UN adopts disability convention

Weeelll they are screwing up pretty badly in Africa right now...

[Griff]

This is way off topic but, my daughter's fencing magazine showed up with photos from the World Championships in Torino. Wheelchair fencing was one of the disciplines. Looks like saber from the pictures.

Very cool, thanks.

[JayMcGee]

so... you would like the USA to have a veto in the GA as well?

I thought you was the home of democracy, the land of of the free, et al...

[9th Engineer]

And hopefully still the land of be-specific-about-what-you're-talking-about. They aren't doing anyone any favors by keeping the language vauge, all it'll do is cause complications when problems arise and the people in charge have no real guidelines to follow.

[orthodoc]

Originally Posted by JayMcGee

so... you would like the USA to have a veto in the GA as well?

I thought you was the home of democracy, the land of of the free, et al...

I didn't see MaggieL saying she wants the USA to have a veto in the GA - she clarified the fact that this is not a bill, it's a treaty - nations sign it or not. If the USA doesn't sign it, that's not a veto.

Yeah, this is the best working model of a 'land of the free' at the moment ... coming from a socialist state, I really appreciate the freedoms here. Freedom of expression, freedom of religion - those are only 'free' to the extent the government's agenda will tolerate them, where I came from.

[MaggieL]

Originally Posted by JayMcGee

I thought you was the home of democracy, the land of of the free, et al...

Yeah, and I thought you was the home of English. I guess I were wrong. :-)

Orthodoc had it right though...I was pointing out that it wasn't legislation, the GA approved the text of a convention. Member states are free to become signatories or not. And nobody has veto power in the GA.

For anyone interested, my friend at the UN sent me her first e-mail.
http://unstats.un.org/unsd/publicati...Seriesy_2E.pdf
If you want it in another language, click on it...http://unstats.un.org/unsd/pubs/gesgrid.asp?id=214

http://www.independentliving.org/standardrules/

http://www.un.org/esa/socdev/enable/disiddp.htm

[Clodfobble]

Originally Posted by tw

But there is no good reason for putting electric switches so high. In fact, a friend owns a house originally designed by an EE. Every switch is at knuckles height. Turn on lights without even raising a hand; simply swing an arm at the switch. Easier for the 'enabled' as well as for the disabled.

At least some, if not all, new-home construction in my city now has the lower light switches as standard. My friend who owns one of them likes it because her youngest kids can reach the switches without help.

[lookout123]

why exactly would it be a good idea for the US to sign anything the UN puts out that doesn't specifically deal with international relations?

[9th Engineer]

What height are we talking about here and what disability would prevent someone from using them? I don't think I can remember using a light switch higher than 3-4ft, not high enough for someone in a wheelchair to have a problem with. Is there some weird standard where they install them at face height or something

Originally Posted by 9th Engineer

What height are we talking about here and what disability would prevent someone from using them? I don't think I can remember using a light switch higher than 3-4ft, not high enough for someone in a wheelchair to have a problem with. Is there some weird standard where they install them at face height or something

These are the standard, rigid frame, wheelchairs that we use. Those, like me, who use power-chairs are a bit higher, but not much.
http://www.colourswheelchair.com/idx_products.htm
Basically, people need to comply with the ADA, and they do not.
I cannot begin to list how many new companies, or companies that have changed hands, have come into being in my town since the ADA has been in force that are non-compliant. It is just a lack of consideration/caring, they just don't want our business.
Edit:
Complying with the ADA is easy, get a damn wheelchair (full sized with feet out a pack on the back, many have ventilators)and do what you need to do to do to make it easy to do everything that an able bodied person does in that space, including the bathrooms... if you do that, then you are compliant. Duh.

[Clodfobble]

All the houses in Texas, at least, except the very newest ones, have the light switches about 5 feet off the ground, around shoulder-to-chin height. The new ones are about 3 feet off the ground. Each state has its own building codes.

[orthodoc]

It looks like most of the requirements in terms of door width, switch height, etc., are right on this web site: www.access-board.gov/adaag/html/adaag.htm. The main ADA site is here: www.usdoj.gov/crt/ada/adahom1.htm. It took about one second to google it. I'm not sure why anyone would need to pay for expensive books or consultants ...

[tw]

Originally Posted by orthodoc

It looks like most of the requirements in terms of door width, switch height, etc., are right on this web site

OK where does it list the height of wall switches? Where does it list the height of AC wall receptacles?

There are also limits on slope verses length for ramps, sidewalks, etc. Where is any of that listed?

Cited is a but a miniscule list of what is required for ADA. And many of those features (ie mirror height, sink height) should become standard anyway.