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I've seen several articles complaining that rather than being a celebration of the human spirit there's a danger the Paralympics may reinforce old prejudices about the disabled.

The excellent blogger Lisa Egan, who describes herself as a "speccy, disabled gay Essex girl," who failed to become a Paralympian swimmer, wrote in The Independent that "the use of the word 'inspirational' triggered my gag reflex . . . Inspirational, overcoming, against the odds, suffers from, brave and other such nonsense are spewing forth from the mouths of anyone allowed near a microphone. While many of us are glued to the telly wanting to see some amazing sport, there are some who are only watching because they want the gory details about how the athletes acquired their impairments."

And the comedian Lawrence Clark, who has cerebral palsy, has also warned against condescension. "What about those athletes who come last? Or the ones who didn't qualify in the first place. Surely they can't all be inspiring."

I have to admit that comments like these gave me pause. Because it was pretty likely that any column piece by me on the Paralympics would include the 'I' word. It just seemed the best way to describe someone like Mark Rohan, the former Westmeath under 21 footballer who is a world champion in the handcycling event and one of Ireland's gold medal hopes in London. Rohan took up disabled sport after being paralysed from the chest down in an horrific road accident 11 years ago.

And there I am, mentioning his injuries. Committing one of the sins of media coverage. At first I was inclined to think the views of disabled people venting their frustration at what they perceive as the condescension underlying the media attitude to the games are a bit harsh. Isn't it good to see so much Paralympic coverage even if it's not done the way you'd like? Which is a pretty patronising attitude to take.

And I'll have to admit that it's easy, while watching the Paralympics, to start congratulating yourself for making the effort and feel bathed in a warm glow of self-righteousness. This is the kind of attitude which annoys the likes of Egan and Clark so much. And they're right. Because there's no point in the Paralympics resulting in the replacement of one set of stereotypes with another.

Personally, I would agree with the view of Channel 4 Paralympics presenter Alex Brooker that "we'll see athletes with incredible stories behind their achievements, and it is not necessarily patronising to celebrate that."

And I think some of the complaints regarding press coverage miss the fact that sports pages and shows revel in the inspirational and the heart-warming, whether it's an Olympic Games, a World Cup or a Paralympics. We're not going to focus on wider disability issues because that's not what we do. But it's no harm to be reminded of them.

Ten years ago, I went to a wheelchair basketball match in Limerick. In the opening stages I focused on the wheelchairs and the differing degrees of mobility enjoyed by the players. But as the game went on I became fascinated by the contest and the levels of skill and physicality involved. I don't mean that the players were very good considering they were in wheelchairs, I mean the game was extremely exciting.

By the closing stages, it had become just one more sporting contest I'd got wrapped up in. The wheelchairs, and this may sound odd, seemed somehow incidental to the thing.

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Media find it hard to ignore 'I' word

September 02, 2012

Pocono Raceway officials continue to remain mum on the particulars of an investigation into the track's emergency procedures after a lightning strike killed a fan in early August.

Track spokesman Bob Pleban said only that the investigation is "an ongoing process" and that the track had no update to share on the time line of events that happened during and after the Pennsylvania 400.

On Aug. 5, Brian Zimmerman, 41, of Moosic, was in the parking lot of the raceway in Long Pond when a thunderstorm rolled in, causing the race to be delayed and later canceled.

The National Weather Service advised the thunderstorm likely would include multiple lightning strikes. The track saw many of those strikes, including one that hit in the parking lot behind the grandstand section of bleachers.

The lightning strike was strong enough to injure nine people and to kill Zimmerman. He was given medical attention at the track, but could not be revived and was pronounced dead at Pocono Medical Center about an hour after the incident.

At a press conference less than 24 hours later, Pocono Raceway President and CEO Brandon Igdalsky said track officials had begun an investigation into whether anything could have been done differently to prevent the death.

Igdalsky didn't lay out any details then, and continues not to make any of the investigation public almost a month later.

Igdalsky said the track would immediately establish a memorial fund for the victims of the lightning strike.

Pleban said the amount raised for the fund would not be known "for some time."

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No word on progress of Pocono Raceway investigation

Samsung: Apple trying to limit consumer choice Samsung: Apple trying to limit consumer choice Fresh from its $1 billion court defeat, South Korea's Samsung says Apple is resorting to litigation over market competition in an effort to limit consumer choice. Samsung on Saturday accused Apple of resorting to litigation in an effort to limit consumer choice after the iPhone maker said it was seeking to stop the sale of Galaxy S III smartphones in the United States. German drug firm makes 1st apology for thalidomide German drug firm makes 1st apology for thalidomide The German manufacturer of anti-morning sickness drug thalidomide has for the first time apologized to people who were born with congenital birth defects as a result of its use. The German manufacturer of a notorious drug that caused thousands of babies to be born with shortened arms and legs, or no limbs at all, issued its first ever apology Friday - 50 years after pulling the drug off the market. Bernanke: With unemployment high, Fed can do more Bernanke: With unemployment high, Fed can do more Chairman Ben Bernanke says high U.S. unemployment is a "grave concern" and that the Federal Reserve will provide more help if the economy doesn't improve. Chairman Ben Bernanke sent a clear message Friday that the Federal Reserve will do more to help the still-struggling U.S. economy. What's next for markets? 3 experts weigh in What's next for markets? 3 experts weigh in The dull days are almost over. The dull days are almost over. What's for breakfast? Mountain Dew drinks What's for breakfast? Mountain Dew drinks Rise and shine. It's time for breakfast soda. Rise and shine. It's time for breakfast soda. Stocks higher, but volatile, after Bernanke speaks Stocks higher, but volatile, after Bernanke speaks U.S. futures are heading higher before Fed Chairman Ben Bernanke takes the stage in Jackson Hole for a central bank conference. Many investors are already pricing in expectations that the Fed will take no major... By JOSHUA FREED AP Business Writer It took a while, but investors eventually decided they liked what they heard from Ben Bernanke, and stock indexes rose enough on Friday to put them into positive territory... Gold rises after Bernanke promises action Gold rises after Bernanke promises action By The Associated Press Gold and other precious metals are closing higher, after Federal Reserve Chairman Ben Bernanke promised to take more action to try to prop up the economy. By The Associated Press The price of gold and other precious metals jumped Friday, after Federal Reserve Chairman Ben Bernanke made clear that he expects to take further action to try to boost the economy. Southern Co. expects to exceed Plant Vogtle budget Southern Co. expects to exceed Plant Vogtle budget Southern Co. forecasts it will exceed its $6.1 billion budget while building a new nuclear plant in eastern Georgia. Southern Co. said Friday that it expects to exceed its $6.1 billion construction budget by $87 million as it builds a first-of-its-kind nuclear plant in eastern Georgia. Bernanke: With unemployment high, Fed can do more Bernanke: With unemployment high, Fed can do more Chairman Ben Bernanke made clear Friday that the Federal Reserve will do more to boost the economy because of high U.S. unemployment and an economic recovery that remains "far from satisfactory." Chairman Ben Bernanke sent a clear message Friday that the Federal Reserve will do more to help the still-struggling U.S. economy. Spain's Bankia to receive immediate aid Spain's Bankia to receive immediate aid Spain's government is meeting to approve a new financial sector reform that will create a "bad bank" to contain toxic property investments and will give the central bank more powers to shut down troubled lenders. The Spanish government will immediately inject financial aid into Bankia after the troubled lender announced losses of 4.4 billion ($5.6 billion) in the first half of the year, authorities said Friday. By The Associated Press

THE GOLD RUSH: Investors piled into gold, silver and other precious metals after Federal Reserve Chairman Ben Bernanke signaled the central bank would take more action to try to prop up the economy if conditions don't improve.

INFLATION FEARS?: Any action the Fed might take could cause inflation. Many investors view gold and other precious metals as a way to protect themselves against rising prices.

THE AFTERMATH OF ISAAC: Prices for wheat, corn and soybeans rose earlier in the week, on fears that Hurricane Isaac could flood crops and slow down harvesting. By Friday, investors had already worked those worries into their trading. Prices for all three commodities fell.

Copyright 2012 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

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News Summary: A word from Bernanke pushes up gold

By STEVE KARNOWSKI Associated Press

MINNEAPOLIS (AP) - Five taconite mines on Minnesota's Iron Range and two in Upper Michigan could shut down at midnight Friday if the plants' owners and the United Steelworkers union don't reach agreements on new contracts.

The mines are owned or operated by Cliffs Natural Resources, ArcelorMittal and U.S. Steel.

The negotiations are taking place in Pittsburgh as part of a larger set of nationwide talks between the steel companies and the Steelworkers over contracts that all expire at midnight Friday. So far, both sides are keeping quiet and refusing to even name the major unresolved issues in the Cliffs and U.S. Steel talks. But Steelworkers say ArcelorMittal wants deep concessions.

More than 4,000 mine employees in Minnesota and Michigan are among around 29,000 Steelworkers nationwide who are covered by the talks.

Copyright 2012 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

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Minn., Mich. miners await word on contract talks

By PAUL WISEMAN AP Economics Writer

JACKSON HOLE, Wyo. (AP) - Every August, the world's financial markets shift their attention from the centers of global commerce - New York, London, Tokyo - to a mountain valley in northwest Wyoming. On Friday, they will hear a speech by Federal Reserve Chairman Ben Bernanke.

So how did Jackson Hole, Wyo., come to wield such outsize importance in global economic affairs?

In a word, trout.

For four years starting in 1978, the Federal Reserve Bank of Kansas City hosted an annual conference at different sites and different times of year. The event drew little attention outside the insular world of economic analysts.

Inspired by a conference the Boston Fed held near a picturesque New Hampshire site where the tearjerker "On Golden Pond" was filmed, the Kansas City Fed held its 1981 conference in scenic Vail, Colo.

Still no luck. The Vail meeting drew the conference's smallest crowd ever.

Officials at the bank pondered how to draw bigger names and more attention to the yearly confab. That's when they set their sights on Paul Volcker, then chairman of the Federal Reserve in Washington.

They decided to pursue Volcker by dangling the prospect of one of his favorite pastimes: fly-fishing. They needed to find a sure-fire trout-catching spot somewhere in the Kansas City Fed district, which covers Colorado, Kansas, Nebraska, Oklahoma and Wyoming, as well as northern New Mexico and western Missouri.

They considered somewhere in Colorado. But a fly-fishing expert said Colorado's waters were too warm for trout in August. Go farther north, he said. Go to Jackson Hole.

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Why world markets focus on tiny Jackson Hole, Wyo.