Our son Harvey parry who is now 3, caught meningitis meningococcal septicemia at the age 15 months, after spending 4 months in intensive care he had to have both his legs and 3 fingers on his right hand amputated.

The NHS supplied our son with 8 pairs of prosthetic legs, each one was uncomfortable for Harvey to wear. See videos of Harvey's media campaign at harveyparry-appealfund.com/media/Media-compaign.htm.

The consultant who amputated Harvey’s legs advised us that if we did not want Harvey to lose even more of his remaining legs, we need a high quality pair of prosthetic legs, not the NHS legs which were causing his legs damage.

We had no choice but to go private, we found a company in New York Long Island www.astepaheadonline.com.

Since going private our Primary Care Trust Enfield have withdrawn all support services i.e. physiotherapy, occupational therapy etc. They have told us that they will not fund legs from the USA even if they are better than the ones supplied by the NHS. I have asked our Primary Care Trust Enfield on many occasions for a costing of Harvey’s prosthetic legs, I had to use the Freedom Of Information Act to force them to reveal the cost.  The total cost provided by Enfield PCT of Harvey parry's prosthetic legs/maintenance to date is £26,942.14. http://www.whatdotheyknow.com/request/costing_request_for_harvey_parry#incoming-19232

Even after this expense Harvey still does not have a working/comfortable pair of legs from the NHS.  The cost spent by Enfield PCT would of paid for 1 pair of American legs from StepAhead Prosthetics.

Why can't the government fund us for Harvey's American Legs, they work, are very practical, he wears them all day with no discomfort.  Funding Harvey’s legs in the USA would set a president which would open the flood gates for parents dissatisfied with NHS prosthetic legs.

Harvey will receive his second pair of legs from StepAhead Prosthetics in May 2009, Thank you to all the people who have worked hard to make this happen.

We badly need your support in order to give Harvey a better life with comfortable prosthetics, physiotherapy, occupational therapy, rehabilitation aids etc.

Since Harvey has had his new prosthetics from New York his confidence and personality has blossomed, he can now wear prosthetic legs all day with no pain or discomfort.

You can donate at harveyparry-appealfund.com via PayPal on the left under the menu. If you have any fundraising ideas, you can obtain sponsor forms from harveyparry-appealfund.com/pages/fundraising.htm.

Harvey Parry Appeal Fund Line 0208 482 1603
Email: Harvey@harveyparry-appealfund.com

 

Shanghai will invest about 1 billion yuan (US$147 million) in information technology equipment and services during Shanghai World Expo 2010, mainly to improve security, next-generation networks and energy management systems, the expo office's IT director recently told the Shanghai Daily.

The total investment for the operation, excluding the infrastructure construction budget, is expected to reach 10.6 billion yuan for the Expo. IT spending will account for 10 percent of the total budget, said Zhou Weidong, the IT office director of the Bureau of the Shanghai World Expo Coordination.

"Take the video monitoring systems - there will be several kinds of monitors including monitors on balloons," Zhou is quoted as saying. "Many of the security cameras will be on the visitors but we will try our best to keep them hidden and not intrusive."

Other IT applications include air conditioning sensors, energy consumption management, ticketing and security, Zhou added.

The actual IT spending of the expo will be more than 10 billion yuan as sponsors and partners are covering the costs of some systems. IT partners include IBM, Cisco and Tencent. The bureau has also signed agreements with the Shanghai Pudong Software Park Co, the city's biggest software industry base.

Springboard Research says Asian economies will fare better during the current economic crisis than those in the West, according to a recent report in Businessweek. Springboard's Asia-Pacific IT Market Predictions 2009 noted that even though all countries in the region will be affected by the economic crunch, the degree of fallout will vary.

India and China will continue to grow, albeit at lower rates, the analyst said. The two countries' relative strength in IT spending will help power the region's growth and increase their dominance in the Asia-Pacific IT market.

"Even with slower growth, Asia will continue to emerge as a critical region for IT vendors and we will continue to see a substantial shift in investment moving to Asia and other global emerging markets," Dane Anderson, Springboard's CEO and executive vice president of research, said in a statement. "While the crisis will affect Asia, it will also further cement the region as crucial to any global company's growth strategy moving forward."

Multinational vendors will continue to view Asia as a critical growth market for IT, Springboard said. It expects many more U.S.-based companies to transfer more resources-budgets and people-into the region and set up special teams at their corporate offices to focus only on emerging markets.

Ian Harvey, chairman of the Intellectual Property Institute in London, wrote in a recent report, "China is on the verge of becoming a major technology and IP generator, creating a tidal wave of patents likely to wash over the U.S. and Europe's shores in the next two decades, enabling China to dominate significant technology areas."

Applications for new patents in the country have increased exponentially and will surpass Japan, the current leader in new patents, by 2012, according to a report released in early December by Thomson Reuters Scientific. Bom Stembridge, a Thomson Reuters spokesman, is quoted as saying, "China, from humble beginnings, is experiencing the most rapid growth."

According to a recent report at China Knowledge@Wharton, the total number of patent applications in China now exceeds that of the United States: In 2007, there were 694,153 patent applications in China, compared to 468,330 in the U.S., representing a yearly growth rate of 21% in the former, compared to a 5% rise in the latter.

A surge in patents is just one sign of China's progress. "Chinese companies and universities have begun to realize that if they can invent the next generation of high definition television, or mobile phones, they could be significant players in setting global standards," Harvey concludes.

China's licenses for 3G mobile phones were issued early January, promising a boost for the country's economy and offering consumers a wealth of new services, says the Shanghai Daily. The Ministry of Industry and Information Technology (MIIT) gave 3G licenses to China Mobile, China Unicom and China Telecom in Beijing.

Chinese carriers are expected to spend 280 billion yuan (US$41 billion) on 3G networks and services in the next two years. The network spending could lead to 2 trillion yuan in private-sector investment in the next two or three years, explains Chen Jinqiao, deputy chief engineer at the MIIT's telecommunications research institute. The sale of 3G cell phones could top 300 billion yuan through 2011, says Sinolink Securities analyst Chen Yunhong.

Our son Harvey parry who is now 3, caught meningitis meningococcal septicemia at the age 15 months, after spending 4 months in intensive care he had to have both his legs and 3 fingers on his right hand amputated.

The NHS supplied our son with 8 pairs of prosthetic legs, each one was uncomfortable for Harvey to wear. See videos of Harvey's media campaign at harveyparry-appealfund.com/media/Media-compaign.htm.

The consultant who amputated Harvey’s legs advised us that if we did not want Harvey to lose even more of his remaining legs, we need a high quality pair of prosthetic legs, not the NHS legs which were causing his legs damage.

We had no choice but to go private, we found a company in New York Long Island www.astepaheadonline.com.

We raised £40,000 which we used to purchase his 1 st pair of prosthetics legs from A Step Head prosthetics in June. See the video dairy & media coverage of this at harveyparry-appealfund.com/pages/new%20york/New-York-Trip-Harveys-New-Legs.htm. Harvey spent about 8 weeks in New York. The training was fantastic and put our NHS to shame.

In October Harvey attended the Mobility clinic at A Step Ahead to have physiotherapy, and maintenance on the legs we bought in June 2008. See the videos of Harvey at harveyparry-appealfund.com/pages/new%20york/New-York-Trip-2.htm

Harvey has had these legs for 6 months now. The sockets are starting to get tight & need replacing. We have raised £9,538 so far but we need to raise £30,000 to replace the pair he has.

We are asking you if you can contribute to Harvey’s Appeal fund by sponsorship or donation or even by using your status to bring awareness of our plight.

Since going private our Primary Care Trust Enfield have withdrawn all support services i.e. physiotherapy, occupational therapy etc. They have told us that they will not fund legs from the USA even if they are better or cheaper than the ones supplied by the NHS.

We badly need your support in order to give Harvey a better life with comfortable prosthetics, physiotherapy, occupational therapy, rehabilitation aids etc.

Since Harvey has had his new prosthetics from New York his confidence and personality has blossomed, he can now wear prosthetic legs all day with no pain or discomfort.

You can donate at harveyparry-appealfund.com via PayPal on the left under the menu. If you have any fundraising ideas, you can obtain sponsor forms from harveyparry-appealfund.com/pages/fundraising.htm.

Harvey Parry Appeal Fund Line 0208 482 1603
Email: Harvey@harveyparry-appealfund.com

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This month, for our Inspired by Song! group contest, the theme is "Inspired by Heroes".  It is appropriate in light of the seventh anniversary of the 9/11 attacks tomorrow.  For me, September 10th has a very special significance as well.  You see, today was my grandfather's birthday.  He passed away over nine years ago, but he would have been 103 years old today. 

I wrote a post about him almost one year ago called "What Makes a Man a Real Man?  Lessons from my Grandpa" that I would like to share again here, in its entirety.  After that, I wrote about the song that I picked.  Sorry it's so long - I have found that when I just provide a link, people usually skim past it.  Thanks.

My grandfather passed away in 1999, and I still miss him.  He was 93 when he died, so there was no doubt that he lived a "full life", as people like to say.  Simply put, he was one of the greatest men that I have ever known.

This is a picture of him holding me when I was about two years old.  It's faded now, and my mom actually took it to be retouched professionally, because she knows how important it is to me.  It is probably my favorite picture from my childhood, because you can see the love he had for me, and me for him.

What was it about him that made him a man of greatness?  Was it his money?  Hardly.  He never had much money, yet he and my grandmother managed to scrape together enough to buy my first two cars for me.  He never once complained about money, although in retrospect they were really quite poor by worldly standards.  I never even thought about it growing up.

Was it his career that made him a great man?  Well, he was already retired when I was born, so I never saw him work for money in the time that I knew him.  He was primarily a househusband, as it were.  My grandmother worked at a dime store until she was in her late 70's.  He had always worked in manual labor-type jobs.  He actually helped to build the old harbor bridge in Corpus Christi, then he worked as an operator for the drawbridge itself.  My mom has told me stories of visiting him when she was a kid, and they would fish out of his "office" window. 

Was it fame that shaped his greatness?  Well, he wasn't well known outside of his immediate family and a few friends, yet he impacted me in ways that I can't begin to describe in the confines of this post. 

Was it a strong education that made him so great?  Not really.  My Grandpa didn't go beyond the sixth grade in school, but he was an ingenious inventor.  He was always coming up with some device to make life a little easier around the house and garage.  He was also able to intuit things about his car that mechanics have a tough time with.  Honestly, I wish I had learned more in that arena from him (I am not very handy at all). 

My grandfather was primarily characterized by his love for us, and by his humility and his strong marriage (64 years).  He met my grandmother in November 1934 and they married less than three weeks later, yet I have never seen a marriage as strong as theirs was.  He was devoted, loyal, sensitive, funny, and I loved him deeply and dearly.   I never felt the generation gap that so often occurs with grandparents, even though we were separated by 65 years.

He used to pick me up from school every day because my mom was working, and we would go to his house and hang out for a few hours until my mom could come pick me up.  Usually, he would make me a grilled cheese sandwich and some homemade fries, or maybe some Kraft Macaroni and Cheese.  Sometimes, when I was really lucky, he would make some homemade ice cream, using the old handcrank machine.  We would talk and watch TV together, (usually syndicated sitcoms like "Gilligan's Island", "Happy Days", or "Andy Griffith").  He took me to soccer practice, and he was just always there....until the day that he wasn't anymore.

One of the greatest compliments that I have ever received was when my mother told me that I was just like him.  She still tells me that on occasion, probably because she knows that emulating him is a goal that I really aspire to in my own life.  At some point, I will probably write about the week that he died, because it was one of the hardest that I have ever experienced, as it coincided with a surgery for my son, who was just five months old at the time.  Those days deserve a post of their own.

What made my grandpa such a "real man" in my eyes was the love he shared and the memories he shaped.  Since my real father was absent, he filled a huge void and truly helped to mold me into the man I am today.  This is true greatness.  We are not defined by the amount of money we make or the number of sales we have, but by the legacy we leave behind with our families and friends.  I hope I can live my life as he did.  He was a real man.

As you can see from my previous post, my grandfather was very important to me and my life.

I was thinking about songs that remind me of him.  I could have used "Wind Beneath my Wings" easily here, but I wanted something a little different. 

Back in 2003, Luther Vandross released what would become his final CD, "Dance With My Father".  Although I had never purchased anything by Mr. Vandross, the title track hit a place deep within me, so I picked up the CD.  Come to think of it, I hardly listened to any of the other songs at all.  I came across it the other day when I was cleaning my glove compartment, and I listened to this song again.  As always, it managed to elicit tears.  There are multiple meanings for me when I hear the lyrics.  I hear this song as a father of three trying to create memories with my own children, as a boy who grew up barely knowing his biological father, and as one thankful for the man who stepped in and took my father's place, my grandpa.

Enough time has passed that I can think of my grandfather without pain, but I truly miss him.  I have so many good memories of our time together, and if I am half the man that he was, I am a success.  When he passed away, I told my mom that I was never so sure about someone being in heaven as I was about Grandpa. 

So much of this song reminds me of our relationship, even though he was in his late 60's already when my earliest memories were forming of him.  He loved to joke around with me, and play with me, and teach me in a quiet way about what integrity means.  I never saw him lose his temper unless there was a darn good reason.  I just realized that this was a great portrait of "righteous indignation" portrayed in the Bible.  Lest you think he was perfect, I should also mention that he was a shameless flirt, and I almost never saw him talking to a younger, attractive woman without a gleam in his eye. 

He deeply loved my grandmother, my mom, and me, and he left a real legacy behind with his actions and his simple outlook on life and family. 

Here's the song I have chosen to dedicate to my grandfather on his birthday:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B5AT0zM3fRs&feature=related

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There are many ways to get experience of foreign culture and environment. If you are interested in taking a daring leap to experience the ways of life of people in abroad, then working as an English teacher is an excellent way to pursue this rewarding and fulfilling path. The teaching abroad experience offers you many benefits. It makes you as stronger candidates and provides management and planning skills for future employment and opportunities.

Teaching in another culture makes you think broadly and openly outside the country, strengthens your interpersonal skills, and increases your perceptions. There are more ability and flexibility for job applicants to adapt a good job who have worked in another country. They know another language properly, and also have increased tolerance towards others and a better understanding of global issues. It is the perfect opportunity for graduates which can help you better understand your career path or future educational needs. For a first time teacher, an hourly rate starts at 8.35 euros. The number of hours per month you are expected to work at a school and you get the average amount you get per month. Some schools require 30 hours teaching per week. However, there are big schools that require experienced teachers and pay them well, so you should ask about the hourly rate before you agree to work at a school.

Qualification:
Qualifications range from BA or B.Sc. in any discipline to TESOL Certificates. Some schools require native speakers, preferably British or Irish, American or Australian citizens. However, teachers from other ethnicity groups can find a teaching position in abroad if they have a university degree in English Language

Benefits:
Teaching abroad affords you several advantages:
1.    Normally, you will get good salary as per hour work you do.
2.    It provides you more opportunities to increase your interpersonal skills.
3.    It provides the knowledge and ability of foreign culture and environment.
4.    Teaching English abroad offers pleasant change in your career in teaching.
5.    It provides you a more realistic picture of a culture than studying in it.
6     When you try to explain it to others, you’ll more experts in your knowledge of your own culture.
7.    It offers you more ability and flexibility to increases your perceptions.

TESOL Certification is your ticket to travel tefl programs and tesol programs.