Q| "What is Stevie Wonder's philosophy about disability?",
A| "Ability counts, not disability!",
I| "Ya gots to work with what you gots to work with."
"Ability may get you to the top, but it takes character to keep you there."
"If you don't ask, you don't get."
"Just because a man lacks the use of his eyes doesn't mean he lacks vision."
Stevie Wonder's word eloquently express the phrase coined by Professor Timothy J. Nugent,
founder of the first disability services program in 1948 at the University of Illinois
Champaign/Urbana campus, ABILITY COUNTS, NOT DISABILITY!",
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Q| "What political party was Franklin D. Roosevelt?",
A| "Democratic",
I| "Assuming the Presidency at the depth of the Great Depression, Franklin
D. Roosevelt helped the American people regain faith in themselves. He
brought hope as he promised prompt, vigorous action, and asserted in his
Inaugural Address, "the only thing we have to fear is fear itself.",
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Q| "What disability did Thomas Edison (inventor of electric light) have?",
A| "Slightly deaf and learning disabled",
I| "Like Ben Franklin, Thomas Alva Edison was both a scientist and an
inventor. Born in 1847, Edison would see tremendous change take place in
his lifetime. He was also to be responsible for making many of those
changes occur. When Edison was born, society still thought of
electricity as a novelty, a fad. By the time he died, entire cities were
lit by electricity. Much of the credit for that progress goes to Edison.
In his lifetime, Edison patented 1,093 inventions, earning him the
nickname "The Wizard of Menlo Park." The most famous of his inventions
was an incandescent light bulb",
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Q| "What actor is Superman?",
A| "Christopher Reeve",
I| "Light a Star Network" "Scientists agree that a cure for spinal cord
injury as well as other neurological disorders is coming. How soon it
comes is going to be largely determined by how much money is spent on
research. The Light A Star Network is a wonderfully simple yet effective
way to raise the needed money. People make and sell beautiful needlework
Christmas ornaments. Linda Lambert provides the patterns at no cost and
they are simple enough for children to make. After deducting the cost of
materials which they buy locally, Network members send the money they
raise directly to the Christopher Reeve Paralysis Foundation.",
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Q| "Who was Hellen Kellers first teacher?",
A| "Anne Sullivan",
I| "Anne Sullivan had Helen Keller hold one hand under water. Then she
spelled \"W-A-T-E-R\" into Helen's other hand. It was electric! The
feeling turned into a word. Immediately, Helen bent down and tapped the
ground; Anne spelled \"earth.\" Helen's brain flew; that day, she
learned 30 words."
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Q| Famous story teller with dyslexia?
A| Hans Christian Andersen
I| "Hans Christian Andersen, (April 2 1805 - August 4 1875) was a Danish author and poet famous for his fairy tales. Andersen was born in Odense, Denmark, on the April 2 1805. He was the son of a sickly young shoemaker of twenty-two and his several years older wife. The whole family lived and slept in one little room. Hans Christian showed imagination early, which was fostered by the indulgence of his parents and by his mother's superstition. In 1816, the shoemaker died and the child was left entirely to his own devices. Hans Christian ceased to go to school. He built himself a little toy-theatre and sat at home making clothes for his puppets, and reading all the plays that he could borrow; among them were those of Ludvig Holberg and William Shakespeare. Andersen, throughout his childhood, had a passionate love for literature. He was known to memorize entire Shakespeare plays and recite them using his wooden dolls as the characters. King Frederick VI was interested in the strange boy and sent him for some years, free of charge, to the grammar-school at Slagelse. Before he started for school, Andersen published his first volume, The Ghost at Palnatoke's Grave (1822). Andersen, a very backward and unwilling pupil, actually remained at Slagelse and at another school in Elsinore until 1827. These years, he says, were the darkest and bitterest in his life. Collin at length consented to consider him educated, and Andersen came to Copenhagen. Most English (as well as German and French) sources use the name "Hans Christian Andersen", but in Denmark and the rest of Scandinavia he is usually referred to as "H. C. Andersen". It is an accepted convention in Denmark to use only the initials instead of the full name of some persons, just as strong as the American "middle initial" tradition."
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Q| Who was the first known woman to visit the North Pole?
A| Ann Bancroft
I| Ann Bancroft is one of the world's preeminent polar explorers. She is the first known woman in history to cross the ice to the North Pole. She did this on foot and by dogsled. In 2001, she and fellow explorer Liv Arnesen became the first women in history to cross Antartica's land mass. They did this on foot, by skiing, walking, climbing and sailing on skis. Ann was inducted into the Women's Hall of Fame in 1995 and has received numerous other awards for her accomplishments. She is the first woman to cross the ice to both the North and the South Poles. Ann Bancroft has dyslexia. You can follow Ann Bancroft's journeys by visiting www.yourexpedition.com
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Q| What dis-ability does Senator Daniel Inouye have?
A| Learning disability and amputee
I| Senator of Hawaii. In 1943 enlisted in the 442nd Combat Regiment, a unit composed of Nisei, or Japanese-Americans. This unit became the most highly decorated military units in US history. In 1945 Daniel Inouye served with valor as a platoon leader in ItalyÕs Po Valley. Injuries to his arm were so severe he had to have it amputated. He returned home and attended the University of Hawaii in 1947. He graduated from law school from George Washington university in 1952. He volunteered to work with the Democratic National Committee and learned the ins and outs of national politics. He was elected to the Territorial House of Representatives. In 1954 he ran for his first congressional seat. He was the first Asian-American ever elected to the US Senate.
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Q| What was the first movie Lou Ferigno was in?
A| Pumping Iron
I| Lou Ferrigno was only 21 when he won his first Mr. Universe title, a Guinness Book record that stands to this day. More incredible, at age 22 he won again - and to this day remains the only person to win consecutive titles! Lou carried the world of bodybuilding to new heights and himself to superstardom with the film documentary, "Pumping Iron," that chronicled the fabled exploits of the youngest and only person to ever become Mr. Universe twice in a row! Exploding onto the film scene, with his place as a body building legend secured, Lou set out to do the same thing in film and television. In less than a year after "Pumping Iron," Lou was again larger than life and created a new cult legend as the title character of the hit show "The Incredible Hulk." The same hard work that crafted his six foot five inch, two hundred eighty five pound frame into a piece of human art, define him as an actor with the uncanny ability to assume characters of mythic proportions that carry a primal humanity. Undoubtedly the discipline and resiliency that have made Lou into a bodybuilding icon lend themselves to his willingness to train as a serious theatrical actor.
Lou worked hard to improve his diction and immersed himself in the actor's theatrical experience with the help of his acting mentors, Milton Katselas, Howard Fine, and "...Hulk" co-star Bill Bixby. The results were great theatrical notices in Texas, Canada, and Chicago (at Drury Lane Theater), for his starring role in "Arsenic and Old Lace," and starring roles in ambitious stage presentations of "Requiem for a Heavyweight" and "Of Mice and Men" - shows that toured throughout the U.S. and Canada. Lou's passionate pursuit of excellence has brought this Brooklyn born actor more than fame and fortune; it has brought him the joy of fulfilling his life long dreams. As an infant, Lou developed an ear infection that caused him to lose some of his hearing. But he doesn't look at that as a disadvantage: "As a matter of fact, if I hadn't lost some of my hearing, I wouldn't be where I am now. It forced me to maximize my own potential. I had to be better that the average person to succeed. That's why I chose bodybuilding. If I became the world champion, if I could win admiration from my peers, I could do anything. Remaining true to his host of fans from the bodybuilding world, Lou starred in the sequel to "Pumping Iron." And, "Stand Tall" is a film that documents Lou's 1994 comeback in the Masters Olympia title and his return to bodybuilding after a seventeen year retirement. Lou has starred in over twenty feature films including "Cage" and "Cage II", "And God Spoke", "All's Fair", "Seven Magnificent Gladiators", and "Godson". In two unforgettable performances in "Hercules" and "The Adventures of Hercules", Lou lived a life long dream by playing the legendary Greek hero.
All this led to an amazingly successful personal training business that includes such star clientele as Mickey Rourke, Michael Jackson, and Chuck Norris, and led him to author the book "Lou Ferrigno's Guide to Personal Power, Bodybuilding and Fitness."
Most recently, Lou can be seen playing "The Slavemaster" in the action/adventure series "Black Scorpion," currently airing Friday nights at eight on the Sci-Fi channel. Lou also provides the voice for the UPN animated series "The Incredible Hulk," with a cast that includes Peter Strauss, Mark Hammill, Kathy Ireland, and Richard Moll.
Currently, Lou has a recurring role as the new neighbor in "The King of Queens," which airs in its third season in September 2002, on CBS, Monday nights at 8:00 P.M.
In the Summer of 2003 Lou will make a special Guest Cameo appearance in what promises to be a blockbuster hit feature film "The Hulk", directed by Ang Lee.
Lou continues his regular study of acting and he works out daily, all with the same passion and vigor that made him a household name and established him as one of the most sought after entertainers in the business.
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Q| What two types of music did Ray Charles combine?
A| Blues and Gospel
I| Ray Charles Robinson was born on September 23, 1930 in Albany, Georgia. His name was shortened to Ray Charles when he entered show business to avoid confusion with boxer Sugar Ray Robinson. Charles began going blind at around age five and was totally blind by age seven. He said that the causes were undiagnosed, but many believe it was as a result of glaucoma. Just before his eyes began to fail, he witnessed his younger brother, George, drown in a washtub. He attended school at the Florida School for the Deaf and the Blind in St. Augustine, Florida as a charity case; he learned how to read Braille, as well as to write music and play various instruments. While he was there, his mother, Aretha, who had raised him, died. His father, Bailey, died two years later. After he left school, Charles began working as a musician in Florida in several bands that played in various styles including jazz and country, eventually moving to Seattle in 1947 at the age of sixteen. He soon started recording, first for the label, Swingtime Records, achieving his first hit song with "Baby, Let Me Hold Your Hand" (1951). Early influences on his work were Nat King Cole (both his vocals and piano playing) and Charles Brown. While his first recordings were only skillful imitations of his heroes, Charles' music soon became more innovative. He toured with Lowell Fulson and worked with Guitar Slim and Ruth Brown. After joining Atlantic Records in 1952, Charles\' sound became more original. For example, Charles controversially adapted secular lyrics to many gospel songs, and then played them with jazz backgrounds.
Middle years
His first hit in this mode was "Mess Around," which was based on the 1929 classic "Pinetop's Boogie Woogie" by Pinetop Smith and written by Ahmet Ertegun, his producer at Atlantic Records. He had another hit with the rap-like urban jive of "It Should Have Been Me," but went into high gear with the gospel drive of "I Got A Woman." (1955) This was followed by "This Little Girl of Mine," "Drown in My Own Tears," "Hallelujah I Love Her So," and "Lonely Avenue," half of them were gospel songs converted with secular lyrics, and the others blues ballads. Although Charles was criticized for singing gospel songs with secular lyrics, there is a long tradition of putting religious lyrics to popular songs and vice versa. See Thomas A. Dorsey, one of the founders of gospel music, who also had a significant career in secular music. Solomon Burke and Little Richard also moved between the two styles. After an appearance at the Newport Jazz Festival he achieved mainstream success with "(The Night Time is) The Right Time" and his 1959 signature song, "What'd I Say." The essence of this phase of his career can be heard on his live album Ray Charles In Person, recorded before a mostly African American audience in Atlanta in 1959. This album also features the first public performance of "What'd I Say." It broke out as a hit in Atlanta from the tape, months before it was recorded in the studio in a two-part version with better fidelity.
Charles had already begun to go beyond the limits of his blues-gospel synthesis while still at Atlantic, which now called him The Genius. He recorded with large orchestras and with jazz artists like Milt Jackson and even made his first country music cover with Hank Snow's "I'm Movin' On." Then, he moved on to ABC Records. At ABC, Charles had a great deal of control over his music, and broadened his approach, not on experimental side projects, but with pop music, resulting in such hits as "Unchain My Heart" and the No.1 hit on the Billboard pop charts, "Hit the Road, Jack." In 1962, Charles surprised his new, broad audience with his landmark album Modern Sounds in Country and Western Music, which included the numbers "I Can't Stop Loving You" and "You Don't Know Me." This was followed by a series of hits, including "You Are My Sunshine," "Crying Time," "Busted" and "Unchain My Heart." In 1961, Charles cancelled a concert scheduled to take place in the Bell Auditorium in Augusta, Georgia to protest segregated seating. Contrary to what the biopic Ray says, he was never banned in Georgia, although he did have to pay the promoter compensation. That same year he did a duet album with accomplished jazz vocalist Betty Carter.
"Later years"
In 1965, Charles was arrested for possession of heroin, a drug to which he had been addicted for seventeen years. It was his third arrest for the offense, but he avoided prison time after kicking the habit in a clinic in Los Angeles. He spent a year on parole and defiantly released Ashford and Simpson's "Lets Go Get Stoned." (1966) After the 1960s, Charles' releases were hit-or-miss, with some massive hits and critically acclaimed work, and some music that was dismissed as unoriginal and staid. He concentrated largely on live performances, although his version of "Georgia On My Mind," a Hoagy Carmichael song originally written for a girl named Georgia, was a hit and soon was proclaimed the state song of Georgia on April 24, 1979, with Charles performing it on the floor of the state legislature. He also had success with his unique version of "America the Beautiful." In 1980 Charles made a cameo appearance in The Blues Brothers. In the late 1980s, a number of events increased Ray's recognition among young audiences. In 1985, "Night Time is the Right Time" was featured in the episode "Happy Anniversary" of The Cosby Show. The cast members used the song to perform a wildly popular lip-synch that helped the show secure its wide viewership. In 1986, he collaborated with Billy Joel on "Baby Grand" for Joel's album The Bridge. In 1987, Charles guest-starred in the episode "Hit the Road, Chad," of Who's the Boss. Charles performed the song, "Always a Friend." He also appeared several times in guest appearances on the show The Nanny, playing Yetta's (Ann Guilbert) boyfriend. Charles' new connection with audiences helped secure a spokesmanship for Diet Pepsi. In this highly successful advertising campaign, Charles popularized the catchphrase "You've got the right one, baby!" At the height of his newfound fame in the early nineties, Charles did guest vocals for quite a few projects. These included the INXS song "Please (You've Got That...)," on the Full Moon, Dirty Hearts album, as well as the theme song for Designing Women in its sixth season. He also appeared (with Chaka Khan) on long time friend Quincy Jones' hit I'll Be Good To You in 1990. In 2004 Charles released a duets album, Genius Loves Company, which was nominated for a bundle of Grammy Awards for Best Pop Vocal Album, Album of the year and Record of the year. He won Album of the year and record of the year. A duet with Norah Jones, Here We Go Again, was nominated for Best Song.