Disabled people: Little done to help them access facilities, transport

THE International Day of Disabled Persons on Dec 3 was yet another wonderful opportunity to promote understanding and increase public awareness of disability issues, and to promulgate the importance of integration and the well-being of people with disabilities.

However, here in Malaysia, one year after Action and Inclusion for the Disabled (AID) wrote a letter regarding the 2006 International Day of Disabled Persons, nothing of any substance has changed.

Consider, for example, the issue of disabled-friendly public transport facilities and buildings.

Accessibility to the majority of facilities, such as buildings, public transport, footpaths and road crossings, even some of those that were recently set up, is not possible since they have not been properly designed to make them usable by everyone.

Universal access to buildings is still a novelty and is by no means universally available. Some buildings built in the past 12 months are totally inaccessible to people in wheelchairs.

RapidKL even introduced so-called disabled-accessible buses, but these vehicles have been designed incorrectly, so that the area designed to accommodate two persons using wheelchairs occupies almost half of the available floor space, and there are only two seats in this half of the bus.

In Penang, the situation is worse because the new RapidPenang buses are universally inaccessible.

Over the past 18 months, AID has been meeting regularly to discuss the routing and accessibility options for the Penang monorail with Melewar Integrated Engineering and we are confident that they have addressed the requirements of the disabled within their monorail design.

We sincerely hope that whichever company constructs the Penang Monorail will ensure that the monorail system is accessible to all, and that the routing and stops will serve all the people who live along its route.

Most pavements are still not accessible to persons using wheelchairs, the blind, and the elderly. There are sometimes ramps of sorts, but more often than not, they are too steep or the kerbs are too high, there are obstructions on pavements, such as lamp posts, sign posts, non-flush manholes, etc.

Tactile markings for the blind are sometimes installed, though some of these do not follow required specifications.

We observed recently, in Kuala Lumpur, a new pavement 1.2m wide where the tactile markings turned 90 degrees left to within few centimetres of a wall, then 90 degrees right, 90 degrees right again and finally 90 degrees left. All this go around a grating 60 sq cm.

Author: ABDUL KARIM STUART RUSSELL for Action and Inclusion for the Disabled, Kuala Lumpur

Website Accessibility Important For Disabled Visitors

A study released by computing and disability charity, AbilityNet, found that people with disabilities favour the most accessible websites when using the Internet. A poll of over 100 people with disabilities showed that the disabled community use the Internet for information, shopping, banking and leisure, just like everyone else. However, most disabled users will spend their time and money only on businesses that cater to their needs with more accessible ( http://www.accuracast.com/services/usability-accessibility.php ) sites.

Demographics of UK's Disabled Audience

The International Labour Organisation (ILO) estimates that there are 610 million disabled persons worldwide. The European Parliament estimates that there are 37 million disabled individuals in the EU, over 50% of whom are of working age. 10.3 million UK residents declare that they have a limiting long-term illness. These numbers are significant enough to make anyone realise the potential audience they could be ignoring by creating websites ( http://www.accuracast.com/services/search-engine-optimisation/website-development.php )that are hard to access.

Disability Discrimination Act

The Disability Discrimination Act ascerts that website owners have had a legal duty, since October 1999, to ensure that all services provided via their website are accessible to disabled people. Any company not complying with the accessibility guidelines could potentially open itself up to legislation and discrimination lawsuits from disabled customers.

Disability Rights Commission: User-friendly websites for all

The disability rights commission launched guidance yesterday on how to launch a website that is user friendly. The document, Publicly Available Specification (PAS) 78, was developed by the British Standards Institution (BSI) and sponsored by the Disability Rights Commission.

• Details on the PAS 78 can be found at http://www.bsi-global.com/PAS78

Common Accessibility Problems

Typical accessibility problems encountered by most disabled users include:

• Text size on some sites is hard-coded so that it cannot be easily enlarged

• Text labels attached to images (Alt text attribute) are often uninformative or absent

• Pictures of text are often used instead of actual text

• Adverts and features made up of moving images distract visitors with a cognitive impairment

• Interactive presentations such as 'Flash Movies' present access problems for visitors who cannot use a mouse, are vision impaired or who use speech output or voice recognition software

• Mini programs embedded in the page such as JavaScripts prevent full access the sites.

About The Author

Farhad Divecha is the founding Director of AccuraCast, London's leading search engine marketing agency. He has 7 years experience marketing products and services online and offline. His past projects included managing $80 million PC Card product lines for 3Com, consulting for Household, Proctor & Gamble and numerous other large and small companies in the UK and USA. His experience and vision steered AccuraCast to rank among the top 25 search agencies in the UK (NMA 2006 Marketing Services Guide). 

Guide Dog Training For The Disabled

Who said that "the dog is man's best friend" didn't talk nonsense, and the saying is old enough to confirm its value of truth: not only is the dog a reliable friend and a playful giddy presence, but if passed through the "fire" of a guide dog training, he can become the only support a person with disabilities has, when going out, helping them and teaching them in return how to live. The experts that transform the animals into indispensable professionals are very patient and have different special methods to do so. Certain dogs have become famous in the industry of film-making, in police- the capture of wrongdoers and the finding of narcotics –have guided blind people out of their homes for the first time and so on. These are the heroes of the species, and they need a far more complicated method of training than the usual.

Mostly, guide dog training sessions convert the animal into a literal guide for the disabled and enable them to make acquaintance with properly lived life once more: they lead the person while crossing the street, helping her to get on a bus, to the market or the nearby park so that they are directed safe and sound, if blind people are concerned for example. This would not be achieved if the talent and devotion of a special trainer hadn't been invested in the animal through guide dog training.

There's More to it Than Meets the Eye

If there were a standard method that lead to mass guide dog training, then the disabled would face fewer problems but there are many details that skip the knowledge of a passer-by: those wonderful people that dedicate themselves to this type of activities have a hard task to face. Firstly, they are specialists in dog training: how to correct the animal's unaccepted behavior, how to form conditional instincts that make him a submissive pet and how to teach him new commands and of course, keep him in control. Secondly, the person must be aware of every difficulty a disabled man or woman faces, so that he could know what to teach the dog and what to make him sensitive at: the special guide dog trainer possesses a strong background of work with disabled people and creates within months of sessions, an entirely different bond between the future owner and the animal, as opposed to that between a not-physically-challenged person and his pet.

Consequently, the person in need and the animal go both through training, so to speak, and the trainer helps grow between them an unbreakable dependability. He also must foresee what situations the dog might face, such as perils on the sidewalk near his master, as well as ahead of him, to prevent the contact with highly placed objects and low-positioned "dangers". The animal must be also made comfortable with crowds, people that want to pat him on the back and give him a treat, leading to his distraction in real life situations. The guide dog training ensures that the disabled person is taken care of always.

You can also find more info on Dog Training and Dog Behaviour Training . Startdogtraining.com is a comprehensive resource to know how to train yor Dog.

Buildings And Facilities - Provision For Wheelchairs

Persons having difficulty in walking, those suffering from severe illness or bodily injury, and certain physically disabled persons have no other option but to use wheelchairs. The typical type of wheelchair is made up of a seat with a backrest and a footrest, along with two small front caster wheels and two larger rear wheels. Even though there are standard versions of wheelchairs, they are usually customized to suit the need of the patient or the disabled person.

The seat size, seat-to-floor height, controls, and certain other items are normally tailor-made for the individual patient to provide maximum comfort. Several optional accessories are also available, like safety belts, adjustable backrests and anti-tip bars. Mounts for crutches, oxygen cylinders, drink holders, etc. are also provided. Using the so-called omniwheel or the mecanum wheel facilitates multidirectional movement. However, it is provided only when it is absolutely necessary, since control is not as easy as the standard types of wheelchairs.

The types of wheelchairs are self-propelled, attendant-propelled, and powered. Depending on the condition of the patient or the disabled person, one of these is selected so as to give maximum comfort for the user. Attendant-propelled wheelchairs come with back handles for easy pushing. A 4 or 5-ampere rechargeable battery runs powered types. Both dry type and wet type batteries are available, though the dry type is the most preferred one. Pediatric wheelchairs are meant for the use of pregnant women. Wheelchairs for disabled sports persons are special types, incorporating features required for participation in sports.

The American with Disabilities Act of 1990 stipulates certain mandatory provisions in building construction for ease of operation by patients or disabled persons using wheelchairs. It is a statutory requirement in the United States that all new construction for public use have to be built to ADA norms. Construction of these buildings should conform to specifications of wheelchair accessible construction. Special wheelchair ramps and elevators are added in buildings so that persons with walking disabilities would not face any undue hardship. Powered doors, fixtures like sinks with lower heights, as well as large-spaced toilets with grab bars for easy maneuvering are other requirements that are generally provided for in wheelchair accessible construction of buildings.

Hospitals that have limited floors are constructed with wheelchair ramps for all the floors. However, in large multistory hospitals and buildings, the wheelchair ramp is provided only in the ground floor or the first 2 to 3 floors. However, care is taken to ensure that the person using the wheelchair has easy access to lifts, so that they could go to any floor without difficulty. The design of the wheelchair ramp has to be done accurately to avoid difficulty while climbing up and/or skidding while coming down the ramp. Portable wheelchair ramps are provided mostly in old buildings, where originally no provision was made for persons using wheelchairs. Public places like bus stations and train stations also provide portable wheelchair ramps chiefly to make buses and trains easy for persons in wheelchairs. Buses with low boarding platforms are also in use for such disabled persons. Airports too invariably provide such portable wheelchair ramps, when needed.

Fishing is one of the most favorite pastimes of Americans. Retired persons and persons recovering from illness simply love fishing to pass their time outdoors. Hence, fishing spots normally provide wheelchair accessible fishing facilities. Fishing is the best alternative for persons who can not practice active exercises. This outdoor pastime invigorates the body and also lifts the spirit of the person. Hence, disabled persons, retired people and those recuperating from illness keenly seek wheelchair accessible fishing facilities.

Normal lifts that accommodate six to eight persons would be too small for easy maneuvering of wheelchairs. Public places like government buildings, hospitals, courts, bus & train stations, airports, etc. are frequented by persons using wheelchairs. Hence, such places install larger lifts that facilitate easy wheelchair operations. Such special wheelchair lifts are mandatory for newly constructed buildings to enable them to conform to ADA norms.

Eric Comforth is a consultant who writes on many consumer topics. There is more wheelchair information at Wheelchairs For You

Scooter Lift (By Gregory Hepburn)

The scooter lift is an invention that enables elderly and handicapped individuals to enjoy further independence. Loss of mobility has made it increasingly difficult for them to move around; the use of mobility scooters has given them a large degree of independence, and a scooter lifthelps them to take their independence around with them at home or on vehicles when travelling.
Buying a scooter lift should be looked upon as a long-term investment forthese individuals. It is therefore important to appreciate the positive influence that the right scooter lift can have on such people and their families. The selection of an appropriate scooter lift is an essential part in achieving this objective.
For transporting a scooter, the lift can be attached behind a vehicle, a mobile home or a trailer for holding and carrying their mobility scooterswith complete ease. This lift has the capacity to raise the scooter and tomanoeuvre it into the correct position for the journey. A further advantageis that with a scooter lift, the mobility scooter being transported can be held in place outside the vehicle allowing more interior space for luggage and other accessories.
Scooter lifts are available in various makes and models with a large range of features. They don't weigh too much but can lift, hold and carry approximately 300 pounds of weight. They are affordable, easy to use and easy to maintain and clean. When not in use, scooter lifts can be disassembled for easy storage. Their dimensions vary according to the model being purchased; platform and jack-type models are available.
Most models offer steel construction, a protective coating finish, twelve volt DC motor with optional battery pack. Easy-to-use controls allow safe, simple and reliable operation. They are designed to provide ease of
mobility and accessibility for the difficulties experienced by the disabled and elderly in their daily lives.

Gregory Hepburn is an online marketer and entrepreneur who specializes in content websites. His new website on Scooter Lift has been published. Please see http://www.scooter-store.org for more information.

Friendships that Endure By Roxanne Furlong

In 1960, when she was 10 years old, Jackie Van Duzee, of St. Paul, Minn., began to notice at recess that it was becoming harder to exercise. The last one picked for teams, she began using her mind instead of her feet to make it through the bases: keeping an eagle eye on the kid with the ball so she could steal the next base when he looked away.

Heading into seventh grade, she was diagnosed with scoliosis and fascioscapularhumeral muscular dystrophy, a progressive, degenerative muscle disease. Her disability was already noticeable to her classmates, and friends from grade school now shunned her. She walked by lifting her right leg as if to march, moving forward to back with each step and swaying side to side due to the scoliosis. In junior high, the couple of friends she had were fellow drummers in band. No one else approached her or talked to her.

"One afternoon, I was waiting for my mom to pick me up, but she was late," says Van Duzee. "I got tired of standing, so I went into the auditorium to sit down for a while. It was dark and there were kids way down near the stage. They could tell it was me when I walked in the door, and one of them yelled, 'Hey! There's Chicken Breast!' It was a name that kids called me because my back curved and my chest stuck out."

Van Duzee spent many nights lying in bed crying, praying the torment would stop.

"It hurt so much to not have friends at school, but I knew I had the comfort of a loving family to come home to," she says.


Alone in a Crowd
Van Duzee was studious in high school. During lunch, the cafeteria would be packed with kids at long lunch tables, yelling, laughing, horsing around. Van Duzee sat at a table by herself. Nobody would join her or let her sit with them. She ate lunch alone her entire freshman year.

The high school had three floors, no elevators, and Van Duzee fell down many times on the wide, crowded stairways or in the hallways after being bumped or tripped.

"Once I was going downstairs and fell and landed on my knees and my books went flying," she says. "The stairs were filled with kids and I looked up pleadingly for help, but everybody kept on going. I carefully picked up my books, limped to the bathroom and put cold paper towels on my knees."

A gifted artist, Van Duzee went to vocational school for commercial art. Unlike high school, in this setting she made friends easily. "It was a whole new world, you didn't have that peer pressure."

After graduation, she got a job proofreading advertising copy at a firm in downtown St. Paul. There she met the person who would become her lifelong, constant friend and soul mate, Anne Froehle.

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Vocational Expert's 7 Proposals to Solve the Unemployment Problem

The subject is constantly in the news and may decide the next national elections - the infamous jobless recovery. More than 8 million Americans are out of work with another 4 million underemployed or no longer looking for work. Good manufacturing, technical and services jobs are being shipped to India, Asia, and other developing countries. The mood of the middle and working class becomes more pessimistic, the outlook for their immediate future more grim.

Politicians debate solutions: abrogating current trade treaties, providing protection for various industries, investment in retraining programs, wishful thinking that lower taxes will turn everything around, the promise of a labor shortage within 15 years.

Meanwhile, the population grows, demanding the creation of 150,000 new jobs per month just to stay even. Where are the more than 2 million 2004 jobs promised by the Council of Economic Advisers?

They will come when the government truly invests in the social and financial welfare of the working public. Historically, the U.S. has looked at employment only in times of crisis - recession or alarming unemployment figures. Rather than "quick fixes," we need a national long- range policy on employment which addresses the issue, in good times and bad, with sustained interest, analysis, and support.

Here are seven proposals:

1. Create a National Office of Employment to develop long term strategies and oversight of the U.S. labor market in order to track trends, analyze data, research emerging problems, and prepare early interventions.

2. Identify growing and potential industries and the skills they will need in future staff.

3. Design a plan which allows for the rapid retargeting of training courses as Community Colleges and vocational schools are traditionally 5 to 15 years behind current needs.

4. Provide substantial tax incentives for businesses to hire in the U.S. rather than shipping their jobs to low income countries.

5. Devise "red-tape-less" programs to reward employers with significant tax credits for hiring the long-term employed and new trainees.

6. Overhaul the processes of State Unemployment Offices by implementing coordinated support programs in which workers participate as part of receiving unemployment benefits and employers participate as a means of meeting their future needs for staff.

7. Provide incentives for employers to hire more part-time workers. Simultaneously, America must reframe its social policy to promote a new work ethic of reduced work hours, along with increased leisure and volunteer activities, to allow more workers to be employed, albeit for fewer hours. Due to the negative emotional effects of living without work, our society needs to stress high employment rather than high productivity which often translates into fewer workers, working harder and longer.


Dr. Bola operated a rehabilitation company, developing innovative job search techniques for disabled workers, for 20 years. A licensed clinical psychologist, she directed vocational programs for the mentally ill, served as a Vocational Expert in administrative and civil court, and pioneered vocational testimony in Workers' Compensation.
Author of The Wolf at the Door: An Unemployment Survival Manual, she can be found at: http://www.virginiabola.com/

Finding Employment When You Are Disabled-by Joann Grant

With growing competency and educational standards, it has become hard to find a job that satisfies both your pocket and desires. And if you are struck with any form of disability at any level, your difficulties increase manifold.

Disabilities have been classified into many categories. Broadly, there are minor disabilities and major ones. Depending on the magnitude of your disability, you get the job. With certain disabilities you can find a job in the open job market as well. For instance, there are minor disability like a limp in a limb or a highly hunched back that might not come as a hurdle between you and your desired job. But other disabilities like an imputed limb or vision impairment can create colossal hurdles.

However, many of the State governments have provided breathers in the form of special job arenas for disabled. For the disabled people special places are made, besides the contemporary job market where they can find good job opportunities. Various places where a person suffering from disability can find a job are:

Sheltered Workshops: If a person is suffering from moderate to severe form of disability, sheltered workshops are the best places to find the job. A sheltered workshop is a place where disabled can learn to do the basic things like packaging of goods, assembling items, to name a few. All this is done through a sub-contracted work.

Production Workshop: Production workshop is a workplace ideal for the people who have moderate disabilities. Here people learn the art of printing and manufacturing. Such people are predominantly known to work in production line.

Open Market: People who are afflicted with slight to moderate disabilities can try and find a good job in an open market. In doing so, they can take help of various job placements organizations. These placement organizations will help them in locating a suitable job of their interests and needs.

For acquiring a good job, an important prerequisite is good education qualification. But besides contemporary form of education, people with disabilities can also look for an option in the vocational field. Through this, they can learn certain skills of basic livelihood, before stepping for a job in the corporate world.

To know more about disability details and disability and other health problems visit http://www.about-disability.com/disability-aids

7 Must Know Tips for Passengers With Disabilities (By Natalia Ippolito)

Plan Before You Stand!

When you make your reservation, communicate your needs to the airlines. Make plans ahead of time for items such as: oxygen supply for origin, transfer hubs and destination, a porter to help with luggage, and/or a wheelchair to help you move through the airport with ease and with less stress.

All passengers with disabilities should arrive at the airport a minimum of 2 hours early. You should always ask the airlines for a gate pass at the time of check in. Gate (escort) passes are for relatives, companions, or assistants who are not flying but accompanying the passenger to the gate. A gate pass is subject to the airlines discretion. Place identification tags on all checked baggage, carry-ons, equipment, and mobility aids and devices. Remember that your medical equipment, mobility aids and devices are exempt from the 2 carry-on or checked baggage rule.

Passengers should always consult their doctor for the best method of screening. Passengers with a pace-maker, defibrillator or insulin pump should choose the full-body pat-down. Any metal detector could drain the battery in your medical device. If your doctor tells you that your medical equipment cannot go through the x-ray machine or needs special handling, inform the screener and ask for a visual inspection.

There are alternative ways for a passenger to be screened if they do not want to or cannot walk through the walk-through metal detector. When a passenger with a disability approaches a screener, the screener should always be discreet if the person's disability is discussed and not visible. They should also ask the passenger if they need assistance. The screener should offer all screening methods. They will ask the passenger if he or she prefers to walk through the metal detector, receive a hand-wanding or a full body pat-down. It;s the passenger's choice. You do not need to disclose your medical condition if you choose to take an alternative screening method. If the passenger walks through the metal detector and it alarms, then the screener will conduct secondary screening using a hand-held metal detector or pat-down.

Ask the screener to change their gloves before undergoing a full-body pat-down or hand-wanding. This will eliminate other people's germs from spreading. You may ask to sit before, during, and after the screening process if you need to. If you cannot remove your shoes because of your disability, then don't. Other screening procedures will be performed to clear your shoes through security. Inform the screener of all sensitive areas on your body before undergoing hand-wanding or a pat-down.

At no time during the screening process should a passenger be asked to take off a prosthetic device for screening, nor should a passenger volunteer. Expect an alternative screening procedure, which will include an explosive trace detection test. This will test your prosthetic for explosives and is required by federal law in order for you to proceed to the gate area.

Sometimes screeners need to be able to visually clear a medical device worn on the outside of the body. If this is the case, a private screening should be offered as a requirement by the screener. If this doesn't happen, the passenger should then request it if they want it. There should always be 2 screeners of the same gender as you (one being a lead or supervisor), you and your family member or companion. Ask for a supervisor or manager if there are only 2 of you going into private screening. You should never be separated from your family member, assistant, or companion when going through the screening process, unless dictated by you. Once your family member has been screened they can offer assistance or directions on the best method for screening if you are not able to communicate it to the screener.

Travel with less stress and be flexible with the changes that come your way with airport security.

Natalia Ippolito, a former airport screener and author of: I MIGHT AS WELL BE NAKED: How to Survive Airport Screening With Your Clothes On. 369 Tips in All- 119 Tips for Passengers with Disabilities! Receive her FREE Tip of The Week, Sample Chapter & Ultimate Packing List & Unknown Fines & Violations Report at: http://www.airportbook.com

Social Security Disabilities

The Social Security Administration operates two programs for providing assistance to people with disabilities. Social Security Disability Insurance program pays benefits to the person with disabilities and certain family members if the insured person has paid social security taxes. Supplemental Security Income program is designed to pay benefits based on financial needs. This program is funded by general tax revenues.

Social Security defines only total disability as disability eligible for benefits, i.e., the person with disabilities is impaired to do the work he did earlier and cannot adjust to other work due to disabilities. Short-term disability and partial disability do not qualify for benefits under Social Security programs. Social Security definition of disability also requires that the disability must last or is expected to last for one year or is expected to result in death.

Social Security has devised a five-step procedure to decide whether a person applying for disability benefits qualifies for the same. The applicant is presented with a question at each step. The questions are: Is the applicant working? Is her/his condition severe? Is the condition in the list of disabling conditions? Is the person able to do the work he/she did previously? Is she/he able to do any other work?

Social Security maintains a list of severe medical conditions for each major body part. Applicants with disabilities that are present in the list of medical conditions automatically qualify for benefits. The list comprises of two parts viz., Part A and Part B. Impairments listed in Part A apply to person age eighteen or older, whereas Part B lists medical conditions applicable to evaluate disability of persons below age eighteen. Absence of any condition in the listing of impairment does not mean that the applicant does not qualify for benefits. Other steps in the procedure are utilized to evaluate eligibility for benefits.

Disability

provides detailed information on Disability, Disability Insurance, Social Security Disabilities, Disability Benefits and more. Disability is affiliated with Childhood Leukemia.

Electric Mobility Scooters for the Elderly and Disabled

There has been much advancement in the field of wheelchairs, specifically mobility wheelchairs. But now there is something even more versatile, mobility electric scooters. When it comes to the elderly or handicapped mobility scooters may be the best thing since sliced bread.

In the past disabled persons would lose out on many uplifting activities. But with the innovations in mobility scooters, the elderly and handicapped are not feeling quite as old or as feeble as they once were. Why? When you can get around almost as well as active healthy people you can return to being a part of the family or community. Independence is once again your ally. The ability to get around the house or out in public once again can be a major boost in a persons self worth. No more dependence on others to perform common everyday tasks.

Motorized electric scooters for people with a handicap are fast becoming the way of the future. With technological advances being made with regard to electric mobility scooters it's no wonder they have taken the disabled world by storm. It's a thrill seeing a 90 year old man walking his dog with the help of a mobility electric scooter, something that he wouldn't have been possible just a few short years ago. But now there is practically nowhere a person can't go with the help of an electric motor scooter.

There are gas motor scooters and electric motorized scooters, but for the handicapped gas scooters are out and electric is in. No need for gas, just plug it in for a recharge and then off you go with full independence once again. These wonderful scooters are getting faster and lighter. Plus, the scooter batteries have drastically improved, allowing much longer periods of driving without the need for a recharge. Wouldn't it be nice being able to scoot around all day without the need for a charge?

Another advantage of mobility electric motor scooters is the cost. They are not only becoming increasingly less expensive, but if a person is disabled or handicapped it may even be possible to have Medicare or other medical insurance pick up some or all of the tab.

When purchasing an electric scooter be sure to take it for a test drive before buying. The most important thing is making sure that your motorized scooter is comfortable. By purchasing a comfortable scooter it'll be a pleasant drive anywhere you go. Another consideration is the cost. If at all possible have your health insurance company pay for part of the price. But even if you have no insurance it is well worth the price. No price can be put on being independent and mobile, especially if you've been laid up for awhile.

One of the many options available in mobile electric scooters is their number of wheels. There are models that have either 3 wheels or 4 wheels. The 3 wheel scooters are typically lighter in weight. The 4 wheel models are typically heavier, but may be a little better balanced when going quickly around a turn. Two wheels in the front make for a more stable vehicle around sharp corners. Once again, it is wise to test drive before buying.

There are many different options including colors, sizes, weights, number of wheels, battery capacity and the types of seats. If chosen carefully an electric scooter can become one of the best purchases ever made for the handicapped, disabled or elderly.

Sally Johnson writes about many topics. Spreading the word about the wonderful world of mobility electric scooters is one of her missions. For more information about mobility electric scooters please visit her site.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Sally_Johnson

Poisonous Toothpaste - Be careful what toothpaste do you use

Recalled Toxic Toothpaste Still Found In Stores

(CBS) MIAMI Weeks after the FDA recall was executed, some South Florida stores are still selling a poisonous, counterfeit brand of toothpaste.

"My mouth was feeling kind of tingly and my stomach was feeling kind of weird," said Serge Achille. "You don't think it's your toothpaste. That's the last thing you're going to think, that it's your toothpaste."

That's how Achille realized something might be wrong with the toothpaste he bought at a Broward discount store.

WFOR's David Sutta found it at a discount store in Dania Beach. At our request they took the product off store shelves.

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) warned consumers to avoid using tubes of toothpaste labeled "made in China", because it might contain the poisonous chemical diethylene glycol (DEG). This ingredient is used in antifreeze and as a solvent. Consumers should examine toothpaste products for the labeling that says where the product is made. The FDA suggests that you examine your toothpaste and check the labeling to see if it's made in China or in South Africa. Out of an abundance of caution, FDA suggests that consumers throw away toothpaste with that labeling.

"The first thing I didn't notice is that it didn't say ADA [on the label]," said Achille.

So far there haven't been any reported poisonings in the U.S. as a result of the use of toothpaste, but the agency is concerned about the potential risks from chronic exposure to DEG in certain populations such as children and people with kidney or live disease.

What makes this situation so tricky for consumers is that it that a counterfeit make of Colgate toothpaste, made in South Africa, is under the recall list. Once again, consumers are urged to look at where the product was made and not use it if they are suspicious.

Remember, Colgate does not make toothpaste in these countries.

FDA has also identified the following brands of toothpaste from China that contain DEG and are included in the import alert:

Cooldent Fluoride; Cooldent Spearmint; Cooldent ICE; Dr. Cool, Everfresh Toothpaste; Superdent Toothpaste; Clean Rite Toothpaste; Oralmax Extreme; Oral Bright Fresh Spearmint Flavor; Bright Max Peppermint Flavor; ShiR Fresh Mint Fluoride Paste; DentaPro; DentaKleen; and DentaKleen Junior. Manufacturers of these products are: Goldcredit International Enterprises Limited; Goldcredit International Trading Company Limited; and Suzhou City Jinmao Daily Chemicals Company Limited. The products typically are sold at low-cost, "bargain" retail outlets.

If FDA identifies other brands of toothpaste products containing DEG, FDA will take appropriate actions, including adding products and their manufacturers to the import alert to prevent them from entering the United States.

Chicken Contaminated With Pork-Beware For Muslim Community

Wander down the meat aisle of any supermarket and you will find mountains of chicken being sold at unbelievably cheap prices. The real reasons for this cannot be found on the label…

It was the scald tank that got me in the end. I had expected trouble in the slaughter room, but we'd moved through there without incident. We'd already passed the electrocution bath, and I'd slipped easily enough round the neck cutters slicing through carotid arteries. There wasn't as much blood as I'd feared.

I had been smuggled into a large chicken factory by a meat-hygiene inspector who was worried about standards in the poultry industry. We were gazing into a hot-water tank into which the dead birds were being dipped at the rate of 180 a minute, to scald the skin and loosen the feathers before they went into the plucking machine.

It was 3pm and, as at many factories, the water was only changed once a day. It was a brown soup of faeces and feather fragments, and, the hygiene inspector pointed out, at 52 degrees centigrade, 'the perfect temperature for salmonella and campylobacter organisms to survive and cross-contaminate the birds'. We moved on to the whirring rubber fingers that remove the feathers. 'Plucking machines exert considerable pressure on the carcass, which tends to squeeze faecal matter out onto the production line. It only takes one bird colonised with campylobacter to infect the rest. The bacteria count goes up 10-fold after this point,' he continued. I found myself wondering who had done the counting.

We went outside. There, birds in towering stacks of crates delivered earlier in the day by a procession of juggernauts were being given a chance to calm down before being shunted into the slaughter room. They need to settle for the men to be able to pick them up by their feet and hang them upside down on the moving belt on which they begin their journey through the factory process. The crates are made of plastic mesh with holes.

The birds, which have typically been kept indoors all their lives – in 23-hour-a-day low light for maximum productivity, tend to panic when they are taken into the fresh air and daylight for the first time. As they open their bowels, the faeces falls from the crates at the top down through the tower on to those below. 'Pretty daft, isn't it?' the inspector said. The vast majority of the 820 million UK chickens we eat each year are now processed in huge factories like these, which combine an abattoir with cutting, packing and labelling the meat before it is transported directly to supermarket distribution centres.

More than half the UK's chicken farms are directly contracted to the factories, too, rearing chicks delivered to them from the factory hatcheries, although British poultry farmers are increasingly struggling to stay in business in the face of cheap imports, particularly from Thailand and Brazil. In the late 1980s chicken farmers received slightly more than 30 per cent of the retail price of chicken, but today they are lucky to get 20 per cent. British chicken processors, whose factories require substantial capital investment and have high labour costs, are often working on margins of less than 1 per cent. If they cannot deliver the price the supermarket wants, retailers can use the stick of sourcing abroad – either from Europe, where the high value of the pound to the euro favours continental farmers, or from developing countries, where costs are lower and standards may not be so good. It is only by keeping volumes high that conventional farmers and processors here can survive.

Two thirds of chicken farms in the UK now consist of units of 100,000 birds or more. But that makes them dependent on the people squeezing their margins in the first place – the supermarkets. They are the only customers who buy in sufficient volume. The story is not unique to chicken. Pig farmers and processors suffer similar problems. Ten years ago a British pig farmer made £9 profit per pig; in 2002 he lost an average of £3 per pig. Neither poultry nor pig farming receive subsidies. Only the biggest and most intense producers can compete. This is one of the consequences of our obsession with cheap meat. The constant drive to increase yields leads to ever-greater intensification. As the trade has globalised, the same trend is now being seen in developing countries. Small poultry farmers in Brazil and Thailand are being squeezed out by huge factory farms. It is a pattern that can be observed in most food sectors, from vegetable farming to confectionery manufacture. But where livestock is involved, the almost irresistible drive towards industrialisation has particular consequences. Factory farming in these sorts of conditions is heavily dependent on the use of drugs to prevent or treat disease. Pigs, chickens, laying hens, sheep, calves, dairy cows and farmed fish all receive routine dosages of antibiotics either through injection or in their food and water.

By the end of the 1990s about 450 tonnes of antibiotics were being used on farm animals in the UK each year – about the same quantity as on humans. Many of the antibiotics given to farm animals are the same as, or related to, antibiotics used in human medicine. And yet, in 1997 the EU banned an antibiotic called avoparcin for use in animals because of the likely development of resistance in humans to the related antibiotic vancomycin. But the legacy of using avoparcin in factory farming remains. Because the drug was given in low dosages to chickens in feed or drinking water, it didn't kill bacteria completely but allowed some to survive and develop resistance. Now we are facing untreatable vancomycin-resistant superbugs in humans. Vancomycin is the most powerful human antibiotic available, the last line of defence for patients with the hospital superbug MRSA. In 1998 the UK poultry industry said it would remove all growth-promoting antibiotics from feed voluntarily, ahead of a European ban that comes into force in 2006. But by 2003 it had become clear that one in five producers had quietly slipped back into old habits. Many producers had found that their birds were falling ill without the growth promoters, and resumed administering them. Others had switched to far greater use of therapeutic antibiotics prescribed by vets. I have seen production sheets from a large chicken factory, sent to me anonymously, which make clear that its chicks, both free-range and indoor-reared, are still routinely given antibiotics in their water.

In February 2003 avian flu broke out in the eastern Dutch province of Gelderland. The Dutch government enforced a ban on the movement of farmed birds in a desperate effort to stop the disease spreading through the country's intensive poultry units. By April the disease had spread to Belgium. Exports of eggs and chickens were banned. By the time the Germans had caught it in May 2003, and started sealing their roads, more than 30 million Dutch and Belgian chickens had been destroyed. A Dutch vet had also died, having caught the disease from an infected bird, briefly sparking fears that the virus could mutate and trigger a flu epidemic in humans. The UK poultry industry escaped the European epidemic of avian flu in 2003, but it was back on red alert in January 2004 as the disease struck again – this time cutting through flocks in southeast Asia and claiming lives as it spread to the human population. The World Health Organisation warned that if the bird virus mutated and attached itself to human flu, the consequences would be devastating. Imports of meat from Thailand were banned by the EU when it emerged that the Thai government had been covering up the fact that the country's flocks were infected. The strain of flu was particularly virulent, and The Lancet said that if it became contagious among people the prospect of a global pandemic was 'massively frightening'. But despite these increasingly frequent food scares, just wander down the meat aisles of any supermarket and you will find mountains of chicken being sold at unbelievable prices.

Chicken breasts: buy one, get one free... Chicken thighs: three for the price of two... Whole birds: half price. Chicken is cheaper than it was 20 years ago, and we're buying five times more of it, spending £2.5 billion a year. Chicken has become one of the weapons in supermarkets' price wars, but being able to buy a whole chicken for not much more than the price of a cup of coffee comes at a cost. Chickens, like other animals, have become industrialised and globalised. We no longer know where they are produced or how they are processed. By the time we buy them in aseptic little packages, or processed into convenience meals, we have lost any sense of their origin.

Extracted from Not on the Label by Felicity Lawrence published by Penguin. Copyright © Felicity Lawrence 2004. www.penguin.co.uk

Organic Tomatoes For Your Health

Dear Reader,

From a safety standpoint, there's no arguing that organic produce is worth the extra few cents supermarkets charge for it. As I told you last month, heavy exposure to pesticides -- which hang on for dear life through even the most thorough washing of commercially grown produce -- can increase the risk of brain cancer by as much as 29 percent.

From a nutritional perspective, though, the case for organic fruits and vegetables has been a bit murkier. Until recently there just wasn't much evidence that organic produce is actually more nutritious than regular. But a study published a couple of months ago in the Journal of Agricultural & Food Chemistry found that organically grown tomatoes have more antioxidant-rich flavonoids than the commercially grown varieties. And not just a little more: The researchers found that organic tomatoes contained 79 percent more quercitin and a whopping 97 percent more kaempferol (see "What is…?" below for more information on kaempferol). That's almost double what you get in "regular" tomatoes!

The study's authors theorized that over-fertilization was at the root of this discrepancy. The twist is that the plants that did get fertilized -- the conventionally grown tomatoes -- are the ones that had less nutritional value.

Apparently, plants produce more flavonoids when they're not fertilized on a regular basis. As the non-fertilized soil gets depleted of its nutrients, the plant produces its own flavonoids to make up for what it's not getting from its environment. And the less fertile the soil becomes over time, the more flavonoids the plant produces. Essentially, plants have their own built-in defense mechanism to protect them from nutrient deficiency.

We may not have the innate ability to correct our own deficiencies, but it's nice to know that we do have the tools necessary to fix them: vitamins, minerals, and other supplements combined with a diet rich in uber-nutritious organic foods.

(Author: Amanda Ross)

 

What is… kaempferol?

Kaempferol is an antioxidant flavonoid that performs several critical functions in the body: It helps prevent oxidative damage to cells and DNA, keeps dangerous plaques from forming in the arteries, and inhibits the formation of cancer cells.

Although quercitin is the more well known of the two flavonoids, kaempferol and quercitin appear to work as a team in the body, particularly when it comes to fighting cancer.

Gadgets For The Disabled

How does a blind person find a public toilet when he needs to answer the call of nature? Actually, with a lot of difficulty unless somebody leads him to it.

 

Blind people also find it hard to locate bus stops, vending machines and buildings – efforts that come easily to those who can see.

 

For the hearing and speech – impaired, their difficulty is communicating with people who do not understand sign language.

 

Realising the plight of these disabled groups, students of the Universiti Teknologi Malaysia here have come with gadgets to help the disabled to move about with ease in public places.

 

Four UTM students have invented a device they called View in Black (VIB) that enables the visually impaired user to know his location, such as crossroads, nearby landmarks and public amenities.

 

Team leader Bong Khong Lee explained that the device used the radio frequency identification (RFID) reader to guidethe blind.

 

"RFID tags would be planted in the ground while the blind person would have his VIB device at this waist, which will have an RFID reader and a database processor.

 

"When he walks, the user retrieves data from the planted RFID tag, which provides basic information to help him, for instance, cross a road.

 

"The device, through earphones, will tell the user what road is behind or in front of him and the roads at both his sides.

 

"On top of that, the RFID tag will able to give details of surrounding landmarks and facilities, such as vending machinesand the nearest bus stop, "he said.Bong and teammates Boo Yan Jiong, Lee Sin Loong and Lee Poh Peng said they talked to many blind people beforestarting on their invention and found that the most important thing for the blind when they were in the streets was to locate the public toilet.

 

"This device will not only be able to help the blind but also help the Government save expenses on the current guiding blocks for the visually impaired, "said Bong, whose team would be competing in the upcoming Philips Young Inventors'Challenge in Kuala Lumpur.Another group, comprising Tan Ping Hua, Tan Zee Yean, Heap Yee Sim and Ricky Yap, has invented what they namedHello! – a micro-controller gadget and voice processing system to improve communication between hearing and speechimpaired people and those who do not understand sign language.

 

"This system analyses and interprets finger movements and it then converts the movements to voice."For example, when the disabled person uses sign language to say "hello," the movement will be converted into audio andthe person he is talking to will be able to understand what they are trying to say," said team leader Ping Hua.He said with the device, the audio impaired could "speak" like a normal person and would be able to lead a more normaland independent life.

 

The two groups are among 15 others vying to be in the finals of the competition to nurture and groom young Malaysian Inventors. Organised by Philips Malaysia Sdn. Bhd, it will be held on March 14.The teams that reach the finals will be given RM3,000 each to help them build and complete their prototypes, which must use the company's semiconductors and chips.

 

The winning team stands to receive RM10,000 in cash and a five-day, four-night education trip abroad.

 

Source : The Star ( Friday, 10 March 2006 )

Wheelchair Maintenance Tips

Hello to all my readers,

As a disabled person, I depend on my wheelchair to move around the house or going to somewhre else, go to shopping or hospital. Taking good care of the wheelchair will save some cash and prolong the performance of it. Here is an article on how to take a good care of your wheelchair:

Maintaining Your Wheelchair

Your wheelchair allows you to be mobile and active. If your equipment breaks down, it can be an inconvenience, a hardship, and may even put you in danger. You can help keep your chair operating and maintained by being knowledgeable about your wheelchair, taking care of problems before they put you out of commission, and having a handy list of providers that you can rely on for repairs, parts, and maintenance.

Take charge of the care of your own wheelchair.

As the owner and operator of your wheelchair, you will usually be the first person to notice when your chair is not functioning properly. You may not be able to perform the basic daily and weekly cleaning and upkeep yourself, but you can set up a routine that can be followed by your caregivers, family members or others to monitor your chair for problems. To keep your equipment running smoothly you will need to take care of minor problems, as well as having your service dealer take care of major repairs.

Wheelchairs are very much like any other vehicle in that they need to have regular maintenance to extend their lives. Sometimes this maintenance has to be done by outside experts, but there are some things that can be done at home that can prolong the usefulness of the chair and reduce the overall repair costs.

One of the most important things to do is read the owner's manual very carefully after the purchase of the wheelchair. This can be a critical source for information on the assembly of the chair, how to take care of the wheelchair, and the extent of any warrantee that comes with the chair. The manual should be kept in a safe place for future reference.

Some of the basic maintenance requires the use of several different kinds of tools. Some of the essential items are: an adjustable wrench, a spoke wrench, a set of Allen wrenches, a flat and Phillips head screwdriver, and a tire repair kit. It is a good idea to carry these essentials in a container that can accompany the wheelchair in case of an emergency.

There are many factors that determine how often your maintenance routine should be performed. Wheelchair type, climate, environment, and the demand put on the wheelchair will all dictate how often the chair needs service. What follows is a list of suggested maintenance that can be done at home. Though this list can help to maintain your child's wheelchair, it is still highly recommended that the chair be taken periodically to an authorized service center for a routine check-up.

Daily

• Wipe the chair down with a damp cloth.

Weekly

• Check the tire pressure.

• Check that wheel locks/brakes are easy to activate and secured tightly to the frame.

• Check the axle housings for any debris.

• Inspect the wheels to ensure spokes from the axle to the rim are secure and the rims are not bent.

• Check front casters for any wobbling, alignment, or excessive play.

Monthly

• Check for loose nuts and bolts. If any need replacing, only replace with the same size, grade, and strength rating.

• Check for any cracks in the frame.

• Check that any removable parts, such as leg rests or backrests, can be easily removed and replaced.

• Check the wheel alignment.

• Thoroughly clean the chair and use a car wax on the frame to make the next cleaning easier.

Annually

• If you have a folding chair, check that the chair opens and closes easily and lubricate the folding mechanism if necessary.

• Lubricate all pivot points and ball bearings. (This may have to be done by an authorized expert.)

For Electric Wheelchairs

• The above suggestions should also be followed. It is more important to keep a motorized wheelchair cleaner that a manual chair. Some of the maintenance procedures can be more difficult because of the connections to batteries, gears, and motors. If in doubt, call local wheelchair repair service.

• Check all electrical systems. Check battery connections on a regular basis. Cables and terminals may need to be cleaned with a wire brush if corrosion appears. Check batteries on a weekly or monthly basis.

• Check joystick controls to make sure they respond appropriately and are intact.

Author: Darlene Sekerak, PT, PhD

Malaysia police fire on opposition rioters (Sun Sep 9, 2007 8:05AM EDT)

KUALA LUMPUR (Reuters) - Malaysian police fired live rounds to quell a riot in Malaysia's Muslim heartland, wounding two men, after trying to break up an opposition rally with water cannon and tear gas, local media said on Sunday.

Local police declined to comment to Reuters on the riot, which broke out late on Saturday night in the northeastern state of Terengganu after a group of opposition parties, including the main Islamist party, held an illegal rally, the reports said.

State news agency Bernama quoted Terengganu's police chief, Ayub Yaakob, as saying that a policemen had fired two shots from a pistol, injuring one man in the shoulder and another in the neck, after he was set upon during the riot.

An eyewitness told Reuters by phone the crowd of about 500 had attacked police with stones after they set up road blocks around the rally and then moved in to break it up. The two groups fought each other until the early hours of Sunday.

In Malaysia, opposition parties must get police approval to stage rallies.

"It was police who attacked the civilians," said Kamarudin Jaffar, a leader of Islamist party Parti Islam SeMalaysia (PAS), saying the rally had been staged by PAS, other parties and non-government bodies to call for free and fair elections.

"It was a peaceful rally... Police set up all the road blocks around the area with water cannons. Then suddenly in the middle of the night they started using water cannons on people."

Malaysia's prime minister is widely expected to call for an early general election late this year or early next year.

State news agency Bernama said on Sunday that 23 people had been detained and that seven, including four policemen, were injured. Bernama said the protesters had also hurled pieces of metal and wood and a molotov cocktail at police.

The riot is another sign of rising social tensions in Malaysia as the nation moves into election mode.

The country is governed by a multi-racial coalition which is dominated by Muslim ethnic Malays and includes parties aligned with large minorities of ethnic Chinese and ethnic Indians.

Many Malay Muslims feel the coalition gives too much ground to the other races, while many ethnic Chinese and Indians feel the government discriminates against them through a decades-old affirmative-action agenda aimed at helping Malays.

Opposition parties are split along racial lines but are united in complaining that the electoral system is rigged against them and that the mainstream media pay them little attention.

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My comments: Opposition parties should use multimedia platform on the internet to broadcast their campaign. People now can buy refurbished computer set for RM280 and watch video of campaign by opposition leader, via YouTube.com or other platforms.

This way can avoid police action and the people can watch the televised show in the comfort of their homes, no need to ask for permits or licences.

How to create a garden retreat?

Creating a retreat within a garden is a rewarding project. Whether swings under a large shade tree or an arbor with with a bench in a quiet corner, a garden retreat is a relaxing and enjoyable addition to any home.

1. Find an area in the garden that is quiet and peaceful. Any area that serves to relax or inspire is the perfect location for a garden retreat.

2. Purchase a variety of garden retreat additions, such as a large arbor to place in a quiet corner. Add a small sitting bench under the arbor for a place to relax.

3. Place a decorative pots and urns in a pattern or randomly throughout the garden for a whimsical touch.

4. Create a gnome sanctuary by populating the garden retreat with several gnome statues.

5. Install a waterfall and water features to enhance the garden retreat with the sound of a trickling stream. Ponds can also add a sense of calm and serenity by themselves or together with Koi fish.

6. Add a small gazebo for an extravagant garden retreat. Small structures add a sense of scale and solidity to a garden

7. Utilise old bathtubs, sinks or plumbing fixtures for planters to add a touch of charm

50 Years Of Malaysia Independence: Look Back - Then And Now (Part 2)

8. Clothing

TODAY: Youths today often choose to clad themselves in jeans and colorful tops for a casual day out. Feminine types also enjoy boho skirts and dresses.

IN 1957: Krishnan says that 1957 style wasn't half as 'flashy' as it is today. "We'd wear pants, and plain shirts. I can't believe some of the slogans that are on shirts today," he says bemusedly.
Rani says that 1957 fashion was much more safe than today. "we'd wear three quarter pants with shirts, and dress up in skirts when there was a party. We'd never think of showing our cleavage."

9. Hairdos

TODAY: Hair dye has become the rage! Our styles may remain for the most part fairly simple, but youths today enjoy being able to choose whether to be blonde, redheaded, or raven-haired for the day.

IN 1957: Clean-cut was the style, and Krishnan says young men back then liked gelling their hair back in much the same way young men today do. "If you wanted to talk to the ladies, you couldn't approach them without having some slick in your hair," he laughs.
"For young girls, the beehive (think a toned down Marge Simpson) was extremely popular. Another hairdo that was pupular was 'the page boy cut'. "We'd cut the fringe in front, and curl it either in or out," Rani Raymond, 64, recalls.

50 Years Of Malaysia Independence: Look Back - Then And Now (Part 1)

After 50 years of independence, there are so many changes happens in our life. The young generation has a better life with new technolgies. For the blinds, they can use computer with the aid of "screen reader JAWS", using "TALK" for their handphones and chatting via "Skype".
Even lifestlyes and trends changes over time. Let's look some differences between life in the old days and today.

1. Transport

TODAY: For those of who aren't so lucky as to have a car, trains (PUTRA LRT, STAR LRT, MONORAIL, ERL and KOMUTER) have proven pretty convenient for us to get about. Live in Gombak and want to get to Bangsar? No problem! The LRT can get you there without any stops in half an hour.

IN1957: Bicycles got the 1957 youth from A to B. "I'd cycle to school via rickshaw," says Rani. "If the distance was too far, you could use a bus. They operate until half past six in the evening."
Krishnan says that begging your parents for a car has been universal thought the ages. "I started asking my parents when I was 13, Krishnan says, "anticipating that by the time I was 16, they'd agree!. They didn't, but I was allowed to drive their car from time to time.

2. Necessary Accessory

TODAY: A mobile phone is essential to the functioning of every day life. Not only does it serve as a useful social device, young people also utilise it as alarm clock, an organiser, a camera, music player.......

IN 1957: "There were no electronic items for us to fiddle with," says Rani. "Fashion was all we had, so handbags and nice shoes would become 'necessary'."
Krishnan says the one item that guys had on them was a comb. "You never knew when you'd have to fix your hair up for someone special," he winks.

3. Crushing

TODAY: When a young person fancies someone, they'll create some excuse to ask for a phone number, and then proceed to text them mercilessly. That way, if rejection comes their way, they can say they were just being "friendly".

IN 1957: "When I started courting my wife, I had to ask her father permission first," says Chin, who said he would never dared take her out beforehand. "Things were very clean then. It's too bad young people don't think about following the old ways - they could learn a lot! Asking for permission shows respect towards the girl's father, and also to the girl in question."
Rani, however, says for the most part, she and her friends were very "innocent" when it came to guys. "I'm sure some of us had crushes on them, but we'd keep it secret. We usually only thought of guys as friends."

4. Music Tastes

TODAY: Youths today listen to an array of music. For instance, we listen to rock in the form of the White Stripes, The Killers and the iconic U@, hip-hop via kanye West and Nelly, R&B thruogh the likes of Mariah Carey and Usher, and of course, pop music, featuring Christina Aguilera, Katherine McPhee and Clay Aiken. Diversity is the new game.

IN 1957: Acts like Tony Bennet, Rosemary Clooney, and Frank Sinatra reigned the day. The difference between then and today's music, according to yesterday's youth, is that music was "a lot more meaningful."
"The music, the words, they all meant something." says retired schoolteacher Alan Lim, 65. "They have a universal message; even my grandchildren admit it. They are not like some of today's songs that talk about petty relationship and drugs."

5. The iPod vs. The Record Player

TODAY: Young people today listen to music with the help of a handy new invention known as the iPod. Depending on the memory of the device, youths can store up to thousands of songs on their iPod. It's also mobile, meaning we've the advantage of being able to listen to it anytime, anywhere.

IN 1957: "When we wanted to listen to music, we had to find a radio!" exclaims engineer Ahmed Mutafa, 66. "Most people I knew had one, but I had some friends who'd come over to my house to "hang out" and listen to the radio." Record players were there for those who wanted to pick what music they liked listening to.

6. Story of The Year

TODAY: Paris Hilton spending a few weeks in prison was one of the bigger stories of this year. Youths were either laughing at her, shocked at the harsh sentence, wondering how she'd survive, complaining that everyone talked about it too much.

IN 1957: "Our independence was the biggest story then," says Rani. "Petty celebrity gossip paled in comparison.

7. Idols

TODAY: Every one was caught in the chemistry Brangelina after Mr & Mrs Smith. Other hot idols whom we'd like to get stuck with on a dessert island includes Orlando Bloom, Hillary Duff, Robert Pattinson (aka Cedric Diggory) and Keira Knightley.

IN 1957: "We swooned over Rock Hudson," murmurs Rani. "We'd go to see his movies because he was so handsome."
Alan says he and his friends fancied local actress, the late Siput Sarawak, mother of Anita Sarawak. "She always playing the witch or bad woman, which we found sassy. Later on, Sarimah became our main idol. I'm still her number one fan!."