[nfb-talk] [NFB-talk] Here We Go Again: Home Makeover - blindcouple in OH
Steve Jacobson
steve.jacobson at visi.com
Tue Dec 7 15:47:05 UTC 2010
As I read through the various comments on this, I feel that we are really getting bogged down in detail. When I think about what bothers me about this
show, it is less that there are specific things that are supplied to solve problems but more that a huge number of "problems" are portrayed so they can be
solved by the show that most of us solve for ourselves every day. I would be willing to bet that the groups upon which this show focuses in other episodes
probably tend to feel the same way as we do to one degree or another. There is little doubt in my mind that this show plants an image in the public's mind
that does not make it easier for us to, for example, rent a place to live. Still, how we react to this show has to be measured. Expecting that it will portray the
kind of picture of blind people we might like is a waste of time. It is like analyzing the Wizzard of Oz for its news content. This show gets its ratings by
portraying those it helps as having huge problems that can be solved by the application of money. The public is not likely going to understand our
grievances without us taking a lot of care. We end up coming across as ungrateful for all this couple was given. The best thing we can do is to continue to
do the best we can to educate the public as to how we live and what our problems are and are not.
Further, I do not know this couple, but I would hesitate to claim I really know what they stand for. They were likely interviewed for hours and the intent of
the show would be to pick and choose from whatever they said to emphasize their helpless positions so the network can be the hero. It is not at all
impossible that they thought they could portray a positive image while collecting some useful technology. We don't really know. I've been interviewed by
the media, and even when the media is favorable to me, they always get something factual wrong. Sometimes it matters more than others, but one really
has very little control over what is going to be picked from an interview.
Therefore, I think there is some good reason to feel that this show doesn't help us and probably hurts us as a group. However, to get bogged down in the
details isn't really going to help much. Not all sighted people replace toilets or sinks. Some sighted like those stoves with cool tops or they wouldn't make
them. Most of us have figured out ways to get by without a bar scanner, but some of us find them useful if we can afford them because they can be just
another tool. I think the difficult issue here is the portrayal of this couple as being rescued by the show, but to a large degree, that is what is considered
entertainment these days.
Best regards,
Steve Jacobson
On Mon, 6 Dec 2010 15:41:56 -0600, John Heim wrote:
>Connie, if I misinterpreted something you said, all you have to do is
>explain it to me. i didn't intenttionally misinterpret anything. Besides,
>I don't think I did misinterpret you.
>I believe in the power of truth. If I'm wrong, just prove it. I am capable
>of changing my mind but that doesn't really even matter. Just show me where
>I'm wrong and let everyone else decide for themselves.
>----- Original Message -----
>From: "Constance Canode" <satin-bear at sbcglobal.net>
>To: "NFB Talk Mailing List" <nfb-talk at nfbnet.org>
>Sent: Monday, December 06, 2010 3:03 PM
>Subject: Re: [nfb-talk] [NFB-talk] Here We Go Again: Home Makeover -
>blindcouple in OH
>> John, you seem to misinterpret everything I say, so I will not argue with
>> you any further. I have much more productive ways to spend my time. You
>> have said some rather mean-spirited things to certain people on this list,
>> and especially during this holiday season, I see no reason for it. I hope
>> to never have any dealings with yu personally, even though we live in the
>> same county. Enjoy your life.
>>
>> Connie Canode
>> At 02:53 PM 12/6/2010, you wrote:
>>>Constance, I never said blind people can't do plumbing. i said *typically*
>>>blind people do not replace their own toilets and sinks. Typically, even
>>>sighted people don't replace their own toilets and sinks. Therefore, the
>>>couple was not being depicted as helpless just because they didn't replace
>>>their own toilets and sinks.
>>>
>>>Presumably, you're not helpless. Yet, I'm willing to bet you've never
>>>replaced a toilet or sink. I'm not helpless and I've never replaced a
>>>toilet or sink. Not replacing a toilet or sink doesn't prove you're
>>>helpless. That's just normal.
>>>
>>>----- Original Message ----- From: "Constance Canode"
>>><satin-bear at sbcglobal.net>
>>>To: "NFB Talk Mailing List" <nfb-talk at nfbnet.org>
>>>Sent: Monday, December 06, 2010 2:23 PM
>>>Subject: Re: [nfb-talk] [NFB-talk] Here We Go Again: Home Makeover -
>>>blindcouple in OH
>>>
>>>
>>>>I have a friend, a blind woman, who has replaced her toilet and did it by
>>>>herself. I also know a blind guy who does plumbing, electrical work and
>>>>building. Just because you don't choose to do it, John, and neitr do I,
>>>>doesn't mean that a blind person can't do it. I see no point in
>>>>stereotyping everyone into one category.
>>>>
>>>>Connie Canode
>>>>At 01:12 PM 12/6/2010, you wrote:
>>>>>One thing that really bothers me about the conversation on this list is
>>>>>that people are complaining about ABC depicting this couple as helpless.
>>>>>But can anyone on this list replace a toilet or a bathroom sink? I've
>>>>>done things like replace garbage disposals, light fixtures, and
>>>>>electrical outlets. But I don't think I'd try replacing a toilet. I
>>>>>might replace a sink though. Assuming the standard hookups are already
>>>>>there, you can do that. But I'm not sure that even most sighted people
>>>>>would try that either.
>>>>>
>>>>>I guess the question is whether ABC's depiction of blind people was
>>>>>inaccurate. Are these people more helpess than a typical blind couple?
>>>>>
>>>>>The one thing that puzzled me was the problem the woman had with cans of
>>>>>food. I don't know what's in our kitchen cupboard but that's because my
>>>>>wife does the cooking and shopping. When I did my own cooking and
>>>>>shopping, I put magnetic braille labels on the cans. But, I suppose, its
>>>>>nicer to have the bar code scanner. The woman might have played up the
>>>>>problem in order to make it look good. I mean, ABC isn't going to want
>>>>>to show the woman dealing with her canned food with braille and then
>>>>>give her a scanner anyway.
>>>>>
>>>>>When you think about it, if you've got a TV show about giving people new
>>>>>shirts, you have to make their old shirts look crummy. It would be lame
>>>>>to give someone a new shirt if the person already has a closet full of
>>>>>really nice shirts. In fact, aren't all gifts kind of an insult? Say you
>>>>>buy somebody a shirt. Does that say their old shirts are crummy?
>>>>>Couldn't you always say, "Well, if you didn't think I needed a new
>>>>>shirt, why did you give me a new shirt? "
>>>>>
>>>>>----- Original Message ----- From: "Cindy Handel" <cindy425 at verizon.net>
>>>>>To: "NFB Talk Mailing List" <nfb-talk at nfbnet.org>
>>>>>Sent: Monday, December 06, 2010 11:16 AM
>>>>>Subject: Re: [nfb-talk] [NFB-talk] Here We Go Again: Home Makeover -
>>>>>blindcouple in OH
>>>>>
>>>>>
>>>>>>Oh My! This is just terrible. It's not the first one Extreme Home
>>>>>>Makeover
>>>>>>has done about blind people. I hope something can be done so it's the
>>>>>>last.
>>>>>>It's so destructive.
>>>>>>
>>>>>>Cindy
>>>>>>----- Original Message ----- From: "Rovig, Lorraine" <LRovig at nfb.org>
>>>>>>To: "NFB Talk Mailing List" <nfb-talk at nfbnet.org>
>>>>>>Sent: Monday, December 06, 2010 12:01 PM
>>>>>>Subject: Re: [nfb-talk] [NFB-talk] Here We Go Again: Home Makeover -
>>>>>>blindcouple in OH
>>>>>>
>>>>>>
>>>>>>Here We Go Again: Home Makeover Extreme Edition - blind couple in OH
>>>>>>
>>>>>>Well, I watched it. It was pretty bad and it could have been worse. It
>>>>>>could have been a lot better too.
>>>>>>
>>>>>>Their original bathroom -- a sink fell off the wall once when Jasmine
>>>>>>washed her hands so they had no bathroom sink; the old toilet would
>>>>>>swivel left and right about 20 degrees either way if your toe pushed
>>>>>>it.
>>>>>>Other parts of the old home and front porch were dangerous. The part
>>>>>>of
>>>>>>the old house facing the street appeared to be two-rooms wide, small
>>>>>>rooms, and I do not remember if it was two-story. They were given a
>>>>>>two-story, large, modern home with all new appliances in the kitchen,
>>>>>>laundry room, every other room, and etcetera.
>>>>>>
>>>>>>This is an African-American family, the Andersons of Maple Heights,
>>>>>>Ohio
>>>>>>(near Cleveland). I do not know if either one has a job; both appear to
>>>>>>be in their early 40s. The mother, Jasmine, states she is visually
>>>>>>impaired. She uses a folding cane with a fat white tip that I think is
>>>>>>a
>>>>>>marshmallow tip. Husband, Andre, pronounced the French way, is totally
>>>>>>blind and uses a guide dog named Valentine. The show gave the dog a
>>>>>>heart-shaped bed.
>>>>>>
>>>>>>Jasmine gave a tiny monologue stating she lost enough sight to be
>>>>>>visually impaired and was depressed for awhile but then she became
>>>>>>"courageous" like she is now. They never charge for their [untrained]
>>>>>>counseling and encouragement of other people with disabilities. They
>>>>>>give lots of speeches to educate the community how to make life easier
>>>>>>for blind people and people with other disabilities.
>>>>>>
>>>>>>The couple told us they are in danger every time they cross a street
>>>>>>and
>>>>>>the camera mike was held close to trucks and cars as vehicles zoomed by
>>>>>>on a city street. Jasmine said she was hit in the shoulder by a moving
>>>>>>car one time. Ty Pennington, the shows' big-hearted hero,
>>>>>>furniture-designer and designer of his own line of linens and other
>>>>>>goods for the home, excellent carpenter and TV show leader, went on
>>>>>>about how dangerous it is for blind people every day when they are
>>>>>>outside the home. He got installed for the Andersons a fancy talking
>>>>>>device at the single crossing nearest to their home at their bus stop.
>>>>>>Jasmine told us "we're not the only blind people living here, you know"
>>>>>>and, she said, this will help people with other disabilities that live
>>>>>>in their neighborhood too.
>>>>>>
>>>>>>The show gave her a CCTV rigged to a lady's dressing table so she can
>>>>>>see to put on her make-up and not have to ask her son if she did it
>>>>>>okay. She got choked up that she can see her nails now and can paint
>>>>>>them as she could not see to do before, and for the first time she
>>>>>>exclaims, as we watch her look at it, she can see the beautiful ring
>>>>>>her
>>>>>>husband gave her.
>>>>>>
>>>>>>In the old house, Jasmine shoved up the sleeves on her dress to show Ty
>>>>>>and us the many burns on her arms that she got from using her
>>>>>>conventional electric 4-burner stove and oven. The show gave her
>>>>>>"induction heating" which does not give out any heat except to a metal
>>>>>>pot placed on the burner, and she got a wall oven so her oven is at a
>>>>>>better height for her to use. The house got a talking temperature
>>>>>>gauge.
>>>>>>On the plus side, so the two wouldn't get lost, nothing odd was built
>>>>>>into the kitchen or the walls and floors. Also on the plus side,
>>>>>>except
>>>>>>for the induction oven, normal if fancy Sears's appliances were placed
>>>>>>in the home for the kitchen and the baths.
>>>>>>
>>>>>>Both Andre and Jasmine got computers that I think had JAWS installed on
>>>>>>them. They got a home theatre room with one "Sound Dome" over both
>>>>>>their
>>>>>>heads that directs the sound directly only to them, and lets them hear
>>>>>>the SAP channel along with the show. They have two very helpful,
>>>>>>respectful sons (one may be age 12 and the other is a young teenager).
>>>>>>Ty stated the older son got a vacation from verbalizing what is on
>>>>>>screen plus he got the SAP thing with words running below the screen
>>>>>>when folks talked (which he needed but I missed the part that said why
>>>>>>he did). The younger son is sure he wants to grow up to be an eye
>>>>>>doctor
>>>>>>so he can cure blindness, beginning with his mother's visual
>>>>>>impairment.
>>>>>>
>>>>>>Both Jasmine and Andre got brand new, fat-bodied, folding canes that
>>>>>>have built-in sensors to inform them of obstacles by their head and at
>>>>>>their feet, and, said Ty, "these aren't even on the market yet." Andre
>>>>>>expressed their gratitude.
>>>>>>
>>>>>>They got a huge main room that runs from a living room grouping through
>>>>>>an empty space of floor to a dining room grouping to a kitchen with no
>>>>>>barriers or changes in floor, so they do not have to worry anymore
>>>>>>about
>>>>>>running into posts or walls, as they did run into in their cramped
>>>>>>original home. I noticed they are both bulky overweight people and the
>>>>>>original house doorways were older and appeared smallish, plus a post
>>>>>>was inconveniently placed, especially for any overweight people trying
>>>>>>to get past it to the bedrooms and bathroom.
>>>>>>
>>>>>>The mortgage company paid off and tore up their mortgage; the local
>>>>>>branch of the state college gave them 2 college scholarships for the
>>>>>>boys; Sears gave the four of them enough clothes and shoes to fill some
>>>>>>of their new closets; the local basketball team called The Cavaliers,
>>>>>>gave the teen-aged son a closet-full of their clothes plus 3-shelves of
>>>>>>their basketballs with its metal rack. The building company gave them
>>>>>>$50,000 to a fund to handle their home maintenance.
>>>>>>
>>>>>>Braille got a "shout out" as the modern lingo has it. Ty added
>>>>>>palm-size
>>>>>>wooden "dots" to their bed's headboard to spell out in grade one, "Love
>>>>>>is Blind." Large print got a "shout out" too, with their top bed quilt
>>>>>>decorated with "Love is Blind" sewn on as stuffed, raised-up
>>>>>>hand-writing.
>>>>>>
>>>>>>(For me, I keep wondering how they and other Ty Pennington-show
>>>>>>homeowners can afford their new taxes on their giant gifts of money,
>>>>>>goods, and a huge new home.)
>>>>>>
>>>>>>The Andersons were so very grateful for all they received from Ty and
>>>>>>Sears Company and ABC. Tears all around.
>>>>>>
>>>>>>You can view the entire episode on the Anderson Family via computer,
>>>>>>here:
>>>>>>http://abc.go.com/shows/extreme-makeover-home-edition
>>>>>>Anderson Family
>>>>>> | Full Episode
>>>>>>A visually impaired couple devoted to helping the community receives a
>>>>>>home makeover, complete with technologies that help people with
>>>>>>disabilities;
>>>>>>EXTREME MAKEOVER: HOME EDITION - "Anderson Family" - Andre and Jasmine
>>>>>>Anderson have never allowed their visual impairment to slow them down,
>>>>>>but rather have faced it head on, and established the Disability
>>>>>>Awareness Center in Maple Heights, Ohio, to help others who are
>>>>>>struggling with sight loss. The couple and their sons learned they
>>>>>>would
>>>>>>be recipients of a home makeover while aboard the public bus that they
>>>>>>ride every day. The "EM: HE" team surprised them on the bus and
>>>>>>revealed
>>>>>>plans to give them a new "smart" home, equipped with technologies that
>>>>>>support people with disabilities. This episode of "Extreme Makeover:
>>>>>>Home Edition" airs SUNDAY, DECEMBER 5 (8:00-9:00 p.m., ET) on the ABC
>>>>>>Television Network. (ABC/MIKE CROUCH) ANDERSON FAMILY HOME - AFTER -
>>>>>>BEDROOM
>>>>>>
>>>>>>
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>>>>>>
>>>>>>
>>>>>>
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>>>>>
>>>>>
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>>>>
>>>>
>>>>
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>>
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