ÿþ<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.0 Transitional//EN" "http://www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/DTD/xhtml1-transitional.dtd"> <html xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml" > <head> <TITLE>THE MINNESOTA MEMO</TITLE> <link rel="stylesheet" href="memostyle.css" type="text/css" /> <META NAME="Keywords" CONTENT="ACB, ACBM, American Council of the Blind, American Council of the Blind of Minnesota, blind, Minnesota, blindness"> <META NAME="Description" CONTENT="The American Council of the Blind of Minnesota is an organization whose members work together, as advocates for improved services for all blind and visually impaired Minnesotans. The American Council of the Blind of Minnesota is an organization that looks to the future, while recognizing the lessons taught by the past. Please join ACBM in making a better future for all blind Minnesotans."> <SCRIPT LANG="JavaScript"> <!-- function go(where) { location.href = where; } //--> </SCRIPT> <style type="text/css"> #mm11 { margin-top: 19px; } </style> </head> <body BGCOLOR="#f4f5f8" TEXT="#000000" LINK="#00008B" VLINK="#8B0000"> <form action="index.html" method="post" name="data_frm_1"> <p align="center"> <SCRIPT LANGUAGE="JavaScript"> <!--Begin var months=new Array(13); months[1]="January"; months[2]="February"; months[3]="March"; months[4]="April"; months[5]="May"; months[6]="June"; months[7]="July"; months[8]="August"; months[9]="September"; months[10]="October"; months[11]="November"; months[12]="December"; var time=new Date(); var lmonth=months[time.getMonth() + 1]; var date=time.getDate(); var year=time.getYear(); if ((navigator.appName == "Microsoft Internet Explorer") && (year < 2000))year="19" + year; if (navigator.appName == "Netscape")year=1900 + year; var dt_fill = lmonth + " " + date + ", " + year; document.writeln(dt_fill); // End --> </SCRIPT> </p> </form> <table> <tbody> <tr> <td width="10%" > <img src="Graphics/ACBM_logo.gif" alt="ACBM Logo" align="middle"/> </td> <td style="width: 71%" > <p align="center"> <font color="#8B0000" size="+4">A</font><font color="#2F4F4F" size="+3">merican</font>&nbsp; <font color="#8B0000" size="+4">C</font><font color="#2F4F4F" size="+3">ouncil</font>&nbsp; <font color="#2F4F4F" size="+1">of the</font>&nbsp; <font color="#8B0000" size="+4">B</font><font color="#2F4F4F" size="+3">lind</font><br> <font color="#2F4F4F" size="+1">of</font><br> <font color="#8B0000" size="+4">M</font><font color="#2F4F4F" size="+3">innesota</font> </p> </td> </tr> </tbody> </table> <hr align="center" size="4" width="75%" noshade/> <div id="intro"> <h1>Winter 2012</h1> <h2>THE MINNESOTA MEMO</h2> <p>A QUARTERLY PUBLICATION OF:<br /> THE AMERICAN COUNCIL OF THE BLIND OF MINNESOTA<br /> P O BOX 7341<br /> MINNEAPOLIS MN 55407</p> <p>The views expressed in this newsletter are not necessarily the position of the American Council of the Blind of Minnesota. They are the views of the article's author. Product and service information is provided as a resource only and not as an endorsement of a particular product or service.</p> <h3>EDITORIAL COMMITTEE</h3> <p>Rebecca Kragnes, Editor<br /> E-mail: <a href="mailto:rebeccak@tcq.net" title="Rebecca Kragnes, Editor">rebeccak@tcq.net</a><br /> Phone: (612) 827-2132</p> <p>Carolyn Coby, Webmaster<br /> E-mail: <a href="mailto:cs_coby@hotmail.com" title="Carolyn Coby, Webmaster">cs_coby@hotmail.com</a></p> <h3>INFO EXPRESS</h3> <p>ACBM Info Express - (866) 929-2226 (effective November 1), our telephone news and information hotline was established by the membership in October 2005. Its purpose is to provide important and relevant information vital to the membership, quickly and efficiently. Please keep yourself informed by calling regularly. You can also contact any board member using the information provided at the end of this issue of the Minnesota Memo.</p> <h3>Next Memo Deadline</h3> <p>The deadline for article submission for the next edition of the Minnesota Memo is 30 March, 2012. We value your suggestions, ideas and submissions pertinent to blind and visually impaired people.</p> <h3>Table of Contents</h3> <a href="#mm1">President s Message January 2012</a><br /> <a href="#mm2">January  A Busy Month for ACBM Members</a><br /> <a href="#mm3">ACBM Scholarship Update</a><br /> <a href="#mm4">The Minneapolis/St. Paul Airport Accessibility Campaign (MS-PAAC)</a><br /> <a href="#mm5">Prepare to Beat the Winter Blues </a><br /> <a href="#mm6">Helping ACBM by Dining Out</a><br /> <a href="#mm7">Antipasti Salad</a><br /> <a href="#mm8">Announcements</a><br /> <a href="#mm9">Speaking Terrier / Speaking Yippish</a><br /> <a href="#mm10">ACBM Board of Directors</a><br /> <h3 id="mm1">***<br />President s message January 2012</h3> <h4>By<br /> Ken Rodgers</h4> <p>Happy New Year ACBM members and friends. I hope 2012 brings abundance and good health to you, your family and friends. Starting off a brand new year gives us all a great opportunity to start fresh. Whether you want to lose weight or get rid of bad habits or just want to start off the year with a new goal for yourself, the New Year is a great chance for beginning anew. And, speaking of starting anew, ACBM wants to grow. Your leadership team -- the ACBM Board of Directors -- made it a priority to investigate the possibility of starting another Minnesota affiliate chapter outside the metro area, and the Duluth/Superior area was selected. There was an announcement recorded in the Membership section on ACBM Info Express -- (866) YAY-ACBM (866-292-2226) -- last month announcing such a plan. We have already received several inquiries from visually impaired individuals from that area who are quite interested. I ll keep you informed of our progress. But suffice it to say, it looks like we are going to have a second Minnesota ACBM affiliate. Of course, there are many details to still be worked out, but if all goes as planned we should b able to announce  official news sometime during 2012! If you know any visually impaired individuals who live in the Duluth/Superior area, please contact them and let them know we want to grow a chapter there. Then -- after obtaining their permission -- forward their contact information to us, so we can contact them as soon as possible. There is absolutely no reason why we cannot have several additional affiliate chapters of ACBM throughout the state eventually. If you have ideas of where to start our third chapter in Minnesota, leave me a message on ACBM Info Express -- (866) YAY-ACBM (866-292-2226) -- and share your idea with me.</p> <p>A new, exciting project I am happy to announce from your ACBM leadership team is the official launch of the  Minneapolis/St. Paul International Airport accessibility campaign. This campaign, also called MS-PAAC, is being launched to put pressure on the MAC, the Minnesota Airport Commission -- the entity that manages the Minneapolis/St. Paul International Airport. The campaign is designed to apply ongoing pressure from blind and visually impaired citizens to help airport officials understand exactly how INACCESSIBLE our airport actually is for people like us. We want to educate our airport officials about the growing dissatisfaction we feel about not being able to exercise our own independence at our airport.</p> <p>I ve heard our airport officials believe it is one of the most accessible airports around& Honestly, I almost fell out of my chair when I heard that. I don t know about you, but for me that doesn t even rise to the level of a bad joke. Our Minneapolis/St. Paul International Airport is many things to many people, but being ACCESSIBLE to travelers with visual disabilities is, well, let s just say  WEAK might be a polite default, at best!</p> <p>OH, sure, they offer  sighted assistance when you arrive, but honestly, if you are blind and travel alone, where are you supposed to get this  assistance anyway? Is there a  place to go? Is there a number to call? We all know the answers to those questions;  NO and  NO. One has to venture inside, alone, and perhaps dragging a roller bag, a back pack, maybe a guide dog, and a heavy, winter jacket, etc., and wander through the crowded lobby in HOPES THAT SOMEONE WILL RESCUE YOU! And, 9 times out of 10, it is NOT airport staff that offers assistance, it s another traveler wanting to be helpful!</p> <p>When you do end up with airport personnel, they happily help you. And, thank God, because if we had to try to use those computer kiosks to check ourselves in for our flight & wait a minute, WE CAN T! Those computer terminal kiosks are not ACCESSIBLE at all unless you can see!</p> <p>After the check in  help they offer happily, the absolute worst happens, you get sent to sit in the SEATS OF SHAME! That is what I call them, SEATS OF SHAME! These are the  special seats in which those of us with  SPECIAL NEEDS must sit to wait until airport personnel can come and help us the rest of the way through the airport.</p> <p>These special seats totally tell the rest of the public that we have to sit there because we have  SPECIAL NEEDS! You know, those are  THOSE people, you know, those people with  SPECIAL NEEDS! As if we don t already feel like we stick out, now there are special seating areas designated,  just for us! When a  special needs helper arrives, consider yourself lucky if he/she doesn t already have two other individuals who also have  SPECIAL NEEDS already perched on arms or being pushed while sitting in a wheelchair! Sorry, it is at this point I make them call their supervisor and send someone else as I refuse to be the THIRD or even the FOURTH  special needs person for which this individual is responsible! They grumble and complain, to be sure, but they dutifully call from their walkie-talkie and within minutes another  SPECIAL NEEDS person arrives, remarkably alone!</p> <p>I could go on and on, but we all know the drill all too well. Why is there no ACCESSIBLE or TACTILE map of the airport? Why are the computer kiosks NOT ACCESSIBLE? And, why are there no tools for me -- an independent traveler -- to use at the airport so I can locate my gate all by myself? </p> <p>Finally, the Air Carrier Access Act is looking at introducing regulations to raise the accessibility bar, but we cannot wait any longer. Nor should we wait any longer. We need to start asking for what we need. Then we need to start demanding what we need. And, when we get their attention, we shouldn t stop until we get the tools we need.</p> <p>So, beginning this month, the  MINNEAPOLIS/ST. PAUL AIRPORT ACCESSIBILITY Campaign, (MS-PAAC), begins. There is an article elsewhere in this newsletter which outlines how you can be a part of this advocacy campaign. Read it and take action.</p> <p>This is the year ACBM becomes more visible. This is the year ACBM takes its rightful place in our city, county and state. This is the year ACBM steps up not only to listen to the challenges our members face, but this is the year ACBM uses its collective power to make change happen! I hope you will join the movement and -- more than anything else -- I hope 2012 brings all of us a more user-friendly, ACCESSIBLE environment where we can all thrive and live as independent citizens! Happy New Year!</p> <h3 id="mm2">***<br />January  A Busy Month for ACBM Members</h3> <h4>By<br /> ACBM Board of Directors</h4> <p> January 2012 has arrived and it is a busy month for members and friends of ACBM. This is a short recap of all the items that happen or start this month that involve members, so get your calendars ready and read on.</p> <p>The first quarterly membership meeting of the year for ACBM is almost here. As always, the fourth Saturday of January, April, July and October, the membership of ACBM gathers for membership meetings. This year s meeting is Saturday, January 28, and will be held at Joseph s Grill, 150 Wabasha, St. Paul.  First of all, states President Ken Rodgers,  sure January is a busy month with our $15 yearly dues now coming due, and my credit cards still haven t cooled down from the holiday spending I did just a few short months ago. It seems like everyone wants either time or money in January, and ACBM is no exception. Rodgers goes on to share,  But what I like most about January s Quarterly Meeting is this is the month were members bake or buy some delicious goodies and mouth-watering desserts for which all members get to bid, with the highest bidder taking home the treasures. He added,  It s a great  win for everyone  people get to show off their baking skills and talents, or they get to show off that they shop at the best bakeries in Minnesota. Winning bidders take home the prize. Plus, the ACBM Scholarships and other programs win, as the money is donated to ACBM! </p> <p>So -- don t forget -- not only do we have our business meeting. It s time to start planning to bake those lovely treasures or map out your path to the best bakery in town. Plan on bringing them to the meeting to be auctioned. Who will walk away as this year s rumored ACBM s Outstanding Baker of the Year? Or even better yet, which member will take the  highest bid item? </p> <p>Don t forget, it is also the month that membership dues are due. $15 gets you a whole bunch of fun and plain, old  good times with friends, not to mention you are supporting the best blind advocacy organization in Minnesota! Plus, you are also paying for your continued membership into the national membership of ACB. So much for so little!</p> <p>January also kicks off the  MS. PAAC campaign& but to understand that, you ll have to read about it elsewhere in this newsletter! I hear she is fierce, feisty and doesn t stop until she gets what she wants! Hmmmm, I wonder what  MS. PAAC is all about?</p> <p>This January s menu for the quarterly meeting at Joseph s Grill is as follows:<br /> <ol> <li>Cheese burger and fries -- Always a crowd pleaser.</li> <li>Asian Chicken Salad -- Marinated Grilled Chicken Breast, Mandarin Orange, Shiitake Mushroom, Candied Almonds Served Over Mixed Field Greens with a Hoisin Vinaigrette.</li> <li>Fettuccine Alfredo -- Creamy Parmesan Sauce and Fettuccine with Vegetable of the Day.</li> </ol></p> <p>Lunch is $12 and includes a beverage, tip and taxes. (please remember to tip extra for additional drinks.) Social hour begins at 11:30AM with lunch served about 12:30-12:45PM. The auction will take place throughout the meeting, and everything will be over by 4:00PM. Why not bring a friend who is not yet a member of ACBM to this quarterly meeting? Each person who brings a guest to this meeting will be given the opportunity to double your 50/50 drawing purchase. If you purchase 1 ticket, we ll give you an extra chance. If you buy ten tickets, we ll give you ten extra chances, if you buy 20 tickets, we ll give you that many more! Double your chances by simply bringing a friend to our meeting. Not only introduce them to a great group, but you ll double your chances for a pocket full of cash when we draw the winning numbers!</p> <p>Of course, January is the month that starts with everyone talking about wanting to start new things and begin working on new goals. Whatever way you are starting off the New Year, just remember all the great things happening for you as members of ACBM. See you at the quarterly& </p> <h3 id="mm3">***<br />ACBM Scholarship Update</h3> <h4>By<br /> Juliette Silvers </h4> <p>Applications for the 2012-13 ACBM scholarship are ready to mail.</p> <p>Two scholarships of $1000 each will be awarded to a college freshman and a continuing college student. The deadline for completed applications to our post office box is May 31st.</p> <p>If you know of one or more blind Minnesota residents interested in applying for these scholarships, please call or e-mail me with their information after obtaining their permission.<br /><br /> Juliette Silvers<br /> Chair person<br /> Scholarship Committee<br /> e-mail: jsilvers03@comcast.net<br /> (612) 501-1431 </p> <h3 id="mm4">***<br />The Minneapolis/St. Paul Airport Accessibility Campaign (MS-PAAC)</h3> <h4>By <br /> Ken Rodgers</h4> <p>Would you like to have the option to move around our International Airport independently? Would you like to be able to check yourself in to a flight using the terminals all other travelers use? Would you love to know where the closest Starbucks is located by looking at an accessible, tactile map at the airport? Would you like to be able to use an accessible tool to know where you can find the nearest bathroom? SO WOULD I! If you believe it is time to let our airport officials know how INACCESSIBLE the airport is for us, this project is for you!</p> <p>I recently heard the Minneapolis/ST. Paul airport officials believe our airport is one of the most accessible airports in the nation! Well, I ve got news for them, if you are visually impaired or are blind; our airport is so NOT ACCESSIBLE! Beginning this month, you can write to the airport officials to let them know you want them to provide disability accommodations so we can travel independently throughout our airport.</p> <p>Take a moment and write a quick E-mail or note and let our officials know we want accessibility tools. If you would like to use accessible tactile maps, let them know that. If you would like the checkin airline kiosks to be accessible, just like the ATM s are at our banks, tell them! If you think Click and Go Maps is a tool they need to provide for us to travel independently at the airport, tell them. But, no matter what you think, it is important for them to hear from you!</p> <p>Our airport officials don t believe we, as visually impaired travelers, want or need any accommodations at the airport. They say they have not been asked by any visually impaired persons for any accessibility accommodations& not one! Since they have not been approached by anyone with visual disabilities with requests, they do not believe we want any tools or need any different tools at the airport. They need to hear from you!</p> <p>Take a moment and write a note and ask for more accessibility features. Below is the name and address of several airport officials to whom you can address your note. Also below is a list of several ideas for things you might ask. But whatever you do, please do take a moment and write a note! Let our officials hear from the blind community. Let them know we DO WANT AND NEED ACCESSIBILITY TOOLS at our airport. Help them understand we do have needs and don t believe we are being provided basic accessibility tools. Help educate them by sending a note today!</p> <p>If we each send a note, please understand our needs will be understood. Our needs will be discovered and they will take notice. Heck, they might even make some accessibility changes at our airport! But they won t if they continue not to hear from us! They simply need to know we exist and we want tools to use!</p> <p>I recently went to the airport web site to read about their ADA Accessibility plans. There is a very nice link that allows users to download a copy of the airport s ADA process, BUT THE DOCUMENT IS TOTALLY NOT ACCESSIBLE for us who use screen readers! We cannot download the ADA Accessibility Guidelines or download the document that shares how we can file complaints either. The document is opened up in a special window -- not in an Acrobat Reader window either. The open document is an image file! Our screen readers cannot access image files! Not at all! They need to hear from us today!</p> <p>The American s with Disabilities Act (ADA) coordinator for Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport is Anita Bellant. Accessibility complaints can be directed to Ms. Bellant at this number: 612-467-0415.</p> <p>She needs to know that disability policy documents need to be accessible documents that our screen readers can access! Let her know your thoughts.</p> <p>Minneapolis-St. Paul International (MSP) Airport <br /> Terminal 1-Lindbergh4300 Glumack Drive, Suite #3060<br /> Attention Steve Wehrham, Manager </p> <p>Metropolitan Airports Commission <br /> 612-726-8100<br /> E-mail address: <a href="mailto:publicaffairs@mspmac.org">publicaffairs@mspmac.org</a> <br /> Please put in your subject line:  Airport Accessibility Request </p> <p>Metropolitan Airports Commission<br /> 6040 28th Avenue South<br /> Minneapolis, MN 55450<br /> 612-726-8100<br /> <a href="http://www.metroairports.org/mac/appdocs/headlines/star_brochure.html">MAC: Stewards of Tomorrow's Airport Resources</a> </p> <h3 id="mm5">Prepare to Beat the Winter Blues</h3> <h4>By <br /> ACBM Board of Directors </h4> <p>OK, so we are not having one of our  typical winters this year, but let s face it, it is still winter. We are going to get snow, and worse yet, we are going to get cold. I d even bet we are going to become bitterly cold at some point, and we will all know that winter will have truly arrived. There is no reason to be bothered by it however, as the Mid-Winter Blues Busting Party is coming& So, get ready everyone! Although the exact date has not been set yet, the location has been, and this article is nothing more than a little teaser. It is also a way to start to build excitement about the event and a way to  prime the pump, so to speak. </p> <p>This year s Mid-Winter Blues Busting event party will be an ACBM group dinner outing at The Imperial Room, in one of Minneapolis hippest spots, located at 417 First Avenue North. The Imperial Room has two floors of dining, fun and entertainment and is always the place to go for great food and fun with friends. Here is just a sneak preview of the event& </p> <p>How about starting off with incredible mouth-watering appetizers like Jerk Chicken Wings with Mango Honey Mustard or even Calamari with Lemon-Caper Sauce. Then, enjoy Standout entrees, guaranteed to bust the blues away with entrees including Barbecue Rib Dinner served with Grilled Veggies and Mashed Potatoes or the Imperial Room s famous Walleye Dinner - You choose the way you want it, pan fried or beer battered. But there is plenty more to choose from, too many to list all the options here. But, just to name a few, other featured menu items are a selection of salads, sandwiches, pastas, and the usual comfort classics.</p> <p>You can come alone or bring a few friends, but we will all be together to enjoy the great food and atmosphere. Everyone will be responsible for their own expenses, but ACBM will have a few special surprises in store. There will be  free drink door prizes for a few lucky winners and there will be other fun surprises throughout the evening too.</p> <p>The date is not set yet, but plan on joining ACBM as we do our very best to BEAT THE MID-WINTER BLUES  ACBM style! Stay tuned to ACBM Info Express (866) YAY-ACBM (866-929-2226) for the actual announcement of the date which should be announced sometime in early February. Don t worry, there will be plenty of time to make your reservations once the date is selected and announced so you won t get left out. Keep checking Info Express so you don t miss out in all the fun. Meanwhile, hang in here as the ACBM Mid-Winter Blues Busting Party is coming!!</p> <h3 id="mm6">***<br />Helping ACBM by Dining Out</h3> <h4>By<br /> Ken Rodgers</h4> <p>I know it sounds almost too good to be true, but there is a new partner program that has been started by one of the programs that has already helped ACBM for the past two years, and all you have to do is go out to eat and use a credit card of your choice to pay the bill! For the last two years, ACBM has received a modest $100 check from GoodSearch. GoodSearch is a search engine, just like Google. But when you register your computer with GoodSearch, every time you conduct a search, ACBM receives one penny. That s all there is to it! And, the program has provided ACBM with income for the last two years, thanks to a few people that have registered their computers with Good Search and selected ACBM as their nonprofit of choice.</p> <p>This newest program, called GoodDining, is similar, in that if you register a credit card ahead of time, dine out at one of the zillions of participating restaurants, use your registered credit card to pay for your bill, ACBM will receive up to 6 percent of the total paid!</p> <p>It is easy to do and it doesn t cost you a penny! And, for registering your credit cards now, you can automatically provide ACBM with up to 6 percent of the total bill when that bill is paid with your credit card! Even if you use a  two-for-one coupon, you get two dinners for the price of one and ACBM would get up to 6 percent of that total paid! It is a completely painless and easy way to help ACBM earn some extra donations throughout the year. If you dine out a lot, you could be providing ACBM with up to 6 percent each time! Imagine how much ACBM could receive if just ten of us register our credit cards and use them once in a while for dining out? We could begin implementing some great new innovative programs and services for our members.</p> <p>We could certainly do a great deal more than we currently do. But the best part is it doesn t cost any of us a single penny to participate in this program!</p> <p>All you have to do is go to the Good Dining web site by using this link: <a href="https://www.goodsearch.com/gooddining-rn">https://www.goodsearch.com/gooddining-rn</a> You register your credit cards on their secure server, and that is all. Your credit card is never, ever billed by Good Dining, EVER! It is a totally free service designed to help nonprofits like ACBM. Not every restaurant earns ACBM donations, but there are literally thousands of restaurants currently taking part in this campaign, and many more are added each month. Why not try it to see how it works? It won t cost you a cent and ACBM will benefit. It is a great way for ACBM to increase its revenues without it coming out of your pocket! Check out Good Dining today! And start eating out to provide ACBM with up to 6 percent each time you do!</p> <h3 id="mm7">***<br />Antipasti Salad</h3> <h4>By<br /> Amy Monthei</h4> <p>Salad <br /> 1 large log of fresh Mozzarella cheese  cubed<br /> 1 jar garlic stuffed olives <br /> 1 container of pitted kalamata olives <br /> ½ red onion thinly sliced <br /> 3-4 vine ripened tomatoes  chopped <br /> 1 tablespoon minced garlic <br /> Fresh bazil to taste  rinsed and torn <br /> Ground Black pepper to taste <br /><br /> Dressing <br /> ¼ cup balsamic vinegar<br /> Extra Virgin Olive Oil (EVOO) to taste<br /> ½ lemon - juiced</p> <p>Combine all ingredients in a large mixing bowl and drizzle with the Balsamic vinegar, drizzle the EVOO over the salad and squeeze ½ of the lemon over the salad. Fold all the ingredients together so everything is coated. Let the mixture sit in the refrigerator for a least 1 hour before serving so all the flavors can mingle together.</p> <h3 id="mm8">Announcements</h3> <h4>##<br /> Web Accessibility Survey</h4> <p>This link is for a Web accessibility survey which is composed of mostly check boxes with a few edit fields for text. It is four pages with percentages completed on each. For the average Internet user, an estimated time is around ten to fifteen minutes. More explanation about it can be found at its link: <a href="http://martytdx.wufoo.com/forms/blindness-survey/">http://martytdx.wufoo.com/forms/blindness-survey/</a></p> <h4>## <br /> Travel Web Site Survey</h4> <p>While you're recovering from New Year's celebrations and all the travel from this holiday season, consider taking a few moments to complete AFB's survey on the relative accessibility and usability of travel-related websites. Whether you are an occasional Internet user, a regular web surfer, are someone who's blind or visually impaired, or a family member, friend or colleague of someone who is, visit: <a href="https://www.surveymonkey.com/s/AFBTravelSurvey">https://www.surveymonkey.com/s/AFBTravelSurvey</a></p> <p>Tell us your story. What online travel services have you used? How accessible/usable have you found them to be? The sites we hope to hear about from you include everything from airline, bus, and hotel sites, to commuter rail, cruiseline, and so-called aggregator sites, websites that help users comparison shop among travel providers and book reservations and purchase tickets. Your participation, and that of your family, friends, colleagues, students and clients with whom we hope you'll share this invitation, will help AFB assess the areas of greatest need for improvements in the accessibility of these popular online offerings.</p> <p>Thank you in advance for your participation!</p> <h3 id="mm9">*** Speaking Terrier / Speaking Yippish</h3> <h4>By <br /> Mortimer R. Fairfax, WFT <br /> (Reprinted with permission from Mortimer s Memos)</h4> <p>Here is a lesson on speaking Terrier <br /> WFT - Wire fox terrier/ Foxy or Foxie (yes we certainly are)<br /> SFT - Smooth fox terrier / Smoothy or smoothie (not the shake though) <br /> BOL - Bark out loud <br /> WOL - Woof out loud <br /> RAIC - Run around in circles <br /> RAICB - Run around in circles barking <br /> ROFB - Roll on floor Barking <br /> LMPO - Laughing my paws off <br /> PU- Paws up <br /> KYPO - Keep your paws off <br /> TMT - Too many treats& ? (What? - Mum, that is a flat out lie and there is no such thing - forget this one peeps) <br /> KU - Kennel up - I don't personally always love this one but you gotsta do what you gotsta do, right? <br /> NT - Naughty Terrier - I think this pretty much spells it out <br /> NTC - Naughty Terrier Club founded by Murphy Turner on facebook, the rules of membership are as follows, you must to be a terrier and you must be naughty. I of course am a member in good standing.</p> <p>Here are a few other words we like to use: <br /> Pawesome - Well terriers are! Now aren't they? <br /> Pawtastic - Being fantastic with paws up <br /> Pawdorable - as in "Your WFT is pawdorable" <br /> Terrierific - All terriers are we are created this way <br /> Terriertude - Only terriers have this one - sorry to all my non-terrier canine friends but if you aren't a terrier you don't have it<br /> Terrierlicious - Why thank you we are deliciously handsome <br /> Now as you may know I am Yippish so here are a few of my favorite phrases: <br /> Yippish - This is a Jewish terrier and also the language we bark, whine or yelp <br /> Teriksa - This is a non-terrier or non Yippish canine<br /> Muzzle Tov! and Pawzel Tov! - These phrases are interchangeable, please use them often as in "I just got a nice toy and I am excited to destroy it! Muzzle Tov!" or "I got extra treats today, Pawzel Tov!"<br /> Bark Mitzvah - as in when Mum says "Mortimer what is with the Bark Mitzvah? <br /> Chutzpaw - this is Yippish for of Terriertude <br /> Tpawtchke - Those are my toys not worthless crap so KYPO! <br /> Paw Vey! - as in "Oh my! I can't believe you just took away my tpawtckes!" <br /> L pawim - as in "I need to get my paws back on those toys, my life depends on it!"<br /> Pawlom - Yippish for "Hello, Goodbye and Wire Peace." <br /> Pawnukkah  This is a very important holiday for us NTs it is the 8 nights of getting treats if we are nice and lumps of coal if we are naughty, no terriers ever get anything but coal, its sort of a tradition now.<br /> Santa Paws  Some of us NCT members hedge our bets and also believe in Santa Paws, we figure he is an NT too and will bring us treats but usually we all get coal from him too.<br /> Pawrah - This is the ancient book of Yippish obedience rules, often referred to but rarely followed by us NTC members. It is believed that an ancient NT once ate the Pawrah and hence the phrase "My dog ate my homework" is ever popular with school children all over the world.</p> <p>I hope you enjoyed this lesson and I plan on expanding my linguistic skills in the future so check back on my blog. Here is a link to my blog: <a href="http://mortimersmemos.blogspot.com">http://mortimersmemos.blogspot.com</a></p> <h3 id="mm10">***<br /> ACBM Board Of Directors</h3> <p>President:<br /> Ken Rodgers<br /> Minneapolis, MN<br /> (612) 817-4760<br /> <a href="mailto:kenrodgers@comcast.net" title="Ken Rodgers, President">kenrodgers@comcast.net</a></p> <p>Vice-President:<br /> Chris Bell <br /> Roseville, MN<br /> 612-859-4938 <br /> <a href="mailto:christophergbell@comcast.net" title="Chris Bell, Vice-President">christophergbell@comcast.net</a></p> <p>Secretary:<br /> Nichoel Schlender<br /> Minnetonka MN <br /> (952) 935-2396 <br /> <a href="mailto:kb0ouf@samobile.net" title="Nicole Schlender, Secretary">kb0ouf@samobile.net</a></p> <p>Treasurer:<br /> Catalina Roisum<br /> Brooklyn Center, MN<br /> (612) 227-3011<br /> <a href="mailto:catalina229@gmail.com" title="Catalina Roisum, Treasurer">catalina229@gmail.com</a></p> <p>Directors:<br /> Mike Hally<br /> St Paul, MN<br /> (651) 485-3204<br /> <a href="mailto:mike-hally@hotmail.com" title="Mike Hally, Director">mike-hally@hotmail.com</a></p> <p>Colleen Kitagawa<br /> Richfield,MN<br /> (612) 869-8584<br /> <a href="mailto:kitagawa@samobile.net" title="Colleen Kitagawa, Director">kitagawa@samobile.net</a></p> <p>Jeff Mihalich<br /> Minneapolis, MN<br /> (612) 803-1050<br /> <a href="mailto:jeff.mihelich@gmail.com" title="Jeff Mihalich, Director">jeff.mihelich@gmail.com</a></p> <p>Amy Monthei<br /> Minneapolis, MN<br /> (651) 246-7063 <br /> <a href="mailto:amymonthei@yahoo.com" title="Amy Monthei, Director">amymonthei@yahoo.com</a></p> <p>Nancy Schadegg<br /> Richfield, MN<br /> (612) 798-5178</p> <p><b>Immediate Past President:</b><br /> Janet Dickelman<br /> St Paul MN<br /> (651) 428-5059<br /> <a href="mailto:janet.dickelman@gmail.com" title="Janet Dickelman, Immediate Past President">janet.dickelman@gmail.com</a></p> </div> <hr align="center" size="4" width="75%" noshade/> <div align="center"> <table width="100%" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" border="0" frame="void"> <tr> <td align="left" valign="top" width="50%"> <img src="Graphics/redball.gif" height="14" width="14" border="0" alt="&#149;&nbsp;" align=absmiddle/><a href="boardmembers.html">ACBM BOARD</a><br> </td> <td align="left" width="50%"> <img src="Graphics/redball.gif" height="14" width="14" border="0" alt="&#149;&nbsp;" align=absmiddle/><a href="bylaws.html">ACBM BYLAWS</a><br> </td> </tr> <tr> <td align="left" width="50%"> <img src="Graphics/redball.gif" height="14" width="14" border="0" alt="&#149;&nbsp;" align=absmiddle><a href="index.html">ACBM HOME</a> </td> <td align="left" width="50%"> <img src="Graphics/redball.gif" height="14" width="14" border="0" alt="&#149;&nbsp;" align=absmiddle><a href="http://www.acb.org/">ACB HOME</a> </td> </tr> <tr> <td align="left" valign="top" width="50%"> <img src="Graphics/redball.gif" height="14" width="14" border="0" alt="&#149;&nbsp;" align=absmiddle><a href="memo.html">THE MINNESOTA MEMO</a><br> </td> <td align="left" width="50%"> <img src="Graphics/redball.gif" height="14" width="14" border="0" alt="&#149;&nbsp;" align=absmiddle><a href="archive/index.html">MINNESOTA MEMO ARCHIVE</a><br> </td> </tr> <tr> <td align="left" width="50%"> <img src="Graphics/redball.gif" height="14" width="14" border="0" alt="&#149;&nbsp;" align=absmiddle><a href="memopolicy.html">MINNESOTA MEMO EDITORIAL POLICY</a><br> </td> <td align="left" width="50%">&nbsp; </td> </tr> </table> </div> <div align="center"> <table width="100%" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" border="0"> <tr> <td align="left" valign="top" width="54" nowrap style="height: 57px"><img src="Graphics/access.75.gif" height="50" width="54" border="0" alt="Web Access Symbol for people with disabilities"> </td> <td align="center" valign="middle" width="90%">Copyright © 2011<br>American Council of the Blind of Minnesota<br><a href="mailto:catalina229@gmail.com" title="Catalina Roisum, Membership information ">Catalina Roisum, Membership Information</a> </td> </tr> </table> </div> </body> </html>