Matilda Ziegler Magazine for the Blind the source for blindness news and information since 1907

Frank Buckles, a former Corporal in the United States Army and the final surviving U.S. veteran of World War One, celebrated his 109th birthday on February 1.

But what is perhaps the most interesting about Buckles isn’t his age, but rather his goal to encourage lawmakers to renovate the World War One memorial in Washington D.C. and give it national monument status. In December, at a spritely 108 years old, Buckles spoke in front of Congress on this matter to convince them to allocate funding to fix the current monument and to set it equally among the others that adorn the nation’s capital.

He had previously visited the monument, being pushed in his wheelchair by a military aid, and noticed that the area is overgrown, the surrounding stonework is cracked and the soldiers represented there are only from the District of Columbia. The place is in need of some serious work and deserves the recognition that other national monuments have received.

Congress hasn’t yet decided what they would like to do. They have the monument in Washington D.C. and a rival monument that was built around 1920 in Kansas City to consider. Why Congress doesn’t feel that the national monument belongs in the nation’s capital is anyone’s guess.  Only time will tell if Buckle’s goal will be realized.  At 109, time isn’t exactly on his side.  But if he’s made it this long, hopefully he’ll stay around for a little while longer.

To read the original article, please go to

http://www.cnn.com/2010/POLITICS/01/31/world.war.one.vet.memorial/index.html?hpt=T2

This past weekend, I decided to brave the elements and head up to Vermont to go skiing with some friends of mine. It was going to be cold, mostly single digits and below during my stay, but the snow was going to be decent and I hadn’t been out yet this year.

As I was going down one of the more difficult trails that the mountain had to offer, I heard voices behind me. As they got closer, it sounded like a ski instructor giving directions to someone in a private lesson. They’d shout, “Left, now right, back left, watch your speed,” and it sounded like the pupil was doing well. Soon after this, I stopped to take a break and rest my legs for a second. As I looked up, a man came over the crest of the hill and whizzed effortlessly past me. It looked like he had been skiing since he was a baby and his form was perfect. He was also wearing a bright yellow vest that said “Blind Skier.” Without any hesitation, he obeyed the commands of his guide and made his way to the bottom quickly and with supreme confidence. I thought to myself as I watched them finish the trail and get back on the lift, “That is some serious trust, right there.”

I’ve had problems seeing while I was skiing before. My goggles would fog up or ice over and I’d be helpless against it. I can tell you without any shadow of a doubt that it would be tough to relay this information to a friend of mine and then ski in front of them at full speed as they directed me past chair lift towers, other skiers, and trees.

I tried to catch up to him by getting down to the lift and riding up as quickly as I could, hoping that he’d still be getting ready at the top. Unfortunately, he had already made his way down and had multiple options from the peak. I didn’t see him for the rest of the day. It would’ve been nice to ask him about how it felt to tip his skies downhill and launch into a cold and dark wind tunnel filled with obstacles, knowing that his body would need to react at a moment’s notice if necessary. Or how he came to find a person who he could literally trust with his life to give him accurate directions and feedback the whole way down.

Mostly, though, I’d just want to say that he was awesome for not letting anything get in the way of doing something that he enjoyed. People like that are truly inspiring.

Ross Hammond, Editor

RECIPE OF THE WEEK

For Valentine’s Day -Poached Pears with Chocolate Sauce

Yield: 4 servings

Cooking Time: 20 minutes, plus cooling time

Ingredients

4 pears (about 6 ounces each), preferably Anjou

3¼ cups sugar

2 vanilla beans

½ cup unsweetened cocoa powder, such as Droste or Hershey’s

½ cup heavy cream

Notes

The pears should be large and just about perfectly ripe before cooking. To judge ripeness, gently squeeze their “shoulders,” which should yield to your touch.

The easiest way to core a pear is with a small melon baller, digging up from the bottom. An ordinary teaspoon works almost as well.

Directions

Peel and core the pears. Combine 2½ cups of sugar and 5 cups water in a saucepan large enough to hold the pears. Split the vanilla beans the long way and scrape out the seeds; add both seeds and pods to the water. Turn the heat to medium-high and bring to a boil.

Add the pears and adjust the heat so that the mixture bubbles, but not too vigorously. Cook for 8 minutes, or until a thin-bladed knife inserted into the pears meets with little resistance. Let the pears cool in the liquid for 30 to 60 minutes (do not refrigerate).

Meanwhile, combine 1 cup water with the remaining ¾ cup sugar in a small saucepan; bring to a boil, stirring to dissolve the sugar. Turn off heat and whisk in the cocoa, along with the cream. Return to very low heat and cook, stirring, just until thickened slightly. (This can be made several hours in advance; keep at room temperature, then rewarm gently.)

Serve the pears with the warm chocolate sauce spooned over them.

Happy Valentine’s Day!

I’ve held off on mentioning anything that had to do with Tiger Woods because he has been jammed down our throats for weeks now.  However, there is a report that he might be returning to play golf as early as February 17.  The rumors started in Australia and were obviously met with serious doubt.  However, they have continued and people are beginning to wonder whether or not the controversial golf star will resurface at the Match Play Championship in Arizona.

The venue does hold a special meaning, as it was there that Tiger made his triumphant return to golf after his knee surgery had put him out of commission for a while.  The competition is also sponsored by Accenture, one of the companies that dropped his sponsorship deal.  The fact that his old business partner is hosting the event could either keep Tiger away, or motivate him even more by offering him to opportunity to prove that he’s a changed man.  The real question, though, is how will he play?

With the media attention that he will undoubtedly bring and the pressure to perform after sullying his own image, Tiger will need all the concentration and focus that he can muster to make a comeback.  Though the world may seem against him for his behavior, golf is suffering without him.  Phil Mickelson even went so far as to say, “the game of golf needs him.”  It’s true that the PGA has suffered since Tiger decided to step off the links.  Their profits are down and they’re losing sponsors who would have normally stayed due to the media coverage that Tiger brings.  As a result, there are less matches played, and less money to be won at the ones that are still around.

Say what you will about Tiger as a person, but as a golfer, he brought life into the PGA and improved the game of golf.  Not just by being a good player himself, but by enticing sponsors to put money into the game and by motivating other golfers to play better.  Whether or not he comes back and takes the game by storm, or slowly makes his way back into the swing of things, the game of golf will be better off with Tiger behind a club.

To read the original article, please go to http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/golf/8500307.stm

While it may seem like something straight out of science fiction, a company has developed glass in a spray can.  The spray solution is based on silica, which is also present in real glass as well.  When the solution is mixed with either water or ethanol, it can be sprayed on a number of surfaces and objects to protect them from nearly anything.  At just 100 nanometers thick, the layer of glass is 500 times thinner than a human hair when applied, making it amazingly thin considering its laundry list of potential uses. 

The miraculously scant layer of glass can repel dirt, water, and bacteria and can resist acid, heat, and UV light while still remaining breathable.  It is also extremely environmentally friendly because it allows a surface to be cleaned without the use of bleach or other harmful chemicals.  When tested in Germany, it was found that surfaces treated with the glass could be easily cleaned with nothing more than hot water and were more sterile than untreated surfaces that were scoured with bleach.  What’s more impressive is that the surfaces treated with the glass would stay that way for months, proving that the spray is as resilient as it is thin.  The company claims that a bathtub may only need to be treated with the spray once per year to maintain its amazing cleaning properties.

But what about softer items like cloths?  Well, since the layer is so thin and remains breathable, clothing would be able to be sprayed down as well.  You could dump a whole bottle of wine on your shirt and it would just slide right off.  Speaking of wine, the company also claims that corks sprayed with the solution might prevent wines from becoming corked, a condition that occurs when contaminants in the cork spoil the flavor of the wine.

Even plants can be treated with this spray to give them increased resistance to fungi and molds and plant seeds could be treated to ensure quicker and more reliable germination, something that might mean the world to developing countries attempting to grow more of their own food.

The list could go on and on, really.  The spray seems to be the most innovative protective implement developed in decades and will definitely have far reaching uses that haven’t even been thought of yet.  Currently, the product is available in Germany and will be sold in the United Kingdom very soon.  Hopefully, this will be offered in the states in the near future as well.  I know I’m looking forward to it.  I’ve grown tired of washing my car so often and my shirts deserve to be impenetrable.

To read the original article, please go to http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sciencetech/article-1247712/Revealed-The-spray-liquid-glass-protect-dirt-bacteria.html

Sudden Infant Death Syndrome, known as SIDS, claims the lives of nearly 3,000 babies in the United States each year.  Now, doctors at the Children’s Hospital in Boston believe that low serotonin levels may be part of the cause.

Dr. Hannah Kinney and her colleagues found that compared to babies who had died from other medical conditions, babies who died from SIDS had much lower serotonin levels and even fewer serotonin receptors.  When tests were performed, babies who had died of SIDS had 26 percent less serotonin than the control group, and 50 percent less serotonin receptors.

Serotonin is known to help regulate our circulatory and respiratory systems as we sleep.  When serotonin levels are low, especially in babies, it’s possible that these systems would not function correctly.  If an infant is lying on their stomach with their face down, they might be re-breathing the carbon dioxide that they exhale.  Without appropriate amounts of serotonin to regulate the breathing process, the baby’s body might not ever realize anything is wrong, which can create a fatal situation.

Dr. Kinney says that to reduce to risk of SIDS, babies should sleep on their backs on a firm mattress until they are at least 12 months old.  She also reiterates that common risk factors like smoking and drinking during pregnancy should be avoided.

To read the original article, please go to http://www.foodconsumer.org/newsite/Non-food/Disease/low_serotonin_linked_to_sids_0302100746.html

It’s that wonderful time of year again where we all gather around a feast of snacks, chili, and hot wings and yell at our TVs in an effort to sway the outcome of the biggest football game of the year.  The best part is that this year’s game looks like it will be a fantastic one to watch. 

Around week five or six, everybody was relatively convinced that the Indianapolis Colts and the New Orleans Saints would meet in the championship game.  By around week ten, it was almost a sure thing as long as something unexpected didn’t occur during the playoffs.  Now that everyone’s expectations have been met, it’s time to dive into Sunday’s matchup.

The Indianapolis Colts are best described as the Mercedes Benz of the National Football League.  Their machine-like precision during the game is an incredible thing to watch.  Peyton Manning completes passes as if he’s threading a needle.  The ball will either be caught, or it will be intercepted, and he’s proven that he is a good enough quarterback to make the completion nearly every time.  Manning was intercepted only 16 times in 571 pass attempts this season.  His offensive line is fantastic, giving him ample time to choose his best receiver and launch the ball down the field.  His two favorite guys are wide receiver Reggie Wayne and tight end Dallas Clark.  Between the two, they represent over 2,300 yards of offense and 20 touchdowns.  Pierre Garcon had a big game during the AFC championship, so keep a lookout for him as well.

The Colts running game isn’t stellar, as their main running back, Joseph Addai has rushed for a little over 800 yards.  However, that’s not to say that he isn’t able to get out and run.  If his offensive line works with him and he can get some good blocks down field, Addai can be a very explosive player who should not be underestimated. 

The Colts defense is middle of the road as far as numbers go.  They tend to allow a decent amount of rushing yards and are ranked 18th in the league for total yards allowed per game.  It must be said, though, that they have clearly gotten the job done this season and the Colts are not just an offense team.  The Colts may also be without their star defensive end, Dwight Freeney, due to a lower ankle injury that could keep him out of the game.  As of now, his appearance is questionable.  If he isn’t able to play, the Colts’ defense will need to be extra vigilant to make up for his absence.  They’ll need to stay very focused this week to battle against the Saints’ powerful offense.

If the Colts are like a Mercedes, the Saints are like a brand new pickup truck filled with wolves.  They’re powerful, durable, and very, very hungry.  The team is led on offense by quarterback Drew Brees, who has had an amazing season.  Speaking strictly numbers, Brees is almost identical to Peyton Manning.  He’s reliable, with only 11 interceptions occurring in 514 pass attempts this season.  He’s also got some great receivers in Colston, Henderson, Meachem, Shockey, and the multi-talented Reggie Bush.  Brees has come up against some tough teams in the post season and has proved that he can keep his composure and bring his team out on top.

On the ground, the Saints are ranked 6th in the league and have Mike Bell, Pierre Thomas, and Reggie Bush to thank for that.  The three of them represent a solid running force that the Colts are going to have to pay close attention to if they hope to make them ineffective.  They all have the ability to get to the side and bolt down the field. 

Defensively, the Saints are similar to the Colts and fall mostly middle of the road in terms of numbers.  That aside, they’ve gone up against the Arizona Cardinals, who they dominated, and the Minnesota Vikings, who they also ended up beating in the NFC Championship, in their last two games.  Both teams have huge offenses and the Saints’ defense was able to contain them effectively. 

Bottom line: the key to this game is defense.  For the Saints to win, they will need to put the same amount of pressure on Manning that they did on Favre two weeks ago.  If they can shut down Manning, the Colts offensive machine falls apart and the wolves will be free to dine.  If they’re unable to do that, Peyton and his crew will run right over them without thinking twice.  The Colts also need to be strong on defense as well.  With Dwight Freeney’s involvement in question, Drew Brees will be able to look forward to reduced pressure after the snap.  If he’s given room, Brees will make them regret it.

Either way, I have a feeling that this game should be a fight to the finish between two teams who specialize in acquiring endzone real estate.

SCORE UPDATE:

After the dust settled on Sunday’s match up, the New Orleans Saints pulled off their first Superbowl win in franchise history.  They beat the Colts 31 to 17. 

The game started off in favor of the Colts as they led the game 10 to 6 going into halftime.  The Saints didn’t play terribly in the first half, but they desperately needed to start scoring touchdowns.  The second half started with a surprise for the Colts.  The Saints lined up for a regular kick off, but caught the Colts unaware when they executed an onside kick instead.  The ball bounced off a Colts player and was recovered by the Saints, giving them possession of the ball at mid field.  Shortly after that, they scored their first touchdown and had momentum on their side.  Shortly after, the Colts managed to get Joseph Addai into the end zone to give them back the lead 17 to 16. 

That Saints’ next big scoring drive was finished with a touchdown and a 2 point conversion that just barely happened, giving them a 7 point lead.  As the Colts attempted to bring the game back even, Peyton Manning threw an interception.  Tracy Porter jumped in front of the intended receiver and ran the ball back 74 yards for a Saints touchdown and the nail in the coffin for the Colts.  The Colts’ next drive stalled near the goal line and the Saints took a knee to run out the clock and claim their victory.

February 2 is officially Groundhog Day in America and like most every year, the furry little forecaster, Punxsutawney Phil, popped out of his burrow only to see his shadow and scurry back inside, indicating 6 more weeks of winter. While this mostly frivolous frost forewarning isn’t exactly scientific, there are many old tales of animals predicting future weather patterns.

For instance, the English believe that when a woodpecker laughs, rain is on the way. Frost is also coming when cats sit with their back to the fire. Even the trees supposedly know what’s in store for them, as it is believed that the frost is done when mulberry trees put out shoots. In Canada and New England, it is said that woolly caterpillars will have a wider brown section on their backs if the coming winter will be more mild. While these may seem funny, animals have been used to predict the weather as far back as pagan times.

Groundhog Day itself first began as part of the Christian Candlemas, a holiday celebrated on February 2 in recognition of Jesus being taken into a temple in Jerusalem after he was born. Eventually, a weather forecasting rhyme was born out of this holiday. It went, “If Candlemas Day is clear and bright, winter will have another bite. If Candlemas Day brings clouds and rain, winter is gone and will not come again.” When German settlers came to Pennsylvania, they brought groundhogs into the mix to blend the Candlemas rhyme with the Celtic holiday of Imbolic. During Imbolic, people would watch for animals that would normally burrow and hibernate to emerge as a gauge of weather to come.

So now, if February 2 is clear and bright, the groundhog will see his shadow and go back into his hole, telling us there’s more winter to come. If the day is cloudy, he’ll come out and winter will be gone soon. While that’s all well and good, all of the media coverage of poor Punxsutawney almost guarantees that even if it is a cloudy day, the camera lights will ensure that we’ll have more winter anyway as the little frightened groundhog shies away.

To read the original article, please go to http://www.csmonitor.com/World/Global-News/2010/0202/Groundhog-Day-Top-five-animal-forecasters

So what is BrowseAloud? 

BrowseAloud is free software that reads web pages out loud. It can help anyone who has difficulty reading on-line, including people with mild visual impairments, low literacy, English as a second language, or learning disabilities, such as dyslexia.  Once you have BrowseAloud installed on your computer, all you need to do is hover your cursor over a selection of text. BrowseAloud will highlight the words and read them out loud.  BrowseAloud also has features like a translator, the option to change the reading voice, and a dictionary if you’re unsure of the meaning of a word.  It’s a very nice tool, and it’s completely free for you to use.

You can download BrowseAloud from the BrowseAloud web site: Browsealoud Downloads  Follow the instructions on the download page to install BrowseAloud on your computer.

For more information on how to use BrowseAloud, please go to

Frequently Asked Questions

Video Tours

PC User Guide

Mac User Guide

System Requirements

If you need more help with installing the program or have questions about how to use it, you can email or call:

Support@BrowseAloud.com

1-877-778-6977 (toll free)

Hello again everyone.  This has been a very busy week here at the magazine and I’ve got a lot to fill you all in on.  So, onto the good stuff.

Earlier this week we sat down for a product demonstration over the web for software called Browse Aloud.  Created by a company called Text Help, Browse Aloud is a great tool for people who have a mild visual disability but can still see a computer screen with the aid of magnifiers.  More information on the BrowseAloud software is in a following article.  We are also going to change the color scheme of the website to make it easier on the eyes than the current black and orange color combination is.

For our readers who are entirely blind, I have been looking into free screen reading software that you would be able to utilize as an alternative to the more expensive programs.  The problem that I’ve routinely run into is that these types of programs are governed by the “you get what you pay for” principle, and while the most popular programs are expensive, they’re costly for a reason.  However, that said, we have found a promising company that develops a screen reader that seems both reliable and very user friendly.  I am testing it with the help of a technology consultant and a company that specializes in accessible software for the blind.  If we find that it will suit the needs of our readers, then I will absolutely come back with good news.  While I desperately want to offer more cost effective software to all of you, I want to be sure that it will be valuable and not just some tool that does some things well, but comes up short most of the time.  So please bear with us as we explore these options.

I’ve also signed us up to be a part of Inclusive Planet, an international web source for accessible information for the blind.  The site is filled with a massive amount of topics, most of which I haven’t had the time to explore yet.  All of the content that is on our site is available there under our the Matilda Ziegler Publishing Company for the Blind channel.  I’m hoping that by becoming a member of this large and far reaching utility for the blind, we can bring in more members from across the globe.  You can visit Inclusive Planet by going to www.inclusiveplanet.com.  To go to our channel, visit http://www.inclusiveplanet.com/en/group/452702.

Many of you have also been asking about when we would sign up for Newsline.  I spoke with representatives for Newsline this week and we should have everything squared away within the next two weeks.  I will give you all an update once it is up and running. 

Well, I think that just about covers everything.  This has been an exciting week for us and I’m looking forward to bringing more value to this magazine and making all of your lives better at the same time as we push into the future.

Take care, and as always, thanks for reading.

Sincerely,

Ross Hammond, Editor