Presto Chango!

The Cracker Barrel!  I absolutely love the Cracker Barrel.  But they don't have any here on the Wild Olympic Peninsula. 

 As careful as I am when eating, I never put both hands into my mouth at the same time and only lick them off over my plate, nonetheless I do get a teeny, tiny little smudge on my shirt from time to time.  Like every time I eat. 

It would not happen as often if my stomach didn't poke out so far in front of my chest.  The dribble shoots right on past my chest and splatters on the protrusion. 

That's when Oxi Clean comes to the rescue.  Upon returning home I take a cup of the dry Oxi Clean and mix it with very hot water.  Then I fold my shirt into the water, having first removed it from my body.  I leave it overnight, toss it into the washer and Presto Chango!  Clean and ready to receive dribbles again. 

 

Curious Carl

 

settling

Subject: Re: [acb-l] settling

To All Settlers...and those who may still be unsettled,

 

As I settle myself in my office chair this morning, I find that I am willing to settle for a little distraction before settling down to attempt to settle several client needs. 

Although I do recall using the expression many times, in my heart of hearts I really have never settled for anything.  Oh sure, I've heard myself say, "I had to settle for second best", or "We settled for the ham and cheese sandwich, since they were out of Turkey", but that's quite different than "settling" on how I conduct my life. 

I have never settled for living in a certain neighborhood because I couldn't afford to live somewhere else.  I've never settled for my current job because I couldn't convince anyone to pay me to turn my dream jobs into reality. 

I've never settled for taking a bus to work rather than driving myself. 

I guess I just don't get it.  What are we supposed to be settling on? 

Don't we just deal with life?  Where I find myself in life is based on a gazillion events, most of which I had no control over.  But even if I made some dumb decisions, I am not settling for my present situation.  It just is.  It's where I am.  Some things I do for myself that I might be better off having done for me, and some things I have done for me that I could do for myself.  That's not settling.  That's Life. 

When we are working with a client we do not say, "You will just have to settle on reading with a magnifier", or "You will have to settle on having your mail read to you".  We say, "here are your choices, given your situation".  And when a client chooses to walk into walls rather than be seen with a white cane, we don't think that she has settled for this behavior.  She is doing the best she can do with her current state of being.  As a rehab teacher, my job is to offer her better information and instruction.  But she is going to process what I do and make her own choices.  that's not settling.  That's doing the best she can do right now. 

And isn't that what all of us do? 

 

Carl Jarvis

 

 

Blind beggars through the "eye" of the blind.

In the blind community the debate goes on.  Should we accept the blind beggar or drive him/her off the streets? 

Some of us declare that the beggar makes such a negative statement that potential employers will see that image whenever one of us applies for a job, and will turn us away. 

Others feel that the blind beggar disturbs us because none of us are that far removed from taking to the streets ourselves.  And some of us just like to mess in other people's lives. 

A friend of mine drove a beer truck for a living.  He became converted to a fundamental church and when his new associates learned what he did for a living they began to criticize him and to tell him that he was giving them all a black eye and nothing would do but what he must find a more appropriate job.  Just as an aside, since Jesus turned water into wine I could not see their point, but anyway that was how they saw it.  My friend complained to me that it was putting him in a very tough place.  But being a practical man and having a family to care for, he continued driving the beer truck and told his critics that it gave him the golden opportunity to Witness before folks who were usually overlooked. 

But my point is, if this blind beggar tells you that begging is his job, then my only question would be, "Do you have a business license, and do you pay your proper taxes?"  I've known blind street beggars who made better money than I ever made. 

Most of us don't get excited or offended over the bell ringers at Christmas time.  And we all have tolerated a wide range of beggars, from the door knockers peddling their religion and asking for donations, to beggars slipping into our homes through our mail boxes.  So is it because the beggar is blind that we are highly offended?  Is it a personal affront?  Would it help if I told you that no beggar will impact you one little bit.  You are already covered by the General Blind Stereotype.  That stereotype includes you, me  and the blind beggar alike.  Getting him off the street will not change anything except for his income. 

 

Curious Carl

 

what's in a word?

The 1960 Braille Series were the first books I taught Braille from.  In Book One, using the first ten letters of the alphabet, we came upon the word Fag.  Now when I was a lad, Fag meant a cigarette.  As in "Give me a fag, will ya?" 

One day a student came to me in a rather agitated state.  "There is an offensive word in this lesson book," she declared. 

Startled, I took a look at what sort of offensive word might be tucked away in this innocent looking lesson book.  "Fag!" she announced, pointing to the page.  No matter how I tried explaining that this book was published long before the word took on any meaning other than a cigarette, she was not to be pacified. 

So I had her gather all of the Braille Book One's and bring them into my classroom.  She and I sat down and rubbed out one dot on the letter G, making the work "Fad".  She went away very pleased with herself. 

The next shipment of 1960 Braille Book One had the word Fag in it.  But I never breathed a word. 

 

Curious Carl

 

I'll sing at his grave

Show me a man without bias and I'll sing at his graveside. 

 

Curious Carl

----- Original Message -----

From: John Heim

To: acb-l@acb.org

Sent: Thursday, March 24, 2011 7:01 AM

Subject: Re: [acb-l] (For All the) Public Broadcasting

But again, saying that everyone has biases does not prove the reporting on
NPR is biased. A judge can dislike a defendant and still see to it that he
gets a fair trial. A journalist can have a bias and still be fair when
reporting a story. That's a journalist's job. I still see no reason to
believe PBS and NPR's reporting is biased.

Everybody seems happy to just declare it to be true. Well, I'm not buying
it.

----- Original Message -----
From: "Ken Metz" <kenmetz@dslextreme.com>
To: "'Carl Jarvis'" <carjar82@gmail.com>; "'R. E. Driscoll Sr'"
<llocsirdsr@att.net>; "'Acb List'" <acb-l@acb.org>
Sent: Tuesday, March 22, 2011 8:18 PM
Subject: Re: [acb-l] (For All the) Public Broadcasting


> No bias also allows one to have any of his/her own ideas/opinions. These
> are
> people that can't think outside the box even when it might help a blind
> guy
> become employed.
>
>
>
> KEN
>
>
>
> From: acb-l-bounces@acb.org [mailto:acb-l-bounces@acb.org] On Behalf Of
> Carl
> Jarvis
> Sent: Tuesday, March 22, 2011 8:39 AM
> To: R. E. Driscoll Sr; 'Acb List'
> Subject: Re: [acb-l] (For All the) Public Broadcasting
>
>
>
> Dick,
>
> Definition of a person without a bias.  Dead.
>
> And now that you've identified what you are not, tell us what you are?
>
> I'm reminded of the fellow our state hired to direct the Commission for
> the
> Blind in Washington State back around 1981.  His claim to fame was that he
> was not a member of the ACB.  He was not a member of the NFB.  As a
> totally
> blind man he held no positions on any subject regarding anything at all.
> What he had was a blank mind, a clean slate.
>
> Of course it turned out to be a foolish attempt to deceive the Commission
> Board.  He lasted exactly one year and almost brought programs to an end.
>
> So much for guys with no bias'.
>
>
>
> Carl Jarvis
>
>
>
>
>
> ----- Original Message -----
>
> From: R. E. Driscoll Sr <mailto:llocsirdsr@att.net>
>
> To: 'Acb List' <mailto:acb-l@acb.org>
>
> Sent: Tuesday, March 22, 2011 7:54 AM
>
> Subject: Re: [acb-l] (For All the) Public Broadcasting
>
>
>
> Dear Friends:
> I am overjoyed to know that 'liberals' can be biased.  While I am not a
> 'conservative' nor a 'liberal' nor an 'independent' I readily admit that I
> am full of bias and have to be 'on guard' at all times lest my 'biases'
> show
> up in my conversation and thoughts.  Mea Culpa.  Mea Culpa. Mea Maxima
> Culpa.
> Regards,
> R. E. (Dick) Driscoll, Sr.
>
>


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------


> _______________________________________________
> acb-l mailing list
> acb-l@acb.org
> http://www.acb.org/mailman/listinfo/acb-l
>

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Peter Principle

The Peter Principle, by Laurence J. Peter is the only book I have read by this author. 

The basic thrust is that we all rise to our level of incompetency.  This may explain why Laurence J. Peter is only known for his one book. 

 

Curious Carl

 

remember the triangle shirt waist factory fire of 1911

Subject: remember the triangle shirt waist factory fire of 1911

Today, March 25, 2011, marks the 100th anniversary of that tragic fire in the Triangle building in New York City. 

I think it is appropriate for all of us involved in any blind organization to pause and reflect on just why we have come together. 

Remembering the conditions suffered by the garment factory workers in those distant days should remind us of the back rooms and the work shops and the poor farms where blind people existed.  Despite the hard road ahead of us, we really have come a long way.  We need to keep in mind that it has been through collective action, not by individual gain, that has brought us as far as we find ourselves. 

I would hope that regardless of our political leanings, that we all defend the right of people everywhere to organize for their own protection and advancement. 

Certainly we have seen many abuses of power in organized labor, but we only have to look about the world to see the corporate abuses which exist when there is no worker's organizations allowed. 

Imagine what would become of us and our gains if the government decided to ban the right of the blind to organize?  Who would take up our cause?  And if we had to look elsewhere, other  than within ourselves, would it really be our cause?  Or would it once again be the "care and pity" from our loving benefactors?  We've been down that road.  I, for one do not want to have to return to custodial life. 

 

Carl Jarvis

 

*************
Too long have the workers of the world waited for some Moses to lead them out of bondage. I would not lead you out if I could; for if you could be led out, you could be led back again. I would have you make up your minds there is nothing that you cannot do for yourselves. --Eugene Victor Debs
1855-1926