SNL's Disability Skit: Funny or Offensive?

Offensive or not? Patricia Bauer asked the question of her readers. I enjoy a good parody, and don't mind when it pokes fun of our stereotypes or perceptions of disabilities. These can be very healthy to challenge our ideas. However, this SNL skit doesn't parody disability, or attitudes. What do you think?

"But when the camera comes in for a closeup, it reveals that Wiig’s “Judice” has physical deformities — an abnormally large forehead and tiny, doll-sized hands.
There’s also more than a suggestion of intellectual disabilities here. As her three sisters (led by Anne Hathaway) sing conventional lyrics about boyfriends and butterflies, Wiig’s character sings about chasing cars, eating a dead cat she found in the road, and finding love “with my by myself.”

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Got Sheep?- Pets with Disabilities

Interesting site "Pets with Disabilities"

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Urinary Tract Wall Paper

Only marginally disability related, okay, maybe just medical, but still....

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Savants: 50% are autistic

Very interesting video about savants.

"A fascinating look at the relationship between genius and autism, with particular focus on the phenomenon of savants; a small group of enigmatic talkens with extraordinary mental abilities. Savants number less than 100 worldwide. Some can work out five-digit multiplication in their heads, or recite thousands of books by heart. Others can play a piano melody after hearing it only once. Over half of savants are autistic; others develop these super human talents only after brain injury."

I was especially amazed at the man who could draw a city from a flyover. Interesting piece about him worrying whether he's losing his ability, and whether it's due to working on improving his other skills. Long video, but worth the time to watch it.

Pt 1: Beautiful Minds the Einstien Effect.
Stephen Wiltshire's website

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Wine for the Blind

Very interesting idea. I like the Braille label. The text on the page doesn't tell you much except that it's designed for those who read braille;

"Using the extreme acuity of his senses, a winemaker blind, supported by a team of professionals, conducted the development of sensory Lazaruswine.
Baud was the company selected to represent this project graphically in the product. In the design process, we chose to use the magnificent form of the Braille system for transmitting the particular design and high-end wine."

Lazarus Wine

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Tasting Sight

Interesting article from Gizmodo regarding using the tongue to stimulate visual input. though initially developed the theorized for the visually impaired, in ths article, it's being displayed for purely recreational purposes.

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"Graphic Evidence Against Steriod Abuse"

I'm not one for scare tactics, but wow. If you ever needed to turn someone off steriod abuse, this would be it. It's an article from Wired Magazine and contains some graphic pictures of one of the side effects of steriod abuse, serious acne.

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