Saturday Slumgullion #6

• John Carr at The Main Bang writes about the lack of access at work for air traffic controllers in wheelchairs. It's not always progress that makes a place accessible -- without vigilance, building and equipment improvements can and do ruin access for disabled people. Carr notes how this will cost one man his job. (Another example of "improvements" ruining access: Movie theaters with new stadium seating.)

• BBC Radio has a new comedy program called Vent, about the dreams and thoughts of a man in a hospital on a ventilator and in a coma. Despite the pun of the title, the vent itself is not synonymous with coma and I wish it had a different name. To read the BBC blurb about the show, scroll halfway down the page, here.

• Medical Humanities hosts the newest Grand Rounds carnival from the blogging medical community, which includes several discussions about the mercy killing/euthanasia arrests of a doctor and two nurses in New Orleans for actions during Hurricane Katrina.

• Ruth at Wheelie Catholic writes about being a quad and trying to pass as somewhat less impaired:

"In fact, it can be fun to pass as a para. If you're clever, you can fool people some of the time. Until you try to eat in front of them or whatever. Or go in your wallet. Or put a key in a door.

When I get 'caught' trying to pass as a para, some people look at me and say 'Your arms are affected too?' Sometimes people start to cry. I hate that."

• Denise at BlogHer relates the story of former blogger Madrigal of Agony who was inexplicably "dooced" out of her disability coverage for blogging about her daily pain.

• BallastExistenz writes about her personal experiences with forced drugging to control her autistic behavior. Also, some info about MindFreedom International, the Amnesty International of biological psychiatry.

• The Phat Girl Speaks shares what I think is a hilarious story about a boss wary of not being politically correct.

• Wheelchair Dancer discusses how the ADA not only doesn't always guarantee access to wheelchair-using theater-goers, stage access is extremely rare. Of course, this makes employing disabled artists problematic, as well. A long while ago, I noted this situation at the Kodak Theater where the Oscar Awards take place.