[Blindtlk] FW: FNC Alert

Wed Nov 29 14:31:03 CST 2006

This is certainly an interesting topic and I, like Dianne, believe that
it is a good thing for the many reasons she has outlined.  It's just
that I believe we have just about "beaten this horse to death."  It is
perfectly clear how various ones of us are feeling and I do not see the
point in restating a position over and over.  

Thanks,

Kathy

>>> "Mike Freeman" <k7uij at panix.com> Wednesday, November 29, 2006 2:57
PM >>>
Diane:

I'm sorry but I believe that tactile features won't survive very long
in the 
real world. And I believe they would be more easily faked than current

currency can be.

Moreover, I fear a backlash that would jeopardize some of our 504 and
ADA 
rights needlessly.

And what of debit and credit cards?

Mike

----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Graves, Diane" <dgraves at crc.IN.gov>
To: "NFBnet Blind Talk Mailing List" <blindtlk at nfbnet.org>
Sent: Wednesday, November 29, 2006 9:37 AM
Subject: Re: [Blindtlk] FW: FNC Alert

Hi Mike and All,

Well, once again, I guess it all depends on your perspective.  I am
very
thankful for the ability to read most of my own mail as opposed to
pestering/PAYING a sighted person to do it. There are countless other
ways in which computers/scanners have made us more independent.  I can
now pay my own bills via automation without having to ask someone to
write out checks for me, or typing them and hoping I got them centered
within the lines and they are completely legible.

Yes, like everything else, computers, scanners, whatever  have their
drawbacks, but I believe they've given us quite a bit of independence
too.

There are other ways they could make currency accessible without
necessarily making it different sizes.  They could use Braille, they
could use texture, a number of different things.  I think The Davids
are
right and it is going to happen.  I think we would do well to give
them
some feed back and let them know how it could best be done.

Independence and equality is my ultimate goal.  Not proving to the
world
that I can prevail in the most primitive of circumstances.

Diane Graves
Civil Rights Specialist
Indiana Civil Rights Commission
Alternative Dispute Resolutions Unit
317-232-2647

"Attitude is a little thing that makes a big difference."--Winston
Churchill

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-----Original Message-----
From: blindtlk-bounces at nfbnet.org [mailto:blindtlk-bounces at nfbnet.org]

On Behalf Of Mike Freeman
Sent: Wednesday, November 29, 2006 11:54 AM
To: NFBnet Blind Talk Mailing List
Subject: Re: [Blindtlk] FW: FNC Alert

Diane:

No, I am not elated. Computers are a great boon. But they're also
colossal
time-wasters and,for some of us, have made some aspects of our lives
*less*
independent than they were when we used readers. But computers are a
fact of
life. And it is also a fact of life that we're *always* going to need
some
help. All we're arguing about is the nature of that help.

I grant you that there is cheating in the world. I doubt, however,
that
having so-called "accessible" currency would make much difference in
this. I
think I've been cheated maybe three times in fifty years and one of
these
was probably my fault. I don't think that statistic would change much
with
altered currency.

Moreover, with more and more transactions being handled by credit and
debit
cards, are we next going to demand that all receipts and credit card
slips
be embossed in braille? That's the logical extension of this
accessible
currency nonsense.

In fact, I *want* my bills all to be the same size. If I want to fold
them,
I do but having many-sized bills would be a colossal nuisance. Not to
mention that money talks and the vending machine industry carries far
more
weight than do we, the blind. Ask some of our blind merchants and
you'll

find near-universal opposition to the ACB lawsuit and the present
ruling.

Mike

----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Graves, Diane" <dgraves at crc.in.gov>
To: "NFBnet Blind Talk Mailing List" <blindtlk at nfbnet.org>
Sent: Wednesday, November 29, 2006 5:03 AM
Subject: Re: [Blindtlk] FW: FNC Alert

Good Morning To All,

My viewpoint is pretty much in line with yours Sherri.  I mean, PLEASE
do not get me wrong.  We have MANY much more important issues in need
of
attention from our legislators and legal system than this one.

I too have a method of folding my money, and it generally has proven
to
be quite effective.  For many years I didn't even fold it.  What I
would
do is keep the larger bills on the outside of the role or stack of
bills
and the smaller ones in the middle, and then just remember what I had.
But alas, I am growing older, and my memory is growing weaker.  So
several years ago I began to fold the bills for identification
purposes.

But, it is a fact that, in order to get our money folded in the first
place we do have to depend on the honesty/accuracy of a merchant, a
bank
teller, a family member and so on.  That is, if we don't' have that
$400
identifier.  Most of the time this method of initial identification
works fine, but I have been known to be on the other side of that
coin.
It doesn't happen regularly or often, but it has happened.

Like Sherri, I don't spend a great deal of time fretting about this
issue, but the rest of the world is going to a completely tactilely
identifiable monitory system, and I don't see why we need to be
different just to prove that there are alternative techniques.

After all, progress is progress.  I mean, prior to the days of
wide-spread computer use, and scanners and Kurzweil and the whole bit,
blind people hired and used readers and sometimes had to call on
others
to proof read there typed work and so on.  This worked out fine for
them
then.  It was an alternative technique and it worked well.  But would
you rather have stayed back there?  Aren't you thankful, glad and
elated, that you can now take care of your bills, mail and other
business totally independently for the most part?

I know I am.  The alternative techniques worked fine for their time,
but
I for one, am grateful to be increasingly more independent of sighted
assistance.

And now we even have the Kurzweil/NFB handheld reader which will
increase that independence even more as it can be carried with us.  I
can't wait to get my hands on one of those.  I am folding my money and
putting it away (when I can) in anticipation of that grand purchase.

I do understand that it seems absurd to spend time on the little
things
when there are so many major problems, but don't knock progress guys!
Every little piece of independence we achieve is precious.  At least
it
is to me.

Diane Graves
Civil Rights Specialist
Indiana Civil Rights Commission
Alternative Dispute Resolutions Unit
317-232-2647

"Attitude is a little thing that makes a big difference."--Winston
Churchill

Confidentiality Notice: This E-mail transmission may contain
confidential and/or legally privileged information intended only for
the
individual or entity(ies) named in the E-mail address. If you are not
the intended recipient, be advised that any unauthorized disclosure,
copying, distribution, or acting in reliance upon the contents of this
E-mail is strictly prohibited. If you have received this E-mail
transmission in error, please reply to sender to arrange for the
return
and proper delivery of the transmission. Subsequently, delete the
message from your system immediately.

-----Original Message-----
From: blindtlk-bounces at nfbnet.org [mailto:blindtlk-bounces at nfbnet.org]

On Behalf Of Sherri
Sent: Wednesday, November 29, 2006 2:26 AM
To: NFBnet Blind Talk Mailing List
Subject: Re: [Blindtlk] FW: FNC Alert

This is probably an unpopular viewpoint and though I manage pretty
well
without it and am much more concerned about obtaining more money than
I
am about having some tactile way to tell bills apart other than
folding,
I guess I don't understand why we don't just catch up with the rest of
the

world and make our money identifiable? If we have to change it anyway
because of counterfeit bills, why not just make the other changes too?
However, I don't stay up nights thinking about this issue. Really, it
isn't that important in the scheme of things. (smile)

Sherri

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