There have been a few times in my life when I have sat in a bar for a long time because the conversation was just too good to miss! My guest on Tuesday Topics this week was responsible for a conversation that started in a bar, continued through dinner and ended much later outside in the late evening. My guest has three books on BARD, at least. He has won the Ned E. Freeman award and has probably appeared more often in the ACB Braille Forum than any other author. He is a long time proponent of braille; he has become deeply involved in aging issues; and is not interested in theory. He wants to know what can actually be done to make things better for people who are blind. My guest is, of course, Larry Johnson from San Antonio Texas. That is where Larry is now but, as you will see if you tune in, it is by no means the only place he has been!

Find out more at https://acb-tuesday-topics.pinecast.co

Tuesday Topics - Resolutions:

Paul Edwards’ first ACB convention was in 1984. While he thinks he would have come regardless of the offer made to him by Grant Mack, who was then President of ACB, it certainly helped to make his decision. Mr. Mack had come to Florida where Paul was in charge of resolutions and offered him $100 to come to Philadelphia and chair resolutions. Paul says, “I had no idea what I was getting into but, if you join us next Tuesday, you will hear some of the things that happened. I am hoping that some of the folks who used to be part of resolutions will join us. We will tell some stories of what resolutions used to be like. In addition, we will talk about what resolutions are; how they get written; what makes a good resolution; and what makes a bad one! I will encourage some of you who come to actually be a part of writing a resolution. Obviously, I and others may be up there to help you get resolutions right, but we will also show how resolutions can go wrong. If you operate with some simple rules, resolutions are pretty easy to write. What are they? Do resolutions have to be long? Tune in and find out!”

Find out more at https://acb-tuesday-topics.pinecast.co

For the first hour we are going to talk about some of the controversy that has appeared on the "acb conversation" email list. Essentially there has been a lot of discussion of whether we need two different votes. This year we will have them but many wonder whether affiliate votes might go away. Are there special issues for special interest affiliates? Have they historically been effective at election time or not?

During the second hour or so we will see if we still have issues with voting and special interest affiliates. If the topic is exhausted, I would like to explore some of the options that Tuesday Topics has for the future. What would folks like us to talk about! What do people like and what do you not like? This may seem boring but I hope people will think seriously about how best Tuesday Topics can meet your needs and interests.

Find out more at https://acb-tuesday-topics.pinecast.co

Tuesday Topics will welcome Gerard Williams who will be talking about his role at the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) as a 504 officer. He will also be talking about the initiative being undertaken by the FCC to create more broadband access. He is not an attorney and does not have the authority to answer legal questions, for the most part. I am looking forward to seeing what a 504 officer does and how what he does relates to people who are blind, have low vision or are blind with secondary disabilities such as hearing impairments.

During the second hour, we will talk about some pending FCC issues. There is currently opportunity to comment on where we are with the CVAA which passed in 2010. What kind of changes is it realistic for us to look for with the act. The FCC is interested in knowing what regulations we would like to see changed. Congress would need to change the law if we want to make changes that go beyond the parameters of the current law. How well has emergency communications worked for us during the pandemic? Both the NFB and ACB strongly support the need for the use of the SAP (secondary Audio Program) channel for communicating with people who are blind or have low vision during times of emergency. Was this facility used much during the pandemic in your area? Did you feel that there was a lot of conformation that was being communicated visually about the pandemic that was not being made available to people who are blind or have low vision? We will explore these and other audio description questions during our second hour!

Find out more at https://acb-tuesday-topics.pinecast.co

Finding the Money:

How does ACB do its budget every year? Where does our income originate? How much money do we have in the bank or in investments? Is ACB healthy financially? Or should we be worried? These are just some of the questions we will explore as we invite our President, Dan Spoone; our treasurer, David Trott; and our Director of Resource Development, Anthony Stephens. These three exemplary gentlemen will help us get a picture of how the work ACB does is funded. I think that those of you who tune in will have a lot to think about as we explore the financial well-being of ACB!

Find out more at https://acb-tuesday-topics.pinecast.co

Meet Jeff Bishop:

He is a member of ACB'S Board of Directors; a driving force with ACB Radio; has taken a leadership role in the development and implementation of the "ACB LINK" app; and is leading the effort to combine various ACB elements into a media network that will revolutionize how ACB’s media content can be accessed.

Find out more at https://acb-tuesday-topics.pinecast.co

Turn about is fair play!

Tuesday Topics will feature Rick and Larry as my guests. We will explore who these two fine gentlemen are and, later in the program, we will explore some new ideas for ACB RADIO with your help! Both Rick and Larry have interesting pasts. Rick has survived in the world of business as a partially sighted executive. Larry has done a variety of jobs, I think, and has just retired! Both are active with ACB RADIO.

Find out more at https://acb-tuesday-topics.pinecast.co

Tuesday Topics:

We will be discussing life after a year of the pandemic. What kinds of disadvantages have people who are blind experienced? What do we need to ask local, state and national entities to do to make the next major emergency easier to handle? As the pandemic eases, what can we expect as people who are blind? Will jobs be easier or harder to find? Will services be easier or harder to access? Our second topic is more directly related to ACB. What is the difference between a state affiliate and a special interest affiliate? We are holding thirteen ACB elections during the convention. How should affiliates try to see how their members want them to vote? We will see how you feel about the state of our affiliates and what their future might look like!

Find out more at https://acb-tuesday-topics.pinecast.co

Tuesday Topics:

Over the past several months the American Council of the Blind Has made a number of changes to its email system. This week we have invited many of the key players in the email changes to come and explain what was done and why. Deb Cook Lewis, Katie Frederick, and Jason Castonguay are just a few that will join us in a narrative of the transition process. Folks will also offer tips about some appropriate ways to handle some everyday email tasks.

Find out more at https://acb-tuesday-topics.pinecast.co

Tuesday Topics:

On this week’s call, the roles are reversed, as Paul Edwards will put himself under the microscope to be interviewed by Deborah Kendrick. Among the topics that will be discussed will be Paul’s travels and work in advocacy for those with disabilities. Others will have an opportunity to ask questions as well.

Find out more at https://acb-tuesday-topics.pinecast.co