



                         THE BLIND CALIFORNIAN



                      Quarterly Magazine of the 

                    CALIFORNIA COUNCIL OF THE BLIND



Summer, 2003, Volume 47, No. 3



      Published in Braille, Cassette, Diskette, online, and Large
Print 




                     Jeff Thom, President 
                          7414 Mooncrest Way 
                           Sacramento, CA 95831
                           916-429-8201510-357-1986 Res.
                           jsthom@attbi.com 

                           Executive Office:
                             578 B Street
                           Hayward, CA 94541
                             800-221-6359
                             510-537-7877
                            ccotb@earthlink.net
                           Fax: 510-537-7830
                           www.ccbnet.org



                 Los Angeles Area Office, Mitch Pomerantz 
             1115 Cordova Street 
             Pasadena, CA 91106
             626-844-4388                             
             mpomerantz@mailbox.lacity.org

                   Sacramento Area Office, Dan Kysor
                       225 15th St. 
                         West Sacramento, CA 95691
                                                     916-371-1514
                                                 Fax 916-371-7630
                       dan@ccbnet.org 


Please send all address changes to the Executive Office in
Hayward




                       Editor: Winifred Downing
                           1587 38th Avenue
                        San Francisco, CA 94122
                             415-564-5798
                     wmdowning@mindspring.com




Call the CALIFORNIA CONNECTION at 800-221-6359 for an update on
legislation and CCB events Monday through Friday after 4 p.m. and
all day on weekends.  At these times it is available also in
Spanish.



Nonmembers are requested and members are invited to pay a yearly
subscription fee of $10 toward the printing of THE BLIND
CALIFORNIAN. 





If you or a friend would like to remember the California Council
of the
Blind in your will, you can do so by employing the following
language: 

"I give, devise, and bequeath unto the California Council of the
Blind,
a nonprofit charitable organization in California, the sum of
$---- (or
----) to be used for its worthy purposes on behalf of blind
persons."

If your wishes are more complex, you may have your attorney 
communicate with the Hayward office for other suggested forms.
Thank
you.

                           TABLE OF CONTENTS

FROM THE EDITOR, by Winifred Downing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6

PRESIDENT'S PAGE: THE FUTURE OF EDUCATION;
      IT'S UP TO US, by Jeff thom. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6

THE NATIONAL BRAILLE CHALLENGE: WHAT A WONDERFUL
      WAY TO PROMOTE RAILLE LITERACY, by Jill O'Connell  . . . . . . . . . . . .10

SUMMARY OF THE MINUTES OF THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS
      MEETING, JANUARY, 2003, by Ardis Bazyn . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .11

MINUTES OF THE PRECONVENTION BOARD MEETING, APRIL, 2003, 
      by Ardis Bazyn . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .12

REPORT ON FEDERAL LEGISLATION, by Frank Welte  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .14

LETTER FROM CATHERINE CAMPISI  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .16

TAPS, A HISTORY  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18 

CAREER CONNECTIONS: PREPARING FOR COLLEGE, 
      by Catherine Schmitt-Whitaker  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .19

E-MAIL BY PHONE, by Jane Kardas  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .21

COMMITTEE REPORTS  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .23

REPORT ON THE SPRING, 2003, CONVENTION, 
      by Patty Nash and Dan Kysor  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .26

SUMMARY OF THE SPRING, 2003, CONVENTION 
      RESOLUTIONS, by Peggy Martinez . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .28

PATTY'S PAGE, by Patty Nash  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .32

WHAT DOES IT MEAN TO BE LEGALLY BLIND? 
      by Valerie Ries-Lerman . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .33

AWARDS AND MORE AWARDS, by Roger Petersen  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .35

BULLETIN BOARD, compiled by Keith Black  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .35

TECHTALK: TIPS FOR EFFICIENT E-MAIL, by 
      Frank Welte  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .36

CCB OFFICERS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .39

CCB BOARD OF DIRECTORS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  39

publications committee . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  41


In accepting material for THE BLIND CALIFORNIAN, priority will be
given to articles concerning the activities and  policies of the
California Council of the Blind and to the experiences and
concerns of blind persons.  Recommended length is under 3 pages;
if space constraints make it necessary to divide an article,
every effort will be made to discuss the matter with the author
before publication. 

                                  FROM THE EDITOR

                                by Winifred Downing

      Though I am writing this in the week of Memorial Day, you
won't be reading it until after the Fourth of July if you use the
braille edition.  Large print and cassette versions come out
earlier, and e-mail is earlier still.  In my dreams for the
future, there is a brailling source that can respond in less than
30 days; but, unlike our spring convention slogan, the future
isn't now. Thanks for your patience with the inevitable delay
between submission and printing and for tolerating the inequities
in the production schedule for the different formats.
      Before the next issue of the BC, I intend to develop a few
sheets of suggestions for writing various kinds of articles for
the magazine.  One will help the writer determine what should be
in a convention report and what isn't necessary to include. 
Another will tell the various Resolutions Committee chairs what
it means to do a summary of resolutions so that members learn
what actions and policy measures the Council adopted but do not
need to read through pages of "whereas" statements.  Taking up
too many pages of the magazine with material relating to the
organization can get tiresome for some readers. If you have
suggestions for other material I should write to encourage more
BC contributions, please let me know.
      Those of  you who follow the ACB list on the Internet know
that there has been lots of controversy lately about the "letters
to the Editor" section in The Braille Forum.  While some of us on
the Board of Publications (BOP) have ardently wished for less
friction, I remarked to at least one officer that I'd just give
about anything to have a "letters to the Editor" response with
some definite opinions that would call for a reply from others. 
I can't help wondering sometimes if anyone is out there.  Won't
someone, therefore, write a letter that may provoke a response so
that we can get some dialog going!
      Our next deadline is September 1.  Happy summer!

      
                         PRESIDENT'S PAGE: THE FUTURE OF 
                             EDUCATION, IT'S UP TO US

      I've always had just a bit of envy for original thinkers or,
as they are referred to nowadays, "those who think out of the
box."  Since I don't fall into that category, anyone hoping that
this article will provide some mind-altering truths will be
extremely disappointed.  On the other hand, there are some
seemingly insoluble problems whose solutions require unswerving
commitment rather than philosophical leaps into the unknown.  Let
us, then, consider the grave issues surrounding the education of
blind and visually impaired children and what can be done about
them.
      Anyone attempting to discuss these questions who ignores the
fact that the problems facing our educational system go far
beyond the blindness field might as well be compared to the
proverbial camel with its head in the sand.  Insufficient
funding, discipline problems, lack of parental involvement,
school district bureaucracies, and the need for greater
innovation by classroom teachers are just a few of the concerns
facing American education.  The inability to address these
problems will obviously continue to adversely impact the
education of all students including those with visual
impairments.  It would, however, take the great American novel
and a degree of expertise far greater than this author possesses
to enter this broad discussion so let us return to our focus, the
education of children with visual impairments.
      The list of issues that confronts those who want to ensure
that blind and visually impaired children receive a quality
education is by no means a short one.  None is more disturbing,
though, than the crisis situation created by the ever-increasing
shortage of credentialed teachers of the visually impaired and of
certified orientation and mobility instructors.   It is truly
shocking to learn that there are far fewer than 7,000 teachers of
the visually impaired to serve a population of more than 100,000,
and even fewer orientation and mobility instructors.  Moreover, a
large portion of this professional pool is made up of persons in
their 40's, 50's, and 60's; and thus a combination of normal
retirements, plus those who leave the field due to burnout
suffered largely because of extraordinarily high loads, continues
to intensify this shortage.  The nail in the coffin is that
budget cuts further reduce the already inadequate number of slots
in college programs for training teachers for the field of visual
impairments.  This is certainly true in California which is
fortunate enough to have two excellent training programs located
at California State University, Los Angeles,  and California
State University, San Francisco.  Both these programs, however,
appear to be fighting constant battles to ward off drastic
reductions.   
      Moreover, because of the use of teachers of the visually
impaired who lack credentials in the field in order to make up
for the shortfall in credentialed teachers, and because of
inadequate  continuing education for existing credentialed
teachers, many students are not being assessed to determine
whether they should receive braille, let alone being provided
with braille instruction.  Notwithstanding the ongoing efforts of
both CCB and NFBC and the large number of professionals who agree
with us, a major shift toward adequate braille instruction in all
appropriate cases will not occur until the number of credentialed
teachers in our field per student increases and the training
programs, including continuing teacher education, improve.    
      Another woeful inadequacy throughout our educational system
is the degree to which classroom teachers are clueless as to the
needs of blind and visually impaired students.  In fact, the
inability of these teachers to understand their needs and
potential and to cope effectively with their presence in the
classroom often rivals or exceeds the ignorance and over-
protection of some of their parents.  This lack of knowledge has
profound consequences not only when it comes to the chance of
academic success for a blind or visually impaired student, but it
also frequently reduces the likelihood that the child will be
adequately socialized in terms of day-to-day interaction with his
or her classmates.  Thus, there is an overwhelming need for
better in-service training for these usually well-meaning
teachers and for districts to promote better communication
between the classroom teachers and the itinerant teachers of the
visually impaired. 
      Another area of great concern is the lack of equal access to
the same technology and to technology-based learning tools for
blind and visually impaired pupils; a gap that often creates
severe learning deficits between them and their sighted peers.  
The lack of adequate transition programs for blind and visually
impaired teens, especially those who may be seeking a vocational
track rather than an academic one, is also a serious problem.   
      Other issues of note include the lack of sufficient braille
transcribers, the woefully inadequate amount of data on the
student population with visual impairments and the services that
they receive or do not receive, and the failure to provide state
and national testing tools for students in a timely manner or
through methodologies that accurately test those students.   
      These problems and many others are not news to parents and
professionals alike, either nationally or in California.  They
were, for example, only a few of the issues discussed in a report
published by the Blindness Advisory Task Force in 2002, which was
appointed by former California Superintendent of Public
Instruction, DeLaine Eastin, and on which our own Cathie Skivers
and Leslie Thom served.  Many of these problems have likewise
been discussed in an IDEA Reauthorization White Paper prepared by
the American Council of the Blind Task Force on IDEA
Reauthorization.   
      On both the state and national levels, fervent efforts are
being made to attack some of these problems.  We are currently
embroiled in a tough battle over reauthorization of the federal
law, the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA). 
Depending upon the success of the ACB and numerous groups with
which it has forged an alliance, by late summer or early fall we
may know whether we gain new rights and added funding for
training of teachers for those with visual impairments or whether
this federal law is weakened in many harmful ways.  Although it
is the goal of this article to look at California and thus I do
not intend to discuss IDEA reauthorization, suffice it to say
that all of us must learn about the issues involved with the
changes proposed to this federal law and make sure our United
States Senators and members of the House of Representatives know
where we stand.  
      So, what can we do in California to change the future of
education for students with visual impairments?  The California
Council of the Blind is already hard at work in this area.  This
year, we are sponsoring Assembly Bill 662, authored by John
Deutra.  It will, if passed, and I predict it will, will begin to
solve some of the problems discussed above.  It will help ensure
that testing materials are provided in a timely manner, that
technology-based learning tools are accessible to our students,
and that a permanent task force is established to advise
government officials on what needs to be done in the future for
students with visual impairments.  We also are working on ways to
ensure that the bill leads to adequate data collection.  However,
this bill takes only the first steps.  We still need to address
the important issues of improving services throughout the state,
ensuring that sufficient professionals exist to meet the needs of
our student population and that classroom teachers have the
training they need to assist those who are mainstreamed.  Can CCB
bring about the necessary changes that will begin to solve these
problems?  
      The answer is no and yes.  We can't do it alone, but it can
be done.  Very few in California or elsewhere thought that a
separate entity within the Department of Rehabilitation for
services to the blind and visually impaired would become a
reality; but on July 1, 2003, because of the enactment of Senate
Bill 105, that entity will exist.  That bill would never have had
a chance without an alliance known as the Blind Alliance for
Rehabilitation Change (BARC) that included CCB, the National
Federation of the Blind of California, and most of the major
organizations providing services to blind and visually impaired
Californians.   
      I suspect that in order to obtain the funding and changes in
law that we really need in the area of education, we face even a
more uphill battle than we just concluded with SB105.   However,
an alliance like the one we formed involving professionals,
consumer organizations, parents, and others can turn the tide.   
      Is such an alliance possible?  It may take time, but already
the seeds are being sown.  CCB and NFBC have worked harmoniously
for quite some time in the area of education, and there is no
reason to think we will not continue to do so.  New efforts are
beginning to be made to revitalize the California Association of
Parents of the Visually Impaired (CAPVI).  I urge all parents of
children with visual impairments and other interested individuals
to check out this organization.  A strong CAPVI has the potential
to be a tremendous partner in an alliance to improve the
education of blind and visually impaired pupils.   CCB has
consistently worked in concert with education professionals to
solve common problems, and we must continue to do so.  Although
professionals are sometimes unable to advocate directly on state
legislative issues, their input and advocacy assistance are
crucial elements not only in our success but in making sure we
come up with the most effective solutions.  We also need the
involvement, as we had in BARC, of the many outstanding private
service providers.   
      These are difficult economic times for the state of
California and its school districts.   However, we can win the
opening battles like the passage of AB662 and begin to build the
momentum we need by encouraging the growth of groups such as
CAPVI.  I have no doubt that, if we form the type of alliance of
which we are capable, blind and visually impaired Californians
will, 50 years from now, realize that our efforts enhanced their
educational opportunities and thus their entire lives.


                      THE NATIONAL BRAILLE CHALLENGE: WHAT A 
                     WONDERFUL WAY TO PROMOTE BRAILLE LITERACY

                                 by Jill O'Connell

      I was pleased to have the opportunity to serve as a proctor
for the Regional Braille Challenge hosted by the Peninsula Center
for the Blind and Visually Impaired in Palo Alto, California.  It
was an all-day event taking place on April 5, 2003, on the
Stanford University campus.  There were 23 participants ranging
from 7 to 18 years of age.  Children, parents and siblings came
from all over northern California. 
      I learned from Vicki Liske, Coordinator of the National
Braille Challenge, that it was begun by the Braille Institute of
America in 2000.  At that time, some 70 students from the
southern California area took part; and, encouraged by the
enthusiastic response of both students and parents, the promoters
of the event decided to ask other centers throughout the United
States to join.  The following year the Carroll Center in
Massachusetts held a regional challenge; and the next year, the
Peninsula Center began its participation.  
      Even though the additional centers supported the idea of the
Braille Challenge, they felt they lacked the resources to hold
regional contests.  This year, therefore, braille teachers known
to the Braille Institute were invited to administer the
examination to students who were interested in accepting the
challenge and who were working at grade level.  240 completed
examinations were forwarded to the Braille Institute.  From this
pool, the top ten contestants from each group will be selected to
take part in the final challenge held at the Braille Institute in
Los Angeles, California, on June 28, 2003.
      The students are divided into five groups: apprentice (first
and second grade), freshmen (third and fourth grade), sophomore
(fifth and sixth grade), junior varsity (seventh through ninth
grade) and varsity (tenth through twelfth grade).  Each group has
four challenges developed for their grade level.  The lower
grades have a spelling exam for which reading charts and graphs
is substituted at the high school level.  All groups have a
challenge in speed and accuracy, proofreading and reading
comprehension.  Except for the spelling test, the challenge
material is available in braille or,  in the case of the speed
and accuracy challenge, on tape.  
Each participant brings his own Perkins brailler and tape player. 
Each challenge has a 25-minute time limit following the
explanation and answering of questions.  I had copied the
previously mailed printed instructions into my notetaker and so
was able to help with the explanations.  I was also able to serve
as timekeeper, relying on the time  feature in my notetaker.  
      The Peninsula Center was eager to make the test a "fun day"
for the whole family with lots of giveaways and entertainment
including inflatable mountain climbing equipment, a clown making
balloons into animals, and a craft table.  Parents were able to
view some of the latest technical equipment and attend
informative lectures; and many took advantage of the opportunity
to exchange information and ideas with other parents.
      Bonnie Rupel, Community Coordinator at the Peninsula Center,
had arranged for students in the community to act as volunteers
so that each participant had an "embassador" to assist in getting
about and helping him enjoy the recreation equipment.  The
student with whom I have been closely acquainted ended the day by
exchanging E-mail information with his embassador because they
had enjoyed each other's company so much.   
      On June 28, At the banquet hosted by the Braille Institute,
the apprentice winner will receive a $1000 savings bond; and each
succeeding group's bond will increase by $1000 with the varsity
winner receiving a $5000 bond.  It is hoped that, as the word
spreads, more and more braille teachers and parents will
encourage their students to become involved.  The prizes are
certainly significant.  Perhaps, too, more centers for the blind
can host regional challenge events giving families the chance to
interact thus providing a truly valuable experience to parents
who, because of mainstreaming, may have had no previous
experience with any blind or visually impaired person.  Judging
from my day at the Peninsula Center Regional Challenge, the
students took pride in showing off their braille skills and had a
really wonderful day.  
      

                   SUMMARY OF MINUTES OF THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS 
                              MEETING, JANUARY, 2003

      Jeff Thom called the January 29, 2003, teleconference to
order at 7:35 P.M.  The first motion made by Mitch authorized the
office to spend up to $7500 to purchase a replacement for the
Bogen phone system for the California  Connection.  It was
requested that all messages for the Connection be the same for
all versions.  It was decided that discussions about the old
computers CCB owns would be referred to the Technology Committee
for advice on their further use.  The second motion by Cathie
authorized an honorarium for Bob Thomas of $250 since he was
providing the banquet entertainment at the CCB Spring Convention. 
With respect to the convention, Cathie moved to charge $25 for
the banquet, $20 for the presidents' dinner, and $15 for all the
luncheons; CCB would cover the additional expenses for these
meals.  
      Jeff reported that the CCB thrift store in Los Angeles had
sent its first check.  The vehicle program for last month earned
$17,000.  The American Way thrift store sent in a payment of
$8100.
      Mitch's motion to have the Braille writers owned by CCB
donated according to the president's discretion was passed with a
friendly amendment calling for one to be given to a seven-year-
old girl in response to a request that had been submitted. Gene
Lozano's motion asking CCB to pay the $25 membership fee for
California Walks was passed.  Gene also asked that CCB provide
copies of that organization's agenda in braille and large print
and on cassette.  Mitch's motion to have CCB cover expenses for
Gene Lozano to attend the America Walks conference was approved. 
      Jeff reported that the San Luis Obispo Chapter has asked to
dissolve donating the chapter's treasury to the CCB scholarship
fund.  It was also decided that the Foothill Chapter should be
consulted to check on its status.  Many board members thought
that a constitutional amendment should probably be drafted to
indicate how long a chapter could continue to be listed with the
council but remain inactive.   
      Jeff announced that in the future, meetings of the board and
of committees should use the Meeting Place Conference Center for
their calls.  The likely call-in number will remain the same
unless multiple calls occur on the same evening.
      The March 15 disability rally was discussed.  It was decided
that CCB would support it but not pay expenses involved.  The
purpose of the rally is to protest the large budget cuts in state
programs in California.
      Mitch's motion for CCB to cover the cost of printing the
tickets for the Durward K.  McDaniel Fund raffle was approved,
$954.53.  The fund sponsors first-timers to attend the ACB
convention.  Cathie Skivers moved that $35,000 of Julie Esterly's
$90,000 legacy to CCB be moved to the scholarship fund. 
      Jeff reported the names of those attending the Legislative
Seminar in Washington, D.C.  They were : Ken Metz, Ardis Bazyn,
Jerry Arakawa, Jessica Lorenz, Richard Rueda, Frank Welte, Jeff
Thom, Barbara Kron, and Lillian
Scaife.  Jeff announced that Mitch will be the alternate delegate
for the ACB national convention and requested that the board
approve CCB payment of Cathie's expenses at that convention. 
Martin Jones moved that Cathie's expenses also be paid to attend
the AER conference if she chooses to do so.
      Mitch's motion was approved to have scholarships for
students to attend conventions be tabled until after the Budget
and Finance Committee meets on March 1.  The next board meeting
was scheduled for the spring convention unless something urgent
would need to be discussed before that date.  The fall convention
has been changed to October 15-19, 2003.  The meeting was
adjourned at 9:33 P.M.

Respectfully submitted,
Ardis Bazyn, Secretary 


              MINUTES OF THE PRECONVENTION BOARD MEETING, APRIL, 2003

      Jeff Thom called the board meeting to order at 7:05 P.M.  on
April 10, 2003.  The minutes for the October, December, and
January  board meetings were read and approved as corrected. 
Martin asked that election results be added to the convention
minutes following the meeting at which the elections occurred. 
Peter Pardini gave a brief treasurer's report and read the
statements of revenues and expenses for 2002, followed by the
same statements for January-April, 2003, which showed net revenue
over expenses of $5,027.00.  Current assets were $1,652,173;
total liabilities were $2,228; and assets less liabilities were
$1,649,945.  The report was accepted. Mitch presented the
proposed budget for 2003 as recommended by the Budget and Finance
Committee.  It provides for revenues of $443,100 and expenses of
$461,500.  The budget was accepted.  Jeff reported that we
received $1,138.35 from the L.A.  thrift store in 2003.  No
payment has been received in 2003 from the Ashe settlement.  The
vehicle donation program netted $45,883.96 for January and
February.
      Richard's motion to give stipends to CCB students to attend
the ACB convention with a limit of $5,000 was passed after Mitch
amended it to spend up to three students to cover their
reasonable expenses.  The Crisis Committee asked for
clarification of the CCB policy for grants.  The policy had
allowed a person to receive up to $600 in total grants but also
permitted a request for more than one grant as long as the
aggregate amount did not exceed $600.  Ken Metz moved that a
person could request a $1000 grant which could be awarded only
once.  
      The Sacramento sidewalk case was appealed to the Supreme
Court, but it has not been decided whether that court will take
the case.  Ongoing settlement talks are proceeding.  The Blind
Californian format was discussed.  Currently those receiving the
e-mail version can also receive a second format of their choice. 
A decision concerning those who receive two versions was referred
to the next convention meeting.  Cathie reported that the Newell
Perry fund as of March 31 had $118,656.   The Ellen Murphy trust
has approximately $314,000; the trustees are Cathie Skivers,
Teddie-Joy Remhild and Pat LaFrance-Wolfe.
      The brochures intended for families with senior members
experiencing sight loss are ready for production except for
graphics.  Jeff read the final version of the Membership Handbook
in which A couple of minor changes were requested.  He mentioned
that a new committee, Sports and Recreation, has been
established. Mitch reminded the board about the fact that we had
decided to do a video for CCB.  Herb Clayton, the chair of Public
Relations, will be working on this project with Bay Area Video. 
An interview is forthcoming.
      Two spring convention bids were presented: the Hilton in
Fremont and the Wyndham in San Jose.  The Hilton room rate is $74
and the shuttle from the airport will cost $12.  The Wyndham rate
is $79 but the airport shuttle is complimentary.  The Wyndham is
an older hotel while the one in Fremont is new.  More restaurants
are available near the Wyndham.  Mitch's motion was unanimously
approved to have CCB use the Hilton in Fremont.  The dog guide
relief area is large.  
      Cathie moved that CCB subsidize room rates by $5 so that
those who attend the fall convention would pay $70 per night. 
      The current CCB conference call policy was discussed.  It
will remain in place with an advance reminder for those who will
call in given closer to the call date.  
      The current cards for new members require that the treasurer
fill in the recipient's name and address, a difficult task for
any treasurer with a visual impairment.  The matter was referred
for consideration to a later date.
      Several board members moved that Cathie be authorized to
spend up to $1500 on the project concerning the ACB history.  
      Public comment was the next item on the agenda followed by
Peter Pardini's motion to adjourn. 

Respectfully submitted,
Ardis Bazyn, Secretary 


                    REPORT ON FEDERAL LEGISLATION, Spring, 2003

                                  by Frank Welte

      The American Council of the Blind held its annual
Legislative Seminar in Washington, D.C. from March 23-25.  Nine
members of the California Council of the Blind participated in
this gathering including President Jeff Thom, Second Vice
President Ken Metz, Secretary Ardis Bazyn, Board Members Richard
Rueda and Frank Welte, and Jerry Arakawa, Barbara Kron, Jessie
Lorenz, and Dirk Nihart.  The Seminar consisted of a day and a
half of training meetings in which participants were thoroughly
briefed on the ACB's current legislative agenda and a day of
visits to Capitol Hill where participants visited offices of
legislators to educate our representatives and senators about the
political concerns of the blind.  Given that California has by
far the largest number of Congressional representatives, we were
all kept quite busy scurrying from appointment to appointment. 
CCB members can be proud of the high degree of cohesion and the
hard work demonstrated by your advocates during the Seminar.
      2003 is turning out to be an important year for major
Congressional actions affecting blind and vision impaired people. 
Several major programs are up for reauthorization this year
including the Rehabilitation Act, the Individuals with
Disabilities Education Act, and the transportation bill.  In
addition, voting access and video description are also hot topics
at this time.  Here is a summary of some of the specific items
covered.  
      Rehabilitation: The Rehabilitation Act Reauthorization Bill,
HR 1261, has passed the House with a number of flaws that will
need to be rectified by the Senate.  We want the bill to allow
job placements in non-integrated settings such as sheltered
workshops to be considered as valid case closures by the
Rehabilitation Services Administration as long as those jobs earn
above the minimum wage.  Because RSA has been funding some
questionable research projects of late, we want to see a
tightening of the rules governing such research.  We also seek
increases in funding for Title VII, Elderly Blind Services.  
      We are particularly concerned about a pair of bad provisions
in the House bill.  As initially introduced, it would allow state
governors to shift funds from rehabilitation departments to the
new one-stop employment centers, which are likely to be less able
to accommodate clients with vision impairments.  Also, the
current bill calls for the demotion of the RSA Commissioner to
the status of a director, which would give this position less
influence in the long term.
      Education: The bill reauthorizing the Individuals with
Disabilities Education Act (IDEA), HR 1350, has passed the House
with a number of provisions opposed by the disability community. 
The Senate will need to resolve these problems.  Here are some of
the provisions ACB hopes will be included in the final bill:  As
it now stands, the bill would allow school districts to hold
Individualized Education Plan, IEP, meetings with parents of
disabled children only once every three years instead of the
currently required annual meetings.  We think that the
requirement for annual meetings should be retained and that
parents should be given prior notice of such meetings.  
      There is a severe shortage of qualified orientation and
mobility instructors and of special education teachers for blind
children.  ACB wants the funding for University programs that
train these much-needed teachers to be increased from about $3
million annually to about $7 million.  The core curriculum should 
require more training in the skills of blindness. also,  parents
should be informed about the full range of educational options
for their children from full inclusion to residential programs. 
If children are mainstreamed, their IEP's should address the need
for them to have contact with other blind people who can serve as
role models.  
      Finally, ACB wants to see language necessitating that school
children receive educational materials in alternate formats at
the same time as their sighted classmates receive them.  On a
related note, ACB is supporting the Instructional Materials
Accessibility Act, HR 490, which is being re-introduced this
year.  Among other things, this act calls for the creation of a
single, national standard for electronic versions of textbooks. 
Textbook publishers would have to provide a copy of their
textbooks in this format to a new national textbook repository
and the measure would encourage states to make textbooks from
this repository available to their blind school children.
      Transportation: Once again Congress is about to work on
another major transportation bill.  Amid the scramble to fund
major highway and transit projects, Congress needs to address the
transportation concerns of the blind community.  Specific items
we want in the transportation bill include authorization of the
$145 million in special transportation programs called for in the
New Freedom Initiative, the President's package of
disability-related legislation, requiring expanding the use of
detectable warnings on transit platforms beyond the key stations
called for by the ADA, efforts to increase the use of accessible
pedestrian signals and other pedestrian safety measures as well
as increased overall funding for public transportation.  
      Also, on the transportation front, ACB is supporting passage
of House Continuing Resolution 56 by Congressman Lane Evans (D)
Illinois and a non-binding resolution which asks states to
mandate that a person seeking a driver's license demonstrate
knowledge of pedestrian safety issues such as the White Cane
laws. 
      Video Description: The American Council of the Blind has
worked hard to get the federal government to require the use of
video description in television programming in much the way that
they already require the inclusion of closed captioning for the
deaf.  Last fall, a federal court struck down the FCC's modest
insistence on video description by the major broadcast and cable
television networks.  ACB is advocating for the introduction in
Congress of the Video Description Restoration Act, a bill that
would empower the FCC to restore these minimal requirements for
described television programming.  CCB members are encouraged to
ask their Congressional representatives to co-sponsor this bill.

      Voting Rights: Last year the Help America Vote Act (HAVA)
was signed into law promoting  reforms in voting procedures
across the country.  Fortunately for us, it mandates the
installation of at least one accessible voting machine in each
voting precinct.  Congress has not, however, come forth with the
federal funds to pay for these necessary upgrades to voting
systems.  Given the tight budgets this year at all levels of
government, it is important that our Congressional
representatives be reminded  of how vital it is for Congress to
keep its promise to fully fund the reforms called for by HAVA.
      Because the status of these and other pieces of legislation
impacting blind people is constantly changing, you must continue
listening to the California Connection from CCB and the
Washington Connection from ACB to be aware of current news and
items needing urgent action.  It is also very helpful for CCB
members in each legislative district to maintain regular contact
with their legislators.  Often, your opinion carries more weight
with your representative than does the opinion of somebody from
outside the legislative district, even if that person is a CCB
leader.  In at least one case, we wouldn't have been able to
visit a particular Congressional office during the Legislative
Seminar if it hadn't been for the intervention of a CCB member
from that representative's district.


                          LETTER FROM CATHERINE CAMPISI 

Department of Rehabilitation
Gray Davis, Governor
State of California Health and Human Services Agency
916 263-8987 Voice; 916 263-7474 Fax; 916 263-7477 TTY
April 18, 2003

Blind Californian
California Council of the Blind (CCB)
578 B Street
Hayward, CA 95451

Dear Newsletter Editor:
      The California Department of Rehabilitation would like to
provide information for your up and coming publication on your
newsletter, magazine or other forms of media to inform your
readers and the disability community.  This is information that
disability organizations and programs should know and be aware
of.  We would like to keep you and the disability community
informed and updated on issues affecting people with
disabilities.
      Enclosed is a copy of the article we would like to have you
publish.  If you have any questions, please feel free to contact
R. Andrew Perry, Acting Public Information Officer for the
California Department of Rehabilitation.  He can be
reached at 916 263-8960 or by e-mail at Rperry@dor.ca.gov.   If
you would like to have this article e-mailed, please forward your
e-mail address.

Sincerely,
Catherine Campisi, Ph.D. Director

Enclosure: Supreme Court Cancels Hearing of ADA Case from
California

      In a historical event, in response to a motion from
California to withdraw the case of Hason v. Medical Board of
California, the United States Supreme Court decided on April 7,
2003, not to hear this case.  The case was originally scheduled
for oral arguments at the end of March.  The motion to withdraw
came after Governor Gray Davis and Attorney General Bill Lockyer
had requested the Medical Board to withdraw the case in order to
protect Title II of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). 
The Governor and Attorney General had taken this action in
response to the grave concerns of the disability community.  In
his letter to the Medical Board, Governor Davis stated, "I
believe firmly that by withdrawing this case, the Board will
protect patients without jeopardizing the centerpiece of
protections from discrimination for disabled Americans."  
      On February 28, 2003, the Medical Board voted 14-1 in favor
of withdrawing the case.  One of the votes was cast by the newest
member to be appointed to the Medical Board by Governor Davis,
Catherine Campisi, Director of the California Department of
Rehabilitation and long time disability advocate.


Bob Egelko, Chronicle staff writer   Saturday, March 1, 2003   

      Rather than risk a ruling that would weaken the rights of
the disabled, a state agency voted Friday evening to drop an
appeal to the U.S. Supreme Court of a disability case. 
      The state Medical Board, spurred by Gov. Gray Davis, voted
14-1 to ask the court to dismiss its appeal of a case involving
Michael Hason, who was denied a doctor's license by the Board in
1998.  Hason claims the Board discriminated against him based on
a disability, his mental depression. 
      The Supreme Court granted the California Board's request
last fall to review the case after an appellate court allowed
Hason's suit to proceed.  The case was scheduled to be argued
March 25. 
      The state's appeal raised an issue of national importance:
whether states can be sued under a section of the Americans with
Disabilities Act that bans discrimination in services and
programs. 
      The court has narrowed the scope of the ADA in a series of
rulings since 1999, and recently granted state governments
immunity from employment discrimination suits under the
disability law. 
      A ruling that barred Hason from suing the state would be a
serious blow to the ADA because of the broad range of state
services and programs required by the law. 
      Under pressure from disabled activists, Attorney General
Bill Lockyer and two Davis aides wrote letters to the board last
week, asking it to drop the appeal and let Hason pursue his case
in lower courts.  Davis chimed in Thursday with his own letter to
the board, and also appointed one of the aides, Rehabilitation
Director Catherine Campisi, to a vacancy on the board.
      "I believe firmly that by withdrawing this case, the board
will protect patients without jeopardizing the centerpiece of
protections from discrimination for disabled Americans," Davis
said in his letter. 



                               TAPS: A HISTORY

                        submitted by Winifred Downing
 
       We in the United States have all heard the haunting song, "Taps." 
It's the song that gives us that lump in our throats and usually tears in our
eyes; but, do you know the story behind the song?  If not, you will be
interested to find out about its humble beginnings.
       Reportedly, it all began in 1862 during the Civil War when Union
Army Captain Robert Ellicombe was with his men near Harris's Landing
in Virginia.  The Confederate Army was on the other side of the narrow
strip of land.  During the night, Captain Ellicombe heard the moans of a
soldier who lay severely wounded on the field.  Not knowing if it was a
Union or Confederate soldier, the captain decided to risk his life and
bring the stricken man back for medical attention.
       Crawling on his stomach through the gunfire, the captain reached
the stricken soldier and began pulling him toward his encampment.  When
the captain finally reached his own lines, he discovered it was actually a
Confederate soldier, but the soldier was dead.  The captain lit a lantern
and suddenly caught his breath and went numb with shock.  In the dim
light, he saw the face of the soldier.  It was his own son.  The boy had
been studying music in the South when the war broke out.  Without
telling his father, the boy enlisted in the Confederate Army. 
       The following morning, heartbroken, the father asked permission of
his superiors to give his son a full military burial despite his enemy
status.  His request was only partially granted.  The captain had asked if
he could have a group of Army band members play a funeral dirge for his
son at the funeral.  The request was turned down since the soldier was a
Confederate; but out of respect for the father, they did say they could
give him only one musician.  The captain chose a bugler. He asked the
bugler to play a series of musical notes he had found on a piece of paper
in the pocket of the dead son's uniform.  This wish was granted.  The
haunting melody we now know as "Taps" used at military funerals was
born.
       The words are: 
Day is done 
From the lakes,
From the hills,
From the sky.
All is well,
Safely rest.
God is nigh.

Fading light
Dims the sight;
And a star  
Gems the sky
Gleaming bright
From afar.
Drawing nigh  
Falls the night.
Thanks and praise 
Neath the sun,
Neath the stars,
Neath the sky.
As we go  
This we know 
God is nigh.


                  CAREER CONNECTIONS: PREPARING FOR COLLEGE

                        by Catherine Schmitt Whitaker

       Question: "With many public high schools losing counselors because of budget
constraints, I feel that I need to play a stronger role in guiding my 16-year-old
through the college process.  How do I help him determine which field of study and
college would best suit his skills and interests?"
       Answer: Sixteen is a great age for your son to start exploring his interests,
major and career aspirations.  Several ideas and resources for exploring areas of
interest and determining the right "fit" with a university will be discussed.
       At 16 years of age, one student may have an idea of what he/she wants to do
for the rest of his/her life, while another may have no idea at all.  If the latter is the
case, it is not to be looked upon negatively.  One may have limited interests or not be
realistically aware of all the career possibilities; therefore, he/she would not be sure
what major to choose when considering college.  Likewise, a student who likes a lot
of things and finds it difficult to narrow down options to just one or two ideas will
have a hard time selecting a college major.   The uncertainty spans all academic
performance levels.
       Let's look at this from another perspective.  Ask your 16-year-old to generate
a list of interests, what does he like to do, and values, what is important to him, to
explore major career interests.  For example, if he says that he likes to travel, enjoys
numbers, and relishes convincing people that his ideas are good, then he may find
majoring in business marketing and financial analysis a viable future.  As crazy as the
interests may be, stick to them.  Some interesting patterns may emerge.  These areas
of interest an also be translated into the term "transferable interests".  This means that
several interests may spread across multiple disciplines of study.  Using the above
example, the interests may translate into the possibility of a major in hospitality
management and a career as an accountant for an international hotel chain.  
       Once the list of interests has been generated and some possible ideas of majors
or careers have been identified, the following will assist in evaluating self-interests
when choosing a major:
       * Talk to someone in the field.
       * Investigate a field in the Occupational Outlook Handbook
(http://www.bls.gov/oco/), or browse a career book such as What Color Is Your
Parachute? by Richard Bolles.  
       * Explore on the Internet.  Visit http://www.csupomona.edu/~career/ for
useful career planning, jobsearch and resume building resources.
       * Check out the "What Can I Do With a Major In ..." guides at:
http://www.csupomona.edu/~advising/majorin.shtml.
       * Go to your high school career center/advisor (if applicable).
       * Take career assessments such as the SIGI-Plus, Discover, Myers-Briggs and
the Strong Interest Inventory to determine how your personality, interests and values
match with your career interests.
       Once some ideas for majors/careers have been identified, it is beneficial to find
a good "fit" with a college or university.  Determining if the school has the majors of
interest is important but not the only factor to consider.  Realizing how one learns
(visually, auditorially, and/or learns by doing) and finding a university that has a
match is important.  
       The length of term is also to be considered. The two most common terms are
quarters (10 week courses) and semesters (16 week courses).  A student who likes a
brisk pace, gets bored easily or seeks variety may prefer the quarter system Whereas a
student who wants to think about material for a period of time, likes in-depth
discussions on topics, or wishes to avoid feeling rushed may choose the semester
system.  
       Attending a college that is research-focused versus one that is application-based
is another consideration.  Identifying the disability related needs and services should
also be considered.       Selecting a "good" college may mean different things to
different people.  What matters is finding the institution that is the best choice for the
particular student.
       When applying to college, apply to more than one.   Apply to the "I would
give anything to go here" institution.   Apply to a "this would be a good place to go"
where it will not be as difficult to gain entrance.  Apply to a "sure bet" institution.  
By applying to the various levels of institutions, you will have options.  The
institution that seems to be the ultimate today may not remain so six months from
now.  
       When applying, there may be no difference between specifying a major versus
not declaring one.  In the CSU system, for non-impacted majors, the admissions
criteria during the initial filing period is the same for all majors.  If admissible to the
undeclared major, then admissible to any major.  The undeclared major is beneficial
for the student who is still deciding about which major to select and knows that she
wants to learn and earn a college degree.  With an undeclared major, a student is
exposed to majors/careers and course selections that will fulfill multiple degree
requirements.  
       After exploring areas of interest and the suggestions above, if the student is
still not certain as to a major, then entering with an undeclared major may be a
positive choice.  A student who feels confident about a major of interest would be
served well to enter as a declared major.
       Keep searching, a spark of enthusiasm and a sense of passion will help you
decide on the major/career of interest.  


                             E-MAIL BY TELEPHONE

                               by Jane Kardas 

       As a person who lost her vision in midlife, I have found that training my mind
to remember so very many things is almost impossible.  I often think of the advantage
one might have who has been blind since birth.  
       Entering the computer age has almost been more than I can stand.  My mind
was trained to serve a person with sight who kept notes on just about everything:
grocery list, memos on a calendar, appointments and birthdays--everything.  There
are, though, approaches to some of the problems.
       I want to share with you two new assistive technology devices that have
entered my life.  For a person who is not yet on the Internet and would like to receive
e-mail, there is a service known as Yahoo by Phone that allows you to access your e-
mail via the telephone.  To apply for this service, you must find a friend or co-worker
who can register you on the Internet.
       The person who registers you must go to www.Yahoo.com to set up an e-mail
account.  Clicking on E-mail will take you to a screen to register as a first-time user. 
You will be asked for your name and a password.  Sometimes the e-mail name you
choose will already be taken, so have a few in reserve to suggest.  Once your e-mail
account has been established, you can sign up for Yahoo by Phone.  Payment can be
done easily with a credit card for monthly billind.  The cost for this service is five
dollars per month.  
       Registering for Yahoo by Phone is just as easy as setting up your e-mail
account online. Go to Yahoo by Phone.com and follow the easy instructions.  People
will be able to send you not only e-mail but voice mail messages in their own voice. 
It is recommended when you sign up for Yahoo by Phone that you have your friend
or co-worker print out all instructions for further reference, in accordance with your
preference of large print, tape cassette, or Braille.
       I have found it very frustrating to try reaching Yahoo through the 800 number. 
You may, however, have better luck than I and I therefore include the number: 1-800-
699-2466 or you might try 1-408-349-3300.
       Other services through Yahoo which you may find of interest are news, sports,
stock market, weather,etc.  In my travels to London and Ireland, I found the weather
reports to be most helpful.  I feel certain that you, too, will find Yahoo both
interesting and informative.

                              COMMITTEE REPORTS

               EXPLANATION OF THE CREDENTIAL COMMITTEE'S WORK 

                       By Frank Welte, Committee Chair

       Each member of the California Council of the Blind is eligible to vote at our
semi-annual conventions.  Since all of us can't attend every convention, each local
chapter and special interest affiliate is authorized to cast votes on behalf of all its
members.  Each chapter and special interest affiliate is entitled to cast five votes.  In
addition, local chapters can cast one vote for every five home chapter members.  If
you belong to more than one local chapter, you may be counted for CCB voting
purposes by only one of those chapters, your home chapter.We round off when
we calculate votes.  This means that your local chapter gets five votes for the first 27
members.  The chapter gets a sixth vote if its membership count is from 28 through
32, and so forth.  Special interest affiliates get five votes regardless of the number of
its members.  
       The Credentials Committee of the California Council of the Blind has the
responsibility of certifying the official representatives of each chapter and special
interest affiliate at each convention and determining the number of votes to be cast on
behalf of each chapter at the convention.  To that end, it is essential that each chapter
and affiliate president complete and promptly return the credentials form which is
mailed prior to each convention.  Those few who neglect this responsibility make the
committee's job at the convention harder than necessary. Even if your chapter
cannot send a delegate to a convention, you should submit a credentials form.  This
allows us to account for all chapters, present at the convention or not.  What's more,
we use the membership figures recorded on your credentials forms to help us
determine the winners of the awards given to the fastest growing chapters.  Since
special interest affiliates are also eligible for these awards, they should furnish their
membership figures as well, even though each special interest affiliate gets the same
number of convention votes. 
       Thanks to Coletta Davis and Steve Fort, who are joining me on the committee
this year.  Thanks also to Rhonda King and Barbara Kron who completed their
committee service at the end of last year.  All your efforts are greatly appreciated, and
your good work makes my job as chair both easy and pleasant.

*****     *****          *****            *****

    UPDATE ON THE ASSOCIATION FOR MULTICULTURAL CONCERNS

                            by Charles Nabarrete

       The Association for Multicultural Concerns (AMC) was formed by members of
the California Council of the Blind several years ago to promote cultural diversity
among CCB members and to foster understanding of the different cultures which exist
in our society.
       At each convention, AMC has a business meeting, a luncheon and a pizza
party fundraiser.
       At the luncheon at the most recent CCB convention in Sacramento, Mitch and
Donna Pomerantz recounted their trip to South Africa.  Luncheon attendees were
interested and entertained as they described their impression of that country and spoke
of the lives of blind people there.  Speakers at previous luncheons have included a
university professor talking on whether disabled persons constitute a distinct cultural
group,  disabled persons who are not blind discussing the disabled movement and
community in general,  and an African American
political activist who has been active in the Los Angeles community for several years. 
AMC plans to continue to present informative and interesting speakers at future
luncheons to develop greater understanding of cultural diversity.
       At the recent CCB convention, AMC held its usual Pizza party.  The event
was well attended, and everyone had an enjoyable time mingling and eating.  We are
looking into the possibility of having future fundraising events which will feature
different ethnic foods, e.g. Mexican, Japanese, Chinese, and/or soul food.  These
plans are in keeping with AMC's goal of encouraging greater knowledge and
appreciation of cultural differences.
       At the AMC business meeting, routinely conducted on Friday mornings,
members discuss issues related to AMC's goals and purpose.  Speakers have been
invited to address us regarding the Americans with Disabilities Act and other concerns
of the disabled community.  At the last convention, AMC members discussed the
project undertaken by Lillian Scaife, AMC president, to collect children's white canes
for a school in Africa.  If you can make a donation to this worthy effort, please
contact Lillian at 562 494-4306.  We hope you will share AMC's concerns and join us
at future meetings.

*****          *****           *****          *****

                         MEMBERSHIP COMMITTEE REPORT

                       by Rhonda King and Ardis Bazyn

     The CCB Membership Committee is structured differently this year and now has
two Chairpersons.  This change has been made because of the amount of work
required by the committee.  Each Co-chair, one selected from Northern California,
Rhonda King, and one from Southern California, Ardis Bazyn, will represent the
chapters in her districts; and just as before, each of the seven members has been
assigned approximately five chapters for which to serve as liaison.  Other members
include Coletta Davis, Bernice Kandarian, Ken Metz, Lula Smith, and Frank Welte.   

     The liaisons will contact the chapters periodically to find out how they are doing,
inquire about the variety of projects each may be involved in, and  offer assistance
where it may be needed.  Liaisons will remind chapters of the incentives CCB now
has in place such as the membership increase award and the Chapter of the Year
award, and will encourage outreach in the local community.  Our liaisons will also
attend chapter meetings whenever possible and especially if requested to do so.  
     We are proud to announce the recipients of the two chapter awards recently
presented at the spring convention in Sacramento on April 12th.  The first was for the
greatest increase in membership during the year 2002, the San Mateo County Chapter. 
This chapter will receive $50 for their efforts.  The second is the Chapter of the Year
award and goes to the chapter that has done something significant which greatly
affected an individual or the local community.  The recipient of this award was the
Silicon Valley Chapter for their Braille literacy project.  The chapter acquired braille
books for children, and succeeded in helping to set up a section for children's braille
books in two public libraries.  The President of this chapter, Roger Petersen, was
presented with a plaque, and a small brass plate will be placed on the larger plaque at
the state office in Hayward.  Two Other chapters were recognized for their projects,
The Redwood Empire Chapter for the creation of "Patient Is Blind" stickers to be
placed on blind patients' hospital charts, and the Butte County Council of the Blind
for their purchase and distribution of adaptive equipment for blind students.  
     Here is some more good news: our long awaited Membership Handbook has been
completed and will soon be published.  This handbook briefly describes the California
Council of the Blind and the American Council of the Blind.  It explains how CCB
and its individual members can help one another; describes how the members can
become involved in the operations of CCB; offers an entire list of CCB committees,
chapters and affiliates; and includes important telephone numbers, listserves, and web
sites.  This handbook will be available to all new members as a source of information
but is not recommended as a brochure.  However, CCB brochures are available to all
members who wish to distribute them to businesses or individuals.  Eventually, new
members will receive a packet containing the CCB Membership Handbook, the
brochure, and the CCB key chain.  
     Our committee will soon be working on a joint project with the Public Relations
committee which will be formulating ideas for a video to be used to advertise the
California Council of the Blind.  This video will be a great tool when we ready
ourselves for conventions or other CCB events.  It can be used for building
membership and for obtaining financial assistance.  Most importantly, though, it will
be used to inform the public about blind and visually impaired people and our
capabilities and our accomplishments.  This project is now in the discussion phase but
will soon be a project in action.  
     Now, remember to listen for the phone since one of our liaisons will be contacting
your chapter soon to chat about membership issues.  We hope you have great ideas to
share with other chapters, and we also encourage all members to write about their
chapters in the Blind Californian.  The Publications Committee, too, is looking for
articles that members may wish to share with others about their personal experiences. 
If you wish anyone from the Membership Committee to contact you about
membership concerns, please feel free to call the state office or one of the co-chairs.

*****        *****          *****          *****        

                   REPORT ON THE CCB NOMINATING COMMITTEE

                       By Frank Welte, Committee Chair

       During the CCB spring convention, the Nominating Committee met to select a
slate of candidates for the 2003 CCB election, which will be held during the fall
convention.  The nominees are 
as follows: Second Vice President,  Ken Metz; Secretary,  Ardis Bazyn; Board
members,  Al Biegler, Jane Kardas, Eugene Lozano, Richard Rueda, and Jerry
Arakawa.  other candidates may be nominated for office from the floor during this fall
election.  Because of term limits, Dr. Martin Jones will be leaving the Board of
Directors after eight years of service.
       Thanks to all who take the time to serve on the Nominating Committee.  Your
prompt arrival for meetings and your orderly behavior during meetings make my job
as chair both easy and fun.

*****          *****          *****          *****          

                    REPORT OF THE SENIOR BLIND COMMITTEE

                          by Bonnie Rennie, Chair  

       Was there ever a time when you said to your family or wanted to say one of
these things? "When you read my mail to me, will you please mention every piece not
just what you think I should know?" "Please don't keep leaving the cupboard doors
half open like that."  Or "it's time we talk openly about how my vision loss is
affecting all of us."  To make such discussions easier, the Senior Blind Committee
proudly announces the imminent arrival of our booklet "Failing Sight and the Family
Plight."
       We envisioned this short piece of literature as a tool with many potential uses. 
It can educate families and friends as well as the public about our capabilities and
needs.  It can inform seniors with vision problems and their families regarding CCB
and how this organization and some other resources can help.
 Our visibility in the community will, of course, be increased.
       I thank the many CCB members who had some part in furnishing the actual
content of the booklet or in some other way made it happen! Special gratitude goes to
Mrs. Gussie Morgan and the members of the Compton Chapter who provided many of
the specific tips for family members.  Other contributors were members of the
Antelope Valley Chapter, attendees of our Spring '02 convention program, and many
committee members.  Thanks also to Bernice Kandarian and Roger Petersen of the
Publication Committee for their enthusiastic support and technical expertise and
assistance.  
       Even if you are not a member of the Senior Blind Committee, you can help us
get this new publication into the hands of those who might benefit from it.  Do you
attend activities at your local senior citizens centers?  Do you know staff members at
your local agency or independent living center serving the visually impaired?  Do you
work with a counselor/teacher, or go to a low vision or specialty eye clinic?  If so,
please consider calling the CCB office to request two or three copies of the booklet. 
Then take the time to talk to a staff member at one of these places about this
literature.
       In addition to large print, our publication will be available on audio cassette
and computer disk and in braille.  We know that not all seniors with visual
impairments have the same family issues, experiences, or wishes regarding how to
respond to their visual loss.  Yet, we believe that making something available in
writing is a good start toward promoting healthy communication and   acceptance of
the visually impaired person.  Please listen to the California Connection for an update
on the availability of "Failing Sight and the Family Plight."


                 REPORT ON THE SPRING, 2003, CCB CONVENTION:
                              The Future Is Now

                        by Dan Kysor and Patty Nash 

       Our Spring, 2003, convention, held at the Sacramento Arden West Hilton, was
a resounding success with historic attendance levels, over 35 exhibitors, and a new
presiding CCB President, Jeff Thom.  There is always a feeling of anticipation when a
new president begins his term, and Jeff has not disappointed us.  He has challenged
all of us to work hard and to be mindful of our responsibilities to our organization and
for the betterment of our lives.  His innovative approach to sharing the leadership of
the various sessions was refreshing.
       The convention was held from April 10th to 13th in California's capitol city. 
Setting the tone for the convention was a rally put on by Guide Dog Users of
California and the State Guide Dog Board on April 10th on the west steps of the State
Capitol.  The rally brought attendance to a level never seen before with over 200
participants.  Jeff Thom kicked off the rally with a rousing welcome speech
proclaiming the independence guide dogs afford their handlers.
       Richard Rueda hosted an excellent Rehabilitation Services Committee meeting
while Louis Herrera and the Technology Committee met for interesting discussions
and, of course, their famous mind meld Q&A session regarding technology issues.
       The CCB Board of Directors met Thursday evening.  Minutes for that meeting
appear elsewhere in this issue. 
       Many special events and committee meetings took place at the convention
beginning on Thursday afternoon when the Capitol Chapter hosted the Welcome to
Sacramento gathering.   
       The Senior Blind Committee had a presentation from Jim Armstrong, who led
a discussion of Title 7 Chapter 2 funds and their use to enhance the lives of seniors. 
Members discussed the needs of newly-blinded folks and how to find and welcome
them. There was a joint presentation with the Citizens With Low Vision affiliate about
the Senior Intensive Retreat, a new short-term living skills experience which provides
a positive environment with peers while learning cooking, cleaning, and mobility
skills to promote living independently.  Project Insight, was explained by Barbara
Kron and Jane Kardas. 
       President Thom opened the first general convention session with a welcoming
presentation by Sacramento County Supervisor Illa Collins.  Donine Hedrick, Program
Manager of the Braille and Talking Book Library for northern California spoke on
"What's New at your library."  She stated that there are many new newspapers from
California on the News Line service while Telephone Reader has some new features
and resources.  Unfortunately, all the news was not good because of the overall
budget situation and the over 31% cuts to the State Library in general.
       One of the most interesting presentations was a panel of our members who
traveled to foreign countries.  Margie Donovan talked on her trip to Peru and gave us
a vivid picture of life on the Amazon River, while LisaMarie Martinez described
practical items like food, communications and toilets in 14 countries she visited. 
Particularly challenging was losing her cane on two different occasions.
       Donna and Mitch Pomerantz horrified the audience with their all-too-real
description of gaping crocodile mouths and pythons getting too friendly for comfort. 
They spent their vacation in South Africa.
       Lucy Greco, Chair of the newly established Sports and Recreation Committee,
spoke of the need for fitness, and encouraged CCB members to join and give this
committee suggestions on how to effect lifestyle changes.  
       Finally, Sylvia Cass, the elected Public Guardian for Yolo County, spoke on
her job there. 
       Cathie Skivers hosted the Presidents' Dinner on Friday evening.  It is always
inspiring to hear what other chapters are doing in the way of fund-raising, growth in
membership, community involvement and social activities.  
       First Vice President Mitch Pomerantz presided over the evening session which
began with Jeff Thom's President's Report detailing CCB activities since he took
office.  The Council received from the American Foundation for the Blind the first
annual Advocacy Award for our work on Senate Bill 105 creating a Division for the
Blind within the California Department of Rehabilitation.  CCB leaders have been
quite active speaking at venues such as the international Vision Loss 2003 conference
and the Josephine Taylor Conference.  Jeff praised the outstanding CCB delegation
sent to Washington, D.C., for the annual ACB Legislative Seminar and reviewed his
own experience speaking to the California Transcribers and Educators of the Visually
Handicapped (CTEVH) on Assembly Bill 662 introduced by John Dutra which would
bring several improvements to the educational system for pupils K through 12.  He
expressed concern on passage of state legislation to allow the Segway Human
Transporter on our sidewalks and commended Dr. Martin Jones and the CCB Victims
of Crimes Committee for their fine advocacy.  He deplored the failure to prosecute
the automobile driver who killed the blind person in Ontario and praised the district
attorney's quick  action in a rape crime committed against a blind woman in Contra
Costa. 
       The report of the Nominating Committee is contained in "Committee  Reports"
later in the BC.  
       CCB made history by being the first ACB affiliate to stream convention
sessions live on the Internet.  Alan Beatty of the ACB Board of Directors gave us an
inspiring speech, "Preparing Tomorrow's Leaders," and Allan Brenner spoke about
how to create a center for the blind.  
       Saturday's afternoon general session focused on changes in rehabilitation and
the impact of the Division for the Blind.  panelists were Dr. Catherine Campisi,
Lynda Bardis, and Ji Armstrong.
       Frank Welte gave an excellent report on federal legislation and the ACB
Legislative Seminar, which is produced later in this issue.  
       The banquet was hosted by Rhonda King who entertained us with her lively
humor  after the startling and unscheduled beginning offered by having the fire alarm
go off and keep sounding because of a short caused by a ceiling leak resulting from
the day's heavy rains.
       Awards given by Roger Petersen and by the Publications  Committee came
next; they, too, are discussed in detail in a separate article.  We were then entertained
by the piano and vocal music of Robert Thomason.
       Sunday's session provided an opportunity to participate in decision and
policy-making by reacting to the resolutions brought forward by the Resolutions
Committee as reported by the chair, Peggy Martinez, also in a separate article.  This
session also included the budget report given by Treasurer Peter Pardini and a
legislative report by Dan Kysor.  Much thought and preparation went into this
memorable and informative convention, and it is hoped that we can encourage and
assist students to attend future conventions.  Undoubtedly the greatest challenge we
have before us this year and in the future are the constraints presented and imposed 
by the staggering state budget deficit, and it will be  necessary that we utilize all our
resources and work together to ensure that we maintain and improve vital services and
educational opportunities.  The convention was upbeat, and we won't soon forget it.   


           SUMMARY OF RESOLUTIONS FOR THE SPRING, 2003, CONVENTION

          by Peggy Martinez, Chair of the  Resolutions  Committee 

       Below is a summary of the resolutions brought to the Spring Convention of the
California Council of the Blind.  I've included the full text of Resolutions a-1, A-3,
A-4 and A-5.  Resolution a-2 was withdrawn by the author and Resolutions a-6 and
a-7 are resolutions expressing our appreciation to the Arden West Hotel staff and the
volunteers.  
       If you wish to submit a resolution for consideration at the Fall convention,
please e-mail it to me or to the office prior to convention.  My e-mail address is
pegmar1@earthlink.net.  If you submit a resolution and attend the convention, please
be prepared to visit the Resolutions Committee in case clarification is needed.  Also,
if you are a member of the Resolutions Committee and plan to attend the fll
convention, please make time to attend committee meetings.  We need you!
       Resolution 2003A A-1 Hallmark Cards. Whereas, sending and receiving
greeting cards to celebrate important life occasions is one of the courtesies and
pleasures we human beings have; and 
       Whereas, in the past, blind persons have found it difficult or impossible to
share in this pleasure because we cannot read standard greeting cards; and
       Whereas, Hallmark Cards has recognized this problem by furnishing greeting
cards in braille; and 
       Whereas, having these cards available in Hallmark stores throughout the
country rather than in very limited quantities only through special agencies serving the
blind ensures that greeting cards can be purchased easily, now, therefore, be it 
       Resolved, by the California Council of the Blind, in convention assembled this
13th day of April, 2003, in the city of Sacramento, California, that this organization,
along with its affiliate the Braille Revival League of California, express its gratitude to
Hallmark Cards for the interest it has taken in this matter and for its sensitivity in
providing these cards and be it further 
       Resolved, that this organization requests that store managers be informed that
braille cards are available, and Be it further
       Resolved, that this resolution be sent to the American Council of the Blind for
action at the national convention to  advertise these cards, and commend Hallmark
Cards on the company's awareness of the importance of accessible materials. 

       Resolution 2003A-3 Supporting Individual Mobility Choice. Whereas, Title II
of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) guarantees equal access to publicly
funded services for persons who are blind or visually impaired and choose to travel
with a guide dog as their primary mobility aid; and
       Whereas, choosing to work with a guide dog as a mobility aid does not
fundamentally alter the nature of a program's curriculum; and
       Whereas, persons who use guide dogs have been denied rehabilitation services
because they have chosen to work with a guide dog, as in the case of Stephanie
Dohman; and
       Whereas, Stephanie Dohman, Guide Dog Users Incorporated (GDUI) and
several guide dog schools filed a complaint with the U.S. Department of Justice
regarding a blind individual's choice of a guide dog as a primary mobility aid; and
       Whereas, while not joining the Dohman GDUI complaint, the American
Council of the Blind (ACB) staff provided substantial assistance to GDUI in its
support of the complaint, now therefore be it 
       Resolved, by the California Council of the Blind, in convention assembled this
13th day of April, 2003, in the city of Sacramento, California, that this organization,
along with its affiliate the Guide Dog Users of California, support the principle that
blind and visually impaired persons who seek services from publicly funded programs
shall not be denied services because they choose to work with a guide dog, and be it
further 
       Resolved, that this organization commend Guide Dog Users Incorporated
(GDUI) for its support of the Dohman complaint and be it further 
       Resolved, that a copy of this resolution be sent to the American Council of the
Blind and GDUI to encourage them to take all necessary steps to ensure that consumer
choice is available throughout the nation. 
       Resolution 2003A-4 Access To Specialized Training for Persons with Low
Vision.  Whereas, section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 and the Americans
with Disabilities Act of 1990 (ADA) guarantee consumer choice in rehabilitation
training; and
       Whereas, the use of sleep shades in some cases might be beneficial; and
       Whereas, people deserve the right to make informed decisions regarding the
techniques involved in their rehabilitation program; and
       Whereas, many public and private rehabilitation agencies in the United States
require unconditional agreement to the use of sleep shades in all aspects of
rehabilitation training, including clients with low vision; and 
       Whereas, maximizing the use of one's useable vision often enhances the ability
to live independently; and 
       Whereas, there are specialized techniques for maximizing residual vision; and
       Whereas, the mandatory use of sleep shades instead of low vision training
techniques denies these individuals access to specialized training, such as
magnification, lighting, orientation mobility and the specific characteristics of different
causes of vision loss, now, therefore, be it 
       Resolved, by the California Council of the Blind, in convention assembled this
13th day of April, 2003, in the city of Sacramento, California, that this organization
strongly urge rehabilitation agencies serving persons who are blind or who have low
vision to no longer require the use of sleep shades, and be it further
       Resolved, that this resolution be forwarded to the American Council of the
Blind for consideration at its 2003 convention in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, urging that
organization to take all necessary steps to ensure that consumer choice is available
throughout the  nation.
       Resolution 2003A-5 Rehabilitation - Trainings and Publicity.  Whereas,
currently the Department of Rehabilitation identifies to its field staff, including
Rehabilitation Counselors and Rehabilitation Supervisors, the availability of ongoing
state and community based social work, disability and employment related training
opportunities; and
       Whereas, the Department of Rehabilitation, allows for travel (when available)
and time for such staff to attend these training opportunities to better familiarize staff
with trends in the disability community; and
       Whereas, the Department of Rehabilitation will have established by July 1,
2003, its own Division for the Blind and Visually Impaired, to be known in-house as
the Blind/Visually Impaired District, with staff who need ongoing training to serve
their blind and visually impaired clients, now, therefore, be it
       Resolved, by the California Council of the Blind, in convention assembled this
13th day of April, 2003, in the city of Sacramento, California, that this organization
urge the newly established administrative leadership of the Division for the Blind and
Visually Impaired and Deaf and Hard of Hearing, known as the Blind/Visually
Impaired District, to create a uniform system to encourage field rehabilitation
counselors, counselor teachers and supervisors to attend rehabilitation, employment
and homemaker seminars, consumer meetings, lectures and conventions, and Be it
further
       Resolved, that the CCB recommend that quarterly announcements of training
opportunities be sent in appropriate formats to the Division for the Blind and Visually
Impaired field staff (RCB's, CT's and RS's). 


                                PATTY'S PAGE

                                by Patty Nash

       In this column, I'm going to tell you about a wonderful source of books
available to computer users on CD.  The company, B&R Samizdat Espress, has made
over 3,000 titles available to anyone with a PC.
       "We are making books available on CD ROM, selected and organized in an
easy-to-use, well-indexed format. ... Our mission is to use technology to benefit both
readers and authors making books extremely inexpensive, easy to use, and easy for
anyone to publish."
       This information is taken from Richard Seltzer's website where you can find an
American Literature CD, which includes authors such as Mark Twain, Jack London,
Edith Wharton, Walt Whitman and Edgar Allan Poe to name just a few.  On the
British CD you can find works of Charles Dickens, Thomas Hardy, John Milton, the
complete works of William Shakespeare, Jane Austen, the Bronte Sisters, and Joseph
Conrad.  The CD contains 1098 books in all making its cost just pennies a book! 
Other Classic Collections are:  "Classic Music Book", which contains libretti for 160
operas; "Children's Books"; a "Nonfiction" CD; A "Religion and the Occult" CD;
and a "World Literature" CD containing works of Balzac, Tolstoy, and Flaubert.  All
these CDs have software which allows you to listen to them while you read. 
Periodically they are updated; and each new upgrade contains all the books in the
collection.     
       In addition to these classic collection CDs, there are seven World Awareness
CDs on "Humor"; "Mystery and Crime;" "Drama;" Poetry;" Your World On CD,"
which explains the background for conflict; "Greek and Roman Classics;" "American
Westerns;" "American Revolution;" and "Women."  
       Way back in 1973, Richard Seltzer of Roxbury, Massachusetts, started a
company to publish his own works.  His wife worked with him to index and catalog
the books, complete orders, and pack the books for mailing.  Meanwhile Richard
continued his work publishing a novel and other books for children and adults, and
retaining his association with a technical trade magazine and digital equipment.  He
was an  Internet evangelist at his company; and when that company began to dissolve,
he became an Internet consultant.  Along the way in about 1993, he met Diane Croft
of the National Braille Press; and together they  discussed the needs of the blind to
have books of their own available which could be inexpensively produced.  He
realized that the process he was advocating others to fulfill their dreams by using the
Internet he should employ himself.  
       He began by producing  some diskettes containing two or three books each
putting them on the Internet and sending them as free samples to folks he thought
would be interested.  He knew about the Gutenburg Project, but he realized that not
all blind persons are able to access materials easily on the Internet, so he began
compiling large collections on CDs which contained hundreds of books instead of the
two or three that would fit on diskette.  He used books from the public domain in an
easy-to-read format and compiled them with a directory for each author with no
compression or incription.  He then began receiving requests.  
       In the future, he will be creating a "Baseball" CD to accompany the "U.S.
History" CD, and plans to expand to cover many other topics.  He has started slicing
the bread in different ways to meet people's needs since some readers want just the
works of one author.  No two people use the collections the same way; they are ideal
for teachers and students.  The titles are indexed so that you can click on a book,
select it, put it into Word or Wordpad, whichever you prefer, and then onto your hard
drive, where you are able to add notes or highlight while the original is preserved on
the disk.  
       When Richard left the company he'd been working for, he met with Diane
Croft again and subsequently created a collection which had a variety of children's
books, the complete works of Shakespeare, a King James Bible, the CIA World
Factbook and many works of American and British literature.  This collection was
called The Super CD, and that is how I learned about Richard's company and his
work.  On that CD there was a link called Readme, and there I learned of the many
other collections available.  I ordered the" British CD" first, and, when it arrived,
could not believe it could really contain as many books as were listed.  It was like a
dream and Christmas all in one to have so much to read and at any time of my
choosing; and I didn't have to lug heavy books back to the Post Office!  Can you
imagine how many truckloads of Braille volumes it would take to bring all those
books to your house and what kind of space you'd need to keep them?  A whole
library!    
       From creating basic collections, it was a natural consequence that Richard
would come to include issue-oriented CDs as well; they deal with commentaries,
country studies, and other current issues.  He will also help people who want to
publish their own materials inexpensively and authors whose works have gone out of
print and invites anyone to create a CD containing favorite works or works on a
specific theme.    
       To purchase CDs visit the online store at http://store.yahoo.com/samizdat or
contact Richard directly by e-mail: seltzer@samizdat.com, by phone at 617-469-2269,
or by standard post at B&R Samizdat Express, PO Box 161, West Roxbury, MA
02132.
       Richard Says, "Enjoy.  Discover new worlds.  You now have access to
thousands of books.  Find gems in little-known works by your favorite authors.  Find
more in works
by authors that you never heard of.  And spread the word to your friends."


                   WHAT DOES IT MEAN TO BE LEGALLY BLIND?

                  by Valerie Ries-Lerman

      I've always wondered what others that are visually impaired feel about having
partial vision.  Do they think that other people understand?  Does the public have any
idea of how it affects their work, their social interactions, their home life?  What do
others think about how well they were prepared to deal with the issues that eventually
and inevitably arise?
       Personally, I was woefully unprepared to face the "real" world.  In the age of
the 60's, it seemed that everyone had other things on their minds rather than
attempting to understand the world we live in.  Of course there were attempts of sorts. 
I can remember being asked by a beach goer mellowing in the Santa Monica sands,
"Why are you wearing those coke bottles?"  Maybe I was missing something here. 
Was it my fault that I couldn't see?  
       Fortunately, though, no one explained to me that the world would see me as
unemployable.  My parents just casually stated one day near my eighteenth birthday
that as "legally blind" I was entitled to the check that they handed me from the Social
Security Administration.  The relief that my father felt was almost palpable.  I should
explain that it must have been very difficult to have a disabled child especially one
born prematurely and slated as "one not going to amount to much".
       Of course, I always felt "different".  At the age of 5 when my teeth were
growing in a little crooked after other little problems that seemed to add up to so
much, I remember thinking that my parents would possibly abandon me any day now. 
They hung in, but the closest we ever got to talking about my vision problem was in
discussing whether I should ride a bike.  It was finally decided that, if I followed
behind my brother's bike, I'd be okay.
       It's funny, but in spite of being in a classroom for the visually impaired, I
never saw a CCTV.  Moreover, there was never any discussion of career possibilities. 
I could see print when it was held close enough, but no one discussed with me the fact
that I'd be seen as odd because of the angle and direction I needed to hold things in
order to look at them, since my retina was off center.  Should I carry a cane?  How
did my vision differ from someone with 20/20 on the eye chart?  It seems rather odd,
in retrospect, that in the twelve years of what was considered to be an education for a
legally blind child, we never discussed these things.
      Now I have a job, a husband, and a college degree; but I still ask myself some of
the same questions.  How do we with low vision describe our vision?  What does one
say to the teenager who vocally protests, "Why are you carrying that cane?  You're
not blind!"  How do I explain to co-workers that partial vision means not only that I
see less than they, but it means that  I see differently.  We use more than just our
senses.  Where something might be readily apparent to someone with normal vision,
we use our intelligence, intuition and perception to put the picture together into a
cohesive whole.  Having good mobility does not mean that one can drive, or that one
can necessarily recognize an acquaintance when passing by on the street.  If that
person doesn't immediately identify himself or herself, it just might be the last time
the visually impaired person sees that individual when his or her greeting is not as
heartily or readily returned because of not having been recognized.  
      What is probably obvious is that we ought to attempt to seek to promote
understanding of visual impairment wherever and whenever we can.  But the question
I have is, does anyone actually care?  It seems that, if it is outside of a person's
normal awareness or understanding, that individual would rather not be bothered.  I
guess at times it's too much of a stretch to expect that the people in general would
alter their perceptions (or lack thereof) to look at things differently from what they
comfortably misunderstand.  For us to take that first step toward education is
sometimes difficult.  Do you find it easy to reach out to the public and bridge those
gaps of understanding?  I, for one, would like to try but somehow feel inadequate in
my attempts to do so.  Each of us has unique and interesting experiences to bring to
the table.  What I would like to explore is what we share as legally blind individuals
in our homes, in our workplaces, and in our communities.  We have our own set of
concerns that are different from those of persons who have no vision but are by no
means any less challenging.

  
                           AWARDS AND MORE AWARDS

                 by Roger Petersen, Chair, Awards Committee

       As usual at our Spring Convention Banquet, we presented a number of awards,
some from the Awards Committee and some from other committees.  The Publications
Committee presented their two writing awards for best Issue-oriented Article and best
Lifestyle Article.  The best Issue-oriented Article of 2002 was "California Sidewalks
Under Attack" by Dan Kysor.  The best Lifestyle Article was "Rescuing a Baby
Goose" by Evelyn Drewry.
       Besides giving 25-year pins to Rev. Gussie Morgan, Paul  Borelli, Coletta
Davis and Bonnie Rennie, the Membership Committee presented the award for the
most growth of a chapter to the San Mateo Council of the Blind and the Chapter of
the Year Award to the Silicon Valley Council of the Blind for its Braille Literacy
Project.
       The Awards Committee presented our usual pounds and pounds of plaques to
people and organizations that made important contributions to the community of
people who are blind and visually impaired.  We gave Merit Awards to our perennial
volunteers, Mary Lou Ruiz and Socorro (Pinky) Corral.  Another perennial volunteer,
Obbie Schoeman, was honored with a Humanitarian Award.  Two other Humanitarian
Awards were given to recognize a project at the San Francisco Department of
Veterans Affairs Medical Center.  This is a store which employs blind people under
the Javitz-Wagner-O'Day Program.  It provides supplies to the offices at the medical
center.  The awards went to the VA Medical Center and to George Camacho, a
procurement officer who facilitated this supply procurement arrangement in an
environment where the general trend is to allow federal employees to use credit cards
on the open market for supply purchase.
       Beryl Brown of the Redwood Empire Chapter won the CCB Community
Service Award for the excellent work she has been doing in the community, including
using her nursing background to build bridges of communication with the medical
professions.  Cathie Skivers accepted the CCB Distinguished Service Award for Carl
Augusto, President of the American Foundation for the Blind, who was not able to be
present.  She also presented the Legislator of the Year Award, which was received by
a staff member of the awardee, Assembly member John Dutra.  And while we had her
attention, we also inducted Cathie into the CCB Hall of Fame.
       Meanwhile, we are getting the names of the Hall of Fame members up on the
CCB website and collecting photographs and biographical material about them.  Also,
we are eagerly anticipating reading the ACB history to debut at the ACB convention
this summer.


                               BULLETIN BOARD

                          Compiled by Keith Black 
       
       Each section of "Bulletin Board" will be terminated by a line of asterisks. 
After the first item from a magazine is listed, subsequent items will be marked with a
single asterisk at the beginning of the paragraph. 
       Single Mingle: Would you be interested in getting to know other blind or
visually impaired singles?  Zena Reubel and I, Ardis Bazyn, are planning a "Single
Mingle" party at the fall convention.  Check the pre-registration for more information!

*****          *****           *****           *****
       From Dialogue Magazine, Spring, 2003: You can enjoy today's best-selling
books in easy-to-read  18 point large print.  Reader's Digest Partners for Sight
Foundation publishes Select Editions Large Type, a condensed reading series that
delivers six volumes of great reading right to your doorstep--one every other month.  
       This exciting reading series offers you the best in current fiction, romance,
mystery, biography and adventure--all by top authors you know and enjoy.  Each
volume contains up to two best selling books.  These selections are presented in large,
clear, easy-to-read type.  Soft-cover volumes are lightweight and easy to handle.  
       A one-year subscription costs $14.95.  A $5 donation will be sent to
Blindskills, Inc., publisher of Dialogue Magazine, for each subscriber who mentions
the code Dial 03 in his/her order.  Contact:  Select Editions Large Type, P.O. box
262, Mt. Morris, IL 61054; 800-877-5293.  
**     Innovation House has released the Luggage Locator, a two unit device that
allows you to find your luggage on airport carousels via sound.  The small receiver
connects to the handle of the luggage; the transmitter attaches to a key chain.  When
you push the button, the receiver attached to your luggage lights up and emits a shrill
beep or whistle.  The set sells for $25.95.  For information, contact Innovation
House, 1563 Afton Court, Sarnia, Ontario, Canada N7S 5Y3; 519-344-4071; or toll-
free 877-661-6660.  Fax:  519-344-7169; e-mail:  info@innovationhouse.com; Web
site:  www.innovationhouse.com.  
  **   If you are a handyman do-it-yourselfer who wants to talk to others via e-mail
who share your interest in home repair and improvement, the Handyman List may be
just what you need.  It's the place where visually impaired people gather to learn
about doing handyman projects.  To subscribe, send a blank e-mail to blindhandyman-
subscribe@yahoogroups.com.  

*****         *****          *****          *****
       From Matilda Ziegler Magazine, April, 2003: Chess for Beginners.  One of
the oldest games in the world, chess was played in ancient Asia and medieval Africa
before it became popular in Europe and eventually reached the United States.  It was
played by emperors and is played by children.  Hadley School for the Blind's new
course, "Chess for Beginners," is a way for blind and visually impaired people to
enjoy this wonderful game.      This free course teaches the basics of chess in
braille and on cassette, explaining how to recognize the chess pieces and how each
piece moves.  Strategies to help win are covered, and a quick reference guide lists
braille chess notation abbreviations.  The course is available to students who are
enrolled at Hadley.  To enroll, call Student Services at 800-526-9909.  

*****          *****           *****          *****
       From Matilda Ziegler Magazine, May 2003: Studio Recorder is a new software
package from the American Printing House for the Blind (APH) that makes it possible
to produce quality digital audio recordings of the spoken word.  Originally written for
use in the National Library Service's talking book program, the software contains
many features that make it easy to record, edit and proofread audio books.  Order the
CD-rom (catalog No. D-03600-00) for $200 from the APH Web site,
www.aph.org/tech.  Or, download a free demo of the program from that site.   


                     TECHTALK: TIPS FOR EFFICIENT E-MAIL

                               by Frank Welte
 
       An ever-growing number of vision impaired people are using e-mail as an easy
means of communication.  Unfortunately, e-mail, like any other communication
medium, has its pitfalls.  Your e-mail inbox can be flooded by spam, the electronic
equivalent of the junk mail that clogs your regular mailbox.  What's worse, a lot of
this spam is so disgusting that the Postal Service wouldn't deliver it if folks tried to
send it the old-fashioned way.
       Luckily, there are things you can do to can all that spam and to solve other e-
mail problems as well.  The following tips are for use with Outlook Express, the free
e-mail reading program that is part of the Microsoft Internet Explorer Web browser
which comes installed on most computers sold today.  If you are running a different e-
mail client, it probably has functions similar to those I describe below.
       E-mail Tip, Sorting Messages into Folders: Would you like to sort out
different kinds of e-mail into separate folders so you don't have tons of messages
filling up your Inbox?  Here's how it works.
       Outlook Express has a mail folder called Local Folders which contains several
sub-folders.  These include Inbox, the place where your incoming messages are stored
when you receive them; Outbox, where your messages are
stored after you have finished composing them and before they've been sent to the
Internet; Sent Items, which contains copies of all the messages you've sent to the
Internet; Deleted items, the place where messages from any other folder are sent when
you delete them; and Drafts, where messages
are stored if you have to interrupt work on them before you have finished composing
the messages.  You may create additional sub-folders to your heart's content either
under Local Folders or under one of your sub-folders.
       Go to Create a Sub-folder: 1. In Outlook Express tab to the Tree View, which
lists your various folders and sub-folders.  Select the folder to which you want to add
a sub-folder.
Usually, you'll want to create your sub-folder under Local Folders.
       2. Open the File menu by pressing Alt F.
       3. Select New, the first choice on the File menu.
       4. Select Folder from the sub-menu.
       5. Enter the name of your new folder; for example, billy-bob, and press Enter.
       Shortcut: Instead of going through all the menus, you can simply select the
folder to which the sub-folder will be related and press Control Shift E.  Then type
the new folder's name.
       You can manually move a message from any mail folder to any other mail
folder by using the following procedure.
       1. Select and open the message you want to move.
       2. Open the File menu.
       3. Select Move.  A dialog box will appear.
       4. Select the destination folder from the list of available folders shown in the
dialog box.  You can also use Windows' cut and paste feature to move messages
around in the same way that you can move files around in Windows Explorer.  For
example, I can open each of the messages from billy-bob@red.neck.com in my Inbox,
and I can move them to the billy-bob folder.
       You can avoid all this exhaustive message shuffling.  All you have to do is
follow the Rules, Message Rules, that is.  Message Rules, which other e-mail
programs may refer to as filters, are little programs that tell your mail program what
to do with messages automatically in certain situations.  For example, you could
set-up a Rule that would grab each message from billy-bob@red.neck.com when it
shows up in your Inbox and then automatically move the message to the billy-bob
folder.  This is a great way to sort out messages from particular mailing lists into
separate folders.  It's also a great way to cut down the amount of spam in your Inbox. 
Here's how you create a rule.
       1. Open the Tools menu by pressing Alt T.
       2. Select Message Rules by pressing R.
       3. Select Message Rules from the Message Rules menu.  The Message Rules
dialog box will appear.
       4. Your focus will be in a list box that shows the rules you have previously
created.  Since you probably haven't created a rule before, the list will probably be
blank.  This list will be important once you have set up some rules because you can
change a rule by selecting it and tabbing to the Modify button.  Since we want to
make a new rule, tab over to the New button and press Enter.  By the way, from here
we will work our way through several dialog boxes.  It's important that you don't use
the Escape key to exit these dialog boxes.  Pressing the Escape key will get you out of
the dialog boxes all right, but it will also cause you to lose the work you've put into
creating your new rule.
       5. Outlook Express will now present you with the New Rule dialog box.  It
contains two list boxes, two text boxes, and some buttons.  The first list box is the
Criteria list. The second list box is the Actions list.  the first Edit box is the Rule
Description, and the second Edit box is the rule name.
       A. In the Criteria List, you have the available criteria, things that will trigger
your rule such as incoming messages that are from a given e-mail address, or that
contain a given phrase in the subject line.  Select the particular criterion by arrowing
down to the desired item, and pressing the space bar. You can select more than one
criterion.  There's an accessibility problem here.  Selected items are indicated visually
by little check boxes which your screen reader may not see.  Don't worry, I'll tell you
in a moment how to verify that you've made your selections correctly.  In our
example, select "Where the from line that contains people".
       B. Moving on to the Actions List, you find a list of actions your rule can take
when the specified criteria are encountered, such as moving the message to a specified
folder, deleting the message, etc.  Once again, you want to arrow down to the desired
action and press the spacebar.  This list has the same accessibility problem as the
criteria list.  For our example, select "Move it to the specified folder".
       C. I mentioned earlier that message rules are little programs.  You'll see this
when you tab to the rule description edit box.  The selections you made in the Criteria
List and actions List have generated a little program that you can edit in the Rule
description.  The rule is mostly written, but you need to fill in some blanks.  Our
example rule is as follows: 
Apply this rule after the message arrives Where the From line contains people, Move
it to the specified folder.  You can see here that the criteria and action you selected
earlier were included in your rule.  Thus, if you fail to select a particular criterion, its
absence will be apparent in the Rule Description; and you can go back to the Criteria
List, and select the missing criterion.  
       To complete the rule you must change "people" and "the specified folder" to
the desired e-mail address and the desired folder respectively.  This task is a bit
tricky.  Rather than manually editing the rule, you must move your focus to the
generic placeholders "people" and "the specified folder" and replace them with the
desired information with the help of a couple of additional dialog boxes.
       Your cursor keys will act abnormally in this edit box so that you will need to
get used to their behavior in this particular situation.  First, press Control Home to get
your focus to the beginning of the rule.  Your screen reader may not automatically
read as you move along, so you'll have to use your Say Line command often.  Once
you are at the beginning, press your right arrow key until you get to "where the
subject contains "people" and press Enter.  This brings you to a dialog box where you
type in the e-mail address you are looking for.  Enter the address in the edit box and
click the Add button.  For multiple addresses remember to click the Add button after
entering each one.  Click on OK when you are done entering the addresses.  You are
back in the Rule Description edit box.  Again, use your right arrow key to get to the
"specified folder" placeholder, and press enter again.  This time Outlook Express
brings up a dialog box where you pick the desired folder from a list.  After you have
selected the folder and closed that dialog box, your rule should look like this.
Apply this rule after the message arrives Where the From line contains
'billy-bob@red.neck.com, move it to the billy-bob folder.  Of course you will have
different placeholders to fill in if you select
different Criteria and Action items.
       D. The last thing you need to do is to give your rule a name.  Our example
rule will be called Get billy-bob messages.  Click on OK to finish writing your
rule.  You will return to the original message rules dialog box.  Now, the list of rules
will show your new rule: Get billy-bob messages.  By default message rules run
whenever you receive new mail, but you can run the rules at any time by clicking the
Apply Now button in the Message Rules dialog.  This is a good way to test your rule
to make sure it works as expected.
       Finally, remember to close the Message Rules dialog by pressing OK.  If you
exit any of the rules dialogs by pressing escape, your changes won't be saved, and
you'll have to do them over again.
       If you want to stop receiving mail from a particular e-mail address, say a
spammer or some guy on your e-mail list who thinks it's his duty to tell you how to
organize your Inbox, you don't have to go to the trouble of making a message rule for
this purpose.  Instead, just add the offender to the Outlook Express Block Senders list. 
Here's how it's done.
       1. Select a message from the sender you want to block.
       2. Open the Message menu by pressing Alt M.
       3. Select Block Sender by pressing S.  A message box will appear informing
you that the message sender has been added to the Block Senders list and asking you
if you want all messages from that person removed immediately from your Inbox.
       5. If you want to start receiving messages again from that particular sender,
you can remove that address from your Block Senders list by selecting Tools, Alt T;
Message Rules, R; and then selecting Block Senders List.  A dialog appears with the
list of blocked e-mail addresses.  Find the address you want to take off the list, and
press Delete to remove it.


                                CCB OFFICERS

       (Editor's note: We are indebted to Bernice Kandarian who updates and corrects
the list of CCB officers and board members,  cluding the number of the term each is
presently serving and the years covered by that term.  We shall publish the list this
way at least in issues just preceding and following elections and routinely if members
wish.  The presence of an asterisk means that the individual served a partial term
before the first full term.)  

President, Jeff Thom (02-04, 1st term)
     7414 Mooncrest Way
     Sacramento, CA 95831
     916 429-8201 H
     916 341-8320 W
     <jsthom@attbi.com>

1st Vice President, Mitch Pomerantz (02-04, 1st term)
     1115 Cordova Street, #402
     Pasadena, CA 91106
     626 844-4388 H
     213 847-9124 W  <MPomerantz@mailbox.lacity.org>

2nd Vice Preesident, Ken Metz (01-03, 1st term)
     540 North Formosa Avenue
     Los Angeles, CA 90036
     323 931-3809 H
     323 295-4555 ext 255 W
     <kmetz@attbi.com>

Secretary, Ardis Bazyn (01-03, 1st term)
     500 South 3rd Street, # H
     Burbank, CA 91502
     818 238-9321
     <abazyn@earthlink.net>

Treasurer, Peter Pardini (*02-04, 2nd term)
     267 Cardinal Road
     Mill Valley, CA 94941-3618
     415 381-9211 H
     <peterpar@pacbell.net>

Immediate Past President, Catherine Skivers (2002-??)
     836 Resota Street
     Hayward, CA 94545
     510 357-1986 H
     <ccotb@earthlink.net>

                             BOARD OF DIRECTORS
Al Biegler (01-03, 2nd term)
     819 Colusa Street
     Chico, CA 95928-4116
     530 893-8840 H
     <albiegler1@juno.com>
Martin Jones (01-03, 4th term)
     730 Victoria Street
     San Francisco, CA 94127
     415 469-8048 H
     415 558-2489 W
Jane Kardas (*01-03, 2nd term)
     810 Maple Avenue
     Ukiah, CA 95482
     707 468-5510 H/Fax
     <janecalvert35@yahoo.com>
Rhonda King (02-04, 3rd term)
     4541 Cyclamen Way
     Sacramento, CA 95841
     916 349-9960 H
     <imjoking@earthlink.net>
Eugene Lozano, Jr. (01-03, 3rd term)
     4537 Sycamore Avenue
     Sacramento, CA 95841
     916 485-8307 H
     916 278-6988 W; <lozanoe@csus.edu>
Ahmad Rahman (02-04, 3rd term) 19616 Leapwood Avenue, Carson, CA 90746; 310
       327-0463 H, 
Barbara Rhodes (02-04, 2nd term) 6396 Tamalpais Avenue, San Jose, CA 95120; 408
       268-2110 H; <brhodes@pacbell.net>
Richard Rueda (01-03, 1st term) 1501 Decoto Road, #169; Union  City, CA
94587; 510 324-0418 H, <richr@surfside.net>
Frank Welte (02-04, 1st term) 1432 San Carlos Avenue, #6, San Carlos, CA 94070;
       650 508-8329 H; <fwelte@sbcglobal.net>
       * Served a partial term before first full term.

                           PUBLICATIONS COMMITTEE

Bernice Kandarian, Chair
       2211 Latham Street #120
       Mountain View, CA 94040
       650 969-3155
       bernice@tsoft.nett

Winifred Downing, Editor
       1587 38th Avenue
       San Francisco, CA 94122
       415 564-5798
       wmdowning@mindspring.com

Joan Black
       4925 Coke Ave.
       Lakewood, CA 90712
       562 630-2304
       kvblack@ix.netcom.com

Brian Hall
       5722 Abraham Avenue
       Westminster, CA 92683
       714 894-3497
       brianlhall@earthlink.net

Charles Nabarrete
       239 North Walnuthaven Drive
       West Covina, CA 91790
       626 338-8106
       charlesn@cuiab.ca.gov

Patty Nash
       901 Central Avenue, #C
       Alameda, CA 94501
       510 521-2042
       p.a.nsah@att.net

Richard Rueda, CCB-L
       1501 Decoto Road, #169
       Union City, CA  94587-3548
       510 324-0418
       richr@surfside.net

Catherine Schmitt Whitaker
       604 Camaritas Drive
       Diamond Bar, CA 91765
       909 861-2931
       clschmitt@csupomona.edu

Dan Kysor, Webmaster
       225 15th Street
       West Sacramento, CA 95691
       916 372-9869
       dan@kysor.net




