[Nfb-editors] Arizona - News and Views for December
Robert Leslie Newman
newmanrl at cox.net
Fri Dec 5 03:49:15 UTC 2014
Bob Kresmer, president NFBA
Toll free (888) 899-6322
Vehicle Donations Take the Blind Further, and may qualify you for a tax
deduction. Donate your unwanted car to the National Federation of the Blind
today!
For more information, please visit:
www.carshelpingtheblind.org<http://www.carshelpingtheblind.org> or call
1-855-659-9314
_____
From: Nfbaz-news [mailto:nfbaz-news-bounces at az.nfb.org] On Behalf Of Debi
Black via Nfbaz-news
Sent: Wednesday, December 03, 2014 11:17 PM
To: nfbaz-news at az.nfb.org <mailto:nfbaz-news at az.nfb.org>
Subject: [Nfbaz-news] {Spam?} December News and Views Inside!
National Federation of the Blind of Arizona
News and Views
Issue #10
December, 2014
In This Issue
Greetings from Our President
Word on the street
Guess Who Just Took Another Trip Around the Sun
NFB 2015 Scholarships Available
Bid for Equality Online Auction
A World of Opportunity for the Visually Impaired
Vibrating Clothes Could Help Blind people navigate
The bookshelf - 2 selections
Odin Mobile, a New Cellphone Carrier for the Blind
Flick, swipe, and tap, iCloud Drive
A Poem with a Twist
Blockbuster Buzz
The recipe box, Better than Pumpkin Pie Bars
Think tank
A round of applause
Debbie's list
Stay connected
Grins and groan the usual endings
Navigation
To navigate quickly to the different articles in this newsletter using JAWS,
System Access, NVDA, or Window Eyes, press the letter H to move through the
headings. For MAC users, press Control Option Command plus the letter H.
Greetings from Our President
Hello, fellow Federationists,
The end of the year is upon us! I hope you and your families will enjoy the
holiday season.
This month we will discuss the following:
Chapter Christmas parties.
Congratulations to new chapter presidents.
Washington Seminar.
Dial a ride in Maricopa County.
A Kernel book story by Scott LaBarre.
* Here is info regarding chapter Christmas parties:
>From Amy Porterfield, Tucson chapter president:
Date: Saturday December 6
Time: 12:00noon to 3:30 PM
Place: SAAVI. 3767 East Grant.
Menu Turkey or Ham with all trimmings, soda and cupcakes
Cost $9.00.
Surprise Gift Exchange: Bring a nice gift, $10 limit, no alcohol.
We wish all of our Tucson NFB family, members, and friends, a Happy holiday
season. We thank all of our hard working members for making our Tucson NFB
chapter the best, strongest, and biggest chapter in the state of Arizona.
>From Sharonda Greenlaw, Phoenix chapter president:
Annual Christmas celebration this year on December 13 is at the Golden
Corral from 4:00 to 8:00 p.m. The location is at 7609 West Thomas Road,
Phoenix, AZ 85033.
The buffet price, which includes your beverage, is $15.00. Please bring
cash; no checks or credit cards, please.
We will be hosting a gift exchange during the Christmas party. Anyone
wishing to participate should bring a gift with a $10 value and have it
marked with M for male or F for female. If it is unmarked, we will assume it
can go to either gender.
In addition, we will be raffling off our awesome Christmas basket!
There will be singing, eating, fellowshipping and celebrating!!
If you plan on coming, please let 2nd Vice President Carrie Taylor know.
Call her at, 602 264 7538. We hope to see you there!!!!
Come and be a part of it!
All are welcome!
>From Megan Homrighausen, East Valley chapter president:
What: EAST VALLEY CHRISTMAS PARTY.
When: Saturday, DECEMBER 20th, 2014 at 3:00 PM - to whenever.
where: Home of Ruth Swenson and Jim Sohl.
311 West Mc Nair, Chandler.
480 892 4344.
Party Details:
This is a potluck celebration, so please participate to make this party a
great one.
We will be doing a gift exchange. If you would like to participate,
please bring a gift to share worth about $10 or more.
Also, please pass this message to anyone you know who would like to
attend but does not have email. Thank you very much.
Menu:
Please contact Tony Sohl with the menu item that you will be bringing
Phone: 602 552 3003.
Email: <mailto:tonysoul at samobile.com> tonysoul at samobile.com
Megan Homrighausen
East Valley Chapter President NFBA
480 510 6196.
* Welcome to our newly elected chapter presidents!
Amy Porterfield (formerly Murillo) is president of our Tucson chapter. Amy
is the Associate Director of the Southern Arizona Association for the
Visually Impaired (SAAVI), a member of the NFBA board of directors, and
chair of our affiliate membership and engagement committee.
Megan Homrighausen is our newly elected president of the East Valley
chapter. She is the newest board member of our affiliate board of
directors, was the chapter chair for hosting our 2014 state convention, and
works in the Arizona Business Enterprise program.
We also appreciate the outgoing chapter presidents.
Larry Martin really questioned doing things just because that's the way they
have always been done. He made great outreach efforts, and took a strong
interest in bringing in students. Larry doubled the fundraising efforts of
the Tucson chapter through his management of the activities and his personal
efforts.
Allison is the immediate past president of our East Valley chapter. Allison
created new fundraising efforts through the compilation of chapter members'
recipes into a cookbook, restarted car washes for fundraising and
fellowship, and reinvigorated new member outreach. Allison created action
teams to do the volunteer work necessary to a productive chapter, and made
sure that chapter members heard from her in a monthly email message.
* Washington Seminar will take place beginning at the great gathering in on
January 26th.
The NFBA board of directors encourages our members to participate by
offering some financial assistance, since this is an expensive annual
activity. Our members fly to Washington D.C. and visit the offices of our
Senators and Congressional Representatives to persuade them to support
legislation important to blind and visually impaired Americans. You can
learn more about our 2015 efforts by contacting our affiliate legislative
director, Donald Porterfield, 520 850 2180, or email,
<mailto:donaldpfield at gmail.com> donaldpfield at gmail.com).
You must act now, as reservations to stay at the Holiday Inn Capitol hotel
must be in place by December 13. To request financial assistance, please
call or email Bob Kresmer quickly. You can also make a request to your
local chapter president for additional financial assistance so you can
participate, but do so now!
* * From Marcus Schmidt, chair of transit committee:
Dear friends and fellow federationists:
We have a unique and timebound opportunity to voice our concerns about dial
a ride!
Maria Hyatt, a high ranking officer in Phoenix public transit, wants to hear
from dial a ride users about their experiences, so that she can learn first
hand from its users what areas need improvement. I am calling on all of you
dial a ride users to contact her as soon as possible, and let her know what
your recent personal experiences have been, whether with poor routing, late
pickups, lengthy ride times, discourteous service or all of the above (or
anything else you can think of that badly needs to improve).
Maria can be reached during regular business hours at 602 534 6765.
The more of us that call her, the stronger of a case we can build for the
improvements we've long been waiting for.
Thank you in advance for your support.
* A Kernel Book Story: Cab 452
By Scott C. LaBarre
Scott LaBarre is President of the National Federation of the Blind's special
interest division for blind lawyers. There are elements of humor and irony
in his story, which illustrates the profound disconnect that, all too often,
still exists between the reality of blindness and the perception of it. Here
is what Scott has to say about Cab 452:
I am a blind lawyer who owns and runs his own firm. Recently I got married,
and my wife and I are proudly expecting our first child. We also look with
joy towards living in a home that we just purchased. In other words, I
normally think of myself as the typical young professional starting a family
and pursuing a career.
>From time to time, however, something occurs that reminds me that my
blindness makes me vastly different from the average young American
professional. Even though I have accomplished much in my life, sometimes
people are not able to look past the fact that a blind man is before them,
and when they concentrate so heavily on my blindness, their natural tendency
is to prescribe to me the characteristics that they believe a blind person
possesses rather than consider the life I have actually lived.
About a year ago, I elected to take a cab home from the office for the
specific reason of swinging by the drycleaner to collect a bunch of clothes
I had dropped off the previous day. I needed to collect the clothes because
the next day I was flying off on a business trip in connection with one of
my cases.
After waiting outside of my office building for a short while, Metro Taxis
Cab 452 came speeding up. Soon after getting in the cab, I immediately
realized that the driver was in a hurry because he rapidly flew out of the
parking lot. When I told him that I had to make a stop at the drycleaner,
the driver groaned. Upon later reflection, I am certain that I unconsciously
adopted this guy's impatience. So as we rocketed up to the drycleaner, my
desire was to make the retrieval of my clothes as expeditious as possible.
When he said quote We are here, quote, I quickly opened the door and heard a
sickening thunk noise. This driver had parked his size 12 cab into a size 10
parking space. You guessed it. I opened my door onto someone else's vehicle.
As I wriggled myself out of the cab, I heard somebody running up and
screaming quote You, (expletive deleted), scratched my new SUV! quote As
soon as this new SUV owner realized that I was blind, he immediately turned
his wrath upon the cab driver. Then began an hour long ordeal.
My cab drivers first tongue was not English, and the SUV owner's use of the
language was grotesque, to put it kindly. SUV Man screamed at the driver,
quote How the (expletive deleted) can you park so close to my car and let
the blind man out there? quote Mr. Cab Driver yelled back, claiming that
there was no scratch and that it was not a big deal. He also said, quote
Give this poor blind guy a break. He could not see your stupid car. quote
SUV Man kept yelling at Mr. Cab Driver that he better damn well pay for the
repairs. Mr. Cab Driver said, quote There is no damage. We're leaving! quote
SUV Man replied, quote There is no (expletive deleted) way you're leaving.
I'm calling the police! Quote
>From there, the conversation degenerated quickly between these gentlemen
while they hurled vicious insults back and forth. They both went into the
drycleaner to accost potential eyewitnesses about what happened. I followed
the quarrelling twosome into the store and attempted to gain their
attention. No one was paying me any mind amidst the raging storm of verbal
putdowns.
We in the National Federation of the Blind often say that we seek to achieve
first class citizenship for the nations blind. We also say that with such
first class citizenship comes first class responsibility. At the time this
event occurred, I remember feeling at fault for what happened. I told
myself, quote You should have been more cautious and opened the door more
slowly. Quote
I also asked myself what would have happened if I were a sighted man getting
out of the cab? I suspect that the sighted man would bear the responsibility
for what transpired as a result of his lack of caution.
On that day, I attempted to get the attention of the two men so that I could
discuss with them my role in the whole mess. At first, they were ignoring me
altogether. Finally, I stepped in front of SUV Man and handed him my
business card.
As I started to say something to him about the fact the he could call me
about any potential damages, he said, quote You do not have to give me your
lawyer's card. You are blind. It is not your fault. Quote Handing the card
back to me, he once again said, quote I do not need to talk with your
lawyer. This stupid cab driver will need a lawyer. Quote Then the cab
driver chimed in, quote It Is not this blind mans fault. Give the poor guy a
break. And I am not the stupid one. Quote
I then tried to tell both gentlemen that I was, in fact, a lawyer and that
my purpose was to help resolve the dispute. Once again, they ignored me and
took their battle outside of the store.
Later, the police did, in fact, arrive. The officer examined SUV Mans
vehicle and said that he could see no scratch. The officer spoke with both
gentlemen, and they both described me as quote this poor blind guy. Quote
The officer agreed that whatever had happened was quote not the blind guys
fault. Quote The officer never once spoke with me to ask about what had
happened.
Finally, the ordeal came to an end with both combatants yelling at each
other and getting in a few last insults. On the way home, I attempted to
tell the driver of Cab 452 that I felt bad about what happened. After all, I
opened the door onto SUV Mans prized possession. The cab driver stated over
and over that quote Life must be hard man. It is not your fault. Quote I
repeatedly tried to explain that my life was fine.
When we got to my home, I left the cab telling him that his supervisor could
call me at my law office if there were any lingering questions. Apparently,
no official action resulted from the incident because I never heard from
anyone regarding the matter.
Several weeks after the event, Cab 452 once again answered my call for a
taxi and again picked me up from my office. The guy immediately said that he
was the driver who had taken me to the drycleaner, and he launched into an
account of how stupid and ugly SUV Man had been. Then he asked me, quote Is
that building your doctors or counselors office? Quote I said quote no
quote and explained that I was a lawyer and that the building was home to
my office.
The driver of Cab 452 was shocked. He asked me, quote You work? Work as a
lawyer? Quote I again told him what I did for a living, and he repeatedly
commented that he was impressed and could not believe it.
The incident at the drycleaner and the subsequent ride in Cab 452 are not
earthshattering events but are the kinds of events that remind me that I am
not the average young professional chasing the American dream. Such events
force me to reflect upon the status of blind people in our society.
At the drycleaner, initially, SUV Man started yelling at me about the
alleged damage done to his car. Once he saw my white cane and realized that
I was blind, all blame instantaneously shifted to the cab driver. Both at
that time and afterwards, the driver made comments that said, in effect,
quote Give the poor blind guy a break. Quote
Does my blindness absolve me of all responsibility in this kind of affair?
Arguably, the cab driver probably should not have parked so close to another
vehicle. However, maybe I should not have been in such a hurry. Maybe I
should have opened the door more slowly and carefully. Certainly SUV Man
should not have overreacted and screamed so viciously and made a federal
case out of such a small matter.
Regardless of how much blame should be assigned to the different
individuals, there is no question in my mind that at least part of this
accident was directly attributable to me and my actions. Neither the cab
driver nor SUV Man nor the police officer ever wanted to hold me responsible
in any way. They all agreed that I was faultless because of my blindness.
What struck me even more forcefully is how these gentlemen reacted to the
fact that I am a lawyer. Their response was disbelief. When I handed SUV Man
my card, he assumed that the card was somebody elses. He did not consider
for a moment that I was the lawyer named on the card. The cab driver did not
understand until much later that I was a lawyer with my own practice, even
though I had explained it several times. When he finally understood that I
practiced law, he was shocked, to say the least.
Blind people have served as lawyers in our country for decades. In fact, the
first President of the National Federation of the Blind, Dr. Jacobus
tenBroek, practiced law and taught at a major university starting in the
nineteen thirties. Even though there have been many blind lawyers, the
gentlemen involved in this incident either could not or would not believe
that I, a blind man, was a lawyer.
This phenomenon occurs with quite some frequency as I travel through life.
Not a month goes by without someone expressing their absolute surprise that
I am employed as an attorney.
When I became blind as a ten year old boy, I literally thought that my life
was over. In my wildest dreams, I never imagined that I could pursue a
challenging career, marry a beautiful woman, raise a family, and own a home,
but I am doing all those things. The National Federation of the Blind has
taught me to believe in myself as a blind person. The Federation has also
made me realize that we have an obligation to spread a positive philosophy
about blindness and to educate society about the true abilities of the
blind.
Incidentally, I saw Cab 452s driver recently. His name is Mustafa, and he
now has a much broader understanding of how blind people get along in the
world. After seeing and listening to me enough times, he has learned that
blind persons function in all walks of life and do so well. He is no longer
shocked that I am a lawyer, and my blindness does not seem to be something
so unusual to him or something that should be pitied.
Our road to first class citizenship has been long and hard, but we are
getting there. Person by person, action by action, we change what it means
to be blind. Cab 452 has reaffirmed my conviction that we will realize a day
when the blind are full, first class citizens in our society. With the work
of the National Federation of the Blind and a society willing to listen,
that day may not be all that far away.
If you have suggestions or news to share, please let us know.
Bob Kresmer,
1 888 899 6322
<mailto:Krezguy at cox.net> Krezguy at cox.net
Word on the Street
Sorry folks, we did not receive any news to share this month.
Got any news to share with us? Send it in to:
news at az.nfb.org <mailto:news at az.nfb.org>
We look forward to sharing your news with our extended family here within
the NFB of Arizona.
Guess Who Just Took another Trip around the Sun?
Happy birthday to the following people!
December 7, Jenny Kasl, from Tempe
December 10, Kristi Bruchok, from Chandler
December 17, Lynn kresmer, from Tucson
December 21, Garret Mooney, from Mesa
December 24, Eve Sanchez, from Northern Arizona
December 26, Habib Pierce, from Tempe
December 30, Debra Smith, from Tempe
Please help us build our birthday list, by sending your first and last name,
date of birth, (year optional), and the city you live in to:
news at az.nfb.org <mailto:news at az.nfb.org>
NFB 2015 Scholarships Available
By Patti Chang
Deadline: March 31, 2015
Are you a legally blind college student living in the United States or
Puerto Rico? This annual program offers 30 scholarships worth from $3,000 to
$12,000 to eligible students, from high school seniors beginning their
freshman year in the fall semester of 2015, up through grad students working
on their PhD degrees. These merit scholarships are based on academic
excellence, community service, and leadership. In addition to the money,
each winner will receive assistance to attend the July 2015 NFB annual
convention in Orlando, Florida, providing an excellent opportunity for high
level networking with active blind persons in many different professions and
occupations. To apply, read the rules and the Submission Checklist,
complete the official 2015 Scholarship Application Form (online or in
print), supply all required documents, and request and complete one
interview by an NFB affiliate president (unless the president requests a
later date). Applications are accepted for five months, from November 1,
2014, to March 31, 2015. Go to <http://www.nfb.org/scholarships>
www.nfb.org/scholarships for complete rules and requirements.
Bid for Equality Online Auction
Just in time for your Christmas shopping, the National Federation of the
Blind (NFB) Bid for Equality online auction is now open for bidding! Help
the National Federation of the Blind fund its important work by sharing the
auction with your friends and family. There are a wide range of unique and
exciting auction items available, including getaways to
<https://www.biddingforgood.com/auction/item/item.action?id=226592479> Costa
Rico,
<https://www.biddingforgood.com/auction/item/item.action?id=225207244>
Chicago, and
<https://www.biddingforgood.com/auction/item/item.action?id=225456839> Las
Vegas. Visit,
<http://www.biddingforgood.com/bid-for-equality>
www.biddingforgood.com/bid-for-equality to bid now and help blind people
live the lives we want! The online auction ends on Thursday, December 4th
at 11:59 eastern time.
A World of Opportunity for the Visually Impaired
By Clarence H. Carter
All too often, we take basic everyday functions of our lives for granted.
Most often, its the little things we do like the ability to see, hear,
smell, touch, taste and feel. Imagine for a moment if one of those basic
functions were not available to you; for example, the ability to see. Think
about it for a moment -- if you were born sighted and in a short period of
time you knew you were never going to see again, what would you absorb with
your sight in the time left to you? According to the American Foundation for
the Blind, more than 132,623 Arizonans are blind or visually impaired. They
are our friends, neighbors and loved ones. Some are born blind for any
number of reasons, while still others lose their sight during their lifes
journey. In either instance, we can join together to energize members of our
community to grow, thrive and live out their own personal version of the
American Dream. One of the ways DES helps persons with vision impairment is
through a unique program called the Business Enterprise Program (BEP).
The Business Enterprise Program at DES offers legally blind persons the
opportunity to become independent entrepreneurs capable of achieving their
fullest potential through self employment. Together, the Arizona Business
Enterprise Program and Vocational Rehabilitation have a unique opportunity
to contribute to the well being of the blind community in Arizona. BEP was
created by Congress following the enactment of the federal Randolph-Sheppard
Act of 1936, which was designed to provide blind persons with remunerative
employment, enlarge economic opportunities and encourage self support
through the operation of vending facilities in federal buildings. The law
was subsequently amended in 1954 and again in 1974 to ultimately ensure
persons with vision impairment receive priority in the operation of vending
facilities, including cafeterias, snack bars and automatic vending machines
on federal property. The program priority has broadened in most states
through state laws to include state, county, municipal and private locations
as well. The Mini Randolph-Sheppard Act was enacted in Arizona in 1974 and
provides priority for state, county and municipal buildings throughout the
state. Today, thousands of blind Americans are living proof this program
works.
It works for people like Val Luttenberger, operator of the DES cafeteria,
Vals Get A Way Cafe. Val has been a licensed BEP operator for 22 years and
says for her, the program gave her the self confidence, self esteem,
strength and stability to be the person she was always meant to be.
Quote, Without the program, I would not be who I am today, quote, she said.
Born with a genetic condition called Cone Rod Dystrophy, Val grew up in
Arizona in a loving household where three of four children had the
condition. But Val never let it define who she was. She felt the same as
everyone else and, in fact, did not even know what blindness was. If
anything, she said, she was in denial about her own condition. She even
played softball until in 8th grade when her coach felt it was unsafe to do
so. Many of todays assistive aids like talking books were not available to
her in high school. However, she overcame adversity then and used self
determination as a roadmap for her future.
Val married and had three children. She eventually divorced and found
herself raising three children as a single mother. Knowing she was
responsible for the well being of three young lives, she looked for an
opportunity to become financially stable. She went to the Arizona Industries
for the Blind and found employment for several years. Although thankful for
the opportunity, she was not happy or fulfilled and wanted to do more with
her life for herself and her children. Her discontent led her to a
Vocational Rehabilitation (VR) Specialist at DES. The specialist told Val
she would be a good fit for the Business Enterprise Program because of her
intellect, drive and determination. She went through extensive training and
received her license to be a BEP operator in 1992.
Quote, Was I scared? You bet, quote, said Val. Quote. It was a commitment
and dedication to self. But I know that if you say, you can, you will. If
you say, you cannot, you wont. In my heart, my children are my motivators.
What educated me was my journey. I am the same as everyone else. The only
difference is that my eyes are not working. Quote.
For another BEP operator, Adam Bevell, the uncertainty of providing for
loved ones was also the ultimate concern. Adams story is similar to Vals,
but different in that unlike Val who lost a majority of her sight at age
six, Adam had his sight until later in life. Diagnosed with a condition
called Retinitis Pigmentosa, Adam was a school teacher until his vision
declined at age 28. Although he loved working with students, he knew he
should prepare for what was certain to come with his sight deteriorating
rapidly. Adam and his wife Andrea have four children ages seven to fourteen.
Of utmost concern was the stability and financial stability of his family.
Andrea took steps to start her own business and Adam was determined to
succeed as well despite losing his sight.
Not knowing his options, Adam began studying for law school and was
accepted. As part of the comprehensive day program within DES Vocational
Rehabilitation, Adam was enrolled in an intensive program that allowed him
to learn braille, computer skills and assistance needed to prepare for a
lifetime without sight. Although he began law school, he quickly decided the
time commitment would take him away from his family as it was a solid five
year commitment. Then he found BEP through his VR counselor and his hope and
determination returned.
Mentors in the program took him under their wing in order to teach him the
business.
Quote, It is not for everyone, quote, said Adam. "Like any business, it
takes a lot of hard work, but it gives someone willing to work hard an
opportunity to succeed and determine a future for themselves and their
family. I am extremely grateful for BEP. Quote.
Val and Adam agree the Business Enterprise Program is quote, one of best
kept secrets that should not be. Quote. There are currently 27 active
operators and 32 active facilities in operation in Arizona. For both, BEP
has been the opportunity of a lifetime for themselves and their families.
Quote, There are not a lot of business options out there like this for blind
individuals, quote, Adam said. Quote, BEP gives persons with vision
impairment a tremendous opportunity to own their own business and establish
themselves as an independent entrepreneur. Quote.
The BEP reports that Arizona is currently using only about 15 percent of all
of the potential opportunities for these enterprises statewide. The Program
does not receive any state funding and is solely supported through revenues
generated by the Program itself.
The Program is currently working with the City of Phoenix to expand to serve
eating and vending needs of the public labor force for the nation's sixth
largest city. DES is pleased to have a willing local partner help in
presenting opportunities to persons with vision impairment.
Do me a favor. The next time you feel that four o'clock craving and head to
the vending machine, check to see if the machine has a sticker that reads,
AZBEP." If so, know that the proceeds from your purchase are going to people
like Val and Adam, not only to support their dreams and ambitions, but the
dreams of many more who have lost their sight and have been presented with
an opportunity through the Business Enterprise Program at DES.
If your office does not have a vending machine and would like information on
how to obtain one, please contact BEP program staff at, 602 774 9100, or
TTY: 855 475 8194.
To learn more about BEP and the opportunities available, please visit:
<http://www.azdes.gov/rsa/sbvid/bep> www.azdes.gov/rsa/sbvid/bep
Vibrating Clothes Could Help Blind People Navigate
By Tanya Lewis
Live Science
FoxNews.com
Editors Note:
What do you think of this article? Is this type of technology needed?
Would you wear these type of clothes? Does it have practical uses? Send in
your thoughts, and we will post them anonymously. Write to:
news at az.nfb.org <mailto:news at az.nfb.org>
The Eyeronman system combines a variety of distance and ranging sensors to
help its wearer navigate obstacles. (Tactile Navigation Tools)
Todays prosthetic limbs restore many of the functions of missing limbs, but
technology for overcoming blindness remains limited. Now, a team of
researchers hopes to change that, by developing high tech clothing that
could help visually impaired people navigate.
The New York based company, Tactile Navigation Tools, is developing a hands
free wearable device that uses sensors to detect obstacles and can alert the
wearer to them with vibrations. Known as Eyeronman, the device could aid not
only the blind, but also firefighters, soldiers and others, its developers
say.
About 285 million people worldwide are visually impaired, according to the
World Health Organization. Yet in developed countries, most
<http://www.livescience.com/14327-blind-people-echolocation-brains.html>
blind people still navigate using the standard white cane, which was
invented in 1921.
When soldiers return from war, quote, the ones with limb loss are getting
expensive devices, but the ones with vision loss, we are giving them a
stick, end quote, said Dr. JR Rizzo, a rehabilitation doctor at New York
University Langone Medical Center and the companys founder and chief medical
adviser. Quote, It is a little ridiculous, end quote he said.
When Rizzo was 15 years old, he was diagnosed with choroideremia, a rare
retinal degenerative disease that causes progressive vision loss, and he is
now legally blind. He thinks blind people should have
<http://www.livescience.com/40844-smart-glasses-could-help-blind-people-navi
gate.html> more advanced sensory prostheses.
Quote, I do not care what the vision loss is from, end quote, Rizzo told
Live Science. The goal is to increase mobility and get people integrated
back into society, he said.
Navigation by vibration:
Eyeronman consists of a vest outfitted with sensors and emitters for lidar,
a laser based system
<http://blog.laptopmag.com/2012-mercedes-e350-tech-drive-a-benz-with-brains-
and-brawn> used in driverless cars; ultrasound, which is used by bats and
other animals for
<http://www.livescience.com/17240-bats-sonar-echolocation.html> echo
location; and infrared, a type of electromagnetic radiation used by pit
vipers to detect prey by sensing body heat.
The system converts input from these sensors into vibrations in a T shirt
made from electro active polymers. For example, an obstacle on the wearer's
lower left would cause the lower left part of the shirt to vibrate. The
system is designed to provide 360 degree obstacle detection, its developers
say.
Studies show that visually impaired people use parts of the brain that are
normally used for vision to process auditory input, which suggests that the
<http://www.livescience.com/41521-deaf-people-superhuman-senses.html> brain
is inherently plastic itcontinually adapts and forms new neural connections.
The Eyeronman users would make use of this plasticity to train themselves to
use the device.
Just as the deaf blind author and political activist Helen Keller was able
to understand the concept of water by feeling it while having it spelled on
her hand, a blind person could walk past a table and feel it by vibration,
Rizzo said.
The patent pending Eyeronman system could also be used by soldiers in
combat, police or firefighters, who may have limited vision at night or due
to smoke from fires or explosions, according to the companys website.
Some people have created similar devices, Rizzo said, but no one has created
a platform that detects the shape of objects and displays them on the body
like his teams invention does.
Right now, the system is still in the prototype phase. The researchers have
developed a version that displays the sensor input to the shirt by lighting
up L E Ds, instead of producing vibration, but the principle is the same,
Rizzo said.
Not all of the sensors will work ideally in all environments, so the
researchers need to determine which ones work best and figure out how they
can be made inexpensively, he said.
Quote, There are lots of challenges, but I do not think any are to the point
where we cannot get on top of them, end quote
The Bookshelf, 2 Selections
Do you love to curl up with a good book? Been meaning to read that best
seller? Here are two book selections that you may wish to read! If you
have a book that you absolutely loved and want to share your thoughts about
it with us, please send in your write up to:
news at az.nfb.org <mailto:news at az.nfb.org>
Happy reading!
Book #1, Play On: Now, Then, and Fleetwood Mac
DB79769
Written by Mick Fleetwood and Anthony Bozza
Read by Mick Fleetwood
Reading time, 10 hours 18 minutes
Genre: Music appreciation and History
Founder of Fleetwood Mac, drummer Fleetwood, shares his early life in
Cornwall, England, the early days with the band with original members John
McVie and Peter Green, and the transition to the current lineup, which
includes Stevie Nicks, Lindsay Buckingham, and Christine McVie. Unrated.
Commercial book. 2014.
Book #2, Betty Crocker Christmas Cookbook
DB64150
Written by Betty Crocker
Reading Time is 15 hours, 17 minutes
Read by Margaret Strom
Genre: Cooking. Holidays.
Collection of more than 250 recipes for Christmas treats, from appetizers to
main dishes, and from breads to desserts. Also includes holiday decrating
tips, make ahead ideas, finding gifts to give, and new twists to standard
recipes. 2006.
Odin Mobile, A New Cellphone Carrier for the Blind
By Janet Ingber
Odin Mobile, a nationwide provider of cellular service, has become the first
cell phone company dedicated to serving people who are visually impaired.
Odin sells phones and provides cellular service. Odin uses the T Mobile
network but they are a separate carrier. Anywhere T Mobile has its network,
Odin will have coverage. Odin does not provide service in areas where T
Mobile provides roaming coverage.
Robert Felgar, Odin General Manager, explained, quote, There really are two
aspects to the service. One is the phones themselves and the other is the
service that goes along with it. End quote. He added, quote, Right now, we
are launching with three phones, but we are looking to expand to five. End
Quote.
The company started taking orders on July 29, 2013, and shipped phones 4 to
6 weeks later.
The Odin Phones:
The Emporia Essence:
The Essence is manufactured by Emporia, an Austrian company that Felgar
indicated was relatively new to the US. He said, quote, This is a great
phone that is inexpensive and has been customized for blind users who just
want to make calls. It is also great for low vision users who want to send
and receive text messages and access other functions because it has a high
contrast screen and large font size and emphasizes simplicity and ease of
use. End quote. Odin worked with the manufacturer so that the phone is
useable right out of the box. The screen is set to the highest contrast and
the font size is set to large.
Features:
* Speaks the numbers when they are pressed
* Speaks, delete, when a number is deleted
* Speaks, calling, when a number is being called
* Speaks the battery level at the press of a button
* If the key lock feature is used, the phone will speak, key lock on,
and key lock off.
* Speaks, home, when the user is at the Home screen
* Speaks, menu, when the user has accessed a menu
* Speaks, call ended, at the end of each call
* Gives audio feedback when Bluetooth is activated and deactivated
* Allows for five speed dial numbers
* Phone comes with desktop stand for charging
* Does not speak text messages
The Emporia Click:
The Click is a clamshell phone designed for low vision users and users who
have difficulty hearing. This phone does not have text to speech capability
and therefore is not appropriate for someone who uses a screen reader.
Features:
* Large keys
* High contrast color display with adjustable font size
* Extra powerful speakers
* Ring tones can be adjusted to very high volumes
* High power vibrations when a call comes in
* Three speed dial buttons
* Desktop stand charger
* Call for Care button (when pushed, five separately stored numbers
are called in sequence until one answers; emergency SMS messages are also
sent to emergency numbers)
The Huawei Vision:
The Vision, manufactured by China based company Huawei, is an Android phone
that uses the Ice Cream Sandwich 4.0 operating system. RAY software makes
this phone readily accessible and gives users with vision loss access to
many important smart phone features. It was developed by Project RAY, an
Israeli company. Although this software has previously been used in other
countries, it is now making its debut in the US.
When explaining Ray software, Robert Felgar stated, quote, The RAY has a
unique user interface designed from the ground up for eyes free operation
and every feature is accessible. It emphasizes simplicity and is an ideal
phone for a user with vision loss who wants basic, and certain advanced,
capabilities but does not need or want all of the functionality (or expense)
of an iPhone. End quote.
Features:
Felgar explained the software's features: quote, The RAY will include
capabilities such as calling, text messaging, alarms, calendar, and managing
contacts. The device has speech recognition to make calling and text
messaging easier. It also offers more advanced capabilities, such as an
easier to use GPS, voice recorder, money recognition and color recognition.
Perhaps most importantly, it is a great device for accessing audio books,
newspapers, and magazines. The Audible application is pre loaded onto the
RAY to give the user access to more than 100,000 audio books. In addition,
we have plans to integrate the RAY with the NFB Newsline, the National
Library Service and the Connecticut Radio Information System and we hope to
integrate with additional organizations that can make available audio
materials on the RAY. The objective is to make the RAY the best source for
audio materials for visually impaired users in the market. Moreover, to make
things easier, the user interface will be the same regardless of the source
of the audio material so that the user has to learn only one system for
accessing the materials. Also, the user or his or her family or friends will
be able to go to a website to enter contacts for easy calling, or enter
events on a calendar, and these will be automatically transferred to the
RAY. The RAY facilitates remote access and screen sharing. What this means
is that if the user needs help with his or her phone she can call customer
support and Odin Mobile can see what is on the users screen and even take
control of the screen and help the user through the problem. End quote.
He also indicated that over time the phone will have new features and
capabilities. The user will not need to purchase another device because the
phone will be updated automatically. The user will be able to exit the RAY
mode and use standard Android functions on the phone. In addition, by the
end of the year the RAY software will be added to another device which will
run on the Jelly Bean operating system.
Phones in the Pipeline:
Felgar was enthusiastic about some of the new phones that Odin will be
adding in the future. He described two of them:
Alto II Manufactured by GoldGMT
Quote, This phone is unique in the world in that it is a feature phone that
is 100 percent accessible. It is designed to be a talking phone and allows
the blind user to easily enter and use contacts, access a call log, create
and listen to text messages, set alarms, and interact with the settings.
Moreover, the buttons are extremely tactile and some have different shapes
and colors to further enhance the experience. The phone will also speak the
date and time, speak the battery strength, as well as the signal strength.
It will retail for approximately $150. It is currently being sold in the UK
by the Royal National Institute of Blind People and has been very well
received. Odin hopes to be selling this phone no later than the end of
November, end quote, Felgar explained.
Nexus 4 Manufactured by LG
Quote, Odin Mobile will sell the NEXUS 4 to provide blind users with the
latest in Android accessibility on a high end device. It operates on Android
4.3. While plans are not finalized, the device is likely to contain two
customized features specifically tailored for the blind. First, it will
support remote access and screen sharing to facilitate superior customer
support. Second, it will include a widget on the home page that will allow
users to easily download select applications, tailored to blind users,
without going to the Google Play store. End quote.
Rates:
Felgar said that Odin's rate plans were designed with lower income users in
mind. The rate plans range anywhere from $10 to $45. The $10 plan allows for
150 minutes a month while for $45 you get 4000 minutes and 4000 texts. There
are additional plans between those rates so the customer can select a more
customized plan.
Data plans are also offered in various amounts. For example, The $5 plan
allows up to 100MB usage and the $30 plan allows up to 2 GB. At the present
time, only the Huawei Vision with RAY software supports data, but the
additional smart phones Odin plans to offer in the future will also support
data.
Customer Service:
When a customer receives a newly purchased phone, all accessibility features
are on by default. Regarding the Odin customer service department, Felgar
said, quote, We expect our customer service department to be busier than a
normal customer service department. We are expecting many questions
regarding Odin devices and how to use particular phone functions. End quote.
He added that all customer service personnel have been trained on the
accessibility features of the phones.
Additional Support for the Vision Phone:
All users who purchase the Vision phone with the RAY software get an
introductory training session with the phone at no extra charge. The session
usually takes approximately one hour, but whatever length of time is needed
is freely given. The training session will be conducted by a customer
service representative who is blind. Primary tech support will also be
provided by a representative who is blind. There are sighted representatives
available who can provide remote assistance by seeing the customer's screen
and, if necessary, take control of it. Similar support will be given for the
Nexus 4 when it is released.
Giving Back:
Odin Mobile will donate 2 percent of their talk and text revenue to
organizations that assist the blind community.
Odin is also applying to the Federal Communications Commission to be part of
its Lifeline Program. Felgar explained, quote, Lifeline is a government
benefit program that provides discounts on monthly telephone service for
eligible lower income customers. To qualify, the customer must have an
income less than 135 percent of the federal poverty guideline or participate
in a federal program, such as Medicaid, SSI or Food Stamps. Once approved to
participate in the program, Odin Mobile will offer qualifying customers a
$10 monthly discount. End quote.
Advisory Board:
Odin Mobile is creating an advisory board consisting of at least three
people from the blind community. The purpose of the advisory board is to
keep Odin Mobile connected to the needs of its customers. Specifically, the
members will provide Odin Mobile with feedback regarding its existing
services, as well as ideas on how better to meet customer needs in the
future.
Contact:
To learn more about Odin Mobile and the services it provides, visit the Odin
Mobile website <http://www.odinmobile.com/> or call, 800 826 0337.
Flick, Swipe, and Tap, iCloud Drive
Apple introduced iCloud Drive in iOS 8 and Mac OS X Yosemite. It is designed
to be a more easily understandable cloud storage location, working more like
Dropbox, OneDrive, and Google Drive. Previous versions of iCloud could sync
your documents and data, but iCloud Drive now exposes a sort of file system
to you. You can sync any file you like and browse your saved files.
How to Enable iCloud Drive
When you set up iOS 8 on an iPhone or iPad, or when you set up a Mac with OS
X Yosemite, you will be asked whether you want to migrate your account to
iCloud Drive.
This is a one way upgrade from the old Documents & Data system. After you
convert your account to iCloud Drive storage, iOS 7 and pre Yosemite Mac OS
X systems will not be able to access your files.
If you did not enable iCloud Drive during installation, you can do it later.
On an iOS device, open the Settings app, select iCloud, and turn on iCloud
Drive.
On a Mac, open the iCloud Preferences window and enable it.
On a Windows PC, open the iCloud for Windows application and enable it.
How iCloud Drive is Different: Previously,
Apples iCloud Documents & Data system was designed to hide the file system
from you as much as possible. You would use TextEdit on a Mac to save a text
file to iCloud Drive, and that text file could only be seen from within the
TextEdit app itself. On iOS, there was no TextEdit app, so you could not see
it. There was no location where you could go to see all your stuff.
This changes with iCloud Drive, as Apple has apparently realized that there
is no substitute for an exposed file system that lets you see all your
stuff. iCloud Drive is still a bit weird, though. By default, every iCloud
Drive enabled app you use will save its own files to its own folder. Apple
is trying to organize your drive for you. However, you are free to place
files anywhere you like and make your own folder structure.
As with other cloud storage services, files you store in your iCloud Drive
are automatically stored on Apples servers and synchronized via your
devices. They are tied to your Apple ID, and Apple offers 5 GB of storage
space for free.
How to Access Your iCloud Drive Files
Your iCloud drive files can be accessed from an iOS device, Mac, Windows PC,
or any device with a web browser.
Here is how:
iOS 8 : On an iOS device, there's no single app that exposes the entire
iCloud Drive file system like there is for Dropbox and other similar apps.
Instead, you need to use an app that uses iCloud Drive, open its file
chooser, and access your file system in that way.
For example, you can open Pages or another iWork app and use the app's
document browser to browse for files stored in iCloud Drive. iCloud Drives
plugs straight into the storage provider extension point in iOS 8.
Mac OS X 10.10 Yosemite : On a Mac, iCloud Drive is available directly in
the Finder's sidebar. Select iCloud Drive and, by default, you will see your
documents organized into folders depending on which app they are from.
However, you are free to dump any file you like in here and make all the
folders you like. They will be synced via iCloud.
Windows: Windows computers need iCloud for Windows 4.0 or newer installed.
After this software is installed, iCloud Drive will appear as an option in
the File Explorer or Windows Explorer file browser windows. Select it under
Favorites to access your iCloud files in the same way.
Web Browser: Your iCloud files can also be accessed from the iCloud website
anywhere you have a web browser. To do this, visit the iCloud Drive page on
iCloud and sign in with your Apple ID.
A Poem with a Twist
Twas the night before Christmas
but the spirit of Yule
Was not what it should be
in olde Liverpool.
The stockings all hung
by the warm chimney grate,
Were still sadly empty.
For Santa was late.
Yes, midnight had come,
and midnight had fled.
The children were lying
awake in their beds,
Unable to sleep,
and beginning to fear
That Christmas was really
not coming that year,
When off in the distance
there came a strange noise
Was Santa arriving
at last with their toys?
Those surely werent sleigh bells
they heard from afar,
It sounded like drums
and electric guitars.
Now up in the sky,
as the music drew near,
A strange silhouette
began to appear.
Could those be reindeer?
It seemed that they must,
But instead of a sleigh,
were they pulling a bus?
The reindeer drew closer,
and yes, it was true,
Behind them a bus,
all yellow and blue.
And out from the windows
strange voices there came,
Which called out to each
tiny reindeer by name.
Now, Maxwell! Now, Martha!
Now, Prudence and Pepper!
On, Sun King! On, Sadie!
On, Jude and Loretta!
The bus was soon landed.
The slightest of pauses
Then out through the doors
came four Santa Clauses!
But these weren't like Santas
the children had seen,
For under the white beards
their beads could be seen,
And clothing that wasn't
just Santa Claus red,
But rainbows of dazzling
color instead.
They all had long hair,
some had curling moustaches,
And one of the four
wore round little glasses.
They carried guitars,
except for the one
Who staggered along
with a full set of drums.
They spoke not a word,
but as quick as a mouse
They carried their instruments
into the house,
And, moving the Christmas tree
out of their way,
They plugged in their amps
and started to play.
The room seemed to sparkle
with magic and then
That sparkle grew brighter,
then brighter again,
And exploded like fireworks,
filling the air!
Then the stockings were filled
there were gifts everywhere!
But the four could not stay
to admire the scene
They sprang to their bus
and were gone like a dream.
But their voices called out,
as they vanished from sight,
Merry Crimble to all!
and, What a hard day's night!
Blockbuster Buzz
December upcoming releases with audio description.
Big Hero 6.
Dumb and Dumber 2.
Fury.
Gone Girl.
Horrible Bosses.
Interstellar.
Nightcrawler.
Rosewater.
Saint Vincent.
The Hobbit, The Battle of the Five Armies.
The Hunger Games, Mocking jay Part 1.
The Penguins of Madagascar.
Unbroken.
The Recipe Box, Better than Pumpkin Pie Bars
By Suzy Barnes
1 box, plain yellow cake mix
4 eggs
1 cup, brown sugar
1 can, 30 ounces, pumpkin
1 cup, margarine
2/3 cup, milk
1 Tablespoon, cinnamon
Reserve 1 cup of the cake mix. Melt 1/2 cup of the margarine and mix with
remaining cake mix and 1 egg. Spread in bottom of 9 x 13-inch greased Pyrex
dish. Mix together brown sugar, milk, cinnamon, 3 eggs and pumpkin. Pour
over cake mix layer. Combine the reserved cup of cake mix, 1/2 cup brown
sugar and 1/2 cup of softened margarine. Crumble over second layer and bake
45 minutes at 350 degrees. Refrigerate and serve with whipped cream. Cut in
squares to serve.
Think Tank
By Debi Chatfield
Thank you to everyone who submitted answers to Novembers brain teasers. Many
of you were very close, but close only counts in horseshoes!
Congratulations to Allison Hilliker, Donald Porterfield, and Frank Vance for
ansering both brainteasers absolutely right!
In case you missed them, here are the November brain teasers and their
answers:
1. A man has hundreds of bodies buried on his land, many of which are cops
and criminals. Many people find out what he has been doing, but none go to
the police. Why not?
Answer: He owns a cemetery.
2. An empty bus pulls up to a stop and 10 people get on. At the next
stop 5 people get off, and twice as many get on as the first stop. At the
third stop 25 get off. How many people are on the bus at this point?
Answer: No passengers, just the bus driver.
Now, here are the super duper brain teasers for December. Are you smarter
than a 5th grader? Hmmm?
1. I am round on the ends and high in the middle. What am I?
2. I have streets, but no pavement.
I have cities, but no buildings.
I have forest, but no trees.
I have rivers, yet no water.
What am I?
Please submit the answers to these brain teasers to:
news at az.nfb.org <mailto:news at az.nfb.org>
We will let you know if you are correct, and if so, we will publish your
name in the January newsletter. Have fun trying to solve these puzzles!
A Round of Applause
Thanks go out to you, our extended family here in the National Federation of
the Blind! You participate and spend time attending monthly meetings, raise
necessary funds to support our valuable programs, reach out to others
needing the information and resources we offer, and get to know and give
support to one another, so that we may continue to learn and grow. Our goal
is to be independent, productive members of society, and through your
efforts and working together, we are truly changing what it means to be
blind! So, a big thank you to you all, and keep up the good work!
Debi's List
No, this is not Craig's List, but it is the next best thing! If you have
something to sell, or announce, send us your ad, and we will post it, as
long as there is space available in the newsletter. Send your ads to:
news at az.nfb.org <mailto:news at az.nfb.org>
1. Are you having trouble with your computer? Did you just purchase that
must
have app, but have a question? Perhaps, you have some tips to share? If
so, please join the BlindTech e-mail list.
To join, send a message with subscribe in the subject line to:
blindtech-request at freelists.org <mailto:blindtech-request at freelists.org>
alternatively, you may visit:
http://www.freelists.org/list/blindtech
2. Join a Free Voice Chat Site Community on the Web!
Would you like to meet other blind or visually impaired individuals from
across the country and around the world? Do you like challenging interactive
games, old time radio, learning about adapted cooking techniques, a monthly
book club, product presentations, chess instruction, computer tech help, a
blindness support group, a weekly talent show, iPhone discussions, and much
more? Join our free chat community at:
www.Out-Of-Sight.net <http://www.out-of-sight.net/> .
3. Are you looking for a wonderful present to give a friend or loved one,
that would be both stylish and practical? Are you looking for something
that can hold many items, yet is not heavy on its own? Well look no further
than the InvisiBag! This is a strap like belt that clips easily around your
waste with a standard backpack strap. It contains two zipperred pockets,
one for a conventional water bottle, and one that is the perfect size for
your smartphone. With the water bottle pocket you will be able to carry
around a water bottle, without the need to carry a purse or backpack, as it
simply hangs around your belt. The cellphone pocket allows you to carry
your cellphone in a safe, secure environment; you can feel your cellphone
vibrating, yet it is difficult to steal as one must open the zipperred
pocket to get the cellphone out. And when you are done using it for the
day, just take all of your items out and let it sit around your waste; it is
so light you will not even notice.
As these are imported products, you will not find them anywhere on the U.S.
market. I personally handle all the importing and costs myself. I am
asking only $20 per each one.
Please send me an email at,
techluver at techluver.co.za <mailto:techluver at techluver.co.za>
if anyone is interested.
Stay Connected
Sending this newsletter to friends? Tell them they can receive this monthly
newsletter by subscribing to:
Nfbaz-news-subscribe at az.nfb.org <mailto:Nfbaz-news-subscribe at az.nfb.org>
If you have any changes in your contact info for the state roster, chapters,
or divisions, please write to:
news at az.nfb.org <mailto:news at az.nfb.org>
and we will send your info to the appropriate people and make the necessary
corrections.
Contact our President, Bob Kresmer at:
888 899 6322, or write to:
<mailto:krezguy at cox.net> krezguy at cox.net
If you would like to submit an announcement or article for publication in
this monthly newsletter, please send your submission to:
<mailto:news at az.nfb.org> news at az.nfb.org
Grins and Groans - The Usual Endings
Submitted by Bob Kresmer
What did one ocean say to the other ocean?
Nothing, they just waved.
How did the tree get on the computer?
It logs in.
What do you call a fake noodle?
Im-pasta.
Debi Chatfield
Editor
More information about the NFB-Editors
mailing list