Hard News by Russell Brown

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Hard News: Emma Hart is a werewolf

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  • Islander,

    How I envy Foo Camp attendees...but I'm not a geek, and not a happy camper, and people give us these brillant post-

    Russell's gravatar still hasnt turned black (I'm using a 10.5.6 iMac running Safari...)

    Big O, Mahitahi, Te Wahi … • Since Feb 2007 • 5643 posts Report Reply

  • Mark Harris,

    And I was just trying to come to terms with her as a green Orion slave girl!

    A statement like that needs photographic evidence!

    Waikanae • Since Jul 2008 • 1343 posts Report Reply

  • Craig Ranapia,

    To all those that came up afterwards and asked me if I’m really so pessimistic…

    Is it possible (but much less entiertaining) to hold the position that, yes, New Zealand is fucked but when hasn't it been? And somehow, the crafty ape called man keeps stumbling ever forward into the murk.

    North Shore, Auckland • Since Nov 2006 • 12370 posts Report Reply

  • Sacha,

    Islander, I do feel blessed to have been invited this year but it seems that wide interests, conversational ability and appreciation of whisky are useful attributes so you never know. You would have contributed superbly to the copyright debate, for instance.

    And to see the black gravatars you may need to force a refresh as Emma said above.

    Evan, I suspect Twitter icons will make more of an impact than Gravatars but I do not know what is being done to take that into the political realm. My techno-backwardness includes not yet being a twitterer - or "twit" as my mother's partner suggested.

    Ak • Since May 2008 • 19745 posts Report Reply

  • Hilary Stace,

    Sacha. Good luck with developing that strategic leadership. It is needed. I can think of about a dozen disability 'thinkers and do-ers' that it would be good to get together (resources permittiing).

    By the way are you going to the Auckland meeting with Professor Gerard Quinn of the Irish Human Rights Commission on monitoring the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (organised by our Human Rights Commission)? He's also speaking on Thursday in Wellington. His visit should be a chance to get some traction here in NZ.

    Wgtn • Since Jun 2008 • 3229 posts Report Reply

  • Martin Sullivan,

    Could you expand a bit on what you mean by 'broad strategic leadership' Sacha? Are you suggesting DPA has lost it and we need a new organisation of some sort or some sort of centre where we do some hard thinking rather than mindless activism?

    I agree resources are out biggest impediment - most disabled people are poor, struggling on miserly benefits to make ends meet and struggling with shitty, inappropriate or no services. No wonder there is little energy left for 'broad strategic thinking"....

    Manawatu • Since Dec 2007 • 9 posts Report Reply

  • Hilary Stace,

    I can think of about a dozen disability 'thinkers and do-ers' that it would be good to get together (resources permittiing).

    Starting with Martin.

    Wgtn • Since Jun 2008 • 3229 posts Report Reply

  • Mark Harris,

    Good luck also with the Govt CIO. I hope you have better luck than I did when I worked for him...

    Waikanae • Since Jul 2008 • 1343 posts Report Reply

  • Morgan Nichol,

    Some important stuff came out of the weekend in Warkworth and you'll be seeing it and hearing about it as the week progresses.

    Yeah, well we've heard that before though haven't we?

    Auckland CBD • Since Nov 2006 • 314 posts Report Reply

  • Sacha,

    Hi Martin. Good to see you here. I'm struck in my own life by the Catch 22 of needing resources (including energy and hope) to get access to resources for change, so I agree it is a fundamental factor. Maslow is relevant, but so is academic knowledge that I salute you for dedicating yourself to creating and teaching for decades.

    Between us all, we already have what we need for strong unified leadership - but for instance it is going to take more than a single focus on "human rights" approaches to engage the current government and other stakeholders whose buyin we need, let alone the vast majority of the 800,000 disabled New Zealanders who deserve more from all of us.

    As you know I put rather a lot of energy into DPA a few years back but the necessary organisational shifts didn't happen and me and others withdrew our energy. It's still there for the right vehicle.

    Hilary, I pushed for Prof Quinn to visit Auckland so I'll certainly be there.

    Ak • Since May 2008 • 19745 posts Report Reply

  • Sacha,

    when I worked for him

    I was thinking of you actually, Mark, and may welcome a conversation outside here if the time becomes right.

    It was just an intiial chat and introducing a pragmatic angle that I'm not sure he had heard enough of, but my expectations are not overly high. Just having access is a start for most of us.

    Ak • Since May 2008 • 19745 posts Report Reply

  • Sacha,

    the position that, yes, New Zealand is fucked but when hasn't it been?

    Craig, that was well-represented which made the eventual vote more heartening.

    Ak • Since May 2008 • 19745 posts Report Reply

  • Islander,

    Sacha, I am fascinated by disabilities issues (not least because I am extremely short-sighted, have been since I was born, not that I really thought of that as being disabled, it was just BANG ouch! shit that was a door-): I've never been part of DPA, so I dont know the extent of "client coverage." Does it include, for example, 2 of my family who - if their meds were discontinued- would
    a)die painfully within 48 hours
    b)lose all mental competence?

    One of the things I am really concerned about - and I am not attempting any kind of thread-jack, just pointers to relevant websites -
    is what do people, who rely on meds to continue everyday living, do in the (likely) event of disasters?

    O yes. We've checked. We keep running into survivalist sites - foreign to both our lack of any kind of religious belief & political zone.

    Big O, Mahitahi, Te Wahi … • Since Feb 2007 • 5643 posts Report Reply

  • Sacha,

    Had a couple of conversations over the weekend about eyeglasses being the most common assistive device (and yet they don't count to Stats NZ).

    DPA was set up as a peak disability lobbying organisation in the early 1980s but I think it is fair to say has somewhat lost its way. I don't really want to get into that here - not time to do it justice and others like Martin will have informed opinions to offer.

    Don't know much about emergency management/civil defence, sorry. I suspect the topic of the Foo debate might come into it..

    Ak • Since May 2008 • 19745 posts Report Reply

  • Rich of Observationz,

    How about some online civil disobedience.

    How about some offline civil disobedience. Since nearly everyone who works in IT opposes section 92, why don't we all just call in sick on the same day and see what breaks without anyone to fix it..

    Back in Wellington • Since Nov 2006 • 5550 posts Report Reply

  • George Darroch,

    I thought it was a fairly overt reference to the traditional symbol of anarchism, the black flag?

    I thought we were supporting the All Blacks.

    WLG • Since Nov 2006 • 2264 posts Report Reply

  • Hilary Stace,

    what do people, who rely on meds to continue everyday living, do in the (likely) event of disasters?

    That's a very good question, and one that I worry about too (for myself as a chronic asthmatic, and for family and friends). I don't have the answer.

    Disability Services of the Ministry of Health has an enquiry line ph 0800 373 664 (www.moh.govt.nz/disability) There are also networks of Disability Information and Advisory Centres. Your local Civil Defence, local district council or DHB may have done some planning around such issues. There was a lot of Ministry of Health- led work a couple of years ago on government and community responses to an outbreak of bird flu - but that was the last government so that work has probably all been shredded.

    I guess they will all say up to us to make sure we have enough supplies (but catch-22 as you can only get a certain amount at a time).

    Even more of a worry is what do people who use wheelchairs or other assistive technology do? How many office blocks have those special chairs that go down stairs and people trained to use them?.

    Wgtn • Since Jun 2008 • 3229 posts Report Reply

  • Islander,

    Hilary- thanks.

    The catch-22 is - as you noted- getting sufficient supplies. For the member of my family who is a transplant donee, and the other members of my family who rely on especial anti-depressants (all the foregoing are *very expensive* meds), you never get a script for more than 4 weeks...and none of our various local bodies have anything to offer(except provisioning oxygen cylinders - which is good!)

    I'll check that helpline apopo - and agree with you that access problems could be a huge problem-

    Big O, Mahitahi, Te Wahi … • Since Feb 2007 • 5643 posts Report Reply

  • Matthew Poole,

    what do people, who rely on meds to continue everyday living, do in the (likely) event of disasters?

    That's a very good question, and one that I worry about too (for myself as a chronic asthmatic, and for family and friends). I don't have the answer.

    Speaking from my experience with the Fire Service, and noting that this is from Auckland but expecting that it's probably similar throughout the country, it goes kinda like this:
    The DHBs have arrangements with St John for emergency supply of essential pharmaceuticals. Where it's not available at the scene (and, let's be realistic, other than insulin and nebulisers there's not much non-emergency care medication that they carry) it can be receipted from a hospital pharmacy and delivered by ambulance.
    In the event of a localised (eg: suburb-or-smaller) emergency necessitating evacuation of residents, a person who can identify to the emergency services that they have a specific and immediate need, and prove their identity, will get access through these agreements. In the first instance, approach ambulance, fire or police (in that order) personnel and let them know. They can then get things started. Ideally the person will be able to get to a pharmacy, but if they've got nothing other than personal ID then the supply agreement will have to be utilised.
    If there's a major emergency, a hospital is really the only option if ordinary methods of filling a prescription aren't possible. Again, ID will be necessary. Expect to wait. They will help, but between triage, management of patients, etc, it won't be quick. Nobody who's that dependent on medication should let themselves get below a 72-hour supply. 96 would be safer. "Expect to be on your own for up to three days" is the message from CDEM, so that's the guideline that should be followed when getting prescription refills.

    Auckland • Since Mar 2007 • 4097 posts Report Reply

  • Hilary Stace,

    Something positive about disability. I've just received this through the US based AutisticSelfAdvocacyNetwork. On top of the Obama transition team asking for input from disabled people themselves, several top govt appointments of disabled people and Obama/Biden/Clinton and others making speeches about disability as a human and civil rights issue. Now the White House cares about their employment,

    Hello,
    At the request of the White House, we're looking for people with disabilities who are being hired or are returning to work, particularly if their new employment can be traced to the stimulus package in some way. Please feel free to distribute this message to your networks and tell people to respond with any stories they might have to aneeman@autisticadvocacy.org .

    Wgtn • Since Jun 2008 • 3229 posts Report Reply

  • Idiot Savant,

    How about some offline civil disobedience. Since nearly everyone who works in IT opposes section 92, why don't we all just call in sick on the same day and see what breaks without anyone to fix it..

    Better: break something (quietly) first.

    I mean, the net goes down all the time, right?

    Palmerston North • Since Nov 2006 • 1717 posts Report Reply

  • Russell Brown,

    Search Engine Watch goes black on Twitter in sympathy.

    This seems to be heading for a Twitter mass protest. The first?

    Auckland • Since Nov 2006 • 22850 posts Report Reply

  • Martin Sullivan,

    is what do people, who rely on meds to continue everyday living, do in the (likely) event of disasters?

    Our local Civil Defence has a list of people with mobility issues, dependence on respirators, meds etc who migh need speedy attention in the event of disaster. Perhaps yours has a similar list Islander? If so, registering with it could be another tool in your survivalist kit.

    As with you Sacha, I find aspects of DPA counter productive and have largely withdrawn my energy. But the problem is DPA has near hegemony over advice to govt on disability issues eg all the MOH is required to do is to consult with DPA on disability and bugger the rest of the great unwashed (literally in some cases given parlous state of dss). Maybe its time to start talking & strategising on ways around this in forums other than this?

    Manawatu • Since Dec 2007 • 9 posts Report Reply

  • Islander,

    "Nobody who's that dependant on medication" - all family members would agree with you -but - there are some wee tartars who will refuse to renew a prescription until it's rollover time...

    really good to see a sane presidency again in the USA eh? And asking for input from people at the coalface is sooo not Bush!

    Big O, Mahitahi, Te Wahi … • Since Feb 2007 • 5643 posts Report Reply

  • Russell Brown,

    #blackout is top trend on twitter

    Auckland • Since Nov 2006 • 22850 posts Report Reply

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