Issue #23
November
1, 2014
Greetings from Our President
Navigation
Guess Who Took another Trip around the Sun
Member Spotlight
Memories of a Yorkshire childhood, IN THE LATE fifties
Just For Laughs - The Dysfunctional Section of a Hallmark Store
Emergency lighting
Greater Victoria bus driver defies policy on announcing stops
50 Uses For Vinegar
Blind people have four times more nightmares than sighted people
Australian Public Service Commission launches video on disability
What is the meaning of November 11th Remembrance Day?
World watches as grandfather from Malawi has his sight restored live online
The Bookshelf -
Flick, Swipe, and Tap - 6 iPhone Apps That Use TouchID to Make Your Life Easier
Healthy Choice, Healthy Living -
And Survey Says
The Recipe Box -
Dear Betty Blunt
Think Tank
A Round of Applause
Oosabelle’s List
What is happening on Out-Of-Sight
Greetings
to all of the Out-Of-Sight family!
I trust that everything is going well
with each of you. It is hard to believe how quickly these last months seem to
have flown by. It is already November and snow will soon be in the forecast.
I’m not sure I am ready for that!
The holiday season is just a few
weeks away and many of us are probably thinking about the many things we have
to get done before it arrives.
Our news letter contributors have
been busy again finding articles and information that will be of interest and
helpful for all of us. Be sure to let them know how much you appreciate their
efforts.
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
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.
Please help us celebrate our November 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
by: Karen Santiago
Did you look up in the sky last
night? Did you hear it on the radio? If not, let me fill you in. A massive
fireball was created when the Out of Sight spotlight traveled 895 miles from
Pam was born in
Pam’s Aunt had already moved to the
Pam remembers coming to the US and it
being a major culture shock. All she knew was Spanish, and the food…wow there
was so much of it! Her parents would not allow her to go to public school, so
catholic school it was. Yep, an all-girls school with pretty pleated skirts,
starched white shirts, and Bobbie socks.
Pam was very shy and afraid to talk
out loud. She says it took her till about eighth grade to feel more comfortable
and fit in. Coincidently, this was at about the same time she told me that some
boys from the neighboring boys Catholic school would come visiting. Coincidence? Yeah, right! Well, she had a crush on this boy
from somewhere in
Pam attended
Then two weeks after the gymnastic
incident, Pam began to feel weird with headaches, blurred vision, and nausea.
She was admitted into the hospital and underwent countless number of tests.
They could not explain her symptoms, other than it being a pseudo tumor. They
heavily medicated her symptoms which would then go away, but return within a
week or two. Pam went through this agony of taking very strong steroids through
her Junior year of high school. She still has stomach
issues due to the use of these strong medicines.
Pam\'s senior year was a very happy
and memorable one. Apparently, Pam got over her shyness and became quite the
prankster, along with her friend Marie. They had a favorite target, but of
course! It was the chemistry teacher, MR. Joseph pappalardo.
Now picture this, sweet young Pam in her pretty plaid Catholic school uniform
taking a shoe (not hers of course), opening the office door, and flinging it
right across the teacher’s face! I know, hard to imagine Pam doing such a
thing! But that is not all; she even wrote him love letters and left them on
his desk. He had no clue.
While in high school, Pam worked at
Wall Street as a filing clerk. After her high school graduation, Pam attended
the
In 1977 Pam had her first child, a
girl named
Pam’s vision became worse and in 1978
doctors discovered that her pituitary gland had fallen out of its natural
casing. This in turn was creating a pull effect on her optic nerve. They
performed an experimental surgery on her. Instead of cutting her open, they
operated on her through her nose. They created a trampoline like support in
order to hold up her pituitary gland and ended up being written up in the
medical journals. She spent a month at
The trampoline like support has
continued to hold up. However, Pam had to undergo two sinus surgeries due to
problems from performing the original surgery that route. In the right side of
her nose, her sinus cavity had closed up. They had to insert this plastic
tubing with an external button in order to open it up again. She needed to keep
this plastic device in for two months. Let’s just say it was rather painful
when they took that out of her nose. She needs to be careful around dust and
small particles so she does not infect her nose.
She suffered from some severe side
effects such as seizures, dehydration, and hormonal imbalances. Thankfully she says, these have subsided.
I have some more screen names Pam can
use; Caribbean Queen, Beach Royale, or perhaps just Cruising? Okay, I have not
been on a cruise, and Pam, well how about 12 of them. Yes, I am jealous. I
think she is trying to cruise to all the locations listed in the Beach Boy’s
song Ko Ko Mo? She swears
by, and will only cruise with Royal Caribbean Cruise line. She has been on a
cruise every year from 2002 to 2014 with the exception of 2011 and 2012. In
those previously mentioned years, she traveled to
Pam is making her way up the Royal
Caribbean ladder. What is that, you ask? Well, it is different levels in which
you can earn things from Royal Caribbean Cruise line. The levels are gold,
platinum, emerald, diamond, diamond plus, and pinnacle. Care to guess where Pam
is now? She is at diamond, not bad for ten years of cruising.
Pam started out on For the People in
2004. She is involved with TAFN, and used to host Chain Reaction on that site.
She has been with Out of Sight for nearly 10 years now, and hosts two games.
She takes up the 8:00 time slot every Thursday evening with her popular trivia
game. For those of you who do not know, this is a time consuming task in order
to get all the questions ready for such a fast paced trivia game, and for every
week! She just made her second game show debut last month, with Tic Tac Trivia. This game takes place
at 9:15 on the second and forth Friday of the month. Come show her your support
by attending her games and volunteering to help out! Pam loves to participate
and show her support in other trivia games, Zilch, Lucky Roll, and many more.
Pam admits to going to other sites
but feels as though Out of Sight is her home base. The people are friendly, and
she feels comfortable and as though she fits right in here.
Pam finished this interview with the
following statements, “i never thought in the
beginning that there was a bonus to losing my sight but i
guess all things happen for a reason. i
felt that way when i first lost my sight but through
the years I have met some wonderful people in other places and here on Out of
Sight that have truly enriched my life and help me to grow. End quote
Pam, you do fit in, and you are a great
warm friendly person. Thank you for sharing things about you and your life
Submitted
by: Roann Clark
Seasons
What happened to the spring this year?
where did the summer go?
Now the autumn leaves are falling
there will soon be winter snow.
Whatever happened to the games we played?
when we were kids at school
Hide and seek, stuck in the mud
and playing the April fool
For Easter we painted hard boiled eggs, Then we\'d roll them down a hill.
We would dance around the Maypole
and our nature walk was a thrill.
We couldn\'t wait for the summer break
The weeks we had for play
through rain and sun, we were always out We never missed a day.
All too soon September came
We picked rosehips by the pound
There were apple pies and bramble jam
and damsons to be found
In October and November
Nights would chill and dampen.
We\'d take our Guy Fawkes in a pram
We all made a turnip lantern.
Bonfire nights were special
Baked potatoes in the coals
There were toffee apples and peanuts
no hot dogs or burger rolls!!
The dads let off the fireworks,
while mums all served the food
We kids were grateful for all we got
We didnt dare be rude.
Its December now and the snow is here
snowball fights and sledging
we still played out late, without fear
and there was no tv pledging
Christmas will be coming soon
and cash is very tight
Mums bake cakes and we lick the spoon.
we\'ve not one fairy light.
But we have our family, and food to eat We got early
morning telly warm
clothes and a fire for heat.
mum set a raspberry jelly.
The toys we got were very few
a kaleidoscope, a car, a ball.
Mums shopped in
she had never seen a Mall
As we saw the old year out
these memories I still treasure
for We were all so innocent then
And games were made for pleasure.
What happened to the spring this year?
Where did the summer go.
Submitted by: Suzy Barnes
1. I always wanted to have someone to hold, someone to love. And now
that you\'ve come into my life...
(Inside card) - I\'ve
changed my mind.
2. I must admit, you brought religion into my life...
(Inside card) - I never believed in H3ll until I met you.
3. As the days go by, I think how lucky I am....
(Inside card) - That you\'re not here to ruin it for me.
4. Congratulations on your promotion. Before you go....
(Inside card) - Will you take the knife from my back? You\'ll
probably need it again.
5. Someday I hope to marry...
(Inside card) - Someone other than you.
6. Happy Birthday! You look great for your age....
(Inside card) - Almost lifelike!
7. When we were together, you said you\'d die for me...
(Inside card) - Now we\'ve broken up, I think it\'s
time to keep your promise.
8. We\'ve been friends for a
very long time...
(Inside card) - What do you say we stop?
9. I\'m so miserable without you...
(Inside card) - It\'s almost like you\'re still here.
10. Congratulations on your new bundle of joy....
(Inside card) - Did you ever find out who the father was?
11. You are such a good friend. If we were on a sinking ship and there was only
one life jacket...
(Inside card) - I\'d miss you terribly and think of you often.
12. Your friends and I wanted to do something really special for your
birthday...
(Inside card) - So we\'re having you put to sleep.
13. Happy Birthday, Uncle Dad!
(Available only in
14. Looking back over the years we\'ve been together,can\'t help but wonder...
(Inside card) - What was I thinking?
15. Congratulations on your wedding day!...
(Inside card) - Too bad no one likes your husband
If you would like to submit a funny joke, hilarious
poem or story, please send it to: newsletter@out-of-sight.net
If your submission is chosen, it will be posted in our next monthly newsletter!
Submitted
by: Geoff Eden
I have a friend who used her solar
lights inside the house at night when the electric power went off during a
hurricane. She stuck them in jars and bottles and said they gave off plenty of
\'free light\' in each room. She put them outside in the daytime and brought
them back inside at night for several days while the power was off.
They are safe to use and cheaper than
batteries. She recommended we bring a solar light into our own house one night
to test it for ourselves.
Due to a thunderstorm, we lost power
for about 5 hours one night. We were scrambling around in the darkness, looking
for matches, candles, and flashlights. Then we looked outside and noticed our
solar lights shining brightly all around the patio, stairs & dock. My wife
walked outside and brought several of the solar lights inside. We stuck the
solar light pipes into plastic drink bottles and they made the nicest,
brightest, safest, lighting you could imagine. We put one in the bathroom, one
in the kitchen and in the living room.
There are many types of solar lights
available. We bought quite a few and put them all around our yard. They look
nice and do not attract flying bugs like the outdoor lights around our doorway.
The lights we have fit into 20-oz. water bottles and also fit into most larger 2 liter bottles. If you need a weight in the
plastic bottle to keep them from tipping over, put in a few of the colorful
flat marbles they put in aquariums and vases. You can also use sand, aquarium
gravel, or whatever you have available.
The solar lights we have are perfect
inside our home. They burn all night when needed and next day we take them back
outside where they recharge and are ready for use again when needed. Solar
lights are the perfect light solution for power outages.
I had never thought of it before
seeing what my friend did, and now you know about this idea too.
By
Katherine Dedyna
Submitted by Roger Khouri
Bus driver Joe Hronek
is required to call out 77 stops on his No. 11 route from UVic
to Tillicum Mall and 91 stops, one way, to Sooke ”
something he said annoys . Veteran B.C. Transit driver Joe Hronek
expects to be disciplined one of these days for refusing to call out each of
the estimated 500 stops on his daily routes as required by the company to serve
visually impaired passengers.
The Colwood
resident, who has 33 accident-free years out of 34, says the policy is unsafe
and constitutes distracted driving, and that more than 100 other drivers share
his view. Tana MacKay, a workers’ advocate with
550-member Unifor Local 333 of Greater Victoria,
agrees, saying the safety risk is “outrageous,” and that automated systems are
the norm. Driving should be the operators’ only duty, as per WorkSafe B.C.’s own literature, she added. The company
disagrees. The policy has been “vetted by RoadSafety
B.C. and WorkSafe B.C. and has shown no undue
hazard,” said John Palmer, director of safety and environment, in an email to
the Times Colonist.
Hronek
calls the vetting decided in advance to avoid a human rights lawsuit, and says
it was not concerned with safety. A human-rights complaint that blind riders
were discriminated against was dismissed after B.C. Transit opted for
call-outs. Now it’s back on the table.
Lawyer Frances Kelly, of the
Community Legal Assistance Society, wrote Sept. 30 to the B.C. Human Rights
Clinic, saying: Because stops are not being called out, blind passengers
continue to suffer further discriminatory treatment and impeded access. Unless
that changes, the society plans to file a new complaint. Kelly wrote that
“immediate steps” to discipline drivers for not calling out stops are required.
In April, B.C. Transit backed off
ordering drivers to use hand-held microphones to announce stops after union
push-back. But there hasn’t been much compliance, said Elizabeth Lalonde, a past president of the Canadian Federation of the
Blind and one of two people who made the human rights complaint. Blind riders
are stressed out, travelling on the edge of their seats because even drivers
who say they’ll call a stop often forget, she said.
The federation has always preferred
an automated system, but has been told it’s too costly. An automated system
would cost $1.2 million to $5 million, based on 250 to 300 buses in Greater
Victoria, Palmer said Thursday, adding that a joint union-company committee is
actively researching technical solutions.
On Friday, B.C. Transit posted an
update to operators that said a potential automated system will be tried out in
the next two to three weeks. Meanwhile, drivers are expected to call out stops,
Palmer said. We are working to ensure that all reports of non-compliance are
being addressed. We are investigating each incident individually.
The current scenario is “extremely
frustrating” for both drivers and the visually impaired, said union president
Ben Williams, who wants to see an automated system and hopes for a mutually
agreeable settlement. Asked if calling out the stops is safe, Williams said he
did not want to comment. Blind riders do not want to cause hardship for drivers
but should not have to feel guilty for having their rights respected, Lalonde said. Bus drivers chat to people along their routes
and Lalonde doesn’t understand why calling out stops
is such a big deal.
Hronek
considers both announcements and chatting to be distracting, although he says
he will always call out stops that are requested. But forcing drivers to make
hundreds of announcements a day puts passengers at risk by removing attention
from surveillance of pedestrians, cyclists and cars backing out of driveways, Hronek said.
Hronek
filed a complaint with WorkSafe B.C. but said the investigation
was inept — the official who rode with him while he kept his eyes on the road
explaining driving concerns later told him that a driver who could keep up such
a running commentary could call out all stops safely.
User-Friendly Electronic ‘Eyecane’ Enhances Navigational Abilities for Blind
Source:
Submitted by Roger Khouri
White Canes provide low-tech
assistance to the visually impaired, but some blind people object to their use
because they are cumbersome, fail to detect elevated obstacles, or require long
training periods to master. Electronic travel aids (ETAs)
have the potential to improve navigation for the blind, but early versions had
disadvantages that limited widespread adoption.
A new ETA, the “EyeCane,”
developed by a team of researchers at The Hebrew University of Jerusalem,
expands the world of its users, allowing them to better estimate distance,
navigate their environment, and avoid obstacles, according to a new study
published in Restorative Neurology and Neuroscience.
“The EyeCane
was designed to augment, or possibly in the more distant future, replace the
traditional White Cane by adding information at greater distances (5 meters)
and more angles, and most importantly by eliminating the need for contacts
between the cane and the user’s surroundings [which makes its use difficult] in
cluttered or indoor environments,” says Amir Amedi,
PhD, Associate Professor of Medical Neurobiology at The Israel-Canada Institute
for Medical Research, The Hebrew University of Jerusalem.
The EyeCane
translates point-distance information into auditory and tactile cues. The
device is able to provide the user with distance information simultaneously
from two different directions: directly ahead for long distance perception and
detection of waist-height obstacles and pointing downward at a 45° angle for
ground-level assessment. The user scans a target with the device, the device
emits a narrow beam with high spatial resolution toward the target, the beam
hits the target and is returned to the device, and the device calculates the
distance and translates it for the user interface. The user learns intuitively
within a few minutes to decode the distance to the object via sound frequencies
and/or vibration amplitudes.
Recent improvements have streamlined
the device so its size is 4 x 6 x 12 centimeters with a weight of less than 100
grams. “This enables it to be easily held and pointed at different targets,
while increasing battery life,” says Prof. Amedi.
The authors conducted a series of
experiments to evaluate the usefulness of the device for both blind and
blindfolded sighted individuals. The aim of the first experiment was to see if
the device could help in distance estimation. After less than five minutes of
training, both blind and blindfolded individuals were able to estimate distance
successfully almost 70% of the time, and the success rate surpassed 80% for two
of the three blind participants. “It was amazing seeing how this additional
distance changed their perception of their environment,” notes Shachar Maidenbaum, one of the
researchers on Prof. Amedi’s team. One user described
it as if her hand was suddenly on the far side of the room, expanding her
world.
A second experiment looked at whether
the EyeCane could help individuals navigate an
unfamiliar corridor by measuring the number of contacts with the walls. Those
using a White Cane made an average of 28.2 contacts with the wall, compared to
three contacts with the EyeCane — a statistically
significant tenfold reduction. A third experiment demonstrated that the EyeCane also helped users avoid chairs and other naturally
occurring obstacles placed randomly in the surroundings.
“One of the key results we show here
is that even after less than five minutes of training, participants were able
to complete the tasks successfully,” says Prof. Amedi.
“This short training requirement is very significant, as it make the device
much more user friendly. Every one of our blind users wanted to take the device
home with them after the experiment, and felt they could immediately contribute
to their everyday lives,” adds Maidenbaum.
The Amedi
lab is also involved in other projects for helping people who are blind. In
another recent publication in Restorative Neurology and Neuroscience they
introduced the EyeMusic, which offers much more
information, but requires more intensive training. “We see the two technologies
as complementary” says Prof. Amedi. You would use the
EyeMusic to recognize landmarks or an object and use
the EyeCane to get to it safely while avoiding
collisions.
For more
information visit the Amedi lab website at http://brain.huji.ac.il where you can also experience an online virtual demonstration of
the device.
Submitted by: Katie Chandler
1. Kill grass on walks and driveways.
2. Kill weeds. Spray full strength on growth until plants have starved.
3. Increase soil acidity. In hard water: one gallon of tap water for watering
rhododendrons, gardenias, or azaleas.
4. Deter ants. Spray vinegar around doors, appliances, and along other places
where ants are known.
5. Polish car chrome. Apply full strength.
6. Remove skunk odor from a dog. Rub fur with full strength vinegar; rinse.
7. Keep cats away. Sprinkle vinegar on areas you don\'t want the cat walking,
sleeping, or scratching on.
8. Keep dogs from scratching his ears. Use a clean, soft cloth dipped in
diluted vinegar.
9. Keep chickens from pecking each other. Put a little in their drinking water.
10. Tenderize meat. Soak in vinegar over night.
11. Freshen vegetables. Soak wilted vegetables in 2 cups of water and a
tablespoon of vinegar.
12. Boil better eggs. Add 2 tablespoons water before boiling eggs. Keeps them from cracking.
13. Soothe a bee or jellyfish sting. Dot the irritation with vinegar and
relieve itching.
14. Relieve sunburn. Lightly rub white vinegar; you may have to reapply.
15. Condition hair. Add a tablespoon of vinegar to dissolve sticky residue left
by shampoo.
16. Relieve dry and itchy skin. Add 2 tablespoons to bath water.
17. Fight dandruff. After shampooing, rinse with vinegar and 2 cups of warm
water.
18. Soothe a sore throat. Put a teaspoon of vinegar in a glass of water.
Gargle, then swallow.
19. Treat sinus infections and chest colds. Add 1/4 cup or more vinegar to the
vaporizer.
20. Feel good. A teaspoon of apple cider vinegar in a glass of water, with a
bit of honey added for flavor, will take the edge off your appetite and give
you an overall healthy feeling.
21. Deodorize the kitchen drain. Pour a cup down the drain once a week. Let
stand 30 minutes and then flush with cold water.
22. Eliminate onion odor. Rub on your fingers before and after slicing.
23. Clean and disinfect wood cutting boards. Wipe with full strength vinegar.
24. Remove fruit stains from hands. Rub with vinegar.
25. Cut grease and odor on dishes. Add a tablespoon of vinegar to hot soapy
water.
26. Clean a teapot. Boil a mixture of water and vinegar in the teapot. Wipe
away the grime.
27. Freshen a lunchbox. Soak a piece of bread in vinegar and let it sit in the
lunchbox over night.
28. Clean the refrigerator. Wash with a solution of equal parts water and
vinegar.
29. Unclog a drain. Pour a handful of baking soda down the drain and add 1/2
cup of vinegar. Rinse with hot water.
30. Clean and deodorize the garbage disposal. Make vinegar ice cubes and feed
them down the disposal. After grinding, run cold water through.
31. Clean and deodorize jars. Rinse mayonnaise, peanut butter, and mustard jars
with vinegar when empty.
32. Clean the dishwasher. Run a cup of vinegar through the whole cycle once a
month to reduce soap build up on the inner mechanisms and on glassware.
33. Clean stainless steel. Wipe with a vinegar dampened cloth.
34. Clean china and fine glassware. Add a cup of vinegar to a sink of warm
water. Gently dip the glass or china in the solution and let dry.
35. Get stains out of pots. Fill pot with a solution of 3 tablespoons of
vinegar to a pint of water. Boil until stain loosens and can be washed away.
36. Clean the microwave. Boil a solution of 1/4 cup of vinegar and 1 cup of
water in the microwave. Will loosen splattered on food and deodorize.
37. Dissolve rust from bolts and other metals. Soak in full strength vinegar.
38. Get rid of cooking smells. Let simmer a small pot of vinegar and water
solution.
39. Unclog steam iron. Pour equal amounts of vinegar and water into the iron\'s
water chamber. Turn to steam and leave the iron on for 5 minutes in an upright
position. Then unplug and allow to cool. Any loose
particles should come out when you empty the water.
40. Clean a scorched iron plate. Heat equal parts vinegar and
salt in a small pan. Rub solution on the cooled iron surface to remove
dark or burned stains.
41. Get rid of lint in clothes. Add 1/2 cup of vinegar to the rinse cycle.
42. Keep colors from running. Immerse clothes in full strength vinegar before
washing.
43. Freshen up the washing machine. Periodically, pour a cup of vinegar in the
machine and let in run through a regular cycle no clothes added). Will dissolve
soap residue.
44. Brighten fabric colors. Add a 1/2 cup vinegar to
the rinse cycle.
45. Take grease off suede. Dip a toothbrush in vinegar and gently brush over
grease spot.
46. Remove tough stains. Gently rub on fruit, jam, mustard, coffee, tea. Then
wash as usual.
47. Get smoke smell out of clothes. Add a cup of vinegar to a bath tub of hot
water. Hang clothes above the steam.
48. Remove decals. Brush with a couple coats of vinegar. Allow to soak in. Wash
off.
49. Clean eyeglasses. Wipe each lens with a drop of vinegar.
50. Freshen cut flowers. Add 2 tablespoons vinegar and 1 teaspoon sugar to
flower water.
By:
Bo Christensen
Submitted by: Geoff Eden
People who are born blind have more
nightmares than sighted people. This may be because blind people have a
greatest tendency to experience threats from their surroundings, says the scientists behind the study. (Photo:
Shutterstock.com)A new Danish study shows that blind people have considerably
more nightmares than people with normal sight and those who became blind later
in life.
It’s something that 41-year-old Heidi
Andersen, who was born blind, can recognise. She is
often plagued by nightmares and her sleep interrupted by fears of being hit by
passing traffic, falling on the ground, and being followed.
At the core of my nightmares is a
feeling of complete helplessness, says Andersen.
She is not the only blind person to
experience such nightmares. In fact, the study, recently published in the
journal Sleep Medicine, shows that an average of 25 per cent of the dreams
experienced by people born blind are nightmares -- while nightmares account for
only six per cent of the dreams of people whose sight is intact. The study
confirms an already existing hypothesis that people’s nightmares are associated
with emotions they experience while awake. And blind people apparently
experience more threatening or dangerous situations during the day than people
with normal sight, says study lead-author Amani Meaidi, a research assistant at the Danish Centre for Sleep
Medicine at
We dream with our
senses
Over a period of four weeks, the team
of scientists from the
11 people who were born blind, 14 who had become blind later in life, and 25
normally-sighted people
They asked participants to take note of what they dreamt.
FactsThere
are four stages from the waking state to deep sleep. We pass through all four
stages 4 to 6 times and each ‘circuit’ lasts around 90 minutes.
The first dream we have usually last
around 5 to 10 minutes. The next dream is slightly longer and they gradually
get even longer until the last dream of the night, which may last between 30
and 40 minutes.
The
results show that:
People who are born blind didn’t have dreams with visual content and 25 per
cent of their dreams were nightmares.
People who lost their sight later in life may have visual content in their dreams, although the longer they have been blind the fewer
dreams they have with any visual content. Seven per cent of their dreams were
nightmares.
The dreams of normally-sighted people are based on images and they have
nightmares only six per cent of the time.
The trial subjects’ nightmares were
often related to threats experienced in everyday life. One woman often had
nightmares about being run over by a car or getting into embarrassing social
situations such as spilling a cup of coffee. “The study also points out that
the sensory input and experiences we get while awake are decisive when it comes
to what we dream. So people without visual sensory input dream to a much
greater extent in terms of sounds, tastes, smells, and touch” says Meaidi.
Blind people have a
greater need to process things
We presumably use sensory input from
our everyday lives as a way of processing impressions, says Meaidi.
Because people who lose their sight later in life have previously seen their
surroundings it might be that their brains do not experience being threatened by
circumstances to the same degree as people who are born blind. For this reason
they may not need to process impressions from everyday life to the same extent
by means of nightmares, he says.
Previous studies
suggests that one reason for dreaming is to remember information that is
important to our survival and welfare. People who are born blind have a greater
need for this, says Professor Albert Gjedde, head of
the
Emotions tell us what
is important
We generally dream about things that
have provided us with an emotional response whilst we are awake, says Gjedde. FactsStudies suggests
that REM sleep, the stage during our sleep where experience the heaviest dream
activity is of positive significance when it comes to stress and anxiety. For
instance, people who are deprived of dreaming react with greater anxiety to
horror films the second time they see them than people who are able to dream
every now and then. “The best guess is that dreams are a way of wiping the
slate clean. Our emotions help us to evaluate what’s worth remembering and what
isn’t,” he says. When we sleep the brain sorts information,
committing the most important bits to memory. We dream whilst this
commitment to memory is taking place.
“The emotions can just as well be positive
as negative, although strong positive experiences are perhaps more seldom
because they don’t ensure survival to the same extent. Negative emotions tell
us what we should look out for and what we should be aware of to keep ourselves
alive,” says Gjedde.
Blind people don’t
notice they have more nightmares
It came as a surprise to most of the
blind test subjects that they have more nightmares than people who can see.
This isn’t something that causes problems for them in their everyday lives, for
which reason several of them are surprised to hear the result, says Maeidi. The Danish research team tested their
blind-from-birth test subjects to see if they suffered from pronounced anxiety
or depression and therefore had more negative emotions than people who can see.
This was not the case.
By
aqureshi
Submitted by Roger Khouri
The Australian Public Service
Commission (APSC) has released the first video in its Leading
the Way series designed to build education and awareness around disability
employment in the Australian Public Service (APS).
The video, Reasonable adjustments
refer to the administrative, environmental or procedural changes which enable
employees or potential employees with permanent or temporary disability to:
perform their duties
be considered for transfer, promotion, training or other employment
opportunities
access workplace facilities
participate in work-related programs
Each video in the series features a
number of APS Senior Executives, Disability Champions and subject matter
experts sharing their experiences, views and thoughts around the employment of
people with disability and creating inclusive APS workplaces for everyone.
By
The Prince Arthur Herald
Submitted by Roger Khouri
If anything, Remembrance Day is a day
to reflect. It is a day to have a moment of silence at 11 am and give thanks to
all those who fought and survived, and to those who died for their country.
It’s a day of collective action, where we come together as a united nation to
show our support and gratitude to all who served and to those currently
enlisted; the red Poppy being our symbol of solidarity. But what each person
thinks of during those two minutes of silence are unique in every way since
everyone is affected differently by the stories they hear and their own
experiences. For this reason we asked our writers: what does Remembrance Day mean
to you?
Tom Kott, Editor in Chief
The meaning of Remembrance Day for me
is hard to put into words. Ever since I was a child, I have understood it to be
a deep appreciation for the sacrifices and hardships endured by others to
protect my freedoms here at home. Even at a young age, I was able to understand
and feel grateful for this through the stories of my grandfathers. My paternal
grandfather was born in
Clare Schulte-Albert,
Campus Editor
Every year since I left high school,
I have always spent Remembrance Day in
Jackson Doughart, Head of the Editorial Board
The very premise of asking what
Remembrance Day means to me — a person who enjoys prosperous surroundings in an
age of unprecedented peace, without having had to earn so much as an ounce of
it for himself — is flawed. It doesn’t matter what it
means to me. What matters is its meaning to those who fought in wars long
passed, or are fighting in those happening today. It
is possible, however, to rule out a misconception: recognizing the loss and
efforts of soldiers does not involve fetishizing or
glorifying violence. To the contrary, what Remembrance Day symbolizes is the
peace and liberty achieved by the just confrontation of evil, through both
individual and collective self-sacrifice. And yes, force was needed on those
occasions to preserve liberty, a reality that shows, above all, the humanity of
a society, not its barbarous or violent nature. These victories were made
singularly possible by the willingness of young men to forgo their youth, their
comfort, and sometimes even their life, on behalf of people who could never
fully appreciate their gift. It is for this reason that the task of
appreciating should largely remain with the soldiers themselves. Remembrance
Day is not an open holiday to be shared by all, and justly so. Veterans have
earned a monopoly on Remembrance Day, which is why I prefer the American
version of “Veteran’s Day”, an iteration that leaves nothing to chance. Our —
that is, us non-combatants — role is to respect, honour,
and revere. Leave the meaning bit to them.
Alex Whalen, Columnist
Far be it from me to tell anyone what
Remembrance Day should mean. I did, however, have the pleasure of recently
attending a speech given by Holocaust survivor Phillip Riteman.
His message was raw and emotional, but one thing was abundantly clear: we have
no idea how lucky we are. I think that this is a fact we need to be reminded
of. We are all guilty of attaching an undue amount of importance to the
trivialities of every day life. We have so many conveniences, so much luxury, so much wealth in this part of the world it is easy to lose
sight of how it can be taken away. As more time separates present day from the
horrors of our two world wars, we are more susceptible to take things for
granted. Hard as it may be to imagine life without freedom, Riteman’s
talk reminded me that it wasn’t that long ago that our military was fighting
for it. The men and women who have fought for our freedom are worthy of respect
and admiration of the highest order. The sacrifices that were made seem so
large that it stretches the limits of the imagination to put them into
perspective. The number people who have lived the experiences of the world wars
is decreasing. Riteman
stressed the importance of passing the message on to future generations. It is
important to remember how lucky we are every day, but November 11 is a fitting
time to pause and try to realize how lucky we really are.
J Dan Aiken,
Columnist
Remembrance Day affords us the
opportunity to take lessons from our past that build
toward equality, fairness, and justice for all people. Far from being a mere
celebration of war, this day serves as a statement of principle and purpose for
those who haven’t ‘white’-washed over these important pages of history. The
most apparent purpose for this day is to honour those
who bravely served our country. Many young Canadians sacrificed their lives to
liberate others and to protect their communities here in
Erik Scanlon,
Contributing Editor
As a boy I never much understood my
father’s appreciation for our men in Uniform. He’s Irish, so no one on my
paternal side of the family ever fought a foreign war. He would bring me to
various parades like the Black Watch’s on
By
Medical News Today
Submitted by Roger Khouri
A blind man\'s sight-restoring
operation was broadcast live around the world at 1.30pm (BST) October 8, 2014
from a hospital in
The six minute cataract operation
will mean 69-year-old Winesi March could see his baby
grandson for the first time when his bandages are removed tomorrow on World
Sight Day.
The live online broadcast was hosted
by YouTuber Doug Armstrong who fielded questions from
the global audience via a Google Hangout. Dr Gerald Msukwa,
one of only a few ophthalmologists in
Dr Msukwa
said: I\'m a doctor, not a movie star so there is some tension with the world
watching but it\'s nothing when I know that tomorrow my patient\'s life will be
utterly changed. \"Yesterday Winesi could not
farm his land, see his family or walk to the market without the constant
support of his dedicated wife. Tomorrow he tells me he will dance across the
river by his home to work. The operation only costs GBP30 but will help him
feed his family for years to come.
The second live broadcast (October 9,
2014) will see the global audience join the team in Malawi for the
life-changing moment when Winesi\'s bandages are
removed and he sees his 18-month-old grandson Luka for the first time. In the
To
watch the online surgery again go to millionmiracles.org
Book One: Personal
Written by: Lee Child. Read by Dick Hill. Reading Time: 12
hours, 57 minutes.
Genre: Suspense Fiction
Description: Retired military cop Jack Reacher is
pulled back into service--this time for the State Department and the CIA--and
teamed with rookie analyst Casey Nice. Someone took a shot at the president of
Book Two: The
Written by: Steve Berry. Read by Scott Brick. Reading time:
17 hours, 27 minutes.
Genre: Suspense Fiction
Description: The son of
Book Three: The legend of sleepy hollow
Written by:
Description: In the secluded Dutch
Apple\'s TouchID
fingerprint recognition lets you lock your phone James Bond-style, using
biometrics. It\'s cool and adds an extra layer of security, so it makes sense
that apps are jumping to integrate it. Here are some of the best apps that take
advantage of TouchID to keep your stuff on lockdown:
Dropbox
Dropbox
recently updated its iOS app to let people unlock
their accounts with their fingerprint. This is coming after hundreds of Dropbox passwords were exposed last week. It is a good time
to change your password anyways, so might as well get the update and make your
password your fingerprint.
Amazon
When you make a purchase on Amazon,
you have to enter a password. If you turn on TouchID
on Amazons iOS app, now you can buy stuff from your
phone just by holding up your finger. Which is to say this
actually might be a terrible implementation of TouchID
if you have an unfortunate penchant for impulse online shopping.
Mint
Mint is an extremely useful
finance-tracking app (that can also be the most depressing app you ever open,
depending on how wild you went with impulse Amazon buys). Because it tracks
your bank accounts, credit cards, and credit score, it\'s especially important
to keep your Mint log-in secure. Which is why it\'s a good thing you can use TouchID to fingerprint-protect your account.
EverNote
EverNote is
a great way to archive and organize your thoughts, to-do lists, photos, and
documents, so it\'s not an app you want just anyone opening on your phone.
Fortunately TouchID capability both protects your
stuff and offers a quicker way to open EverNote.
eHarmony
Online dating is, at this point,
completely mainstream and un-embarrassing. Still, your friends might pick up
your phone and think it\'s a great prank to update your profile to read
\"Interested in big old butts.\" And while that might not be untrue,
you\'re still better off adding an extra layer of security in case of romantic
meddlers, which is why eHarmony offers TouchID
integration. Tinder really needs to get aboard the TouchID
train too. Nobody needs to see who you\'ve matched up
with for potential love but you.
LastPass
Yep, now you can enable a fingerprint
password in order to access an app that stores all your passwords.
Send
any comments or questions to:
newsletter@out-of-sight.net
By Lawrence MacLellan
Hello everyone, this month I would like to share a link for a program that is
full of information on how to stay healthy.
It’s about how to keep your immune system strong, how to prevent cancer and
lots of great info about health.
Several months ago I posted the first series in this program
.
The program is called “ Quest For the Cure” by Ty
Bollinger.
This part 2, has about 12 hours of info. There is a
lot of repeat info from the first series and so if you missed the first series
then this series will cover all that was in that first program.
If you are interested in learning how to stay healthy or know someone that
could really use this information , then I would
recommend that you download this program.
Hope this series will be a help to someone and remember, one healthy choice at
a time!
Download link:
https://www.sendspace.com/pro/dl/4m7sv
If you have any questions for
Newsletter@out-of-sight.net
By Roger Khouri
By the time you\'re reading this
newsletter, all the trick or treaters would have
already zipped through your neighbourhoods, trying to
snag as much candy as possible. In last month\'s newsletter, I was interested
in gaining your views on the blind and Halloween. So, to re-cap, here was the
Survey question, followed by some of your comments.
Should
a blind person participate in any aspects of Halloween?
Yes - 90%, No - 10%
Comments:
1. yes, I think we should. I went out when I was a child, and have gone to
Halloween parties.
2. I have great fun with this. Two years ago I was a replacement referee (they
were in fashion at the time) complete with striped shirt, whistle, cap,
sunglasses, and white cane...got lots of laughs. Last year I had a big
\"P\" on my shirt and my wife used mascara to give me a blackened
eye...yes, I was a black eyed P. It is a great
opportunity to have fun!
3. it is not my blindness keeping me from this
holiday.
4. There are smells, sounds and plenty of tactile surfaces, objects and
substances to probe and tantalize the senses. Most places, like haunted houses,
are very nearly if not absolutely dark anyhow. Tedster
5. I think it\'s ridiculous to assume, that just because a blind person
can\'t see, they are not going to have a good time by participating. If I were
to answer no to this question, I believe you limit, to what extent, you enjoy
life. Life is just one big interpretation whether seen with your own eyes,
described to you, or imagined.
6. Of course, whether or not a blind person \"should\" or
\"should not\" participate in Halloween is not for anyone to decide.
It is up to each blind person. I think to say we should or shouldn\'t
is making a judgement, and I do not believe in
judging. However, I believe that a blind person certainly can have fun
participating in Halloween. They can dress up and people will really enjoy
seeing them join the festivities. They also can just enjoy being in a totally
unique outfit. Others can describe their costumes to a blind person, or a blind
person can ask their friends about the costumes others are wearing. I do not
believe that a blind child should trick or treat without another sighted person
unless they know, or someone in their group knows, the block like the back of
their hand. This is for two reasons. First, walking alone in places you are not
oriented to is just not a good idea as a blind person. Second, there are some
\"Grinches\" so to speak. There are people
who leave their lights off and have no decorations. You can tell through sight
that they do not want anything to do with the festivities. A blind person would
not know one of these houses from the rest. Not all houses have auditory cues
that they celibrate Halloween such as music or a
motion censored monster that starts roaring at you. So to avoid the Grinches, blind people just should stay with a sighted
person. Unless they really want to risk getting the door slammed literally in
their face... Also, some Halloween cues are auditory. As mentioned previously,
there are scary looking monsters on a motion censor that will make noises and
startle you. Also, as a blind person, I am totally comfortable with asking
people if I can feel the accessories on their costumes. It\'s all in fun, and I
have never had someone tell me I can\'t. It\'s a playful time and people just
roll with anything. In fact, I have a guide dog and I plan to be a cop for
Halloween and have my dog be a police dog. It just sounds fun. One time I was a
pilot. A blind pilot. I got a lot of hoots.
7. Everyone can enjoy dressing up in whatever costume they like. A blind person
can certainly appreciate what they are dressing into, and they can feel or ask
about what others are wearing. So, while vision can help a person know
immediately what decorations or costumes folks are wearing, the blind person isn\'t at a lost because he/she could use other strategies
to know what things look like.
8. my dog and I dress up every year we use the big bad wolf she is red riding
hood me a dalmation she a dislexic
dalmation black with white spots me a guide person
she a blind dog boy she likes the leash corrections ouch
9. Who cares if it\'s visual? It\'s fun! So unless you hate fun, do it! And
trick people in to thinking you don\'t know what you\'re dressed up as for
extra amusement!
Once again, thank you so very much
for those of you who voted and submitted your comments. I genuinely enjoy
hearing all your points of view and it is interesting all the angles that you
take when writing your replies.
OK, now for November\'s survey
question. The idea for this question came out of an interesting discussion that
a bunch of us were having late one night after a game on Out of Sight. There\'s
no telling where the conversation will end up because we\'re all over the place
when we chat it up. On this particular night in late
October, the issue of whether a blind person can participate on a jury arose.
It was a heated discussion and everyone made good points about the issue. So,
I\'m now taking this topic to the greater Out of Sight community to see where
you weigh in on it. Here\'s the question:
Should a blind person be allowed to
participate on a jury? Please vote Yes or No by visiting the following website
and your comments are optional:
https://www.surveymonkey.com/s/YYLFHLV
Please be sure to read December\'s newsletter for the
survey results. Thanks.
Email your vote to:
newsletter@out-of-sight.net
Write in with either a yes or no vote. Look for the results of this survey from
our members in the next issue of News and Views.
Submitted by: Suzy Barnes
SUGARED PECANS
Ingredients:
1 lb. pecan halves
1 egg white
1 Tbsp. water
1 cup sugar
1/2 Tsp. cinnamon
3/4 Tsp. salt
Directions:
With electric mixer, beat egg white and water until frothy, until it is very,
very thick. Then add pecan halves and turn until coated.
In another small bowl, combine: sugar, cinnamon, and salt.
Gradually add sugar mixture to coated pecans, shake or toss until completely
coated.
On a foil lined cookie sheet sprayed with cooking spray, spread the pecans. Be
sure and use the heavy duty foil.
Bake at 250 degrees for 1 hour, stirring every 15 minutes, or turning with
spatula.
Remove from oven, let cool, and then store in air-tight container.
Can be used as Christmas gifts in Christmas tins.
Please note:
This submission is not to be taken seriously. It is just for fun!
Dear Betty Blunt,
I\'m trying to get a jump start on my
New Year\'s resolution. So, rather than waiting until January to make a
resolution, only to end up breaking it, I thought I\'d get off my buns and head
to the health club. So, for the next few months, I will hammer away at my mid
section. Yet, it\'s boring going on my own. How do I convince hubby to tag
along with me?
Sincerely,
Candas Cantor
Dear health nut wanna be,
You ain\'t even going to last two weeks so why bother?
Save your money and spend it on things that really matter, like shiney jewels. Once you get to the health club, you\'ll see all those slim gals and you\'ll
never feel like returning. So, don\'t put yourself through all of that. You
just need to spend your time scouring around the mall, and that\'s how you
really lose the pounds, going from one jewelry store to another. And hubby will
be running right after you because he won\'t want you to spend all that money.
So, you\'ll finally be able to get rid of his love
handles and beer belly too, as you both search around for that perfect shiney new jewel all over the malls. Happy shopping!
Insincerely,
Betty Jewel Blunt
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.
By Rich DeSteno
Thank you to everyone who submitted
answers to Octobers brain teasers. Many of you were very close, but close only
counts in horseshoes!
Congratulations to Charles Rivard, Lawrence MacLellan, Roger
Khouri, and Rollie Hudson
for ansering both brainteasers correctly!
A job also well done to Barb
O’Connor, Linda Knights, and Lorelei Dattan for ansering one brainteaser correctly!
In case you missed them, here are the
October brain teasers and their answers:
1.
I have a foot on either side of me and one in the middle. What am I?
Answer: A yardstick.
2. Brothers and sisters I have none. But this mans father is my fathers son.
Who is the man?
Answer: The son.
Now, here are the super duper brain teasers for November.
1. A man has hundreds of bodies buried on his land, many of which are cops and
criminals. Many people find out what he has been doing, but none go to the
police. Why not?
2. An empty bus pulls up to a stop and 10 people get on. At the next stop 5
people get off, and twice as many get on as the first stop. At the third stop 25 get off. How many people are on the bus at this
point?
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!
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!
As many of you know
already, I am trying my hand at selling
And as a way of
saying thank you, we are offering a special deal. For all those placing a first
order, we are offering six full-sized products at a special price of $19.95.
This offerr is good only for your first order, so
come on in and check everything out and spread the word to all your friends and
family. Thanks so much.
Please visit:
http://www.youravon.com/cynthiaowusu
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
If you would like to receive our daily announcements and schedule of events,
please write a blank email to:
Out-of-sight-announcement-subscribe@yahoogroups.com
That is all there is to it! You should receive a daily
announcement from us within 24 hours. These announcements not only highlight
the schedule of the day, they provide important information about any
cancellations, new events, or special messages from our hosts or board members.
Stay informed with our daily announcement!
Also 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 by
the 20th of each month to:
newsletter@out-of-sight.net