From dandrews at visi.com Sun Jan 11 04:59:52 2009 From: dandrews at visi.com (David Andrews) Date: Sat, 10 Jan 2009 22:59:52 -0600 Subject: [Art_beyond_sight_learning_tools] National Federation of the Blind to Award $50, 000 in 2009 Message-ID: FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE CONTACT: Chris Danielsen Director of Public Relations National Federation of the Blind (410) 659-9314, extension 2330 (410) 262-1281 (Cell) cdanielsen at nfb.org National Federation of the Blind Announces Dr. Jacob Bolotin Awards National Federation of the Blind to Award $50,000 in 2009 Baltimore, Maryland (January 7, 2009): The National Federation of the Blind today announced that applications are now being accepted for the 2009 Dr. Jacob Bolotin Award Program. Each year the National Federation of the Blind presents cash awards to individuals and organizations that have made outstanding contributions toward achieving the full integration of the blind into society on a basis of equality. Dr. Jacob Bolotin was a blind physician who lived and practiced in Chicago in the early twentieth century. He was widely known and respected in Chicago and throughout the Midwest during his career, which spanned the period from 1912 until his untimely death at the age of thirty-six in 1924. He was particularly recognized for his expertise on diseases of the heart and lungs. Bolotin used his many public speaking engagements to advocate for the employment of the blind and their full integration into society. Dr. Marc Maurer, President of the National Federation of the Blind, said: "Dr. Jacob Bolotin was a pioneer who overcame low expectations and discrimination to become a renowned member of the medical profession without the benefit of the support services and civil rights protections available to blind people today. He was also a fierce advocate for greater opportunity for the blind in his time, and doubtless would have been a leader in the organized blind movement had he lived to see it come into being. The Jacob Bolotin Award Program celebrates his pioneering spirit by recognizing and supporting outstanding programs, technologies, and individual efforts that promote independence and opportunity for blind Americans." Recipients of the 2009 Dr. Jacob Bolotin Awards will be determined by the Dr. Jacob Bolotin Award Committee of the National Federation of the Blind. Online applications are due by April 15, 2009. Individuals or organizations are encouraged to apply on behalf of themselves or others. The award recipients will be announced at the 2009 National Federation of the Blind Convention in Detroit. A total of $50,000 will be distributed to the award recipients. The Jacob Bolotin Award Program is funded through the generosity of Dr. Bolotin's nephew and niece, Alfred and Rosalind Pearlman. In addition to establishing the Alfred and Rosalind Pearlman Trust to endow the awards, the late Mrs. Pearlman also wrote The Blind Doctor: The Jacob Bolotin Story. The book has been published by Blue Point Books and can be ordered directly from the publisher at www.bluepointbooks.com . Proceeds from book sales will also benefit the award program. For more information or to fill out the online application, please visit www.nfb.org. ### About the National Federation of the Blind With more than 50,000 members, the National Federation of the Blind is the largest and most influential membership organization of blind people in the United States. The NFB improves blind people's lives through advocacy, education, research, technology, and programs encouraging independence and self-confidence. It is the leading force in the blindness field today and the voice of the nation's blind. In January 2004 the NFB opened the National Federation of the Blind Jernigan Institute, the first research and training center in the United States for the blind led by the blind. Please visit our Web site: www.nfb.org. _______________________________________________ From fnugg at online.no Mon Jan 26 10:15:03 2009 From: fnugg at online.no (fnugg at online.no) Date: Mon, 26 Jan 2009 11:15:03 +0100 Subject: [Art_beyond_sight_learning_tools] art, photography, audio walking tour Message-ID: <497D8D27.60805@online.no> article excerpt History, art come together One Beloiter is mixing his love of art with his admiration for President Barack Obama. Kenan Pulliam, 34, is selling prints of a portrait of Obama titled ?Fulfillment of a Dream.? Although Pulliam is partially color blind, he enjoys painting portraits of African American historical figures. ?I pretty much grew up drawing,? Pulliam said. http://www.beloitdailynews.com/articles/2009/01/23/news/local_news/news01.txt site Alliance for Inclusion in the Arts... for full diversity in theatre, film, telvision and related media http://www.inclusioninthearts.org/ blog Media dis&dat Reflections on media images of people with disabilities and disability issues... http://media-dis-n-dat.blogspot.com/2009/01/obama-adminstration-posts-disability.html site - rich resource of links, information, guidelines etc. National Arts &Disability Center The mission of the NADC is to promote the full inclusion of audiences and artists with disabilities into all facets of the arts community. http://nadc.ucla.edu/about.cfm site http://www.disabilityartsonline.org/site Disability Online Magazine (DAO) is an online magazine supported by the Arts Council England which seeks to promote disabled and deaf artists and to discuss issues around Disability Arts. DAO pays particular attention to accessibility and is working to promote issues around web access for disabled people. photography tim o?brien photos http://www.timobrienphotos.com/ Best of Blind Photographers http://bestofbp.blogspot.com/ http://www.flickr.com/groups/blind_photographers/ http://www.flickr.com/groups/vi-uk/ http://largeprintideas.blogspot.com/ (site no longer updated but lots of interesting articles) travel http://ijourneys.com/ LISTEN AS YOU WALK! DOWNLOAD YOUR PERSONAL AUDIO WALKING TOUR GUIDE OF THE WONDERS OF ITALY ON YOUR iPod, CD or MP3 PLAYER. From fnugg at online.no Mon Jan 26 12:05:26 2009 From: fnugg at online.no (fnugg at online.no) Date: Mon, 26 Jan 2009 13:05:26 +0100 Subject: [Art_beyond_sight_learning_tools] scotch tape sculpting, photography, karate Message-ID: <497DA706.4040606@online.no> Hi, More photography links, youtube interview with Tony Diefell. Interesting article about sculpting with cellotape or about an artist who uses it. A brief description of how he works but wonder how the finishing layer is done. Any ideas? Thought this might be a good technique for sculpting, one builds up and has control the whole time. Regards, Lisa How to Print Large Photos hmm - had a bit difficulty with this blog, (perhaps scanned it too fast) where some good links in it though. http://49092fddfd2.blogspot.com/ blog ABOUT samsung camera http://bienmarron.blogspot.com/2009/01/top-ten-inventions-of-2008.html He's making sense out of karate Blind martial artist perfect at Supergrand kata competitition http://www.canada.com/burnabynow/news/sports/story.html?id=c39e375a-0848-4c03-a2c9-89a51d104e67 LEARNING TO SEE FROM THE BLIND http://articles.admatu.com/2009/01/learning-to-see-from-the-blind/ http://www.amazon.com/Seeing-Beyond-Sight-Photographs-Teenagers/dp/0811853497/ref=pd_bbs_sr_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1232298823&sr=8-1 http://www.seeingbeyondsight.org/ you tube Seeing Beyond Sight interview of author, teacher, photograher Tony Deifell http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4es4biOmODA article excerpt Stuck on cellotape Sehata starts by unraveling a length of cellotape a few feet long then rolling it up into a small tight ball to form the core of a piece. While figurative works have several cores, rather like the bones of the body, abstract works usually have one. The artist then continues to wind tape round them, all the time applying strong finger pressure, so that the sculptures develop a hardness similar to fiberglass. "An important point of the method is that the core should be hard and the tape should always be fastened tightly," Sehata emphasized. "Always fasten it and get rid of the air bubbles because that might create a problem later." Many of the shapes that arise from this process have a strangely familiar organic feel, like something that might be found in nature on some hitherto undiscovered shore or scuttling around some stygian abyss. As well, these heavily worked and kneaded pieces occasionally seem permeated with a kind of blind, tactile logic, as if they had discovered their own forms without the benefit of light, vision or conscious direction. Many of the smaller works give off such a powerful impression of the artist's fingers working, pressing and shaping them that they almost become like abstract sculptures of hands. http://search.japantimes.co.jp/cgi-bin/fa20090123a1.html From fnugg at online.no Mon Jan 26 14:01:26 2009 From: fnugg at online.no (fnugg at online.no) Date: Mon, 26 Jan 2009 15:01:26 +0100 Subject: [Art_beyond_sight_learning_tools] bridge, exhibition, tactile maps Message-ID: <497DC236.4080209@online.no> exhibition *TUESDAY, JANUARY 27* *Fitchburg State College .* /Shooting Blind: Photographs by the Visually Impaired./ Gallery Talk: 6:30pm. Opening Reception: 7pm. 978.345.2151. Campus Center Art Gallery, 160 Pearl St., Fitchburg MA 01420. Eurobank implements ?Design for All? principles http://www.emportal.rs/en/news/serbia/76318.html article excerpt Ripley: Mesa students find inclusive sculptures along light rail http://209.85.129.132/search?q=cache:E2IMxELnTywJ:www.eastvalleytribune.com/story/134366+Ripley:+Mesa+students+find+inclusive+sculptures+along+light+rail&hl=no&ct=clnk&cd=1&gl=no There?s an inscription under a bronze sculpture at a light rail station under ?A? mountain in Tempe that I?m betting you can?t read. Oh, if you took a good look at the sculpture you might recognize it as Roosevelt Dam, just as you undoubtedly would recognize the one next to it as the Tovrea Castle. (That?s the wedding-shaped building that looks out on East Valley commuters as they curve on the Loop 202 near Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport). You might recognize the sculptures but you probably couldn?t read the inscriptions because they are in Braille and only in Braille. I can?t read Braille either, but I know what the inscription says because several of my companions on a light rail outing this last week are blind or teach the visually impaired. In fact, there was quite a bit of chatter about the inscription as we left the rail and headed toward the park-and-ride lot next to the Sycamore Station in west Mesa. article excerpt Model of new Stillwater lift bridge offers a vision in green A three-dimensional model of the proposed Lift Bridge also will be on display. The model is about 2 1/2 feet tall and was created by Feyereisen Studios of Minneapolis. It was designed using Braille and other features to also allow the visually impaired to experience the model. "It's a very unique model and it's the first time we ever built a model for the blind," said Bob Feyereisen, whose company built the model with the help of two consultants from the blind community, Ken Rodgers and Jo Taliaferro. The $10,000 model has lampposts held in place by magnets so that they can detach, instead of break off, when someone touches them. And the crosswalks, instead of just being painted, have a thickness so that a blind person can feel there's a crosswalk there, Feyereisen said. http://www.startribune.com/local/east/37942474.html?elr=KArksLckD8EQDUoaEyqyP4O:DW3ckUiD3aPc:_Yyc:aULPQL7PQLanchO7DiUsr Blog Tactile Maps http://ajfowler.wordpress.com/2009/01/20/tactile-maps/ From dandrews at visi.com Wed Jan 28 19:39:21 2009 From: dandrews at visi.com (David Andrews) Date: Wed, 28 Jan 2009 13:39:21 -0600 Subject: [Art_beyond_sight_learning_tools] 2009 Washington Seminar Materials Message-ID: Legislative Agenda of Blind Americans: Priorities for the 111th Congress, FIRST Session The National Federation of the Blind (NFB) is the oldest and largest organization of blind people in the United States. As the Voice of the Nation?s Blind, we present the collective views of blind people throughout society. All of our leaders and the vast majority of our members are blind, but anyone can participate in our movement. There are an estimated 1.3 million blind people in the United States, and every year approximately 75,000 Americans become blind. The social and economic consequences of blindness affect not only blind people, but also our families, our friends, and our coworkers. Three legislative initiatives demand the immediate attention of the 111th Congress in its first session: 1. We urge Congress to ensure the safety of blind and other pedestrians by passing the Pedestrian Safety Enhancement Act. This legislation would require the U.S. Secretary of Transportation to: ? Begin a study within ninety days of its enactment to determine the most practical means of assuring that blind and other pedestrians receive essentially similar information to what they now receive from sound emitted by internal combustion engines; ? Determine the minimum amount of sound necessary to offer sufficient information for blind pedestrians to make safe travel judgments based on appropriate scientific research and consultation with blind Americans and other affected groups; ? Within two years of beginning the study, promulgate a motor vehicle safety standard to address the needs of blind and other pedestrians by requiring either a minimum level of sound or an equally effective means of providing the same information as is available from hearing internal combustion engines; and ? Apply the standard to all motor vehicles manufactured or sold in the United States beginning no later than two years after the date it is promulgated. 2. We urge Congress to work with blind Americans to create a Technology Bill of Rights for the Blind that mandates consumer electronics, home appliances, and office equipment to provide user interfaces that are accessible through nonvisual means. This legislation should: ? Mandate that all consumer electronics, home appliances, and office equipment be designed so that blind people can access the same functions as sighted people through nonvisual means and with substantially equivalent ease of use; ? Create a commission comprised of essential stakeholders to establish standards for nonvisual accessibility of electronic devices intended for use in the home or office; ? Endow the commission with enforcement powers or locate it within a government agency having such powers; and ? Authorize it to reexamine and rewrite standards to keep pace with the evolution of consumer electronic technology. 3. We urge Congress to promote and facilitate the transition by blind Americans from recipients of Social Security Disability Insurance benefits to income-earning, taxpaying, productive members of the American workforce by enacting legislation to: ? Replace the monthly earnings penalty with a graduated 3-for-1 phase-out (i.e., a $1 reduction in benefits for each $3 earned above the limit); ? Replace the monthly earnings test with an annualized earnings test with an amount equal to twelve times. Substantial Gainful Activity amount; and ? Establish an impairment-related work expense deduction for blind Social Security Disability Insurance beneficiaries equal to the amount applicable for this deduction when determining an appropriate income subsidy under Medicare Part D or 16.3 percent of earnings, whichever is greater. For more information about these priorities, please see below or consult the attached fact sheets. Blind Americans need your help to achieve our goals of economic security, increased opportunity, and full integration into American society on a basis of equality. Enactment of these legislative proposals will represent important steps toward reaching these goals. We need the help and support of each member of Congress. Our success benefits not only us, but the whole of America as well. In this time of national economic insecurity, these measures will contribute to increasing the tax base and encouraging the purchase of consumer goods. ENHANCING PEDESTRIAN SAFETY: ENSURING THE BLIND CAN CONTINUE TO TRAVEL SAFELY AND INDEPENDENTLY Purpose: To require hybrid, electric, and other vehicles to emit a minimum level of sound to alert blind and other pedestrians of their presence. Background: Until recently independent travel for the blind has been a relatively simple matter, once a blind person has been trained in travel techniques and has learned to use a white cane or travel with a guide dog. Blind people listen to the sounds of automobile engines to determine the direction, speed, and pattern of traffic. Sounds from traffic tell blind pedestrians how many vehicles are near them and how fast they are moving, whether the vehicles are accelerating or decelerating, and whether the vehicles are traveling toward, away from, or parallel to them. With all of this information, blind people can accurately determine when it is safe to advance into an intersection or across a driveway or parking lot. The information obtained from listening to traffic sounds allows blind people to travel with complete confidence and without assistance. Studies have shown that sighted pedestrians also use this information when traveling. Over the past few years, however, vehicles that are completely silent in certain modes of operation have come on the market, and many more silent vehicles are expected in the near future. These vehicles are designed to have many benefits, including improved fuel efficiency and reduced emissions, but they do not need to be silent in order to achieve these intended benefits. An unintended consequence of these vehicles as they are currently designed is that they will reduce the independence of blind Americans and endanger the lives, not only of blind people, but also of small children, seniors, cyclists, and runners. Currently the most popular of these vehicles is the gasoline-electric hybrid, which alternates between running on a gasoline engine and on battery power (although a few electric automobiles are already on America?s roads and new all-electric models are planned). The blind of America do not oppose the proliferation of vehicles intended to reduce damage to the environment, but for safety these vehicles must meet a minimum sound standard. On April 9, 2008, Congressmen Ed Towns and Cliff Stearns introduced H.R. 5734 (the Pedestrian Safety Enhancement Act of 2008). This legislation sought to solve the problem of silent cars by authorizing a two-year study to determine the best method for allowing blind individuals to recognize the presence of silent cars, and by requiring that, two years after the study was completed, all new vehicles sold in the United States must comply with the solution determined by the study. In the 110th Congress, eighty-eight members of the House cosponsored this legislation. Need for Congressional Action: For several years the National Federation of the Blind has been concerned about the proliferation of silent vehicles. Recently automobile manufacturers have acknowledged the problems posed to blind pedestrians by silent vehicle technology and have begun to work with the National Federation of the Blind to seek solutions. However, federal regulators have indicated that, in the absence of statistics on injuries or deaths caused by hybrid vehicles, nothing can be done. Congress must therefore direct the Department of Transportation to take action. It is crucial that this problem be addressed before the inevitable avalanche of tragedies involving blind people, small children, seniors, cyclists, runners, and newly blinded veterans shocks the nation. Proposed Legislation: Congressmen Towns and Stearns have reintroduced the Pedestrian Safety Enhancement Act to direct the Secretary of Transportation to conduct a study and establish a motor vehicle safety standard that provides a means of alerting blind and other pedestrians of motor vehicle operation, based on appropriate scientific research and consultation with blind Americans and other affected groups. This national motor vehicle safety standard must have the following characteristics: * In all phases of operation (including times when the vehicle is at a full stop) vehicles shall be required to emit an omni-directional sound with similar spectral characteristics to those of a modern internal combustion engine. * The sound should vary in a way that is consistent with the sound of vehicles with combustion engines to indicate whether the vehicle is idling, maintaining a constant speed, accelerating, or decelerating. The standard need not prescribe the apparatus, technology, or method to be used by vehicle manufacturers to achieve the required minimum sound level. This approach will encourage manufacturers to use innovative and cost-effective techniques to achieve the minimum sound standard. The addition of components to emit a minimum sound discernible by blind and other pedestrians will not negatively affect environmental benefits of gasoline-electric hybrids and other automobiles running on alternate power sources, and the emitted sound need not be loud enough to contribute to noise pollution. Automobiles that operate in complete silence, however, endanger the safety of all of us; silent operation should be viewed as a design flaw comparable to the lack of seat belts or air bags. Requested Action: Please support blind Americans by cosponsoring the Pedestrian Safety Enhancement Act to authorize the U.S. Department of Transportation to establish and promulgate regulations specifying a minimum sound standard for all new automobiles sold in the United States. In the House of Representatives, members can be added by contacting Emily Khoury in Congressman Towns?s office, or James Thomas in Congressman Stearns?s office. In the Senate members can support independence for blind Americans by sponsoring companion legislation. Contact Information: Jesse Hartle Government Programs Specialist NATIONAL FEDERATION OF THE BLIND Phone: (410) 659-9314, extension 2233 Email: jhartle at nfb.org A TECHNOLOGY BILL OF RIGHTS FOR THE BLIND Purpose: To create a Technology Bill of Rights for the Blind that mandates consumer electronics, home appliances, and office equipment to provide user interfaces that are accessible through nonvisual means. Background: In recent years rapid advances in microchip and digital technology have led to increasingly complex user interfaces for everyday products like consumer electronics, home appliances, and office equipment. Many new devices in these categories require user interaction with visual displays, on-screen menus, touch screens, and other user interfaces that are inaccessible to individuals who are blind or have low vision. No longer are settings on the television, home stereo system, or dishwasher controlled by knobs, switches, and buttons that can be readily identified and whose settings can be easily discerned, with or without the addition of tactile markings by the user. Moreover, the use of inaccessible interfaces on office equipment such as copiers and fax machines makes these devices unusable by the blind and therefore a potential threat to a blind person?s existing job or a barrier to obtaining new employment. This growing threat to the independence and productivity of blind people is unnecessary since digital devices can function without inaccessible interfaces. Today text-to-speech technology is inexpensive and more nearly ubiquitous than it has ever been; it is used in everything from automated telephone systems to the weather forecasting service broadcast by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. Indeed, a few manufacturers have incorporated this technology into their products to create talking menus or to articulate what is on the display; there is no reason why other manufacturers cannot do so as well. And text-to-speech technology is not the only mechanism by which consumer electronics, home appliances, and office equipment can be made accessible to blind people. Need for Legislation: Currently there are no enforceable mandates for manufacturers of consumer electronics, home appliances, or office equipment to make their devices accessible and no accessibility standards to provide guidance to manufacturers on how to avoid creating barriers to access by the blind. Congress should therefore enact a Technology Bill of Rights for the Blind, which clearly establishes that manufacturers must create accessible user interfaces for their products, provide a means for enforcement, and establish standards that will provide meaningful benchmarks that manufacturers can use to make their products accessible. Congress need not mandate a single, one-size-fits-all solution for all consumer technology. Rather any such legislation should mandate regulations that set meaningful accessibility standards, while at the same time allowing manufacturers to select from a menu of potential solutions that, singly or in combination, will allow blind users to operate the technology easily and successfully. This will not only give manufacturers the freedom and flexibility they desire, but encourage innovations that make consumer technology more usable for everyone. Proposed Legislation: Congress should enact a Technology Bill of Rights for the Blind that: * Mandates that all consumer electronics, home appliances, and office equipment be designed so that blind people are able to access the same functions as sighted people by nonvisual means and with substantially equivalent ease of use; and * Creates a commission to establish standards for nonvisual accessibility of electronic devices intended for use in the home or office. Such a commission should represent all stakeholders, including organizations of the blind; manufacturers of consumer electronics, home appliances, and office equipment or associations representing such manufacturers; and experts on universal design, electronic engineering, and related fields. This commission should have enforcement powers or be housed within a government agency having such powers (e.g., U.S. Department of Commerce), and should be authorized to reexamine and rewrite standards periodically, as consumer electronic technology continues to evolve. Requested Action: Please support blind Americans by introducing legislation to create a Technology Bill of Rights for the Blind (or by cosponsoring once legislation has been introduced) so that blind people will be able to participate fully in all aspects of American society. Increased access leads to increased independence, increased employment, and increased tax revenue. Contact Information: James McCarthy Government Programs Specialist NATIONAL FEDERATION OF THE BLIND Phone: (410) 659-9314, extension 2240 Email: jmccarthy at nfb.org REMOVING THE EARNINGS PENALTY: A COMMON SENSE WORK INCENTIVE FOR BLIND SOCIAL SECURITY BENEFICIARIES Purpose: To promote and facilitate the transition by blind Americans from Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) beneficiaries to income-earning, taxpaying, productive members of the American workforce. Background: The unemployment rate for working-age blind people is over 70 percent. Part of the reason for this disproportionately high statistic is the myths and misconceptions about the true capacities of blind people. These erroneous perceptions are manifested when employers refuse to hire the blind. In addition, governmental programs intended to help blind people meet their basic economic needs, especially the SSDI program, have had the unintended consequence of creating an incentive for blind people to remain unemployed or underemployed despite their desire to work. Low societal expectations result in low representation of the blind in the workforce. This low representation of the blind reinforces low societal expectations?it is a vicious circle that perpetuates systemic employment discrimination against the blind. Despite the efforts of the National Federation of the Blind, blindness still has profound social and economic consequences. Governmental programs should encourage blind people to reach their full employment potential; they should not encourage economic dependence. Existing Law: Title II of the Social Security Act provides that disability benefits paid to blind beneficiaries are eliminated if the beneficiary exceeds a monthly earnings limit. This earnings limit is in effect a penalty imposed on blind Americans when they work. This penalty imposed by the SSDI program means that, if a blind person earns just $1 over $1,640 (the monthly limit in 2009 following a Trial Work Period), all benefits are lost. Section 216(i)(1)(B) of the Social Security Act defines blindness as a disability based on objective measurement of acuity and visual field, as opposed to the subjective criterion of inability to perform Substantial Gainful Activity (SGA). For blind people, doing work valued at the SGA earnings limit terminates benefits but does not terminate disability. Only blind people not working or those with work earnings below an annually adjusted statutory earnings limit receive benefits. Need for Legislation: When a blind person enters the workforce, there is no guarantee that wages earned will replace SSDI benefits after taxes are paid and work expenses are deducted. For example, Jane worked as a customer service representative with an annual income of $35,000 until she became blind from diabetic retinopathy. Jane meets the criteria for SSDI benefits, which provide income of $1,060 a month (or $12,720 a year) tax-free while she is not working. Jane wants additional income to meet her financial needs. After an adjustment period and blindness skills training, she finds employment as a part-time representative making $10 an hour for 35 hours a week. Jane grosses $350 a week for an average of $1,517 a month. Using a conservative 25 percent withholding tax, Jane nets $1,137.50 from her work, combined with her $1,060 disability benefit, for a net total of $2,197.50 a month. If Jane should have the opportunity to work full time (40 hours), her weekly salary would go up to $400 a week for a monthly average of $1,733. This amount is over the 2009 earnings limit, so Jane loses all of her disability benefits. Using the same 25 percent tax level, Jane nets only $1,300 a month?working an extra five hours a week has cost Jane $897.50 net income (over $10,500 a year). This example illustrates the work disincentive contained in current law. A gradual reduction of $1 in benefits for every $3 earned over the earnings limit would remove the earnings penalty and provide a financial incentive to work. The benefit amount paid to an individual will gradually decrease, while the individual?s contribution to the Social Security trust fund increases over time. Under this approach, as Jane earns more, she pays more into the trust fund, and her dependence on benefits decreases. Monthly earnings evaluations are unnecessarily complicated for both the beneficiaries and the Social Security Administration. Since the medical prognosis for blind people rarely changes, and because blindness is objectively measurable, blind people should be subject to an annual earnings test with the limit equal to the twelve times applicable monthly SGA amount. Under current law blind workers frequently pay for items and services related to their disabilities that are necessary for them to work, and they are permitted to subtract these Impairment Related Work Expenses (IRWE) from monthly earnings when determining monthly income. Properly crediting IRWE poses a serious challenge to the SSDI program and creates a lack of predictability for the blind person trying to determine whether benefits will be available. To address both issues, Congress should permit SSDI recipients to claim the same amount used when determining an income subsidy under the Medicare prescription drug program, currently 16.3 percent. Congress should enact legislation to: ? Provide that earnings of blind SSDI beneficiaries in excess of the annual earnings limit result in a gradual benefit reduction of $1 for each $3 earned over the limit; ? Establish an annual earnings test for blind SSDI beneficiaries; and ? Establish one standard IRWE deduction for blind SSDI beneficiaries equal to the amount presently applicable for this deduction when determining an appropriate income subsidy under the Medicare prescription drug program or 16.3 percent of earnings, whichever is greater. Requested Action: Please support blind Americans by cosponsoring legislation that provides a common sense work incentive for blind Social Security beneficiaries. Contact Information: James McCarthy Government Programs Specialist NATIONAL FEDERATION OF THE BLIND Phone: (410) 659-9314, extension 2240 Email: jmccarthy at nfb.org The message is ready to be sent with the following file or link attachments: 2009-Washington-Seminar-Legislative-Agenda-and-FactSheets.doc Note: To protect against computer viruses, e-mail programs may prevent sending or receiving certain types of file attachments. Check your e-mail security settings to determine how attachments are handled. -------------- next part -------------- A non-text attachment was scrubbed... Name: 2009-Washington-Seminar-Legislative-Agenda-and-FactSheets1.doc Type: application/msword Size: 131072 bytes Desc: not available URL: From tim at timobrienphotos.com Wed Feb 11 18:46:56 2009 From: tim at timobrienphotos.com (Timothy O'Brien) Date: Wed, 11 Feb 2009 13:46:56 -0500 Subject: [Art_beyond_sight_learning_tools] Shared Visions Art Exhibit & website clarification In-Reply-To: References: Message-ID: 1. from http://www.timobrienphotos.com/2009/02/fyi-shared-visions-art-exhibit-2009-2010-call-for-entries/ The Southern California College of Optometry Eye Care Centerhas posted their call for entries for their next annual Shared Visions Art Exhibit. The show features work by blind artists. Andrew Bedo, a blind photographer and fellow member of the Blind Photographers Flickr group, has three images featured in this year's exhibit. Here is the official announcement with links to the application form. The Eye Care Center at SCCO announces that the "Call for Artists" for *Shared Visions Art Exhibit 2009-2010* has begun. As in the previous four shows, this is a juried art exhibit in which all artworks have been created by artists who are blind or legally blind. Works selected by the jury will be exhibited in the Eye Care Center for a period of one year. Please click on the links to receive the *"Call for Artists "* and the *Application Packet *to receive the needed entry detail information. *The deadline for entries is Wednesday, May 13, 2009. * I hope to submit something this year. If you are eligible, please submit some of your work. 2. Some posted links to some of my web sites and some related flickr gorups. Thanks! Here are some more details. tim o'brien photos ( http://www.timobrienphotos.com/ ) is my site. I share mainly my thoughts on accessibility and photography. They overlap more than you might expect. Large Print Ideas (http://largeprintideas.blogspot.com/) was my accessibility blog, but I rolled it and my old photo blog, oberazzi, into a new site when I moved to Wordpress. Blind Photographers (http://www.flickr.com/groups/blind_photographers/) is the group I start on flickr a few years ago. We have well over one hundred members (125 as of this morning). The group is quite active and represents a wide range of visual problems. We have a blog, Best of Blind Photographers ( http://bestofbp.blogspot.com/) to highlight some of the better images. Brian Negus runs a sister group for Visually impaired photographers in the United Kingdom (http://www.flickr.com/groups/vi-uk/). Please join us on flickr! Timothy O'Brien www.timobrienphotos.com www.twitter.com/oberazzi From KZakhnini at nfb.org Tue Feb 17 10:35:48 2009 From: KZakhnini at nfb.org (Zakhnini, Karen) Date: Tue, 17 Feb 2009 04:35:48 -0600 Subject: [Art_beyond_sight_learning_tools] National Federation of the Blind Youth Slam Message-ID: Invent new things, learn more about sports, perform astronomy, examine new technology, learn about engineering, solve crimes like on CSI, design solutions for the environment, meet new friends from all over the United States, play goal ball, watch movies, dance, make podcasts, meet blind role models, and experience many other adventures at the NFB Youth Slam. From July 26-August 1, 2009, two hundred blind and low vision high school students will stay at the University of Maryland, College Park, to be mentored by blind role models during fun and challenging activities meant to build confidence, expand leadership and advocacy skills, and increase science literacy. Participants will also attend various social events as well as workshops on topics such as leadership, career preparation, and advocacy. The NFB Youth Slam will culminate in an inspiring rally in Washington DC! But you must act now! The deadline for applications is March 1! Those interested in participating as students or mentors should complete an application by March 1, 2009. After an initial screening process, eligible students will be accepted into the program through random selection. Students and mentors need not have a strong interest in science, technology, engineering, or math (STEM) in order to participate, enjoy, and benefit from this academy. Don't miss out on this amazing opportunity!!! If you are interested in being a student or mentor participant or if you'd like to learn more about the NFB Youth Slam visit http://www.blindscience.org/ncbys/youth_slam.asp. Send questions about the NFB Youth Slam to youthslam at nfb.org. Sincerely, Karen C. Zakhnini Education Project Manager Jernigan Institute NATIONAL FEDERATION OF THE BLIND Phone: (410) 659-9314, ext. 2293 Fax: (410) 659-5129 Support Braille literacy and empowering programs by sponsoring me in the Motor City March for Independence! Visit http://www.marchforindependence.org/site/TR/walk/General?px=1003222&pg=personal&fr_id=1050 From fnugg at online.no Wed Feb 18 11:57:51 2009 From: fnugg at online.no (fnugg at online.no) Date: Wed, 18 Feb 2009 12:57:51 +0100 Subject: [Art_beyond_sight_learning_tools] In Blindness, a Bold New Artistic Vision - John Bramblitt Message-ID: <499BF7BF.20001@online.no> excerpt from The New York Times In Blindness, a Bold New Artistic Vision The faces in John Bramblitt?s paintings peer out through their canvases like hazy daydreams ? apparitions that make it all the more astounding that the artist is blind. Mr. Bramblitt, 37, lost his vision gradually over about 20 years, becoming completely blind in 2001. The exact cause is not clear, but Mr. Bramblitt, who lives in Dallas, suspects that it resulted from years of brain seizures that began at age 2, leading to a diagnosis of epilepsy . As he grew older, the seizures became more and more frequent and changed in character ? from tonic-clonic, which causes a loss of consciousness and violent twitching, to partial, in which the patient remains conscious but cannot function for a few moments. http://www.nytimes.com/2009/02/17/health/17voic.html?_r=2&ref=health&pagewanted=print From fnugg at online.no Wed Feb 18 16:14:46 2009 From: fnugg at online.no (fnugg at online.no) Date: Wed, 18 Feb 2009 17:14:46 +0100 Subject: [Art_beyond_sight_learning_tools] photography, history, John Bramblitt, beadwork Message-ID: <499C33F6.4020906@online.no> /The New York Times/ Paints a Portrait of Blind Denton Artist John Bramblitt http://blogs.dallasobserver.com/unfairpark/2009/02/the_new_york_times_paints_a_po.php Synesthesia: Art of the Senses http://www.bramblitt.net/studio.htm blog Seeing the cracks http://grafphoto.com/wordpress/2009/02/17/seeing-the-cracks/ http://www.enctoday.com/news/one_44016_nbsj__article.html/time_bead.html The lineage on her father's side was the Spokane Indian Tribe. Her dad, Marvin Brown, was a road construction worker, who despite being color blind, was a well-known bead artist. art based on art based on art ... Review: Ballet Memphis' Abundance is maginificent, ethereal Jane Hope Rehm?s ethereal dance based on an exhibit of touchable sculptures for the blind is a magnificent concept that should be kept in the repertoire, though slightly modified. A glowing, veil-like shroud hangs in the middle of the stage and three pairs of dancers interact through it. http://memphis.kaango.com/ excerpt The gift to say thank you for being saved from treason It was only thanks to the intervention of West, a particular favourite of George III who personally raised the matter with the king, that he was released after eight months in prison and deported back to America. Three years after the end of hostilities, Trumbull, who was blind in one eye, would return to complete his apprenticeship. http://www.antiquestradegazette.com/news/7045.aspx In 1794, a grateful and now successful John Trumbull visited London again, this time armed with his miniature portrait of his teacher?s elder brother, William. blog excerpt lisa murphy's tactile mind, a book project that blends both relief sculpture and braille to present erotica for the blind. http://sweetiepiepress.blogspot.com/ excerpt Statue honouring road-builder Blind Jack John Metcalf, who later became known as Blind Jack, was born in 1717 in a cottage close to the town?s parish church. He lost his sight after contracting smallpox at the age of six but went on to become a gambler, a hunter and a local musician of some renown. He also became a military musician and led the Yorkshire Blues onto the battlefield at Culloden. However he is best known for his work as a pioneer of road-building - pre-dating Telford and Macadam - and was resp0nsible for hundreds of miles of roads. http://www.thenorthernecho.co.uk/news/local/northyorks/4125154.Statue_honouring_road_builder_Blind_Jack/ website about tim o'brien photos tim's explorations into vision through photography and accessibility. legally blind, tim sees and senses the world with more than just his eyes. here you will find tim's musings related to his vision. you will see much of tim's photography and hear the stories the surround and give it meaning. you will read about the adaptions, mainly in the world of useful computer tweaks and everyday gadgets, http://www.timobrienphotos.com/ Best of Blind Photographers http://bestofbp.blogspot.com/ From JLazarus at nfb.org Sun Mar 1 20:42:41 2009 From: JLazarus at nfb.org (Lazarus, Jerry) Date: Sun, 01 Mar 2009 14:42:41 -0600 Subject: [Art_beyond_sight_learning_tools] NFB National Convention Exhibitor and Sponsor Information Message-ID: Good Morning Potential Exhibitors, Past Exhibitors, and Sponsors: If you are receiving this e-mail, we believe you may be interested in becoming an exhibitor or sponsor of the 2009 National Federation of the Blind (NFB) National Convention, being held in Detroit, Michigan from July 3-8, 2009. Many of you are past exhibitors and sponsors of our convention, and I hope you will return for our 69th annual convention. Dr. Maurer's attached open letter provides an overview of the other documents available which will answer questions about sponsorships, sponsored events, exhibit operating hours, costs related to exhibiting and electric service, access to Internet, details about the hotel, and related information. You are encouraged to read through all of the information provided in one of two formats, either Word doc, or PDF, which are located on our Web site, available at this link: http://www.nfb.org/nfb/National_Convention.asp. Exhibitors should be aware that all applications and payment are due by Friday, May 29th. Exhibitor applications received after May 29 will be charged a late fee of $100 per table, if space is still available. Sponsors must complete and return an application and provide ad copy, by May 1st to reserve ad placement in the agenda. Sponsorships will be accepted after May 1st, but ad placement in the agenda is not guaranteed. The 3rd annual March for Independence will be held on Monday, July 6. Corporate sponsor information is available by going to the following link: http://www.marchforindependence.org/site/PageServer. In the event you have additional questions about exhibiting, or becoming a 2009 National Convention or 2009 March for Independence sponsor, please contact Jerry Lazarus at the phone number listed below or by e-mail. Thank you for your interest and I look forward to working with you at our 2009 National Convention in Detroit. Best regards, Jerry Jerry L. Lazarus Director of Special Projects Jernigan Institute NATIONAL FEDERATION OF THE BLIND 1800 Johnson Street Baltimore, Maryland 21230-4998 (410) 659-9314, Ext. 2297 Fax: (410) 659-5129 http://www.nfb.org jlazarus at nfb.org -------------- next part -------------- A non-text attachment was scrubbed... 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Name: NC 2009 Open letter from MM.doc Type: application/msword Size: 93696 bytes Desc: not available URL: From info at michaelhingson.com Thu Mar 5 17:52:09 2009 From: info at michaelhingson.com (Michael Hingson) Date: Thu, 05 Mar 2009 12:52:09 -0500 Subject: [Art_beyond_sight_learning_tools] KNFB Reader Mobile to be demonstrated on Tek Talk Training this Saturday, March 7, 2009 Message-ID: KNFB Reader Mobile to be demonstrated on Tek Talk Training this Saturday, March 7, 2009 Tek Talk Training special time Saturday March 7, 2009 This Saturday Michael Hingson, Director of National KnfbReader Mobile Sales for the National Federation of the Blind will demonstrate the exciting KnfbReader Mobile Reader product line for the blind and learning disabled - featuring the first cell phone that reads and translates print into voice. The knfb Reader Mobile is a major advancement in print access for the Blind. The software, delivered on a multifunction cell phone, allows the user To snap pictures of any printed material and have it read aloud immediately. The first of its kind, the pocket-sized device allows individuals to Have print analyzed and read aloud in real time and in real life situations. The latest version is now able to read in a variety of languages Including French, German, Dutch, Belgian Dutch, Italian, and Castilian. Additionally, the software is able to translate between languages, displaying and reading aloud translated text. Contact: Michael Hingson Email: info at michaelhingson.com 888-965-9191 Date: Saturday March 7, 2009. Time: 10:00 a.m. and 1:00 P.M Pacific, 11:00 a.m. and 2:00 P.M. Mountain, 12:00 p.m. and 3:00 P.M. Central, 1:00 p.m. and 4:00 p.m. Eastern and elsewhere in the world 18:00 and 21:00 GMT. Where: Tek Talk Conference Room at: http://conference321.com/masteradmin/room.asp?id=rsc9613dc89eb2 Or, alternatively, http://www.accessibleworld.org names on the sign-in screen. We will record at least one of the events and put it on Michael Hingson's web site http://knfbreader.michaelhingson.com so if you are unable to participate live at the above times then you may download the presentation or podcast from the website listed above. All online interactive programs require no password, are free of Charge, and open to anyone worldwide having an Internet connection, a Computer, speakers, and a sound card. Those with microphones can interact audibly with the presenters and others in the virtual audience. If you are a first-time user of the Talking Communities online conferencing software, there is a small, safe software program that you need to download and then run. A link to the software is available on every entry screen to the Accessible World online rooms. Sign up information for all Accessible World News Wires and discussion lists are also available at the Accessible World website: http://www.accessibleworld.org Media Contacts for Accessible World: Robert Acosta, Chair, Planning Committee 818-998-0044 Email: boacosta at pacbell.net <http://us.mc836.mail.yahoo.com/mc/compose?to=boacosta at pacbell.net Web: http://www.helpinghands4theblind.com George Buys CEO. Talking Communities Email: buys at talkingcommunities.com <mailto:buys at talkingcommunities.com We wish to thank the Accessible world for permitting us to use its conference room for these demonstrations of the KnfbReader Mobile. The Accessible World, a division of Vision Worldwide, Inc. a 501(c) (3) not-for-profit organization, seeks to educate the general public, the disabled community and the professionals who serve them by providing highly relevant information about new products, services, and training opportunities designed specifically to eliminate geographic and access barriers that adversely affect them. The Michael Hingson Group "Speaking with Vision" Michael Hingson, President (415) 827-4084 info at michaelhingson.com www.michaelhingson.com for info on the new KNFB Reader Mobile, visit: http://knfbreader.michaelhingson.com http://michaelhingson.com/images/knfbReader-michael_hingson.jpg From dandrews at visi.com Thu Mar 26 13:45:25 2009 From: dandrews at visi.com (David Andrews) Date: Thu, 26 Mar 2009 08:45:25 -0500 Subject: [Art_beyond_sight_learning_tools] National Federation of the Blind Celebrates Release of the 2009 Louis Braille Bicentennial Silver Dollar Message-ID: FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE CONTACT: Chris Danielsen Director of Public Relations National Federation of the Blind (410) 659-9314, ext. 2330 (410) 262-1281 (Cell) cdanielsen at nfb.org National Federation of the Blind Celebrates Release of the 2009 Louis Braille Bicentennial Silver Dollar NFB Jernigan Institute Releases Report to the Nation on Braille Literacy Crisis Baltimore, Maryland (March 26, 2009): The National Federation of the Blind (NFB), the nation?s oldest and largest organization of blind people and the leading advocate for Braille literacy, today celebrates the release of the 2009 Louis Braille Bicentennial Silver Dollar. This historic commemorative coin, the first-ever U.S. coin to contain tactile, readable Braille, will be launched at a special ceremony at the headquarters of the National Federation of the Blind in Baltimore beginning at 10:00 a.m. on March 26, 2009. The NFB Jernigan Institute, the research and training arm of the National Federation of the Blind, will also release a report to the nation on the literacy crisis facing the blind in America. ?The Braille Literacy Crisis in America: Facing the Truth, Reversing the Trend, Empowering the Blind? describes the factors that have contributed to the shocking illiteracy rate of 90 percent among blind children and outlines steps to reverse this trend. A portion of the money from sales of the 2009 Louis Braille Bicentennial Silver Dollar, which was authorized by a law signed by President George W. Bush in 2006, will be used to support the NFB?s ?Braille Readers are Leaders? campaign. The campaign is a national initiative created to double the number of blind children learning Braille by 2015. Dr. Marc Maurer, President of the National Federation of the Blind, said: ?If the blind can read, the blind can achieve. The Louis Braille Bicentennial Silver Dollar celebrates the man who gave literacy to the blind and is a unique and beautiful keepsake, but it is also a coin with a mission: to make sure that every blind child and every adult losing vision in our nation has the opportunity to learn Braille.? Dr. Fredric K. Schroeder, first vice president of the National Federation of the Blind and coordinator of the NFB?s national Braille Readers are Leaders campaign, said: ?Braille is not being taught to many blind children and adults because there are myths and misconceptions surrounding the code. Braille is said to be slow and inefficient, difficult to learn, unnecessary in light of new technology, and something that isolates blind students from their sighted peers. But the blind know these myths to be false, and studies have shown that Braille leads to employment opportunities, independence, and self-confidence for blind people.? The program celebrating the launch of the Louis Braille Bicentennial Silver Dollar will feature: ? The presentation of the report ? Remarks by Dr. Marc Maurer, President of the National Federation of the Blind ? Remarks by Dr. Abraham Nemeth, who invented the Braille code used for mathematics and scientific notation in the United States ? Demonstrations by proficient Braille readers, including blind children ? A message from United States Senator Christopher J. Dodd, chairman of the Committee on Banking, Housing and Urban Affairs and the sponsor of the legislation authorizing the Louis Braille Bicentennial Silver Dollar ? Ed Moy, director of the United States Mint, who will give remarks and sign certificates of authenticity ? A ?Braille Fair? featuring fun activities for children and adults who want to learn about Braille The National Federation of the Blind is asking the American public, through purchasing this stunning silver dollar, to join its campaign to bring literacy, education, opportunity, and success to the blind of America. The Louis Braille Bicentennial Silver Dollar goes on sale to the general public at noon today. Those interested in ordering a coin should visit www.usmint.gov or call 1-800-USA-MINT (872-6468). For more information about the National Federation of the Blind and the Braille Readers are Leaders campaign, visit www.braille.org. ### David Andrews and white cane Harry.