AT&T has put out an andorid. Below you can see what they think are cool things about it. Of note — it uses Yahoo search and not Google. You can get to Google with a little effort.
Category: Uncategorized
Aptos, CA attorney: The govt that has no money but ours can guarantee paid jobs to all of us?
David Sweet is a former professor at UCSC. He publishes once a month in the Santa Cruz Sentinel. Recently, Mr. Sweet wrote a letter to the editor — to which James Jackson, Esq. responds:
Prize Hokum
“David Sweet advises that if we only leave Afghanistan, the government can guarantee reasonably paid jobs to all of us. I am sure they all nodded yes to this in his sociology class, but here in the real world this is prize hokum. Short of putting us all in the Re-elect Obama campaign committee, how will the government, which has no money but ours, do this?
Lift that barge, tote that bale.”
James Jackson, Aptos
Aptos, CA psychologist: So is Applied Behavioral Analysis (ABA) the BEST method for treating autism?
According to Dr. Bryna Seigel, for treating autism Applied Behavioral Analysis (ABA) IS the best method and it needs to be done from a developmental perspective.
That’s the problem. The ABA folks far too frequently do not use a developmental framework. Too often the ABA trainers do not use anything other than the one tool they know: stimulus – response. And far too often, ABA trainers do NOT know what is appropriate developmentally or culturally for that child.
The bottom line is that the ABA folks are narrowly trained and practise a narrow technique. It is good that they stay within the boundaries of their knowledge. Thank god for that! It is not good that they think that their method is the only way to go.
For example, too often ABA trainers will train the child during a time of day that typically the child naps. Does that make sense? Not from a developmental perspective. The ABA trainer’s response? We’ve got to get more INTENSITY says the trainer so let’s keep little Johnny up during his nap time.
And how much is enough? It’s NEVER enough say many ABA trainers. Dr. Siegel mentioned a 16 year old who has had ABA almost all his life. When is time to stop? His trainers don’t want to stop. From the ABA perspective, it is always possible to incrementally make progress. That may be true. But at what cost? And who should pay for it?
I’m thinking of a case of two children – twins — with mental retardation and autism. Neither could speak more than a handful of words, if that. Their parents wanted ABA to continue indefinitely although both had plateaued years before. Incremental progress meant maybe a little more shaping towards a sound over many 40 hour weeks. Should the taxpayers pay for this kind of incremental gain?
Dr Siegel was asked how she thought FloorTime proponents might comment on her view that ABA is the best method. Frankly, I don’t remember a clearly defined answer.
So what is the Holy Grail for treating autism? Remember the elephant and everyone holding on to a different part? So does the trunk you are holding feel like the elephant’s back? The truth that people have depends on their experience.
I understand that of course ABA can be implemented from a developmental perspective. In my experience, too often it is not done in either a developmentally or culturally sensitive manner. I am interested in seeing programs such as the Early Start Denver method — that uses both the FloorTime relational approach and the ABA approach.
Dr. Siegel spoke March 11, 2010 at the Developmental Disabilities: Update for Health Professionals at the Laurel Heights Conference Center, San Francisco, CA
Aptos, CA psychologist: stories of courage and faith are all around us.
There are stories of courage and faith all around us. This one is about a Catholic family with a special needs child. Recently, now age 18, I had the opportunity to assess their son.
This young person has substantial, multiple difficulties. To protect the family’s privacy, some information has been changed.
I will call their son Thomas. Not Thomas the Doubter but Thomas the Tenacious.
Early on, Thomas’ family knew that their middle child was very different. Though not a problem at home, he got kicked out of a private pre-school for behavior issues. By age four, assessment suggested that he had substantial communication and social delays. Other assessment suggested an array of delays.
In Kindergarten, Thomas’ parents turned down an SDC placement (more than 50% in special ed setting) and insisted on mainstreaming him. His family wanted and got a regular ed placement. He had an aide.
Assessment in second grade showed that Thomas had normal, average cognitive IQ abilities and quite low other abilities. However, thereafter when Thomas’ cognitive IQ abilities were tested his scores were in the bottom 5 out of 100.
“No, we are not going to use the mental retardation label,” the parents said to themselves and to professionals. To Thomas they said, “You can and will graduate from high school”.
The parents set the bar high for Thomas. The parents helped him every night at home and negotiated with the schools for support services to assist Thomas. At times he had an aide. He had Occupational Therapy and Speech services. Throughout high school he had RSP support.
Outside school, Thomas was able to complete religious classes and in high school was confirmed in his church. But he never had any friends.
“If Thomas misses 1 class it is as though he missed 3″ said his mother to me when I tried to set up an appointment to assess him. ” And absolutely don’t take him out of History …” And I did set up appointment times that did not conflict with any of his academic subjects.
And guess what — this June Thomas age 18 will graduate with a high school diploma. True — he has not been able to pass the California exit exams. However, he has completed all the work and taken all the necessary classes. Thomas has worked hard and long to get a diploma.
It has been a hard road for Thomas. It takes him 2-3 times as long to finish his homework compared to fellow students. Though he would like friends — he has no friends. And he cannot drive a car. And except for work experience through Special Education, he has had no part time jobs.
Thomas has a disability called Autistic Spectrum Disorder. It substantially affects his communication and social abilities. Sometimes he mumbles and sometimes he nearly shuts down in his abilities to communicate with people.
When assessing Thomas, one thing shined through — Thomas has sold, normal, average cognitive intelligence. That Thomas has normal, average intelligence is a real strength that will help him in all of life’s situations.
All of us have strengths and relative weaknesses. Thomas has strong intelligence and incredible tenacity. Once he knows what to do and how to do it, he persists and keeps on trying until the task is done. And that willingness to persist and keep on trying was passed along to Thomas by the faith and courage of his parents.
Keep America Safe by Liz Cheney
Aptos, CA psychologist: why not tell us, Mr. Holder, the names of the attorneys you hired that got habeas corpus rights for enemy combatants?
Why won’t Mr. Holder name the 7 attorneys he hired? The 7 attorneys that voluntarily — their cost was picked up by their private law firms — assisted Gitmo detainees get habeas corpus rights? What kind of bias does this show?
Citizens of the U.S. are protected by habeas corpus. Combatants in war who are caught are placed in detention until the war is over.
Say for example that you, an American on American soil, do something and, as a result, you are thrown in jail. Under habeas corpus you will not rot in jail for ever!
Habeas corpus means “bring forth the body!” Your body has to come before a court of law and charges must be made. To which you can enter a plea. If you cannot afford an attorney one will be provided to you. The Public Defender, typically. That’s our American justice system.
In war, no habeas corpus rights attach to combatants. Combatants are not charged with criminal acts. War is different from crime.
Mr. Holder has hired attorneys that sought habeas corpus legal rights for terrorists. But he will not release their names. Why?
These high powered, expensive volunteer attorneys sought rights for terrorist detainees that are not afforded unless the federal system chooses to do so. And now these attorneys work for the Attorney General of the U.S.
What kind of a bias does this show on Mr. Holder’s part?
What if this was the 1960’s and the Attorney General hired a bunch of attorneys that had voluntarily — for no cost to the clients — protected the Klu Klux Clan? And put those attorneys to work on civil rights projects in the south? How well would that go over?
One could argue that the best way to argue either side is to know the arguments of the other side. But that is not what Eric Holder has done. He is mum as to the names of who he hired.
written by Cameron Jackson DrCameronJackson@gmail.com
What dog toys work for a 6 month old German Shepard?
Including an appetite for my Blackberry phone. That was one good chew. No more Blackberry. He liked the buttons and the screen. That was yesterday. Oh well. And I do not have insurance on the phone.
Today I gave him a piece of kitchen equipment that is a block of wood with metal on the back. It is a magnet for hanging knives. That has engrossed him most of the day. He likes to chew on metal. And he likes to drop it. It makes one big noise.
So what say you….. what does work for you with young dogs that love to chew?
There is a brand by mydogtoy.com which has an Ultimate Ring and an Ultimate boomarang. They do last.
Disclaimer: And no, I have no connection with that company. Other than it is a good toy for my dog, I have no reason to plug these toys.
Someone from work who also has a large dog gave me an Ultimate toy from mydogtoy.com. And my co-worker was right — no more money flung into the air for a 15 minute chew that lasts so brief. For a $12-14 dollar toy , these Ultimate Ring etc toys from mydogtoy.com are great.
What dog toys do you know of that work for a large, growing pup with a huge appetite for chewing? Let me know.
DrCameronJackson@gmail.com
