Carl,
The number that I gave you works. It has worked from the day I arrived here.
The problem is that people call it who are looking for Power Design and it
doesn't belong to Power Design. But I'll send it to you again privately.
I didn't ask my regional library about a bill identifier because everyone tells
me that the regional libraries aren't giving them out anymore. Someone who
lives on Long Island, told me on the BARD Talk list just now that these things
are available from Amazon for $119. I don't understand how it is that Amazon
has suddenly started selling items for the blind. They were selling NLS blank
cartridges. Soon, they'll be the only retailer dealer for everything. I don't
think that's what bAdam Smith had in mind.
Miriam
-----Original Message-----
From: blind-democracy-bounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
<blind-democracy-bounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx> On Behalf Of Carl Jarvis
Sent: Thursday, January 03, 2019 5:44 PM
To: blind-democracy@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
Subject: [blind-democracy] Re: Report from Cuba: Insights from a visitor after
60 years of socialism
My my, this must be "Dump Day".
Sounds like you got a heap off your back, so you should feel better.
So I'm guessing the phone number I have for you is not going to reach you if I
call it.
Any chance of your sharing your current number with me?
I still keep a few numbers as sort of an anchor. Sylvie, Penny, Bob Hachey and
Charlie Crawford. I have a number for Joe, but doubt I'll ever call him. I've
sent several emails to Charlie, but no answer.
But I'd like your number, just in case you get one of those horrific storms and
your power is down. Not that I could do much if you were shivering in sub zero
weather. Most of the folks I know in New York City are living either in a
nursing home or the local cemetery.
My Bill Reader came to me via the Library of Congress, NLS. It was free. The
ACB really did push on the Treasury, but we blind folk just don't have enough
Billionaires. The ACB won the lawsuit, but seem to have lost the war. The
unit they sent me has been going fine for several years. I only use it when
I'm out and about by myself, which is less and less. But I even loaned it out
for a while, to a fellow who really did use it. You might call your regional
library and see if they are still passing them out at the free price.
Each Thursday Dean Martineau sends me the Top Tech Tips. It is a list of about
18 techy posts that will help me stay independent...and flat broke. Mostly I
have not a single clue as to what the items are. The few ones I know about, I
can't afford. And my Braille reading has deteriorated as my fingers become
old, so I would never buy any of the refreshible Braille devices. I still use
my Braille 'N' Speak that I was given when I retired from the Agency back in
1993.
There was a time when I fancied myself quite the techy. But that was back in
the days of reel to reel recorders, Braille Writers,
typewriters and box cameras. If it had screws in it, I could take it
apart, repair it and put it back together.
And speaking of Land Lines, I have my own paranoia. The phone companies are
trying to get rid of land lines, so they let the service deteriorate. Because
the cell service out here is suspect, Cathy bought me a set of Walky Talkies.
They are good at least for the mile and a half that I walk. But since she
bought them this Christmas...we still need to put them together. We did test a
set out for a client, so we do know the range of the signal.
Take care and think about sharing your number.
As Always,
Carl Jarvis
On 1/3/19, Miriam Vieni <miriamvieni@xxxxxxxxxxxxx> wrote:
I also liked the article. The thing is, the world is a very dangerous
place now. Cuba's place in it is extremely insecure. All of the
countries surrounding it, are moving to the right. Venezuela and
Nicaragua are in Peril. The US military policy is now set to compete with
Russia and China.
Russia is hardly a haven for leftist governments and China is focused
on increasing its financial power in the world.
The real world is a cold and unfriendly place. People don't actually
relate to each other anymore. They just communicate through machines.
We once thought that this list was an unline community. But when
people disappear, we have no idea what happened to them because our
connections are tenuous.
We don't know each other's friends or families. We attach and detach,
as it pleases us.
I got a new phone number when I moved here last year because I didn't
want my phone to be part of a cable package. If the internet goes down
in your neighborhood, so does your phone. So I wanted a phone which
used the old fashioned copper wiring that's been in this old house for 55
years.
Apparently, the phone number may have once belonged to a business
called Power Design which is located in Florida and had a branch here
in Melville, Long Island. It appears that the company is no longer
located at its former Melville address, but its phone number, which
belongs to me now, was listed on innumerable websites as still
belonging to it. It has taken a long time to figure out why I was
getting these phone calls and to try to get my number off all the
websites, and to get it unlisted from Google which still occasionally
calls me from various numbers and wants me, the business owner, to
verify my listing. I have learned to answer these calls, listen to the
computerized message, and then press the correct number to be
unlisted. I've done this hundreds of times. I thought I was finally
just about freed from power design and then came 2019 and a new flurry
of calls has appeared. Ive also been getting deliveries from a
promotions company of various foods in which I'm not interested,
addressed to a man at my address, who does not live here or on my
block. I thought I'd solved the problem when I talked to someone at a
company that sent him a huge amount of frozen food and explained the
situation, and UPS took away the food. However, other deliveries have
appeared so I guess there are other companies involved.
When I stopped being able to see the huge numbers on my paper money, I
began using the bill identifier that NLS sent us in lieu of the
government providing us with identifiable money as decreed by the
Supreme Court. By the way, ACB never fussed or protested about this
when we had a possibly sympathetic administration in power. But
anyway, My bill identifier stopped working properly after a short time.
Changing the batteries didn't help.
There's an 800 number for the treasury department to call if one needs
a new device. When I called, I was given the third degree to determine
if I really, truly needed a new bill identifier. After finally
convincing the first government representative, I was transferred to a
second one who asked me more questioned. Finally, they said they'd
send a new device. Eventually, they did. And it didn't work. My old
device began working minimally on occasion for a week or so and
stopped again. I sent them both back about two months ago, explaining
in a note about what happened, and asking for a replacement. I was
pretty sure they'd never send one. Someone on the BARD Talk list told
me where to get one. They cost $148 with tax and shipping. I ordered
one on line and then a while ago, received a phone call that they
can't fill the order because they won't get any in stock until the end
of March. This company, one I never use if I can help it because it
has a history of dishonesty, is located on Long Island. But the phone
connection was so bad that I could barely hear the person who called. Each
time she talked, there was a loud buzzing on the line. This wasn't my bad
hearing.
I've noticed that there are a lot of really bad phone lines these
days, possibly because they're all on the internet. They're radio
signals, not voices going through wires?
Just think about how accurate all those drone assasinations are when
they're killing remotely, killing little shadows on screens.
Miriam
-----Original Message-----
From: blind-democracy-bounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
<blind-democracy-bounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx> On Behalf Of Carl Jarvis
Sent: Thursday, January 03, 2019 3:58 PM
To: blind-democracy@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
Subject: [blind-democracy] Re: Report from Cuba: Insights from a
visitor after 60 years of socialism
An interesting viewpoint.
I remember my dad buying a slick cover magazine called, USSR. Life
under Stalin, , according to that attractive propaganda piece, was
one step higher than Paradise. But this writer paints a far more
believable picture of Cuba. It helps me to see how folks in Cuba
confront the issues that exist in most nations, rather than pretending
they don't exist. The author shows us the attitudes of the Cuban
People, how they confront problems and solve them, how they develop
solidarity. No glossing over and pretending all is right in their world.
Instead we see a People recognizing the nation's problems and taking
positive action to alleviate them. in all, it's a far more positive
approach than what we see here at home.
The difference might be summed up by noting that in America we are
being led back to our former greatness, while in Cuba, the People are
looking forward to a brighter future.
Carl Jarvis
On 1/2/19, Roger Loran Bailey <dmarc-noreply@xxxxxxxxxxxxx> wrote:
https://www.peoplesworld.org/article/report-from-cuba-insights-from-a`> Report from Cuba: Insights from a visitor after 60 years of
-
visitor-after-60-years-of-socialism/
socialism
January 1, 2019| 2:04 PM CST| | By Special to PeoplesWorld.org
Report from Cuba: Insights from a visitor after 60 years of socialism
Girls pose as they wait to dance in an LGBT pride parade marking the
International Day Against Homophobia, Transphobia, and Biphobia, in
Pinar Del Rio, Cuba, May 17, 2018. | Desmond Boylan / AP
Richard Grassl lives in Washington State. He first went to Cuba in
1997 to attend a U.S./Cuba Labor Conference in Havana and has
returned periodically, most recently in August 2018. Richard’s wife is Cuban.
His visits there with her family have allowed him to see Cuba in ways
quite different from those of most North American visitors. Tom
Whitney of the Let Cuba Live Committee of Maine and a regular
People’s World correspondent, takes advantage of Richard’s unusual
vantage point and his analysis to ask him a few questions.
Tom Whitney: Many people in our own country seem more concerned about
things right at hand and not so much about the world. Is it that way
in Cuba?
Richard Grassl: Cubans are definitely concerned about what happens in
the world. The political atmosphere has an impact on economic
relations with their trading partners and may ultimately affect
balance of payments with their creditors.
What are people hoping for in their own lives and for their country?
People hope that peace prevails and that their country’s influence in
the world will continue to grow. They want adequate food, shelter,
and clothing to alleviate shortages and uncertainty that exist when
imports don’t suffice to meet hardships imposed by the U.S. blockade.
People carry pork and eggs away from an outdoor market ahead of their
traditional new year dinners in Havana, Cuba, Dec. 29. The government
sets up temporary markets ahead of certain holidays where consumers
can buy basic staples at government-subsidized prices. | Desmond
Boylan / AP
What are their main complaints about daily life?
They worry about the price and availability of meat, dairy products,
tomatoes, onions, and other vegetables necessary for a balanced,
nutritious diet. The ration card does not compensate for family needs
each month. Disposable income is insufficient to cover the cost of
construction materials for housing repairs and replacement of
household appliances without remittances from relatives living in
other countries.
Yet Cubans share from what little material abundance they have with
others in need.
Are they tuned into politics? Where do they get their information?
Cubans pay very close attention to politics. They get their
information through television, radio, print news, social media, and
from the world around them. Expectations of the United States were
high when diplomatic relations resumed in December 2014, but now they
are reduced. But Cubans have maintained their sense of identity and
they focus on what got them to where they are. Trump’s shortsighted
attempt to thwart improved political and commercial relations have by
no means led to homelessness and begging in the streets of Havana.
Intensification of the blockade in order to bully trading partners
has not shaken the confidence and resolve of the Cuban people. In
fact, the recent UN General Assembly vote (189-2-0) to support the
Cuban resolution against the blockade shows how much the U.S. is
isolated in the world.
The “Mesa Redonda” (Round Table) television program provides detailed
political analysis by professors, respected journalists, and
government officials on international news, domestic politics, and
local events. At a press conference in Havana, for example, Foreign
Minister Bruno Rodriguez Parrilla stated that, “In Cuba there is no
room for interference from a foreign power, now or any time in the
future.”
People talk about the need for improvements to garbage collection,
public transportation. They complain about long lines at government
offices and cost of living, etc. These subjects all have a political
connotation that cannot be separated from what I just said.
Do political developments overseas matter to Cubans you spoke with?
What about identification with Latin American countries?
After the triumph of the Revolution and the subsequent U.S. attempt
to isolate Cuba from the world, the Cuban government made foreign
policy an important priority. Cuban people have great respect for
Hugo Chavez, Evo Morales, Daniel Ortega, Nicholas Maduro, and other
leaders who have espoused revolutionary change to make their
countries more independent and sovereign. Economic, cultural, and
political ties were essential to overcome centuries of exploitation
and plunder by imperialist nations.
[Venezuelan-based television network] TeleSur is a prime source of
information and news about Latin America, and Cubans strongly
identify with TeleSur. In my opinion, other formations like the
Bolivarian Alliance for the Peoples of Latin America (ALBA), the
Union of South American Nations (UNASUR), the Common Market of the
South (Mercosur), and the Community of Latin American and Caribbean
States (CELAC) illustrate the necessity of cooperation and
collectivity for the common good.
In this Nov. 21, 2016 photo, garbage is piled up on a street corner
in Havana, Cuba. Infrequent garbage collection is one common
complaint among Cubans. | Desmond Boylan / AP
During the “Special Period” following the fall of the Soviet Union
and other Cuban trading partners in the 1990s, infrastructure and
transportation facilities suffered and supplies of essential goods
were short. What about shortages and their continuing impact on
people’s lives and attitudes?
No one in Cuba starves or is left unattended and suffering. The Cuban
government spends 51 percent of its revenue on education and
healthcare and 25 percent on programs like social security, senior
citizen housing, and child daycare. Problems like street potholes,
water pipe leaks, inadequate transportation, shortages of
construction material, and delayed garbage collection do not dampen
the enthusiasm of either Cubans or visitors. Though they may be short
of means, there is no lack of political will and determination on the
part of authorities and residents to talk about and resolve these concerns.
What would you say about consumerist longings among Cubans?
Consumerist longings, a symptom of individualism, result from a lack
of education and awareness. This problem is mitigated somewhat by
access to free education and healthcare accessible to all. As Fidel
pointed out, one must imagine a better world before it can exist.
From what I saw, people of every age and description are active in
the street, plazas, and neighborhoods conducting business, buying and
selling goods, reconstructing homes, traveling to and from work. And
they are participating in the discussion on constitutional reform.
The pride and exhilaration instilled by the Centenary Generation
among younger workers is manifested with shirts that bear the phrase
“No Mas Bloqueo.”
Leadership in Cuba has changed with younger people now being involved
and more women and Afro-Cubans. How do Cubans regard the older
generation of revolutionary leaders?
The older generation is passing the torch to younger, more
energetic cadre. Due to the presence over many years of many
revolutionary leaders, most people have a deep familiarity with their
achievements.
Fidel was a legend in his own time. Their humility and modesty
overshadow any distance which may have existed as the nation faces
new challenges. The memory of the Cuban people is nourished whenever
commemorations are held of historic dates. Those leading the events
are seen to be following the example of their predecessors. For
example, the new Cuban president, Miguel Diaz-Canel, has taken the
reins of government with sincerity and purpose. And his reaching out
to friends and allies has strengthened Cuba’s influence in the world.
It’s not the same without Fidel. Yet he is still present. Cubans
are interested in results and what the government can do to improve
their lives and overcome difficulties with their northern neighbor.
The U.S. and Cuban peoples have been bound together for generations,
for good and for bad. What do they think about the United States?
Many times I have heard Cubans say the words “Estados Unidos” in the
street spoken without any tone of animosity or anger. The respect
shown by Cubans for the working class and U.S. tourists overshadows
differences that we may have. The closeness of our two nations
provides a unique opportunity to engage in discussion with a view to
improving relations.
As I traveled around in a cab, I observed that people, places, and
things like landmarks and buildings may have changed, but Cubans
maintain a consistent face. They don’t hold a grudge against the
“Americanos” on account of politics, language, or cultural differences.
The respect shown by Cubans for the working class and for U.S.
tourists made me feel welcome, even with complete strangers. The
closeness of our two nations provides a great opportunity to engage
in discussion with a view to improving relations.
Why do Cubans want to migrate?
Economic necessity seems to be the overwhelming reason that Cubans
pick up stakes and try their hand at opportunity in another country.
With migratory regulations now more lenient, they are welcomed back
to their homeland and share their experience with family and friends.
What about racial bias among Cubans?
Racial bias has no place in Cuba.
It is not characteristic of the Cuban people to betray the ideal of
the new men and women who have helped construct a society based upon
dignity, solidarity, unity, and the good of all.
What do Cubans you know think about the proposed constitutional changes?
In conversing about Cuba’s reform process, a Cuban friend stated that
“Cuba is a Titanic, adrift in the sea.” Though many problems persist
from the Special Period of the 1990s, Cubans survived the economic
blow through sheer willpower and intelligence, guided by their
revolutionary leadership. There is no lack of disdain for Trump’s
threat to use Monroe Doctrine tactics to expropriate the destiny of
the Americas and destroy Cuban sovereignty through an imperialist
venture based on hatred, greed, and revenge.
In the face of economic difficulty, Cuban citizens have flocked to
workplaces, schools, and public institutions to discuss changes to
the constitution. In this milieu, I came away with a sense of
satisfaction that the first law contained in the preamble of the
Constitution of the Republic of Cuba is at work. It’s from Jose
Marti. It says that the full dignity of all people and the legal,
cultural, and ethical wellspring of Cuban resistance to foreign
interference are one and the same thing.
What do Cubans think about their new president, Miguel Diaz-Canel?
When I asked a couple of family members about this, they asked me
what I thought about Donald Trump. The conversation went nowhere. My
thought is that it’s too early to make any kind of judgment. We have
no moral authority when it comes to determine what Cubans think of
their government or leadership. Cubans have the ability to resolve
problems like availability of food, adequate housing, decent
healthcare, good education, access to culture, and the normalization
of relations. We can learn from them only if we develop the ability
to listen, which is the best way to earn their respect.
To what extent do Cubans’ ideas about prosperity in the United States
and elsewhere feed into discontent with their lot?
The best answer to that question is to buy a ticket and visit Cuba.
You’ll learn directly from the horse’s mouth.
Tags:
capitalism
Cuba
socialism
CONTRIBUTOR
Special to PeoplesWorld.org
Special to PeoplesWorld.org
Peoplesworld.org is a daily news website of, for and by the 99% and
the direct descendant of the Daily Worker. Published by Long View
Publishing Co., People’s World reports on the movements for jobs,
peace, equality, democracy, civil rights and liberties, labor,
immigrant, LGBT and women’s rights, protection of the environment,
and more.
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Carl Sagan
“ Who is more humble? The scientist who looks at the universe with an
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