Family planning can be complicated even in the most straight-forward of situations, but when parents have a child with a disability family planning can feel even more challenging to navigate. On this episode of The Bitching and Bolusing Podcast we sit down to discuss how we waded through the waters of pregnancy after HIE, the challenges we faced, a…

El Kaiser and J.D. take a walk down a repaved Memory Lane on this installment of Pop Tech Jam, discussing the growing public interest in old 20th-century analog treasures like film cameras, vinyl records — and "X-Men" cartoons. Later in the show, El Kaiser reviews a pair of sleek wooden headphones, the Meze 99 Noir model. All this and more here on …

Marketing campaigns are an important way for companies to sell products or services to customers, including the disabled community. These companies , however, have a responsibility to create campaigns that provide respectful and ethical representation. When these companies fail to do this, they put their own target audience at risk. On this episode…

El Kaiser and J.D. discuss the Humane AI pin's public release and its flameout with critics and consumers. But there's no slowing the wave of AI-enhanced products hurtling into the world, so this week's episode ponders just a few of them — and the impact on life as we know it at the moment. All this and more on PTJ 375!…

Fallout may be a smash hit on Amazon Prime, but it got us to thinking...."what would we ACTUALLY do in the event of nuclear bomb?". No, we couldn't just strap our kids and their wheelchairs to the back of a horse and go galloping off to a Vault the way Cooper Howard did. Chances are those Vaults wouldn't be stocked with our kids medications anyhow.…

From the moment we learn of our children's disability - be it before or after birth - we are told go do as much therapy for them as possible. Physical therapy, occupational therapy, speech therapy, all of the therapy. While therapy is a useful and necessary medical intervention, it can sometimes become overwhelming and completely consuming. Where d…

All parents are faced with making medical decisions for their children, but when your child is disabled or medically fragile those decisions can be more frequent and oftentimes carry more weight. As parents we are faced with hard decisions surrounding irreversible surgeries, medications that could have negative side affects or withdrawals, and tryi…

Internalized ableism. We all have it. Yet so many parents struggle to acknowledge it, and can hardly even recognize it. This has a direct affect on our disabled children who may inherit some of that internalized ableism for themselves. On this episode of The Bitching and Bolusing Podcast we sit down to discuss our own struggles with internalized ab…

Raising a child comes with a lot of responsibility, but when medical decisions, extra appointments, and support needs are involved those responsibilities increase. Most families have some sort of support - usually in the form of partnership, but what happens when you have to navigate all this alone? We sit down with Hope & Rachel, both single mothe…

There is a mental health crisis affecting everyone in the U.S. and beyond. Parents and caregivers of disabled individuals are no exception, and sometimes, due to lack of resources, respite, services, and support, mental health becomes an extra struggle for these families. However, it is important to seek help - and sometimes - alter your perspectiv…

All parents have one thing in common when it comes to balancing work and family life - lack of childcare. Yet, somehow, a recent narrative has turned this struggle into an issue that can feel almost exclusive to parents raising disabled children. In the U.S. the lack of affordable childcare is a systemic issue that affects all parents across the bo…

Welcome to season 2! Inclusive education - it can be wonderful, and it can be awful. Almost all parents of disabled children have had some sort of negative experience along the way when it comes to IEPs or 504 plans. We are oftentimes expected to know how to navigate the "special education" system for our children when we have had no experience wha…

For parents of disabled children, the holiday season can be a tricky time of the year to navigate. We are often faced with managing extra schedules, taking on the mental load of making sure everyone has everything they need, and feeling a certain way when doing our holiday shopping knowing a toy isn't exactly "age appropriate" for our disabled chil…

On this episode of Pop Tech Jam, El Kaiser shares his love for Star Trek: Strange New Worlds. J.D. keeps the Trek vibe going with a short news roundup that includes a report on Humane's new $700 wearable AI pin that brings to mind a Next Generation communicator badge — with a whole lot of AI under the hood. Beam up for PTJ 374!…

Toxic Positivity: We've all experienced it at some point during our trauma recovery. Whether it's a well meaning relative telling you to "look on the bright side" or a stranger saying "you're so strong, I don't know how you do it". It's all left us feeling shut-down and invalidated. On the flip side, at some point, we've all probably unintentionall…

Challenges with accessibility can come in many different forms. One of the most frustrating challenges parents can face with accessibility is the outrageous cost that comes with finding adapted toys or other functional items. There's almost a gatekeeping-mentality around those who offer switch adapted products, which allows them to charge exuberant…

Pseudoscience, with its unsubstantiated claims and misleading information, can have a particularly harmful and predatory impact on the disabled community. This exploitation often takes the form of alternative treatments and therapies that promise miraculous cures but lack scientific backing. Such pseudoscientific practices not only offer false hope…

On this week's extra-chatty episode of Pop Tech Jam, El Kaiser and J.D. discuss the New York Police Department's new security robot on patrol in Times Square, as well as new artificial voice technology, iOS 17, sassy chatbots, the end of the Netflix DVDs and much more. Order yourself up a pizza and have a listen to PTJ 373!…

Every child has the right to play, but for children with disabilities, inclusion in play can be almost non-existent in certain circumstances. Oftentimes school playgrounds leave out room for inclusion by having non accessible equipment. Enter: Katrina, founder of The Recess Project. On this episode of The Bitching and Bolusing Podcast, we sit down …

El Kaiser and J.D. discuss life after the Bird-Themed Microblogging-Service-Turned-24th-Letter-Of-The-Alphabet platform, as well as reviews of the new biography of said platform’s owner. Also in the news: A big cyberattack in Las Vegas, cable spats and a possible preview of interoperability in messaging platforms. All this and more as we prepare fo…

Oftentimes parents who have medically complex and disabled children will refer to themselves as their child's caregiver. On this episode of The Bitching and Bolusing podcast, we sit down to discuss the potential harm this could have not just on our own children, but on ourselves, and within our family unit. We also discuss the desire to refer to ou…

As August winds down and product announcements are scarce, El Kaiser dives into Season 1 of Only Murders in the Building for a properly depicted New York City apartment-living experience. In the meantime, J.D. reads up on the latest in drones 'n' cloud headlines, as well as news of the continuing nostalgia for the Atari 2600. All this and more on P…

On this episode of The Bitching and Bolusing Podcast we sit down with Jen Lowe, MSW, a social worker, therapist, and mother to a son with medical complexities who spent 3 months in the NICU. Jen offers her unique insight as a therapist who has experienced her own trauma during labor and delivery, to a long NICU stay and beyond. During her journey s…

Which is better — paying big bucks for the in-theater movie experience, or waiting a couple months and watching the flick at home? Are streaming services jacking their monthly prices too high for the average consumer? What's with all this renewed global interest in the Moon and what's going on with our Mars missions? And: are we ready to see holida…

We've all been there - you're going about your life minding your own business and somebody interrupts you to do something kind simply because you have a disabled child, or because you yourself are disabled. These acts of kindness certainly come from a place of good, but it can be driven by an ableist mindset: that disabled individuals deserve pity.…

On this episode of Pop Tech Jam, El Kaiser shares his love of My Hero Academia and open-backed headphones for audio-mixing. Meanwhile, J.D. goes to a movie theater for the first time since 2019 to observe the fuss over the Barbie movie — a film that seems to be outperforming both Tom Cruise and Harrison Ford this summer. All this and more on PTJ 36…

It is far too commonplace that disabled individuals and their families receive pity from passersby. The mere thought of disability becomes worst case scenario for most people who have no experience at all with disability. But this is not, and should not, be the case. On this episode of The Bitching and Bolusing Podcast we sit down with Lillian Joy …

On this episode of Pop Tech Jam, El Kaiser and J. D. discuss the potential impact of the current writers' and actors' strikes on the entertainment industry, as well as the emergence of Threads as a challenge to Twitter in the micro-blogging Thunderdome. And, ever the sonic connoisseur, El Kaiser also explores the modern-era revival of an old 1970s …

Relationships sometimes become unnecessarily complicated when disability is involved. Sometimes people don't know how to react to the news of disability, they oftentimes hold grief for who they imagined your child would have been without disability. As parents, navigating the grief of others can be a burdensome task that halters our own healing, gr…

On this week’s episode, El Kaiser and J.D. ruminate on flimsy smartphones and even flimsier superhero movies. And El Kaiser offers advice to a PTJ listener about finding an affordable microphone for podcasting at home.

When parents have children with disabilities it can be challenging to figure out what your identity is. Oftentimes, sometimes unintentionally, parents tend to take on their child's disability as their own identity. This, however, can not only be detrimental to the family and child, but it can also be detrimental to the disabled community. In this e…

When it comes to birth trauma, the focus is often on the mother. More times than not, however, the fathers experience a similar level of trauma that can even result in PPD, PPA, and PTSD. On this episode of The Bitching and Bolusing Podcast, Courtney and Brittney sit down with their husbands to discuss their experiences with trauma after birth inju…

After a year trapped in The Joker’s lair, El Kaiser and J.D. staged a daring escape through Gotham’s subway tunnels ...oh, never mind. After a year of life events and work schedules GETTING IN THE WAY OF THINGS, El Kaiser and J.D. are back with some thoughts on recent developments in the technology and pop-culture worlds.…

As parents and caregivers, we want to share our journey and raise awareness for our children. But sometimes this can come at the cost of our children's privacy. On this episode of The Bitching and Bolusing Podcast, Courtney and Brittney talk about the importance of maintaining privacy and autonomy for children on social media, and the possible long…

Episode 1 introduces you to Courtney and Brittney. We explain what to expect from future episodes, and we talk about our own journeys into motherhood with interabled children. So come Bitch and Bolus with us!By Brittney and Courtney

Den Théid ass eisen treiste Spectateur. Hie weess ëmmer wat am Land leeft, a virun allem wat net leeft...By RTL Télé Lëtzebuerg

El Kaiser and J.D. find a few minutes to discuss Apple's various announcements from this month's World Wide Developers conference — along with a roundup of recent TV-viewing options. Boot up PTJ 365 right here!

June is here, and with it, the old-new adventures of a certain Jedi Master — and plenty of other fine programs to stream. El Kaiser and J.D. also mull recent tech news, and, for the audio-curious, El Kaiser discusses the digital audience interfaces he uses in his recording work. You can find it all here on PTJ 364!…

On this episode, El Kaiser and J.D. catch up after an unintentional hiatus to discuss current events — including Elon Musk's fluctuating deal to buy Twitter, the rapid demise of CNN+ and Apple's decision to retire the iPod after 21 years. Spin up PTJ 363 right here!

Samsung has kicked off the year in new phone hardware with updates to its Galaxy line — including a $1200 Ultra model that comes with five cameras, a stylus and a 6.8-inch screen. El Kaiser and JD ponder the possibilities, along in a roundup of other tech headlines and a preview of this year's new crop of emoji (disco ball!) coming to iOS and Andro…

As 2022 spins up, El Kaiser and J.D. check in on NASA's big new fancy space telescope and other recent tech headlines. This week's episode also features some thoughts on The Expanse and tips for adjusting your privacy settings in Android 12 and iOS 15. You can find it all here on PTJ 361!

El Kaiser and J.D. are back with a new episode and the opportunity to praise the work of Nichelle Nichols, the trailblazing actress who portrayed Lt. Uhura on the original Star Trek as she retires from public life. Also in the mix: a discussion of recent headlines, including Big Tech's increasingly warm seat in front of government regulators, and E…

In this episode, Drs. Lila Nolan and Misty Good will discuss the nitty gritty of necrotizing enterocolitis.By Neena Jube-Desai

Facebook's very bad month continues after more testimony and interviews by Frances Haugen, the whistleblower and main source behind The Wall Street Journal's "Facebook Files" series — as well as a report from its own Oversight Board about the company's lack of transparency. El Kaiser and J.D. discuss it all along other recent tech headlines, includ…

By Neena Jube-Desai

By Neena Jube-Desai

On this week's episode, El Kaiser takes a listen to several USB microphones designed for podcasting and J.D. hauls out the headlines for a discussion of recent consumer-technology news — including The Wall Street Journal's inside look at Facebook. All this and a whole lot more on PTJ 358!

By Neena Jube-Desai

Changes are coming to the way the big app stores do business, the U.S. government spins up a fellowship program for new technologists and children in China get their gaming time regulated — El Kaiser and J.D. roll through the news of the past few weeks with plenty of opinions along the way. El Kaiser also has a public-service warning about a show t…