Hey peoples,
I'm playing with this author thing, and added my girlfriend rose to the authors section.
So she can now post to this here blog thingy.
More accesible then livejournal if you ask me.
grin.
talk to you all later.
Tuesday, December 26, 2006
the computer
Now this is what i call funny!
enjoy!
T'was the night before Christmas, and all through the shop,
The computers were whirring; they never do stop.
The power was on and the temperature right,
In hopes that the input would feed back that night.
The system was ready, the program was coded,
And memory drums had been carefully loaded;
While adding a Christmasy glow to the scene,
The lights on the console, flashed red, white and green.
When out in the hall there arose such a clatter,
The programmer ran to see what was the matter.
Away to the hallway he flew like a flash,
Forgetting his key in his curious dash.
He stood in the hallway and looked all about,
When the door slammed behind him, and he was locked out.
Then, in the computer room what should appear,
But a miniature sleigh and eight tiny reindeer;
And a little old man, who with scarcely a pause,
Chuckled: "My name is Santa...the last name is Claus."
The computer was startled, confused by the name,
Then it buzzed as it heard the old fellow exclaim:
"This is Dasher and Dancer and Prancer and Vixen,
And Comet and Cupid and Donner and Blitzen."
With all these odd names, it was puzzled anew;
It hummed and it clanked, and a main circuit blew.
It searched in its memory core, trying to "think";
Then the multi-line printer went out on the blink.
Unable to do its electronic job,
It said in a voice that was almost a sob:
"Your eyes - how they twinkle - your dimples so merry,
Your cheeks so like roses, your nose like a cherry,
Your smile - all these things, I've been programmed to know,
And at data - recall, I am more than so - so;
But your name and your address (computers can't lie),
Are things that I just cannot identify.
You've a jolly old face and a little round belly,
That shakes when you laugh like a bowlful of jelly;
My scanners can see you, but still I insist,
Since you're not in my program, you cannot exist!"
Old Santa just chuckled a merry "ho, ho",
And sat down to type out a quick word or so.
The keyboard clack-clattered, its sound sharp and clean,
As Santa fed this "data" to the machine:
"Kids everywhere know me; I come every year;
The presents I bring add to everyone's cheer;
But you won't get anything - that's plain to see;
Too bad your programmers forgot about me."
Then he faced the machine and said with a shrug,
"Merry Christmas to All" as he pulled out the plug.
enjoy!
T'was the night before Christmas, and all through the shop,
The computers were whirring; they never do stop.
The power was on and the temperature right,
In hopes that the input would feed back that night.
The system was ready, the program was coded,
And memory drums had been carefully loaded;
While adding a Christmasy glow to the scene,
The lights on the console, flashed red, white and green.
When out in the hall there arose such a clatter,
The programmer ran to see what was the matter.
Away to the hallway he flew like a flash,
Forgetting his key in his curious dash.
He stood in the hallway and looked all about,
When the door slammed behind him, and he was locked out.
Then, in the computer room what should appear,
But a miniature sleigh and eight tiny reindeer;
And a little old man, who with scarcely a pause,
Chuckled: "My name is Santa...the last name is Claus."
The computer was startled, confused by the name,
Then it buzzed as it heard the old fellow exclaim:
"This is Dasher and Dancer and Prancer and Vixen,
And Comet and Cupid and Donner and Blitzen."
With all these odd names, it was puzzled anew;
It hummed and it clanked, and a main circuit blew.
It searched in its memory core, trying to "think";
Then the multi-line printer went out on the blink.
Unable to do its electronic job,
It said in a voice that was almost a sob:
"Your eyes - how they twinkle - your dimples so merry,
Your cheeks so like roses, your nose like a cherry,
Your smile - all these things, I've been programmed to know,
And at data - recall, I am more than so - so;
But your name and your address (computers can't lie),
Are things that I just cannot identify.
You've a jolly old face and a little round belly,
That shakes when you laugh like a bowlful of jelly;
My scanners can see you, but still I insist,
Since you're not in my program, you cannot exist!"
Old Santa just chuckled a merry "ho, ho",
And sat down to type out a quick word or so.
The keyboard clack-clattered, its sound sharp and clean,
As Santa fed this "data" to the machine:
"Kids everywhere know me; I come every year;
The presents I bring add to everyone's cheer;
But you won't get anything - that's plain to see;
Too bad your programmers forgot about me."
Then he faced the machine and said with a shrug,
"Merry Christmas to All" as he pulled out the plug.
Monday, December 25, 2006
12 days of christmas, yahoo gave to me
Hello everyone, and merry Christmas to all!
I got this by e-mail and found it really halarious!
Weather you are apart of yahoo in some fashion or not, this will certainly make you laugh!
Enjoy, and again, merry Christmas from me to you and your family!
12 days of Christmas yahoo gave to me
On the first day of Christmas Yahoo gave to me A post from a week ago.
On the second day of Christmas Yahoo gave to me
2 web crashes and a post from a week ago.
On the third day of Christmas Yahoo gave to me
3 error messages
2 web crashes and a post from a week ago.
On the fourth day of Christmas Yahoo gave to me
4 jerks at Tech Help
3 error messages
2 web crashes and a post from a week ago.
On the fifth day of Christmas Yahoo gave to me
5 frozen PM's
4 jerks at Tech Help
3 error messages
2 web crashes and a post from a week ago.
On the sixth day of Christmas Yahoo gave to me
6 disconnections
5 frozen PM's
4 jerks at Tech Help
3 error messages
2 web crashes and a post from a week ago.
On the seventh day of Christmas Yahoo gave to me
7 hours with no mail
6 disconnections
5 frozen PM's
4 jerks at Tech Help
3 error messages
2 web crashes and a post from a week ago.
On the eighth day of Christmas Yahoo gave to me
8 channels not working
7 hours with no mail
6 disconnections
5 frozen PM's
4 jerks at Tech Help
3 error messages
2 web crashes and a post from a week ago.
On the ninth day of Christmas Yahoo gave to me
9 Viagra advertisements
8 channels not working
7 hours with no mail
6 disconnections
5 frozen PM's
4 jerks at Tech Help
3 error messages
2 web crashes and a post from a week ago.
On the tenth day of Christmas Yahoo gave to me
10 propositions
9 Viagra advertisements
8 channels not working
7 hours with no mail
6 disconnections
5 frozen PM's
4 jerks at Tech Help
3 error messages
2 web crashes and a post from a week ago.
On the eleventh day of Christmas Yahoo gave to me
11 pieces of spam
10 propositions
9 Viagra advertisements
8 channels not working
7 hours with no mail
6 disconnections
5 frozen PM's
4 jerks at Tech Help
3 error messages
2 web crashes and a post from a week ago.
On the twelfth day of Christmas Yahoo gave to me
12 reasons to unsubscribe.
11 pieces of spam
10 propositions
9 Viagra advertisements
8 channels not working
7 hours with no mail
6 disconnections
5 frozen PM's
4 jerks at Tech Help
3 error messages
2 web crashes and a post from a week ago.
I got this by e-mail and found it really halarious!
Weather you are apart of yahoo in some fashion or not, this will certainly make you laugh!
Enjoy, and again, merry Christmas from me to you and your family!
12 days of Christmas yahoo gave to me
On the first day of Christmas Yahoo gave to me A post from a week ago.
On the second day of Christmas Yahoo gave to me
2 web crashes and a post from a week ago.
On the third day of Christmas Yahoo gave to me
3 error messages
2 web crashes and a post from a week ago.
On the fourth day of Christmas Yahoo gave to me
4 jerks at Tech Help
3 error messages
2 web crashes and a post from a week ago.
On the fifth day of Christmas Yahoo gave to me
5 frozen PM's
4 jerks at Tech Help
3 error messages
2 web crashes and a post from a week ago.
On the sixth day of Christmas Yahoo gave to me
6 disconnections
5 frozen PM's
4 jerks at Tech Help
3 error messages
2 web crashes and a post from a week ago.
On the seventh day of Christmas Yahoo gave to me
7 hours with no mail
6 disconnections
5 frozen PM's
4 jerks at Tech Help
3 error messages
2 web crashes and a post from a week ago.
On the eighth day of Christmas Yahoo gave to me
8 channels not working
7 hours with no mail
6 disconnections
5 frozen PM's
4 jerks at Tech Help
3 error messages
2 web crashes and a post from a week ago.
On the ninth day of Christmas Yahoo gave to me
9 Viagra advertisements
8 channels not working
7 hours with no mail
6 disconnections
5 frozen PM's
4 jerks at Tech Help
3 error messages
2 web crashes and a post from a week ago.
On the tenth day of Christmas Yahoo gave to me
10 propositions
9 Viagra advertisements
8 channels not working
7 hours with no mail
6 disconnections
5 frozen PM's
4 jerks at Tech Help
3 error messages
2 web crashes and a post from a week ago.
On the eleventh day of Christmas Yahoo gave to me
11 pieces of spam
10 propositions
9 Viagra advertisements
8 channels not working
7 hours with no mail
6 disconnections
5 frozen PM's
4 jerks at Tech Help
3 error messages
2 web crashes and a post from a week ago.
On the twelfth day of Christmas Yahoo gave to me
12 reasons to unsubscribe.
11 pieces of spam
10 propositions
9 Viagra advertisements
8 channels not working
7 hours with no mail
6 disconnections
5 frozen PM's
4 jerks at Tech Help
3 error messages
2 web crashes and a post from a week ago.
Tuesday, December 12, 2006
a major update
Hello everyone. It's been awhile since I've posted an actual blog post. Over a month I believe. A lot has happened over these past months.
This is going to be one long post, so sit back and enjoy! My company shaneD.net hosting services endured two server attacks witch we recovered nicely from. While dealing with those, my relationship with
rose took a turn for the better. I finally got up the courage to tell
my parents about rose and myself and our plans to move in together. To
my astonishment and joy, both parents were supportive of me 100%. They
really wanted to meet Rose, so I started putting things in place for
Rose to come over for the Christmas Holidays. After a few setbacks
regarding transportation, as of Monday, Rose is going to spend the
Christmas holidays at my house! I'm happy to say Rose will finally
have a christmas holiday to remember for the rest of her life. The
past two years for her have been hell at Christmas time, and I vowed
that this year would be different, and I'm proud to say I've been able
to make that happen! We've had some crap from the school
administration, but persistance has paid off and the school is finally
understanding that this relationship is much much more than a game.
I'm not playing around, I'm dead serious about this relationship, and
no matter what I am told, I will be their until the death do us part.
This is god's will, and god's calling for me to be apart of this
wonderful girl's life, and I thank god every waking moment for her.
She's the joy in my life. She's been my rock when I've needed someone.
She's picked me up when I've hit rock bottom. She's kicked my ass when
I've needed it. She's the reason I carry on each and every day.
Everyone might call me strange for writing this, but let me tell you
dear reader one thing, I've been better with her. She's my all. God
has brought us together and made it possible for us to stick by each
other through it all. We had a rocky start but god made this all
possible, and nothing else will ever break us apart.
I'd like to share a little something with you all. Something I wrote
about two months ago. I never thought I could write this, but god's
hand was involved with this, and I'd like to share it with you all.
Begin poem.
True relationships never really die
And family isn’t defined by blood
It’s made strong by bonds that won’t break
Tempered and tested by trials and pain
what you mean to me is more than words can describe
you've been loyal to me from the beginning
And no matter what happens between this moment and then
I shall be always thankful to have you in my life.
You've been their when I've needed someone to talk to
you've been their when I've needed a hsolder to cry on.
When things got tough, you were always their, ready to help, and assist
me.
You made me see my errors and helped me fix them
you brought me to an understanding that I've never had.
You've showed me what it means to be loved and what love really means.
It's not the words or the intimacy that defines what love is.
it's the closeness, the bond between two people, that make love what
love is.
You've showed me what it means to be happy, to have someone who truly
loves me.
When I asked you that day way back when, I expected to be rejected, to
be pushed away because of who I was, what I had done in the past.
Not you. You excepted me for who I was.
You didn't ask me to change who I was, to change my personality to suit
your needs.
You became my rock, my everything.
You are the reason I continue to carry on through the tough times.
You are the reason I want to get up in the morning.
You are my strength, my shield, my all.
Without you, I don't know where I'd be.
I love you, and will love you forever and ever.
End poem.
Dear blog reader, as you read through that little piece of writing, I
hope that makes you understand my true feelings for the one I truly
love, and will do whatever it takes, even death, to protect her and
make sure she is cared for. It's been almost a year for us both, and
it feels like we've known each other our entire lives. I've shared
things with Rose that I never thought I'd ever share with anyone my
entire life.
This has turned into a long post, but it's not overyet.
A lot of people have said to me that I'd never be able to succeed in a
relationship, I'd never have someone that cared about me. That is not
true, and if the contents of this entry doesn't prove that, I don't
know what will. I'm not going to take anyone's crap, I've worked way
too hard to leave now. I still remember the night, back in February of
2006, and I remember it all like it was yesterday. I still remember
the day in March when things got nasty, and we had to rethink it, it
hurt me, and I thought god had let me down again. As the saying goes,
things have to get worse before they get better. When Rose approached
me in July, and asked me if I wanted to be her boyfriend again, I had
to seriously think about it. I'd been hurt before, and I wasn't ready
to be hurt again. I took two weeks and thought, and praid about it. I
asked god to guide me in what to do, and he has done so. We're
together, and I'm not leaving, ever! I've said it before, and I'll
continue to say so time and time again. I love that girl to pieces and
I'd do anything to make her happy, whatever it took. Those who know me
well, know that when I say something, I mean it. When I say I'm going
to be here, and you can count on me, and I would do anything to save
and protect someone, you can bet your ass that I mean it! When it
comes to things like this I don't joke around. I've already delt with
one loser who decided to screw with me and my relationship. They were
dealt with harshly, and lord help him if he ever screws with me and my
girl, again! If he does, so help me god, it'll be the last thing he
ever does! This isn't very nice of me, but if I have to kill him to
protect hir, I will! I really hope he learned his lesson the last
time, so it won't have to come to that, but if it does, then so be it!
I'd rather see him dead then hurt the one I've sworn to protect and
charish. We may not be married, but you can bet your paycheck that if
we have our way, it's going to happen.
We've already discussed the matter, grin, and it's what we want. What
else can I say folks, besides what's already been said here. It's
reality and that's life. I'm not going to leave just because crap gets
rough. That's not me, and anyone who knows me at all should know that
by now. If you don't then, I'm sorry to say you are officially stupid
and demented in the head. I know your all probably calling me stupid
because of the length of this post and your probably calling me stupid
for me writing my feelings about the one I love. Well, to bad for you,
it's my blog, and I'll write about whatever I feel like. You can like
it or lump it. No matter, it's my blog and I'll write about what I
want to write about and if you don't like it, well, then you can just
shove off. I've really got nothing else to say.
Before I go, let me just say one more thing.
I thank god each and every day for the people in my life. I thank him
for bringing me and Rose together and keeping us together through it
all. I thank him for people like Kelly, Kevin, hailey, Emily, and
everyone else who has stuck by us both and givin the both of us support
and advice when we've needed it. Without you guys, I'm not sure where
I'd be.
Their hav been times where I've wanted to just give up on god and the
whole relationship thing, but something told me to stick it out, and
one day I'd find someone. And boy was everyone rright on the money!
Not everyone are complete jerks, and their are people that give a crap.
in this world.
Rose hasnt' cared about my differences. She excepts me for who I am.
She doesn't ask me to change to suit her needs and wants, and I don't
expect her to change for me. When their's a problem we sit and talk it
out and not fight over it. I've learned that I don't have to be scared
to bring situations to her attention, and I'm thankful for that
comfort.
Well, that's all I have to right.
Thanks all.
May the lord bless you and keep you safe.
May heaven smile upon you, and with you I am praying.
Until next time folks.
This is going to be one long post, so sit back and enjoy! My company shaneD.net hosting services endured two server attacks witch we recovered nicely from. While dealing with those, my relationship with
rose took a turn for the better. I finally got up the courage to tell
my parents about rose and myself and our plans to move in together. To
my astonishment and joy, both parents were supportive of me 100%. They
really wanted to meet Rose, so I started putting things in place for
Rose to come over for the Christmas Holidays. After a few setbacks
regarding transportation, as of Monday, Rose is going to spend the
Christmas holidays at my house! I'm happy to say Rose will finally
have a christmas holiday to remember for the rest of her life. The
past two years for her have been hell at Christmas time, and I vowed
that this year would be different, and I'm proud to say I've been able
to make that happen! We've had some crap from the school
administration, but persistance has paid off and the school is finally
understanding that this relationship is much much more than a game.
I'm not playing around, I'm dead serious about this relationship, and
no matter what I am told, I will be their until the death do us part.
This is god's will, and god's calling for me to be apart of this
wonderful girl's life, and I thank god every waking moment for her.
She's the joy in my life. She's been my rock when I've needed someone.
She's picked me up when I've hit rock bottom. She's kicked my ass when
I've needed it. She's the reason I carry on each and every day.
Everyone might call me strange for writing this, but let me tell you
dear reader one thing, I've been better with her. She's my all. God
has brought us together and made it possible for us to stick by each
other through it all. We had a rocky start but god made this all
possible, and nothing else will ever break us apart.
I'd like to share a little something with you all. Something I wrote
about two months ago. I never thought I could write this, but god's
hand was involved with this, and I'd like to share it with you all.
Begin poem.
True relationships never really die
And family isn’t defined by blood
It’s made strong by bonds that won’t break
Tempered and tested by trials and pain
what you mean to me is more than words can describe
you've been loyal to me from the beginning
And no matter what happens between this moment and then
I shall be always thankful to have you in my life.
You've been their when I've needed someone to talk to
you've been their when I've needed a hsolder to cry on.
When things got tough, you were always their, ready to help, and assist
me.
You made me see my errors and helped me fix them
you brought me to an understanding that I've never had.
You've showed me what it means to be loved and what love really means.
It's not the words or the intimacy that defines what love is.
it's the closeness, the bond between two people, that make love what
love is.
You've showed me what it means to be happy, to have someone who truly
loves me.
When I asked you that day way back when, I expected to be rejected, to
be pushed away because of who I was, what I had done in the past.
Not you. You excepted me for who I was.
You didn't ask me to change who I was, to change my personality to suit
your needs.
You became my rock, my everything.
You are the reason I continue to carry on through the tough times.
You are the reason I want to get up in the morning.
You are my strength, my shield, my all.
Without you, I don't know where I'd be.
I love you, and will love you forever and ever.
End poem.
Dear blog reader, as you read through that little piece of writing, I
hope that makes you understand my true feelings for the one I truly
love, and will do whatever it takes, even death, to protect her and
make sure she is cared for. It's been almost a year for us both, and
it feels like we've known each other our entire lives. I've shared
things with Rose that I never thought I'd ever share with anyone my
entire life.
This has turned into a long post, but it's not overyet.
A lot of people have said to me that I'd never be able to succeed in a
relationship, I'd never have someone that cared about me. That is not
true, and if the contents of this entry doesn't prove that, I don't
know what will. I'm not going to take anyone's crap, I've worked way
too hard to leave now. I still remember the night, back in February of
2006, and I remember it all like it was yesterday. I still remember
the day in March when things got nasty, and we had to rethink it, it
hurt me, and I thought god had let me down again. As the saying goes,
things have to get worse before they get better. When Rose approached
me in July, and asked me if I wanted to be her boyfriend again, I had
to seriously think about it. I'd been hurt before, and I wasn't ready
to be hurt again. I took two weeks and thought, and praid about it. I
asked god to guide me in what to do, and he has done so. We're
together, and I'm not leaving, ever! I've said it before, and I'll
continue to say so time and time again. I love that girl to pieces and
I'd do anything to make her happy, whatever it took. Those who know me
well, know that when I say something, I mean it. When I say I'm going
to be here, and you can count on me, and I would do anything to save
and protect someone, you can bet your ass that I mean it! When it
comes to things like this I don't joke around. I've already delt with
one loser who decided to screw with me and my relationship. They were
dealt with harshly, and lord help him if he ever screws with me and my
girl, again! If he does, so help me god, it'll be the last thing he
ever does! This isn't very nice of me, but if I have to kill him to
protect hir, I will! I really hope he learned his lesson the last
time, so it won't have to come to that, but if it does, then so be it!
I'd rather see him dead then hurt the one I've sworn to protect and
charish. We may not be married, but you can bet your paycheck that if
we have our way, it's going to happen.
We've already discussed the matter, grin, and it's what we want. What
else can I say folks, besides what's already been said here. It's
reality and that's life. I'm not going to leave just because crap gets
rough. That's not me, and anyone who knows me at all should know that
by now. If you don't then, I'm sorry to say you are officially stupid
and demented in the head. I know your all probably calling me stupid
because of the length of this post and your probably calling me stupid
for me writing my feelings about the one I love. Well, to bad for you,
it's my blog, and I'll write about whatever I feel like. You can like
it or lump it. No matter, it's my blog and I'll write about what I
want to write about and if you don't like it, well, then you can just
shove off. I've really got nothing else to say.
Before I go, let me just say one more thing.
I thank god each and every day for the people in my life. I thank him
for bringing me and Rose together and keeping us together through it
all. I thank him for people like Kelly, Kevin, hailey, Emily, and
everyone else who has stuck by us both and givin the both of us support
and advice when we've needed it. Without you guys, I'm not sure where
I'd be.
Their hav been times where I've wanted to just give up on god and the
whole relationship thing, but something told me to stick it out, and
one day I'd find someone. And boy was everyone rright on the money!
Not everyone are complete jerks, and their are people that give a crap.
in this world.
Rose hasnt' cared about my differences. She excepts me for who I am.
She doesn't ask me to change to suit her needs and wants, and I don't
expect her to change for me. When their's a problem we sit and talk it
out and not fight over it. I've learned that I don't have to be scared
to bring situations to her attention, and I'm thankful for that
comfort.
Well, that's all I have to right.
Thanks all.
May the lord bless you and keep you safe.
May heaven smile upon you, and with you I am praying.
Until next time folks.
Hey peoples.
Hello everyone,
Just a short post to say that I'm still around, and I'll be posting a longer update when time permits.
I'm writing it now, but don't want to post it until it's complete.
Talk to you all soon.
Just a short post to say that I'm still around, and I'll be posting a longer update when time permits.
I'm writing it now, but don't want to post it until it's complete.
Talk to you all soon.
Thursday, October 26, 2006
Blind Web surfers sue for accessibility
Blind Web surfers sue for accessibility
By SETH SUTEL, AP Business WriterTue Oct 24, 1:45 PM ET
"Links list dialogue." "Links list view." "Your Account — Two of 164." This is what the Internet sounds like to Chris Danielsen. Danielsen is blind. He's
using a software program called Jaws that converts the text on a Web page into a computerized voice that comes out through a speaker, allowing him to surf
the Web using keyboard commands instead of a mouse — the same way lots of blind people use the Internet.
In this case, his computer is listing all the Web links on the page he's on and telling him that the highlighted link his cursor is on now will take him
to the "Your Account" section on Wal-Mart's Web site.
Danielsen, who writes a blog called "The Voice of the Nation's Blind" for the National Federation of the Blind, says accessing the Internet has been a "huge
boon" for blind people. It's allowed them to accomplish a great number of tasks on their own that would otherwise present difficulties or require the help
of a sighted person, such as banking, buying plane tickets and shopping for things like groceries and music.
But like any evolving technology, accessing the Internet has hardly been a smooth ride for the blind. Some sites can be difficult to navigate, particularly
if they contain relatively few text links and rely more on graphics and other visual elements that screen-reading software such as Jaws can't interpret.
That's why the NFB, an organization that represents blind people, is suing Target Corp., saying that its Web site is inaccessible to blind Internet users.
Last month a federal judge in California allowed the NFB's case to proceed, rejecting Target's argument that its Web site wasn't subject to the Americans
With Disabilities Act, a 1990 law that requires retailers and other public places to make accommodations for people with disabilities. Target argued that
the law only covered physical spaces.
The case, which is entering a pretrial phase called discovery in U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California, could set an important precedent
for applying federal accessibility law to the Internet.
Target said in a statement that its Web site was "committed to providing an online experience that is accessible to all of our guests. Despite the lawsuit
brought forward by the National Federation of the Blind, we have always and will continue to implement new technologies to our Web site."
John Pare, a spokesman for the NFB, said most Web sites are far easier to navigate than Target's. In a demonstration of screen-reading software for The
Associated Press, Danielsen showed that many links on Target's side were unintelligible to the Jaws software, and that the final purchase required the
use of a mouse, something even the most sophisticated blind Web surfer would have trouble with. However, he was able to navigate other sites and purchased
a CD from Amazon.
Jaws, made by Freedom Scientific, is a popular kind of screen-reading software, but there are others, including Window-Eyes, made by GW Micro, and Hal,
made by Dolphin Computer Access.
Many Web sites already have made major progress in becoming accessible to the blind, and some, such as those run by the government, are required to do so
by law.
Yet surfing the Internet is not always worry-free for the blind. Crista Earl, the head of Web operations for the American Foundation for the Blind in New
York, said graphics that don't contain textual labels — which can be read by screen-reading software — are a common obstacle for blind Internet users,
as are "forms" that are unlabeled. Forms are the little boxes where you insert data, such as a book title you wanted to search for.
The decision to hold Target's Web site to the same standards of accessibility as its physical store under the Americans with Disabilities Act was considered
a victory by many advocates for the blind, but at the same time others worry that the ruling could be read too narrowly.
Not every business or Web site is subject to the Americans with Disabilities Act, said John D. Kemp., a lawyer with the Washington law firm Powers, Pyles,
Sutter & Verville P.C. The ADA applies mainly to public places such as restaurants, retailers, movie theaters and health care institutions, explained Kemp,
who has long worked on compliance issues related to disabilities, employment and technology.
For an electronic retailer such as Amazon.com, which has no physical store, the law is unclear, Kemp said. "There is no well defined policy in this area
at all."
However, Kemp noted that many businesses, such as banks, see a strong business rationale for making their sites accessible, and have moved aggressively
to do so.
Meanwhile, other retailers are also moving to adapt their Web sites to screen-reading software. Kelly Groehler, a spokeswoman for Best Buy Co., says the
company has made a number of changes to its site since late last year, including incorporating "alt tags" — or text that labels items like graphics — into
its site.
Best Buy also moved code for drop-down menus to the bottom of the page, where it's less likely to duplicate other elements on the page. "We're trying to
be proactive here," Groehler said. Walmart.com spokeswoman Amy Colella says the site has made sure it is "reasonably accessible" to the blind.
Other retailers are making similar efforts, but it remains a challenge due to the continuing evolution in the technologies used by blind people to surf
the Internet, says Scott Silverman, executive director of Shop.org, a division of the National Retail Federation for online retailers.
"As the retailers' Web sites continue to evolve to stay competitive in the marketplace, sometimes the technologies necessary to do that are a little bit
ahead of where the screen-readers are," Silverman said. "It's a very fast-moving environment. Retailers want to serve all their customers, including blind
people."
Internet search giant Google Inc. is getting into the act as well. In July it launched a project to identify and rank Web sites that offer significant accessibility
to the blind.
As more information and services migrate online, keeping access open to it is of paramount importance to advocates for the blind.
"The blind have more access to information than they ever had in history — but that's only true to the extent that Web accessibility is maintained," Danielsen
said. "The technology is out there, and we don't need barriers to be put in our way. Give us a way in."
___
On the Net:
National Federation of the Blind: http://www.nfb.org
Google Accessible Search:
http://labs.google.com/accessible/faq.html
American Foundation for the Blind: http://afb.org/
By SETH SUTEL, AP Business WriterTue Oct 24, 1:45 PM ET
"Links list dialogue." "Links list view." "Your Account — Two of 164." This is what the Internet sounds like to Chris Danielsen. Danielsen is blind. He's
using a software program called Jaws that converts the text on a Web page into a computerized voice that comes out through a speaker, allowing him to surf
the Web using keyboard commands instead of a mouse — the same way lots of blind people use the Internet.
In this case, his computer is listing all the Web links on the page he's on and telling him that the highlighted link his cursor is on now will take him
to the "Your Account" section on Wal-Mart's Web site.
Danielsen, who writes a blog called "The Voice of the Nation's Blind" for the National Federation of the Blind, says accessing the Internet has been a "huge
boon" for blind people. It's allowed them to accomplish a great number of tasks on their own that would otherwise present difficulties or require the help
of a sighted person, such as banking, buying plane tickets and shopping for things like groceries and music.
But like any evolving technology, accessing the Internet has hardly been a smooth ride for the blind. Some sites can be difficult to navigate, particularly
if they contain relatively few text links and rely more on graphics and other visual elements that screen-reading software such as Jaws can't interpret.
That's why the NFB, an organization that represents blind people, is suing Target Corp., saying that its Web site is inaccessible to blind Internet users.
Last month a federal judge in California allowed the NFB's case to proceed, rejecting Target's argument that its Web site wasn't subject to the Americans
With Disabilities Act, a 1990 law that requires retailers and other public places to make accommodations for people with disabilities. Target argued that
the law only covered physical spaces.
The case, which is entering a pretrial phase called discovery in U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California, could set an important precedent
for applying federal accessibility law to the Internet.
Target said in a statement that its Web site was "committed to providing an online experience that is accessible to all of our guests. Despite the lawsuit
brought forward by the National Federation of the Blind, we have always and will continue to implement new technologies to our Web site."
John Pare, a spokesman for the NFB, said most Web sites are far easier to navigate than Target's. In a demonstration of screen-reading software for The
Associated Press, Danielsen showed that many links on Target's side were unintelligible to the Jaws software, and that the final purchase required the
use of a mouse, something even the most sophisticated blind Web surfer would have trouble with. However, he was able to navigate other sites and purchased
a CD from Amazon.
Jaws, made by Freedom Scientific, is a popular kind of screen-reading software, but there are others, including Window-Eyes, made by GW Micro, and Hal,
made by Dolphin Computer Access.
Many Web sites already have made major progress in becoming accessible to the blind, and some, such as those run by the government, are required to do so
by law.
Yet surfing the Internet is not always worry-free for the blind. Crista Earl, the head of Web operations for the American Foundation for the Blind in New
York, said graphics that don't contain textual labels — which can be read by screen-reading software — are a common obstacle for blind Internet users,
as are "forms" that are unlabeled. Forms are the little boxes where you insert data, such as a book title you wanted to search for.
The decision to hold Target's Web site to the same standards of accessibility as its physical store under the Americans with Disabilities Act was considered
a victory by many advocates for the blind, but at the same time others worry that the ruling could be read too narrowly.
Not every business or Web site is subject to the Americans with Disabilities Act, said John D. Kemp., a lawyer with the Washington law firm Powers, Pyles,
Sutter & Verville P.C. The ADA applies mainly to public places such as restaurants, retailers, movie theaters and health care institutions, explained Kemp,
who has long worked on compliance issues related to disabilities, employment and technology.
For an electronic retailer such as Amazon.com, which has no physical store, the law is unclear, Kemp said. "There is no well defined policy in this area
at all."
However, Kemp noted that many businesses, such as banks, see a strong business rationale for making their sites accessible, and have moved aggressively
to do so.
Meanwhile, other retailers are also moving to adapt their Web sites to screen-reading software. Kelly Groehler, a spokeswoman for Best Buy Co., says the
company has made a number of changes to its site since late last year, including incorporating "alt tags" — or text that labels items like graphics — into
its site.
Best Buy also moved code for drop-down menus to the bottom of the page, where it's less likely to duplicate other elements on the page. "We're trying to
be proactive here," Groehler said. Walmart.com spokeswoman Amy Colella says the site has made sure it is "reasonably accessible" to the blind.
Other retailers are making similar efforts, but it remains a challenge due to the continuing evolution in the technologies used by blind people to surf
the Internet, says Scott Silverman, executive director of Shop.org, a division of the National Retail Federation for online retailers.
"As the retailers' Web sites continue to evolve to stay competitive in the marketplace, sometimes the technologies necessary to do that are a little bit
ahead of where the screen-readers are," Silverman said. "It's a very fast-moving environment. Retailers want to serve all their customers, including blind
people."
Internet search giant Google Inc. is getting into the act as well. In July it launched a project to identify and rank Web sites that offer significant accessibility
to the blind.
As more information and services migrate online, keeping access open to it is of paramount importance to advocates for the blind.
"The blind have more access to information than they ever had in history — but that's only true to the extent that Web accessibility is maintained," Danielsen
said. "The technology is out there, and we don't need barriers to be put in our way. Give us a way in."
___
On the Net:
National Federation of the Blind: http://www.nfb.org
Google Accessible Search:
http://labs.google.com/accessible/faq.html
American Foundation for the Blind: http://afb.org/
my braille note is almost in my hands!
Good afternoon yall.
I am hyper! I just got the phone call I've been waiting for!
My braille note is in the dealer's hands, and will be shipped UPS standard to my house, to arive tommorrow!
Less then 24 hours folks, and the wait will be over!
Yay!
I am hyper! I just got the phone call I've been waiting for!
My braille note is in the dealer's hands, and will be shipped UPS standard to my house, to arive tommorrow!
Less then 24 hours folks, and the wait will be over!
Yay!
Wednesday, October 25, 2006
people are so stupid these days!
Hey all,
First of all, what is mentioned here is aimed at a spicific individual, and not adam, for a change.
She reads this blog, and since this individual won't listen to me on the phone or by e-mail, I'm going to put it here, where I am sure to be read, not just by her, but by a lot of people.
Your all probably wondering what's up with the title for my post.
Why would I title a post what I titled it?
Well, for one, this is my blog, and I can title posts whatever I like, and for two, my X, niki, who used to be a huge part of the penny drive, the committie at our school that raises money for McMaster Children's hospital, basically said in an e-mail, I'm still apart of the committie, and you have to listen to what I have to say, and if you don't I'm going to shut the committie down.
Let's see, what gives you the authority MS. Hotshot to say things like that. You turned control over to Rose, and we don't need your flat nose in our affairs.
I'm sorry to burst your bubble, but we can run the committie just fine without you.
You turned control over to rose, complete control, and that's the way it is going to stay.
We don't need you, and francly, we don't want you either.
You were the one who caused most of the problems with brauling last year. You pushed your weight around, bossed us around, and the committie nearly fell apart last year because of you and your bossiness
I'm not going to say their weren't others causing issues, we all took part at one time or another, but you seemed to always be at the head of it.
The committie has already said we don't want you bossing us around this year, and we can and will do this with or without your help.
You can't boss us around, sure you may be on the list, but you are an advising member. Get that straight, advising member, not full member, advising member.
So that means you have some say, but the final say comes down to the committie and if we say no, then no is the way it will be and you will just have to deal with it.
You have to remember one thing, you've lost trust in a lot of people, not just me, I'm not going to speak for everyone reading this, but you've broken trust, and you've done it by hurting me the way you did. You made me feel worthless, and made me cry on a number of occasions with your actions and with what you said to me, and the way you treated me when I tried to talk to you about things and explain my side of things to you regarding certain issues.
I know everyone hates drama and long drawn out things so I won't go into details.
Nikki, you aren't going to earn my trust back overnight, and pushing your weight around with this committie isn't going to help, it's just going to make me distrust you more.
So, all I am going to say to you Nikki is back off, and let us do our work.
We've got ajob to do, and with you shoving your crap in our faces, we can't do our job properly.
If you continue to persist, I will bring it to the head of the committie and have you removed perminantly from all aspects of this committie, and we will continue on our own without you. And if you want my opinion, we could do a heck of a better job without you, thank you very much.
if you ask me, We accomplished more in the first meeting, then we ever did last year in all the meetings we had. We had no brauling, no fights, we were civil about things, and we got a lot done without you their! Wow! We actually don't need you, can you believe that? I'm sorry if that hurts your eago, but that's just too bad! It's a part of life, and you'll just have to deal with it! You're not always needed, and you'll just have to suck it up!
Now quit being a baby and we'll all be happy.
Thanks all for reading, and i do apologize for that, but I had to say what I had to say.
If you have thoughts on what I wrote here, feel free to comment.
I'll post later on.
everyone have a blessed, geezus filled day.
First of all, what is mentioned here is aimed at a spicific individual, and not adam, for a change.
She reads this blog, and since this individual won't listen to me on the phone or by e-mail, I'm going to put it here, where I am sure to be read, not just by her, but by a lot of people.
Your all probably wondering what's up with the title for my post.
Why would I title a post what I titled it?
Well, for one, this is my blog, and I can title posts whatever I like, and for two, my X, niki, who used to be a huge part of the penny drive, the committie at our school that raises money for McMaster Children's hospital, basically said in an e-mail, I'm still apart of the committie, and you have to listen to what I have to say, and if you don't I'm going to shut the committie down.
Let's see, what gives you the authority MS. Hotshot to say things like that. You turned control over to Rose, and we don't need your flat nose in our affairs.
I'm sorry to burst your bubble, but we can run the committie just fine without you.
You turned control over to rose, complete control, and that's the way it is going to stay.
We don't need you, and francly, we don't want you either.
You were the one who caused most of the problems with brauling last year. You pushed your weight around, bossed us around, and the committie nearly fell apart last year because of you and your bossiness
I'm not going to say their weren't others causing issues, we all took part at one time or another, but you seemed to always be at the head of it.
The committie has already said we don't want you bossing us around this year, and we can and will do this with or without your help.
You can't boss us around, sure you may be on the list, but you are an advising member. Get that straight, advising member, not full member, advising member.
So that means you have some say, but the final say comes down to the committie and if we say no, then no is the way it will be and you will just have to deal with it.
You have to remember one thing, you've lost trust in a lot of people, not just me, I'm not going to speak for everyone reading this, but you've broken trust, and you've done it by hurting me the way you did. You made me feel worthless, and made me cry on a number of occasions with your actions and with what you said to me, and the way you treated me when I tried to talk to you about things and explain my side of things to you regarding certain issues.
I know everyone hates drama and long drawn out things so I won't go into details.
Nikki, you aren't going to earn my trust back overnight, and pushing your weight around with this committie isn't going to help, it's just going to make me distrust you more.
So, all I am going to say to you Nikki is back off, and let us do our work.
We've got ajob to do, and with you shoving your crap in our faces, we can't do our job properly.
If you continue to persist, I will bring it to the head of the committie and have you removed perminantly from all aspects of this committie, and we will continue on our own without you. And if you want my opinion, we could do a heck of a better job without you, thank you very much.
if you ask me, We accomplished more in the first meeting, then we ever did last year in all the meetings we had. We had no brauling, no fights, we were civil about things, and we got a lot done without you their! Wow! We actually don't need you, can you believe that? I'm sorry if that hurts your eago, but that's just too bad! It's a part of life, and you'll just have to deal with it! You're not always needed, and you'll just have to suck it up!
Now quit being a baby and we'll all be happy.
Thanks all for reading, and i do apologize for that, but I had to say what I had to say.
If you have thoughts on what I wrote here, feel free to comment.
I'll post later on.
everyone have a blessed, geezus filled day.
Friday, October 20, 2006
Trekker 3.0 Now Available:
the following comes from
humanware
enjoy.
Trekker 3.0 Now Available:
HumanWare expands the possibilities of GPS guidance for blind people.
Longueuil, October 18, 2006 -- HumanWare is proud to announce the release of the new version of the GPS orientation system most used by blind people in
the world. Trekker 3.0 boasts an array of new features, including using multiple GPS maps, maps covering wider areas, turn by turn instructions guidance
while in a vehicle, capabilities to handle various sources of points of interest, and other innovations providing more information.
New generation of GPS maps
Moving from one region to another is now easier, with the new generation GPS maps used by Trekker 3.0. These cover larger territories and are divided into
regional maps for more convenience. Multiple maps can now be activated and stored in the memory.
More flexibility to manage points of interest
Trekker 3.0 also expands the sources of geographical information with the capability to integrate complementary points of interest coming from other users,
or databases downloadable from the web. Searching for points of interest is now easier because different search criteria can be used and combined (postal
code, categories, distance, etc.). Personal points of interest can be organized into categories, transferred to and backed up on a PC, and even shared
with other users.
More comprehensive routes
Whether you are travelling on foot or in a vehicle, Trekker 3.0 provides more information than ever before. When a route is activated, the initial direction
is now announced. Navigation information is provided step by step, giving the next instruction and the distance to it.
Superior information system
Trekker 3.0 offers the user an unsurpassed access to information. This includes shortcut keys for instant information about speed, direction, city name,
altitude, latitude, longitude and number of satellites in view.
"Since Trekker was introduced 4 years ago, the lives of sightless people have been literally transformed: they now have more freedom and can take full advantage
of their environment," says product manager Lucia Gomez. "With Version 3.0, we have expanded the concept of "freedom to explore" even further, offering
a product that is both more comprehensive and more flexible".
Trekker 3.0 is now available from HumanWare subsidiaries and distributors. A free upgrade is available for users of earlier versions at this:
location
A detailed list of the new features in Trekker 3.0 is also available at:
this location.
humanware
enjoy.
Trekker 3.0 Now Available:
HumanWare expands the possibilities of GPS guidance for blind people.
Longueuil, October 18, 2006 -- HumanWare is proud to announce the release of the new version of the GPS orientation system most used by blind people in
the world. Trekker 3.0 boasts an array of new features, including using multiple GPS maps, maps covering wider areas, turn by turn instructions guidance
while in a vehicle, capabilities to handle various sources of points of interest, and other innovations providing more information.
New generation of GPS maps
Moving from one region to another is now easier, with the new generation GPS maps used by Trekker 3.0. These cover larger territories and are divided into
regional maps for more convenience. Multiple maps can now be activated and stored in the memory.
More flexibility to manage points of interest
Trekker 3.0 also expands the sources of geographical information with the capability to integrate complementary points of interest coming from other users,
or databases downloadable from the web. Searching for points of interest is now easier because different search criteria can be used and combined (postal
code, categories, distance, etc.). Personal points of interest can be organized into categories, transferred to and backed up on a PC, and even shared
with other users.
More comprehensive routes
Whether you are travelling on foot or in a vehicle, Trekker 3.0 provides more information than ever before. When a route is activated, the initial direction
is now announced. Navigation information is provided step by step, giving the next instruction and the distance to it.
Superior information system
Trekker 3.0 offers the user an unsurpassed access to information. This includes shortcut keys for instant information about speed, direction, city name,
altitude, latitude, longitude and number of satellites in view.
"Since Trekker was introduced 4 years ago, the lives of sightless people have been literally transformed: they now have more freedom and can take full advantage
of their environment," says product manager Lucia Gomez. "With Version 3.0, we have expanded the concept of "freedom to explore" even further, offering
a product that is both more comprehensive and more flexible".
Trekker 3.0 is now available from HumanWare subsidiaries and distributors. A free upgrade is available for users of earlier versions at this:
location
A detailed list of the new features in Trekker 3.0 is also available at:
this location.
Monday, October 16, 2006
A Slide, a Prayer, Again
Good afternoon fellow readers.
I get a lot of christian related material by e-mail.
I enjoy a lot of it.
a lot of the good stuff comes from:
christian today.com
this site offers a lot of great reading.
The following article comes from the
children's ministry
section of that site.
Please enjoy, and remember, your comments are always welcome on the material posted here.
and now, as they say in show business, we give you our featured presentation, the article entitled A Slide, a Prayer, Again.
A Slide, a Prayer, Again
by Keri Wyatt Kent
Little Josh wanders the three-year-old room at Promiseland, stopping first at the art station to color a picture of Jesus, which he embellishes with a few
lines and circles meant to be Thomas the train. I admire his work. He smiles, but is already scanning the room, sizing up the possibilities: a reading
corner with picture books, a play kitchen, bowling with plastic pins, and a rubber ball. Then he sees it: the sturdy plastic slide, brightly hued and inviting.
"I want to slide," he says, pulling me by the hand. "Okay," I say.
He points to a spot on the carpet beside the slide. "You sit here and watch me," he says kindly. As a volunteer, that's my job during play time—to watch
the kids (we'll talk about the Bible lesson later during small group time). I agree and sit on the floor. Josh climbs to the top of slide, sits down and
looks at me expectantly.
"Ready, set, go!" I say. He slides down, his light-up sneakers catching slightly on the slide. He runs over to me and I give him a high-five. He stops,
looking thoughtful. He lifts one finger, looking professorial. "I'll do it again!" he says.
Josh was sliding for at least 15 minutes, maybe more. Each time, he'd lift that index finger and repeat, "I'll do it again!" Since I was at Promiseland
and not at home trying to get other chores done, I sat down and simply watched Josh play. He'd look over at me, and I'd clap or make comments. Occasionally,
other kids joined in, and I watched all of them, saying "Ready, set, go!" when prompted and offering "Great job!" with a high-five as each came off the
slide.
What made this activity satisfying for three-year-olds? Well, they like doing things "again"! (And again and again.) But mostly, I think, Josh liked having
someone to watch and admire his play on the slide. He just enjoyed my attention.
Prayer is like that, I think: just enjoying the attention of God.
What an amazing gift—the loving attention of God. We can have it any time we want—God is never hurried, never stingy with time. We can take that attention
for granted. It's easy to focus on ourselves and our needs when we pray. But prayer is so much more than communicating our concerns.
Prayer is rooted in relationship. The writer of Hebrews notes that our relationship with Jesus not only gives us access to God, but assurance that we'll
be heard and helped. "For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but we have one who has been tempted in every way,
just as we are—yet was without sin. Let us then approach the throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in
our time of need" (Hebrews 4:15,16).
Just as little Josh was confident that he could ask me to sit and watch him play on the slide, that I would give him my attention and affirmation, we can
be confident that God will listen to us.
That begins the conversation, but if it is truly to be that—a conversation—we must listen as well. To be aware that God is giving us attention and to respond
by offering our attention back to God—that's the beginning of a deeper kind of prayer.
Do these ideas fill you with longing? Pay attention to that.
"Desire for God is fuel for prayer," writes Marjorie Thompson, adding that all our spiritual desires come from God. God is the initiator—the one who sits
down to listen to us and longs to have us listen, be still, and know.
Does prayer feel like a privilege, or an obligation? Is it a time to listen, or just a chance to stuff your complaints in the suggestion box? Do you enjoy
the attention of God, or does it make you squirmy, wondering what to say?
One way to listen to God is to simply be still, and pray a simple breath prayer. A breath prayer is one that can be uttered in the space of a single inhale
and exhale. It's a way of giving God attention that you can carry with you through your day.
Start by simply being quiet and taking a few deep, calming breaths. Imagine Jesus is there with you, asking, what do you need? Do you need peace? Confidence?
Strength to endure? Wisdom? Jesus promises to give us all these things if we ask.
Then, decide how you want to address God. What feels most intimate, or addresses your need most directly? Loving Father? Compassionate One? Lord?
Combine this name for God with your desire or need. For example, you may pray, "Counselor, give me wisdom." A famous breath prayer that has been prayed
for generations is "Jesus Christ, have mercy on me, a sinner."
You may want to write your prayer in a journal or on an index card that you can carry with you. Or simply carry it in your heart. Pray it throughout your
day. Then listen for God's response. Or simply enjoy the quiet presence of the Spirit.
Today, take some time to enjoy the attention of God, to share your joys and challenges with one who delights in listening to you. And then, offer your undivided
attention to God, who longs to tell you how deeply and fully loved you truly are.
I get a lot of christian related material by e-mail.
I enjoy a lot of it.
a lot of the good stuff comes from:
christian today.com
this site offers a lot of great reading.
The following article comes from the
children's ministry
section of that site.
Please enjoy, and remember, your comments are always welcome on the material posted here.
and now, as they say in show business, we give you our featured presentation, the article entitled A Slide, a Prayer, Again.
A Slide, a Prayer, Again
by Keri Wyatt Kent
Little Josh wanders the three-year-old room at Promiseland, stopping first at the art station to color a picture of Jesus, which he embellishes with a few
lines and circles meant to be Thomas the train. I admire his work. He smiles, but is already scanning the room, sizing up the possibilities: a reading
corner with picture books, a play kitchen, bowling with plastic pins, and a rubber ball. Then he sees it: the sturdy plastic slide, brightly hued and inviting.
"I want to slide," he says, pulling me by the hand. "Okay," I say.
He points to a spot on the carpet beside the slide. "You sit here and watch me," he says kindly. As a volunteer, that's my job during play time—to watch
the kids (we'll talk about the Bible lesson later during small group time). I agree and sit on the floor. Josh climbs to the top of slide, sits down and
looks at me expectantly.
"Ready, set, go!" I say. He slides down, his light-up sneakers catching slightly on the slide. He runs over to me and I give him a high-five. He stops,
looking thoughtful. He lifts one finger, looking professorial. "I'll do it again!" he says.
Josh was sliding for at least 15 minutes, maybe more. Each time, he'd lift that index finger and repeat, "I'll do it again!" Since I was at Promiseland
and not at home trying to get other chores done, I sat down and simply watched Josh play. He'd look over at me, and I'd clap or make comments. Occasionally,
other kids joined in, and I watched all of them, saying "Ready, set, go!" when prompted and offering "Great job!" with a high-five as each came off the
slide.
What made this activity satisfying for three-year-olds? Well, they like doing things "again"! (And again and again.) But mostly, I think, Josh liked having
someone to watch and admire his play on the slide. He just enjoyed my attention.
Prayer is like that, I think: just enjoying the attention of God.
What an amazing gift—the loving attention of God. We can have it any time we want—God is never hurried, never stingy with time. We can take that attention
for granted. It's easy to focus on ourselves and our needs when we pray. But prayer is so much more than communicating our concerns.
Prayer is rooted in relationship. The writer of Hebrews notes that our relationship with Jesus not only gives us access to God, but assurance that we'll
be heard and helped. "For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but we have one who has been tempted in every way,
just as we are—yet was without sin. Let us then approach the throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in
our time of need" (Hebrews 4:15,16).
Just as little Josh was confident that he could ask me to sit and watch him play on the slide, that I would give him my attention and affirmation, we can
be confident that God will listen to us.
That begins the conversation, but if it is truly to be that—a conversation—we must listen as well. To be aware that God is giving us attention and to respond
by offering our attention back to God—that's the beginning of a deeper kind of prayer.
Do these ideas fill you with longing? Pay attention to that.
"Desire for God is fuel for prayer," writes Marjorie Thompson, adding that all our spiritual desires come from God. God is the initiator—the one who sits
down to listen to us and longs to have us listen, be still, and know.
Does prayer feel like a privilege, or an obligation? Is it a time to listen, or just a chance to stuff your complaints in the suggestion box? Do you enjoy
the attention of God, or does it make you squirmy, wondering what to say?
One way to listen to God is to simply be still, and pray a simple breath prayer. A breath prayer is one that can be uttered in the space of a single inhale
and exhale. It's a way of giving God attention that you can carry with you through your day.
Start by simply being quiet and taking a few deep, calming breaths. Imagine Jesus is there with you, asking, what do you need? Do you need peace? Confidence?
Strength to endure? Wisdom? Jesus promises to give us all these things if we ask.
Then, decide how you want to address God. What feels most intimate, or addresses your need most directly? Loving Father? Compassionate One? Lord?
Combine this name for God with your desire or need. For example, you may pray, "Counselor, give me wisdom." A famous breath prayer that has been prayed
for generations is "Jesus Christ, have mercy on me, a sinner."
You may want to write your prayer in a journal or on an index card that you can carry with you. Or simply carry it in your heart. Pray it throughout your
day. Then listen for God's response. Or simply enjoy the quiet presence of the Spirit.
Today, take some time to enjoy the attention of God, to share your joys and challenges with one who delights in listening to you. And then, offer your undivided
attention to God, who longs to tell you how deeply and fully loved you truly are.
Sunday, October 15, 2006
Friday, October 13, 2006
Qualcomm Hands Off Eudora to Mozilla
Good morning everyone.
this
article
from
beta news.com
entitled:
Qualcomm Hands Off Eudora to Mozilla
is interesting.
I will post the article in it's entirety below.
enjoy.
Qualcomm Hands Off Eudora to Mozilla
By
Nate Mook
and
Scott M. Fulton, III,
BetaNews
October 11, 2006, 2:57 PM
Qualcomm on Wednesday joined up with the Mozilla Foundation to announce it is transitioning
Eudora
into an open source e-mail client that will be based upon
Thunderbird.
In turn, all future versions of Eudora will be free and Qualcomm will discontinue the current paid client.
Although it may seem like Eudora is simply abandoning its e-mail software, which has a small but strong following of loyal users, the company claims the
Thunderbird-based client will retain "Eudora's uniquely rich feature set and productivity enhancements."
The first release of the open source client is expected in early 2007, at which point Eudora will cease selling the product commercially. In the meantime,
Eudora will be priced at $19.95 USD and come with three incidents of support in a six month period. Until today, Qualcomm sold Eudora versions for a suggested
retail price of as high as $49.95 USD.
Current Eudora users can choose to keep running the ad-supported version indefinitely after upgrading to version 7.1 for Windows and 6.2.4 for Mac OS X,
released last week but announced only today. Qualcomm says it will stop displaying advertisements in the client sometime early next year.
"Qualcomm has decided not to remain in the email market because it is not in alignment with the core business or strategic goals," the company said. "By
moving Eudora to an open source product, Qualcomm can exit the Eudora business while still supporting Eudora users and advancing the Eudora e-mail client
at a faster pace than before, through the power of the open source development community."
"We're pleased to welcome Eudora and its millions of users to the world of open source," said Frank Hecker, executive director of the Mozilla Foundation.
"This effort should further enrich the Thunderbird technology platform and provide users of both products with an even richer email experience."
In recent months, reviewers continued to give Eudora the performance edge for use with enterprise e-mail, compared against Thunderbird (though not against
Microsoft Outlook). However, in practice, some have noted Eudora has suffered limited performance problems with recent versions, prompting in at least one case suggestions that users (in this case, students) try Thunderbird instead.
this
article
from
beta news.com
entitled:
Qualcomm Hands Off Eudora to Mozilla
is interesting.
I will post the article in it's entirety below.
enjoy.
Qualcomm Hands Off Eudora to Mozilla
By
Nate Mook
and
Scott M. Fulton, III,
BetaNews
October 11, 2006, 2:57 PM
Qualcomm on Wednesday joined up with the Mozilla Foundation to announce it is transitioning
Eudora
into an open source e-mail client that will be based upon
Thunderbird.
In turn, all future versions of Eudora will be free and Qualcomm will discontinue the current paid client.
Although it may seem like Eudora is simply abandoning its e-mail software, which has a small but strong following of loyal users, the company claims the
Thunderbird-based client will retain "Eudora's uniquely rich feature set and productivity enhancements."
The first release of the open source client is expected in early 2007, at which point Eudora will cease selling the product commercially. In the meantime,
Eudora will be priced at $19.95 USD and come with three incidents of support in a six month period. Until today, Qualcomm sold Eudora versions for a suggested
retail price of as high as $49.95 USD.
Current Eudora users can choose to keep running the ad-supported version indefinitely after upgrading to version 7.1 for Windows and 6.2.4 for Mac OS X,
released last week but announced only today. Qualcomm says it will stop displaying advertisements in the client sometime early next year.
"Qualcomm has decided not to remain in the email market because it is not in alignment with the core business or strategic goals," the company said. "By
moving Eudora to an open source product, Qualcomm can exit the Eudora business while still supporting Eudora users and advancing the Eudora e-mail client
at a faster pace than before, through the power of the open source development community."
"We're pleased to welcome Eudora and its millions of users to the world of open source," said Frank Hecker, executive director of the Mozilla Foundation.
"This effort should further enrich the Thunderbird technology platform and provide users of both products with an even richer email experience."
In recent months, reviewers continued to give Eudora the performance edge for use with enterprise e-mail, compared against Thunderbird (though not against
Microsoft Outlook). However, in practice, some have noted Eudora has suffered limited performance problems with recent versions, prompting in at least one case suggestions that users (in this case, students) try Thunderbird instead.
Labels:
e-mail,
internet,
open source software,
technology
Thursday, October 12, 2006
bored
Hello all,
I'm sitting in communications class, bored out of my mind, eating ritz chips. Jordan's running his mouth about programming. We've got a supply teacher in Communications class today.
Drama should be interesting.
Guess what play we're doing for Christmas?
The grinch, of all plays!
Could they not have come up with something, shall we say, a little more interesting then the grintch? Like Come on!
We're discussing the mac house program as I type this.
Let's see, what else to talk about...
The Trekker in one of the courses I am taking has decided it's not going to play nice, so the teacher that knows how to work it is trying to fix it.
In regards to Rose and myself, we're dooing awsome.
A lot of people jokingly ask us when the wedding is going to be, grin, and we always say, you'll find out when the time is right. grin!
Talk to yall later.
I'm sitting in communications class, bored out of my mind, eating ritz chips. Jordan's running his mouth about programming. We've got a supply teacher in Communications class today.
Drama should be interesting.
Guess what play we're doing for Christmas?
The grinch, of all plays!
Could they not have come up with something, shall we say, a little more interesting then the grintch? Like Come on!
We're discussing the mac house program as I type this.
Let's see, what else to talk about...
The Trekker in one of the courses I am taking has decided it's not going to play nice, so the teacher that knows how to work it is trying to fix it.
In regards to Rose and myself, we're dooing awsome.
A lot of people jokingly ask us when the wedding is going to be, grin, and we always say, you'll find out when the time is right. grin!
Talk to yall later.
Labels:
computers,
rose,
school,
stupid people,
trekker.
Tuesday, October 10, 2006
a public retaliation
Good morning everyone,
As most of you know, I used to be friends with a certain individual.
The individual knows who he is, and he does read this blog.
Since he's a baby and won't listen to my opinions on his blog, I'm going to publish them here for you all.
First, here is the post that got all this started.
begin post:
A Public Demand Directed At A Specific Individual
Hi all.
I know how badly some of you despise public feuds, fights, dramas, call them what you will. However, I do have a very valid reason to publically demand
the following from a certain individual.
This certain individual had my email addresses blocked, so I am unable to send mail to their mail server, so I will say what needs to be said here, where
I am guaranteed to be published, and since this individual is reading the blog, read by him.
I am demanding that shane Davidson cease and desist posting comments anywhere on this board. Since I am unable to regulate his access, the next comment
goes to the Blogger folks, along with a link to this page, proving that the request for no further comments was published and is not being honoured.
I don't have to justify my request to anyone here, but believe me, it is justified, if not to anyone but me, and since this is my blog, I feel I am not
in the wrong for making this request. If anyone dislikes my request, and can't see the reasons behind it, you are welcome to receive a full explanation
by email. Just email me, if you know the address, and we will discuss it. Otherwise, the reasons are not outlined in his comments, but relate to off-board
issues.
Thank you for your cooperation in this matter.
end post.
Fine Mr. Macleod, be a baby about this.
I was trying to be nice, and comment on your posts, but if that's the way your going to be then eat your own dirt.
I believe and forgiving and forgetting, but if that's the way your going to be about this, then fine.
You know the reasoning behind me blocking your address, and you do have control over commenting, it's called changing the settings in blogger, and if your too lazy too take the steps necessary, then it's your loss not mine.
You have complete control over commenting, so don't complain about it.
Blogger won't do crap about it, because it's a public forum, and they'll tell you the same thing they told me 3 month's ago, take it up with the individual and not us. We don't have control over who comments, and we won't get involved.
If you think your crap doesn't stink, let me tell you something there Mr. baby macleod , your crap stinks like a skunk.
If you don't like my comments, well that's too bad, it's a free country, and I'll say what I want, when I want and there's absolutely nothing you can do about it.
There's no law in this country saying I can't comment about what you have posted.
I tried too be nice, and tried too say something nice too you, but you didn't like it, so then fine, go cry in a whole for all I care.
That's all I have to say on the subject.
If anyone wants a full, unsensored version of what transpired over the past summer, contact me privately if you know how, and I'll be more than happy to fill you in.
take care all.
As most of you know, I used to be friends with a certain individual.
The individual knows who he is, and he does read this blog.
Since he's a baby and won't listen to my opinions on his blog, I'm going to publish them here for you all.
First, here is the post that got all this started.
begin post:
A Public Demand Directed At A Specific Individual
Hi all.
I know how badly some of you despise public feuds, fights, dramas, call them what you will. However, I do have a very valid reason to publically demand
the following from a certain individual.
This certain individual had my email addresses blocked, so I am unable to send mail to their mail server, so I will say what needs to be said here, where
I am guaranteed to be published, and since this individual is reading the blog, read by him.
I am demanding that shane Davidson cease and desist posting comments anywhere on this board. Since I am unable to regulate his access, the next comment
goes to the Blogger folks, along with a link to this page, proving that the request for no further comments was published and is not being honoured.
I don't have to justify my request to anyone here, but believe me, it is justified, if not to anyone but me, and since this is my blog, I feel I am not
in the wrong for making this request. If anyone dislikes my request, and can't see the reasons behind it, you are welcome to receive a full explanation
by email. Just email me, if you know the address, and we will discuss it. Otherwise, the reasons are not outlined in his comments, but relate to off-board
issues.
Thank you for your cooperation in this matter.
end post.
Fine Mr. Macleod, be a baby about this.
I was trying to be nice, and comment on your posts, but if that's the way your going to be then eat your own dirt.
I believe and forgiving and forgetting, but if that's the way your going to be about this, then fine.
You know the reasoning behind me blocking your address, and you do have control over commenting, it's called changing the settings in blogger, and if your too lazy too take the steps necessary, then it's your loss not mine.
You have complete control over commenting, so don't complain about it.
Blogger won't do crap about it, because it's a public forum, and they'll tell you the same thing they told me 3 month's ago, take it up with the individual and not us. We don't have control over who comments, and we won't get involved.
If you think your crap doesn't stink, let me tell you something there Mr. baby macleod , your crap stinks like a skunk.
If you don't like my comments, well that's too bad, it's a free country, and I'll say what I want, when I want and there's absolutely nothing you can do about it.
There's no law in this country saying I can't comment about what you have posted.
I tried too be nice, and tried too say something nice too you, but you didn't like it, so then fine, go cry in a whole for all I care.
That's all I have to say on the subject.
If anyone wants a full, unsensored version of what transpired over the past summer, contact me privately if you know how, and I'll be more than happy to fill you in.
take care all.
Monday, October 09, 2006
the skype church service from october 9 2006
Hello all,
A bunch of people use a program called
skype
to do a church service.
I had the honor of recording this weeks service.
so
go get your copy, and enjoy!
your comments are appreciated.
If you wish to contact me, please do so by:
e-mail.
chat at yall later.
A bunch of people use a program called
skype
to do a church service.
I had the honor of recording this weeks service.
so
go get your copy, and enjoy!
your comments are appreciated.
If you wish to contact me, please do so by:
e-mail.
chat at yall later.
Friday, October 06, 2006
my Braille note was ordered Monday
Hey all,
I ordered my Braille note Monday. The only issue is this.
Humanware just released a new version of keysoft, version 7.2, on Sept 6 2006. This means, they are not releasing any new braille notes until the upgrade process for the new machines is complete. All new braille notes willbe outfitted with the new keysoft. It's a pain, but my dealer's supplier has put a rush on the order, so hopefully, it comes soon.
When it does arrive at the dealer's, they are going to send it UPS next day to me, yay!
Nothing else to really report.
I ordered my Braille note Monday. The only issue is this.
Humanware just released a new version of keysoft, version 7.2, on Sept 6 2006. This means, they are not releasing any new braille notes until the upgrade process for the new machines is complete. All new braille notes willbe outfitted with the new keysoft. It's a pain, but my dealer's supplier has put a rush on the order, so hopefully, it comes soon.
When it does arrive at the dealer's, they are going to send it UPS next day to me, yay!
Nothing else to really report.
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