Carl, I can tell you that if the money is dumped into other programs such as VR
then that is a violation of the federal regulations. Here in MA we have to
account for every penny spent on OIB and associate it with specific elders.
Even the individual serial numbers on the software packages must be associated
with a specific consumer. Lord I know that as I left a digit out of a serial
number once and I got docked for the full cost of a license of ZoomText. I work
with about 500 seniors per year. Like I said, not all are computer requests.
Frank
-----Original Message-----
From: blind-democracy-bounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
<blind-democracy-bounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx> On Behalf Of Carl Jarvis
Sent: Monday, February 8, 2021 9:33 AM
To: blind-democracy@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
Subject: [blind-democracy] Re: link to video
Miriam,
The Independent Living/Older Blind Program is federally funded for non
vocational rehab clients. While the funding is small, in Washington State we
do contract with 8 rehab teachers. It's better than no service, but it truly
is like putting band aids on open wounds. But my thinking is that if we have a
group of four or five people needing help with their computers, Rafael, the
new rehab teacher who replaced Cathy and myself, could open us individually,
and teach us as a group.
This would enable him to write a plan for each of us, thus justifying the time
he would need. We were never able to purchase a computer for a IL client. But
we did use the Texas program to purchase two modified computers which wound up
in clients hands. They probably would remind us that both Cathy and I had
already taken advantage of their services. But I agree, I am fast passing the
age where new, complex training will not work. So my plan is to upgrade to
whatever I need to upgrade to in order to do my writing and my email. If I can
find any information regarding an IL program in New York State, I'll send it
along. I know that in Arizona it was a closely guarded secret. And in other
states the money is dumped into general programs, with little of it going to
blind seniors.
Carl Jarvis
On 2/7/21, Miriam Vieni <miriamvieni@xxxxxxxxxxxxx> wrote:
Carl,
It's great that you can become a client and get services. The New York
Commission for the Blind would not provide a computer specialist to an
83 year old woman. The only situation in which that could happen is if
I needed it for employment. And when I did need it for employment, the
red tape involved in becoming a client again was daunting and would
have taken too long. I just paid people to help me. But back then, I
had money for that. I certainly had no connections that would have helped me
get the services.
Bill White won't be available for several weeks anyway for another
insane capitalist reason. His phone company insists on replacing the
telephone copper wires with fiber and they will only do that,
apparently, if he gets a phone/internet package through them. His internet is
from another company.
This process is going to take several weeks and starts tomorrow. His
email will change, maybe also his phone number.
Did you remember about Computers for the Blind? Well, maybe, with
your connections, you can get your state agency to give you a new
computer. If you can get your rehab guy to teach you NVDA and if you
can learn it, (no way I would attempt learning something new at this
point), you won't have to worry about paying an exhorbitant price to
get Jaws 2021 with all its enhancements which neither of us needs.
Miriam
-----Original Message-----
From: blind-democracy-bounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
<blind-democracy-bounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx> On Behalf Of Carl Jarvis
Sent: Sunday, February 7, 2021 3:49 PM
To: blind-democracy@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
Subject: [blind-democracy] Re: link to video
Miriam,
I was happiest when I had windows xp and outlook express. But my
current situation is mostly my own doing. I've filed away Bill
White's contact information, but at the moment I had already agreed to
see if Viola can get me up and running again. She was a great help
several years ago. But then I happened to speak with a member of our
JCCB chapter while she was working with a rehab teacher, who was
helping her clean up her messy computer. It turned out that he is our
replacement on the Olympic Peninsula, and he is especially skilled in
most phases of computer services. So, said I to me, why not sign on
as a client and use the Department's rehab teacher to get back up and running.
What I started to say is that our troubles all stem from the fact that
we are not the ones being served. We are the means by which
corporations must travel in order to reach their goal of maximizing
their profit. So long as the reward is a bigger percentage of the
market, and not the service of the customer, we will have all of
these endless issues. Little things like the size of a pull tab on a
beverage. Make it just a wee bit smaller and thinner, and save a
million dollars a year in materials. Who cares if the tabs are
difficult for arthritic hands, someone will develop a tool for doing the job.
So what if it goes into the clutter in your drawer.
And in many cases the manufacturer actually believes their own hype,
telling us about the "new, improved" product.
Carl Jarvis
On 2/7/21, Miriam Vieni <miriamvieni@xxxxxxxxxxxxx> wrote:
Carl,
Yesterday, once again, I had to contact Bill White to ask him why I
was getting a periodic repetitive message while reading articles and
pressing the OK button which made it disappear, worked only
temporarily. Eventually, he found a popup blocker with malware that
had to be removed. Then I talked about how Jaws periodically goes
silent while I'm reading an article and in order to fix that, I need
to alt tab away from, and then back to the article. He said that's
just Jaws losing focus and it began several upgrades ago and can't be
fixed. And then we began talking about how Jaws has deteriorated as
they keep piling on more and more features so it can't do its basic
functions efficiently anymore. That's human greed. Every system
becomes overloaded until it's ready to collapse. I'd like to be able
to go back to windows XP and Jaws 12. My son-in-law has been
resisting getting a new Android phone. His old phone died and he lost
all his data, which was very serious because his work data was on it.
Debbie had gotten a new phone so he took her old phone. But now,
after several months, that phone was also dying. A new phone costs
$1,000. But there was a promotion, $300 off.
However, this required getting a new family plan which costs $10 more
a month, forever. Google sweetens the deal by giving them access to a
bunch of TV channels that stream. They already have about 5 TV's in
their house.
Melanie is on their plan so now she can have access to all the new
junk too.
And remember, these TV channels are the only source of news and
information that they use. And we wonder why our country is in the
state it's in. I'd suggest that you read the column by Glen
Greenwald that I just posted. It's another source of information
indicating that all our alternative sources of news and information
are being removed, a little at a time.
Miriam
-----Original Message-----
From: blind-democracy-bounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
<blind-democracy-bounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx> On Behalf Of Carl Jarvis
Sent: Sunday, February 7, 2021 12:05 PM
To: blind-democracy@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
Subject: [blind-democracy] Re: link to video
I like Max. so I tried the link, and was told I should clean my cach
and cookies.
Sorry Max, another time.
Actually I am having a techy friend work with me next week, seeing
what I need to do, and how much it will cost, to crawl out of my cave
into the real world.
I know it won't be cheap, I'm still using JAWS 17, and windows 7. Oh
my, I did it all to myself.
Carl Jarvis
On 2/6/21, Miriam Vieni <miriamvieni@xxxxxxxxxxxxx> wrote:
Max Blumenthal, short video on Game StopI like Max. so I tried the link, and was told I should clean my cach
https://thegrayzone.com/2021/01/29/reddit-rebellion-amateur-investor
s
-
wall-s
treet/
and cookies.
Sorry Max, another time.
Actually I am having a techy friend work with me next week, seeing
what I need to do, and how much it will cost, to crawl out of my cave
into the real world.
I know it won't be cheap, I'm still using JAWS 177, and windows 7.
Oh my, I did it all to myself.
Carl Jarvis