Out-Of-Sight News and Views
Issue #5
May 1, 2013
Unlike
last month’s April fool’s joke in this section, this item is for real! We promised you a big surprise announcement,
and so here it is!
It
is Your Choice! Would you like a brand
new iPod Touch? Or, an iPad Mini?
Yup! That is right! You could be the proud owner of one of these
two devices, courtesy of Out-Of-Sight.net!
Do
you love technology? Do you love Apple
products? Are you just dying to have the
latest and greatest iDevice available? Would you like to win? We are pleased to announce our first ever
raffle, here on Out-Of-Sight! Mark Dew
has so graciously offered to purchase one of these two devices for the winner
of our first ever raffle!
The
raffle winner will be drawn at the conclusion of our 6th Annual Fall
Auction, which will be held on Saturday, September 21st, at 3:00 PM
eastern. A donation of $5 per ticket, or 5 tickets for $20 will be
available. Specific rules for the raffle
are below.
Please
send all requests for tickets to the following email address. We will need your name, telephone number, and
the number of tickets you would like.
Send this information to:
Once
we receive your payment, ticket numbers will be issued to you by email. So, what are you waiting for? Send in your request for raffle tickets, send
in your payment, and be there on September 21st to see if you are
the winner! All proceeds will be used to
continue to keep, Out-Of-Sight up and running for many years to come! Support
the site that brings you hours and hours of enjoyment each week, while at the
same time, getting a chance to be the proud owner of a brand new iPod Touch, or
iPad Mini!
Will the winner be you?
Item
1. iPod Touch:
5th Generation
The
Ipod touch comes in 5 different colors.
Black, Silver, Pink, Yellow, Blue, and Red.
Ipod Touch 64 gb storage.
Wi-Fi
Connects to the Internet over Wi-Fi networks.
Free iPod engraving.
Brilliant new design
The ultra slim, ultra light iPod touch comes in fresh new colors, and rocks the
incredible
new Apple Ear Pods.
4-inch Retina display
More screen means more music, messages, websites, and games. And it all looks
stunning
on the Retina display.
5-megapixel iSight camera
Make every shot your best with advanced optics, tap to focus, and LED flash.
And
shoot video in 1080p HD.
What is in the box
iPod touch
iPod touch loop
Apple Ear Pods
Lightning to USB cable
Warranty
Every iPod touch includes 90 days of free telephone technical support and a one
year
limited warranty.
Item 2. iPad
Mini:
IPad mini 32 gb storage.
Wi-Fi
Connects to the Internet over Wi-Fi networks.
Free iPod engraving.
Beautiful 7.9-inch display
Colors are vivid and text is sharp on the iPad mini display.
But what really makes
it stand out is its size. At 7.9 inches, it is perfectly sized to deliver an
experience
every bit as big as iPad.
Over 300,000 apps3
Right from the start, apps made for iPad also work
with iPad mini. They are immersive,
full-screen apps that let you do almost anything you can imagine. And they make
iPad
mini practically impossible to put down.
Ultrafast wireless With advanced Wi-Fi that’s up to twice as fast as any
previous generation iPad and access to fast cellular
data networks around the world, iPad mini lets you
download content, stream video, and browse the web at amazing speeds.
What is in the box
iPad mini
Lightning to USB Cable
USB Power Adapter
Limited Warranty
Every iPad mini comes with complimentary telephone
technical support for 90 days
from your iPad mini purchase date and a one year
limited warranty.
Note: the winner may upgrade the iPad mini from 32 to
64 gb if they wish.
The cost is $100 paid by the winner.
Out-Of-Sight.net
Raffle Rules:
and
click on Donate to complete your transaction.
Out-Of-Sight.net
c/o
Lee Richards
Hurry,
and get your tickets now, and see you on September 21st!
I
would personally like to thank everyone who has taken the time to send in their
comments about our monthly newsletter. Each month, many people work together to
research, write, and edit the articles and sections featured. I appreciate your positive feedback, and
encourage you to continue to let us know what you think about its content.
We
will continue to not only make you aware of what is available on our site on a
daily basis in the way of fun and challenging games, varied interesting events
and presentations, but, to also strive to keep the blind and visually impaired
community abreast of the many things that are going on around the world that
will either enhance or hinder our lives now and in the future.
As
we progress from month to month, there will be periodic changes in the format
to make room for additional sections to keep the news letter interesting and
current to the needs and interests of our membership.
I
wish to extend my gratitude to the game and event hosts and to all the
membership for their time and dedication ensuring that Out-Of-Sight continues
to improve and grow. My desire is that the newsletter will
help make it possible for us to become better acquainted with one
another. If there is anything else you would like to see included in this
format, please contact us with your suggestions at:
Best
Regards,
Lee Richards
To
navigate quickly to the different articles in this newsletter using JAWS 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 May birthdays:
May 5, Geoff Krisen
– Geoff, from
May 7, Kathy Mertz – Kathy Mertz,
from
May 7, Harrison Tu
– Tech Lover, from
May 8, Ray Carette
– Ray C., from
May 14, Charles Rivard
– Charles, from
May 15, Kaye Zimpher
– KayeZ, from
May 22, Neesie
Hammock – Neesie, from
May 29, Paula Barton – Paula with
Kala, 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
Editor’s Note:
Thanks to everyone who wrote in with
your suggestions about who should be our very first Member of the Month! 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 Suzy Barnes for
becoming our very first Member of the Month!
On behalf of the board and the
membership of Out-Of-Sight, we want to thank you for the many hours you have
freely given, and continue to offer to our site. You clearly demonstrate what happens when an
individual truly quote catches the vision end quote, and helps make it an
Out-Of-Sight place to be!
Here are just some of the ways Suzy
has contributed to help the site grow and become what it is today!
1. Member of the board for 3
years.
2.
Served as a moderator for the majority of time here.
3.
Manages our Mystery Santa Gift Exchange since its beginning.
4.
Writes the Recipe Box article for our monthly newsletter.
5.
Assists with each Fall Auction by taking notes and keeping track of
items being shipped.
6.
Created our Out-Of-Sight radio promo with Phil Parr.
7.
Facilitates Tech Talk every Tuesday.
8.
Hosts Ultimate Outburst on the 2nd and 4th Sunday.
9.
Hosts Trivia Jumble on the 4th Friday.
10.
Always willing to volunteer as captain, time keeper, and score keeper
11.
Always willing to fill in when games are cancelled.
12.
Used to be the host for events and games such as,
Now, here is Karen’s article about
Suzy!
Suzy B., the sweet Southern belle
from
Suzy worked as a rehabilitation
teacher for many years. She told me that she took an eleven year maternity
leave after the birth of her twins, a son and a daughter. She wanted to be with
them while they were young and growing. Then after her break, she took up as a
rehab teacher once again. She taught independent living skills and Braille.
She then worked in the vending business for 12 years. Suzy is now retired and
enjoys playing the piano, reading, cooking, and being with others. One of
her favorite activities is her once a month outing with the Red Hat group. A
bunch of women, over 50 (yep can you believe it, she is over 50) who wear
purple clothing and a red hat and go do something fun together. Some of the
things these women have done include visiting an Amish settlement, taking a
horse drawn tour, attending a concert of the comedian, Jeanne Roberts, watched a
goat show at the county fair, took a trip to the Opryland Hotel, and in
addition, they always go out to eat in some unique place.
Suzy says she enjoys Out-Of-Sight,
because it is a place where you can literally meet people from around the
world. She loves chatting, teasing, laughing, and learning about others in
The Front Porch chat room. She has seen the site grow from a handful of people
hosting events to a greater participation from members, and a greater diversity
of games and events for all to enjoy.
Suzy concluded the interview by stating that she is very flattered and
thankful for this honor. And, those of us at Out-Of-Sight are honored to have
such a wonderful lady on the site!
If you would like to send Suzy a message
of congratulations, or recommend someone for our June Member of the Month,
please write to:
We look forward to your suggestions
in selecting our next Out-Of-Sight Superstar!
Chain Reaction
By Charles Rivard
Quote That is the sound of the men workin’ on the . . . end quote, No, wait! That is not right!
No, it is not one of Sam Cook’s musical hits! It is great word fun, brought to us by Brenda
every other Monday at 8:00 PM eastern, time in The Game Zone. Come on in for some Chain Reaction! You can be a member of the quote Chain Gang
end quote that won’t make you sweat. It
is easy, and here’s how it works.
Two teams compete for high score. Seven words make up a chain. Let’s say that the top word is hot, and you
are given the first letter of the second word, which is D. The second word has something to do with hot
and starts with D. It could be dog. If you guess correctly after your team discusses
what they think it is, your team gets 2 points.
You keep control, and get to guess at the third word. If you are wrong, the other team gets to try
and guess it right. They get 1 point if
they are right, and they then get a try at the third word. The first letter of the third word, is G. What could it be? The team that has control guesses, Guide, and
is correct for 2 points. And so it goes
until the fifth word is revealed. Now
comes a challenge. The team that has
control is given the seventh word of the chain.
The sixth word has something in common with both the fifth and seventh
word. Without discussing what they think
that sixth word is, they first decide whether they want to try guessing it
without being given the first letter. If
they decide to do so, and get it right, they earn 3 points instead of 2. Getting it wrong gives the other team
control. They are given the first letter
and get 1 point if they get it right.
After all 7 words have been revealed the team in control gets to guess a
bonus chain. This is a 4 word
chain. The first and fourth words are
given, along with the first letter of the second and third words. They try to guess the 2 unknown words for a
bonus.
The last chain is where the excitement really begins,
if it hasn’t been enough yet! This is a
20 word chain that is open to everyone.
No time limit. The first word is
given as well as the first letter of the second word. Whoever gets the key guesses and gives their
team’s captain’s name for identification.
If the first person who gets the key is right, that team gets 2
points. After that, one point is given
for a correct answer. Then, the third
word’s first letter is given, and play continues until the full chain is
revealed. High score wins.
If you think this sounds like fun, it is even more
fun to play than it is to read about, so come on in and be a member of the
quote Chain Gang end quote, on the 2nd and 4th Monday, at
8:00 PM eastern.
Do you love to curl up with a good book? Been meaning to read that best seller? Here are two of our book club
selections. They are to be read for our
next book club meeting, which will be held, Friday, May 17, at 8:00 PM eastern,
in the Library. See you there!
Deadliest Sea:
The Untold Story Behind the Greatest Rescue in Coast Guard History
DB 73020
Author: Kaylee Thompson
Reading Time:
11 Hours, 19 Minutes.
Read by Ray Childs
Genre:
Adventure and travel.
Details the March, 2008 Coast Guard rescue of 42
fishermen from the
Download Deadliest sea: the untold
story behind the greatest rescue in Coast Guard history
The Face of
Deception
DB 49057
Author: Iris Johansen
Reading
Time: 11 Hours, 21 Minutes.
Read by Annie Wauters.
Genre: Bestsellers and suspense fiction.
When the man
who murdered Eve Duncan’s daughter was executed, Eve lost the chance to find
her daughter’s body. Now as a forensic
sculptor, she reconstructs faces to identify juvenile skulls. When a
billionaire wants to hire her to work on a mysterious adult skull, she
reluctantly agrees. Violence and strong
language. Bestseller, 1998
Download The face of deception
Vegetables
that are Easy to Grow
By
Karen Santiago
From
Seeds:
Find
a plot of soil, or a deep pot that is free of rocks, and is able to handle this
root vegetable. Carrots are ready to harvest when their tops breach the soil
line. Suggested types: Scarlet
Although
many varieties, try broad beans which are the easiest green beans to grow. Suggested types:
Easy
to grow and maintain from seeds.
Suggested Types: Buttercrunch, Salad Bowl, and
Rocket.
A
sprawling plant, so allow plenty of room to grow. Suggested Types: Diva, Straight Eight, and
Salad Bush Hybrid.
You
can continuously pick it once its leaves are of reasonable size, and it will
encourage new growth. Suggested Types:
Renegade, Melody Hybrid, and Baby’s Leaf.
Easy
to grow from seeds, in early Spring and Fall.
Suggested Types: Cheriette, Cherry Belle, and
Scarlet Globe.
From
Starter Plants:
Need
little water and a lot of sun. You can plant cherry tomatoes in a large
container and pick all summer long.
Suggested Types: Big Boy, Beef Steak, and Roma.
Try
an assortment of colors; green, red, and yellow. Suggested Types:
If
you have a question about this section or would like a specific gardening topic
covered, please email us at:
The
Feeling of Freedom
By
Charles Rivard
Last
month, I described how a dog is selected to work with a blind traveler. Let’s now go through the experience of
meeting and starting to work with your, 4 on the floor, instead of using a
stick shift!
You
are a good cane traveler. That swing to
the right as you step with your left foot has always been there to alert you of
something you might run into or encounter, such as a curb, pole, grass, or
whatever might be there. The cane has
been your eyes. Now, that cane is going
to no longer be there. You will be
trusting your protection to an affectionate new family member. A sighted guide who is not human! Sound scary?
It might be, at first, but if this works for you, you will never want to
go back to that stick anymore!
First
off, let me say that my experiences have only been with Guide Dogs for the
Blind, Inc., and there are differences if you attend other dog guide
schools. I will refer to the school from
now on as GDB.
So,
you arrive at the airport near the school, and an instructor will meet you and
get you and your luggage to a small bus that can hold up to 9 passengers and
their guides, but there are not any guides yet.
You might meet others who are in the same class. Some, like you, are there for their first
guide, while others are getting a dog for the second time, or later. You ride to the school and arrive in time for
dinner, which is a good thing, because the food is excellent!! You will sit with 3 other students in the
dining room, and will be eating with these 3 throughout the training. An instructor might join you, or, during
lunch, one of the other GDB staff members.
You will probably meet quite a few of them in this way, in a informal
and relaxed atmosphere. Come to think of
it, the whole time you are there is that way.
The staff treats you as an adult, and they do not have the preconceived
notions of how blind people are expected to be, nor do they demand that you be
one of those blind people who they mold into what they think you should
be. You are there to get a Guide Dog,
not to raise money for the organization or not to showcase the fact that you
can do something. The GDB staff does not
treat you like a rehab councilor might.
Your goal and theirs is the same: for you to leave the school as part of
a working team of human and dog, able to independently and successfully travel
with confidence.
Shortly
after arriving at GDB, you will, as a group, be given a tour of the dorm in
which you will be living. A new dorm has
been built since I was at the school getting my fifth Guide Dog, so I can’t
tell you about the dorm.
For
the next few days, the instructors will be watching you as you travel through
the dorm and around the campus with them.
You will begin learning the obedience commands you will be giving your
dog and how to give them. An instructor
will take you for walks asking you about how hard of a pull you like, what pace
is comfortable for you, trying to find the right feel as you travel. This helps them choose the dog that will work
with you the best. You do not want a dog
that is too big or small, too short or tall, runs or lags behind you. You want a dog that pretty much matches your
normal walking speed, and you want a dog that you can handle, rather than a dog
that can handle you! Accurate feedback
from you will ensure success with your dog once you start working together.
The
first Wednesday you are there is always an exciting day. This is quote dog day end quote. It seems to have taken forever, but today is
the day! All of the students wait in
their room, and the instructors bring your dog to you on a leash! You are introduced to each other, probably
hand to nose! You finally get to pet
Your! Puppy!! For the rest of that first
afternoon, you get to relax with your new guide. Keep in mind that this is a new experience
for the dog, too. Other than for short
periods of time during the training, and from now on, you and your dog will be
with each other all the time. You learn
to feed them and care for them. This
hairy bundle of love will now be an inseparable member of your family. You and your dog will form a bond that
neither will want to break. You will
trust your life to this dog, and this dog just might save your life some day by
preventing you from being hit by a car, or the dog might guide you out of, or
through a dangerous situation, and then, or when this happens, you will form an
even stronger bond with this new sighted guide.
But for now, just spend some relaxing time with your dog, getting to
know each other. There is a comfortable
rug for the dog to lay on, and there is a cable bolted to the wall that you
connect the dog’s collar to. This does
give the dog enough room to maneuver, but ensures that your dog, who might be
excited or might be nervous, does not run away from you. The instructors are who your dog knows right
now, as they have been working with your dog for the last few months on a
regular basis. Now, the dog will be your
guide, not theirs, and the dog might be confused at first. They wonder why their humans are not paying
attention to them anymore like they were, and who is this new person,
anyway? So you have to let the dog know
that everything is cool, you are their friend, they are going to be living in
the dorm instead of in the kennel, and you are there for them. The dog really will want to please you by
working for you and with you. You will learn
how to tell them when they do something right and when they are doing something
wrong and you will learn how to correct them.
You are the master, but you also will learn when to let the dog take the
initiative and make the safe decisions.
It sounds like a lot, and the schedule is rigorous, but you and your dog
will get through it, and you are about to embark on an awesome journey down the
path to freedom. Freedom you ask? Absolutely!
You will find out tomorrow.
Thursday! Your first walk together! When using a cane, have you ever stepped off
of a curb because the cane did not give you enough of a warning that it was
there? I will bet that you have not
noticed that you have actually adjusted your pace to the length of your
cane. Unless you use a very long cane,
you have slowed your pace to the point at which you will have enough time to
react to feedback from the cane’s tip. When using a dog guide, this problem is
eliminated. The dog can see what is
ahead for at least a block, and the dog makes the decision as to which is the
best way to avoid an object before you get to it. You might not even know that you went around
that sign post or mailbox or trash dumpster that someone left in your
path. Your dog took you right around it
without even breaking stride! Think of
it this way: A dog guide is a sighted
guide that woofs. Ever notice that you
can get from point A to point B more quickly if using a sighted guide than if
you use your cane? Well, you have now
met your new sighted guide. Your
puppy! That first walk with your Guide
Dog is a feeling of freedom! You may feel
like you are blasting down a sidewalk, running like crazy! To me, it was like water skiing! You sure did get there quick! You may feel unprotected on the right side;
because you don’t get any feedback as to what’s ahead of you, and you are
traveling so fast that you think you would not have time to react. But when you make that first successful walk
with your dog, it is such a smooth feeling with the wind in your hair, the dog
pulling in the harness, and your instructor right there with you, encouraging
you as you go, it just blows you away!
And the dog knows a job well done, too, because you give your dog praise
for doing right. This is a free and easy
feeling that you just cannot get anywhere else!
Once you know that you can stride along without worrying about running
into something, and that you can trust your dog’s guiding, you realize just how
slowly you have been walking without realizing it. And it only gets better from this point on!
See
you next month!
Omniscience
vs. Free Will
By
Ashish Singla
Since
the beginning of time man has acknowledged the presence of a higher power or
God, which has resulted in numerous religions.
Religions have also been the single largest reason for world population
to be divided since religions propagated different philosophies and practices.
But one quality of God that all religions have accepted is Omniscience. All of
them accept that God knows all. And there is nothing that is not known to Him.
Another common preaching of all religions is the power of free will, if one
does good, the result is good, whether you get these results in this life,
after life, or next life is debatable. But, all religions agree that result of good
actions is good and bad actions are bad.
Thinking about these two concepts more closely, they seem to be an oxymoron
to me. God’s omniscience and man’s free will that is. Since omniscient is someone
who knows all, He knows all past, present, and future. He knows all my actions and
their results. He knows all my thoughts and intentions. And by this virtue He
knows when will I do well, and when will I do badly. When my will power will
sustain and when will it cave in. If this were the case where is the room
for free will? My free will is like the free will of a child who sits in the
toy car of a merry-go-round. He thinks he is driving the car; making it go
faster or slower but actually has absolutely no role to play. My thinking that
my actions will give me good or bad results is a folly as one omniscient power
would know the outcome even before I have decided to perform the action. If
this be the case why did all the Sages, Saints, Prophets and the learned ones
not tell us the fallacy of free will? Or was this what they wanted to
communicate when they preached to just keep doing the actions and not worry
about the results. Since I have no role to play in the results of my actions I
should stop bothering and just keep doing what I wish. In fact what I think is
my wish, is also known to Him and was destined to happen and so is not my wish
at all.
White
Men Can't Jump?
By Charlie Richardson
The title of the 1992 movie came to mind while I was hosting Sort it out, played on the first Monday of the month at 9:15 PM Eastern. One of the lists had a fact that there was one mammal that cannot jump. It does not give us the answer, so after the game I had to look this fact up, and someone during the game did think it was an elephant and they would be right. Elephants can move both forwards and backwards, but cannot trot, jump, or gallop. They use only two gaits when moving on land, the walk and a faster gait similar to running. In walking, the legs act as pendulums, with the hips and shoulders rising and falling while the foot is planted on the ground. With no aerial phase, the fast gait does not meet all the criteria of running, although the elephant uses its legs much like other running animals, with the hips and shoulders falling and then rising while the feet are on the ground. Fast-moving elephants appear to 'run' with their front legs, but 'walk' with their hind legs and can reach a top speed of 11 mph. At this speed, most other quadrupeds are well into a gallop, even accounting for leg length. Spring-like kinetics could explain the difference between the motion of elephants and other animals. During locomotion, the cushion pads expand and contract, and reduce both the pain and noise that would come from a very heavy animal moving. The previous facts of the elephant come from Wikipedia.com.
Top
10 Apps for the Visually Impaired
Apps
Tell Blind People Clothing Colors and Currency Denominations By Andrew Leibs, About.com Guide
AppsApple TV commercials are so visually stunning
they make the company's advancements in assistive technology all the more
impressive. Products such as the iPad, iPhone, and iPod touch are becoming increasingly accessible
to blind and visually impaired users through screen-access technology (VoiceOver) and a magnification program (Zoom) built into
the iOS operating system and a growing number of
accessible apps. Here are 10 mobile apps
designed specifically to help the blind and visually impaired.
1. LookTel Money Reader
Apple iTunes The LookTel Money Reader ($1.99)
recognizes US currency in standard denominations ($1, $2, $5, $10, $20, $50,
and $100 bills) enabling blind and visually impaired people to quickly identify
and count bills. Point the iPhone camera at any
2. SayText
Apple iTunes StoreSayText (free), developed by Norfello Oy, scans text within
any image, such as a medical form or restaurant menu, and reads it aloud.
Center the document under the iPhone camera and
double-tap the quote Take Picture end quote, button. Then raise it slowly. A
beep indicates that the entire document is in the phone's frame. The app's
Optical Character Recognition utility then scans the text. Tap the screen for
status updates. When it is scanned,
swipe right on the screen to hear the document
3. Color Identifier
Apple iTunesGreenGar Studios' Color Identifier
($1.99) uses the iPhone camera to identify and speak
color names aloud. Shades identified are specific to the point of annoyance
(Paris Daisy, Moon Mist) for some users. The company makes a free app called
Color ID Free that sticks to basic colors. Blind people will never wear mix matched
socks or the wrong shirt again. An interesting offshoot is using the app to distinguish
shades of sky, enabling one to experience sunsets or gauge possible weather changes.
4. TalkingTag LV
Apple iTunesTalkingTagT
5. Learning Ally
Apple iTunes The Learning Ally app ($19.99) provides access to Learning Ally's
library of more than 70,000 audiobooks is considered
the best source for K-12 and college-level textbooks. Users can download and
play on all iOS devices. A Learning Ally membership
is required and costs $99. Persons with visual and learning disabilities can seek
reimbursement from their school. Readers navigate DAISY books by page number and
chapter, can adjust playback speed, and place electronic bookmarks throughout
the text. Recording for the Blind &
Dyslexic became Learning Ally in April 2011.
6. Visible Braille
Apple iTunesVisible Braille ($3.99) from Mindwarrior is a tutorial for self-paced Braille instruction.
It translates English letters and words into the six-dot cells of the
characters comprising the braille alphabet. Users can store the side-by-side images. The
app teaches letters, words, and contractions and has built-in quizzes and a
Help section to reinforce learning.
7. Navigon MobileNavigator
North
Apple iTunesNAVIGON's MobileNavigator
North America ($44.99) transforms the iPhone into a
fully functional mobile navigation system that uses the latest NAVTEQ map
material. The app offers text-to-speech voice guidance, enhanced pedestrian navigation,
a turn-by-turn RouteList, location sharing via email,
and a Take Me Home function. It also provides direct access and navigation to iPhone address book contacts. Navigation is automatically resumed after an
incoming phone call.
8. Big Clock
The Coding Monkeys' Big Clock HD app ($0.99) is a must for visually impaired
travelers. Just double tap to rotate iPad orientation
to landscape view and set it atop a hotel room TV or table. You will be able to read it with a glance
while lying in bed. The clock displays time and date in the region format and
language the device is set to. The app prevents devices from auto-locking when
displaying the time.
9. The Talking Calculator
Adam CroserThis easy-to-read app calculator ($0.99)
speaks button names, numbers, and answers aloud through a customizable built-in
directory that lets users record their own voice. Button names are spoken as
your finger moves over the screen. Double tapping activates enters buttons. The
calculator also has a high-contrast display mode to enhance visibility. Developer Adam Croser
also makes the Talking Scientific Calculator app.
10. iBlink Radio
Apple iTunesSerotek Corporation's iBlink
Radio was the first application promoting the digital lifestyle among the
visually impaired, providing access to community web radio stations with
formats spanning every genre. The iBlink network also offers radio reading services (USA
Today, the New York Times, among hundreds), and podcasts covering assistive
technology, independent living, travel, and more. The app's latest player
toolbars simplifies navigation.
The
Importance of Water
By
Hello,
everyone! This month I will talk a
little bit more about the importance of water. It is often a topic that stirs
up a lot of controversy, because some people say they drink enough water, or
explain that they get enough water through drinking coffee, soda, or alcohol.
Some research shows that water is in these products, but many of these studies
are sponsored by the particular beverage companies involved. The bottom line
is, that you have to check how you, yourself are doing. Do you find yourself
being dehydrated at times?
Now, the type of dehydration I am
talking about with water, is on a cellular level. You have 50 plus trillion
cells in your body, and those cells die off and new ones are produced. These
cells also give off toxins, and have to be eliminated from the body. When you can hydrate a cell, you can return
that cell to a normal function. Your cells make up who you are. Every body part, organs, glands, joints, etc.,
so when you are dehydrated, it shows up in different parts of the body. So, for
instance, in a joint, it may show up as inflammation or arthritis. Or, it could manifest as an organ or gland
function problem. A system of the body
may be disturbed as well, or a person may experience headaches. It is difficult to measure on a cellular
level whether or not you are hydrated, so a good rule of thumb is to drink half
your body weight in ounces of water per day.
Remember, if you are on medication that restricts fluids, please consult
your doctor. What will happen when you
begin getting enough water is, you start getting some things back, such as your
thirst mechanism, pain signal, fatigue signal, and your energy level will
improve as well. If there is a short
period of time where you do not drink enough, this will not cause a major problem. But, over time, the dehydration will add up. The signals of dehydration begin to fade when
your body does not get enough water for long periods of time. When you are drinking enough water, you will
notice results! That is why I always start with hydration and taking in enough
water as the first area to look at when correcting some problems you may be
experiencing. As a side note, I would
like to mention, that when you are drinking enough water, do not avoid salt
completely. This is normally not an issue as most of us get plenty of salt, or
even too much salt each day. But, if you are eating really clean and on a low
sodium diet, be careful to make sure your body is getting enough salt, as salt
helps you to hydrate. Your body must
retain a certain amount of salt so that your cells, on a cellular level, can
get the hydration they need.
To begin drinking enough water each
day, drink a few glasses, and then, increase that by one glass, each one or two
days until you reach your goal. Make
drinking enough water a habit each day!
You will notice that you feel better, your skin is clearer and you have better
digestion, less pain, and more energy as well.
For all of these reasons and more, I choose hydration as the first topic
to become educated about when making a change to live a healthier lifestyle. To coincide with this, I would suggest
reading the book titled, quote Your Body’s Many Cries for Water, end quote, by Fereydoon Batmanghelidj. He has
also written other books on hydration, which are also very enlightening. So, with that, I wish you good luck! Make a
concerted effort to increase your intake of water each day, and give it some
time. In a week or two, you will notice
some improvements in how you feel. Your
health is your responsibility, so take on this challenge today, and start making
a difference in your life, 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
https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/4208173/02%20The%20Importance%20of%20WATER.mp3
Fudge
Crinkles
By
Suzy Barnes
This
is a great 4 ingredient cake mix cookie.
These are chewy, fudgy, SUPER EASY cookies that you can have ready in 15
minutes.
Ingredients:
1,
18 ¼ box Devil’s Food Cake Mix
½
cup vegetable oil
2
eggs
Confectioner’s
sugar
Directions:
Preheat
oven to 350 degrees. Stir, by hand, dry
cake mix, oil and eggs in a large bowl until dough forms. Dust hands with Confectioner’s Sugar, and
shape dough into 1 inch balls. Roll the
balls in Confectioner’s Sugar, and place 2 inches apart on ungreased cookie
sheets. Bake 8 to 10 minutes or until
the center of cookie is just barely set.
Remove from the cookie sheets after about 1 minute or so, and cool on
wire racks. Note: If you like lemon, use lemon cake mix
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,
My
husband is consumed with golf. Now that we have nice weather, he will always be
on the golf course and traveling with his friends to out of town golf
games. I tried to play the game, but it absolutely drives me mad. I hate
it. So, I cannot bear having my husband away, and us not doing things
together, and at the same time, I cannot see myself sucking it up and playing
golf with him. During golf season, he is so busy that we do not have much
time to spend with one another. So, please help me out and offer me a,
hole in one solution to my problem.
Sincerely,
Gertrude Sutherland
Dear
Third Wheel,
We all have a particular hobby that no one cares about or understands but
us! Mine is watching those reality housewife shows and following their
every move on twitter. Your husbands is the most predictable hobby that
men claim to quote enjoy end quote, Golf!
I would rather watch paint dry! You have two options. If you are
attached at the hip, feel free to ride along in the golf cart, pack snacks, and
read your favorite book. Or, you can do what I do, and head to the nail
salon every time he goes golfing, and make him pay for your mani
and pedi! Now, that is a hole in one!
Insincerely,
B.B.
Submitted by Debi
Chatfield
Each month, we will showcase 5 blindness related websites that we
hope will be useful to you. If you have
any suggestions for this section, please write to:
2. LookTel
– Instant Recognition Apps
3. MaxiAids – Products for
Independent Living
By Charles Rivard and Mike
Thank you to everyone
who submitted answers to last month’s 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 Ashish Singla, Charlie
Richardson, Roger Khouri, and Lee Smiley for
answering both brain teasers correctly!
Applause
also goes out to Ana Jacob, Charles Rivard, Karen Santiago,
Kerri Giesbrecht, and Letitia
Bouwer for figuring out that the bus driver was you,
the reader! Smile!
Here
were the April brain teasers and their answers:
Answer:
Billy
is the next to youngest
Keith
is the oldest
Answer:
You
are the bus driver, so the color is your eye color!
Now,
for our super duper May brain teasers!
Can you solve these? Let’s see
who thinks they are smarter than a fifth grader!
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?
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?
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 June newsletter. Have fun trying to solve these puzzles!
Wall
of Fame
By
Charlie Richardson
Our
first game of Who Wants to be a millionaire had 5 contestants in the hot seat
and no millionaires as of yet. Charles
was going for a 64k question when he used his Double Dip lifeline and missed
finishing with 32,000. Burying saint statues in your yard for luck… who
would have thunk. Loren was up next and got
tripped up on not knowing that Susan Powder's book was called Stop the Insanity
before making it to the 1000 point milestone. Better luck next time. Michael Capelle was
up next, and though A Night to Remember sounds like it would be a good title
for a sequel to night of the Living Dead, it was his 2000 point question and
incorrect it left him with 1000 points at the end of his turn. Ron Nurse
was warned that his 2000 point question looked tricky. It was tricky, as
Ron picked
Spic
and Span
By
Katie Chandler
This household cleaner was
originally invented by two
Submitted by Karen Santiago
A
mother is the truest friend we have, when trials heavy and sudden fall upon us;
when adversity takes the place of prosperity; when friends desert us; when
trouble thickens around us, still will she cling to us, and endeavor by her
kind precepts and counsels to dissipate the clouds of darkness, and cause peace
to return to our hearts.
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 Craig’s List, but it
is the next best thing! If you have
something to sell, 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 don't necessarily wish to be in a place with total strangers. Contact me privately at:
Thanks
in advance for any contacts.
If
you would like to receive our daily announcements and schedule of events,
please select the following email link.
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!