The Case for Braille

"From the mid-'60s to the present, the percentage of school-aged blind children in this country who use braille as their primary reading medium has dropped from 50 percent to 12 percent, and more than a generation of blind children has been largely allowed to grow up illiterate under the damaging notion that tape recordings and talking computers are sufficient for them."

"This decline in the teaching and learning of braille has occurred not because the value of literacy has in any way diminished. On the contrary, in our democratic society for which a literate public is the cornerstone and in an economy which is increasingly complex and information-driven, the ability to read and write is increasingly crucial. This is all the more true as society's vision of the capacity of blind people to achieve despite their handicap grows, as prejudices against them diminish, as the law supports them in equal employment opportunity, and as opportunities for blind people to produce and contribute are expanding." --Full Article

Couldn't have said it better myself.

I follow with the iced coffee and a Braille book...

Comrade Bush etc.

This article is a wonderful discussion on the importance of free trade. With FTA's wasting away in Congress I believe it is more important then ever to both promote free trade and debunk the myths and stereotypes surrounding free trade.

Also Prop 8 looks like it will go down, not because of any rational reason, but because the AG of CA doesn't like it. Man oh man, if the right tried something like this the loud voiced left nutters would be all over it like white on rice. I really hate all this hipocracy on the "tolerent" left's part. Must come from not understanding the use of words or the fact that they have firm definitions.

This article speaks well to the mess we're in currently, and why the Dems will lead us out of economic hardship like Communism led to prosperity. And speaking of here is the article about Comrade Bush. This is why I get annoyed when great conservatives like Hugh Hewitt defend, and defend, and defend the poor anti-conservative choices of guys like Comrade Bush and attempt to call it conservativism. Let's call a spade a spade. The GOP is no longer a conservative party, and if they continue to act like light Dems they will justifyably be dwelling in the wilderness permenantly.

I follow with the iced coffee and a Braille book...

Unlocking the Code

Here is a piece of Louis Braille birthday cake, in early celebration of 1-4. Also an excellent short video talking about the importance of Braille. I follow with the iced coffee and a Braille book...

Bailing Out Santa, amongst other things

This past Friday I converted from the Republican Party, which I have been part of for as long as I could vote, to the Libertarian Party. I did this because I am tired of offering my support, time, and money to a party that claims to be conservative socially and financially, but is anything but. At least with the Libertarians I can agree with what they strive for. God knows it's *TONS* better then anything the Dems are offering, though this gives me hope for the USTR at least. Keeping fingers crossed.

Also this interview with Santa on his need for a bail out from the Club for Growth is one of the most amusing things I have ever seen. I laughed for nearly three solid minutes as it went on.


Also this feed to the Cafe Hayek Blog is well worth adding to your rss list. Additionally this post by Russ Roberts points out well the issues of tax policy and the housing issues we are currently facing. Cutlo comments on the pros and cons of the current errors of President Bush.

I follow with the iced coffee and a Braille book...

Braille Book Club

Greetings,

A Braille book club is starting on 1-16-09, from 6:45pm-8:00pm. Our first meeting will focus on determining a book for the group. Future meetings will discuss the previous month's book, chat about Braille and adaptive technology, and decide on a book for the following month. Anyone may partisipate (if a sighted person wishes to use print for example), and we will stick to a solid end time to respect partisipants time.

If you have any questions, please e mail or Skype me at george.mcdermith.

When: Friday 1-16-09 6:45pm-8:00pm (MST)
Where: Books and Beyond Room (http://accessibleworld.org/rooms/booksandbeyond.php)
Why: To encourage the use of Braille and a love of literature.

I follow with the iced coffee and a Braille book...

Economics- the good stuff

Found some great articles on the economy. First if you're not listening to Russ Roberts on Econ Talk then click, click, click, and start listening to great information on the economy.

There is a great entry by Larry Cutlo on the Fed's massive interest rate cut. I myself am looking to refinance my loan on Colorado (a rental property I own), as I believe both the rental market will go up in 2010, and the value of land while high will not drop to zero.

Also an outstanding article on the importance of free trade and the need for Obama to clear up where he stands on this important issue for economic development for the U.S. and the world.

NRO writes about the farse that is the TS's bail out plan. Bad faith is the term I would use for the absurd drive towards nationalization that the TS has taken.

An editorial in the WSJ talks about how progressive economic policies spell death to our standard of living and to our economy. Extremely valid points. Another article talks about how recession becomes depression. Fiscal education has never been a strong point for many Americans, and it is my hope that Americans will take the opportunity of the current issues facing our country to educate themselves on the facts of basic economics, both personal and policy wise.

The Club for Growth states its disgust with pork and the impact Obama's spending plans will have if allowed to continue. I just don't understand why people think the government is smarter then the market. YEARS of history have shown the opposite to be true.

I love this article which points out the rubbish of a non judgmental thought process, particularly when one considers it in regards to economics. The point about the horse industry is well taken.

I follow with the iced coffee and a Braille book...

Serotek Supports Braille Displays that are Accessible Anywhere!

A petition has been started by George McDermith at http://www.petitiononline.com/brldis/petition.html asking Braille display manufacturers to base their drivers on the human interface protocol, found on all Windows computers. Such a design philosophy will ensure that users can be certain of having support for their Braille display on any computer, not just one which has been custom-configured for such access, and will eliminate the need to depend on specific screen reader drivers.



The text of the petition reads as follows:



"To: Braille display manufacturers
We, the undersigned, who are Braille display users, friends and family of Braille display users, and teachers of the blind,
*: Believe that accessibility to information for the blind on a par with their sighted piers is a right. Believe that due to this right, and due to the cost of Braille displays, accessing Braille through the use of Braille displays should not be limited by the type of screen reading solution used by the blind.
*: Strongly request that all manufacturers of Braille displays cease basing the drivers of their Braille displays off of particular screen reader drivers, but rather base all Braille display drivers off of the Human User Interface Protocol, which can be found on all Windows computers.
*: This will allow true portability and equal access to information for the blind, as they will be able to use their display with any computer. This will create greater competition in the market for the best Braille display to stand out, grant greater literacy in Braille through greater access to electronic Braille books and other materials, and support the right of all blind people to have accessibility anywhere."



To add your support to this worthy cause, visit the petition web page at

http://www.petitiononline.com/brldis/petition.html



The Serotek Team


To have the support of such a great company for this cause is extremely uplifting and empowering. I urge everyone to sign this petition.

I follow with the iced coffee and a Braille book...