HI Lu,

I feel the same way.  

thank you for voicing what I have and still felt and feel for a long time.

Jenny
On Apr 29, 2012, at 2:18 PM, Lewis Alexander wrote:

> on the thought of the muppet show, if anyone remembers the swedish chef? I 
> think that could be me lol. banana-nana-nanana split. lol
> 
> If the UK could really improve their support systems, we'd be in a better 
> place, HSE regulations changed or adapted, company insurance rules changed in 
> favour of disabled people to give them equal chance.
> 
> The whole purpose of the human rights act, the equality act and the 
> disability discrimination acts is to support, in our case, disability rights 
> and allow us to integrate into society and be treated as equals, not confined 
> and isolated / segregated. What does this government want us to do? be locked 
> in attics or institutions until we fade to nothing? well I'm sorry but I'm 
> not bloomin well having it...
> 
> The point of morality is fairness to all, equality and understanding. I could 
> go further by a religious  study and interpolation between religion and logic 
> but I won't as that's not something to be done., however,
> 
> as we are human beings, we all have needs. By technicality and logic, we are 
> all disabled in one way or other and have needs that differ from each other, 
> thus the concept of humanity has to be stabilised by understanding and 
> support.
> 
> What worries me, now more than ever, is how education and social standards 
> have shifted. Taking education as an example,  no one these days educates 
> students in ethics, respect, morals, how the world works, the differences 
> between people and how to interact with them and understand them, as well as 
> treating them with the respect they wish for.
> 
> Is it not the case that if you wish to be treated with the respect and 
> dignity you aim for, that you reflect that requirement in your acts and deeds 
> to others? This is what schools are missing, also this is called into 
> question by  today's generation of families. I can call to an example an 
> incident where I was rather outraged by what had occurred. Whilst shopping 
> with my mum (P.A), a young lad kept shouting "Blind B******, I was made aware 
> this brat was with it's mother, she also decided to make references of a 
> sickening nature towards me and I chose to initially ignore it until it 
> became too intense and  an audience started to generate. I decided that 
> enough was enough and followed to the sound of the mother, rather than the 
> child. I basically put it to this woman that if she wished to continue her 
> actions, she would be arrested under 2 counts. Section 5 public order offense 
> and under the DDA rulings of disability discrimination in a public situation. 
> The lad decided to give me a kick in the leg and my mum, at my side 
> restrained him, I called for security and police assistance. The attitude of 
> the woman in question was sickening, causing me to greatly doubt the 
> existence of "decent people" in my home town.
> 
> I notice, as we all do, that I and we, use the word disabled when it comes to 
> blindness or visual impairment. My degree of tolerance to the word 
> "disability becomes rather "pushed" as I do not see that my sight loss is a 
> disability in the context that I am a living person, capable of things that 
> sighted people couldn't do, and at the same time, at a disadvantage to 
> sighted people.
> 
> OK... wouldn't we all like to drive a car, read a paper without braille, see 
> someone's face, etc? 
> 
> All I'm going to say now is this...
> 
> We are dealt with the cards the master gives us, it is up to us as to how we 
> deal with those cards and as to how we adapt to our limitations. If you let 
> the world stand on you for too long, you're conditioned to it and allow it to 
> happen. However... if you fight back and say "NO!" then you have the power to 
> change things for the better.
> 
> that's my rant over.
> 
> MEE MEE MEE MEEEEEEEEEEE! (beaker from the muppets)
> 
> lew
> 
> 
> On 29 Apr 2012, at 19:51, Jenny Keller wrote:
> 
>> Hi,
>> 
>> I'm sorry for the misconceptions and inaccurate information about things for 
>> the blind in the UK.  
>> 
>> I know that I have heard, though, that in Australia, they give you the 
>> choice of computers with accessible software, but I could be wrong about 
>> that too.
>> 
>> Here, you have to be in school or have a job to get accessible anything.  
>> the thing about that is, there are some people like me, that can't work due 
>> to other health problems, and frankly, I'm treated as though I don't need 
>> adaptive anything because I don't work.
>> 
>> That's a crock of bull, because every blind person needs adaptive equipment. 
>>  
>> 
>> The Americans with Disabilities Act only works well for certain groups of 
>> disabled people here.  
>> 
>> It's sad, but it's good to know that America isn't the only one screwing 
>> over the blind or visually impaired.  
>> 
>> Oh by the way, the amount of money they give you to live on only provides 
>> enough for subsidized housing, which usually isn't in a safe neighborhoods 
>> and have questionable people either living in them, or around them dealing 
>> drugs, or prostituting themselves because what they make isn't enough either.
>> 
>> If you spit out kids like bum balls with multiple fathers who don't pay 
>> child support and aren't married, you get more assistance than if you are a 
>> married disabled couple.
>> 
>> When my husband and I got married, we are both blind, our food stamps got 
>> drastically cut.  If we had just lived together, we would get more.  
>> However, it is against my religious beliefs to live together without the 
>> benefit of marriage.
>> 
>> So much for doing the right thing.
>> 
>> Jenny
>> On Apr 29, 2012, at 2:03 AM, Lewis Alexander wrote:
>> 
>>> Hi Jenny, I'm glad I've been listening to this thread.
>>> 
>>> From my experience on this, Here in the UK, though there is audio 
>>> description to TV shows via  new digital TV's, there still isn't a spoken 
>>> user interface to allow access to various menus, same on DVD players, 
>>> recorders, etc. I've not yet come across a single audio described DVD in my 
>>> time.
>>> 
>>> Support for blind and visually impaired people in most parts of the UK is 
>>> absolutely shocking. as an example, in education, I'm here in Wales (a 
>>> lottery win would see me leaving here as soon as possible), throughout my 
>>> education life, both visually impaired and blind, I've been let down and 
>>> lied to, given useless equipment which constantly failed, the wrong 
>>> software, extremely poor braille training, etc. the only good thing that 
>>> came from it was mobility training through RNIB instead of social services 
>>> rehab department.
>>> 
>>> There was a point where mobility aids were free but now they're not, so I 
>>> have to pay about £300 per year on canes and tips due to high usage and 
>>> certain occasions where thugs in our area attack me destroying the cane for 
>>> "fun", so replacement canes are kept by. 
>>> 
>>> If you apply for funding, it's virtually non existent, not only that but 
>>> the rulings given have no sense nor structure. so if you need adaptive 
>>> equipment, not a chance, it's sell what you own or get into debt, that's my 
>>> experience on that matter.
>>> 
>>> Why is it when you walk into a store and ask for help, you get a useless 
>>> person who hasn't a clue of how to assist you? I get this all the time... I 
>>> may as well appear as a muppet on the Muppet Show.. You ask to be guided 
>>> and they go without you, they say " it's over there", don't describe the 
>>> items, etc. So what's the bloomin use of them in the first place.
>>> 
>>> Then of course the ultimate insult. to be blind and wanting to work for 
>>> companies here is a joke. Though I'm highly qualified and have all the 
>>> right requirements, because of being blind, there are 3 main areas that 
>>> stop me from working for a firm. 1: disability discrimination by the 
>>> interviewer or company, 2: Health and Safety regulations acts, 3: employer 
>>> insurance costs.
>>> 
>>> I've been in the IT game for myself for a while and don't mind it, but my 
>>> main skills are as a cabinet maker, having been trained by my grandfather 
>>> who was a master cabinet maker / carpenter. so I took on his work after his 
>>> retirement, so I'm the last in the line of the family in the trades and am 
>>> keeping that alive. I'm fine working for myself, but if I were to work for 
>>> a joinery company, they couldn't take me on for the amount of HSE red tape 
>>> nonsense. This stops us experienced folk from doing our jobs and putting us 
>>> out of work and I'm sick of it.
>>> 
>>> I do some work with a company as a product demonstrator / endorser of their 
>>> products as I use them every day in the workshop and it's ridiculous how 
>>> all this nonsense gets in the way.
>>> 
>>> Anyway, I also agree that here in the UK, if you're in a wheel chair, deaf, 
>>> etc you receive more support, blind and visually impaired people don't 
>>> matter and we're being ripped off with rubbish services, etc. Education is 
>>> a total mess where mainstream education should  be the best option and is 
>>> instead hampered by people who cannot cater for a blind or visually 
>>> impaired person's needs and LEGAL RIGHTS.
>>> 
>>> anyway, enough from me on that matter and I agree with your statements.  
>>> This world needs to open it's eyes to how we have to survice in this world 
>>> and that we should be treeted with the utmost respect and care, given the 
>>> same rights as the rest of the world and granted the support we need to be 
>>> able to achieve what our SIGHTED, able bodied  equals should and are able 
>>> to do.
>>> 
>>> lew
>>> 
>>> On 29 Apr 2012, at 01:40, Jenny Keller wrote:
>>> 
>>>> Well, In my humble opinion, equality isn't there, so that, isn't fair 
>>>> treatment.  the Americans with Disabilities Act should include the blind 
>>>> or visually \impaired just as vigorously as it does every other disability 
>>>> in this country.
>>>> 
>>>> there aren't any services, that I know of at this point, that the visually 
>>>> impaired community, or blind community receive that anyone else would 
>>>> consider unfair.
>>>> 
>>>> Believe me, I've been almost totally blind all my life, and I can say from 
>>>> experience, that the simplest things that I've needed have had to be 
>>>> justified by education or work, which I can work because of other physical 
>>>> disabilities, and for education, I wasn't given the option of being taught 
>>>> braille in the beginning because I had some sight.  So I can say out of 
>>>> experience, there isn't anything that I own, that I didn't beg, borrow, or 
>>>> barter, or finance within an inch of my disability, to get.  
>>>> 
>>>> to be very frank, there are a lot of things, such as that bar code reader 
>>>> they have on special on financing, which I can't afford, that my husband 
>>>> and I desperately need,, that I'll never be able to have.  Only because I 
>>>> can't justify it to the government because we're not working.  
>>>> 
>>>> We both have physical limitations to prevent us from doing so, but because 
>>>> of that, we don't have the opportunity for the simplest and most basic of 
>>>> things to help us with independent cooking and identification skills.
>>>> 
>>>> so I don't have a problem downloading anything that is descriptive from 
>>>> that site because I'm tired of being left out because I'm not able to work 
>>>> and can't afford the opportunities that I should get for things that 
>>>> others can.  If I lived in the UK, things would be a lot different, and if 
>>>> I could get on a plane and become a citizen to the United Kingdom, I 
>>>> certainly would in, well, a New York minute.
>>>> 
>>>> to make this apple related, the only reason I have this machine is because 
>>>> I had to put up with my Dad's crap and constant criticism for him to buy 
>>>> it for me.  
>>>> 
>>>> If it weren't for that, we wouldn't even be talking.
>>>> 
>>>> Jenny
>>>> On Apr 28, 2012, at 7:06 PM, Ricardo Walker wrote:
>>>> 
>>>>> Hi,
>>>>> 
>>>>> Keep in mind, fair doesn't always mean equal.  I'm sure if we looked hard 
>>>>> enough, we can find some services offered exclusively to those who are 
>>>>> visually impaired and or blind.
>>>>> 
>>>>> Ricardo Walker
>>>>> rica...@appletothecore.info
>>>>> Twitter:@apple2thecore
>>>>> www.appletothecore.info
>>>>> 
>>>>> On Apr 28, 2012, at 6:11 PM, Jenny Keller <jlperd...@gmail.com> wrote:
>>>>> 
>>>>>> In my opinion, accessible movies, TV shows, appliances, etc, should fall 
>>>>>> under the ADA.  
>>>>>> 
>>>>>> Not to be politically incorrect here, but if people in wheelchairs can 
>>>>>> get them for free and most places are made to be accessible for them, 
>>>>>> and the deaf get closed captioning for almost every TV show and 
>>>>>> eventually DVD, and TTY phones and free relay services, then why isn't 
>>>>>> it mandatory that we get the same consideration.  
>>>>>> 
>>>>>> The fact is, we don't, and in my opinion, if we have to go to other 
>>>>>> sources to get it because this wonderful country of ours, who makes 
>>>>>> other disabilities have accessible products and services as mandatory, 
>>>>>> then we have do do it until we get our fair shake.
>>>>>> 
>>>>>> It's fairness to all, or it shouldn't be for any.
>>>>>> 
>>>>>> Go red, white, and blue:(
>>>>>> 
>>>>>> Jenny
>>>>>> On Apr 28, 2012, at 1:37 PM, Christine Grassman wrote:
>>>>>> 
>>>>>>> Arguably, anything beyond the things required for daily living is a 
>>>>>>> luxury. Plenty of people do not have computers or TV's.  I personally 
>>>>>>> have found a greater appreciation for movies and television shows when 
>>>>>>> they are described, and it is exceedingly frustrating when one cannot 
>>>>>>> watch a foreign film or dialogue-poor show. The level of audio 
>>>>>>> description in the UK versus what is available in the U.S. is 
>>>>>>> astounding -- in fact, the bulk of the audio description is done in 
>>>>>>> Great Britain. I remember not going to action movies with peers when I 
>>>>>>> was younger, or not being invited, because no one wanted to describe 
>>>>>>> them to me. I remember people becoming annoyed when my mother quietly 
>>>>>>> described what was going on in a movie. 
>>>>>>> Even important information on news broadcasts is flashed across 
>>>>>>> screens. If it is possible to accommodate the print-disabled and 
>>>>>>> visually impaired in one country, it is possible in another. We should 
>>>>>>> not have to pick and choose among "luxuries" --  Shopping for 
>>>>>>> appliances is another nightmare; I am tired of having to get someone to 
>>>>>>> go over touch screens and controls with me so that I can memorize, mark 
>>>>>>> controls, or make charts so that I can use something for which I paid 
>>>>>>> full price. Even companies which advertise that they have "accessible 
>>>>>>> manuals" either do not actually provide them or only provide them in 
>>>>>>> shorter, slimmed-down versions.
>>>>>>> If something is accessible to people who want it and can afford it, it 
>>>>>>> should be accessible to all. Not only is their a fairness component, 
>>>>>>> but a social component: culturally, experientially, we are better 
>>>>>>> integrated into the social fabric of our societies when we have 
>>>>>>> independent, real-world access to the things our peers take for granted.
>>>>>>> Christine
>>>>>>> show 
>>>>>>> On Apr 28, 2012, at 1:34 PM, Eugenia Firth wrote:
>>>>>>> 
>>>>>>>> Hi guys. 
>>>>>>>> I love audio description as much as any blind person could. Before you 
>>>>>>>> couldn't get them, I bought several movies on those tapes, movies I 
>>>>>>>> wanted to watch again. However, and maybe I'm showing my age here, but 
>>>>>>>> I consider audio description to be a luxury for us. I watched movies 
>>>>>>>> and TV just fine before we got it. 
>>>>>>>> 
>>>>>>>> Computer accessibility, however, including the Internet's 
>>>>>>>> accessibility, has become an increasingly frustrating necessity. I 
>>>>>>>> don't have statistics to back up my opinion, but I think we delude 
>>>>>>>> ourselves if we think we are a money-making proposition. Poor Apple 
>>>>>>>> has been braver than everybody else by jumping into the quicksand of 
>>>>>>>> accessibility. If the good folks in Cupertino are sorry they they made 
>>>>>>>> the plunge, they are being smart enough to be quiet about it. I think 
>>>>>>>> they will be better off than everyone else in that regard eventually, 
>>>>>>>> especially when the feds get involved in evaluating accessibility the 
>>>>>>>> education arena. At least Apple will have no trouble, unlike others, 
>>>>>>>> proving that the iPad, etc. is accessible to blind and other disabled 
>>>>>>>> students. 
>>>>>>>> 
>>>>>>>> A blind friend of mine was asking me about these new vending machines 
>>>>>>>> that touch screens. He was asking if there was an iPhone app to 
>>>>>>>> control those things because he's concerned that he won't even able to 
>>>>>>>> get a cold drink without extra help otherwise. As it is, at least at 
>>>>>>>> his work, he can count the buttons. I have another blind friend whose 
>>>>>>>> electric oven went out, and she a terrible time finding an accessible 
>>>>>>>> one. My microwave is still partially inaccessible since my husband has 
>>>>>>>> yet to put labels onto that mostly flat screen. When I go to 
>>>>>>>> Louisville this summer, I can just about guarantee that I can't 
>>>>>>>> independently watch TV, unless you guys can tell me of an iPhone app 
>>>>>>>> that will for sure work with the hotel's TV. 
>>>>>>>> 
>>>>>>>> I could go on and on giving examples. Without getting political, both 
>>>>>>>> blindness organizations  have written resolutions for positive and/or 
>>>>>>>> negative motivators for some of these folks that are busy making our 
>>>>>>>> lives more and ore inaccessible. We lost the battle of the 
>>>>>>>> accessibility of curbing in our U.S. cities for blind folks, making 
>>>>>>>> our mobility more difficult. We can't afford to lose the computer 
>>>>>>>> accessibility thing. 
>>>>>>>> 
>>>>>>>> Regards,
>>>>>>>> Gigi
>>>>>>>> 
>>>>>>>> Eugenia Firth
>>>>>>>> gigifi...@sbcglobal.net
>>>>>>>> 
>>>>>>>> 
>>>>>>>> 
>>>>>>>> On Apr 28, 2012, at 11:44 AM, Lewis Alexander wrote:
>>>>>>>> 
>>>>>>>>> not getting it just yet, figuring out finances, etc so should have it 
>>>>>>>>> end of may. snowed under at the mo with a machine restoration. a 
>>>>>>>>> vintage industrial machine I'm completely rebuilding ready for use. 
>>>>>>>>> so today's been spray work and drying. tomorow's the same.
>>>>>>>>> 
>>>>>>>>> then after that it's assembly work.
>>>>>>>>> 
>>>>>>>>> lew
>>>>>>>>> 
>>>>>>>>> On 28 Apr 2012, at 13:50, Donna Goodin wrote:
>>>>>>>>> 
>>>>>>>>>> Hi Lew,
>>>>>>>>>> 
>>>>>>>>>> congrats on your iPad.  they really are cool devices.  My husband 
>>>>>>>>>> has one, and I thought long and hard about getting one too. But 
>>>>>>>>>> eventually I decided that since I didn't need the larger screen, 
>>>>>>>>>> that the iPhone could do everything I needed, so it didn't make 
>>>>>>>>>> sense to duplicate devices.  I confess, though, I'm envious.  Every 
>>>>>>>>>> once in a while I look at my husband's iPad and get a sudden craving 
>>>>>>>>>> for coolaide. lol
>>>>>>>>>> Cheers,
>>>>>>>>>> Donna
>>>>>>>>>> On Apr 28, 2012, at 8:44 AM, Lewis Alexander wrote:
>>>>>>>>>> 
>>>>>>>>>>> nice one donna, I fully agree.
>>>>>>>>>>> 
>>>>>>>>>>> the iPad is a product which can truly change the lives of blind 
>>>>>>>>>>> users throughout the world. I'm in the process of buying an iPad as 
>>>>>>>>>>> it's needed for work both in the workshop and on site as a rep for 
>>>>>>>>>>> a company, so the online catalogue needs to be available and 
>>>>>>>>>>> accessible to me all the time, the iPad for me feels absolutely 
>>>>>>>>>>> amazing, after road testing the new model, I've fallen in love with 
>>>>>>>>>>> it. I don't need a wife, just an iPad lol
>>>>>>>>>>> 
>>>>>>>>>>> lew
>>>>>>>>>>> 
>>>>>>>>>>> On 28 Apr 2012, at 13:39, Donna Goodin wrote:
>>>>>>>>>>> 
>>>>>>>>>>>> Hi Christine,
>>>>>>>>>>>> 
>>>>>>>>>>>> I'm perplexed.  How do you see the push to have iPads in 
>>>>>>>>>>>> classrooms as something that leaves the blind/VI student out?  If 
>>>>>>>>>>>> anything, I see that as something that better enables us to 
>>>>>>>>>>>> participate, thanks to the fact that Apple has made the iPad a 
>>>>>>>>>>>> fully accessible device.
>>>>>>>>>>>> Best,
>>>>>>>>>>>> Donna
>>>>>>>>>>>> On Apr 28, 2012, at 8:36 AM, Christine Grassman wrote:
>>>>>>>>>>>> 
>>>>>>>>>>>>> With all due respect, Scott, laws which disparately impact 
>>>>>>>>>>>>> certain groups or classes of people have been flouted through 
>>>>>>>>>>>>> civil disobedience since the introduction of legal systems, e.g., 
>>>>>>>>>>>>> civil rights, disability rights, employment rights, etc. The 
>>>>>>>>>>>>> United States might not exist were it not for disobeying laws. 
>>>>>>>>>>>>> I am an attorney, and it continues to amaze me how slowly the 
>>>>>>>>>>>>> U.S. is moving to accommodate disability, and how snail-paced the 
>>>>>>>>>>>>> societal shift in attitudes toward us has been.  and it seems 
>>>>>>>>>>>>> that whenever a company like Apple makes great strides in 
>>>>>>>>>>>>> accommodating blindness off the shelf, plenty of other 
>>>>>>>>>>>>> technologies come along and do not bother to incorporate us into 
>>>>>>>>>>>>> their equation. So many educational apps, for example, are not 
>>>>>>>>>>>>> accessible, though they could be, and given the push now to have 
>>>>>>>>>>>>> iPads in classrooms, once again blind, visually impaired, and 
>>>>>>>>>>>>> otherwise print-disabled students will be left out. Apple moves 
>>>>>>>>>>>>> us two steps forward, and "progress" (for others) moves us three 
>>>>>>>>>>>>> steps back. I should be able to turn on a television, flip a 
>>>>>>>>>>>>> switch, or turn on a transmitter, and get descriptions. I should 
>>>>>>>>>>>>> be able to access books on the Nook or the Kindle, not just 
>>>>>>>>>>>>> iBooks. I cannot express, and I am sure others here agree, the 
>>>>>>>>>>>>> happiness I feel when a new release or best-selling publication 
>>>>>>>>>>>>> is available on iBooks.
>>>>>>>>>>>>> (Incidentally, if a book is available on iBooks and on 
>>>>>>>>>>>>> bookshare.org, I purchase the book. Yet, I have lost quite a lot 
>>>>>>>>>>>>> of money as a published author -- as soon as my book was 
>>>>>>>>>>>>> published, I sent a copy to bookshare.org; it was more important 
>>>>>>>>>>>>> to me to have it available at the same time to the blind and 
>>>>>>>>>>>>> print-disabled. The Authors Guild apparently does not care about 
>>>>>>>>>>>>> such access, despite the fact that they would actually get money 
>>>>>>>>>>>>> from us.)
>>>>>>>>>>>>> 
>>>>>>>>>>>>> I would happily go to the movies more and happily purchase 
>>>>>>>>>>>>> audio-described movies through iTunes if they were available. 
>>>>>>>>>>>>> Even movies which are released with audio description are not 
>>>>>>>>>>>>> always sold through movie resellers -- goodness knows I have 
>>>>>>>>>>>>> tried. To date, I have only located The Incredible Hulk, from 
>>>>>>>>>>>>> 2008, which I purchased for my son.
>>>>>>>>>>>>> Even Apple could do more. It could strengthen its requirements 
>>>>>>>>>>>>> for apps. It has provided developers with the means to make their 
>>>>>>>>>>>>> apps VoiceOver accessible, and there are plenty of apps out there 
>>>>>>>>>>>>> which could be so. Only apps that are visual by their very nature 
>>>>>>>>>>>>> should be exempted. But, as usual, profit trumps  people, despite 
>>>>>>>>>>>>> the fact that the disabled community rewards those who remember 
>>>>>>>>>>>>> us with our business. 
>>>>>>>>>>>>> Frankly, I would prefer to purchase the audio-described movies 
>>>>>>>>>>>>> and shows I download from the vault, so that I could watch them 
>>>>>>>>>>>>> with sighted friends and family. I wish I could show a film to a 
>>>>>>>>>>>>> class and not have to ask my para or a student to tell me what is 
>>>>>>>>>>>>> going on. The entertainment industry gets plenty of my money. If 
>>>>>>>>>>>>> they want more, they should remember that I deserve to be able to 
>>>>>>>>>>>>> access their material independently. OK. Topic over. Those of you 
>>>>>>>>>>>>> who wish to continue this off-list are welcome; I've appreciated 
>>>>>>>>>>>>> your correspondence thus far. 
>>>>>>>>>>>>> Christine
>>>>>>>>>>>>> On Apr 28, 2012, at 6:13 AM, Scott Howell wrote:
>>>>>>>>>>>>> 
>>>>>>>>>>>>>> I am sure commenting on this only adds fuel to the fire, but I 
>>>>>>>>>>>>>> did want to point out that as I recall the person that is 
>>>>>>>>>>>>>> responsible for this movie vault thing also runs a legit 
>>>>>>>>>>>>>> company. I would find it difficult to believe that he has not 
>>>>>>>>>>>>>> checked into this because no one would want to put their 
>>>>>>>>>>>>>> business assets at risk. If there truly is an investigation then 
>>>>>>>>>>>>>> prove it. I get pretty annoyed when people claim something, but 
>>>>>>>>>>>>>> cannot or do not provide any reference to back those claims. And 
>>>>>>>>>>>>>> for the record I do not condone pirating of any kind and believe 
>>>>>>>>>>>>>> that regardless of accessibility issues  even blind people must 
>>>>>>>>>>>>>> follow the laws.
>>>>>>>>>>>>>> 
>>>>>>>>>>>>>> 
>>>>>>>>>>>>>> On Apr 27, 2012, at 10:51 PM, Christine Grassman wrote:
>>>>>>>>>>>>>> 
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> Naturally, if the moderator deems this discussion verboten, I 
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> will refrain further, but I would feel remiss not to point out 
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> the following for consideration:
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> 1. As of several hours ago, there was nothing on the FBI's 
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> official web site regarding an investigation, nor were there 
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> any press releases or other comparable references to an 
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> investigation of the movie vault. A reference would be 
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> appreciated; mere speculation or rumor could be deemed libelous.
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> 
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> 2. The problem industries have with illegal file-sharing is 
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> loss of revenue. Since, at least in the United States, there is 
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> virtually no way to purchase audio-described movies or 
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> television shows, the industry is not being cheated of revenue.
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> 3. The files are straight audio, with no ability, for example, 
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> to "watch" with sighted peers while having the benefit of the 
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> audio description. This is not at all remotely similar to 
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> downloading a film for the family to watch. That being said, 
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> the vast majority of the sighted community does this with 
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> impunity, even though many of the shows and movies they 
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> download can be seen for free when they are are shown on 
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> television. We, on the other hand, cannot even enjoy full 
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> access to these shows when they *are* on television. Either 
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> they are not audio-described at all, or it is not easy to turn 
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> on the secondary audio channel, or a particular station only 
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> carries foreign language broadcasts on the SAC rather than 
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> audio description. Comparing access to audio-described movies 
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> and shows in mp3 format to the type of file-sharing which goes 
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> on 24/7 on hundreds and thousands of sites is a stretch.
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> 4. If the government and/or the involved industries  wish to do 
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> something about the existence of resources like the movie 
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> vault, the former should mandate, and the latter should provide 
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> a market from which we can obtain these items. I have been able 
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> to watch a non-described movie with others after listening to 
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> an mp3 file and tell another blind person what is going on 
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> thanks to that previous experience.  My two blind children have 
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> been able to enjoy fare which their peers enjoyed months or 
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> years ago. Until the entertainment industry levels the playing 
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> field, I will utilize resources like the movie vault with the 
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> same guiltless pleasure I take in bookshare.org (and, by the 
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> way, it is possible to download books from bookshare.org which 
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> are available commercially.) We cannot use the Kindle as others 
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> do.  WE cannot use the Nook.  We are severely limited in what 
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> we can access independently when it comes to entertainment, and 
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> we must even still fight for access to education at every 
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> level, despite technological advances. Holding us to the same 
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> standards as the vast majority of illegal file-sharers is  
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> legally, morally, and economically inequitable.
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> 
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> Christine
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> 
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> -- 
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>>>>>>>>>>>>>> 
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>>>>>>>>>>>> http://groups.google.com/group/macvisionaries?hl=en.
>>>>>>>>>>>> 
>>>>>>>>>>> 
>>>>>>>>>>> -- 
>>>>>>>>>>> You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google 
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>>>>>>>>>>> For more options, visit this group at 
>>>>>>>>>>> http://groups.google.com/group/macvisionaries?hl=en.
>>>>>>>>>>> 
>>>>>>>>>> 
>>>>>>>>>> -- 
>>>>>>>>>> You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google 
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>>>>>>>>>> To post to this group, send email to macvisionaries@googlegroups.com.
>>>>>>>>>> To unsubscribe from this group, send email to 
>>>>>>>>>> macvisionaries+unsubscr...@googlegroups.com.
>>>>>>>>>> For more options, visit this group at 
>>>>>>>>>> http://groups.google.com/group/macvisionaries?hl=en.
>>>>>>>>>> 
>>>>>>>>> 
>>>>>>>>> -- 
>>>>>>>>> You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google 
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>>>>>>>>> To post to this group, send email to macvisionaries@googlegroups.com.
>>>>>>>>> To unsubscribe from this group, send email to 
>>>>>>>>> macvisionaries+unsubscr...@googlegroups.com.
>>>>>>>>> For more options, visit this group at 
>>>>>>>>> http://groups.google.com/group/macvisionaries?hl=en.
>>>>>>>>> 
>>>>>>>> 
>>>>>>>> 
>>>>>>>> -- 
>>>>>>>> You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google 
>>>>>>>> Groups "MacVisionaries" group.
>>>>>>>> To post to this group, send email to macvisionaries@googlegroups.com.
>>>>>>>> To unsubscribe from this group, send email to 
>>>>>>>> macvisionaries+unsubscr...@googlegroups.com.
>>>>>>>> For more options, visit this group at 
>>>>>>>> http://groups.google.com/group/macvisionaries?hl=en.
>>>>>>> 
>>>>>>> 
>>>>>>> -- 
>>>>>>> You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google 
>>>>>>> Groups "MacVisionaries" group.
>>>>>>> To post to this group, send email to macvisionaries@googlegroups.com.
>>>>>>> To unsubscribe from this group, send email to 
>>>>>>> macvisionaries+unsubscr...@googlegroups.com.
>>>>>>> For more options, visit this group at 
>>>>>>> http://groups.google.com/group/macvisionaries?hl=en.
>>>>>> 
>>>>>> 
>>>>>> -- 
>>>>>> You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google 
>>>>>> Groups "MacVisionaries" group.
>>>>>> To post to this group, send email to macvisionaries@googlegroups.com.
>>>>>> To unsubscribe from this group, send email to 
>>>>>> macvisionaries+unsubscr...@googlegroups.com.
>>>>>> For more options, visit this group at 
>>>>>> http://groups.google.com/group/macvisionaries?hl=en.
>>>>> 
>>>>> -- 
>>>>> You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups 
>>>>> "MacVisionaries" group.
>>>>> To post to this group, send email to macvisionaries@googlegroups.com.
>>>>> To unsubscribe from this group, send email to 
>>>>> macvisionaries+unsubscr...@googlegroups.com.
>>>>> For more options, visit this group at 
>>>>> http://groups.google.com/group/macvisionaries?hl=en.
>>>>> 
>>>> 
>>>> -- 
>>>> You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups 
>>>> "MacVisionaries" group.
>>>> To post to this group, send email to macvisionaries@googlegroups.com.
>>>> To unsubscribe from this group, send email to 
>>>> macvisionaries+unsubscr...@googlegroups.com.
>>>> For more options, visit this group at 
>>>> http://groups.google.com/group/macvisionaries?hl=en.
>>>> 
>>> 
>>> -- 
>>> You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups 
>>> "MacVisionaries" group.
>>> To post to this group, send email to macvisionaries@googlegroups.com.
>>> To unsubscribe from this group, send email to 
>>> macvisionaries+unsubscr...@googlegroups.com.
>>> For more options, visit this group at 
>>> http://groups.google.com/group/macvisionaries?hl=en.
>>> 
>> 
>> -- 
>> You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups 
>> "MacVisionaries" group.
>> To post to this group, send email to macvisionaries@googlegroups.com.
>> To unsubscribe from this group, send email to 
>> macvisionaries+unsubscr...@googlegroups.com.
>> For more options, visit this group at 
>> http://groups.google.com/group/macvisionaries?hl=en.
>> 
> 
> -- 
> You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups 
> "MacVisionaries" group.
> To post to this group, send email to macvisionaries@googlegroups.com.
> To unsubscribe from this group, send email to 
> macvisionaries+unsubscr...@googlegroups.com.
> For more options, visit this group at 
> http://groups.google.com/group/macvisionaries?hl=en.
> 

-- 
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To post to this group, send email to macvisionaries@googlegroups.com.
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For more options, visit this group at 
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