[blindlaw] NO MORE EXCUSES - THE BLIND HAVE RIGHTS TO "HEAR WHAT OTHERS SEE" CHALLENGE 09
William ODonnell
william.odonnell1 at yahoo.com
Mon Mar 30 17:58:04 UTC 2009
Stop looking for a free pass or a handout.
So what; we are not equally able to utilize technology, Move on. You are not saying anything new. If this attitude persists, one might be better off sitting home collecting a check complaining that they are disabled. Stop collecting checks, go out and work. Prove yourselves to others this is the only way one will get ahead. People said that some things would never be possible, look at Barak Obama as a prime example. He proved himself, stood up for his beliefs, and was a success. He lives proof that anyone is able to do something that they truly dream and believe in. It would be great to see technology be accessible; however, the unfortunate reality is that the market for the blind is small in comparison to the large markets for the sighted and funding is based on greater need. Let us face a harsh reality that the fundamentals of the USA are based on majority and major capital as well and the sightless are in a minority. Remember that America is
still grappling with the old fundamentals of our past. I say this because a person’s appearance supersedes there fundamental needs if you show one that you are blind, they prejudge you. This is due to a lack of education. Thus, the small man is undermined and ignored since the majority of the population is unaffected. We live in a society where people think and act for today, not tomarro. Everything is taken for granted and no one thinks of anyone else, they only think of their selfish greed. People do not realize what they have until it is gone and they see how they are affected. Also, remember that the ADA is just 19 years old. We are not as advanced as the rest of the world when it comes to access and technology. Hopefully, this will change in the coming decades. Most importantly, remember that attitudes and people do not respond to radical change. Change has to come slowly for people’s adjustment. Stop complaining about what you do
not have and make change. Become an innovator instead of the hopeless blind person. Remember the movie blindness and why the NFB protested it because we are not beggars and not looking for handouts. Your conversation here is both a personal insult to a fellow blind person; most importantly, you, the writer. Change does not come over night and Rhome was not built in a day.
--- On Sat, 3/28/09, kdb <kdbenterprises at yahoo.com> wrote:
> From: kdb <kdbenterprises at yahoo.com>
> Subject: [blindlaw] NO MORE EXCUSES - THE BLIND HAVE RIGHTS TO "HEAR WHAT OTHERS SEE" CHALLENGE 09
> To: "David Musial" <david.musial at gmail.com>, "Robert Wohler" <Robert.Wohler at abc.com>, "Daniel Drabik" <dtdtkd at mac.com>, blindlaw at nfbnet.org
> Cc: "Dennis Blind Chef DiBona" <dibona at mac.com>, "Dennis Blind Chef DiBona" <kdbenterprises at yahoo.com>
> Date: Saturday, March 28, 2009, 4:17 PM
> DEAR EVERYONE WHO CARES!
> re: Author's Guild/ Amazon Actions and Excuses....
>
> So few seem to really understand, or rather choose instead
> to ignore, the fact that a product "VISUALLY" offered
> to us as consumers does nothing for the large segment of our
> population who are of low vision or blind.
> Instead it effectively continues the long time practice
> of discrimination and essentially disallows the
> visually disabled from active participation in what all
> others who can see are offered. ..
> The point remains easy to recognize but seemingly easier to
> forget: for most visually disabled individuals,
> their ears aretheir eyes.
> So, Please help others to understand this as you
> will gain better insight into the issues after reading the
> digest contained below following this message and challenge
> which concerns an attempt to organize a protest
> against AMAZON.com & the Author's Guild..
> Please continue reading and decide if you will join this
> challenge by signing and sending this on to gain support and
> possibly convince an attorney or lawyer group to
> take this human rights issue through those almighty
> courthouse doors.
> Then please do scroll below the signatures to read the
> digest itself from the mighty and
> wonderful BlindLaw Yahoo group, There you
> will learn of dates of the protest in NY City planned
> for April 7, 2009.
> This is the larger challenge however: via a class
> action case we propose a suit to prohibit all
> communication, written notification companies and producers
> of any type of communication devise or software etc.,
> especially phones, fax machines, all cell phone/tech
> equipment, and all other products designed to communicate
> and / or offer communication messages and methods, so
> production/designer companies refrain from further
> discrimination against the blind and low visioned
> population.
> It is proposed that by establishing this as a requirement
> during all communication devises production and designing it
> so accountability is built into the law to prove that
> all devises etc. are produced with text to speech/voice
> recognition and voice command abilities so the ease of use
> feature activates from start up through usage AND
> established reasonable costs for the devises are based on
> the average income levels of the disabled. Also
> essential to this effort will be to establishing the
> doctor's authority to write Rx's for essential communication
> devises, these may vary and will need to be defined in the
> case, and require insurance company/medicaid and
> medicare, approvals to pay for the devise or
> equipment.
> This elimination of an effective equally accessible
> communication system via text to speech/voice commands and
> voice recognition software, already developed and in
> operation with screen reader abilities, must be applied and
> useable - as well as user friendly - on all platforms
> including Apple/mac product - ie.. the latest ipod shuffle
> with reading aloud abilities throughout every menu and sub
> menu thus making it useable by the blind and visually
> impaired!
> This simple system is essential and finally available to
> the sightless, those who so often, too often, suffer
> the indignities of a profit seeking - world. A world where
> others MAKE THE DECISIONS TO HOLD back the rights of the
> disabled yet make profits often on them by selling them the
> only products available that are much too difficult for them
> to easily operate let alone, set up to use!
> And then, too often , the cost is prohibitive for so many!
> So why is a universally accessible communication
> policy and system that assures equal access via these
> technologies and software still not equally and always
> available to the blind and low visioned? IS
> MONEY THE EXCUSE?? Too expensive to produce? Can't use
> that excuse as it is already out there and has been for
> years. So, WHAT OTHER REASON COULD IT BE TO NOT have
> speaking abilities, voice command, voice recognition
> software built in to the equipment (like the easy to
> use VoiceOver in mac products) and easily accessible
> to all visually disabled people?
> These are the people who require it to have equal access to
> all that is offered visually to the sighted.
> AND YES! Braille counts but braille is ONLY
> ONE WAY AND IS, TO MOST IN TODAYS WORLD, NO LONGER THE
> EASIEST METHOD. For the deaf and blind perhaps but not
> so any longer for the Visually Disabled who are able to
> hear!!!
> Some items that are available are so costly the expense
> prohibits many to secure the services. And this is called
> accessibility? I think not! This
> seems to remain a legal/human rights for the disabled ADA
> issue and also seems to indicate it really should be a
> class action suit leading to the highest level so ALL
> equipment is made speakable and is useable at a FREE or very
> reasonable cost to the low visioned and blind users.
> It applies to all aspects of communication devises such as
> TV and movies, VDRs , PDAs, clocks, watches, ANYTHING others
> can see to communicate thoughts or facts and knowledge
> that the low visioned or blind cannot!!!
> Why does NOT that make sense to everyone?
> Money ? That is not an acceptable answer.
> Consider: Years ago, the deaf fought for hearing
> aides. And cost was a factor until the fight was won and
> hearing devices where on the market until the demand was
> satisfied and costs went down to a reasonable level - in
> most cases. Insurances were accessed and the story goes on.
>
> All must have access - equally! Not
> selectively!
> The blind / low visioned MUST have the ability to have all
> aspects of communication devices spoken aloud to them,
> especially land line phone caller ID by name and number,
> phone buttons, all sub-menus within the system, remotes and
> all sub menus within their oiperating suystems.. the list
> goes on forever.
> My long time hope remains that a caring dedicated lawyer
> will take on this noble cause and keep the world informed as
> it progresses! Including a text to speech
> method so the blind too can be aware of what is happening
> around them as well as what may effect them and can then
> allow then the option of choice to determine if they
> want to participate in that effort or act on the information
> learned or not.
> Copywrite issues are critical but human rights far exceed
> them. How can one be part of an effort - perhaps to decide
> to purchase the book or music or movie etc. if one is not
> able to understand the communication regarding them because
> it is only offered VISUALLY?
> SIMPLY PUT,DESIGNERS AND PRODUCERS OF EQUIPMENT MUST USE
> SOFTWARE TO USE THE AUDITORY CHANNEL OF THE VISUALLY
> DISABLED SO THEY TOO ARE INCLUDED IN THE POPULATION.
> That is it in a nutshell. Now we must fight to get it
> unilaterally applied to everything. If you agree or disagree
> this will not be criticized as we all learn form others and
> our errors are often times corrected through discourse and
> debate. It is asked that you do so politely, however.
> Please feel free to comment to help move this noble effort
> forward.
> Please help the Blind and Visually Disabled gain
> equal access to today's technologically advanced world
> similar to the level those of us who "see with our eyes" are
> able to do!
> Thanks for spreading the word.
> PS - An aside but a notable one:
> Seems as if a huge part of the profit producing
> market is being left out of the "BRILLIANT" marketing
> strategies of communication products, does it not?
> Foolish move.
>
> Tired of excuses,
> FEEL FREE TO SEND ANY PART OR ALL OF THIS PROTEST AS
> YOUR OWN WITH ANY CHANGES YOU FEEL WOULD HELP TO INFLUENCE
> THOSE IN AUTHORITY WITH THE POWER TO CHANGE THIS SITUATION
> AND GRANT THESE BASIC RIGHTS TO THE BLIND AND VISUALLY
> IMPAIRED.
> YES WE CAN! WE CAN CHANGE THIS!... JOIN THIS EFFORT
> FOR OUR SIGHTLESS RELATIVES AND FRIENDS, PLEASE.
> AS I SO SADLY LEARNED, TOMORROW BLINDNESS COULD VERY
> EASILY AFFECT AND /OR INCLUDE YOU!
> We are 'Tired of Excuses",
> ***PLEASE SCROLL AND READ BELOW OUR E- SIGNATURES/
> EFFORTS FROM THE BLIND LAW DIGEST:
> KATHY AND DENNIS DIBONA
> ALICE DRABIK
> ROSE TURNER
> kdbenterprises at yahoo.comhttp://fl.local.yahoo.biz/kdbenterprises/index.html
> From: "blindlaw-request at nfbnet.org"
> <blindlaw-request at nfbnet.org>
> To: blindlaw at nfbnet.org
> Sent: Saturday, March 28, 2009 1:00:12 PM
> Subject: blindlaw Digest, Vol 58, Issue 28
> Send blindlaw mailing list submissions to
> blindlaw at nfbnet.org
> To subscribe or unsubscribe via the World Wide Web, visit
> http://www.nfbnet.org/mailman/listinfo/blindlaw_nfbnet.org
> or, via email, send a message with subject or body 'help'
> to
> blindlaw-request at nfbnet.org
> Today's Topics:
> Informational Picketing Against Authors Guild in New
> York
> Message: 1
> Date: Fri, 27 Mar 2009 15:40:37 -0500
> From: David Andrews <dandrews at visi.com>
> Subject: [blindlaw] Informational Picketing Against Authors
> Guild in
> New York City
> To: david.andrews at nfbnet.org
> Message-ID: <auto-000094902467 at mailfront2.g2host.com>
> Content-Type: text/plain; charset="iso-8859-1";
> format=flowed
>
>
> >From Chris Danielson:
>
> Dear Fellow Federationists:
>
> As you may already know, Amazon, Inc.. released the newest
> version of its
>
> e-book reader, the Kindle, on February 9 of this
> year. The Kindle 2
>
> includes a feature that allows e-books downloaded to it to
> be read aloud.
>
> The Authors Guild has objected to this feature because it
> believes these
>
> e-books are licensed only for visual display, and under
> pressure from the
>
> Guild, Amazon has decided to allow authors and publishers
> to decide which
>
> books can be read aloud by this device. Naturally,
> this is a blow to blind
>
> people and others with print disabilities who can benefit
> from the
>
> text-to-speech feature and who would love to be able to
> purchase books and
>
> start reading them immediately for the first time in
> history. For this
>
> reason the National Federation of the Blind has joined with
> other
>
> organizations representing people who cannot use print
> effectively to fight
>
> the Authors Guild.
>
> We plan to kick off our public education campaign to
> increase public
>
> pressure on the Authors Guild to reverse its stance with an
> informational
>
> protest in front of the Guild?s headquarters in New York
> City. This picket
>
> will take place on Tuesday, April 7, from noon until 2:00
> p.m. I am writing
>
> to you in hopes that you can organize members to come to
> this protest. A
>
> number of Federationists from Maryland are coming and we
> expect
>
> participation from other organizations in the coalition,
> but it would be
>
> very helpful if those of you with easy access to New York
> City would help us
>
> by providing more picketers. It is extremely
> important that we make a
>
> strong impression on the Authors Guild and the media so
> that our message
>
> will be heard.
>
> In the next few days you will receive more communications
> with additional
>
> logistical details, as well as more information about our
> position and
>
> suggestions on how to respond to questions from the
> media. In the meantime,
>
> if you have additional questions, please do not hesitate to
> contact me. As
>
> soon as you have an idea of how many people may be able to
> come to this
>
> event, please provide that information to John Par? by
> calling 410-659-9314,
>
> ext. 2227, or by e-mailing jpare at nfb.org.
> Thank you for your assistance in
>
> this important matter.
>
> Sincerely:
>
> Chris Danielsen
>
> Christopher S. Danielsen
>
> Director of Public Relations
>
> NATIONAL FEDERATION OF THE BLIND
>
>
> David Andrews and white cane Harry.
>
>
>
>
>
> ------------------------------
>
> Message: 2
> Date: Sat, 28 Mar 2009 00:36:27 -0700
> From: <ckrugman at sbcglobal.net>
> Subject: Re: [blindlaw] Informational Picketing Against
> Authors Guild
> in NewYork City
> To: "NFBnet Blind Law Mailing List" <blindlaw at nfbnet.org>
> Message-ID: <94D47A96FA004126B3FFB96F0B9C6F95 at spike>
> Content-Type: text/plain; format=flowed;
> charset="iso-8859-1";
> reply-type=response
>
> If the legislative alert system previously discussed on
> this list hade been
> implemented members from all over the country could respond
> with emails or
> faxes to the Authors Guild to address this issue. This
> would be much more
> effective then to expect Federations spending hundreds of
> dollars on plain
> fare and hotel accommodations for this cause. While the
> information
> definitely needs to be provided there are much more
> effective ways for this
> to be done.
> Charles L. Krugman, M.S.W., ParalegalPresident,
> NFB of California Central Valley Chapter
> 1237 P Street
> Fresno ca 93721
> 559-266-9237
> ----- Original Message -----
> From: "David Andrews" <dandrews at visi.com>
> To: <david.andrews at nfbnet.org>
> Sent: Friday, March 27, 2009 1:40 PM
> Subject: [blindlaw] Informational Picketing Against Authors
> Guild in NewYork
> City
>
>
>
> >From Chris Danielson:
>
> Dear Fellow Federationists:
>
> As you may already know, Amazon, Inc. released the newest
> version of its
>
> e-book reader, the Kindle, on February 9 of this
> year. The Kindle 2
>
> includes a feature that allows e-books downloaded to it to
> be read aloud.
>
> The Authors Guild has objected to this feature because it
> believes these
>
> e-books are licensed only for visual display, and under
> pressure from the
>
> Guild, Amazon has decided to allow authors and publishers
> to decide which
>
> books can be read aloud by this device. Naturally,
> this is a blow to blind
>
> people and others with print disabilities who can benefit
> from the
>
> text-to-speech feature and who would love to be able to
> purchase books and
>
> start reading them immediately for the first time in
> history. For this
>
> reason the National Federation of the Blind has joined with
> other
>
> organizations representing people who cannot use print
> effectively to fight
>
> the Authors Guild.
>
> We plan to kick off our public education campaign to
> increase public
>
> pressure on the Authors Guild to reverse its stance with an
> informational
>
> protest in front of the Guild's headquarters in New York
> City. This picket
>
> will take place on Tuesday, April 7, from noon until 2:00
> p.m. I am writing
>
> to you in hopes that you can organize members to come to
> this protest. A
>
> number of Federationists from Maryland are coming and we
> expect
>
> participation from other organizations in the coalition,
> but it would be
>
> very helpful if those of you with easy access to New York
> City would help us
>
> by providing more picketers. It is extremely
> important that we make a
>
> strong impression on the Authors Guild and the media so
> that our message
>
> will be heard.
>
> In the next few days you will receive more communications
> with additional
>
> logistical details, as well as more information about our
> position and
>
> suggestions on how to respond to questions from the
> media. In the meantime,
>
> if you have additional questions, please do not hesitate to
> contact me. As
>
> soon as you have an idea of how many people may be able to
> come to this
>
> event, please provide that information to John Par? by
> calling 410-659-9314,
>
> ext. 2227, or by e-mailing jpare at nfb.org.
> Thank you for your assistance in
>
> this important matter.
>
> Sincerely:
>
> Chris Danielsen
>
> Christopher S. Danielsen
>
> Director of Public Relations
>
> NATIONAL FEDERATION OF THE BLIND
>
>
> David Andrews and white cane Harry.
>
>
>
> _______________________________________________
> blindlaw mailing list
> blindlaw at nfbnet.org
> http://www.nfbnet.org/mailman/listinfo/blindlaw_nfbnet.org
> To unsubscribe, change your list options or get your
> account info for
> blindlaw:
> http://www.nfbnet.org/mailman/options/blindlaw_nfbnet.org/ckrugman%40sbcglobal.net
>
>
>
>
>
>
> ------------------------------
>
> Message: 3
> Date: Sat, 28 Mar 2009 06:00:32 -0300
> From: "E.J. Zufelt" <everett at zufelt.ca>
> Subject: Re: [blindlaw] Informational Picketing Against
> Authors Guild
> in NewYork City
> To: NFBnet Blind Law Mailing List <blindlaw at nfbnet.org>
> Message-ID: <4D5D1503-3D66-471B-A599-6FEEF84E6840 at zufelt.ca>
> Content-Type: text/plain; charset=ISO-8859-1;
> format=flowed; delsp=yes
>
> Good morning,
>
> My concern with this action is whether or not the opinion
> expressed is
> representative of NFB membership. I for one believe
> that Amazon is
> well within their reasonable right to block this
> functionality from
> titles on their site to perserve the authors rights to
> their
> intellectual property.
>
> Perhaps a better approach would be for Amazon to be
> required to make
> an unlocked version of the texts available to individuals
> who register
> as text impaired. Understandably this method would
> have several
> problems that would have to be negotiated between all
> concerned parties.
>
> Just my two cents,
> Everett
>
>
> On 28-Mar-09, at 4:36 AM, <ckrugman at sbcglobal.net>
> wrote:
>
> > If the legislative alert system previously discussed
> on this list
> > hade been implemented members from all over the
> country could
> > respond with emails or faxes to the Authors Guild to
> address this
> > issue. This would be much more effective then to
> expect Federations
> > spending hundreds of dollars on plain fare and hotel
> accommodations
> > for this cause. While the information definitely needs
> to be
> > provided there are much more effective ways for this
> to be done.
> > Charles L. Krugman, M.S.W., ParalegalPresident,
> > NFB of California Central Valley Chapter
> > 1237 P Street
> > Fresno ca 93721
> > 559-266-9237
> > ----- Original Message ----- From: "David Andrews"
> <dandrews at visi.com>
> > To: <david.andrews at nfbnet.org>
> > Sent: Friday, March 27, 2009 1:40 PM
> > Subject: [blindlaw] Informational Picketing Against
> Authors Guild in
> > NewYork City
> >
> >
> >
> > >From Chris Danielson:
> >
> > Dear Fellow Federationists:
> >
> > As you may already know, Amazon, Inc. released the
> newest version of
> > its
> >
> > e-book reader, the Kindle, on February 9 of this
> year. The Kindle 2
> >
> > includes a feature that allows e-books downloaded to
> it to be read
> > aloud.
> >
> > The Authors Guild has objected to this feature because
> it believes
> > these
> >
> > e-books are licensed only for visual display, and
> under pressure
> > from the
> >
> > Guild, Amazon has decided to allow authors and
> publishers to decide
> > which
> >
> > books can be read aloud by this device.
> Naturally, this is a blow
> > to blind
> >
> > people and others with print disabilities who can
> benefit from the
> >
> > text-to-speech feature and who would love to be able
> to purchase
> > books and
> >
> > start reading them immediately for the first time in
> history. For
> > this
> >
> > reason the National Federation of the Blind has joined
> with other
> >
> > organizations representing people who cannot use print
> effectively
> > to fight
> >
> > the Authors Guild.
> >
> > We plan to kick off our public education campaign to
> increase public
> >
> > pressure on the Authors Guild to reverse its stance
> with an
> > informational
> >
> > protest in front of the Guild's headquarters in New
> York City. This
> > picket
> >
> > will take place on Tuesday, April 7, from noon until
> 2:00 p.m. I am
> > writing
> >
> > to you in hopes that you can organize members to come
> to this
> > protest. A
> >
> > number of Federationists from Maryland are coming and
> we expect
> >
> > participation from other organizations in the
> coalition, but it
> > would be
> >
> > very helpful if those of you with easy access to New
> York City would
> > help us
> >
> > by providing more picketers. It is extremely
> important that we make a
> >
> > strong impression on the Authors Guild and the media
> so that our
> > message
> >
> > will be heard.
> >
> > In the next few days you will receive more
> communications with
> > additional
> >
> > logistical details, as well as more information about
> our position and
> >
> > suggestions on how to respond to questions from the
> media. In the
> > meantime,
> >
> > if you have additional questions, please do not
> hesitate to contact
> > me. As
> >
> > soon as you have an idea of how many people may be
> able to come to
> > this
> >
> > event, please provide that information to John Par? by
> calling
> > 410-659-9314,
> >
> > ext. 2227, or by e-mailing jpare at nfb.org.
> Thank you for your
> > assistance in
> >
> > this important matter.
> >
> > Sincerely:
> >
> > Chris Danielsen
> >
> > Christopher S. Danielsen
> >
> > Director of Public Relations
> >
> > NATIONAL FEDERATION OF THE BLIND
> >
> >
> > David Andrews and white cane Harry.
> >
> >
> >
> > _______________________________________________
> > blindlaw mailing list
> > blindlaw at nfbnet.org
> > http://www.nfbnet.org/mailman/listinfo/blindlaw_nfbnet.org
> > To unsubscribe, change your list options or get your
> account info
> > for blindlaw:
> > http://www.nfbnet.org/mailman/options/blindlaw_nfbnet.org/ckrugman%40sbcglobal.net
> >
> >
> > _______________________________________________
> > blindlaw mailing list
> > blindlaw at nfbnet.org
> > http://www.nfbnet.org/mailman/listinfo/blindlaw_nfbnet.org
> > To unsubscribe, change your list options or get your
> account info
> > for blindlaw:
> > http://www.nfbnet.org/mailman/options/blindlaw_nfbnet.org/everett%40zufelt.ca
>
>
>
>
> ------------------------------
>
> Message: 4
> Date: Sat, 28 Mar 2009 07:16:27 -0400
> From: "Chris Danielsen" <cdanielsen8 at aol.com>
> Subject: Re: [blindlaw] Informational Picketing Against
> Authors Guild
> inNewYork City
> To: "'NFBnet Blind Law Mailing List'" <blindlaw at nfbnet.org>
> Message-ID:
> <50AF7F0597184596939D794676C898AF at Scorpio13>
> Content-Type: text/plain;
> charset="iso-8859-1"
>
> Hi Everett,
>
> First, let me say that not only are Federation members
> supportive of this
> action, but we have in fact reached out to other disability
> organizations
> representing individuals with spinal cord injuries,
> dyslexia and other
> learning disabilities, and other print disabilities and
> they are all in
> agreement with this position. Second, the issue here is not
> whether authors
> have the right to control their intellectual property,
> which they most
> certainly do. The issue is whether they can parse up the
> uses of an e-book
> that an individual has already paid for and claim that each
> potential use of
> it is an intellectual property right.
>
> The Authors Guild is upset because Amazon added a
> text-to-speech function to
> its Kindle 2, which means that downloaded e-books can be
> read aloud.
> Initially, Amazon did not plan to include the ability to
> disable that
> function; the company only backed down when the Authors
> Guild raised a
> stink. But the fact is that Amazon was initially legally
> correct to believe
> that there was no inherent intellectual property right
> involved. The reading
> aloud of text that one has purchased, in private, is not a
> copyright
> violation but a fair use. To argue otherwise is to argue
> that parents who
> read bedtime stories to their kids, or for that matter
> blind people who have
> a print textbook read aloud to them by a reader (human or
> machine), are
> violating copyright law. This is ridiculous and every
> copyright lawyer worth
> his or her salt knows it; even the Authors Guild is now
> backing down from
> it, arguing instead that the terms of their contracts
> prohibit this use. It
> makes absolutely no difference whether the reading aloud is
> done by a human
> or a machine, as long as there is no "public performance"
> or derivative work
> created.
>
> The Authors Guild wants what you have suggested--a
> registration system for
> people with disabilities, who would then be allowed to
> unlock the
> text-to-speech function. But more than just blind people
> are affected here,
> and many of them have disabilities that are not tied to a
> specific organic
> cause and can't be medically diagnosed. Besides, who would
> administer this
> system? Amazon? The Authors Guild? And more to the point,
> why should
> disabled readers have to register to read a book that we
> have paid good
> money for? The Guild's position is tantamount to saying,
> "You can buy our
> e-books but you can't read them without clearance from us."
> It is
> unacceptable and discriminatory.
>
> Bottom line; Everyone who pays good money for an
> e-book--which is not
> inherently either a visual or audio work and could
> conceivably be converted
> into even more formats, including Braille--should be able
> to read it in
> whatever form works best for them. The authors have a
> chance here to get
> money from the disability community--a revenue stream
> they've never had
> before since right now we get a lot of our reading material
> from free or
> subscription services like NLS or Bookshare. But our money
> apparently isn't
> good enough for them. Sure, they're motivated not by
> keeping us out but by
> trying to keep out the sighted, in order to make sure that
> the sighted
> either pay a surcharge for text-to-speech or buy the much
> more expensive
> audio book version. But that's just greed, not an
> intellectual property
> dispute. And disabled people who have legitimate reading
> problems but can't
> "prove" them to the satisfaction of the Authors Guild will
> also have to pay
> that surcharge. This is wrong on many levels and it's lousy
> business too. I
> hope that in light of all this you will consider supporting
> our action.
>
> Library services for the blind and others have their place,
> but the advent
> of the e-book means that we no longer have to be locked
> into those systems
> and potentially will have access to a much broader array of
> literary
> content. This has been the dream of the blind and others
> with print
> disabilities for generations. We are not going to let a
> knee-jerk, poorly
> thought out reaction from some authors organization take
> that dream away.
>
> Chris
>
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: blindlaw-bounces at nfbnet.org
> [mailto:blindlaw-bounces at nfbnet.org]
> On
> Behalf Of E.J. Zufelt
> Sent: Saturday, March 28, 2009 5:01 AM
> To: NFBnet Blind Law Mailing List
> Subject: Re: [blindlaw] Informational Picketing Against
> Authors Guild
> inNewYork City
>
> Good morning,
>
> My concern with this action is whether or not the opinion
> expressed is
> representative of NFB membership. I for one believe
> that Amazon is
> well within their reasonable right to block this
> functionality from
> titles on their site to perserve the authors rights to
> their
> intellectual property.
>
> Perhaps a better approach would be for Amazon to be
> required to make
> an unlocked version of the texts available to individuals
> who register
> as text impaired. Understandably this method would
> have several
> problems that would have to be negotiated between all
> concerned parties.
>
> Just my two cents,
> Everett
>
>
> On 28-Mar-09, at 4:36 AM, <ckrugman at sbcglobal.net>
> wrote:
>
> > If the legislative alert system previously discussed
> on this list
> > hade been implemented members from all over the
> country could
> > respond with emails or faxes to the Authors Guild to
> address this
> > issue. This would be much more effective then to
> expect Federations
> > spending hundreds of dollars on plain fare and hotel
> accommodations
> > for this cause. While the information definitely needs
> to be
> > provided there are much more effective ways for this
> to be done.
> > Charles L. Krugman, M.S.W., ParalegalPresident,
> > NFB of California Central Valley Chapter
> > 1237 P Street
> > Fresno ca 93721
> > 559-266-9237
> > ----- Original Message ----- From: "David Andrews"
> <dandrews at visi.com>
> > To: <david.andrews at nfbnet.org>
> > Sent: Friday, March 27, 2009 1:40 PM
> > Subject: [blindlaw] Informational Picketing Against
> Authors Guild in
> > NewYork City
> >
> >
> >
> > >From Chris Danielson:
> >
> > Dear Fellow Federationists:
> >
> > As you may already know, Amazon, Inc. released the
> newest version of
> > its
> >
> > e-book reader, the Kindle, on February 9 of this
> year. The Kindle 2
> >
> > includes a feature that allows e-books downloaded to
> it to be read
> > aloud.
> >
> > The Authors Guild has objected to this feature because
> it believes
> > these
> >
> > e-books are licensed only for visual display, and
> under pressure
> > from the
> >
> > Guild, Amazon has decided to allow authors and
> publishers to decide
> > which
> >
> > books can be read aloud by this device.
> Naturally, this is a blow
> > to blind
> >
> > people and others with print disabilities who can
> benefit from the
> >
> > text-to-speech feature and who would love to be able
> to purchase
> > books and
> >
> > start reading them immediately for the first time in
> history. For
> > this
> >
> > reason the National Federation of the Blind has joined
> with other
> >
> > organizations representing people who cannot use print
> effectively
> > to fight
> >
> > the Authors Guild.
> >
> > We plan to kick off our public education campaign to
> increase public
> >
> > pressure on the Authors Guild to reverse its stance
> with an
> > informational
> >
> > protest in front of the Guild's headquarters in New
> York City. This
> > picket
> >
> > will take place on Tuesday, April 7, from noon until
> 2:00 p.m. I am
> > writing
> >
> > to you in hopes that you can organize members to come
> to this
> > protest. A
> >
> > number of Federationists from Maryland are coming and
> we expect
> >
> > participation from other organizations in the
> coalition, but it
> > would be
> >
> > very helpful if those of you with easy access to New
> York City would
> > help us
> >
> > by providing more picketers. It is extremely
> important that we make a
> >
> > strong impression on the Authors Guild and the media
> so that our
> > message
> >
> > will be heard.
> >
> > In the next few days you will receive more
> communications with
> > additional
> >
> > logistical details, as well as more information about
> our position and
> >
> > suggestions on how to respond to questions from the
> media. In the
> > meantime,
> >
> > if you have additional questions, please do not
> hesitate to contact
> > me. As
> >
> > soon as you have an idea of how many people may be
> able to come to
> > this
> >
> > event, please provide that information to John Par? by
> calling
> > 410-659-9314,
> >
> > ext. 2227, or by e-mailing jpare at nfb.org.
> Thank you for your
> > assistance in
> >
> > this important matter.
> >
> > Sincerely:
> >
> > Chris Danielsen
> >
> > Christopher S. Danielsen
> >
> > Director of Public Relations
> >
> > NATIONAL FEDERATION OF THE BLIND
> >
> >
> > David Andrews and white cane Harry.
> >
> >
> >
> > _______________________________________________
> > blindlaw mailing list
> > blindlaw at nfbnet.org
> > http://www.nfbnet.org/mailman/listinfo/blindlaw_nfbnet.org
> > To unsubscribe, change your list options or get your
> account info
> > for blindlaw:
> >
> http://www.nfbnet.org/mailman/options/blindlaw_nfbnet.org/ckrugman%40sbcglob
> al.net
> >
> >
> > _______________________________________________
> > blindlaw mailing list
> > blindlaw at nfbnet.org
> > http://www.nfbnet.org/mailman/listinfo/blindlaw_nfbnet.org
> > To unsubscribe, change your list options or get your
> account info
> > for blindlaw:
> >
> http://www.nfbnet.org/mailman/options/blindlaw_nfbnet.org/everett%40zufelt.c
> a
>
>
> _______________________________________________
> blindlaw mailing list
> blindlaw at nfbnet.org
> http://www.nfbnet.org/mailman/listinfo/blindlaw_nfbnet.org
> To unsubscribe, change your list options or get your
> account info for
> blindlaw:
> http://www.nfbnet.org/mailman/options/blindlaw_nfbnet.org/cdanielsen8%40aol.
> com
>
> __________ Information from ESET NOD32 Antivirus, version
> of virus signature
> database 3971 (20090328) __________
>
> The message was checked by ESET NOD32 Antivirus.
>
> http://www.eset.com
>
>
>
>
> __________ Information from ESET NOD32 Antivirus, version
> of virus signature
> database 3972 (20090328) __________
>
> The message was checked by ESET NOD32 Antivirus.
>
> http://www.eset.com
>
>
>
>
> ------------------------------
>
> Message: 5
> Date: Sat, 28 Mar 2009 09:25:11 -0300
> From: "E.J. Zufelt" <everett at zufelt.ca>
> Subject: Re: [blindlaw] Informational Picketing Against
> Authors Guild
> inNewYork City
> To: NFBnet Blind Law Mailing List <blindlaw at nfbnet.org>
> Message-ID: <BDB68FA3-CC3A-4612-AD97-53AF24936C33 at zufelt.ca>
> Content-Type: text/plain; charset=ISO-8859-1;
> format=flowed; delsp=yes
>
> Good morning,
>
> Interesting, I think that the word that persuades me here
> is
> performance. The argument then, as I understand it,
> is that the
> reading aloud, by a person or machine, of a work differs
> from an audio
> book that is commercially produced that would be considered
> a
> performance of the work. I think that I can accept
> that to be a
> reasonable distinction between the two.. So, even if
> the ability to
> have a work read aloud impacts negatively on an authors
> return on
> investment, which it may not, it is as a result of evolving
> technology
> and is something that the authoring industry will need to
> deal with in
> the same manner as other industries must deal with the
> potential
> negative economic impact of evolving technology.
>
> Thanks for your thorough explanation,
> Everett
>
>
> On 28-Mar-09, at 8:16 AM, Chris Danielsen wrote:
>
> > Hi Everett,
> >
> > First, let me say that not only are Federation members
> supportive of
> > this
> > action, but we have in fact reached out to other
> disability
> > organizations
> > representing individuals with spinal cord injuries,
> dyslexia and other
> > learning disabilities, and other print disabilities
> and they are all
> > in
> > agreement with this position. Second, the issue here
> is not whether
> > authors
> > have the right to control their intellectual property,
> which they most
> > certainly do. The issue is whether they can parse up
> the uses of an
> > e-book
> > that an individual has already paid for and claim that
> each
> > potential use of
> > it is an intellectual property right.
> >
> > The Authors Guild is upset because Amazon added a
> text-to-speech
> > function to
> > its Kindle 2, which means that downloaded e-books can
> be read aloud.
> > Initially, Amazon did not plan to include the ability
> to disable that
> > function; the company only backed down when the
> Authors Guild raised a
> > stink. But the fact is that Amazon was initially
> legally correct to
> > believe
> > that there was no inherent intellectual property right
> involved. The
> > reading
> > aloud of text that one has purchased, in private, is
> not a copyright
> > violation but a fair use. To argue otherwise is to
> argue that
> > parents who
> > read bedtime stories to their kids, or for that matter
> blind people
> > who have
> > a print textbook read aloud to them by a reader (human
> or machine),
> > are
> > violating copyright law. This is ridiculous and every
> copyright
> > lawyer worth
> > his or her salt knows it; even the Authors Guild is
> now backing down
> > from
> > it, arguing instead that the terms of their contracts
> prohibit this
> > use. It
> > makes absolutely no difference whether the reading
> aloud is done by
> > a human
> > or a machine, as long as there is no "public
> performance" or
> > derivative work
> > created.
> >
> > The Authors Guild wants what you have suggested--a
> registration
> > system for
> > people with disabilities, who would then be allowed to
> unlock the
> > text-to-speech function. But more than just blind
> people are
> > affected here,
> > and many of them have disabilities that are not tied
> to a specific
> > organic
> > cause and can't be medically diagnosed. Besides, who
> would
> > administer this
> > system? Amazon? The Authors Guild? And more to the
> point, why should
> > disabled readers have to register to read a book that
> we have paid
> > good
> > money for? The Guild's position is tantamount to
> saying, "You can
> > buy our
> > e-books but you can't read them without clearance from
> us." It is
> > unacceptable and discriminatory.
> >
> > Bottom line; Everyone who pays good money for an
> e-book--which is not
> > inherently either a visual or audio work and could
> conceivably be
> > converted
> > into even more formats, including Braille--should be
> able to read it
> > in
> > whatever form works best for them. The authors have a
> chance here to
> > get
> > money from the disability community--a revenue stream
> they've never
> > had
> > before since right now we get a lot of our reading
> material from
> > free or
> > subscription services like NLS or Bookshare. But our
> money
> > apparently isn't
> > good enough for them. Sure, they're motivated not by
> keeping us out
> > but by
> > trying to keep out the sighted, in order to make sure
> that the sighted
> > either pay a surcharge for text-to-speech or buy the
> much more
> > expensive
> > audio book version. But that's just greed, not an
> intellectual
> > property
> > dispute. And disabled people who have legitimate
> reading problems
> > but can't
> > "prove" them to the satisfaction of the Authors Guild
> will also have
> > to pay
> > that surcharge. This is wrong on many levels and it's
> lousy business
> > too. I
> > hope that in light of all this you will consider
> supporting our
> > action.
> >
> > Library services for the blind and others have their
> place, but the
> > advent
> > of the e-book means that we no longer have to be
> locked into those
> > systems
> > and potentially will have access to a much broader
> array of literary
> > content. This has been the dream of the blind and
> others with print
> > disabilities for generations. We are not going to let
> a knee-jerk,
> > poorly
> > thought out reaction from some authors organization
> take that dream
> > away.
> >
> > Chris
> >
> >
> > -----Original Message-----
> > From: blindlaw-bounces at nfbnet.org
> [mailto:blindlaw-
> > bounces at nfbnet.org]
> On
> > Behalf Of E.J. Zufelt
> > Sent: Saturday, March 28, 2009 5:01 AM
> > To: NFBnet Blind Law Mailing List
> > Subject: Re: [blindlaw] Informational Picketing
> Against Authors Guild
> > inNewYork City
> >
> > Good morning,
> >
> > My concern with this action is whether or not the
> opinion expressed is
> > representative of NFB membership. I for one
> believe that Amazon is
> > well within their reasonable right to block this
> functionality from
> > titles on their site to perserve the authors rights to
> their
> > intellectual property.
> >
> > Perhaps a better approach would be for Amazon to be
> required to make
> > an unlocked version of the texts available to
> individuals who register
> > as text impaired. Understandably this method
> would have several
> > problems that would have to be negotiated between all
> concerned
> > parties.
> >
> > Just my two cents,
> > Everett
> >
> >
> > On 28-Mar-09, at 4:36 AM, <ckrugman at sbcglobal.net>
> wrote:
> >
> >> If the legislative alert system previously
> discussed on this list
> >> hade been implemented members from all over the
> country could
> >> respond with emails or faxes to the Authors Guild
> to address this
> >> issue. This would be much more effective then to
> expect Federations
> >> spending hundreds of dollars on plain fare and
> hotel accommodations
> >> for this cause. While the information definitely
> needs to be
> >> provided there are much more effective ways for
> this to be done.
> >> Charles L. Krugman, M.S.W., ParalegalPresident,
> >> NFB of California Central Valley Chapter
> >> 1237 P Street
> >> Fresno ca 93721
> >> 559-266-9237
> >> ----- Original Message ----- From: "David
> Andrews"
> >> <dandrews at visi.com>
> >> To: <david.andrews at nfbnet.org>
> >> Sent: Friday, March 27, 2009 1:40 PM
> >> Subject: [blindlaw] Informational Picketing
> Against Authors Guild in
> >> NewYork City
> >>
> >>
> >>
> >>> From Chris Danielson:
> >>
> >> Dear Fellow Federationists:
> >>
> >> As you may already know, Amazon, Inc. released the
> newest version of
> >> its
> >>
> >> e-book reader, the Kindle, on February 9 of this
> year. The Kindle 2
> >>
> >> includes a feature that allows e-books downloaded
> to it to be read
> >> aloud.
> >>
> >> The Authors Guild has objected to this feature
> because it believes
> >> these
> >>
> >> e-books are licensed only for visual display, and
> under pressure
> >> from the
> >>
> >> Guild, Amazon has decided to allow authors and
> publishers to decide
> >> which
> >>
> >> books can be read aloud by this device.
> Naturally, this is a blow
> >> to blind
> >>
> >> people and others with print disabilities who can
> benefit from the
> >>
> >> text-to-speech feature and who would love to be
> able to purchase
> >> books and
> >>
> >> start reading them immediately for the first time
> in history. For
> >> this
> >>
> >> reason the National Federation of the Blind has
> joined with other
> >>
> >> organizations representing people who cannot use
> print effectively
> >> to fight
> >>
> >> the Authors Guild.
> >>
> >> We plan to kick off our public education campaign
> to increase public
> >>
> >> pressure on the Authors Guild to reverse its
> stance with an
> >> informational
> >>
> >> protest in front of the Guild's headquarters in
> New York City. This
> >> picket
> >>
> >> will take place on Tuesday, April 7, from noon
> until 2:00 p.m. I am
> >> writing
> >>
> >> to you in hopes that you can organize members to
> come to this
> >> protest. A
> >>
> >> number of Federationists from Maryland are coming
> and we expect
> >>
> >> participation from other organizations in the
> coalition, but it
> >> would be
> >>
> >> very helpful if those of you with easy access to
> New York City would
> >> help us
> >>
> >> by providing more picketers. It is extremely
> important that we
> >> make a
> >>
> >> strong impression on the Authors Guild and the
> media so that our
> >> message
> >>
> >> will be heard.
> >>
> >> In the next few days you will receive more
> communications with
> >> additional
> >>
> >> logistical details, as well as more information
> about our position
> >> and
> >>
> >> suggestions on how to respond to questions from
> the media. In the
> >> meantime,
> >>
> >> if you have additional questions, please do not
> hesitate to contact
> >> me. As
> >>
> >> soon as you have an idea of how many people may be
> able to come to
> >> this
> >>
> >> event, please provide that information to John
> Par? by calling
> >> 410-659-9314,
> >>
> >> ext. 2227, or by e-mailing jpare at nfb.org.
> Thank you for your
> >> assistance in
> >>
> >> this important matter.
> >>
> >> Sincerely:
> >>
> >> Chris Danielsen
> >>
> >> Christopher S. Danielsen
> >>
> >> Director of Public Relations
> >>
> >> NATIONAL FEDERATION OF THE BLIND
> >>
> >>
> >> David Andrews and white cane Harry.
> >>
> >>
> >>
> >> _______________________________________________
> >> blindlaw mailing list
> >> blindlaw at nfbnet.org
> >> http://www.nfbnet.org/mailman/listinfo/blindlaw_nfbnet.org
> >> To unsubscribe, change your list options or get
> your account info
> >> for blindlaw:
> >>
> > http://www.nfbnet.org/mailman/options/blindlaw_nfbnet.org/ckrugman%40sbcglob
> > al.net
> >>
> >>
> >> _______________________________________________
> >> blindlaw mailing list
> >> blindlaw at nfbnet.org
> >> http://www.nfbnet.org/mailman/listinfo/blindlaw_nfbnet.org
> >> To unsubscribe, change your list options or get
> your account info
> >> for blindlaw:
> >>
> > http://www.nfbnet.org/mailman/options/blindlaw_nfbnet.org/everett%40zufelt.c
> > a
> >
> >
> > _______________________________________________
> > blindlaw mailing list
> > blindlaw at nfbnet.org
> > http://www.nfbnet.org/mailman/listinfo/blindlaw_nfbnet.org
> > To unsubscribe, change your list options or get your
> account info for
> > blindlaw:
> > http://www.nfbnet.org/mailman/options/blindlaw_nfbnet.org/cdanielsen8%40aol
>
> > .
> > com
> >
> > __________ Information from ESET NOD32 Antivirus,
> version of virus
> > signature
> > database 3971 (20090328) __________
> >
> > The message was checked by ESET NOD32 Antivirus.
> >
> > http://www.eset.com
> >
> >
> >
> >
> > __________ Information from ESET NOD32 Antivirus,
> version of virus
> > signature
> > database 3972 (20090328) __________
> >
> > The message was checked by ESET NOD32 Antivirus.
> >
> > http://www.eset.com
> >
> >
> > _______________________________________________
> > blindlaw mailing list
> > blindlaw at nfbnet.org
> > http://www.nfbnet.org/mailman/listinfo/blindlaw_nfbnet.org
> > To unsubscribe, change your list options or get your
> account info
> > for blindlaw:
> > http://www.nfbnet..org/mailman/options/blindlaw_nfbnet.org/everett%40zufelt.ca
>
>
>
>
> ------------------------------
>
> Message: 6
> Date: Sat, 28 Mar 2009 09:17:16 -0700
> From: Michael Fry <mikefry79 at gmail.com>
> Subject: Re: [blindlaw] Informational Picketing Against
> Authors Guild
> inNewYork City
> To: NFBnet Blind Law Mailing List <blindlaw at nfbnet.org>
> Message-ID:
> <8c58e54a0903280917t4d5b93ear95d903b361ddceab at mail.gmail.com>
> Content-Type: text/plain; charset=ISO-8859-1
>
> Without doing an in depth analysis of the issue I will
> simply say that I
> strongly support the NFB on this issue. I'm very
> proud of the NFB
> for courageously taking up a difficult fight whose positive
> outcome will in
> all practical terms improve the lives of the blind.
> The Guild's neo-luddite
> stance is shameful and wrong.
>
> I will go so far as to say that any anti-technology or
> scientific
> advancement policy or stance is detrimental to the visually
> impaired
> community because it is only through this technology that
> the lot of the
> visually impaired is appreciably improved and frankly the
> only path to
> eventually curing blindness. But that's a broader
> message used perhaps as a
> guideline that may already be tacitly incorporated into the
> NFB's mission
> statement.
>
> The NFB should form a coalition with it's other disability
> advocacy brothers
> such as those with spinal cord injury ect. to oppose any
> luddite stances and
> vigorously advocate the federal government for increased
> hard life
> science research and development and less draconian
> regulations.
>
>
>
> On Sat, Mar 28, 2009 at 5:25 AM, E.J. Zufelt <everett at zufelt.ca>
> wrote:
>
> > Good morning,
> >
> > Interesting, I think that the word that persuades me
> here is performance.
> > The argument then, as I understand it, is that
> the reading aloud, by a
> > person or machine, of a work differs from an audio
> book that is commercially
> > produced that would be considered a performance of the
> work. I think that I
> > can accept that to be a reasonable distinction between
> the two. So, even if
> > the ability to have a work read aloud impacts
> negatively on an authors
> > return on investment, which it may not, it is as a
> result of evolving
> > technology and is something that the authoring
> industry will need to deal
> > with in the same manner as other industries must deal
> with the potential
> > negative economic impact of evolving technology.
> >
> > Thanks for your thorough explanation,
> > Everett
> >
> >
> >
> > On 28-Mar-09, at 8:16 AM, Chris Danielsen wrote:
> >
> > Hi Everett,
> >>
> >> First, let me say that not only are Federation
> members supportive of this
> >> action, but we have in fact reached out to other
> disability organizations
> >> representing individuals with spinal cord
> injuries, dyslexia and other
> >> learning disabilities, and other print
> disabilities and they are all in
> >> agreement with this position. Second, the issue
> here is not whether
> >> authors
> >> have the right to control their intellectual
> property, which they most
> >> certainly do. The issue is whether they can parse
> up the uses of an e-book
> >> that an individual has already paid for and claim
> that each potential use
> >> of
> >> it is an intellectual property right.
> >>
> >> The Authors Guild is upset because Amazon added a
> text-to-speech function
> >> to
> >> its Kindle 2, which means that downloaded e-books
> can be read aloud.
> >> Initially, Amazon did not plan to include the
> ability to disable that
> >> function; the company only backed down when the
> Authors Guild raised a
> >> stink.. But the fact is that Amazon was initially
> legally correct to
> >> believe
> >> that there was no inherent intellectual property
> right involved. The
> >> reading
> >> aloud of text that one has purchased, in private,
> is not a copyright
> >> violation but a fair use. To argue otherwise is to
> argue that parents who
> >> read bedtime stories to their kids, or for that
> matter blind people who
> >> have
> >> a print textbook read aloud to them by a reader
> (human or machine), are
> >> violating copyright law. This is ridiculous and
> every copyright lawyer
> >> worth
> >> his or her salt knows it; even the Authors Guild
> is now backing down from
> >> it, arguing instead that the terms of their
> contracts prohibit this use.
> >> It
> >> makes absolutely no difference whether the reading
> aloud is done by a
> >> human
> >> or a machine, as long as there is no "public
> performance" or derivative
> >> work
> >> created.
> >>
> >> The Authors Guild wants what you have suggested--a
> registration system for
> >> people with disabilities, who would then be
> allowed to unlock the
> >> text-to-speech function. But more than just blind
> people are affected
> >> here,
> >> and many of them have disabilities that are not
> tied to a specific organic
> >> cause and can't be medically diagnosed. Besides,
> who would administer this
> >> system? Amazon? The Authors Guild? And more to the
> point, why should
> >> disabled readers have to register to read a book
> that we have paid good
> >> money for? The Guild's position is tantamount to
> saying, "You can buy our
> >> e-books but you can't read them without clearance
> from us." It is
> >> unacceptable and discriminatory.
> >>
> >> Bottom line; Everyone who pays good money for an
> e-book--which is not
> >> inherently either a visual or audio work and could
> conceivably be
> >> converted
> >> into even more formats, including Braille--should
> be able to read it in
> >> whatever form works best for them. The authors
> have a chance here to get
> >> money from the disability community--a revenue
> stream they've never had
> >> before since right now we get a lot of our reading
> material from free or
> >> subscription services like NLS or Bookshare. But
> our money apparently
> >> isn't
> >> good enough for them. Sure, they're motivated not
> by keeping us out but by
> >> trying to keep out the sighted, in order to make
> sure that the sighted
> >> either pay a surcharge for text-to-speech or buy
> the much more expensive
> >> audio book version. But that's just greed, not an
> intellectual property
> >> dispute. And disabled people who have legitimate
> reading problems but
> >> can't
> >> "prove" them to the satisfaction of the Authors
> Guild will also have to
> >> pay
> >> that surcharge. This is wrong on many levels and
> it's lousy business too.
> >> I
> >> hope that in light of all this you will consider
> supporting our action.
> >>
> >> Library services for the blind and others have
> their place, but the advent
> >> of the e-book means that we no longer have to be
> locked into those systems
> >> and potentially will have access to a much broader
> array of literary
> >> content. This has been the dream of the blind and
> others with print
> >> disabilities for generations. We are not going to
> let a knee-jerk, poorly
> >> thought out reaction from some authors
> organization take that dream away.
> >>
> >> Chris
> >>
> >>
> >> -----Original Message-----
> >> From: blindlaw-bounces at nfbnet.org
> [mailto:blindlaw-bounces at nfbnet.org]
> On
> >> Behalf Of E.J. Zufelt
> >> Sent: Saturday, March 28, 2009 5:01 AM
> >> To: NFBnet Blind Law Mailing List
> >> Subject: Re: [blindlaw] Informational Picketing
> Against Authors Guild
> >> inNewYork City
> >>
> >> Good morning,
> >>
> >> My concern with this action is whether or not the
> opinion expressed is
> >> representative of NFB membership. I for one
> believe that Amazon is
> >> well within their reasonable right to block this
> functionality from
> >> titles on their site to perserve the authors
> rights to their
> >> intellectual property.
> >>
> >> Perhaps a better approach would be for Amazon to
> be required to make
> >> an unlocked version of the texts available to
> individuals who register
> >> as text impaired. Understandably this method
> would have several
> >> problems that would have to be negotiated between
> all concerned parties.
> >>
> >> Just my two cents,
> >> Everett
> >>
> >>
> >> On 28-Mar-09, at 4:36 AM, <ckrugman at sbcglobal.net>
> wrote:
> >>
> >> If the legislative alert system previously
> discussed on this list
> >>> hade been implemented members from all over
> the country could
> >>> respond with emails or faxes to the Authors
> Guild to address this
> >>> issue. This would be much more effective then
> to expect Federations
> >>> spending hundreds of dollars on plain fare and
> hotel accommodations
> >>> for this cause. While the information
> definitely needs to be
> >>> provided there are much more effective ways
> for this to be done.
> >>> Charles L. Krugman, M.S.W.,
> ParalegalPresident,
> >>> NFB of California Central Valley Chapter
> >>> 1237 P Street
> >>> Fresno ca 93721
> >>> 559-266-9237
> >>> ----- Original Message ----- From: "David
> Andrews" <dandrews at visi.com>
> >>> To: <david.andrews at nfbnet.org>
> >>> Sent: Friday, March 27, 2009 1:40 PM
> >>> Subject: [blindlaw] Informational Picketing
> Against Authors Guild in
> >>> NewYork City
> >>>
> >>>
> >>>
> >>> From Chris Danielson:
> >>>>
> >>>
> >>> Dear Fellow Federationists:
> >>>
> >>> As you may already know, Amazon, Inc. released
> the newest version of
> >>> its
> >>>
> >>> e-book reader, the Kindle, on February 9 of
> this year. The Kindle 2
> >>>
> >>> includes a feature that allows e-books
> downloaded to it to be read
> >>> aloud.
> >>>
> >>> The Authors Guild has objected to this feature
> because it believes
> >>> these
> >>>
> >>> e-books are licensed only for visual display,
> and under pressure
> >>> from the
> >>>
> >>> Guild, Amazon has decided to allow authors and
> publishers to decide
> >>> which
> >>>
> >>> books can be read aloud by this device.
> Naturally, this is a blow
> >>> to blind
> >>>
> >>> people and others with print disabilities who
> can benefit from the
> >>>
> >>> text-to-speech feature and who would love to
> be able to purchase
> >>> books and
> >>>
> >>> start reading them immediately for the first
> time in history. For
> >>> this
> >>>
> >>> reason the National Federation of the Blind
> has joined with other
> >>>
> >>> organizations representing people who cannot
> use print effectively
> >>> to fight
> >>>
> >>> the Authors Guild.
> >>>
> >>> We plan to kick off our public education
> campaign to increase public
> >>>
> >>> pressure on the Authors Guild to reverse its
> stance with an
> >>> informational
> >>>
> >>> protest in front of the Guild's headquarters
> in New York City. This
> >>> picket
> >>>
> >>> will take place on Tuesday, April 7, from noon
> until 2:00 p.m. I am
> >>> writing
> >>>
> >>> to you in hopes that you can organize members
> to come to this
> >>> protest. A
> >>>
> >>> number of Federationists from Maryland are
> coming and we expect
> >>>
> >>> participation from other organizations in the
> coalition, but it
> >>> would be
> >>>
> >>> very helpful if those of you with easy access
> to New York City would
> >>> help us
> >>>
> >>> by providing more picketers. It is
> extremely important that we make a
> >>>
> >>> strong impression on the Authors Guild and the
> media so that our
> >>> message
> >>>
> >>> will be heard.
> >>>
> >>> In the next few days you will receive more
> communications with
> >>> additional
> >>>
> >>> logistical details, as well as more
> information about our position and
> >>>
> >>> suggestions on how to respond to questions
> from the media. In the
> >>> meantime,
> >>>
> >>> if you have additional questions, please do
> not hesitate to contact
> >>> me. As
> >>>
> >>> soon as you have an idea of how many people
> may be able to come to
> >>> this
> >>>
> >>> event, please provide that information to John
> Par? by calling
> >>> 410-659-9314,
> >>>
> >>> ext. 2227, or by e-mailing jpare at nfb.org.
> Thank you for your
> >>> assistance in
> >>>
> >>> this important matter.
> >>>
> >>> Sincerely:
> >>>
> >>> Chris Danielsen
> >>>
> >>> Christopher S. Danielsen
> >>>
> >>> Director of Public Relations
> >>>
> >>> NATIONAL FEDERATION OF THE BLIND
> >>>
> >>>
> >>> David Andrews and white cane Harry.
> >>>
> >>>
> >>>
> >>>
> _______________________________________________
> >>> blindlaw mailing list
> >>> blindlaw at nfbnet.org
> >>> http://www.nfbnet.org/mailman/listinfo/blindlaw_nfbnet.org
> >>> To unsubscribe, change your list options or
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> >>> for blindlaw:
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> >>>
> >> http://www.nfbnet.org/mailman/options/blindlaw_nfbnet.org/ckrugman%40sbcglob
> >> al.net
> >>
> >>>
> >>>
> >>>
> _______________________________________________
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> >> http://www.nfbnet.org/mailman/options/blindlaw_nfbnet.org/everett%40zufelt.c
> >> a
> >>
> >>
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> End of blindlaw Digest, Vol 58, Issue 28
> ****************************************
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