[nabs-l] Fwd: Reminder-Upcoming Seminars: NO COOK Cooking! and Going Ape for Apps-Hot New Accessible Apps for Your iDevice

Wed Jul 20 05:32:31 UTC 2011

Carly,

Are you saying that we may not dare to ask certain questions if they 
may upset the sighted public, even here amongst our blind peers?  If 
so, I emphatically disagree, but I am not sure I am understanding you 
correctly.

I asked an honest question of the members of the NABS list, as to 
whether or not this seminar by Hadley—an organization that deals in 
blindness and nothing but—seemed condescending at all to anyone else.  
It did to me, but I acknowledged in the asking that I’m basically 
cynical and jaded about such things.

I accept that the majority opinion is that no, there’s nothing wrong 
with Hadley’s seminar.  But I make no apology whatsoever for asking 
the question on an NFB list.

The missing of the NFB is to attain equality for the blind by giving 
us the means to be regarded as any other non-blind person, and then 
treating us accordingly.  We cannot do that if, even within our own 
organization, we cannot discuss whether or not those who provide us 
with services are working toward that goal or against it.

Some of us are perhaps overly sensitive to these issues, and I 
certainly count myself among them.  But that’s why I asked the 
question here, on an NFB list, to other generally like-minded blind 
people.  I did not put the question out to the sighted public, who 
generally wouldn’t be expected to understand what the big deal is 
(even my own sighted friends and loved ones wouldn’t get it!)

If we start mincing words here, then the next time some ignorant 
sightie (yes, I said ignorant sightie) comes up to one of us as we’re 
walking down the street and says, "You’re doing SUCH A GOOD JOB," 
we’re likely to get the idea that we should accept the "compliment" 
we’re being given, despite the fact that walking is a task most two 
year olds have largely mastered.  How else would we know it was 
acceptable to consider that a sign of ignorance we should correct if 
we can?  Or that it was okay to maybe be a little offended ourselves 
that this is what we are reduced to in that person’s estimation?

I’m not generally known for political correctness.  I’m certainly not 
known for it regarding blindness on NFB mailing lists.  I do not 
expect that will change in the near future.

Joseph - KF7QZC

On Tue, Jul 19, 2011 at 05:37:29PM -0700, Carly Mihalakis Esq. wrote:
>
>
>Hi, Joseph,
>
>'Seems to me, a response such as that elicited by an idea of no-cook 
>recipes was, in a word a little uncalled for, as there, contained in 
>the helpful sharing of cookless recipes no mention of blindness 
>whatsoever. Furthermore, I believe there are  even occasions in which 
>, no-cook food preparation is in order and, actually preparing a dish 
>would be inappropriate.
>
>To Alienate both main stream folk, as well as other populations will 
>do actual wonders for our social  ambiguities, doncha think?
>Please, easy on the over reactions!
>for today,
>Car7/19/2011, bookwormahb at earthlink.net wrote:
>>Joeseph, Actually, I found this fine. I want to attend a hadley 
>>webinar  but that time doesn't work for me. Maybe they are 
>>archived; the wording of it says its summer and they want to talk 
>>about food prep that doesn't require a hot kitchen. Also it says 
>>whether you are preparing for yourself or to impress guests. So 
>>therefore they are assuming that you will prepare for yourself, 
>>family or friends; whatever you need to do. Hadley targets many 
>>many people including teachers of the blind and visually impaired; 
>>newly blind adults and those blind from birth. I take it that this 
>>is an overview of cooking ideas and recipies. Its probably 
>>something basic that most could follow from the novice cook to the 
>>advanced cook who wants something simple. I didn't find it 
>>offensive at all; I think we read more into things sometimes. It 
>>does say they will discuss tips for people with visual impairments; 
>>I know NFB people don't like adaptive techniques sometimes, so you 
>>can take it or leave it. But we do need adaptive techniques and a 
>>newly blind person may not know what to do. Many blind cooks use a 
>>tray or something to put their  pots and pans and bowls on while 
>>preparing food so any spills fall on the tray and its easier to 
>>clean up. Some blind people use liquid level indicators  to know 
>>when their cup is full of the desired liquid. More often people use 
>>a finger to fill the bowl/cup or judge by sound.  But for those who 
>>can't or don't want to use their finger, the liquid level indicator 
>>is an option. We often use the sense of touch instead of seeing to 
>>know the consistency of food and keep tabs on what we are doing. So 
>>those are adaptive techniques.  Anyone may want simple cold food 
>>recipies; Hadley just decided to target it to blind people. However 
>>I do agree a sixty minute seminar is too short to cover such a 
>>topic. But I guess that is all the time they had.  Well, anyone who 
>>attends can judge afterward. Ashley -----Original Message----- 
>>From: T. Joseph Carter Sent: Tuesday, July 19, 2011 3:10 PM To: 
>>National Association of Blind Students mailing list Subject: Re: 
>>[nabs-l] Fwd: Reminder-Upcoming Seminars: NO COOK Cooking! and 
>>Going Ape for Apps-Hot New Accessible Apps for Your iDevice Iâ€™m 
>>of two minds on this, perhaps Iâ€™m being overly sensitive. First, 
>>thereâ€™s the notion of a seminar for preparing food without 
>>cooking it.  Where do I begin?  Letâ€™s start with the seminar 
>>itself: Most sighted people would never expect a seminar to teach 
>>them how to follow a recipe.  Either you can or you donâ€™t have 
>>the requisite skills to do it.  If you donâ€™t have the skills, 
>>Iâ€™m not sure how a 60 minute webcast is going to help you get 
>>them.  A list of recipes should suffice, and indeed our own Braille 
>>Monitor publishes recipes (though not often the no-cooking variety) 
>>with the assumption that fellow blind readers can follow them if 
>>they are so inclined. Then thereâ€™s the no cooking aspect.  
>>Inherently in this is the unavoidable assumption that the blind 
>>cannot or should not be cooking food.  Any of you who live alone 
>>doubtlessly have SOME food prep skill, even if youâ€™ve never 
>>learned to "cook" as such, and your skill mostly consists of using 
>>a microwave and boiling water. But as I said, perhaps I am being 
>>overly sensitive.  The seminar format could allow for suggestions 
>>for improving the recipes a bit (in which case an hour seems too 
>>short for more than maybe two or three recipes), so maybe thatâ€™s 
>>what theyâ€™ve got in mind.  Possibly the no-cook aspect has more 
>>to do with the idea that itâ€™s summer and you donâ€™t want to 
>>spend a lot of time in a hot kitchen—or  that you would prefer cold 
>>foods to hot ones at this time of the year.  Or perhaps they are 
>>targeting this to college students who live on campus and donâ€™t 
>>have the means to cook in any traditional way. Or maybe, itâ€™s 
>>because weâ€™re blind. Joseph - KF7QZC On Tue, Jul 19, 2011 at 
>>01:17:55PM -0500, David Andrews wrote: > >> >>Seminars at Hadley 
>>Presents: NO COOK Cooking! >> >>Date: Wednesday, July 20, 2011 
>>>>Time: 10 AM CDT, 15:00 GMT >> >>Keep your cool! It may be hot 
>>outside, but no need to get out of the >>kitchen. There are lots of 
>>NO COOK recipes to choose from whether >>preparing a simple, fast 
>>meal for yourself or something to impress guests. >> >>Panelists 
>>Patti Jacobson, Linn Sorge and Goldie Tarr will discuss their 
>>>>favorite NO COOK recipes, adding Ã¢€œcoolÃ¢€Â fo food 
>>preparation tips that >>work for the cook with a visual impairment. 
>>>> >>Moderator Dawn Turco will add a few of her favorites as we 
>>build a >>resource and recipe list during this 60 minute seminar. 
>>Consider adding >>your favorite recipe, too! >> >>Space in this 
>>seminar is limited. Please only register if you know you are 
>>>>available to attend so that others are not closed out. To 
>>register for NO >>COOK Cooking! on July 20, follow this link: 
>>>>http://hadley.edu/seminar_detail.asp?sid= 94 >> >>Seminars at Hadley 
>>Presents: Going Ape for Apps-How New Accessible Apps for >>Your 
>>iDevice >> >>Date: Thursday, July 21, 2011 >>Time: 6 PM CDT, 23:00 
>>GMT >> >>Apps for money identification, apps for GPS, apps for bar 
>>code reading, >>apps for color identification, and apps for games. 
>>If you have an idevice >>(iPhone, iPad or iPod Touch), you are 
>>bombarded with thousands of apps >>available for your device. Are 
>>you overwhelmed with the number of apps >>available for your 
>>idevice? Do you want to know more about the app before >>you 
>>download it to your device, such as features and accessibility? Are 
>>>>you confused about how to locate and download an app to your 
>>idevice? >> >>Join Seminars at Hadley as Hadley Instructor Amy Salmon 
>>and Korey Singleton, >>Assistive Technology Initiative Manager for 
>>George Mason University >>provide a list of the top accessible apps 
>>for your idevices, explain how >>to check an app for accessibility 
>>and features, and provide step-by-step >>instructions on how to 
>>locate and download an app to your idevice. >> >>This 60 minute 
>>open discussion seminar will be moderated by Hadley >>Outreach 
>>Coordinator Billy Brookshire. A question and answer session will 
>>>>be included as part of the seminar. >> >>Space in this seminar is 
>>limited. Please only register if you know you are >>available to 
>>attend so that others are not closed out. To register for >>Going 
>>Ape for Apps on July 21, follow this link: 
>>>>http://hadley.edu/seminar_detail.asp?sid= 95 >> >>This message 
>>was sent to Dandrews at visi.com from: >>The Hadley School for the 
>>Blind | 700 Elm St.  | Winnetka, IL 60093 > > 
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