THE BRAILLE FORUM Volume XLIV March 2006 No. 6 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. Christopher Gray, 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 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 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. To make a contribution to ACB via the Combined Federal Campaign, use this number: 2802. 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 2006 American Council of the Blind TABLE OF CONTENTS How to P.L.A.N. for Disaster, by Maurice A. Ramirez From Your Perspective: How Are We Going to Rebuild New Orleans?, by Michael Vining Congratulations, Dr. Nemeth!, by Winifred Downing Now Is the Time to Quit Procrastinating and Get Inspired!, by Nola McKinney Durward K. McDaniel Fund Committee Seeks Your Help, by Carol Ann Ewing Jacksonville in July, by Carla Ruschival and Berl Colley Affiliate News Memories, by Mary Wheeler Sound Blind, by Kristal Platt Here and There, by Sue Lichtenfels Letters to the Editor 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 the program from the Braille Forum page. To subscribe to "The Braille Forum" via e-mail, send a blank e-mail message to brailleforum-l-subscribe@acb.org. To unsubscribe, send a blank e-mail message to brailleforum-l-unsubscribe@acb.org. ARE YOU MOVING? DO YOU WANT TO CANCEL 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. ***** HOW TO P.L.A.N. FOR DISASTER by Maurice A. Ramirez When Hurricane Katrina slammed the Gulf Coast, every American witnessed the devastation that occurs from lack of preparation and planning. Officials knew the storm was coming and they knew it was going to be big, but planning was almost non-existent. Although the officials ran a number of drills, allowed three days to evacuate, and identified which areas and residents would be most at risk, they failed to plan a designated time to leave, how they would evacuate residents, and how much time they would need to get everyone out safely. But when Hurricane Rita threatened Texas just days after Katrina ravaged Louisiana and Mississippi, the outcome was quite different. Each county in Texas plans and practices for disasters every year. So when meteorologists plotted Rita's path, officials in Texas already knew who would be a part of their plan, they anticipated being overwhelmed, and they had identified who could support them. Although their evacuation looked chaotic when everyone ran out of gas on the road, they were able to accommodate the situation and they had a plan in action quickly after the fuel shortage took hold. So while the mess with Katrina is still making headlines, Rita was much easier to deal with because the officials had a plan. And regardless of whether your city has a plan for dealing with a disaster, you, as an individual, can be prepared. Use the following steps, based on the acronym P.L.A.N., to get your family or business ready to handle whatever disaster you face. P - PEOPLE The first step in making your plan is to take an inventory of who will be participating. If you are making a plan for your family, consider who will be with you and how to prepare each person for the disaster. If you have small children, you may need to talk to them about what is happening, and reassure them that everything will be all right. Also, what tasks will each person perform? If you're facing a hurricane, who will board up the windows? Who will make sure the dog gets into the car if you evacuate? Each person should have a function in ensuring the safety and security of everyone else. Even children can participate. A small task might make a child feel more purposeful, like a critical part of the plan, rather than a helpless bystander. So if your children are old enough to take part, put them in charge of the extra batteries or have them fill the water bottles. Likewise, if you are making a plan for your business, consider who will participate and what role each person will fill. If you plan to close, you need to know who will be involved in the closing decision, and how you will secure the premises. If you decide to stay open, your plan is even more important because you will be responsible for the safety of your employees. Other people in your plan include contacts outside the disaster zone. You need someone to serve as a message board for communication. Then everyone involved in your plan can call in and let the centralized person know they are safe and their location. If you decide to leave, you need someone out of state whom you can stay with. Finally, consider what outside facilities you are going to rely on. If you have unanticipated emergencies, who are you going to call? Are they going to be able to get to you? If your entire plan is to call 911 and get assistance, you need to realize that in a disaster situation they probably won't be able to assist you for 72 hours. In this case, you will need to reassess your plan. L - LEAVE Next, consider leaving the disaster zone. When and how will you leave (evacuate)? Where will you go and how will you get there? Will your family or fellow evacuees meet before you leave or when you arrive at your destination? The decision to leave makes communication and your contacts outside the disaster zone critically important. How will you communicate while you evacuate and after you arrive at your destination? What are you going to do if you get separated? Operate on a buddy system; no one should be left alone. When you and your family or business associates become mobile, make sure everyone knows the plan. Then, if your plan fails, you need an alternative. If you are not leaving, consider where will you stay and how will you stay safe. Will you all stay together or shelter in the place you are when the disaster strikes? Will you send some of your family to your evacuation destination while others stay? All these factors need careful consideration and planning. A - ANTICIPATE AND ADAPT Unfortunately, in a disaster situation, nothing always goes as planned. So anticipate plan failures and plan for the "what ifs." This is a chance to brainstorm. Make a list of all the possible failures. What if the phone lines go down? What if your basement floods? What if you get caught in traffic? No "what if" is too extreme to consider. The only possibility that you can't plan for is the one you didn't think of. Once you've brainstormed possible failures, you need to adapt to each one with an alternate plan. If the phone lines go down, can you use your cell phone? If your basement floods, can you seek shelter with a neighbor or in some other nearby location? If you get caught in traffic, will you have enough gas to evacuate successfully? What if something happens that you didn't anticipate? If you go through this process enough times and really work on your plan, then you will be able to adapt to the failure. Your mind will be primed and you'll be ready to think of alternatives, even if the failure isn't anticipated beforehand. N - NEEDS In any disaster, you must be ready to go for 72 hours without assistance. Those first 72 hours are critical because emergency relief will be overwhelmed during that time. Fire departments, police, and medical personnel won't have the resources to get to everyone. After Hurricane Katrina, many people died simply because they ran out of food and water in those critical three days. However, four days before Rita hit Texas, the community leaders were on the television warning people that if they decided to stay, they needed to be prepared for 72 hours because no one would be able to help them. When working on your plan, make sure you account for all your needs for 72 hours. Be prepared to be self-sufficient during this time. Each one of your family members must have personal identification and photos of all others in your plan, two quarts (liters) of drinking water, 72 hours of food, 72 hours of clothes, two weeks of medications, two weeks of toiletries, a supply of cash (credit/debit cards can't be verified if phone lines go down), a flashlight, a portable radio, batteries, a signal whistle, white/silver duct tape, a first aid kit, prepaid calling card, and a list of emergency phone numbers. These needs should be kept in a rolling backpack that stays with the owner. Keep this bag, your Disaster Pack, readily accessible. And if a disaster is imminent, keep the Disaster Pack with you at all times. Are You Ready? Once you have taken an inventory of your family, made arrangements for evacuation, anticipated and accommodated failures, and gathered all your needs for 72 hours, you need to review and practice your plan each year. Hurricane situations are timely because of what happened on the Gulf Coast, but regardless of what disaster situation you face you must have a plan. In a tornado, tsunami, terrorist attack, or whatever, you can use these steps to make your disaster plan and ensure the safety of your family and your business. About the Author Dr. Ramirez is the first Central Florida physician to complete the National Disaster Life Support (NDLS ) Instructor Program. He is a graduate of the University of Osteopathic Medicine and Health Sciences College of Osteopathic Medicine, with a degree in Doctor of Osteopathic Medicine. In addition, he is completing a second doctorate in Clinical Nutrition. Dr. Ramirez is Board Certified in Emergency Medicine, Family Practice, Sports Medicine, Geriatric Medicine and Clinical Nutrition. Dr. Ramirez is a nationally recognized professional speaker and a member of the National Speakers Association. He has published numerous articles in professional and scientific journals and has been cited in over 20 textbooks. For more information on Dr. Ramirez, please e-mail ndls-fl@earthlink.net. ***** FROM YOUR PERSPECTIVE: HOW ARE WE GOING TO REBUILD NEW ORLEANS? by Michael Vining (Editor's Note: "From Your Perspective" is a column that appears occasionally. Its contents vary from technology to religion, from internal goings-on to items of concern in the blindness field in general. The opinions expressed are those of the authors, not those of the American Council of the Blind, its staff or elected officials. "The Braille Forum" cannot be held responsible for the opinions expressed herein.) I am writing this article because, like many of you, I was saddened by the destruction that Hurricane Katrina wrought on New Orleans. We had just been visiting that city for the American Blind Bowling Association's annual bowling tournament back on Memorial Day weekend. We had a very good time there eating the best food and hearing many different types of music being played live and recorded from the bars and restaurants all over. The question that comes to my mind is this: If the Big Easy is rebuilt, where should it be? Right where it is or more above sea level? President Bush told the nation in his speech on Sept. 15 that the country will rebuild this great city, along with the rest of the Gulf Coast damaged by this category 4 hurricane. As of now, the cost of doing this may be close to $200 billion. All of us have one question: How are we going to pay for this? One way is to raise taxes. That could, in my opinion, slow down the U.S. economy. On the other hand, not raising taxes for this effort could bring on a great deficit. We could deal with this in the future, or let our children and grandchildren deal with it. The President's plan seems to be spend the money and cut other programs to finance it. So which programs and services should we cut? Somehow, I don't think we will have the great discussion on this issue that we should have. How do blind people figure in this? What programs and services do we wish to sacrifice for the good of rebuilding the Gulf Coast? How do the blind fare in hurricane areas when there is an impending storm? Do we flee? How do we flee? Or do we stay where we are? I live in Minnesota, where we do not have this problem. I asked Paul Edwards, who lives in Florida, about this. He said, "We board up everything and pray." I guess it's up to God. At the beginning of my political awareness, I was a raving liberal; now, some 40 to 45 years later, I am more conservative. I have no answers, just some ideas. 1 Have the feds take over all building of the Gulf Coast, and administer it, and get profits from all new homes sold, and new business development. 2. Make the areas of New Orleans that were not flooded an island, and build the city in areas above sea level. 3. Rebuild New Orleans as it is, but make the levees higher and better fortified than in the past. The mayor of New Orleans thinks casinos would be nice. I suppose we could have a southern Las Vegas, right? Whatever happens, our country will be affected. Future spending decisions will be affected as well. ***** CONGRATULATIONS, DR. NEMETH! by Winifred Downing On October 14, Dr. Abraham Nemeth was one of four outstanding individuals in the blindness field to be welcomed into the Hall of Fame at the American Printing House for the Blind, Louisville, Ky. The other three recipients were William Hadley, founder of the Hadley School for the Blind in the early 1920s; William English, past superintendent of the Wisconsin School for the Blind; and Max Woolly, past superintendent of the Arkansas School for the Blind. Each award winner received a certificate and a sculpture of his face, and it is these sculptures that are assembled at the museum of the American Printing House. Dr. Nemeth was recognized for his mathematics code which has been used by blind children learning this subject for the last 55 years. He never received any monetary sum in recognition of his tremendous contribution to the education of the blind but has been satisfied with the accomplishment itself. Though 86 years old, Dr. Nemeth continues to work diligently, now in the development of the Nemeth Uniform Braille System (NUBS). Anyone who has used braille for a substantial amount of time reacts negatively to the suggestion that braille must change in some fairly substantial ways, especially with regard to technical material. The small anomalies are easily apparent when one realizes that there are now three different dollar signs in use: one in literary braille, one in computer braille, and a third in mathematics. Two different forms of parentheses are also employed, and literary braille presently offers no sign for plus, minus, or equals. Even more important, having several different codes in preparing braille material means that scanning and translation programs cannot easily be used to produce the ever increasing and ever more diverse documents in braille that are required now that almost all blind children are being mainstreamed and require textbooks which tell them the same things that those books tell the sighted students. For the traditional braille user, it isn't important to know whether the print is italic, boldface, in small upper case letters, etc. When these print changes appear in the textbooks being used in classrooms today, however, they are made to communicate some additional meaning to the reader; and a way must be found to bring to the blind child all the information given to sighted students by changes in print style. Some 16 years ago, the Braille Authority of North America (BANA) accepted these realities and assembled committees to develop a single code which would express to the blind reader everything that the sighted reader can experience. The code became known as the Unified Braille Code and, after its acceptance by most of the English-speaking countries, the Unified English Braille Code (UEBC). From the very beginning, some observers of the procedures initially adopted realized that there were very serious problems, and Dr. Nemeth proceeded to develop an alternative code. The intensity of the discrimination practiced by BANA and the braille publishers so closely involved with that organization was so all-absorbing and shockingly unjust that observers are baffled by it to this day. He was not permitted to offer his code and was even denied the opportunity to read his papers explaining his reservations. Though in more recent years there has been a recognition that there is an alternative to the UEBC available, serious consideration or detailed study has never been approached because the code, the UEBC experts tell us, is not "complete." What a curiously discriminatory attitude that is when one remembers that the braille we use every day has had changes made in it several times in the last 20 years and that committees concerned with the UEBC are still dickering over some decisions! Like the reception offered initially to the NUBS, the discriminatory practices continue by exacting a standard for Dr. Nemeth's code not applied to any other development in braille. It has even been impossible to advance any discussion of this subject in the professional magazines in the field. I am not connected with any publishing house but have been aware for years of the problems presented by the UEBC. Several years ago, I requested an opportunity to write an article on the subject for the "Journal of Visual Impairment And Blindness" (JVIB); but the editor denied my request because the matter involved was of too limited interest to be included. Later, however, Bill Gerry, a blind person of considerable technical knowledge, contributed an article praising the UEBC which was accepted by JVIB and jubilantly reproduced by the publishing houses and BANA whenever any opposition was expressed. As far as I know, Bill Gerry is the only blind person with experience in technology who has taken this stand. Many of the people associated with BANA and the publishing houses insist that they know braille; and they do when it comes to the construction of the characters and interpretation of the rules governing contractions, punctuation, etc. They are not, though, users of braille. To them it is not significant that three or four symbols are necessary to express one character, that an arithmetic multiplication problem with two numbers cannot be written on a 40-cell braille line, that very few blind people have achieved the ability to write in the UEBC, or that 55 years of technical braille material will be scrapped if that code is adopted. I believe that there are people in the UEBC camp who realize that the code cannot be used successfully to express technical material, and the chair of BANA herself may well understand that fact; but they are afraid to step forward with their views because of the political pressure among professionals. Politics should have no place in determining the future of braille. Understanding some of these severe problems existing in the UEBC and responding to the fact that the two national organizations of the blind, the National Federation of the Blind and the American Council of the Blind, have, by resolutions approved by their national conventions, totally rejected the UEBC, the National Braille Association (NBA) has established a committee of blind users of braille and of braille transcribers to investigate the NUBS and work toward having the broader community learn about it. I have studied the NUBS enough to understand the basic principles and have conducted several workshops to acquaint mainly blind users with the system. My materials were initially prepared by Joyce Hull, an experienced NBA transcriber; and she has furnished me with the 150 to 200 booklets I have needed. The system has several immediately attractive features, especially the fact that it will not require giving up any of the contractions or spacing practices to which we are accustomed, that it needs less space and fewer symbols to express technical material, and that it builds on what we already know and does it so that the learner can absorb just the extent of the system that is needed. If literary braille is what is being sought, no study of the mathematical or other technical expressions is necessary; but if that knowledge is necessary, it is readily available. My workshops have been at the California Transcribers and Educators of the Visually Handicapped in 2004, the California chapter of the Braille Revival League in 2005, and the Braille Revival League national meeting at the convention of the American Council of the Blind in 2005. About 75 people have experienced the system that way; but wanting to make it better known among persons who could not attend the workshops, I have prepared a cassette to accompany and explain the booklet which exemplifies the main points of interest and have offered the cassette and the booklet to anyone who wants it. I have sent out 60 envelopes of this material since July. To get a copy for yourself, send a letter to: Winifred Downing, 1587 38th Avenue, San Francisco, CA 94122; phone (415) 564-5798; or e-mail wmdowning@mindspring.com. Please also write to Angela Cofaro, National Braille Association, 3 Townline Circle, Rochester, NY 14623. If you can spare a monetary contribution, it will be very welcome, for NBA has a tiny fraction of the money that BANA could spend promoting the UEBC. Even without money, though, your expression of interest will be valuable. If we are going to have changes in braille, it is blind users who must be involved, not just publishers and those indebted to them. Imagine how we could congratulate Dr. Nemeth if the NUBS were to be adopted to meet the needs of blind people in the many uses they make of braille! ***** NOW IS THE TIME TO QUIT PROCRASTINATING AND GET INSPIRED! by Nola McKinney Time is flying, and the awards committee hasn't received many nominating letters yet. Come on, you know you've been meaning to write but have just been putting it off. Please don't procrastinate any longer -- the deadline is fast approaching. The committee needs time to make its decisions and order plaques. So please, hop to it! Get inspired and write that letter of nomination for one of the many awards today! The Robert S. Bray Award is given to a person who has made a contribution for improving library technology or communication devices. It could also be given for expanding access for blind people, or making opportunities within the mainstream media. The George Card Award is given to an individual who has dedicated his or her life to work with and for blind people, making a real difference and improving quality of life, for providing leadership and being a positive role model. The Durward K. McDaniel Ambassador Award is one of our most popular awards. It is given in recognition of a blind person who may or may not be a member of a blindness organization but who has spent his or her life integrating with the community. The James R. Olsen Distinguished Service Award is periodically given to individuals who have made important contributions which have advanced opportunities for the blind community. This award can be given to an individual or an organization. The Affiliate Growth Award is based on the greatest increase in membership, as determined by the 2005-2006 membership reports. The Affiliate Outreach Award is based on a recommendation by an affiliate president, which recognizes a local chapter for a new outreach program. This program must have a measurable outcome. Remember, May 1 is the deadline. You know you've been meaning to nominate that special person for an award, so do it now. Send it to the awards committee, c/o ACB, 1155 15th St. NW, Suite 1004, Washington, DC 20005. I'll be watching for your letters! See you in Jacksonville! ***** DURWARD K. McDANIEL FUND COMMITTEE SEEKS YOUR HELP by Carol Ann Ewing Once again we are promoting the dynamic program begun by Durward K. McDaniel to assist our folks to attend, participate and enjoy the education of the ACB national convention. Participating in the goings-on, daily business and gatherings will enable lots of personal growth and give you the chance to be of service to your peers. The Durward K. McDaniel First-Timers' Program was created to introduce newcomers to the American Council of the Blind on a national scale. How well I remember my first ACB convention, Phoenix in 1992! I had only recently been declared legally blind when I went; I attended and I felt it was OK to be blind. Afterwards, I knew it was OK to be blind. The confidence I received by being among other blind adults, rubbing shoulders with them, and understanding business on a national scale gave me a new lease on life. I am ever thankful to a friend who said, "Carol, we need to go to this convention. I can't imagine a convention lasting for seven days, so let's go for four days." We did, and we were amazed at all the activity for, of and about the blind. I have never cut short my stay at an ACB convention since. But my point is, my independent travel to ACB would have been overwhelming; how thankful I was to have a sighted friend encourage me. It is that encouragement and assistance that the DKM First-Timers' Program is offering to others. Again this year, the committee will select two first-timers to attend the convention. Once again, the Mississippi River will be the dividing line. We are looking for first-timers from both east and west of the Mississippi. To apply, write an essay that includes (1) a detailed self-introduction, i.e., name, address, phone, ACB affiliation, visual status, etc.; (2) your expectations from attending the ACB convention; and (3) what the ACB can expect of you if you are the winner. Applications must be accompanied by a reference letter from the applicant's state affiliate president, and must arrive in the ACB national office by April 15, 2006. I am sure I don't have to tell you the benefits this program has given to ACB and its members in service to the blindness community. We have future leaders waiting to be welcomed and introduced to an organization that stands high on the list in the efforts to make the world a better place. This year the DKM Committee is asking for a donation from everyone to support this program. Please send your donations to: Durward K. McDaniel First Timers, c/o Carol Ann Ewing, Nevada Council of the Blind, P.O. Box 364496, North Las Vegas, NV 89036-8496. Got questions? E-mail carol_ewing@cox.net or call (702) 383-0600. ***** JACKSONVILLE IN JULY by Carla Ruschival and Berl Colley Spring will soon be upon us, and the winds of winter will become a distant memory. That means it's time to make your travel plans for the 45th ACB national convention happening in Jacksonville, Fla., July 8 through 15. Jacksonville sure is a friendly place: * Budget-friendly -- Great low non-holiday airfares from many parts of the country and a $79 (plus tax) hotel room rate for up to four people in a room; * Information-friendly -- Wide variety of seminars, workshops and programs plus an exhibit area jammed with everything that talks, the latest technology, and a broad array of products and services of interest to both blind and visually impaired people; * Fun-friendly -- Lots of socials and fun events right at the hotel and a week brimming over with outstanding tours; * Mobility-friendly -- Fewer steps needed to get to meetings, exhibits and on-site events. Read on for details about some great convention tours being planned with you in mind by Berl Colley, tour coordinator. Then check out the tips and reminders at the end of this article. St. Augustine, Friday, July 7 -- A day-long visit to the oldest organized community in the United States. Founded in 1565, St. Augustine has been populated by Native American, Spanish, British and U.S. societies. You will arrive around 8:30 a.m. for a two-hour tour of the area. The guided tour will end at Castillo de Marcos (Fort St. Augustine), and you'll have a chance to explore the fort and hear about its history. After a plated lunch, you will board our bus for a one-hour ghostly experience; it is alleged that there are some 300 ghosts lurking throughout the St. Augustine area. Then you'll visit the Florida museum and experience the Indian, Spanish and pioneer cultures of old St. Augustine through some interactive activities. Finally you'll have time to shop and tour St. George Street on your own before returning to the hotel shortly after 6 p.m. Baseball Game, Friday, July 7 -- Enjoy a lazy summer evening at the ballpark. Baseball fans will see a AA game between the Jacksonville Suns (a farm team of the Los Angeles Dodgers) and their unnamed opponent as of this writing. The Suns' park is about three years old and is rated as one of the top minor league parks in the United States. Jacksonville City Tours, Saturday, July 8 (repeated on Sunday, July 9) -- Morning bus tours filled with three hours of information about the city ACB will call home for the coming week. Casino Cruise, Saturday, July 8 -- Board the bus Saturday morning for the Sun Cruise casino ship, a three-deck, 600-passenger craft. You'll sail at 11 a.m. and return to the dock at 4 p.m. The boat has a full casino with over 300 slot machines, several dice and blackjack tables, roulette and poker. Enjoy a brunch buffet during the first hour of the trip while you sail past the 3-mile limit, and then let the games begin. Don't like to gamble? No problem! There's lots of entertainment on board, so come along for the fun! Let's Go Fishing, Sunday, July 9 -- You'll leave the hotel around 11:30 a.m. for Amelia Island, where you will board small ocean-going fishing boats. Each boat will hold six plus the captain and his assistant. The boats will leave the docks at 1 p.m. and return at 5 p.m. You will be trolling for your fish. This tour is not wheelchair-accessible. Stay tuned for more info! Next month we'll be talking about the Anheuser-Busch brewery tour, the Okefenokee Swamp tour, our trip to the Florida School for the Deaf and Blind in St. Augustine, trips to the nearby Arts and Science Museum and Cummer Museum of Art and Gardens, and a return to the St. Augustine ghost tour. The Saturday evening dinner theater is back at the end of convention week, with a performance of "Beauty and the Beast." Now for some convention tips and reminders. * Important information about your hotel reservation -- PLEASE READ CAREFULLY! Now's the time to make those hotel reservations for Jacksonville. But if you already have a reservation for July and you don't plan to use that room, now is also the time to release your reservation. In order to reduce attrition rates, which can cost ACB several thousand dollars, rooms canceled after April 15 will incur a charge by the hotel. Call reservations at the Hyatt Regency Jacksonville-Riverfront at 1-800- 223-1234 or (904) 588-1234. Remember that the convention rate is $79 per night plus tax; tell the reservationist that you are with ACB to receive this rate. * Air fares at the midyear meeting were very expensive because of the President's Day holiday. A quick look at normal fares to Jacksonville shows that average costs are very reasonable from most major cities, and that several major airlines fly there. For example, round-trip tickets from Louisville run between $153 and $220 depending on the airline, but on holidays prices soar to twice that amount. Make your travel plans early to take advantage of the best fares. * All special-interest affiliates and other organizations, agencies and companies wishing to schedule events at the 2006 ACB convention should be well into the planning process by this time. All events MUST be scheduled through Carla Ruschival, special events coordinator. Details must be received by April 1 in order for an event to be listed on the pre-registration form; agenda information must be received by April 15 for inclusion in the convention program. For more information, and to obtain instructions, menus, audio-visual pricing, and assistance with customizing your event, contact Carla Ruschival at (502) 897-1472 or by e-mail at cruschival@acb.org or adamcarla@bellsouth.net. * Exhibit, advertising and sponsorship packets are now available. To take advantage of our exciting new sponsorship opportunities, contact Brenda Dillon, advertising and sponsorship coordinator, at (615) 874-1223 or by e- mail at brendan0@bellsouth.net. To reserve your booth in our ever-popular exhibit area, contact Mike Smitherman, exhibits coordinator, at (601) 366-5523 or by e-mail at amduo@netdoor.com. Be sure to check each issue of "The Braille Forum" for more convention details and tips. Jacksonville is going to be great, and you don't want to miss any of the fabulous events we have in store for you. ***** AFFILIATE NEWS Friends-In-Art Scholarship High school seniors and college students are invited to apply for the Friends-In-Art scholarship for the school year 2006-2007. This $1,000 scholarship is offered annually for achievement, talent, and excellence in the arts. If you are planning to major, or are currently majoring in, the fields of music, art, drama, or creative writing, and are a blind or visually impaired student, you may apply for this scholarship. You may obtain an application form by writing to Harvey Miller, 402 E. French Broad St., Brevard, NC 28712-3410. Include a self-addressed, stamped envelope when requesting the application. Applications are due by April 15, 2006. Nebraska State Convention The American Council of the Blind of Nebraska will hold its state convention April 21-23, 2006 at the Days Inn, 1811 Hillcrest Drive, Bellevue, NE. Room reservations may be made by calling the hotel at (402) 292-3800. Call before April 2 and mention ACBN to receive the discounted room rate of $59.99 plus tax per night. For more information, call (888) 218-8061. ACBGE Preparing for Convention The American Council of the Blind Government Employees (ACBGE) will hold its annual meeting at the ACB convention in Jacksonville on July 13, beginning at noon. The luncheon will be at 12:30 p.m., followed by a business meeting. Before hearing from guest speakers, members will discuss some things that are happening to blind and visually impaired employees of federal, state and local governments. For decades, IRS and Social Security have provided job opportunities for many of our members. It has come to our attention that the Taxpayer Service office in Boston has already closed and that Chicago and Houston offices are scheduled to close on March 1, 2006. Many employees are experiencing difficulty because of outsourcing of some jobs and the failure of some agencies to provide the correct type of technology needed by some to perform their duties. Many feel that their jobs are in jeopardy. These are just a few of the factors that I feel make it imperative that people who are currently working for the government, or have retired from such jobs, join ACBGE. The board of directors is hopeful that you will come to the meeting and help ACBGE determine how best to deal with these and other circumstances. Several blind and visually impaired employees of the Social Security Administration are getting ready to retire after 30 years of service. Employment for these people and many of us who have worked and are working for the government has made it possible to have productive and successful lives. We want to ensure that others have these same opportunities. Dues to ACBGE are $15, due each January. If you have any questions, please call Cathy Skivers at (510) 357-1986. You can also contact any of our board members -- Billie Jean Keith, Albert Anderson, Peter Pardini, Ann Brash, or McKinley Young. ACBGE is putting together a cookbook with recipes that include names of government agencies. A $25 prize will be given to the person with the winning recipe. You can send your entry to billiejean@2keiths.com. Chapter Forming in Spartanburg Barbara Mattson is organizing an ACB chapter in Spartanburg, SC. If you would like to be a member and work for the needs of the visually impaired in Spartanburg, contact Barbara Mattson at 519 E. Main St. #8, Spartanburg, SC 29302; phone (864) 585-7323; e-mail ka4uiv@juno.com. ***** MEMORIES I remember what it's like to look across a meadow, Where the grass is green, and the meadow lark sings And the wild flowers spread their petals. I remember what it's like to look across a cotton field, To watch the boles open wide And to anticipate their yield. I remember what it's like to pull a pick sack, And to fill it for the scales. And to eagerly wait for payday after we harvested each bale. I remember what it's like to drive out through the mountains To see the brightly colored leaves Looking like a bouquet of chrysanthemums. I remember what it's like to look up on a starry night, To find the Big and Little Dippers And the Milky Way so bright. I remember what it's like to stand beside the ocean, And see the ships so far away, You could scarcely see their motion. And as I scanned that great expanse, What rapture filled my heart! And it began to sing, "My God, how great Thou art." I remember what it's like to look into the eyes of a caring man, And to stand by his side to hear him whisper, "I love you" as I became his bride. I remember what it's like to hold each newborn baby, And to look into its face as it came into our family And quietly took its place. Not knowing then, that when I welcome my great-grands I'd see them only by the touch of their face and hands. I remember what it's like to open up God's Word, To daily search the scriptures For a message from the Lord. Now I thank God, As I bow my head, For any opportunity to hear His Word read. O dear people, listen to me, Thank God every day for what you can see. For some day, you, too may be seeing only in memory. -- Mary Wheeler ***** SOUND BLIND by Kristal Platt We all deal with the public's misconceptions about blindness on a daily basis. Many of us shared these misconceptions at one time or another as we sorted out what blind people are capable of doing. Sometimes people's ideas of what blind people are like is so off the mark that the real-life situations are quite humorous. True stories often make some of the best teaching illustrations of ignorance, as this one demonstrates. Late in September of 1988 after moving to an apartment in Chicago, I called an operator from a pay phone to set up my new phone service. She asked the usual questions documenting my name and street address. When she got to the question of my zip code, it occurred to me that I had not asked anyone what the zip code was in this neighborhood. She said, "It's like the blind leading the blind because I don't usually cover this region of town and you aren't familiar with the area." I laughed politely because she obviously had not realized the pun she had made. Then I remembered that I had not asked for her to send the paperwork for the directory service exemption. I debated whether I should hang up and call back to get a different operator because I was concerned that she might be embarrassed about what she had said; however, I did not want to do that since I was standing at a pay phone and the new operator would need to enter the data all over again. I decided to word my request very carefully. I said, "Remember when you said it is like the blind leading the blind? That was actually very funny because I am blind." I heard a horrified gasp and she said, "You don't SOUND blind." I did get my phone hooked up, and I did have free 411 directory assistance. Years later my friends and I still laugh as we wonder if she ever realized how silly she sounded. Just what does it mean to "sound blind?" ***** HERE AND THERE by Sue Lichtenfels The announcement of products and services in this column is not an endorsement by the American Council of the Blind, its staff, or elected officials. Products and services are listed free of charge for the benefit of our readers. "The Braille Forum" cannot be held responsible for the reliability of products and services mentioned. To submit items for this column, send a message to info@acb.org, or call ACB at 1-800-424-8666 and leave a message in mailbox 26. Please remember that postal regulations prohibit us from including advertisements, and that we need information two months ahead of actual publication dates. ** NBP RELEASES BIOGRAPHY OF LOUIS BRAILLE On March 6, 2006, National Braille Press released the newest biography in its series, "Louis Braille: A Touch of Genius." It includes 31 never- before-translated letters about his life. To help launch the new biography, NBP has created print/braille bookmarks that can be distributed to students, clients, or friends. To order biographies or bookmark bundles, contact NBP at 88 St. Stephen Street, Boston, MA 02115-4302; call 1-800-548-7323; or e- mail orders@nbp.org. ** CHRISTIAN CAMP ANNOUNCEMENT The 2006 Siloam Camp for the Blind will be held May 13-20 at the Golden Cross Ranch in New Caney, Tex. Cost for the week of camp is free for first-time campers, $200 for repeat campers. Lodging, all meals and activities are included. All campers must send a $25 camp registration fee along with your name, address, home phone number, and cell phone number to the Gospel Association for the Blind, P.O. Box 1162, Bunnell, FL 32110. Reach voice mail at 1-866-251-5165 and enter 7128 pound. ** R&D AWARD NOMINATIONS ONCE, the Spanish organization for the blind, is accepting nominations for the Fourth International R&D Award in New Technologies for the Blind and Visually Impaired. The goal of this award program is to encourage technology-related developments that correct or overcome the limitations of people with low vision. The relevant areas of technology-related research may include: engineering, artificial intelligence, computer sciences, telecommunications, microtechnology and nanoelectronics. The winner will receive a prize of over $200,000. Submissions must be received in either English or Spanish by June 30, 2006. Send nominations to: Secretariat of the Fourth ONCE International R & D Award in New Technologies for the Blind and Visually Impaired, Calle Jos‚ Ortega y Gasset 18, 28006 Madrid, Spain. For additional details, visit www.once.es/otros/premios/imasd/index. ** NEW UNCONTRACTED BRAILLE SCRIPTURE BOOK "Touched by God's Word" is a collection of over 100 comforting scriptures taken from the New King James Version of the Bible, compiled and translated by Sandy Price into an easy-to-read format to help those who struggle with reading braille. The content is double-spaced and brailled on one side only. It is available in jumbo, standard, and contracted braille. All translations are $14.95 each plus shipping and tax. To order a book, call Sandy Price at (804) 550-3733 or e-mail her, idigdots@comcast.net. ** BRIEFS FROM AFB AFB has launched an on-line museum to celebrate the legacy of Anne Sullivan Macy, the pioneer of educating the visually impaired. The museum's online gallery is available at www.afb.org/annesullivan-seek. It shows Anne through her own words as well as through the eyes of others. The pages feature photographs, letters, comic strips, sound recordings and other artifacts relating to Anne's life and work. AFB recently announced the winners of the 2006 Migel Medals and Access Awards. Migel Medal recipients were Kevin Lessard, Rachel Rosenbaum and Carol McCarl; Access Award recipients were "Blind Justice," Ski for Light, and the Dallas-Fort Worth Airport and architect Rick Lee. AFB has recently elected three new trustees to its national board: Laurence J. Kirshbaum, chairman and chief executive officer of the Time Warner Book Group; Kathryn C. Brown, senior vice president, public policy development and corporate social responsibility, Verizon Communications; and Patricia C. Sueltz, CEO of SurfControl. AFB has expanded its online employment resources for people who are visually impaired. CareerConnect showcases jobs held by people who are visually impaired. It includes resources for job seekers, human resource staff, rehabilitation professionals, mentors, and parents or family members. Visit www.afb.org/careerconnect. AFB and Verizon continue their joint effort to develop and promote the new career opportunity of braille translator. The online college curriculum will be available through Northwest Vista College in San Antonio, Tex. Classes focusing on producing textbooks and instructional materials in braille will begin in late 2006. ** VIBRATING WATCH Swiss watchmaker Tissot has created a watch that enables visually impaired people to tell time through vibrations. By briefly pressing the watch's crown and then running the finger clockwise around the glass, the wearer can "feel" the time through the constant vibration on the hour and intermittent vibrations for the minutes corresponding to one of the 12 raised indices on the bezel. To learn more, call (201) 271-4642 or e-mail bob.friedland@swatchgroup.com. ** COMPUTER SYSTEM FOR SALE Bob Langford is offering an adaptive computer system for $100. Features include: Pentium, 128 meg RAM, Windows 98, demo of Window-Eyes, 56K modem, sound card, CD drive, and speakers. It also includes a six-cassette computer training tutorial combining Window-Eyes and Windows 98 by Brian Hartgen and a mini tutorial on keyboarding. Call Bob at (214) 340-6328 during business hours Central time. ** BLIND SITE PROVIDES INSIGHT Blind Site is an online magazine that is part general-interest magazine and part blog for the blind. Its focus is to help visually impaired people to see and understand themselves. Visit the site at http://home.earthlink.net/~blindsite. E-mail poems, essays, short stories, or reactions to others' comments to blindsite@earthlink.net. ** SENSATION PRODUCTS Novelsensations carries a wide variety of gifts, from musical items to scented items. The catalog is available free via e-mail as a Word attachment. A highlights tape is also available for free. A full catalog on tape costs $5. Contact Charlotte Bettinger, PO Box 7, Farmington, MN 55024; phone (651) 463-9346, or e-mail novelsensations@charter.net. ** LARGE PRINT PRAYERS AVAILABLE "Prayers & Psalms for Today" is a large-print CD that includes helps for people facing all kinds of life situations and challenges. It has selections from Prayers and Thanksgivings, Prayers for the Sick, Prayers for Use by a Sick Person and the Psalter (the book of Psalms). The CD materials are in APHont. All are designed for 8 « x 11 pages and formatted in Word 97. The large-print Book of Common Prayer CD is also available. To order a CD, please send a self-addressed 6 x 9-inch envelope with three 39-cent stamps attached (four if it's a padded envelope) to: Ann Dahlen, 1900 6th Ave., Apt. 513, Rock Island, IL 61201. Donations of any amount are appreciated and encouraged to help cover ministry costs. For more information, e-mail anndahlen3@aol.com. ** DIGITAL TALKING BOOK PILOT LAUNCHED HumanWare is working with the Royal New Zealand Foundation of the Blind (RNZFB) to assist with a pilot project to evaluate the distribution of digital talking books via the Internet. HumanWare will design and develop the prototype Internet-capable digital players and assist the RNZFB to conduct trials of the technology among its existing talking book clients. The objective is to find out whether a DTB player and service solution can be designed to replace the postal system with Internet delivery of its books and magazines to people who are not computer-literate. ** LEARNING AID FOR GUITAR STUDENTS FlexiRest is a hand rest designed to assist students learning to play the guitar. The rest stabilizes the hand, instills good right hand positioning, and aids motor memory. It has a screw cap that lets learners intermittently swivel the rest out of the way for unsupported practice. Go to www.guitarhandrest.com for more details. ** WANT TO LEARN HOW TO PLAY AN INSTRUMENT? Now you can learn to play piano, guitar, bass, drums, banjo, saxophone and the penny whistle without using written or braille music. Bill Brown has complete courses, as well as individual lessons, for these instruments in an all-audio format. Bill plays a section of the song for you and then talks you through the notes and fingering in a step-by-step fashion. The four tape or CD courses are $39; individual song lessons are $10 each. Call 1- 800-484-1839 and enter code 8123 or log onto www.musicvi.com. Bill's courses are also available through NLS. ** SEEKING MATH TUTOR Bob Groff is seeking someone to help him with his math skills. The person must know Nemeth code and how to use the abacus. He is also seeking a speech pathologist to evaluate his speech. Contact Robert Groff Jr. at 487 PC Circle, Quitman, AR 72131, or phone (501) 589-2886. ** SEEKING RECIPES Lucia Marett is searching for sources where she can locate quick, nutritious one-dish or single-pot recipes, or one-dish casseroles. Please send braille or print letters to 170 W. 23rd St., Apt. #3-H, New York, NY 10011-2430, or e-mail them to Lmarett@nyc.rr.com. ** WINK'S MESSAGE OF FAITH & HOPE A new taped magazine, "A Message of Faith, Hope, Joy and Praise," is available free from Rev. Adelaide Wink. Sample copies are available. This is a magazine for the blind, hard of hearing, and for the mild to moderately mentally ill. She needs volunteers to read Christian books and booklets onto tape so that she can transcribe them into braille. She would also love to hear from home workers who do knitting and crocheting to earn extra money, and from those who work from home in such fields as manufacturing or light packaging. Wink would like to learn German braille, reading, writing, grammar, spelling and conversational skills. She also would like to hear from blind people in Germany who read, write and speak English well. She has been living with obsessive-compulsive disorder for more than 51 years, and is willing to share God's help with those with OCD who want it. If you would like to respond to any of the above matters, please call Rev. Adelaide Wink at (352) 746-3087 or write to her at 59 S. Lee St., Beverly Hills, FL 34465-3640. ** ASSISTANCE DOG ORGANIZATION For a $20 membership in the International Association of Assistance Dog Partners, a consumer advocacy organization, you and your guide, hearing or service dog are eligible to receive: free Advantage or Advantix; Avid microchip and registration in lost dog recovery systems; Cosequin; rebates on vaccines and discounts for various corporate veterinary hospital groups; and if you and your dog meet eligibility requirements, financial assistance from the Veterinary Care Partnership fund. Visit www.iaadp.org or phone Carol at (760) 439-9544 during business hours Pacific time. ** VOICE INTERNET UPDATES InternetSpeech.com, the web site that enables access to the Internet via voice, has updated its web functions. The new features include on-page search capability, shopping opportunities, and form-filling tools. For more information, visit www.internetspeech.com, or call 1-877-312-4638. ** COMPUTER CONSULTATION Cutting Edge Solutions provides computer and technology consultation to people who are blind. The company will assist in finding the best deals for adaptive equipment and help you determine exactly what your computer needs are. For more information about this and other services, visit www.cuttingedgesolutions.biz. ** TALKING PRODUCTS ETS, Inc. manufacturers a variety of talking consumer products. The company offers Johnson & Johnson one-touch blood glucose meters, a talking blood pressure meter, a talking bathroom scale, and an FDA-certified talking microwave. To learn more about these products, contact the company at (505) 888-3923 or visit www.etsnm.com. ** ELECTRONIC PUBLICATIONS AVAILABLE TFB Publications, known for transcribing publications into braille, is now offering a wide variety of publications in electronic formats such as Word, plain text and formats that can be used with popular notetakers. TBF publications include: children's stories, cookbooks, craft patterns, mainstream novels, general-interest magazines, adult literature, books on travel, prayer books, and medical information. To request electronic catalogs, e-mail tfb@panix.com or call (201) 313-8905. ** SELF-VOICING GAMES & MORE Azabat Software offers computer games and word processing programs for people who are visually impaired. The software is self-voiced -- there is no need for speech synthesizers and programs. The games use large fonts where possible and can be run from a CD without installation. Azabat's computer games include: Yahtzee, Blackjack, Klondike Solitaire, and Connect 4. The games cost $35 individually, but together on one CD, they cost $90. The Azabat Talking Typing Tutor costs $50 and the Talking Word Processor with Internet and e-mail capability costs $350. For more information on these products, visit www.azabat.co.uk. ***** LETTERS TO THE EDITOR The contents of this column reflect the letters we had received by the time we went to press, February 15, 2006. 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 the Unified English Braille Code A few minutes ago I received an e-mail from John Hemphill of the Helping Hands Braille Ministries, which, I think, is in the Grand Rapids, Mich. area. I've never been to Grand Rapids, but from what I know about it, its superabundance of Dutch Reformed and other Reformed churches, Grand Rapids, and surrounding places, are great. Michigan may be climatically cold, but it's a lot better than Kansas' humidity! In his letter, John said something I have been waiting to hear from someone in braille production: "I am definitely opposed to the Unified English Braille Code. I agree that it would do great harm to the cause of braille at almost every phase of production and use." As you may know, we are hearing sentiments such as that in this country, and have been hearing them more and more. The blind in other English-speaking countries have, I believe, not been given such opportunity to express themselves freely. -- Jeff Frye, Overland Park, Kan. Blindness ... Not Enough For those low-vision through no-vision consumers who sometimes choose to hire sighted help, the possibility of a personal assistant being paid for by insurance is worth exploring. Unfortunately, at this time neither long- term insurance health coverage nor Medicare expanded care accepts legally blind as a qualifying disability. However, in the absence of a sighted spouse, it soon becomes clear that assistive technology and independent living skills do have limits. Specifically, coping with thousands of products on miles of aisles in a modern supermarket simply demands eyesight. Consequently, this most common task means either beg for help from a store employee or bring your own sighted guide. While this report may not be of interest to some blind individuals who rarely seek sighted assistance, often this is an important issue for many of the approximately 20 million Americans with serious vision loss. But our health industry has decided in this case to insure only people who have motion/mobility impairments and to exclude sensory impairments. This situation seems at the least very unfair and may, in fact, be discrimination. What do you think? -- Larry Harper, Milwaukie, Ore. Large Print I've been legally blind for the past 25 years or so. During that time I have developed a few pet peeves that have an impact on those of us who are visually impaired. They seem to fester as I get older. At the top of the list is this concept of "large print." I'm very aware that there is a wide range of visual acuity between being legally blind (limbo land) and blind. Therein lies the problem. To coin a phrase, one size font does not fit all. I, for one, still have to use some kind of a magnifier to read what is currently heralded as "large print." I'm sure I'm not the only one out here with this problem. I've wondered for a long time how this "large print" standard was established and by whom. Did the ACB board have input in the matter? How can it be modified to make it more user-friendly? I'm not so naive to think that there should be several versions of "large print" or that changes wouldn't incur additional costs. Any change in this regard will have inherent cost increases. This having been said, however, I am proposing that the font size be increased a couple of points and the characters be printed in bold instead of standard type. I'm suggesting that the publishers and printers in this country and possibly around the world who tout "large print" may want to embrace this proposal as an upgraded service to their readers. I'm sure their readers would welcome the change. Who knows, the cost/benefit scenario may even prove to be good for business. So, can anyone out there shed some light on this "large print" dilemma and help press for a change, or will my pet peeve continue to fester? -- Tom Lealos, Powell, Wyo. ***** HIGH TECH SWAP SHOP FOR SALE: The 1611 King James Bible in braille. 18 volumes Genesis through Revelations, each volume is hard cover and maroon in color. The braille dots remain sharp. Asking $200. The books will be shipped free matter and will be insured. I will only accept a U.S. money order. Contact Johnny Blackwell between 9 a.m. and 9 p.m. Eastern time at (803) 377-7913. FOR SALE: 100 Toshiba 8200 notebook computers (Pentium 3), with CD-ROM drives. Asking $245 each. Contact Jimmy Gent, HiTech Assets, Inc., 304 N. Meridian Ave., Suite 9, Oklahoma City, OK 73107; phone (405) 604-4872. FOR SALE: Color MAX, item #CMU; the MAX camera is a little larger than a computer mouse, but magnifies images onto a screen up to 60 power. It can be used with any television set. Asking $300 plus $12 shipping. FlipperPort, item #FPU; portable digital magnifier by Enhanced Vision Systems. This device has a rotating camera that swivels to magnify objects at a distance, like a presentation board, or points downwards to capture documents on a desktop. Asking $1,195 plus $25 shipping. These are pre- owned items which have been inspected and evaluated by technicians at the Assistive Technology Center in Sacramento. For more information on any of these items, contact the center at 5330 Power Inn Rd., Suite F, Sacramento, CA 95820; phone (916) 381-5011; e-mail connie@atechcenter.net. FOR SALE: PacMate, six months old, hardly used. Comes with all cables, QWERTY keyboard. Still in original packaging. Price negotiable. Contact Jay via e-mail, jnaiman@bellsouth.net, or call (954) 346-3727. FOR SALE: Original screenless Laptalk computer with Microsoft Office XP and Windows XP Home Edition. It has an external modem, a network card, a USB port, an external monitor port, a parallel port and a serial port, as well as a PS2 connection. Comes with carrying bag, print and cassette tape manuals. It also has a PCMCIA card slot, a CD-ROM drive, and a floppy drive. Asking $400. DeskTalk PC with OpenBook 6.0. Has a CD burner, floppy disk drive, and a CD-ROM drive. Also have a Cannon scanner to go with it and an HP DeskJet printer. Asking $650. Contact Marcie by e-mail at marciek@fidnet.com. FOR SALE: Enhanced Vision CCTV with 20-inch monitor, S-video input and video input. Brand-new, still in box. Serious offers only. Call Brenda Cook at (918) 273-0299 after 6 p.m. Central time. FOR SALE: External disk drive for notetakers. Asking $100. Talking caller ID. Asking $50. Dymo tape holder for Perkins brailler, $30. Braille clothing and freezer labels with two rows of magnetic Dymo tape, $20. Contact Roger at (510) 229-8035. FOR SALE: Braille writer with hard case and one Dymo tape holder, $550. Talking scientific calculator, good condition, $300. Contact Rosemir at (925) 798-3395. FOR SALE: XM satellite radio in excellent condition. Price negotiable. Nokia 6620 cell phone. Contact Lucia Marett, 170 W. 23rd St., Apt. #3-H, New York, NY 10011-2430. ACB OFFICERS PRESIDENT CHRISTOPHER GRAY 94 RAMONA AVE. SAN FRANCISCO, CA 94103 FIRST VICE PRESIDENT M.J. SCHMITT 119 SHELL EDGE DR ROCHESTER, NY 14623 SECOND VICE PRESIDENT MITCH POMERANTZ 1115 CORDOVA STREET #402 PASADENA, CA 91106 SECRETARY DONNA SELIGER 3912 SE 5TH ST DES MOINES, IA 50315 TREASURER MIKE GODINO 104 TILROSE AVE MALVERNE, NY 11565-2024 IMMEDIATE PAST PRESIDENT PAUL EDWARDS 20330 NE 20TH CT. MIAMI, FL 33179 ACB BOARD OF DIRECTORS Alan Beatty, Fort Collins, CO Ed Bradley, Houston, TX Brian Charlson, Watertown, MA Billie Jean Keith, Arlington, VA Oral Miller, Washington, DC Carla Ruschival, Louisville, KY Patrick Sheehan, Silver Spring, MD Naomi Soule, St. Louis, MO Cynthia Towers, Seattle, WA David Trott, Talladega, AL Ex Officio: DeAnna Noriega, Colorado Springs, CO BOARD OF PUBLICATIONS Mike Duke, Chairman, Jackson, MS Cindy Burgett, Bremerton, WA Rochelle Hart, Sioux Falls, SD Charles Hodge, Arlington, VA DeAnna Noriega, Colorado Springs, CO Ex Officios: Ralph Sanders, Las Vegas, NV Janelle Edwards, Springfield, MO