I’ve been to many Big Day Outs. I’ve never been able to see much, as might be obvious to many of you. I have nonetheless persisted, taking solace in the fact that I’m not only enjoying (albeit sans visuals) world-class music, but also socialising in confined, sweaty spaces with my peers – very important in youth culture, you see. But this year – oh boy, this year – the BDO organisers had erected a platform in front of the main

As you may be aware, two of the last major acts to visit New Zealand, Westlife and Eric Clapton, have both set exorbitant pricing for the wheelchair section Auckland’s Vector Arena. Both times I was able to lobby Vector Arena on my readers’ behalf, who then in turn spoke to the promoters, and convinced them to lower the wheelchair pricing to a more reasonable level, in line with what other consumers pay. With international rock act Coldplay announcing a one-off

Christchurch teenager Erin Gough has written a poem about growing up with cerebral palsy, and it’s quite a fascinating read. I have my own thoughts on it, but have a look and let me know what you think in the comments below. I make life difficult I tear families apart I do not have a cure I break some parents’ hearts I force kids to go through therapy To endure a surgery or two So that they have a chance

Last week I was down in Wellington for a youth forum on the ratification of UN Convention on the Right of Persons with Disabilities (link to document in PDF format) where I met Mike Gourlay, who runs the ‘One in Five‘ show on National Radio. The show runs at 7pm on Sunday nights, and addresses a range of issues facing New Zealanders with disabilities – it really is worth a listen. If you can’t make it to a radio, the

As if you didn’t know who he was already. However, Philip Patston has created a YouTube video about how amazing he is, and I’d hate to deny him a chance to spread his cyber-ego further. And considering the flak I’ve taken recently for embedding certain YouTube videos on this blog, hopefully I’ll get through this one unscathed! Here, in all its unadulterated self-indulgent glory, is Philip Patston’s latest foray into self-promotion. (psst. I’m just jealous ;P)

Well, just like with Westlife, the concert promoters for Eric Clapton’s Auckland show have come to the party over the pricing of wheelchair seating at Auckland’s Vector Arena. Previously set at $299, wheelchair seating is now available in three pricing tiers: Gold, Silver, and Bronze ($299, $199, and $99 respectively). You’ll need to call (09) 970 9700 to book tickets, and I hope it makes the concert a little more ‘accessible’ for those of you initially put off by the

Fresh from blasting the Westlife promoters for only offering wheelchair-using patrons the highest priced ticket bracket, a user of this site has emailed me about a similar situation with the upcoming Eric Clapton gig in Auckland. Vector Arena has several tiers of seating, differentiated by price depending on the quality of the seating area. Apparently, the wheelchair seating bay at Vector is deemed to be in the ‘Gold Reserve’ category, with the hefty price tag of $299/each. This presents two

Well, not personally, but surely on the telly is just as good?! TVNZ’s Attitude programme is bringing you an in-depth look at the team travelling to Beijing for the 2008 Paralympic games, screening tonight (Sunday 31st August) at 11:30pm on TV One, so for all you night owls, make sure you tune in and check it out! And for those of you particularly interested in wheelchair rugby, TV One are also showing The Power of Attitude: The Journey of the

In today’s politically correct world, using the right word to describe minority groups is becoming increasingly important. No longer are black people described as ‘black’. No longer are gay people described as ‘faggots’. So why, then, is it deemed appropriate for disabled people to be called ‘retards’? The latest Hollywood blockbuster ‘Tropic Thunder’, produced by movie studio Dreamworks, features an intellectually disabled character named Simple Jack, played by Ben Stiller. Throughout the film, he is repeatedly referred to as a