THE BRAILLE FORUM Volume XLIII Winter 2005 No. 4 Published by the American Council of the Blind THE AMERICAN COUNCIL OF THE BLIND STRIVES TO INCREASE THE INDEPENDENCE, SECURITY, EQUALITY OF OPPORTUNITY, AND TO IMPROVE QUALITY OF LIFE FOR ALL BLIND AND VISUALLY IMPAIRED PEOPLE. Christopher Gray, President Melanie Brunson, Executive Director Sharon Lovering, Acting Editor National Office: 1155 15th St. NW Suite 1004 Washington, DC 20005 (202) 467-5081 Fax: (202) 467-5085 Web site: http://www.acb.org THE BRAILLE FORUM is available in braille, large print, half-speed four- track cassette tape, computer disk and via e-mail. Subscription requests, address changes, and items intended for publication should be sent to Sharon Lovering at the address above, or via e-mail to slovering@acb.org. Submission deadlines are the first of the month. The American Council of the Blind is a membership organization made up of more than 70 state and special-interest affiliates. To join, visit the ACB web site and complete an application form, or contact the national office at the number listed above. Those much-needed contributions, which are tax-deductible, can be sent to Ardis Bazyn at the above mailing address. If you wish to remember a relative or friend, the national office can make printed cards available for this purpose. To remember the American Council of the Blind in your Last Will and Testament, you may include a special paragraph for that purpose. If your wishes are complex, contact the ACB national office. To make a contribution to ACB via the Combined Federal Campaign, use this number: 2802. For the latest in legislative and governmental news, call the "Washington Connection" toll-free at (800) 424-8666, 5 p.m. to midnight Eastern time, or visit the Washington Connection online at http://www.acb.org. Copyright 2004 American Council of the Blind TABLE OF CONTENTS President's Message: A Time to Celebrate, by Christopher Gray ACB Scholarships Available to Blind Students Elvis Has Left the Building! A Look at the Upcoming 2005 Vegas Convention, by Cynthia Towers Time to Make Plans to Make Tracks to the U.S. Southwest, by Berl Colley The Power of a Small Child's Love, by Kazuko Renes Christmas Is Coming -- Yikes!, by Carol Edwards Notes from a First-Timer, by Cheryl Stewart Birmingham: A Smorgasbord of Meetings, Meals, Music and Southern Hospitality, Part II, by Sharon Lovering Summary of 2004 Resolutions In Memoriam: Forrest R. Goodenough, by C.J. Evans Affiliate News Letters to the Editor Here and There, by Sarah Blake High Tech Swap Shop Happy holidays! Happy new year! Best wishes for 2005! ***** PRESIDENT'S MESSAGE: A TIME TO CELEBRATE by Christopher Gray It is a wonderful thing that in our country, as winter and its inevitable cold weather comes to us, that as one year ends and a new one begins, we spend lots of time celebrating and being with friends and family. This season is undoubtedly the most joyous time of year in our country and of our culture. In many of these years, ACB presidents have given us reasons to celebrate our great organization and think about what we do and why we do it. This year should be no exception. And I am very proud to say with complete confidence that it's not! As I write this in early November, there are many, many things of which we can be proud that have already occurred this year. One of them is the wonderful convention we shared together in Birmingham last July. The Alabama Council of the Blind, our second ACB, provided us wonderful hospitality in the finest southern and ACB manner. Second, we can also be proud that work has been undertaken to invigorate our affiliate in Puerto Rico. If there was ever a part of our country that needed the kinds of programs and services ACB has to offer, it is this beautiful island. Third, we can be proud of the many volunteers who make up ACB's committee structure and carry on work for the organization. It is a tribute to the membership of our organization that so many serve on national committees and that the committees perform real work for real people. Finally, we can all be extremely proud of the staff members who come to work each day for ACB and without whom we would be far less of an organization than we are today. Our staff has worked this year under difficult financial circumstances and diminished resources. They have worked through a time of change and transition. They have done so with good faith and loyalty to ACB, placing organizational interests above self-interest. We could hardly ask for more than that. Let me urge readers to take a moment over the holidays to drop a card or a note to our staff and let them know how much we notice and appreciate their hard work and dedication to ACB. Also as I write this, many exciting things are coming together that will end 2004 for ACB with a bang that will reverberate all the way through 2005 and beyond. First, our work of outreach and education to individuals continues throughout the United States on a state and community basis. Second, ACB remains active on an international basis and very involved in the World Blind Union. I am extremely pleased to inform you that the sixth General Assembly of the World Blind Union will be carried live on ACB Radio. In addition to the General Assembly, we hope to carry the 5th General Assembly of the Blind Women's Forum. These events are being held in Cape Town, South Africa beginning Dec. 3, 2004. For ACB Radio to be the international carrier of these assemblies is a tremendous tribute to the volunteers who manage our four stations and to Dave Williams as managing director of the service. The excitement with which WBU has embraced the carrying of its programs by ACB Radio is not only gratifying, but it is living proof of what we are accomplishing as an organization, both at home and abroad. Oral Miller will be representing the International Blind Sports Association during the WBU 6th General Assembly; however, he will advocate as much as possible on matters of relevance to ACB and report back to us. And wait, there's more good news to share. We are now offering the ACB Internet Radio with which any person, regardless of whether you have a computer, can hear ACB Radio Interactive, ACB Radio Treasure Trove, and ACB Radio Mainstream, along with a variety of other channels, including radio reading services and the BBC World Service. Until now, you have had to have a computer to hear this ACB programming. But, no more! This revolutionary table-top unit functions much like a radio and brings you these channels, along with others, and you never have to touch a keyboard or move a mouse or track ball. Radios can be purchased outright or leased from the ACB Store. Visit our web site or call (877) 367-2224. Who knows, there might even be a Christmas sale on the radios if you call soon. With a month and a half to go, there's no telling what other wonderful things are in store for ACB. But I have no doubt there may be some. Have a wonderful, safe holiday season! Best wishes on behalf of Marvelena, myself, and the American Council of the Blind. ***** ACB SCHOLARSHIPS AVAILABLE TO BLIND STUDENTS The American Council of the Blind will present more than two dozen scholarships and awards to outstanding blind students in 2005. All legally blind people admitted to academic and vocational training programs at the post-secondary level for the 2005-06 school year are encouraged to apply for one of these scholarships. A cumulative grade point average of 3.3 is generally required, but extenuating circumstances may be considered for certain scholarships. Information and applications are available on our web site at www.acb.org. Applications may be completed on line, but supporting documentation must be submitted in hard copy print to Terry Pacheco in the ACB national office no later than March 1, 2005. If you have additional questions or wish to request a hard copy, please call Terry at (202) 467- 5081 ext. 19. Leading scholarship candidates will be interviewed by telephone in April. The ACB scholarship winners will be notified no later than May 31, 2005. Scholarships will be presented at the 44th annual national convention of the American Council of the Blind to be held July 2-9, 2005, in Las Vegas, Nev. Scholarship winners are expected to be present at the convention if they have reached their 18th birthday. Generally, ACB will cover all reasonable costs connected with convention attendance. Former leaders in and near the ACB community who have been memorialized by generous benefactors include Delbert Aman, Dr. S. Bradley Burson, William G. Corey, Dr. Mae Davidow, Nicholas S. DiCaprio, Eunice Fiorito, John Hebner, Grant M. Mack, Alma Murphey, Floyd Qualls, and Arnold Sadler. Special thanks should also be extended to those who remembered Kellie Cannon and Duane Buckley in such fitting manners. The Ross N. and Patricia Pangere Foundation scholarships are also given as a way of giving back to the community. ACB also administers scholarship programs for its affiliates in Colorado, Maine, Massachusetts, and Oregon. We are hopeful that Kurzweil Foundation will continue its annual gift of the Kurzweil 1000 software to our winners. This is ACB's fourth year presenting Freedom Scientific Awards to several of the scholarship winners. Note: Potential candidates will be considered for other scholarships not yet verified, if available. ***** ELVIS HAS LEFT THE BUILDING! A LOOK AT THE UPCOMING 2005 VEGAS CONVENTION by Cynthia Towers, Convention Coordinator Elvis may not be around anymore, but don't you be missed at the 2005 convention to be held July 2-9 at the Riviera Hotel and Casino in Las Vegas, Nev. Before I go into any more details about the convention, I thought I would give you a little history of the city you will be visiting. In 1829 Spanish explorers discovered the city and in 1905 the town of Las Vegas was established by the auctioning of land; the city was incorporated in 1911. The first commercial flight was in 1926 via Western Airlines. Today some 980 flights a day come into Las Vegas, 58 of which are direct flights from U.S. cities. Las Vegas means "the meadows" in Spanish. It currently has a population of 478,000. There are some 122,000 slot machines to choose from and over 3,800 gaming tables. You have a choice of nearly 1,000 cabs to get you around to all those casinos. Do you feel lucky? Well, in 1997, Sue Henley, a Las Vegas construction inspector, won over $12 million on a Megabucks slot machine. It is the largest slot machine jackpot in history to date. And by 1998, annual gross gaming revenue in Nevada hit the $8.1 billion mark. Well, the American Council of the Blind hopes that you will take one of those cabs to transport yourself to the 44th annual convention of this great organization. There are just a few details I want to advise you of at this time. Margie Donovan is in charge of dealing with the guide dog relief areas. She has recently returned from Las Vegas and has scoped out a few places that she feels might work. When you make your room reservations, if you are a guide dog user, you might want to request that you be placed in the Monaco Tower to give you the best vantage place for relieving your dog. There will be other relief areas as well. The other tower we will be in is the Monte Carlo. Both towers are in easy reach of the convention area where our meetings will be held. By the time this Forum reaches you, we hope that the online reservation process will be in place. By going to the ACB web site, you will be able to reserve a room and place a deposit. This is a great convenience to our members, and the convention committee thanks the Riviera and ACB webmaster Earlene Hughes for making this possible. Until then, you can call the hotel directly at 1-800-634-6753. The room rates are $77 for singles and doubles, $87 for triples and $97 for quads with a 9 percent tax. All of the usual plans for convention are coming along well. We hope to have over 100 vendors, the children enrolled in the YAC (Youth Activity Center) will have a wealth of places to go for amusement, and the tours will be comprised of some interesting venues, such as the Liberace museum, comedy clubs and our ever-popular city tour. I wish you all the best that the holiday season can bring. As always, if you would like to reach me for convention-related questions, comments and/or concerns, you can do so at 1-800-474-3029 extension 00 or via e-mail, ctowers@acb.org. Viva Las Vegas! ***** TIME TO MAKE PLANS TO MAKE TRACKS TO THE U.S. SOUTHWEST by Berl Colley The operative word for ACB convention 2005 tours is HOT!!! Temperatures in the Las Vegas area in July quite often exceed 100 degrees. It is time to start planning for what looks to be the largest ACB convention ever, in Las Vegas, Nev. Although it hasn't been finalized yet, the agenda for ACB tours may be one of the largest ever. Tours will start on July 1, 2005 with another all-day trip. You will be leaving early in the morning and heading to Arizona, partner. Your tour will follow the Colorado River to Lake Havasu. We may travel the last 60 miles to Havasu on the Colorado River in a jet boat if we can get a workable price. In the 1960s, Robert McCullock, of McCullock oil fame, developed several planned communities around the Southwest. His developments were usually built around some signature landmark. In the case of Lake Havasu, his first development, the landmark is the London Bridge. "But that's in England, crossing the Thames!" you say. No, the old London Bridge is in the Arizona desert, bridging a small canal of Lake Havasu. McCullock purchased the bridge, had it shipped to Arizona and reassembled it in his new community more than 40 years ago. Today, Lake Havasu is a thriving community of 50,000 people, and the London Bridge is still its chief attraction. You will be having lunch at an internationally known eatery, then you will explore the many little shops on and below the bridge. We are also looking into a boat trip on Lake Havasu for those wishing to spend time away from buying stuff. From Lake Havasu you will board a bus and go up to Oatman, Ariz., an old mining town that produced millions of dollars in gold from 1906 through 1942. Oatman is on Highway 66, not the Route 66 of TV fame, but the original Route 66 that was built in the 1920s. After hearing about the history of this area, you will have a chance to visit some of the businesses on the town's boardwalks: places like Fast Fannys, the jail and gift shop, the old hotel, post office, Judy's saloon and several other candy and ice creameries. After the mines were shut down during World War II, many of the burros that were used in the mines were turned loose to roam the countryside. The area is now a federally protected area for burros. There are photo opportunities for visitors, but visitors are warned that these burros are wild and may bite or kick. Note -- parts of this town are not very accessible for those using wheelchairs. The evening will be filled with some great food and entertainment, before heading back to the Riviera in Las Vegas. On Saturday, July 2, there will be an opportunity to float on a portion of the Colorado River below Hoover Dam. This three-and-a-half-hour float is in Black Canyon, a protected area along the river that can only be visited by permission of the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation. This is a narrated trip, where you will learn about geological formations, the area's fauna and other general information. Lunches will be provided. No littering, please! This will be a morning tour, as it can get very hot in the canyon in the afternoon. Tours of the cities where ACB conventions are held are always popular, but Las Vegas is so different that we will be scheduling more than two city tours. We will have the Saturday and Sunday morning tours. Later in the week, we are trying to put together a late evening, open air tour of the Las Vegas strip, with all of its glitter and theme architecture and shows. Saturday afternoon, ACB tours will be visiting the Liberace museum. He was a collector of cars and pianos. There is one whole building devoted to these collections. In another building, you will learn about many of the fantastically elaborate costumes that he wore. You won't be able to touch them, because of the expensive jewelry on them, but there will be knowledgeable description. The museum is going to try to have someone on hand who will play some of his music. This tour will be repeated on Tuesday, July 5. ACB tours is working with the Riviera to provide some informational training on their gaming activities. Current plans are to do this for a couple of hours late in the afternoons of Saturday, July 2, Sunday, July 3, and Monday, July 4. Look for more information in upcoming Forums. On Sunday afternoon, music afficionados will want to tour Elvis-A- Rama. This is a museum of Elvis memorabilia and an Elvis impersonator who will do a 15-minute show. After leaving Elvis-A-Rama we will go over to Ethel M's candy factory. This internationally known candy maker produces a large variety of candy, including their signature line of alcohol-laced chocolates. This tour will be repeated on Wednesday, July 6. In future Forums we'll talk about: the blind services tour on Tuesday; the visit to Mormon Fort on Monday; a fun time at Bonnie Springs Ranch where Old West melodramas, shootouts and hangings could happen on Tuesday; a visit to have tea?-- at a brothel? -- on Wednesday; a tour of Hoover Dam on Thursday; a return of the popular Wednesday night cruise, on Lake Mead; going to the Clark County museum on Thursday; and Saturday evening dinner and entertainment. Other possibilities being looked at: a roller coaster tour; an upscale shopping trip; a visit to the Liberace house; the home of a doctor who has collected some very unusual things; and a Las Vegas 51s Pacific Coast League baseball game. Kudos go to Carol Ewing, Rick Kuhlmey and all of the ACB folks in Las Vegas for their tireless work to make the 2005 ACB convention one that ACB attendees from all over the world will always remember. It's not too early to call the Riviera at (702) 734-5110 and make your hotel reservations. ACB tours is looking forward to touring southern Nevada and northwest Arizona with you. ***** THE POWER OF A SMALL CHILD'S LOVE by Kazuko Ren‚s So that you will understand this story, I will offer a bit of background. My eyesight deterioration started in 1968. An inflammation of unknown cause began to destroy my retinas, replacing healthy tissue with scar tissue. There is apparently no cure. At this point, I am almost totally blind. Several months ago, I received a phone call from my granddaughter Amanda. She and her husband, Ben, had purchased a new house and they wanted me to see it and also to spend time with them. They live in Hillsboro, Ore., some 200 miles from my home. I was afraid to go because their new house has two stories and stairways are always frightening to me. She asked me to stay for four or five days so that I could spend some extended time with their son Bailey, my first great-grandchild. He was 19 months old at the time, and I had not seen him for several months. My husband, Bob, insisted that I go, saying that I would enjoy the visit. I decided to go, though I was very apprehensive about it. When I arrived, I was surprised to find that, although Bailey refuses to talk, he understands my disability very well. And I was absolutely astonished at how well he accommodates it. As is customary with blind people, Amanda showed me around the house, placing my hands on walls, doorways, stairway railings, furniture, counters, and such. Bailey watched and apparently took note of it all. I first realized this on the following morning. His room is next to the guest room, where I slept, and we woke up around the same time. When it came time to go downstairs, he took my index finger and led me to the stairs, then released my finger and placed my hand on the wall. I then walked down the stairs sliding my hand along the wall and stair rail, feeling for the steps with my feet. He went down the stairs in his usual way, a backward crawling motion to the bottom. All during the day, and for the rest of the time that I was there, he took my hand and guided me everywhere that we went, being very careful not to cause me to walk into anything. It was an amazing and very enjoyable period for me. During the first day, I had a difficult time finding the bathroom, which was off the entry hallway near the dining room. So I asked him to show me where the bathroom was. He not only took me to the bathroom, he also led me inside and placed my hand on the toilet. I asked him where the toilet paper was, so he placed my hand on the dispenser. Then he went out and waited for me. The next morning, he led me to the stairs as he did on the first day, but, this time, he first put my hand on the wall, and then put it on the floor. I understood that he wanted me to go downstairs in the same way that he did. He apparently thought that my way of doing it was unsafe and his way was safer. I went down the stairs his way. His method of play was also very interesting. He assumed, as children do, that I wanted to play with him, so he brought a toy truck, put my hand on it, and pushed it with my hand. I pointed out to him that I could not see to do that and suggested that we do a kind of "choo-choo train" in which he would push the truck and I would hold onto him and follow. Thereafter, he would bring a push-toy, hold onto it himself, and place my hand on his back at his waist. As part of his quiet time, he likes to watch the animated movie "Finding Nemo." He never seems to tire of it. He usually sits on a cushion in front of the couch to watch, so he brought another cushion for me, led me to the cushion, turned me appropriately, and pushed me to sit down. We watched "Finding Nemo" together. At snack time on the first day, Amanda set out juice and graham crackers on the coffee table for him and coffee for me. He stood next to me as I sat on the floor. As Amanda and I chatted, he would take a bite or two, then offer a bite to me. After a few bites, he would take a sip of juice. He noticed that I wasn't sipping my coffee as often as he was taught, so he touched my lips and pointed to my coffee cup with the same finger. The manner in which he touched my lips was interesting too. He didn't just touch with the end of his index finger; he placed the length of his index finger ever so carefully across my lips, from side to side. Amanda noticed his pointing, told me that he wanted me to drink some coffee, and reminded him that I could not see his pointing finger. After that, he touched my lips, and then put my hand on my cup. Amanda also commented that it is extremely rare for him to offer food to others. On the second afternoon, he started calling me Baba. No one taught him to call me this. (Although he clearly understands virtually everything, he refuses to say more than a word or two. Pointing gets what he needs, so I assume that he feels that talking is unnecessary.) I also assume that, because I could not see his pointing finger, he used a spoken word to attract my attention. It is interesting that, since the birth of Amanda, my first grandchild, she and my daughters and sons-in-law, and then my grandson, have all come to call me "Bachan," which is familiar Japanese children's speech for "grandmother." In that connection, it is also interesting to note that Amanda also first referred to me as Baba without it being taught to her. Baba is country-style Japanese children's speech for Bachan. One day, Amanda had to go and tidy up the apartment from which they had just moved, so Bailey and I went with her. While she was working, Bailey devised a hide-and-seek game for us. First, he led me into a closet and closed the door with both of us inside. I knocked on the wall and said, "Where is Mommy?" He found that very funny, laughing a lot. Next, he led me out of the closet, then pushed me back in, and closed the door again. I knocked again, and said, "Where is Bailey?" He laughed more. Then he led me out of the closet, and he went inside and closed the door. I again knocked and asked, "Where is Bailey?" He had a really good time with the game. But the interesting part is that he devised it with no help from me. I had a wonderful time with Amanda, Ben, and Bailey; but especially with Bailey. We laughed a lot together. He gave me a marvelous gift -- memories that I will cherish for the rest of my life. CAPTION Bailey and Kazuko share a hug during playtime. (Photo courtesy of Keri Pratt.) ***** CHRISTMAS IS COMING -- YIKES! by Carol Edwards "Christmas is coming, the goose is getting fat, please to put a penny in the old man's hat ..." What, already? Believe it or not, the holiday season is quickly approaching. It seems that each year Christmas gets more commercialized. My kids are grown now and I have not been lucky enough to have grandchildren yet, so it is not quite like in the good old days!!! A couple of years ago some of my friends and I decided to stop buying stuff and make a personal Christmas gift: something baked, a craft, something that expresses the true meaning of the season. Since I joined ACB, my family members have received ACB memberships already. This year I am adding a few more friends to my list. Maybe I will give you all a few ideas. If you don't like that madhouse shopping, buying friends and family an ACB membership will be much easier and more convenient. This is also a gift that keeps giving all year. You can think of it kind of like the fruit of the month club, but the person will receive "The Braille Forum," and if your state affiliate has a publication, they'll get that too. If you have a cranky neighbor -- and some of us do -- just think: when they receive a card from you telling them you thought enough of them to give them a membership in the best organization there is that works for the betterment of the visually impaired and blind, they might wonder just what you want. Better yet, you will know with each issue of the "Forum" they receive that you will be the first person they think of. It might also make someone who appears to be cranky a little nicer or happier to think you did care enough to do something special for them. Another important group is our elected officials. We all have them in our towns, counties, states and of course, the federal guys. Since ACB spends many hours and much money on advocating legislation that deals with issues of importance to blind and visually impaired people, just think what a difference it would make if every single U.S. senator were a member of ACB, or our representatives, or the elected folks in our states and counties. As the chairman of a legislative committee in Texas and someone who really enjoyed the 2004 legislative seminar in D.C. and the challenge of running through the halls of Congress, the fact of strength in numbers is very true when it comes to dealing with our legislators. Even if you personally are not interested in legislative work, it does help the individuals on these committees and benefits everyone. When it comes time to vote on issues, an article they have just read in "The Braille Forum" might sway their vote if they were not fully informed on it before. Start your list today! Send your list and money to your state treasurer. Or if you are in a chapter, give it to your chapter treasurer. Just remember to get it in before March 15, 2005 in order for your friends and family to be counted when the needed delegates are decided for the national convention. Membership is not just a numbers game, it is knowing the mission of ACB is being spread throughout our states so that even if a person is newly blind or has just learned they have a disease that will lead to blindness, they know that there is a group that cares and they are not alone. I would like to suggest that we all ask our doctors to join ACB too; they make a lot of money from us as patients. And don't be shy! Ask the Lions Club members to join, and the people who work at your state rehabilitation services. Another idea I have shared with some is publicizing the ACB scholarship program. We have one here in Texas, too. The PTA is a national organization in which their focus is kids, and scholarships are very important to them. Call your state PTA office and ask them if they will publish the scholarship information for your affiliate and for ACB. PTA's monthly newsletters go to all PTA presidents throughout the state; publicizing the information in the newsletter will let more children in your state know of scholarships. When you submit the information, you will have to include something about ACB. You could also write a letter to each school district's superintendent and tell them about the scholarships, ask them to forward this information to their special education departments and all PTA/PTO presidents; this will enable every person with a child in a school to learn of ACB. Our local Wal-Mart has an optical section and I have been told I can set up a table and distribute literature about ACB. This would be a great time to have a door prize or two and a form for people to fill out that includes the request that "if you would like more information on ACB, check here." Finally, in the fall the United Way has its annual campaign to raise money for its charities. There is also the Combined Federal Campaign, for federal government workers. You may have noticed in "The Braille Forum" the CFC number 2802. When I was a postal worker, the mail processing facility I worked at would allow people from non-profits to come and give a presentation on their organizations. The employees loved this because they didn't have to work when they were in the meeting, and the employee had the choice of which charity received the money. It might surprise you how many would write the number of your organization just because someone took some time to tell them about it. All areas have postal mail processing facilities. If you don't know whether one is near you, ask at your local post office. Also ask them if you can talk to their employees. I am sure that if the postal service does this, other federal agencies might also. When you give your presentation, talk about membership, and use the "give a person a Christmas gift" as a selling point. Be sure to tell them you do not have to be visually impaired or blind to be a member. Since we have many special- interest groups, it is a very good idea to include them. When you're at a federal agency such as the postal service, be sure to bring up ACB Government Employees. Let's all make an effort to find just one new member! It might be very important for that one person to learn about ACB. ***** NOTES FROM A FIRST-TIMER by Cheryl Stewart One, two, three, four, five, six, seven, eight. Ah, there it is, my seat, 8B, a window seat, my favorite! Stuffing my carry-on things under the seat in front of me, I buckled up and settled in for the first leg of the journey. It is 10 minutes before 9 in the morning, and other passengers are now boarding this flight that will take us all to Seattle; some to stay, others to travel on to who knows where. As for me, it is July 1st, and I am on my way to Birmingham, Ala., and in a little more than 12 hours will be there. What seemed like a dream, from the moment I got the phone call saying, "Cheryl, we are pleased to inform you that you have been chosen to receive the First-Timer Award," was now a reality. The day passed quickly as time and I flew, landing two flights later in Birmingham at 9:55 p.m. Central Daylight Time. The first thing I noticed when I got off the plane was the humidity; it was like walking from an air-conditioned room into a bathroom where someone is taking a hot shower. In a matter of minutes I was in the parking garage, along with a handful of other conventioneers, waiting for the shuttle that would take us to our temporary home for the next 11 days. How exciting it was to be there in another part of the country where so much history still lives! My senses fully awake, I was intent on experiencing everything going on around me. I closed my eyes for a short night's sleep. A few hours later, I went off on an all-day tour consisting of the Space and Rocket Center, a hands-on look at the Helen Keller plantation, dinner in a historic home called The Julian House, then back to the plantation to enjoy "The Miracle Worker," which included audio description. "How on earth do those events relate one to another?" you may be asking. Actually, they blended together beautifully. The entire day spoke to me of a persistence that continues to press forward even though every circumstance surrounding it says, "Stop, it will not work." What amazing things are accomplished by that kind of persistence! The weekend was filled with exploring and orienting myself with the hotel and convention center. The lobby and atrium echoed with voices as people trickled in from across the country for the 43rd annual ACB convention. On Sunday evening, the atmosphere was sober, as the opening night of convention was finally here. "Wow! Attendance is really down this year," was the comment most frequently heard; and that comment was echoed throughout the entire week. I sat in my chair, notetaker on the table in front of me, and listened as presentations were made and took notes. What spoke with inaudible words, even louder than the presenters, was the tension that filled the air. Anticipation; anxiety; concern; they were all standing like soldiers at full attention, alert, fully focused, watching for anything disagreeable that might provoke an immediate response. The days passed by quickly, filled with new people to meet, old friends to embrace, all kinds of different foods to enjoy, the people and culture of a new environment, activities to participate in, the exhibit area -- where 80 companies tried to persuade me to buy their products, and meetings to attend and learn more about ACB. "Do not try to do too much the first time around," I was told by my peers, and their counsel was all too true! I kept my schedule fairly light and was able to participate in things without feeling my life was on a conveyer belt for the week and I was merely along for the ride. Finally, it was Sunday, July 11th, the end of the week. It was time to go home. My time spent in Birmingham was something that covers a wide range of emotions and to try to encapsulate it here is difficult for me. There was much comment made to me before and during the convention that, as a first-timer, it was sad that the first convention I had the opportunity to attend was while ACB was in such turmoil. Yes, it was obvious that things were not their usual way; the excitement and exuberance that should attend such an event were replaced with an atmosphere subdued by concern. All I could see in my mind's eye was a man whose name was ACB no longer walking straight and tall, a confident stride to his step. Rather, he was bowed over with a pack on his back, shuffling along, unable to move freely under the weight of his burden; this I found very sad. Was I glad I went? Oh, yes! I came back from that week a different person, strengthened by learning to listen to, and stay true to, my heart in the midst of controversy and compromise both within myself and ACB; richer from the people I met, the things I learned, and the experiences and challenges faced. Thank you, WCB and ACB, for giving me the privilege of attending as both a first-timer from Washington state as well as the Durward McDaniel award winner. I am truly grateful for the opportunity; it is an experience I will never forget! ***** BIRMINGHAM: A SMORGASBORD OF MEETINGS, MEALS, MUSIC, AND SOUTHERN HOSPITALITY PART II by Sharon Lovering WEDNESDAY Wednesday was Technology Day, sponsored by Bank of America. "The clear star of the 2004 convention ... is Confetti," stated Ralph Sanders, chair of the public relations committee. Confetti was the lone guide horse at the convention. "Television coverage has gone nationwide about Confetti, and we'll remember this convention perhaps as the 'Confetti Convention.'" Following Sanders' report, a few amendments, and the ACBES report, President Gray turned the microphone over to Mark Richert, executive director of the Association for Education and Rehabilitation of the Blind and Visually Impaired. "AER in many ways is not much different ... [from] ACB," he said. "We are working hard ... on advocacy-related issues ... Our mission ... is to promote professional excellence in our field." AER supports high quality through credentials and by providing continuing education opportunities; it also supports the Instructional Materials Accessibility Act. "We have stood with you, with great success, in ensuring that the United States Congress knows that blind and visually impaired people are no longer going to be satisfied to have their kids ... receive their textbooks either not at all, or 6 or 9 months into the school year," Richert added. "It's simply not acceptable anymore!" The next speaker was Dan Frye, executive director of Association of Blind Citizens of New Zealand. He told the audience that the association began on Oct. 8, 1945, with a meeting of about 100 blind people in New Market, Auckland. The association has evolved and matured since then, undergoing many name changes in 59 years; its current name is the Association of Blind Citizens of New Zealand. "The one constant aim of the association ... has been its unwavering devotion to the cause of advocacy on behalf of the blind ... through the vehicle of collective action," Frye stated. "Peer support, public education about blindness, and all of the other functions traditionally aligned with an organization of the blind had and have their continued place in the association. But advocacy, in one form or another, has been the mainstay of our reason for existing." He gave multiple examples of issues that both ACB and ABCNZ were working on, including guide dog access to taxis and airplanes, education, and public access. "Our consumer organizations, while different, share in common a basic spirit that should forge a lasting bond across the globe," he said. "Our different experiences and successes can and should inform one another's advocacy. ... Together we can make life better for the blind of the world." Following Frye was Dave Kronk of Damar Travel for a brief informational sound byte about the ACB cruise. It will be held April 4-12, 2005, depart from Fort Lauderdale, and go to Belize, Costa Rica and Panama. Information about shore excursions will be accessible, Kronk said. And for each person who books this cruise with Damar, the company will donate $100 per person to ACB. Next up was a discussion on cell phone manufacturers and service providers working together, with Mary Brooner, senior director for telecommunications strategy at Motorola, and Paula Hall, technical regulatory program manager at Nextel Communications. Brooner spoke first. Motorola's approach toward accessibility, she said, "has been, when we make a product, to provide the consumer information about the particular accessibility features that each handset model has, and we've put that onto a web site." That web site is http://commerce.motorola.com/consumer/QWhtml/accessibility/default.html. Motorola has been working with a number of product research groups on the issue of talking phones, trying to identify a text-to-speech software engine that can be placed in the handset. This requires a great deal of memory and a processor that can work with the software engine. "In the handset group that develops the phones for Nextel, we have in the last year identified both a text-to-speech engine and a handset that we believe can be a first adoption ... of text-to-speech in the Nextel handsets," she noted. The company intends to introduce it in the first quarter of 2005. Brooner urged her listeners to share their experiences -- positive and negative -- with the company. She also requested that they share their priorities: "What are the core requirements that you really need?" Technology is going to keep on changing, she added, "and what's really important is that you try to stay educated about it and continue to share [your experiences]." Paula Hall followed. "So many times in the industry when it comes to access issues, carriers point at vendors and vendors point back at carriers as being the problem," she said. "But we're here today to show that we're united, and that we're determined to address the access issues and do it together in a way that we can produce a useful product for everyone that would have access issues." After several questions and a brief break, Mark Ashby, narrator of "People of Vision" and "The Braille Forum," addressed the convention. He mentioned recording "The Braille Forum." "It might strike you as amusing to know that my first contact with ACB through 'The Braille Forum' wasn't as a narrator, it was as a monitor," he said. "And of course, as I sat there gazing over the latest report ... I'd dream that one day, I might make that leap onto the other side and become the voice of ACB." He considered it a compliment when PTBS asked him to record the Forum. Following Ashby was Susan Palmer-Mazrui, director of Federal Regulatory Affairs at Cingular Wireless. "There's a tag line for Cingular that is 'What do you have to say?' and we knew from the beginning if we were going to understand what the needs of people with disabilities would be, we would need to talk to people with disabilities," she said. Cingular has a wireless access task force, a cross-disability group of consumer advocates with disabilities. "In that group we have the pleasure of having folks like Roger Petersen and Bernice Kandarian come in and yell at us ... which was a ... positive thing. They ... first [said], 'You need to listen.' And once we started to listen really well, they told us how to move forward. And that's been a critical thing in our development of access and our approach toward accessibility." Through discussions with people, information received from AFB and others, Cingular has been able to do some good things. Palmer-Mazrui said, "The things you're looking for are not two years down the road; they should be available ... next month." In order to understand what blind people wanted, the company spoke with the blindness community, asking that very question. And the answer it got was "Everything!" In order to give blind people what they wanted, Cingular had to find a powerful phone that would run the software needed to make it speak. The company found that power in a camera phone. And Cingular will have, in August, a Nokia 6620 phone that will have TALKS screen-reading software, she said. Not only will the phone talk, but the packaging has braille on the outside telling what it is; it has a quick reference guide in braille and large print; and it will come with a manual on CD. Following a brief question-and-answer session, Paul Schroeder updated the convention on the Bonnie O'Day case. In February 2003, Bonnie O'Day filed a complaint with the FCC indicating that cell phones available from Verizon Wireless and Audiovox were inaccessible. "Bonnie, to her credit ... had done her work and done her homework," Schroeder said. "She had spent a couple of years already writing letters to both companies and also working informally with the Federal Communications Commission to try to resolve this matter and to try to find and have the companies make available an accessible cell phone." The case did have some very valuable outcomes, "albeit they were slower than all of us would have liked." By December 2003 she'd settled with Audiovox, and one of the outcomes was the production of a phone listed under Audiovox CDM 9950 and the Toshiba VM4050. Those phones do have basic access features, which AFB reviewed in "AccessWorld." O'Day has not yet settled with Verizon Wireless, though that settlement is expected shortly, Schroeder added. The final speaker for the day was Mary Beth Janes, the Assistive Technology Partnership Manager with Apple Computer. Apple introduced Spoken Interface in March. "Spoken Interface is another way of accessing the computer," Janes said. "It provides through speech, audible cues, and keyboard navigation the ability to use a Macintosh computer." Listeners may have remembered that in the past, the Macintosh has not been accessible through keyboard navigation. She noted that the program was designed to start the computer and for users to be able to navigate around. Then she provided a brief demonstration. THURSDAY Thursday was Work Day, sponsored by Freedom Scientific. And convention attendees truly did have a lot of business to deal with. Harold Schnellert, president of the Canadian Council of the Blind, spoke briefly. "We appreciate the warm and friendly welcome that you have extended to our group," he said. The Canadian council has just celebrated its 60th anniversary; in 2006, the group's convention will be held in Vancouver, British Columbia, "and we extend a warm welcome to all." Cynthia Towers, convention coordinator, presented her report. "Before I go into the convention ... I want us each to send our wonderful thoughts to Jim Olsen," she said. "I talked with him yesterday. He is doing great." Towers thanked everyone for stepping up to the plate. There were 1,100 registered for convention. Online registration has increased; walk-ins are also on the rise. The 2005 convention will be held in Las Vegas, Nev., and Towers informed the audience that the hotel would be the Riviera, at the northern end of the strip. Room rates are $77 for singles and doubles, $87 for triple, $97 for quad, per night, plus 9 percent tax. Dates are July 2-9; however, the room rate will be in effect from June 24 through July 13. ACB will be in the Monte Carlo and the Monaco towers, which are closest to the convention complex. (For further details, see Towers' article in this issue, and watch for more in future issues.) There are six restaurants and a food court. The airport is only three and a half miles from the hotel; shuttles range from $4.50 to $5 one way, and taxis are about $14. For hotel reservations, call 1-800-634-6753 and tell them you're with the American Council of the Blind. Carol Ewing, president of the Nevada Council of the Blind, said that her chapter was excited to be hosting the 2005 convention. "We want you to come early and ... stay late," she said. Following Towers' report, Glen Gordon of Freedom Scientific addressed the convention. "It's great to be here with a group who does not judge a presentation by the number of transparencies you have on the overhead," he quipped. "And that's a good thing, because I have none!" He took his listeners back to the mid-1980s, when he received his first Braille 'n Speak. "Before having a Braille 'n Speak, I had little paper cards with braille everywhere around my house. And suddenly, I got a Braille 'n Speak and I realized that I could organize my life on a notetaker. And I didn't have to worry about braille cards, I could use braille electronically. And that was really exciting." As time passed on, Windows became accessible; it broadened Gordon's world. A few years ago, several people began to say, "Why can't we mix the best of both worlds? Why can't we mix specialized technology with off-the- shelf software and hardware for a PDA ...? And that's how the idea for the PAC Mate was really born." Freedom Scientific worked with Microsoft's Pocket PC to incorporate it into a PDA for blind people. The PAC Mate also uses JAWS for Windows. Gordon then gave a demonstration of the PAC Mate. Jonathan Mosen spoke next. "Last night we were presenting at the BrailleNote Users Group ... and we were working with the audio-visual guys to make sure that the wireless Internet was working ... we got everything moving, and then I went back to the podium to start my presentation there, and I couldn't find my new BrailleNote PK anywhere," he said. "And I was panicking ... and I thought, 'What have I done with this thing? Where is the BrailleNote PK? Where is it?' and then I realized, 'Oh goodness, it's in my pocket.' It's so light that you barely know that it's there." Mosen addressed some of the philosophical issues surrounding what Pulse Data is doing. "As the blindness product manager with Pulse Data International, I believe that the same rules apply to technology as they do to braille itself," he said. "Broadly speaking, there are two ways you can use Windows CE, which is a mobile operating system from Microsoft. You can write your own software for it, or you can get Microsoft's graphical user interface known as Pocket PC and throw a screen reader over the top. We've chosen the first option for a number of very important reasons. The first is the cost of technology like this. It concerns me greatly that the cost of refreshable braille technology coupled with the relatively small number of units that we produce puts this technology out of the hands of many people whose lives would be transformed by it." A sighted person pays $200 or $300 for a Pocket PC, he noted, in contrast with $2,000 for a blindness- specific Windows CE device that doesn't include a braille display. Pulse Data will be releasing a software developers' kit for the BrailleNote line of products, he stated. "That basically means that those with the skills will be able to write software for the BrailleNote which will run on Windows CE." The company also plans to begin dialogue with the blindness community about how they want this to work, so that it gives blind people the tools they need, he added. Mosen urged his listeners to consider their technology purchases carefully. "When you choose your technology, think ... about the ends, those ends being communicating and processing information with the greatest efficiency possible. Because if we're not as efficient as our sighted counterparts, we're not going to get the jobs." Mike Gibson, blindness product specialist from Pulse Data, spoke next. He thanked ACB for awarding him a scholarship some 15 years ago. "I'm the newest kid on the block, so to speak, here at Pulse Data, and I want to tell you what an exciting time it is to be on the Pulse Data team," he said. "When I came on board about four and a half months ago and Jonathan started floating the idea of a product that was smaller and lighter than the BrailleNote, I was a little taken aback. I thought to myself, 'How can you have something smaller and more portable? I'm very happy with what I've got.'" He reviewed some of the newer devices and their prices with the audience. He told his listeners that they were entitled to a 5 percent discount because of their membership in ACB. Joel Snyder, director of described media at the National Captioning Institute, discussed audio description. He began description in 1980 with the Sunday comics in the Washington, D.C. area. "Audio description is a kind of literary art form," he said. "It's a type of poetry ... it provides a verbal version of the visual. The visual is made verbal and aural and oral using words that are succinct, vivid, imaginative to convey that visual image that is not fully accessible to a segment of the population and not fully realized by the rest of us ..." On DVDs, description provides access to movies. "Description can also develop more sophisticated language skills for all kids," Snyder stated. "Think about it. Teachers who use description and the DVDs that include a descriptive track add an important verbal dimension so that the picture book ... with a picture of a ball, and the text, 'See the ball,' would be elaborated upon. ... Description invites comparisons, introduces the child to new vocabulary, even metaphor or simile." NCI Described Media is the group providing description to "Sesame Street," he noted. "Access to culture is everyone's right, and there is simply no good reason why a person with a disability must be culturally disadvantaged." He reminded his listeners that Rep. Edward J. Markey (D-Mass.) and Sen. John McCain (R-Ariz.) have reintroduced the Video Description Restoration Act, which would mandate description. "If you would like to have more description on TV, let your representatives know!" he said. On Saturday night, July 17, ABC will air the Disney remake of "The Miracle Worker." He urged the audience to let ABC know they enjoyed the description by writing to the Audience Relations Department, netaudr@abc.com. The remainder of the session was consumed by resolutions and amendments. FRIDAY The session began with amendments and resolutions. Following these, the convention heard from a panel on Medicare Discount Drug Cards featuring Phil Strong from ACB and Tara Shaver-Jarmon, director of the Alabama SHIP/Medi$mart program. "I'll begin with two events that occurred beginning on December 8," Strong said. "On that day, there was a piece of government resolution introduced known as the Medicare Improvement and Modernization Program, which in it included the Medicare drug discount card and transition program. What this will do for people who are on Medicare is give them the opportunity ... to choose a drug discount card by which they would be able to receive discounts on their prescription drugs, as well for those who did qualify or do qualify, if they're within a certain income bracket, they would be able to receive a bonus amount of $600 this year and again next year to apply to other prescription drugs. There are many problems with the program." Among them: it's confusing; there are many choices of approved drug discount cards; figuring out whether those cards work in certain areas, whether it covers their medications and so forth. Each state does have a state health insurance counseling program (SHIP) which can help people choose the appropriate program for them and help them apply for it. Shaver-Jarmon addressed the SHIP program. "This program has been a result of the Medicare Modernization Act," she said. "What ... we're seeing now is a bridge between no coverage ... and having coverage in 2006, when the actual drug benefit is set to come into play." The discount card offers a discount of 10 to 25 percent off the retail price of prescription drugs. "There are about 40 discount cards available just in Alabama, and ... around 70 or so nationwide," she noted. These cards are provided by sponsors through contracts with Medicare; they're done in a variety of ways, by working with the pharmaceutical companies and by working with the local pharmacies. The $600 transitional assistance is like a bonus, she added, for people who meet certain income criteria. For assistance in choosing, visit www.medicare.gov or call 1-800-Medicare. ACB treasurer Ardis Bazyn presented her report. At the end of 2003, total revenue was $1,227,093, including $140,000 from board reserves; total expenditures were $1,229,423, which left a net of -$2,330. This year, ACB is looking better; budget is above expected levels by $38,000. She thanked affiliates for their donations and requested that chapters "keep them coming!" The remainder of the session consisted of amendments, resolutions and elections. (For election results, see the article "Election Results: New Faces in the Crowd," in the November 2004 issue.) SATURDAY The Saturday session consisted of elections, resolutions and amendments. CAPTIONS Paula Hall and Mary Brooner pause for a picture after discussing cell phone accessibility. Jonathan Mosen talks about the BrailleNote PK. He is standing on stage behind a lectern, with the American flag on the left. Joel Snyder addresses the topic of audio description for television. He stands behind the lectern on stage, with the ACB banner just visible behind him. ***** SUMMARY OF 2004 RESOLUTIONS (Editor's Note: This publication reflects only those resolutions which were adopted by the convention. ACB resolutions which were referred to other ACB entities for further consideration, tabled or withdrawn are not included in this document.) Resolution 2004-01 commends both the U.S. Mint and responsible officials within the government of the State of Alabama on their contributions to the design and issuance of the Alabama state quarter and commends the U.S. Mint on its efforts in seeking input from the blind and deaf-blind communities on the coin design depicting and honoring Helen Keller. Resolution 2004-02 rescinds the policy that requires ACB-L and ACB- Chat subscribers to provide identifying information over and above their names and e-mail addresses. Resolution 2004-03 instructs the American Council of the Blind's executive director to write to the Law School Admission Council expressing ACB's outrage regarding the unlawful treatment of Law School Admission Test examinees who are blind or visually impaired and provides that the officers, directors, and staff of this organization, in conjunction with its special- interest affiliate, the American Association of Visually Impaired Attorneys, make these concerns known to the monitoring authority, the Disability Rights Section of the Civil Rights Division of the United States Department of Justice. Resolution 2004-05 urges the United States Postmaster General to release a proclamation commemorating the passage of the "free matter for the blind" statutes, as well as recognizing their function and proper use, and the benefits derived through exercising this privilege, and directs the ACB staff to work with the Postmaster General to accomplish the objectives set forth in this resolution. Resolution 2004-06 confirms and rededicates ACB's commitment to principles of non-discrimination and fair treatment on the milestone occasion of the 40th anniversary of the enactment of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 that have underpinned and guided ACB's disability rights and civil rights advocacy and coalition efforts and activities over many years; calls upon and strongly urges its state and special-interest affiliates to rededicate themselves and their memberships to the goals and objectives of more comprehensive disability rights and civil rights protections under state and federal law; and directs its officers, directors, and staff to convey the substance of this resolution to its numerous partners in the many and varied disability rights and civil rights coalitions to which this organization proudly belongs. Resolution 2004-08 expresses appreciation to volunteers who worked to assist this year's convention attendees. Resolution 2004-09 expresses thanks to the convention hotels. Resolution 2004-10 expresses thanks and commends the convention host committee and the Alabama Council of the Blind for their work and for helping to create the positive atmosphere that exemplified this year's convention. Resolution 2004-11 reiterates ACB's opposition to any delays in providing voting systems accessible to, and usable by, people who are blind or visually impaired, when such delays are based upon requirements for, or consideration of, the inclusion of a voter-verifiable paper ballot requirement for direct recording equipment voting systems, and directs its officers, directors, and staff, and urges its state and local affiliates to take all reasonable actions necessary to bring about the most expeditious implementation of federal requirements that guarantee the right of blind or visually impaired people to vote privately and independently. Resolution 2004-12 directs the ACB staff to inform the United States Citizenship and Immigration Service (USCIS) about the specialized requirements of United States citizenship test-takers with visual impairments for appropriate alternate formats, alternative test administration procedures, and test questions that relate appropriately to the non-visual experiences of this population, and provides that ACB collaborate with other blindness organizations, as well as the USCIS, to assure that the needs of the population of immigrants and refugees who are blind or visually impaired will be taken into consideration when the naturalization tests are revised and standardized, so that these individuals will have an equal opportunity to participate in the benefits of United States citizenship. Resolution 2004-14 instructs ACB officers, directors and staff to advocate for an increase in federal funding for the Title VII, Chapter 2 program, with the increased federal funding to be allocated based on the population of each state 55 years and over and indexed according to the cost of living, so long as no state's allocation is reduced below its current fiscal year level. Resolution 2004-15 expresses ACB's profound disappointment with the action taken regarding the Unified English Braille Code (UEBC) by the International Council on English Braille (ICEB) and the Braille Authority of North America (BANA), urges BANA and ICEB to conduct research addressing the problems outlined in this resolution, and strongly encourages BANA and ICEB to examine other codes before taking a final vote on this important matter. Resolution 2004-16 creates and establishes the Blindness Hall of Fame. Resolution 2004-17 calls upon Greyhound Lines, Inc., the federal government and other appropriate parties to work together to maintain over- the-road bus services to all communities currently served by that company and provides that copies of this resolution be sent to Greyhound, the Secretary of Transportation and the chairs of the House and Senate committees having jurisdiction over transportation legislation. Resolution 2004-18: ACB joins with other stakeholders in advocating for the expansion of safe, accessible, and affordable transportation for people who are blind or visually impaired. Resolution 2004-19 requires that, when advocating for the reauthorization of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA), ACB will only endorse legislation that upholds each of the following basic core principles: (1) a free, appropriate public education for every child with a disability; (2) appropriate evaluation leading to appropriate placement; (3) an individualized education program, including short-term and long-term goals derived from collaboration among educators, assessment specialists, family members, caregivers, and disabled children themselves; (4) the most appropriate setting to meet a child's needs at any given time; (5) parent and student participation in decision-making; (6) procedural safeguards, including due process, and (7) equal access to all instructional materials; requires the organization advocate strenuously against all House and Senate IDEA reauthorization provisions that would limit substantive and procedural safeguards for children with disabilities and their parents, and provides that ACB urge other organizations and groups to join in supporting the goals and principles of this resolution. Resolution 2004-20 applauds the Access Board upon its promulgation of the long-awaited and anticipated final rule revising, updating and harmonizing the accessibility provisions of both the Americans with Disabilities Act Accessibility Guidelines (ADAAG) and the Minimum Government Requirements for Accessible Design (MGRAD) under the Architectural Barriers Act (ABA); calls upon the four federal standard-setting agencies, the General Services Administration (GSA), the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD), the Department of Defense (DOD) and the United States Postal Service (USPS), to commence regulatory proceedings to revise the Uniform Federal Accessibility Standards (UFAS) by incorporating into UFAS the revised and modernized accessibility provisions contained in the Access Board's ADAAG and ABA accessibility rule; calls upon the Department of Justice (DOJ) and the Department of Transportation (DOT) to commence rulemaking proceedings to revise their respective ADA accessibility standards through adopting the newly promulgated Access Board's final ADAAG and ABA accessibility standards rule; and instructs its officers, directors and staff to promptly communicate the substance of this resolution to appropriate federal government officials who have responsibilities for accessibility standards. Resolution 2004-21 supports the International Association of Audio Information Services in its call for substantial improvement in audio fidelity over that of existing analog sub-carrier transmissions; supports and promotes the preservation of the ability for all radio reading services to operate within the provisions of the current copyright laws, the making of enhanced information access services increasingly available to people who are print-impaired, and the design and manufacture of fully accessible radios; and directs its officers, directors, and staff to collaborate with IAAIS and any other organization, manufacturer or consumer advocacy group, in order to ensure the future growth, accessibility, and availability of broadcast delivered information access services. Resolution 2004-22 directs the ACB staff to send a letter to trade associations of manufacturers of appliances and electronic devices, and to other appropriate organizations, educating them about the need to take into account the blind and visually impaired community in designing their products; provides that ACB, through its information access committee, is ready and willing to assist such associations and their members to facilitate universal design; and directs the committee to attempt to establish meetings with such associations and their members to implement the purposes of this resolution. Resolution 2004-23 directs officers, directors and staff to ensure that, when any convention hotel provides shuttle transportation for convention attendees, such transportation will be available to all convention attendees, including those who use wheelchairs, at the same cost; requires the convention coordinating committee to amend the ACB convention guidelines to include the substance of this resolution; and requires that future hotel convention contracts include provisions to fully implement the policy set forth in this resolution. Resolution 2004-24 requires the organization to collaborate with the Media Access Group at WGBH to actively promote the inclusion of audio- described movies in the fast-growing satellite radio broadcast media market, and directs the executive director to write a letter to the Media Access Group at WGBH to express both our appreciation for their efforts on this matter and to request specific actions that this organization can take to assist in the promotion of the broadcast of audio-described movies on satellite radio broadcast media. Resolution 2004-25 opposes any effort of the Social Security Administration or the Congress to seek changes to the definition of blindness as it is applied to eligibility for Social Security Disability and Supplemental Security Income benefits and commits itself to work proactively to educate and inform its members and the general public concerning the valid and legitimate reasons justifying and supporting Congress' enactment into law of the special provisions benefitting people who are blind contained in the Social Security Act. Resolution 2004-26 supports and endorses the expressed intent of Congress in the Randolph-Sheppard Act, and the implementing expression in regulations of the Department of Education and in the preamble to such regulations, regarding the independent status of each elected committee of blind vendors; urges the commissioner of the Rehabilitation Services Administration, Office of Special Education and Rehabilitative Services, Department of Education, to adopt a policy, as follows: (1) in accordance with the Randolph-Sheppard Act, and implementing regulations, to the extent that any state law is in conflict with the act and regulations, and to the extent that a state offers an assertion regarding the status of committees of blind vendors in conflict with the clear meaning and intent of such act and regulations, such laws and expressions are null and void, and are pre- empted by federal law; (2) committees of blind vendors are entities not subject to the control of any state authority, and are established for the purpose of representing the interests of all licensed blind vendors in a state; and (3) members of committees of blind vendors are not state employees; and requires that a copy of this resolution be sent to the commissioner of the Rehabilitation Services Administration. Resolution 2004-28 requests the board of directors to provide employed staff of the American Council of the Blind with an immediate cost of living adjustment of 3.1 percent retroactive to the beginning of the current fiscal year. Resolution 2004-30 reaffirms a commitment to the design and implementation of paper money that is identifiable by people who are blind and visually impaired and expresses support of the litigation currently being undertaken by ACB in hopes that the United States of America will join many other countries and design and produce currency that can be readily identified by people who are blind and visually impaired. ***** IN MEMORIAM: FORREST R. GOODENOUGH by C.J. Evans Forrest R. Goodenough was born July 27, 1918 in South Bend, Ind., and died on August 14, 2004 in Gravette, Ark. He lost his sight at age 5 and grew up during a time when our culture had a limited view of the amazing potential of children who didn't see. He was around people who loved him and believed he could do nearly anything -- which came to include carpentry, digging a basement under an existing house, building a cabin, ice skating, riding a tandem bicycle, cooking, finding his way around New York City, attending Butler University and DePauw University and earning a master's at Eastman School of Music. His earliest musical compositions and performances were in grade school. In 1965 he was ranked 9th of the top 150 American composers by the American Composers Alliance. In the 1940s he lived in New York City and was the staff pianist at NBC. He also held two other regular jazz piano jobs at the Cotillion Room and the Barbary Room. At that time he met and ran around with George Shearing and Lenny Tristano. In Woodstock, N.Y., he had a year-long sabbatical to live in the Old Maverick House and complete classical compositions. His first wife, Lucia C. Greer, and daughter have fond memories of their arts colony life. In 1949 he accepted a faculty position at Trinity University in San Antonio, Tex., teaching theory and composition. In 1952 he and Dorothy Churchill Goodenough began 25 years of teaching at the Texas School for the Blind and Visually Impaired. Under their guidance, the music program blossomed to include a string ensemble, an orchestra, band, and numerous award-winning soloists. He and Dorothy Churchill Goodenough were married for nearly 51 years; she died in January 2004. Forrest Goodenough passed on in Gravette, Ark., while at the Texas School for the Blind, an auditorium full of a few hundred friends, former students, and family celebrated his life and contributions. That auditorium was renamed the Goodenough Performance Hall; a charitable fund was established to benefit future students. He is survived by his daughter, Crow Johnson Evans, and her husband, Dr. Arthur F. Evans; his first wife, Lucia C. Greer; and by his niece by marriage and her husband, Diane Churchill Rautenberg and Norm Rautenberg of New Hampshire. In lieu of flowers, the family requests that charitable donations be sent to: Attention: Goodenough Fund, c/o All Blind Children of Texas, 1100 W. 45th St., Austin, TX 78756. All contributors will receive a DVD of the dedication ceremony and gathering. ***** AFFILIATE NEWS Special Request from Library Users Library Users of America requests that all people who paid their LUA dues at the convention in Birmingham last July call Sharon Lovering, editor of "The Braille Forum," with your name, address, and telephone number. Sharon can be reached at the ACB office, 1-800-424-8666 or (202) 467-5081. These individuals will not need to pay dues for 2005. What Is It? And What Do They Do? (Editor's Note: Nola McKinney may be reached at (870) 356-5344.) When you pick up the program at the national convention and scan all the many affiliates, it's sometimes difficult to remember just what all that alphabet soup means. What do all those initials stand for, and just what on earth do they all do? Well, I can't speak for all of our affiliates, but I can tell you about one of the newest ones, AAVL. I am Nola McKinney, newly elected president of AAVL. Oh, I know, many of you think of me as the chair of the awards committee, and that's true, but as president of AAVL I wear another hat. AAVL stands for the Alliance on Aging and Vision Loss. Most of our members are people who are over 50. All of them are visually impaired; some also have a hearing impairment. Some have been visually impaired all their lives; others have lost their sight to macular degeneration, glaucoma, cataracts or diabetes. We have discovered that the number of Americans diagnosed as legally blind is growing rapidly. We not only hope we can help those members who have been blind a long time and are also experiencing the aging process of hearing loss and arthritis, but the many folks out there who are trying to adjust to losing sight as aging adults. We feel they can gain so very much from those of us who have experienced vision loss and know the tricks of the trade. Whether it's telling them about talking books, free directory assistance, or how to mark the stove or microwave, we can help them adjust to losing sight. Just in the short time that I have been president I have talked to older individuals all over the United States on the phone. Due to our ACB PSAs, the national office in Washington receives many calls from older folks losing sight and looking for help. Barbara Vodapivc, formerly of the ACB national office, has referred those calls to me. I have called all of those individuals, talked to them, and more importantly, listened to them and tried to help. In some cases I have referred them to their state rehabilitation office, and in all cases to the state president. I also get their addresses and send them brochures and applications for AAVL. In every case I wish I could do more. I am asking all of you to reach out and try to help these newly visually impaired older people, because they do need to know there are others experiencing the same thing they are going through. In many cases just talking to someone else who has the same problems you do makes these individuals feel better. We can share so much of what we have learned in living with vision loss with older people. So share the vision, and send us the older Americans who need our help. ***** LETTERS TO THE EDITOR The contents of this column reflect the letters we had received by the time we went to press, November 15, 2004. Letters are limited to 300 words or less. All submissions must include the author's name and location. Opinions expressed are those of the authors. Regarding Low-Vision Drivers My sister and I both have limited fields of vision from complications of glaucoma. Both of us fully meet the requirements for driving with our corrective lenses. Every person over 40 starts having vision impairment and must adapt. Glaucoma peripheral vision loss requires different degrees of adaptation. I use the procedure of adjusting the side view mirrors for optimum vision of cars in the side blind spots. I further adapt to low vision by never using a cell phone in the car, never adjusting the radio or air conditioning when the car is in motion, and refraining from eating in the car. Many drivers with normal vision are distracted by eating, using cell phones, or adjusting the radio; they operate with only 20 percent concentration on driving. With my 70 percent vision, I still operate safely by not allowing the distractions under which most fully sighted drivers operate. It would be interesting to hear how other low-vision drivers adapt to loss of side vision or single vision. I'm searching for a side view mirror that will give two fields of vision: one section of that mirror would be designed for the left and right blind spots; the major part of the mirror would operate in the normal fashion. Recently, I added a rearview mirror that is 6 inches wider than a normal mirror. This wider view allows any rear traffic approaching the blind spots to be picked up from the rear before they enter those spots. The mirror then allows view of the left or right passing car through a segment of the extra- wide mirror. I would be very interested in reading articles on driving adaptations to reduced field of vision. -- Joseph J. Neff, Indianapolis, Ind. Dumb Laws and the White Cane Law Dear Editor: A good laugh is a great stress reducer, so after learning of www.dumblaws.com, I hit the Internet fully prepared to smile. I learned, for instance, that in my state, "No one may bribe any athlete to 'rig' a game, match, tournament, etc. with the exception of wrestlers." And in one Mississippi city it is unlawful to shave in the middle of Main Street. In preparation for a visit to Lawrence, Kan., I learned that in that city, it is illegal to wear a bee in one's hat. Since this bit of web surfing was occurring on Election Day, I decided to check out the listing of federal laws. Just ahead of the law which declares: "Persons may be placed in jail for up to five years for shooting a hole in a penny," I found the following listing: "October 15 is designated as White Cane Safety Day." This statement was followed by a link to the full text of the law. As a cane traveler, I find the inclusion of "White Cane Safety Day" on www.dumblaws.com to be inexcusable and very disappointing. The attitude portrayed by the inclusion of such a useful law on this list is a very strong indication that the mission of ACB is not yet fulfilled. As long as someone thinks of this law as being "dumb," we must redouble our efforts to educate the public about the capabilities of people who are blind, and about the tools we must use in order to function at our maximum capacity. -- Mike Duke, Jackson, Miss. ***** HERE AND THERE by Sarah Blake The announcement of products and services in this column is not an endorsement by the American Council of the Blind, its staff, or elected officials. Products and services are listed free of charge for the benefit of our readers. "The Braille Forum" cannot be held responsible for the reliability of products and services mentioned. To submit items for this column, you may e-mail Sarah Blake at sblake@acb.org, or call ACB at 1-800-424-8666 and leave a message in mailbox 26. Please remember that postal regulations prohibit us from including advertisements, and that we need information two months ahead of actual publication dates. WORLD YOUTH CHAMPIONSHIPS The United States Association of Blind Athletes will play host to the 2005 International Blind Sports Association World Youth Championships, to be held Aug. 4-10, 2005, on the campus of Colorado College in Colorado Springs. Athletes must be between the ages of 13 and 19. Contact the USABA office, (719) 630-0422, or send e-mail to mlucas@usaba.org for an application. Or write to Mark Lucas, U.S. Association of Blind Athletes, 33 N. Institute St., Colorado Springs, CO 80903. SCOURBY WINNERS ANNOUNCED Congratulations to the winners of the Alexander Scourby Narrator of the Year Awards! They are: in the fiction category, Martha Harmon Pardee, a narrator for Talking Book Publishers, Inc., for her recording of "The Crimson Petal and the White," by Michael Faber; in non-fiction, Mark Ashby of Potomac Talking Books, Inc., for his recording of "Perfect I'm Not: Boomer on Beer, Brawls, Backaches and Baseball," by David Wells; and in multilingual non-fiction, Steven Carpenter, a narrator for Potomac Talking Books, Inc., for his recording of "The Age of Sacred Terror," by Daniel Benjamin and Steve Simon. To learn more about this year's winning narrators and the Scourby Awards, log onto www.afb.org/scourby.asp. The web site also features audio remarks from the honorees and excerpts from their winning selections. ROWAN GOES TO THE DOGS Four of the newest arrivals on the Rowan University campus this semester have an appetite for shoes, trouble sitting still for three-hour lectures, and a desire to race across campus. They also have four legs, a tail, and an uncanny ability to attract attention. What are they? Four puppies from The Seeing Eye -- two black Labradors, one yellow Labrador, and a German shepherd -- who are the first to participate in the university's Seeing Eye Puppy Project. The puppies are living with four students, spending nearly every hour of the day with them; they go almost everywhere the students go, except grocery stores and restaurants. SEEKING USED MATERIALS If you have any kind of used or surplus braille, large print, Moon type and cassette books, magazines, journals, newspapers, religious books and educational materials, please send them free matter to: Mrs. S. M. Shanti, Executive Director, All Book Corporation, 12/E, 7/2, Mirpur, Pallabi, Dhaka-1216, Bangladesh. SURVIVAL STRATEGIES "Survival Strategies for Going Abroad: A Guide for People with Disabilities" focuses on academic, volunteer, short-term work and other types of cross-cultural exchange for a cross-disability audience. It compiles new tips and stories from 20 people with disabilities who have studied in Australia, consulted in Japan, taught in Jamaica, volunteered in Russia, and more. This book provides information, resources and guidance on pursuing international exchange opportunities. It addresses disability- related aspects of the international exchange process such as choosing a program, applying, preparing for the trip, adjusting to a new country and returning home. "Survival Strategies" is available in accessible formats. For more information, or to order, contact Mobility International USA at PO Box 10767, Eugene, OR 97440, (541) 343-1284, or send e-mail to pr@miusa.org. ACCESS SAN FRANCISCO Access Northern California has issued the third edition of "Access San Francisco." This free publication provides essential information for anyone planning an accessible trip to San Francisco. The guide offers detailed access information on more than 150 San Francisco hotels, restaurants, museums, attractions, shopping centers, recreation, public transportation and service providers. "Access San Francisco" is available free from the San Francisco Convention and Visitors Bureau at (415) 391-2000, (415) 392-0328 TDD. Large-print versions and tapes are also available. SCHOLARSHIPS AVAILABLE RFB&D's Mary P. Oenslager Scholastic Achievement Awards (SAA) are given annually to nine blind or visually impaired seniors at four-year U.S. colleges or universities. The Marion Huber Learning Through Listening (LTL) awards are presented annually to six high school seniors with learning disabilities. The top three winners in each category are recognized at an annual RFB&D celebratory event. The scholarship program is open to active RFB&D members who have been registered for at least one year prior to the March 1, 2005 deadline, either individually or through their schools. They should be prepared to demonstrate outstanding scholarship, leadership, enterprise and service to others. Applications are now available. For more information, or to request an application, call toll-free at 1-866-732-3585, or visit the web site, www.rfbd.org. QUR'AN IN BRAILLE AT THE GRAND MOSQUE The Presidency of the Affairs of the Grand Mosque and the Prophet's Mosque has finalized a project that allows for the first time the distribution of copies of the Holy Qur'an printed in braille. The copies will be made available at various locations inside the Grand Mosque. The first copies are posted at King Abdul Aziz and Al-Umrah gates, two of the main gates most used by pilgrims and visitors. BLIND HANDYMAN RECORDS 100TH EPISODE The "Blind Handyman" Internet radio show celebrated the recording of its 100th episode in Houston the weekend of Nov. 5-8. The show airs on ACB Radio, www.acbradio.org. A highlight of Saturday's activities was the recording of an episode of "Cooking in the Dark" with head chef Dale Campbell. A proclamation from the city of Houston was presented by Bob Bartlett, ACB of Texas First Vice President and chairman of the Houston Commission on Disabilities. Houston's Mayor, Bill White, congratulated the show's creators for the milestone and proclaimed Sunday, Nov. 7, 2004 as "Blind Handyman Day" in Houston. NEW KURZWEIL PRODUCT Kurzweil 3000 for Mac V3 is available today and offers easy accessibility to users. Through the use of "floating" licenses, students no longer have to go to the tech lab to access this software. They can simply log on to use K3000 in the classroom when and where they need it. This new network edition tracks the number of licenses in use at any given time and limits concurrent use to the number of licenses purchased. Other new features offered in Kurzweil 3000 for Mac V3 include word prediction, vocabulary lists and document preparation tools. Version 3 can be purchased directly from Kurzweil Educational Systems at 1-800-894-5374 (within the U.S. or Canada). NEW AUDIO ZINE "Your Voice" is the first free weekly downloadable audio magazine that brings you stress-free comedy breaks, practical hands-on business solutions, and inspirational stories. We encourage listeners to participate by submitting audio articles on our 800 line, as well as writing audio books! For more information, call 1-866-341-6773 Monday through Friday between 8 a.m. and 5 p.m. Eastern. NEW DIRECTOR Virginia Richards of Braintree, Mass. has been named director of programming at the Talking Information Center headquartered in Marshfield, Mass. The center is a non-profit reading service that broadcasts newspapers, magazines, books, and special consumer information 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, to visually impaired and print-handicapped listeners throughout Massachusetts. NEW USABA PRESIDENT Kevin Szott was elected president of the USABA board of directors during the annual meeting, October 16. Szott, a four-time Paralympic gold medalist in the sports of judo, wrestling and goalball, has served on the USABA board since 1996. 200 VIDEOS FOR LOAN The Texas Center for the Physically Impaired has 200 described videos available for your enjoyment. If you would like to sit back and enjoy a good movie, here's how to do it. Send a one-time $25 gift made out to Bob Langford, 11330 Quail Run, Dallas, TX 75238. You will then receive a print and/or recorded list of most of the 200 titles (United States and Canada only). Choose your movies from the list, and let the center know at (214) 340-6328. Soon afterward, you will receive your first movie in the mail. When finished, rewind the video and place it in the container. Put the return label on it and put it in your mailbox. A couple of cautions: you must return the video within a few weeks so that others may enjoy it; failure to return a video will disqualify you from receiving additional titles. For more information, call Bob Langford at (214) 340-6328. BRAILLE PAPER AVAILABLE Future Forms, Inc., offers a wide variety of braille paper sizes at affordable prices. The paper can be used in all continuous-feed braille embossers and is sold in cartons of 1,000 continuous-feed sheets, with no minimum to buy. To order online, visit www.futureforms.com, or call 1-800- 748-0235 ext. 223 or 204. ACCESSIBLE MOTORCYCLING The Motorcycle Ride Volunteer Network partners disabled motorcycle enthusiasts with volunteer riders. For more information, visit the MRVN's web site, www.motorcycleridevolunteernetwork.org, or call (603) 447-2722. This network is only available in the United States. ***** HIGH TECH SWAP SHOP FOR SALE: Pac Mate TNS with 56K modem. Asking $900, including shipping within the United States. If interested, please contact Stacey Robinson at (615) 274-2916 (no collect calls, please, and don't call any later than 9 p.m. Central time) or via e-mail, stacey.robinson1@earthlink.net. FOR SALE: Serial DECTalk Express in excellent working condition. Asking $350 or best offer. Contact Shen at (650) 291-8667 or e-mail shen@sportsmail.com. FOR SALE: Multimedia desktop PC for copying CDs, DVDs and more. Pentium 4 with 2.4 GHz processor, 512 meg RAM, 120-gig hard drive, 52x CD/DVD-RW drive, 3.5-inch floppy drive, integrated video, Sound Blaster Live card, network and broadband ready, 56K modem, keyboard, scroll mouse, MS Office Pro and Windows XP Home edition. Asking $900 including shipping. For information, call (631) 805-7267. FOR SALE: PacMate Type 'n Speak and Braille 'n Speak, unused, asking $950 each. Braille Lite Millennium 40-cell for $2,500. PowerBraille 80 for $2,850; PowerBraille 40 for $1,630; Alva 280 84-cell for $720. Juliet interpoint braille embosser for $1,400; Blazer for $750; and Versapoint for $450. Aladdin CCTV for $950. Telesensory portable unit with 2 batteries for $290. E-mail s23li2000@yahoo.com or call Jay Sarl at (801) 358-7783. FOR SALE: Clearview 317 in excellent condition; hardly used. Asking $1,000 or best offer. Contact Elaine at (772) 283-7129. FOR SALE: Perkins brailler in excellent condition, $285. Classic Braille Scrabble, $48. Better Homes and Gardens Casserole Cookbook, three hardcover braille volumes, $19. Other assorted paperback cookbooks. Call (806) 359-9276 or e-mail kc5mpu@sbcglobal.net. Prices are negotiable. FOR SALE: PacMate, refurbished, two years old. All original material provided except headphones, which are standard Walkman headphones. Currently under warranty. $800. Call Debra at (703) 322-9690 or e-mail deb26@cox.net. FOR SALE: Braille Lite 40 with 2002 software updates, in good working order. Asking $1,250 or best offer. For more information, contact Rodney Neely via e-mail, blindlion@verizon.net, or by phone, (703) 319-0881. FOR SALE: One reconditioned braille writer with hinged hard cover. Asking $450. More than 60 Insul-gauges with two custom-made wooden jewelry cases, two Medi-coolers, and two additional freezer trays for the inside of the coolers. Asking $125 for the whole package, or $5 per gauge. Contact Robert Ziegler at (763) 537-8000. FOR SALE: Type 'n Speak. Comes with all utilities; hardly used. Contact Pat at (905) 684-0064 or e-mail psmolak@cogeco.ca. WANTED: Used CCTV in good condition. Contact Gigi Weinberg at aruugg@aol.com or (845) 657-2749. WANTED: Braille Note with a 32-cell braille display and a Perkins- style keyboard. Willing to trade an external modem with a serial cable and charger that can connect to a Braille Lite. Contact Anita Everett in braille at 710 St. Andrew's Drive, Apt. #18, Wilmington, NC 28412, or via e- mail at aeveret1@ec.rr.com. WANTED: Small Boze wave radio without the CD player. Willing to pay in installments. Call Walter at (661) 833-3663. WANTED: Pocket dictionary and/or pocket encyclopedia. Call Don Petty at (405) 330-8727, or e-mail donpetty@icu.net. ACB OFFICERS PRESIDENT CHRISTOPHER GRAY 94 RAMONA AVE. SAN FRANCISCO, CA 94103 FIRST VICE PRESIDENT M.J. SCHMITT 7320 DIXON UNIT 204 FOREST PARK, IL 60130 SECOND VICE PRESIDENT MITCH POMERANTZ 1115 CORDOVA STREET #402 PASADENA, CA 91106 SECRETARY DONNA SELIGER 3912 SE 5TH ST DES MOINES, IA 50315 TREASURER ARDIS BAZYN 500 S. 3RD ST. #H BURBANK, CA 91502 IMMEDIATE PAST PRESIDENT PAUL EDWARDS 20330 NE 20TH CT. MIAMI, FL 33179 ACB BOARD OF DIRECTORS Alan Beatty, Fort Collins, CO Ed Bradley, Houston, TX Brian Charlson, Watertown, MA Billie Jean Keith, Arlington, VA Oral Miller, Washington, DC Carla Ruschival, Louisville, KY Patrick Sheehan, Silver Spring, MD Naomi Soule, St. Louis, MO Cynthia Towers, Seattle, WA David Trott, Talladega, AL BOARD OF PUBLICATIONS Charles Hodge, Chairperson, Arlington, VA Cindy Burgett, Bremerton, WA Adrian De Blaey, Madison, WI Mike Duke, Jackson, MS DeAnna Noriega, Colorado Springs, CO Ex Officios: Ralph Sanders, Vancouver, WA Janelle Edwards, Manhattan, KS