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Approved-By:  Bill McGarry <wtm@SHELDEV.SHEL.ISC-BR.COM>
Newsgroups: bit.listserv.l-hcap
Date:         Mon, 13 Apr 1992 16:14:48 EDT
Reply-To:     Bill McGarry <wtm@sheldev.shel.isc-br.com>
From:         Bill McGarry <wtm@sheldev.shel.isc-br.com>
Subject:      Handicap Digest # 2574
X-To:         LHCAP <l-hcap@VM1.NODAK.EDU>

                          THE HANDICAP DIGEST

                               Issue # 2574

                           Monday, April 13, 1992

Today's Topics:


                                ******

                           Blink Talk Digest # 554

                                   movies
                            Re: JAILHOUSE BLINKS
                           Re: doggie conversation
                          Re: ansi.sys and dos v5.x
                         NLS in Northern California
                                Braille Signs
                                 Jiffy Caps
                           Re: nls tb developments
            The squeaky wheel gets the oil.  Is it election time?
                            Re: Blindness classic


                                ******


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                              Bill McGarry (Moderator)
                              (203) 337-1518



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Subject: movies
From: Rollie.Hudson@p0.f15.n114.z1.fidonet.org (Rollie Hudson)
Organization: FidoNet node 1:114/15.0 - St Joes Hospital, Phoenix AZ


[This is from the Blink Talk Conference]

Greetings'
Recently while tuning around on cable TV, I found on the nostalgia
network a narrated movie. They identified themselvs as the narrative
television network. They are based in Tulsa, Oklahoma. I phoned them and
requested a catalog. If anyone is interested, I'll give more details
when I receive them. Best wishes.
Rollie```

--
Uucp: ..!{decvax,oliveb}!bunker!hcap!hnews!114!15.0!Rollie.Hudson
Internet: Rollie.Hudson@p0.f15.n114.z1.fidonet.org




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Subject: Re: JAILHOUSE BLINKS
From: Lee.Kerr@f7.n300.z1.fidonet.org (Lee Kerr)
Organization: FidoNet node 1:300/7 - Tucson Online, Tucson AZ


[This is from the Blink Talk Conference]

I think so.  Even though he is in prison, he has the right to read and
work where the other convicts work. They should make some reasonal
aconidations.  Only trouble is, they decide what is reasonable.
                           Lee

--
Uucp: ..!{decvax,oliveb}!bunker!hcap!hnews!300!7!Lee.Kerr
Internet: Lee.Kerr@f7.n300.z1.fidonet.org




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Subject: Re: doggie conversation
From: Carla.Campbell@f89.n129.z1.fidonet.org (Carla Campbell)
Organization: FidoNet node 1:129/89 - BlinkLink, Pittsburgh PA


[This is from the Blink Talk Conference]

 BK> Thanks for letting me know a little more of the logic behind
 BK> the rule. I can and will be more likely to keep with the
 BK> guidelines if I can know a little more about why this needs to
 BK> be so.

Absolutely.  Almost all of us find it easier to do if we understand the
logic of what we're doing.

I've never figured out why more of that logic is not taught or explained
during training in a number of the schools-- perhaps all. I couldn't
decide if the students are thought to be smart enough to figure it out
on our own (sometimes true, but it's much tougher on people who're not
familiar with dogs when they arrive at the schools) or too stupid to
understand the guidelines if they're explained in detail, or if there
just plain isn't enough time to go into that kind of detail.  But it
would certainly help a lot of folks, I think-- you're not the only one!

Working with a dog guide is almost always a surprising, fascinating and
almost magical experience at times (and tsometimes it's a royal pain in
the rump-- count on it!) but it shouldn't have to be mysterious.

If there's anything in particular, by way of the 'guidelines' or things
you've heard about dog guides that you can't puzzle the logic out of,
just ask.  Your trainer at the dog school will probably be happy to tell
you.  If not-- or if you have to know before you go or don't think of
the question until after you're back-- I'm sure there'll be *someone* on
this echo with an explanation of what the reasoning might be.  Jus'
holler!

                                                 --Carla

... Read what I mean, not what I write!

--
Uucp: ..!{decvax,oliveb}!bunker!hcap!hnews!129!89!Carla.Campbell
Internet: Carla.Campbell@f89.n129.z1.fidonet.org




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Subject: Re: ansi.sys and dos v5.x
From: Carla.Campbell@f89.n129.z1.fidonet.org (Carla Campbell)
Organization: FidoNet node 1:129/89 - BlinkLink, Pittsburgh PA


[This is from the Blink Talk Conference]

Hiya, David

 >>DOS 5.0 will not allow you to use the old Anssi.sys, which you may have
 >>already found out.  Youcan use Ansi.com instead, TSI says, at least.  I
 >>just ignore the extra letters that are sommehow being generated.
 >>

 DT>         Yet another case of TSI passing out incorrect
 DT>         information.  I have been using ANSI.SYS from DOS 3.3
 DT>  with my MS DOS for at least 7 to 8 months with no problems.
 DT>  Whoever told you from TSI that the DOS 3.3 ANSI.SYS won't work
 DT>  with DOS 5.0 doesn't know what they are talking about.  This
 DT>  ranks right up there with the TSI story that Phoenix Bios is
 DT>  necessary or at least preferable for use with the Calera
 DT>  board.

That's weird-- the going scoop while I was there (which I told people
when they called) was to recommend ANSI.SYS from 3.3 and if that did not
work/was not available to send out a copy of ANSI.COM (since we
couldn't, naturally, distribute the MSDOS ANSI driver.)

As for the BIOS, that, too, is news to me.  I never ran into troubles
with Phoenix and am interested in learning more about them.

I hated recommending *any* BIOS, but would (and did and still would)
recommend a Phoenix if asked for a specific brand name (along with
explaining that I was only recommending it because I had not *heard* of
any problems with it.) .  There *were* problems with AMI BIOSs-- it
varied from version to version of the AMI BIOS as to whether there were
problems or how severe they were. Those are, to my knowledge, unique to
using AMI with TeleSensory products and a few LANs (like some versions
of Ten Net and others.), however and shouldn't cause problems with the
Calera board or any other adaptive hardware that I'm aware of.

DT> Why doesn't that company check
 DT>  things out more carefully before they start passing out
 DT>  incorrect information.

Something to do with not hiring enough people do do anything resembling
thurough testing in order to *get* the information, I believe.  A good
question, however, and one I don't think we'll see addressed anytime in
the forseeable future...

... Read what I mean, not what I write!

--
Uucp: ..!{decvax,oliveb}!bunker!hcap!hnews!129!89!Carla.Campbell
Internet: Carla.Campbell@f89.n129.z1.fidonet.org




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Subject: NLS in Northern California
From: Carla.Campbell@f89.n129.z1.fidonet.org (Carla Campbell)
Organization: FidoNet node 1:129/89 - BlinkLink, Pittsburgh PA


[This is from the Blink Talk Conference]

Does anyone in any other state have trouble working with their NLS
branch?

Of *course* you do.

But I've never had less assistance than I've gotten from the folks in
the library in Sacramento, CA.

Used to be, in Texas, and even in Mass, while I was there, and in
Oklahoma, I could call up and they'd do subject searches for me and send
me a list of what they found and/or read it to me over the phone. They
would also happily look up what books they had by a particular author,
that I might order only the ones I had not yet read and/or that I
*wanted* to read.  They would do this anytime from 8:00 until 5:30pm.

I cannot get the folks out here to run any such searches or assist me in
any way unless I a. have the book numbers already or b. let them just
mail me things after they've done a search on the subject I give them.

I can't get 'em to do even that after 3:00pm. (their computers, they
say, go down then. How useful!)

I wanted a complete bibliography of their holdings on a particular
subject. Some of the books, I might want to read. Others I have already
read (through them, through RFB or back when I was still reading print.)
Others, I will know upon hearing the title or author, are not of
interest to me. But they will only mail me whatever books they happen to
find on the topic.  They don't even garantee they'll mail me everything
on the subject: just that they'll "send me some books on that." If I
receive them and have already read them or don't want to read them, I'll
just have to put 'em back in the  mail and wait until something comes
along that I actually *want*.

I find this insanely frustrating. I would rather select the books I
read, the order I read them in and so forth. I would rather *not* do
this by scouring through every Talking Book Topics magazine (where the
books are not listed in any useful order or via any useful
categorizaiton scheme...) for the past umpteen years to see what they
might have on a subject!

How freakin' infuriating.

<arrrg>

The only thing I've ever found that would make me wish I lived in Texas
again, that's for sure.

thank you. I needed that little rant.

Were my situations in Texas, Oklahoma and Boston just utterly unique, or
is the Sacramento library atypically unhelpful?  Is there anything at
all I can do about this? (I've tried getting other people to help me;
asking to have my files transfered to another personthere, etc-- and all
of them spout the same rules at me as though I'm an absolute pain in the
arse for even *wanting* them to act like a library...)

All advice appreciated.

                                                 --Carla

... Read what I mean, not what I write!

--
Uucp: ..!{decvax,oliveb}!bunker!hcap!hnews!129!89!Carla.Campbell
Internet: Carla.Campbell@f89.n129.z1.fidonet.org




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Subject: Braille Signs
From: David.Tanner@f168.n129.z1.fidonet.org (David Tanner)
Organization: FidoNet node 1:129/168 - Braille Bank BBS, Pittsburgh PA


[This is from the Blink Talk Conference]

Below is the news release recently sent out from Raised Dot
Computing about Braille signs for businesses:

408 South BALDWIN 9 MADISON, WISCONSIN 53703 0 608-257-9595

     CONTACT:                                           David Holladay

         Raised Dot Computing, Inc.

               (800) 347-9594

     FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

     RAISED DOT COMPUTING SIGNS LICENSE AGREEMENT WITH
     LAMRO FOR BRAILLE SIGN MAKING SYSTEM

MADISON, WI., January 22, 1992 -- Raised Dot Computing, a
pioneering firm in braille translation has licensed its braille
translation system to Lamro Inc of Mesa AZ.  Lamro is mow marketing
a braille package for engraving machines.. Those in the printing or
sign-making trades can use the Lamro package to make braille signs
with their engraving machines.  Braille signs are now required as
part of the ADA law, so this development is very timely.

The braille sign package costs $495 from Lamro.  If it is purchased
before the end of February, 1992, the price is only $395.  Lamro
can be reached at (800) 525-2676 voice; (602)      835-7984 fax.
All inquires about making braille signs with engraving machines
should be directed to Lamro, Inc.

The braille conforms to standards for grade II.  You do not have to
worry about contractions (braille abbreviations).  The software
takes care of all the details.

Microcomputer Access for the Visually Impaired

--
Uucp: ..!{decvax,oliveb}!bunker!hcap!hnews!129!168!David.Tanner
Internet: David.Tanner@f168.n129.z1.fidonet.org




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Subject: Jiffy Caps
From: Larry.Skutchan@f120.n2320.z1.fidonet.org (Larry Skutchan)
Organization: FidoNet node 1:2320/120 - MicroTalk BBS, Louisville KY


[This is from the Blink Talk Conference]

Hi Dave.  Right now, the only way you can vary the pitch of what's
pronounced as a capital is to change the synthesizer table.  Just load
dectalk.tbl into an editor and change the pitch values in there to
whatever you want them to be.  Some day, I'd like to add a parameter to
let you specify the notches to bump for higher pitch.  Right now, it is
set to 5 notches.

You can download the synthesizer tables from the board.  I think the
file name is tbl.zip.

On the laptop, if it is an XT (with an XT bios), you might have to use
keys that the bios recognizes for those functions.  Give me a call if
you need some help doing that.

Take care.

--
Uucp: ..!{decvax,oliveb}!bunker!hcap!hnews!2320!120!Larry.Skutchan
Internet: Larry.Skutchan@f120.n2320.z1.fidonet.org




------



Subject: Re: nls tb developments
From: Christopher.Hill@p233.f4115.n124.z1.fidonet.org (Christopher Hill)
Organization: FidoNet node 1:124/4115.233 - Southern Crossroads, Grapevine TX


[This is from the Blink Talk Conference]

 DP> At the risk of seeming intrusive re your discussion of
 DP> synthesized speech reading books, I use my own imagination
 DP> to add the stresses etc where tyey should be, much as I do
 DP> when reading braille, or using the opticon, or probably
 DP> the same way a sighted person does when reading.  I often
 DP> find readers place drama where I would prefer they
 DP> wouldn't, and vice versa.  I would rather dictate my own
 DP> emotional feelings to myself with my own mind than have
 DP> someone else do it for me.  Further, I can tell my
 DP> computer to shut up at will, find a specific test within
 DP> seconds, etc.  You can't do all that with a tape recorder,
 DP> only some of it.

All good points, but I'll stick by my contension that synthesized
speech wares on the nerves after several hours.  Also, even the
best scanning equipment messes up words once in a while, which can
really drag down a good part of a story.  Later..

 Chris

... its only a hobby, only a hobby, only...

--
Uucp: ..!{decvax,oliveb}!bunker!hcap!hnews!124!4115.233!Christopher.Hill
Internet: Christopher.Hill@p233.f4115.n124.z1.fidonet.org




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Subject: The squeaky wheel gets the oil.  Is it election time?
From: Jeff.Dubois@p0.f266.n163.z1.fidonet.org (Jeff Dubois)
Organization: FidoNet node 1:163/266.0 - Vision, Ottawa ON


[This is from the Blink Talk Conference]

* Original: FROM.....Eduardo Gomez (163/266)
* Original: TO.......All (163/266)
* Forwarded by.......OPUS 163/266

WHAT SERVICES DO YOU NEED?
THE GOVERNMENT OF ONTARIO IS PLANNING TO SPEND 650 MILLION
DOLLARS IN THE NEXT FIVE YEARS TO IMPROVE SOCIAL AND HEALTH CARE
SERVICES FOR SENIORS AND DISABLED PERSONS.
THEY WANT TO HEAR YOUR OPINIONS ABOUT HOW THAT MONEY SHOULD BE
SPENT.

IF YOU HAVE SOMETHING TO SAY, PHONE YOUR LOCAL GOVERNMENT OFFICE
AT: 1-800-668-1697

TELL THEM THAT YOU WANT TO TALK ABOUT LONG TERM CARE
TELL THEM YOU'RE VISUALLY IMPAIRED.
TELL THEM WHAT'S ON YOUR MIND!  BUT REMEMBER, YOU HAVE TO DO IT
BEFORE MARCH 30.

The following is a summary of the Government's principal
intentions... and a few questions that you, as a visually
impaired person, may want to consider as you form your opinions:

#1 The government intends to expand services in the community
that help people to stay in their own home -such as Homemaking
Services, Meals on Wheels, Transportation, and Counselling.
     Questions:
     1) As a person with a visual impairment, what services do
     you need most in order to stay independent?
     2) Are services in the community accessible to you?  Do you
     have any suggestions for how they could be improved to
     better serve people who are visually impaired?

#2 The Government wants to make it as easy as possible for people
to be able to find the services they need.
Thereby, the are going to create a new kind of agency, called a
Service Coordination Agency (SCA), that will be sort of a 'one-
stop shopping centre' for all services in the community.

If you are a senior or a person with a disability who needs
support in order to say in your own home, you would call your
local SCA and get all the services that you require.  No running
around.  No confusion.  The same if you need to go into a Home
for the Aged or a Nursing Home.

There will be 38 SCAs in total across the province.
     Questions:
     1) SCA's will not know as much as CNIB about how to best
     help someone who is visually impaired.  They will not be
     specialists in visual impairment.  What do you suggest the
     SCA should do if someone, like you, who is visually
     impaired, walks through their front door?
     2) What if you want different services than the SCA decides
     that you should have?  Do you have a say?  Do you have a
     choice?

#3 The Government would like to support the families and
caregivers of seniors and disabled persons in the most effective
way possible.
     Questions:
     1) If you are a caregiver of someone who is blind or
     visually impaired, what do you need in the way of support?
     Do you need training?  Counselling?  Community services such
     as homemaking or respite care?  Volunteers?  Financial or
     Emotional support?

--
Uucp: ..!{decvax,oliveb}!bunker!hcap!hnews!163!266.0!Jeff.Dubois
Internet: Jeff.Dubois@p0.f266.n163.z1.fidonet.org




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Subject: Re: Blindness classic
From: Warren.Figueiredo@f6.n3800.z1.fidonet.org (Warren Figueiredo)
Organization: FidoNet node 1:3800/6 - CompuChurch (tm) IH, Baton Rouge LA


[This is from the Blink Talk Conference]

One book I would recommend is Berthold Lowenfeld's The Changing Status
of the Blindd. Another book that made an impression on me is Jacob
Twersky's novel, The Face of the Deep. The author of The Making of
Blind Men is Robert A. Scott.

You might also want to read Robert B. Irwin's AS I SAW IT particularly
the chapter entitled "The War of the Dots."

Most of these books are available from RFB.

--
Uucp: ..!{decvax,oliveb}!bunker!hcap!hnews!3800!6!Warren.Figueiredo
Internet: Warren.Figueiredo@f6.n3800.z1.fidonet.org




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                                ******

             End of Issue # 2574 of the Handicap Digest

                                ******
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