[stylist] New THOUGHT PROVOKER 143- The Virtual BlindnessChallenge: The Reality Show

Wed Mar 11 15:29:41 UTC 2009

I think the concept is good but I have a problem with it.  On the one hand 
we want others to think that being blind is a sightless state but otherwise 
we are equal to the sighted world.  On the other we want the world to know 
just how difficult it is being visually challenged .  Exactly what is it we 
want people to believe?
----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Justin Williams" <justin.williams2 at gmail.com>
To: "'NFBnet Writer's Division Mailing List'" <stylist at nfbnet.org>
Sent: Tuesday, March 10, 2009 10:27 PM
Subject: Re: [stylist] New THOUGHT PROVOKER 143- The Virtual 
BlindnessChallenge: The Reality Show


>I like the concept, because it makes others aware about just hoe difficult
> it is to master the art of blindness; if it can really be mastered.
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: stylist-bounces at nfbnet.org [mailto:stylist-bounces at nfbnet.org] On
> Behalf Of Kathleen Millhoff
> Sent: Monday, March 09, 2009 6:55 AM
> To: NFBnet Writer's Division Mailing List
> Subject: Re: [stylist] New THOUGHT PROVOKER 143- The Virtual Blindness
> Challenge: The Reality Show
>
> On 3/9/09, Robert Newman <newmanrl at cox.net> wrote:
>> Fellow writers: Check out this latest THOUGHT PROVOKER. It is one of my
>> favorites.
>>
>> RE:  The Virtual Blindness Challenge: The Reality Show
>>
>> Here is my 143rd THOUGHT PROVOKER. It is a reality show. Fully sighted
>> contestants agree to forgo their sight and learn blindness skills. There
> are
>> challenges, winners and losers. Have a read and tell us what you think; 
>> is
>> there value in this shows concept? If you have not read the PROVOKER, it
>> follows.  Recall that I collect responses and post them upon my web site
> for
>> all the WWW to read and learn from and that URL is-
>> Http://thoughtprovoker.info <http://thoughtprovoker.info/>   If you wish
> to
>> receive THOUGHT PROVOKERS sent directly to you, just write me and ask, 
>> at-
>> newmanrl at cox.net
>>
>>
>>
>>
>> THOUGHT PROVOKER 143
>> The Virtual Blindness Challenge:
>> The Reality Show
>>
>> "Welcome to The Virtual Blindness Challenge: The Reality Show!  (On 
>> screen
> a
>> tall dark-haired man stands, long white cane in one hand, cordless
>> microphone in the other.) This is Final Challenge Day of week four, the
>> final test. In today's challenge our remaining two students will have
> their
>> final faceoff. The one to successfully complete their challenge 
>> assignment
>> first will win the grand prize of $10,000. Will it be Patty Hartman,
>> twenty-six-years old, a single mother, and unemployed?" (The screen shows
> a
>> petit blonde woman with a black sleepshade strapped snuggly over her eyes
>> and upper face. She stands smiling; a long white cane as tall as she 
>> rests
>> easily at her side.)
>>
>> The MC steps around to the second student. "Or will it be Simon Brown, 
>> 32,
>> married, a recent veteran of the Iraq War, soon to enter college." (The
>> screen fills with a well-built young man with a dark, suntanned, skin
> tone;
>> standing at military ease, a long white cane as tall as his eyebrows in
> the
>> crook of an elbow.  His facial expression below the black of the
> sleepshade
>> shows the nonchalance of confidence.)
>>
>> "But before we show highlights of Patty's and Simon's progress to date,
>> allow me to set the stage.  Twenty-eight days ago twelve fully sighted
>> participants began the Virtual Blindness Challenge. All agreed to wear
>> sleepshades, were given the same tools, and taught the same blindness
>> skill-sets. Ten have been eliminated. The judging is simple--if you don't
>> excel, you are cut. This challenge is to find the best."
>>
>>  "Let us take a quick review of Patty's journey in virtual blindness from
>> that first day, up to this Final Challenge."
>>
>> The first scene: Patty is pulling on her sleepshade, a look on her face
> that
>> may have said, "I'm not sure what I'm getting myself into, but I'm
>> committed, I doing this!" Second: the first cane travel lesson; a 
>> hesitant
>> step, uncoordinated probing and swinging of the cane. Third: learning
>> Braille; writing with a Braille slate and stylus; fingers reading a thick
>> Braille magazine. Fourth: pouring water from a large pitcher into a small
>> glass; Fifth: frosting a cake. Sixth: threading a needle with a wire-loop
>> needle threader; using a sewing machine. Seventh: seated at a computer,
> the
>> screen showing what she is typing and a synthesized voice enunciating 
>> what
>> she keys in. "Blindness is doable." Eighth: drilling a board with an
>> electric hand drill.
>>
>> The MC extends the microphone toward her. "Patty, how are you feeling
> about
>> your blindness skills?  Ready for this Final Challenge?"
>>
>> "You bet, Ross, I'm very ready. Just in the past week my ability to
> pick-up
>> on echo location has come in strong and now on travel, I can fly!"
>>
>> "Now here is Simon's journey in virtual blindness."
>>
>> First scene: Simon, face showing quiet self-confidence slips his
> sleepshade
>> down over his eyes. Second: cane held steady in his strong grip, he
> explores
>> a staircase. Third: inserting a sheet of paper into a Braille slate;
> reading
>> a Braille label on a can of soup. Fourth: checking meat on a hot charcoal
>> grill. Fifth: threading a self-threading needle; hand-sewing a button 
>> onto
> a
>> man's shirt. Sixth: keying into a laptop, its screen showing a familiar
>> logo, and from the speakers we hear, "Google." Seventh: Cutting with a
>> circular saw; sanding a newly built picnic table.
>>
>>  "Simon, how are you doing? Up for the final cut; ready to take the grand
>> prize home?"
>>
>> "Yes, sir.  That's affirmative.  And Ross, you once compared this
> challenge
>> to military boot camp. I would say, yes, in that both are a form of
>> preparation, of training the mind, and training muscle memory. But the
> game
>> is different; war can kill you, blindness will not. Life goes on and you
>> just use alternative methods to be successful."
>>
>> The camera focuses on the MC handing each of them a Brailled sheet.
> "Though
>> the day has just begun, you two have much to do. Here are your last
>> challenge instructions. Read your challenge and do your best!  We'll be
>> waiting here at the finish line with the grand prizes-winner takes all!
> And
>> the clock starts now!"
>>
>> The camera zooms to both contestants, seated, intense faces, fingers
> reading
>> their instructions.
>>
>> The camera follows as both contestants walk down the front steps. Simon
>> turns right, long strides carrying him swiftly south. Patty turns left,
>> north, her shorter stride quickening, moving into a trot, cane flashing 
>> in
>> the early morning sun, she begins to run.
>>
>>
>>
>> Robert Leslie Newman
>> Email- newmanrl at cox.net
>> THOUGHT PROVOKER Website-
>> Http://www.thoughtprovoker.info
>>
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>
>
> -- 
> kathy millhoff - "Let each morn be better than its eve, and each
> morrow richer than its yesterday."
>
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