[stylist] Instead of Cars, Jobs

Wed Aug 25 00:30:17 UTC 2010

Before I ever had vision issues I had envisioned a car that would be 
drivable by the blind or those wishing to put it on auto pilot. Of 
course this was in concept only, not having technical knowledge but 
assumed it could work off a track or wireless signal or the like. I 
will say  a ten year ideal of blind taxi drivers and etc. is a lofty 
goal in which many strides may be made, but folks have difficulty 
trusting blind folks with their databases, telephone systems, 
watching their kids, etc. and I don't think they'll trust us with 
their lives for some time to come. That said I'd always thought, 
admittedly from a naive mind perspective, that the space program was 
a waste and pointless. However my employee, a retired computer person 
contracted out to NASA many times has told me of the advances that 
were made outside the pervue of the program, computer technology, 
prosthetic limbs, various materials and etc. So as lofty  and 
seemingly pointless a goal it might seem, we never know what might 
come from it. And also as  the coffee cup tells me which my son gave 
me for Father's Day a couple years back... "Shoot for the moon. If 
you miss you'll land among the stars".

Brad

At 07:12 PM 8/24/2010, you wrote:
>Good evening everyone,
>
>     Cars drivable by a blind person can mean more employment opportunities.
>In another ten years or so it could be common to see blind cab drivers,
>blind bus drivers, blind engineers, and blind pilots to name a few. If you
>take the time to study and understand the goals of the Blind Driver
>Challenge you will observe that the aims and goals of the NFB are all
>interconnected. For those who don't know there is now a Web site dedicated
>solly to the Blind Driver Challenge. The URL is:
>http://www.blinddriverchallenge.org
>
>         The site contains lots of information about this dynamic project;
>one I imagined and shared with others as far back as 1968.  Creating new
>employment possibilities is just one facet of this endeavor. Remember that
>the next time the bus or your paratransit vehicle is late or fails to show
>and you're forced to travel on their schedule, not your own. All the best.
>
>Peter Donahue
>
>----- Original Message -----
>From: "Jewel S." <herekittykat2 at gmail.com>
>To: <jsorozco at gmail.com>; "Writer's Division Mailing List"
><stylist at nfbnet.org>
>Sent: Tuesday, August 24, 2010 6:45 PM
>Subject: Re: [stylist] Instead of Cars, Jobs
>
>
>Who says the NFB can't persue both? The NFB has been working hard for
>*both* jobs for blind people and the accessible car project. Why can't
>we have both? I just don't understand this hostility toward the
>project to create a car that is accessible to the blind. It is
>interesting, and may someday produce easier transportation for the
>blind, which will in turn allow for more jobs for the blind. Two birds
>with one stone! For example, I worked as a nanny. One of the reasons I
>would not be able to work as a nanny now (as verbalized by the few
>families who took the time to interview me after seeing my white cane)
>was that I did not have reliable transportation. If there was an
>emergency, I could not simply hop in the car with their child/ren and
>rush to the emergency room. Nor could I drive to the child's school on
>the drop of a dime to pick them up if they got sick or were in
>trouble. If there were a car that I could drive, this would not be a
>valid point. So, having a blind-friendly car would create jobs!
>
>My two cents,
>Jewel
>
>On 8/24/10, Joe Orozco <jsorozco at gmail.com> wrote:
> > See, instead of using current resources on distant future projects like
> > the
> > blind driver challenge, the NFB could be using funds to pursue
> > opportunities
> > like the one below, projects that actively find ways to put people into
> > jobs
> > in the here and now.  I hope someone in Baltimore tracks these kinds of
> > opportunities:
> >
> >  Department of Labor: Add Us In Initiative
> >
> > CFDA: 17.720
> >
> > Deadline: September 1, 2010
> >
> > Amount: Estimated funds available: $2,300,000. Estimated grant range:
> > $500,000-$625,000. Estimated number of awards: Up to 4.
> >
> > Eligibility: Eligible consortiums consisting of four organization types,
> > including an association of targeted business owners or other similar
> > entity, a
> > disability-serving organization, a local workforce investment board, and a
> > youth-serving organization (See full announcement for additional
> > information.)
> >
> >
> > Description: This program provides support to eligible consortia efforts
> > to
> > design, implement, and evaluate innovative systems models that support
> > integrated
> > employment opportunities for people with disabilities within targeted
> > businesses. Priority will be given to proposed activities that integrate
> > the
> > following
> > objectives: increase the ability of targeted businesses to employ adults
> > and
> > youth with disabilities; develop and evaluate replicable models,
> > strategies
> > and policies that would ensure that youth and adults from targeted
> > populations with disabilities have access to a broader range of employment
> > and mentoring
> > opportunities; and, form and strengthen connections between targeted
> > businesses, diversity-serving organizations, youth-serving organizations,
> > and disability-serving
> > organizations, building a national and local network of experts skilled in
> > serving individuals with disabilities.
> >
> > Contact:
> > Cassandra Mitchell,
> > 202-693-4570
> >
> >
> >
> > Joe
> >
> > "Hard work spotlights the character of people: some turn up their sleeves,
> > some turn up their noses, and some don't turn up at all."--Sam Ewing
> >
> >
> > _______________________________________________
> > Writers Division web site:
> > http://www.nfb-writers-division.org <http://www.nfb-writers-division.org/>
> >
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> > 
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> >
>
>
>--
>~Jewel
>Check out my blog about accessibility for the blind!
>Treasure Chest for the Blind: http://blindtreasurechest.blogspot.com
>
>_______________________________________________
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>
>
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Brad Dunse

Opportunity often comes disguised in the form of misfortune, or 
temporary defeat

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