• Lexie Cooper suffers from severe cerebral palsy which
  leaves her wheelchair bound and struggling to communicate
• But after being given a special eye recognition computer she has finally been able to make herself heard for the first time

By
Anthony Bond

PUBLISHED:

05:33 EST, 14 May 2012

|

UPDATED:

06:10 EST, 14 May 2012

For many parents, hearing their child say ‘I love you’ for the first time is a special and emotional moment.

But for the parents of one five-year-old girl it was particularly overwhelming.

Lexie Cooper-Barnes suffers from severe cerebral palsy which
leaves her wheelchair bound and means she has struggled to communicate
with her parents or school friends.

But after being given a special eye recognition computer she has finally been able to make herself heard for the first time.

Lexie Cooper-Barnes has been given the ability to speak for the first time. Her first words to her mother, Charlene, were ‘I love you’

The device is similar to the one used by Professor Stephen Hawking and Lexie  is thought to be the youngest person to have such equipment.

Her mother, Charlene Cooper, 34, of Eastleigh, Hampshire, said: ‘It has been a long time coming, hearing the words “I love you mum,” but they were overwhelming.

‘She wanted to be able to say things like “Mummy, I am bored of shopping” and the things other children might say. We wanted Lexie to have a voice.

‘Instead of us being forced to talk to her, we wanted her to have the ability to talk back. Now she can respond, she has gained independence and freedom.

‘As her parents, we knew what her noises and actions meant but others who did not know her did not understand what she was trying to say.

Five-year-old Lexie suffers from cerebral palsy leaving her wheelchair bound and, until now, unable to talk to her parents and school friends

‘Her speech and language therapist mentioned the eye-gaze equipment and she has been doing brilliantly with it. It is amazing how far technology has come.’

Lexie is thought to be the youngest person to have the equipment which is similar to that used by Professor Stephen Hawking

Lexie uses her eyes to choose phrases on a special £20,000 laptop which Mrs Cooper and her husband John, 39, an accountant, bought after organising fundraising events for its purchase.

Office assistant Mrs Cooper said doctors believe Lexie, who was diagnosed with cerebral palsy at 11 months, could be unique because of her mental ability.

About 2,000 babies are diagnosed with cerebral palsy every year in Britain, but rarely as severe as Lexie.

‘It is very rare for a child to be so physically disabled but so mentally able,’ said Mrs Cooper.

‘This is frustrating for her. The doctors are baffled by her case. The response from everybody was absolutely incredible and we are so grateful she is able to communicate the way she has always wanted to.

‘She has so much going on inside her head, you can see it in her eyes and this equipment has unlocked all that potential and made her life easier.’

She added: ‘Seeing her use the laptop is amazing.

‘It is brilliant to see her so excited because for the first time she has a voice and it brings tears to my eyes.

‘We do not know what the future will hold for Lexie but allowing her to communicate was a priority. She can make friends and enjoy school as much as any other child and that is the best feeling in the world.’

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Mayor Mike Bell poses in his office with his mother, Ora Bell.
THE BLADE/DAVE ZAPOTOSKY

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Many people whose mothers raised them with a firm, loving hand can hear their mom’s words, guiding them through life.

Often those “mom-isms” are solid instruction that become the foundation upon which some build their lives.

“Don’t say anything bad about someone that you won’t say to that person,” keeps you from being considered a gossip. “Don’t practice in private what you don’t want to mistakenly perform in public,” eliminates the idea of living a double life. Or, for another way of saying “the early bird gets the worm,” here are more words of wisdom from mothers: “Get going early; half the day is gone by 9 o’clock.”

For this Mother’s Day, notable current and former Toledoans fondly recall what their mothers told them that helped in their lives.

YWCA of Northwest Ohio CEO Lisa McDuffie’s mom, Martha Hester, often said, “Smiles open doors” and “If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it.” And one of Ms. Duffie’s mother’s remarks that was sure to help youngsters settle down and go to sleep is: “No sleep, no dreams.”

Toledo Public Schools Superintendent Jerome Pecko recalled that when his mother, Ann Pecko, announced that, “‘You’re going to get a lickin!” that was enough to make him and his siblings, who lived on the south side of Akron, straighten up. Another motherly remark that Mr. Pecko — who had three sisters and a brother — said took him some years to figure out was this one: “Treat every girl you go out with like she’s your sister.”

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Lori Ferguson and her mother, Mary Ellen Warner.

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Lori Ferguson, vice president of patient care services and chief nursing officer at ProMedica Toledo Children’s Hospital, remembered her mother’s “Kill them with kindness,” because you can never go wrong being nice to someone and you never feel badly about it, Ms. Ferguson said. Her mother, Mary Ellen Warner of Toledo, embraced a saying from her grandmother that was passed on: “Never be the first one to let go when you hug your child.” Ms. Ferguson said doing that gives a child the extra touch of love that they may need for the day.

Rutgers University Professor Stanley Cowell, a former Toledoan and composer and pianist, said a statement from his mother remains true about life: “Life is like this: Just as you get comfortable thinking all is going well, something unexpected happens. Do not become complacent.”

U.S. Rep. Marcy Kaptur (D., Toledo) recalled these very familiar remarks from her mother, Anastasia Kaptur: “It isn’t what you say, it is what you do,” “Don’t judge a book by its cover,” and “The strongest steel goes through the hottest fire.” And for more common sense from her mom, she instructed the congressman to hang up her coat when she got home to avoid having to expend more energy later to pick it up. “And always put your gloves in your pocket; that way you don’t forget them.”

Toledo-Lucas County Public Library Director and Fiscal Officer Clyde S. Scoles remembered this as one of the best quotes from his mother, the late Edna Mae Scoles, who lived in Columbus: “Don’t let other people make choices for you and don’t let others push you around.”

Executive Director and CEO of the Toledo Zoo, Anne Baker, mentioned a couple of statements from her mother, Alberta Baker, who was 97 when she passed away last year: “Beauty is as beauty does,” which Ms. Baker explained meant “What you do is much more important than how you look. I suspect I needed to hear this because I wasn’t very happy about having red hair and freckles,” she said. Another from the zoo director’s mother is one that’s applicable today in light of the plethora of problems that result from bullying: “Sticks and stones may break your bones but words can never hurt you.” Ms. Baker added, “This is probably even more relevant today. Kids can be mean and hurtful and mom tried to help me understand that I had control over whether what others said was only hurtful if I let it be.”

Toledo Mayor Mike Bell remembered his mother, Ora Bell, telling him to “Be kind to everybody because the same people you meet coming up you’re going to meet on the way back down.” As mayor, he said that is especially insightful, because “your time on top is short lived and you’ll be no different than those you serve.” Another famous mom-ism from Mrs. Bell that other mothers have stated is that “A hard head makes for a soft behind.”‘ “That was her way of saying ‘even if you don’t get it, you’re gonna get it,’” Mayor Bell added. “I think both are true. They helped me develop as a person and influence who I am today as mayor.”

Dr. S. Amjad Hussain, Blade columnist and retired Toledo surgeon, recalled a lesson in humility that his mother, known by the family as Aapa, taught him. While practicing in the 1970s in Pakistan, a street sweeper showed up at his clinic and jumped in front of other patients. At the end of the day, he complained about that to his mother, and this is what she told him: “[She] told me not to forget my own humble background. I was a surgeon because of those poor people,” he said, referring to what in those days was his nearly free education.

Contact Rose Russell at: rrussell@theblade.com or 419-724-6178.

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Film: ‘Ishaqzaade’; Cast: Parineeti Chopra, Arjun Kapoor; Writer-Director: Habib Faisal; Rating: ****

What does one do when love strikes during times of war? And make no mistake. Elections time in a small dusty town of Uttar Pradesh is akin to war. Guns are fired randomly at enemies, real or imagined. Enemies fall to the ground. Morals lie crushed under heels. And finer feelings are buried under a rubble of trouble.

Into this town, here named Almora, enters love on silent feet. Well, maybe not so silent. ‘Ishaqzaade’ is a very noisy film. The hero Parma (debutant Arjun Kapoor) is an uncouth animal, whose disgusting habits include kidnapping the town’s nautch girl from a rival’s party to dance at his grandfather’s wedding. Later, his moral temperature dips to an all-time low when he takes loathsome revenge on the girl he loves to hate.

As the Muslim girl Zoya, Parineeti Chopra fills the screen with a tempestuous charm. Naturally spontaneous and vivacious, she reminds you of the early Jaya Bhaduri. Her character is a sharp-shooter with a tongue to match. And when she gets brutally compromised by Parma, she reacts like a wild cat raging against the promised full-cream milk that curdled when she was not looking.

Habib Faisal, who made the mellow, mild-mannered middle-class comedy ‘Do Dooni Chaar’ about a college professor’s dream of buying a scooter, here shows a completely unexpected side to his cinematic vision. The landscape he paints in Almora is so volatile and violent, you pray for atonement for these characters.

The lovers don’t exchange chaste glances and furtive kisses. They embrace passionately and smooch each other’s lips off. And when they make love, it seems they are waging war on the world. Full-blooded, voluptuous and eminently earthy, ‘Ishaqzaade’ is a pickled, aromatic roller-coaster ride through the badlands where blazing guns mean families are at one another’s throats.

The first-half of the narration builds up to an engrossing case for Parma to inflict his uncouth and aggressive malevolence on Zoya. The confrontation scenes between the two, written with the right amount of zing and sting, are first-rate. Remarkably the adversaries-turned-lovers keep drawing attention to each other’s religion without mincing words. The two religions are almost thrown at one another as taunts. Riot or wrong, who can tell?

What Faisal wants to say, and we would be better off if we pay heed, is — it is imperative to address the Hindi-Muslim divide headlong, or else blood would continue to be spilt each time two people from different communities ‘dare’ to love each other.

‘Don’t even think of it. An Indo-Pak war will break out,’ the Muslim girl warns the Hindu boy. And then proceeds to break the self-imposed rule with a rush of rebellion and passion that seems to replicate the flow of adrenaline in the virile script.

‘Ishaqzaade’ is written in blood, dipped in passion, and shot in vivid colours of life, strife and other bitter embers of the communal fire. The director constantly attempts to bring alive the cluttered milieu of a lawless north Indian town. Faisal succeeds to a remarkable degree.

His characters speak an easily recognisable language from Uttar Pradesh’s heartland where even daughters are taught to fire a gun before they learn the alphabet. The supporting characters don’t fake it even for a second.

Many scenes convey warmth and empathy without a jot of self-consciousness. The characters are all played by unknown local UP actors who are born to the milieu. The director builds a believable arc of love and revenge. His lovers are so well-conceived on paper, it would have taken two truly idiotic actors to ruin their characters.

Luckily, Parineeti and Arjun are anything but incapable actors. They imbue the violent ambience with their own peculiar chemistry.

The bloodshed never stops, and the action is relentless. Hemant Chaturvedi’s cinematography creates a world that is real and at the same time, highly cinematic.

There are many reasons why ‘Ishaqzaade’ is a remarkable film. It enters the killing fields of Uttar Pradesh. It chases down our two protagonists and then watches them get into a crisis with no end. In the end, we are looking at two young vibrant people whom we love because they love one another irrespective of the differences.

This is not a film which offers a pretty love story with gentle love songs. Even the music (by Amit Trivedi) sounds like a war cry. As for Parineeti and Arjun, never mind the destiny that lies in store for their characters in this film. They are here to stay.

IANS

This article was distributed through the NewsCred Smartwire.

Original article © IANS / Daily News 2012

Why did President Obama decide to support same-sex marriage, publicly and for the first time on Wednesday? The day after, there are plenty of opinions, so take your pick.

His timing was forced by Vice President Biden’s weekend endorsement

President Obama speaks during an interview with “Good Morning America” co-anchor Robin Roberts in this still image taken from video released Wednesday. During the interview, Obama said he believes same-sex couples should be allowed to marry.
(HANDOUT – REUTERS)

(unless you believe as some do that Biden’s move was a calculated slip of the tongue orchestrated by a Machiavellian White House).

Or he had to appease the gay fundraisers working to raise money for what promises to be an expensive, nasty and hard-fought presidential campaign against Mitt Romney and his deep-pocket Wall Street backers.

Or he is trying to renew enthusiasm among the young voters crucial in 2008 and even more important in 2012.

Or he approved of same-sex marriage all along and – ever mindful of the political consequences — was waiting for polls to show a more accepting public.

Or he’s a fan of ABC’s Robin Roberts and decided it would be fun to deny the scoop to any White House correspondent with a catchy one-syllable first name — think Chip, Jake or Chuck.

OK, I made that last one up.

To see everyone with a computer or a microphone weigh in on Obama’s “true” motives was to realize that when it comes to scrutinizing politicians, the last thing we care about is what that politician says.

For many months, journalists have been wondering what the president thinks about same-sex marriage, parsing each word out of his month, almost mocking his explanation of an “evolving” stance while that evolution was taking place before our eyes: ending “don’t ask, don’t tell,” endorsing civil unions, supporting repeal of the Defense of Marriage Act.

In his conversation with Roberts, Obama traced his thinking, how he tried to reconcile the marriage traditions of his Christian faith with the words of its golden rule. He talked about discussions around the dinner table with his wife and two daughters, whose world includes same-sex couples and their children.

He worked out his thought process, how he traveled from one place to another, in his heart and in his head, and came to a decision that he had to express without fully knowing what the political fallout would be.

Maybe sometimes, a politician simply means what he says. Obama favors equality, but because of custom, faith and so many other reasons, he had a difficult time saying out loud that he approves of and supports same-sex marriage.

I never thought that much about the issue because it didn’t affect my daily life or my marriage. My friends in same-sex relationships knew that if they decided to get married, I would be there, celebrating with them and dancing at the weddings. Taking a public stand is not the same as loving your friends.

But then North Carolina decided to add a question to its Tuesday primary ballot: “yes” or “no” to amend the state’s constitution to declare marriage between one man and one woman the only recognized and valid domestic legal union.

Never mind that on Wednesday, same-sex marriage would still be against the law in the state. (In this case, after the amendment passed overwhelmingly.) The vote took the law one step further and became a symbol, as well, of faith and government and whether this was the next front in America’s civil rights struggle.

I knew how I would vote from the start. As a person who tries to see life through the other guy’s point of view and as an African American, I am physically unable to push a button or pull a lever for anything that would discriminate against anybody – not going to happen. My views on same-sex marriage were not so clear.

Though faith congregations over a wide spectrum of denominations fell on both sides of the issue of Amendment One, my Catholic Church – with videos, mailings and sermons – campaigned enthusiastically for it. Bishop Peter Jugis, leader of the diocese of Charlotte, told me in an e-mail: “There are definitely very serious clashes taking place in our society regarding very important moral and social issues.  The Church wants to be involved in the discussion.”

I listened and understood, but still heard exclusion in the message that clashed with my understanding of “love thy neighbor.” It didn’t make me turn away from the church’s mission and service. I participated in the food ministry for the homeless that spent a day and night each week in the parish. But sitting in the pew, letting the sermons wash over me, I wondered if I really wanted my weekly offering going to the diocesan full-court publicity press.

As I attended forums – as a journalist and a citizen – hoping to understand the legal ramifications of a ban that promised to affect civil unions and unmarried heterosexual couples, I heard people sincere in their belief that marriage is what the Bible says it is clash with same-sex couples raising children and making homes together. Each wanted validation that would not come.

Like some African Americans who stood on both sides of the debate, I bristled a bit at comparisons to the civil rights movement and the 1967 Loving v. Virginia case, when the Supreme Court struck down states laws banning interracial marriage. Race and gender are different things, I believed. Both fights are about civil rights, but are they part of the same fight?

While activists on either side were so certain of where they stood, others weighed mixed feelings.

In my conversation with Dwayne A. Walker, pastor at Charlotte’s Little Rock AME Zion Church in Charlotte, I saw his struggle. Was homosexuality nature or nurture? He said he didn’t know. And no, he said, he would not marry a same-sex couple in his church, one that didn’t sanction same-sex marriage. But the N.C. marriage amendment went further than he was willing to, so he told his congregation to examine it carefully before voting. He warned of “unintended consequences.”

When LGBT activists compare themselves with the civil rights marchers of the 1960’s and I hesitated, Walker said he understood: “People are passionate about their identity and don’t understand why other people won’t accept it.” You can see why this guy’s a pastor. Everyone wants to take his or her place in the line of Americans with full and equal rights. As Martin Luther King found inspiration in Gandhi, others would look to a movement that transformed the laws of America. 

It always seemed to return to the word “marriage,” a sacrament that has come to mean much more than standing in a courthouse line. If only the state would just confer civil unions on everyone and let churches sort out the marriage thing, I reasoned. But you can’t go backward.

Is that what made Obama take a step forward? I have no idea. You didn’t think I would join the list of psychics I chided, with one eye on the Oval Office and the other on the next column?

The weight of a presidential election is not something I carry on my shoulders, so any comparison I make is far from perfect. But thoughtfully considering a lifetime of belief before making a decision that has an impact on the lives of others isn’t easy — for anyone.

Mary C. Curtis, an award-winning multimedia journalist in Charlotte, N.C., is a contributor to The Root, Fox News Charlotte, NPR, Creative Loafing and Nieman Watchdog blog. She has worked at The New York Times, Charlotte Observer and as national correspondent for Politics Daily. Follow her on Twitter: @mcurtisnc3

MANILA, Philippines — Naughty kids would often tell their cohorts – “Don’t tell mom!” But experts say that if there is one thing that everyone should tell their moms, it should be the three words “I Love You”. It may be very hard for many grownups to say this line, though, says Coach Pia Acevedo of the Love Institute. “That happens when they were not used to saying it or hearing it as kids. According to the book by Gary Chapman, there are five love languages, and Words of Affirmation is one of them. Parents may have brought up their children using the other love languages, which are Quality Time, Service, Physical Touch, and Gift-Giving. Everyone should experience love 360 degrees.” She adds that in general, Filipinos have a hard time telling their parents they love them. “In Asian countries, people are more reserved and conservative. Children show their love through Service,” she points out.

But those words must be said, rather than regret not doing it later on. That is why Swiss chocolate brand Toblerone has launched a cool campaign to make it easier for Pinoys to tell their moms “I Love You” for the whole wide web world to see.  At the Toblerone press launch, guest celebrities RJ Jacinto, Jessica Tan Gan, Georgia Schulze-Del Rosario, and event host RJ Ledesma, were all surprised by the appearance of their gorgeous moms at the event. They were even more surprised when they were handed special Toblerone boxes which had their Mom and Me photos inside.

Each celebrity mom (Fortune Ledesma, Ces Schulze, Frannie Jacinto, and Lulu Tan Gan) was the tearful recipient of the “L” word, as their children shared in their heartfelt messages how much they cherish their relationships.

The lovefest does not stop there, of course. This Mother’s Day, the uniquely-shaped Toblerone chocolates might as well be Love Triangles, as they give Filipinos the opportunity to tell the world how much they heart their moms and win awesome prizes at the same time. To join the Toblerone online photo contest, simply “like” the TobleronePilipinas Facebook page and upload your sweetest photo with your mom.

The chocolate company will be awarding 50 weekly winners up to May 18th a 100g Toblerone bar each; major weekly winners get an overnight stay for two at Shangri-La Edsa, and an overnight stay for four at a Hotel H20 Aquarium Room with Spa, Breakfast, Lunch, and Dinner for the grand prize.

There will also be live sites for the sweet promo at selected grocery stores around the country. Check out the full mechanics and mall schedules at www.givetoblerone.com or call the consumer hotline at 820-2866.

File photo of men walking through a sculpture by American pop artist Robert Indiana titled “Love” in front of the i-Land building in Tokyo’s Shinjuku district
(KIM KYUNG-HOON, REUTERS / May 8, 2012)

• Group of hang gliders planted tree in Lenami Godinez-Avila’s honor yesterday
• Canadian officers obtain video card which may hold clues to why Lenami  died in the crash
• Card had apparently been swallowed by Miss Godinez-Avila’s instructor, Jon Orders
• Released on bail on Friday

By
Rachel Quigley

PUBLISHED:

16:03 EST, 7 May 2012

|

UPDATED:

16:33 EST, 7 May 2012

The boyfriend of the hand glider who plummeted one thousand feet to her death last week screamed ‘Hang on! I love you’ while he watched helplessly as she died, witnesses revealed.

Hang-gliding enthusiasts gathered at the site of Lenami Godinez-Avila’s death in a forest clearing near Agassiz, British Columbia, yesterday to pay their respects after the April 28 tragedy.

It was the first time the 27-year-old had ever experienced a hand glider and was part of the anniversary celebrations with her boyfriend David.

Memorial: A group of hang gliders gathered at the place where Lenami Godinez-Avila died to plant a cherry blossom tree and erect a cross a week after her death

Hang glider pilot Jon Orders was held in custody until Friday following allegations he swallowed a video card – which police have since obtained – which recorded events leading up to the incident

Scene: Hang gliders and emergency workers rush to where Lenami Godinez-Avila’s body was found after she plummeted 1,000 feet to her death last Suaturday

On Saturday, a small group – most of whom had never met Lenami – erected a cross and planted a cherry blossom tree as a memorial, Canada’s CTV reported.

One friend, Katherine Louman-Gardiner, told CTV News: ‘She was a bright and caring, charismatic person and we miss her terribly.

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