Talkin' Generalizations

I'm tired of hearing about ALL THE REASONS that people with autism CAN'T do anything. "They can't handle change". "They can't handle noise." "They can't handle touch." It's all a bunch of stigmatization as far as I'm concened!

How about considering the reason people with autism can't do anything, is the people who speak on their behalf. I'm talking about those who BENEFIT from the belief that these folks are so UNABLE. Without naming names, it should be clear who I'm talking about...

What about the idea that people with autism generally rise to the level of EXPECTATION placed upon them. In my many years working with these folks (inluding 12 with my own nephew), I've found this to be the case. For Christ sake, STOP pretending like these folks are unable to learn, and start believing that they are TOTALLY capable of learning!! Thank You!

Speaking of War...

"Heroism on command, senseless brutality, deplorable love-of-country stance, and all the loathsome nonsense that goes by the name of patriotism - how passionately I hate them!"

Albert Einstein (1879 - 1955)

I've never been mistaken for a flag waving patriot. In fact, I believe the US has done more harm than good to its' citizens (and the world) since I was born. One of my earliest memories of this is a bumper sticker on the back of a neighbors station wagon that read "Footprint of the American chicken", underneath the picture of a peace sign. And then there was the old "America, love it or leave it" people, who are the same ones who hate immigrants today.

Have you heard that the LA Times has several new pictures of US soldiers in Afghanistan, using the body parts of car bombers for "funny" photos? The Administration has asked the Times to not print these photos out of a fear of retaliation toward soldiers still on the ground there. I believe the REAL reason is that if Americans saw some of these photos, it would only make an already unpopular war even more unpopular.

Yeah, they are also concerned it will make Afghanistan more dangerous than it is. MORE dangerous? The fact that a foreign country is occupying a land that they've all but destroyed makes Afghanistan "dangerous". You want safety for the troops? Bring them home!

Flakes on the Net

Last month I was contacted by someone claiming her name is Julie Vernon. She was offering me money for advertising some business stuff on this blog. Below is the interaction we had...

----Original Message-----
From: Julie Vernon <

julievernon99@gmail.com>
To: dawgoregon <dawgoregon@aol.com>
Sent: Tue, Mar 13, 2012 6:46 am
Subject: Quick question about your post

Hey Dawg,

I just finished reading a post of yours from a bit ago and really enjoyed it!

Do you do advertising? I'm marketing out a site and can pay you via PayPal for adding a few text links to an old post of yours. These links would go to resources on education and topics related to the theme of your post.

Let me know if we can work something out! :)

Thanks
Julie Vernon

--
"Try not to become a man of success but rather to become a man of value" - Albert Einstein

　

On Tue, Mar 13, 2012 at 3:29 PM, David McDonald <dawgoregon@aol.com> wrote:

I'm interested! Please explain.

　

Hey David,

Thanks for hearing me out. I can pay you $20 over PayPal for adding a few text links to an old blog post of yours. The link would be related to online education and added within your actual writing, so they'd be discreet to a reader. I have many sites and can match up the topic of your page with one of my sites.

Here's an example, look at the Online University link:

http://engagesocially.wordpress.com/2011/12/12/social-learning-environments-and-outcomes/

Would you be interested in this? I can find a post of yours and write out a way of how to add the links in with your content. Also if you want more opportunities, we can pay you for more links in the future.

Thank you,

Julie Vernon

　

On Thu, Mar 15, 2012 at 1:05 PM, David McDonald <dawgoregon@aol.com> wrote:

Sounds interesting!

I do have a few questions to ask.

1. How did you find my blog?

2. What site(s) are you marketing?

3. What kind of agreement would we have about who you are linking to?

4. Which post are you interested in?
Thanks for your interest!

David

　

Hey David,

Thanks for hearing me out! Here's the details. You'll just add a little content to your post:

Takes only a few minutes.

You can copy paste the link, so it's very easy.

You'll get paid $50 via PayPal.

I can send the payment first, then you can update your content.

This post: http://dawgoregon.blogspot.com/2008/09/still-dangerous.html

Proposal:

1) Please add a new first paragraph to read:

“Assisted suicide laws are controversial, particularly because they could harm the poor and those with disabilities. The best online psychology degree programs and top traditional programs have studied this issue. An APA study was done in 1997 as well, it concluded that Assisted Suicide was a state-level issue. Oregon is the only state to make assisted suicide legal so far. However, other states could follow suit at any time.”

2) Please link the text “best online psychology degree programs” to

www.psychologydegreeguide.org.

Please link "APA study" to <http://www.apa.org/pubs/info/reports/aseol.aspx>

Also, please link the text “make assisted suicide legal” tohttp://public.health.oregon.gov/ProviderPartnerResources/EvaluationResearch/DeathwithDignityAct/Pages/index.aspx.

That's it. Remember, it is just an initial proposal, so if you want to change something we can make it happen!

Thanks,

Julie Vernon

　

On Tue, Mar 20, 2012 at 11:24 AM, David McDonald <dawgoregon@aol.com> wrote:

Hi Julie-

I'm wondering if there are any rigid requirements involved in placing these links on my blog. For example:

1) what is the expectation for the length of time that I would leave these links connected to the post?

2) I don't want to be connected to any group that promotes euthanasia that is specifically directed at people with disabilities. If I were to see this beginning to happen and had personal concerns, I may want to remove the links. What would happen in such a case?

Supporting people with disabilities through activism is what I do, and that's where my concern comes from. I'll be waiting to hear from you.

Thanks,

David

　

-----Original Message-----
From: Julie Vernon <julievernon99@gmail.com>
To: David McDonald <dawgoregon@aol.com>

Sent: Tue, Mar 20, 2012 11:33 am
Subject: Re: Quick question about your post

Hey David,

1) The site hopes that the links would be permanent. At the very least we ask for two years and at that point, just remind me and the site is likely to renew.

2) If the site were to ever begin advocating for euthanasia for people who did not wish to be euthanized, I would strongly recommend you take the links down. However, I don't think that will be a problem :)

If you would like to keep moving forward, send me your PayPal and I will send you a deposit.

Thanks!

　

On Tue, Mar 20, 2012 at 12:43 PM, David McDonald <dawgoregon@aol.com> wrote:

Thanks Julie! never having used PayPal, I'll go there now to set up an account.

　

I think you will be pleasantly surprised by PayPal.

Let me know once you have!

Thanks again!

　

Thanks David!

On Thu, Mar 22, 2012 at 11:56 AM, David McDonald <dawgoregon@aol.com> wrote:

I sent them the wrong bank info., so it's gonna take a few more days. Sorry...

　

That's fine, I did the same thing when I signed up!

Just let me know when you have everything worked out and I will put the payment over right away!

Thanks David!

　

Ok... we're good to go now. PayPal,s up and running! What's next?

　

Never heard from her again! The other day, I checked my account (which is fine), and then contacted the Dept. of Justice who told me this may very well be a scam. Fortunately I never completed the PayPal info., and now I may even catch her in a fraudulent attempt at accessing my bank account. Just goes to show you there are still plenty of flakes on the net!