Out-Of-Sight News and Views
Issue #6
June 1, 2013
Greetings from Our President
Navigation
Word on the Street
Guess Who Took another Trip around the Sun
Our Out-Of-Sight Superstar
Event of the Month: Ghost
The Book Shelf
On Your Own: Braille Pen Pal Club
Dog Gone It: This is Not a Vacation
In My Opinion: A Good Time to be blind
My Visit with Carol Platt
Flick, Swipe, and Tap: 2 Cool Apps for your Phone
Reflections on Life with Usher Syndrome
Healthy Choice, healthy Living: Healthy Eating
Blockbuster Buzz
The Recipe Box: Sicilian Pan Roasted Chicken Breasts
Dear Betty Blunt
Think Tank
Did You Know? Hen Pecked
Words to Live By
A Round of Applause
Oosabelles List
What is happening on Out-Of-Sight?
Summer time is knocking at our door. The news letter staff has been working diligently putting together another issue that hopefully you will enjoy. Here at Out-Of-Sight things are moving right along.
New events, new games and new hosts have been added to our schedule. We are gearing up for the annual fundraising fall auction on September21st. It is not too early to start thinking of items you have lying around that you might donate for this fun- packed event.
Also, there is an added feature that will take place at the auction that is greatly being anticipated, and that is our first ever Raffle! Be sure to purchase your tickets for a chance to win one of the following three items:
Item #1: Your choice of either a brand new iPod Touch, or I Pad Mini.
Item #2: Logitech, Wireless, Blue Tooth Capable Headset.
Item #3: Logitech, Wireless, Blue Tooth Capable Headset.
So purchase your raffle tickets now by sending an email to:
raffle@out-of-sight.net
Please let us know of anything else you would like to see included in this news letter. The format will be changing frequently to include different features that we hope will be of an interest to all of you.
Best Regards,
Lee Richards
To navigate quickly to the different articles in this newsletter using JAWS, System Access, or Window Eyes, press the letter H to move through the headings. For MAC users, press Control Option Command plus the letter H.
Got any news for us? We would love to hear what is going on in your world, so please keep us up to date and write to:
We look forward to sharing your news with our extended family, here on Out-Of-Sight!
Help us celebrate our June birthdays:
June 1, Dan Gistenson – Dan, from
June 3, Bob McGuire – Paso
Bob, from
June 5, Brenda Green –
Velvet, from
June 7, Arcy
June 13, Ed Collins – Mister
Ed, from
June 18, Carla Thompson –
June 25, Terry Scott – Terry,
from
June 28, Kayla Elise – Kayla.Elise, from
June 29, Mark Dew – Piano
Bar, from
June 29, Ron Nurse – Ron
Nurse, from
Please help us build our birthday list, by sending your Username, first and last name, date of birth, (year optional), and where you live, to:
By Karen Santiago
Editors Note:
Thanks to everyone who wrote in with your suggestions about who should be our Member of the Month for June! There were several names put forth, and it was a difficult decision as all of the candidates are members who deserve this recognition! Unfortunately, only one member each month can be the recipient of this honor. So, without further ado:
Congratulations to Ed Collins for becoming our June Member of the Month!
On behalf of the board and the membership of Out-Of-Sight, we appreciate all you have done for the site over the past 5 plus years: serving on the board and supporting the site with your participation in the games and chat rooms.
You are a true Christian gentleman and your pleasant personality makes it a joy to be around you. So congratulations to a well-deserving choice for member of the month. Thanks so much for all you have done! Now, here is Karens article!
Ed, from
Ed lost his sight after becoming injured while serving in the Vietnam War. Like most people who are faced with a major loss, it was difficult for him. But, when he realized how fortunate he was compared to other soldiers he decided to persevere, and persevere he did!
For 35 years Ed managed and worked on his farm. He had such crops as corn and tobacco, and he raised cattle. Now, the farm is more of an enjoyment for him and his family. His (2 legged) family includes a wife of nearly 44 years, 2 daughters, and 2 granddaughters. His animal family consists of some calves and chickens, and a horse that was born on the farm 21 years ago, named Princess.
Ed enjoys participating in many games. He says that it keeps his mind active, he learns new things, and it is fun playing. He really likes the games that involve words and thinking.
Ed lives in a rural part of
If you would like to send Ed a message of congratulations, or recommend someone for our July Member of the Month, please write to:
We look forward to your suggestions in selecting our next Out-Of-Sight Superstar!
Ghost
By Charles Rivard
The concept of this game is simple. Each player, in turn, builds on words. Player 1 says a letter of the alphabet. Player 2 thinks of a word that starts with the previously given letter, and says the second letter of that word. Player 3 says the third letter of a word that starts with the other two, and so on. The object is to not say the last letter of a word. If you do say the last letter of a word, you are given a letter of G, H, O, S, and, finally, T. If you get a T, you are out of the game. The game continues until only one player has not gotten the T of GHOST., and that player is the winner. When it is your turn, you have 30 seconds to come up with a letter. Words must be 3 letters or longer, no proper names are allowed. If you do not think that the last player said a letter that is part of a legitimate word, you can challenge that player. If that player did come up with a correct word, you get the next letter of GHOST. If the challenged player is wrong, they receive the next letter of GHOST. Its all a matter of outwitting the other players using your vocabulary and spelling ability within a 30 second time limit. Its a fun little word game that anyone can play, and you are cordially invited to join in on the fun every week on Saturdays at 5:00 PM eastern, in the Game Zone. Come on in for this competitive game!
Do you love to curl up with a good book? Been meaning to read that best seller? Here are three of our book club selections. They are to be read for our next book club meeting, which will be held, Friday, June 21, at 8:00 PM eastern, in the Library. See you there!
DB75197
Author: Noah Boyd
Reading Time: 14 hours, 18 minutes
Read by Ray Childs
Suspense Fiction
The FBI turns again to former agent, Steve Vail, from the Bricklayer. A Russian selling the names of American traitors is called home before agency can get the list. Vail and Assistant Director Kate Bannon, his on and off again lover, race to identify the turncoats. Violence and strong language. 2011.
Publication Date: September 1, 2006
Author: Jeremy Robinson
From the Ice. A Mammoth, flash frozen in solid ice, 10,000 years ago is brought to the surface by a team of scientists. An act of sabotage frees the giant from its icy tomb, and reveals the secret held inside.
Published for the first time under his own
name, a dark and haunting story from number 1 New York Times Bestselling author
Michael Connelly, like his father before him, Brian Holloway is a safe
man. That is, his specialty is opening safes. Every job is a little
mystery, and he has yet to encounter a lock he cannot break, or a box he cannot
crack. But, the day Holloway gets called in to open a rare, antique safe
in a famous authors library, his skills open a door that should have
remained closed.
Braille Pen Pal Club
By Karen Santiago
As a blind or visually impaired person, it is important to
learn Braille to Be fully independent in both reading
and writing. If you have not learned Braille yet, it is not too late. The
This leads me to the idea of hosting a Braille Pen Pal
club. This will help new Braille users develop better reading and writing skills.
Experienced Braille users can either be pared up with a new user or with
someone with similar interest. This is how it will work:
Send me an email at:
·
with your level of
Braille (contracted/uncontracted)
·
Include your
interests.
·
Include any
preferences you would like. Then, I will
try and match people with similar interest and level of Braille, unless
otherwise stated. Contact me at the same email if you have any questions or
need more information.
If you have a question about this section or would like a specific topic covered, please email us at:
This is not a Vacation
By Charles Rivard
A lot of people think that training with a dog guide is a fun vacation, but it is not. Sure, you are going to go through some fun experiences during your training, but there is no doubt about the fact that this is work!
Lets see: We left off last month after you have just taken your first exhilarating walk with your dog! You go back to where all the other students are waiting as everyone goes on that first walk you have just experienced! You go back to the school on a bus and relieve your dog, then give the puppy some water. Then, it is your lunch time in the dining room. A staff member might join you and 3 dorm mates, and your dogs who are lying at your side. Then you get washed up and go for another workout in the afternoon. After that, you go back to the dorm, relieve and water your dog, and then feed the dog. After a short rest, it is dinner time. Speaking of which, the food is excellent, and you can usually get second helpings if you want them and if there is time. Then, in the evening, everyone gathers in a large room in the dorm for a lecture along with questions and answers about what you are going to do tomorrow and the techniques of doing them. Usually, this is from 7:00 to 8:00 PM or so. After that, you have time to groom your dog, then take them out for another relieve. By the way, a relieve, if you do not know, is taking the dog out to go to the bathroom, which you also dispose of using a little plastic bag. Bedtime is at 10:00 PM, or at least, you have to be quiet after 10:00, so that others can get sleep if they choose. Maybe not after the first day, due to excitement, but you will appreciate this later during training.
At 6:00 AM the next morning, it is time to get up, relieve your dog, water your dog, and then get ready for breakfast at 7:00 AM. At 8:00 AM, you start, as a class, learning to give your guide obedience training. It is the same that I mentioned in a previous article, but now you are training your own guide. At 9:00 AM, you head for town for the morning workout, after again relieving the dog. You get back to the dorm some time between 11:30 AM and noon, at which time you again relieve and water your guide, then head for lunch. The rest of the day is the same as before. This is the daily schedule for the next 2 weeks of training, 6 days a week. On Sunday, you have no workouts, and this is the time to catch up on laundry or whatever else you have to do.
At least twice during the 2 week training, you
will have a third workout; this one is after dinner in place of the
lecture. Things look different to a dog at night, and that is the purpose
of these workouts. They usually consist of a route that becomes familiar
to you during the day. Routes are planned for you for at least the first
full week, and you walk along with an instructor who will critique you and your
dog, although they will not correct your dog. That is up to you, while
under their watchful eyes. During part of the last week, you choose your
own route, and how to get from the downtown lounge to a shop you want to buy
from, or somewhere you want to visit. Instructors watch from a distance
as you traverse these, and are there if you need their help, but for the most
part, you are on your own, using your dog to get from place to place. The
instructor meets you at either your destination or back at the downtown lounge
after your workout and you discuss your experience. At least twice during
your training, you will go into the town of
The last workout, or test, is that you are dropped off somewhere, you do not know where, and you all meet back at the downtown lounge, if you can get there. You have to find out where you are and then work your way to the destination. It might be a familiar street corner, or it might not be. Using your mobility skills and your now trusted dog, you get to where you need to be. Asking someone on the street for information is perfectly OK. Ah. It might be one of your instructors disguising their voice! All through training, distractions are presented to the dog and you, and you learn to deal with them. Some are planned, others are not.
On the last Saturday you are at the school, it
is a big day! Graduation!! The person or family that raised your
guide from when they were a puppy usually, if possible, comes to the
school. Your dog will remember them, and it is an emotional time for
all. You spend time with them and ask questions that you might have about
what the dog likes at home in the way of play toys, how they like to play, and
their family life as a puppy, their quirks, likes and dislikes, all kinds of
questions. They tell you about your nutty guides
experiences as a puppy. Then, you all go to the dining room for lunch.
After that, at 1:00 PM, everyone goes out to the outdoor area where graduation
is held. Sponsors, friends and families, staff, and just about anyone
attends. Speeches are given by instructors and school staff. Oh, I
forgot to mention that you do not have your dog at this time. Your puppy
raiser has the dog. When your name is called, you step up to the mike and
say a few words of your choice, and are officially handed the dog on a leash
from the puppy raiser. After everyone has graduated, as a class, you head
back inside for some light refreshments if time allows. Then, or some
time the next day, you get on a bus and head for the
So, as I say, it may seem like a vacation, and, although there is a lot of fun during your training, there is also a lot of work, too!
A Good Time to be blind
By Phil Parr
I suppose I should start by explaining the tidal of this little peace. Its a great time to be blind. What I mean is, if one is inevitably with out the use of sight, this is a challenging and exciting period. I approach this subject with much experience as I was born blind in October 19 40 with no hope of ever seeing. A person with the use of sight might think, what a hard life you must have had. The older I become the more I realize, in most part my life has been about like every one else born middle class. As a teenager I was afraid of the big bad world, found a job I hated, finely began to realize some of my dreams with jobs I loved. I married, raised a couple of children, had my 15 minutes of fame, got a mid life Divorce, helped guide and support grand children and so forth. There were times when I was young and stupid I did not know where from or if my next meal was coming from, or, whether I could pay the rent. Well, somehow the bills got paid and I have not missed two many meals. I am not saying all blind persons are as fortunate as me; many still struggle each day just to keep body and sole alive. There is still much disinformation and discrimination concerning blindness and, there probably always will be. I can only hope articles like this will further understanding about the inconvenience of being without use of your eyes.
Computers:
Whether we understand them, approve or are even aware of it or not, todays world is run by computers. Fortunately for me my Wife has embraced the technology since the early eighties. In eighty seven or their about I was doing a late night rock and role show on the radio. She put all the collection on a very primitive by todays standards computer and could tell me where to find songs when someone wanted a specific recording. We took requests only on Friday night and she would sit with me and tell where to find the special tune. I remember thinking: it sure would be nice if I could do this my self, well, now I can. I think my first inkling that the times, they were a changing came one early Saturday morning in the late eighties when a blind friend called and told me about a talking watch sold by a certain electronics chain store. I woke my wife up and said, we need to go to the mall right now. A couple of years later I began hearing about these things called screen readers that would read the screen of a computer so a blind person could make use of it. It was not until 1997 that I took the plunge in to this new world however. At that time not only did you need a computer but you also needed a screen reader and an additional speech engine to make it talk. The price of my first very primitive computer setup was around forty five hundred dollars. I was lucky in that I was able to come up with the price but, this put computer technology out of the reach of most blind individuals. Screen readers have just begun to decline in price and, now, they come with a speech engine. As we all know, computers are much more affordable now so, most blind persons who want one have them. Of course these talking screen readers cant do much with pictures yet but at reading text they work very well. This is quite important to blind folks because I have access to the same information as my sighted friends. I can now easily read an encyclopedia, dictionary, or any article posted on line. A few years ago the National Federation of the Blind initiated a service by witch daily newspapers could be searched and red free by blind persons over the phone from almost anywhere in the country. This service has morphed to include over three hundred papers plus several magazines offering many different points of view. This means, if my sighted wife reads something she thinks I might be interested in instead of her reading it to me, I can go find the article and read it at my leisure. Most of you having never been without sight probably cannot understand how empowering this is to a totally blind individual. As a child, it is a freedom I would have never believed I could have.
Cell phones:
I am a gadget guy, so, I bought myself a cell phone in 1992 when they first came along. It was enormous compared to todays little phones, but I could make calls if I stayed in a certain area and did not talk to long. Up until about 2004 as phones got progressively smaller still, all I could do as a blind person was make and receive calls. Even then, I had to have the number I was calling memorized or I was just out of luck. With my little cell phone now I can do almost anything you can. Like look up a number in my phone book, check my calendar for today, record reminders and set the time and date. With the new touch screen blind friendly phones I can listen to videos on You Tube, or My Space, maybe the radio or weather, and, serf the internet if I choose.
I like to read:
Most of you assume all blind people reed Brail as a matter of course. I have interviewed many blind persons on my radio shows and most successful blind people are to some extent good Brail readers and writers. Most of us are like me, either having poor Brail or in my case, almost non existent Brail skills. Since sometime in the nineteen thirties there have been what are called talking books and books read for the blind. For many years they were on records or vinyl disks that were large and cumbersome to send thru the mail and store. Then, along came cassettes and books plus teaching material for the blind was recorded on them up until very recently. Today I have a small device about the size of a deck of cards with which I can store many hundreds of books and other material depending on the size of my SD card. For pleasure reading I visit the National Library Service home page and choose from close to twenty thousand books and, the list is growing every day. For educational material I would serf on over to the Learning Ally, (Recordings for the Blind and Dyslexic) web sight and brows their collection. I also read recently the company who distributes one of the leading portable book readers is developing a screen reader for their product.
More blind friendly things:
I have a talking measuring tape, a talking level, talking thermometers of all kinds, and yes, I can way on my talking scale and find out, well, you get the drift. Recently one of the leading north eastern Universities programmed a computer that piloted a car from coast to coast with very little human intervention. Hay, want to go for a ride with a blind person? I could not leave this little peace with out mentioning the bionic eye, that as I understand things, is, just over the horizon. As of this writing I am 68 years old and, discovering each day things that make life easier and more fun for blind people. It is a great time to be blind in my opinion.
By
Paul Smith
Wednesday morning, May 22, 2013 here in
Thursday, May 23, dawned clear and a little cool for this time of May. I might add here that Carol and I had coffee together before breakfast, as we did for all the days of our visit. The time on this day was spent mostly in her house and on her property conversing about common issues of interest to both of us. That evening Carol got out a new grill, one that she had recently bought, and on her backyard patio, we had Kielbasa Polish sausage, eggplant, summer squash and maybe one or two other things. We literally ate in the rain, but fortunately her patio, or rather that part of her backyard, was covered. And not only that, but it also thundered quite loud a few times. Talk about noise! Wish one of us had recorded it to put in the newsletter as an attached audio file. Nonetheless, despite everything, it was a pleasant evening. Also during the day Carols home helper, Kelly, came by, read her mail and went to the grocery store to pick up items that Carol would need in a few days.
The only thing of significance for Friday was lunch at a local restaurant in the borough where Carol lives called Jodi Bs. We both ordered lasagna which came in two huge portions. Carol could not finish hers, so guess who ate the remainder of her portion?
Saturday the only thing of significance was a trip to Jerrys, a local steakhouse in her immediate neighborhood that evening, which was very good, both foodwise and servicewise.
Sunday was again a day of just lazing around and talking, at least that is my recollection. Carols memory might be better on this one.
On Monday Carol had a backyard picnic, to which
she had invited 15 people, but two could not make it, and one almost did not
because the local Paratransit system in
Now we come to the last full day of my visit,
Tuesday, May 28. We were planning to go on a Ducky Tour of the
And finally we come to May 29, the morning when
I had to depart her pleasant company. The train left at 7:30 a.m. and,
after connections once again through
I hope that this gives you, the readers, a sense of my trip to Ms. Platts house. I know that she enjoyed my visit, just as I enjoyed sharing a piece of my life with her.
Two cool Apps for your iPhone!
By Charles Rivard
There are tons of apps for the iDevices that you might not think would be of use, and there are others that are just plain fun. Here is one of each:
Light Detector:
Look for this little app in the iTunes store. The name is just what the app is. Why would you need one if you are blind? These scenarios will answer that question:
1. The outside light bulbs burned out and you do not know it because you cannot see the light. Use this app to check them out. This also applies to the inside lights.
2. You have had guests in the house. Sighted people quite often have the bad habit of leaving the lights turned on whether they are in the room or not. They have left your house. They left the lights on. Some older houses have 2 light switches for the same light. Either one turns it on. Rather than going all through the house checking all light switches, look for the light with this light detector.
3. Is that electronic device on? By pressing the button on your battery charger, you cannot tell. Use the Light Probe.
Not a bad idea for $0.99, is it?
Now, if you are into chess, as I am, you must get this app for your idevice. Look in the iTunes Store for Shredder Chess! It costs $7.99. It is probably the worlds strongest chess computer programs, and has won 12 computer championships in a row. Fully Voice-Over, it has skill ranges from an ELO rating of from 850 (beginner) to 2,600 (grand master). It comes with 1,000 puzzles to evaluate your chess skills. With the given board position, what is the best move? You get points based on whether you solve the puzzle or not. Another great feature is that you can set the app to adjust its playing strength to your. If you win, it plays better the next time. At the end of each game, it tells you your estimated rating and what rating it will play at the next time you play. If it beats you, it will play at a lower skill level during your next game. You can explore the board, and it will tell you where each piece is, and you can make your move by double tapping the piece you want to move and then double tap on the square you want to move to. Shredder Chess will make its move almost immediately. After having this app since May 13, starting from the lowest rating of 850, my rating is now at about 1,450. This is at an advanced player skill level. Hmm. I did not think I was that good! This app is well worth the money. I have other chess computers, and have not tried a game computer against computer, but I already think I know why this app is Shredder: because you can also set the style of play anywhere from a passive player to an aggressive player, and there certainly is a difference between the settings! In the passive mode, it will lay back, waiting for you to make a mistake. On the aggressive mode, it is out for blood!
Reprinted from Eye on the Cure
By Moira M. Shea
When I was 15, I was diagnosed with Usher
syndrome, the leading cause of deaf-blindness in the
Living in the
I do not know if it was denial as a form of coping, but I was determined to
live my life to the fullest. With support from my parents and close friends, I
learned to constantly adapt to different countries, cultures, religions,
schools and languages. It made me resilient and tenacious. I returned with my
family to the States in the early 1970s, when the RP Foundation was just
getting started. My parents became strong advocates for what is now the
Foundation Fighting Blindness while searching the world for a cure. Meanwhile,
I entered my third high school, where the students thought I was aloof because
I could not see or hear many of their greetings. In college, I earned a joint
bachelors degree in international relations and economics, and then began
working for the federal government. My parents encouraged me to do so, as this
was before enactment of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) and they
worried about job security. But what I struggled with most was the uncertainty
of when I would lose my vision. During meetings, my mind wandering, I would ask
myself questions like: do I renew the newspaper subscription for a year or six
months? Then I lost both of my parents at a relatively young age. Shortly
before my dad died, I promised him I would be OK. I have tried to live up to
that promise ever since. In my late thirties, I made one of the hardest, and
best, decisions of my life: I got a guide dog. His name was Beau, and he
renewed my sense of independence. No longer did I bump into people or objects.
We even made history together when, in 1997, we were denied access to the
Senate floor. My boss, Senator Ron Wyden, claimed this was a violation of the
intent of the
About the Author:
Moira
M. Shea recently retired from the U.S. Department of Health and
Human Services, where she was a senior policy analyst in the office of the
Assistant Secretary for Preparedness and Response. Previously, she held a
number of government posts, including Congressional aid and as an economist
specializing in international trade and technology development. She has been
involved with the Foundation Fighting Blindness since 1980, and is currently a
member of its board of directors. Moira also serves on the Board of Directors
for the Coalition for Usher Syndrome Research.
Healthy Eating
By
1. What you hate to give up the most usually causes the most problems. So, if you are having any health problems, look at the items in your diet that you hate to give up the most. Most likely, these will be sugar, carbohydrates, coffee, junk food, etc.
Try to eat smaller meals more often. This will help digest your food much better.
2. Eat food that nature has provided. Try to incorporate more nuts, berries, seeds, fruits, vegetables, and whole grains.
3. Remember to wash your fruit and vegetables. Many are covered with chemicals and pesticides.
4. If possible, purchase your fruits, vegetables, and other organic foods from a local farmer.
5. Stop eating when you are satisfied, not full. Most of us eat more than we need, in order to feel satisfied.
6. Chew your food well. Most of us eat too quickly at times.
7. Its not a bad idea to take a multivitamin each day. Add in a little Calcium Magnesium, Fish Oil, and Vitamin D3 as well.
8. Good elimination: one or two bowel movements a day.
In conclusion, you are the best judge of what is going on with your health. When you make healthy choices, how do you feel? Do you have more energy? Are you sleeping better? Thinking more clearly? Your health is your responsibility, so start making a difference, one healthy choice at a time.
If you
have any questions for
Each
month, an MP3 of this section will be available, so that you may keep an audio
reference of the advice given by
Upcoming Movies with Audio Description
By Kate Dolosa
After Earth, Release Date: June 07
The Internship, Release Date: June 07
Superman: Man of Steel, Release Date: June 13
Man of Steel, Release Date: June 14
This Is the End, Release Date: June 14
The Heat, Release Date: June 28
Kick-Ass 2, Release Date: June 28
R.I.P.D., Release Date: June 28
White House Down, Release Date: June 28
For movie theaters with Descriptive Video Service near you and Show times, please visit:
Sicilian Pan Roasted Chicken Breasts
By Suzy Barnes
Serves 4
Ingredients:
Good tasting Extra Virgin Olive Oil
4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, rinsed and patted dry
Salt and fresh ground black pepper
Generous pinch of red pepper flakes
4 big cloves of garlic, crushed and chopped
1 small, to medium red onion, thinly sliced
1/2 teaspoon dry Oregano
6 pitted Kalamata black olives, coarsely chopped
1/4 cup dry white wine, optional
1 can, 14 ounces, diced tomatoes, partially drained
10 fresh Basil leaves, torn
Directions:
1. Film a 12 inch straight sided, heavy sauté pan with olive oil then heat, using a medium high temperature. Slip the chicken into the pan, but Do not let the pieces touch. Sprinkle with salt and the two peppers. Quickly sear on both sides until lightly browned, (about 1 minute per side).
2. With a flat ended wood spatula, stir in the garlic, onion, oregano, olives, and wine, if using. Reduce heat so pan liquid barely bubbles. Cover tightly. Cook 12 minutes (turning chicken once), or until chicken is firm when pressed. Remove chicken to a plate to rest for 8 to 10 minutes.
3. Increase the heat to medium high. Simmer down pan juices, stirring, for 30 seconds, or until syrupy. Blend in tomatoes. Boil rapidly to thicken the sauce. Taste for seasoning, then stir in basil. To serve, spread a little of the sauce in the center of individual dinner plates. Top with chicken and spoon the rest of the sauce over them.
Helpful Hints:
1. The key to tender, juicy, lean cuts like chicken breasts is a fast high heat sear to lightly brown both sides. This gives us that satisfying taste of caramelization. Then you do the real cooking very slowly over low heat. This keeps lean cuts like chicken breasts juicy. The last important step is to let them rest at room temperature 8 to 10 minutes. This assures you lots of juice and tenderness.
2. Use good-tasting, organic canned tomatoes packed in juice (not puree). You do not want puree because often low grade tomato paste is used to thicken purees, which can ruin your cooking with nasty metallic flavors.
Please note:
This submission is not to be taken seriously. It is just for fun! If you would like to submit a question for Miss Betty Blunt to answer, please write to:
She may or may not answer your question seriously, and she may or may not give you the answer you were hoping for, but one thing is for sure, you will get a good laugh out of her witty, bold, and blunt advice. She will often make comments that we all wish we could say, but are just too afraid to make. So, send in your questions, and let us see if she can help you with your relationship issues. If you wish, your initials, city, and state will be altered to conceal your identity.
Dear Betty Blunt,
This is a very embarrassing question, and I hope you do not laugh, but how does one deal with flatulence in old age?
Wendy Northwood
Dear Miss Tooty Fruity,
It is no secret that everyone has flatulence but, it is definitely more apparent when you are old enough to enter the Golden Buffet dinner line at 4pm. So, how do you make it disappear you ask? Hey, I am not Houdini! Easiest thing to do is either to pretend it was not you and blame it on the much, much older person near you or if there is sound, just make coughing sounds to distract others. If all else fails, blame it on the nearest hard-working guide dog. Believe me we all have smelled our share of gassy dogs over the years. Trickery could just help solve this first world problem.
Insincerely,
BB
By Charles Rivard and Mike
Thank you to everyone
who submitted answers to last months brain teasers. Many of you were very close, but close only
counts in horseshoes and hand grenades!
Just kidding! It is apparent that
this month, many of you had your thinking caps on! So, congratulations go out to Mohit Singla, Lee Smiley, and
Roger Khouri for answering both brain teasers
correctly!
Applause also goes out to Charlie Richardson for figuring out the first brain teaser!
Here is the May brain teasers and their answers:
1. If you are in a dark room with a candle, a wood stove, and a gas lamp, and you only have one match, what do you light first?
Answer: The match
2. An ameba reproduces by splitting in half, becoming 2. They divide in the same manner, each growing another half to make those 2 into 4. Those 4 become 8, and so on. This happens once an hour. It will take 354 days to fill a 5 gallon tank with ameba. How long will it take to fill a 20-gallon tank?
Answer: 354 days and 2 hours
Now, for our super duper June brain teasers! Can you solve these? Lets see who thinks they are smarter than a fifth grader!
1. How many bricks does it take to complete a building?
2. Interesting word play:
The words record and record are spelled the same but sound different, and they have different meanings. Example: Go into a music studio and record a record. Now, think of 2 4-letter words, one capitalized and one not. One word is pronounced with the first letter being silent, and the first letter of the second word is not silent. The 2 words are spelled the same but have different meanings. What are they?
Please submit the answers to these brain teasers to:
We will let you know if you are correct, and if so, we will publish your name in the July newsletter. Have fun trying to solve these puzzles!
Hen Pecked
By Katie Chandler
Biologist W.C. Allee gained fame when he discovered the pecking order of hens, and the female habit of using her beak as a weapon among other females. The hens never peck the male roosters. And yet the term today is often referred to represent the verbal attacks females put upon males. Go figure!
Submitted
by Karen Santiago and Katie Chandler
Let every nation know, whether it wishes us well or ill, that we shall pay any price, bear any burden, meet any hardship, support any friend, oppose any foe to assure the survival and the success of liberty.
John F. Kennedy
Fatherhood
is pretending the present you love the most is soap on a rope.
Bill
Cosby
Thanks
goes out to you, our extended family on Out-Of-Sight! You participate and spend your time getting
to know one another on the site. Without you, there would be no need for
programming, no need for special activities, and no need to even have a site. So,
thank you very much! Thanks for making this community an Out of Sight place to
be!
No, this is not Craigs List, but it is the next best thing! If you have something to sell, or announce, send us your ad, and we will post it, as long as there is space available in the newsletter. Send your ads to:
If you will be there please contact me, as I do not necessarily wish to be in a place with total strangers. Contact me privately at:
Thanks in advance for any contacts.
The object of the game is to clear all coins off the board. There are 9 columns of 13 coins each. Denominations are penny, nickel, dime, quarter, and dollar.
How to play: You are given a coin at random to toss onto a column. If there are 3 coins of matching denomination across or vertically, all coins of that denomination explode and disappear. When you clear a row, the total is added to your score.
There are 3 different games and 3 difficulty settings. The game is a race against the clock to attain the highest score. No screen reader is needed. The game is self voicing and works on any Windows platform including Windows 8. Check the URL above for more details.
This is Karen, and I am co-hosting on Wednesday, June 19 at 11:00 AM Eastern Time
This is all about making pictures using either a brailler or a slate and stylus, so come on in.
If you would like to receive our daily announcements and schedule of events, please select the following email link.
Or, write a blank email to:
Out-of-sight-announcement-subscribe@yahoogroups.com
That is all there is to it! You should receive a daily announcement from us within 24 hours. These announcements not only highlight the schedule of the day, they provide important information about any cancellations, new events, or special messages from our hosts or board members. Stay informed with our daily announcement!
Stay tuned for our monthly newsletter, which will be distributed on the first of every month. We look forward to your input and suggestions for future newsletters. Please submit your questions, comments, or article submissions to
Debi Chatfield
Editor
Catch the vision--it is Out of Sight!