Our mantra is “safety safety safety” and we think this light is a must have.
The Sylvania Power Failure Light
The light has a nice feel in our hands, simple controls and a retractable plug, which is easy to fold down to carry the light in your pocket. The LED technology also means lower carbon emissions and no bulbs to burn out.
The only drawback we see is that the flashlight covers both sockets in an outlet, giving you one less socket to plug something else in.
We received this request from Allie, one of our readers, and we’re printing it verbatim in case you can tell us where to find a chair like this:
“This may be one of the stranger requests you get. I’m disabled, and I paint faces. I have to carry my gear to gigs, often on trains and subways. Most of it’s not a problem, thanks to wheeled totes. What is a problem is finding a tall chair that can fold up to a small and lightweight carrying size. If I can find one, I can fit it in the tote I’m planning to buy. The best foldup dimensions and weight I’ve found are 8 by 19 by 39 and four pounds. It’s that 39 inch part that’s the problem. I can’t find any director’s chairs of bar height with truly collapsible legs. Any suggestions?”
Eds. Note: We told Allie we did not find her request strange at all. In fact, the strangest request we’ve gotten was from a man who bought a Washlet after reading our site and then wrote to say he didn’t have enough water pressure to get his rear-end clean and did we know how to fix that? We did not.
This report, from KCLA-TV, says bionic eyes could become commonplace within three to five years. And this report, from The Associated Press, says scientists for the first time have used gene therapy to dramatically improve sight in people with a rare form of blindness - a development experts called a major advance.
A new device called the Lyric appears to overcome many of the problems associated with traditional hearing aids.
The Lyric doesn’t have to be removed for sleeping or showering and it doesn’t squeal with feedback or over amplify background noises - just several of the reasons that make us hate traditional hearing aids.
Doctors say the Lyric works so efficiently because it sits close to the ear drum, which mean sounds are more natural because they don’t have to be amplified as much.
Click here to learn more in this story via The New York Times.
This strap-on seat was designed for dairy workers but is equally useful for gardeners, artists, and those who find themselves kneeling and bending too much.
The seat, which reduces stress on the back, hamstrings and knees, fastens around the waist and has straps extending from the belt to the seat that adjust for a good fit. The seat, which can adjust to different heights, moves with you and is easy to sit down on again in a new location.
The light-weight seat was tested by researchers at the University of Wisconsin’s Healthy Farmers Project, who found they worked more efficiently and with less soreness. The researchers said it beat sitting on a 5-gallon bucket because they didn’t have to drag a bucket along with them, which freed up their hands for the work before them.
Yes, it makes you look a little strange when you stand up and walk around, but as Gimpy Girls we learned to put comfort before vanity a long time ago.
Click here for a seat that adjusts from a height of 13-1/2″ H to 17″ H.
Click here for a seat that is set permanently at a height of 11-1/2″ x 7-1/2″.
Eds Note: Cait barred me from using the word ’stool’ in my descriptions of this particular seat.
Cait found this photo in an ad for an insurance company and immediately concluded this poor lad had been disabled by his hair.
Marty had a boyfriend who had hair just like this. In fact, Marty herself had hair like this! Ahh the ’70s.
We’re always on the hunt for ad copy that belies reality and we found one in Touch of Gray - “For the generation that swore it would never get old. And didn’t.”
This product from Just For Men purports to be the first hair treatment that lets men keep a little gray - apparently just enough to appear dignified but not decrepit.
In addition, here’s a New York Times story about the options men have today to deal with gray hair - or a little less of it.
Eds. Note: As for the generation that believes it never got old, we’re thinking there must be a generation of portraits of Dorian Gray in some attic somewhere.
A new study shows dying on a motorcycle is becoming a middle-aged phenomenon. The report says death rates from motorcycle crashes have risen steadily since states began weakening helmet laws about a decade ago.
Federal transportation officials say the trend reflects the growing popularity of motorcycles among older people with increasing incomes but decreasing physical dexterity and reaction times.
Click here to read Tara Parker-Pope’s column.
Eds Note: On a lighter note, go to the bottom of her column to find a link to a cute Honda commercial featuring a very young John Travolta as a motorcycle-riding mailman.
The Hamilton Beach Talking Microwave
The settings are designed to be intuitive and easy to change, and the function buttons and dial control are large enough for people who have difficulty using their fingers.
The oven’s voice issues clear instructions and the oven’s smaller size is suitable for everyday solo needs and medium-size casseroles.
We’ve included this video Cait found of two seemingly able-bodied young people using this microwave. We don’t think the video is all that informative but it does give you a look at the oven in action.
Hands down, our favorite food writer is Mark Bittman, author of The New York Times column “The Minimalist” and the blog “Bitten.”
Bittman makes cooking accessible without dumbing it down. Take, for example, this column on the microwave - which he proposes renaming the “Whiz-Bang Steaming Oven.”
There’s hardly a kitchen in North America without a microwave, and many people with disabilities - especially vision and dexterity issues - favor them because they don’t have to fear touching hot elements.
Bittman provides myriad - and simple - ways to use your microwave for more than reheating leftovers and softening ice cream. Pulling from other cooking writers and inviting tips from readers, he shows you how to make everything from Steamed Chocolate Pudding to South Indian Eggplant Curry.
Cait found Bittman’s tips most informative and she’s been using a microwave for years. Marty, on the other hand, an avowed Luddite, does not own a microwave and believes they are dangerous and contribute to societal disintegration.
On a moment’s notice, Marty can mount her High Pony of Self-Righteousness against microwaves, processed food, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, Chinese food imports, disposable technology and the TV show “American Idol.”
As Cait warns: “Don’t get Marty started. You DON’T have that much time!
