And, as we reach part 3 of our Hideous tale as always , expectations shape everything. John is not walking as the AP finishes their series. But he is a little stronger than previously expected.

Is it that the therapy he got was so great, or was it the commonality of being around other families who upended their lives that helped the most? But Ms. Arrillaga was sent to write a medical miracle story, damn it, so she is keeping her sights squarely focused on the medical miracle workers at Project Walk, counting steps and cataloging minor milestones.

Rai Henniger has been connecting fans and the Sky Sox for 17 years, specializing in birthdays, marriage proposals and promotional nights. In 2007, Henniger was badly injured while preparing fireworks that was to be used during a game. ESPN’s Jerry Crasnick recently visited with Henger, his family and fans of the team to see how his life has changed.

While trying to catch up on some news items from the past week I noticed this video of a deaf ADAPT protester being taken to the ground by police appeared on Youtube. The video shows police taking the woman to the floor while she and others try to explain to the officer that she could not communicate with police. Its not clear, other than the protest itself, what prompted the actions of the officers. This incident took place in the offices of Senator John McCain while ADAPT was in town.

This short podcast features a news update covering the latest headlines from the disability community. The update features the latest on the Convention on the Rights of People with Disabilities, charges filed in the wheelchair dumping incident last January in Tampa Florida, America's most accessible city for 2008, and much more.

You can get a transcript in Word format by clicking here.

News updates on DisabilityNation is provided by Inclusion Daily Express, the International Disability Rights News Service.

Alzheimers disease has a profound impact on both the individual with the illness and those who serve as care givers. Phoenix NPR station KJZZ recently featured a program focusing on the disease and those who live with it. While some of the information in the show focuses on Arizona, the information will be useful to almost anyone concerned about this issue. Click the play button on the player below to listen.

Hideous Media part 2.

AP reporter Pauline Arrillagais at it again. This time, maybe not so much with the pathos, although she does refer to John's leg as "lifeless" when "paralyzed" might fit just fine, although it is far less(sniff) tragic and prize-winning that way, isn't it?

I'm thinking that Disability Nation should run an occasional column about the worst of the worst of media depictions of PWD. Our crusading editor Larry, the J. Jonah Jameson of our little empire, here, found a real pip this week.

And, so, a column idea was born, thanks to the Associated Press, whom I used to worship as a little baby ink-stained wretch. But, much like Yale and the White House, it's increasingly apparent, they now let anyone in.

We've seen it all before.

Usually from medical-model pitchmen like Jerry Lewis who have missed several memos about what year it is and seem to find it acceptable to refer to those children on whose backs he has built a reputation as a humanitarian as "half a person".

Although I believe the point of exercises like blogging-against-disablism day is to share the great strides (see, even my metaphors aren't clean of bias) one has made in learning to understand that we all share a common history of oppression, of having our best gifts denied by a larger culture that just sees our liabilities and blah-blah-blah. I'm working on it.

I even understand a bit about inter-disability bias from having my stock shrink in some "brother" or "sister"'s mind when they find out how much attendant services I really need. This really hurts.

As season 2 of Friday Night Lights opens, Jason Street is having a tough Fall.The assistant-coaching gig that helped him through in the wake of his paralysis has been diminished by the new Dillon football coach, who whiplashes between respecting his experience and dismissing him as the "team mascot,".

He's still fighting with his self-destructive best friend Tim Riggins, only partially because Riggins carried on an affair with Street's girlfriend while he was in rehab.

Certainly there are many here in Arizona who are proud that our long-time senator, John mcCain is a candidate for President. However, as the following press release illustrates, our senator is out of touch with the disability community and the people of his own generation who, rather than having access to greater independence in their homes are often forced to live in nursing homes.

Disability Rights Advocates Challenge McCain and Republicans on Lack of Support for Community Choice Act: McCain’s Office Responds by Arresting Over 40

As an Apple fan and Mac user I find myself sometimes torn between appreciation for the steps that the company has taken to move accessibility forward by including several products including a screen reader and magnification program with their OS. And yet, I continue to be upset with Apple for the inaccessibility of the iPhone and iPod line of products.

Family therapist and call-in radio host Dr. Dan Gottlieb was a guest today on the NPR program Fresh Air. Gottlieb has assisted many people through difficult events and circumstances in his life. However, he's had many challenges of his own following an accident 29 years ago that left him paralyzed from the chest down.

ADAPT Activists Win Meeting with HHS Sec. Leavitt to Work on Medicaid Reform
HHS Staff Affirms that Access to Community is a Civil Right

Washington, D.C.--- 500 ADAPT activists closed off all access to the Hubert H. Humphrey Building, headquarters for the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), and kept it closed until HHS Sec. Michael Leavitt agreed to meet with ADAPT on the multiple policies that force people into nursing homes and other institutions, and prevent them from moving back to their own homes and communities.