     



                         THE BLIND CALIFORNIAN



                      Quarterly Magazine of the 

                    CALIFORNIA COUNCIL OF THE BLIND



Spring, 2005, Volume 49, No. 2


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




                     Jeff Thom, President 
                          7414 Mooncrest Way 
                           Sacramento, CA 95831
                           916-429-8201 res.
                           jsthom@comcast.net 

                           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 . . . . . . . . . . . . . .1

PRESIDENT'S PAGE: A TIME 
     OF OPPORTUNITY, by Jeff Thom  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .2

TALKING ATM UPDATE, by Laoney Feingold . . . . . . . . . . . . .4

ARMCHAIR TRAVEL THROUGH THE MEXICAN 
     RIVIERA, by Jane Kardas . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .4

THE PRINCETON BRAILLISTS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .7

BULLETIN BOARD, compiled by Keith Black  . . . . . . . . . . . .7

IN MEMORIAM: SALLY MANGOLD, by Phil Hatlen . . . . . . . . . . .9

SUMMARY OF BOARD MINUTES, TELECONFERENCE CALL, 
     Dec. 8, 2004, by Ardis Bazyn  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12

SUMMARY OF BOARD MINUTES, TELECONFERENCE    CALL, 
     Feb. 2, 2005, by Ardis Bazyn. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13

PARTICIPATION THROUGH TECHNOLOGY: A PUBLICATIONS
     COMMITTEE UPDATE, by Bernice Kandarian  . . . . . . . . . 13

CCB SCHOLARSHIPS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14

 JAPAN DIARY: OCT. 7,15 2004, Part 2, 
     by Toni and Ed Eames  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15

VISUAL IMPLANTS FOR BLIND PEOPLE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18

LETTER TO THE EDIDTOR, by Ed Eames . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 21

NEW CALIFORNIA ACCESSIBLE PEDESTRIAN SIGNAL 
     MODIFICATIONS, by Eugene Lozano . . . . . . . . . . . . . 22

FROM THE CAPITOL: NEW LEGISLATION   
     2005-6, by Dan  Kysor . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 24

LIBRARY USERS BOOKS LIST, prepared by Doug Martin  . . . . . . 26

CCB OFFICERS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 27

CCB BOARD OF DIRECTORS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 28

CCB PUBLICATIONS COMMITTEE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .29 



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 

     Most of us human beings make mistakes sometimes; but usually
they are known only by a couple of family members, perhaps a few
friends, or a fellow office worker.  When an editor, however, has
an  error occur in the publication for which he or she is
responsible, even if the problem may not be one of  which the
editor had any knowledge, everyone everywhere knows of the error. 
This is my mea culpa letter to you all about the several faults
in the Winter issue of the BC.  
     Through my own carelessness, I spelled the names of Deborah
Thompson and Cecile Betts, contributors to that issue,
incorrectly.  In the braille issue of the magazine, somehow the
material that is usually on the back of the front cover wound up
on the front cover, and the essential identifying information
concerning that issue of the magazine was on the back of that
cover.  Braille Institute realized the error when half the copies 
had been mailed and called to know what we thought should be
done.  Since the Fall issue had had the same cover information as
the Summer issue, I guess we could have been tough about the
situation; but the waste of paper, the expense, the delay of
receipt of the revised issue, and the long-time happy association
we have had with Braille Institute, plus the confusion of having
some people receive two copies of the issue, argued for just an
explanation.  I did ask that the remaining issues to be mailed
would include a note on the matter.
     The fourth problem occurred in "Bulletin Board" where I
wrote an item about the Nemeth Universal Braille System and the
interest the National Braille Association has taken in its
development as an alternative to the Unified English Braille Code
for which the CCB and the ACB have had much criticism.  My little
entry was accompanied by the address of the NBA and the request
that people interested in further investigation of this system
would write to express that interest and perhaps to contribute a
little money toward the project.  Unfortunately, the address that
I gave was an old one, though I knew that only when my check was
returned.  The correct address is Angela Cofaro, National Braille
Association, 3 Townline Circle, Rochester, NY 14623.  Just as an
aside, I hope that all members who are interested in braille will
attend the BRL meeting on Friday, April 22 to see samples of the
Nemeth system.  There are going to be changes in braille; and
either we take an interest in determining what they will be, or
we shall have them imposed by braille publishers and the Braille
Authority of North America.
     What the various editing problems indicate is something I
have mentioned a number of times to our president and the
Publications Committee in the last two years: we need to be
grooming someone to take over the job of editing The Blind
Californian. A new editor would bring new ideas to the
publication and have relationships with people to write for it
who would also add a dimension of originality.    
     This is my tenth year as editor, and I have enjoyed the work
tremendously. I've had an opportunity to know a lot of CCB
members better and appreciate them more, and it's been very
satisfying to see the growth in skill of many of our writers. A
new editor would have these same pleasures and involve new people
in the magazine.
     To be the editor, an individual must like to write and enjoy
revising others' contributions when good grammar and clarity
demand revisions but with the intent of retaining each person's
individuality.  The would-be editor would need to have good 
computer and scanning equipment; and if he/she could not read the
screen visually, I think a braille display would be necessary to
have the degree of control required for the production.  Most of
all, he or she would have to be able to manage time so that
deadlines could be met.  For someone with full-time employment,
accumulating material well ahead of deadline would be a real
necessity to avoid a last-minute flood that would be hard to
manage along with a job.  I've been fortunate in this regard
because I've been retired.  
     So, Folks, consider this matter carefully and discuss it
with other members so that we can begin a resolution of this
matter.  I would start by forwarding a few articles to anyone
interested to see how that person liked revising and writing, and
there would be time to make an orderly change in the whole
process. I look forward to your suggestions.
     The next deadline is June 1, 2005.


             PRESIDENT'S PAGE: A TIME OF OPPORTUNITY

                          by Jeff Thom 

     Perhaps the only constant in our world is change. It is,
therefore, possible that some of my dire forebodings discussed in
this article are just short-term glitches. Who's to say that some
amazing technological breakthrough will come along in 10 years,
reducing the cost of everything we produce, and enabling our
economy to soar through the stratosphere.  Salaries, tax
revenues, and social programs could all be positively impacted;
and the world would look a good bit rosier than it does today.
The premise of this article, however, is that such a glorious
event will not occur.
     From my perspective, at least, we are living in rather bleak
times. The world is always unstable, but the threat of world
terrorism lends a new and fearful element to the mix. Despite the
fact that economy may be turning around (we hope on a long-term
basis, but who knows), the value of wages for younger workers is
declining markedly over what it was for workers entering the
labor market a generation or even 10 years ago. Whatever your
views on the war in Iraq, it is an indisputable fact that it has
played a large part in creating the largest deficit in our
history. Moreover, there is little reason to expect a reduction
in military expenditures in the near future. With respect to tax
increases, the political climate in both Washington, D.C. and
Sacramento makes it almost a certainty that there won't be any in
the current year. Any longer-term predictions about tax increases
must, in my view, be made with a fair amount of caution, given
the unpredictability of events at home and abroad, not to mention
the always fascinating institution of American democracy.
     With military expenditures on the rise and federal and state
tax increases an unlikely event, the potential funding outcome
for social programs, including those of importance to the blind
and visually impaired, is not a bright one. In fact, Bush
Administration budget proposals on Medicaid, California's version
of which is the Medi-Cal program, rehabilitation services,
housing, and many other programs of importance to us, along with
the expected plan to modify Social Security laws, suggests that
lean times may be ahead.
     California, like most states, doesn't have the means to fill
in the gap for any lost federal revenues. At last report, state
tax revenues did appear to be higher than expected, but this
upswing is not likely to be sufficient to end the state's budget
woes. In addition, it's becoming more difficult than ever to
obtain introduction and enactment of state legislation. Anything
that even hints of having a cost is likely to meet an untimely
death.
     So where is all this opportunity that I refer to in the
title of this column? Well, perhaps a rather commonplace
illustration will begin to make the point. I am not always as
informed about the day-to-day events of my daughter's Girl Scout
troop as I ought to be, but my wife, Leslie, makes sure to keep
me informed. Having started out as Brownies four years ago with
the same group of girls, the annual Girl Scout cookie drive is a
major event. Andy's troop had always done fairly well, but they
were never able to be the top selling troop in the district. This
year the girls were especially pessimistic, more so than Leslie
could ever remember. They knew other troops had up to three times
more girls and their own interest was flagging. These were,
indeed, bleak times.
     Yet, somehow, they overcame the adversity. When the dust
settled, they ended up being the top selling troop in the
district. The point, of course, is that out of adversity came
success. The opportunity to make something meaningful out of
climbing the mountain is surely greatest when you're all the way
at the bottom.
     Do we have the capacity to make an impact on our state and
national leaders? There is no doubt in my mind that we do. Will
we accomplish the task? Only time will tell, and it will
certainly take far greater effort from a lot more people than has
been demonstrated in recent years. The stakes are high, but that
only means that the victory will be sweeter if we can attain it.
     It's all up to us.



                       TALKING ATM UPDATE

     Talking ATM machines are not just for banks anymore.   7-11,
Walgreens, and others have hundreds of accessible ATMs across the
country. 
     Just over five years ago, there were no Talking ATMs in the
United States.  Today, there are tens of thousands of the
accessible machines; and significant numbers of them are in
convenience, drug, and grocery stores.  In addition, there are
thousands of other free standing Talking ATMs at college
campuses, airports, subway stations, hospitals and all kinds of
non-bank locations from Massachusetts to California, Alaska to
Florida, and every state in-between.   
     7-11 convenience stores and Walgreens drug stores each now
have over 500 Talking ATMs in stores nationwide.  Those who can't
read an ATM screen can use the Talking ATMs simply by inserting
into the audio jack on the machine any standard 3.5-millimeter
mini-plug headset, such as those used with portable electronic
devices like CD and MP3 players and radios.  Once the headset is
plugged in, information and instructions for using the machine
are delivered privately.   
     Grocery stores across the country are also offering Talking
ATMs as a service to their customers.  Some of the chains with
this technology include Bi-Lo in the Southeast, Publix in
Florida, Dominick's in Illinois, Royal Farms in Maryland, Safeway
in California, and Harris Teeter in North Carolina. 
     Some of the Talking ATMs in retail stores have been
installed by banks that also have Talking ATMs in their branches.
Bank of America, Wells Fargo, Bank One, Sovereign Bank, and Union
Bank of California are among the banks with Talking ATMs in a
wide variety of non-banking locations.
     Other free standing Talking ATMs in non-banking retail
locations have been installed by ATM manufacturers, such as
Triton Systems of Long Beach, Mississippi.  Triton left little
doubt that Talking ATMs are here to stay when it announced in
October, 2004, that all its ATMs are talking, including its ultra
low priced machine that sells for less than $3,000.  
     For additional information about Talking ATM locations
across the country, please contact Lainey Feingold or Linda
Dardarian.  Since 1995, Feingold, a Berkeley, California,
disability rights lawyer, and Dardarian, an Oakland, California,
civil rights lawyer have represented organizations and individual
members of the blind community in efforts to obtain Talking ATMs
and ensure that financial institutions maintain accessible Web
sites and effectively communicate other visually-delivered
material, such as bank statements.  
     Lainey Feingold, Law Office of Elaine B. Feingold, 1524
Scenic Avenue, Berkeley, CA 94708; (510) 548-5062
mailto:lfeingold1@earthlink.net


           ARMCHAIR TRAVEL THROUGH THE MEXICAN RIVIERA

                         by Jane Kardas 

     If you've never before been on a cruise, come along with me
to the Mexican Riviera.
     On September 22, 2004, Barbara Kron and I set sail on a 10-
day cruise to the Mexican Riviera. I had done some research to
see what might be the best cruise coupled with the best fares for
the two of us; and after checking out the cruise recommended by
the American Council of the Blind, as well as the California
Council, we realized that we would save a considerable amount of
money if we sailed directly out of San Francisco, thus
eliminating the cost of a round trip plane ticket to Long Beach
to join the cruise. We understood that both organizations would
have made a profit if we had chosen to leave from Long Beach, but
the out-of-pocket expense was too significant.
     Traveling from my home in Ukiah and Barbara from her   home
in Windsor required considerable planning. Barbara had checked
into a special bus that we could take from the Santa Rosa
airport. This bus would take us directly to our ship, the
Sapphire Princess on its maiden voyage from San Francisco to the
Mexican Riviera. The Sapphire Princess holds a crew of 3,770 and
2,670 passengers. You can imagine that, with the ship's  length
of 954 feet, it was not difficult for Barbara and me to get lost.
However, it became a standing joke with the rest of the
passengers, when they ran into us, to say, "It looks like you are
lost, too".   It was a consistent dilemma for all aboard.
     We had decided that, rather than eat all our meals with the
same people, we would choose a dining program which was known as
"anytime dining". We allowed ourselves two meals per day, either
breakfast and dinner or lunch and dinner, for one has to keep
one's waistline in mind! I must say that we met some very
interesting people at mealtime. It was great to find out all the
different places people had traveled from and to discover what we
had in common with other passengers.
     On our second night aboard the ship, the couple sitting
across from us at the dinner table noticed Barbara's cane and
spoke of a special friend of theirs. The totally blind gentleman
they were refering to was Michael Hingson, who, along with his
guide dog, Roselle, had come safely down from the devastation of
the twin towers on September 11, 2001. The couple had been driven
to the ship by Mr. Hingson's fully sighted, but paraplegic wife,
Karen. Michael is currently a spokesperson for the Guide Dog
School for the Blind in San Rafael, California. Can you imagine
the odds that we would sit near them on such a huge ship? As a
matter of fact, we never dined with the same person twice.
     We stopped at several ports along the way. The first was
Catalina Island off the coast of Southern California. We put a
great deal of thought into our shore excursion. We chose a
walking tour called "Avalon by Foot." The "Adventures Ashore"
booklet noted that the tour involved moderate exercise and had
frequent stops. Unfortunately, and to our astonishment, the tour
guide (who was an independent contractor) refused to take Barbara
and me along because of our visual disabilities. He obviously had
never heard of the Americans with Disabilities Act. When we
returned to the ship, we had a discussion with the person in
charge of tours about the incident; and our money was promptly
returned. Despite this change in plans, we independently strolled
through the streets of Catalina. I purchased a windbreaker
jacket, and we enjoyed a delicious ice cream.     Our next stop
was Puerto Vallarta, Mexico, where we were transferred by bus to
the "Dolphin Encounter." In contrast to our previous tour
experience, the treatment we received here was excellent. The
dolphin trainer advised the group not to touch the dolphin's
sensitive eyes or blowhole. We were concerned that maybe we
should not continue this activity since our visual impairments
might cause us to accidentally touch these sensitive areas.  We
suggested that perhaps we should not participate after all, but
the dolphin trainer insisted that he could guide us through the
process without injury to these magnificent mammals. We got into
a separate salt water pool from the rest of the group to receive
individual attention.
     During the incredible half hour we were in the pool, the
dolphin obtained many fish rewards. You could definitely sense
the trust and attachment between dolphin and trainer. We had a
wonderful and successful encounter and left with a photo of
ourselves being kissed by the dolphin. Incidentally, the tour
symbol (which indicates the skill level needed for involvement of
the activity) was the same as that for the walking tour in which
we had not been allowed to participate! 
     Our third destination was Mazatlan, where resides a family
whom I had known for many years. This family and I had become
quite close, as they visited me when I had my large home on the
coast in West Marin, California. When we arrived in Mazatlan, we
quickly discovered that it is not what you know in Mexico,  but
whom you know. As we were searching for a cup of coffee and
planning for a 10 a.m. departure to meet our friends, I was
approached in the dining room by a gentleman who said, "I know
who you are, you're Jane!" I was astounded and puzzled. He took
Barbara and me to the boatyard where we were greeted by not only
our friends, Ana Belen and her mother-in-law, Toy Prunada, but
also by a uniformed gentleman who was the Port Authority for all
of Mazatlan. We all transferred into his van and were taken to
our friends' private vehicles. Next, we were driven to their home
in the hills of Mazatlan which  provide a spectacular view of the
ocean and rocks below. Here, we were at last served coffee and
cake. For lunch we dined at the family-owned hotel followed by
some serious shopping at the local boutiques with our friends to
interpret. We got back to the ship just in time for fine dining
and meeting new acquaintances.
     The next port was Cabo San Lucas where we took a tour of a
glass blowing factory that was hotter than Hades inside! An
obnoxious tour guide led us through the factory where we watched
workers hand blow Margarita glasses for export. Afterward, we
stopped in several upscale shops and then back to the ship once
again for marvelous onboard entertainment.
     Our last stop was San Diego where we decided to stay on the
ship and treat ourselves to a massage, shampoo, and blow dry. In
other words, we pampered ourselves that very last day. While the
ship was in port, these services were substantially less
expensive. The next day, we awoke to find ourselves back in San
Francisco with wonderful memories of our incredible adventure on
the high seas. 
     If you are planning a cruise, I highly recommend traveling
to the Mexican Riviera aboard the Sapphire Princess. One note of
advice, however: do some serious investigating about the cost of
onboard health services. For a minor health accident aboard the
ship, I not only paid the $100 for onboard insurance and deal
with a rude doctor, but was also charged nearly $200 for the
health services I received. These charges were automatically
drawn from my credit card and, despite all my efforts, I have
been unable to have the charges credited back to me. Beware of
the fine print!


                    THE PRINCETON BRAILLISTS

     Maps of California: Maps of California contains 19 maps. The
initial maps provide an overview of the state. These maps are
followed by 6 maps on specific topics: rivers, cities, mountains,
highways, parks and counties. All the information is combined in
subsequent maps of Northern, Central and Southern California.
About 275 cities are shown and are indexed at the end of the
volume. Enlarged views of San Francisco, the Los Angeles area,
San Diego and Yosemite National Park are also included. The maps
are detailed and many have fold-out sections or appear on facing
pages.
     Experience with tactile drawings is highly recommended.
Places on the maps are generally labeled with two key letters
taken from the corresponding place name. These key letters are
identified in key pages that precede each map.
     Maps of California is a single volume with 84 pages and 19
maps. It is bound with cardboard covers and a multi-ring binder.
Cost: $15.00. Shipping is by free mail for the blind unless other
arrangements are made. To order, please send check or purchase
order to 76 Leabrook Lane, Princeton, NJ 08540;

(215) 357-7715 or: (609) 924-5207. Credit card and fax service
are not available. Please allow 4 weeks for delivery.  


                         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.
     There is a new source for information for the visually
impaired.  It is a new publication called "Connections" and is
produced by Meagan Green.  The publication offers classified ads
of businesses and products for the visually impaired as well as
other information. Subscriptions are free, and the publlication
is available .  It is available on cassette tape, computer disk,
and via e-mail.  For a answers to questions or to subscribe,
contact the editor, Meagan Green at mnoel71@juno.com

*****          *****          *****          *****
     From The Matilda Ziegler Magazine, December 2004: Support
Group.  Macular Degeneration Support (MD Support), a worldwide
nonprofit service organization, offers three videos to help
people cope successfully with losing central vision:  "The
T.A.S.K. of Living with Central Vision Loss", $30; "Macular
Degeneration, The Inside Story", $35; and "Learning to Live with
Low Vision, A Journey Through Rehabilitation", $25.  Fully
narrated for visually impaired people, the series explains the
symptoms and treatment of diseases leading to vision loss and
blindness and offers practical advice on assistive equipment,
orientation-and-mobility training, finding support groups, and
more. MD Support was founded in 1995 by Dan Roberts, who is
visually impaired.  Its work is guided by a 12-member
professional advisory board comprised of leading doctors,
rehabilitation specialists and social workers.  Visit their Web
site: www.mdsupport.org, send e-mail to director@mdsupport.org,
or write to MD Support, 3600 Blue Ridge, Grandview, MO 04030.
   *Audio Rarities.  Hours of rare historical recordings are
available on tape or CD from Michael Horan.  His eclectic
collection includes World War II news, Hitler and FDR, JFK's
assassination, and 9-11, as well as recorded music by Caruso,
Cantor, Jolson and others, Fifties rock, and Sixties folksongs.
Mr. Horan will copy cassette tapes, records, and open-reel tapes
onto CD.  Contact mch8151@usadatanet.net or call 1-845-462-0830.
    *Jumbo Braille.  Norma Schecter seeks people who normally
read jumbo braille to evaluate "Spatial Braille," a new method. 
Call 1-714-536-9666 after 9-00 a.m. Pacific time, or write to her
at 8432 Northport Drive, Huntington Beach, CA 92646.

     From Dialogue Magazine, Fall 2004: If you're still using
your venerable old Optacon, you'll likely be interested in an
e-mail list for Optacon users.  The Optacon (Optical to Tactile
Converter) is arguably the most enduring piece of assistive
technology still in use.  It allows the user to feel printed
text, transmitted one character at a time, to a vibrating array
felt by the index finger.  To subscribe to the free list, send a
blank e-mail to:  optacon-l-request@freelists.org
and put the word subscribe in the subject field.
    *The recently released DVD of "The Passion of the Christ"
includes a descriptive narration track, according to the
Descriptive Video Service.  The narration track includes an
English translation of the Aramaic language used throughout the
film. A male narrator describes the actual events in the film
while a female narrator reads the English subtitles.  The DVD is
available at any retail outlet that sells DVD's or online via
Amazon and elsewhere.
    *If you're looking for a recipe but you can't find it in your
preferred format, a new free recipe location service may be able
to help.  Maureen Pranghofer will locate recipes and provide them
to you in braille, tape, computer disk, large print or via
e-mail.  Contact Maureen Pranghofer, 4910 Dawnview Terrace,
Golden Valley, MN 55422; call 1-763-522-2501; e-mail
maureensmusic@comcast.net.
    *Blind-Counselors is an e-mail list for those who are blind
and have a career in professional counseling, social work,
psychology, family therapy, or other social service professions. 
List members exchange information, network, find mentors, and
discuss the challenges and rewards of being both blind and a
mental health professional.  To subscribe, please send a message
to blind-counselors-subscribe@topica.com.  Address any questions
to the list owner at cdbroome@worldnet.att.net.


     
                   IN MEMORIAM: SALLY MANGOLD

     (From Christophe Gray, President of the American Councilof
the Blind:)
     Sally Mangold is a name of particular interest to
Californians, but also to anybody who loves braille in this
country and to educators around the country and beyond. She had
been battling leukemia  for some time, and has now passed away.
Below is a note about her from Phil Hatlen, a person perhaps even
better known to ACB members since he spoke to ACB in Houston as
Superintendent of the Texas School for the Blind in 2002.

     I received word on Saturday that Sally Mangold died.  The
full weight of this news is beginning to sink in, and I want to
write a few words now.  I met Sally, and her husband, Phil, in
the spring of 1955.  The three of us were students at San
Francisco State, all wanting to be teachers of blind children.
Sally and Phil were both blind themselves. For 50 years we have
maintained a close friendship that only the three of us fully
understood.  I would do anything for them, and they for me. We
loved one another in a very special way.  We had not only grown
old together, we had shared a passion for our profession that was
deep and nurturing.
     A year ago, I had the privilege of introducing Sally at the
Migel Award ceremonies in San Francisco.  Several times during
this past year, Sally would call to give me news about the SAL,
her very special project. Then, I was privileged, along with a
lot of other people, to hear Sally keynote the APH conference
last October.  She and I had several conversations in Louisville,
times that I now treasure more than anyone can imagine.  When I
heard that Sally was gravely ill, I called and talked to her.  In
her usual manner, she was upbeat and certain that her inclusion
in a trial at the UCLA Medical Center would be the answer to her
illness.  Later I talked with Phil who was also upbeat about
Sally's future.
     And now she's gone, and I've lost another peer colleague.
It's an entirely different feeling when a mentor dies--Such
mentors represent an earlier generation, and one assumes he will
outlive his mentors.  Now it's time that I recognize that my
generation of colleagues is dying, and that is a very sobering
and sad thought.  My friend Karen called to give me the news of
Sally's death.  When we finished our conversation, Karen said "I
love you, and if I never have a chance to say it again, I'm glad
I could do it now."  I'm glad I told Sally that I loved her the
last time I talked with her.
     For many years, there was an office at San Francisco State
University that housed Sally, Pete Wurzburger, and me.  Tonight I
called Pete, who already knew about Sally's death.  Pete, who is
80 years old, has his aches and pains; but he sounds strong and
vital.  I said "Pete, I love you" before I hung up, because maybe
I won't get another chance to tell him.
     Below are my words about Sally when she received the Migel
Award from the American Foundation for the Blind.

                  FOR MY FRIEND, SALLY MANGOLD
                   From Phil Hatlen

(To the tune of" Daisy, Daisy)
Sally, Sally, give me your answer, do
I'm half crazy, is it Grade 1 or 2?
It won't be a simple answer
But I know what you say will be true
Braille will prevail
It will not fail
And it's all because of you.
     There are so many dimensions of Sally Mangold that I hardly
know where to begin, what to stress, and what to leave out.  I
think, Sally, my friend, that I'll talk for a few minutes about
three aspects of you. 
     I wonder if all of you know that Sally, her husband Phil,
and I began in this profession at the same time.  The three of us
were among the first teachers of visually impaired children in
local schools. We were a part of a tremendous evolution of
services during the second half of the 20th century, and we have
remained close, loyal, and loving friends for many years.
     Why does Sally deserve the Migel Medal?  Well, first of all,
she was one of the most successful, inspired teachers I have ever
known.  Throughout her years as a teacher in the Castro Valley
Schools, Sally developed a reputation that resulted in visitors
from all over the world coming to the programs that she and Phil
had developed in Castro Valley.  I remember talking to Sally at
some point about summer school.  She told me that she was going
to teach living skills that summer.  I asked her what she
intended to teach.  She said that she would be asking the parents
of each child what skill in independent living they would like
their child to learn, and that was what she would teach.  Imagine
that? Asking parents what they wanted their child to learn-
-educators never did that!  But Sally did, for she was always far
ahead of others in her approaches to education.  Sally, the true
master teacher of children, I salute you!
     Then there is Sally the Innovator.  As a professor at SFSU,
she was imaginative and creative in her approaches to providing
future teachers with not only skills and knowledge, but with
pride and passion.  It was hard for any student in her university
classes to resist the excitement Sally had for her profession and
to know that they owed it to Sally to share their skills with
blind and visually impaired students.  I'd venture to say that
there is no one in the world who is better known for her
knowledge and skill in teaching braille than Sally.  In the
summer of 2002, I attended her session at a world-wide conference
in Holland and watched a roomful of mesmerized teachers from
dozens of countries who knew they were in the presence of a
giant.
     That brings up something else about Sally the Innovator.  I
suggest to you that Sally is the most dynamic, inspirational, and
knowledgeable speaker in our profession today.  I have heard her
give presentations several times in recent years, and I still
find myself challenged, invigorated, and uplifted every time I
hear her.  Has any of you ever heard Sally give a dull and
uninteresting speech?  She is truly amazing!
     A teacher, a professor, a motivator, and what else?  There
is not a teacher in the U.S., and maybe not one in the world,
that doesn't know about Educational Teaching Aids, the company
that Sally and Phil co-founded many years ago and that continues
to grow and flourish.  Look at the catalog of this company, and
count the number of products that Sally and Phil themselves
invented or developed.  I especially enjoyed Phil's publication
entitled "The Pleasure of Eating".
     So, Sally, you are or have been a teacher, a professor, a
motivator, and a business owner.  But wait, there's one more
Sally I want you to know, the Sally that I treasure the most-
-Sally the Friend.
     As we grew up together in our profession, Sally, Phil, and I
were never very far apart, either geographically or in our
fondness for one another.  Sally and Phil settled into a large,
comfortable house in Castro Valley, the perfect house for quiet
gatherings and noisy parties with friends.  I spent many evenings
with a few close friends at this home, eating, drinking, and
enjoying good company.  I also spent many wonderful times at
noisy, crowded parties at the home of Sally and Phil. Both of
them are musicians, and nothing pleased them more than to arrange
a small pick-up band and spend an evening making music.  The only
thing they let me play was the gut-bucket, and Sally kept telling
me not to play too loud!
     SFSU students looked forward to end-of-year parties with the
Mangolds, and they were never disappointed!  I looked forward to
just being with them, where love and friendship enriched my life.
     Sally, you are being honored tonight for your many
significant accomplishments in your profession.  You have brought
the beautiful world of literacy to countless children, and your
example as a teacher has brought joy and fulfillment to many,
many blind and visually impaired persons.  But I also honor you,
my friend, for the joy and fulfillment you have added to my life. 
I treasure our friendship, and my life is so much richer for
knowing you and Phil.



           SUMMARY OF MINUTES FOR TELECONFERENCE CALL
                           Dec.8, 2004

                         by Ardis Bazyn

     Jeff Thom gave a brief update on the situation regarding the
parents with the newborn baby. Peter reported briefly on the
budget. Revenue, less expenses, was $62,204 to the negative. Most
of this deficit was caused by the vehicle donation program being
behind in projections. Net convention expenses were $42,000 for
the year. Wong and Associates will have an audit report before
the end of the year. 
     The Board agreed to send eight CCB members to the ACB
legislative seminar. Jeff announced the chair and members of the
ad hoc Leadership Committee. Ardis Bazyn will chair and Mitch
Pomerantz, Rhonda King, Nellie Emerson, and Winifred Downing will
be the members of the committee. The Board approved that prices
for meal functions at the spring convention should be $20 for the
luncheons, $25 for the Presidents' Dinner, and $30 for the
banquet. The Board also agreed to reimburse those who could not
eat in the luncheon area and requested it. 
     The Board voted to send a letter stating that CCB did not
currently want to join with a national endeavor to rate
procedures and systems for voting. The Board voted in favor of
having CCB promote a scholarship raffle in which 600 tickets will
be sold for $20 each. The Board also approved CCB participating
in a fund-raising donation program with a Club card. Other fund-
raising ideas were discussed: jackets with logos, a golf
tournament, payroll deductions, grant booklets, etc. Someone in
the Valley is willing to donate a tandem bike. 
     Guide Dog Day and Capitol Day will be held immediately
before the spring convention in April. 


           SUMMARY OF BOARD MINUTES FOR TELECONFERENCE
                       CALL, Feb. 2, 2005

                         by Ardis Bazyn

     Gabe Griffeth and Louis Preston were welcomed, since it was
their first board meeting. A brief treasurer's report was given.
At the end of 2004, revenue was $372,502 and expenses were
$452,502 leaving an $80,000 deficit. 
     The Board approved a policy that refunds for tickets
purchased for the convention should be refunded as long as the
refund is requested 24 hours or more in advance of the function.
The CCB convention committee recommended that volunteers who work
for at least four hours have their hotel parking fee refunded. 
Also, CCB will cover the cost of muffins and coffee for the
Friday morning meeting and snacks for the evening session of the
Resolutions Committee. 
     The Board approved of CCB's providing an exhibit table for
the Oakland Lions Blind Center at the spring convention. The
lowest bid for 100 braille brochures was $200 from the Braille
Institute. CCB will check what the cost would be if more were
purchased. The Board approved the purchase of 100 nondescribed
videos and 50 described videos of CCB from Wrap-Up Productions,
which had the lowest bid. Peter said he could make copies of the
DVD format if necessary. 
     The Board approved that CCB will host a breakfast at the ACB
national convention in Las Vegas so that members can ask
questions of the candidates  running for various offices.  The
Board voted that CCB will donate $500 to the Respectability
Conference to be held in Sacramento on May 23-24, 2005, in order
to provide accessibility to print materials. The last few months
CCB vehicle donations have been down by 50 percent. Letters have
been sent to estate planners to interest them in suggesting CCB
to their clients.  
     Richard Rueda is taking the position of rehabilitation
counselor at the California School for the Blind in Fremont. The
RSA cuts in funding and the closing of many regional offices 
were discussed.   
     The contract for the fall, 2005, convention is almost ready
for our signature. It provides for a full menu, rather than a
limited one. 


               PARTICIPATION THROUGH TECHNOLOGY: 
                A PUBLICATIONS COMMITTEE UPDATE 

                      by Bernice Kandarian

     In an organization like CCB, full participation requires
keeping up with the publication, The Blind Californian, and other
sources of information such as the California Connection.
Ideally, attendance at conventions is very desirable; but many of
our members find it challenging to participate fully in the
organization, especially to spend the admittedly significant
amounts of money to attend conventions.   Can technology help
with this challenge?
     The Publications Committee of CCB has some suggestions.  If
you have access to the Internet, as more and more blind and
visually impaired people do, you can take  part in all the
activities with the help of computer technology.
     Let's first suppose that you want to read The Blind
Californian; however,  you want not only to read it from
beginning to end, but to search it and read it selectively.  You
can receive it by e-mail in a text form that you can save and
search.  You can also read it on the Web.  If you want to
subscribe to the list through which you can get the BC by e-mail,
send a blank message to
blindcalifornian-subscribe@yahoogroups.com.  The Web version of
the BC is available on the CCB Web site, www.ccbnet.org.  And the
web version of the BC has a new wrinkle that will make it easier
to read selectively.  With expert help from Julie Cantrell of our
Orange County Chapter, we have put "named anchors" in the text of
the Web version of the BC and made the Table of Contents entries
into links; so you can find an article you want to read in the
Table of Contents, press Enter, and be magically transported to
the article.  Let us know how you like this feature.
     You can also receive the California Connection by e-mail, in
case hearing it on the telephone doesn't suit you.  To subscribe
to the Connection, send a blank message to
ca_connection-subscribe@yahoogroups.com.
     Now, though, comes the tricky part.  How can you use
technology to attend conventions?  For years, it has been
possible to get tapes of convention sessions from the office, and
it still is possible, but now, with the advent of Web audio, you
can listen to convention sessions on the Web, either live as they
happen, or at your convenience after the convention.  Find out
about your computer's capabilities with respect to audio
streaming because more materials from conventions are being made
available all the time. As we have seen with experiments at ACB
conventions with real-time e-mail, this could be a first step
toward the eventual availability of interaction with the
convention by people who are not physically present.  So far,
however, the convention audio on the Web has been used very
little; we need to hear from members about how we can help them
realize the potential of this technology.  Perhaps the Technology
Committee can assist us.
     Yes, we know that computers are expensive, but they are less
expensive and more useful all the time.  Sighted people spend
lots of money on cars; in some ways, your computer will be able
to take you more places than a car could.  Just wait and see!


                        CCB SCHOLARSHIPS

     Now available: CCB Scholarship Application for 2005-2006
academic year. Available at the CCB Web page www.ccbnet.org  or
send an E-mail request to
ccotb@earthlink.net  or call the CCB office at 510-537-7877, Fax:
510-537-7830 or Toll Free: Monday - Friday 10 AM to 4 PM
1-800-221-6359
or write to the following:
California Council of the Blind
578 'B' Street
Hayward, CA 94541-5004
Applications are due by June 15, 2005.


              JAPAN DIARY, OCT. 7-15, 2004, Part 2

                      by Toni and Ed Eames

     (In Part 1 of this article, which appeared in the Winter
issue of the BC, Toni and Ed wrote of their trip to Japan as
invited guests of the Japan Assistance Dog Partner conference. 
Here is the continuation of their story.) 
     Sandra described the t-shirts worn by many guide dogs. 
Human shirts were put on the dogs and tied to make them fit. 
Apparently this practice cuts down on unwanted dog hair floating
around.
     The parade route, about eight blocks long, took us to a
castle now used as a museum.  When we arrived, we found ourselves
in crowds of people celebrating a noodle festival.  Dozens of
stands were set up, but we were unable to learn how one would
know one preparation from another.
     Devon and Toni chose not to fight the crowds.  Eddo wanted
to see the castle but was told he couldn't come in with Latrell. 
When Jill, Lisa, Gillis and Janice arrived, they convinced the
guard to allow the dogs to enter.  Toni was glad she hadn't
accompanied us because there were extremely steep stairs
throughout the castle.  We invested in a plate of noodles, but
they were awful!
     After our return to the hotel, Toni opted out of the evening
trip to a pub.  At the pub, the groups were self-segregating and
very little interaction occurred.  Looking back, Ed regrets that
he didn't make more of an effort to circulate.
     The group returned to the hotel around nine, and Toni helped
Jill sort, wrap, and label gifts.  We had learned that, though
tipping is unheard of, it was customary to give small gifts to
those who assist us, so we prepared gifts for Moto, Mayumi, Miki,
the bus driver, and the Japanese panelists.  We combined our
gifts, which included Canadian pins and flags, so that each
person received mementos of our training programs.  
     Tuesday, Oct. 12:  Back in the Opera House, we reveled in
Eddo's hour-long keynote speech.  He also looked great, wearing a
suit and tie for the entire conference.  Our group again watched
and listened to the proceedings from our private dressing room.
     Lunch was once more sandwiches, after which we paraded on
stage to serve on a panel with Japanese assistance dog partners. 
There was a deaf couple who worked with one hearing dog, a
wheelchair user with a service dog, and two blind men with guide
dogs.  The discussion centered on several themes.  There is now a
law in Japan recognizing the right of a disabled person to be
accompanied by an assistance dog, but there are no penalties for
those public entities that do not obey.  Most of the audience
favored education rather than punishment.  On our team, Allen and
Janice also felt that education would do the job!  
     The other big discussion centered on the disabled person's
responsibility to clean the hotel room of dog hair before
checking out.  A non-disabled member of the audience said we
should be grateful that a hotel allows us to stay; that view
stimulated much talk about civil rights, not gratitude.  Toni got
a laugh when she stated that her luggage was heavy enough without
having to carry a vacuum cleaner!  Some Japanese guide dog
partners said they were taught to carry a roll of tape to pick up
dog hair, but we wondered how they would know where the dog hair
was.
     A Canadian man married to a Japanese woman was distressed by
the Japanese policy of having to certify his dog before he had
access rights and could get into the housing he wanted.  His
guide dog, trained by Pilot Dogs in Ohio, was not eligible for
immediate certification because Pilot Dogs is not a member of the
International Federation of Guide Dog Schools.  His retired guide
would be considered a pet, so he was barred from the condo
community he sought.  If we had wanted to stay in Japan visiting
or sightseeing after the quarantine, our school, Guide Dogs for
the Blind in San Rafael, would have to have worked with a
Japanese guide dog school to certify Keebler and Latrell as
legitimate guide dogs.
     With little time to rest back in the hotel, we dressed for
that evening's charity ball.  Eddo wore a tuxedo, Allen his Naval
dress uniform;  and most of the women wore long dresses. 
Communication opportunities were again limited, so some of our
group didn't arrive in the ballroom at the dot of seven.  From
what we observed, the Japanese were very time conscious.
     Allen, Sandra, and the two of us entered the room of 400
people lined up clapping and bowing to us.  It was a fancy affair
with a giant dog ice sculpture and flower arrangements on every
table.  Again, there was little interaction with the others at
our table because of language barriers.  Devon, however, sat next
to an Australian man who seemed to dote on her throughout the
evening, attention for which she received a great deal of ribbing
the next day.  
     Following many speeches, we went up on the stage requiring
Allen's being lifted by four men.  We were introduced and each
had the opportunity to thank everyone for this incredible trip.
     There was enough variety of food for us to enjoy the meal. 
One funny communication issue, though,  really made us laugh; for
when the waiter asked Toni what she wanted to drink and she asked
for Bailey's Irish Cream, she received vanilla ice cream!  The
evening ended with a banzai ceremony where everyone threw both
arms in the air three times calling out "banzai."  As our group
left the room, the guests again applauded making us all feel very
special and respected.
     Wednesday, Oct. 13:  It was necessary to have all the
luggage ready and downstairs before leaving so we had breakfast
in the room.  The bellhops, usually tiny women, 5 feet tall and
weighing about 80 pounds, hefted the heavy luggage without a
groan.  Everyone in our group wanted to help, but these sturdy
women don't need assistance!
     Back in the Opera House, we did demonstrations of the work
done by guide and hearing dogs.  Cajun again delivered an
outstanding singing performance.  On the two previous days, an
English speaker typed Miki's translations for Janice and Jill to
read on a screen.  No provision was made on this day, so Devon
jumped in and did the typing.
     The audience numbered around 250, mostly students; and the
panel discussion consisted of their questions.  The program was
over by noon; and we said goodbyes to Miki, the translator, and
the volunteers whom Moto had engaged.  Stuffed back in the micro
bus, we stopped off at the hotel to pick up the luggage and were
then on our way to Tokyo.   The ride was smooth until we hit the
outskirts of the city, where the slow-moving traffic reminded us
of the Long Island Expressway in New York.  That night, the hotel
was impressively huge.  Sandra described it as posh on the
outside, but somewhat shabby within.  The hotel didn't want us to
use the grass in the vicinity, so we had to find some bushes out
back.  
     Thursday, Oct. 14:  Our morning meeting was at the Ministry
of Health where we talked with the chief officer.  We were able
to discuss with him, and later with other politicians, our
thoughts about freedom of choice and movement.  In all the
government buildings as in the Opera House, there were tactile
floor markings to guide blind travelers to doors, elevators,
bathrooms, etc.  These raised lines reminded us of railroad
tracks, but we didn't find them particularly helpful.
Maybe with training, they would have had more meaning, but the
dogs treated them like things to be avoided.  What we did
appreciate were the truncated domes indicating stairs, ramps and
street crossings.  With blended curbs, these were good warnings
of crossings.  Almost every streetlight had an audible bird
signal, which we felt was less helpful, preferring 
the audible ones announcing in words the street and
direction about to be crossed.  In spite of all this
accessibility for the blind, there was no braille in buildings
and hotels for  elevators and floor indicators.  We wonder how we
had coped before the ADA.  With touch sensitive buttons in the
hotels, it was difficult for us to be independent.  
     In another government building, Moto wanted to show us the
traditional cafe.  To his surprise, the cafe had been modernized;
there were wax replicas of the food, so that one would know what
to order.  
     The Japan Guide Dog Association is composed of eight of the
nine guide dog schools including guide dog partners.  The 9th
school, Eye Mate, is associated with Seeing Eye and is unwilling
to join this coalition; but we couldn't ascertain why.  Language
and cultural barriers prevented a meaningful discussion of the
pros and cons of the medical model followed in Japan. 
Apparently, disabled people seeking service dogs must be
evaluated by a team of occupational and physical therapists and
doctors to determine what tasks a dog could and should perform
and what training program would be approved.
     For our flight home, business class was not available for an
upgrade, so we were offered the five center seats in the bulkhead
row.  Generally, we don't like bulkhead seating, but it was roomy
enough for the three dogs and the three of us, and the 10-hour
flight went by quickly. We had had a great opportunity and
enjoyed our experiences.  Our core group of eight had been
cohesive, warm, considerate, and helpful to one another.  What's
next, folks?  Where should we go?



                VISUAL IMPLANTS FOR BLIND PEOPLE 
          Interview with Robert Greenberg, M.D., Ph.D.,
                    President of Second Sight

     Visual Implants for Blind People, 12/6/2004; "Knight
Danielle, * Oregon Disabilities" 
      Beck: Hi Dr. Greenberg. It is so exciting to meet you and
to tour your facility.
      Greenberg: Hi. Dr. Beck. It's a pleasure to have you here. 
      Beck: Let's start with a little biographical information
about you, so the readers will know who you are, and then we'll
get to the very exciting work you're doing here.
     Greenberg: Sure. I went to Johns Hopkins and did my M.D. and
Ph.D. graduate training there.  I was originally involved with
electrical engineering. I finished my Ph.D. in biomedical
engineering and graduated from medical school in 1998. After
completing my education, I went to work for the FDA, evaluating
medical devices. My doctoral dissertation related to the
theoretical analysis of electrical stimulation of the retina.
Soon after that, early in 1999, I was asked to join Second Sight,
and I thought it offered an amazing challenge and opportunity,
and here I am!
      Beck: And can you please tell me a little about the origin
of Second Sight?
      Greenberg: Sure. Second Sight was incorporated in 1998 and
was founded by Alfred Mann, the founder of Advanced Bionics--one
of the leading companies in cochlear implants.
     Beck: I had the honor of meeting and interviewing Dr. Mann a
few years ago through Advanced Bionics. I suspect much of the
foundation upon which the Second Sight technology is based, has
to do with cochlear implant technology developed through Advanced
Bionics?
     Greenberg: Yes, the technology, research and collaboration
with Advanced Bionics helped immensely with our Model 1 implant. 
     Beck: Would you please tell me a brief overview as to what
you're doing and creating in these labs?
     Greenberg: Our mission at Second Sight is to restore vision
in patients blinded by outer retinal degenerations, such as;
macular degeneration and retinitis pigmentosa (RP). There are
some 3 million people with macular  degeneration and about 300
thousand with RP in the western world, with more or less intact
optic nerves and severe retinal damage. The RP people tend to go
completely blind, and people with macular degeneration tend to
lose their central vision while maintaining their peripheral
vision, although there are exceptions.
     Beck: Can you please describe the Second Sight device for
me?
     Greenberg: Sure, much like cochlear implants, we're going
through development and generational changes. But the first
device was based on the Clarion cochlear implant. We modified the
electronics a bit, and then designed an entirely new flat, two
dimensional electrode array, designed to sit on the retina,
rather than within the cochlea. The first unit had 16
 electrodes, and we had to design a tool the width of a human
hair, to secure the device to the back of the eye. In the first
photo, you can see the electrode as it would be placed on the
retina. If you look carefully you can even see the 16 electrodes.
     Beck: That is very impressive. So you essentially have a
non-functioning end organ, in other words, the retina is not
working, and then you have an intact optic nerve, and the
electrode sends an electrical signal to the nerve cells within
the retina and the optic nerve, and you get a visual image?
     Greenberg: Yes, we're stimulating nerve cells within the
retina, which then stimulate the optic nerve. So in that respect,
it's the same as the cochlear implant.
     Beck: And the unit receives its signal from what appears to
be a camera mounted within a set of eyeglass frames. And the
implanted electronics are located in the mastoid? And why did you
start with 16 electrodes?
     Greenberg: The 16 electrodes was the starting point because
that's what was available through Advanced Bionics and because we
were able to leverage the Advanced Bionics technology, and we
soon became the leaders in the field. That was the first
generation, we have developed it quite a bit past this, but
here's another illustration, which helps explain what you just
described. You can see in the photo below that the "communication
point" between the implanted and the external equipment is about
the same location as the implanted components of a cochlear
implant. Of course there are differences as well as similarities
between the two systems. For example, the retina is mapped in two
dimensions, whereas the cochlea is mapped in one.
     Beck: And both senses have end-organs that are
topographically oriented too.
     Greenberg: Sure. However, another difference is the cochlea
is a very high frequency system, it works rapidly, and responds
to the tiniest temporal cues. The visual system is much slower,
and miniscule timing events are of less consequence with respect
to vision.
     Beck: What is the "target" with respect to the number of
electrodes?
     Greenberg: Excellent question. We started with 16 for the
reasons noted above, and we originally thought 1000 was the goal.
In other words, 1000 pixels really looked quite good to our
"normal" eyes, so that became the theoretical target for a while.
...  But frankly, 16 looks very good to our blind patients, and
maybe the best number will turn out to be 256. It's a little too
early to really know the answer, but the current target is in
the hundreds. The patient with 16 electrodes can move their heads
around a little, which enhances the image. They can identify
large letters and they can tell the difference between a cup, a
plate and a spoon. So it's pretty crude vision at the moment, but
I believe it's going to improve rapidly; even this crude vision
appears helpful to completely blind people.
      Beck: I suppose "neural plasticity" represents a major
opportunity for your device?
     Greenberg: Yes, it certainly does. Currently, none of our
patients has taken the device home. They have the implant, but
they just wear the external device here in the lab. So we don't
really know how much adaptation will occur, or how quickly.
     Beck: I am surprised to hear that. I assumed they were
wearing the device at home, much like our cochlear implant
patients did in the early days before the FDA approval? In fact,
if cochlear implant patients had only worn the devices in the
lab, we might not have gotten out of the lab. As it can easily
take a few days, weeks or months of daily use to really obtain
good sound quality, and to recognize the sounds as meaningful
words, music, and parts of speech.
     Greenberg: I agree, that's an important milestone and we're
just about to start letting them take the external unit home.
     Beck: So this will get even more exciting as the subjects
get more experience with the device. I suspect the goals and
expectations will change as the device improves?
     Greenberg: Yes, in fact, in some respects they change all
the time. At first the goal was an awareness of light versus
dark, or figure versus ground, and then discriminating between
same versus different. But in the future, maybe one day it'll be
watching CNN or driving a car! I know one common desire the
patients express is seeing their grandchildren! We haven't yet
really discovered the outer limits, so it's hard to define
reasonable expectations. Other than to be very cautious and very
conservative as we step towards our goal of restoring sight to
the blind.
     Beck: I agree, you really want to under-promise and
over-deliver as best you can. That too, is analogous to cochlear
implants. In the early days we talked about the primary benefit
being environmental sound awareness, and at this point, the vast
majority of newly implanted people terrifically exceed that, and
they can chat on the phone, and participate fully in most
conversations. So "reasonable expectations" have evolved over
time! What is the current FDA status?
     Greenberg: We have two FDA clinical trials underway. One is
a long term clinical trial with 6 patients, and then we have a
short term study underway too, and that one is evaluating the
next generation device. We're hoping to do a multi-center trial
in the next year or two. As of this moment, the Doheny Eye
Institute at USC is the only center working with us, and several
of the scientists and physicians that worked with me at Johns
Hopkins were recruited by Doheny, and they are among the best
retinal surgeons and scientists in this field.
     Beck: Dr. Greenberg, my recollection was that the first
visual implant was done in concert with three surgeons. An ENT
surgeon, a retinal surgeon and an oculoplastic surgeon?
     Greenberg: Yes, that's right it was a team of surgeons. But
for the second generation, it'll just be the retinal surgeon and
all of the electronics will be located within the eye itself.
     Beck: Things are changing very quickly for visual implants
and Second Sight. This is very exciting, thanks for allowing me
to visit with you, and I am so grateful for your time.
     Greenberg: Thanks Dr. Beck. It's wonderful to share our
progress with you, and I'm grateful for your continued interest.



                      LETTER TO THE EDITOR

                           by Ed Eames

Americans with Disabilities Act Advisory Council, 
Ed Eames, Ph.D., Chair 
Marilyn Jost, Vice-Chair 
3376 N Wishon, 
Fresno, CA 93704; 
e-mail: eeames@csufresno.edu 
December 19, 2004
Dear Editor,
     I wish to call the attention of your readers to a current
pedestrian safety issue.
     As is true in most states, the California Department of
Motor Vehicles has developed a manual for potential drivers and
for those required to re-take the test in order to update their
drivers' license.
     The manual contains information about guaranteed pedestrian
right of way for blind and visually impaired pedestrians
partnered with guide dogs or using a white cane.  However,
material from the manual related to this issue rarely appears on
written examinations.  In California, only one out of 400
questions deals with blind pedestrian safety.  Since 20 questions
are randomly selected from the pool of more than 400 available,
the question appears only on one out of 20 tests.
     Backed by the mayor and Fresno City Council, we approached
the Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV) with a request that more
pedestrian safety questions be added to the pool from which the
written test is derived.  Recognizing the validity of the
request, the DMV has committed to writing more questions on
pedestrian safety, and also has guaranteed that one question on
blind and visually impaired pedestrian right of way in crosswalks
will be included in every future written test.
     I recommend that a similar effort be undertaken in every
state to raise awareness of pedestrian safety concerns.  As right
on red, left turn lanes, shortened pedestrian walk time at major
intersections and traffic ambient timed signals have become
incorporated into traffic engineering patterns throughout the
United States, crossing streets has become a more and more
dangerous endeavor!

          Sincerely,
          Ed Eames, Ph.D., Chair



              NEW CALIFORNIA ACCESSIBLE PEDESTRIAN 
                      SIGNAL SPECIFICATIONS

                        by Eugene Lozano

     Earlier this year, the State of California, Department of
Transportation, published the Manual on Uniform Control Devices
(MUTCD) 2003 California Supplement with an effective date of May
20, 2004. The supplement contains new specifications for
accessible pedestrian signals, which are enhancements to the
Accessible Pedestrian Signal provisions found in the Federal
Highway Administration's Manual on Uniform Traffic Control
Devices (2003) Edition.  Both Federal and State APS provisions
are to be followed by traffic engineers when considering the
installation of these devices along state and local roads.  What
is to follow are excerpts from the MUTCD 2003 California
Supplement that will be of interest to Accessible Pedestrian
Signal Advocates and Professionals who work with persons with
visual impairments.
     Introduction: "This Manual on Uniform Traffic Control
Devices (MUTCD) California Supplement is published by the State
of California, Department of Transportation, and is issued to
prescribe uniform standards and specifications for all official
traffic control devices, in accordance with Section 21400 of the
California Vehicle Code."
     "Federal Highway Administration's Manual on Uniform Traffic
Control Devices (2003 Edition), as amended by this MUTCD 2003
California Supplement is hereby adopted as the standard for all
official traffic control devices, in accordance with Sections
21350 and 21400 of the California Vehicle Code.  The MUTCD 2003
Edition and the MUTCD 2003 California Supplement supersede and
replace the 1996 Caltrans Traffic Manual, as amended, and all
previous editions thereof." 
     CHAPTER 4E. PEDESTRIAN CONTROL SIGNALS- Page 4E-1: The
following is added to this section: 
     Standard: Signal design shall provide for or prohibit
pedestrian movements. 
     Section 4E.06 Accessible Pedestrian Signals: The following
is added to this section:
     Option: New signalized intersections and planned upgrades to
signalized intersections that are equipped with pedestrian
crosswalks as well as the following characteristics may be
considered for accessible pedestrian signals when the need and
viability are confirmed by an engineering study: a) Intersections
near blind centers and senior centers b) Transit terminals c)
T-type intersections d) Wide intersections e) Intersections with
unusual geometry f) Skewed intersections g) Mid-block crosswalks
h) Intersections with exclusive phasing i) Intersections with
leading pedestrian intervals j) Intersections with frequent side
street calls, and k) Intersections with high turning volumes.
     Option: The installation of Audible Accessible Pedestrian
Signals may be considered when an engineering study and
evaluation have been conducted and the following minimum
conditions have been met:
a) The proposed intersection crosswalk must be signalized. b) The
audible devices should be retrofittable to the existing traffic
signal hardware. c) The signalized intersection should be
equipped with pedestrian push buttons. d) The selected crosswalk
must be suitable for the installation of audible signals, in
terms of surrounding land use and traffic patterns. e) There must
be a demonstrated need for the audible signals in the form of a
request from an individual or group that would use the audible
signal. f) The individual or group requesting the device should
agree to train the visually impaired users of the audible
signals.
     Guidance: If the "Cuckoo" /"Peep-Peep" walk sound is chosen,
the audible devices selected should emit a "Cuckoo" walk sound
for North-South direction and a "Peep-Peep" walk sound for a
crosswalk in the East-West direction.
     Standard: The tone of the walk signal shall not be similar
to the pushbutton locator tones. 
     Section 4E.101 Financing Standard: The cost of installing
Audible Pedestrian Signals shall be shared with the local agency
in the same manner as a traffic signal.  See Section 4B.104. 
     Section 4B.104 Financing, Page 4B-2 Guidance: Unless
previously budgeted, the financing of a project should be
considered only after receipt of the PS&E Report and cooperative
agreements.
     Support: Normally, the costs of a new traffic signal or the
modification of a signal or signal system are to be shared with a
local agency.  
     Option: In situations where a new traffic signal or a
modification to an existing traffic signal or traffic signal
system is urgently needed to improve safety or traffic flow on
the State highway and the local agencies are unable to finance
their prorated share of the cost, the State may accept a lesser
participation, or even no participation, by the local
authorities.  Standard: The definition of "urgently needed" shall
be made by the Department of Transportation's District Director.
The cost of small projects, such as modifications to existing
traffic signals (detectors, signal heads, mast arms, etc.), where
the prorated share of the local agency is $3,000 or less, shall
be at 100% State expense.


            FROM THE CAPITOL: NEW LEGISLATION 2005-6

                     by Dan Kysor, Director 
                    CCB Governmental Affairs

     Well, I cannot believe that this begins my 8th year with
this fine organization.  What a ride it has been and yes, at
times, a roller coaster!
     It was an extremely proud moment for me when  Senator Sheila
Kuehl applauded the great diversity of CCB during our scholarship
presentation at our last convention banquet.  Increasingly, CCB
is being called upon by industry, government and advocacy
organizations to provide input as the state's largest blindness
advocacy organization.
     Recently, we were invited to be panelists on a state senate
elections information hearing exploring early voting and voting
at home.  I could give many other examples of this kind.
     The new year brought a flurry of activity at the state
capitol and an entire set of new legislation which may or may not
impact us.
     CCB will be introducing two "committee" bills this year. 
Although numbers have not yet been assigned, these bills are
non-controversial.  The Senate Committee on Human Services is
introducing a bill which would require that blindness agencies
receiving funds from the Department of Rehabilitation have at
least 20% of their boards of directors  comprised of blind or
visually impaired persons.  California already has a law
requiring that  50% of independent living center boards be
composed of persons with disabilities.
     Our final bill is being carried by the Senate Committee on
Utilities and Commerce.  The bill would extend the sunset for the
Deaf and Disabled Telecommunications Program; we have several
programs that are affected ranging from the telephone access
program to the telephonic reader program.
     Other legislation of interest: AB 768, by Joe Nation
pertains to Touch-screen devices. It would require an existing 
touch-screen device that provides either personal or publlic
information and is accessible by the general public be equipped,
on or before an unspecified date, with the necessary technology
to enable a visually impaired person to use the device.  The bill
is sponsored by the NFBC.
     AB 897 by Joe Coto is concerned with mathematics in braille. 
School districts and special education local planning areas
(SELPAS) would have to provide opportunities for pupils to learn
the Nemeth code, also known as the braille math code, in order to
study the mathematics necessary to pass the high school exit
examination and the course in algebra required for graduation
from high school. In addition, the State Board of Education would
need to ensure that pupils with visual impairments are given the
same opportunities to learn mathematics as pupils who are not
visually impaired. This is another NFBC bill.
     AB 20 by Tim Leslie would require a waiting period before a
disabled person could sue a business for violation of reasonable
accomodations under the ADA.  Currently, this is an empty bill,
but it is felt that the author will add details very soon.
     Special access liability is the subject of SB 855 by Charles
Poochigian.  The bill would establish notice requirements for an
alleged aggrieved party to follow before bringing an action
against a business for a violation of the provisions.  It
requires that party to provide specified notice to the owner of
the property, agent, or other responsible person where the
alleged violation occurred. A response would have to be
forthcoming in 30 days with a description of the improvements to
be made or provide a rebut to the allegations.
     Tom Torlakson's bill, Sb 522, would require vendors
operating or maintaining vending machines on designated state
properties to ensure that 50% of the foods and beverages offered
in the machines meet accepted nutritional guidelines.  Vendors
would have to provide to users upon request information    about
the nutritional values of the foods and beverages sold by the
machines and would have to observe  strict requirements before
any change could be made in the foods or beverages dispensed.  
     AB 462 by Van Tran concerns transportation. Existing law
requires the Department of General Services for the purpose of
ensuring access and use by persons with disabilities
to issue a written approval before a contract can be awarded
where state funds are used for specified buildings or facilities
or where funds of counties, municipalities, or other political
subdivisions are utilized for the construction of specified
educational buildings or facilities. This bill would require the
Department of Transportation to certify projects to ensure access
and use by persons with disabilities for all facilities located
within the state highway system rights of way. It is to take
effect immediately as an urgency statute.
     SB 986, as introduced by Escutia would revise the definition
of "employment purposes" to require that, when the consumer
credit report or the investigative consumer report is used for
employment purposes, the information must be directly related to
the skills necessary to perform the job.
     AB 63 by Audra Strickland would establish, within the
Department of Housing and Community Development, the Elderly and
Disabled Persons' Revolving Home Improvement Loan Program. The
program would provide grants to local public agencies or
nonprofit corporations to make available no-interest home
improvement loans to qualified low- and moderate-income elderly
and disabled individuals to assist them with daily activities and
prevent injury, thus allowing them to remain safely in their own
homes. The bill would establish the Elderly and Disabled Persons'
Revolving Home Improvement Loan Fund in the State Treasury.
Moneys in the fund would be available, upon appropriation by the
Legislature for expenditure by the department for the purposes of
the program.


                    LIBRARY USERS BOOKS LIST

                     prepared by Doug Martin

     At its luncheon during the fall CCB convention, guests spoke
about their favorite books, always a much-anticipated feature of
CALUA meetings.  Many thanks to Doug Martin for taking the names
and looking up the ordering numbers.
Joyce, Brenda: House of Dreams, rc 53854 also available on
     Bookshare
Robb, J.  D.: Reunion in Death, rc 54061
Robb, J.  D.: Ceremony in Death, book number in process
Collins, Wilkie: The Moonstone,  rcf 05027--Russian,  also bra
     04866,  bh 02842, rc 21677
Lamb, Wally: I Know This Much Is True, rc 46124
Lamb, Wklly: She's Come Undone rc 36063
Stwertka, Albert: Guide to the Elements, br 14718
Clancey, Tom: The Bear and the Dragon, rc 50854
Lowell, Elizabeth: (trilogy) Untamed, rc 36345;  Forbidden, rc
     40626;  Enchanted, rc 41747
Brokaw, Tom: The Greatest Generation, br 13580, rc 47490
Jennings, Peter: In Search of America, rc 54926
Grisham, John: The Last Juror, br 15333 rc 57381
Cook, Robin: Seizure, br 14869, rc56496
Chaucer, Geoffrey: Canterbury Tales, br 13235, br 00466, rc
     20461
Booth, Martin:  The Industry of Souls,  br 12843
Heller, Jane: Sis Boom Bah, br 12408
Weaver: Donald F.:  Epilepsy and Seizures: Everything You Need to
Know, br 14055
Ivins, Molly:  Shrub, rc 49822
Ivins, Molly: Bushwhacked, rc 57075
Grisham, John: Street Lawyer, br 14903, rc 45550
Whittemore, Hank and Caroline Hebard: So That Others May Live, rc
40971
Waller, Robert: Old Songs in a New Cafe, br 10236, rc 41192
Waller, Robert: Border Music, br 09879,  fd 39875, rc 39875
Hillenbrand, Laura: Seabiscuit, br 14930, rc 51968
Michalko, Rod: The Difference that Disability Makes, br 14770, rc
     56208
Cornwell, Bernard: Sharpe's Rifles (lots of Sharpe's books but no
     rifles in nls catalogue.)
Taylor, Jeffrey: Siberian Dawn, rc 50417
Baricco, Alessandro: Silk, wa-bph (cba 7200), Seattle Washington
     Talking Book and Braille.
Kingsolver, Barbara: Pigs in Heaven, br 09239, fd 35911, rc 35911
Robbins, Tom: Villa Incognito, br 14868 and Bookshare.  (I think
     the correct spelling is Incognita, but the NLS catalogue
     uses an o)
Eugenides, Jeffrey: Middlesex, rc 54934
McCall Smith, Alexander: The No.  1 Ladies Detective Agency, rc
55503
Wolff, Tobias: This Boy's Life: a Memoir, rc 30165
Palmer, Michael: (author recommended in general, 8 books (rc) in
     NLS collection)
Kellerman, Jonathan: Bad Love, fd 37809, rc 37809
Agatha Christie: many books; Murder on the Orient Express,
Grafton, Sue: Q is for Quarry, br 14355, rc 54825
Roberts, Nora: Tears of the Moon, rc 50766
Roberts, Nora: Jewels of the Sun, rc 49482

                                CCB OFFICERS

       (Editor's note: We are indebted to Bernice Kandarian who
updates and corrects the list of CCB officers and board members,
including the number of the term each is presently serving, the
year elected to that term and the year next up for election. 
Terms actually begin on January 1 following election.  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 (04-06, 2nd term)
     7414 Mooncrest Way
     Sacramento, CA 95831
     916 995-39     67 
     jsthom@comcast.net
1st Vice President, Mitch Pomerantz (04-06, 2nd term)
     1115 Cordova Street, #402
     Pasadena, CA 91106
     626 844-4388 H
     213 847-9124 W  
     MPomerantz@mailbox.lacity.org
2nd Vice President, Ken Metz (03-05, 2nd term)
     1965 South Sherbourne Drive, #1
     Los Angeles, CA 90034
     310 559-0170 H
     323 295-4555 ext 255 W
     kenmetz@comcast.net
Secretary, Ardis Bazyn (03-05, 2nd term)
     500 South 3rd Street, # H
     Burbank, CA 91502
     818 238-9321
     abazyn@earthlink.net
Treasurer, Peter Pardini (*04-06, 3rd 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 

Jerry Arakawa (03-05, 1st term)
     11180 Orville St.
     Culver City, CA  90230
     310 398-7004 h
     jarakawa@comcast.net
Al Biegler (03-05, 3rd term)
     819 Colusa Street
     Chico, CA 95928-4116
     530 893-8840 H
     aljobiegler@juno.com
Gabe Griffith (04-06, 1st term)
     200 Bicentennial Circle, # 229
     Sacramento, CA 95826
     916 383-4741
     gabe@griffith.net
Jane Kardas (*03-05, 3rd term)
     810 Maple Avenue
     Ukiah, CA 95482
     707 468-5510 H/Fax
     janecalvert35@yahoo.com
Rhonda King (04-06, 4th term)
     4541 Cyclamen Way
     Sacramento, CA 95841
     916 349-9960 H
     imjoking@earthlink.net
Eugene Lozano, Jr. (03-05, 4th term)
     4537 Sycamore Avenue
     Sacramento, CA 95841
     916 485-8307 H
     916 278-6988 W 
     lozanoe@csus.edu
Louis Preston (04-06, 1st term)    
     17129 Antonio Avenue     
     Cerritos, CA 90703-1006
     562 404-7935
     lpreston@csulb.edu
Barbara Rhodes (04-06, 3rd term) 
     6396 Tamalpais Avenue 
     San Jose, CA 95120 
     408 268-2110 H 
     brhodes@pacbell.net
Richard Rueda (03-05, 2nd term) 
     1501 Decoto Road, #169 
     Union  City, CA 94587 
     510 324-0418 H 
     richr@surfside.net

                         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
Cecile Betts,
     952 Avenida Carmel, Unit A
     Laguna Woods, CA 92637
     949 586-2957
     cecebetts@fea.net
Evelyn Drewry
     1455 Royal Vista Drive
     Ramona, CA 920065
     760 789-6479
     mixed.up@cox.net
Brian Hall
     5722 Abraham Avenue
     Westminster, CA 92683
     714 894-3497
     brianlhall@earthlink.net
Daveed Mandell
     1921 Francisco St., Apt. 7A
     Berkeley, CA 94709-2105
     510 665-9260
     daveedm@sbcglobal.net 
Louis Preston
     17129 Antonio Avenue
     Cerritos, CA 90703
     562 404-7935
     lpreston@csulb.edu
Bonnie Rennie
     1719 West Olive Avenue
     Fullerton, CA 92833
     714 870-9135
     eal727200@aol.com
Richard Rueda, CCB-L and BC Email Edition
     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


