I have a theory about changes that have taken place and part of it is that as
business and other systems like government agencies increase in size, and
bureaucracies increase in complexity, services become more fragmented and
impersonal. People on the Jaws users' list have been complaining about the
quality of technical support that has been provided lately. They forget that
Freedom Scientific swallowed up Window Eyes, merged with some other
international technology assistive corporations, and is now Vispero. Did they
expect the same friendly little tech company that they first encountered 30 or
more years ago? I sort of gently pointed this out and no one responded to my
point, that this is happening all over. I didn't bother using the term, "late
stage capitalism". The young blind people are accustomed to the world as it is
now. Additionally, they have been taught that there is this thing called,
"disability rights". They think that they are entitled to it by virtue of their
existence. They don't understand that power can just take away from them,
something that they've always assumed was their's forever. The folks on the
BARD Talk list are the same. They complain when there are no new books for a
few days. They complain when the download speeds are slower than usual. It
never occurs to them that people in power can take stuff away from them. They
don't remember what things were like before. They also think that blind people
are a superior group of recipients of public services. The fact that other
people are losing services and rights, is irrelevant to them. Somehow, they
think, it can't happen to us. It's true that in the past, blind people were
treated as if they were special. Rules for them in relation to receiving social
security disability benefits were more lenient than for other disabled groups.
But I'm not sure they even realize that.
Miriam
-----Original Message-----
From: blind-democracy-bounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx On Behalf Of Carl Jarvis
Sent: Saturday, August 17, 2019 3:17 PM
To: blind-democracy@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
Subject: [blind-democracy] Re: Mustafa
Yesterday, Friday, August 16, 2019, our new contract showing it began on July
1, 2019, arrived via email. It was only a mere 46 days late.
Just a simple message: "Please review, sign and return as quickly as possible."
In my life as a blind man, 1965-2019, I have seen services for the blind go
full circle from careless and indifference to indifference and careless. And
saddest of all is the lack of outrage by the Service Providers.
Back in 1965 I was 30 years old, and full of energy. But at 84 I am not so
fast to head out the door waving my flag and shouting my Cause.
I'll continue protesting from my office computer, but that only brings replies
from other old timers.
When I stepped out of leadership roles in the WCB, I said it was up to the next
generation to determine their fate. So be it with the quality of services now
being delivered...or not being delivered.
Carl Jarvis, just sitting around bitching and enjoying life.
On 8/17/19, Miriam Vieni <miriamvieni@xxxxxxxxxxxxx> wrote:
A lot of humidity here too, like 89%. Very uncomfortable. But it
hasn't been hot for the past several days. You're lucky to be capable
of walking, something I can barely do. Also, you have someplace
beautiful to walk. One of the things I'm grateful for is that I
traveled to so many interesting places while I still had some useable
vision and could walk. By the way, did the state ever send you your contract
for this coming year?
Miriam
-----Original Message-----
From: blind-democracy-bounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx On Behalf Of Carl Jarvis
Sent: Saturday, August 17, 2019 11:07 AM
To: blind-democracy@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
Subject: [blind-democracy] Re: Mustafa
Back in the 1960's, when I embraced Full Gospel Religion...or whatever
"Born Again" folks called themselves, the approach toward '"spreading
the Good News", was aggressive, unrelenting and repetitious. It was
embarrassing to me, and eventually it was a piece of what drove me
away from religion. I see that I also have another message from
Mostafa this morning. He is on a religious mission, and there is
nothing we can say that will prove to him that his overbearing
approach will turn more people away, than it will "enlighten" them.
But his emails are easily handled, and are not nearly as irritating as
the Sex Spam I must delete every morning.
Of course I never open any of these pesky notes, and from time to time
I do look at Mostafa's ramblings. And I usually wind up asking
myself, "Self, why do you read this man's babble? He is incapable of
carrying on a conversation."
We've had interesting weather in August. From the mid eighties, it
has turned cool with morning fog that lasts well into the late
afternoon and the highs are around 70. A little rain, but not even
much of that. Still, even with 80% humidity, or higher, our weather
sure beats the high heat in other parts of the nation. Perfect weather for a
nice, slow morning walk.
Carl Jarvis, putting on my walking shoes.
On 8/17/19, Miriam Vieni <miriamvieni@xxxxxxxxxxxxx> wrote:
I've been receiving messages from Mustafa ever since he was banned
from the list. Interestingly, it's impossible to block the messages
or rather, I do block them, but he uses different email addresses so
he's, apparently, unblockable. Not to worry, I just delete them, but
it's weird. He must have been trained by a computer expert!
Miriam