THE BRAILLE FORUM Volume XLVII May 2009 No. 11 Published by the American Council of the Blind THE AMERICAN COUNCIL OF THE BLIND STRIVES TO INCREASE THE INDEPENDENCE, SECURITY, EQUALITY OF OPPORTUNITY, AND TO IMPROVE QUALITY OF LIFE FOR ALL BLIND AND VISUALLY IMPAIRED PEOPLE. Mitch Pomerantz, President Melanie Brunson, Executive Director Sharon Lovering, Editor National Office: 2200 Wilson Blvd. Suite 650 Arlington, VA 22201 (202) 467-5081 fax: (703) 465-5085 Web site: http://www.acb.org THE BRAILLE FORUM (TM) is available in braille, large print, half-speed four-track cassette tape, and via e-mail. Subscription requests, address changes, and items intended for publication should be sent to Sharon Lovering at the address above, or via e-mail to slovering@acb.org. The American Council of the Blind (TM) is a membership organization made up of more than 70 state and special-interest affiliates. To join, visit the ACB web site and complete an application form, or contact the national office at the number listed above. Those much-needed contributions, which are tax-deductible, can be sent to Mike Godino at the above mailing address. If you wish to remember a relative or friend, the national office can make printed cards available for this purpose. To remember the American Council of the Blind in your Last Will and Testament, you may include a special paragraph for that purpose. If your wishes are complex, contact the ACB national office. Join the Monthly Monetary Support (MMS) Program and help improve tomorrow today in ACB. Contact Ron Milliman by e-mail, rmilliman@insightbb.com, or by phone at (270) 782-9325 and get started making tomorrow look brighter today! To make a contribution to ACB via the Combined Federal Campaign, use this number: 11155. For the latest in legislative and governmental news, call the "Washington Connection" toll-free at (800) 424-8666, 5 p.m. to midnight Eastern time, or visit the Washington Connection online at http://www.acb.org. Copyright 2009 American Council of the Blind TABLE OF CONTENTS President's Message: The 'E' Word, by Mitch Pomerantz More Hills to Explore, by Melanie Brunson Convention Sneak Preview: Countdown to Convention, by Carla Ruschival Changes at the Convention Information Desk A Challenge from Your ACB President, by Mitch Pomerantz Treasure Hunt, by Brenda Dillon Affiliate News Begin a Unique Musical Journey with the Native American Flute, by Lynn Hedl One Book – One ACB, by Kim Charlson Put Down That Can of Soda and Save Your Money for a Life Membership!, by Charles S.P. Hodge A Mother's Day Tribute How Is Your Money Attitude?, by Michael Garrett Letters to the Editor Here and There, by Sue Lichtenfels High Tech Swap Shop FORUM SUBSCRIPTION NOTES You can now get "The Braille Forum" by podcast! To subscribe, go to "The Braille Forum" page on www.acb.org. If you do not yet have a podcast client, you can download one from the Forum page. To subscribe to "The Braille Forum" via e-mail, send a blank e-mail message to brailleforum-L-subscribe@acb.org. ARE YOU MOVING? DO YOU WANT TO CHANGE YOUR SUBSCRIPTION? Contact Sharon Lovering in the ACB national office, 1-800-424-8666, or via e-mail, slovering@acb.org. Give her the information, and she'll take care of the changes for you. ***** PRESIDENT'S MESSAGE: THE 'E' WORD by Mitch Pomerantz No, I'm not referring to the economy, although the current economic state of this nation significantly affects the "E"-word I have in mind. Recently, the subject of employment of blind and visually impaired people, or lack thereof, again became a topic of conversation among the ACB membership. The discussion resulted from what will amount to a monthly reporting of unemployment statistics for this population by the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS). And while it is long past time that such data is gathered and analyzed, the average non-statistician (most of us) will have difficulty deciphering this data, at least for now. Nonetheless, the BLS announcement has reopened that old question of just how many of us are working. Is it somewhere around 30 percent, as common wisdom has it? Is the percentage of employed blind and visually impaired people we accept and quote as gospel too low, or too high? I suspect that we won't have definitive data to resolve this question for some time to come. I can say with absolute certainty, however, that our jobless rate is three to four times higher than it is for any other group tracked by the BLS. Rather than focusing on how many of us do or don't work, I'd prefer to offer some thoughts relative to what we might do to see more of our colleagues employed during the worst economic crisis since the Great Depression. As I write this, mid-March, the national unemployment rate is fast approaching 10 percent, a figure which has already been exceeded here in California. The most optimistic projections are that the economy could begin turning around by late summer or early fall. Hence, those of you who are in the market looking for work, and those of you who are paid to assist in the job-finding process, definitely have your work cut out for you. Clearly then, 2009 is an extremely difficult time to be seeking employment. Not only are blind and visually impaired people looking for work when jobs are being cut by the tens of thousands, but we are competing for those scarce jobs against people who have been laid off or terminated. It has always been my view that, for better or worse, blind and visually impaired job seekers need to be more qualified than our sighted peers in order to be truly competitive. Many would argue that thanks to the advent of the Rehabilitation Act and the ADA, this is no longer the case. I respectfully disagree. Given the present climate, I submit that we need to have especially saleable job skills, an absolute determination to succeed, and a positive attitude, so as to convince would-be human resource professionals of the benefits of hiring us. Beyond this, we are still having to deal with those age-old myths, misconceptions and stereotypes concerning blindness which I wrote about in my column, "Image and Perception" (Nov. 2007). Despite the fact that the law is on our side, we continue to hear those questions which, by their mere asking, tell us we haven't a snowball's chance in Phoenix of being hired: How did you get here? Did someone drive you? You can't really use a computer, can you? How can you possibly operate a (fill in the type of equipment or machinery)? So, whose responsibility is it for preparing blind people to compete and to counter those negative attitudes? To my way of thinking, that responsibility must be shared equally between the blind job seeker and rehabilitation professional. Those of you in the former group must be ready to do whatever it takes in order to work. Your written, verbal and computer skills must be far more than just adequate for the position being sought, and your appearance and grooming must be good. Additionally, it might be useful to demonstrate a willingness to accept a somewhat lower level position than the one you were seeking so as to get a foot in the door. (After graduating with a master's degree, my first full-time job was as an administrative assistant, read "secretary," at a university.) We must also be prepared to calmly and intelligently respond to those aforementioned questions which every one of us has heard at one time or another during a job interview. Those of you in the latter group, rehabilitation professionals, need to instill these values or ideas as part of your work as counselors. You must also do something else which I believe to be critical: be a role model for your clients. To me, a rehab counselor or teacher who has good orientation and mobility skills, is groomed and well-spoken, shows by example how to be fully prepared to find and obtain a job. Sadly, I have met more than a few so-called rehabilitation professionals who fall far short of these very reachable expectations. Let me wrap up by stating unequivocally ACB's strong and continued support for two entities that are responsible for employing thousands of blind men and women: the Randolph-Sheppard Vending Program and National Industries for the Blind. So long as there are barriers -- institutional and attitudinal -- limiting our employment options, the American Council of the Blind will do everything possible to maintain and strengthen both of these outstanding vehicles for economic independence for blind and visually impaired people. ***** MORE HILLS TO EXPLORE by Melanie Brunson In February, a number of ACB members traveled to Washington, D.C. for ACB’s annual legislative seminar. As usual, this event concluded with a visit to Capitol Hill, where participants discussed our legislative agenda with members of Congress or their staffers. We are always tempted to evaluate the success of such events based upon the comments of participants at the time, and their reactions to the reception they receive in Congressional offices. Although these measures of success are certainly useful, it seems to me that they’re not the best measure of our legislative success. Why? Because this session of Congress is just beginning. There is still a great deal of business for folks in our nation’s capital to do, and still a huge number of other groups for them to meet with. What will ultimately determine whether this year’s legislative advocacy efforts are successful is not the number of meetings we’ve had here in Washington, but whether, as a result of contact with ACB members, members of Congress take actions that advance our agenda. I am very pleased to report that some have already done so. Since our legislative seminar, the number of co-sponsors for H.R. 734, the Pedestrian Safety Enhancement Act, has increased significantly. However, more are needed if we actually want to get the bill passed by Congress. Therefore, our work is just beginning. If we want to call this year successful, we need to stay in touch with those legislators and staffers we met with in February, until they take a position on the issues we presented to them. In short, Capitol Hill in Washington, D.C. is not the only hill people must explore. There are Congressional offices in communities all over this country, communities where ACB members and readers of "The Braille Forum" live. Staffers in those offices should know who those ACB members and friends are, and should be familiar with the legislative issues of concern to the organization they belong to. Even if you didn’t attend the meetings in Washington, D.C., you can contact your representative’s local office and encourage the representative to co-sponsor legislation. If you’ve never actually spoken to the local office staff, a phone call will suffice. Then, you might want to set up a meeting. If you’re able to attend a town hall meeting where the representative speaks and answers questions, that’s even better. Many members hold such events in their home districts regularly. There are other ways to get in touch with them as well, but the bottom line is that you don’t have to be in Washington in order to influence what Congress does. Thomas P. "Tip" O’Neill, who was the speaker of the House for many years, is remembered for his assertion that, “All politics is local.” This is a truer observation than many around the Washington scene would like you to think. Members of Congress want to hear from their constituents. ACB needs them to hear from their constituents, especially those who care about the quality of life for people around this country who are blind or visually impaired. If you have already established contact with your Congressional office, thank you, and keep it up. If you have not yet done so, please make that call, send that e-mail, or just drop by the local office. If you need information about what to say, we can help. There is information about pending legislation on both our telephone system and our web site, under the heading Washington Connection. If that’s not enough, call the office. We can send you copies of the information that was distributed at this year’s legislative seminar, and you can get a wealth of information from Eric Bridges, ACB’s director of advocacy and governmental affairs. If we are to advance our legislative agenda, we need your help. Visiting Capitol Hill in Washington on one day a year is not enough. Let’s explore those other avenues all around the country by which we can influence the legislative process, and let’s visit them too, and keep doing so until they lead to action back on that hill in Washington that advances our agenda. ***** CONVENTION SNEAK PREVIEW COUNTDOWN TO CONVENTION by Carla Ruschival From blast-off to touchdown, the 48th national convention of the American Council of the Blind will be an out-of-this-world experience. Over 300 programs, workshops, tours and other events will pack convention week from July 3-11. As is true every year, the national convention is our chance to discuss important issues that affect blind and visually impaired people in their daily lives. Take this opportunity to discuss transportation, rehabilitation and legislative issues at special ACB workshops. Learn self-advocacy techniques at the NELDS seminar, and see all the latest high- and low-tech gadgets in the exhibit hall. Participate in technology users' groups, learn about career opportunities, and attend special-interest meetings on an impressive array of topics. After a busy day it's time for fun. Kick off the week with the Welcome to Florida party. Try out new activities in the Recreation Zone, or make your debut as a stand-up comic at the students' Comedy Night. Enjoy a great program of music at the FIA Showcase, stop by a mixer or two to see old friends, or bid all night long at the ACB auction. Get out and about with an ACB tour. Launch into convention week with a visit to the Kennedy Space Center on Friday, July 3, and bring your convention spaceship back to earth with a visit to the Daytona racetrack or a relaxing evening at a dinner theater on Saturday, July 11. Orbit Orlando throughout the week with tours to the Holy Land Experience, Wonder Works, the largest library of braille books in the world and much, much more. CAUTION: Are you an old hand at convention? Don't think you can steer your 2009 convention ship without checking the schedule on the pre-registration form. Some events have moved to a new date and time, such as the CCLVI Game Night (now on Monday). Some old favorites won't be there this year, such as the Seeing Eye breakfast, while other past favorites have returned to the schedule (watch for a great LUA workshop on Monday evening). JUST FOR KIDS: Bring the entire family to convention. There's a week of fun for the kids. The Youth Activity Center and Kidz Zone will once again offer up tours, swimming, games and crafts, and of course special YAC T-shirts for everyone. Light breakfast, lunch and snacks will be provided. The fun gets under way on Sunday afternoon with a pool party, and every day, Monday through Friday, will be teeming with fun. CONVENTION REGISTRATION: Pre-registration forms will be mailed on or around May 20, and on-line pre-registration will open at the same time. Pre-registration will remain open until June 24. You MUST register AND pay for items during this period in order to receive discounted pricing. You may purchase tickets at the registration desk at the hotel; registration prices will apply to all on-site purchases even if you have pre-registered. SPECIAL NEEDS: A $20 deposit will once again be required if you wish to borrow an assistive listening device (ALD) for the week. Make the deposit on the pre-registration form; pick up the ALD at the registration desk. Receive your refund when you return the ALD to registration as you leave the convention. The ALD will come with a fresh battery; you are responsible for supplying additional batteries during the week. If you use a wheelchair, scooter, etc. and you plan to take tours, you MUST notify us of your need for a lift-equipped bus when you pre-register. Remember that tour volunteers cannot act as personal assistants on tours. If you need a personal guide or assistant, please arrange to take the tour with a friend who is willing to give you his or her undivided attention. If you need to request an interpreter, please do so NO LATER THAN June 15. Tell us the type of interpreter you need and the session(s) or event(s) you wish to attend. Be sure to include details on how we can contact you for more information. Whether you need an interpreter, a lift-equipped bus, or other reasonable accommodation, it is absolutely imperative that we know of your needs by June 15. We will make every effort to fill requests received by that date. Request reasonable accommodations on the pre-registration form, or contact Sally Benjamin, local host committee co-chair, at 1-800-267-4448, or by e-mail at floridacouncil@comcast.net. The American Council of the Blind is not required under the ADA to provide personal care assistants or round-the-clock services of any kind. ACB, hotel staff and volunteers cannot administer medications or provide transportation. TRANSPORTATION: Taxi fare from the Orlando airport to the Rosen Centre is about $35 each way for up to seven people. Service is 24 hours a day, and accessible vans are available; ask the cab starter to call one for you. Taxi service from the Sanford airport is $95 each way. For more information on taxis, call Yellow Cab at (407) 422-2222. Shuttle transportation is available from the Orlando airport to the hotel through Mears Transportation. Cost is $20 one-way or $33 round-trip per person. Mears does not serve the Sanford airport. For more information about Mears shuttles, call (407) 423-5566. The bus station is about 12 miles from the hotel, and taxi fare is approximately $30. Paratransit (Access Lynx) service is door-to-door, and rides can be reserved one to 7 days in advance. If you wish to use Access Lynx services while you are in Orlando, please fax documentation of your eligibility for paratransit services two weeks in advance of your arrival to (407) 849-6759, attn.: Eligibility. Follow up with a call one week in advance to (407) 423-8747 to make sure your paperwork has been received and to make your first ride requests. Look for more information on public transportation in the June issue and on the e-mail lists. EXHIBITS, ADVERTISING AND SPONSORSHIPS: The ACB convention is a great chance to let people from all over the country and around the world know about your company's products and services. For more information on exhibit, advertising and sponsorship opportunities, visit our web site at www.acb.org/convention, or contact Michael Smitherman (Exhibits) at (601) 968-4164, or Margarine Beaman (Advertising and Sponsorships) at (512) 921-1625. HOTEL RESERVATIONS: If you are holding a hotel reservation that you no longer need, please cancel it right away. This is extremely important, as it allows others to reserve that room and prevents ACB from over-committing its room blocks. Your cooperation in this matter in a timely manner is appreciated. To make a reservation at the Rosen Centre, call (407) 996-9840. Rooms are $83 per night, single/double, plus tax. Add $10 per night for each additional person in the room. KEEP UP WITH CONVENTION: Keep up with all the latest convention announcements. Join the acbconvention e-mail list by sending a blank message to acbconvention-subscribe@acb.org. For convention questions or special concerns, contact Carla Ruschival at (502) 897-1472 or by e-mail, adamcarla@bellsouth.net; or call the ACB national office at 1-800-424-8666. ***** CHANGES AT THE CONVENTION INFORMATION DESK After years of tireless dedication, Pam Shaw has decided to give up her duties as information desk coordinator. Anyone who has dealt with Pam knows how efficient, helpful and caring she has been. I was given the impossible task of filling Pam's shoes. I became involved with the desk when the convention was in Minneapolis and have enjoyed helping out there. There will be a few changes at the desk this year, along with many standard procedures. The desk will open Thursday afternoon, July 2nd for early convention arrivals. It will be open July 3-10 from 7:30 a.m. to 7:30 p.m. We will be the place to go for banquet table reservations. Eight people per table, please, and give us all the names of members of your party when booking a table. The information desk will also be the place to drop off your door prizes. If possible, please label all prizes both in braille and print. We will have a lost and found box and a suggestion box. And yes, we are the place to contact to leave your room number for newspaper delivery. Our main focus is to answer your convention-related questions accurately, quickly, and professionally. Now comes the part where I’m asking for your help! I hope those of you who have volunteered at the desk in the past will be willing to help out again this year. I'd also like to see some new faces. Information desk volunteers need to: quickly search for information as to the location of meetings, caucuses and special activities; be patient and friendly, and able to work in a fast-paced environment where several people may be waiting for your assistance. If you are interested in volunteering, please e-mail me at Janet.dickelman@comcast.net, or call (651) 428-5059. Volunteers should be able to work a minimum block of 3 hours. Of course you can always stop by the desk during the convention and volunteer your services. However, as the new coordinator, I'd like to have a base of volunteers and set up a tentative schedule. I look forward to seeing all of you in Orlando. -- Janet Dickelman ***** A CHALLENGE FROM YOUR ACB PRESIDENT by Mitch Pomerantz At the fall meeting of the American Council of the Blind board of directors in Orlando, we voted to support the first-ever ACB Walk/Run to take place on July 4 at beautiful Mead Garden. We agreed to hold this event in partnership with the Track Shack Foundation, a well-established organization that seeks to promote physical fitness while also helping organizations like ACB to support our mission. This is an excellent opportunity to enhance the visibility of ACB, improve our physical fitness, and most importantly, to provide the financial support we need to continue to promote and advance our various activities and projects. In this extremely difficult economy, there is no better time to show your support for ACB by registering to participate in this exciting event. Donna and I are pleased to report that we have signed up. We challenge each of you to do the same! Please take the initiative to help us make this event a huge success. The reality is that ACB must rely even more on its own efforts to raise the funds we need, and this event is one way to do it. You can register on the ACB web site, or by contacting the national office. You have the option to pay the very modest $25 entry fee either by check or credit card. Paying your entry fee is only the first step, however. Seeking pledges from family, friends, and supportive community members is where the action really happens. In doing so, you will have numerous opportunities to showcase the great work that is done at the local, state, and national level on behalf of people who are blind or visually impaired. ACB board members, state and special-interest affiliate presidents, members, and friends, it is incumbent upon all of us to do our part to ensure the financial stability of our organization. I challenge each and every one of you to request your own registration packet. Even if you cannot make it to Orlando this year, you can still be an active participant in this event. Your support is critical if we wish to continue funding our very important flagship publication, "The Braille Forum," our advocacy efforts, ACB Radio, the ACB scholarship program, our annual national convention and other programs that directly benefit you. Contact the national office for your walk/run registration packet today, and join me on the walk toward a brighter financial future for the American Council of the Blind. If you have any questions about this vitally important fund-raising event, you can contact Dan Dillon, ACB walk/run committee chair, at (615) 874-1223, or Ron Milliman, committee member, at (270) 782-9325. Remember, the ACB Walk/Run begins with your taking this first step! ***** TREASURE HUNT by Brenda Dillon Are you a collector or a sports enthusiast? Would you like to have dinner with our ACB president or would you like an opportunity to have a belly dancing lesson? How would you like to possess your very own Dale Earnhardt jacket? Does a week-long vacation at a luxury resort sound inviting? Well, make plans to attend a treasure hunt --the 3rd annual ACB auction to be held on Wednesday night, July 8th, beginning at 7:00, with an hour to preview starting at 6:00. These and many other treasures will await you. This year we are introducing another exciting aspect of the auction. In addition to our fun-filled live auction, we plan to have a silent auction segment which we are calling the "Affiliate Package Parade." We are urging each state and special-interest affiliate to show your support by providing a fabulous item -- a theme basket, a vacation package, a unique item/rare collectible, jewelry, gift certificates, etc. We plan to have these displayed for everyone to see and to place bids for. Let's have some friendly competition among our affiliates to see what wonderful and sought-after packages we can come up with! Items for the "Affiliate Package Parade" must be in the hands of the auction committee by noon on Sunday. In order for us to provide braille and large print lists of the items with descriptions, you must contact us as soon as you know what you are bringing. William Benjamin is accepting auction item information at this time. He prefers that you e-mail him your item information along with a brief description at blindwilly@comcast.net. If you are unable to e-mail, you may call him at (850) 877-1512. If you prefer to ship your item(s) to Orlando, Bill Freeman has graciously agreed to receive and store auction items for us. Bill's address is: 3629 Lake Buynak Rd., Windermere, FL 34786. Please mark all items: Attn ACB Auction. The deadline for receiving items via mail is July 1. Thanks, Bill, for helping us out with this crucial matter. For individuals and others contributing items for the live auction, the above instructions apply to you as well. The sooner we are aware of your contribution, the more work we can get behind us regarding the necessary data entry. Your cooperation would be so helpful and deeply appreciated. Another strategy for making as much money as possible for the auction will be to utilize an online auction service for some items throughout the coming year. We will keep you informed as this project develops. Families stick together during hard times. There's no denying we are facing economic challenges throughout our country. Don't underestimate what your support, whether it be a donation or a bid, means to your ACB family! We are counting on your participation to make this auction a success! If you have questions, contact Brenda Dillon at (615) 874-1223 or e-mail her at brendan0@bellsouth.net. ***** AFFILIATE NEWS NABT Convention Program Helps You Plan for Retirement Does the downturn in the economy have you too depressed to listen to the news? Are you worried about your own personal finances? Are you overwhelmed thinking about what your own retirement will be like? The National Association of Blind Teachers will sponsor a program, “Planning for Retirement,” at this year’s annual convention addressing these concerns. The featured speaker will be Michael Garrett. It is likely that you may know Michael as a member of the ACB board of directors. In his professional life, however, he has worked for a quarter of a century in the financial services industry. For virtually all of this time, he was a stock analyst for J.P. Morgan & Co. While he cannot provide individual advice during the program, he will present an excellent overview of the fundamentals involved in planning for retirement. Topics to be covered include: how much should you be saving for retirement, how long can you expect your savings to last, how much can you safely spend in retirement, and how soon can you retire? In addition, attention will also be given to retirement goals, taxes, life expectancy, and more. The program is scheduled for Tuesday afternoon. The pre-registration cost is $5; waiting until convention will cost you $10. Space will be limited. A financial planner would charge $150 or more for the same information, so this is a real bargain. Whether you are a teacher, lawyer, or just an average guy, you need to be educated regarding your financial well-being. This is one session you won’t want to miss. ***** BEGIN A UNIQUE MUSICAL JOURNEY WITH THE NATIVE AMERICAN FLUTE by Lynn Hedl My journey with Native American flutes began three years ago when I won a beautiful cedar flute in a raffle. I fell in love with this instrument as soon as it was carefully removed from the long triangular box that came through the mail. The wood was smooth as silk, light as a feather in my hands. It smelled faintly of cedar and smoke; it was magical! I put my fingers on its six holes and blew into the end of the instrument, and actually produced a note! Through further experimentation, I was able to produce the five notes of the scale on which traditional Native American music is based. The flute came with a print fingering chart, but I found a chart at www.stellarflutes.com. I also had many conversations with Tom and Erica at Stellar Flutes; they provided lots of encouragement, and confirmed that I was using the correct fingering. I was truly hooked! After some practice, I started to play short melodies. I made them up, and didn't retain most of them, but one kept recurring as I played. Expanding on this, I soon came up with a song I called "The Gift," because that is what this flute had truly become. Through further exploration, I discovered it was possible to produce several other notes required for melodies like "Amazing Grace," "Oh, Suzannah," and even "Smoke on the Water" by the rock group Deep Purple! At first I just played alone, but I finally got the courage to bring my flute to a healing service at a friend's church, where I played a short improvisation during communion. People loved it. Now I got more courageous and took the flute to the VA hospital, where I often go as a volunteer to play my harp for patients. "This is really relaxing," was the most frequent comment, but one gentleman demanded to know where I had gotten the flute. "I want one so I can play it out on my back porch when I go home," he explained. I provided him with the 800 number for Stellar Flutes, and warned him that a basic flute like mine would cost around $100. Undeterred, he soon had his flute and I was able to come and give him one brief lesson in holding and playing it before he left the hospital for the last time. Even though he had some difficulty producing the notes, I am certain his flute provided much comfort during the short remainder of his life. The Native American flute is a relatively simple instrument to learn to play. You can sit for hours, just improvising melodies with the traditional scale, or you can include more notes and play familiar tunes. Whether you are playing this instrument or listening to someone else perform, it seems to promote relaxation, calmness and spiritual well-being. There are countless recordings available where you can hear complicated melodies, full of elaborate trills and grace notes, often interwoven with other instruments or with sounds of nature. As enjoyable as these are, there is nothing like holding one of these instruments in your hands, feeling your breath as it vibrates through the wooden cylinder, to produce music that is simple, haunting and beautiful. If you want to start your own journey with this amazing instrument, I invite you to come and participate in a Native American flute workshop that I am offering this year at the ACB convention in Orlando. The cost of the workshop will be $30, which will include the cost of a wooden flute which you can take home and enjoy. During the workshop you will learn to play the traditional Native American scale. Together, we will play simple melodies and try some more familiar tunes as time permits. Space will be limited to 15 participants, so plan to sign up early! If I can get extra instruments, I will have them for sale in the Friends-in-Art exhibit booth. I will be happy to answer any questions you may have in the meantime concerning these instruments. Feel free to e-mail me at lhedl@bellsouth.net. ***** ONE BOOK -- ONE ACB by Kim Charlson Join Library Users of America at the convention on July 8, 2009, for our first One Book, One ACB book discussion group event. The broader concept of the "One Book ..." activity originally started as a community-wide reading, or "One Book," program designed to promote the value of reading by recommending a compelling book that links the community in a common conversation. Everyone reads the same book, and then people participate in One Book programs which encourage dialogue about a particular book, but also foster lifelong learning and the development of a strong community identity. Launched in Seattle in 1998 with great success, the "One Book" concept has swept the nation, and is a true reading/library phenomenon. LUA is proud to be bringing this community-building experience to ACB with the first One Book, One ACB event. Please join us on Wednesday, July 8 at 3:30 p.m. for the book discussion group featuring the book "A Sense of the World: How a Blind Man Became History's Greatest Traveler" by Jason Roberts. Just check out the book, read it and come prepared to participate in or listen to the discussion and share the experience with others who enjoy reading and discussing this compelling book. This title is available in many formats from many sources, including: from NLS as hard copy Braille or Web-Braille BR16660, on cassette as RC62703, as a downloadable digital book DB62703; from RFB&D as HQ920; available for download at Bookshare and it can be purchased from Audible.com. "A Sense of the World: How a Blind Man Became History's Greatest Traveler" by Jason Roberts is a biography of Englishman James Holman (1786-1857), who was blinded at age 25 after serving in the Napoleonic wars and who then achieved fame as a world traveler. Roberts, a contributor to the Village Voice and McSweeney's, tells this compelling story of the life of the 19th-century British naval officer who was mysteriously blinded, but nevertheless became one of the greatest travelers of his time. Roberts depicts Holman quite accurately, characterizing him with both grace and wit and evoking a realistic image of "The Blind Traveler." Holman entered the navy at age 12, at the height of the Napoleonic wars. Following his blindness, Holman continued on as an accomplished sailor, and he arranged to join the Naval Knights of Windsor, an unusual fraternity whose members only had to live in quarters near Windsor Castle and attend mass to collect their stipend. For most blind people of the period, blindness would have been the start of a long march to the grave. But Holman was determined, and wanted none of it and spent the bulk of his life arranging trips, and leave from the Knights, in order to travel around the world without assistance. He undertakes such interesting adventures as traveling from Paris to Canton; studying medicine at the University of Edinburgh; hunting slavers off the coast of Africa; gets arrested by one of the czar's elite bodyguards in Siberia; and publishes several best-selling travel memoirs. Roberts re-creates each journey, both geographical and physiological, providing insights into 18th-century beliefs, mores, and worldly knowledge, along with descriptions of the ghastly array of cures inflicted on Holman by practitioners of medicine of the era. Decide now to order your copy of "A Sense of the World" and plan to join the One Book, One ACB reading event at the convention -- you'll be glad you did! ***** PUT DOWN THAT CAN OF SODA AND SAVE YOUR MONEY FOR A LIFE MEMBERSHIP! by Charles S.P. Hodge As the weather tantalizes us with the beginning of spring, my thoughts turn to summer and the upcoming ACB national convention in Orlando, Fla., where life membership plaques will be awarded to the 2009 class of new life members. At last year's national convention in Louisville, Ky., 15 people were honored with life membership plaques, bringing the total of life members to 280. While life membership dues are admittedly significant at $1,000, these dues can be paid in five annual installments of $200 each, which amounts to 55 cents per day, less than you'd pay for a can of soda. Life membership dues are really within the means of most ACB members, and as a fully paid-up life member myself, I call upon individuals to seriously consider becoming life members. We are within reach of surpassing the 300 life member milestone if we can obtain a strong response to this appeal. I challenge the leaders of our affiliates and local chapters to dig down deep to honor a member of your own organization by giving that special person a life membership plaque at the convention this July. With a solid consortium of loyal and committed individuals and affiliated organizations leading the way by their example, ACB will stand tall through achieving the goal of at least 300 life members as well as leading the way by responsibly addressing the issues which impact upon or are of interest to people who are blind or visually impaired. I truly hope to welcome a new class of at least 20 new ACB life members in Orlando. If we just put our collective minds and energy toward achieving our dreams and goals, the sky is the limit within an energized ACB. ***** A MOTHER'S DAY TRIBUTE (Editor's Note: On May 10, we will celebrate Mother's Day. These poems from DeAnna Quietwater Noriega state so well many of our memories of our mothers, we decided to include them here. We hope you enjoy them as much as we have.) MOTHERS You can make her feel sad, Or fill her heart with pride. When you do something bad, She will stand at your side. When you go far away, Taking off on your own, A card on Mother's Day, Pick up the telephone. For all the care she gave, For all her toil and tears, One day a year we save, For all her loving years. -- DeAnna Quietwater Noriega MAMA'S HANDS Mama's hands are long, slender and graceful. The veins stand out on their backs and their joints are growing a little stiff. They show the signs of the years and the hard tasks they have performed. As my world began to grow gray and hazy, Mama's hand was strong and slim grasping mine. When I was sick, Her hand was cool against my brow. Mama's hands knit me bright sweaters to keep me warm. Mama's hands were clever, making our home a pleasant place. Mama's hands moved quickly rolling tortillas, Sewing on buttons, Stretching taffy. Mama's hands were gentle, Smoothing back my hair, Tapping my nose when she said look at me. Though delicate and slender, they were strong enough to conquer any task. Though they now show the passage of the years, Mama's hands are beautiful Because they are not the pampered hands of the idle But the working tools of a loving heart. -- DeAnna Quietwater Noriega ***** HOW IS YOUR MONEY ATTITUDE? by Michael Garrett In this time of severe economic upheaval, characterized by a troubled mortgage industry, a shaky banking system, trillion-dollar budgets and spending programs, billion dollar bailouts, million-dollar bonuses and rising unemployment, the subject of money is a constant thought for many people today. For many of us who are blind or visually impaired, it simply boggles the mind to think in terms of millions, billions and trillions of dollars. For some of us, that's just too many zeros to count. But, whether we have a lot, a little or barely enough money, the thought of it consumes us. The question is, how do we view money? What is our money attitude? I've thought long and hard about money, having worked in an industry where I came in contact with a variety of people, some of whom were very wealthy and others who lived from paycheck to paycheck. I've developed my own attitude toward money, which I'll share with you, but I believe everyone should ask him- or herself a few pertinent questions. These might include: is the quest for money the number 1 priority in my life? How can I get more money? If I had lots of money, would that make me happy? Am I consumed with the infectious greed that grips much of corporate America today? How much money would it take to make me financially secure? Can I be content with what I have? It appears to me that there is a natural tendency for us to desire more money, the rationale being "if I have more, I can do more." That's good in theory, but folks often fail to realize that money can either be a powerful tool or an instrument of doom. Managed wisely and strategically spent, the dollar can enhance lives, open doors of opportunity and provide emotional and economic security. But the issue of money has also resulted in failed marriages, wrecked homes, ruined business relationships, destroyed organizations and put nations in peril. So, how can we arrive at a proper attitude toward money? I believe that, in order to view money in its proper perspective, we have to strike a balance between understanding whether money is a vehicle that controls us or a commodity that we control. Who's in control when a guy has $13 billion; he loses $6 billion, but he commits suicide? Or, is it the person who is on a fixed income but manages to meet his expenses? Money is, indeed, a necessary vehicle to help us sustain our well-being. But it is also a commodity whose quantity changes and whose value fluctuates. Banks constantly manipulate the supply of money in the economy; the stock market's ups and downs can result in some volatile swings; and the prices we pay for goods and services can change rapidly. How we respond to these actions goes a long way in determining our financial success. I subscribe to the theory that "attitude determines action" or ADA. In other words, what you believe about money will ultimately determine what you do with it. Even in today's tough economic times, I believe you can still be financially successful. Of course, each individual situation is different, but I would suggest folks start with our parents' standard advice, that is: subscribe to the three "S"s: sharing, saving and spending. Sharing: What works for me in terms of sharing is I give a tithe and offering at my place of worship and try to help in other areas of my choice. Saving: It takes discipline to save. But, if you adopt the rule that I'm going to save something out of everything that comes into my hands, it will grow. Now, that may mean not buying that extra Coke or cutting out a trip to McDonald's, but it really works. Keep doing that until you develop a systematic plan for saving; that could grow into various types of savings vehicles. Spending: Realize that you have enormous buying power. Work on eliminating debt. Shop for everything; try not to pay full price for anything. But, most of all, remember that money is a powerful tool; if you work with it, it will work for you. ***** LETTERS TO THE EDITOR The contents of this column reflect the letters we had received by the time we went to press, April 6, 2009. 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 Social Side of School I find it disturbing that so much is made of the social side of school. To be sure, we should all treat others in a loving manner always. My disappointment is that our society generally invests the social scene with such immense importance. I was the first totally blind child in my public school system, starting in the first grade, in the 1960s and I ran into some bullying in the fourth grade, but Mom said that, if we just left it alone, it would probably go away and, if not, she would step in. That proved unnecessary. When attention was not paid to the bullying parties, they stopped their behavior. Also, I was always taught by my parents that school is for learning, not for socializing. I therefore saw my classmates as fellow learners, not as social magnets. My parents also taught me to march to my own drum. Caring what was "cool" or "in" did not appear on my radar screen. If every student, blind or sighted, was taught these core principles, bullying would all but cease and the focus would truly be on education, where it belongs. -- Beth Terranova, Newport News, Va. Re: New York Commission for the Blind I was rather disappointed when ACB praised the New York Commission for the Blind (CBVH) in the March 2009 issue. My experience at their Manhattan office was nothing like the wonder described. My counselor would do the usual praise and never refer me to the job person for career guidance. It was "my fault" that I grew up where there weren't any resources for the partially sighted. I have a B.A. in history from the University of Wisconsin. I studied in Europe for a year, and lived in the Middle East for eight years. At the time I became a file at CBVH I was studying art. I faced routine discrimination. The petty politics was horrendous. After five years, this man decided I belonged in a sheltered workshop, in a low-paying, dead-end position where my SSDI check and eventually my life are controlled by so-called "professionals." I told his superior, who promptly promoted him. The good news is, I think my file is closed. Let it stay that way. -- Devorah Greenspan, Grand Central Station, N.Y. ***** HERE AND THERE by Sue Lichtenfels The announcement of products and services in this column does not represent an endorsement by the American Council of the Blind, its officers, or staff. Listings are free of charge for the benefit of our readers. The Braille Forum cannot be held responsible for the reliability of the products and services mentioned. To submit items for this column, send a message to info@acb.org, or phone the national office at 1-800-424-8666, and leave a message in Sharon Lovering’s mailbox. Information must be received at least two months ahead of publication date. ART COMPETITION VSA Arts and Volkswagen Group America are now accepting entries for Accelerate, a juried exhibition of young emerging artists with disabilities. The program is open to artists ages 16-25 who live in the United States and who have a physical, cognitive, mental, or sensory disability. It must be original work completed within the last three years and after the onset of disability. Eligible media include, but are not limited to, paintings and drawings (oil, watercolor, acrylic, pencil, or charcoal), fine art prints, photography, computer-generated prints, digital art, and time-based media (video, film). Work must have a visual component. Both representational and abstract work are welcomed. Prize awards total $50,000. For entry details, visit www.vsarts.org. Submission deadline is June 19, 2009. SOCIAL SECURITY BONUS In May 2009, Social Security will distribute a one-time payment of $250 to Social Security and Supplemental Security Income beneficiaries nationwide. The payments are provided under the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009. A leaflet which discusses distribution of the one-time payment in greater detail is available at www.socialsecurity.gov/pubs/10519.pdf. AFB LEADERSHIP AWARD WINNERS Congratulations to all winners of the AFB 2009 Leadership Awards! The Migel Medal was awarded to Dr. Susan Jay Spungin for her 44-year career in the blindness field. Access Awards were given to: Apple, Inc., for making significant accessibility improvements to the latest versions of the iPod Nano and the iTunes software, and for installing the VoiceOver screen-reading software into all Apple computers; the National Broadcast Reading Service (NBRS) and its divisions -- VoicePrint, AudioVision Canada (AVC), The Accessible Channel (TAC TV) -- for their work to provide print and video media in an accessible format for people who are blind or visually impaired; Diagnostic Devices, Inc., for their Prodigy® Voice, the only blood glucose monitoring system available on the U.S. market with the necessary speech output capabilities to accommodate people with vision loss; and to Mike May and The Sendero Group, for pioneering accessible location information and navigation technologies with tools like Sendero GPS, Sense Nav, and Mobile Geo for cell phones. The Gallagher Award was bestowed on Judy Dixon for being a blind or visually impaired individual who has demonstrated exemplary participation in the workplace and the community, and has served as an outstanding role model to others who have vision loss. The Corinne Kirchner Research Award was granted to Dr. Kay Ferrell, who has spent most of her career working toward strengthening the link between sound research and sensible public policy that meets the most critical needs of people who are blind or visually impaired. PRESTIGIOUS APPOINTMENT Kudos to Kathy Martinez for being nominated by President Obama to be the Assistant Secretary for Disability Employment Policy (ODEP), Department of Labor. Blind since birth, Martinez is an internationally recognized disability rights leader specializing in employment, asset building, independent living, international development, diversity and gender issues. HADLEY AWARD WINNER Congratulations to Dawn Turco, senior vice president of educational operations for the Hadley School for the Blind, for winning the 2009 Excellence in Rehabilitation Award from the Illinois Chapter of the Association for Education and Rehabilitation of the Blind and Visually Impaired (AER). The award is given annually for outstanding work and dedication to promote, develop and improve the lives of individuals who are blind or visually impaired. Turco, who has been with Hadley for 15 years, oversees the school’s strategic initiatives, accreditation process and program development, including the design and delivery of approximately 100 distance education courses. HALL OF FAME HONORS Gary Norman has been inducted into the Distinguished Alumni Hall of Fame of Brunswick High School in Brunswick, Ohio. BUSINESS FUNDAMENTALS COURSE Hadley offers a new, tuition-free course, “Business Fundamentals,” which explores the main functions and activities of a business. Available in large print, braille, audio, and online, this course presents the concepts needed to understand the core aspects of a successful business. The course consists of eight lessons. Lesson 1 introduces the various types of businesses and the main functions of a business. Lessons 2 through 8 explore in detail the main functions of a business: management, human resources, production and operations, inventory and purchasing, accounting, marketing and sales, and customer service. After each lesson, a case study features various business situations and allows students to apply business concepts to real-life scenarios. Sign up for this course by contacting Student Services at 1-800-526-9909 or via e-mail, student_services@hadley.edu. PROGRAM FOR SOCIAL CHANGE The International Institute for Social Entrepreneurs is an educational training center for blind and partially sighted adults who have a desire to foster social change in their communities and throughout the world. Located in Kerala, India, this 11-month training course founded by Braille Without Borders offers full scholarships and transport to qualified, motivated candidates. The course covers business management, communication, project and financial planning, open source computer technology, English, public speaking, and fund-raising, among other subjects. The institute is now accepting applications for the course beginning in January 2010. Applications are due by June 30, 2009. For more information visit www.bwb-iise.org or e-mail BrailleWB@gmx.net. BANA NEWS In honor of the 200th birthday of Louis Braille, the Braille Authority of North America (BANA) has created the Braille Excellence Award. This award will be given to people or organizations that have developed or contributed to a code, have developed code materials, or software that supports codes, and/or who represent the highest standards of braille production. The first award is being given to Dr. Abraham Nemeth for his contributions to making math and science accessible for blind people around the world. He has recently completed work on the Nemeth Uniform Braille System (NUBS), which can render both literary and technical braille. BANA is currently making plans to evaluate this new code. The evaluation time line and consumer input details will be available soon. To view the completed code, or to read documents explaining the code, visit www.braille2000.com/brl2000/nubs.htm. LOUIS BRAILLE TRAVELING EXHIBIT National Braille Press is sponsoring the Louis Braille Bicentennial Traveling Exhibit. It takes a viewer through the highlights of Louis' life, the braille production process, and why braille remains important today. C. Michael Mellor, author of "Louis Braille: A Touch of Genius," is also speaking at some of the tour locations. Requests for the exhibit were so plentiful that two identical exhibits are traveling at the same time throughout 2009. To find out if it's coming to your area, view the tour schedule at www.nbp.org/ic/nbp/louis/louis_tour.html. NEW ONLINE BOOKSTORE In celebration of Louis Braille’s 200th birthday, ReadHowYouWant has opened the doors to its online braille and DAISY bookshop at www.readhowyouwant.com/braille. ReadHowYouWant, which began offering a variety of large print book formats (16- to 24-point fonts) last year, is now also offering thousands of best-sellers and literary classics in braille. The company also offers more than 2,000 titles from its classics library in DAISY format. ESCAPE TO CANCUN American Star Travel is offering a 7-night all-inclusive vacation at the Oasis Cancun Resort in Mexico Sept. 5-12, 2009 for blind and visually impaired people. The Oasis complex offers large relaxation areas, one of the biggest swimming pools in Latin America, and tropical gardens. It has 12 restaurants and 8 bars, a 9-hole (par 3) golf course, 2 tennis courts, a multipurpose field, spa and gymnasium. The resort is located in the center of Cancun’s Hotel Zone, over a white sandy beach, very close to shopping centers, bars and restaurants. For more information, or to reserve your spot, call American Star Travel at (508) 815-4327 or visit www.cancun09.com. Rates start at $459 for double occupancy excluding air fare. PRICE ASSURANCE TRAVEL DEAL Shiloh's Travel specializes in service for people who are visually impaired. The company offers a best price assurance for anyone booking with it. If you book your trip through Shiloh's Travel and later discover that someone else has booked the same trip at a lower fare, through their agency or elsewhere, the agency will refund you the difference. For the specific details, exclusions, and reservations, visit www.shilohstravel.com; call 1-888-831-3180, or e-mail reservations@shilohstravel.com. KEYSOFT UPDATE HumanWare has released KeySoft 7.5 to address the Bookshare.org file compression problem experienced by users of the BrailleNote family of products. For the BrailleNote PK and Classic, the software fixes the error associated with scheduling an appointment, and the failure in some circumstances to retain words added to the spelling dictionary that were corrected for mPOWER users in build 29. For PK users the long-term issue of sometimes losing speech has been identified and corrected. The software update is available at www.humanware.com/en-usa/support/braillenote/software/keysoft_7.5_upg. NEW LOW VISION AIDS Optelec has recently unveiled three new products for people with low vision: the FarView, ClearView+ G2, and ClearNote Portable. For product descriptions and pricing, visit www.optelec.com. WINZOOM LOW VISION HELP Clarity has recently introduced WinZoom, a plug-and-play screen magnifier and reader. WinZoom also contains several proprietary advancements such as ClearPoint font smoothing, which keeps the crystal clear text quality regardless of the zoom level, and SmartAlign technology, which allows the user to re-align entire paragraphs to fit on the screen with a simple mouse click. For additional information or a free trial, call 1-800-575-1456 or visit www.getwinzoom.com. E-PUBLISHING NOW ACCESSIBLE The Digital Publisher, a pay-as-you-go online solution for converting documents into dynamic page-turning publications, has announced an enhanced accessibility package for partially sighted readers. The text-only application allows visually impaired users to use their screen readers and view page-turning publications online. It also ensures that web access tools such as backwards compatibility viewers or Lynx viewers can still be used. The electronic publisher is available globally at www.thedigitalpublisher.co.uk. DIGITAL BOOK PARTNERSHIP Bookshare and Hachette Book Group have entered into a partnership to provide digital books for Bookshare’s accessible online library for people with print disabilities. This partnership has two components that break new ground in the publishing industry. Hachette has agreed to donate digital files for all 1,700 currently digitized titles, and to refer all customer service requests for accessible books to Bookshare for fulfillment. EXPLORE YOUR INTERESTS Horizons for the Blind currently offers two publications for people who are blind or visually impaired: a product catalog and a magazine. The catalog contains craft supplies and a wide variety of books featuring crafts, recipes, adaptive techniques, blindness adjustment, gardening and general interest. The magazine, entitled “Seeing It Our Way,” is specifically written by the blind, for the blind. In each issue, there are new craft patterns, recipes and much more. Get those creative juices flowing by solving the brain teaser or learning a new word. Keep current on good book reviews and interesting sports information. A one-year subscription costs $30; the catalog is free. Both are offered in braille and large print. You can also place catalog orders online at www.horizons-blind.org. For information, call (815) 444-8800. E-MAIL BY PHONE SERVICE Using computer software and modern speech technology, email2phone.net converts ordinary text e-mails into phone voice messages and delivers them to any phone, anywhere and also provides the user with the capability to dial in and listen to their e-mail. Users do not need to own a computer. Visit www.email2phone.net for a complete description of the service’s features. Prospective users can sign up for a free 30-day trial or for the $10 monthly package by visiting the web site; e-mailing sales@corp.email2phone.net; or calling 1-888-364-5101. NEW WEB SITE A new web site, www.partially-sighted.com, offers a number of forums for people who are partially sighted or visually impaired to discuss relevant topics. The site also includes a calendar to publicize special events and fundraisers around the country. CHAT COMMUNITY VIPConduit is an online chat community made up of visually impaired individuals, their friends and families. The group strives to build bridges with the many other cyber-communities like it to make the Internet experience better for everyone. To learn more, visit www.vipconduit.com. NET ECHO UPGRADES InternetSpeech, provider of the Net Echo telephone-based Internet service, has recently made a number of upgrades to the user interface. The main focus has been on e-mail features, listening to address book and bookmark features, and the streaming audio feature. To learn about all 10 improvements, or get more information about the service, visit www.InternetSpeech.com. ONLINE GIFT SHOP Tom Fillyaw would like to help you with your shopping and gift-giving needs throughout the year. Visit his online gift shop at www.fillyawsqualitygifts.com. SEEKING CONVERSATION Edward Child reads and writes grade 3 braille. He seeks conversation from anyone interested in using or learning this skill. He also has interest in pre 1930s braille literature. Contact him via e-mail, Edward.child@homecall.co.uk. HELP FINDING CAREGIVERS Care.com is an online resource to help users locate babysitters, nannies, pet sitters, caregivers, housekeepers and tutors in their communities. The site provides access to background check and reference information. There is even a section that will let you find caregivers for individuals with special needs. FREE WORSHIP CDs The Large Print Ministry offers three CDs free of charge. The Prayers & Psalms for Today CD includes selections from Prayers and Thanksgivings, Prayers for the Sick, Prayers for Use by a Sick Person, Ministration at the Time of Death, and the Book of Psalms from The Book of Common Prayer of 1979 from the Episcopal Church. The Large-Print Book of Common Prayer CD includes the entire 1979 Book of Common Prayer. Sing Praise to Our God, the ministry's newest CD, includes 338 hymns from The 1982 Hymnal of the Episcopal Church. All CDs are MS Word format in 18- to 20-point fonts. To order one CD, please send a self-addressed, stamped 6” x 9” envelope with five first-class stamps attached to Ann Dahlen, 1900 6th Ave., Apt. #513, Rock Island, IL 61201. Donations to help cover costs are appreciated and should be made payable to Ann Dahlen. ***** HIGH TECH SWAP SHOP FOR SALE: Braille Note mPOWER 32 with KeySoft 7.5, braille keyboard, case, charger, manuals, packing box, compact flash card adapter, active sync cable. Asking $1,800 or best offer (not including shipping). If interested, send e-mail to michegodwin@comcast.net. FOR SALE: Brand-new Open Book 8.0. Comes with software and braille and tape materials. Also including a Canon flatbed black-and-white scanner, cable and software. Asking $700. I will accept check or money order in U.S. or Canadian funds. If interested, contact Nancy at owenryder@sympatico.ca or (319) 217-8385. FOR SALE: Braille children's Bible stories. Asking $50. Contact Tonya Smith at (734) 586-2687, or send a braille or taped letter to her at 1665 Paree, Newport, MI 48166. FOR SALE: Brand-new Toshiba laptop with 15.4" wide screen, 160-gig hard drive, 1 gig RAM, Windows XP Professional, JAWS 7.10, ZoomText 8.0. Asking $700. Acer laptop with 8.5" wide screen, 1 gig RAM, 160-gig hard drive, Windows XP Home, JAWS 7.10, and ZoomText 8.0. Asking $430 (includes shipping). Contact Jose at (626) 232-9566. FOR SALE: Braille Note PK in good condition. Asking $1,500. Contact David via e-mail, dart1018@bellsouth.net. FOR SALE: PAC Mate Omni QX. Asking $1,000 or best offer; will trade for HumanWare Voice Note mPOWER QT or Braille Note mPOWER QT model with QWERTY keyboard. Payment is due before item is shipped; PayPal or check only! Shipping will be paid for by the buyer or free matter for the blind with tracking. For more information, contact Sean Moore at (404) 300-9908 after 5 p.m. Eastern, or on his cell phone, (478) 258-4103 after 9 p.m. Eastern. WANTED: Optacon in excellent condition, preferably with carrying case. Call Pam at (205) 823-3211 and leave a message. WANTED: Bass guitar and amplifier from Wal-Mart. If you have one and don't use it anymore, contact Walter Chavira at (661) 808-4334. ACB OFFICERS PRESIDENT MITCH POMERANTZ 1115 CORDOVA STREET #402 PASADENA, CA 91106 FIRST VICE PRESIDENT KIM CHARLSON 57 GRANDVIEW AVE. WATERTOWN, MA 02472 SECOND VICE PRESIDENT BRENDA DILLON 313 OVERRIDGE COVE HERMITAGE, TN 37076 SECRETARY MARLAINA LIEBERG 632 S. 189TH ST. BURIEN, WA 98148 TREASURER MIKE GODINO 104 TILROSE AVE MALVERNE, NY 11565-2024 IMMEDIATE PAST PRESIDENT CHRISTOPHER GRAY 94 RAMONA AVE. SAN FRANCISCO, CA 94103 ACB BOARD OF DIRECTORS Ray Campbell, Glen Ellyn, IL Berl Colley, Lacey, WA Marsha Farrow, Summerville, GA Michael Garrett, Missouri City, TX Billie Jean Keith, Arlington, VA Carla Ruschival, Louisville, KY Patrick Sheehan, Silver Spring, MD Jeff Thom, Sacramento, CA David Trott, Talladega, AL Cammie Vloedman, Oklahoma City, OK Ex Officio: Paul Edwards, Miami, FL BOARD OF PUBLICATIONS Paul Edwards, Chairman, Miami, FL Marcia Dresser, Reading, MA Judy Jackson, San Antonio, TX Jenine Stanley, Columbus, OH Ken Stewart, Warwick, NY Ex Officios: Barry Levine, Homer Glen, IL Ron Milliman, Bowling Green, KY