I understand this. the question I have to ask here is: has there been even a single blind person serving in congress? I know of several who were partially deaf, at least one who had to use canes/crutches or a wheel chair.
so far, my attempt has yielded a lot of irrelevant results and 2 browser crashes do to sites that run flash ads. as far as I can tell, I don't think we have had 1 single blind person ever serve in congress. not a single one. that needs to change. -eric On Mar 26, 2012, at 4:00 AM, Ricardo Walker wrote: > Hi, > > The problem with what you say is, its not just blind people fighting for that > assistance. You have those with develop mental disabilities, emotional > disorders, motor disabilities, and the list goes on. And they all want there > share of the pie. So the same congressman you have wear a blind fold for a > year, will also be asked to sit in a wheel chair for a year. Wear ear pluges > for a year, etc. > > Ricardo Walker > rica...@appletothecore.info > Twitter:@apple2thecore > www.appletothecore.info > > On Mar 26, 2012, at 6:53 AM, Eric Oyen <eric.o...@gmail.com> wrote: > >> at least you had stuff to sell. I don't even have that. I would get about >> $100 for this machine on the used market. the linux laptop even less. I own >> very little, so having capital to work with just isn't happening. >> >> I, too, have run into the bureaucratic quagmire of dealing with various >> charities just to get assistance on some critical needs (medications, etc). >> I would like very much to meet the lawyers that made this situation and have >> them wear a blindfold for 1 year (you cannot take it off for anything). have >> all the members of congress setup this way, all the upper management of the >> US Government and all the lawyers for all the charities. 1 year of blindness >> and there would certainly be a boatload of changes for the better (such as >> public education, better accessibility, better job training and a vastly >> more streamlined system of getting things done. >> >> I would congress read the 70,000 pages of regulations currently on the >> books... IN BRAILLE. I think even reading the entire text of the affordable >> care act in braille would scare the whole lot of them off the hill. >> >> hehe nice pipedream but it gives you an idea of just how much frustration I >> go through EVERY DAY. >> >> -eric >> >> On Mar 26, 2012, at 2:39 AM, Lewis Alexander wrote: >> >>> Hi Eric, >>> >>> yep I completely agree with you and understand your plite. >>> >>> I was forced to close down the project due to two major factors. Lack of >>> support regarding supply of equipment and a poorly run charities commission >>> stating different rulings and then telling me that my project does not >>> warrant Commission status, thus failing to grant registered numbers, etc. >>> >>> This project has helped a very small number of users (8 in all) and it's >>> left me in a very serious situation which I've now resolved. >>> >>> The problem also exists wherever you are in the world. Funding for >>> accessible equipment for the blind is non existant. Why? well from my years >>> of experience in this matter, various charities set up conflicting >>> guidelines and rulings which do not help the individual in need of the >>> support. For over 12 years since I lost my sight completely, I had to apply >>> for various grants. within 10 years, every grant (500+ in total) were >>> rejected, all because of different factors by their own rulings, offerings >>> of £100 to £250 towards a product and then not being able to apply to X >>> amount of other charities (connected to the associated charity in question) >>> due to ridiculous clauses. >>> >>> I use my iphone 3GS and macbook pro. the only reason I have these is >>> through having to sell everything I owned including my old music gear from >>> years ago to raise the funds for the kit needed, from there it's been a >>> thing of taking on a few projects to raise cash for equipment I still have >>> to rely on. >>> >>> internationally, we need to change the system and yes APPLE needs to help >>> us out on this. They have developed products which openly and directly >>> support blind and disabled users and yet we have to pay an absolute >>> premium, as rightly said here, over 85% of blind people in the USA are out >>> of work and cannot afford the equipment and services needed, the same here >>> in the UK even though disability living allowance and other components >>> aren't enough to cover costs of equipment. You're lucky if you get into a >>> university to receive grants for equipment you need. In my case, through my >>> education, the equipment I had to use failed me all the time, the wrong >>> software, wrong hardware and operating systems which by their own admission >>> were poorly managed and had huge issues. hence me taking on the matters in >>> person and resolving them. a battle I don't want to entertain ever again. >>> >>> It's at this point where we as a nation of blind and visually impaired >>> people make a stand and a change for the better. >>> >>> lew >>> >>> On 26 Mar 2012, at 10:22, Eric Oyen wrote: >>> >>>> I really wish there was a financing program for the blind when it comes to >>>> mac hardware (laptops, desktops, iPad, iPhone). given that I (and a great >>>> many others) am living on a disability income (more than 85% of the blind >>>> in the US are), I find it nearly impossible to save up for any equipment. >>>> Hell, I had to make my own Hackintosh and load it with a store purchased >>>> copy of snow leopard. It cost me $30 for the OS and about $400 to assemble >>>> the machine. at minimum, I would have to spend nearly twice that much for >>>> a comparably equipped mac mini and almost $1500 or more for a reasonably >>>> powerful macbook pro/air. given that I have to spend my money on >>>> medications, rent and food, there is no way I can even save up for one at >>>> all. >>>> >>>> there used to be a "free macs for the blind" charity in Great Britain, but >>>> the person running that organization was forced to give it up as there >>>> were too many problems involved. We need something like that here in North >>>> America, but I just don't see that happening. I tried to query Apple about >>>> doing something like this and was given the polite brush off (thats nice >>>> kid, here is a soda. now go over in the corner.). hell, they have $115 >>>> Billion in CASH laying around they are not using. they could earn >>>> themselves a lot of good publicity if they offered some macs to the blind >>>> at a vastly discounted rate. it would also give them an in to a market >>>> they don't currently have. >>>> >>>> anyway, time for me to climb down off the soapbox. >>>> >>>> -eric >>>> >>>> On Mar 26, 2012, at 1:38 AM, Neil Barnfather - TalkNav wrote: >>>> >>>>> one thing that I can note that is not seeming to be mentioned is the fact >>>>> that there ar certain Apps which are not available on iPhone / iPod >>>>> Touch, yet, that are found on the iPad. >>>>> >>>>> The iPad from my prespective is purely for consumption, and I use it for >>>>> news papers, which 4 of which are not found on the iPhone, and 5 are on >>>>> the iPhone, but, only as reduced versions. >>>>> >>>>> >>>>> >>>>> >>>>> Regards, >>>>> >>>>> Neil Barnfather >>>>> >>>>> Talks List Administrator >>>>> Twitter @neilbarnfather >>>>> >>>>> TalkNav is a Nuance, Code Factory and Sendero dealer, as well as an Apple >>>>> iOS, Macintosh and Android accessibility specialist. For all your >>>>> accessible phone, PDA and GPS related enquiries visit www.talknav.com >>>>> >>>>> URL: - www.talknav.com >>>>> e-mail: - serv...@talknav.com >>>>> Phone: - +44 844 999 4199 >>>>> >>>>> On 24 Mar 2012, at 08:43, David Hole wrote: >>>>> >>>>>> hi folks. >>>>>> I just wonder, and many here have asked, so I thought I'd ask you in >>>>>> this group. >>>>>> What's the benefit for blind people to have an iPad instead of an >>>>>> iPhone? >>>>>> I mean, as far as I can see, the difference is only the screen size... >>>>>> Am I right? >>>>>> Actually I'd like to have one myself, but I can't find any good >>>>>> reasons to have it, since I have both an iPhone and a Mac. >>>>>> Hope someone here can give me reasons to get one :p >>>>>> Best regards David >>>>>> >>>>>> -- >>>>>> You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google >>>>>> Groups "MacVisionaries" group. >>>>>> To post to this group, send email to macvisionaries@googlegroups.com. >>>>>> To unsubscribe from this group, send email to >>>>>> macvisionaries+unsubscr...@googlegroups.com. >>>>>> For more options, visit this group at >>>>>> http://groups.google.com/group/macvisionaries?hl=en. >>>>>> >>>>> >>>>> -- >>>>> You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups >>>>> "MacVisionaries" group. >>>>> To post to this group, send email to macvisionaries@googlegroups.com. >>>>> To unsubscribe from this group, send email to >>>>> macvisionaries+unsubscr...@googlegroups.com. >>>>> For more options, visit this group at >>>>> http://groups.google.com/group/macvisionaries?hl=en. >>>>> >>>> >>>> -- >>>> You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups >>>> "MacVisionaries" group. >>>> To post to this group, send email to macvisionaries@googlegroups.com. >>>> To unsubscribe from this group, send email to >>>> macvisionaries+unsubscr...@googlegroups.com. >>>> For more options, visit this group at >>>> http://groups.google.com/group/macvisionaries?hl=en. >>>> >>> >>> -- >>> You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups >>> "MacVisionaries" group. >>> To post to this group, send email to macvisionaries@googlegroups.com. >>> To unsubscribe from this group, send email to >>> macvisionaries+unsubscr...@googlegroups.com. >>> For more options, visit this group at >>> http://groups.google.com/group/macvisionaries?hl=en. >>> >> >> -- >> You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups >> "MacVisionaries" group. >> To post to this group, send email to macvisionaries@googlegroups.com. >> To unsubscribe from this group, send email to >> macvisionaries+unsubscr...@googlegroups.com. >> For more options, visit this group at >> http://groups.google.com/group/macvisionaries?hl=en. >> > > -- > You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups > "MacVisionaries" group. > To post to this group, send email to macvisionaries@googlegroups.com. > To unsubscribe from this group, send email to > macvisionaries+unsubscr...@googlegroups.com. > For more options, visit this group at > http://groups.google.com/group/macvisionaries?hl=en. > -- You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "MacVisionaries" group. 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