THE BRAILLE FORUM Volume XLVII August 2008 No. 2 Published by the American Council of the Blind THE AMERICAN COUNCIL OF THE BLIND STRIVES TO INCREASE THE INDEPENDENCE, SECURITY, EQUALITY OF OPPORTUNITY, AND TO IMPROVE QUALITY OF LIFE FOR ALL BLIND AND VISUALLY IMPAIRED PEOPLE. Mitch Pomerantz, President Melanie Brunson, Executive Director Sharon Lovering, Editor National Office: 1155 15th St. NW Suite 1004 Washington, DC 20005 (202) 467-5081 Fax: (202) 467-5085 Web site: http://www.acb.org THE BRAILLE FORUM (TM) is available in braille, large print, half-speed four-track cassette tape, and via e-mail. Subscription requests, address changes, and items intended for publication should be sent to Sharon Lovering at the address above, or via e-mail to slovering@acb.org. Submission deadlines are the first of the month. The American Council of the Blind (TM) is a membership organization made up of more than 70 state and special-interest affiliates. To join, visit the ACB web site and complete an application form, or contact the national office at the number listed above. Those much-needed contributions, which are tax-deductible, can be sent to Mike Godino at the above mailing address. If you wish to remember a relative or friend, the national office can make printed cards available for this purpose. To remember the American Council of the Blind in your Last Will and Testament, you may include a special paragraph for that purpose. If your wishes are complex, contact the ACB national office. Join the MMS program and help improve tomorrow today in ACB. Contact Ron Milliman by e-mail, rmilliman@insightbb.com, or by phone at (270) 782-9325 and get started making tomorrow look brighter today! To make a contribution to ACB via the Combined Federal Campaign, use this number: 11155. For the latest in legislative and governmental news, call the "Washington Connection" toll-free at (800) 424-8666, 5 p.m. to midnight Eastern time, or visit the Washington Connection online at http://www.acb.org. Copyright 2008 American Council of the Blind TABLE OF CONTENTS President's Report, Part I, by Mitch Pomerantz Make A Big Difference A Little at a Time -- Join the Monthly Monetary Support Program, by Melanie Brunson Announcing the Press Release Handbook for ACB Affiliates and Chapters, by Ronald E. Milliman Auction 2008 A Spectacular Success! Board Tackles Leases, Travel Agency, Financial Matters in June Meetings, by Ken Stewart An Open Letter to Adult Blind Children and Their Parents, by Rebecca Kragnes Swimming Up the Mainstream, by DeAnna Noriega Sounds of Sight, by Doug Van Winkle Accessible Audio Device for the Blind: The Victor Reader Stream, by Michael Geno Passings High Tech Swap Shop High Partial, by Netagene Kirkpatrick FORUM SUBSCRIPTION NOTES You can now get "The Braille Forum" by podcast! To subscribe, go to "The Braille Forum" page on www.acb.org. If you do not yet have a podcast client, you can download one from the Forum page. To subscribe to "The Braille Forum" via e-mail, send a blank e-mail message to brailleforum-L-subscribe@acb.org. ARE YOU MOVING? DO YOU WANT TO CHANGE YOUR SUBSCRIPTION? Contact Sharon Lovering in the ACB national office, 1-800-424-8666, or via e-mail, slovering@acb.org. Give her the information, and she'll take care of the changes for you. ***** PRESIDENT'S REPORT, PART I by Mitch Pomerantz I've just gotten home from ACB's 47th annual national convention in Louisville. In fact, as I write this, it has been about four hours since Donna and I landed back in Los Angeles. What I want to do in this and in the September president's column is to excerpt my remarks on Sunday evening of the convention. I'll try not to repeat things I've said in earlier columns, so bear with me if you've read some of this before. Ladies and gentlemen, it is truly an honor to be standing before you this evening to give my first report as the 10th president of the American Council of the Blind. We have gathered here in the city of Louisville, Ky., at our 47th annual national convention to practice and uphold the principles of grass-roots democracy and individual freedom of thought and action that the founders of our organization were seeking when they walked out of the 1961 NFB convention to begin the process of forming ACB. All of us here this week honor their memory through our presence at this convention. I would be remiss if I didn't acknowledge the members of the ACB board of directors for their support and assistance this past year. We had some extremely important matters to address and the board tackled each one professionally and collaboratively. For this, a special "thank you." I want to begin by summing up the previous 12 months for the American Council of the Blind by referring to the title of a favorite Frank Sinatra tune: "It was a Very Good Year!" Overall, ACB's financial situation has improved dramatically. ... Since last August, the American Council of the Blind has received four bequests in excess of six figures. The board took advantage of our good fortune by increasing ACB's designated reserves to something over $1 million. ... I want to mention that we are going to honor those individuals and organizations that have contributed $100,000 or more to ACB with a plaque which will be prominently displayed in our national office. One of my goals for this past year was to hire a full-time development director to manage ACB's fund-raising activities. On May 1st, Dena Wilson began her employment with us. This is a huge step for our organization in competing for those elusive corporate, foundation and individual dollars. Ms. Wilson will make ACB competitive with other not-for-profit organizations, something which is essential for our continued existence. ... Since we're talking about money, let's recognize ACB's tremendous victory on May 20th in the D.C. appellate court. As most everyone knows by now, the court upheld the decision in district court supporting our contention that the U.S. Treasury Department is in violation of the Rehabilitation Act by failing to provide meaningful access to currency for blind and visually impaired persons. The publicity ACB has received in the nation's newspapers, on radio and television, and via the Internet has been overwhelmingly positive toward the ruling and our organization. I'd like to read a quote from the decision which puts this fight and our victory in proper perspective. "The Secretary's argument is analogous to contending that merely because the mobility impaired may be able either to rely on the assistance of strangers or to crawl on all fours in navigating architectural obstacles, they are not denied meaningful access to public buildings. Such dependence is anathema to the stated purpose of the Rehabilitation Act, and places the visually impaired at a distinct disadvantage in two-way transactions involving paper currency. ..." And in case you haven't already heard, at our convention this week we have a consultant for the Treasury Department, Jeffrey Whitt, who will be conducting a couple of focus groups, as well as other activities, to gather input regarding our ideas on accessible currency. I hope this gentleman is barraged with your input. He needs to see how totally committed we are to the concept of identifiable currency. ... I want to acknowledge here the outstanding work of two of the hardest working attorneys I know: Lainey Feingold and Linda Dardarian. It is through their efforts that ACB members can celebrate accessible automated teller and point-of-sale machines at banks and other business establishments. Since last July, ACB has signed new agreements with: 7-Eleven, to install 5,000 tactile POS's by June 30, 2009; Rite Aid, to make its web site W3C accessible and -- in a second agreement -- to install tactile POS's in 6,000 stores nationwide; Equifax, Experian and TransUnion, to make credit reports available online in an accessible format that complies with the W3C guidelines, as well as in braille, large print and audio formats by the end of the year. ... Lainey and Linda, along with ACB, are pioneers in this area by avoiding costly and divisive litigation, a strategy that others in the disability community would do well to emulate. On May 1, ACB participated in a very important Congressional hearing in Washington. As a founding member of the Coalition of Organizations for Accessible Technology (COAT), ACB put several months of intensive effort into this hearing before the House Energy and Commerce Committee's Subcommittee on Telecommunications and the Internet. The subcommittee heard from members of the disability community, including a representative from ACB on the impact of largely inaccessible consumer electronics. Our representative, Sergeant Major Jesse Acosta, an Iraq War veteran from southern California, is at the convention. ... Let's give him a well- deserved round of applause, both for his service to ACB and his service to our country. I understand Jesse did an outstanding job and that his testimony was well received by subcommittee members. Subsequently, H.R. 6320, The 21st Century Communications and Video Accessibility Act of 2008 was introduced by Reps. Markey (MA) and Wilson (NM). It would amend the Communications Act to ensure that new Internet- enabled telephone and television services are accessible to and usable by people with disabilities, and closes existing gaps in telecommunications laws. ... I'll conclude my president's report next month. Take care. ***** MAKE A BIG DIFFERENCE A LITTLE AT A TIME -- JOIN THE MONTHLY MONETARY SUPPORT PROGRAM by Melanie Brunson ACB just concluded its 47th annual convention. These conventions provide a good opportunity to reflect on what has happened since the convention of the prior year, and to plan for the future of ACB. During our most recent convention, we spent quite a bit of time doing both of these. As you will see when you read other articles in this and future issues of "The Braille Forum," there were many successes to celebrate during the past year. In addition, a number of resolutions were passed by the convention calling on the leadership and staff of ACB to undertake new advocacy initiatives during the year ahead. At the same time, our work on issues such as accessible currency, pedestrian safety, video description and access to information from a wide variety of sources continues. We are poised for some very significant developments in a number of these areas over the next year, but as with other efforts ACB has undertaken in the past, achieving success will require the resources of all of our members and friends. In other words, we will need your help! What I am asking you to do this month is actually very simple. It is easier than calling your congressman's office, easier than writing a letter to your senator, but it can be just as important to ACB's ability to achieve its legislative and advocacy goals. I am asking you to join our Monthly Monetary Support (MMS) program and make a contribution to ACB on a monthly basis. Even if it is just a few dollars per month, your contribution can make a big difference. Each person who participates in ACB's MMS program increases ACB's ability to sustain its advocacy efforts, educate the public about the capabilities of people who are blind, provide leadership training, and give individuals information about blindness, as well as programs and services available to people who are blind. Each person who contributes on a monthly basis through this program adds to a pool of resources that ACB and its affiliates would not otherwise have. Participants in this program can designate up to 50 percent of their contribution to either a state or special-interest affiliate of their choosing. Thus, MMS contributions can support an even wider range of activities that benefit people who have visual impairments throughout the country. If you are not currently participating in this program, I hope you will consider enrolling today. Signing up is easy. Simply call the Minneapolis office at 1-800-866-3242 and your application can be taken over the phone. You can also apply online by visiting www.acb.org/mms.html. Funds will be automatically withdrawn each month from either your bank account, or a credit or debit card, as you prefer. All you have to do is provide the appropriate account information and the amount you want withdrawn each month when you sign up. The rest is automatic. Your contributions will be very much appreciated by both ACB and its affiliates. Just as each little drop of water is important to the existence of an ocean, so each contribution is important to ACB's resource pool. Don't dismiss the part you could play as too small. Each of those small contributions, when combined with all of the others, can come together to form a mighty powerful force. Please add your contribution to that force. Join the MMS program and increase our momentum today. Call 1-800-866-3242, or visit www.acb.org/mms.html on the web. You can make a difference. ***** ANNOUNCING THE PRESS RELEASE HANDBOOK FOR ACB AFFILIATES AND CHAPTERS by Ronald E. Milliman The Press Release Handbook for ACB Affiliates and Chapters was unveiled during the 47th annual ACB national convention in Louisville. The handbook is free of charge and is available in large print, braille, and on CD in MS Word, braille-ready file, and text file formats. The handbook covers all of the basics in writing and distributing effective press releases. Chapter one discusses the reasons for press releases, and when not to use them; chapter two covers the basics of writing a press release. Chapter three covers distribution of press releases, and chapter four talks about recognizing opportunities for press releases. There are also useful references at the end of the handbook if one wishes to study the topic in even more depth. The handbook was written by members of the PR committee: Dr. Ron Milliman, Sharon Lovering, Day Al-Mohamed, and Gaylen Floy. The PR committee and ACB acknowledge and thank the Florida Council of the Blind for its generous assistance in covering the printing and supply cost of making this handbook available. Currently, copies are available in large print, braille, on IBM-compatible CD, as well as via download from the ACB web page. To request a copy, contact the ACB national office at 1-800-424-8666, e-mail slovering@acb.org, or visit www.acb.org. ***** AUCTION 2008 A SPECTACULAR SUCCESS! The 2008 ACB auction was a huge success! Last year we were thrilled to have raised $18,884, so you can imagine how utterly delighted we were to have raised $24,525 this year! We could not have done it without the wonderful volunteers who assisted, the excellent record-keeping of Carla Ruschival and Lane Waters, the hard work of our three auctioneers (Ray Campbell, Melanie Brunson and Jeff Thom), the generosity of the numerous affiliates, individuals, companies and vendors who contributed such fabulous items, and last, but certainly not least, those of you who came and supported the auction by bidding. Special thanks to Michael Fulghum and Don Stevens for transporting auction items from Nashville to Louisville. We are already at work processing suggestions as to how to streamline and improve the auction for 2009. If you have ideas, please share them with Brenda Dillon, chair, ACB Auction Committee. Call her at (615) 874-1223 or e-mail her at brendan0@bellsouth.net. We extend our heartfelt thanks to all who participated in this event. ***** BOARD TACKLES LEASES, TRAVEL AGENCY, FINANCIAL MATTERS IN JUNE MEETINGS by Ken Stewart (Editor's Note: The American Council of the Blind constitution and bylaws require that a narrative summary of every board of directors meeting be prepared by the board of publications' ex officio representative to the board of directors. Upon approval of the minutes of this meeting by the board of directors, the minutes will be made available to the membership on the web site. Members who cannot access the minutes in that way may request assistance from the national office.) The board of directors met twice in June via teleconference, once on June 4 at which meeting David Trott was absent, and again on June 24, at which meeting Chris Gray was absent. Staff present for both calls were Melanie Brunson and Lane Waters. Pursuant to previous board direction, Brunson and Waters reported on the leases being negotiated for the Washington, D.C. and Minneapolis offices. The leases on the current properties will expire by the end of 2008. Brunson and Waters reviewed in detail the wording for each lease; the D.C. office would relocate to Arlington, Va. near the Court House Metro stop, and the Minneapolis office would move to Brooklyn Center, a suburb with bus service nearby. The board approved the Arlington lease with one member opposed, and the Brooklyn Center lease unanimously. ACB Travel Agency: The board agreed that at this time, no contractual arrangements would be established for travel with any travel agency. However, Dimensions in Travel has offered to donate $25 from any travel package of $1,500 or more back to ACB when the traveler references ACB while making the booking. The board accepted this offer. During the two-part telephonic meeting, the board also took care of several financial matters. The board approved a motion to develop a postal mail solicitation for monetary contributions which would highlight recent major accomplishments of the American Council of the Blind, including the successful litigation for more accessible U.S. paper currency. The recommendation from Carla Ruschival, chair of the convention committee, to reduce convention registration fees by $5 received enthusiastic approval. The board also established a reimbursement policy in the amount of $200 for receipted expenses incurred by members of the board of directors and board of publications related to meeting attendance. Due to higher expenses for relocating some of the ACBES stores to better markets, improving the look of all stores, and upgrading store equipment, the loan extended to ACBES was expanded from $100,000 to $150,000. The board moved into executive session on June 4. When concluded, president Pomerantz reported that the board received an update on a case settlement resulting from structured negotiations. Also, the board approved a motion which authorizes ACB to initiate Section 508 litigation as recommended by the advocacy services committee, and take steps to engage counsel for that case. On June 24, the board also moved to executive session. When that session concluded, Pomerantz reported that the office leases were finalized, and one personnel matter was discussed. ***** AN OPEN LETTER TO ADULT BLIND CHILDREN AND THEIR PARENTS by Rebecca Kragnes There are many things on which my parents and I disagree. But I do know that they've done their best to prepare me for adulthood. Once I reached adulthood, they've treated me like an adult as much as any parents can. Through this letter, I am hoping to open up dialogues between adult blind children and their parents. In some ways, it doesn't matter whether one is sighted or blind. I include myself in the many adults who feel they revert to little-kid status when they take the trip home to visit their parents. It's easy to jump back into the old roles of parent and child. For blind adult children and their parents, it's even easier to go back into those patterns. One of the biggest contributors to this is the inability to drive. For blind adult children to maintain their independence, they must either know the transportation system and city in which their parents live or have money for and access to cabs and other driver services. Otherwise, we have to surrender or at least compromise some of our independence in deciding when and where we want to go. My parents live on a farm, so I have very few choices in this arena. This is just a fact of life. When I plan for the duration of a trip to my parents' home, I remind myself of this. For me personally, a week is about the maximum I want to spend visiting my parents. A second factor is the reduced accessibility for adult blind children when out of our own home environment. Computers don't have screen-reading software which makes the computers accessible to us. TV programs aren't automatically set for description, and forget trying to use remotes! There are times when my parents like to sit quietly with a newspaper or other printed material and read. Sometimes, buttons on appliances are visible to sighted people, but we can't feel them. Many -- from the TV to the washer and dryer -- operate on inaccessible menus. Braille is rarely on appliances and talking clocks aren't always within reach. For a short while, some of these can be advantages. I'm not a cook extraordinaire, and my mother is. Therefore, having an excuse to let my mother do the cooking is just fine with me. Mom also washes, dries, folds, and organizes my laundry when I visit. She would faint if she saw the disarray of my closet and drawers at home. I also can't use scented detergents and fabric softeners at home due to my husband's allergies to them. During the unpacking after returning from a trip to my parents' I've been known to smell and even cry over laundry that I know my mom has done. A third factor which can make visits to one's parents difficult is having to relearn where everything is and where everything goes. This is true for blind and sighted alike, but blind people have special challenges in an environment which isn't our own. Which unrecognizable bottle is shampoo and which is conditioner in the shower? The 12-ounce cans in our fridge at home are our favorite sodas. But the cans in my parents' fridge could be several different kinds of pop or beer. Mom may have reorganized the cupboards or rearranged the furniture from the way I remember. Where am I to put the bags of dog deposits again? Where do I put my dog's bowl of water, so she has access to it and it's not in anyone else's way? What about the bag of dog food and the feeding bowl? Though it means extra packing, I find that bringing my own talking alarm clock, shampoo, and conditioner can result in needing to ask a few less questions. Bringing lots of reading material is helpful. That way when my parents want to sit quietly and read, I can, too. Having a bedroom as a mini environment which I can make my own helps immensely! It is one area of the house where if something is moved, the guilty party is most likely me. A cell phone for visits at my parents' is a must. That way I can make and receive calls when and where I want. My cell phone is also a connection to the outside world, which helps me to feel more in control and less trapped. If one is tech-savvy and can make the computer work, good for him/her. When visiting my parents, I need to follow their rules at their house. There are certain areas outdoors where Mom and Dad don't want my dog to relieve herself. There are places where my parents would prefer that I groom her. Following their preferences at their house is just common courtesy. However, when it comes to how I conduct myself outside of their house, that is my own affair. Fortunately, my parents support my decision to use all of the tools for my independence. I know of some parents who will not let their blind adult children bring a cane or a dog guide when going to -- or even meeting outside -- the parents' home. These adult blind children are forced to revert back to a helpless state of once again depending on their parents for basic needs like going to the restroom. I am so grateful my parents have never tried to do anything like this. Because of the factors above, my visits home are seldom but enjoyable when they occur. These visits would not happen at all if there was a conversation in which my parents told me I'd have to choose between going with them or my independence. Another thing for which I am grateful is that my parents made it perfectly clear that after college, I was not going to move back in with them. I was lucky enough to marry right after graduate school. Even if I hadn't, I knew that I would have been on my own. I know there are blind adult children who have never been away from home except for maybe college. To the parents of this subset of blind adults, you aren't doing your children any favors by allowing them to live with you, collect Social Security, and mooch cooking, driving and cleaning services off you. What will happen when these parents pass away? How will these supposed adults go through the grieving process while keeping a roof over their heads, feeding and caring for themselves, and maintaining where they live? I've already admitted that I'm not Ms. Housekeeper, and I know I'd live very differently if my husband wasn't around. But I'd have some concept about how to get what I needed. My advice to these parents is to develop a time period of transition at home with the goal of having the blind adult move into his/her own place. Parental assistance should gradually be reduced both at home and again after the move. This way, when the inevitable happens, it won't be such a shock. Sometimes the worst in life happens to blind and sighted adult children alike, and they are forced to move back in with their parents. Along with trying to retain an adult relationship, blind adult children have many of the same challenges I described when discussing visits. Only now, it's not just for a week. Tensions run high, and adult blind children find themselves reliving parts of their adolescence and mouthing off to their parents. They hear their parents say things like, "Don't get smart with me!" Ah, reliving the good old days! It's not a situation in which I'd want to find myself. But if I did, I'd definitely want to avoid as much conflict as possible by defining rules, rights, and responsibilities. It's more than just paying rent to keep the government happy. Adult blind children need to set and respect boundaries, and their parents need to do the same. I've heard of instances where parents open and read their adult blind child's mail without permission, including financial statements. Furthermore, some strong-arm or guilt their kids into managing personal affairs in the way the parents wish. If I say I have the right to privacy and set the ground rule that reading my mail without my permission isn't to happen, I'd better be responsible for finding my own trustworthy reader to assist me in taking care of my personal business. Parents may come to resent having to do their adult blind children's laundry, taking responsibility for their meals, driving them around, and cleaning up after them. Especially if the living arrangement is permanent, provisions should be made to allow the blind adult to take responsibility for these things. This is going to take effort on both sides. Parents may need to have appliances labeled and accept the way their blind progeny performs an activity -- even if it's not exactly the way the parents would do it. At the same time, the blind adult needs to be willing to learn and take on some of these responsibilities. This includes helping pay for groceries and gas. As with visiting, it's understandable that parents may want their adult children to agree to the house rules. However, what happens outside the house is none of the parents' business. It's understandable that parents want to protect their children -- no matter how old they are. What parents see as protection could actually be hindrances to a blind person's independence. I know an adult blind child living at home who still lives by the rule "stranger danger" and will not talk to strangers. This can really be a problem when one needs assistance and no one familiar is around. I've spent time with a friend when her mom called her cell phone to see where she was and when she was going to be home. I've heard of other cases where the parents have almost arranged a marriage with a sighted person, because the parents thought it would be more convenient for their blind child. I have observed that another battleground can form when determining where the blind adult is to live once moved away from the parents' home. Cities can be terrible places, but parents forget that for blind people, they provide more opportunities to be independent. There are more transportation options, and transportation is more flexible and frequent. More employment opportunities are available, and there is a wider selection of people to choose as friends. No matter where adult blind children choose to live, whom they choose to marry, or how they choose to spend their time and/or money, parents are no more responsible for their successes and failures than those of their sighted children. Perhaps an example will illustrate my point. I remember a time visiting my parents when my dog did not get me far enough from the edge of a sidewalk, and I fell off, turning my ankle. I know my mom felt badly about and responsible for what happened. I gently reminded her that my dog and I were responsible for what happened -- not her. There's one area that I'm unsure how to address. Like all other adult children, I dread the time when the roles of parent and child will be reversed. I know blind people who have capably taken care of their parents as they grew older, but since I've admitted to not being Ms. Housekeeper, I may have to participate more in the decision-making and less in the hands-on aspects. I hope to find other articles about this phase of the relationship, because I suspect it has a few more twists and turns for the adult blind child caring for a parent. Meanwhile, I hope that what I've shared here will be of help to both adult blind children and their parents. ***** SWIMMING UP THE MAINSTREAM by DeAnna Noriega The Muppet character Kermit the Frog sings a song entitled "It's Not Easy Bein' Green." Going to public school with a visual impairment can seem like being green when everyone else is white, black, or some shade in between. It can feel like swimming against the current. Everyone else appears to be carried along, while you are floundering and trying to keep your head above water. Here are some of the secrets that kept me afloat in the turbulent currents of public school life. Although I could see well enough to learn to read at 3, I became totally blind by age 8. I was mainstreamed all but 18 months of my educational life. It's tough being different from all the others, the square peg in a round hole. When I was very small, I pretended to be Hippolyta, queen of the Amazons on a mission in enemy country. Imagining myself as someone bigger and braver than I actually was helped me figure out more than one wrong turn in a crowded, noisy school corridor! Rather than feeling badly that I couldn't play some of the recess games, I practiced at home to master the ones I could handle, like jumping rope. I talked others into playing games of my own invention. One such game involved tying sweaters over their heads, spinning them around and telling them to find their way back to a particular location, like the water fountain. In this way I explained to my friends how I used each sound, scent, or the feel of the sun to help me orient. They could share my adventures. I taught special friends to use braille so we could exchange notes the teachers couldn't read. In my teens, whenever I found myself in a situation that scared me, I pretended to be the kind of girl who could handle any new experience. Acting a part helped keep me from freezing up. Choose to participate in things you are really interested in. Going along with everyone else to be accepted isn't a good idea if what they want to do is dangerous, boring, dumb, or not what you want to do. You'll have more fun doing things with people who like you for who you really are and like to do the things you like to do. A common interest will help your new friends see you as a real person not that much different from themselves and not as a condition like blindness. For some people, blindness will always be one of the ways they think of you because it is human nature to put people in categories. How many times have you heard someone describe a classmate as that fat kid in algebra or the tall, skinny guy with red hair? The sooner you can accept your vision problems as only one part of who you are, the easier it will be to move on. Stop letting vision loss keep you from finding out what other qualities and labels might be part of the complex package that goes into making you unique. There will always be those people who will purposely set out to hurt your feelings. Try to keep up a good front. If you let them get you down, then they have won. Meanness for the sake of feeling superior is a sad thing. It shows that they don't have any better way to feel special. Making a joke back when someone says something mean is a good way to show them that they can't hurt you with their words. Laughter can take away some of the sting and you don't want to play the victim because words can turn into shoving, or escalate into violence. Showing fear or letting your tormentor know he has hurt you can encourage him to go further in his attacks than he might otherwise. If you explain the special tools you use and make a point of talking to the teacher about what help you need, you will find people happier to lend a hand. Sometimes they are only holding back because it's confusing to them that you don't wave back when they wave at you in a hall, but you can read a book. A lot of people think that blindness always means you don't see anything. So explaining what you see or don't see and how you use other clues will make things a little clearer for everyone. Even teachers can be a bit confused about how to treat you. While you are in school, it is your job to get a good education. Not putting out your best effort only cheats you of learning which you may someday need. Speaking up for yourself in school is good practice for when you are out in the real world of jobs and adult responsibilities. If a teacher ignores you, don't sit back and allow your precious learning time to be wasted. Ask questions! There are probably others in the class who don't understand either. Asking for help isn't easy, but it beats struggling with something you aren't doing well. Don't allow a teacher to give you grades without doing the work expected of the others in the class. Try to find a way to accomplish equivalent work. Sometimes you may feel frustrated and wonder, "Why me?" No one ever said life was fair. Even those who seem to have it all may have things in their lives that they wish were different. It isn't what we lack that matters as much as what we do with the gifts we are given. Sit down and make an honest list of the things you like about yourself and the things you wish were different. Then pick one of the things off the negative list and figure out how you might change it. Perhaps you do poorly in math. You could seek tutoring, or set aside more study time. You might never be a math whiz, but you don't have to be the lowest in the class either. As a young person, I had a bad temper, was shy and felt awkward with strangers. I worked hard to change those things because I could see how they got in my way. I decided that if I was to make friends and be included in activities, I had to be the one to make the first move. Other people can feel shy too or just not know how to show you that they want to know you better. Sighted people can smile, make eye contact and make a friendly connection with each other without saying a word. It takes a little more thought and effort to approach a blind person. A lot of kids won't take the time to figure it out and you must be the one to reach out to them first. That isn't always easy. You may feel afraid that the group you want to join will reject you, say something mean or just ignore you. The thing to remember is that you will never know unless you try. The times you are accepted and make new friends are worth the hurt feelings when you are not. One of the ways I got over being shy was to reach out to other shy people. Putting them at ease made me forget to be so nervous myself. I found I liked helping others and that I could be useful and not always be the person needing help. If there are things on your list that you can't change, then try to let go of worrying about them. I will never be tall or a great musician. I can still enjoy music produced by others and figure out ways to reach things on high shelves. Life is too short to waste fretting about what you don't have or can't do. Concentrate on those things you can accomplish. Your life belongs to you and only you can decide how to spend it. Working on the things you want to improve will make you feel better about who you are. This is your life and you can take charge of it. You can make choices that will change it for the better or sit back and whine about it and get shuffled into a stagnant side pool and go nowhere. Look around you for mentors and good examples. They can help a lot. They have already dealt with the same tough times as you and can be sources of ideas in handling the challenges of swimming upstream. It's true you may have to work harder and put more effort into what you do than someone else. But you will become a stronger swimmer for the work you put in and have an edge over the drifters and floaters that go along in the current. You will be taking charge of your direction instead of letting that old river decide where you end up. Good luck and make the most of each opportunity to learn and grow. ***** SOUNDS OF SIGHT Listening to the sounds and pretending to see, Creating images frame by frame, Completing all the details from memory. I see clouds of thunder and lightning pouring out the rain. Awakening to a new day's beginning. Morning songbirds remind me to get up. I hear hundreds of them performing. But some days it's just not enough. Tombstone silence turns night lonesome black. I wish for the sound of stars twinkling; I hope to hear a nocturnal soundtrack, Because for now hearing is believing. On nature's breath ride Sounds of Sight Guiding me where I want to go. She's in the wind day and night. With blind sight I follow. -- Doug Van Winkle ***** ACCESSIBLE AUDIO DEVICE FOR THE BLIND: THE VICTOR READER STREAM by Michael Geno Here's a riddle. What weighs 6 ounces and is small enough to hold in the palm of your hand, can store more than 100 CDs of audio books or music, live recordings, and even speak file names, text files of books, mail, and other documents such as calendar schedules or address books? Playback volume, tone, and speed can be changed without experiencing pitch changes. This device can even store, play, and bookmark more than 30 NLS talking books and magazines (after the authorization process). It can also store and play audio files of radio shows, television programs or full-length movies any time you are on the go, or relaxing at home. While a portable laptop computer can do most of these things, the answer is not a computer, nor an iPod, MP3 player, portable tape recorder, or Olympus digital player recorder. The answer is: the Victor Reader Stream. Since the year 2000, digital audio devices have been getting smaller and smaller while the amount of audio material that can be stored and quickly accessed on them is steadily increasing. The newest generation of handheld digital audio recorders and players have no moving parts, and can be easily carried in a pocket or purse. Most that are smaller than a pack of gum have very few buttons, and present barriers to the blind because of their dependence upon visual navigation of a pointer to access many features on their display menu. The good news is that some companies are removing these barriers and developing products that go beyond what you might imagine is accessible to the blind. HumanWare is one of those companies. The Victor Reader Stream has become one of the company's hottest selling products. Until you test drive the Victor Reader Stream for yourself, you really won't know what you're missing. This digital audio device offers much more than you would expect. Find someone who already owns one, and check it out. What follows is what I discovered after testing this easy-to-use product. General Description & Features The Victor Reader Stream is about as thick as a deck of cards, and can be held in one hand much like a small calculator. It can easily be operated with one hand, and runs for 15 hours on a four-hour battery charge. It has a built-in speaker and microphone, and can be connected to a computer or other audio amplification equipment. It is not configured to record from other audio devices directly. I have not tried an attenuated patch cord to see if this can be done using the microphone jack. A USB cable is used to load audio and text file information. The description of its buttons makes it seem harder to operate than it really is. This is because it has been designed to follow standard conventions you already know. For example, 12 of the buttons on the face of the Stream are assigned numbers just like the buttons on a standard touch- tone telephone. Another set of three buttons on the bottom of the key display are like those of other CD or tape recorder buttons that use the left button to go back, the right to go forward, while the middle button places the unit in play or pause mode. There are two arrow buttons on the left edge of the Stream as you hold it in your hand facing you. The lowest of these buttons, shaped like an arrow pointing down, can be pressed to lower the playback volume, speed, and tone. The up-arrow-shaped button just above it raises volume, speed, and tone. The round button on the top left edge of the Stream above the arrow buttons is the on-off switch. One small button on the right edge of the Stream starts and stops recording. The top portion of the face display has two grilles. The left covers a built-in mono speaker, and the right grille protects a built-in mono microphone. Just below the left grille is a square- shaped "Go To" button. Below the right microphone grille is a diamond-shaped "Bookmark" button. Between these buttons is a green LED indicator light that stays on when the Stream is on, and blinks when it is charging. Moving left to right on the top edge are ports for a mini USB cable, a memory card slot, and a port for the power cord. Above the record button are two mini audio jacks. The top one is for stereo earbuds that come with the Stream; it can also be used to connect the Stream to headphones or an amplified speaker system. The other jack is for an external microphone. Learning How It Works The first function I recommend beginners to take advantage of after pressing the power button until the Stream comes on and says, "Welcome to the Victor Stream," is to press and hold down the number 1 key until the built-in user manual begins speaking. Then you can use the bottom center "play" button to stop or continue listening to this manual. Another excellent option is to press and hold down the 0 button in the phone pad array until the Stream announces that the Key Describer feature is on. This mode allows you to press any button on the device to hear what its name is and what it does. Pressing again and holding down the 0 will turn off the Key Describer feature. Why You Will Want One The current Victor Reader Stream's basic male announcing voice is clear and pleasant. But the female synthesized voice that reads text file names or books seems a bit harsh and repetitive in her reading inflection. Even so, this voice is generally understandable, and has a male option as an alternative firmware upgrade. Both synthesized and recorded audio books can be easily slowed down or made faster without any pitch change. This is a definite advantage over taped books that sound like Mickey Mouse when played faster, or digital CD audio books that allow no speed changes at all. The shuffle option for playing folders of music files is a real plus. Now you can mix the variety of 100 music CDs or more without any changer delays. You can easily delete any books or folders you no longer need or want to store or hear. The auto shut-off and sleep feature is great for saving battery life. I have even used the sleep shut-off feature to keep me on schedule when reading books during a break or lunch hour. One press of the sleep button sets the Stream to fully shut off in 15 minutes. You can press the sleep button up to four times to increase the sleep shut-off time 15 minutes with each press up to a 60-minute maximum. A fifth press turns off sleep mode. I was surprised to discover that the Stream bookmarks each book you have started, and remembers them when it turns off in sleep mode, or after you pause or stop. This feature allows you to listen to more than one book or folder and leave them without losing your last listening point. The Stream will resume play from the exact place you stopped listening in each file you left off in every sub-folder except music. (However, it does remember the last played position for the entire music structure.) I have stopped listening in up to 14 separate books, magazines, recorded meetings, movies, and TV shows, and was able to resume listening exactly from where I left off in each one. The Stream went far beyond my expectations with this automatic saving and remembering each last listening point in every book or folder. Automatically set markers you can resume play from should not be confused with stationary bookmarks you number and insert yourself anywhere in a book or audio file. The difference in these stationary bookmarks is that they all remain until you remove them regardless of your last listening point. You can jump to any of these bookmarks using the "Go To" button. These markers differ from the pause/stop bookmarks that are automatically placed and temporarily remembered by the Stream until you play beyond them. The automatic bookmarks remember the position where you last stopped in any given book, and are automatically reset at the point where you stop listening or turn off the Stream. Navigating of text files or address and phone files by sentence, word, or even character by character is an important option. The Stream is especially useful when spelling names, addresses, and reading the digits of phone numbers. Slowing the reading speed also helps when reviewing strings of numbers. My final commendation relates to the Stream's ability to make use of standard memory SD card storage that can be removed and replaced. These postage-stamp-sized cards can also be read and written to using a standard card reader connected to a computer. An exciting spin-off of this option is the on-line access to and downloading of NLS digital talking books that can be decompressed and copied to these cards, and listened to immediately on the Stream in clear CD quality audio. The added bonus you will find hard to live without after you have enjoyed it is the ability the Stream gives you to quickly jump to book chapters, sub-sections, and if available, specific page markers. The Victor Stream I carry with me now has more than 20 downloaded magazines and talking books on one guitar-pick-sized flash memory card, along with two complete audio versions of Bibles. Also on this digital storage card are 39 books in text files, and various audio program listening folders with old-time radio shows, TV programs, and audio tracks of movies. I have also recorded my reading of each weekly calendar schedule in notes I can easily change or remove. I also can access text files of my personal address and phone book with inserted bookmarks I can jump to for quick reference, and this 8-gig digital storage card is not yet full. I still have room to record hours of live audio notes about product information in stores, names and addresses of people I meet, or recordings of meetings I need to review and bookmark for a later time. And it is easy to carry more of these flash cards if I need to place another one in the Stream's card reading slot for more memory storage options. Improvements & Wish List Despite all this good news, there are things I believe can be added or improved to make the Victor Stream more functional and versatile. For example, I really don't see the need for the indicator light constantly drawing power from a device designed for consumers who cannot see it. I also question why the sleep feature, which is a timer option, was not integrated with a fully functioning talking clock and calendar. It would be nice to have a time-date function alarm set option for reminders with selectable alarms much like those available on Olympus digital audio products. The Stream also needs a sturdy eyelet loop so that a safety strap can be fastened directly to it. The rounded bottom of the Stream is not very practical. Without a flat base the Stream cannot be stood upright. I recommend stabilizing it with a hinged prop fin attached to the battery storage door in the lower back of the unit. Standing the Stream up would help with built-in microphone recording and better listening to the built-in speaker in some situations. Supplied with the Stream is a 4-inch cable used to connect a USB memory stick storage device. This adds to the data accessed by the Stream, but is not convenient or secure as an active connection. The mini USB socket holds the connecting cable with friction only. The socket connection cannot withstand the torque of a thumb drive hanging on the stiff short cable supplied with the Stream. Too many times while I was listening to a book or audio file using a USB memory stick on the end of the short cable, the Stream lost the connection, and the playback stopped. Perhaps a more flexible connecting cable would help, but this option needs to go back to the drawing board. I do not recommend using this set-up unless you plan to listen to it flat on a stationary table without moving it around. The most useful function of the mini USB port is to connect to a computer using the longer cable also supplied with each Victor Reader Stream. USB connections are commonly used for transferring data and files to and from the inserted SD storage card. Standard Windows Explorer functions work very well when connecting the Stream to a computer, even though the data transfer speed is relatively low. Using a separate SD card reader connected to your computer transfers information to these storage cards at a much faster rate. Also, a separate card reader is helpful to install the NLS book decryption file and any firmware upgrades. I highly recommend buying an 8-gig SD storage card and USB flash card reader at the same time you purchase the Stream. I am not sure why HumanWare does not supply these as standard accessories with each unit, especially when they seem to be very necessary and useful. It would be an improvement if the Stream used standard batteries. The battery now supplied seems to be a type that may not be generally available. I like to carry a replacement battery with portable devices as a back-up when recharging opportunities are too few for the hours of expected use. Currently, the digital recording format the Stream uses is very different from standard audio formats that can be played and edited using common computer applications. I recommend instead that the Stream record in stereo as well as mono in a more standard format, such as MP3 or .wav files. Some have also suggested that the Stream include a stereo line-in recording jack for direct dubbing of external audio sources. It is very easy to delete a folder from the flash memory card. But the Stream does not seem to be able to delete a single file. This feature would be nice, especially in the "other books" and "music" folders. As I finish listening to some files I no longer wish to hear again, it would be beneficial to delete them. I understand that this is now possible in the version 2.0 firmware upgrade. A nice bonus as a playback option in the music folders would be a cross fader. This would remove the silent gap between music files and fade out the end of one song while fading in the beginning of the next. This option is already available in many computer audio programs and some small MP3 players. Combined with shuffle play, this would make the Stream's music folder output sound much like a radio station broadcast. But this station would only play music you choose, no commercials. Diabetics with limited feeling in their fingers have noted that the dot typically found on the number 5 button is not pronounced enough as a tactile landmark on the number pad. The majority of those I have spoken with also say that the built-in speaker volume needs to be much louder than is now possible. I agree. Then there are those who assert that the over $300 price is more than many can afford. I have seen boom boxes and other toys carried around and used by the blind that cost as much or more than the Victor Stream and do far less. While I hope that the price will eventually come down, the Victor Stream is already worth the investment. I do not work for the company, and have received no compensation in any way from HumanWare that influenced my opinions in this report. Now when I go out of the house, I always carry my keys, wallet, cane, and my Victor Stream. It is there to entertain and work for me when and where I need it. This audio product has supplied me with portable talking books and Bibles, CD changer and player, radio and TV programs, audio movie theater, and text file or book reader. It records meetings and information for me on the fly, and makes each of these recordings immediately retrievable with an assigned number and "Go To" function. Would we have ever dreamed that something small enough to fit in a shirt pocket would do all this? I can only marvel at the potential advancements in audio products that will be available to us in the next 10 years. ***** PASSINGS It has come to our attention that we are rapidly losing members of our community, friends and supporters of ACB. In order to honor these people whose lives have impacted us, in large and small ways, we are publishing this column, "Passings." In it, we will include brief obituaries of those who have passed away. See below for the format in which to submit information. Obituary Format Please include as much of the following information as possible when submitting material for this column. Submissions must involve dates no more than six months from intended date of publication. Name (first, last, maiden if appropriate) City of residence (upon passing) State/province of residence (upon passing) Other cities/states/countries of residence (places where other blind people may have known this person) Occupation Date of death (day if known, month, year) Age ACB affiliation (local/state/special-interest affiliates or national committees) BAILEY, RICHARD Richard "Dick" Bailey, 68, of Glendale, Ariz., died peacefully in his home on July 3, 2008. He was born in Orange, N.J. on June 18, 1940, to John and Georgia Bailey. At age 5 Dick moved to Arizona to live with his grandfather. After graduating from the Arizona School for the Deaf and Blind in 1960, he started working for the Good Samaritan Hospital in Phoenix, where he developed X-rays for 35 years. After retirement, Dick spent many hours volunteering at the hospital, Arizona Center for the Blind and Visually Impaired in Phoenix, calling square dances and involving himself in community organizations, especially those which promoted improvements to the blind community. Dick's main love was music. Through his membership in the LDS church, he was able to express his love for music by becoming a choir director and member of the choir. Over the years Dick held various positions on the board of the Arizona Council of the Blind, including president from 1979 to 1983. He served several terms as president of the Maricopa County Club of the Blind and was in his 19th year as chaplain of AzCB at the time of his passing. He also served several years on the Arizona Governor's Council on Blindness and Visual Impairment. Dick is survived by his wife of 36 years, Pearl; stepsons Kent (Iris) and John (Cookie); daughter-in-law Lorene, and aunt Cathy. He is also survived by many cousins, grandchildren and great-grandchildren. Dick was preceded in death by his parents and a stepson, Larry. CHAPMAN, DR. BILL G. Dr. Bill G. Chapman died Aug. 26, 2007 in Lubbock, Tex., at age 78. He was interred at Dallas-Fort Worth National Cemetery with military honors. Bill was born to the late Helen and Talford Chapman on Oct. 11, 1928 in Chickasha, Okla. He graduated from Oklahoma Baptist University in 1950, Central Baptist Theological Seminary in 1954, and Texas Tech University in 1973. Following seminary he entered the U.S. Air Force as a chaplain and served in Louisiana, Labrador, Baffin Island, California, Oregon, England and Texas. He was medically retired in 1969, having attained the rank of lieutenant colonel. Bill entered Texas Tech University as a legally blind student and earned a doctorate in rehabilitation administration and rehabilitation counseling, graduating with high honors. He then founded Vision Loss Technology, serving as a low-vision consultant, role model for visually impaired people and distributor of low-vision products in Texas, Oklahoma and New Mexico. His mission was to enable the partially sighted to function as sighted. He was the author of two books, "Coping with Macular Degeneration" and "Coping with Vision Loss," as well as numerous journal articles. His influence is international in scope. Bill is survived by his wife Katherine and their three children, David Chapman of Austin, Tex., Melody Deaver of San Antonio, Tex., and Jane Stubblefield of Lewisville, Tex., along with five grandchildren, a sister, Lawana Case of Lincoln, Neb., a brother, Richard Chapman of Yukon, Okla., and two nephews. Bill was a member of Macular Degeneration International, Council of Citizens with Low Vision International, Association for Macular Diseases and American Council of the Blind. ***** HIGH TECH SWAP SHOP FOR SALE: Power Braille 40 for sale. Asking $500. Works well but needs new battery. DECTalk Express, asking $500. Both units come with serial cables. Contact Steve Heflin at 5o1blues@comcast.net. FOR SALE: Alva 380 80-cell braille display. Can hook up three computers at once. Works well with JAWS and Window-Eyes. Asking $1,000. Braillino 20-cell braille display with Bluetooth and serial ports. In excellent condition. Can be used to communicate with a cell phone or PDA using all versions of Mobile Speak. Has calculator, built-in calendar, scheduler and notetaker. Asking $3,100. Might be interested in trading for Connect12 plus $1,000. Mobile Phone Organizer, 20-cell unit with built-in cell phone. Make calls or send text messages. In excellent condition. Asking $1,100. Make offer on any item. Shipping and insurance will be added to price. Contact Isaac Obie at 755 Tremont St., Apt. #205, Boston, MA 02118, or via e-mail, iobie@gis.net. FOR SALE: GW Micro's Voice Sense: includes word processor, calculator, database manager, DAISY player, FM radio, Bluetooth, wireless connectivity with e-mail and Internet. The unit has a 6-key Perkins-style keyboard. This unit has braille input and speech output for convenience. Asking $1,800. HumanWare's Victor Reader Stream, brand new talking DAISY reader and MP3 player. Reads Word documents and others. Will read Bookshare.org, RFB&D and Audible.com books. Asking $350. Brand-new PAC Mate Omni QX, which runs a Windows-based Pocket PC operating system. Has a QWERTY keyboard, e-mail, Internet Explorer, calculator (both financial and scientific), Excel, Microsoft Word, and can be synced with a PC. Allows you to read PowerPoint, too. Also has Bluetooth and is compatible with FS accessories such as GPS. Asking $1,800. Contact Charles Fulwood via e-mail, cfulwood@mediavisionusa.net. FOR SALE: PAC Mate QX 400. In excellent condition; hardly used. Has braille display and speech. Comes with USB cable and adapter, manuals on CD and in braille. Asking $1,500. Contact Shirley Baker via e-mail, shirleybaker@comcast.net, or call (615) 865-6331. FOR SALE: Romeo Embosser RB25; purchased 10 years ago, but rarely used. In excellent condition. Asking $500. PAC Mate BX420; speech and 20- cell braille display unit with an eight-key braille keyboard, eight function keys and cursor cross. Access everyday Windows-based desktop data and software applications via ActiveSync. Uses JAWS for speech output. Runs Pocket PC versions of MS Word, Excel, Outlook, MSN Messenger, Media Player, and many more. One 1GB external flash card included, as well as a mini USB port. Purchased two years ago, but not used. In its original box, carrying case. Asking $2,000. Contact Hamid Mehdizadah at (416) 633-1591, or via e- mail, hamid@sympatico.ca. FOR SALE: Perkins braille writer, in top shape. Asking $225 or best offer. Contact Tom Blair via e-mail, tomblair@teleport.com; phone (503) 238-3826 or write to him at 1626 SE Linn St., Portland, OR 97202. FOR SALE: K-NFB Reader, first generation. Asking $650. Rarely used; still works perfectly. Comes with original carrying case, battery charger and SD memory card containing the installation software. The device has the latest firmware and is capable of recognizing currency. Kurzweil K1000 version 11 software, unopened. Asking $500. Freedom Scientific PAC Mate QX, asking $1,200. It does not have the latest Omni update but can be upgraded by Freedom Scientific for around $700. Includes Bluetooth, wi-fi and a storage card. I still have the original packing materials and documentation. If interested, contact Tim by e-mail at tim@radioaltar.com. ***** HIGH PARTIAL I'm a "high partial" -- legally blind Which sometimes has me in a bind. How much sight is it I've got? Do I see or do I not? I don't "look blind." Is that the "why" When I say I'm blind, you think I lie? Would you understand if I had a guide, A dog in harness by my side? And dark glasses, should I wear And mix up colors and mess my hair? And act as if I have no sight, And feel my way in broad daylight? While "tsk, tsk" people are so alarmed And think that I should sing for alms. Don't chide me that I use a cane. It's saved my life. I'm not ashamed! "High partial"'s not what you have heard, But it is real, so mark my word And know the truth and know I'm right And know I'm glad I have some sight! -- Netagene Kirkpatrick ACB OFFICERS PRESIDENT MITCH POMERANTZ 1115 CORDOVA STREET #402 PASADENA, CA 91106 FIRST VICE PRESIDENT KIM CHARLSON 57 GRANDVIEW AVE. WATERTOWN, MA 02472 SECOND VICE PRESIDENT BRENDA DILLON 313 OVERRIDGE COVE HERMITAGE, TN 37076 SECRETARY MARLAINA LIEBERG 632 S. 189TH ST. BURIEN, WA 98148 TREASURER MIKE GODINO 104 TILROSE AVE MALVERNE, NY 11565-2024 IMMEDIATE PAST PRESIDENT CHRISTOPHER GRAY 94 RAMONA AVE. SAN FRANCISCO, CA 94103 ACB BOARD OF DIRECTORS Ray Campbell, Glen Ellyn, IL Berl Colley, Lacey, WA Marsha Farrow, Summerville, GA Michael Garrett, Missouri City, TX Billie Jean Keith, Arlington, VA Carla Ruschival, Louisville, KY Patrick Sheehan, Silver Spring, MD Jeff Thom, Sacramento, CA David Trott, Talladega, AL Cammie Vloedman, Oklahoma City, OK Ex Officio: Paul Edwards, Miami, FL BOARD OF PUBLICATIONS Paul Edwards, Chairman, Miami, FL Marcia Dresser, Reading, MA Judy Jackson, Lubbock, TX Jenine Stanley, Columbus, OH Ken Stewart, Warwick, NY Ex Officios: Barry Levine, Homer Glen, IL Ron Milliman, Bowling Green, KY