a treat: John Bola, PhD, will be at our free monthly meeting of MindFreedom Oregon, our local affiliate. Please spread the word to folks you know in Eugene! This will be an informal chance to chat with one of the main champions of researching change in the mental health system. As a young person, John experienced human rights violations in the mental health system, including electroshock. He lived here in Eugene for a few years, but mainly has been working and studying in California and...
read moreMore Forced Electroshock? Let’s Stop Bill in State of Washington, Now!
UPDATE 2/27/19: Looks like we won! The latest word from a staffperson at the State of Washington legislature, is that the proposed bill for easier involuntary electroshock is dead this session, and that no other bills have been amended to include this idea. Some activists were concerned that the concept would simply be added as an amendment to another bill. However, loosening restrictions on forced shock are dead this session. This is the “understanding” of Kevin Black, staff coordinator/counsel for Senate Behavioral Health...
read moreEco-Crisis Means Disability Movement Must Help Lead Global Revolution, Now!
This year, 2019, is my 43rd year working for human rights in disability. Based on sheer numbers, we are one of the largest social change movements in Earth’s history. Let us act like it now, and help lead a world-wide revolution. Sound crazy? Well, the odds are indeed against us. However, this is not a question of what can be done, this is a question of what must be done. Here are three reasons I feel we must pour our souls into this endeavor, now: 1. Creative Disorder We in the disability movement are extremely diverse. Some of us...
read moreHomecare Worker in Eugene? Take Our Survey!
UPDATE 17 December 2018: We have just filled all shifts. Home care workers are encouraged to fill out our online, brief, private survey, link below. We will keep answers on file for future openings and sub positions, plus you can indicate that we can share your interest with other disabled consumers. Below is our original entry: Living with severe disabilities, I have a great team of six homecare workers through Senior & Disability Services who help me throughout the week in my daily life needs. Due to a worker leaving, we are looking for...
read moreHow Goes the “Revolution” in Mental Health?
Maybe you missed it, like I did. But this weekend I finally read the little report, about 20 pages, by the United Nations Special Rapporteur on the right to health, Dainius Pūras. Wow! It is amazing! The official UN news release actually calls for a “revolution” in mental health. The actual report is here, 21 pages that reads like we psychiatric survivors wrote it, see attachment: un-report-on-mental-health-2017 For example, he says “Mental health policies should address the ‘power imbalance’ rather than...
read moreDouble Deck Memorization by David W. Oaks, Perfectly! But Why? Go Extinction Rebellion!
Update 12 April 2019: Here is a brief video by my good buddy David Zupan from Summer of 2018 showing me, David Oaks, perfectly memorizing the order of two shuffled decks of cards (108 cards counting the jokers). As of April 2019, I have done this nine times perfectly, faster and faster. But why? For one thing, even those of us with extreme disabilities have something to offer. I love this new group Extinction Rebellion, which uses peaceful direct action to resist the climate crisis. They call for global rebellion this Monday, 15 April 2019....
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