We’ve had a lot of questions regarding cab coupons. We appreciate Nancy Kirkpatrick volunteering her time to distribute taxi coupons for the UCB. Nancy’s time is valuable and the hours that she donates to the cab coupon program are on Wednesdays from 2:30-6:00 PM at the blind center. Please be respectful and adhere to these hours. Coupons can be requested through the UCB Credit Union allowing members to automatically receive cab coupons of your choice, (with sufficient funds in your account). Otherwise, please send checks to our office, 1301 West 500 South, Woods Cross, 84087 with a note expressing which coupons you need. It is also helpful when you can include funds for postage.
I also wanted to report that UCB is very concerned about the proposed changes that UTA plans to make to para-transit service. UCB plans to develop a resolution containing our concerns about how the proposed changes will negatively impact our lives as blind individuals and people with disabilities. I highly encourage you to either participate in a public hearing, or to call UTA and make a comment if this affects you or someone you care about.
Please contact any disabled individuals you know and have them make their feelings known. Contact your representatives and inform them of what this means to the disabled. If they don’t live it, they don’t understand it.
Go to Utah.gov and contact your representatives and rideUTA.com to let UTA know your feelings. When you’re out riding about, notice the numbers not paying for their transportation on buses, TRAX and FrontRunner. Report those numbers when possible with the route numbers and time of day of these infractions so efforts can be concentrated in these loss areas and possible modifications can take care of these problems. Bring anything and everything you can to the attention of UTA. Let’s help close the loopholes that create problems for us.
Another opinion that was published about a month ago is:
UTA’s Cost to Taxpayers is not justified by its Mission
By Michael Ransom
Professor of economics and chairman of the economics department at BYU.
His views about the UTA are entirely his own. His article goes on to say;:
John Inglish, general manager of Utah Transit Authority, announced this week plans to increase fares and reduce service for UTA’s para-transit customers. By raising one-way fares to $4 and eliminating service to those who live more than three-quarters of a mile from bus or rail stops, UTA hopes to save about $1.6 million.
This is apparently necessary because of falling sales tax revenues that provide the bulk of UTA’s revenue.
While I must admit that even $4 sounds like a bargain to me for curb-to-curb service, I’m very concerned that UTA has chosen to balance its budget on the backs of its only customers who really depend on public transportation. At the same time it embarks on a rail expansion program whose underlying economics absolutely boggles the mind. FrontRunner North shows just how expensive and economically inefficient rail projects can be. UTA estimates there were only slightly more than 100,000 boarding’s on FrontRunner in February, substantially less than half of the ridership in August, and down 25 percent even from December.
While some of the declines might be attributed to current economic woes, a more likely explanation is that commuters are learning just how inconvenient it is to travel by rail in a metropolitan area like greater Salt Lake City. With capital costs of around $700 million, and operating costs of about $15 million per year, some simple financial calculations show that monthly costs for FrontRunner are around $4.2 million. Thus, each ride currently costs about $42, or $84 for the typical round trip. Carrying a regular commuter to and from work for a month (22 workdays) costs about $1,800. I’d love to hear Inglish explain why these particular commuters are so important that they deserve a subsidy of more than $1,600 per month (a monthly pass costs only $162). Let’s not forget that they enjoy free Wi-Fi service, too. Unfortunately, FrontRunner South promises to be even less efficient, since the commuter base is smaller and the capital costs are projected to be substantially more.
Although it may seem unbelievable, some of the planned light-rail projects have even worse economics. UTA is planning a $400 million TRAX extension into Draper to replace a bus route that carries only about 30 riders each way per day. Draper residents are so delighted at the prospect of light rail service that a group of them actually sued UTA in an unsuccessful attempt to block construction of the line.
Other local government agencies are also dealing with reduced budgets. For example faculty and staff at Utah State University were required to take a week’s unpaid leave last month while the students were on break. I would have thought that the UTA administrators, some of whom are among the highest-paid public employees in the state (Inglish makes a salary of $285,000, plus bonuses and other perks) might have looked to cut a little fat from administrative salaries.
The December sightseeing trip to Europe for UTA managers and board members seems like an extravagance in retrospect, too.
Once again, UTA has demonstrated that it doesn’t have a clear idea of its mission. Should UTA provide sensible, economical public transportation to the Wasatch Front, or should it just build things? Should it try to serve the population that cannot use automobiles, or should it spend public funds in an impossible quest to lure wealthy commuters to mass transit?
Because blind pedestrians cannot locate and evaluate traffic using their vision, they must listen to traffic to discern its speed, direction, and other attributes in order to travel safely and independently. Other people, including pedestrians who are not blind, bicyclists, runners, and small children, also benefit from hearing the sound of vehicle engines. New vehicles that employ hybrid or electric engine technology can be silent, rendering them extremely dangerous in situations where vehicles and pedestrians come into proximity with each other. Blind organizations appreciate when action is taken specifically that of Senators Kerry and Specter to preserve the right to safe and independent travel for the blind. The blind, like all pedestrians, have a need to travel to work, church, school, meetings, doctors, etc. without a fear of injury or death. The benefit of technology advancements is certainly welcome and appreciated but the safety of our community is of high priority. We give our support to all efforts made to protect the interests of the blind and visually impaired as well as all pedestrians.
"I'm a major proponent of hybrid vehicles--I own one, I drive one, and I've seen firsthand their environmental and economic benefits," said Senator Kerry. "The market is demanding new technologies in the auto industry, and Americans are demanding we finally kick our foreign oil addiction. As we continue to promote our energy independence, however, we must do more to ensure the safety of those who use senses other than sight to navigate the roads. I look forward to working with Secretary LaHood to ensure that hybrid vehicles are safe for everyone."
“All Blind people have the same right to safe travel as all other pedestrians," said Senator Specter. "I look forward to working with my colleagues on this important legislation to ensure that the blind and other pedestrians can continue to travel safely and independently."
Please be aware that the national office is already taking action on this issue. We have been told that in order for the funding to be restored, there needs to be an out-poring of letters from the affected population. It would be quite helpful if you attempt in some way to personalize this letter by giving an example of how description has helped you in your TV viewing experience.
The Coalition of Organizations for Accessible Technology (COAT) is a coalition of over 230 national, regional, state, and community-based disability-related organizations. We advocate for legislative and regulatory safeguards that will ensure full access by people with disabilities to the wide range of evolving communications technologies.
It was recently brought to our attention that the U.S. Department of Education’s Television Access grant program (CFDA 84.327C – OSERS/OSEP) will not be offered. This is the second year in a row that these three-year grant awards will not be offered. These grants are authorized under the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA), 20 U.S.C. § 1474(c), and are the primary source of funding for broadcast television video description of educational media for children who are blind or who have low vision. There is a great deal at stake here: children who are blind or who have low vision will no longer have the same access to televised educational media that their sighted peers enjoy on a daily basis. For television, video description provides access to on-screen visual elements through verbal descriptions that are provided during natural pauses in dialogue.[1] On analog televisions, video description has been passed through to viewers via a secondary audio channel; video description easily can be provided to viewers via digital television as well. Video description provides access to more than 21 million Americans with “significant vision loss.”[2] On July 21, 2000, the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) adopted rules to make television more accessible to people with visual disabilities by mandating that a certain amount of programming contain video description. However, in November 2002, a Federal court struck down those rules. As a consequence, unlike closed captioning, there are no federal requirements for the provision of video description. Currently, only a limited number of television programs voluntarily provide video description for individuals who are blind or have low vision.
For many years, the Department of Education’s Television Access grant program has provided limited funding to support and provide video description for televised educational video programming. It was with dismay that we learned that no funding was provided for the Television Access grant program for FY 2008. It is now with alarm that we have learned that no funding is being provided for the Television Access grant program for FY 2009. The Department of Education has taken this action without any input from the community that relies on these services, and for reasons not explained to the stakeholders. COAT and its member organizations, such as the American Council of the Blind and American Foundation for the Blind, whose members and constituents are directly affected by this action, are deeply concerned about this disturbing development. COAT is actively working to achieve a legislative mandate for video description of televised programming. However, the wheels of legislative change turn slowly and, even if a mandate is passed, its implementation may still take years. For this reason, it is imperative that the Department of Education continue funding through its Television Access grant program. To cease funding at this time, when there is no mandate to provide access to any television programming for people who are blind, would result in a significant reduction in accessible educational television for children who are blind or visually impaired. COAT is gravely concerned that these children will not have access to televised educational media because of the elimination of this grant award program. We seek your support and urge the reinstatement of this grant offering for the current fiscal year in time for its use during the 2009-10 television programming season.
In preparation for the Television Access grant competition, video description producers have secured commitments from educational media producers for description of hundreds of hours of new educational programming. COAT representatives are available to meet with you to discuss this critical situation. We welcome your prompt response and assistance toward this goal and stand ready to support you in any way. Time is of the essence!
We hope that this program will increase opportunities for students with disabilities and encourage them to pursue careers in computer science. We also hope to foster long-lasting relationships through which these students can support each other over the course of their academic studies. The deadline to apply for this year's Lime Scholarship is June 1, 2009. For complete details, visit www.google.com/jobs/scholarships
Ballots will be available in print and Braille. Scholarships to outstanding students will be awarded at this meeting. Reservations will be necessary if you wish to eat. Leave your reservation on the Utah Connection or call Linda Collins at 801-296-1400. Hope to see you there.
The Terrace is on the left side of the main entrance near the restrooms.
If you have a blind child needing a companion for the rides, we have a volunteer who will be in attendance. Please call and make reservations for this service in advance of the event. We look forward to seeing you there.
The following festivities are included free of charge:
* Chick-Fil-A Dinner
All invitees will be chosen via a lottery style drawing. (One entry per household.) ALL ENTRIES MUST BE RECEIVED BY 5 PM ON MAY 18th, 2009.
NO EXCEPTIONS. Winning families will be selected on May 19th 2009 and official invitations will be mailed.
To register for the drawing, please send the following information to:
(Please e-mail or mail only – no phone registrations)
contact Cagney Smullin
Daytime telephone number Event Coordinator, Full mailing address csmullin@hoglezoo.org Email address Utah’s Hogle Zoo Number of guests (VIP child + up to 4 guests) 2600 Sunnyside Ave, Note: infants are not counted as a guest. Salt Lake City, UT 84108.
Dream Night is an international event, which started in 1996 at the Netherlands Rotterdam Zoo. Since then, over 193 zoos and attractions have opened up their grounds to children of all abilities and their guests for a private evening of fun.
First, open your address book and click on "new contact", just as you would do if you were adding a new friend to your list of email addresses. In the window where you would type your friend's first name, type in "A". For the screen name or email address, type AAAAAAA@AAA.AAA.
Now, here's what you've done and why it works: The 'name 'A' will be placed at the top of your address book as entry #1. This will be where the worm will start in an effort to send itself to all your friends. When it tries to send itself to AAAAAAA@AAA. AAA, it will be undeliverable because of the phony email address you entered. If the first attempt fails, which it will because of the phony address, the worm goes no further and none of your friends will be infected.
Here's the second great advantage of this method: If an email cannot be delivered, you will be notified of this in your In Box almost immediately. Hence, if you ever get an email telling you that an email addressed to AAAAAAA@AAA. AAA could not be delivered, you know right away that you have the worm virus in your system. You can then take steps to get rid of it! Pretty slick huh?
If everybody you know does this, then you need not ever worry about opening mail from friends. DO IT NOW and pass this on to all your friends.
Tchaik’s Big 5 05-09-09 standby only
As a liaison to the Square/Foot Gardening Foundation, Pat brought a large grow box along with the special soil so that students at the Division of Services for the Blind and Visually Impaired can try their hands at growing vegetables. Participants were invited to put their boxes in the enclosed patio at the Division to watch their garden's grow while there. Vickie Hathaway agreed to assist with this project. We appreciate the support of Mr. Bill Gibson and other staff for accommodating this gardening venture. All items were donated by the foundation.
The UCB provided a variety of seeds and plants to grow in the box. Other Participants took the garden boxes they purchased home and will be growing a variety of herbs, vegetables, and maybe a few flowers.
The Foundation has also offered a fifty percent discount to members who wish to garden by this method. We’ll be picking up an order shortly. You can view more information about Square Foot Gardening by visiting
www.squarefootgardening.com
and, for more information,
www.joyinthegarden.com
also talks a great deal about this type of economic gardening.
Pat also instructed us on how to build a compost container so that we can keep our gardens fertile and growing. Another great thing about this type of planting is that it uses very little water, has next to no weeds and very few insects. We’re all enthusiastic and will let you all know how are gardens are growing in the future.
These three little words will help eliminate telephone soliciting. (2) Do you ever get those annoying phone calls with no one on the other end? This is a telemarketing technique where a machine makes phone calls and records the time of day when a person answers the phone. This technique is used to determine the best time of day for a 'real' sales person to call back and get someone at home. What you can do after answering, if you notice there is no one there, is to immediately start hitting your # button on the phone, 6 or 7 times, as quickly as possible This confuses the machine that dialed the call and it kicks your number out of their system. Gosh, what a shame not to have your name in their system any longer !!!
(3) Junk Mail Help: When you get 'ads' enclosed with your phone or utility bill, return these 'ads' with your payment. Let the sending companies throw their own junk mail away. When you get those 'pre-approved' letters in the mail for everything from credit cards to 2nd mortgages and similar type junk, do not throw away the return envelope. Most of these come with postage-paid return envelopes, right? It costs those more than the regular 41 cents postage 'IF' and when they receive them back. It costs them nothing if you throw them away! The postage was around 50 cents before the last increase and it is according to the weight. In that case, why not get rid of some of your other junk mail and put it in these cool little, postage-paid return envelopes.
One of Andy Rooney's 60 minutes ideas. Send an ad for your local chimney cleaner to American Express. Send a pizza coupon to Citibank. If you didn't get anything else that day, then just send them their blank application back!
If you want to remain anonymous, just make sure your name isn't on anything you send them. You can even send the envelope back empty if you want to just to keep them guessing! It still costs them 41 cents. The banks and credit card companies are currently getting a lot of their own junk back in the mail, but folks, we need to OVERWHELM them. Let's let them know what it's like to get lots of junk mail, and best of all they're paying for it...Twice! Let's help keep our postal service busy since they are saying that e-mail is cutting into their business profits, and that's why they need to increase postage costs again You get the idea! If enough people follow these tips, it will work ---- I have been doing this for years, and I get very little junk mail anymore. THIS JUST MIGHT BE ONE tip THAT YOU WILL WANT TO FORWARD TO YOUR FRIENDS.
May 7th, Home Repairs, 6:30 PM
Don Pasquale is usually set in Rome, but Utah Opera’s performance takes place in the wild, Wild West. We’ll meet an elderly, rich, miserly bachelor and his young nephew who loves a glamorous, poor widow. As Utah Opera describes it, “After a bewildering chain of events involving a little fraud and some bogus legal proceedings, the story ends well with true love conquering all-as we hope it always does.” This exciting event is offered free of charge to persons with visual impairment, plus one driver.
At 6 PM, Education Director Paula Fowler and Artistic Director Christopher McBeth will talk about the opera, the staging, composer, costuming, and sets. Then, enjoy the production with large print or Braille programs and with headsets to describe the action on stage.
Reservations are required. Space is limited, so call soon. Moran Eye Center-Brenda 801-585-2213, Or Utah Council of the Blind's Linda Braithwaite 801-532-5443.
Deadline-Monday, May 11.
After Monday, May 4, the Library for the Blind will have large print and Brailed copies of the libretto and synopsis that can be mailed to you or picked up at the library before the event. Call the library for this service-801-715-6789.
* Mascot Meet & Greet
* Pachyderm Program
* Wasatch Music Performance
* Meet-A-Keeper Experience
* Face Painting
* Family Photos
* Up Close Animal Encounters
First and Last Name of the family
For guest and zoo testimonials or more general information visit www.dreamnightatthezoo.nl
Thank you! Dream Night Sponsors. Scottish Festival
This year’s Scottish Festival is taking place at Thanksgiving Point on the 13th of June. It usually starts about 10:AM. We have an organization willing to provide individual guides for all participants who would like them but we need numbers in advance to reserve this service. Please call Leslie at 801-292-1156 by May 15th to reserve your guide. You will need money for your lunch and personal shopping. How to Protect Your E-mail Address Book
A computer repairman says this is like having gold. This is a good thing. I learned a computer trick today that's really ingenious in its simplicity. As you may know, when/if a worm virus gets into your computer it heads straight for your email address book, and sends itself to everyone in there, thus infecting all your friends and associates. This trick won't keep the virus from getting into your computer, but it will stop it from using your address book to spread further, and it will alert you to the fact that the worm has gotten into your system. Here's what you do: Magnifying Reader
Aladdin Classic Magnifying Reader, for sale by, Patricia Peterson. It’s a Model AL2A and it was only used three times. If you have an interest please give Patricia a call at 801/943-1688. Mexican Riviera Cruise
The 7 Day Mexican Riviera Cruise aboard the Carnival Splendor, January 10, 2010 is getting great support. If you’ve never cruised and think you’d like the experience, now’s the time to sign up and come along with friends. Passports are required. If you have any questions please don't hesitate to call. If you’re interested in signing up, a $25.00 deposit per person is required. This deposit is fully refundable until final payment is due on Oct. 20, 2009. The next payment of $250.00 per person is due on Aug. 11, 2009. This is also refundable until the October 20th date. You can contact Steve at Around the World Travel with any questions at 801-292-9494 or Toll Free 888-292-9493. Symphony Tickets
This Symphony season is fast coming to its end. Wow! what a great season it’s been. Many of you have experienced the joy of the entertainment. As noted below all tickets have been requested for the last two Symphonies but that’s not to say standby positions will not have the opportunity. There hasn’t been a concert yet that someone hasn’t had to cancel their commitment for whatever reason. If you have an interest please let it be known. Call Linda Collins at 801-296-1400 or email symphony2009@live.com. Confirmation of use is not made until Monday of the week of the concert. Standby positions are notified after that.
Keith’s Finale 05-30-09 standby only COMMUNITY INTERESTS
FYI
A-B Taxi
is available in the Layton area. Joe is the owner and looking to fill our needs for transportation. Timed appointments, doctor, etc. must be made in advance. If you have an interest in using these services call 801-678-7166. There are cab coupons available through the UCB. Square Foot Gardening
On April 18, The UCB was pleased to host a seminar and hands-on training in Square/Foot gardening. Ms. Pat Westaway addressed the group on very interesting and precise terms on how to garden in a small area with maximum results. I must say she really knew how to present to people who are blind! She brought all kinds of plants and starts which allowed everyone to see what the plants look like and gave everyone extra things to plant. Everyone had the opportunity to order a box and special growing soil along with specific plants for growing vegetables. We tasted a salad made from many of the items we’ll be growing so everyone would be excited about enjoying their harvest later this summer. Tips for Handling Telemarketers
Three Little Words That Work!!, (1) the three little words are: "Hold on please." Saying this, while putting down your phone and walking off (instead of hanging-up immediately). This would make each telemarketing call so much more time-consuming that boiler room sales would grind to a halt. Then when you eventually hear the phone company's 'beep-beep-beep' tone, you know it's time to go back and hang up your handset, which has efficiently completed its task. Ogden Association of the Blind
The Ogden Association of the Blind would like everyone to be aware of their calendar for the year 2009. Everyone is invited to attend their activities. Monthly meetings are held on the 2nd Saturday of each month at the Deaf/Blind School in Ogden at 1:PM. There are no meetings in July and August. For answers to any questions or for membership information please call Sandy Gibson at 801-732-8900. Social classes are held on a monthly basis and Connie Joy can be contacted for questions you might have about those at 801-621-2849. These are held at 6:30PM and materials are furnished free of charge.
May 9th, General Meeting, 1:PM
May 21st, Indoor Gardening , 6:30PM
May 23rd, Trip to shoreline railroad in Farmington, $3.50
June 11th, Spring Craft, 6:30 PM
June 13th, General Meeting, 1:PM
June 24th, Crystal Springs swim and picnic
June 25th, what’s available in the freezer section, 6:30 PM
Our wonderful Utah Opera
Is graciously inviting people with visual impairment
To the dress rehearsal of Donizetti’s Don Pasquale. Wednesday, May 13, 2009. Doors open at 5:45 pm
Presentation begins promptly at 6:00 pm
Opera at 7:00 pm
The Capitol Theatre, 50 West 200 South, Salt Lake City.