Penwag.com: a Website with Stories to Tell

Here's a website just for storytellers and readers: penwag.com. It's a simple website with no gimmicks, just an online place for friends to share stories. If you're a storyteller, a reader, a teacher, a student, a hillbilly, a writer, or a wannabe writer, come wag your pen or read a story.

If you have some favorite stories that you like to share with friends - perhaps around the campfire or around the water cooler - come share them with a wider audience. If you have stories that were passed down from your great-grandfather and you'd like to share those memories, please come visit. Perhaps you teach writing - your students can come try their storytelling with a public audience. Perhaps you want to try your hand as a short-story author, but don't have time or the inclination to convince an editor to include it in his or her magazine. Or maybe you love to read stories. Do all your friends have a good story to share over lunch? Come find a funny story, and pass it on.

Registration and use of the site is free for all. You register using your email address and a password. Using your email means you don't have to remember yet another user id. they'll keep your email private, and not share it with others.

Come tell a story. Don't feel like you have to be a master storyteller. There are some good stories on the site, there are some silly, some long, some short. Come read a humorous story when you need a good laugh.

Click this link to read or write stories at http://www.penwag.com.

Zoodles: the Internet for Kids

The idea for Zoodles was born while Mark watched his 4-year-old daughter, Abbie, struggle while using the computer.  He wondered why kids were constantly trying to adapt to computers rather than the computers adapting to them. After talking with dozens of other parents, it became clear that parents were equally frustrated with the experiences their children were having online.  Parents universally believed that the computer could help their kids learn, but they couldn't find great, fun, educational content. Additionally, they wanted more say over what their children were doing online. Parents didn’t really want to open up the whole, sometimes scary, web to their young kids. Mark decided it was time to build a safe, fun, online educational experience for kids that also gave parents the information and control they wanted. After discussing the idea with his friend, Rich, they decided to form a company to build Zoodles. 


Since then, the team has grown and includes incredibly talented engineers, educational experts from Stanford University, and creative designers who understand how to build simple interfaces for kids.  The team is excited to be working on a product that can change how children learn while giving parents an active role in the experience.

Click this link for safe internet browsing with http://www.zoodles.com.

Some Pepperoni with My MP3 Files Please

There are so many podcasts and interesting audio files on the internet. The biggest problem is finding them all, and maybe having the time to listen to them all, but that's what the bus is for right?

PepperoniMP3.com is a free mp3 search engine. They have access to more than a million free mp3 downloads from every corner of the internet. You can listen to any mp3 file before downloading it, you can post your mp3 on your page/profile for free, you can even search by artist, Band Name, Track name or use any keyword you want ;)

One of the interesting services provided is the ability to tweet a link to the audio files you find, making it easier to inform others of what you're listening to.

Click this link to find cool audio with http://pepperonimp3.com.

Bar Code Scanners

Do you have any grocery items that you forgot to label before you put them away? Are you tired of having to label your groceries? What about your Music CDs? In this modern age, almost 90% of commercial products have a bar code on the label-why not use this feature for your own advantage?

A bar code is a identifying mark made up of a series of vertical lines and numbers that retailers place on goods. A bar code scanner is a laser that identifies the unique bar code on a product. The scanner is attached to a computer which compares the scanned bar code with a database and quickly matches the code to a description of the item. Retailers use bar codes and scanners to speed up check-out lines, reduce human error that can result in under-charges and over-charges, and to track inventory.

This technology has been adapted to fit the needs of the visually impaired in the form of hand-held scanners and the databases of product bar codes accessible through personal PCs. This technology allows you to grab a product off the shelf, scan it, and have the identification made available to you through your computer. Not only that, but it is now possible to create a database with unused bar codes, so that you can attach a bar code to an object, scan it and create your own description for that item in the database. You can catalog your computer disks, cassette tapes, even your clothing this way.

Some of the companies distributing scanners for personal computers are:

• Ferguson Enterprises
  104 Anderson Ave.
  Manchester, SD 57353-5702
  Toll free: 866-459-4506
  Fax: 605-546-2212
  Email:fergent@fergus onenterprises.com
  Internet:Ferguson Enterprises: http://www.fergusonenterp rises.com
• Compusult Limited
  40 Bannister St., P.O. Box 1000
  Mount Pearl, NF, A1N 3C9
  Country: Canada
  Phone: 709-745-7914
  Toll Free: 888-388-8180
  Fax: 709-745-7927
  Email: management@compusul t.nf.ca
  Internet: Compusult Limited: http://www.hear-it.com

A fourth company has chosen to exploit this technology in a different fashion is En-Vision America. They have combined scanning with digital voice recording to create i.d.mate-a portable scanner that associates a bar code with a spoken memo. With this product, you scan an item and then record your own description. When you scan it later, the unit replays your voice message. These descriptions are stored on FLASH memory cards, which are removable. This allows for storage space limited only by the number of cards you have. The advantage of portability is offset by the fact that the user must define all entries himself-there is no pre-recorded database of commercial products available. Here is En-Vision America's contact information:

• En-Vision America, Inc.
  1013 Porter Lane
  Normal IL 61761
  Phone: 309-452-3088
  Toll free: 800-890-1180
  Fax: 309-452-3643
  Internet:En-Vision America: http://www.envisionamerica.co m

PC Software Developments, a German company, has developed a similar system for the home computer. Available in DOS and Windows (3.1 or higher) formats, Quickinfo will associate a sound file to any bar code. Like i.d. mate, there is no pre-recorded database; you must start from scratch. Their contact information follows:



• PC Software Developments
  Birkenfelder Str. 12
  75180 Pforzheim
  Germany
  Phone + Fax: 49 7231 46 56 81
  E-Mail:blindsoftware@tichnut .de
  Internet:PC Software Developments: http://www.tichnut.de/quikin fo/

The Sherlock Talking Label Identifier is a hand-held digital voice recorder with each recorded message keyed to an adhesive label or plastic disk tag. Labels or tags can be attached to clothing, medications, packaged products, frozen foods, documents, books, CDs, anything you wish to identify. Includes 25 labels, 10 tags and carrying case.

Sherlock Talking Label Identifier: Catalog Number: 1-07410-00

Extra Adhesive Labels (pack of 25):
Catalog Number: 1-07411-00

Extra Plastic Tags (pack of 10):
Catalog Number: 1-07412-00
Click this link to purchase the Sherlock Talking Label Identifier, now ON SALE!

MagneTachers: Magnetic Labels from APH

MagneTachers are magnetic labels that attach to metal objects, are easily removable, and re-attachable! You can create labels in large print, braille, and for the Sherlock Talking Label Identifier (sold separately).

Uses include:

• Create, use, store, and reuse labels for canned goods
• Read, write, order and re-order sets of words or numbers on a classroom magnet board
• Make labels on metal desks and file drawers that everyone can read

MagneTachers for Making Large Print Labels

• Includes two MagneTacher rolls, each 120 inches long, and instructions in print and braille
• Select from two heights -- half inch or inch, depending on the print size you need
• Write directly on the paper side of the MagneTacher, which provides a smear-resistant surface for a bold line pen or marker
• Cut label from the roll and place on metal surface

MagneTachers for Making Braille Labels

• Includes two MagneTacher rolls, half inch tall and 120 inches long, with instructions in print and braille
• Emboss MagneTachers with braille labelers and slates with half-inch wide alignment guides
• Braille on the non-magnetic side of the label; its white vinyl coating helps braille dots stay firm
• Cut label from the roll and place on metal surface

MagneTachers for Making Small Braillable Labels

• Includes two MagneTachers sheets, each holding 18 MagneTachers and instructions in print and braille
• These MagneTachers are magnetic strips only. You can make them braille labels by adhering APH's Braillable Labels: Small Braillable Labels to them (labels sold separately Small Label Pack, 1-08872-00 and Assorted Label Pack, 1-08871-00)
• Small Braillable Labels hold two lines and fifteen braille cells
• Press a completed label onto the non-magnetic side of the MagneTacher and place on metal surface

MagneTachers for Use with Sherlock Labels

• Includes two MagneTachers sheets, each holding 12 MagneTachers and instructions in print and braille
• MagneTachers for use with Sherlock labels include an additional pack of 25 Sherlock labels
• NOTE: You must have the Sherlock Talking Label Identifier (sold separately), 1-07410-00, to use these MagneTachers
• Use, remove, and re-use Sherlock labels on metal objects as often as you like

For Making Large Print Labels (0.5 inch high, includes two 120 inch rolls):
Catalog Number: 1-07417-00

For Making Larger Print Labels: (1 inch high, two 120 inch rolls):
Catalog Number: 1-07418-00
Click this link to purchase the MagneTachers Magnetic Labels: For Making Large Print Labels.

For Making Braille Labels (0.5 inch high, two 120 inch rolls):
Catalog Number: 1-07416-00

For Making Small Braillable Labels (includes two sheets, 18 labels per sheet):
Catalog Number: 1-07415-00
Click this link to purchase the MagneTachers Magnetic Labels: For Making Braille Labels.

For Making Sherlock Labels (two sheets, 12 labels per sheet):
Catalog Number: 1-07413-00

American Printing House for the Blind, Inc.
1839 Frankfort Avenue
Mailing Address: P.O. Box 6085
Louisville, Kentucky 40206-0085
Toll Free: 800-223-1839
Phone: 502-895-2405
Fax: 502-899-2274
E-mail: info@aph.org
Web site: http://www.aph.org
APH Shopping Home: http://shop.aph.org

SCANACAN

Are you tired of opening the wrong can? Are you embarrassed to find out that you put on a green shirt when you wanted a blue shirt? Are you frustrated when you can't find the disk or CD or movie you were looking for? Those days are over with the SCANACAN Technology at your finger tips. The days of endless waiting for sighted assistance with product identification are now over. With the SCANACAN technology you can have it all.

Since just about everything you purchase has a bar code on it, there is no need for labeling grocery items any more, and no excuse for not cataloging all your items that are already barcoded. With the excellent quality commercial Omni Directional Laser USB bar code scanner, you can easily identify anything with a bar code on it. SCANACAN For Windows allows you to identify groceries, and anything with a bar code just by passing it in front of the lens of the scanner.

If the item you scanned or entered is not in the Grocery database, of 600000 items, or the Hardware Database of 62,000 Hardware related items, or the Schwans Database with many cooking instructions, you can add it to the database of your choice with just a few key strokes. You can create as many databases as your hard drive will hold. Each database holds up to 2 billion records. With the simple one-letter alt commands, you can quickly and easily enter the data needed to make your grocery shopping much easier. You can purchase clothing bar code labels and create a clothing database with the description, including the color, and manufacturer of your clothes.

Here's an overview of the functions of the program:

• Add Record: Lets you add a record with a description, price, quantity on hand, Minimum and Maximum quantities, andinstructions of up to 600 characters, about any given item. This means now you can add the quantity you wish to have on hand, both Minimum and Maximum quantities for reordering your groceries either by bar code, or by typing in a description of the product you wish to order. You may add the instructions of how to prepare your grocery items, after adding them to the existing grocery database.
  
• Backup Database: This command lets you backup the database you are currently working in.
  
• Change Record: Allows you to change any of the data associated with an item, at any time. You can edit these fields easily.
  
• View Inventory: This feature allows you to view the contents of the database by doing an Alt-L for List Inventory, arrowing up and down, and Alt-D for Page Down, and Alt-U for page up. When viewing the list of items, SCANACAN For Windows will read the description of the item, first, and it's bar code.
  
• Delete Record: Now if you decide you want to delete something you will not be needing anymore, you can easily do that. This command deletes the barcode and everything about the item you are deleting. You have the option to change your mind if you choose not to delete an item.
  
• Fast Scan: This feature is really fast now. Just scan one item after another. This feature is great for going through your groceries after having come home from the grocery store, or a stack of disks or a stack of CDs or videos. The description of the item will stay on the screen until you scan another item in the fast scan mode.
  
• Read Instructions: Allows you to read instructions that you have entered into the database of your choice.
  
• Add Quantity: This command allows you to add quantity to your inventory.
  
• Subtract Quantity: This feature allows you to subtract a quantity that you might not want to have in stock or re-order.
  
• Look up Record: This feature is one way of ordering your grocery items. Just tell SCANACAN For Windows how many of a certain item you are going to use, and the quantity you wish to order. SCANACAN For Windows will put the items into an order file so you can print and take to your grocery store. Just as you can subtract from your inventory, you may now add to your inventory.
  
• Open Database: lets you open a new database or an existing one. SCANACAN For Windows tells you which database you are in. Now, when you leave the program, and return to SCANACAN For Windows, the next time, it will put you back in the database you were in last.
  
• Print Menu: This menu has three commands in it. They are:
  • Print re-order: This new command allows you to print your re-order. This is the same as printing out your grocery list which you created with the look up command, Or the Add Quantity command. The information printed on the list, is the bar code, description of the item, and quantity you are ordering.
    
  • Print Database: This command allows you to print the entire database you are working in.
  • Exit: This command lets you exit the print menu, and returns you to the main menu.
• Quit Program: This command takes you out of SCANACAN, For Windows and returns you to the desktop.
  
• Repair Index file: This command will repair the current index file you are working in, should it get corrupted.
  
• About SCANACAN For Windows: This command tells you which version of SCANACAN For Windows you are using, and gives you contact information.
  
• Restore Databases, this command allows you to restore a database that has been previously backed up.

SCANACAN For Windows runs in Windows 98, ME, XP, Windows 2,000, or Windows NT. It is easy to install, and uses standard Windows commands.

Click this link to purchase SCANACAN from Independent Living Aids.

Write a Letter Online, Have it Sent Through the Regular Mail

The following tip came from Lisa to FredsHead@aph.org.

I found a site that allows you to write a letter online and send it via snail mail. It is easy to use, and does not require registration. Simply fill in the address fields, write your letter and once finished pay with PayPal. Your letter will be printed and sent ( US first class ) within 24 hours. The down side of SnailMailr is that it doesn't support international letters.

A basic letter ( up to 4 pages ) cost $1.00. You can add more pages for $0.10 and remove the SnailMailr logo for $0.15.

The page is broken into an edit box for return address, another for recipient address and text which reads:

"Step 2:
Write your letter"

Unfortunately, This link can't be clicked in the normal way by pressing enter. Instead, I had to turn MSAA mode off, root my mouse to the words "Write Your Letter," and left click. Once I did this, I was taken to a page where I was able to type in my letter. There are also well-labeled links with shortcut keys for choosing fonts and highlighting, but I did not try these.

Below the newly typed letter is another such link for sending. I also used the mouse to click this and was taken to a page where I clicked on "amazon" to pay. From there, the operation is the same as buying anything on Amazon Marketplace.

Though the site could stand to be more accessible, it is a great alternative for someone who is unable to easily address an envelope or who doesn't have stamps handy.

Click this link to write a letter with http://www.snailmailr.com.

Aman Singer says that "this method of sending letters has been my preferred way, without enclosures or with enclosures that can be scanned, for quite a while, it's easier to use than the standard method, doesn't require any kind of work on an envelope, takes a shorter time (I try to send from a closer location than my own so that the letter arrives more quickly), and I can do it anywhere with any PC rather than requiring a printer, envelope, mailbox, someone to check I haven't made a mess of the envelope, stamp, etc. Privacy goes out the window, of course, but for some letters, that isn't a significant issue.

there are tons of similar services, shipping worldwide from all over the world. http://www.labnol.org/internet/email/send-postal-letters-on-internet-via-email/7097/ has a list. My favourite, not because they're cheap but because they have quite a few printing stations and I like their site's interface with Jaws, is http://www.l-mail.com they also do Braille and Audio letters, which can be useful, though I haven't tried to send any such letters through them. The Braille and audio letters are quite expensive.

Unlike other services, I haven't found a way to upload files to them with images."

Hall of Fame: Leaders and Legends of the Blindness Field

"The paths that our heroes have blazed and the legacies they have left provide us with purpose and meaning."

These words, spoken by Dr. Dean Tuttle at the American Printing House for the Blind in October, 2001, began the formal announcement of a venue to celebrate the heroes of the field of blindness.

These significant professional colleagues of the recent and distant past are a fascinating cross-section of heroes and pioneers who not only shaped our rich history, philosophy, knowledge and skills, but also give us insights into current and future challenges. These giants shared their personal lives and showed us strategies to ensure that services for blind persons remain unique and specialized.

Mission Statement

The Hall of Fame for Leaders and Legends of the Blindness Field shall be dedicated to preserving, honoring, and promoting the tradition of excellence manifested by the specific individuals inducted into the Hall of Fame and through the history of outstanding services provided to people who are blind or visually impaired.

The Field's Hall of Fame

The Hall of Fame for Leaders and Legends of the Blindness Field, a project of the entire field of blindness, is housed in the 1926 wing of the historic 1883 building of the American Printing House for the Blind in Louisville, Kentucky.

"We are a profession that, until now, has not honored its history appropriately. Many of the present generation of professionals in the blindness field have little knowledge of the giants that have gone before them. It is on the very shoulders of these giants that we depend to lead us into the future." --Carl Augusto, President, American Foundation for the Blind

Exciting Features of the Hall of Fame

The multimedia Hall of Fame currently features tactile/visual bas relief plaques of the first class of inductees in the Hall. In the future, artifacts, videos, and interactive kiosks will be added to celebrate the achievements of our legends. Braille listings of the Hall of Fame inductees and the Friends of Leaders and Legends honorary stones are available. In addition, a virtual Hall of Fame is accessible through www.aph.org. On APH's homepage, click the "Hall of Fame" link.

Heroes Who Have Been Inducted

These 32 legends were the first to be inducted into the Hall of Fame. They were inducted in 2002:

• Georgie Lee Abel
  
• Samuel Ashcroft
  
• Robert Atkinson
  
• Col. E. A. Baker
  
• Natalie Barraga
  
• Mary K. Bauman
  
• Donald Blasch
  
• Warren Bledsoe
  
• Fr. Thomas Carroll
  
• Cleo Dolan
  
• Eleanor E. Faye
  
• MD, Kathern Gruber
  
• Richard Hoover
  
• Samuel Gridley Howe
  
• Douglas Inkster
  
• Robert Irwin
  
• Kenneth Jernigan
  
• Ruth Kaarlela
  
• Helen Keller
  
• Roy Kumpe
  
• Berthold Lowenfeld
  
• Durward McDaniel
  
• Alice Raftary
  
• Louis Rives
  
• Jr., Peter Salmon
  
• Stanley Suterko
  
• Mary Switzer
  
• Josephine Taylor
  
• Louis Vieceli
  
• Donald Wedewer
  
• Robert Whitstock
  
• Russell Williams

The second group, inducted in 2005, includes:

• William English
  
• William Hadley
  
• Abraham Nemeth
  
• J. Max Woolly

Hall of Fame Adds Historic Event Video

You can now enjoy or relive that historic evening that recognized the initial 32 members of the Hall and inducted the ten living legends on the Hall of Fame website. You'll hear amazing tales from these icons of our field that will make you understand and appreciate why they have been so honored. Find links to the video on the Hall of Fame website.

"THANK YOU AND ALL THOSE WHO MADE THIS POSSIBLE. I was not able to be there, and now, to see the entire induction, it is just wonderful. What a treasure and gift to the field, to be able to see and hear this wonderful induction ceremony. Thank you just isn't enough." Dr. Kathleen Huebner, PCO

Nine Living Legends of the Hall of Fame: Leaders and Legends of the Blindness Field (October, 2002); left to right: Ruth Kaarlela, Samuel Ashcroft, Natalie Barraga, Cleo Dolan, Eleanor Faye, Louis Vieceli, Alice Raftary, Stanley Suterko, and Donald Wedewer.

Artifacts Wanted

If you have artifacts related to Hall of Fame inductees, please contact Bob Brasher at bbrasher@aph.org.

Two Ways to Support the Hall of Fame

The Hall of Fame needs your financial support and we provide two ways for you to help.

Donations

You can make a donation to the Hall. Those who donate $50.00 or more may request a video of the historic gathering of the Hall of Fame living legends, recorded at the 2002 APH Annual Meeting.

Place an Engraved Stone in the "Leaders and Legends" Wall

You can make a donation and request that an engraved stone be placed in a wall of tribute called the "Friends of Leaders and Legends." The wall is in the Hall of Fame near the kiosks depicting those who have been inducted into the Hall. Your custom engraved stone allows you to permanently honor a person or organization that has made a difference in your life.

The wall is made up of stones placed in beautifully detailed wooden columns. Five sizes of these elegantly inscribed stones are available to be personalized as you choose. All etched stones are eight inches wide and vary in height: three, four, six, eight and twelve inches. Each etched, high contrast Romanite(R) stone is engraved with half-inch black letters and can be donated outright or over a three-year installment plan.

Organization logos can be accommodated on the eight and twelve inch stones. All deeply etched stones are accompanied by a handsome 8" x 1" strip of braille that provides the message of the stone. Select your stone size and write your own inscription.

All supporters of this wall of tribute will receive a certificate suitable for framing, acknowledging their support.

Each engraving will be comprised of a Romanite(R) St. Augustine beveled-edge stone with 1/2" etching in APHont(TM) with black infill.

Available Stone Sizes:

• 3" x 8"
  2 lines, 15 characters per line
  $375.00 ($135.00 x 3 years)
  
  
• 4" x 8"
  3 lines, 15 characters per line
  $550.00 ($190.00 x 3 years)
  
  
• 6" x 8"
  5 lines, 15 characters per line
  $1,000.00 ($334.00 x 3 years)
  
  
• 8" x 8"
  7 lines, 15 characters per line
  $2,500.00 ($834.00 x 3 years)
  (Can display logo with fewer lines of text)
  
  
• 12" x 8"
  11 lines, 15 characters per line
  $5,000.00 ($1,667.00 x 3 years)
  (Can display logo with fewer lines of text)

Note: Logos should be provided as camera-ready artwork.

For an additional $75.00, you may purchase a personal presentation stone similar to your Friends of Leaders and Legends stone. This beautiful replica is a tangible way to acknowledge the person or group that you have honored. Each replica includes a handsome stand.

Donations to the Hall of Fame are tax deductible. Please make checks payable to:

Leaders and Legends, Hall of Fame
1839 Frankfort Avenue
Louisville, KY 40206

All donations will be gratefully acknowledged.

How to Address a Letter to a Government Official

How often have we been advised to 'write our Congressmen' when we're up to our armpits in some sort of dilemma or challenge such as keeping video description on television, various dog guide issues, or runaway drug costs for senior citizens? So now you've decided to take action and ask for help from your Uncle Sam (or local Alderman). Good for you, let's get started!

1. Start with: what, who, where? It helps to clarify exactly what your problem is, so you can determine who or where is your best source of help. For example, if you were plagued by bad sidewalks, you would first start with your local phone directory to check your town or city's listing for either Public Works, or a Department of Sidewalks. That local telephone directory is a decent source of some basic government information, from the municipal all the way to the White House.
   
   
2. Search the Internet. Here are a few helpful sites that contain information about the government.
   
   
   • FirstGov.gov: The U.S. Government's Official Web Portal: http://www.firstgov.gov
     
   • AOL's Government Guide: http://www.governmentguide.com
     
   • Yahoo's Directory: http://dir.yahoo.com/Government
     
   • Government Resources on the Web: http://www.lib.umich.edu/govdocs

   You can get some great results by plugging in a few good keywords into your preferred search engine. You may find a more direct route to your answer.
   
   

3. Consider letter etiquette. The Handbook for Writers, (Troyka, Lynn Quitman; Englewood Cliffs, NJ, Prentice Hall, 1990) suggests the following business letter format (shown below). Obviously, if you're writing from a business, you would use a company letterhead, but if writing as a private citizen, any plain stationary will do. The opening remains the same.

Sample Letter

Current date

Government contact name, Position
Department name (United States Department of Homeland Security)
Address line #1
City, State Zip

Subject: Why are you writing? Dear Government contact name,

Your problems, questions or statements should go in the body of the letter, here. Please keep in mind that though it's important to be able to vent out frustrations, a letter filled with profanities, insults, or poorly thought out ideas will not be well received at all. The old expression about 'catching more flies with honey than vinegar' still applies today.

Sincerely,

(Your Signature Here)

cc: the name and title if applicable of anyone else who will be receiving a copy of this letter.

The "cc" at the end of the letter stands for "carbon copy." It's a relic from when people used to use carbon paper to make copies of letters as they were written.

Sadly, in the last few years, our government has had to be more sensitive to perceived terror threats. It's very important not to include threatening or inflammatory comments in your correspondence.

Tips On How to Make a Family Time Capsule

The 1989 Oxford English Dictionary defines a time capsule as "a container used to store for posterity a selection of objects thought to be representative of life at a particular time."

Time capsules are interesting to people of all ages and touch people on a world-wide scale. Properly prepared time capsules preserve the salient features of history and can serve as valuable reminders of one generation for another. Time capsules give individuals, families and organizations an independent voice to the future.

A family time capsule can be a great project to commemorate a special occasion. Fill it with photographs and mementos, and put it away for as long as you like.

1. Determine how long you want to put your time capsule away. Is it something you want to look at in five years? How about ten, twenty, maybe even one hundred years from now? Will you take it out for a special occasion, such as an anniversary or a 21st birthday? Or do you want to hide it away for the next generation to find?
   
   
2. Decide where to put it. Keep in mind that you may move before the appointed time, so think about putting it where you can easily find it.
   
   
3. Decide what container to use. You can buy containers designed for time capsules, or use any waterproof, airtight and preferably fireproof vessel.
   
   
4. Ask everyone in the family to contribute an item - clippings, photographs, letters, arts and crafts, toys or just about anything else that fits into the capsule.
   
   
5. Protect the contents from decay. Put them into individual, airtight plastic bags and store them in a cool, dry location. For extra protection, consider copying them onto acid-free paper first.
   
   
6. Store photographs correctly, ask at a photography or crafts store if you aren't sure how to treat your photos. Remember that black-and-white photos last longer than color photos and tend not to fade.
   
   
7. Leave out any substance that could decay and damage the other contents of the box. This includes rubber, wool, wood, PVC, and any perishable or edible item. If you must include any of these, put them in an air-tight plastic bag.
   
   
8. Mark everything clearly so you or others will know where each item came from and who included it when the time comes to open the capsule. Don't assume you will remember all the details. You may also want to include a detailed inventory of all the items.
   
   
9. Fill the capsule and seal it, then put it out of sight and out of mind. Make sure you store your capsule in a place where your kids won't get impatient having to look at it every day.
   
   
10. Leave yourself a reminder about the time capsule in a place where you are likely to find it if you move or if your home suffers any damage.

Have each family member include a letter to the older version of himself or herself, or to future generations, if the capsule will be stored that long. Mention favorite foods, music, books, movies and hobbies. Another idea is to write letters to other members of your family. Don't let them read them! Put them in an envelope, seal them, and address it to them, and then put it in the capsule!

If you plan to seal the time capsule away for more than a generation, include instructions for using any equipment or recordings you include. Your compact discs and videocassettes may very well be obsolete 100 years from now.

Put packets of silica gel in your time capsule. These are the little packets that you find in a shoebox, electronic item, coat pockets, and certain expensive food items. Silica gel packets typically have the word "Desiccant" and "Do not eat" on it. These little gems attract humidity and keep it from attacking your items. The best place to find them if you don't have any on hand is in a store like K-Mart, Wal-Mart, etc. There are usually at least one or two laying on the floor, around or under the shelves of a shoe department. If there are none on the floor, ask an associate if he or she will just give you a pack or two.

Register Your Time Capsule

Oglethorpe University is home to the International Time Capsule Society.

The International Time Capsule Society (ITCS) is an organization established in 1990 to promote the careful study of time capsules. It strives to document all types of time capsules throughout the world. The group is headquartered at Oglethorpe University in Atlanta, Georgia.

You can read all about the Crypt of Civilization, a time capsule that was sealed in 1940, with instructions to open it in 8113.

They also have a list of the most-wanted time capsules, which have been lost due to theft, secrecy or poor planning.

You'll be most interested in the Register Your Time Capsule section of the site where you can fill out a Questionnaire about your capsule. I suggest you print this Questionnaire and have it handy as you assemble your capsule so as not to forget the contents or how you prepared items for storage.

dMarie Time Capsule

If you need some help with your history, this site can give you lots of facts for particular dates. From the site:

"The dMarie Time Capsule is a historical database of facts from the past that you can use to spice up heritage pages for friends or family. Simply type in the date you're interested in (try your birth date!) and click the button. An instant page all about the year you were born -- what famous people share your birthday, how much a gallon of gas cost that year, etc will load. Includes data for 1900 through about 1995."

Click this link to visit the dMarie Time Capsule.

How to Prepare a Basic Resume

There are as many kinds of resumes as there are jobs. Use a style that matches your personality and career objectives.

1. Choose one or two fonts at most, and avoid underlined, boldfaced and italic text. Many companies use automated recruiting systems that have difficulty with special formatting.
   
   
2. Opt for the active voice rather than the passive voice (say 'met the goal' rather than 'the goal was met').
   
   
3. Provide contact information such as your home address, phone number and e-mail address at the top of your resume.
   
   
4. Include an objectives statement, in which you use clear, simple language to indicate what kind of job you're looking for. This should appear below your contact information.
   
   
5. List your most recent and relevant experience first. Include time frames, company names and job titles, followed by major responsibilities.
   
   
6. In a second section, outline your education, awards, accomplishments and anything else you wish prospective employers to know about you.
   
   
7. Hire a proofreader or have someone you trust proofread your resume. Mistakes in spelling, grammar or syntax can land it in the circular file.
   
   
8. Limit your resume to one page unless it is scientific or highly technical. Less is definitely more when it comes to resumes.
   
   
9. Write a cover letter to submit with your resume (see the Fred's Head article How to Write an Effective Cover Letter).

Leave out personal information, particularly as it relates to your age, race, religious background and sexual orientation.

Avoid obscure fonts, clip art and other unnecessary visuals.

Choose resume paper with a little personality. If you are interested in a high-technology field, send your resume via e-mail.

Print your resume on a high-quality laser printer or new ink jet printer for crisp letters. Avoid using dot matrix and old ink-jet printers that can smear and blur.

Simply reproducing job descriptions is often just a waste of space. What achievements did you have on the job? How can you show that you really performed rather than just met the obligations? Always mention awards, raises, promotions, any other kind of recognitions.

How to Make a Long Distance Relationship Work

I've had several friends, and family members who have met their "special someone" through the internet. It's hard enough to make relationships work, having miles, states, and sometimes even an ocean between you adds another layer of challenges. However, successful long distance relationships can and do exist. Here's how to give yours every chance to survive.

1. Ask the tough questions early, to make sure you're both clear on the parameters of the relationship. These can be difficult and awkward questions to ask, especially in the beginning of a relationship, but will save you great heartache and misunderstanding down the road.
   
   
   • Will you be seeing other people?
     
   • Will you tell each other about your other dates?
     
   • What if someone meets another person?
     
   • Are you open to the possibility of relocating if the relationship should become more serious?
   
   
   
2. Communicate in some way every day at least once, preferably more than once. Since you won't see each other, it's important to establish and maintain an emotional connection. These don't have to be long, in-depth conversations (though, those should occur sometimes). Tell each other about your little triumphs and tragedies. Ask for advice. Sing songs together. E-mail and Skype are great, so make sure you use them, especially if long-distance phone calls put a strain on your budget. Write love letters. Send small gifts or flowers for no reason. In this case, quantity is as important as quality.
   
   
3. Take advantage of the benefits a long distance relationship offers: more time with friends and/or family, fewer arguments over toothpaste caps, the pleasure of seeing your sweetheart again after a long absence, time to mull your options (rather than snapping at your partner impulsively) before you respond to that email s/he wrote that seemed so rude the first time you read it, and the list goes on. Most importantly, being far apart gives you a chance to maintain your individuality--something that can get lost in the shuffle when couples spend all their free time together.
   
   
4. Pursue common interests, even if it means pursuing them apart. If there's a movie you're both interested in seeing, watch them individually and then call each other afterward and talk about it. Read a certain book at the same time. Stargaze while on the phone. Set your watches to go off at the same time every day, and synchronize your alarm with that of your partner. Make it a point to think of each other when your watch goes off, and revel in the fact that he or she is thinking about you, too. Find creative ways to bond.
   
   
5. Avoid the temptation to try and control your partner. Understand that people have free will and no one can control another person. As long as you are both interested in being in a relationship, you will stick with it, and distance will not make a difference. As soon as one of you decides someone else is a better match, your relationship ends, whether you live 3000 miles apart, two streets over or share the same space with your wedding picture on the wall. You're going to have to trust your partner, and trust him or her completely, if this relationship is going to work.
   
   
6. Talk about your future together. Assuming that ultimately, you'd want to live together, discussing how you're going to get to that point will help you prove to each other that the relationship is going somewhere and that your efforts and frustrations are not in vain.
   
   
7. Know when to say good-bye. While this is tough in any relationship, this can be especially hard over long distances. When communication becomes one-sided or sparse for too long and for no good reason, when arguments (yes, you'll have them) become too frequent, when the whole thing just seems more trouble than it's worth, it's time to re-evaluate the relationship with your partner. Either you'll decide to go your separate ways, or you'll get closer for having overcome another obstacle to your happiness together.

A long distance relationship is no different from a proximal relationship. They both require a great deal of work, excellent communication, patience, sacrifice and understanding.

Long distance relationships are not for the faint of heart. They can be very trying, but so can proximal relationships. If you are a very needy or jealous person, recognize that these tendencies may not be compatible with any type of healthy relationship, but may make a long distance relationship nearly impossible to sustain. Also remember that only you and your long distance partner understand the nuances of your relationship. Friends, family and colleagues may not understand your preoccupation with someone you have never met. Listen to their advice with a grain of salt unless they have been there themselves.

The internet is still young and no one really knows as yet how many lasting relationships are forged this way so do not let the naysayers get you down. Remember if the goal is a permanent partnership the goal is to eventually meet at some point so do not neglect or put it off for too long.

Read Books! Because Braille Matters

The National Braille Press is delighted to continue the distribution of free braille materials to young potential braille readers an their families through the expansion of their "Read Books! Because Braille Matters program.

NBP has produced attractive Braille Book Bags for distribution to families of young blind children, at no cost to a school, or the families. The contents of the book bags include:

• An age-appropriate print/braille book (in English or Spanish)
  
• A colorful print/braille placemat
  
• Braille-large print magnetic letters
  
• two guides for parents, "Because Books Matter" and "Just Enough to Know Better"
  
• A coupon that parents can redeem for either another free print-braille children's book or a set of braille-print playing cards.

The program goals are to:

• Foster a love of reading at an early age;
  
• Expose parents of preschool blind children to braille as an effective method of reading and writing;
  
• Encourage parents to learn just enough braille to help their child;
  
• Introduce visually impaired children to a means of reading independently
  
• Prepare parents to advocate for braille instruction when their blind child enters school;
  
• Promote an early expectation of personal achievement through literacy.

Instructions for Schools

In order to receive these free Braille Book Bags, NBP asks you to:

1. Identify the numbers of blind children who are potential braille readers (birth through age seven, sorry no exceptions) and their families in your area. There are three age-appropriate book bags (0-3, 4-5, 6-7). They need to know how many you need in each age group (English vs. Spanish);
2. Check with potential recipients to ensure that they have not already received a book bag, as NBP distributes directly to parents and through multiple organizations and can provide only one bag per child;
3. Personally deliver the book bags or be willing to give NBP a mailing address for identified families;
4. Return the postage-paid tag on the outside of the bag that will indicate to NBP you have delivered the bag (NBP assumes all costs);
5. Encourage parents to fill out and return the coupon on the inside of the book bag;
6. Help to evaluate the program by sharing your reactions and observations after presenting these bags to families;
7. If you find this program valuable, write a letter of support that NBP can use to obtain additional funds to provide book bags to other families across the country;
8. Encourage parents to write to NBP about their experiences using the bag and its materials.

To place an order or for further information, please use the contact information below: Amy Ruell National Program Manager ReadBooks! Because Braille Matters National Braille Press 88 St. Stephen St. Boston, MA 02115 (888) 965-8965 Ext. 34 aruell@nbp.org http://www.nbp.org/ic/nbp/readbooks/index.html

Using An Interpoint Braille Slate

Because the interpoint slates offered by the American Printing House for the Blind easily can be mistaken for slates for writing on one side of a page only, the following information is presented to make use of these slates easier.

To load paper into either the standard interpoint or interpoint postcard slate, stand the slate on its edge with the hinge pointing left. Open the slate part way so that the hinge is the point of a long narrow letter v.

Stand the paper on its edge between the two plates of the slate. Make sure that the left edge of the paper is backed off a bit from the hinge. When you write on the second side, it will move slightly toward the hinge, and there must be room for it to move without binding at the hinge.

Make sure that when you close the slate, all four pins will pierce the paper. If the pins at the ends of line one are in position to pierce the paper when you close the slate, just press against the pins at the ends of line 4 so they do pierce the paper. Then, when you close the slate, the pins at the top will have been lined up to go through as they should. Using the surface of the desk or table to line up the top edge of the paper and the slate makes certain that the slate will be straight all the way down the page.

As you write the first side of the page, the hinge will be at the left end of the slate. The pins at the top of the slate are located near the ends of line one, the top line. Just below and to the right of the point where these pins come through the front plate of the slate, there are holes through which you press a stylus. The point of your stylus will make pin marks that face downward toward the top of your table or desk. These pin marks are used to register (line up) the paper for writing on the second side of the sheet of paper. Now, here is the trick to having things work right.

When you turn the page over to write on side two, do not turn it over side over side like the page in a book. Instead, turn it over top over bottom. Think of it this way. Suppose you had written the letters a b c d e f g on the first line of page one. As you write, the dots will be facing down toward the table. The letters will be running in a right to left direction. They will be at the far end of the page from you.

When you turn the page over top over bottom, the letters will be at the near end of the page but still going in a right to left direction. The dots will be facing upward.

Put the paper in the slate at the bottom of the page. A b c d e will be on the line closest to you and running right to left. Now, turn the slate around so the hinge is at the right. Now a b c d e again are at the far end of the page but facing up and in a proper left to right direction. The front or cell portion of your slate will be covering the braille and the dots you write (with the hinge at the right) will not interfere with them.

Contributor: Fred Gissoni

Ziln: New Zealands Internet TV Network

Want to watch something different and experience life from countries around the world? Ziln is New Zealand's Internet television network. The service is online and free to access, enabling the linking and marketing power of the internet to be brought to viewers on the same interface as their TV viewing experience.

Ziln is accessible by anyone in New Zealand and around the world with a broadband connection. Ziln is a WebTV service viewed through viewers' Personal Computers (MS, Mac and Linux) with later development seeing the introduction of Open Standard "set top" or media centre boxes connecting direct to TV sets.

Channels on the basic platform can be viewed at no charge at bitrates from 128k, 256k, 384k and 768k. Ziln retransmits existing domestic and international television services by simply streaming the channels Live as broadcast to viewers. The site uses the Flash Player to deliver content and is accessible to those who use screen readers and screen magnification programs.

Click this link to watch TV through http://www.ziln.co.nz. content to the Channel Page. New Channels, owned and operated by third parties, are being created on Ziln. An online scheduled Channel plays when a viewer arrives on the Channel page.

Children's Books from Melody J. Nelson

Bradley Dallas North Publications would like to introduce Melody J. Nelson. She is 46 years old, was born with cerebral palsy and is legally blind. Melody has very little use of her arms and legs but graduated from high school with honors; went to college and graduated there with honors, also. She was the first Homecoming Queen in a wheelchair ever nominated and won the year that she graduated.

Melody learned to type on a computer with a device strapped to her forehead and typed her words this way, one letter at a time.

Melody is an Author of a series of 12 children's stories. All 12 books are fully illustrated and are about the adventures of a dog named Brandy, who is helping others. The books will be available individually or as a box set, once they are all published.

Melody's books are a result of her imagination and they show anyone that through Faith, all may be accomplished. Her stories are beautiful and will be read by both children and adults. She is donating a percentage of her royalties to United Cerebral Palsy, for others to benefit from her work.

For more information about Melody, please contact bradleydallasnorth@hotmail.com or go to any major online book store to purchase her books.

Article Source:
http://www.earnedmedia.org/bnp0722.htm

How to Write an Effective Cover Letter

A resume is an essential tool for any job search, but it's not the only tool. Your cover letter is equally important in creating a good first impression for a potential employer. Take some time to make your cover letter great and increase your chances of landing that dream job.

1. Find a job posting, job tip or advertisement that interests you, and make sure you are truly qualified for the position. Busy employers sometimes receive hundreds of letters, so don't waste their time or yours.
   
   
2. Match the letterhead style and paper you will use for your cover letter to that of your resume. This helps to establish a solid first impression.
   
   
3. Skip the salutation if you do not know the name of the person who will be reviewing your resume. It's best to address the letter to a specific person; call the company and see if the receptionist can give you a name and title.
   
   
4. Grab the reader's attention right away - make him or her want to keep reading. You need to distinguish yourself early from the rest of the pack.
   
   
5. Mention in the first paragraph where you learned about the job opportunity and why you're interested.
   
   
6. Establish a professional image in the second and third paragraphs by highlighting your most significant accomplishments and qualifications. Be careful not to quote your résumé verbatim.
   
   
7. Clarify what you can contribute to the employer's organization rather than what you hope to gain from this potential relationship. You can discuss the latter in the interview.
   
   
8. Remind the reader, in the last paragraph, that your resume will further explain your qualifications, experience and education. Request a personal interview, and indicate the times you will be available.
   
   
9. Close your letter by telling the reader that you look forward to hearing from the company, and restate your enthusiasm for learning more about the opportunity.
   
   
10. Double-check your document for spelling and grammar; refer to a stylebook if necessary. Carelessness makes a bad impression on employers.
    
    
11. Print your letter using a good ink-jet or laser printer.

Before writing your cover letter, research the company to which you are applying. Then your letter can refer to specifics about the employer's business as reasons why you are interested in working there.

Keep it short. Most cover letters stick to one page and use a standard business letter format.

Consider using bullet points in your middle paragraphs to further highlight accomplishments.

Don't get too personal or wordy. Save stories and relevant anecdotes for the interview.

Don't brag. Confidence is important, but don't overdo it.

Skip the statistics. Although the fact that you increased your account base by 68.635 percent more than the last person may be interesting to you, it often means nothing to your prospective employer.

Never, never send a photocopied letter or use a form letter. This tells your prospective employer you are not interested enough to write an original letter and that you are satisfied doing just what it takes to get by.

Find Serial Numbers Hidden in Your Computer

You just purchased a new computer and it came loaded with software and tons of CDs. What would happen if that computer should happen to crash? Would you be able to find all the serial numbers necessary to reinstall all the programs that came bundled with your system? Could you see the print on the stickers?

What can you do to solve these problems?Well, the answer is in the Windows Registry. All of your serial numbers are stored there and you can find them if you know where to look. Don't worry, I'm not going to ask you to go into your Windows registry, I'm going to make things even easier with a free piece of software.

LicenseCrawler is a little gem you can use to scan your machine for serial numbers. The program is 100% free, make sure you don't pay for it.

After downloading the application, simply run it and it will return all the keys from your computer. When you first run the application, you'll have the option of searching your machine or another on your network by replacing localhost with another machine’s hostname or IP address that you have access to. You will need a user name and password for the remote machine with access to the registry. I would leave the registry setting set at HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE and simply hit the start button. The application will scour your machine and return a screen with all of your keys.

The key that comes up for Internet Explorer is actually your Windows Product Registration. You could use this key to reinstall Windows if necessary. All the other keys can be used to reinstall their respective applications. You will have to manually write them down as there is no copy  and paste functionality, no big deal for a free application.

Click this link to download LicenseCrawler to save your serial numbers.

To specifically find the serial numbers for Microsoft products, click this link to download the Magical JellyBean.

The History of Chocolate and The "All About Candy" websites

The approach of Valentine's Day always makes us think of chocolate (well, actually, so does almost everything). Read all about how it became both an industry and an all-consuming passion.

"The tasty secret of the cacao (kah KOW) tree was discovered 2,000 years ago in the tropical rainforests of the Americas. The pods of this tree contain seeds that can be processed into chocolate. The story of how chocolate grew from a local Mesoamerican beverage into a global sweet encompasses many cultures and continents."

Click this link to learn more about the History of Chocolate: http://www.fieldmuseum.org/chocolate/history.html.

Have you ever wondered how licorice is made, how candy canes get their stripes or how many jelly beans are sold each year? Find out the answer to these questions and more as the National Confectioners Association tells you All About Candy.

What a great web site for young and old alike. You will find chocolate trivia, recipes, holiday ideas, a history and timeline of candy, some survey data, if you want to know about candy, this is the perfect site! Best of all, the site is screen reader friendly.

Click here to visit All About Candy: http://www.candyusa.org

M&M'S

We couldn't talk about candy without mentioning M&M'S. There have been many colors and sizes over the years but children and adults still love them.

Click this link to visit http://www.M&M's.com and don't forget to read The Story of M&M'S.

Cake Recipes

By Jason Gluckman

When deciding on what cake recipe you would like to create you must keep in mind that there are two types of cake - butter and foam. Butter cakes are made with butter or shortening and foam cakes are made with eggs or egg whites. These two categories are just the general, umbrella, or catch-all terms. There are actually dozens or even hundreds of variations on cakes that you can learn about and enjoy.

Butter cakes are light and fine textured, while foam cakes are fluffy. Foam cakes can be angel food, chiffon or sponge, depending on your preference. Both form the basis for most cake recipes with variations and special touches adding to the taste and presentation.

There are hundreds and hundreds of cake recipes. All time favorites include white cake with chocolate frosting, chocolate cake with white frosting and carrot cake. A basic cake recipe calls for butter, sugar, vanilla, eggs, flour and baking powder. Frosting should always be created to the right consistency that is smooth and soft enough to spread. Glazes should be thinner, but not drippy. Food coloring can be used to tint frosting and garnished with goodies like chocolate or multi-colored sprinkles, animal crackers, nuts, raisins, coconut, jelly beans, fresh or dried fruit, etc.

Wonderful cake recipes can be found in most cookbooks and on the web. Family shared recipes are the best, so ask your favorite grandma or aunt for their "special" cake ingredients. If you're brave, you can even try your own hand at creating the next big thing in cake recipes.

http://www.cake-web.com provides detailed information on Baby Shower Cakes, Birthday Cakes, Cake Decorating and more.

Article Source:
http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Jason_Gluckman

What is Virtual Memory?

Virtual memory is non-physical memory (yeah, that helps).

Windows uses virtual memory when it doesn't have enough "regular" physical memory to perform a task. When it does this, Windows uses your hard drive to store information that normally would be put into your RAM memory. Here's an overly simplified example:

Let's say you have 32 meg of RAM available. Now, you load a program that takes up 20 meg, and another that takes up 22 meg. You need a total of 42 meg, but you only have 32 meg of actual RAM memory. However, both programs still run. What's happening?

Windows is using 10 meg of hard drive space to supplement your physical 32 meg of RAM (don't worry, this 10 meg will be erased once Windows is done with it).

I know what you're thinking. Why bother to add extra RAM to my computer if it can use hard drive space instead? Main reason - RAM is much faster.

Whenever you're using a lot of virtual memory, you're slowing your computer down (way the heck down). The best work around is to get more physical memory. I recommend 512 - 1024 meg, depending on how many programs you run simultaneously.

Oh, one more thing. If you don't have a lot of hard drive space left (I recommend a minimum of 100 meg) and you're experiencing lots of problems, lack of virtual memory may be why. When Windows runs out of memory (virtual and non-virtual), it just doesn't run all that well.

Adjust Virtual Memory

If you have two hard drives in your computer and your C: drive is about full, you can tell Windows to use your other drive for virtual memory. OR-if you have one hard drive that is faster than the other, it's probably better to use that one for virtual memory, since your data is retrieved faster.

In any event, if you want to change the drive Windows uses for virtual memory, here's how:

A word of caution first: If you mess something up with virtual memory (you know, like change the amount Windows can use or shut it off altogether), it can stop your system from functioning properly. So be careful!

For Windows 95, 98 & ME

1. Right-click "My Computer" and select Properties from the resulting menu. Remember that "My Computer" may be on your desktop or Start Menu.
   
   
2. Next, click the Performance tab and click the Virtual Memory button.
   
   
3. By default, Windows manages your virtual memory. Select "Let me specify my own virtual memory settings".
   
   
4. From the "Hard Disk" drop box, select the drive you want to use.

That's it. Hit the OK button and you're all set.

Again, if you feel the need to mess with any other settings, you do so at your own risk.

For Windows XP

Windows XP hides the VM adjustment-probably because they don't really want you messing with it.

1. Right-click My Computer and select Properties (or hold down the Alt key and double-click "My Computer" if using a mouse)
   
   
2. Click the Advanced tab then under Performance, click "Settings".
   
   
3. There will be another Advanced tab to select in the "Performance Options" window. Down where it says "Virtual Memory" click Change.
   
   
4. Finally, we get to the screen we're looking for. You will see a window with available drives where you can select the drive you want (if you have more than one). Notice that it also shows how much space you have available on that drive. You can specify a Custom size, or let the system manage the size for you. After you've made your selection, click Set and OK.

Texas School For the Blind And Visually Impaired

The Texas School for the Blind and Visually Impaired (TSBVI) provides a wealth of educational services and resources that include adaptive technology and publications. These resources can be accessed through the TSBVI Instructional Resources Page; this website has an easy-to-use search feature.

Texas School for the Blind and Visually Impaired
1100 West 45th St.
Austin, TX 78756
Toll Free: 800-872-5273
Phone: 512-454-8631
TDD: 512-246-9451
Fax: 512-246-9450
Web: http://www.tsbvi.edu

Special Education Exchange Resource Web Site

In 1993, Dr. Brad R. Walker started a computer bulletin board service (BBS) called the Special Education Exchange (SpEdEx) in order to provide information to all persons interested in the field of Special Education. The web version of SpEdEx has been online since March 1996.

Whether you are an educator, professional, parent, consumer, student or someone else who has an interest in special education, you will find a variety of resources through SpEdEx. For example, SpEdEx provides links and online documents that provide access to professional, job, school and university listings, conference announcements, a discussion area and even poster sessions in easy-to-use formats. The majority of these are presented in standard web-format, along with a few that are made available in "universal" Adobe PDF format.

Since its inception, SpEdEx has relied on users to help it to grow. With this in mind, SpEdEx accepts users' suggestions with regard to content and it actively solicits articles and other materials from outside sources that it makes available for the benefit of all.

Click this link to visit the Special Education Exchange: http://www.spedex.com.

Foundation for Blind Children

The Foundation for Blind Children (FBC) provides services for blind and visually impaired for any child or adult who is an Arizona resident.

The FBC Infant Program

Both blind and low vision children as well as their caregivers need professional services that focus on how these children learn about their world; how their parents can help with this learning; how vision loss impacts early childhood development; and how parents feel about having a child with a disability.

Research has estimated that up to 90% of what every child learns in the first three years of life is learned visually, primarily through imitation. Vision is the sense that allows us to integrate all of the things we learn about the world. Without normal vision, the child must learn to "see" and understand the world in new ways. At the same time, the child's parents need the opportunity to:
express and understand their feelings about having a child with special needs,
develop a support network for times of stress and uncertainty,
understand how loss of vision affects their child's early development, and
learn how they, as parents, can most effectively teach their child to "see" the world.

It is for these reasons that The Foundation For Blind Children begins its work with infants and their family members in the context of both home and classroom.

THE FBC Preschool Programs

When a child arrives at preschool age, he needs the opportunity to participate in intensive specialized education. The Foundation, in cooperation with the Arizona State School for the Deaf and Blind, provides daily classroom programs for children that are singularly impaired or multi-handicapped. Specialized teachers, counselors and therapists work in cooperation with the child's parents to plan an individualized program which will best meet the child's needs. Family support and counseling services continue as a major focus to enable parents to be all they can be when raising and teaching their child.

Research has shown that the first five years of life are the most critical developmental period affecting all future growth and development. The child learns how to relate to the world, how to move in the world, and how to understand the world around him The child develops attitudes and aptitudes that affect him for the rest of his life.

The pre-school services are provided in two locations--at the Foundation's main office in Phoenix which cooperates with the Arizona School for the Deaf and Blind and school districts which choose to use its site. The second site also involves a cooperative effort and is located in Chandler, Arizona. With seven classrooms at the Phoenix location and three in Chandler, the pre-school program serves nearly 70 children each year.

The FBC Elementary & Secondary Program

Orientation and Mobility Training
To be independent in the world, children must learn to be mobile in the world. Whether at home, school or play, they must be able to orient to their environment and travel independently from one place to another. They must "see" the world through all their senses. Orientation and mobility specialists from The Foundation work individually with children in all of the above areas.

Independent Living Skills
Children also must be able to manage daily living activities. Whether dressing, grooming, cooking, eating, managing money or cleaning their rooms, they must learn to be independent in managing their daily affairs. Rehabilitation teachers from the Foundation work individually with children to accomplish this goal.

Vocational Counseling and Work Experience
Finally, children must prepare for the adult world of work as they reach adolescence. They must be self-aware, develop and appreciate a variety of interests and abilities, and understand the realities and expectations of the working world. They must begin to make choices and plans for their future. Further, they must have opportunities to gain real work experiences. The Foundation's vocational counselors and job development specialists work with students through its summer Work Experience Program to achieve these goals.

Itinerant Vision Education Resources
In school districts without teachers for the visually impaired, the Foundation contracts with vision teachers through its Itinerant Program to provide these children with the specialized instruction and the materials they need to be successful in school.

Recreation
The Foundation's Student Habilitation And Recreation Program (S.H.A.R.P.) provides year-round recreational opportunities for school age students. Day and weekend programs during the school year introduce students to a number of activities ranging from archery to zoology. Daily living skills entail activities that will promote self-esteem, teamwork and sharing with the community. S.H.A.R.P. expands to weekly programs all summer long to keep children busy, learning and having fun.

Technology Center
In February of 1995, the Foundation for Blind Children, in partnership with Arizona's Rehabilitation Services Administration, Honeywell and the City of Phoenix, opened its Technology Center serving blind and visually impaired individuals of all ages through demonstrations, assessments, training, employment services and its many projects with community, corporate and government partnerships.

Foundation for Blind Children
1235 E. Harmont Dr.
Phoenix, AZ 85020
Phone: 602-331-1470
Fax: 602-678-5819
Web: http://www.the-fbc.org

How To Mark A Place In A Four-Track Cassette Tape

Although working with cassettes isn't as common as it used to be, marking your place in four-track tapes is especially helpful when you have been working with more than one tape at a given time and later want to locate the place where you stopped the tape.

First, you need to orient yourself to the equipment. I would point out that there are four holes on one side of a cassette tape. The screw heads located in each of the cassette's four corners are helpful when trying to identify which side is A and which is side B. Most tapes have the screw head on side A.

When you are marking your tape, place a cotton swab in one of the four holes and then break or cut it off. The cotton will keep the swab it in place, but be sure when you break the swab that you leave enough of the stem to help when removing it later. (Note: Some cotton swabs work better than others. Wooden swabs are easy to break, but the plastic and paper ones can be cut.)

Finally, put the tip of the swab into the hole that represents the track that was being used when you stopped your recording session. For example, if you stopped on track one, put the tip of the swab in the first hole--and so on.

Contributor: David Murrell

Creating Keyboard Shortcuts on the Mac is a Spark

Spark is a powerful, and easy to use shortcuts manager. You can use it to set “hot keys” to open applications and documents, execute AppleScripts, control iTunes, trigger menu items, and more.

Here are the steps to set up some basic shortcut keys of your own. Once you understand the basics it’s not difficult at all.

• When you first launch Spark you’ll get the intro screen.
  
• Check the two boxes marked “Activate Spark at Login” and “Activate Spark immediately”. This will make sure Spark will always launch and your shortcut keys will continue to work after you reboot the computer.
  
• Now you’ll see the main screen. The table is blank at the moment but once you set some shortcut keys it will display them.
  
• Ignore this screen for now and open the File menu, select “New HotKey” and you’ll see a sub-menu with the different types of hotkeys you can set with Spark.
  
• You can test each type for yourself later, for now choose the “Application” sub-menu to set up a hotkey that opens an application for you.
  
• You’ll need to set all four of the options showing in the pane:
  • Shortcut: the keystroke that will make the hotkey’s action happen, in this case it’s launching an application.
    
  • Name: just to help you remember what your shortcut does.
    
  • Action: there’s some options here, for an application “Launch” is probably the one you want as it will also bring the application to the front if it’s already running.
    
  • Application: click the “Choose…” button and select the application from the file chooser.
• Lastly click on the “Create” button to create the shortcut. That’s all you need to do - press the key you selected and your application will launch!

If you select the other types of shortcuts, document or iTunes for example, the options are different but most of them are self explanatory. For those that aren’t obvious you can always try using them then press the shortcut key to test what they do. If you don’t like the action, come back to Spark and double-click on your action in the table to edit it.

Click this link to create keyboard shortcuts with Spark: http://www.shadowlab.org/Software/software.php?sign=Sprk.

Measure It Right

You've probably heard the saying "If cooking is an art, then baking is a science". This is most certainly true. When cooking a savory dish, you can usually add an extra ingredient here or there, change ingredient measurements or even completely leave an ingredient out, without causing a major problem with the resulting dish but, baking recipes are carefully formulated equations that depend on exact combinations of flour, liquid, leavening agents, fats, sugars, and flavors. Baking is more precise than cooking and precise measurements are vital to the recipe's success. So, learning to measure ingredients accurately is one of the most important skills you'll need to become a successful baker.

Measuring Dry Ingredients

You should use graduated nested dry measuring cups to measure dry ingredients like flour, sugar, oatmeal, and cocoa. Dry measuring cups are designed so that they can be leveled off by sweeping a straight edge, like the back of a knife, across the top. Nested measuring cups come in sets which usually include 4 sizes: 1/4, 1/3, 1/2, and 1 cup. Some sets have the additional sizes 1/8, 2/3 and 3/4. These additional sizes can come in very handy, so I recommend looking for a set that includes them.

There are two main methods for measuring dry ingredients: the 'scoop and sweep' and the 'spoon and sweep'

For the scoop and sweep method, the measuring cup is dipped into the dry ingredient, filling and piling the ingredients over the rim of the cup. A straight edge, such as the back of a table knife or the edge of a spatula, is then used to sweep the excess at the top, leaving the measured ingredients level with the top edge of the measuring cup.

For the spoon and sweep method, the ingredients are lightly spooned into the measuring cup until the ingredient is piled above the rim of the cup. As with the scoop and sweep method, a straight edge is then used to level the ingredients to the top of the measuring cup.

The spoon and sweep method is the preferred method of measuring ingredients like flour, cocoa and powdered sugar, because, since these ingredients can compact in handling, the scoop and sweep method can compress the ingredient as it's scooped into the cup and, as a result, you'll measure out too much of that ingredient. When measuring out these types of ingredients, you should first stir flour in its container or bag or use a fork to fluff it up to undo any packing that may have occurred in storage. Then lightly spoon the ingredient into your dry measuring cup and level it off with a straight edge.

Other dry ingredients can be measured with either the spoon or the scoop method.

Here are a couple more things to keep in mind when measuring dry ingredients:

1. Brown sugar tends to hold a lot of air between its sugar crystals and that air needs to be squeezed out in order to get an accurate measurement. For this reason, brown sugar is 'packed' when it's measured. So, to measure brown sugar, spoon or scoop the sugar into a dry measuring cup and then press it down firmly with the back of a spoon and then add more brown sugar and pack it down again. Once you have enough that it's over the top, sweep it level with the rim of the measuring cup.
   
2. Butter and margarine should be measured based on the marking lines shown on the sides of the paper wrapping.
   
3. Semi-solid foods such as peanut butter, sour cream, mayonnaise and shortening should be packed into measuring cups to remove all air bubbles until they are level with the top of the cup, using the back of a spoon or a spatula. However, an easier way to measure these types of ingredients is to use a plunger-type measuring cup. These push-cup measures are designed with a movable bottom that pushes the ingredient out after it has been measured and leveled off at the top. These types of measuring cups also work well with gooey, thick liquids like molasses, honey and maple syrup.

Measuring Liquid Ingredients

Liquid ingredients should be measured in a clear liquid measuring cup with a pour spout. These types of measuring cups are typically made of plastic or glass and have extra room at the top for the liquid to slosh around. If there were no room at the top, trying to measure to the full capacity of the measuring cup with a liquid ingredient would be a messy proposition indeed.

For accuracy, place the measuring cup on a level surface. Then, assuming that you're using traditional glass or plastic measuring cups with a tactile measuring line, place your finger at that line and pour the liquid ingredient into the cup to the point where the surface of the liquid against the side of the cup matches the line on the cup indicating the amount to be measured.

When using a liquid measure, keep in mind that these types of measuring cups tend to be most accurate when used to measure amounts that are close to their maximum capacity. This means that you're giving up some accuracy when you use a 2-cup measure to measure out ¼ of a cup, for example.

What about measuring spoons?

Measuring spoons are used to measure small amounts of both dry and liquid ingredients. They come in sets ranging from 1/4 teaspoon to 1 tablespoon, with some sets including additional odd sizes like 1/8 and 3/4 teaspoon. By all means, don't use your flatware (teaspoon or tablespoon) as a substitute for measuring spoons.

Article Source:
http://ezinearticles.com/?Baking-101-Measure-it-Right!&id=1779517

An Introduction to Facebook by JoAnn Becker

In this presentation from Accessible World, JoAnn Becker presents an introduction to Facebook, one of the world's largest social networks. She will discuss the myriad ways in which people are using this social utility to communicate with one another.

Users of Facebook can join networks organized by city, workplace, school, and region to connect and interact with people. They can also add friends and send them messages, and update their personal profiles to inform friends about themselves.

During this presentation JoAnn will demonstrate:

• How to register and create an account
  
• How to build a personal profile
  
• How to add friends
  
• How to upload photos
  
• How to explore various Facebook settings
  
• How to navigate Facebook screens with keyboard shortcuts

If there are classmates, colleagues or friends with whom you wish to reconnect, Facebook may be able to help.

Click this link to listen to the Accessible World presentation An Introduction to Facebook by JoAnn Becker or to learn more about Accessible World.

Accessible MenuPages

Judy Dixon sent the following information into Fred's Head and it's a great resource for those looking to have a night out on the town. Naturally that would start with great food and an accessible menu.

Menupages is a website that has thousands of restaurant menus. nearly 30,000 restaurants in eight major markets: New York, San Francisco, Los Angeles, Philadelphia, Boston, Chicago, Washington, DC, and South Florida. You can search by neighborhood, type of food and lots more. Menus are available as "viewable on-screen" or "printable" in a pdf. Both formats are easy to read with a screen reader.

Click this link to visit http://www.menupages.com.

AIRS, the Audio Internet Reading Service of Los Angeles, has some 70 podcasts on a variety of topics, including many readings from periodicals, and podcasts for parents of blind children, podcasts for blind youth and those concerning technology.

The blind, low-vision and print-impaired are in constant need of current information that they are unable to obtain from conventional sources, such as newspapers, magazines, and books. An increasing number of those individuals have and use computers. AIRS brings to that community, adults and children, the information and entertainment they seek through the audio signal from their computers - at no cost to them.

Some programs will be live; others recorded podcasts. By podcasting on the Internet, they allow listeners to hear any of their programs at the listener's convenience, a major advantage and vast improvement over a subcarrier signal, which requires a special radio and must be heard at the time of the original broadcast. For those without computer access, radios that receive Internet programs are available.

Currently, they podcast editorials from the Los Angeles Times, Fry’s Electronics advertisements, selections from Readers Digest, consumer information from Consumer Reports, theater reviews, voter information, popular magazines, and selections from the Spanish language newspaper, La Opinion. The listener can hear these programs at any time. Occasionally they do a live (streaming) program, such as the Braille Challenge. Programs such as store advertisements and TV schedules are kept on the website for short periods, then replaced by the current information. Other shows, such as vision research articles, science updates, consumer information, and selections from magazines, are kept on the website for longer periods.

They join with the Braille Institute of America, the Foundation Fighting Blindness, and the Center for Low Vision to announce news of upcoming seminars and conferences on vision loss research. Podcasts of those seminars are kept on the website. New programs are constantly being added.

Click this link to see all the podcasts offered by AIRS, the Audio Internet Reading Service of Los Angeles: http://www.airsla.org/complete.asp.

Trace: Research Center Focusing On Accessible Technology

Trace is a nonprofit research center that focuses on making off-the-shelf technologies and systems like computers, the Internet and information kiosks more accessible for everyone through the process known as "universal" or "accessible" design. The Trace Center has been widely regarded for many years as the leading research, development, and resource center in the area of access to computers by people with disabilities.

In the early days of the World Wide Web, the Trace Center refocused many of its resources on the access issues already beginning to emerge, joining with others on various projects and efforts. Since it was established, the Trace Center has been an integral part of the Web Access Initiative, and currently provides a chair for its Page Author Guidelines Committee. The Center has developed an extensive website of its own which includes a section on "Designing a More Usable World."

A key focus of the Center's current work is on the development of fundamental underlying technologies needed to ensure access to the emerging information technologies. These have included working with Sun Microsystems and IBM on the Java language and tools, with the National Computational Science Alliance and the W3C on advanced web technologies, and with the National Research Council on helping to find new directions for interface design.

The Trace R&D Center was formed in 1971 to address the communication needs of people who are non-speaking and have severe disabilities. The Center was an early leader and innovator in the field that came to be known as "Augmentative Communication," a term that came out of the Trace Center's writings. At the time of the emergence of the personal computer, the Trace Center became involved with making computers accessible to people with all types of disabilities. In 1984, the Center served as a coordinator for the nationwide Industry-Government Initiative on Computer Accessibility. The computer design guidelines developed through this effort have been widely adopted by computer companies.

During the 1980s through the present, the Trace Center has worked directly with computer companies, and now with other information technology companies, to integrate disability access features into their standard, mass-marketed products. As a result of this work, disability access features are incorporated directly into most all of the major operating systems and environments. (MACOS, OS2, Windows95/98, WindowsNT, XWindows for Unix and cross disability accessible ITMs are now commercially available.)

Trace Research & Development Center
5901 Research Park Boulevard
Madison, WI 53719-1252
Phone: 608-262-6966
(608) 263-5408(TTY) Fax: 608-262-8848
Email: web@trace.wisc.edu
Web: http://trace.wisc.edu

Anne Sullivan Macy Fellowship

The Rehabilitation Research and Training Center (RRTC) on Blindness and Low Vision at Mississippi State University (MSU) sponsors the Anne Sullivan Macy Fellowship in collaboration with the University's Department of Counselor Education and Educational Psychology. Emphasizing rehabilitation research in the area of blindness and low vision, the program was started in the fall of 1992 with the goal of producing scientist-practitioners well grounded in state-of-the-art research methods and practices.

Accredited by CACREP and CORE, this advanced degree program requires students to pursue and to attain a doctoral degree. The fellowship experience includes a paid graduate assistantship with the RRTC; tuition reimbursement; participation in ongoing applied research; involvement with professional groups, state agencies for the blind and consumer advocacy organizations; and involvement in regional and national training conferences. For more detailed information about the Anne Sullivan Macy Fellowship Program, please contact the RRTC director.

Rehabilitation Research and Training Center (RRTC) on Blindness and Low Vision
P.O. Drawer 6189
Mississippi State, MS 39762
Phone: 662-325-2001
(662) 325-8693(TDD) Fax: 662-325-8989
Web: http://www.blind.msstate.edu

Home Readers On Four-Track Cassettes For Shopping Assistance

Based in Kansas, Home Readers provides catalog shopping services to assist the blind or visually impaired in locating sources and descriptions of products that are available for catalog purchase. It does this by recording numerous catalogs on four-track, Library of Congress-formatted audiocassettes. The service takes care to describe critical details like patterns, styles and colors which catalog writers typically expect pictures to convey. These added details assist users to make more accurate selections. Categories covered by the various catalogs include: clothing, animal supplies, health products, gifts of all kinds, food, collectibles and cosmetics. Call or write Home Readers for a free, recorded list of catalogs on tape.

Home Readers
604 W. Hulett
Edgerton, KS 66021
Toll Free: 877-814-7323
Email: homereader@homereaders.com
Web: http://www.homereaders.com

Locating The Keyhole In A Lock

Use your forefinger to locate the keyhole and put the tip of your finger on the keyhole. Then put your key under your finger and guide the key into the keyhole. Some persons use one hand to do this, while others use one hand to locate the keyhole and the other to insert the key into the lock.

Contributor: Jean LeSand

Phone Support Groups for Families of Blind Children and Teens

The Jewish Guild for the Blind’s National Tele-Support Network, the only one of its kind in the country, provides free, weekly telephone support groups facilitated by social workers and psychologists for families of blind, visually impaired or multi-disabled children and teens. The Guild is nonsectarian and one of the nation’s foremost not-for-profit vision health agencies.

Created by The Guild’s Children’s Vision Health Initiative, which seeks to eliminate preventable vision loss in children, the Tele-Support Network responds to a national need for support and facilitated interaction among these families. For many, The Guild’s Tele-Support Network is the only opportunity for them to interact with other families with a blind or visually impaired child and it meets a critical need especially if participants live in small towns or rural areas.

Families are encouraged to join The Guild’s Tele-Support Network. To register or for more information, please call 800-915-0306 or click this link to visit The Jewish Guild for the Blind’s National Tele-Support Network website: http://www.jgb.org/programs-parent-tele.asp.

Who Links to My Site?

If you maintain a Web site, whether it be for personal use, for a business or whatever, it can be interesting to find out what other Web sites link out to your homepage.

Web site administrators often come to sites and see something that they would like to include on their site. For example, many people email me to ask if they can use an article from Fred's Head in their publications. Fortunately, we are very open to letting other people use our material, as long as they give us proper credit.

This type of thing is very common. Most people seem to like it, because it gives their site more recognition and it helps get the word out to more places. On the other hand, some of you may not like your material being used on other sites. That is, of course, perfectly fine, because it is your Web site, you own it, you run it and you can do what you want with it.

Either way, this little trick will help you see which Web sites have links to yours, which in turn, anyone can see. If you like the recognition, you can always go and check to make sure the site is giving you credit and if you don't like the situation, you can always go to the site and look up the administrator's contact information so you can e-mail them and ask them to remove your material. They have to comply because it's your property! You can see this tip is going to be good for either side of the track.

Click this link to visit Google's homepage and in the search box, you're going to type a simple line: link:yoursite.com. When done, just click on Search.

Change "yoursite" to your Web site's address. For instance, I wanted to check out how many sites have information from Fred's Head, so I went to Google and typed in link:FredsHead.info. Several entries came up, which didn't surprise me, but it was cool to see all of them. I also tried doing one for aph, so I typed in link:aph.org and even more came up.

If you have a blog and an RSS feed, you'll see some sites that track your entries. This is really cool and it gives you a totally new look at your site.

What is Google Voice

Have you been hearing all the chatter about Google Voice but still haven't caught up on what it is? Google has created this service to screen and forward calls, send free SMSs, and even get your voicemails transcribed and sent to your inbox. Let's take a closer look.

Google Voice originated as GrandCentral, an independent company that hit the scene in 2005. GrandCentral allowed users to register a new phone number and direct it to ring multiple phones; it could also collect messages and act as your personal switchboard operator. This sounds boring on the surface, but it provided a number of cool features, such as the ability to listen in on voicemail messages as they were being left or to tell a specific number that your phone number is no longer connected (great for stalkers and crazed PR people, who are kind of like stalkers). Google acquired GrandCentral in 2007, and promptly sat on the project for nearly two years before it relaunched the service as Google Voice in March of 2009. Let's look at what you can get out of the (currently) free service.

Users can register phone numbers in practically any area code they want, choosing local or faraway destinations. Under Google, the service now allows you to choose words or witty phrases that your phone number spells out. You cannot port an existing number of yours to Google Voice, which may be viewed as a downside to those who are married to a longtime cell number.

After that, the most basic service that Google Voice offers is call forwarding. Forward calls to as many or as few numbers as you like, and you can even forward them to different phones based on who's calling. This is helpful if you're like me and don't want check-ins from the boss going to your cell phone, but you do want calls from dear ol' mom and dad. You can also set certain groups (or individuals) to be sent directly to Voicemail, to the Spam folder, or block the call altogether.

Another useful feature is the ability to screen callers, you can either have the calls sent directly to your phone with no filtering, or you can have Google ask them to say their name first. The service will ring you, tell you who's calling, and give you the option to take the call or send them to voicemail. This is nice for numbers that you don't recognize, as you wouldn't know who they're from otherwise. You can also change this behavior depending on a group (Friends, Family, Work, etc.) or an individual basis. So it's possible to always screen unknown numbers, for example, and always forward your friends directly. This is where the service gives you the ability to listen in on voicemails as they are being left, too.

Receiving calls is just the beginning. Through Google Voice, you can also make free calls to any US number. These will appear to originate from your Google number even when you're calling from your cell or your home line, the receiver's caller ID will show your Google number (therefore not giving away your other numbers). 

You can also record phone calls that you've received, although this functionality does not work with outgoing calls you make. But if someone dials in, it's possible to record interviews, catch important details for transcription later, or come up with some other nefarious plan for your Google Voice recordings.

By far the coolest feature of Google Voice's voicemail is that the service automatically transcribes the voice messages left by callers and then sends the transcription to you through a variety of mediums. For example, I receive my voicemails via text message and email when they come in. Not only is this faster than listening to the message a few times to get all the details, but it also gives me a written record that is easily stored for future reference. Keep in mind, however, that the transcription is not always 100 percent accurate, from experience, I find that it's about 80 percent, though you can usually fill in the blanks by looking at the context.

In any case, you can always listen to the voice recordings online. Additionally, you can download an audio file of the recordings for your records, if your voicemail is better suited for someone else, another family member, a coworker, etc., you could then give the recording to that person.

When people SMS your Google Voice number, the message will go directly to one or more (however many you have set up) mobile phones. You can respond to those SMSs directly from the phone, and that response will appear to come from your Google Voice number. The cool part, though, is that you can also send and receive SMSs right from the Google Voice Web interface, meaning that you don't have to whip out your phone every time you want to text a friend, assuming you're in front of a computer already, that is. Google Voice lets you archive your SMS logs too so that you can reach them anytime from the website.

For those worried about wasting mobile phone minutes, Google Voice lets you transfer your calls to another phone, right in the middle of the call. When you're on a phone call and press the * button, your other phones listed on the account will ring. When you pick up the phone you want to use (say, your home landline), you can hang up on the original phone and your call will still be in progress.

There are a handful of other features that Google Voice offers, but those are most of the big ones. Whether all of these services will remain free forever is still up for debate. But, given Google's usual patterns, it's unlikely that the company will begin charging regular users for the service. Based on their other services, Google probably has some plan up its sleeve to offer a version of Google Voice for businesses, similar to its already-existing Google Apps package. If you can get access to Google Voice, give it a try, if only for the call filtering and voicemail transcribing features.

Click this link to send Google a Google Voice invitation request.
Click this link to visit Google Voice.

Article Source:
Ars Technica

Google Voice Light

Using Google Voice requires users to use their Google Voice number as their main number. That’s an inconsiderable burden, given that some mobile phone users have thousands of contacts who know their number and don’t want the hassle of changing business cards and forcing others to update their contacts.

Google’s solution? Create a light version that gives phone-number-huggers better voicemail. Using a mobile carrier’s call-forwarding codes, Google Voice Light will send a mobile phone’s unanswered calls to a Google-powered mailbox. When callers leave a message there, Google records and transcribes it, and saves it in an online mailbox. The roughly translated text and a link to an online recording can be sent via SMS or email.

The capability will also benefit those who have migrated to Google Voice, since currently the voicemail feature only kicks in when people call the Google Voice number, which forwards the call to a user’s mobile phone. Currently, those who call the mobile phone directly leave a message using the mobile carrier’s network, but with the new system, those calls can be diverted as well.

The voice messages can be stored in perpetuity, forwarded to family or friends, and they can be saved, even if you decide to switch mobile carriers.

In return, Google gets your loyalty, more users with Google accounts and more pages for it to place online ads. That’s also not including the training data it gets for its translation engine, not dissimilar to why Google offers a free phone number lookup: 800-GOOG-411.