[Nfb-editors] {Spam?} Arizona's monthly newsletter - February 2014

Thu Feb 6 00:45:56 UTC 2014

National Federation of the Blind of Arizona

News and Views

Issue #1

February 1, 2014

In This Issue

Navigation

Greetings from Our President

Word on the Street

Guess Who Just Took another Trip around the Sun

In the News – Suit Filed to Make K-12 Assessments Accessible

And More News – NFB Sues DOT on Airline Kiosk Access 

Can You Help? – Recruiting for the Communications Committee

Deaf-Blind Equipment Distribution Program – iCanConnect

Tax Assistance for Individuals with Disabilities

Read Across America – Braille Literacy

Your SHIP Has Come In

Microsoft Announces Scholarship for Students with Disabilities

Flick, Swipe, and Tap – Descriptive Video App

Announcing a New Breaking News Online Publication

Dog Gone It – Getting a Guide Dog

Healthy Choice, Healthy Living – An Introduction

In My Opinion – Rethinking Equality on Disabilities and Employment

Things that Make you Say Wow! – 10 Helpful Apps

The Bookshelf – 2 Selections

The Recipe Box – Rotel Chicken

The Writer’s Tale – Marasaul

Blockbuster Buzz

Dear Betty Blunt

Hot Links

Think Tank

A Round of Applause

Debi’s List

Stay Connected

Grins and Groans – The Usual Endings

Navigation

To navigate quickly to the different articles in this newsletter using JAWS,
System Access, 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, 

Thanks to  Debi Chatfield for taking on the challenge of editing a monthly
newsletter!  To be successful, we need to send her news to share, articles
you come across that will be of interest, share birthdays and special
occasions, technology tips and tricks, and other items you would like to
share with fellow Federationists!  You can email items to her at
news at az.nfb.org.  Please help her by providing information to share. 

Thank you to  Donald Porterfield, our first vice – president and legislative
director, and our members who participated in the Washington Seminar at the
end of January.  It takes time, money, enthusiasm, and commitment to make
this trek to call on our legislators.  Donald worked hard and efficiently to
make appointments with senators and congressional representatives, and keep
us all up to date on this years issues.  We had a good turnout of students,
parents, business enterprise merchants, and our board members.    Well done!

NFB of Arizona affiliate quarterly board of directors meeting is by
teleconference Saturday, February 8 from 10:00 a.m. to noon.  All are
welcome, and you are invited to dial:   

(267) 507-0370  and entering 

Pin 6322  followed by the #sign.   

Deadline date for students to submit NFB national scholarship applications
is March 31, so please act now!  You can download your scholarship
application packet by going to www.nfb.org/scholarships.   You will need to
supply information and letters of recommendation, a process that may take
more time than you realize.  Thirty scholarships will be awarded, so start
now.  Please call me for my letter of recommendation, a requirement for all
applicants. Remember that, even if you had won a national scholarship
previously, you are eligible for a second scholarship!  

Kenneth Jernigan Scholarship for NFB members who are first – timers to our
national convention will be available again this year.  The average grant
amount is between $400.00 and $600.00.  If all that is preventing you from
participating in NFB national convention is a shortage of funds, please
consider applying for this grant!  Deadline for applications is April 15,
but you must submit a request letter to me no later than April 1 so I can
make an enthusiastic recommendation. Please call me and we can help you
write your letter that will go before the national selection committee.   

I regret to tell you that long time member, Jim Hunter, died January 21.
Jim was nearly 94 years old, was a blind veteran, member of the Tucson
chapter as well as the Blind Merchants Division, and served as a mentor to
many of us.  He died peacefully in his sleep with his family attending to
him.  Jim was well liked by our members, his customers at his vending
locations, staff at the Veterans Blind Rehab Center, and fellow veterans.
He made it clear that he wanted no ceremonies or memorials.  Jim made sure
that all his blindness devices such as VR STREAM,scanner, bar code reader,
calculators, talking alarm clock, etc. will be made use of by NFBA members.
We will remember him at our state convention this year.  

Thanks to  board members Amy Murillo and Mark Feliz for taking on the
responsibilities of making the NFB BELL program happen in Tucson this
summer.  Mark and Amy travelled to our national office January 2 for a long
weekend of training in this two week Braille enrichment program for young
blind children between 5 and 12 years old.  This is an NFBA program hosted
by the Southern Arizona Association for the Visually Impaired (SAAVI).  NFB
members will participate as teachers and mentors, and SAAVI is providing
substantial financial support as well as the location.  More about this as
we get nearer to summer.  

Tucson chapter annual fundraiser, the 50 / 50 raffle ticket sales at the
Rllito thoroughbred racetrack will run eight weekends from February 8
through March 30.  This is a very successful fundraiser we have done now for
many years, and involves almost all of our chapter members in a fun and
enjoyable effort.  Thanks to Larry and Doris Martin for managing the details
and organizing participation schedules! 

NFB of Arizona is on the map in the national fundraiser – the donation of
used vehicles.  Already several automobiles have been donated, and we
receive calls regularly asking how to donate a used vehicle.  Please tell
your friends and neighbors about this easy fundraising effort.  

Bob Kresmer, president 

Toll free 888 899-6322 

krezguy at cox.net 

Word on the Street

**  Megan Homrighausen has started college at Penn Foster in November.  She
plans to pursue a degree in business.  Way to go Megan!

**  Congratulations to Debra and Rocky Smith!  They are celebrating their
34th wedding anniversary today, on February 1st!

**  Jim Sohl has fallen and broken his wrist recently.  Jim is on the mend,
and we wish him a speedy recovery!

Got any news for us?  We would love to hear what is going on in your world,
so please keep us up to date and write to:

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

Help us celebrate our February birthdays.

February 14, Patrick Hamblin, from Mesa.

February 19, Kathy Hilliker, from Glendale.

February 22, Mark Feliz, from Mesa.

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 

In the News – Suit filed to Make K-12 Assessments Accessible 

Reprinted from PR Newswire, January 24, 2014

The National Federation of the Blind (NFB), along with its affiliate
organizations the NFB of New Jersey and the National Organization of Parents
of Blind Children (NOPBC), and the parents of a blind high school student in
New Milford, New Jersey (named in the suit as S.H.) have filed suit (case
number: 14-392) in federal court against PARCC, Inc., a nonprofit
corporation that was established in 2013 by the Partnership for Assessment
of Readiness for College and Careers, a consortium currently made up of
eighteen states, including New Jersey and the District of Columbia.  This
consortium received a $186 million federal grant through the U.S. Department
of Education's Race to the Top Assessment Program competition, with which it
has promised to develop "next-generation" academic assessments for use in
measuring the academic progress and achievement of K-12 students.  The suit
has been filed because assessment tests created by PARCC, Inc. that will be
field tested at S.H.'s high school and other locations this spring are not
accessible to students who are blind.  The field test assessments will not
be offered in Braille, nor will they be available for use with
text-to-speech screen reading technology that is commonly used by blind
students.  S.H. is a Braille reader.  Another assessment consortium, known
as Smarter Balanced, has announced that it will make its tests accessible in
all phases of development, including field testing.

 The suit alleges that the failure to make the assessments accessible during
field testing violates the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) and the
Rehabilitation Act of 1973.
Source:
http://www.einnews.com/pr_news/187077327/national-federation-of-the-blind-an
d-parents-of-blind-child-file-suit-to-make-k-12-assessments-accessible

And More News – NFB Sues DOT on Airline Kiosk Access

By Dennis Schaal, Skift

January 22, 2014

The National Federation of the Blind (NFB) doesn’t think new Department of
Transportation rules on access to airline check-in kiosks go far enough so
it filed a lawsuit today against the DOT. The new regulations under the Air
Carrier Access Act went into effect December 12, and they require 25% of
airport check-in kiosks to be accessible to blind passengers within a
decade.

The NFB alleges that restricting blind passengers’ access to the airport
kiosks violated the law because Congress intended that the only permissible
restrictions would be related to passenger safety.

“The technology to make airline check-in kiosks accessible to blind people
is readily available; similar technology is already deployed on ATMs, other
kiosks, and similar devices nationwide, and has been for many years,” says
Marc Mauer, NFB president, who is one of the plaintiffs in the suit.

“Yet the Department of Transportation violated the law by allowing continued
discrimination against blind passengers based on spurious assertions by the
airline industry that making kiosks accessible will cost too much and take a
decade.”

The NFB seeks a court declaration that the DOT violated the law by
regulating airline kiosk access without congressional authority, and to set
aside the new rule because it denies blind people’s full access to the
kiosks.

Skift Trends Reports: The latest intelligence on the travel industry
travel-trends Subscribe Now

The lawsuit was filed in U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia.

Can You Help? – Recruiting for the Communications Committee

By Robert Leslie Newman

The NFB Communications committee is one of the two original committees
formed at the conception of the National Federation of the Blind (membership
was the other). Our mission is to consider questions dealing with the
Braille Monitor, state newsletters, and the total range of communications
and information throughout our movement. 

We need a few new good members who have an interest in communications, a
passion for the mission of the NFB, and can commit to giving of their talent
and time to our part of changing what it means to be blind. 

What we have accomplished over the past three years:

#1 sought out all NFB affiliate and divisional publications. Communicate
with editors, find out their needs, encourage them to join the NFB-Editors
listserv, share everyones publications, etc.

#2 Surveyed all NFB affiliate and divisional websites. Found eleven
affiliates were not on the WWW, communicated with them about their needs.
Put together a proposal to offer a free domain, and initial webmaster
service, and training for a webmaster of their choice. All fifty-two
affiliates are now up. (Four affiliates got themselves up, we assisted
seven. We are still the webmaster of five of them)

#3 Made a survey of all affiliates total communications efforts. Cataloged,
categorized and grouped the types of method and tools being used, and shared
them with all affiliates, divisions, and chapters. 

#4 created a Facebook Trainer Team to reach out and encourage and assist
affiliates, divisions, and chapters to utilize Facebook to promote
themselves and NFB.
#5 assisted the Affiliate Action Team to get all affiliate and division
websites to post the notice for our new national fund raiser, the vehicle
donation program. (Started with twenty-one affiliates had it up, now we have
forty-seven, with a commitment to do so from the remainder)

#6 At convention we host a workshop. We base the theme on what appears to be
the current needs of those NFB communication players who are looking for
solutions and/or a forum to share ideas.

If you are interested, please contact me personally. My preferred avenue for
our first communication would be by phone at 402-660-1743. Though, email is
acceptable, at newmanrl at cox.net

Note: Don’t join, if you cannot commit some creative time and effort to our
job. Not to scare anyone away, Im just serious about this committee being
worthy of its mission.

Deaf-Blind Equipment Distribution Program - iCanConnect

Submitted By Suzy Barnes

This holiday season, millions of Americans will learn about a successful
federal program that offers no cost communications technology to people with
combined vision and hearing loss. Television stations across the country
will soon begin airing a new animated public service announcement
highlighting the National Deaf-Blind Equipment Distribution Program
<http://cts.businesswire.com/ct/CT?id=smartlink&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.fcc.gov
%2Fencyclopedia%2Fnational-deaf-blind-equipment-distribution-program&esheet=
50752361&newsitemid=20131115005859&lan=en-US&anchor=National+Deaf-Blind+Equi
pment+Distribution+Program&index=1&md5=1ec492208423cfbf54ca8b4267e9f8bb> ,
which is promoted as
<http://cts.businesswire.com/ct/CT?id=smartlink&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.icancon
nect.org&esheet=50752361&newsitemid=20131115005859&lan=en-US&anchor=iCanConn
ect&index=2&md5=ac04a65a9d20e9e26dcd6c5e83477b47> iCanConnect. 

Now in its second year, this Federal Communications Commission
<http://cts.businesswire.com/ct/CT?id=smartlink&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.fcc.gov
%2F&esheet=50752361&newsitemid=20131115005859&lan=en-US&anchor=Federal+Commu
nications+Commission&index=3&md5=a0714057815790bc899cfc9127087771>  (FCC)
program has already changed the lives of more than one thousand people who
were unable to use modern technology to stay connected with their community
or access information on the Internet. Approximately a million Americans
live with significant, hearing and vision loss—many of these people are not
aware they could be classified as deaf-blind. 

The television spot shows how people with combined vision and hearing loss
can use technology to access everything from school assignments to social
media to a grandchilds dance recital. “Whether it is a grandparent who has
lost vision and hearing due to age-related conditions or a young person born
deaf-blind, iCanConnect is transforming lives”, explains Steven M.
Rothstein, president of Perkins
<http://cts.businesswire.com/ct/CT?id=smartlink&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.perkins
.org%2F&esheet=50752361&newsitemid=20131115005859&lan=en-US&anchor=Perkins&i
ndex=4&md5=2a1cfeb14640875f102e20ecb60f8c89> , which is working with dozens
of partners across the country. “Especially at this time of year, when
families are giving thanks, it is important to recognize how access to
technology can mean the difference between isolation and independence,
between segregation and participation.” iCanConnect offers hundreds of
pieces of equipment such as computers equipped with screen reading software
and iPhones attached to Braille displays and simple phone amplifiers.
iCanConnect trainers meet one-on-one with each client to determine what
equipment will best suit their needs and also to offer expert instruction on
how to use the devices. The assessment, training and technology are all
offered at no cost to qualified individuals who meet income guidelines. 

The new iCanConnect Public Service Announcement was created by Fablevision
<http://cts.businesswire.com/ct/CT?id=smartlink&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.fablevi
sion.com%2F&esheet=50752361&newsitemid=20131115005859&lan=en-US&anchor=Fable
vision&index=5&md5=bfa011333c4d29046eb10da1ba9be3e0>  in Boston, MA, and was
closed captioned by the Media Access Group at WGBH
<http://cts.businesswire.com/ct/CT?id=smartlink&url=http%3A%2F%2Fmain.wgbh.o
rg%2Fwgbh%2Fpages%2Fmag%2Fservices%2Fcaptioning%2F&esheet=50752361&newsitemi
d=20131115005859&lan=en-US&anchor=Media+Access+Group+at+WGBH&index=6&md5=ddd
319c63a15d81544b2688f2ee50ead>  in Los Angeles and Boston. You can view the
spot here: http://www.icanconnect.org/news/new-icanconnect-promo-videos
<http://cts.businesswire.com/ct/CT?id=smartlink&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.icancon
nect.org%2Fnews%2Fnew-icanconnect-promo-videos&esheet=50752361&newsitemid=20
131115005859&lan=en-US&anchor=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.icanconnect.org%2Fnews%2Fnew-
icanconnect-promo-videos&index=7&md5=2d96334986f775cb67b3382038215f51> . 

iCanConnect is available in all 50 states, the District of Columbia, Puerto
Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands. Learn more at www.iCanConnect.org
<http://cts.businesswire.com/ct/CT?id=smartlink&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.iCanCon
nect.org&esheet=50752361&newsitemid=20131115005859&lan=en-US&anchor=www.iCan
Connect.org&index=8&md5=cb473bad57863c8089cc9740f2002773> . The website
accommodates users with low vision, people who use screen readers and
features video that is both audio-described and closed captioned.
Information about iCanConnect is also available by calling 1-800-825-4595 |
TTY 1-888-320-2656. 

Tax Assistance for Individuals with Disabilities

Submitted by Bob Kresmer

Special assistance is available for persons with disabilities. If you are
unable to complete your return because of a disability, you may obtain
assistance from an IRS office, and/or the Volunteer Income Tax Assistance
Program
<http://www.irs.gov/Individuals/Free-Tax-Return-Preparation-for-You-by-Volun
teers>  (VITA) sponsored by the IRS. For further information on available
IRS services, refer to Topic 101 <http://www.irs.gov/taxtopics/tc101.html>
or refer to Publication 910 <http://www.irs.gov/pub/irs-pdf/p910.pdf>
(PDF), IRS Guide to Free Tax Services. 

Telephone assistance for the deaf and hard of hearing is available for
individuals with TTY equipment. The toll-free number for this service is
800-829-4059, and the hours of operation are Monday through Friday, 7 a.m. -
7 p.m. (caller's local time); Alaska and Hawaii follow Pacific time. Deaf
and hard of hearing individuals that do not have this equipment may be able
to obtain access through the federal or state relay services. 

Visit the IRS.gov Accessibility
<http://www.irs.gov/uac/IRS.gov-Accessibility>  page for a current list of
accessible tax products available by download. If you prefer hardcopy
Braille or large print, please call the IRS at 800-829-3676. 

For additional information on these subjects and other areas that may affect
persons with disabilities, refer to Publication 907
<http://www.irs.gov/publications/p907/index.html> , Tax Highlights for
Persons with Disabilities. 

Read Across America – Promote Braille Literacy

By Natalie Shaheen

It is almost that time of year again the time of year when every Sneech,
every Who, everyone wearing a Thneed, celebrates Seuss because they love to
READ!

Any time reading is being celebrated, you know that we will be there
proclaiming our love of Braille! The National Education Association
celebrates Read Across America Day on Dr. Seuss’ birthday every year. March
2, Dr. Seuss’s birthday, falls on a Sunday this year, so the festivities
will take place on Monday, March 3 in schools and libraries around the
country. As usual, the NFB will be joining the celebration of children’s
literacy by emphasizing the importance of Braille. We need your help to get
the message out to the world that we love Braille!

You can join in the Read Across America fun and help spread the good news
about Braille starting today by doing the following:
1.      Help your affiliate organize a Read Across America Day birthday
party for Dr. Seuss. We will be sharing party and activity ideas with
affiliate leaders very soon.
2.      Send in pictures <https://nfb.org/readacrossamericavideouploadform>
of you or your child reading a Braille book near landmarks or other
identifiable places. We want to show the world that blind people read
Braille across America by showcasing pictures of Braille readers at famous
landmarks. Whether it’s by the Statue of Liberty, Gateway Arch, the Rocky
Mountains, a saguaro cactus, the Grand Canyon, Disneyland, Epcot Center, or
even a Route 66 signlet’s show the world that Braille readers are
everywhere! Chosen pictures will be posted on nfb.org <http://www.nfb.org/>
, on the
<http://www.facebook.com/NationalFederationoftheBlind?ref=ts&fref=ts> NFB’s
Facebook page, and tweeted by @ <https://twitter.com/nfb_voice> NFB_Voice.
3.      Send us a video <https://nfb.org/readacrossamericavideouploadform>
of you or your child reading Braille or showing how you will celebrate Dr.
Seuss’s birthday. A selection of the submitted videos will be posted on
Facebook, the  <http://www.youtube.com/nationsblind> NFB’s YouTube channel,
and tweeted by @ <https://twitter.com/nfb_voice> NFB_Voice. For a fabulous
example of a video, check out this example
<http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7nNBMnAqSeo> , submitted by Josey and Angel
(one Braille reader and one print reader).Have fun, get creative, and show
the world why you love Braille!

On March 3, Read Across America Day, help spread the message that Braille
rocks by:
1.      READING Dr. Seuss! This is what this day is all about. You can find
Dr. Seuss books in Braille online to download at
<http://www.bookshare.org/> Bookshare or from NLS
<http://www.loc.gov/cgi-bin/zgate.nls?ACTION=INIT&FORM_HOST_PORT=/prod/www/d
ata/nls/catalog/index.html,z3950.loc.gov,7490&CI=151238> , and you can find
hardcopy Braille books at National Braille Press
<http://www.nbp.org/ic/nbp/publications/all_books.html> .
2.      Read with a child. Volunteer to read a story or two to children at a
school. Read with your own children. Or read with a young friend. 
3.      Tell us about what you are reading. Whether you are reading Dr.
Seuss or something else, we still want to hear about it. Post about it on
Facebook and Twitter using the hashtags #Braille and #NEAReads (the official
Read Across America hashtag). You can talk about what you are reading,
suggest books, ask for suggestions, or post about why you love Braille and
why it is important, or about anything else. We want to hear from you!

If the whole country is talking about literacy on March 3, Braille must be a
part of the conversation.

Your SHIP Has Come In!

By John Chatfield

Do you have Medicare or Medicaid (AHCCCS) health insurance?  If so, you may
be one of the many people who have questions about these programs. Perhaps,
you are not sure whether you are taking full advantage of them. Maybe you
are not sure about your eligibility and would like to get personalized
information.  Sometimes problems need to be resolved. 

There is an excellent source of help. It is called SHIP, which stands for
The State Health Insurance Assistance Program. It is described on the SHIP
website as quote, a national program that offers one-on-one counseling and
assistance to people with Medicare and their families. Through federal
grants directed to states, SHIP programs provide free counseling and
assistance via telephone and face-to-face interactive sessions, public
education presentations and programs, and media activities, end quote.

I am a volunteer counselor in Arizona and have seen first-hand how this
service works, and found it to be very helpful. 

Every state has a SHIP program, but they are called by various names. To
talk to a  SHIP counselor in Arizona call 800-432-4040. Also you may email
me at: jchatfie at gmail.com to assist you to find a SHIP counselor.

 If you have suggestions or questions regarding Medicare or Medicaid that
you would like the newsletter to address, please contact me, John Chatfield
at the above email address. 

Microsoft Announces Scholarship for Students with Disabilities 

Submitted by Bob Kresmer

Redmond, WA -- Microsoft is pleased to announce the launch of the Microsoft
DisAbility
Scholarship<http://www.microsoft.com/en-us/diversity/programs/microsoftdisab
ilityscholarship.aspx> intended to empower and enable high school students
with disabilities to (a) go to college, (b) realize the impact technology
has on the world, and (c) target a career in the technology industry.
The scholarship launched Friday, January 17, 2014 and includes a goal to
increase enrollment of persons living with a disability in higher education
and, in the long term, decrease the unemployment bias for disabled persons.
This new program was started by, and is supported by, Microsoft employees
who will select promising high school seniors who require financial
assistance in order to enter and successfully complete a vocational or
academic college program.  This non-renewable $5000 scholarship will be paid
to the recipient's Financial Aid Office by the Seattle Foundation on behalf
of the DisAbility Employee Resource Group (ERG) at Microsoft.
Eligibility
All candidates must be high school students living with a
disability<http://www.who.int/topics/disabilities/en/> who plan to attend a
2 to 4 year University or College program, maintain a cumulative 3.0 CPA or
equivalent and have declared a major from the approved list (see scholarship
guidelines on application).

Requirements
To apply for the Microsoft DisAbility Scholarship, the student must meet the
following guidelines:

1.     Be a current high school senior with living with a disability (as
defined by WHO<http://www.who.int/topics/disabilities/en/>), whether that be
visual, hearing, mobility, cognitive or speech.

2.     Plan to attend an undergraduate program in a 2 or 4-year
University/College or Technical College in the fall of the academic year
following high-school graduation.  Schools must be in the USA or have a
USA-Affiliate for financial transactions (contact Seattle Foundation to
verify non-USA school's eligibility).

3.     Declare a major in engineering, computer science, computer
information systems, legal or in business that are approved (i.e. paralegal,
pre-law, finance, business administration, or marketing).

4.     Demonstrate a passion for technology.

5.     Demonstrate leadership at school and/or in the community.

6.     Have a high school cumulative GPA of 3.0 or higher.

7.     Require financial assistance to attend college.

8.     Enrollment status must be full-time or half time.

###

Contact:
DisAbility Employee Resource Group
Microsoft Corporation
http://www.microsoft.com/en-us/diversity/programs/microsoftdisabilityscholar
ship.aspx
Email: Disability Scholarship
Fund<mailto:disschol at microsoft.com?subject=DisAbility%20Scholarship%20Fund>

Flick, Swipe, and Tap – Descriptive Video App

Submitted by Debi Chatfield

Many theaters around the country are starting to offer the visually impaired
the option of listening to the descriptive audio track while they are
watching a film. Sadly though, this technology is not available everywhere,
and sometimes it does not work. The team at Solo-DX wants to make the
experience better by having the blind film-goer use a smart phone app to
listen to the descriptive audio track instead. Last week, I had the
opportunity to test out the new MovieReading app. The interface is very
simple. Once you are logged in, you visit the Marketplace, download the
descriptive audio track for the film you are going to go see at your
theater, and than start the track when your film begins. The app will listen
to the audio in the theater and sync the audio track with where the film is
so that the user does not have to try and match the two tracks themselves.
To test the app, I downloaded the Princess Bride track and then watched some
Youtube clips from the film. In all three cases, the sync option worked
perfectly. The MovieReading apps latest version is expected to be released
before November 22nd, the opening day of the film, Philomena, which will be
the first movie to use the apps new features.

MovieReading is currently available on iOS, and they hope to have an Android
version soon. Pasted below is a press release from Solo-DX about the
MovieReading app and, Philomena.

As exclusive U.S. partners with Universal Multimedia Access, Hollywood
Access Services is releasing Solo-Dx on MovieReading, the first ever
auto-syncing audio description app available for first-run movies. The debut
title on this exciting new platform will be The Weinstein Company¹s
Philomena, in theaters November 22. Using acoustic fingerprinting
technology, this new auto-syncing method will completely change moviegoing
for the blind and visually impaired via their smartphones. It is really easy
to use -- download the app, download the description track, go to the movie
theater, and enjoy! 

Announcing a New Breaking News Online Publication

By Scott White

We are pleased to announce the addition of THE VERGE to our Breaking 
News Online publications. The Verge was founded in 2011 in 
partnership with Vox Media, and covers the intersection of 
technology, science, art, and culture. Its mission is to offer 
in-depth reporting and long-form feature stories, breaking news 
coverage, product information, and community content in a unified and 
cohesive manner. The Verge won five Webby Awards for the year 2012 
including awards for Best Writing (Editorial), Best Podcast for The 
Vergecast, Best Visual Design, Best Consumer Electronics Site and the 
Best Mobile News App.

This publication is now available on the telephone, on WEB NEWS ON 
DEMAND, and on the iPhone app. For telephone users, The Verge is 
available as a BREAKING NEWS publication. To access this, you should 
select option number 5 from the main menu, labeled for NEWSPAPERS in 
a DIFFERENT STATE. Then select the option for BREAKING NEWS ONLINE, 
which is option number 1. From there select the option for THE VERGE.

For iPhone users, first navigate to the PUBLICATION OPTIONS. From 
there, select PUBLICATION GROUPS. Finally you can find THE VERGE as a 
newspaper under the BREAKING NEWS ONLINE group.

For those using WEB NEWS ON DEMAND, THE VERGE will be available 
either from an ALPHABETICAL listing or if you prefer, you can access 
PUBLICATIONS ORGANIZED BY STATE. Then select BREAKING NEWS ONLINE.

We hope you enjoy this new addition to the service. Stay tuned for 
more additions over the next few weeks.

Dog Gone It – Getting a Guidedog

By Charles Rivard

This month, I thought I’d talk about part of the experience of getting a dog
guide, in a way.  Although schools might do it differently, I believe that
all of them have the same goal in mind.  That goal is to satisfy both the
human and the dog.

>From this point on, keep in mind that I will tell you about my personal
experiences at Guide Dogs for the Blind Inc.  I am working my fifth dog from
there.  I have gone nowhere else, because I have gotten 5 excellent guides
from there, and if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it!

One of the questions they ask you during your initial interview is “What are
your preferences, if any?  Breed?  Male or female?  And why?”  After you
arrive at the school, before you get your dog, the instructors will ask you
the same thing.  Be honest with your answers.  It will pay big dividends in
the long run.  They also ask you what traits you want in a dog.  Do you like
a puppyish dog that likes to play rough and energetically?, or do you want a
more laid back and easy going dog?  They consider, and ask you about, your
environment.  Do you work, and in what type of an office, or are you
traveling a lot?  They consider your home environment.  Do you have other
pets and what are they like?

A lot of people have a misconception that I’d like to focus on for this
month.  They think that you will get the dog you ask for every time.  This
is not the case!  The dog you will get is what the school staff feel will be
the best guide for you.  You may want a female black Lab that is an
energetic player.  You may get a male yellow Lab that is laid back and easy
going, because you may not be strong enough to handle a rambunctious beast!
The dog that you wanted may be a very fast walker and a hard puller that you
could not work well with.  So guess what you will get?  Right.  You’ll get
the best guide for you and your home surroundings.  While it is true that
the staff will try, and try is the key word here, to match your desires as
best as they can, they may have a better guide in mind for you.  This is
especially true if you are going to be working with a dog guide for the
first time.  If you have had previous guides, they can look through your
past records and get a good feel for the dog you want or need from there, as
well as your feedback to them at this time.  Your wants and needs will have
changed over the years, and they will certainly consider those wants and
needs.  In my case, seeing as I have worked with dogs since 1977, they can
pretty much tell which dogs will be right for me when I arrive at the
school.

Now that I have shared with you my experiences about how guides are chosen,
stay tuned for the March News and Views to learn about meeting and working
with your new guide! 

Healthy Choice, Healthy Living – An Introduction

By Lawrence MacLellan

I was asked to contribute something to the newsletter, and I am happy to do
so.  My background is in fitness and health, and I would like to begin by
giving you an introduction about who I am. I have always been interested in
fitness, health, keeping in shape, and watching what I eat.  Not to an
extreme, but to ensure I stay in good health. I have been involved a lot in
sports, power lifting, wrestling, and track and field over the years, and
though I have RP, my vision has been good enough to participate in these
activities with little difficulty.  For eight years, I worked in a health
club.  The last two years of that employment, I ran the men’s program, and
set people up with personalized exercise and nutrition programs.  During the
past 19 years, I have worked full time as a Reflexologist and continue to
motivate my clients to make healthy choices every day. With this background
in mind, I offer my experience and knowledge to you, and hopefully, this
will motivate you to live your best and healthiest life!   

I must say at the outset, that if you have a medical condition or take
prescribed medicines, you may want to consult with your physician.  However,
the information I am offering is quite sensible and not extreme in nature.

The health of all of us, is our responsibility, and it relies on the choices
we make every day.  For the next several months, I will be providing
detailed information about hydration, exercise, nutrition, sleep, attitude,
energy, stress and other relevant subjects. My suggestion to you, is that
you make one healthy choice at a time. If you go overboard and attempt to
change your lifestyle all at once, it can become discouraging.  Choose one
of the following challenges, to get a jump start on your road to good
health!  Add another challenge when you feel comfortable.     

*	Increase your water intake.

Try to ensure that you are drinking about half of your body weight in ounces
of water per day. If you are taking medication which restricts your fluid
intake, try to make those fluids water as well. Soda, coffee, and alcohol
may be fluids, but water is much better for you.  If you have trouble
drinking this much water, try beginning with adding one glass of water extra
each day or two, until you reach the desired amount of ounces.  Now, I do
not expect someone who weighs over 200 pounds to be drinking at least 100
ounces of water per day, at least not right in the beginning. But, try to
drink at least 8 to 10, 8 ounce glasses per day, by the end of the 4 week
time period.    

*	Cut back on the foods you love the most that are not healthy.

I do not recall anyone ever saying that they would hate to give up broccoli
or cauliflower, have you?  Often times, what we hate to give up the most,
causes the most problems. It is the carbohydrates, sugars, soda, ice cream,
chocolate, processed foods, snacks, etc. that are the foods we love the most
and hate to give up.  Try to cut back on the foods you know are not good for
you, and see the results at the end of the 4 weeks.

*	Get up and get moving.

I think the three reasons I hear the most for an individual not exercising
are, no energy, no time, and no equipment.  All of us have busy lives, but
if we wait to have the energy, time, and equipment, we will most likely not
follow through, and exercising will most likely not happen. Ease into the
routine of exercise. If you do not have the luxury of a gym membership,
think outside of the box.  Create some convenient floor space.  Shut the
door and close the blinds.  Tune in the radio to your favorite music, and
start moving!  It does not matter if you even know how to dance.  Just move!
Start with stretching.  Then, add your arms, then your legs.  Walk in place,
or dance around.  Just keep moving.  Start with one or two songs, and keep
increasing the length of time as you progress.  Eventually, you will work
your way up to being able to move and exercise for 30 minutes per day.
Having said all of this, I do not want you to do so much exercise, that you
cannot even walk the next day. Be smart.  Be safe.  Ease into your exercise
routine and be consistent. Your health is your responsibility, so take on
one of these challenges today, and start making a difference in your life,
one healthy choice at a time!

In My Opinion – Rethinking Equality on Disabilities and Employment

By Allison Hilliker

Benetech/Bookshare Operations Associate - Global Literacy

The summer when I was 14, I got fired from my first volunteer job. I worked
at a local vet/pet groomer, helping bathe and care for the animals. I worked
hard, got along well with my coworkers and conducted myself as
professionally as any middle schooler could. Why, then, did I get fired? It
was because over time, the company managers learned that I was blind.
Without knowing me or seeing how I performed, they decided that it was not
safe for a blind person to work at their company and asked me not to come
back.

Of course, I was devastated. Nevertheless, there was not much that a
14-year-old volunteer could do in that situation. The only thing I could do
was to be more determined than ever to compete in the world of future
employment alongside workers without disabilities. 

Today that is exactly what I am doing. I am proud to say that I have worked
for Benetech's Global Literacy Program for 6 years and that other Benetech
staff members have full confidence in my abilities. I wear many hats in my
job. I primarily focus my time on Bookshare customer support, which means
that I'm on the phone much of the day, answering people's questions about
how to sign up for Bookshare or download their books. When I'm not on the
phone, I beta test new Benetech software and web features to ensure they are
accessible to everyone. I also proofread new books before they are added to
the Bookshare collection and made available to our members. Lastly, I do
Bookshare member outreach by representing Benetech at various state and
national conferences.

While I love my job, I know that nothing about how I work is particularly
amazing. We have other individuals on our team who do Bookshare support,
proofreading, or conference travel. What people find fascinating about my
work is that I do it effectively, even though I've been legally blind since
birth due to several eye conditions, including congenital glaucoma. 

Since October was National Disability Employment Awareness Month (NDEAM), I
was asked to write a blog post about my experiences working for Benetech.
Before I began writing, I considered the official theme for this year's
NDEAM, quote, Because We Are Equal to the Task. End quote. To me, this
statement implies that we are not expected to be equal to the task and,
therefore, that if we are doing equal work, then we are special and must
share our inspiring stories with the world. But, frankly, while I like to
think I am phenomenal for many reasons, I'm sure that accomplishing the same
tasks that sighted people accomplish is not one of those reasons.

I do not wish to be anyone's inspiring story just because I happen to be
blind and successfully perform regular life tasks. If I do so, I would feel
I negate the message of equality that I try to send out to the world. If I
am equal--which I know I am--then why do I need to highlight my everyday
work as a shining example of just how equal I am? And if I highlight my work
as remarkably equal, won't I perpetuate misconceptions about how hard it is
to do equal work as a disabled person? Moreover, will I be promoting the
type of mind set that caused an uninformed manager in Michigan to fire a
14-year-old girl just because she could not use her eyes to do her work? 

It is true that the techniques I use to perform tasks as a blind worker are
different from those that my sighted colleagues use, but they are not better
or worse techniques. I have software on my computer called JAWS for Windows
that reads the computer screen to me. I have a regular iPhone 4S that has a
built in screen reader called VoiceOver that enables me to do my email and
web browsing when I'm on the go. I also use an electronic Braille display
called a Refreshabraille to take notes on my iPhone during meetings or to
review notes when I'm giving presentations. I travel around offices, hotels
and airports independently, using a long white cane.

Although my techniques are different, they alone do not make my work
miraculous. To me, what makes my work at Benetech great is that I genuinely
care about Bookshare, our members and Benetech's commitment to global
literacy and to using technology for social good. Yet, this level of passion
and commitment is not unique to me, for many of my nondisabled coworkers
share it as well.

I believe I am good at my job and I would imagine that my sighted coworkers
would agree with my self-assessment. But, as I have already said, that fact
alone is not what makes my job amazing. The thing that makes my employment
experience at Benetech so fulfilling is that I am part of a vibrant,
dedicated, and brilliant team consisting of both disabled and nondisabled
folks who truly believe in the work we do and who strive each day to make
the world a little better than it was the day before. And, in the end, I
think that is what all of us--disabled or not--want from our jobs

Things that Make you Say Wow! – 10 Helpful Apps

Submitted by Debi Chatfield

Excerpts from www.AppleVis.com <http://www.applevis.com/>  

Looking for some really neat apps for your iDevice?  Look no further!  Here
are 10 apps that you won’t want to do without!  If there are any other apps
that you recommend and find quite useful, please write us and tell us about
them!  Send your suggestions to:

news at az.nfb.org  

1.  Skype for iPhone (Free) 

Say hello to friends and family with an instant message, voice or video call
on Skype for free. There is so much you can do, right from the palm of your
hand. 

2.  Twitter (Free) 

Twitter is the best way to connect, express yourself and discover what’s
happening. 

3.  Tap Tap See Blind & Visually Impaired Camera (Paid) 

TapTapSee is designed to help the blind and visually impaired identify
objects they encounter in their daily lives.  Simply double tap the screen
to take a photo of anything, at any angle, and hear the app speak the
identification back to you (Note: Spoken identification  requires VoiceOver
to be turned on).

4.  Facebook (Free)

Keeping up with friends is faster than ever. 

•See what friends are up to 

•Share updates, photos and videos 

•Get notified when friends like and comment on your posts 

•Text, chat and have group conversations 

•Play games and use your favorite apps 

5.  Overcast, Simple Weather (Free) 

Overcast is designed to give a very quick overview of the current weather
conditions and forecasts for the day and for the week. Overcast gives you
access to the information you require by removing access to the information
you do not even care about. 

Overcast is also designed to be accessible. Voiceover is fully supported and
the typography is designed to be easy on the eyes. 

6.  Dropbox (Free) 

Dropbox lets you bring all your photos, docs, and videos anywhere and share
them easily. Access any file you save to your Dropbox from all your
computers, iPhone, iPad and even the Dropbox website! 

7.  YouTube 

YouTube your way. Get the official YouTube app for iPhone and iPad.
Instantly become the DJ, learn Kung Fu and easily share with friends. Catch
up on your favorite videos and playlists from around the world on the couch,
in the kitchen or on the go. 

8.  Reuters (Free) 

Reuters iOS app brings you the latest reporting and market data from the
worlds most trusted news organization. 

9.  Digit-Eyes (Paid)

Digit-Eyes reads barcode labels. Scan UPC / EAN codes and hear the names of
over 34 million products! Make your own QR code labels on the Digit-Eyes
website and print them on inexpensive address labels. These barcoded labels
may contain text that VoiceOver reads aloud or they can be used to record
audio on your iPhone or iPad that is played back whenever the bar code is
scanned. 

10.  LookTel Money Reader (Paid) 

LookTel Money Reader instantly recognizes currency and speaks the
denomination, enabling people experiencing visual impairments or blindness
to quickly and easily identify and count bills. Point the camera of your iOS
device at a bill and the application will tell you the denomination in
real-time. Twenty one currencies are supported: the US Dollar, Australian
Dollar, Bahraini Dinar, Brazilian Real, Belarusian Ruble, British Pound,
Canadian Dollar, Euro, Hungarian Forint, Israeli Shekel, Indian Rupee,
Japanese Yen, Kuwaiti Dinar, Mexican Peso, New Zealand Dollar, Polish Zloty,
Russian Ruble, Saudi Arabian Riyal, Singapore Dollar, and United Arab
Emirates Dirham.

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  

Happy reading!

Book #1 – Daddy’s Gone a Hunting

DB 76343 

Author: Mary Higgins Clark 

Reading Time:  10 hours, 1 minute 

Read by Madelyn Buzzard 

Suspense Fiction

Bestsellers

Concerned by something she discovered at her family’s furniture business,
Kate Connelly asks former employee Gus Schmidt to join her there in the
predawn hours.  But, the building explodes as they enter, killing Gus and
leaving Kate comatose—and the prime suspect in an insurance scam.  Some
violence.  Bestseller 2013.

 <https://nlsbard.loc.gov/download/book/srch/76343/prefix/DB> Download
Daddys gone a hunting 

Book #2 - The Heist – A Novel

DB 76803

Author: Janet Evanovich and Lee Goldberg

Reading Time: 8 hours and 30 minutes

Read by John Polk

Suspense Fiction, Bestsellers

After many failed attempts, FBI agent, Kate OHare, finally catches charming
con artist Nick Fox. When Nick manages to escape custody, Kate goes after
him, only to learn he is going to be putting his scamming skills to good
use--as her new partner.

Violence and strong language. Bestseller 2013.   

Download the heist: a novel
<https://nlsbard.loc.gov/download/book/srch/76803/prefix/DB> 

The Recipe Box – Rotel Chicken

By Ashley Chatfield 

Ingredients:

1 package, Doritos

4 chicken breasts, cooked and diced, about (4 cups plus)

1 can, Cream of Chicken Soup

1 can, Cream of Mushroom Soup 

1 can, Rotel Tomatoes

8 ounces, sour cream

2 cups, shredded cheese

Directions:

Crush Doritos, and cover bottom of buttered baking dish.  Mix all but
cheese, and add to baking dish.  Sprinkle with cheese, and bake in 350
degree oven for 25 minutes, until bubbly. 
You can top with extra crushed chips and return to oven for an additional 3
minutes.     

This recipe is easily halved; using only one can of soup.

Enjoy, and best dishes!

The Writer’s Tale - Marasaul

By Richard Szopinski

Editor’s Note:  Richard is a junior in high school 

It started one night with the village ablaze,

And the young Marasaul running home in a daze,

To a bedridden mother with an illness unknown,

To any who saw her, so they let her alone.

In truth, twas the plague that betook the old woman,

But she received no treatment, from any a human.

The reason for this was quite dreadfully clear,

For upon the brow of her daughter was a symbol of fear.

The mark of the devil, the mark of a witch,

A mark that had cursed her, an unfortunate glitch.

Which was why she was running, gasping for breath,

For if Marasaul looked back, she'd soon see her death.

The people with torches, shrieking for blood,

They wanted her dead, her head tramped in the mud.

Why did they pursue her?

She was not to blame for old Mr Habit's legs going lame.

"That was his own fault!" Marasaul had said,

"He should be more careful when getting from bed."

Nore through no fault of hers did old Mrs McGraydey lose half of her flock,

Perhaps in the future she'd take better stock.

But whatever she told them, they all pursued on,

Through the dark, winter's night, making Marasaul run.

When at last Marasaul came to her old, rundown shack,

The villagers caught up and began an attack.

But tiny, quick Marasaul entered with haste,

And barring the door, looked at her mother's face.

Her old decrepit mother, sickly and red,

Her poor mother she knew could very soon be dead.

"Marasaul my child," the old lady croaked,

"Why is it that the village has gone up in smoke?"

"Oh mother!" Cried Marasaul, "I am not to blame.

"Things got out of hand, and it all just caught flame.

"I was steeling, you see, plants from Mrs Gonjell,

"Plants I thought would assist you, that would help you get well.

"Then when Mrs Gonjell set foot out her door, I took up and ran, and then
just before she caught me,

"I took up my candle and tossed it behind me, not aiming to hit, but twas
the fait that did bind me.

"I know not what happened then, for the next thing I knew,

"I was then running faster, and a chase did ensue.

"I ran and I ran til I entered in here..."

But the girl said no more out of absolute fear.

For just then came a pounding, a thunderous roar,

And then Marasaul knew that it came from the door.

"Send out the witch or your hut we shall pillage!"

Called out James Ilsman, the head of the village.

"Quick child! Go now!" Cried Marasauls' mother,

"For I'll soon leave this life and be off to another."

In protest Marasaul beat her fists on the ground,

And she wept like a child, a most pitiful sound.

She wept and she wept til at last she fell back,

Back against the wall with a resounding "thwack!"

"Mother!" Said she, "I will not go,

"And you shall not die! These plants shall make it so!"

"Go!" Her mother said weakly, knowing it was too late,

"Get out while you can and leave me to my fate!"

Jumping to her feet the girl rushed to her mother,

"Then I leave you the plants," Said she, "use them well,

"For if I am a witch, I shall soon be in hell."

And giving no thought to above or below, Marasaul rushed headlong out into
the snow.

There the villagers found her, looking tiny and frail,

But what did they care? For they would soon prevail.

They ran and they seized her, tying her down,

To a stake they had stuck upright in the ground.

And the flames that they kindled took hold of her quick,

They engulfed her whole being, both she and the stick.

The screams that escaped her could be heard far and wide,

And inside the old shack the young girls' mother died.

Thus, right then and there, on that most fateful night,

When the screams could be heard from the girl burning bright,

And the sickly old lady inside the old shack,

New full well that she would never come back,

Both the "witch" Marasaul and her bedridden mother,

Departed this life, and moved on to another.

Blockbuster Buzz

Submitted by Debi Chatfield

Audio description in theaters are surely increasing nationwide, and still
more and more theaters are trying to install the necessary technology to
offer this service to their blind and visually-impaired customers.  The cost
of installing this technology is decreasing because of new equipment coming
along that would handle descriptions for digital cinemas.  With digital,
everything (movie, multiple sound tracks, captioning) are all delivered in
something called the Digital Cinema Package (DCP), which any company can
access through common standards, so the competition is increasing and the
cost of installation is decreasing. 

TIP:  When you pay for your movie ticket, ask for an AUDIO DESCRIPTION
headset; but make sure it is for audio description, not amplified sound for
people who are hearing-impaired, unless this is something you need as well.
Grab a friend and head out to the movies!  The audio description is great,
so check it out!

Upcoming movie releases with description:

Lego, from Warner Bros. Pictures, scheduled for February 7

Monuments Men, from Sony Pictures, scheduled for February 7

About Last Night, from Sony Pictures, scheduled for February 14

Endless Love, from Universal Pictures, scheduled for February 14

Pompeii, from Sony Pictures, scheduled for February 14

Robocop, from Sony Pictures, scheduled for February 14

Vampire Academy, from Wein Co, scheduled for February 14

Winter’s Tale, from Warner Bros. Pictures, scheduled for February 14

Non-Stop, from Universal Pictures, scheduled for February 18

Lunch Box, from Sony Classics, scheduled for February 28

Son of God, from Fox Searchlight Pictures, scheduled for February 28

Dear Betty Blunt

Please note: 
This submission is not to be taken seriously. It is just for fun! If you
would like to submit a question for Miss Betty Blunt to answer, please write
to:

news at az.nfb.org  
She may or may not answer your question seriously, and she may or may not
give you the answer you were hoping for, but one thing is for sure, you will
get a good laugh out of her witty, bold, and blunt advice. She will often
make comments that we all wish we could say, but are just too afraid to
make. So, send in your questions, and let us see if she can help you with
your relationship issues. If you wish, your real name and city will be
altered to conceal your identity. 

Dear Betty Blunt, 
I am a neat and tidy person. Things that are out of place or messy bother
me. So, when I am at my boyfriends place, or in his car, he has a lot of
things just laying around and not put away. I have picked them up and tidied
things, but, sure enough, they eventually just end up strone all over the
place again. I do not want to be my boyfriends maid, and he does not seem to
want to improve and we have clashed a few times over this issue. Do you have
any suggestions? 

Sincerely,

Jane Doe

Mesa, Arizona 

Dear Miss Clean, 
Plain and simple! Either break up, or accept it! You two are truly the odd
couple! No way would I be picking up his dirty socks and clothes, and who
knows what else all over the place! I have been in messy places like that,
and you can barely even find a place to sit down! One time, I had to move
clothes, the newspaper, and a half eaten bowl of cereal off the couch, in
order just to find a place to sit down! I do not mind a sort of lived in
look, but when you have to share a seat with a bowl of cereal, there is no
hope for that type of person! Needless to say, I high tailed it out of there
as fast as you can say, Bounty the quicker picker upper! Your only choices
are to swap him out for Mister Clean, hire a cleaning crew, or get used to
swimming in clutter. Personally I would throw Mister Garbage into the
nearest dumpster and start clean! 

Insincerely, 

Betty Blunt

Hot Links

Submitted by Debi Chatfield

1.  World Time Server

www.worldtimeserver.com <http://www.worldtimeserver.com/>  

2.  Audio Internet Reading Service Los Angeles

www.airsla.org <http://www.airsla.org/>  

3.  Braille and Audio Reading Download (BARD)

https://nlsbard.loc.gov <https://nlsbard.loc.gov/>   

4.  Future Forms (Braille paper)

www.futureforms.com <http://www.futureforms.com/>  

5.  Hadley School for the Blind

www.hadley.edu <http://www.hadley.edu/>  

Each month, we will showcase 5 blindness related websites that we hope will
be useful to you.  If you have any suggestions for this section, please
write to: 

news at az.nfb.org 

Think Tank

Submitted by Debi Chatfield

Do you have your thinking cap on?  Are you good at solving puzzles?  Each
month, we will try to stump you with two brainteasers. So, get ready, send
in your answers, and as they say,  let’s see just who is smarter than a 5th
grader!

1.  Say my name and I disappear.  What am I?

2.  What five letter word becomes shorter when you add two letters to it?

Please submit the answers to these brain teasers to:

news at az.nfb.org 

We will let you know if you are correct, and if so, we will publish your
name in the next issue of the newsletter. Have fun trying to solve these
puzzles! 

A Round of Applause

Thanks goes 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 

** A new, free, challenging and accessible word game for Windows called Tiny
Zebras Rock is available from Rich DeSteno. Send your request to him at
ironrock at verizon.net. He also has Dicey Rolls, Destination Mars, Run for
President, Dodge City Desperados, and Atlantic City Black Jack for the
asking.   

**  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/> .  

Stay Connected

If you have any changes in your contact info for the state roster, chapters,
or divisions, please write to:

news at az.nfb.org 

We will send your info to the appropriate people and make the necessary
corrections.

Contact our President, Bob Kresmer at:

888.899.6322

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:

news at az.nfb.org 

Grins and Groans - The Usual Endings

1.  Why did the boy bury his flashlight?

Answer:  Because the batteries died.

2.  What letter of the alphabet has the most water?

Answer:  The C

Debi Chatfield

Editor

Robert Leslie Newman

Personal Website-

 <http://www.thoughtprovoker.info/> http://www.thoughtprovoker.info

NFB Writers' Division, President

Division Website-

http://writers.nfb.org

Chair, NFB Communications Committee

Nebraska Senior Division, vice President