Thomas Logan of Equal Entry has completed an intriguing project: he has created 86 songs that teach about website accessibility. The result is the WCAG AI Accessibility Album. The album explains the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines in music that’s engaging, memorable, and fun. Through AI-generated music and guided by human insight, these compositions show how accessibility can initiate new ways of learning. Learn about the album here: https://equalentry.com/album/
There are lots of reasons to exercise regularly and maintain an active lifestyle. Here are a few:
As with other verbs such as accept, damage, and embarrass, the verb “retard” can become the root word of adjectives by adding -ed (e.g., accepted, damaged, embarrassed, retarded). Verbs can be made into nouns by adding –(t)ion or -ation (e.g., dehumanization, exclusion, marginalization, retardation). Some verbs can also be used as nouns (e.g., bully, damage, respect).
In the early 1900s, intelligence testing was created in order to categorize individuals who might have cognitive developmental delays. “Mental retardation” began to be used as a medical diagnostic term for individuals with lower IQs at about the same time. The wording meant that these people had a slowed mental development.
Then “retard” (accent on the first syllable) became a pejorative noun and “retarded” an insulting adjective. Research in 2010 showed that 92% of youth ages 8-18 years had heard the word “retard” used as a put-down. Other research then showed that about half of YouTube videos used that term negatively.
Why is the pejorative use of “retard” or “retarded” to describe someone a problem? This harsh, harmful slur insults, demeans, and excludes people with intellectual and developmental disabilities. It is a form of harassment that reinforces negative stereotypes, encourages bullying and exclusion, and damages self-esteem. It is an ableist slur.
What terms are preferred? Replace the pejorative use of the words “retard” and “retarded” with more respectful words. To describe an individual, person-first language focuses on the person, not the disability. Say “person with an intellectual disability” or “person with a developmental disability.” The acronym IDD is used to indicate “intellectual and developmental disability.”
Instead of saying an activity, object, or person is “retarded,” use words such as absurd, mistaken, ridiculous, or worthless. Those adjectives are more descriptive and exact, and far less insulting.
“Rosa’s Law” was passed in 2010 to remove these insulting words from US federal health, labor, and education policy. It required changing references to “mental retardation” to a new designation as “intellectual disability” or “intellectual disabilities.” This legislation respects the dignity and right to inclusion of persons with IDD.
What can you do to promote elimination of this derogatory term? Spread the Word to End the Word is a Special Olympics and Best Buddies effort to raise awareness of the impact of the “R-word” on people with intellectual disabilities. Their website offers several suggestions about how to counteract this slur, stop bullying, and promote inclusion.
To learn more about people with intellectual and developmental disabilities, please visit the Healthinfo Island poster set titled March is Developmental Disabilities Awareness Month at the following SLURL: http://maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/Healthinfo%20Island/188/181/24
Reading is a healthy hobby. Did you know it can increase blood flow in the brain, reduce stress, and even improve your writing and conversation skills? And yes, listening to audio books also counts as reading.
We can’t all get to our local library on a weekly basis, order lots of books from Amazon, or drive to a monthly book club meeting. Here are some virtual options to sustain your reading habit.
Ask your local library if they have a program to lend books online. Many do!
Book clubs are meetings where a group of readers gather to talk about what they have read. These are casual social events, both educational and fun. Book clubs may be single-title, where discussion is of a book that all in the group have read, or they may be multi-title, where each member reads something of interest and shares about it with other club members. Often hosted by libraries, face-to-face book clubs have been popular for centuries. There are also online book clubs. You can find online clubs that meet on Zoom or other videoconferencing platforms here:
https://bookclubs.com/join-a-book-club/online
Some book clubs meet in virtual worlds! A list has been compiled by the Community Virtual Library group here:
https://docs.google.com/document/d/1YWw07Va0y7zVWuQIWaxQtGSDOwqR3-eSrkT_t0Vi474/edit?tab=t.0
Virtual Ability has its own book club, First Sunday VAI Book Club. It meets (you guessed it) on the first Sunday of every month at noon SLT on the patio of the Cape Serenity Library, and it’s open to the public. Here’s the SLURL:
http://maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/Cape%20Serenity/72/113/23
We each read or listen to whatever we want and share why we liked (or didn’t like) a book we read during the previous month. It’s a great way to learn from others about book titles or authors you might want to add to your To Read Soon list.
The Cape Serenity Library is a specialty library. It includes only works written by authors with disabilities. You will find novels, nonfiction, articles, and poetry by SL authors and classical works by authors who you may not have known had disabilities. The collection includes works on notecards, SL wearable books, works at URLs, and even audio books. Come on in and browse the offerings:
http://maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/Cape%20Serenity/79/124/23
For your reading pleasure, there’s a cozy Frank-Lloyd-Wright-style space on Healthinfo Island you might want to check out. Daisyblue’s Reading Room is dedicated to VAI’s first Consumer Health Librarian. Inside the book-themed building you will find comfy chairs where you can relax and read, whether it’s a Second Life notecard, a virtual webpage, or a real life book. Stop by and enjoy the quiet ambience:
http://maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/Healthinfo%20Island/70/189/33
Reading really is good for your health. Learn more on Healthinfo Island this month at the “Why You Should Read More” poster exhibit here:
http://maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/Healthinfo%20Island/98/40/26
For more information on how to celebrate Reading Month, check out this link below:
https://www.rif.org/national-reading-month
On National Slam the Scam Day on March 5th and throughout the year, the Social Security Administration gives you the tools to recognize Social Security-related scams and stop scammers from stealing your money and personal information.
Help protect your loved ones and people in your community this Slam the Scam Day by learning about the latest scams. Information can empower you to quickly recognize a scam. Signs of a scam include:
Report scams as soon as possible. Victims shouldn't be embarrassed if they shared personal information or suffered a financial loss. We are all vulnerable to scams, and keeping informed is key like sharing a Scam Alert fact sheet which helps to educate others about how to protect themselves. Report Social Security-related scams to the Social Security Administration Office of the Inspector General (OIG). Visit www.ssa.gov/scam for more information and follow SSA OIG on Facebook, X, and LinkedIn to stay up to date on the latest scam tactics. Repost #SlamtheScam information on social media to keep your friends and family informed and safe.
Many people feel groggy or tired when the time changes in spring. Disrupted sleep schedules have negative impacts on the body’s circadian rhythms. Hospital admissions increase at this time of year, as do car crashfatalities. Stress at the start of DST causes elevated production of cortisoland inflammatory markers, with more heart attacks and strokes.
How can you avoid these potentially life-threatening consequences of the switch to Daylight Savings Time?
Officially, Daylight Savings Time (where it is in effect) begins at 2am Sunday morning. It’s probably more efficient to turn your alarm clock ahead at bedtime on Saturday night so you don’t miss out on Sunday morning events. Start shifting your sleep schedule slightly backwards about 2-3 days earlier in the week of the time change. Avoid alcohol, caffeine, nicotine, and heavy meals within 2-3 hours of when you go to bed.
Ensure propersleep hygiene- keeping your bedroom dark, cool, quiet, and free of electronic devices. Get a 10-15 minute dose of morning sunlight as soon as you wake up. If you need a daytime nap because of extra fatigue, make it a short one so it doesn’t interfere with your night’s sleep.
Be prepared to spring forward with energy and good health on the morning of March 8.
Here are some of the results of this survey:
· Over eight out of ten Americans believe that scientists should inform the public about their research and its impact on society.
· Over nine out of ten Americans believe that it is important that the US be a global leader in research to improve health, and over six in ten would pay $50 more in annual taxes to ensure this.
· Over half felt that the COVID crisis helped them better understand how health research works.
· Over six in ten Americans think their regular health care provider should encourage them to participate in appropriate clinical trials.
A 2025 study, the Axios/Ipsos American Health Index, shows that Americans are looking for clearer information and guidance regarding health and wellness. This study also indicated that trust in federal health agencies is declining, and fewer Americans believe they know who shapes the advice offered by public health agencies.
According to the American Health Index study, the majority of Americans would like to see national health institutions strengthened. Americans feel they don’t really understand public health news stories, but once they are aware of the topics covered, they do care about the issues. Yet the public’s trust in public health agency advice is declining.
Unfortunately, despite the public’s increased interest in better understanding of and potential participation in health and wellness research, this is becoming less likely to happen. Recent terminations of National Institute of Health grants for clinical trial research have affected over 74,000 people who were participating in research studies. The two divisions most impacted by the research cancellations are those funded by the National Institute of Mental Health and the National Institute on Minority Health and Health Disparities.
The need for continued research in the mental health area is indicated by the increase in symptomsof anxiety and depression, especially among younger adults, and by the recent large increase in the number of mental health diagnoses. Both racialand geographic health disparities have been increasing, and the life expectancy gap between racial groups is widening.
A clinical trial is the main process by which new medications and other medical interventions are evaluated for safety and effectiveness. This process is resource intensive and requires significant time to complete. Maybe instead of waiting for your healthcare provider to suggest your participation in a clinical trial, you could suggest one you are interested in. A good place to learn about existing clinical trials worldwide is at the ClinicalTrials.gov website. You might also want to register your interest in volunteering for a clinical trial at ResearchMatch.
Dry or low moisture products such as rice, dry beans or dry pasta last long past their expiration date if stored in a cool, dry place in their original packages. Canned goods are safe for up to four years after their expiration date, as long as the can is undamaged. Highly acidic foods and those that contain a lot of sugar or have been heat treated are similarly safe beyond the printed expiration date on the label. Acid, sugar and heat inhibit the growth of microorganisms that spoil foods.
Unopened jam is fine half a year past the expiration date because of its high sugar content; store the jam in the refrigerator once the lid has been opened. Unopened mayonnaise is also safe for 6 months due to its high acidity.
The pasteurization of dairy milk allows continued use a week or so past the printed expiration data. But any off odor or change in color or clumps indicate that the milk is no longer going to taste right. Unopened shelf-stable plant-based milks will generally be safe if kept cool and dry; their ultra-high pasteurization temperature and sterile packaging ensure long palatability.
Many foods are actually still totally safe to eat after their expiration date, although the quality of flavor and texture may degrade over time. For instance, older dried beans will take longer to cook. So when you do a pantry inventory, don’t automatically throw out items that are past their expiration date.
Much of Britain was suffering drought conditions last spring. So were other parts of the world. The UK’s National Drought Group, after noting the extensive and increasing use of water by data centers, asked the British public to delete old photos and emails from their personal computers. Will this help the drought situation?
We can think about this by doing a little math.
Data centers typically use water to cool the rooms in which their chips operate. Using GPT-4 to create one 100-word email uses about 0.5 liter (500 milliliters) of water.
Storing one 75 KB email message for a month uses about 0.001 milliliter of water. A simple division problem shows that you would be required to delete 500 emails to make up for creating one!
Perhaps there are wiser ways to save water.
What about those leaky toilets? Leak rates range from about 110 to over 15,000 liters each day. At the lowest leak rate, you would need to delete over 5 million emails a day to keep up with the water lost to the leak!
It’s probably wiser to fix the toilet leak. That will save a LOT more water than deleting old emails.
Cardiovascular disease includes many conditions of the heart and blood vessels. Heart problems include heart attack, stroke, heart failure, arrhythmia, and heart valve problems.
Blood vessel conditions include atherosclerosis, peripheralarterial disease, aortic aneurysm, cerebral vascular disease, varicose veins, and deep vein thrombosis.
About 80% of cardiovascular disease is caused by knownmodifiable risk factors. These include high systolic blood pressure, poor diet, high LDL cholesterol, smoking, and sedentary lifestyles. The worldwide increases in obesity and diabetes are major contributors to the growth of this health problem.
To learn ways to take proper care of your cardiovascular system and how to prevent or deal with specific heart conditions, please visit this month’s Healthinfo Island poster sets.
https://blog.virtualability.org/2026/02/displays-and-exhibits-for-healthinfo.html
Measles is a highly contagious disease caused by a virus. It is recognized by its characteristic rash that starts on the face and spreads down the body. Like many viral diseases, there is no treatment. Complications, although rare, can be severe, such as pneumonia, neurologic damage, blindness, even death.
Measles used to be a common childhood disease. Almost everyone caught it before the end of the teen years. Each year, about 48,000 people were hospitalized in the US for measles complications, and there were 400-500 measles deaths annually. Once you’d survived measles, you were thought to be immune for the rest of your life.
With the creation of an effective, safe vaccine, themeasles story changed for the better. The measles vaccine is administered in a combination injection along with vaccines against mumps and rubella, termed MMR. Two spaced doses of the MMR vaccine provide 97% protection against measles. Measles is now considered a preventable disease.
The World Health Organization (WHO) will declare acountry or world region to be measles-free when there is no sustained, endemic transmission for at least 12 months. (Cases may still occur due to international travel). The US was declared measles-free in 2000, thanks to widespread childhood vaccination. Maintaining this status requires both a 95% vaccination rate and vigilance to quarantine new cases.
Vaccination programs worldwide are saving the lives of children everywhere. The US Centers for Disease Control (CDC) has helped other countries strengthen vaccination programs and surveillance systems to detect outbreaks.
In 2025 in the US and around the world, the number of measles cases increased alarmingly. There were linked outbreaks of measles in Texas, Arizona, and South Carolina. The final US yearly count for 2025 was 2,267 confirmed cases. In 2024, the annual count was 285 cases.
By February 5, 2026, the CDC confirmed 773 US measles cases. That’s probably an undercount. As of January 30, the CDC had reported 467 confirmed cases in South Carolina, but state officials reported 847 cases. The trend is alarming.
Will the US lose its measles-elimination designation? Canada lost theirs in November 2025. The Pan American Health Organization (PAHO) Regional Monitoring and Re-Verification Commission for Measles, Rubella, and Congenital Rubella Syndrome (RVC) will conduct areview on April 13th this year.
To learn more about measles, please check out the Measles poster set on Healthinfo Island during February. Here is the SLURL:
http://maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/Healthinfo%20Island/195/158/22
YOU are in charge of your own health! It is important that you speak up, advocate for yourself and your needs. Here are some ways to do a better job of self-advocacy.
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Thanks to Mook for assistance with the slides this month.
