[gui-talk] Need URLs for LS&S and Maxi-Aids
tribble
lauraeaves at yahoo.com
Sat Nov 8 00:20:30 UTC 2008
I haven't heard of anything new lately.
--le
----- Original Message -----
From: "Joel Deutsch" <jdeutsch at dslextreme.com>
To: "NFBnet GUI Talk Mailing List" <gui-talk at nfbnet.org>
Sent: Friday, November 07, 2008 3:17 PM
Subject: Re: [gui-talk] Need URLs for LS&S and Maxi-Aids
Well, what are they guilty of this time, for which we should be boycotting
them? Is there a new problem they haven't been sued about yet, or about
which a suit is in progress but not yet resolved? And yes, I'm all for
sayings like "there are many ways to skin a cat, great thing is that it's a
free country, you can use Windows/Jaws/whatever in many ways. But before I
simply rule out looking to Maxi Aids for something and just go to a
competitor's catalogue on principle, I'd sure Like to know what Maxi Aids is
"guilty" of now, according to word of mouth.
Thanks, my vigilant friends.
----- Original Message -----
From: "tribble" <lauraeaves at yahoo.com>
To: "NFBnet GUI Talk Mailing List" <gui-talk at nfbnet.org>
Sent: Friday, November 07, 2008 12:02 PM
Subject: Re: [gui-talk] Need URLs for LS&S and Maxi-Aids
I have purchased one item from maxiaids and that was because no one else
carried it -- the tactile scrabble game. I called everywhere else and no
one had it. But I agree that boycotting them is a good idea if they are
guilty of wrongdoing.
It's good there are choices.
Happy holiday shopping...
--le
----- Original Message -----
From: "Doug Lee" <dgl at dlee.org>
To: "NFBnet GUI Talk Mailing List" <gui-talk at nfbnet.org>
Sent: Friday, November 07, 2008 5:59 AM
Subject: Re: [gui-talk] Need URLs for LS&S and Maxi-Aids
I'll let someone else look for resolutions, but ...
The following Braille Monitor issues, at least, contain relevant
material to the Maxi-Aids concerns, as I summarize below. This brief
summary covers quite a number of articles spanning at least 12 years.
December, 1994: "The Story of Maxi-Aids." This is the first
reference I see in The Braille Monitor.
February, 1998: "Watch for Details," which begins with an editor's
note that says in part: "Last December a federal court jury handed
down a decision that included what may well have been one of the
largest monetary penalties in history in a case in which no personal
injury was at issue. The suit was brought by Independent Living
Aids (ILA) against Maxi-Aids, two vendors in the blindness field."
March, 1998 (the next month): "Jury Comes Down Hard On Maxi-Aids." This
entire issue of the Monitor is devoted to the Maxi-Aids case.
July, 1998: "On Ethics and Maxi-Aids," in which Dr. Jernigan remarks,
"Since we believe that Zaretsky and Maxi-Aids do not behave ethically
and are a destructive influence in the blindness field, the National
Federation of the Blind will have no dealings with them at all.
Even if their prices are lower than their competition, we will not
buy products from them. We will not sell them any products, and we
will not permit them to exhibit at our conventions. This is a matter
of principle."
October, 1998: Two articles: "Report From the Trenches," and "Judge
Spatt's Ruling in the Maxi-Aids Case." The first of those articles
contains the following:
There is something else about which everyone should be
aware. On each of the claims that we made against Maxi-Aids the
jury was asked if Maxi-Aids's conduct and actions were willful,
and in each case the jury unanimously answered, "Yes." They were
asked if Maxi-Aids had willfully infringed on our copyrights, and
they unanimously answered, "Yes." They were asked if Maxi-Aids
had willfully committed trademark infringement, and they
unanimously answered, "Yes." What Maxi-Aids and the Zaretskys did
were not the actions of people who didn't realize what they were
doing and who accidentally transgressed. The jury held that the
actions of Maxi-Aids and the Zaretskys were willful and
deliberate and intentional.
We have also an article in December of 1999 entitled "Department of
Veterans Affairs Debars Maxi-Aids."
Then we jump to December, 2001 with "Maxi-Aids Exposed Again: ILA
Files Contempt-of-Court Motion." Next month, January of 2002, we
find "Maxi-Aids Exposed Again, Part II: Able-Vision Established to
Circumvent the VA's Proposed Debarment."
July, 2002: "Perkins School for the Blind Sues Maxi-Aids." Includes
the remark by Barbara Pierce, a well-known Federationist, "Our
policy about Maxi-Aids has not changed. We will not do business
with the company under any circumstances."
After a long silence, an article shows up in January, 2005, entitled,
"Report on Settlement in Perkins/Maxi-Aids Litigation"
Four months later, in May of 2005, we have "Maxi-Aids Held in
Contempt of Court." Two months later in July appears "Round Two
in Reporting the Maxi-Aids Contempt of Court Case."
Another bit of silence, then in October of 2006, we have "Elliot
Zaretsky and Maxi-Aids Strike again." In December of that year,
we also have "Maxi-Aids Seeks to Intimidate Competitors by Claiming
that Somebody Stole Intellectual Property from It." That article
contains a list of previous related public articles even richer
than the one I've presented here.
I'd say there is substantial evidence of wrongdoing, and also of
consumer reaction against it, at several levels.
On Fri, Nov 07, 2008 at 04:25:58AM -0600, David Andrews wrote:
There have certainly been articles in the Braille Monitor over the
years. I can't remember if we have passed any kind of resolution on
them, but Mike Freeman has a good memory for these kind of things.
Dave
At 10:01 AM 11/6/2008, you wrote:
>I stand corrected. Are these misdeeds such that large, documented numbers
>of informed consumers have resolved never to do business again with them?
>Does the NFB have a position about the company expressed in official,
>public policy?
>
>thanks.
>
>----- Original Message -----
>From: "David Andrews" <dandrews at visi.com>
>To: "NFBnet GUI Talk Mailing List" <gui-talk at nfbnet.org>
>Sent: Thursday, November 06, 2008 12:39 AM
>Subject: Re: [gui-talk] Need URLs for LS&S and Maxi-Aids
>
>
>Maxiaids transgressions are not "alleged." They have been found
>guilty, and fined in a court of law!
>
>Dave
>
>At 09:28 PM 11/5/2008, you wrote:
>>Can anyone provide me with the proper Web addresses of these two companies
>>and their catalogues? Yes, I'm aware that Maxi-Aids is held in low regard
>>by
>>some people because of some alleged unethical behavior of theirs over the
>>years, but I'm just asking for the URL and don't wish to get into a
>>principled discussion. Thanks very much.
>>
>>
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--
Doug Lee dgl at dlee.org http://www.dlee.org
SSB BART Group doug.lee at ssbbartgroup.com
http://www.ssbbartgroup.com
What is most worth paying for, you buy with the life you live.
(11/10/07)
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