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Autism Mom Jenny McCarthy On Chicago Sun-Times Ten Women Who Inspired in 07 List


In a move that will undoubtedly provoke angry outbursts from Autism Hub bloggers the Chicago Sun-Times has named Autism Mom and Celebrity Autism Activist Jenny McCarthy as one of the The ten women who inspired us in '07. Paige Wiser and Lisa Donovan of the Sun-Times noted that:

Jenny McCarthy

The zany blond struck a serious note this year, going public with her son's autism diagnosis. Her book Louder Than Words: A Mother's Journey in Healing Autism was honest, informative, down-to-earth and sometimes painful. McCarthy took a gamble, going public with her problems and shattering her fantasy image. Mothers everywhere thank her.

I do not subscribe to Ms McCarthy's views about autism causes and treatments but I try to keep an open mind and science is not, despite the views of neurodiversity bloggers to the contrary, a process by which possibilities are closed forever. New evidence, new studies may well support her anecdotal evidence about autism cause and treatment.

I do admire Ms McCarthy for speaking out about her son's condition and her efforts to help him. She must have known that as a beautiful actress she would be subjected to scorn and ridicule in some corners for presuming to enter the public debate on issues that affect her son so profoundly. But she did it anyway and encouraged many other parents in doing so. And she probably brought more attention to autism disorders and autism issues than the entirety of the Autism Hub's neurodiversity bloggers will ever do in their lifetimes.

Ελλάδα- Βραζιλία 0-4 α' ημίχρονο!

Γλυκόπιοτη, μεθυστική, ευφραντική και αμπελοφιλοσοφημένη η Νέα Χρονιά 2008.

What's Cooking Nesties Blogroll!

After giving my blog a facelift for the 2008 New Year, I'm happy to have all my fave links to other blogs, recipes and resources nicely organized. One thing I did create was the What's Cooking (WC) Nesties Blogroll.

The Nest is a site with a What's Cooking forum that I frequent daily. It is one that serves as a great place of commraderie & a friendly cooking/baking resource with married/engaged women. The WC Nesties Blogroll was especially made to highlight all the wonderful blogs the What's Cooking "Nesties" on the Nest have linked in their signature lines. It also encourages others on the board to create a blog to highlight their love of cooking/baking, regardless of their skill level. Currently, those WC Nesties who have their blog reflected on the "Now That's What's Cooking" blog have been added to the blogroll.

The WC Nesties Blogroll is also very similar to another popular food related one, the Foodie Blogroll created by The Leftover Queen. Her idea was also an inspiration for creating the WC Nesties Blogroll.

If you are a WC Nestie who has a blog about food, whether you cook/bake or just like to talk about it and would like to be added and/or would like the code for your blog, read on! The WC Nesties Blogroll is one way to create a community of WC Foodies on our blogs.

How do I participate in the WC Nesties Blogroll?
There are only 2 requirements to participate in the blogroll:

1) You must be registered with TheNest.com and have a food related blog (at least 80 % of posts are food related). Whether you are a frequent poster of the What's Cooking board or prefer to "lurk," I'd love to have your blog listed.

2) You must display the blogroll some place on your blog where it can be easily viewed. The blogroll definitely helps keep your blog looking neater by housing the blog links in a simple drop down box.

To join: Contact Me and fill in the fields, making sure you provide the following:
- Nestie name to reference your blog
- Email address to send you the WC Nestie Blogroll code
- Blog URL which you can enter in the subject line

Thanks for joining!

Autism Wishes 2008

My autism wish list for 2008:

1. That all persons with autism, their friends and family members will have the best possible year in 2008 with access to effective evidence based intervention, autism trained teacher aides and teachers and appropriate residential care and housing.

2. That a cure will be found for autism, a cure which is capable of reversing, even amongst older autistic children and adults, some of the most severe aspects of autism disorder, a serious neurological disorder.

3. That the stigmatization of intellectually impaired autistic persons by society at large, by prominent media organizations, by some very intelligent and higher functioning autistic persons, and by some 'autism hub' bloggers will cease.

4. That the few who disagree with my views on autism see the error of their ways. :-)

Happy New Year to All!

Εστιατόριο του Λαϊνου 1945, Πατησίων 10

World of Waffles

After a holiday hiatus from my kitchen, I started the day strong with some prepwork for an upcoming cooking event. Once I got into my "zone," I decided to play with a new kitchen toy my husband got me - a waffle iron!

I had a lot of fun making a few different varieties, which will all be frozen for quick breakfasts in the coming weeks. They were extremely easy to make and the batter is very verasatile to use as waffles or pancakes.
Here's the basic recipe for a baking mix I used. To make waffles using this baking mix, I used the following:

2 cups baking mix
1 egg
2 tablespoons canola oil
1 1/2 cup french vanilla creamer (which I found made the batter richer and moist.)

When I made my waffles, I used various add ins to use up what I had on hand and to add additional flavor. Here are the variations I made:

Strawberry - sliced strawberries placed on the waffle iron over batter
Banana - mashed 1 ripe banana into 1 1/2 cups of batter
Cranberry orange - mix 3/4 cup cranberry orange relish into 2 cups batter
Apple - mix 3/4 cup homemade apple butter into 2 cups batter

By the time I was done prepping and playing with my waffle iron, it was time for lunch. We hadn't eaten breakfast so with stacks of waffles staring at me, I whipped up a quick brunch. I'm a big fan of turkey and havarti... so I made an turkey & havarti omelet with a side of freshly made waffles.

Autism and Conor's Eyes Shut Visit With Grammy and Grampy



The last few days were spent on the road visiting my mother and father in Nova Scotia's Annapolis Valley.

In the past when we arrived at my parents' home Conor would run into the living room and check out the video cassettes that have been kept there for him over the years inspecting each one on the shelf on which they were stored. This year Conor would not open his eyes at all while inside the house itself. He did open them in the front entrance area before entering the kitchen and while outside the house. (It wasn't shyness around Grammy and Grampy; Grammy got a big smile and a flash of Conor's blue eyes - outside the house, and while in the entrance area, but not inside the house itself).

Conor, through the window, in the entrance area before
coming into the house itself at Grammy and Grampy's


Conor will sometimes react negatively when seeing people from his past, people he was really close to but whom he does not expect to see anymore. This appeared to be more of that tendency. Some object to the use of the puzzle piece as a symbol for autism. I think it is very appropriate and Conor's eyes shut visit with Grammy and Grampy is part of Conor's autism puzzle.

Autism Predictions 2008

These are my autism predictions for 2008. Some are wildly speculative; some are ho hum continuations of existing trends. Like all attempts to "predict" the future they are inherently futile but I will make them anyway.

1. The Autism Knowledge Revolution will continue to expand and add to our real knowledge of autism disorders. 2007 saw a breathtaking explosion of research into the neurolgoical bases and structures of autism disorders. That trend will continue and the public will be informed less and less by prejudice and ideology and more and more by actual knowledge of what autism disorders are and how they can be treated. Research will also continue into possible environmental contributors to the rise of autism diagnoses.

2. In Canada the federal government of Prime Minister Stephen Harper will continue to ignore, thereby contributing to the worsening of , Canada's autism crisis just as it has helped sabotage international efforts to address the global warming crisis. (No this years return of a traditional Canadian winter does not offset the measurable reality that the polar ice caps are shrinking. In the North the warming is wrecking havoc on the Arctic environment and impairing the traditional Inuit way of life). Canada's National Autism Strategy will remain a joke as long as Stephen Harper remains as Prime Minister of Canada.

3. The stigma attached to intellectually impaired autistic persons will continue. Intellectually impaired autistic persons will remain invisible to the eyes of Dr. Sanjay Gupta, CNN and other major media organizations and stars who seek out autistic persons to portray for public consumption. And the Neurodiversity bloggers who like to portray historical geniuses such as Einstein as autistic will continue to deny the existence of the the many intellectually impaired autistic persons.

4. Ignorance about autism will continue. Autistic children in both Canada and the United States will still be sent home from public schools because "educators" are not educated about the realities of autism disorders. And some autistic youths will continue to be charged as criminals for behavior resulting from their autism disorders.

5. Autism reality will assert itself daily as lower functioning persons with autism move from the care of their families to residential and institutional settings where they will begin their lives in the care of strangers.

6. Some autistic persons such as Dr. Temple Grandin will continue to shine as role models for persons with Aspergers and High Functioning Autism.

7. Parents will continue to fight for their children with Autism Disorders. They will continue to educate, treat and care for their autistic children while hoping that the Autism Knowledge Revolution soon finds a cure for their children's Disorders. They will do so because they love their children - not their children's neurological disorders.


Ever started making a meal and knew you were doomed at the start?

I have many times and tonight was one of those times. I spent the afternoon at a park with the girl's and a friend of ours and her children. It was hot (85 but I really hate to complain) and it is December! I left my Mom at home so she could putz around and be alone in the house for a change. Sadly my sister, her husband and the 2 dogs left today...I hate when she leaves! But on a plus side my Mom got my tree taken down and all of the ornaments and lights all put away...thanks a million Mom!!! But now I had to get started on dinner.

Anyway on with my tale of woe. I had planned on trying Paula Deen's recipe called Paula's Baked Ham and Cheese Chicken. I had the chicken breasts out and then I read the recipe. I was missing some of the stuff but I thought I could just muddle my way through. I ran out of Parmesan cheese but I also had decided that instead of the bread crumbs with Greek Seasoning I was going to use Italian seasoned crumbs with Romano Cheese instead. I also didn't have any sliced ham. Here's a no brainer...I had Prosciutto Ham and Honey Baked Ham. Which would you have used? I use about $15 worth of finely shaved prosciutto and you can bet that really ticked T. off!!! Oh yeah and I didn't have any fresh parsley. I guess going into any new recipe with only half of the called for ingredients might doom you!

Now the recipe also called for you to cook the chicken after the flour, egg wash and breading in olive oil on medium high heat. Now you half to remember I was at the park for about 2 hours today baking my brain. I put the skillet on medium high heat and let that olive oil heat on up. I put 2 of the breast in the pan and realized that even though I had used the biggest skillet that I had there was no way that I was going to be able to fit all of these mammoth chicken breasts. How could I have not noticed how incredibly freakin' huge these things were???!!! I quickly heated up another skillet with more olive oil on medium high heat. By the way in case you haven't gotten it already, medium high is way to high to cook these great, big, humongous chicken breasts!!!

The chicken was getting really nice and dark on the outside but there is no way it could have been cooked in the middle but without really thinking it through I guess I kind of figured that it would cook in the oven that I should have preheated...but to what temperature I then realized. The cursed recipe didn't call for a temp.??? I put it on 350 and figured that slow and steady might just work. I topped the now very darkly browned chicken breasts with the proscuitto and the mozzarella cheese and shoved it in. Well it was starting to cook real nice the top was starting to nicely brown but I thought I had better temp. them. The things were only to a low 120!!! Popped them out of the oven and into the microwave. Yes, that was the worst possible thing that I could have done to these things. Anyway did we eat them? Oh yeah. I was really hungry and so were the girls. T. nibbled at it and my Mom only ate the chicken not the chewy burnt crap on top...yes you remember the $15 worth of prosciutto on top!

Would I try this again? I would because the flavor was really good and despite what I did to them the chicken still stayed nice and moist. I might try having most of the ingredients on hand when I start this next time though!

Where are the pictures? Not this one guys. It really looked bad by the time it hit the table!!! On the recipe link above there is a picture of what it is suppose to look like.

To end the meal from He** we were going to finish off the apple pie from Christmas Day...guess again. It was moldy. Should that have surprised me?

As Always...

Happy Entertaining!!!

Judy
www.nofearentertaining.com

Offensive Language On Autism Street

The uproar over the NYU Ransom Notes campaign has given way to smug victory happy dances by many in the neurodiversity community. But few of that crowd are taking the time to examine their own offensive language particularly when exercising their obsessions with celebrities who do not share their views such as Jenny McCarthy and now ..... Donald Trump. In Where Is Trump’s Science Team? at the Autism Street blog site where he mocks Ms McCarthy and Mr Trump as "celebrity idiots":

I was really beginning to think that Jenny McCarthy would be an extremely popular candidate for being considered the “celebrity idiot of the year” by many scientific thinkers in the autism blogging community. I suppose I should have known better about claims to the singular, where the plural is not only possible, but likely.

Jenny apparently has company.

I know that I used the word "idiot" in the past. In the 12 years since my intellectually challenged son with Autism Disorder came into my life though I have refrained from using the term.

Apparently Do'C at Autism Street isn't familiar with the old expression "Idiot Savant" which has now largely been replaced with the expression "Autistic Savant". Perhaps there is no room on Autism Street for the many intellectually impaired persons with Autism Disorder.

Ο Γιώργος Χουλιάρας στο ALTA.

Ο Γιώργος Χουλιάρας παρουσιάζει έργα του σε Αμερικανικό λογοτεχνικό συνέδριο
By Γιώργος Μπίστης Ουάσιγκτον, 11-11-2007

Γιώργος Χουλιάρας
Ένα Ελληνικό όνομα λαμπίρισε στο τελευταίο τετραήμερο κατά την διάρκεια του 30ου συνεδρίου της Εταιρείας Αμερικανών Μεταφραστών Λογοτεχνίας (American Literary Translators Association), που διοργανώθηκε από τις 7 έως τις 10 Νοεμβρίου σε συνεργασία με το Πανεπιστήμιο του Τέξας, στην πόλη Ντάλλας. Είναι του ποιητή και δοκιμιογράφου Γιώργου Χουλιάρα ο οποίος παρουσίασε, κατόπιν προσκλήσεως που του έγινε, δείγματα της δουλειάς του στο περίφημο αυτό συνέδριο, που αποτελεί και την μεγαλύτερη συνάντηση συγγραφέων, μεταφραστών, πανεπιστημιακών, εκδοτών κι άλλων ανθρώπων των γραμμάτων στη Βόρεια Αμερική.
Η επιλογή του Γιώργου Χουλιάρα αντικατοπτρίζει τόσο την εκτίμηση που τρέφει γι αυτόν η Εταιρεία όσο και την από μέρους των συναδέλφων του αναγνώριση της σπουδαιότητας που έχει η συμβολή του στην ευρύτερη προσπάθεια για επαναπροσδιορισμό του ρόλου της μετάφρασης στον κόσμο των τεχνών και των γραμμάτων αλλά και της προβολής της ως υποδείγματος διαπολιτισμικής επικοινωνίας.
Η παρουσία του Έλληνα ποιητή αναμένονταν με ιδιαίτερο ενδιαφέρον από τους συνέδρους όπως και εκείνη κάθε άλλης καταξιωμένης προσωπικότητας του κλάδου, περιλαμβανομένων του Μεξικανού Homero Aridjis, του Κουβανού Jose Manuel Prieto και της Κινέζας Xiaobin Xu, που επίσης παρουσίασαν έργα τους. Όλοι αυτοί και ορισμένοι άλλοι λόγιοι απέσπασαν κολακευτικότατες κριτικές και επαίνους για τις ποιητικές και συγγραφικές επιδόσεις τους.
Ιδιαίτερη αίσθηση μεταξύ των συνέδρων λέγεται ότι προκάλεσε το βιβλίο Δρόμοι της Μελάνης, που είναι το έκτο βιβλίο ποίησης του Γιώργου Χουλιάρα, ο οποίος έχει επίσης δημοσιεύσει μεγάλο αριθμό δοκιμίων και άρθρων, στα ελληνικά και στα αγγλικά, για θέματα λογοτεχνίας, ιστορίας του πολιτισμού και διεθνών σχέσεων. Βιβλιοκρισίες και μεταφράσεις ποιημάτων του έχουν δημοσιευτεί και σε κορυφαία αγγλόγλωσσα λογοτεχνικά περιοδικά ενώ δικτυακοί τόποι εκπαιδευτικών ιδρυμάτων, όπως της Έδρας Καβάφη στο Πανεπιστήμιο Michigan, προσφέρουν την δυνατότητα ηλεκτρονικής πρόσβασης στο έργο του.
Γεννημένος στη Θεσσαλονίκη ο Γιώργος Χουλιάρας άρχισε τις σπουδές του από το Κολέγιο Ανατόλια αλλά πανεπιστήμιο παρακολούθησε στην Αμερική, όπου κι έκανε όλα τα μεταπτυχιακά του. Εργάσθηκε για πολλά χρόνια στη Νέα Υόρκη ως πανεπιστημιακός λέκτορας, σύμβουλος πολιτιστικών φορέων, ανταποκριτής και ακόλουθος τύπου. Υπηρέτησε ως σύμβουλος Τύπου στην ελληνική Πρεσβεία στην Οτάβα, στην Αθήνα στη διάρκεια των Ολυμπιακών Αγώνων και στη Βοστόνη.
Σήμερα ο Γιώργος Χουλιάρας εργάζεται ως σύμβουλος Τύπου της Eλληνικής Πρεσβείας στην Ουάσιγκτον. Με αυτή την ιδιότητά του συμβάλει στην ενημέρωση των Αμερικανικών και των ομογενειακών έντυπων και ηλεκτρονικών μίντια, που εκπροσωπούνται στην πρωτεύουσα των Ηνωμένων Πολιτειών, σχετικά με οτιδήποτε συμβαίνει στην Ελλάδα και φροντίζει, κατά τρόπο αποτελεσματικό, να διορθώνεται κάθε λανθασμένη ερμηνεία Ελληνικής εξέλιξης από το δημοσιογραφικό σινάφι. Η Ελλάδα λοιπόν πρέπει να είναι πολύ χαρούμενη που έχει έναν Γιώργο Χουλιάρα κι όχι μόνον για τα παινεμένα ποιήματα και δοκίμια που αυτός γράφει.
http://www.voanews.com/greek/2007-11-11-voa1.cfm YIORGOS CHOULIARAS READING AT 30th AMERICAN LITERARY
TRANSLATORS ASSOCIATION CONFERENCE IN DALLAS, TEXAS

Yiorgos Chouliaras was invited and read from his work at the 30th Anniversary Conference of the American Literary Translators Association (ALTA), held from November 7 to 10 in conjunction with the University of Texas at Dallas. The Albanian-American poet and ALTA member Gjekë Marinaj presented the Greek poet and essayist and also conducted an interview taped for the University’s Center for Translation Studies directed by conference organizer Rainer Schulte.

The 30th ALTA Conference (Celebrating the Past/Imagining the Future), the largest gathering of its kind in North America of writers, translators, scholars, publishers, and others, was considered a milestone event in the Association’s history and an occasion to re-imagine the role of translation in the world of arts and letters and to redefine its role as a paradigm for cross-cultural communication. Besides Chouliaras who represented Greece, writers whose work was highlighted were the American authors and translators Willis Barnstone, Margaret Peden, and Gregory Rabassa as well as other writers including Nứria Amat (Spain), Homero Aridjis (Mexico), Stefan Chwin (Poland), Remi de Vos (France), Claudio Magris (Italy), Rudolf Marku (Albania), Olga Slavnikova (Russia), Vladimir Tasic (Serbia / Canada), and Xu Xiaobin (China).

Ways to promote international literature in the United States, Ezra Pound as a translator, and the field of translation studies were among themes discussed at the conference that also offered workshops, performances, and bilingual readings in French, German, Italian, Russian, Spanish, Vietnamese, and several other languages. For further information on the conference, please contact the Association, while for a schedule, please click here.

Yiorgos Chouliaras is the author of Roads of Ink and five previous volumes of poetry in Greek as well as numerous essays – in Greek and in English – on literature, cultural history, and international relations. Reviews of and translations from his work have been published in leading periodicals, including Agenda, Grand Street, Harvard Review, Modern Poetry in Translation, Ploughshares, Poetry, and World Literature Today.

Born in Thessaloniki and educated at Anatolia College, Reed College, and The Graduate Faculty, New School for Social Research, he worked in New York as a university lecturer, advisor to cultural institutions, correspondent, and press officer. He has served as Press Counselor at the Greek Embassy in Canada, in Athens during the Olympic Games, and in Boston, and is currently Press Counselor at the Greek Embassy in Washington, D.C. A founding editor of the influential Greek literary & arts reviews Tram and Hartis and an editor of literary and scholarly periodicals in the United States, he was the third writer from Greece, after Odysseus Elytis and George Savidis, to serve on the jury of the Neustadt International Prize for Literature. An Emeritus Member of the Board of the Ottawa International Writers Festival, he was elected and served on the Executive Board of the Hellenic Authors’ Society as Vice President for international relations.

Translations from his work are accessible online at analysisdance.org, the University of Michigan C.P. Cavafy Modern Greek Chair, and poeticanet.com, where his essay on Greece and Poetry is also available. An excerpt from his memoir America Is No Longer Here is included in Greece: A Traveler’s Literary Companion, while a 2005 interview in English is also accessible online.

Yummy....


We have been so busy and I think that this has been the longest time between posts for me since I started this blog back in August. The holidays have just been so wonderful that I wanted to stay in every moment and not stop and write about it! Does that make any sense? I am very much and in the moment person I guess. We don't even own a video camera because my theory on it is that I would miss too much of what was going on because I would be trying to tape it all for the future???!!! Never made a while lot of sense to me! Anyway we have been out having a ton of fun.
The girls got Roller Blades from Santa this year and wow do they ever like them. My oldest daughter has hardly taken them off of her feet but to bathe and sleep! We did get them off of her long enough one day to go ice skating with their Uncle Lee. This was a real treat because T and I can't skate with them due to our neck injuries so they got to hangout with someone on the ice!

Last night though was one of the best. About a month ago I made reservations for the 5 of us (T., me, my sister, her husband and my Mom) to go to Truluck's for dinner. Now this has become one of our favourite special occasion restaurants. I am not going to do a full review on it but the service is amazing, food is awesome (does anyone use that word anymore???) and the location is magical! We hired a babysitter and all piled into T. big, honkin truck and made the journey to Naples. Worth every minute of the hour long drive! My Mom seemed to especially enjoy it maybe because while living by herself she has so many meals alone or because it was a huge splurge for all of us...whatever the reason it was great for all of us to be together enjoying another great meal!
This was the entree that we had (mom, sister and me!) Blue crab stuffed snapper on a bed of crab fried rice!

This was one of 4 desserts that we ordered. This was the creme brulee. I have never seen such a big one so we just had to have it. Along with Chocolate Fudge cake, the best carrot cake ever and a bowl of fresh berries with whipped cream!

Today is my sister and her husbands last day...they are leaving tomorrow morning to head back to the snowy tundra of Canada, back to work, back to peace and quiet (my house is so not quiet at the best of times but imagine it with 2 children, 4 dogs and 5 adults!!!), still they will miss us all.

Hope everyone is enjoying their holidays as well!

As Always...

Happy Entertaining!!!

Judy
www.nofearentertaining.com

Autism Reality On The Road


Autism is not a culture or a way of life.

Those who believe that autism is a Joy to be celebrated are guilty of seriously muddled thinking. Stressing the positive in any situation is admirable. Denying reality is harmful and can even be dangerous. Autism is a serious neurological disorder which restricts the lives of many who engage in serious self injurious behavior. It can also result in injury to family members, care givers, teacher aides and strangers.

I have written previously of the time that my son Conor, who has Autism Disorder with profound developmental delays, left the house while I was engaged in a business call, crossing a busy nearby street unaware of the dangers of automobile traffic. His life was probably saved by the actions of the Good Samaritan who got out of his vehicle and took him to safety in a nearby convenience store where I was directed to pick him up after calling 911. I owe too much to that Good Samaritan to be able to describe adequately in words.

Driving with a person with Autism Disorder can also present serious danger .... to the entire family. On several occasions Conor has slapped or grabbed my arm while driving. He has also hit and scratched me on the head, neck and shoulders while driving, including yesterday, driving home from the local Chapters outlet.

These honest descriptions of some of the real challenges of Autism Disorder on the road are not meant to demonize my son or other persons with Autism Disorder as some internet commentators routinely allege of anyone trying to deal with some of the harsher realities of autism. I find great joy and comfort in my son every single day. I enjoy his company. Conor is a lot of fun and he can lift my spirits so easily with a face pressed against a window waiting for Dad as I pull in the driveway at the end of a rough day at work. But I do him no service by denying the realities, the negative realities, presented by his Autism Disorder.

Autism Disorder presents many challenges on the road. And life's road is long. If a cure is found for Autism Disorder I would jump at the chance to have my son receive the benefit of that cure. I would seek a cure to help Conor on life's long road, much of which he will travel without me, alone, in the care, and company, of strangers.

Πορτογαλική Ινδία, ιστορία γραμματοσήμων.

ΠΟΡΤΟΓΑΛΙΚΗ ΙΝΔΙΑ, ιστορία γραμματοσήμων.

Πορτογαλικές αποικίες στην Ινδία και Κεϋλάνη από το 1510-1961. Η πρώτη επαφή της εκμεταλλευτικής σχέσης συνδέεται με την ανακάλυψη του Βάσκο ντε Γκάμα στις 20-5-1498 της Κάλικουτ της Ινδίας μετά τον κατάπλου στο Νατάλ και την Μοζαμβίκη , τις ακτές της σημερινής Κένυας. Είμαστε στις αρχές του 16ου αιώνα επί βασιλείας Μανουέλ Α του Τυχερού, και η Πορτογαλία έφτασε στο απόγειο της δύναμής της. Οι αποικιοκράτες μοιράζονταν άλλοτε άλλες περιοχές κατά την διάρκεια 16-17-18ου αιώνα και το 1947 όταν ανεξαρτοποιήθει η Ινδία από την τότε Μεγάλη Βρετανία συναποτελείτο από την περιοχή Γκόα, και τις παραθαλάσσιες τοποθεσίες Daman, Diu, Darda ,και Nagar Haveli.
1853 . Δεκατρία χρόνια από την έκδοση του
πρώτου γραμματοσήμου στο κόσμου (Αγγλία) και τέσσερα μετά την έκδοση του πρώτου γαλλικού, η Πορτογαλία εκδίδει τα πρώτα της γραμματόσημα τέσσερις αξίες στις οποίες αναπαράγεται η μορφή της βασίλισσας Μαρίας Β’ .
Το πρώτο ταχυδρομικό γραμματόσημο των Πορτογαλικών Ινδιών εκδόθηκε 1 Οκτώβρη 1871 για τοπική χρήση των αποικιών, των Πορτογαλικών Ινδιών. Το 1886 τα συνήθη εκδιδόμενα αρχίζουν να κυκλοφορούν και στις αποικίες.
1894. Εκδίδονται δεκατρία γραμματόσημα για τα 500 χρόνια από την γέννηση του
Ντομ Ενρίκε Αβίς, δηλ του πρίγκιπα Ερρίκου του Θαλασσοπόρου (1394-1460)
1895. Στις 13 Ιούνη εκδίδονται δεκαπέντε γραμματόσημα για τον γιορτασμό των 700 χρόνων από τη γέννηση του Πορτογάλου φραγκισκανού αγίου Αντωνίου της Πάντοβας. Ολα αυτά έχουν στη πίσω όψη τους γραμμένη στα λατινικά για προσευχή του αγίου Μποναβεντούρα.
1898. Εκδίδονται οκτώ αξίες σε ανάμνηση των 400 χρόνων από την ανακάλυψη του Δρόμου των Ινδιών από τον Βάσκο ντε Γκάμα με την ένδειξη INDIA.
1914. Εκδίδονται 14 γραμματόσημα προηγουμένων ετών με την κόκκινη ένδειξη “REPUBLICA”
1946. Εκδίδονται οκτώ γραμματόσημα στα οποία απεικονίζονται οι μορφές ισάριθμων Πορτογάλων θαλασσοπόρων .
St. Francis Xavier, Luis de Camoens, Garcia de Orta (γιατρός-φυσιοδίφης), Beato Joao Brito, Vice regal Archway, Alfonso de Albuquerque, Vasco de Gama, D. Francisco de Almeida.
1949. Οκτώ αξίες γραμματοσήμων αφιερωμένες στη
Παναγιά Φάτιμα..
1952-3 Αναπαράγονται αξίες γραμματοσήμων με θέμα ιατρικό την
Goa Medical School και τον γιατρό Dr. Gama Pinto.
Η τελευταία κανονική έκδοση έγινε στις 25 Ιούνη του 1960 για την 500η επέτειο από τον θάνατο του Πρίγκηπα Ερρίκου του Εξερευνητή. Γραμματόσημα από την Ινδία πρωτοχρησιμοποιήθηκαν 29-12-1961, αν και τα παλιά γραμματόσημα ήταν αποδεκτά μέχρι 5-1-1962.
Η Πορτογαλία συνέχισε να εκδίδει σειρές για τα ταχυδρομικά γραφεία των αποικιών ως την πτώση της δικτατορίας του Σαλαζάρ αλλά αυτά δεν θεωρούνται νόμιμες εκδόσεις.
Οι φωτογραφίες είναι από την προσωπική συλλογή μου που περιλαμβάνει από τα έτη 1886-1957 194 τεμάχια.

ΔΙΟΝΥΣΟΣ 27-12-2007.

Joy of Conor Christmas


Conor had a lot of fun this Christmas, not because of his autism, not despite his autism, he just had fun, just like any other kid at Christmas.





Conor enjoyed the snow and was pleased to get some Christmas fun gifts.





What's the point of stickers if you can't wear them on your hands?






Woooops! That snow bank is a little deeper than I thought!






Oh Canada! I Stand on Guard for Thee!







Hey, I AM CANADIAN. A little bit of snow doesn't bother me!





Back to work, well fun sort of work anyway!

Offensive Autism Language - "Autie" and "Curebie"

In the new post Ransom Notes world of autism discussions it seems that freedom of speech, and truth telling, must give way to the sensitivities of various persons and organizations. That being the dynamic of this new autism world order then I would like to offer my list of terms that I find offensive. I ask that the sensitive souls who petitioned NYU into submission over the Ransom Notes campaign, and others, cease and desist their use of these offensive and demeaning terms. I will start my list with two that I find particularly offensive: "autie" and "curebie".

1. Autie - is an expression used by some persons with Aspergers, and some parents and professionals who have surrendered to the ideology of the anti-cure movement, to describe persons with autism. I have a son who is diagnosed with Autism Disorder with profound developmental delays. The use of the term trivializes the very serious challenges he faces now and for the rest of his life. It is demeaning and stereotypical. Autism Disorder is a serious neurological disorder and can involve serious and dangerous intellectual, communication and behavior deficits. Please do not use the term "autie" to describe my son or other persons with Autism Disorder.

2. Curebie - is a derogatory term which is intended to be derogatory. It is a term coined by some anti-cure high functioning persons with Aspergers, and those who support their ideology, and it is primarily directed at parents trying to help their children; parents trying to treat and cure their autistic children. It is also directed at organizations promoting research aimed at curing autism. Please cease and desist the use of this hateful, offensive term.

Autism, the Rotenberg Center and Rational Criticism

Much of the criticism of the Judge Rotenberg Educational Center use of aversives to help prevent serious self injurious behavior by persons with autism and other disorders amounts to little more than pompous, holier than thou, name calling by individuals or groups who offer no real alternative to the use of mild aversive therapy in such dangerous situations. Instead they simply proclaim that the JREC is evil, their methods are evil, and that therefore the JREC must be stopped. They offer no real solution to help prevent the dangerous and deadly behavior by persons whose parents seek the help of the JREC.

An editorial from the Boston Globe on Boston.com offers a much more balanced and reasonable criticism. It acknowledges the testimony of concerned parents who support the JREC, and the need for aversive therapy in some serious instances such as eye gouging, head banging and self mutilation but it critiques the error prone history of the JREC and stresses the need for more oversight of staff. From the Boston Globe we have received some calm, cool headed reflection. A rarity in discussion of autism issues and treatments.


"Israel says the center has implemented a slew of new supervisory and monitoring practices for its 38 group homes. But the overnight shift still lacks direct supervision by a registered nurse or other licensed medical professional. That doesn't inspire confidence.

The decision to apply aversive techniques rests in the hands of parents and a probate court judge who vets each case with medical experts. The question isn't so much whether skin shocks are an acceptable form of treatment, but whether the Rotenberg Center is the right place to do it.

Merry Christmas!!!


Well we made it this far...we are in the home stretch!!! The above picture is of my youngest daughter flying into the arms of my sister who drove all the way from Toronto (about 1600 miles with her husband and 2 dogs) to surprise the girls!!! I thought it was a really cool shot.

We always do an adult celebration on Christmas Eve which usually turns into a wrapping party but this year we were smart and wrapped everything earlier in the day so we could just hang out and enjoy each other and share some really good food!

The food was mainly bought at a gourmet market that opened just this year called The Sandy Butler. Really incredible cheeses and great parma ham!This is a huge plateful of Fresh Florida Shrimp steamed in Old Bay seasoning!

For breakfast this morning I made Baked Apple French Toast. This turned out to be incredible and the best part was that it was made last night and popped into the oven and baked while we all opened presents! I had made a similar dish to this a couple of years ago and it was terrible but this one was excellent!
Hope your holiday is as wonderful as ours is proving to be! Off to Starbuck's...they need the tips on Christmas Day too!!!

Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays to all!

As Always...

Happy Entertaining!!!

Judy
www.nofearentertaining.com

Autism and Rotenberg's Unanswered Questions

In Parents Defend School’s Use of Shock Therapy the New York Times has revisited the Judge Rotenberg Education Center's use of aversive therapies, particularly the "shock" therapy, a mild two second bee sting style of shock, used in treating children with severe aggressive, self injurious even self mutilating behavior arising from autism and other disorders. Many scientists, therapists, politicians, bureaucrats and internet bloggers have condemned the Rotenberg center's use of aversives. But The New York Times goes beyond the Mother Jones breathless expose approach to these issues and presents the perspective of Susan Handon and other parents whose children have benefited from aversive therapy and who have even obtained a court order so they could continue to send their children to the Rotenberg Center for treatment.

Why are parents fighting to keep their children in a center which subjects them to a form of shock treatment? The NYT describes some of the reasons children are being treated at the JREC:

"Rotenberg is full of children who will run up and hit strangers in the face, or worse. Many have severe types of dysfunction, including self-mutilation, head banging, eye gouging and biting, that can result from autism or mental retardation. Parents tend to be referred there by desperate education officials, after other institutions have decided they cannot keep the child."

The Rotenberg's effective use of aversive therapy in addressing such serious issues poses a challenge to the world to provide an effective alternative treatment. The parents who send their children there can not be easily dismissed as Ms Handon has shown. Insults and political correctness will not address these issues.

If an effective aversive treatment is going to be taken out of the hands of the Judge Rotenberg Education Center what will replace it? Ineffective drugs, physical restraints? Purely positive interventions even if ineffective? If the political correctness crusaders prevail will they accept responsibility for children with autism and other disorders who then go on to engage in self mutilating behavior and aggression to others?

Μυστική Γέννηση


τέλη 1500 μΧ. Sandro Botticelli
Σήμερα βρίσκεται στην Εθνική Πινακοθήκη του Λονδίνου.

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