Out-Of-Sight News and Views


Issue #15
March 1, 2014

In This Issue


Greetings from Our President
Navigation
Word on the Street
Guess Who Took another Trip around the Sun
Our Out-Of-Sight Superstar
Out-Of-Sight Cookbook
The small big microcasm of the University
Students Highlight Simple Steps to Accessibility
Top 5 Misconceptions about Guide Dogs
Woof to Wash
Natural Remedies for Tension Headaches
How Galileos visual illusion works in the minds eye
The Lives Of Blind Brothers Changed When Dad Came Knocking
Blind PenPal Magazine
All About Idioms
Old Farmers Advice
Color Vision Problems
MRI Study Shows How The Brain Finds Beauty In Mathematics
March BlockBusters
The Bookshelf -
Healthy Choice, Healthy Living - Fitness Testing
Exercise could help prevent age-related blindness
And Survey Says
The Recipe Box -
Happiest State in the Country
Dear Betty Blunt
Think Tank
Words to Live By
A Round of Applause
Oosabelle’s List
What is happening on Out-Of-Sight

Greetings from Our President



Greetings from the President Thank goodness March is finally here. Hopefully we are nearing the end of a long, cold and snowy winter for a lot of us.
As a chat site we are continuing to add new members from all over the world, giving all of us the opportunity to make new friends that will in many instances last a lifetime.
New events and exciting and challenging games continue to be introduced on a regular basis and enjoyed by many of our chat site family.
Everyone keep up the good work and help make Out-Of-Sight truly the place to be.

And as always, if you want to see anything else included in this type of format, write an email to:
newsletter@out-of-sight.net

Best regards,
Lee Richards

Navigation



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.

Word on the Street



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:
newsletter@out-of-sight.net

We look forward to sharing your news with our extended family, here on Out-Of-Sight!

Guess Who Just Took Another Trip Around the Sun?



Help us celebrate our March birthdays!
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:
newsletter@out-of-sight.net

Our Out-Of-Sight Superstar


By: Karen Santiago

After some resistance and a last minute photo session, Mohit finally let go of the superstar crown. It has now traveled 7,296 miles to home of Superbowl 48, New Jersey. Short Hills, New Jersey to be exact, home of Rich De Steno, our Superstar for the month of March!

Rich was born, raised, and continues to live in New Jersey. He is the youngest of four children, and his parents were Italian immigrants with little formal education. Rich was declared legally blind at a young age. However, he had enough sight in one eye to read books, identify people, and watch TV at a fairly close range. Not knowing any better, his parents never sought any help for Rich. He attended public school, and with assistance from teachers he did well.

During his mid- teen years, Rich had several surgeries for his detached retina. But, by age 16 he had no usable vision.

Rich attended College in New Jersey and graduated with a Bachelor's degree from Montclair State University in 1973. He continued on to law school in New York at St. John's University School of Law. While in college, he went to The Seeing Eye in 1972 to train and get his first and only guide dog. After passing the Bar, Rich worked as an attorney for a federal agency, the National Labor Relations Board in Manhattan. This job consisted of cases dealing with unfair labor practices. Rich had to interview many people, do legal research, obtain information and documents, and he did trial work.

Rich had a problem with the agency providing him with a reader for work. A recent law had been passed to allow persons with disabilities the right to reasonable accommodations; however, this was new and not clearly defined. Although he found a part time reader after placing an ad in the New York Times, he continued to press for reading assistance.” He wrote his congressmen, the NFB, the ACB, and other organizations. Eventually, the agency hired a secretary, who also worked as his reader. During this time Rich was also gaining much trial experience.

Rich had applied and had been on the Federal Administrative Law Judge hire list for years. In 1993, the list was discarded in favor of creating a new one. Rich reapplied, going through the arduous application process. In 1994, he was offered a federal judge position in Newark, New Jersey and accepted it.

Please stand for the honorable Judge De Steno. The wearing of robes was optional, so Rich often opted for the less formal attire of a regular suit and tie. Rich presided over social security cases at the appeal stage in which claimants would appear with their attorneys and present their cases in favor of benefits. . Most of the cases involved the issue of eligibility for Social Security disability benefits. Rich was a very independent judge. He studied every case; reviewing interviews, statements, medical records, and all relevant evidence in order to make the best and fairest decision. This also involved extensively questioning the claimants at the hearings. After 18 years at this position, Rich retired in December 2012 after over 36 years of total federal service.

The first experience Rich had with a blind chat site was the Blind Café. Then he heard an ad on RS Games for Out of Sight. He tried it and found it to be a friendly and fun site. One of the things Rich really was impressed with was the sense of community. He says there are great, smart, and funny people on the site. He also likes how people are willing to assist others. By the way, Rich created his screen name, Trixter, back in 1996 while on internet chat sites as a way to convey fun and laughs, with the X adding more uniqueness and humor.

Rich looks forward to evenings on the site when he can play a trivia or word game. He is the host of 5 Category Trivia on the first and third Monday of the month. He also co-hosts password on the third Thursday of the month. But did you know all that Rich does for the site behind the scenes? Rich has developed such programs as the deck of cards for Kate’s blackjack game, the random number for raffle drawings, and a wheel of fortune. But that is not all! Rich is the one who edited and assembled the sounds from that awesome piece of work; OOS We Are the World. He took the recordings of the members and arrange them precisely to the music. Not an easy task, but he did it and did it well. He did this with his knowledge of the Audacity program. Rich also held a Q and A session about using audacity as part of the site's birthday celebration. There may be more to come.

As you may know by now, Rich is the one who is singing the OOS theme song as you log on to the site. Call him a rocking judge. He wrote the song and played and arranged the music.
Rich has always had a passion for games. When he was younger he played many board and card games with his siblings. In the late seventies, gambling was legalized in Atlantic City, and off he went to investigate. He took a liking to blackjack. Rich wanted to create a blackjack game that could be played on the computer and be accessible for visually impaired/blind people. With his great love for the game, determination, perseverance, and persistence he did it! Rich had no formal computer programming training what so ever. He learned everything through reading books, researching, and most of all trial and error. By the way, this was in the DOS days. By 1994, he had created 5 computer games; Atlantic City Blackjack, Run for President, Destination Mars, Dodge City Desperados, and Sounds Like. He then marketed these games and they sold like hotcakes! He received emails from all over the world with many words of thanks for creating such fun and accessible games.

In about 2010, he began converting the DOS games into Windows versions. Again, he had no formal training on how to do it, just passion, determination, and toiling from a lot of trial and error. During the conversion process, Rich added many more features and sound effects. At this time in his life, Rich decided not to charge any fee for the games, which was a win-win for all. But if you ask me, I am sure users would have paid for the updated games. Rich told me that after distributing the newer versions of these games, he received tons of emails from people who remembered playing the DOS versions, and they loved the changes he made. There is no greater satisfaction then creating something, especially for entertainment, being able to share it with others, and getting the positive feedback from them, Rich said.

If that was not enough, he received an Email from a man in Georgia asking if he had ever thought of having his games as apps on I devices. The games would have to be the DOS versions to be played on the I devices, and approved by Apple. Long story short, have you downloaded the apps for the games yet?

Rich was married in 1980 to a computer programmer, Mia. No, Mia did not help rich with his games, as she was in a different field of programming. They do not have any children. They usually travel to Vegas twice a year. Hmm, I wonder why? Ching chin! Rich loves his sports, especially the Bosox, oops, I meant the Yankees, really I did. He is on several email lists, which also keeps him updated and busy.

Ok, if that is not enough, Rich has recently taken up the guitar again. After not playing guitar for several years, in 2006, he purchased an electric guitar, and was determined to get serious about improving his playing. Again, call him the rocking judge. He turned to UTube for lessons, and developed a routine of practicing every day. He also has a love for writing songs, both words and music. He has recently composed about 10 songs. He says there is a similarity between writing computer programs and songs in that they both involve the creative process. Apparently, Rich has the knack for both. With his expertise in audacity, he has been able to create these multi-track songs with music, vocals, and special effects.

So the next time you are in a room and Rich comes in, please remember to stand and address him as Your Honor.

Congrats Rich on being member of the month.

Out-of-Sight Cookbook


by: Karen Santiago

I am in the process of putting together an Out of Sight cookbook. In order to make this cookbook a success I need your recipes. I am looking for all sorts of recipes such as; appetizers, soups, main/ side dishes, and desserts. It would be great if you could include a short story about the origin of the recipe, or what makes this recipe special to you. If you could follow the below format, that would be much appreciated:

Recipe name:
Submitted by:
Origin/Why is it special to you:
Ingredients:
Directions:
Servings:

Please email your favorite recipes to
karenxsantiago@msn.com

The small big microcasm of the University


By: Harrison Tu

In September 2013, I began at the University of California Riverside. I really did not know what to expect. I was fresh from highschool, thinking that it would be a sink or swim. Well, I did not just swim, I feel like I flew.

The first day was hectic: packing, flying, unpacking, moving... my roommate was (and still is) alright, very circumspect, if I may say so myself.

I had already registerred for my classes, and so I went to my Filipino class, which was my first class on the day we started. I was frightened, but instantly felt like Quote. wow, this could work! end quote. My professor, Dr. Priscilla Ruedas, who had taught at the University of Pangasinan in the Philipenes before coming to UCR, made me feel much better. My classmates were great, the material was great, and before I knew it the class period was over.

That was when my trouble started... I got lost. Someone had helped me to class, and I learned that unlike in high school, it is big! I wanderred around campus, and luckily I found someone who had been in my class, and they helped me to the dorm. After receiving some orientation and mobility training from student special services, this stopped happening quite so often, (although it happened again this morning, I am ashamed to say).

After about a week of this, I discoverred that the University had a service, run through the transportation and parking department, whose function is to drive disabled students around. It was very, very useful because some places are too far to be walking sometimes, and do not forget all those buildings that are all over the place.

Over time, I made many new friends in the university. I will say that for every male friend I have, I have approximately 10 female friends... just saying. Anyway, University is a wonderful place to be. I would not trade my life here for anything. The experiences, the pleasures, the life...!

Students Highlight Simple Steps to Accessibility


By Stacey Shackford - The College of Agriculture and Life Sciences
Submitted by Roger Khouri

It does not take much to ensure a class is accessible to all students. In some cases, it is simply a matter of making class materials available online before class and uploading fully accessible PDFs or Word documents, formats that screen-reading software can read.

A new group of faculty and staff have banded together to provide resources for those working with students on the autism spectrum, to ensure an inclusive atmosphere for those students, to raise awareness about autism spectrum disorder and to empower those affected to talk about their needs.

That was the message delivered by a panel of students and staff as part of a Jan. 31 workshop organized by CIT, Facilities Services and Student Disability Services to make Cornell IT professionals aware of some of the issues faced by users with vision, hearing and other disabilities.

Demonstrations were given of assistive technology such as JAWS, which provides auditory feedback to help navigate via keystrokes, and a transcription service called CART (Communication Access Realtime Translation), as well as critiques of some of Cornells most-used websites.

Simple, well-organized sites with headers or submenus are easiest to navigate using JAWS, explained Mark Colasurdo, 15, a biological engineering student in the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences. He gave class collaboration tool Blackboard high marks; scheduling site Student Center did not fare as well.

Colasurdo, whose vision is limited, said he can handle most of his courses without much assistance, but the biggest barrier is poor PDFs, including pages scanned as image files, which are not searchable and have to be converted into Word files.

Colasurdo said he sometimes asks professors to be as verbal as possible during their lectures and explain any graphs or other visuals they may present. That would also be helpful for Jackie Rachaf, 14, an English and economics student in the College of Arts and Sciences who is bilaterally hard of hearing. She uses a captioning program that produces a live transcript of lectures on her laptop. It can be difficult to keep up with PowerPoints and other visual presentations at the same time, she said. Posting the presentations beforehand would give her a better chance to prepare in advance and review afterward, she said.

Captioning of videos used in class or posted to Cornell websites would also greatly improve access for deaf and hard of hearing students, as well as the general public, who may not understand the speakers or the vocabulary they use, Rachaf said.

Clare van den Blink, director of Academic Technologies, agreed that such accommodations benefit everyone. The former teacher said students with disabilities made her re-assess and change her teaching style. She tended to rely a lot on graphs, for instance, but retrained herself to explain the visuals in great detail. The effort resulted in several students coming up to her after class and thanking her because they had not understood the graphs.

Quote. There were all these unintended benefits. Ultimately, it was a better experience for all of my students, End Quote, she said. Quote. Plus, people do not necessarily self-disclose their conditions, so you may not know the needs of your audience. End Quote.

Top 5 Misconceptions about Guide Dogs


Submitted by Rich De Steno

Here are the Top 5 most common misconceptions about guide dogs.

5. Guide dogs are like taxi drivers. No, Nash does not know what subway stop I need. He is not magic.
People assume that I just tell my guide dog where I want to go and it is as simple as getting in a cab. Not the case. Guide dogs are trained to go from point A to point B, and you are constantly giving them verbal and hand commands to tell them where to go.

Guide dogs are trained to go from curb to curb. If you want to go to a store in the middle of the block, you might give your guide as many as five commands, and if it is a store you have never been to before on a block with several stores and doors, you are still going to have to rely on sighted assistance to find the door of the exact store you are looking for.

Unfortunately, guide dogs do not read the signs of the store and know exactly where you want to go, but if it is a store that you frequent often, you can train your guide dog to take you to the door for that specific store. It just takes repetition, lots of praise, and of course a food reward for the dog to know and learn where you want to go.

4. Guide dogs tell you when to cross the street
One of the biggest questions I get as a guide dog handler is how does your guide dog know when to cross the street? He does not. That is right, guide dogs do not know when the traffic light changes, I do.

Blind people listen for the surge of traffic, and they tell their guide dogs when they think it is safe to cross the street. Dogs are color blind so they cannot read the cross signal. We give them a hand signal when we think it is safe to cross the street, and the dogs are trained to not walk into on-coming traffic.

3. Guide dogs are also guard dogs
People often say to me, quote, It is great that you have a dog that will lead you around and protect you, end quote. As much as I would like to think that Nash would protect me if I ever was attacked, odds are he most likely would not.

Nash is a Lab, so it isn’t in his nature to attack someone. He is about as passive as they come. Trust me, I have tried to freak some friends out by telling Nash to attack and sic, and you know what Nash does? He licks me. I told you he was pretty silly. Unfortunately, you cannot have the best of both worlds. It is just not in the breed.

2. Guide dogs reach a point where they’re done with training
It amazes me how often I am asked if I am training Nash, and I respond, no, I’m blind. To which I often hear, really, you do not look blind. Okay, lets get beyond how unbelievably insulting it is to say that to someone, and focus on the guide dog here. Actually, guide dogs are always in training, as you are constantly teaching them new things. You are constantly going to new places, so whether it is teaching him a new bus stop, subway entrance, store, or any of a million things, guide dogs are always in training, even the fully working ones.

And the Number 1 biggest misconception about guide dogs:
1. You can never pet a guide dog under any circumstances
Some handlers do not want you to pet their dogs while they are in harness. Always ask first.
You may have heard that you should never pet a working guide dog. This is true, but it is also personal discretion of the guide dog handler to say when it is okay to pet their guide dog. Many do not want anyone to pet their guide dogs when they are in harness. Others, under the right circumstances, may tell people it is ok to pet their dog.

The key here is to always ask first. Just because you see a guide dog sitting quietly in a restaurant does not mean he is not working. For the guide dog to sit there quietly in a restaurant is work. So if you ask to pet a guide dog and are told, quote, I am sorry, but he is working end quote, please respect the handlers wishes.

Woof To Wash


Submitted by: Suzy Barnes

A washing machine, created by U. K. commercial laundry company JTM Service in partnership with appliance manufacturer Miele.
It is called the quote, Woof to Wash. end quote

Duffy's Duties as Official Test Pilot of the Woof to Wash Duffy was trained by Support Dogs, a national U. K. charity working to increase the independence and quality of life of people with various medical conditions. His job as the official Woof to Wash test pilot is to open the washing machine door, load the machine with clothes from a laundry basket, close the door, and bark to activate a voice sensor that starts the machine. When the wash cycle finishes, Duffy is also trained to unload the machine.

While assistance dogs like Duffy are often trained to strip beds, fill laundry baskets, and load and empty washing machines to help their disabled owners, until now they havent been able to turn on a machine.

Woof to Wash Is Designed to Make the Lives of the Disabled a Bit Easier John Middleton of JTM, creator of the Woof to Wash, says it was developed as an alternative to mainstream washing machines that feature complex digital controls many disabled people find hard to operate. Middleton hopes to place the machine in thousands of homes to make life a little less challenging for people with disabilities ranging from poor eyesight to autism.

The Woof to Wash is designed to work on a single cycle and dispense the correct amount of detergent, further simplifying its operation. The door handle is designed to fit in a dog's mouth.

According to CNET, Woof to Wash is a great example of how a simple technical innovation can have a tremendous impact on a person's daily life.

Natural Remedies for Tension Headaches


By Katie Chandler

How To Prevent Tension Headaches Before They Strike
Struggle with regular headaches? You're not alone. An estimated 45 million Americans suffer from tension headaches caused by everything from stress to insomnia.
The good news is there are a few natural solutions that can help prevent the onset of such headaches.

Magnesium
Chronic stress is often a trigger of headaches. It may also be a sign of magnesium deficiency. Research suggest that just 400 mg of supplemental magnesium may be all you need to reduce headaches by as much as 40 percent or more in just three months.

Fish Oil
The omega 3 essential fatty acids in fish oil help promote the production of mood boosting serotonin. Those EFAs may also help fight inflammation, another headache trigger.

Melatonin
Getting your beauty sleep is important for overall health and wellness but it's also important for keeping headache flare-ups to a minimum. Melatonin can help by promoting healthy, natural sleep.

Ginger
Ginger is one of the most time-tested herbals in the world. Now research out of Europe suggests that it may help block the formation of pain-triggering leukotrienes, effectively shutting down headaches naturally.

Riboflavin
This nutrient is good for those who also suffer from migraine headaches. This B vitamin has shown to help relax blood vessels and scalp muscles As a result, both can function smoothly without painful spasms.

How Galileos visual illusion works in the minds eye


February 2014 – Medical News Today
Submitted by Roger Khouri

Scientists have studied a visual illusion first discovered by Galileo Galilei, and found that it occurs because of the surprising way our eyes see lightness and darkness in the world. Their results advance our understanding of how our brains are wired for seeing white versus black objects. The work was done by Jens Kremkow and collaborators in the laboratories of Jose Manuel Alonso and Qasim Zaidi at the State University of New York College of Optometry. It was published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Science.

Galileo was puzzled by the fact that the appearance of the planets changed depending on whether one looked with the naked eye versus with a telescope. Viewed directly, planets seemed Quote. Expanded, End Quote, and had Quote. a radiant crown, End Quote, which made Venus looked eight to ten times larger than Jupiter even if Jupiter was four times larger. Though Galileo realized this size illusion was not created by the object - but by his eyes - he did not understand why or how. He mused,Quote. "Either because their light is refracted in the moisture that covers the pupil, or because it is reflected from the edges of the eyelids and these reflected rays are diffused over the pupil, or for some other reason. End Quote.

Generations of scientists following Galileo continued to assume the illusion was caused by blur or similar optical effects. However, though blur can distort size, it does not explain why Venus looks larger than Jupiter with the naked eye. Hermann von Helmholtz - the venerable 19th Century German physician-physicist - was the first to realize that Quote, something else, End Quote, was needed to explain the illusion, as he described in his Treatise on Physiological Optics.

Only now, with Kremkow and colleagues new study, has science finally zoomed in and illuminated the scope of the problem. It is a feature of how we see everything, no less. By examining the responses of neurons in the visual system of the brain - to both light stimuli and dark stimuli - the neuroscientists discovered that, whereas dark stimuli result in a faithful neural response that accurately represents their size, light stimuli on the contrary result in non-linear and exaggerated responses that make the stimulus look larger. So white spots on a black background look bigger than same-sized black spots on white background, and Galileos glowing moons are not really as big as they might appear to the unaided eye.

This effect is responsible for how we see everything from textures and faces - based on their dark parts in bright daylight - to why it is easier to read this very page with black-on-white lettering, rather than white-on-black (a well known, and until now, unexplained phenomenon). By tracing these effects as a function of the way neurons are laid out and interconnected in the retina and brain, the authors found that the illusion is potentially derived from the very origin of vision - in the photoreceptors of the eye themselves.

The Lives Of Blind Brothers Changed When apostrophe Dad apostrophe Came Knocking


Submitted by Rich De Steno

The lives of Leo, Nick and Steven Argel

Leo, Nick and Steven Argel are 14-year-old triplets, and they have all been blind since birth.
Growing up in Arlington, Va., their single mother had a hard time caring for them.
Quote. Every day was like: Wake up, go to school, come back home, and then you stay there for the rest of the day, end quote. Leo recalls in a visit to StoryCorps. Quote. There were certain things that I wish I could do, like I wish I could go out and play in the snow like everyone else. apostrophe Cause I have heard kids through the window - we could hear that they were having fun. The only thing I remember, when I was 7, we went to McDonalds and we went to the park. We rarely went outside. end quote.

Nick says it got so bad he wanted to die. Quote. But it was one of the decisions I am glad I did not make because I would have missed out on everything. end quote.
That all changed when they were 10. Ollie Cantos, a blind man in their community, got word of their situation and knocked on their door. He is now in the process of formally adopting the brothers.
At first, the brothers did not believe Cantos was blind, so he demonstrated that he could read braille.
Quote. It just made me feel like I had a person that I could trust,end quote. Nick says. quote. Because I did not trust anyone. end quote
Cantos, like the brothers, had a hard time growing up. He says he did not have any friends, and people made fun of him.
He taught the brothers how to use their canes better by taking them to the corner store. One day, the store clerk asked Cantos if Leo was his son. Before Cantos could answer, Leo put his arm around him and said, Quote. Yeah, that is my dad. end quote.

As Cantos remembers it, Leo said, quote. Well, you take us places, you protect us, you help us with our homework and make us happy. Sounds like a dad to me. end quote.
Quote Whenever I hear you call me Dad, end quote, Cantos tells the three brothers, quote it is the highest compliment to me. You three used to be in the same situation that I was, and to see you come out of that and to be the way you guys are now, it is impossible to describe how grateful I am that I get to be your dad. end quote

Blind PenPal Magazine


by: Karen Santiago

Adrijana,AKA Nice Girl from Macedonia is the owner and creator of the pen pal magazine. Here is a Q and A I conducted with her.

Q: What inspired you to create this magazine?
A: I had this idea for a long time, but wasn't sure how to create it in a way that I wanted it to be. I have seen groups for blind penpals, but they were full of scammers and only a few people wrote again and again, so they soon fell apart. I have heard so many times from people that it is hard to find friends that are blind like them, some even lost some of theirs and couldn't find them again and with the closing of the Ziegler, it seems we got no place for penpals. Even when I was trying to put my own penpal ad out, The Dialogue, Braille Forum and Braille monitor couldn't publish penpal ads, so I thought that it would be a good opportunity for me to start a magazine for penpals and help out as many people as possible. That is my true goal.

Q: How many people have subscribed?
A: Currently I have 120 people subscribed, and it is constantly growing.

Q: Why do you call it a magazine?
A: I call it a magazine and not a list, because it is not a group like the ones that you subscribe to. I try to control what comes in and what I send to others and all these ads are then included in a document, which is sent to everyone twice a year again. After hearing how it works, more and more people joined, saying it is a great way of doing it, because it doesn't fill their inbox with repeated messages and possible scams.

Q: What does one need to do to subscribe?
A: Just write a blurb about yourself, including name, DOB, interest, and email address, and send it to me:
adrijana.prokopenko@gmail.com

Q: What do you do with that information?
A: Penpal ads usually come out as they are sent to me. They are then copied into an email message, which is sent to the whole list of subscribers. These ads are then placed into a document and they are all sent to new members and to the whole group as they come and every 6 months, so they could have a look at them again if they wish to do so.

Q: Are you adding or extending anything else to the magazine?
A: Yes, besides penpal ads, we are expending the magazine, so if you got any resources about sites and magazines where you could place penpal ads and find chat friends and if you also wish to publically put some positive comments about the magazine and your experiences in interacting with others here, feel free to email them to me. I also welcome suggestions and ideas from you, so we can all make the magazine better.

All About Idioms


By Roger Khouri

During one of the rehearsals that I was doing for a play, a few of us were chatting it up before it began. The discussion became one in which one of the actresses spoke of teaching her grade 7 class all about idioms. I got thinking that I know what idioms are, but, can I teach someone else about them? How about a kid, or, how about a new english speaker? So, I did a bit of homework and I decided to write an article about it for all you faithful newsletter readers. It is a great way to review this interesting part of spoken english and to re-enforce something that you already know but find it difficult to express in words.

First of all, let us describe what an idiom actually is all about. It is simply an expression that means something, yet, the words in the expression are not to be taken literally. So, at first glance, if you saw an expression, you may not know exactly what it refers to and that’s where you ask your mom to explain it to you. Or, you can phone a friend, or, you can look it up on the internet. Idioms are not specific to english; in fact, they exist in all languages. It will take a lot of reading and memory work to know what the expression means. Thus, it adds another layer of complexity when one tries to learn a new language.

Let us take a look at some common idioms to demonstrate how these expressions really work.
A chip on your shoulder is an idiom that does not refer to a physical chip being on your shoulder; it simply means that you think you know a lot. If one is as high as a kite, this means they are drunk or on drugs. If you are sick as a dog, you are very ill. If you have to pay the piper, you have to face the consequences of your actions. If something happens out of the blue, this means that something happened that was unexpected. If you are beating around the bush, this refers to you not getting to the point of what you were saying.

We could go on for ever recalling more idioms that you know and some that you had not heard of. The best way for folks to pick up on the meaning of an idiom is to ask the native speakers of that language for clarification on it. Or, you may be able to assume its meaning by the context of the discussion that it surrounds. Lastly, you may find it interesting to compare idioms from one language to another.

For example, In Finnish, with long teeth, means you are doing something that you really don’t want to do. In compairison, in French, to have long teeth, means you are ambitious. If it is raining cats and dogs, meaning that it is raining very heavily, in Africa, they might say it's raining old women with clubs. Clubs you say? Yes, clubs, this is not a misprint. If you are in Italy or Turkey and you say that you are hungry as a wolf, that simply means you are starving.

If there is a part of speech that you would like me to research and write about, please send your request to
newsletter@out-of-sight.net
and I will get cracking on it! LOL, that is another idiom, boy, I am on fire! LOL, another idiom! I am on a roll! LOL!

Old Farmers Advice


by: Katie Chandler

Here are some advice you all might want to follow smiles

Color Vision Problems


Submitted by Rich De Steno

Most of us anticipate our eyesight getting worse as we get older: blurred vision, the need for more light to see, the list goes on and on. But a new study shows that the risk of abnormal color vision could also go up as people reach elderly age.

The study, published in the journal Optometry and Vision Science, shows that the rate of abnormal color vision increases, starting at around age 70.

Researchers from The Smith-Kettlewell Eye Research Institute administered two color vision tests to 865 adults ages 58 to 102, none of whom had quote, color-blindness. end quote, One of the tests was easier than the other; the easier one was designed to only detect defects sufficiently severe to affect performance in daily life.

Of the people in the study, 40 percent had abnormal results on the tests, and 20 percent of people failed both of the tests altogether. However, the failure rate was significantly higher among people over age 70.

About 45 percent of people in their mid-70s experienced abnormalities in color vision, researchers found. The rate was even higher for people age 85 and older (up to 50 percent) and people in their mid-90s (nearly 66 percent).

Researchers also noted that nearly 20 percent of the older people in the study failed the easier test, suggesting that this abnormal color vision could affect their ability to engage in tasks that require accurate color vision.

However, the type of color vision abnormalities experienced most commonly by older people seems to be different from that of people who have inherited color-blindness. Most of the age-related color vision issues involved confusing lighter blue shades with lighter purple shades, and confusing yellow with green or yellow-green. Meanwhile, people with inherited color blindness are more likely to experience color vision abnormalities with red and green.

While the study did not look at causes of the abnormal color vision, the researchers noted some possible reasons could include yellowing of the eye lens and smaller pupil size (which would then lead to less light coming in to the eye), as well as increased rates of age-related eye diseases, such as glaucoma.

MRI Study Shows How The Brain Finds Beauty In Mathematics


By Peter Suciu for redOrbit.com
Submitted By Roger Khouri

To many people math is work, often times hard work. Yet for those who appreciate the beauty of mathematics, it can activate the same part of the brain that can appreciate great art or music. To those math lovers an aesthetically pleasing formula is art, and this now suggests that there could be a neurobiological basis to beauty.

Thus beauty is truly in the eyes of the beholder, and researchers from University College London, Imperial College London and the University of Edinburgh have found that this could include a beautiful face, a picturesque landscape or a great symphony, but it could also be a mathematical formula as well.

The findings of this study were published in the open-access journal Frontiers in Human Neuroscience.
Quote. Many have written of the experience of mathematical beauty as being comparable to that derived from the greatest art, End Quote, the researchers wrote. Quote. This makes it interesting to learn whether the experience of beauty derived from such a highly intellectual and abstract source as mathematics correlates with activity in the same part of the emotional brain as that derived from more sensory, perceptually based, sources. End Quote.

For the study, the research team used functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) to image the activity in the brains of 15 mathematicians when they viewed mathematical formulae. The mathematicians had individually rated each formula as beautiful, indifferent or ugly.

Each subject was given 60 mathematical formulae to review and was told to rate each on a scale of -5 (ugly) to +5 (beautiful), two weeks later they were asked to re-rate the same formulas while in the fMRI scanner.

The results suggested that the experience of mathematical beauty could correlate parametrically with activity in the same part of the emotional brain, the field A1 of the medial orbitofrontal cortex (mOFC), as that of experiences of beauty derived from other sources including music and art.

Quote. To many of us mathematical formulae appear dry and inaccessible but to a mathematician an equation can embody the quintescence of beauty, End Quote, Professor Semir Zeki, lead author of the paper from the Wellcome Laboratory of Neurobiology at UCL, said in a statement. “Quote. he beauty of a formula may result from simplicity, symmetry, elegance or the expression of an immutable truth. For Plato, the abstract quality of mathematics expressed the ultimate pinnacle of beauty. End Quote.

The formulae that were most consistently rated as beautiful – both before and during the scans – were Leonhard Eulers identity, the Pythagorean identity and the Cauchy-Riemann equations; while the mathematicians found the Srinivasa Ramanujans infinite series and Riemanns functional equation as the ugliest. Of course beauty is still in the eye of the beholder so those who understand these formulae might appreciate them more than the untrained eye.

Professor David Percy of the Institute of Mathematics and its Applications is one who certainly can see beauty in the numbers and symbols of a formula.
Quote. It is a real classic and you can do no better than that End Quote, ” Percy told the BBC on how he views Eulers identity formula. Quote. It is simple to look at and yet incredibly profound, it comprises the five most important mathematical constants – zero (additive identity), one (multiplicative identity), e and pi (the two most common transcendental numbers) and i (fundamental imaginary number). End Quote.

For the researchers, they may see beauty in this study as well.
Quote. This makes it interesting to learn whether the experience of beauty derived from such as highly intellectual and abstract source as mathematics correlates with activity in the same part of the emotional brain as that derived from more sensory, perceptually based, sources, End Quote, Zeki added. Quote. We have found that, as with the experience of visual or musical beauty, the activity in the brain is strongly related to how intense people declare their experience of beauty to be – even in this example where the source of beauty is extremely abstract. This answers a critical question in the study of aesthetics, one which has been debated since classical times, namely whether aesthetic experiences can be quantified. End Quote.

March Blockbusters


Submitted by Debi Chatfield

Upcoming movies in the theatres that are Audio Described.


The Book Shelf -



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, March 21, 2014 at 8:00 PM eastern, in the Library. See you there!

Book Number 1: Seabiscuit: an American legend
Written by: Laura Hillenbrand. Read by: Annie Wauters. Reading time: 14 hours, 22 minutes.
Genre: Sports and Recreation, Biography, Bestsellers
Description:
Recounts the rise of an "undersized, crooked-legged" thoroughbred horse who in 1938 was the year's number-one newsmaker over Franklin Roosevelt, Hitler, and Lou Gehrig. Hillenbrand tells Seabiscuit's story through the three men who made a true long shot into a winner: owner Charles Howard, trainer Tom Smith, and jockey Red Pollard. Bestseller. 2001. Bestseller. 2001.

Book Number 2:
Light of the world: a Dave Robicheaux novel
Written by: James Lee Burke. Read by: J. P Linton. Reading time: 20 hours, 57 minutes.
Genre: Mystery and Detective Stories
Description:
Louisiana detective Dave Robicheaux is vacationing in Montana with his daughter Alafair and friends. But the trip turns deadly after someone shoots an arrow at Alafair. Suspects include a rodeo cowboy and a serial killer. Violence, strong language, and some descriptions of sex. Bestseller. 2013.

Book Number 3: Take down 20, A Stephanie Plum series book
Written by: Janet Evanovich
Description:
If she doesn’t take him down, he may take herout! Jersey bounty hunter Stephanie Plum knows betted than to mess with family. But when powerful mobster Salvatore “Uncle Sunny” Sunucchi goes on the lam in Trenton, it’s up to Stephanie to find him. Uncle Sunny is charged with murder for running over a guy (twice), and nobody wants to turn him in—not his poker buddies, not his bimbo girlfriend, not his two right-hand men, Shorty and Moe. Even Trenton’s hottest cop, Joe Morelli, has skin in the game, because—just Stephanie’s luck—the godfather is his actual godfather. And while Morelli understands that the law is the law, his old-world grandmother, Bella, is doing everything she can to throw Stephanie off the trail. It’s not just Uncle Sunny giving Stephanie the run-around. Security specialist Ranger needs her help to solve the bizarre death of a top client’s mother, a woman who happened to play bingo with Stephanie’s Grandma Mazur. Before Stephanie knows it, she’s working side by side with Ranger and Grandma at the senior center, trying to catch a killer on the loose—and the bingo balls are not rolling in their favor. With bullet holes in her car, henchmen on her tail, and a giraffe named Kevin running wild in the streets of Trenton, Stephanie will have to up her game for the ultimate takedown.
This book is not available on BARD

Healthy Choice, Healthy Living - Fitness Testing


By Lawrence MacLellan

Hello everybody, the following is 4 fitness tests that you can do to see what kind of shape you are in. I would suggest that you keep a record of how you are doing and with practice you can see the improvement in your fitness level.

1. The Push-up Test
The Push-Up Test measures muscular strength and endurance, a combination that better reflects your fitness level than strength tests like the one rep max. Besides being dangerous, single rep max tests also require a lot of equipment (bench press or squat rack, barbells, and other weights). A timed push-up test, on the other hand, can be done anywhere.

Equipment needed: A stop watch or timer that can measure one full minute; a friend to help keep count and time you (optional).
Goal: Do as many push-ups as you can in one minute.
Execution: Men will assume a traditional push-up position and females can use the modified push-up position (on knees). When the push-ups start, so does the clock! Press yourself up with arms fully extended and lower yourself back until your chest is three inches from the floor (but do not touch your body to the floor). Repeat as many times as you can in one minute. You may rest only in the quote. up end quote. position if necessary.
What this measures: Strength and endurance in your chest, shoulders, and triceps.

2. The Crunch Test
Technically referred to as the quote. partial curl-up end quote. test, measures abdominal strength and endurance, a combination that more truly reflects your fitness level than strength tests alone. This test is a better choice over the standard sit-ups because crunches are safer for the lower back and target the abs better. A timed crunch test can also be done anywhere.

Equipment needed: A stop watch or timer that can measure one full minute; a ruler; a friend to help keep count and time you (optional).
Goal: Do as many crunches as you can in one minute.
Execution: Although this test involves regular crunches, it has some specific guidelines. Lie down on your back with your knees bent, feet flat on the floor and your heels about 18 inches away from your behind. Place your arms at your sides, palms down, fingertips next to your hips. Place a ruler next to your fingertips in this position and measure 6 inches further. You can put a piece of paper, the ruler itself, or a piece of tape at that 6-inch marker. Keep your hands on the floor throughout the test. Just like abdominal crunches, engage the abs to lift your head, neck, and shoulder blades off the floor, but allow your fingertips to slide toward the 6-inch marker. Return to the starting position to complete one rep. Repeat this as many times as you can in 60 seconds, counting only the number of repetitions that your fingertips successfully reach the 6-inch marker. You may rest in the starting position (relaxed), but the clock continues to run.
What this measures: Strength and endurance in your abdominals.

3. Step-up test

Goal: Step on and off the bench for 3 minutes straight while keeping a consistent pace and then see how quickly your heart rate will come back down. You could also count how many steps you can do in 3 minutes and then improve from there by adding more time. Work your way up to 5 to 10 minutes, it’s a great work-out.If you have trouble with your knees then you should not do this exercise. You can use the bottom step of a set of stairs if you don’t have a step-up box.
Execution: This test is based on a 12-inch step, so use one as close to 12 inches as possible, otherwise your results will be skewed. Set the metronome to 96 beats per minute and make sure you can hear the beat. Stand facing the step. When ready to begin, start the clock or stopwatch and march up and down on the step to the metronome beat (up, up, down, down) for 3 consecutive minutes. (You can rest if you need to, but remain standing.) When 3 minutes are up, stop immediately, sit down on the step, and count (or have a friend count) your pulse (use your wrist or neck) for one full minute.
What this measures: This test assesses your fitness level based on how quickly your heart rate recovers after exercise. The fitter you are, the quicker your heart rate will return to normal after exercise.

4. One Mile Walking Test
This 1-Mile Walking Test measures your aerobic (cardiovascular) fitness level based on how quickly you are able to walk a mile at a submaximal (moderate) exercise intensity.

Equipment Needed: Comfortable clothing and sturdy walking or running shoes; a stopwatch or a clock with a second hand; a flat one-mile walking surface, such as a standard quarter-mile track (four laps equals one mile) or a flat road where you've measured the one-mile distance with your car's odometer. Most of us will have to use a treadmill for this exercise.
Goal: Walk one mile as quickly as possible.
Execution: We suggest that you DO NOT attempt this test until you are routinely walking for 15 to 20 minutes several times per week. Warm up by walking slowly for 3-5 minutes. When you are ready to begin, start the clock and begin walking as fast as you can while maintaining a steady pace. You can slow down and speed up as you wish, but the goal is to complete the mile as quickly as possible. Stop your watch or check your time at the end of the mile to the nearest second. When finished, keep walking for a few minutes to cool down. Follow up with a few stretches. Most of us will have to use a treadmill for this exercise. Most of us will have to use a treadmill for this exercise. Do not make this complicated, just keep a record of how you are doing and keep it simple. Checking your results may lead to disappointment and and just give up. It’s not where you start out , it’s where you end up.
Remember that good health involves more then just exercise. Drink half your body’s weight in ounces, eat healthy food and get enough sleep.
Ease into this slowly and don’t be disappointed if your results are not what you expected. You will have a starting point to work on and with exercising you will see the improvement. Focus on the improvement and make this a part of your work-out plan. Work out 2 to 3 times a week. Good luck and remember,
One healthy choice at a time.

If you have any questions for Lawrence, or would like a certain topic covered, please write to:
Newsletter@out-of-sight.net

Exercise could help prevent age-related blindness


By Alyssa Botelho
Submitted by Roger Khouri

Do not stop moving
The three blind mice should have kept on running. Physical activity can help ward off age-related blindness, suggests a study in mice.

Macular degeneration is one of the leading causes of blindness in the elderly, and affects about 30 million people worldwide. Eyesight deteriorates due to the death of light-detecting cells in the eye, called photoreceptors.

Machelle Pardue and her colleagues at Emory University in Atlanta, Georgia, have now demonstrated for the first time that exercise protects the retina from the degeneration that causes this loss of sight. Exercise has already been shown to help reduce the risk of dementia and Alzheimers disease, and has helped with the recovery of people with traumatic brain injuries or stroke. To explore whether exercise might also help with retinal diseases, Pardue and her team designed a month-long exercise regimen for mice.

One group was made to walk on tiny treadmills for an hour a day, five days a week for a month. Two weeks into this regimen, the team exposed the mice to harmfully bright light for 4 hours. This is a common way to artificially induce the degeneration of photoreceptors. While this first group of mice exercised for a month, a second group remained inactive. These sedentary mice were kept in cages with stationary treadmills – to make sure they had the same visual stimuli in their habitats. Two weeks into the experiment, this group was also exposed to 4 hours of the bright light.

Twice as good
At the months end, Pardue and her team compared the retinal function and photoreceptor counts of the two groups. Neural firing in the retinas of the mice that exercised was twice the strength as the inactive group, showing that their eyes were functioning better. Dissections also showed that the exercised mice kept roughly twice the number of healthy photoreceptors as inactive mice. Pardue thinks the benefits could be down to a protein called BDNF which is important in keeping neurons healthy. BDNF is produced during physical activity in both mice and humans. At the end of the experiment, mice that had worked out had 20 per cent more of the protein in their retinas compared with the inactive mice.

When a subgroup of exercising mice was injected after each run with a protein that prevents BDNF from acting on neurons, the protective effect of the workouts seemed to disappear. These active mice showed the same reduced retinal function and low photoreceptor counts as the no-exercise mice.

Pardue hopes that these initial findings will lead the way to human clinical trials testing the benefits of exercise on retinal health. Michelle Ploughman at the Memorial University of Newfoundland in St Johns, Canada, who was not involved in the research, says she is hopeful that exercise might be a simple and effective way to slow macular degeneration, which is often treated with drugs or surgery.

And Survey Says...


By Roger Khouri

In this section, I ask you a provocative question and try to gain your input and see where folks stand on any given topic or issue. Do not worry, I will never do anything related to politics, I am more interested in simple everyday things. Nothing to brain draining, well, at least that is what I hope. Let me begin by re-capping last months survey question, followed by a selection of your replies, then I will give you this months survey question. Be sure to read Aprils newsletter to see how folks replied to this months question.

OK, we have all had that time in our lives when we had folks stay at our place a bit too long. Perhaps they wormed their way in, or, perhaps we invited them over. Yet, sometimes folks over stay their welcome and it could prove to be a task to get them out. It could be a family member, or it could be a friend, nonetheless, what can we do if we want our place back and them gone? You may have been the culprit at one time, over staying your welcome. This was the scenario that I posed to you and asked if you had any suggestions on how to deal with unwanted house guests in last month’s Newsletter.

Here is what one of you wrote:
Yes, I have had someone who wanted to stay a month at my house at a time. After 3-4 years of this routine, I finally asked her to limit her stay to one week per visit. She replied that that would never happen and she has never come back for any visits. But, we are still friends.

Well, it is a sad thing if friendships are lost, or if family members become estranged due to someone staying a bit too long. You do not want to be mean, yet, balancing the diplomatic tight rope to kindly ask them to leave may not always go over well. Here are some tips that I found online that you may wish to utilize if you feel the need to make a house guest disappear. They do not involve the mafia, nore any big guns.

7. Get really sick, or appear to be sick and hope they are germaphobes.
6. Make Them Pay and if they decline, tell them that you are not the Salvation Army and this is not a free ride.
5. Make a List of Chores that they need to complete. Make sure it is a mile long.
4. Tell Them Someone Else will be Staying and the new house guest is loud, dirty and obnoxious.
3. Annoy them. Perhaps they want peace and quiet and you do not sell it.
2. Limit their access to things. Well, if you can regulate the water, go for it. And, if you can install a key pad lock on the bathroom, go for it. Lets see how they will enjoy going to the John outside in sub zero weather.
1. Just spit it out … tell them to leave. Do not sugar coat it. You said that they could stay, but it did not mean indefinitely.

Good luck and please let me know if you try any of these suggestions. They do not carry any money back guarantee so try them at your own risk and liability.

Now, for this months survey question …
do you have any good tips to help you fall asleep?

I have a friend who was having the darndest time this past week and taking sleeping pills was not a road that she wanted to go down. I do not blame her. The internet is chalk full of tips and tricks that people could try. Yet, I’m really curious if you have any proven things that you have done. Mr. Roper from the sitcom, Threes Company use to drink hot coco and that would do the trick. How about you? Write us back at
newsletter@out-of-sight.net
with your tips on how you get to sleep.

Please remember that I am interested in your proven strategies, not something that you heard from someone else. So, if counting sheep works for you, let me know. Or, whatever else you have done. A lot of blind persons suffer from a sleep disorder so if we can compile a list, it can be very helpful to many of our members to help them get some zzz. For me, listening to late night talk radio always puts me to sleep, even if it is an interesting discussion. Send us an e-mail at newsletter@out-of-sight.net today. Many thanks.

The Recipe Box -


Submitted by: Suzy Barnes

Easy Chicken Stir-Fry Skillet
(Our very own PattyCakes Recipe)

Prep Time: 10 min
Total Time: 20 min
Makes: 4 servings, about 1-3/4 cups each

Ingredients:
2 tsp. oil
1 lb. boneless skinless chicken breasts, cut into strips
3 cups frozen stir-fry vegetables, thawed
1/4 cup GOOD SEASONS Asian Sesame with Ginger Dressing
2 tsp. grated orange peel (add to the dressing)
2 Tbsp. soy sauce
1 Tbsp. honey
1/4 cup chopped PLANTERS COCKTAIL Peanuts
4 cups hot cooked white rice

Directions:
HEAT oil in large skillet on medium-high heat. Add chicken; cook and stir 7 min. or until no longer pink.
ADD vegetables, dressing, soy sauce and honey; mix well. Cover and Cook an additional 2 minutes or until heated through. Sprinkle with peanuts.
SERVE over the rice.

Substitute:
Prepare as directed, substituting blanched seasonal fresh vegetables, such as red pepper strips, sugar snap peas and thinly sliced carrots, for the frozen stir-fry vegetables.

Flavored Potato Chips
By Charles Rivard

Make your own flavored potato chips by pouring popcorn seasonings into the bag and gently, but thoroughly, shaking to coat the chips with the seasoning. Be creative. For example, start with sour cream and onion chips and coat them with bacon cheddar seasoning. Use 1 tablespoon of seasoning for 8 ounces of chips.

Happiest State in the Country


Submitted by Rich De Steno

Life is good in the Dakotas, according to the latest Gallup research. But once again, West Virginia ranked last on the annual well-being index. Factors considered in the poll include residents' health, social life, access to food and shelter, etc. New York is No. 35.

Is it just coincidence that the happiest state in the U.S. is the leading producer of sunflowers in the country? And is home to an International Peace Garden located on the U.S. and Canadian border? Perhaps not.

According to the latest edition of the Gallup-Healthways Well-Being Index released this week, residents of North Dakota are the happiest and most well-adjusted Americans in the country.

After conducting more than 178,000 interviews between January to December 2013, evaluating everything from emotional health, work environment, physical health, social life and access to necessities like food, shelter and healthcare, analysts came up with a ranking of the happiest states in the country.

A look at the top 10 list also shows that odds of being happy are higher for those living in the Midwest -- after North Dakota comes South Dakota, Nebraska and Minnesota.

At the other end of the spectrum, meanwhile, lies West Virginia, which comes in last.

Here are the top 10 states on the well-being index:
1. North Dakota
2. South Dakota
3. Nebraska
4. Minnesota
5. Montana
6. Vermont
7. Colorado
8. Hawaii
9. Washington
10. Iowa

The Bottom 10:
50. West Virginia: 61.4
49. Kentucky: 63.0
48. Mississippi: 63.7
47. Alabama: 64.1
46. Ohio: 64.2
45. Arkansas: 64.3
44. Tennessee: 64.3
43. Missouri: 64.5
42. Oklahoma: 64.7
41. Louisiana: 64.9

Dear Betty Blunt



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:
newsletter@out-of-sight.net

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,
I really like the smell of scented candles. So, in our bedroom, I light a candle and without delay, my husband seems to blow it out. He tries to do it accidentally, but, I know it was on purpose. He said that it has nothing to do with the scent but he has not told me why he does this. I thought that lighting a candle would help with the ambiance and romance in the bedroom. Do you have any advice?

Sincerely,
Dina Dobroski
Smithfalls, Maine

Dear Ms. Aroma Therapy,
Well, in addition to it being a huge fire hazard, realizing that the blankets are going to get thrown around, if you know what I mean, the scent of the candle that you lit may not be appealing to your husband. Try to find a candle that is scented with either beer, wings, or pizza. Then, with that odour in the room, he will really be in the mood. Orr, your husband is blowing it out because, well, did you ever take a look in the mirror? He has to see you all day, so, give the guy a break.

Insincerely,
Betty Roses Blunt

Dear Betty Blunt,
Why do guys get very flirtatious in a hardware store? My husband is so dull, and you can hardly get a pulse off him until he steps into a hardware store.

Sincerely,
Evelyn Carter
Red Deer, Alberta

Dear Ms. Toolbox,
OK, it seems like you are not the sharpest tool in the shed, so let me give you a lesson in Hardware Stores 101. Did you ever notice the cute little teenie boppers in the hardware store trying to sell you everything under the sun when you only came in for a mail? And, how about all those progressive sales ladies who assist customers with cutting keys and mixing paint? They are there because it drives men in to buy stuff and that is why your hubby is so gitty. So, how about you put on a tool belt with your nighty and he will not be able to keep his hands off you. Be sure not to have any sharp or blunt tools in your belt because they could dig into skin and that would really kill the mood.

Insincerely,
Betty screw driver Blunt

Think Tank



Thank you to everyone who submitted answers to last month’s brain teasers. Many of you were very close, but only four of you were right on the money!
A big congratulations goes out to Allison Hilliker, Debbie Granger, Jeffrey Turner, and Suzy Barnes for correctly answering both brain teasers!
Charles Rivard and Hala Cooper had a slam dunk with question number 2! Congratulations to all!

Here are the February brain teasers and their answers:
1. Say my name and I disappear. What am I?
Answer: Silence

2. What five letter word becomes shorter when you add two letters to it?
Answer: Short

Now, for our super duper March brain teasers! Can you solve these? Let’s see who has their thinking cap on!

1. You are running in a street marathon, and you overtake the person in second place. What place are you now?

2. Forward I am heavy, but backwards I’m not. What am I?

Please submit the answers to these brain teasers to:
newsletter@out-of-sight.net

We will let you know if you are correct, and if so, we will publish your name in the next issue of the newsletter. Have fun trying to solve these puzzles!

Words to Live By


Submitted by: Debi Chatfield

Quote. It is spring fever. That is what the name of it is.
And when you have got it, you want, oh,
you do not quite know what it is you do want, but it just fairly makes your heart ache, you want it so! End Quote
Mark Twain

Spring is natures way of saying, quote. Let's party! end quote.
Robin Williams

A Round of Applause



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!

Oosabelle’s List



No, this is not Craig’s 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:
Newsletter@out-of-sight.net