THE BRAILLE FORUM Volume XLVII October 2008 No. 4 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 DEDICATION This issue is dedicated, with love, to the memory of my parents, Frederick and Helene Brash. Mom's passion was brailling textbooks for blind children and making sure that I got the best school experience I could -- admission into public school and acceptance by my peers. Dad's passion was computers, gained during an ICB convention. When he was no longer able to drive, he began to truly understand the daily frustrations that we as disabled people face. I will try to live the values they passed on to me: Christianity, integrity, and determination in the face of trials. TABLE OF CONTENTS ACB Takes Leading Role in Political Conventions, by Eric Bridges and Jeff Thom The Quest for Accessible Currency, Phase 2, by Melanie Brunson President's Message: The World Blind Union in Retrospect, by Mitch Pomerantz ACB Staff on the Move, by Melanie Brunson From Derby City to the Mouse's House, by Carla Ruschival A Tribute to M. Helen Vargo, by Genevieve Schreiner What Does ACB Do for Me?, by Ronald E. Milliman Affiliate News Not Just Words, by Paul Edwards Letters to the Editor Here and There, by Sue Lichtenfels High Tech Swap Shop 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. CORRECTION Due to an editing error, the last name of Robert and Ottilie Lucas ("And This Year's Winner Is ...", September 2008) was misspelled. We regret the error. ***** ACB TAKES LEADING ROLE IN POLITICAL CONVENTIONS by Eric Bridges and Jeff Thom On Aug. 27 and Sept. 3, nearly 200 disability leaders from across the nation, including party delegates, representatives from industry, elected officials, consumer advocacy groups and a range of federal and non-governmental agencies, attended two receptions co-hosted by the American Council of the Blind at the Democratic and Republican national conventions to celebrate their shared focus on ensuring that issues of importance to the blindness and broader disability community are included in the political process. Along with his wife Leslie, Jeff Thom represented ACB in Denver at the disability brunch held in conjunction with the Democratic National Convention. In addition, many national disability leaders were present, as was a representative from the Obama campaign, Kareem Dale, a blind attorney from Illinois. In his remarks to the group, Thom emphasized two of the primary reasons why ACB is the leading consumer organization of Americans who are blind or visually impaired, our foundation as a grass-roots organization, with our agenda being established by the rank and file and not by the leadership, and the fact that ACB has always been a coalition-builder, working not only with civil rights organizations, but also with other organizations of people with disabilities. The attendees were also addressed by two members of Congress, both of whom have been long-time champions of the rights of people with disabilities, Rep. James Langevin from Rhode Island, himself a person with a disability, and the majority leader, Steny Hoyer, from Maryland. Rep. Hoyer was a leader in the passage of both the ADA and the Help America Vote Act. During the Republican National Convention, Eric Bridges was honored to host a panel discussion during the luncheon reception which featured remarks by Rep. Heather Wilson of New Mexico, lead co-sponsor of the Twenty-First Century Communications and Video Accessibility Act of 2008; Dona Jones, national coordinator, Americans with Disabilities for the McCain campaign; and Dave Fine, AT&T Mobility VP. Eric's presentation on behalf of ACB focused on the critical need for people who are blind or visually impaired to have equal access to information, specifically emergency information that is displayed on television screens and emergency alerts that are sent via text message. The critical need for this information to be made available in an accessible manner is addressed in H.R. 6320, which Rep. Wilson emphasized in her remarks to the attendees. We were thankful for the active participation and gracious hospitality that the state affiliates in Colorado and Minnesota provided before, during and after the events. Specifically, we would like to recognize Rod Chard, chair of the board of directors of the American Council of the Blind of Colorado, along with ACB of Colorado executive director Barbara Boyer, who led a great contingent of ACBC members to the brunch in Denver, and Janet Dickelman, president, ACB of Minnesota, who arranged for several Minnesota members to attend the luncheon in Minneapolis, thereby giving the blindness community and ACB a considerable presence. Jeff and I believe that these convention events should become a tradition. The inability to attract either an audience, except for people with disabilities, or many party leaders, underscores how far the disability movement has to go in order to become a true force in American politics. Nonetheless, these events are excellent first steps, and the leading role that we in the American Council of the Blind are playing in them illustrates our position of importance within the disability community. ***** THE QUEST FOR ACCESSIBLE CURRENCY, PHASE 2 by Melanie Brunson Ninety days have now passed since the judges of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia handed down their decision declaring the U.S. Treasury Department to be in violation of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 because they do not provide people who are blind and visually impaired meaningful access to United States currency. With the passing of this 90- day period, we also reach the deadline by which the government must file any appeal of this court decision. No such appeal has been filed. Thus, we begin the next phase in this litigation. The judges of the D.C. Circuit Court sent the issue of remedies back to Judge Robertson of the U.S. District Court for his further consideration. Therefore, it is now up to Judge Robertson to determine what sort of relief to grant in order to implement the decision he made previously, which was affirmed by the Court of Appeals. A status conference was held on Sept. 4 in Judge Robertson's court, during which he made it clear that he will not brook any unnecessary delay in the process of determining the remedies to be ordered, or their implementation by the government of the United States. The process may take some time because of the many factors that must be considered in determining the most effective manner by which banknotes will be made distinguishable by people who are blind and visually impaired. However, this judge made it clear to both sides in this case that he is serious about getting it done! This is a significant development for ACB and for people all over this country who are blind or who have low vision. We will keep you apprised as the case moves forward and we have further details to share with readers of "The Braille Forum." You may also want to call the Washington Connection periodically to get faster access to updates that may be available between issues of this magazine. ***** PRESIDENT'S MESSAGE: THE WORLD BLIND UNION IN RETROSPECT by Mitch Pomerantz It is said that travel is broadening; presumably meaning that experiencing different cultures and ways of thinking can affect one's perspective on life and circumstances. That can certainly be said of Donna's and my nearly week-long attendance at the Seventh General Assembly of the World Blind Union in Geneva, Switzerland. Along with trying to summarize some of what transpired at the WBU, I also want to offer some impressions and observations of our visit to a major European city. We arrived in Geneva Saturday afternoon, August 16th, although the conference itself ran from Monday the 18th through Friday the 22nd. Organizers had volunteers at the airport to help attendees get from the jetway through baggage claim and out to our free shuttle to the Eden Hotel, where we stayed. That was great, because going to and from the hotel and the International Conference Center involved a 15- to 20-franc cab ride. Using public transit would have required two buses and a transfer at the train station, so that really wasn't an option. Prior to the commencement of the WBU General Assembly, the well- attended Fourth Women's Forum was held on Saturday and Sunday. The situation facing blind women -- particularly in the Third World -- is very difficult: extreme poverty, the absence of basic education and medical care, and a lack of equality and respect were some of the topics under discussion. Several resolutions came out of the Women's Forum and were approved by the General Assembly. It must be noted that ACB had the only U.S. delegate at the forum in the person of our secretary, Marlaina Lieberg. The forum was streamed live on ACB Radio thanks to the capable efforts of Chrissie Cochrane. Once Marlaina's responsibilities concluded at the Women's Forum, she teamed up with Chrissie to stream the entire WBU conference. I also want to acknowledge newly elected WBU President, Maryanne Diamond, for securing funding from her employer, Vision Australia, to stream the Women's Forum and WBU General Assembly. Chris Gray and I served as ACB's two voting delegates and were joined by close to 350 other delegates from 119 countries. In addition, 200 or more non-voting observers and assistants filled the ballroom at the conference center. Proceedings were simultaneously translated into and from English, Spanish and French, the three official languages of the WBU, and relayed via individual headphones. As with ACB convention sessions, WBU plenary sessions are chaired by its elected officers. We heard from numerous speakers who discussed the activities of the six regions comprising the World Blind Union, "best practices" as described by various national representatives, and the accomplishments of the WBU itself during the previous four years. Topics included: A Program for Incorporating the Blind Population into the Workforce (Argentina); Reaching All Blind Children with Education (Vietnam); and Reconstruction of the National Organization of the Blind in Iraq. Of particular note was WBU's establishment of a permanent office and the hiring of a full-time chief executive officer, Dr. Penny Hartin. The conference theme, "Changing What It Means to be Blind: Taking Our Place in the World," was clear acknowledgement of the influence that the National Federation of the Blind has had on the WBU. In fact, one of Tuesday's keynote speakers was NFB president Marc Maurer. It became apparent to me as I listened to his presentation that ACB must become far more involved in the work of the WBU in the years to come if we are to demonstrate to the rest of the world that we, too, have a valuable message and role to play. ACB did influence the proceedings through a resolution I drafted concerning the growing impact that quiet cars will have on the independent travel of blind and visually impaired people worldwide. It was approved with amendments by the North America/Caribbean Region and forwarded to WBU's resolutions committee. While substantially rewritten by the committee, the resolution was passed unanimously by the general assembly. One of the topics covered during the week was the recently ratified United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities. This document, which the United States has yet to endorse, stipulates the basic rights to which all blind and visually impaired people should be entitled, and the responsibilities all nations must assume toward those citizens. Along those lines, on Tuesday we had lunch with two delegates from Mozambique, a nation on the northeastern border of South Africa. The female representative is affiliated with a school for the blind located in a rural area. She described the nearly impossible conditions under which the teachers must function: chronic shortages of slates and styli, braille paper and books, not to mention canes of any kind. I told them that upon my return to the states, I would begin the process of seeing what could be done to aid this school. On a closing note, in Geneva (and presumably throughout Switzerland) there are no laws protecting the rights of guide dog handlers. On at least one occasion that I know of, Chris had to persuade a cab driver to give him, Marvelena and her guide dog a ride. This was surprising given that most European nations are considered socially progressive and that Switzerland borders Germany, the birthplace of the trained guide dog. That's it for now. Take care. ***** ACB STAFF ON THE MOVE by Melanie Brunson If you heard or read Mitch Pomerantz's President's Report from the 2008 convention, you may have picked up the information regarding plans to move both of ACB's offices. Just in case you missed that detail, here's the scoop. The lease on our Minneapolis office expired at the end of August. Since the space was not really meeting our present needs, and it is not necessary for us to maintain an office in downtown Minneapolis when more suitable and economical space is available just outside the city, the board agreed that we should move that office to a new location. The good news is that only the address of our financial office in Minnesota has changed. It is now located at 6300 Shingle Creek Parkway, Suite 195, Brooklyn Center, MN 55430. There is also a new fax number, but the telephone numbers will remain the same, (612) 332-3242 or 1-800-866-3242. In December, we will also be moving our Washington, D.C. office. The lease on our current office space in Washington will expire on Dec. 31, 2008 and we were not able to renew it, as another tenant in the building wants our space. After considering many locations throughout the District of Columbia, most of which were unsuitable for our purposes, we decided that this office should move to the suburbs as well. By Jan. 1, 2009, ACB's national office will be located just across the Potomac River in Arlington, Va. For those of you who are unfamiliar with the geography of the Washington, D.C. area, Arlington, Va. is considered part of the D.C. metropolitan area. Many other non-profit organizations, as well as government agencies, such as the Department of Homeland Security, are located in Arlington, so we will not be far from Capitol Hill or other advocacy centers. The office we have chosen is also across the street from a Metro station and accessible by bus, so it will still be easy for folks to find us. Our new address will be 2200 Wilson Blvd., Suite 650, Arlington, VA 22201. Although we are moving the office, we will keep the same telephone numbers, so although you may need to make note of a new mailing address, you won't have to remember a new phone number. As I write, ACB is right in the thick of several significant legislative and advocacy initiatives. We are confident that our new home will enhance ACB's ability to not only maintain but expand its role as a key leader in the national advocacy arena. The staff in the Minneapolis office is already up and running, having completed their move with very little disruption. It is our hope that the Washington, D.C. staff will have a smooth transition as well and we will do all that can be done to see that it is as painless for our members and friends as possible. We'll keep you posted on our progress, but there will be lots of other news on other topics as well between now and the time of our anticipated office relocation, so stay in touch. ***** FROM DERBY CITY TO THE MOUSE'S HOUSE by Carla Ruschival Even before one convention draws to a close, ACB members begin looking forward to next year. Everyone wants to know "What are the dates?" and "How do I make reservations?" and "What are the room rates?" But before we move on to 2009, let's take a quick look back at Louisville and recognize those who worked so hard to make it all happen. Thanks to the Kentucky Council of the Blind and the Blue Grass Council of the Blind for hosting a fantastic week of information, fun and great memories. The local host committee was exceptional; its members were truly outstanding in their hard work, their warmth and hospitality. The huge jigsaw puzzle we call an ACB convention served up its usual diet of informative speakers, educational workshops and seminars, and fun-filled socials and tours. The exhibit area was brimming with new technology, services and products; the Youth Activity Center brought new surprises each day for the under-18 crowd. Convention attendance was the highest in many years. Planning all of these activities and attending to the details and preparations is a year-round job. A huge thanks to the members of the 2008 convention committee: Jerry Annunzio, Margarine Beaman, Patti Cox, Brenda Dillon, Mike Duke, Sharon Lovering, Donna Seliger, Pam Shaw, Mike Smitherman, Robert Spangler and Lane Waters, and to consultants Sandy Isaac and Sheila Styron. Thanks also to Chrissie Cochrane (ACB Radio), Jay Doudna and Bob Seliger (audiovisual), Anna Olsen, June Horst, and Paula Wiese (registration), Alison Smitherman (exhibits), Art Clayton, Eric Frey, Bruce Radtke, Adam Ruschival and Jim Shaw (volunteers). Finally, kudos to the many, many ACB volunteers, without whom convention week could not have been a success. Finally, in my capacity as events coordinator, I want to let all of the special-interest groups, ACB committees, and others who sponsored events and held meetings during the 2008 convention know how much I appreciate their hard work, advance planning, and attention to detail. And now let's turn our attention to Orlando, home of that world-famous mouse's house and nearby Cape Canaveral. Convention dates are July 4-11, with the first tours being on Friday, July 3. The convention hotel is the Rosen Centre, 9840 International Drive. All meetings, general sessions and exhibits will be held at the hotel. Rates are $83 single/double plus tax. Add $10 for each additional person in a room. You may now make individual reservations, but please only reserve a room IF you truly have plans to attend. The practice of reserving rooms just in case you decide to spend a week with ACB causes problems such as those experienced by many of you in obtaining rooms in Jacksonville and Minneapolis, and can result in enormous additional costs to ACB. To make individual reservations at the Rosen Centre, call (407) 996-9840. Be sure to indicate that you are attending the ACB convention so that you will receive the special rate. To begin planning for convention events or reserve meeting rooms, please contact Carla Ruschival by phone at (502) 897-1472 or by e-mail at adamcarla@bellsouth.net. ***** A TRIBUTE TO M. HELEN VARGO by Genevieve Schreiner M. Helen Vargo, former secretary and member of the board of directors of the American Council of the Blind, 87, of Conway, Ark., died April 7, 2008. Helen retired after working 35 years in rehabilitation of the blind, 25 of which were in Kansas. She was a past president of ACB's Kansas affiliate, past president of the National Rehabilitation Association, and active in many other state and national organizations for the blind and disabled. Helen attended the Arkansas School for the Blind, Arkansas State Teachers' College of Conway, Ark., and received a master's in rehabilitation from the College of William and Mary, Williamsburg, Va. In her early professional years, Helen worked as a home teacher for the blind (now generally called rehabilitation teacher) in Arkansas. She also worked for Arkansas Enterprises and Services for the Blind (now Lions World Services), and also did social work in Ypsilanti, Mich. In 1957, she moved to Topeka, Kan. to accept a position with the Kansas Rehabilitation Center for the Blind and Visually Impaired. She worked there as a social worker/counselor. She retired in 1982 having worked there for 25 years. She devoted many hours to proofreading braille materials for students learning braille. In her retirement, she did some teaching for the Hadley School for the Blind. Knitting and crocheting were among her hobbies, in which she was very proficient. Helen was dedicated to ACB and its affiliates throughout her life. Although she was not at the organizing meeting for ACB to become a charter member, she joined very shortly thereafter. She strove for excellence in whatever she attempted in her life. Mostly, she achieved it. Helen is survived by a nephew of Fairway, Kan., his wife and their two children as well as a long-time friend and companion, Lorene Thompson of Conway, Ark. Memorial contributions can be sent to Conway First United Methodist Church, 1610 Prince St., Conway, AR 72034. ***** WHAT DOES ACB DO FOR ME? by Ronald E. Milliman Whenever we ask people to step up and do something for ACB, like contribute to the Monthly Monetary Support (MMS) Program, we invariably get a few individuals who ask the somewhat shocking question: "Why should I? What has ACB done for me?" Here are just some of the many benefits each of us receives from being a member of the ACB and one or more of its affiliates and contributing to the sustenance of the ACB and its affiliates by participating in the Monthly Monetary Support (MMS) Program. 'The Braille Forum' "The Braille Forum" is ACB's flagship publication. It is one of our most important sources of information about blindness, and the many issues that impact us as blind and low-vision people. It offers an uncensored vehicle for us to express our views on important concerns and to share with each other information about new technologies and effective methods for coping with our blindness. To make this vitally important communications medium available to us in various accessible formats requires a substantial investment to produce each issue. Your contributions to the MMS Program contribute to the lifeblood of "The Braille Forum!" Annual National and State Conventions ACB organizes and provides an outstanding national convention each year for its members and guests. This convention brings together blind and low-vision people from every corner of the world. It provides the means for sharing new technology, all kinds of coping strategies, thousands of products and services available to make our lives easier, more convenient, and even more fun. Perhaps best of all, it inspires camaraderie and togetherness. We are able to meet our many old friends and make new ones, and it gives us an opportunity to explore new areas of the country that we might otherwise never experience. As one can readily imagine, such a massive undertaking requires considerable funding. Also, many of our ACB state affiliates convene each year in their own local conventions. Like the national ACB gathering, these state affiliate conventions bring blind and low-vision people from all around their respective states together to share technologies, issues of concern and coping methodologies much like the national convention, but on a smaller scale. These state conventions play a major role in keeping our state affiliates and their various chapters united and strong. Your contributions to the MMS Program contribute to the lifeblood of these vitally important gatherings! Student Scholarships Both ACB national and many of its affiliates provide scholarships to individuals to further their education. We realize that one way of combating the high level of unemployment among blind and low-vision people is to encourage them to pursue advanced educations, especially in areas of high demand. Educated blind people have successful careers in areas such as lawyers, professors, teachers, social workers, psychologists, engineers, computer programmers, information technology specialists, businesspeople, entrepreneurs, writers, editors, broadcasters, among many others; all from developing their knowledge and skills through higher education. Many of these people received scholarships from the ACB national organization or one of its affiliates or both. Your participation in the MMS Program contributes to these scholarships! Grants and Loans At the national level, we have such ACB grant programs as the First- Timers Award, paid out of the Durward McDaniel Fund, to pay expenses for attending an ACB national convention. Additionally, many of our ACB affiliates sponsor various grant or loan programs of their own. Again, your participation in the MMS Program contributes to these kinds of grants. ACB and Affiliate Web Sites ACB and many of its affiliates provide information-packed web sites for our benefit. Do you want to know more about ACB? Do you want to know more about the status of current legislation impacting us as blind people? Do you want to find something contained in a back issue of "The Braille Forum," or do you want to find the contact information for one of ACB's many affiliates? Are you looking for a job? Are you seeking some helpful resources, perhaps some books and leisure reading materials, or maybe some braille paper, or a source for getting your braille writer repaired? You can find it all on the ACB web site. In like manner, many of the affiliates also provide web sites packed with information about their affiliate, more resources, and pertinent information of interest to blind people associated with that affiliate's areas of interest. Contributions to the MMS Program help to make these benefits possible! ACB and Affiliate E-mail Lists To further promote the timely exchange of information and ideas, ACB and many of its affiliates provide various e-mail lists such as the ACB-L list and the kentucky-acb list. The former is one of the more active ACB lists, while the latter is an example of just one of the numerous state affiliate lists available to which you can subscribe and participate. Often individuals meet and become friends from interacting on such lists, and then, it is really fun and interesting to actually meet in person at one of the national or state conventions. Participating in such lists is one of the best ways of keeping abreast of the most current and fast-breaking news affecting blind people. There are still indirect costs associated with maintaining these lists, e.g. computers, servers, etc., and your participation in the MMS Program helps to make it all possible! ACB Radio ACB Radio is one of the most exciting applications of contemporary computer technology. It offers a wide variety of programming by blind people for blind people. It is an outlet for our many blind and highly talented musicians. It is an opportunity for our budding and aspiring broadcasters. You can connect to ACB Radio Mainstream for the talk of the blind community, or visit the ACB Radio Caf‚ to enjoy the creativity and talent of blind musicians, or dip into the ACB Radio Treasure Trove to savor vintage drama and comedy, or check out ACB Radio Interactive for lots of fun and interesting live and unpredictable experiences! Again, there are costs associated with keeping up with this technology, hardware, software, and the like. Your participation in the MMS Program helps to make this vital resource possible! Representation on Capitol Hill and in State Legislatures An extremely important benefit of being a member of and a contributor to ACB and its affiliates is you and your rights are represented on Capitol Hill in Washington and in the state legislatures across the country. Our ACB representatives are extremely knowledgeable about the many critical issues that impact our lives, whether it be SSI, SSDI, the Americans with Disabilities Act, Randolph-Sheppard related legislation, the recent broadband/telecom bill, the FCC issuing orders pertaining to closed captioning, or any number of other serious issues. How many of you are expertly knowledgeable of these critically important issues, enough so you could represent other blind people, or even yourself, before the U.S. Senate or Congress or the FCC? Even if you have knowledge of some of these issues, do you possess the skills and expertise to go before these esteemed bodies and influence the passage or defeat of major legislation? ACB and its many affiliates provide such representation on our behalf. Without that representation, we would not have the special earnings benefit we enjoy with our SSI and SSDI coverages. We would not continue to have the special "blind exemption" on our federal income tax. We would not have the benefit of the ADA or the requirement of providing accessible formats or the right for guide dog users to be allowed into any public place, whether it is an elegant restaurant or a taxi. Providing this kind of representation on our behalf requires considerable financial support to maintain. Your participation in the MMS Program also contributes to these important efforts! Accessible Technology On your behalf, ACB has also been extremely active in working to overcome new technology barriers such as digital devices that are accessible only if one can see to read the screen or see the touch-sensitive buttons that are totally visual. In like manner, ACB has been working diligently to make web sites accessible that use the printed captchas, little pieces of graphical text used to thwart computerized search robots but make it impossible for blind users to access without sighted assistance. We have worked with such organizations as Google and Sirius Communications, with excellent results, but there is much, much more to be accomplished in this area. We need financial support to conquer these kinds of immense challenges. Your contributions to the MMS Program go a long way in supporting this important work! Structured Negotiations Our ACB national organization, affiliates, and our lawyers have done considerable work on the issue of web accessibility and information access over the past several years. Furthermore, all of the settlements identified here were reached through the collaborative process of structured negotiations, without the costly and drawn-out process of litigation. This includes negotiated settlements with Bank of America, Bank One, Fleet Bank, and Washington Mutual, and agreements with Sovereign Bank, Citizens Bank, LaSalle Bank, and Union Bank of California. Such settlements gave us accessible bank web sites, the availability of talking ATMs and printed materials in accessible formats. The structured negotiations process was also used in a combined effort by the American Council of the Blind, the California Council of the Blind (CCB), and the American Foundation for the Blind (AFB) with Wal-Mart to reach the first national settlement on the need for tactile keys on point- of-sale devices. In like manner, an agreement was reached with Safeway. Safeway announced that it has begun installing equipment to protect the privacy and security of Safeway shoppers with visual impairments. The new devices plug into existing point-of-sale payment machines and have tactile keys arranged like a standard telephone keypad. They will allow Safeway shoppers who have difficulty reading information on a touch screen to privately and independently enter their PIN, telephone number, and other confidential information. This development is likely to affect blind and low-vision people across the country, because Safeway operates stores across the United States under the banners of Safeway, Vons, Pavilions, Randalls, Tom Thumb, Genuardi's, Dominick's, Pak 'n Save Foods and Carrs. Every Safeway store in California has already been equipped with several of the devices, and they will be installed across the country over the next 12 months (1). Such negotiated settlements take time and money, and your contributions to the MMS Program certainly help us to win these extremely important battles! Similarly, as a result of the collaborative process, the nation's three major consumer credit reporting companies unveiled a comprehensive program to provide improved access to important credit information for people who are blind or visually impaired. The initiative will help protect the credit information of individuals who cannot read a standard print credit report. Further, Equifax (NYSE: EFX), Experian (EXPN.L), and TransUnion have begun working to make online credit reports and related information accessible through their jointly operated web site, AnnualCreditReport.com, the official site to help consumers obtain free credit reports. Accessible credit reports for people with visual impairments will be available online by October 31 of this year. By the end of the year, the companies will also make credit reports available in braille and other formats at no charge to qualified individuals who cannot access print information. Once again, your participation in the MMS Program goes a long way in making these kinds of really major achievements possible! Lawsuits Occasionally, when all else fails, we are left with no other alternative than to file a lawsuit to win the battle. As a result of such legal action taken against our own federal government's Treasury Department, it looks like we are going to benefit by forcing the U.S. government to make our paper currency accessible to blind and low-vision people. This is a major achievement, but it takes time and money to accomplish these gains, and your contributions to the MMS Program definitely help facilitate these achievements for all of us! I hope this article answers your questions about why to participate in MMS, and what ACB does for you. It reminds me of the often-quoted statement by President Kennedy: "Ask not what your country can do for you. Ask what you can do for your country!" So, I say to you, ask not what ACB can do for you. Ask what you can do for ACB, and in turn, ACB will, through its efforts, present a united front to fight for all of our rights, plow new frontiers, and fight our battles. (1) The material pertaining to structured settlements was summarized from information provided by Lainey Feingold and Linda Dardarian, Law Office of Elaine B. Feingold, 1524 Scenic Ave., Berkeley, CA 94708. ***** AFFILIATE NEWS Tennessee Elects New Officers The Tennessee Council of the Blind held its 67th annual convention in Knoxville Aug. 22-24. The newly elected officers are: president, Dan Dillon; first vice president, Gordon Dykes; second vice president, Randy Herndon; secretary, Tricia Griggs; and treasurer, Betty Smith. The banquet speaker was Dean Lockwood, assistant coach of the Tennessee Lady Vols. His remarks left everyone feeling inspired. It was a fun and informative weekend for all! ***** NOT JUST WORDS by Paul Edwards I recently spent a number of early mornings listening to the proceedings of the seventh general assembly of the World Blind Union. I had the honor to represent ACB and the North American Region at two such assemblies. I would recommend to all of you that you take the time to listen to the archives of the assembly if you were not able to tune in when it was on live. There were a large number of issues that I could write about and it is probably arguable that the one I am actually going to talk about is not the most significant or the most serious issue that was discussed. However, the fact that the issue came up at all is an indication of how far the assembly and the World Blind Union have come. It is also interesting that the subject has been debated by ACB in the past. It is also one of those issues that has not been settled. At the WBU, people with low vision gave a report on their activities and also wrote resolutions which both asked the same thing. Essentially what they asked was that the issues faced by people with low vision be given equal consideration with those issues faced by people who are blind. When put this way, it seems eminently reasonable that those of us who have no vision ought to be concerned about the welfare of brothers and sisters who have some vision but are still "blind." ACB is fortunate to have the Council of Citizens with Low Vision International (CCLVI). It is able to act as the affiliate which can bring forward to our convention resolutions and issues on which ACB can agree to act. I think that, for the most part, ACB has been prepared to provide support for issues that are brought to us. I am not sure that we do a good job of going much further, though. That, my friends, is the real point. Let us pause for a moment and put a few cards on the table, cards that we do not often look at. For every person with no vision, it would appear that there are nine people with some vision who are legally blind. We don't keep records in ACB and I do not think we should start now which measure the visual acuity or visual fields of our members. However, I would suggest to you that we don't come close to the nine partials to one total ratio. This, in itself, is a matter of concern to me. We are not doing a good job of attracting or retaining people with partial vision. Perhaps our membership committee should take a good, hard look at this issue. Why is it that low- vision folks don't join? I think that some of the reasons are beyond our control. I think that many low-vision folks are uncomfortable acknowledging themselves as blind. They may well also feel that becoming a part of ACB would represent a final admission of blindness, which many low-vision folks are not prepared to do. I do not think that is the whole story, though. I do not think we in ACB do nearly enough to highlight low-vision issues. Here are a few examples. Clearly people who are partially sighted would benefit from having more large-print books in libraries or bookstores. Clearly low- vision folks could benefit from many more signs that are truly easy to read. We talk a lot about accessible home appliances. How often do we include large displays or controls that can be visually recognized by a person who does not see well but who is legally blind? People with low vision, a long time ago, wanted ACB to change its name to the American Council of the Visually Impaired. What a huge change such a name change might have wrought. No, I do not support that proposal for reasons I will offer later. However, I certainly believe that there is nothing inherently more correct about ACB than ACVI. All of us who are blind are visually impaired. All of our members who are legally blind are blind. We may well have lost members because of our insistence on retaining the word "blind," a core identifying characteristic. I think that we must retain the word "blind" because it is a word that is better understood by the larger society in which our organization must function. It also evokes more empathy or even sympathy than any of the euphemisms we use to describe people who retain some vision. However, just because I don't support the name change, it does not mean I do not recognize that we must do more in ACB to make people with low vision feel more welcome and to make more of our issues resonate with them. There are a few things I think we can all do and I, for one, pledge to do what I can. I promise to think about what impact anything I propose will have on partially sighted people. I pledge to actively encourage partially sighted people to bring us their issues and to help us become their advocates. I pledge to write visually impaired and blind at least as often as I write blind and visually impaired. Last, I promise to work to make ACB more inclusive. I cannot comment on all states but I would suggest to you that on our national board, we do not have a lot of people with low vision. I would suggest that the same thing is true at the state and local levels and in our special-interest affiliates, with one exception. I am not sure that we will be able to change this, but surely we can reach out to people with low vision and tell them we care about their issues. Surely we can work as hard on some of the identified needs of partially sighted people. Surely we can be sure that we are an organization of vision as well as an organization of the blind. Shall we try? I hope so! ***** LETTERS TO THE EDITOR The contents of this column reflect the letters we had received by the time we went to press, Sept. 15, 2008. Letters are limited to 300 words or fewer. All submissions must include the author's name and location. Opinions expressed are those of the authors. Regarding Voting Between the four corners of a voting ballot are the names of people or issues, who or which, if receiving a majority of the votes cast, would become office holders or public policy. In primary elections there are often numerous people or issues from which to choose. Voters, whether they are voting on an issue or a candidate, should have the option of making their dissatisfaction known. So often when we go to the polls to cast our vote, we leave afterwards feeling that we really didn't have a satisfactory choice. We actually didn't want either alternative. What would be wrong with a ballot having another square with the choice "none of the above"? It should count as a dissenting vote for neither candidate or issue. This would at least show the electorate that a particular voter was dissatisfied with the choices provided. As the system now stands, if a voter fails to cast a vote for either choice out of disgust, his vote is lost, and the person or issue garnering the largest number of votes is declared the winner, without anyone suspecting that there may have been a sizable number of voters who were disenchanted with the alternatives provided. It might be that if enough voters cast "none of the above" votes, the powers that be could be persuaded that changes are needed, and a different approach would be taken in providing alternatives. -- Robert Gray, Batesville, Ark. In Response to 'A Day in My Life' I should like to respond to the article, "A Day in My Life" by Carson Wood ("The Braille Forum," July 2008). As a gray-headed old lady who has lived with retinitis pigmentosa for many years, I can certainly identify with the anger and frustration expressed in Wood's article. As today's young people would say, "Been there, done that." However, I'd like to offer a few thoughts which folks in Wood's situation might wish to ponder. All of us who are blind and visually impaired desire and deserve to be treated with dignity and respect by those with whom we come in contact. However, cursing at someone who means to be helpful represents a loss of dignity on our part, and that gets us nowhere. A lesson I learned a long time ago helps me remember that, though I may not need assistance in a given situation, some other blind person in a similar setting might be in real need. The sighted individual who might otherwise be of help may resist because of an unpleasant experience they have had offering help to someone else. More than once, when I didn't need it, I've allowed myself to be "engineered" across a street or through a building and then offered a kind word of thanks. It didn't hurt my dignity, and it made the other person feel better about himself too. On numerous occasions, when passing a car, I've heard what might sound like derisive laughter. I might have assumed it was aimed at me, but, after a moment or two, I realized that it was part of a conversation between passengers in the car. And now, in public settings, we have to contend with people around us talking on their cell phones (that's another subject). The longer a newly blind person is out and about, the more comfortable he will become with what currently appear to be very stressful mobility challenges. One day that intense concentration will become just "part of the scene" and a good walk will be as pleasurable as it always was. Honest, been there, done that! -- Norma Krajczar, Morehead City, N.C. ***** HERE AND THERE by Sue Lichtenfels The announcement of products and services in this column does not represent an endorsement by the American Council of the Blind, its officers, or staff. Listings are free of charge for the benefit of our readers. The Braille Forum cannot be held responsible for the reliability of the products and services mentioned. To submit items for this column, send a message to info@acb.org, or phone the national office at 1-800-424-8666, and leave a message in mailbox 26. Information must be received at least two months ahead of publication date. 2008 HALL OF FAME INDUCTEES On Oct. 3, 2008, two more blindness professionals joined the 40 individuals already in the APH Hall of Fame. They were Sally Mangold and Richard Welsh. Sally Mangold served as a resource room teacher for students with visual impairments for 18 years. Following that, she worked as a professor at San Francisco State University for another 18 years. Sally was a passionate proponent and champion of braille literacy throughout her career. She was a pioneer in the institution of the Distance Education Program at SFSU. She and husband Phil founded Exceptional Teaching Aids, a company promoting and selling products for visually impaired clients and teachers. Among her many achievements was the creation of the Mangold Developmental Program of Tactile Perception and Braille Letter Recognition. During his illustrious career, Rick Welsh has served as an orientation and mobility specialist, a college instructor and professor, a counselor, a coordinator of rehabilitation services, and an agency administrator, most notably as president of both the Maryland School for the Blind and Pittsburgh Vision Services. Two of his many contributions include co-editing the first and second editions of "Foundations in Orientation and Mobility," and providing the leadership in the consolidation of two long-standing professional associations to form the Association for Education and Rehabilitation of the Blind and Visually Impaired (AER) in 1984. He then served as the first elected president of the organization. Profiles of all 42 Hall of Fame inductees are available at www.aph.org/hall_fame/index.html. 2007 LIBRARY OF THE YEAR The Carnegie Library of Pittsburgh, Library for the Blind and Physically Handicapped (Carnegie LBPH) has been named the 2007 Network Library of the Year by NLS. Carnegie increased its readership by 1,000 patrons despite a 50 percent cut in its outreach budget. SUMMER SIZZLE WINNER Nearly 2,000 contestants from 30 countries entered the drawing for the Serotek Summer Sizzle, a contest offering $2000 worth of products comprising a Digital Lifestyle Makeover for the lucky winner. Congratulations to Amy Ruell! GUILD SCHOLARS OFF TO COLLEGE The Jewish Guild for the Blind's GuildScholars are off to college. They are: Zoe Anthony, College of New Jersey; Derek Czajka, Stanford University; Spencer DeSena, Harvard University; Matthew David Devcich, Gettysburg College; Eric Glasser, Vanderbilt University; Rachel Hockenberger, Mercer University; Lauren Long, Texas A&M University; Steven Maxfaults, Harvard University; Sean O'Keefe, Columbia University; Patrick Saley, Gettysburg College; Caitlin Sarubbi, Harvard University; Katelyn Schuit, Eastern Illinois University; Emily Townsend, Florida State University; Jordan Walters, University of Colorado; and Craig Warren, University of the Pacific. For information on the GuildScholar program, contact Gordon Rovins at (212) 769-7801 or e-mail guildscholar@jgb.org. NLS AWARDS CONTRACTS On behalf of the National Library Service for the Blind and Physically Handicapped, the Library of Congress has awarded contracts for three critical elements needed to implement the digital talking-book system. Shinano Kenshi Corporation Ltd. of Japan and its subsidiary, Plextor-LLC of Culver City, Calif., will produce the digital talking-book players. LC Industries in Hazlehurst, Miss., will produce the mailing containers for digital talking books. SI International of Reston, Va., will develop training strategies for the network of cooperating libraries. The award of the cartridge contract is pending. EEOC'S NEW Q&A GUIDES The Equal Employment Opportunity Commission recently published a question-and-answer guide aimed at promoting the hiring and advancement of individuals with disabilities in federal government employment, called "Questions and Answers: Promoting Employment of Individuals with Disabilities in the Federal Workforce." The guide answers frequently asked questions about what the law allows and what it requires federal agencies to do with respect to affirmative hiring and employment of individuals with disabilities, including: special regulations that allow federal agencies to hire individuals with severe disabilities who are qualified for jobs without going through the usual competitive hiring process; procedures that agencies are required to have for providing reasonable accommodations for applicants and employees with disabilities; specific types of accommodations that enable people with disabilities to work in federal sector jobs; and much more. To find it, go to www.eeoc.gov/federal/qanda-employment-with- disabilities.html. EEOC also recently published a question-and-answer guide addressing how the ADA applies to performance and conduct issues. It can be found at www.eeoc.gov/facts/performance-conduct.html. FUNDRAISING WITH GROCERIES Seedlings Braille Books for Children has launched a new fund-raising program that raises funds by participants purchasing groceries. Buy a specially encoded $5 Kroger Cares Card from Seedlings Braille Books. Go to the customer service desk at your local Kroger (or Kroger affiliate) and add an amount of your choosing to the card using cash, check, or credit card. Use your Kroger Cares Card to pay for your groceries every time you shop. Keep reloading your card as needed. Every time you do, 5 percent of your total will be donated to Seedlings to help make braille books for blind children. To purchase a card, call Julie or Dawn at Seedlings, (734) 427-8552 or 1-800-777-8552, or send a check or money order to Seedlings at 14151 Farmington Rd., Livonia, MI 48154. Include your name, address, and phone number, and a Kroger Cares Card will be mailed to you. BLIND SAILING WINNER Congratulations to skipper Sengil "Inky" Inkiala and his crew, Nancy Jodoin, Ken Legler, and Harry Berman. This Massachusetts-based crew won the 2008 Blind Sailing World Championships in Newport, R.I. INLAND LIGHTHOUSE OPENS The Seattle Lighthouse for the Blind and ACCO Brands have joined forces to help create jobs for the visually impaired through the recently opened Inland Northwest Lighthouse in Spokane. At this manufacturing facility, which includes retrofitted equipment from a former ACCO plant in Mexico, blind individuals from around the Spokane area will be creating ACCO white boards, hanging file folders, and other office supplies. The goal is to provide jobs for 40 blind people within three years. UNIVERSAL DESIGN FOR DIVERSE ABILITIES Recently, the Industrial Design Operation of GE Consumer & Industrial teamed up with students and faculty of the Carnegie Mellon School of Design to address the concept of universal design within appliance development. The team gathered data from empathy sessions where participants taped their knuckles and wore gloves to simulate arthritis, put cotton balls in their ears to simulate a decrease in hearing, and wore special glasses that simulated vision impairment such as macular degeneration. This simulation allowed them to experience firsthand what an aging consumer or special needs consumer might experience when operating an appliance. The group also consulted with health care professionals and gerontologists. GE Appliances offers a wide range of appliances with universal design features to accommodate people of varying heights, ages and abilities, select appliances that are easy to open and use, with easy-to-read graphics and features that provide added convenience and flexibility. To learn more about GE's universal design efforts, visit www.geappliances.com/design_center/universal_design. ATTENTION ALL CRAFTERS National Braille Press is in the process of producing an instructional book on crafts which can be done with little or no vision. They are seeking your craft ideas. If your project is chosen for inclusion, you will win a copy of the book. Please clearly state all necessary materials and step-by-step directions for each project. They will not be including any knitting, crocheted or intricate sewing projects. Submit all materials as well as your name, address and phone number to Ann Bliss using Annbliss@tampabay.rr.com. Print and unfolded braille will be accepted by Ann Bliss, P.O. Box 6579, Bradenton, FL 34281. FOREIGN LANGUAGE LEARNING & DISABILITY The National Clearinghouse on Disability and Exchange (NCDE), which encourages people who are blind or have visual impairments to learn a foreign language and pursue international travel, recently published a new informational guide to support blind and low-vision students to take a broad range of foreign language courses, from Arabic to Turkish, by providing the tools needed so that course materials can be accessed. The brochure, "Accessing Foreign Language Materials as a Blind or Low Vision Student," is available online in various formats at www.miusa.org/ncde/tipsheets/languageguide. ECUADOR TRAVEL OPPORTUNITIES Challenge Tourism has developed an array of tourist activities within Ecuador, focused on people with visual impairment. Their tours are designed so visitors can get to know Ecuador through their other senses. To learn more, visit www.sensationstour.com, e-mail challenge@uio.satnet.net, or call 59-3-22-48-0638. BRAILLE BICENTENNIAL Celebrate Louis Braille's bicentennial in January 2009! How? Contact National Braille Press at 1-888-965-8965 and ask about the bicentennial pin. NBP commissioned artist Judith Krimski to design an icon of Louis Braille to celebrate the bicentennial. Krimski chose the silhouette, and to capture Louis' genius, she "ignited a fire in his head" by painting his curly locks in vibrant colors -- orange, purple, lime, teal. The pin is about 1 inch wide and 1 3/8 inches high with a rubber clasp. It costs $5 per pin. Also available are note cards, with the same design as the pin, for $7.99. To purchase your pin, or note cards, contact National Braille Press at the number above, or visit www.nbp.org. AUDIO RESOURCE FOR DIABETICS Pocket Reference Journals, Inc. recently released its first CD entitled "My Pocket Doctor, A Reference Guide." It is a helpful tool for educating the newly diagnosed diabetic. The CD includes information on blood glucose testing, insulin facts, pills, new medications, dining out, illness complications, as well as such other important topics as traveling, leisure and exercise, and smoking and alcohol. The ABC's of diabetes, a diabetes food plan, telephone and web resources are included. Running time is one hour in a conversational tone. The CD costs $12.50. Braille labels and a full braille version are also available. To hear an audio sample, go to www.pocketreferencejournals.com. Downloadable versions are available on Audible.com. EMPLOYMENT WEB SITE JobEnable.com is an employment web site designed specifically for people with disabilities. The goal of the site is to enhance the opportunities for people with disabilities to find employment by providing a vehicle where they can showcase their qualifications and talents to an audience of prospective employers. Job seekers can post their resumes and search the database for available positions. Employers are able to post jobs and search resumes, recruiting qualified candidates who are the best fit for their organizations. 35 YEARS OF SERVICE On Aug. 5, 2008, Jack Hogarth received a service pin and plaque in recognition of 35 years of service to the U.S. government, 27 of which were at the VA hospital in Denver, where he worked as a medical transcriber. TINY CCTV Clarity Solutions' i-vu is a small, portable digital magnifier that can help you read menus, prescription bottles, books and bills, pictures, and much more. The i-vu weighs 4 ounces, and provides magnification from 5 to 20 times. Its push-button freeze-frame feature allows you to bring an image up for closer inspection. The i-vu also has color and inverse modes to allow for easier viewing. For more information, call Clarity at 1-800- 575-1456. ZOOMWARE SOFTWARE ZoomWare is one of Ai Squared's newest products. It provides a gentle boost of magnification (up to 2 times) so that hard-to-read text is larger, clearer and easier to see. Three different viewing options allow you to see the entire screen magnified, or have a small or large portion magnified. ZoomWare also provides color filtering features that improve text contrast and eliminate uncomfortable glare. You can reverse all screen colors for a dramatic reduction in screen glare, or apply a colorful tint to white areas of the screen to soften the overall brightness. ZoomWare also lets you adjust the size and color of the pointer and apply eye-catching locators to the cursor, making it easy to see and follow. For more information, contact the Ai Squared sales department at 1-800-859-0270, e-mail sales@aisquared.com, or visit www.getzoomware.com. READY FOR A DISASTER? The U.S. Department of Homeland Security has launched a new web site to help people prepare for disasters. The Ready Campaign web site, www.ready.gov, helps people get started by taking three simple steps: Get a Kit; Make a Plan; and Be Informed. Ready.gov features video demonstrations at www.ready.gov/america/about/instructional.html. Individuals can also call 1-800-BE-READY for more information. NEED GOVERNMENTAL INFORMATION? Have you ever wondered how the Wizard of Oz seemed to know everything? Well, the secret's out, and it's www.USA.gov. You can find everything from student loans to government auctions and government benefits to, well, almost anything. So go to the official source of federal and state government information, www.USA.gov, or call 1-800-FED-INFO (333-4636). It can make you as all-knowing as the Wizard of Oz. LIBERIA BLIND PROJECT Gail Melpolder is helping to coordinate the Liberia Blind Project. The focus of the project is to collect and ship training materials such as braille books, Perkins Braillers, canes, computers, etc. to CAB and to provide training to their staff. If you can donate any of these items, or a financial gift, contact Gail at (505) 434-6510 or gailmelpolder@yahoo.com. SUPPLIES NEEDED Marco Benavides teaches blind children in Colombia. He is requesting donated canes, Perkins braillers, slates and tutorials or manuals in braille or audio related to computers and learning English. Mail items to: Marco Benavides, M. 26 Casa 3, Coraz¢n de Jes£s, Pasto, Colombia. He can be reached directly at 57-3-15-64-35-847 or marcotb2002@yahoo.com. ***** HIGH TECH SWAP SHOP LOST AT CONVENTION: IRTI Sony Study Station TCM 929, a four-track tape recorder/player, with computer microphone. Its serial number is 2394. If found, contact Josette Kernaghan at (604) 435-4315, or send it to her via free matter mail, PO Box 443, Bellingham, WA 98227-0443. FOR SALE: Tandem recumbent tricycle (TRC brand), rebuilt and improved three years ago. Has adjustable front and rear positions for riders from 5'2" to 6'2". Frame is welded metal with blue finish. Has two 20-inch front wheels and a 26-inch rear wheel; all wheels have their own disk brakes, including a parking brake lock. Asking $1,200 or best offer. Contact Steve at (517) 347-7046; if you leave a message, please speak slowly and clearly when leaving your contact information. FOR SALE: Motorola Q cell phone with Mobile Speak. Asking $225. Nokia N72 with Talks. Comes with two batteries, charger, and instruction manual. Asking $225. Contact Robert Lewis at (410) 653-2498. FOR SALE: DJ mixer and CD player. Asking $175. Victor Reader Wave, new, asking $90. Olympus voice recorder, asking $80. Two-gig MP3 player, $45. Brailler with case, $350. Toshiba laptop with Windows XP, JAWS and ZoomText, still new. Asking $975. Shipping included. Call Jose at (818) 220-6256. FOR SALE: New (never used) Juliet Classic braille embosser by Enabling Technologies, plus a Pentium III computer with monitor, keyboard, mouse and Duxbury braille translator software. Also includes 2 cases of braille continuous form-feed paper. In excellent working condition, ready to go. Asking $2,500. Contact David at (810) 329-6149. FOR SALE: Braille Lite M40. Comes with serial cable and AC adapter. Has a compact flash card slot, 2 round serial ports, parallel port, and a built-in 56K modem. User manual is already on unit. Features include calendar, stopwatch, countdown timer, built-in phone/address book, word processor, and more. Can be used as a speech synthesizer or a 40-cell braille display with JAWS for Windows. In excellent condition. Asking $1,500. Contact Leslie at lhamric@sbcglobal.net. FOR SALE: Braille Blazer. It's an older model, purchased in 1994, still in good condition. Comes with connecting cables and dust cover. Asking $500. Contact Janet Stirbens at (330) 832-6339 or e-mail her, jstirbens@sbcglobal.net. FOR SALE: Toshiba laptop with 500-gig hard drive, 4 gigs RAM, Windows XP, JAWS and ZoomText. Asking $1,450 including shipping. Braille 'n Speak, still new, never used. Asking $600. Portable satellite radio in good condition. Asking $80. Call Luisa at (323) 479-3779. FOR SALE: Note Teller 2, with case and battery, speaks in English and Spanish, with instructions in large print and CD. New; asking $275. Colorino Color Identifier/Light Detector, identifies colors and detects light easily. New; comes with case and instructions. Asking $150. Contact Maria at (602) 368-5066 or e-mail asgms4@yahoo.com. FOR SALE: Romeo Attache Pro embosser, one year old, rarely used. Comes with cables and manual on CD. Asking $1,500 or best offer. Contact Tracy at (951) 346-7327. FOR SALE: Talking JAWS phone with speech already on it. Asking $200. Contact Dwain at (206) 600-2702. FOR SALE: Braille Blazer, never used. Comes with connecting cable. Takes 9 «" x 11" paper. Asking $4,500 (negotiable). Call or e-mail Kevin or Bou at (240) 242-3466 or bhayton@comcast.net. FOR SALE: A collection of 40 different wood music rolls for a player piano. Everything from classical and Christmas to top 40, show tunes and others. Comes complete with two wooden music roll caddies 22" high. Everything is in very good to excellent condition. Asking $100; will not separate. Buyer pays for shipping. Contact Patti at (617) 924-8664. FOR SALE: Lenovo laptop Think Pad with carrying case and power cord, hardly used. Comes with JAWS already installed. In great condition. Asking $550 or best offer. Shipping is included. Call Cait at (517) 227-1122. 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, San Antonio, TX Jenine Stanley, Columbus, OH Ken Stewart, Warwick, NY Ex Officios: Barry Levine, Homer Glen, IL Ron Milliman, Bowling Green, KY