I just finished the first week of the web intelligence and a big data course.This is a 10 week course being offered by the Indian institute in Delhi. I have completed five of other courses on Coursera.  Here is a link if you would care to join me.

I found that navigating on the web pages with speech recognition is very difficult. The dolphin browser evidently has a new speech recognition and navigation tool. I'm going to download this browser and test it. I will comment on its performance, in a  later post.

The following is a little off topic but is a good example of external forces adapting to assist the need of disabled individuals:


NPR just ran a program on "All things Considered" wondering why so many disabled people are unemployed:

I had to comment based on my experience.

Private "For Profit" Insurance Corporations that are supposed to provide coverage for people disabled at work but don't are one reason In the last 15 years the number of people in the U.S. receiving payments from the federal government for disability has nearly doubled.

I suffered a Traumatic Brain Injury at work in 1992 when improperly installed shelving collapsed on me. I thought My company would take care of me and my family after the accident, after all I was paying for Long term disability (LTD), Health, dental, short term disability (STD), workers compensation
(WC), and accidental death and dismemberment (ADD) insurances. I was so wrong! Delay and Deny is the mantra of modern insurance. Disabled from the accident, I had a 10 year battle with workers compensation which finally settled and provides medical coverage for the brain injury but what about other health issues, dental care, eyesight and income? That's where long term disability (LTD) is supposed to take over. It doesn't! The first thing The LTD insurer requires is your application to social security for Social security disability income (SSDI). So you go through the SSDI process and if you are lucky like I was you get approval for your permanent total disability. The LTD carrier then notifies you that they will do their own investigation because they don't have to accept the Social Security decision. Again they Delay and Deny hiring unethical doctors to dispute the disability. When through legal proceedings you are fortunate to have the LTD carrier accept responsibility they notify you that the income you expected is now being offset by the SSDI income you are receiving. They pay you little or nothing!. The $300,000.00 ADD insurance you purchased to protect your family from catastrophe Denies your claim. Even though the documentation in your companies benefits summary plan description (SPD) states that you will have peace of mind because your family will be covered in the event of your death or permanent disability. 20 years after the accident I find myself wanting to do some productive work. maybe build my self esteem, contribute to society and improve my economic position, But wait, if I work I risk loosing my health care and the SSDI. Would you risk it?

Fortunately there seems to be some light at he end of this very dark tunnel. Ford Vox's article "How Obamacare Will Impact Americans With Disabilities" explains how "For most Americans then, the ACA is ending a major dysfunctional social dynamic with which rehabilitation providers are intimately familiar. Our system’s built-in disincentive to work will weaken."

If we required LTD insurers to pay up instead of cahsing in by shifting their burden to Social Security we would also make great strides in reducing the cost of Social Security and our Federal deficit.

WOW, has it been that long?

I have been so busy with lessons at Vermont adaptive and just taking care of myself and my home that I have neglected my Blogging duties.  I should use this time to tell about adapting with Vermont Adaptive.

When I originally started to volunteer at Vermont Adaptive I wanted to just be a normal volunteer without anyone knowing that I had a brain injury.  This was 12 years ago.  Now I realize that admitting my injury to others has helped them to understand my quirks and accept my deficits.  By expressing my challenges with clients I have created bonds and a level of trust that I did not have before.  Clients often express a comfort in working with someone else that has disabilities.  I have adapted to a new learning and teaching style that takes advantage of my knowledge of the challenges, frustrations and joys of adapting to your disability.  With the help of a competent therapist I have come to accept that my brain injury has changed some things for the better.

I have to get ready for Yoga now but I will get back to this later.

New Magizine called Brain Injury Journey will be available FREE online.

Here is a video of the announcement

In this segment, Marilyn Lash introduces the new publication Brain Injury Journey Magazine which is being released in April of 2013. Marilyn explains the reason why the magazine was established and how it can provide specialized advice for the brain injury community. You will discover that the magazine is available free in a PDF format and downloadable from the Lash and Associates Publishing / Training website lapublishing.com. Hardcopy editions of the magazine are available for $48.00 for a year's subscription consisting of six issues. Runtime is 3 minutes.