[nfbmi-talk] newsline ...

[joe harcz Comcast]

Dear Georgia,

For what it is worth (which isn't much nowadays...grin...) I agree that 
Newsline is not purely recreational, though depending on the user it can be 
(i.e. choosing sports or other recreational reading is a component of all 
newspaper reading). Regardless, it is a distinction without a difference in 
my mind for the RSA only told MCB to use this particular grant, which has 
long since expired on a different account. The fundamental point here is 
that RSA was looking at old news, quite literally while in the FY 2009, and 
2010 years many of the abuses and accounting issues addressed by the 
monitoring actually accelerated. That includes of course the shifting of 
newsline to the Department of Ed and then letting it go altogether.

Certainly no matter what MCB does have in its hot little hands in excess of 
$1,00,000 in stimulus funds for elderly blind programs alone which are in 
fact independent living grants with very few of the Voc. rehab. strings 
attached. Certainly most (about 2.3s ) of Newsline subscribers are not in 
the employment outcome loop. Thus, in my mind this would be a perfect one 
time place to fund Newsline operations for years and meet RSA/Rehab Act 
requirements regardless as to whether or not Newsline is purely 
recreational.

I told Cannon this when he actually returned my call in support of Newsline 
while I was away in Philly. He punted on addressing the issue directly. That 
is likely because he is squirreling those American Recovery Act funds away 
for some unknown reason and carried the bulk of them over to the next fiscal 
year. Lord, knows he carried forward about two million in title I (VR) 
stimulus dollars.

Where in the world is the money going in MCB?

Certainly the high end and high maintenance staff got 130 percent of 
salaries and wages paid out by the end of July! That's right about ten 
people inincluding Cannon and his upper echelon lackies got paid over the 
budget three quarters through the fiscal year. Yet direct services of and 
for actual consumers including groups of consumers like the 2,800 Newsline 
subscribers were and are short changed.

But, there is a method to the madness. for, actually as you suggest the 
reading of actual news informs constituents including those who are blind 
about events if they do chose to read it. And an educated public is the key 
to a solid democratic-republic. In fact an ignorant and uninformed public, 
including, of course those who are blind actually are not free citizens with 
any true input into the electoral and governing process.

Even those who wrap themselves in a flag of democracy like those blokes in 
MCB, but who hide information or manage it in a way so that the public is 
ignorant are nothing short of tyrants.

What do all totalitarians from all perspectives do in common? They either 
dictate or otherwise control information flow and actual facts; or through 
other means of control manage it so that the mass of people are ignorant, 
uninformed and otherwise disarmed with the tools of liberty.

Dictators like Stalin literally revised history and even "air brushed" 
photos and such. Hitler and other dictators literally burned books and 
controlled the mass media. Ditto for all other totalitarian regimes of all 
stripes whether extreme so-called "left" or "extreme right" or whether 
rigidly controlled by some sort of interface with ideological groups oand 
corporate cabals.

It is as old as ancient Egypt when some subsequent Pharaoh wished to destroy 
history of a predecessor he did it liberally and lite3rally chiseled the 
person out of history... From obelisks to tablets....

This is why I do not see the assault on Newsline alone as an assault against 
us but one, that is nonetheless very important. Frankly, taking it away is 
just another of many means of controlling information and truth which lead 
to empowerment of the blind in this world.

Shoot, the point is that if we are ignorant as to events around us we can be 
controlled and corraled like sheep.

You know we'll all be in our place.

I, for one am not owned however by these paternalistic (at best) monsters 
and tyrants.

And, not to diminish at all Newsline, but even if we fail, which I hope we 
don't in saving it here in Michigan there are other vehicles to inform and 
liberate us and those who chose to be liberated.

We are working on one right now and I submit that we must help as much as 
possible to bring those folks not on the internet even the elderly blind 
into it as soon as tractable.

I sorely bemoan the things that are going on with our democracy over all; 
and the fact that all government regardless as to Party control must be 
open, accessible, transparent and accountable to we the people. All the 
people! Including, most certainly those of us who just so happen to be 
blind.

The assaults on our ability to readily access information are clear cut from 
newspapers to books to public documents, but they are only an extreme 
example a collapsing democratic society that is informed, knowledgeable and 
thus wise.

Thus, conversely we, the organized and informed blind can help combat the 
decline of our over all democracy if we succeed in these informational 
battles. It is precisely because we are such a minority that this is true.

Anyway forgive the ramble, but Newsline and all equal access to all 
information is very significant for not only we who are blind but for our 
society over all from a number of standpoints.

Information and access to it is empowerment. Denial of access to the full 
range of information is enslavement. It is that simple.

Peace with Justice,

Joe
----- Original Message ----- 
From: "gkitchen" <ghkitchen at comcast.net>
To: "NFB of Michigan List" <nfbmi-talk at nfbnet.org>
Sent: Thursday, November 11, 2010 9:34 PM
Subject: [nfbmi-talk] newsline ...


> Hi,
>
> Well, I disagree that Newsline is recreational.
>
> No one that is sighted is deprived of going to the public library and 
> reading various local and national newspapers. That costs tax dollars also 
> and much more than Newsline.
>
> I  usually vote for all the proposals on our  ballot but a while back I 
> did not vote for the millage for the Flint public library. I feel they are 
> already well compensated and despite getting federal money they do not 
> have anything that I can see as accessible.
> Our talking books here come from the Genesee District Library--a different 
> place.
>
> A volunteer sends me audio books and he brailles the holder for the books 
> and each tape but the public  library can't even do that.
>
> Anyway regarding Newsline, even though there are only 5 publications, 
> please give these a try. You are bound to find something that is useful.
> I have been reading the fact section of the New Yorker, The diabetes Self 
> Management, and so forth.
>
> In the past, I bought a lawn mower from the Flint Journal want ads, looked 
> at various other things that I probably should have bought. I learn about 
> the latest research in Health, science and diabetes--things that will help 
> me be better informed and help my family be more healthy. My dad is a long 
> time diabetic and I continue to look for foods that will be more helpful 
> in keeping the glucose on a more even keel. I've made some financial 
> decisions after reading articles in the paper, learned early on in 2007 
> about the many homes for sale or in forclosure in our area and others. I 
> can go on and on. I don't know about anyone else but I am concerned about 
> our world--folks in Neworleans,  N Y C,  India etc.   I have learned about 
> different kinds of technology and appliances--helping me make more 
> informed buying decisions. Did you know TJ Macs clothing comes from stores 
> such as Macy's,  I found out I can read talking book topics on Newsline if 
> I go to the West Virginia local channel so I cancelled my subscription,  I 
> learned that pesticides on the lawn are not  considered necessary anymore 
> according to the Boston Globe. My husband insists on physically taking the 
> dandelions out. I think they look nice.
> Yes, there are recreational items on Newsline, that is part of all our 
> lives and there are many interesting items on careers, job finding, 
> networking and so forth.
>
> I am still getting emails and calls asking when Newsline is going  to be 
> turned on.
>
> Well, guess I better get back to that Braille Reading contest.
>
> Georgia
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