[nfb-talk] Time of Day Services:

Mon Apr 25 01:26:36 UTC 2011

40 years ago when in high school and receiving mobility training in Michigan 
I was given an address by the instructor and told to get there. Knowing that 
I was being followed by the instructor either in a vehicle or on foot I had 
to use the skills that I had been given including memorization of streets in 
a large city as well as bus routes and landmarks. This also included asking 
for directions when needed. This was in the days before GPS devices. These 
skills came in handy as I traveled and moved around the country frequently 
and use them today. While GPS devices might be nice to identify what address 
I might be standing in front of in a particular block especially in a 
residential neighborhood so I don't have to go and ring a stranger's 
doorbell to ask their address it isn't absolutely necessary.
Chuck
----- Original Message ----- 
From: "T. Joseph Carter" <carter.tjoseph at gmail.com>
To: "NFB Talk Mailing List" <nfb-talk at nfbnet.org>
Sent: Sunday, March 27, 2011 4:20 AM
Subject: Re: [nfb-talk] Time of Day Services:


> One of the things I greatly appreciated about my training at the Colorado 
> Center was that you DID have the opportunity (in fact, you were expected 
> to) use the skills you were developing.  The key was independence, not 
> because you HAD to be necessarily, but because you COULD be if needed.
>
> A GPS is wonderful and can save time, but do you know where you’re going, 
> in general?  Do you know how to get there, in general?  You can find the 
> information you need when you need it, if you can do that much.  It’s not 
> the fastest or most efficient way to do it, but it’s a lot cheaper and it 
> doesn’t require batteries.
>
> If you cannot take down a name and phone number with a slate, you probably 
> need to work on your skills.  Not because anybody would ever choose a 
> slate and stylus over a more efficient means of recording information in 
> the modern era, but because you can always have the slate handy and ready 
> to use.  Ten to twelve words per minute is all you need for that much. 
> (Which is good, because I never managed to get any faster than that, no 
> matter how much I worked at it.)
>
> What it comes down to us that we blind folks are trying to get along in a 
> world that’s generally made for people who can see stuff.  That means we 
> must be prepared at all times to do what we can with what we’ve got.  When 
> you’ve got toys, so much the better—but what’s your backup plan?  What’s 
> your backup backup plan?  If you don’t use the skills you’ve got once in 
> awhile, how do you know you’ll have them when you need them?
>
> Does it surprise anyone that one of my favorite movie heroes ever is Burt 
> Gummer from the Tremors franchise?  *grin*
>
> Joseph
>
> On Fri, Mar 25, 2011 at 10:36:48PM -0700, Jim wrote:
>>Hi there,
>>
>>This subject about time and weather apps and whether or not the blind need
>>them brought something else to mind.  I hope I'm not out of line.
>>
>>I sometimes wonder if we the blind, especially the newer generations, are
>>sometimes relying too much on the technology and forgetting some of the
>>primary and essential skills we need to function in every day society. 
>>One
>>might ask how I could say that since I work with computers.  But, I see 
>>far
>>too many people now depending specifically on cell phones, talking time
>>devices, or their computers for things like the time.  What has happened 
>>to
>>something simple like the Braille watch or even a talking watch?
>>I hear folks say that they'll just listen to a book or that they're too 
>>lazy
>>to read.  What about getting a page of Braille and reading it?
>>
>>I recently saw a young college kid, still adjusting to blindness, on the
>>phone, get a pen and write down information such as a telephone number and
>>other stuff.  This guy is totally blind and is learning the skills of
>>blindness.  It was none of my business, but because I knew that learning
>>skills was important to him, I gently challenged him.  I asked him how he
>>was going to read what he'd just written with a pen.  He said he would 
>>have
>>his girlfriend read it to him.  I then challenged him and asked where his
>>slate was.  He said he'd generally just have his laptop and write it down
>>because he still was slow on the slate and probably couldn't do it.
>>Where are the skills of blindness he's learning?  Why not implement them?
>>
>>I hear folks say they'll just get a GPS.  Well, we still need to use our
>>canes and rely on our brains.  What if the GPS fails?
>>
>>Don't get me wrong.  I'm all for innovation and technology and I am
>>sometimes as lazy as they come and enjoy convenience.  However, I still 
>>find
>>it easier to simply use a tried and true skill of blindness at times.  If
>>I'm lying on the couch and want to know the time, I'm apt to be lazy and
>>simply look at my Braille watch instead of stretching my arm to the coffee
>>table and hit a key on my computer or on my IPhone.
>>Let's keep using the skills of blindness we keep talking about as a
>>foundation and incorporate these new things when necessary or important.
>>
>>Jim
>>
>>-----Original Message-----
>>From: nfb-talk-bounces at nfbnet.org [mailto:nfb-talk-bounces at nfbnet.org] On
>>Behalf Of Constance Canode
>>Sent: Friday, March 25, 2011 10:24 PM
>>To: NFB Talk Mailing List
>>Subject: Re: [nfb-talk] Time of Day Services:
>>
>>I couldn't agree more.  If you really are a weather addict, buy a
>>weather radio.  There are inexpensive.  Try the Shack or Best Buy.
>>At 03:35 PM 3/25/2011, you wrote:
>>>Right on!!!!!
>>>
>>>
>>>Mike Freeman
>>>sent from my iPhone
>>>
>>>
>>>On Mar 25, 2011, at 12:27, "Steve Jacobson" <steve.jacobson at visi.com>
>>wrote:
>>>
>>> > Ken,
>>> >
>>> > Why do we need these services more than anyone else?
>>> >
>>> > Best regards,
>>> >
>>> > Steve Jacobson
>>> >
>>> > On Fri, 25 Mar 2011 12:14:50 -0400, Kenneth Chrane wrote:
>>> >
>>> >> As many of you know, Verizon provides weather, and Time of Day
>>> Telephone Services.
>>> >
>>> >> As of June 1, 2011 These services will no longer be available to
>>> Verizon Telephone Customers.
>>> >
>>> >> The Time and Weather is convenient for blind citizens and older
>>americans.
>>> >
>>> >> So Let us voice our objections to their removing of these services.
>>> >
>>> >> The blind need them.
>>> >> Sincerely,
>>> >
>>> >> Ken Chrane
>>> >
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>>> >
>>> >
>>> >
>>> >
>>> >
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>>
>>
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