FCB OFFICERS, 2006 - 2008
President:
Debbie Grubb
4215 17th Ave. W
Bradenton, FL 34205
(941) 749-6178
E-mail: debbiecg@verizon.net
First Vice President:
Robert Miller
2201 Limerick Dr.
Tallahassee, FL 32309
(850) 906-9821
E-mail: easytalk@earthlink.net
Second Vice President:
John S. Richards, Jr.
939 NE 18th St.
Ocala, FL 34470
(352) 629-4530
E-mail: jsrj@earthlink.net
Treasurer:
Patti Land
6933 Alpert Dr.
Orlando, FL 32810
(407) 521-9047
E-mail: pattianne1@cfl.rr.com
Membership Secretary:
Linda Jacobson
2915 Circle Ridge Dr.
Orange Park, FL 32065
(904) 272-8405
E-mail: jacobsli@bellsouth.net
Recording Secretary:
Sharon Youngs
237 Maple Ave.
Palm Harbor, FL 34684
(727) 937-8631
E-mail: sky11@tampabay.rr.com
Immediate Past President:
Paul Edwards
20330 NE 20th Ct.
Miami, FL 33179
(305) 692-9206
E-mail: edwpaul@comcast.net
Editor of White Cane Bulletin:
Sharon Youngs
237 Maple Ave.
Palm Harbor, FL 34684
(727) 937-8631
E-mail: sky11@tampabay.rr.com
Articles for the White Cane Bulletin must be submitted to Sally Benjamin no later than the 20th of the month before it is published.
Sally's E-mail is: floridacouncil@comcast.net.
If you do not have access to a computer and E-mail, please find someone in your chapter to help send it. We would like to hear
from anyone who wants to contribute to our newsletter.
Articles published in The White Cane Bulletin are in compliance with Public Law No. 104197, Copyright Law Amendment of 1996.
This law allows authorized entities to distribute copies of previously published non-dramatic literary works in specialized formats,
including Braille, audio or digital text that are exclusively for use by Blind people or those with disabilities. Any further distributing of such
articles in another than a specialized format is an infringement of copyright.
TABLE OF CONTENTS
ARE YOU MOVING? - by Linda Jacobson
PRESIDENT'S MESSAGE - by Debbie Grubb
THE CONVENTION COMMITTEE BEEHIVE - by Sila-Bee
SPOTLIGHT ON AN FCB PATRIARCH, "JIM LAMB" - by Sila Miller
THE MIAMI LIGHTHOUSE STORY - by William Roy, Ph. D, Virginia Jacko, and Doug Eadie
TRANSPORTATION ALTERNATIVE BETWEEN ORLANDO AND DAYTONA BEACH - by Nicole Hughes and Lisa
Lawson
GUIDE DOG USERS OF FLORIDA - Submitted by Debbie Grubb
AMERICA THE BEAUTIFUL - Submitted by Shelley Justice
TECH TIPS - by John Richards for the FCB Technology Committee
CHAPTER NEWS - Port St. Lucie Council of the Blind
RECIPE CORNER
CHAPTER LIASONS
HANDY TELEPHONE NUMBER REFERENCES
ARE YOU MOVING? - by Linda Jacobson
If you are moving, please notify me of your new address so you will continue to receive your White Cane Bulletin. Also, if you know of
anyone interested in joining FCB and would like to receive the White Cane Bulletin and the Braille Forum, please contact me at (904)
272-8405 or E-mail jacobsli@bellsouth.net.
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PRESIDENT'S MESSAGE - by Debbie Grubb
As I write to you, we are approximately one month out from our Convention in Tallahassee. Sila Miller and her wonderful Convention
Committee are doing an excellent job of making our Convention an event from which each of us will benefit. FCB has Members with
many and varied talents. The FCB Convention Committee exemplifies this truth.
In late February, I traveled to Washington, D.C., to attend the ACB Affiliate Presidents' Meetings. They were interesting and exciting. We
learned about different styles of leadership and how we can use these leadership styles to enhance our affiliates. As a Member of FCB,
I was very proud when the ACB White Paper on Rehabilitation and Training written by our Immediate Past President and Immediate Past
President of ACB, Paul Edwards, was presented. This wonderfully written paper excellently expresses the philosophy of rehabilitation
and training that ACB and FCB espouse. The FCB Executive Committee unanimously voted to ask Jesus Garcia, Chair of the Rehab
Council, to present this paper to the Council for their adoption.
Mike and Debbie Drylie joined me in Washington, D.C., to participate in the ACB Legislative Seminar. They worked shoulder-to-shoulder
with me to insure that FCB was represented on Capitol Hill in a manner that would make each Member proud. We visited 12
Representatives and the two Senators in the Florida delegation. The issues that we brought before them were:
1. Enhancement to the Randolph-Sheppard and Javits-Wagner-O'Day Acts;
2. Access to telecommunication systems, including restoration of the video description mandate, ensuring continuing access
transitioning to digital television programming, expansion of disability protections into Internet protocol technologies, accessible
interfaces on video programming devices, access to the Internet and other virtual environments is provided as it has been to physical
places of accommodation, access to emergency services including visual and auditory representations that others receive visually;
3. Retaining private and independent access to the voting process, regardless of the voting system certified for use, mandating that any
legislation requiring a paper trail or other means of independent vote verification ensure accurate and secure elections, require that the
means of voter verification be accessible to all individuals with disabilities at the same time as the requirement goes into effect for all
voters;
and 4. Accessible currency with tactile and visual design that insures its accessibility.
For quite some time, FCB has been interested in the creation of a Task Force to study the implementation of a seamless statewide
system of transportation. Robert Miller, First Vice President, and Doug Hall, Chair of the FCB Access Committee, took the lead in
bringing this issue before us. During Paul Edwards' presidency, he wrote asking Governor Bush to create this Task Force. There was
no movement on this initiative during Governor Bush's administration. Using much of Paul's excellent language, I wrote a letter to
Governor Crist asking him to create this Task Force. The Executive Committee asked me to invite the Governor's ADA Working Group
(ADAWG); the Florida Association of Agencies Serving the Blind (FAASB); and Rep. Dennis Baxley, Chair of the House Vision Caucus, to
join us in asking Governor Crist to create this Task Force and to seek representation on it. As of this writing, Rep. Baxley has acted upon
this request by writing a letter of support to Governor Crist.
As you have seen from the issues brought to Capitol Hill during the Legislative Seminar, access to the voting process is still on the front
burner. There is growing concern that the DRE (Direct Recording Electronic Touch Screen) systems have serious security problems.
Since I personally love voting on these machines, this makes me very unhappy as I'm sure it does many of you who have known the
freeing independence of using this system to cast your vote. However, it is crucial that each vote and each voter count in any balloting
process adopted in this nation. That, of course, must include all people with disabilities. The Florida Voters Coalition is a coalition of
concerned citizens and organizations that want to insure that this is indeed the case by returning to a paper ballot with a paper trail or
receipt, verifying its accuracy and guaranteeing assurance that the vote is counted. Paul Edwards and Jesus Garcia have worked with
this group in the past. They assured me that it is important that FCB work with this coalition since they are interested in protecting the
rights of people with disabilities to cast a secret, independent and verifiable ballot. Paul is working with the director of this coalition to
insure that their statement of intent has language that protects our right to every aspect of the voting process. FCB will become a part of
this coalition, provided we can agree on the disability rights language. The Florida Council of the Blind was invited to participate in a
press conference publicizing the work of this coalition. Sally Benjamin, President of our Tallahassee Chapter, read the following
statement drafted by Paul Edwards at this press conference.
"Florida became a leader in developing and implementing laws and regulations and machines which gave many disabled people in
Florida the ability to vote privately and independently for the first time. Whatever changes are made to the laws and regulations of Florida,
this coalition remains committed to the principle that a voter verified paper ballot, and the ability of people with disabilities to vote privately
and independently, must both be inherent parts of any solution to Florida's ballot problems. Every vote must count and every voter
counts!"
FCB was then invited to speak at meetings of the House Economic Expansion and Infrastructure Council and the Senate Ethics and
Elections Committee . Sally Benjamin once again represented us at these meetings, outlining her personal voting experiences and
explaining that no voting system can be inaccessible to people with disabilities. As we work on this initiative, it is my plan to include
more FCB Members in the work. This entire voting issue with its opportunities to present for FCB came up quickly. We had no time to
make plans to bring people to Tallahassee to present. As a result, Paul, Jesus and I decided to ask the Tallahassee Chapter President
to represent us. FCB will remain true to the mandate that every vote and every voter must count.
The FCB Chapter Presidents have participated in exciting monthly meetings via teleconference. Chapter Presidents have shared ideas
and information with each other and I have reported to them concerning the ongoing work of the Florida Council of the Blind. If your
chapter is not represented by its President or your President's representative, your Members are missing out. Please make sure that
your chapter is represented at these meetings, which are doing much to unite FCB's leadership, as we strive together with you to realize
the goals of this dynamic organization.
It has been my honor to be your President for this past year. I look forward to seeing many of you at what will be a fantastic Convention in
Tallahassee. I pledge to give you my best for the second year of my term as your President.
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THE CONVENTION COMMITTEE BEEHIVE - by Sila-Bee
Our Convention Committee is as busy as a beehive right about now. We are putting the finishing touches on this year's event to be held
May 17th through 20th. By now, you should have already been buzzing around, making your hotel reservations, travel arrangements and
should be anticipating having a good time here in Tallahassee with all of us! There will be lots to do and both our state and local
convention committees are looking forward to keeping up the FCB tradition of a ("bee"utiful) Convention!
Our Program Bee, Debbie Grubb, has most of her "bees in a row" but will still have lots to do during the Convention. She lines up Guest
Speakers, plans seminars and works closely with the Hotel Coordinator Bee to nail down where everyone will "bee" - what time they will
"bee" there and so forth. The Hotel Coordinator Bee of course, "honeys up” the hotel staff - sweet-talking them into giving us all that they
will to make your Convention a "honey" of an experience. This can sometimes bee a "sticky situation" - negotiating and coordinating
between us/FCB and the hotel management.
Then there's the Special Events Bee - he tromps out to find the choicest of things to do, people to come Buzz/sing to us and generally
tries his best to capture your interest and please you, the (attend-"bees"). Next comes the Exhibits Bee - she, of course, presides over the
Exhibit Hall - "honeys up” the exhibitors, smoothes the way for them and keeps them happy and returning to show you their goods and
services year after year.
Lastly, there I am, the Registration Bee. I get the sweetest job of all - to greet and welcome all of you. I make sure you get what you paid
for, what you want to eat at the banquet and the correct format of information you need.
Us Bees are always looking for interest and suggestions as to how we might improve on throwing this annual party/Convention. With the
Convention close at hand, now is a great time to keep this in mind. We welcome your Bumblebee buzzing/suggestions. All we ask is that
you remain as sweet and constructive as a honeybee with your comments and suggestions.
"Until we 'Bee' together in Tallahassee, 'bee' safe and 'bee' sure to 'bee' here to 'bee' happy with us!"
In closing, I'd like to share a little joke I got today because it just fits this article so perfectly. I hope you enjoy it and I thank you for
indulging me!
A man was driving down the road and ran out of gas. Just at that moment, a bee flew in his window. The bee said, "What seems to be
the problem?"
"I'm out of gas!"
The bee told the man that he should wait right there and flew away. Minutes later, the man watched as an entire swarm of bees flew to
his car and into his gas tank. After a few minutes, the bees flew out. "Try it now," said one bee.
The man turned the ignition key and the car started right up. "Wow!" the man exclaimed. "What did you put in my gas tank?"
The bee answered, "BP."
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SPOTLIGHT ON AN FCB PATRIARCH, "JIM LAMB" - by Sila Miller
James Monroe Lamb, better known as Jim, was born on May 19th, 1933, in St. Louis, Missouri, to Monroe and Erma Lamb. The family
was comprised of 3 girls and 2 boys, of which Jim is the baby. Both Jim and his parents were victims of retinitis pigmentosa, an eye
condition which results in progressive vision loss.
Retinitis pigmentosa (RP) is the name given to a group of inherited eye diseases that affect the retina. Retinitis pigmentosa causes the
degeneration of both rod and cone photoreceptor cells in the retina. Photoreceptor cells capture and process light to the brain helping us
to see. As these cells degenerate and die, people experience progressive vision loss.
Jim graduated high school in Chicago and attended the University of Illinois for 2 years. He soon learned there was more money in sales
than engineering so moved on to his career. Jim worked for a manufacturing company in Chicago as an Operation and Design
Consultant. The company was very diversified, designing, manufacturing and selling everything from store fixtures to hydraulic
equipment. After 15 years, Jim made the decision to resign because he was no longer able to read the blue prints or drive. Following
retirement, he and his wife decided to relocate to Florida and milder weather.
It was in Florida, in 1973 that Jim first found FCB. He was one of the Charter members of the Mid-Florida Council of the Blind. He served
as their President for 4 years, Vice President for 4 and Treasurer for 3 years. Jim's involvement with and service to the state level of FCB
includes serving as President from 1994 through 1996 and First Vice President from 1992 until he was elected President. Jim also
served as Chair of the Legislative Committee for a total of 12 years and as Chair of the Convention Committee for 8 years.
"I enjoyed working with both the FCB and ACB after losing my sight," Jim says. "I believe it gave more to me than I gave to it. I saw my
parents being victims and wanted to improve things for the visually impaired. I encourage young people to be vigilant and not take all
that we worked hard for for granted. You see, they become passive and complacent and it'll all be taken back."
When asked about Jim Lamb, Carl McCoy, also a former president of FCB, said, "Jim did an outstanding job for the Legislative
Committee with FCB's then-limited resources. He developed relationships and alliances with both the Paralyzed and Blinded Veterans.
Even though he worked from Orlando, he had a lot of good contacts here in Tallahassee and was always prepared with a report. Jim
gave a lot to FCB through the years."
Jim laughingly says, "I've recruited some good people here locally so I don't have to worry about the Mid-Florida Chapter. Now I just sit in
the back of the room and advise. I'm a patriarch and have earned the right."
Jim recalls working alongside heroes like Charles (Chick) Crampton, Don Cameron and Carl McCoy. "Back in those days, before the
ADA, we sure had a lot to work on, like transportation for blind people. I believe we helped to make a difference." Jim's recollections also
included Millie Murphy, his longtime friend and helper who is now in a nursing home, suffering from Alzheimer's. "She was always
helping someone," he recalls of her. "She was a real sweetheart!" Being a helper at heart, it's no surprise that Jim and Millie developed
such a strong bond.
In keeping with his love of service to others, Jim was also involved with Volunteers in Service to America (VISTA) from 1983 through
1988. He also served on the boards of both The Center for Independent Living of Orlando and The Council of Citizens with Disabilities
during the 80s.
Of the many awards FCB presents to its members annually, Jim has been the deserving recipient of just about all of them. Jim's awards
include: the R. Henry P. Johnson, awarded to him in 1980, the W.A. Ouzts, awarded in 1997, the Cooke Chapter Presidents Award,
awarded to Jim the year it was created in 1984 and finally, the President's Special Award presented to Jim in 1997 by then President,
Carl McCoy.
Jim keeps himself busy and informed with current political and legislative affairs. He enjoys reading, fishing and eating good Italian
food, and, providing guidance and good counsel to MFCB.
Thank you, Mr. Lamb, for taking time to share your rich history with me. I, along with so many others, sincerely appreciate all that you
have done and continue to do for FCB, indeed for all people who are blind.
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THE MIAMI LIGHTHOUSE STORY - by William Roy, Ph. D, Virginia Jacko, and Doug Eadie
INCREDIBLE STAKES
You might be surprised to know how large the non-profit sector looms in American life -- economically and socially. An estimated 1.5
million-plus non-profit organizations of all shapes and sizes spend hundreds of billions of dollars annually, providing an amazing array
of services in diverse areas: health care; aging; social services; economic and community development; education; professional and
trade associations; service clubs; and more. You benefit from -- and interact regularly with -- more non-profits than you realize over the
course of the year.
These non-profits differ from businesses in two principal ways: they don't generate profits on which they pay taxes; and they don't
distribute earnings to owners. Actually, the owners of a non-profit are really the public-at-large in a general sense, and more specifically
the non-profit governing board, representing the public. In light of the huge role non-profits play in our lives, and the billions of dollars
they raise and spend, non-profit governance -- the work of the board -- is a high-stakes matter, deserving serious, systematic attention.
So developing a non-profit board's capacity to govern is, by definition, a high priority. This is certainly the case at the Miami Lighthouse
for the Blind and Visually Impaired. Inc.
THE HIGH-IMPACT GOVERNING INITIATIVE
Established in 1931, the Miami Lighthouse for the Blind and Visually Impaired is the oldest and largest private agency in Florida serving
people of all ages who are blind or visually impaired. With a budget of $4.4 million and 50 employees, the Lighthouse served
approximately 2000 clients in 2006 in its adult and youth programs, helping them to acquire the knowledge and skills required to live
independent, rewarding lives.
In late summer 2006, Virginia Jacko, President & CEO of the Miami Lighthouse since 2005, began to discuss how to tackle
development of the Lighthouse Board of Directors' governing capacity with the Board Chair, Chuck Nielson, of Alter, Nielson &
Associates in Miami Lakes. Although consisting of dedicated, competent, and hard working directors who had provided strong
leadership over the years, the Board clearly needed some fine-tuning in order to ensure effective governance in an increasingly
challenging world. Chuck and Virginia concluded that strengthening Lighthouse governance was not only a top priority deserving
near-term, close attention, but also so complex a challenge that it made sense to create a special program -- the High-Impact
Governing Initiative -- which would be spearheaded by the Lighthouse Governance Task Force.
At this point, Chuck and Virginia brought Board member Bill Roy, senior partner at Kelley Swofford Roy, Inc., into the Board development
discussion, asking him to serve as chair of the Governance Task Force. Although Bill had joined the Board in 2006, he was very familiar
with the Lighthouse through his wife's, Susan Kelley, CEO and founder of Kelley Swofford Roy, Inc. in Coral Gables, service as the
Lighthouse Board Chair. The Task Force consisted of five Board members in addition to Bill and the CEO. It was charged by Chuck
Nielson in November 2006 to "generate an Action Report for presentation to the Board of Directors, consisting of detailed, practical
recommendations for strengthening the Board’s governing role, structure, and processes." Over the next three months, with consulting
assistance, the Task Force fashioned a comprehensive set of recommendations to strengthen the Board's leadership, and at a special
meeting in January 2007 the Board voted to:
- Accept the Action Report "in principle" and "to make full use of the Action Report as a resource."
- Adopt a "Board Governing Mission" describing the principal governing functions and responsibilities of the Board.
- Put in place a structure of Board standing committees which correspond to the Board's broad flows of governing decisions and
judgments.
- And adopt a detailed set of guidelines to govern the operation of the new standing committees.
As this is being written, the changes in Board role and structure have been implemented. The Board's governing mission is guiding the
Board's deliberations, and the new standing committees are functioning as true "governance engines" that operate within the framework
of the guidelines that were adopted. Governance at the Miami Lighthouse has, indeed, been taken to a higher level.
BENEFITS OF THE TASK FORCE APPROACH
The Lighthouse could never have made the far-reaching changes in the Board's governing role, structure and processes that were
launched in January 2007 by taking the traditional path: merely have a consultant come up with recommendations for change and then
attempting to sell Board members on their merits. Attempts to drive change from outside are notoriously ineffective, in our experience,
quickly succumbing to resistance from board members and executives who feel only scant ownership of the proposed changes. The
Task Force was successful primarily because of:
LEADERSHIP: It received a clear, detailed mandate from -- and was consistently supported by -- the Board Chair and was headed by a
long-tenured, very active Board member who was serving as Board Vice Chair.
PROCESS: The Task Force employed a rigorous, transparent methodology in carrying out its charge, thereby lending credibility to its
recommendations for strengthening the Board's governing role and structure. It was patently obvious to other Board members that the
Task Force hadn't rushed to judgment or advocated pet, preconceived solutions in coming up with the recommendations.
PRESENTATION: the Task Force Chair took the lead -- with the active participation of Task Force members -- in presenting their
recommendations at the January Board meeting: peers presenting to peers, rather than an outside consultant attempting to sell the
Board on change.
Bill Roy is Senior Partner of Kelley Swofford Roy, Inc. Virginia Jacko is President & CEO of the Miami Lighthouse. Doug Eadie is
President & CEO of Doug Eadie & Company.
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TRANSPORTATION ALTERNATIVE BETWEEN ORLANDO AND DAYTONA BEACH - by Nicole Hughes and Lisa
Lawson
At the suggestion of another FCB Member and to support FCB's mission of a statewide seamless transportation system, here is our
story in our own words.
This story took place on February 8th, 2007.
Although many people told us we could not get from downtown Orlando to Daytona Beach via the Lynx and Votran bus systems, we found
out otherwise. Our challenge started at approximately 3:30 in the afternoon. We had the paratransit drop us off at the Orlando Public
Library. The bus stop was across the street from there. Due to the high volume of traffic at that time of day, we enlisted the assistance
from a police officer that had assisted us in the past. He helped us to get across the street safely.
We waited for the route 200; that is a commuter route between downtown Orlando and Orange City. It was scheduled to arrive at our bus
stop at 4:05. It was a little late but the bus driver was very nice. She lowered the lift as we had requested and advised us that she was
running late.
I called Votran to inform them of our arrival. We are both totally blind and have multiple disabilities. Leslie (the representative from
Votran) told us of the slight route change that had occurred since I last took this route. The route travels through Heathrow and then gets
back on I-4 to Orange City. Per the Votran supervisor's request, we contacted him once we got through Heathrow. We were scheduled to
arrive at the Park and Ride at 5:05.
We needed to catch route 20 that was scheduled to arrive there at 5:12. We were not able to make connections with this route because
we were so late. Votran sent a courtesy van to pick us up and take us to Northgate Plaza to catch the 6:25 route 60 from Deland to the
Volusia Mall, where paratransit would pick us up and take us to our final destination.
This trip cost us approximately $10.00, whereas, Greyhound would have cost us $44.00. In addition, you do not need to call ahead for
the lift. If you would like more information, please feel free to contact either of us at the following phone numbers and e-mail
addresses.
Lisa Lawson (407) 399-0452 or via E-mail at Mv8201@aol.com
Nicole Hughes (321) 663-2007or via E-mail at blindnikki@aol.com
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GUIDE DOG USERS OF FLORIDA - Submitted by Debbie Grubb
Guide Dog Users of Florida is the Florida affiliate of Guide Dog Users, Inc., the largest guide dog related organization in the United
States. We offer peer support and advocacy for the blind community and continuing education for everyone. GDUF's sensitivity and
awareness training team reaches out to all communities to teach people about the special needs of people who are blind and visually
impaired, who choose to use a guide dog. We also teach about our civil rights as protected under the Americans With Disabilities Act.
While we prefer pro-active training, we are often called to provide assistance after a complaint has been filed.
Our monthly meeting takes place via teleconference on the first Saturday of each month from 2:30 PM to 3:30 PM. To attend a meeting of
Guide Dog Users of Florida, call (218) 936-1200. The conference code to enter is 72974383.
If you would like more information regarding Guide Dog Users of Florida, or, if you'd like to become a Member, please complete the
application below, or contact me personally.
Thank you for your interest and support.
Sincerely,
KATHLEEN TRUTSCHEL, President
123 PALM DRIVE
DAYTONA BEACH, FL 32117
(386) 290-3328
ktutschel@cfl.rr.com
Guide Dog Users Of Florida
Membership Application
APPLICANT NAME:______________________________
GUIDE'S NAME:_________________________________
ADDRESS:_____________________________________
CITY:________________STATE:___ZIP CODE________
HOME PHONE, WITH AREA CODE:_________________
WORK PHONE, WITH AREA CODE:_________________
E-MAIL ADDRESS:_______________________________
PLEASE CHECK ONE OF THE FOLLOWING:
GUIDE DOG USER:
FRIEND:
FAMILY:
SUPPORTER:
PLEASE PROVIDE US INFORMATION CONCERNING YOUR DEGREE OF VISUAL IMPAIRMENT BY MARKING ONE OF THE
CATEGORIES BELOW:
______ TOTALLY BLIND
______ PARTIALLY SIGHTED
______ FULLY SIGHTED
MEDIUM PREFERENCE FOR INDIVIDUAL COMMUNICATIONS FROM GDUI:
______ LARGE PRINT ______ BRAILLE
MEDIUM PREFERENCE FOR "PAWTRACKS":
_____ 4-TRACK NLS-FORMAT CASSETTE (FOR LEGALLY-BLIND MEMBERS ONLY)
_____ AUDIO COMPACT DISC
_____ MP3 COMPACT DISC
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AMERICA THE BEAUTIFUL - Submitted by Shelley Justice
I decided to submit a follow-up to Matt Roberts' interesting article in a previous WCB. Let me state first that I don't, in any way, mean to
take anything away from the Star Spangled Banner. However, it has long been my belief that our National Anthem really should be
"America the Beautiful." In my research, I found that there are 8 verses to this beautiful song; but only 4 verses are noted here, as the
other 4 are really almost the same with a few word changes here and there. The Star Spangled Banner, while a moving song, is a tribute
to the flag. This is fine, I guess; but here is a poem that speaks to the beauty of our nation and what it was supposed to stand for. This is
just my own opinion.
1) O beautiful for spacious skies,
For amber waves of grain,
For purple mountain majesties
Above the fruited plain!
America! America!
God shed his grace on thee
And crown thy good with brotherhood
From sea to shining sea!
2) O beautiful for pilgrim feet
Whose stern impassioned stress
A thoroughfare for freedom beat
Across the wilderness!
America! America!
God mend thine ev'ry flaw,
Confirm the soul in self-control,
Thy liberty in law!
3) O beautiful for heroes proved
In liberating strife
Who more than self their country loved
And mercy more than life!
America! America!
May God, thy gold refine
Till all success be nobleness
And every gain divine!
4) O beautiful for patriot dream
That sees beyond the years
Thine alabaster cities gleam,
Undimmed by human tears!
America! America!
God shed his grace on thee,
And crown thy good with brotherhood
From sea to shining sea!
Words by Katherine Lee Bates, (1893)
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TECH TIPS - by John Richards for the FCB Technology Committee
Portions of this article were taken from: The Tech FAQ and Neville Silverman's online article, "Disc Maintenance"
Hard Disk Maintenance
Now that personal computers have become an integral part of our everyday lives, we should think of them as we do our vehicles. We
must provide them with proper care and ongoing maintenance. The disc drive (hard drive, fixed drive) is the one fundamental weak link
in any computer system. According to Neville Silverman, author of the online article entitled "Disc Maintenance," "A PC starts off lightning
fast, but will inexorably degrade as a disc is used. And the slower it gets, the more likely it is for the system to crash." The following disc
maintenance steps will maintain your hard drive and optimize your PC's response time.
How to Scan Disk in Win XP:
This utility is used to scan computer system disks to find errors and attempt to correct them, if you so indicate. Select "My Computer" and
press Enter.
Under "Hard Disk Drives," highlight the disk you wish to scan.
Open the "File" menu and choose "Properties."
Open the "Tools" tab.
Click the "Check Now" button. In the "Error Checking" section, click on boxes to automatically fix file system errors and scan for and
attempt recovery of bad sectors.
How to Scan Disk in Windows Vista:
Select "Computer" and press Enter.
Under "Hard Disk Drives," highlight the disk you wish to scan.
Open the "File" menu and choose "Properties."
Open the "Tools" tab.
Click the "Check Now" button. In the "Error Checking" section, click on boxes to automatically fix file system errors and scan for and
attempt recovery of bad sectors.
The Disc drive should NEVER be more than 70 percent full. Even between 50 and 70 percent full is unhealthy. This means lots of
wasted gigabytes, but that is a price you need to pay for good response times. Consequently, disc drives are much cheaper than buying
a new computer.
Disk Cleanup
Disk Cleanup helps to free up space on your hard disk. It performs the following actions:
Removes temporary Internet files
Empties the Recycle Bin
Removes windows temporary files
Removes optional windows components
Removes windows installed programs that are no longer needed
How to perform Disk Cleanup in Windows XP and Windows Vista:
1. Click Start > All Programs, if using Windows Vista, click on the all programs button in the start menu.
2. Go to Accessories.
3. Select System Tools.
4. Click Disk Cleanup.
5. Select the drive to clean up and click OK.
Useful Links:
http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;en-us;310312
http://support.microsoft.com/?kbid=315246
Disk Defragmenter
When a program is installed in your hard disk it may be broken up and distributed to multiple locations on your disk. This is called
fragmentation and it can slow the speed of your disk and your computer. The Disk Defragmenter tool in the operating system helps to
optimize the disk by reorganizing the files on the hard disk.
How to use Disk Defragmenter in Windows XP:
1. Click Start > All Programs > Accessories > System Tools > Disk Defragmenter.
2. Select the drive and click Analyze
to verify if your disk needs defragmenting.
3. Click Defragment if it is required.
Useful Links:
http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;en-us;314848
http://www.cyberwalker.net/faqs/how-tos/defrag-faq.html
Disk Defragmenter in Windows Vista
Defragmentation is a special program, which on Vista runs automatically in the background, whereby parts of data files on all segments
of a computer hard disk are taken from their fragmented state (with parts of files spread all over the disk), and grouped together in
complete-file segments. This makes it quicker for applications to find the files they need and frees up disk space, making the computer
run more efficiently.
In XP, the defrag program would check the current status of the drive and suggest if we should defragment the drive. Then, it would read
those files and try to piece their parts as close together as possible in order to remove those fragments and speed up the system. A
linear process where your computer knew what had to be done pretty much before it begins. In Vista, this process is a lot more
complicated, but yet a lot more effective.
One of the changes is the shadow copy optimization during the defragmentation in a way that optimizes the system and minimizes the
space used by the shadow copy. Also, Vista's defrag is smarter in comparison to the XP's defrag because it checks if the amount of
time that would take to move files is larger than the performance benefit you gain. If the performance benefit is not too significant, it
moves on to other files.
The thing most people complain about is that there is no progress bar. This is because the defragmentation in Vista is non-linear, so
there is no way to estimate (correctly) how much time a defrag could possibly take. Instead of trying to show estimates of how much the
defragmentation will take, the defrag team worked on a better solution: reducing the impact of defragmentation on your computer by
making it use low-priority I/O and low priority CPU, so you can still use it and do whatever it is you do while the defrag is on. No more
waiting for hours like in XP.
That was exactly their point of view -- remove it from the face of the user, and for those who never use the defrag (and there are many
people like this) now they do not have to -- it runs itself! And don't worry about sluggish performance while the automatic defrag is on -- it
won't happen. Defrag runs only while your computer is idle.
To all FCB Members:
Please feel free to suggest topics for this article.
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CHAPTER NEWS - Port St. Lucie Council of the Blind
PSLCB go Braille - By Jackie Hull
The members of the Port St. Lucie Council of the Blind took the opportunity on St. Patrick's Day to "Erin go bragh" in Braille. President
Gary Metzler brailled up "tags" that said "Happy St. Patrick's Day" and "Erin go Bragh" on them. Secretary Jackie used large print font and
printed the same message over the Braille. These tags were attached to green rubber bracelets, pins and necklaces. These goodies
were then taken to the St. Patrick's Day West Fest in town and curious passersby stopped, were intrigued by the messages, asked many
questions about Braille, white canes, guide dogs and other blindness related concerns. As part of our display, we had a nice bank,
which collected approximately $70 in donations.
It was a great afternoon sitting in the park. We were able to educate people, we met many interesting people and even brought in a few
dollars for our treasury. We're anxiously looking forward to another West Fest where we can once again help others understand
blindness-related issues.
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RECIPE CORNER
Batter-Fried Mushrooms
INGREDIENTS:
1 cup flour
1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
1/2 teaspoon salt
Dash garlic powder
1 cup cold water
2 tablespoons CRISCO all-vegetable shortening or 2 tablespoons CRISCO Stick, melted
1 egg, slightly beaten
2 cups (about 8 ounces) fresh mushrooms, sliced 1/4 inch thick
CRISCO for deep frying
DIRECTIONS:
1. In mixing bowl, combine the flour, cheese, salt, and garlic powder. Stir in the water, melted Crisco, and egg; beat till smooth.
2. Pat the mushrooms dry. Dip mushrooms into batter.
3. Fry, a few mushrooms at a time, in deep Crisco heated to 365ºF. Fry till mushrooms are golden, about 3 minutes, turning once.
4. Drain on paper toweling. Salt lightly and serve immediately.
Chicken Whole Meal Casserole
(Makes 8 servings)
INGREDIENTS:
Olive oil cooking spray
2 whole boneless, skinless chicken breasts, about 8 ounces (480 g) each, halved
4 boneless, skinless chicken thighs, about 4 ounces (240 g) each
8 small red potatoes, about 1 pound (960 g) total, scrubbed and quartered
8 ounces (480 g) fresh mushrooms, quartered
1 large onion, 8 ounces (480 g), thinly sliced
4 cloves garlic, peeled and thinly sliced
8 dried apricot halves
8 dried pitted prunes
1/2 tablespoon (7.5 ml) crushed dried thyme
1/2 teaspoon (2.5 ml) crushed dried rosemary
Freshly ground pepper
1 Tablespoon (15 ml) olive oil
1 small navel orange, washed and thinly sliced crosswise
1 large lemon, thinly sliced and seeds removed
DIRECTIONS:
1. Preheat oven to 375°F (190°C), Gas Mark 5. Lightly coat a large baking pan with cooking spray.
2. Rinse chicken pieces; remove and discard any visible fat. Pat chicken pieces dry with paper towels.
3. Arrange chicken in the prepared pan and surround with potatoes and mushrooms. Scatter onion and garlic over chicken and
vegetables. Sprinkle with thyme, rosemary, and pepper. Drizzle the olive oil over all. Arrange orange and lemon slices on top. Cover the
pan tightly with aluminum foil and bake for 45 minutes, uncovering the pan during the last 5 minutes of baking time.
4. Serve at once.
Per serving:
247 calories (18% calories from fat), 27 g protein, 5 g total fat (1.0 g saturated fat), 24 g carbohydrate, 3 g dietary fiber, 80 mg cholesterol,
92 mg sodium
Diabetic exchanges:
3 lean protein (meat), 1 1/2 carbohydrate (1 bread/starch, 1/2 fruit)
Easy Pizza
(Makes 1 serving)
1/2 of an English muffin
2 tablespoons (30 ml) low-sodium tomato sauce
1/8 teaspoon (0.65 ml) crushed dried basil
1/8 teaspoon (0.65 ml) crushed dried oregano
2 tablespoons (14 g) shredded part-skim mozzarella cheese
DIRECTIONS:
1. Preheat broiler. Place English muffin on a small baking sheet.
2. Spread tomato sauce over top of muffin. Sprinkle with basil and oregano. Top with cheese.
3. Broil until cheese is brown and sauce is bubbly. Eat at once.
Per Serving:
115 calories (23 percent calories from fat), 7 g protein, 3 g total fat (1.6 g saturated fat), 15 g carbohydrate, 1 g dietary fiber, 8 mg
cholesterol, 212 mg sodium
Exchanges:
1/2 medium-fat meat, 1 carbohydrate (1 bread/starch)
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CHAPTER LIASONS
Alachua: Patti Land
Brevard: Paul Edwards
Clay: Patti Land
Greater Miami: Linda Jacobson
Halifax: Paul Edwards
Inter-County: Debbie Grubb
Jacksonville: John Richards
Miami Metro: John Richards
Mid-Florida: Robert Miller
Palm Beach: Linda Jacobson
Pensacola: John Richards
Pinellas: Robert Miller
PSLCB: Sharon Youngs
Sarasota: Linda Jacobson
Tallahassee: Sharon Youngs
Tampa: Debbie Grubb
Venice: Paul Edwards
The following Special Interest chapters only meet during Convention:
CCTB (Coalition for the Concerns of the Totally Blind): Patti Land
FCBS (Florida Coalition of Blind Students): Jesus Garcia
FCCLV (Florida Council of Citizens with Low Vision): Robert Miller
RSVF (Randolph Shepherd Vendors of Florida): Paul Edwards
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HANDY TELEPHONE NUMBER REFERENCES
Project Insight: 1-800-267-4448
Bureau of Braille and Talking Book Library Services: 1-800-226-6075
Division of Blind Services (Tallahassee State Headquarters): 1-800-342-1828
American Council of The Blind: 1-800-424-8666
(available only 3:00 to 5:30 PM EST Monday-Friday)
ACB's Legislative Hotline: 1-800-424-8666
(Evenings 8:00 PM - 12:00 Midnight EST
Weekends 9:00 AM - 5:00 PM only)
A T & T Disability Services: 1-800-872-3883
Press 00 and speak with your long distance carrier
BellSouth Disability Services: 780-2273 from anywhere
Social Security: 1-800-772-1213
24-hour voice and touch tone accessible
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