THE BRAILLE FORUM Volume XLVIII September 2009 No. 3 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 Report to the National Convention, Part I, by Mitch Pomerantz H.R. 571: A Bill That Would Benefit ACB and Its Affiliates, by Melanie Brunson ACB in Orlando – Something for Everyone!, by Penny Crane ACB Walk/Run Team Finishes with Flair, by Dan Dillon Who Won the Olympus Digital Recorder?, by Ronald E. Milliman We Did It Again!, by Brenda Dillon Affiliate News The Vision Lost, by Kae Seth Is He, Or Is He Not?, by Philip Kutner How Forgiveness Got Me A Job, by Lisa Brooks Reading Print the Easy Way, by Steve Dresser A Surprising Second Half of Life Career, by Teddie-Joy Remhild Here and There, edited 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 REPORT TO THE NATIONAL CONVENTION, PART I by Mitch Pomerantz As I did last year at this time, I'd like to devote the next couple of columns (three actually) to excerpting my report to the membership given during the ACB national convention. Ladies and gentlemen: members of the American Council of the Blind are once again gathered in convention assembled -- this year at our 48th annual national convention in Orlando, Fla. -- to learn, to deliberate, and to practice the principles established by ACB's founders. This is my second report to you as president. This past year has presented a unique set of challenges and opportunities to me and to the other leaders comprising the board of directors. Since being elected president almost two years ago, I've determined that there are three interrelated, yet somewhat different aspects or components of the job. Each is important to the functioning of ACB. In offering my report to you on our activities since the last national convention, I thought I'd do so in the context of these three aspects of the ACB presidency. Briefly, these three aspects are: 1. overseeing the day-to-day work of the ACB executive director and other national office staff; 2. addressing internal organizational matters including committee staffing and projects, affiliate relations, and communications with members; and 3. facilitating working relations with entities outside ACB including agencies and organizations of and for the blind. To a great extent, the officers and directors also participate in the aforementioned responsibilities. I rely heavily upon board members and with very few exceptions, each has come through when asked to take on a particular task. Nonetheless, the buck stops here, as that old saying goes. The first aspect of the president's job is overseeing the day-to-day activities of our national office staff. Overall, we're fortunate to have dedicated, knowledgeable personnel working on our behalf. Activities such as ACB's legislative and regulatory initiatives, managed by Eric Bridges; "The Braille Forum," edited by Sharon Lovering; fundraising efforts, handled by Dena Wilson; and management and supervision of staff and office activities, overseen by Melanie Brunson; all require a high level of professional expertise. Since ACB's tremendous victory a year ago May in the D.C. Appellate Court, Judge Robertson (the district court judge who originally decided in our favor) issued his final order requiring the Treasury Department to work expeditiously toward a means of making currency fully accessible. As it turned out, Treasury did not appeal. The order required Treasury to have had a report in hand by the end of February from the consultant who surveyed many of us in Louisville about our identifiable currency preferences. However, that report wasn't finalized until mid-June, apparently because that consultant had some new accessibility options he wanted to test. We still don't know what that report recommends, but we were just informed that it will be made public sometime later this month. As I reported at last year's convention, ACB previously achieved an initial victory in U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California against the Social Security Administration. SSA, despite numerous requests from blind and visually impaired beneficiaries, refuses to provide correspondence and other written information in accessible formats. Last September, the judge certified blind and visually impaired persons as a class for purposes of litigation and possible damages. In March, Melanie Brunson was deposed by Social Security attorneys in preparation for the trial which has now been scheduled for mid-September. On the legislative front: ACB is once again supporting the Pedestrian Safety Enhancement Act, H.R. 734. This bill would have the Transportation Secretary conduct a study to be completed within two years which will establish a standard setting forth the minimum sound information necessary to be conveyed by quiet cars to blind pedestrians. H.R. 734 now has approximately 120 co-sponsors. Recently, this proposed legislation was introduced in the Senate as S. 841 and has four co-sponsors. In March, perhaps anticipating passage of the aforementioned legislation, ACB was asked to join a group established by the National Highway Transportation Safety Administration (NHTSA), to participate in a similar research project, one which is supposed to be concluded by January. Eric and Melanie are handling these meetings on ACB's behalf. We must address, once and for all, the growing hazard that hybrid and electric vehicles pose to the safe and independent travel of blind and visually impaired people, either through the legislative or the regulatory process. The approach doesn't matter, so long as we prevail. I am pleased to announce that on June 25, Congressman Edward Markey of Massachusetts introduced H.R. 3101, the 21st Century Communications and Video Accessibility Act. This legislation will restore the Federal Communications Commission's (FCC's) modest requirements for production of video description to prime time television and extend them to digital TV and the Internet; require non-visual access to on-screen emergency warnings; and require all devices that receive and play back video programming to employ accessible user interfaces. Eric Bridges continues to ably represent ACB on the Coalition of Organizations for Accessible Technology (COAT), which is also a prime mover behind H.R. 3101, as well as for full accessibility to television and the Internet for blind and visually impaired persons. Dare I say here, stay tuned? More next month. Take care. ***** H.R. 571: A BILL THAT WOULD BENEFIT ACB AND ITS AFFILIATES by Melanie Brunson For both ACB and its affiliates, much of the revenue that keeps us running comes from individual donors. In recent years, one of the easiest ways in which individuals could help a non-profit organization such as ACB, or one of its affiliates, has been by donating an automobile to that organization. The car can then be sold and the proceeds of the sale used to keep the organization’s work going. The donor can claim a tax deduction for the donation to charity. In 2004, Congress became concerned about stories circulating in both the media and within government agencies that seemed to indicate that some people were claiming more in tax deductions than the cars they donated to charity were actually worth. In an effort to address these concerns, Congress passed legislation that limited tax deductions for car donations over $500 to the amount the car was actually sold for by the charity. While this measure may appear reasonable on its face, its practical effect is that vehicle donation is now a huge gamble for everyone concerned. The donor has no idea at the time a donation is made of the amount he or she is actually donating, or the amount of the deduction that will be allowable. Charities have no means of determining how much revenue a vehicle will produce. Neither party will be able to find out anything about the value of the vehicle until it is actually sold, which often takes several months and sometimes a year or more. In short, vehicle donation is now an unattractive proposition for donors, and a very uncertain revenue source for charities. Recent reports issued by the IRS and the Government Accountability Office, as well as the experiences of ACB and its affiliates, have shown this to be true. Since the new rules took effect in 2005, ACB and many of its affiliates who receive donated vehicles have seen major drops in both the number of vehicles donated and the revenues derived from the sale of those vehicles. Non-profits all across the country are reporting similar decreases. This is not what Congress intended. The intent of the tax law amendments was to curb abuse, but not to destroy a valid revenue source for non-profits. In order to bring some balance to the situation and encourage the public to donate cars and other vehicles to charities once again, Rep. William Delahunt (D-Mass.) has introduced H.R. 571. This bill would amend the Internal Revenue Code to allow donors to deduct the “fair market value” of vehicles donated to charity up to $2,500. Those who donate vehicles appraised prior to donation at more than $2,500 would be allowed a deduction at the time of donation equal to the appraised value of the vehicle. The bill keeps in place requirements that both taxpayers and charities report the details of their transactions to the IRS, and imposes penalties for false reporting. We believe H.R. 571 takes a much more reasonable approach to the problems Congress needed to address than its predecessor did. Its enactment would provide a deterrent to those who might otherwise try to defraud the IRS, but without discouraging the vast majority of potential vehicle donors from making honest contributions to organizations whose work they want to support. H.R. 571 now has 35 co-sponsors, but that is a long way from the number who would be needed to move this legislation forward. Many of the state and special-interest affiliates to which readers of "The Braille Forum" belong would benefit, along with ACB, if this legislation is passed by Congress and the IRS changes its rules. Therefore, I urge all Forum readers to contact their members of Congress and ask them to support H.R. 571. If you have questions about this bill, feel free to contact me, or Eric Bridges, in the ACB national office. We will keep you posted on the progress of this bill both here and on the Washington Connection. ***** ACB IN ORLANDO – SOMETHING FOR EVERYONE! by Penny Crane After a few days in Orlando, my dry Arizona skin was as thankful as a giant saguaro “plumping up” during monsoon season. But, emerging from the Orlando terminal on Saturday into that dense humidity … Wow! What a difference! The convention was in the Rosen Center Hotel – which was beautiful, with huge tropical plants everywhere. I even spotted a couple of conventioneers surprised at being engulfed by three-foot leaves reaching out of big pots! My favorite restaurant was at the hotel, where I had many a meal – which, of course, HAD to include Florida Key lime pie. And, no, I didn’t keep returning to the Café Gauguin just because a cute waiter called me “Sweetie,” and graciously put my napkin in my lap. Of the hotel staff, I just can’t say enough about their caring, kindness and consideration. If anyone with a cane or a dog just slowed down, or even looked a little concerned, there was always a hotel employee right there, eager to escort them wherever they wanted to go. On Sunday night, the ACB convention was called to order by our president, Mitch Pomerantz, with his capability, calmness and sense of humor. The business sessions ran smoothly all week. Marlaina Lieberg made the roll call of affiliates entertaining. David Letterman better look out ... There were so many activities available for the convention-goers that it was hard to choose. The auctions, silent and live, were fun, fun, fun! There was Brenda Dillon’s beautiful voice, and her accent reminded me of an Appalachian storyteller. Cindy Van Winkle could put a tobacco auctioneer to shame. There were many exciting items auctioned. I’m sorry I didn’t win the four days in Savannah, with dinner at the Paula Dean Restaurant. Monday night I attended a prose and poetry reading. One poem, “Listening to New York Radio in the Middle of the Night,” made my heart stop! There was early morning exercise, with Leslie Spoone's cute cheerleader figure getting me motivated to work out. I attended a session, “Dressing for Success," in which tall, elegant Lynn Cooper had all kinds of helpful hints for looking good. On Friday morning, the entertainment was by an inspirational gospel group from a local church. Friday was spent going over the resolutions and bylaws. And Friday night was dress-up time for the banquet. Our own Bob Williams, from Arizona, led the prayer with his elegant James Earl Jones voice. The guest speaker, Maryanne Diamond from Australia, spoke on the World Blind Union. As you can see, it is worth going to an ACB convention; there is a little something for everyone. ***** ACB WALK/RUN TEAM FINISHES WITH FLAIR by Dan Dillon A bright-eyed and perky group assembled early on the morning of July 4th to participate in the first ever ACB Walk/Run. We ended up with 47 on-site participants and 11 virtual walkers back home. The following individuals and teams brought in over $1,000 each: the team of Brenda and Dan Dillon; team of Michael and Peggy Garrett; Sharon Lovering; Ron Milliman; John Ross; and Cindy Van Winkle. The individual bringing in the most in pledges with $2,365 was Ron Milliman. The team raising the most in pledges was Brenda and Dan Dillon with $4,370. The top fund-raising affiliate, with a total of seven participants and an impressive contribution of $5,425, was the Tennessee Council of the Blind. The trophy for the youngest participant went to Sara Conrad, a scholarship winner from Michigan. The trophy for oldest participant was awarded to Patricia Beattie. Trophies were presented to two first-place winners. First to cross the finish line as a runner was Doug Powell and finishing first in a racing chair was Juan Carlos Gill. Although pledges are still coming in, at the time of this writing, we have raised over $24,000. A special thanks to our sponsors: Regal Entertainment Group, a silver sponsor at $2,500; and to Iams for providing dog treats to all walk participants. Huge thanks to the Track Shack Foundation and to Event Marketing and Management, Inc. Natalie and Emma, you are the best! We are grateful for the opportunity this afforded ACB. We deeply appreciate the great volunteers who served as sighted guides. And last, but certainly not least, thanks to every single participant and contributor. The event was a great success because of all of you! One final and fervent thank-you to the members of the walk/run committee: Rebecca Bridges, Berl Colley, Brenda Dillon, Ron Milliman, Ken Stewart, Lane Waters and Dena Wilson. In spite of the doubts and discouragement, you were faithfully committed and gave ongoing support! This was truly a great team effort! ***** WHO WON THE OLYMPUS DIGITAL RECORDER? by Ronald E. Milliman Shortly after our 2008 national convention, the Monthly Monetary Support (MMS) program committee kicked off its latest campaign to promote the MMS program among our ACB membership. The names of all new contributors, and all those existing participants who increased their contributions by at least $5 per month, were placed in a pot for a drawing to win a fully accessible Olympus Digital Recorder from LS&S, LLC. The promotion began immediately following the 2008 convention in Louisville and ran through the end of our ACB 2009 national convention. After the convention, the winner was selected using a random number program to ensure total fairness and objectivity. Each eligible contributor was numbered, and the computer program selected the magic number 18. And 18 turned out to be Linda Wyman of Ohio!! Congratulations to Linda, and we certainly hope she gets lots of good use out of her new little, fully accessible, Olympus Digital Recorder. Once again, the campaign this last year was very successful bringing into the MMS program lots of new participants. We greatly appreciate everyone who contributes to the program, no matter how small or how large the contribution is. All contributions are important and they all add up to helping the ACB and our affiliates. I'd like to recognize the efforts of the MMS committee: Ray Campbell, Donna Seliger, Kathy Brockman, William Benjamin, Ed Bradley, Mike Godino, and Melanie Brunson. I also thank Lane Waters and Michelle Mueller in our Minnesota office, and Dena Wilson in our Virginia office, for their extraordinary assistance during the convention. Michelle has done a wonderful job sending me updates and quarterly reports on the progress of the MMS program. Finally, I would be remiss if I did not recognize the extraordinary cooperation of Tomasina A. Perry, Vice President of LS&S Group, LLC, for his most generous donation of the Olympus Digital Recorder. Also, I want to recognize the people who either became MMS Program contributors for the first time or increased the amount of their contributions during our 2008-2009 campaign. These people are: Jeremy Congdon, Patricia Wolf, Anne Mauro, Byron Sykes, Phyllis Pulfer, Jeanette Schmoyer, Victor Clifford, Helen Skarpentzos, Barbara Hayes, Greg Jack, Juliette Swiler, Katrina McCurdy, Jason Santa-Ana-White, Thomas Booker, Timothy Kelly, Carol Edwards, William Kraehling, Linda Wyman, Alfred Gil, Ardis Bazyn, Brun D. Platt, Robert Rindt & Lauren Casey, Bernice Klepac, Mike Cook, James Denham, Sharon McNerney, Sandy England, Ken Jessup, Marilyn Rodda, John McCann, Norman Ota, Linda Schultz, Leslie & Jeff Thom, Walt Spillum, Sally Benjamin, Billie Jean Keith, Cindi Vega, Robert Lucas, Janet Dickelman, Evelyn Larson, Adrian Taylor, Ann M. Byington, Pamela Metz, and Ken Metz. The total annualized amount gained from the above new participants and the people who increased their contributions during the convention week is a little over $6,800. This is fantastic! This makes the total annualized amount of the contributions for our 2008-2009 campaign nearly $62,900. So, we are continuing to make slow but steady progress. I sincerely thank all of you who have made this progress possible. However, we can do much better. We have several thousand ACB members, and right now, only 1.25 percent of our members are participating in the MMS program, which means 98.75 percent of you are still not participating in this vitally important method of funding our organization. We can do much, much better than that. A $15 per month contribution through the MMS program is only 50 cents a day! The MMS Program Committee is currently planning the next big campaign and will be announcing it shortly. To sign up for the MMS program for the first time, or to make changes in your current contributions, you can contact Michelle Mueller in the Minnesota office, 1-800-866-3242, or contact me at (270) 782-9325, and we'll take care of whatever you need. Again, congratulations to Linda Wyman for winning the Olympus Digital Recorder. Now, who will be the big winner next year? In order to win, you have to participate. So, sign up and be a new contributor or increase your current contribution. Maybe you'll be the next winner! ***** WE DID IT AGAIN! by Brenda Dillon The third annual ACB auction took place on July 8th. The room was charged with energy and excitement! The three auctioneers, Jeff Thom, Cindy Van Winkle and Paul Edwards, led the bidders through a vast array of wonderful items. This year we added something new to the auction. We held a silent auction on the afternoon of July 7 with 27 contributing state and special-interest affiliates. Thanks to each of you for your generosity and support! Bidders drifted in and out as they attended other activities and meetings throughout the afternoon. At the close of the silent auction, we had a gathering of excited bidders to see who won what! The package bringing in the most money this year came from the Illinois Council of the Blind; it was an Abraham Lincoln package. Other affiliates were close on their heels with great offerings! We realized $1,942 for ACB and had a lot of fun in the process. Thanks to all who participated and special thanks to the fabulous volunteers who described and served as scribes for the ongoing bidding! The entire event would not have been successful without the tremendous generosity of our many contributors, the participation of determined bidders and the dedicated volunteers who kept everything running smoothly. When the last item was sold and the numbers were tallied, there was a final wave of euphoria to realize that the auction had raised almost $25,000 again. Thanks to every single individual who made it happen! A special thanks to the dedicated auction committee members: Sally Benjamin, William Benjamin, Marsha Farrow, Michael Fulghum, Debbie Grubb, Jeff Thom, Cindy Van Winkle, Lane Waters and Dena Wilson. It was a pleasure to work with such capable and committed individuals! ***** AFFILIATE NEWS CCLVI Thanks BOP for Liggett Award The Council of Citizens with Low Vision International, celebrating its 30th anniversary as an ACB affiliate, and Joyce Kleiber, editor of "Vision Access," thank the ACB board of publications. You have honored us with the Hollis K. Liggett Braille Free Press Award for affiliate newsletter excellence. In her letter to Paul Edwards, chairman of the BOP, Joyce Kleiber wrote: “When I joined CCLVI, I was delighted to read about low vision. I had this condition all my life but I had not seen low vision acknowledged in print. When I was asked to become co-editor of 'Vision Access,' I couldn’t say 'No.' I wanted to be a part of gathering and sharing information about low vision because my own experience told me how important this could be to others. “Editing 'Vision Access' has been a labor of love. Indeed, as the deadline for each issue approaches, the experience is like giving birth, painful yet so very gratifying. I could not do this without the support of a strong organization, CCLVI. People in CCLVI are as dedicated as I am to this task. They generously share ideas and articles. There are many people to thank, especially Bernice Kandarian, who has her finger on the pulse of low vision, and my husband, Martin Kleiber, who skillfully prunes superfluous words as the clock is ticking and the printer is waiting.” CCLVI is grateful for this recognition. ***** THE VISION LOST by Kae L. Seth We are in tough times, there is no doubt of that. The blind community in Oregon knows this better than most. During the past year, we have lost a valuable resource. Portland State University has closed its doors to the only training program for teachers of the visually impaired in the Pacific Northwest. The Oregon Commission for the Blind, a state agency which serves the adult blind population, has been threatened with closure and is being scrutinized carefully by the Oregon Ways and Means Human Services Committee. Most sadly, the Oregon School for the Blind will close its doors on Sept. 1, 2009, after serving blind Oregonians for over 136 years. I could spend a lot of time and space telling you of the great accomplishments of this school, but I want to tell you the story of how this travesty occurred. I want to talk about unsung heroes who attempted to stand on the front lines fighting for this worthy educational endeavor, and I want to urge the American Council of the Blind to stand fast in the fight for education of blind children in our nation. The Oregon School for the Blind has been on shaky ground for a very long time. When I joined the American Council of the Blind of Oregon in the late 1970s, we began even then to hear of great changes in the education of blind children throughout the United States. These changes affected all blind children, and the schools which were created to provide the best possible education for them had to either move forward in the vast wave of federal and state legislation or get swallowed up and become lost. We as an organization worked hard to ensure that the students served in our state school received the best possible education, but as time marched on, the legislature and the Oregon Department of Education found ways through lack of funding, and lack of leadership, to scale down services and move toward the eventual closure of this fine educational institution. For more than 20 years, as our legislature met to consider budgets and other weighty matters, we fought to keep the school for the blind open. Such stalwarts as Kim and Brian Charlson, along with Mildred Gibbens, testified unceasingly for the school. Parents, teachers, staff, and friends joined forces time and time again to fight for this school. However, this time, although we joined forces with the NFB of Oregon, and although former legislator Kevin Mannix spoke strongly in our favor, the legislature crafted a bill which brought death to this school and forced those students who were there to move back into school districts already overburdened. Oregon has approximately 800 blind and visually impaired children within its borders; many of these children do go to public school, but O.S.B. provided a place for students who could not function well under the programs presented in their school districts. Most of these students had multiple disabilities, and the school districts could not cope with them. They found that the Oregon School for the Blind could provide an education for them, and it often helped a student who was lacking in all the things which make us confident and independent to become a self-sufficient, happy person. So, then, why would the state wish for its closure? Because of the cost of educating a blind child, and maintaining an archaic set of historic buildings. Many times it was suggested that blind children co-locate (or move) to the Oregon School for the Deaf. Both the blind and deaf communities resisted this, although the Department of Education made it apparent that this was its strong desire. Even after the board of directors of the Oregon School for the Blind opposed this desire and appealed the decision to do so by the education department, it was apparent that there would soon be a showdown regarding the school for the blind. House Bill 2834 was introduced in February. It would close the school for the blind effective Sept. 1 and abolish the legislatively mandated board of directors. Staff would be displaced, and students would return to their school districts to finish out their education. A program would be developed to ensure a smooth transition, and the school and its buildings would be put into mothballs awaiting sale of this $10 million or more property. Despite strong outcries from consumer organizations of and for the blind, in spite of hundreds of phone calls, e-mails and newspaper articles — even with resounding testimony from over 40 people in opposition, the legislature moved forward to “do what was best” for blind students. There was constant communication with legislators, both on the House and Senate sides, but those of us who were on the front lines of this fight were told repeatedly that this bill was on a fast track, that there was nothing we could do to stop this wildfire. We tried, with countless trips to Salem, numerous phone calls, and hearings attended by many; but, to no avail. The House and Senate passed this bill and the governor signed it, which set forth the closure of the Oregon School for the Blind. Parents, children and friends of the school were shocked, for Oregon in its past was known for its strong support of the blind. Now, what would happen to these students, who must adapt to another change and try to learn how to cope in a pretty unfriendly world? Teachers of the visually impaired who work in our regional programs for the blind are hard-working, dedicated individuals; they have a heavy load to carry; adding to it is a grave concern to many. Districts are scrambling to cope with tight budgets, and now they are mandated to work with a population which has spoken out when they haven’t done a great job in the past. Who will really suffer? The kids, and their parents. This will not be cost-effective; equipment and education of a blind child is expensive. So, what would be done? The board of directors developed a master plan which we hoped would provide resources for all workers of the blind to use to provide a continuum of service to blind children. We had hoped that the campus of the school would provide a site for such a program. This won’t happen, but those of us who are concerned about the blind of this state will demand answers from the Oregon Department of Education and we will remind our legislators in years to come who they’ve forgotten. We will remind them by not voting for them, and by putting before their faces children whose lives have been affected by this step backward in time. Our blind children will have a strong voice, and I believe that ACB will join with us, making certain that our blind won’t stand alone. ***** IS HE, OR IS HE NOT? by Philip Kutner Living with one foot in the fully sighted world and the other in the visually impaired one has been my lot in life. The question constantly is, “Do you see or are you blind?” From birth on, being nearsighted (myopic) and having my eyes constantly moving side-to-side (nystagmus) have been challenges to living in the “normal” society. It only has been an almost total loss of sight in one eye, through an unsuccessful attempt to repair and to later fix a detached retina, that I fully accepted my disability. Up to that point, life as an adult was fully within the “normal” society. Let’s start at the beginning. Entering first grade in New York City at public school (P.S. 61) in the Bronx, I was placed into the special Sight Conservation Class for the visually impaired. There were several grade levels and a wonderful, tall, beautiful, Irish lady as the teacher. The only other thing that I remember is the yellow writing paper with the blue lines being much further apart than the regular blue-lined pads. It was culture shock in 1937 when Dad moved the family to a farm that had been abandoned at the start of the Great Depression. At the age of 10 my education took a sudden turn. It was now in a one-room schoolhouse with a total of 10 students from grades 1-8, and one teacher as the total of the entire adult teaching and support staff. There was no inside electricity or toilet, and the heat came from an 1898 potbelly stove that “went out” each night. This began my journey in having to adjust to an education where I could not see the writing on the blackboard and hoping to be seated at the front of the room. In high school a few teachers were understanding and gave me a copy of the test questions. The others wrote them on the blackboard. To see the writing, I went up to the blackboard, for the writing wasn’t visible even when sitting in the front row. When I was up there, I blocked the other students from seeing the questions. Then began a series of “Move over, four-eyes,” or “Blindy, get out of there.” Somehow high school was over, and I had learned to listen to the lectures and take excellent notes. This helped with undergraduate and graduate courses. For teenagers, getting a driver’s license is part of the rite of passage in becoming a grown-up. How I acquired a driver’s license, without an attached provisional requirement and having an acuity of 20/200 vision, makes an interesting story. In those days, to pass the eye exam one had to read a Snell chart. All the prospective drivers lined up and each stepped forward to read in turn. I had memorized the bottom line of the chart. When it was my turn, the tester said, “Start at the top and read down as far as you can.” I read the bottom line. He said, “Did you hear my instructions?” I replied, “Yes, sir.” “Well, then do as you are told.” I read the same line! He said, “Okay, wise guy, start at the bottom and go backwards all the way to the top.” I don’t know how I did it, but I read the bottom line backwards -- and then stopped. He shook his head and said, “You’re a dumb farm boy — aren’t you?” My reply was, “Yes, sir.” I drove for 40 years and had only two accidents — one of which was my fault. It included driving in 1964 to the University of Colorado in Boulder and back to St. Louis, Mo., where I taught geology for the Mark Twain Institute at Washington University. Let’s return to that time when I had graduated from Rutgers University with a bachelor of science degree in agriculture. I went back to the farm. Our homestead near Baptistown along the Lockatong Creek in Hunterdon County, N.J. was flooded by a hurricane in 1955. We had a loss of 10,000 white leghorn hens. These were breeders and it was a lucrative business of selling hatching eggs. We lost the farm and I turned to teaching. By that time, I had married my cherished life companion and had three children — the youngest of whom was 2 months old at the time of the flood. Then for 30 years and at various times I taught all science courses and levels from grades 7-12 at a regional high school. During those years, I was president of the regional school system, and president of a temple with a large congregation in Fair Lawn, N.J. After my retirement in 1984, we moved to San Mateo, Calif., where we have resided ever since. For two years I drove with my New Jersey license and then realized that there would be no chance for me to pass the California vision test. They weren’t using the old Snell chart. So in 1986 I stopped driving and have not driven since – not even to move the car into the garage. It was only after the loss in vision of one eye (see paragraph 2) that I decided to learn about the visually impaired community and the services available to us. I joined the San Mateo County Council of the Blind, which is a chapter of the California Council of the Blind. Currently I am president and webmaster. For more information about the San Mateo chapter, visit www.smccb.org. ***** HOW FORGIVENESS GOT ME A JOB by Lisa Brooks (Author's Note: Company names have been omitted.) You're probably asking yourself, "What could forgiveness have to do with working from home?" In my case, I'm convinced it was the key factor in landing my job as a renewal specialist with a company. About two months before I applied for a job with this company, two very important and significant things happened to me. First, I applied for a job of inbound sales for a company selling subscriptions for satellite television. With the digital conversion coming up, this seemed like a good job. I sent in my resume and the owner of the company called me and we went through the standard phone interview. He dripped friendliness and gushed how perfect I would be for the job. I had a great resume. I had great phone presence. He took me on a virtual tour of the web site from where I would take orders, providing me with log-in information and the web site address. There was just one web site he couldn't show me because it required special log-in information that would have to be set up. He asked if we could meet to do paperwork. It was at this point that I disclosed that I am blind. You would have thought someone had thrown a bucket of ice on him, his attitude changed so fast. He said, "Let me check on that log-in information and get back to you." I waited a day for him to call me back. I called him back twice and never heard from him. Since the position was that of an independent contractor, I had no recourse. There was nothing I could do but get angrier and angrier. Angry at him for being a jerk. Angry at myself. Angry at my circumstances. Was there some different way I could have handled the situation? The next incident happened when I had an interview with a national company that hires home workers as employees for customer service and sales positions. I passed the computer assessment test and scheduled an interview with a recruiter. I did great on the prior background and work history questions. I could answer basic computer questions and my very quiet home office met their requirements. Then came the web site portion of the interview. I was told to go to this web site and start reading where the red text is. My heart started beating fast. I racked my brain for the screen-reader command and was relieved when my mind grasped the elusive keyboard command. I scrolled painstakingly down the page paragraph by paragraph to find that red text. The next thing I had to do was go to this company's web site and put my mouse over the first basket and tell her what the name of the basket was. I felt panic. The basket was a picture with no words. All my screen reader would say is "graphic 43257 link." Had I been able to use the mouse, the mouse would sit over the basket picture and display the name of the basket. With a sinking feeling, I told the recruiter I could not literally see the basket and I am blind. There was a long pause. She said, "Let me instant message my supervisor." I could hear her typing in the background. I then got the bright idea of pressing enter on the basket link and it took me to a new page that showed in words the basket name; it was "anniversary set." So I was able to give her the answer she wanted. We continued with the interview. At the end, the recruiter said I would be going on a waiting list. She said that they can't hire anyone using a screen reader because you have to have 8 or more windows open at one time and using alt-tab keyboard commands takes too long to move between applications. They were working on making things more accessible and she was sorry. They'd be in touch. Again, I was angry. Isn't "I'll be in touch" the same as "we'll call you"? Did they make the interview so visually oriented that it's almost impossible to pass if you are using a screen reader? Why do I have to be enslaved by a technology that is two steps behind the rest of the world? I'm smart enough. I am good enough. This is so unfair! This time, because the position in question was for employee, I went to a lawyer and was told I could file a complaint against the company with the EEOC. They said I would probably lose because with some research they found that other blind people had filed against this company with the result of one win and several losses because this company was in the process of trying to make their technology accessible. I decided not to file my claim. All I wanted was a job, not some long drawn out paper trail with this problem hanging over my head waiting for months for resolution which at best would say we'll give you a job some day whenever it's accessible. How would this affect my peace of mind? How would it affect how I dealt with my children? So I let it go. I still had the hurt and the anger. I vented to my husband. The next day I sat down at my computer on the advice of a friend and let my feelings pour out through my hands at the keyboard. I locked the door so the kids wouldn't see me cry and I wrote to God, to the makers of access technology for making me feel stupid, to all the close-minded recruiters on the planet, to life for making it so hard to get some silly $9 an hour job, and on and on. I wrote with tears streaming down my face until I started to feel better. I wrote until I was spent of emotion. I wrote until I realized that technology is only technology and just because it doesn't work, it doesn't make me less smart or less competent. I wrote until I could start to remember that not all people are close-minded and I could think of all the people in my life who really could think outside the box. These were very cathartic moments for me. I could let these two incidents go and move on to the point that I didn't become bitter or let these negative hurt and angry emotions affect me on my next interview. Two months later I interviewed and got the job with this company. I was relaxed and open-minded, and I have no doubt those positive feelings came through to the recruiter. If I had stayed in that bitter, angry place, I am sure I would have been more hesitant, less confident, and more abrupt and possibly off-putting to the recruiter. Technological issues are our biggest barrier to obtaining employment, but I refuse to feel denigrated or less competent because of its limits. I'm better at thinking outside my own box now and I know this will always be an issue. I am better able to handle it by forgiving technology itself, the close-minded people in the world who can't see past themselves to try something new or different, and by appreciating my own strengths and the strengths that already exist in my life. I am free of the weight of anger and bitterness, and it gives me more energy to move on and to try new things for myself. So, if you end up in a place like me, feeling frustrated or powerless, look within and find your way out of those emotions, whether it's writing them down or some other way. It was worth all those tears to get to a better place and peace of mind. Work at home for the visually impaired is now online at www.wahvi.com. ***** READING PRINT THE EASY WAY by Steve Dresser There’s nothing new about blind people using machines to read print materials. In fact, we’ve been doing so in one form or another for the better part of the last 30 years, first with devices like the Optacon, and later with computers and flat-bed scanners. Recently, high-end cell phones with their cameras and increased computing power have given us a way to take our print-reading machines with us wherever we go, leaving our computers and scanners at home. But despite technological advances, it still takes some work, time, and technical skill to get a device to read print, and many people lack the know-how or the patience. ABISee, of Acton, Mass., has come up with an innovative print-reading solution: their latest product, the Eye-Pal SOLO, priced at $2,000. The company calls the Eye-Pal SOLO a “scanning appliance,” and in my opinion, that’s a very accurate description. Picture a flat metal box 11.5" x 9.5" x 2.5" (length, width, and height) with five controls on the front, and a camera on top of a metal pole suspended 16 inches above the top surface, and you have the Eye-Pal SOLO. The front panel buttons allow you to move to the previous sentence, start and stop reading, adjust volume and reading speed, and power the unit on and off. Optionally, you can control the unit by using hand gestures, but this feature is turned off by default. I tried using hand gestures for a short time, and was pleasantly surprised to discover how well they worked. For an additional $250, you can purchase a small keypad which allows you to read the document by word, and lets you save up to four pages into the unit’s memory. Setting up the Eye-Pal SOLO couldn’t have been easier. I unpacked it, placed it on a table, inserted the pole with the camera into a hole at the rear of the unit, connected the camera cable, and plugged in the power supply. I powered up the unit, and after a short warm-up, a clear female synthesized voice instructed me to “Place your document.” I grabbed the only piece of paper I could find in the shipping carton, put it on top of the box, and waited. After a couple of audible clicks and about 10 seconds, that same synthesized voice began reading the first page of what turned out to be a quick-start guide, which described the five front panel controls and their functions. I removed the piece of paper from the top of the box, and was again instructed to “Place your document,” so I grabbed an envelope from a stack of mail and put it on top of the box. After reading a few more pieces of mail, I realized that this incredibly simple scanning appliance is truly a marvelous machine. Now, at long last, I can quickly sort my own mail, deciding what to throw away and what to keep, what to read immediately and what to read later with sighted assistance. The Eye-Pal SOLO may not be for everyone, but the independence it gives me is worth every penny I paid for it. Kudos to ABISee for a great product! To learn more about the Eye-Pal SOLO, or to find dealers in your area, contact: ABISee, Inc., 77 Powder Mill Rd., Suite 4, Acton, MA 01720; phone 1-800-681-5909; fax (253) 595-3623; e-mail info@abisee.com; or visit www.abisee.com. ***** A SURPRISING SECOND HALF OF LIFE CAREER by Teddie-Joy Remhild Little did I know, as I was growing up in a traditional era, that the second half of my life would be the most surprising, exciting and successful. I made all the traditional choices as a female growing up in the '40s and '50s. I married, had three children, divorced, struggled and survived. During those challenging times, I learned of my vision loss caused by Stargardt's disease and I then became a traditional blind female employee, occupation medical transcriber, which lasted for 9 years. Somewhere around the age of 48, I took some time to rest and regroup. By then I was involved in a long-term relationship and could be home, relax and maybe take a couple of classes at the community college. Those classes were the nudge which slowly, but surely, motivated me to earn a college degree. At the age of 54, I earned a bachelor of science in gerontology from the University of Southern California. That was May 1987, and the years since have been the most surprising, exciting and adventurous of all my 76 years. I love the unpredictability of life and, so far, I am still seizing opportunities and marveling at this unexpected journey. I have worked for the Los Angeles Department of Recreation and Parks as a recreation director, for an independent living center in the Client Assistance Program for clients of the Department of Rehabilitation, a CAP trainer for Protection and Advocacy Systems in Washington, D.C., and a community outreach trainer and advocate for the Los Angeles County Public Authority for People with Disabilities in need of in home assistance. I am now semi-retired from that 9-year position and working as an independent consultant on work incentive programs, doing statewide trainings and presentations for agencies and consumers of services. I believe in the value of work and of contributing back to the community. I believe in the value of turning life experiences into a career and I believe that I have been blessed to be able to do all this. I will continue to follow these beliefs and this remarkable journey as long as the spirit allows. I realize that I am no longer a woman of tradition and that is sometimes a solitary perspective, but it is, finally, the person I really am. I am Teddie-Joy Remhild, a blind 76-year-old woman who loves life and surprises, and is hoping to discover what is around the next corner. I delightedly declare, "It Ain't Over 'Til It's Over!!" ***** HERE AND THERE edited 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. BLIND AWARENESS RIBBON As a way to help raise awareness of the visually impaired and to build a bridge between the sighted and visually impaired, Braille Brands has introduced the Blind Awareness Ribbon. This patented white ribbon features raised black dots representing the braille code. On the right side of the ribbon are the letters “BRL” (which means Braille). Their vision is that this ribbon will become the recognized symbol of the visually impaired, much as the pink ribbon creates awareness of breast cancer. The ribbons are available for $4.99 each on www.braillebrands.com. For wholesale pricing or more information, call (732) 297-2200 or e-mail info@braillebrands.com. SKI FOR LIGHT 2010 If you are a visually impaired adult who would like to spend a week skiing or learning to ski, you will want to attend the 35th annual Ski for Light International week, Jan. 31-Feb. 7, 2010. Nearly 300 skiers and guides will converge for a week of recreational skiing, fun, friendship and fellowship. Visually impaired skiers are matched with sighted guides and ski together for the week, while working on developing skills and techniques of cross-country skiing. Overnight accommodations will be at the Marriott Hotel & Conference Center in downtown Provo, Utah, with skiing at the Soldier Hollow cross-country ski area, a venue of the 2002 Olympics. For additional information and to register, contact the VIP Coordinator, Renee Abernathy, at (704) 263-1314 or reneabne@bellsouth.net. Or contact Lynda Boose at (906) 370-7541 or Lyndab@sfl.org. Applications may be obtained online at www.sfl.org. TELEPHONE SUPPORT GROUPS The Jewish Guild for the Blind's National Tele-Support Network provides free, weekly telephone support groups facilitated by social workers and psychologists for families of blind, visually impaired or multi-disabled children and teens. The Guild is non-sectarian. This service may be especially useful for families in small towns or rural areas where it's hard to find other families experiencing the same challenges. The support groups currently being offered include: Parent Support Group organized according to the child's eye condition; Father's Support Group; and Support Group for Teens. You can register for any of the groups or get more information by calling 1-800-915-0306 or visiting www.jgb.org/programs-parent-tele.asp. FUNCTIONAL VISION ACTIVITY GUIDE "Everyday Activities to Promote Visual Efficiency: A Handbook for Working with Young Children with Visual Impairments," by Ellen Trief and Rona Shaw, offers guiding principles for early intervention with very young children who are visually impaired and who may also have additional disabilities. This resource also provides simple activities that can be incorporated easily by families and service providers into the everyday routines of a baby or child to facilitate early visual development and use of functional vision. It is available in print and ASCII files on CD-ROM for $45.95 from the American Foundation for the Blind. For more information, visit www.afb.org/store. SEROTEK WINNERS Congratulations to the winners of Serotek's summer technology drawing. The runner-up and winner of a year of access to the SA Mobile Network is Arthur Letim of the Philippines. The grand prize winner of the Lenovo IdeaPad S10 netbook is Hazel Darvell of Buckinghamshire, UK. BLACKBERRY ACCESSIBILITY HumanWare recently released its Orator software for BlackBerry Smartphones. This screen reader application enables visually impaired users to access and operate BlackBerry Smartphones. The Orator works with the new QWERTY BlackBerry smartphones, including the Tour 9630. For additional information, visit www.humanware.com. NEW READING TOOL ABISee now offers the Eye-Pal SOLO, a simple and self-contained device that instantly reads from any book or printed material. Newspapers, books, magazines or other documents are placed face up on the Eye-Pal SOLO, and the device reads them aloud. It requires no computer skills or sighted assistance, and can also output magnified text to a screen. You can learn more about this product at www.abisee.com. PROTOTYPE BEEPING BASKETBALL A team of electrical and computer engineering students at the Rose-Hulman Institute of Technology in Terre Haute, Ind., has created a prototype beeping basketball for the blind. The students devised a simple beeping mechanism housed within a Spalding Infusion basketball. The beeps help a person who is blind locate and maneuver the ball. The basketball’s sound device utilizes a microcontroller, amplifier, dynamic cone speaker, hearing aid batteries and a custom electronic circuit board, all enclosed in an aluminum tube, matching the size and weight of the self-inflating pump originally designed to be inserted into the ball. Another sound emitter is enclosed in a plastic box; it attaches to a backboard with Velcro, so that players know where to shoot. The team hopes that this prototype will see mass distribution. RNIB PRODUCTS AVAILABLE Bay Area Digital has become the first U.S. distributor for products sold by the UK’s Royal National Institute for the Blind (RNIB). Initially they will carry a subset of RNIB products to introduce and demonstrate. The product line will be enhanced in the coming months based on customer feedback and interest. In addition, Bay Area Digital will make available any product requested and ordered by a U.S. resident regardless of whether it is part of the initial general catalog. You can receive a free product catalog or sign up for product demonstrations by visiting http://rnibcatalog.blinkweb.com. DIGITAL MAGNIFIER Clarity offers a new product, the i-vu™ digital magnifier. This portable device is designed to help with viewing photographs and reading menus, prescription bottles, books, bills, and more. Key features of this product include: 5x-20x magnification, a 2" LCD screen, and 3-hour battery life with full charge, inverse mode, freeze frame option, and a one-year full warranty. More information is available by calling 1-800-575-1456 or visiting www.clarityusa.com. ORIGINAL ZOOMTEXT KEYBOARD BACK Good news from Ai Squared. For a limited time only, you can purchase the first generation ZoomText Large-Print Keyboard again. While both generations of keyboard offer 36-point bold font and high resolution colors, the first generation's 16 function keys are labeled in text while the second generation's function keys are labeled with icons. Both versions are available for $99 each or $85 with an upgrade to ZoomText version 9.18. You can order or learn more by calling 1-800-859-0270 or visiting www.aisquared.com. BRAILLE LABELS ON GREEN PRODUCTS Eco.kid offers bath and body products that are accessible for children who are blind. Specially formulated for kids 3 to 12 years old, the product line includes shampoos, conditioners, hair styling wax, bubble bath, and lotions -- all containing Braille inscriptions. Eco.kid products are formulated using only the most natural ingredients. Products are available in retail stores at Kelly Green and online at www.simpleluxuries.org from $16.95 to $31.95. NEW BRAILLE DISPLAY Freedom Scientific has added a new braille display to its product line. The Focus 40 Blue offers 40 cells of refreshable braille, Bluetooth 2.0 for wireless connectivity up to 30 feet, a Perkins-style braille keyboard, and USB 2.0 support that also charges the unit when connected -- all in a new compact package that is 40 percent smaller than the current Focus 40. The new braille display is priced at $4,495 and includes a two-year warranty. For more information, call 1-800-444-4443 or visit www.freedomscientific.com. LEADER DOG HOLIDAY CARDS Now available: Leader Dogs for the Blind's 2009 holiday cards! Inside the card reads, “Warm thoughts and best wishes for a wonderful Holiday Season.” The front photo features Maggie, a future Leader Dog. Cards are sold in boxes of 20 for $20. Cards can be purchased by visiting the virtual gift shop at www.leaderdog.org. BOOK ON MUSIC FOR THE BLIND Sylvia Clark offers a book she has written based on three years of research for her master’s thesis. “Music Literacy: Its Role In The Education Of The Blind” includes 28 illustrations showing a variety of means by which literary and music materials were presented to the blind in the 19th and earlier 20th centuries, as well as writing instruments used to produce the symbols. The role of the American Printing House for the Blind in producing books and music is discussed. Factors influencing the delay in acceptance of the braille codes in the U.S. are considered. An interview with Dr. Abraham Nemeth discusses the role of braille music in his education in the New York City public schools. The results of surveys involving learning braille music, teaching braille music in institutions, and teaching braille music in the public schools are shared. Music education of the blind in the public school system is discussed, and the influence of technology is considered. It sells for $25 and is available by e-mailing musicliteracy@aol.com. AFB APPOINTS MIGEL The American Foundation for the Blind (AFB) recently announced the election of Christopher J. "Kit" Migel to its national board. He was elected during the June 2009 meeting of the AFB Board of Trustees. Migel, the former Executive Vice President of General Reinsurance, is the grandson of AFB's founder and first chairperson, M.C. Migel. ALTERNATIVE COMMUNICATIONS AWARD AbleNet, Inc. is partnering with the International Society for Augmentative and Alternative Communication (ISAAC) to offer the first AbleNet -- ISAAC Remarkable Achievements Award. This recognition will be awarded to an AAC professional who has achieved outstanding results by effectively using easy-tech AAC tools for individuals with communication disorders. The award will be presented at the ISAAC 14th International Conference in Barcelona, Spain in July 2010. The winner will be awarded a $2,000 stipend, the honor to be a key speaker at the ISAAC Biennial Conference and receive $500 toward travel to the conference. All ISAAC members or individuals applying for membership are eligible candidates for the award. To apply, a short essay or video in English must be submitted focusing on easy-tech AAC tools used with individuals with communications disorders and describing the impact this has had on the individuals. Additionally, two letters of recommendation explaining why the applicant should receive the award; the applicant's personal background information; and a short curriculum vitae should be included. Application deadline is Feb. 1, 2010. Send applications to: mona.zaccak@isaac-online.org or mail them to: AbleNet - ISAAC Remarkable Achievements Award, ISAAC Secretariat, 49 The Donway West, Suite 308, Toronto, ON M3C 3M9, Canada. ***** HIGH TECH SWAP SHOP FOR SALE: APH tactile puzzle map with extra parts. Asking $125 or best offer. Call Caitlin at (517) 227-1122. FOR SALE: Perkins Brailler. Never been used. Comes with dust cover and book. Asking $400; will only accept money order or cashier's check. Contact Lou Baker in Oklahoma at (405) 364-4374. FOR SALE: Four-year-old Patriot color CCTV system in excellent condition. Can connect to any TV or VCR with auxiliary ports. Has adjustable magnification and focus, and the ability to project print both as black on white or white on black. Asking between $400 and $600. Three-year-old Liberty portable CCTV in excellent condition. Has adjustable magnification and focus; capable of enlarging print on color and monochrome in black, white, blue, green, red, yellow and magenta. Includes miniature flat-screen monitor, movable camera, battery pack, writing stand and power supply. Asking between $500 and $600. If interested in either one, e-mail k.a.beltz@cox.net. FOR SALE: Two hard-copy braille manuals, one for the Braille Sense Plus, one for the Victor Reader Stream. For more information, contact Beth at happytrails@samobile.net. FOR SALE: Ingersoll Mickey Mouse wristwatch, circa 1933. In mint condition; never worn. Like-new box included, along with original directions for adjusting watchband and original price tag. Minimum bid $10,720. Contact John Snowberger, Springmeadows 234, 3175 Graf St., Bozeman, MT 59715-7163. FOR SALE: Braille Monopoly in excellent condition. Asking $150 or best offer. Stackable Braille Scrabble game. Asking $25. If interested, contact Nancy at owenryder@sympatico.ca or (319) 217-8385. We will accept U.S. or Canadian checks or money orders. FOR SALE: Toshiba laptop with 15" monitor, 3 gigs RAM, 250-gig hard drive, Windows XP Professional, JAWS and ZoomText. In very good condition. Asking $750. Sony AM/FM radio, brand-new. Asking $15. Desktop computer with 500-gig hard drive, 2 gigs RAM, Windows XP Professional, JAWS and ZoomText. Has CD burner, is wi-fi ready. Asking $450 (including shipping). Contact Jose at (818) 220-6256. FOR SALE: Scientific calculator with volume control and large screen. In perfect condition. Asking $300. Contact Rosemir at (714) 267-3399. FOR SALE: Compaq Presario laptop computer, about 3 years old, in good condition. Has 15.4-inch-wide screen, 100-gig hard drive, plays DVDs and burns CDs, 2-gig RAM, runs Windows Vista Home Basic. Comes pre-loaded with NVDA screen-reading software and a demo copy of Window-Eyes 7.1. Asking $150 or best offer. Will accept money order; will ship free matter for the blind or buyer to pay shipping. Contact Michael Bayus at (352) 238-2309, or e-mail him, bayusm1@bellsouth.net. FOR SALE: Book Port reader with leather case, USB cable, flash card, and documentation. Accepts all major file types, including BRF, BRL, Daisy 2.X, Daisy 3.X and Microsoft Word 97 or later. In excellent condition. Asking $200 plus shipping. Contact Hal at (727) 735-0797 or by e-mail, W1lob@tampabay.rr.com. FOR SALE: 20-inch TV with online custom focus magnifying system. Asking $600. Contact Lenny in Lake Worth, Fla., at (561) 433-8894. WANTED: Older model APH tape recorder. Contact Derald Fowler at (216) 862-4699. ACB OFFICERS PRESIDENT MITCH POMERANTZ 1115 CORDOVA ST. #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 Officio: Ron Milliman, Bowling Green, KY