Legislative Hotlines, current issues for blind persons:
CALIFORNIA CONNECTION:
800-221-6359, after 5 PM and weekends
WASHINGTON CONNECTION:
800-424-8666, 3-9 PM and weekends
DISCLAIMER: This publication contains announcements from the Silicon Valley Council of the Blind and is also a forum for opinions relating to blindness issues. Signed articles reflect the views, and research, of their authors.
STATUS: SVCB is a 501(c)3 non-profit, tax-exempt organization under the California Council of the Blind.
Monthly in-person meetings are held at the Santa Clara Valley Blind Center (Vista Center for the Blind and Visually Impaired San Jose). Meetings run from 9:30 AM to 1 PM the third Saturday of the month and are open to all.
Wishing all in our SVCB community Happy Labor Day! The past few months have gone by in the blink of an eye, and it feels more like a few weeks ago we were celebrating Memorial Day, the unofficial beginning of Summer. The weekend may be an opportunity to spend time outdoors, attending a family or friend b-b-que, or just relaxing.
Many of us know the origin of Labor Day, as a holiday was created to celebrate American workers' social and economic achievements. In checking with online sources, Labor Day has officially been a national holiday in the United States since 1894, but was celebrated for some time before that. The first Labor Day observance was in New York City on September 5, 1882, when 10,000 workers took unpaid leave and marched through the streets to prove the strength of the trade and labor organizations. The event, which union leaders put on, also included speeches, picnics, fireworks, and other amusements. Labor Day soon became a tradition in the city, and quickly spread to other parts of the country. On June 28, 1894, President Cleveland signed a law making the first Monday in September a national holiday, first for Federal workers, and today Labor Day is a statutory holiday in all 50 U.S. states.
As a community of blind and low vision individuals, the concept of employment for us continues to be an advocacy touch point. Numbers of blind and low vision workers continue to reflect unemployment, and the research has found that 66% of the U.S. population with a visual impairment were unemployed. This statistic feels baffling. As technology advances, education systems and other factors supporting employment seem to be advancing as well. I have concluded that we all need to keep our "eye on the ball" to advocate for eliminating the barriers to gainful employment.
Jeff Thom, CCB Director of Governmental Affairs, and Regina Brink, Associate Director of Governmental Affairs, recently provided an update on the California Council of the Blind (CCB) Assembly Bill 3193. The bill would reform the method for the purchasing of assistive technology-related goods and services by the Department of Rehabilitation for its consumers, and it is undergoing some last-minute amendments which are almost certain to lead to passage in the weeks to come. The bill is then sent to the Governor. These amendments were agreed to by the Newsome Administration, and thus now have an outstanding chance of being signed. Unfortunately, the bill is limited to purchases of less than $10,000, but it will allow the Department of Rehabilitation (DOR), in collaboration with the Department of General Services, advocates, and vendors, to draft new procedures under which DOR will be able to avoid competitive bidding and advertising requirements when making these purchases. This is the first time in this 30-year battle that we have tacit acknowledgement that the existing authority of the Department of General Services is not sufficient to meet the needs of our consumers.
A long list of leaders and advocates have worked tirelessly to move the needle on securing assistive technology without long delays. Once we achieve our goal of obtaining the Governor's signature, we will need to work hard to ensure that the new regulations are a true step forward.
Our community at SVCB includes those of us along the spectrum of work life, including those currently in the education system, individuals seeking employment, those currently employed, and those retired from their work life. No matter where we are as individuals, when CCB and American Council of the Blind (ACB), and our friends and colleagues in National Federation of the Blind (NFB) ask us for letters, calls, and other advocate actions, consider taking a moment to act.
Rob, Cora, and I wish you the best for September! Enjoy the days of Northern California weather, final months of baseball season, and the beginning of a new Season—Fall. Do not forget to reach out to David Hoffman to reserve your space and food choice for our annual SVCB picnic!
Get ready for the biggest social gathering of the year, the SVCB picnic on the 21st! The formal announcement is elsewhere, so I'll not say more except that you'd better register if you haven't done so already. The cutoff date is Monday, September 16. Registration is $20 for SVCB members and $25 for guests. The best way to register now is through PayPal. Use the name:
svcb@svcb.cc
Include your meat choices: hamburgers, hot dogs, or vegie burgers.
"Not hot us, that human stuff." King never turned down a hot dog, and he actually ordered some when he registered. "Didn't know I was registered, cool!"
Member Noel Runyan continued a mysterious and magical journey on July 31, 2024. Our August meeting was a celebration of his life. Upwards of 60 people attended, and we had many remembrances of Noel's helpful and zesty lifestyle. And the Zoom contingent featured people from all over the country. You can make donations in Noel's memory to SVCB, but they cannot be recorded in tax returns as CCB's tax status hasn't been resolved. You can hear the memorial at:
Another event you'll not want to miss is the old-time radio show after the October meeting. It's at Vista Center San Jose, and doors open at 1 PM. The show starts at 1:30 and runs to 3:30. When arranging your ride home, ask for pick-up between 3:30 and 4 PM.
There is a $5 registration fee at the door. You'll get a drink and two snacks, or 1 snack and 2 drinks. Want more? One dollar! Drinks will be flavored and plain water, and canned soda. Snacks: chips and popcorn, maybe cookies and trail mix. Available snacks will be announced in the October Phone Tree message.
John Glass will play 5 to 6 old-time radio shows with a Halloween theme, and perhaps others that aren't.
Let's wish happy September birthdays to Donald Reelfs, Diane Wetsel, and Mike Keithley.
"Happy birthday to me,
Happy birthday to you,
Happy birthday to me and you,
Happy birthday to all! All this talk about birthdays woke me up." And to sing the song? "Yes!"
Noel Runyan was born in Los Alamos, NM, on December 26, 1947, and passed away in San Jose, CA, on July 31, 2024.
He and his wife, Debby Miner, were married in 1969 in Los Alamos, and then made their home in Albuquerque, while Noel completed his degree in Electrical Engineering and Computer Science at the University of New Mexico. While at UNM, he was a co-winner of the 1971 Electrical Engineering Student Paper Contest, took top prize at the 1971 annual University of New Mexico Engineering College Open House competition, and he was chosen by the Beta Kappa Nu national electrical engineering Fraternity as the 1972 Top Electrical Engineering student in the United States.
In 1973 they moved to San Jose, where Noel was employed by IBM at the Advanced Systems Development Division in Los Gatos. His first assignment was to find ways of hacking the BART ticketing system that IBM was developing.
At IBM, Noel was asked to spend part of his time on a special project that was tasked with developing a braille version of a computer display. In that project, he explored many ways to make a full-page braille display. At that time there were no commercially available electronic braille displays, not even single cells.
As part of the project, he did some exciting early computerized speech output work, and developed the first compact text to speech system that ran in a microprocessor. He also pioneered the use of touch sensitive tablets for controlling information access with audio and braille displays.
In 1976 Noel and Debby had Arthur, their "Bicentennial Baby".
In 1978 Noel moved to Telesensory Systems, where he was supposed to work on making computers talk. Instead, he helped develop the VersaBraille, the first American refreshable electronic braille display. It was a portable notetaker and word processor with a 20-cell braille display. He came close to quitting, or getting fired, when he insisted on putting a serial interface on the VersaBraille. But soon he was proven right when the VersaBraille without the serial interface was phased out.
In 1981 Noel and Debby had a daughter, Tammy.
After 5 years at Telesensory, never having worked on audio devices, Noel left. And in 1983, Noel and Debby, using their savings, started developing the Talking Tablet, a computer for people who are visually impaired. In 4 years, they had a working prototype, but could not find any grant money to support producing a product.
In 1987 an article in the San Jose Mercury News attracted an angel investor. With that infusion of money, Noel and Debby incorporated Personal Data Systems, or PDS (they wanted "Speech Works," but thought that it sounded too much like "Beach Works"). They started with developing the Audapter, the first fast response computerized speech output system with high quality speech.
Later, as a dealer for Arkenstone, with its early, awkward, scanning systems, Noel developed the EasyScan interface, where you only needed to press the space bar to scan a page. EasyScan was sold to nearly 11,000 people.
Noel also developed programs called PicTac, to convert pictures to tactile drawings that could be brailled on heavy paper, and BuckScan to identify bills.
A lack of money prevented Noel and Debby from ever being able to complete the Talking Tablet. However, they did go on to make over 500 custom, personalized computer systems for folks who needed speech, large print, or braille access to do word processing, scan printed books, access the Internet, read electronic books, and read and write email.
Their daughter Tammy, often stuck after school at the office with Noel and Debby, enjoyed running between computers, formatting floppy disks.
While working at PDS, Noel realized that the supposedly "accessible" voting systems being used in Santa Clara County were "junk." Both accessibility and security were poorly designed add-ons. Noel was one of the few people who really understood how to define true accessibility for ALL people, along with the necessity of security, to make that access mean something. He spent many years advocating for REAL accessibility and security in voting systems.
After closing PDS in 2012, Noel continued working on various projects for the visually impaired. He explored many different ways of building braille displays, which he called "The Search for the Holy Braille." In doing so, he became an expert in how NOT to build braille displays.
He recently spent about a year servicing more than 60 Perkins Braillers for Vista Center for the Blind and Visually Impaired, and others.
He was on National Braille Press' Touch of Genius Committee and, despite being sick, attended the meeting in San Francisco this spring.
Noel enjoyed working with his hands. When he was working with wood, Debby called it "making sawdust," and when working with rocks and minerals, she called it "making dirt," although, in both cases, he really produced many useful and beautiful objects.
When helping design devices for the visually impaired, he would make prototypes out of wood, and the original Talking Tablet was made out of oak.
Noel also delighted friends and family with his stunning magic tricks. Many people will also remember him as a gifted storyteller with many tales of youthful high jinks, pranks, and adventures. He enjoyed bringing a touch of wonder to those around him.
Noel loved to create what he called "Art Techo" out of shiny bits of old technology and polished stones. He and a friend, Gerry Perko, won 2nd place and 3rd place in the Worldwide Rock Tumbling Contest over the years they competed together. After Gerry Perko passed away, Noel continued entering the contest. Debby is currently finishing the entries for this year's contest.
Noel's legacy is one of perseverance, creativity, and a relentless pursuit of making the world a better place. He will be remembered as a trailblazer in accessible technology, a devoted family man, and a passionate polymath who found beauty in both technology and nature.
For the full audio of the memorial given by SVCB for Noel Runyan, you can go to
-General Sessions and Banquet Now Available as Podcasts
We are proud to announce that the recordings of the 2024 ACB Conference and Convention general sessions and banquet that originated from Jacksonville, Florida July 7-11, 2024, are now available as podcasts and on YouTube, including podcasts of the simultaneous translation into Spanish.
General sessions and banquet podcasts are in the "ACB Conference and Convention" podcast RSS feed at:
Note: It's much less complicated getting these podcasts using devices like the Victor stream. Start by searching for "ACB convention" and subscribe to that feed. Once you do, you'll have access to all ACB conventions.
The ACB Media Volunteer Production Team is hard at work editing, to bring you the podcasts of all the virtual, hybrid, and breakout sessions that occurred throughout the convention that began June 24, 2024. This is a Herculean task, and we appreciate your support and patience as this work continues. All ACB business meetings are already available as podcasts. We plan to release the podcasts of the virtual sessions by the end of August and all other sessions by the end of September.
-We Want to Hear from You!
The ACB Advocacy Team wants to hear from you! As more and more stores and businesses rely on an online presence to generate revenue, we are interested in your experiences with the following:
Have you experienced accessibility barriers when shopping online at home improvement stores, e.g. Home Depot? If so, please describe the barriers you encountered, and whether you were able to successfully complete your shopping experience.
Some urgent care centers across the country are implementing online appointment scheduling portals as an alternative to walk-ins. Have you encountered such a portal at your local urgent care? If yes, have you encountered accessibility issues, and have the issues prevented you from successfully scheduling an appointment? Please describe the issues you encountered.
to respond to these questions. Please note that by doing so, you give your consent for ACB to share your name and email to our advocacy partners, including in the federal government and legal sector.
-BARD Express Release
NLS is pleased to announce the release of BARD Express, version 3.0.0.7. This release includes the long-awaited BARD Express Player, which allows patrons to choose an audio book or magazine from their BARD Express bookshelf and listen to it directly on their PC.
Much like BARD Mobile, the BARD Express Player allows users to adjust the narration speed; jump to navigation points such as part, chapter, and article; create bookmarks; and much more. Users can also create global settings for narration speed, auto-play, auto-rewind, and more.
For more information, please contact your network library.
-M-Enabling Summit in D.C. This Fall
ACB is proud to be a supporting organization for the 2024 M-Enabling Summit, organized by the Global Initiative for Inclusive Information and Communication Technologies (G3ict). This year's event will take place October 15-17 in Washington, D.C.
The M-Enabling Summit is the leading global conference and showcase covering the technological innovations that enable people with disabilities to access digital content and services in new ways. The in-person summit will feature a hybrid track, general and break-out sessions, interactive roundtables and workshops, panel discussions, and more. Visit:
-Understanding Assistance Needs of Shoppers with Vision Loss in Supermarkets
Do you find it challenging to shop independently at the supermarket due to your vision condition? If given the opportunity, would you suggest ways to make your shopping experience more favorable? Do you use technology to help you navigate everyday tasks?
If you answered YES to these 3 questions, read on to learn about an opportunity to participate in a research study designed to improve the shopping experience for those that are blind or visually impaired.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs):
Q. What is the purpose and goal of the study?
A. The objective of this study is to ascertain what types of assistive technology would be most helpful for improving the supermarket shopping experience for the visually impaired. Our goal is to diagnose real world pain points, then address identified concerns by developing solutions that can be implemented and piloted.
Q. How long will it take to complete the survey?
A. The survey should not take more than 15 minutes to complete from start to finish.
Q. Will participants be compensated for their time?
A. Participants will be entered into a raffle for a chance to win one of four $50 gift cards.
Q. Who is conducting this research?
A. Assistive Technology Publishers is a startup company of dedicated professionals that advocate, conduct research, and develop projects that facilitate supermarket shopping and other daily life activities for people who are blind or visually impaired.
We are committed to improving the lives of the visually impaired by learning what is important to them and taking action. We are creating partnerships with other organizations who can help us help others.
Q. I'm interested in participating in the survey. What should I do now?
A. Thank you so much for being a willing participant! The survey can be completed by clicking on the link below.
Thank you for taking the time to complete this survey. All responses will be recorded and analyzed. Your insights are invaluable to us in making supermarkets more inclusive and accessible for everyone.
-Blind-Biz by Penny Forward
Penny Forward is thrilled to announce the launch of blind-biz, a platform dedicated to providing blind-owned businesses with a direct line of communication to their customers. By subscribing to this list, you will receive advertisements from our carefully vetted list of blind-owned businesses.
What to Expect: You will receive no more than one advertisement per day from each participating blind-owned business. This service is completely free for both blind business owners and supporters of blind-owned businesses.
Rules: Blind-owned businesses are welcome to post one advertisement per day. To apply to post ads, send an email to:
Customers may not post to the list, but are encouraged to reply directly to any email to contact a business owner.
Join us in supporting blind entrepreneurs and discovering unique products and services designed with you in mind. Subscribe today and be part of a thriving community that champions innovation and accessibility. Send an email to:
It's hard to believe we are more than halfway through 2024. That can only mean one thing: getting our braille calendars ready for 2025!
These handy, small spiral calendars contain the Saints and Feast days throughout the year, Holy Days of Obligation, as well as federal holidays for both the United States and Canada. Request yours by emailing our Client Services Coordinator Saul Buchalter at:
The first two recipes in this column were contributed by Suzanne Smith, From Apple Recipes from Wellspring Classics. The third recipe was contributed by Anna Bolino, and was the Cookie of the Month for July. It's one that Anna's mom has made for many years, and everyone loves it.
-Apple Pie Jam
Ingredients
4 cups peeled, cored, and chopped apples
1/4 cup lemon juice
1 teaspoon butter
1 box powdered fruit pectin
5 1/2 cups sugar
3/4 teaspoon nutmeg
1 1/4 teaspoons cinnamon
Directions
Combine apples, lemon juice, butter, and pectin in a large pan. Bring to a full boil. Some apples have very little moisture content, which will keep them from actually boiling, but be sure they're at boiling point before adding sugar.
Add sugar, nutmeg, and cinnamon. Return to a boil, and boil hard for 1 1/2 minutes, stirring occasionally.
Skim off foam, and discard.
Pour jam into hot, sterile jars, filling to within 1/8 inch of tops. Wipe rims, and cover with two-piece lids. Invert for 5 minutes, then turn upright.
Makes 7 half-pint jars.
Notes: For desserts, spread over biscuits. Tastes as good as a piece of apple pie.
Apples may be frozen for many months, and used to make excellent jams and pies.
-Spareribs with Apples
Ingredients
5 pounds meaty spareribs
1 tablespoon canola oil
pepper to taste
1 quart sauerkraut, rinsed
2 onions, sliced
1 carrot, grated
3 apples, sliced
1 1/2 cups dry white wine
Directions
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
In a skillet, lightly brown spareribs in oil. Sprinkle with pepper.
In a separate bowl, mix together sauerkraut, onions, and carrots. Place half of the mixture in a baking dish, and half the apples slices and all the spareribs. Cover with remaining sauerkraut mixture, apple slices, and wine. Cover, and bake for 1 hour and 45 minutes.
Try this with mashed potatoes. Makes 4 servings.
Note: Canola oil is lower in saturated fat than any other oil. It is also believed to benefit overall health, and contains beneficial omega 3 fatty acids.
-Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies
Ingredients
3/4 cup brown sugar
3/4 cup white sugar
1 cup Crisco (solid), mixed with hands till creamy
2 eggs (not beaten)
1/2 teaspoon hot water
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 cups flour
1 cup oatmeal (old-fashioned)
1 cup oatmeal (instant)
1 cup walnuts, chopped
1 cup chocolate chips
1 cup raisins
Directions
Mix all with hands. Bake at 325 degrees for 8 to 10 minutes, or until lightly golden brown.
You are invited to participate in an exciting and enlightening conversation about game accessibility featuring Jesse Anderson from Illegally Sighted.
We are delighted that Jesse will be joining us for an informative session as he provides a comprehensive overview of games that are accessible for the blind and visually impaired.
Get ready to dive into the world of gaming as Jesse shares valuable insights on getting started and discusses the accessibility features of various platforms such as PC/Mac, mobile devices like iPhones and Androids, and consoles like Xbox and PlayStation.
Whether you're an avid gamer or simply interested in advocating for the blind and visually impaired community, this discussion is not to be missed. Come and discover the realm of inclusive gaming with us.
Jesse will introduce us to more than 40 accessible games including:
Mobile audio and VoiceOver accessible games
Dice World
A Dark Room
Black Box
Evidence 111
Audio Wizards
PC Games for Blind/Low Vision Players
Audio Rally Racing
A Blind Legend
Space Wave Race
Blind Drive
Audio Wizards
Mainstream games for PC and Consoles
The Last of Us Remastered (PS5, PC)
The Last of Us Part II (PS5)
God of War Ragnarok (PS5)
Spider-Man 2 (PS5)
Forza Motorsport (PC, XBOX Series X/S)
Mortal Kombat 1 (PS5, XBOX Series X/S, PC)
PC Game Accessibility Mods
Toby Accessibility Mod for Doom, Doom 2, and Heretic
Hearthstone Access
Stardew Access
Hades Accessibility Mod
This session is bound to be a game-changer, so don't miss out on this exciting opportunity to expand your gaming horizons!
For more information on accessible gaming, you can visit the Illegally Sighted Youtube channel.
-Coming up on Tech it Out With Vista:
Oct 4 Glidance Self-guided mobility aid. In-person - hybrid meeting.
Disclaimer: Please be advised that participating in internet services such as webinars, is not guaranteed to be secure and any information shared is not private. By registering, you agree to being recorded and having this webinar shared on Vista Center’s media outlets.
When prompted for a participant code, press the Pound key.
Note that the above Zoom call-in information is used for SVCB's virtual link to monthly in-person membership meetings.
2. Shows Described by AudioVision Bay Area
For all productions (Golden Gate, Orpheum Theatres, Broadway San Francisco, and Broadway San Jose), tickets are generally on sale four weeks before the production opens. To charge tickets and reserve receivers, call:
888-746-1799
(SHN Theaters), or fax your order to:
415-581-2121
and ask for AudioVision tickets. If you have any questions, please email:
Audio described shows by TheatreWorks have resumed, with descriptions by Gravity. Pre-register for tickets that include a free "show talk" 30 minutes before the show, at the TheatreWorks box office at:
To hear weekly events at the San Francisco LightHouse, call:
415-694-7325.
5. Let's Talk Low Vision
The monthly "Let's Talk Low Vision" conferences are held on the third Tuesday of the month at 8:30 PM Eastern. Archives are at the Council of Citizens with Low Vision International (CCLVI) Official website at:
7. Bay Area Outreach and Recreation Program (BORP)
BORP believes that everyone should have access to the unique challenges that outdoor recreation provides, and makes every effort to accommodate each person's needs, including providing transportation and volunteer support. For event listings, call Lori Gray at: