We would like to acknowledge the following contributors to this month's STAE issue.
The Sterling Creations accessibility team, Jeff N Marquis and Kerry J Harrison who are our resident business consultants, Scott Savoy our managing editor, Christian Robicheau our assistant editor, and Donna J Jodhan our president.
We are especially delighted to have both Jeff N Marquis and Kerry J Harrison as part of our magazine staff and as our resident business experts because of their in depth knowledge and expertise as special needs business consultants.Both Jeff and Kerry have written many articles and they released their last hot selling book called "Untapped Wealth Discovered."This book was released in mid August 2005 and it has already begun to fulfill promises of being dynamite, explosive, and seismic and we are very sure that many of you will find it extremely valuable, useful and informative.Both the U.S and British governments have already given their blessing to this book and several business experts have also jumped on the band wagon.Marquis and Harrison are off to a flying start.
We believe in this book because it is unique in that it can help you to get back on your feet if you suddenly find yourself without a job, if you are looking for ways to put money away for your kids' education, or if you need extra income to help you live more comfortably.The beauty about this book is that it is based solely on realities and logic and not on those fool hardy get rich quick schemes and false and empty promises.
Here are just a few quotes from some U.S government officials and experts to peak your interest.
"Block buster material.This book has the potential to change the way we reduce our costs, increase our revenues, expand our customer base, and stay ahead of our competition."
"If you are looking for safe ways to protect the future of you and your kids then you should pick up a copy of Untapped Wealth Discovered."
"Marquis and Harrison have affectively provided their readers with logical and common sense ways to generate and create business ideas that will work because they are based on markets that exist.Moreover these markets are going to be around for a very long time to come."
"This book is meant to help the little guy.It's a book for almost everyone.The woman, the entrepreneur, the small business owner, and even the retiree and the college student."
"If you want to avoid those get rich quick schemes and keep your money safe then Untapped Wealth Discovered is an absolute must read for you."
The second edition of "Untapped Wealth Discovered" was released on April 28 and the excitement is already building at break neck speed as these two authors have already been booked solid for the next year in promotional appearances across North America, Britain, and Europe.
The second edition comes as a result of tremendous demand from both readers and clients as well as from the American, British, and Canadian governments.The first edition sold over 50,000 copies in just six months and the experts are openly predicting that the second edition will probably sell well over a quarter million copies within the first year.
Mr. Marquis is a motivational speaker and a highly paid consultant to both the U.S and British governments.He has over 20 years of special needs business consulting and is absolutely delighted to be co-authoring "Untapped Wealth Discovered" with Ms Harrison.His time is filled with speaking engagements, consulting, and traveling around the world to help set up new ventures.
Ms Harrison also has over 20 years in the special needs business-consulting field and her expertise is constantly in demand and among other things she works as a consultant to the U.S government, she is a motivational speaker, and she finds time to work on other projects for large corporate clients, small businesses, and even entrepreneurs.
These two are indeed an unbeatable combination and if you'd like them to help you keep up to date with up to the minute news then you should visit www.untappedwealth.com and check out the business desk.There you will find daily postings by Jeff, Kerry, and their fellow consultants and you can view all of this at no charge.
If you are looking for easy ways to keep abreast with news flashes, news from off the wires, and important developments and trends in the business world then the business desk is definitely for you.
Hello everyone!This month we would like to focus on a tactile guiding system that has been developed in Singapore for primarily blind and visually impaired persons but it is a system than can also benefit othertravelers with special needs as well as seniors.Maybe the responsible authorities in North America would be interested to check out this system and who knows they may be able to adapt some of its features to some of the larger cities?
We are applauding this accomplishment in Singapore because we feel that it is important for everyone to recognize how accessible traveling can help not only persons of special needs, but also seniors, parents with toddlers, and so many more.
The following is an article that focuses on the Singapore initiative.
Tactile guidance system installed on MRT to help the visually handicapped
By Nur Azira Aziz
Channel News Asia, Singapore, February 26, 2006
It is more convenient for the blind to travel on MRT now.
39 stations around the island have been retrofitted with a tactile guidance
system to help the visually handicapped get around more independently.
The S$7.4 million project is part of the government's long term plan to
improve the land transport system to make it more accessible and
user-friendly.
The system will enable the visually handicapped to walk safely to the ticket
counter, up the lift and eventually the train platform.
It also helps the blind to find the toilet easily.
Ng Swee Kuen, Association of the Visually Handicapped, said: "Actually for
us, we are not afraid of going out, if there is something can guide us, it's
really useful to be independent. Let's say if can't get anyone to help us,
this tactile is very helpful to us."
Six remaining stations, which will be part of the Circle Line, will be
retrofitted by the middle of this year.
New public buses will also be wheelchair-friendly.
Some SBS 150 buses with manually-operated ramps will be on the roads as
early as April this year.
But will these improved facilities for the disabled come at an inconvenience
for others?
"I don't think it will be very much inconvenient unless for people in a
rush, then maybe it could be a little frustrating for them," said one
commuter.
"Probably they need to stop longer at certain bus stops to allow these
people to get up but on the whole I think it's a very human thing to include
these people as part of our daily lives," said another.
"I think the slight convenience we should bear with it to help these people
to travel easier. In fact, if you travel overseas before, you'll find that
the bus drivers will get out of their seat and help the elderly and even the
people with babies and all that, help them with prams to help them in their
vehicle, I don't see the big deal."
The LTA is also spending $60 million to upgrade its road facilities over the
next three to four years to cater to the elderly, wheelchair users and those
Hello there!This month we would like to start by thanking all of our readers, clients, and supporters for the tremendous encouragement that they have given to us re the publishing of the second edition of our book "Untapped Wealth Discovered."We are truly grateful for all of your help, suggestions, and support for without you we could never have written it and we sincerely hope that our book continues to help those who read it.
Thank you from the bottom of our hearts.We will do our very best not to disappoint you.
We would like to focus on a slip made by Google a few weeks ago where they let the cat out of the bag re their intension to offer a new type of service this being the offering of a G drive type of service to their customers.According to Google they would offer their customers the opportunity to store and retrieve their emails, documents, bookmarks, and other information on a G drive managed by Google and the customer would have the opportunity to retrieve and delete the stored information at any time.
This all sounds very good because it would give customers of Google the opportunity to free up their own hard drives and other storage devices.However, we see some very deep concerns that could arise and it all has to do with confidentiality and with the number of scams and scammers on the rapid rise these days many experts are calling for both Google and their customers to think very carefully before all parties and stakeholders make a firm commitment to such a type of service.For one thing, Google would really have to reassure the public at large that their intended G drive service is fool proof from scams, scammers, identity theft, and all types of possible security breaches.Google would have to convince both its customers as well as those dealing with their customers.
Certain human rights organizations are already expressing their skepticism re confidentiality of information.They are concerned about confidential information being potentially stored on a drive that may be hard to safeguard and the possibility of top secret information potentially ending up in the wrong hands.
Then there's the question of what happens to information after the customer has deleted it?Where does this information go?Would it go into a recycle bin to be deleted by Google staff or would the system automatically purge it in to the deep blue unknown never to be retrieved?Then if the customer were to accidentally delete their information would they then be able to somehow retrieve it and would they be able to do it on their own or would a Google staff member have to do it for them?Then there is the question that if the customer had to depend on a Google service rep to do it for them could the Google rep be able to view the deleted information before restoring it to the customer?
So many questions and concerns to be addressed but we are sure that Google will be in a good position to provide logical and reassuring answers.
We really can't see banks, insurance companies, credit card companies, government organizations, and other types of financial institutions and human rights organizations giving the thumbs up to this type of service because of their need to be extra cautious and protective with their highly sensitive information.Maybe for the regular consumer it could work but it would be interesting to watch this development.
From the soap box
Accessibility concerns
May 2006
By Scott Savoy
This month I'd like to direct my energies towards those hundreds of thousands of websites that are o so inaccessible to our special needs surfers and in particular to blind and visually impaired persons.In America we have Section 508 Legislation which is supposed to help make websites more accessible to everyone but there's still lots that needs to be done.In Canada there is no legislation that enforces the rules of accessibility accept for directives from the Canadian federal government and it's not working in that country especially when the Canadian government itself is guilty of not being able to ensure that its departments adhere to the directives.It seems however that the British is making some headway and this month I'd like to publish an article that was sent to me by James Lethwick from Sheffield England.
Thank you James for your input.
Report highlights website accessibility concerns Lexis Nexis (UK), March 06,
2006
A report published by the UK Cabinet Office reveals that only 3 percent of
public sector websites has met a minimum standard of accessibility. Lawdit
Solicitors lawyer Jason Lysandrides discusses the findings with Lucy
Trevelyan...
Only 3% of 436 public sector websites met a minimum standard of
accessibility, a report published by the UK Cabinet Office reveals - and not
one met the standard demanded by a European Parliament Resolution (EPR) of
2002.
Lawdit Solicitors lawyer, Jason Lysandrides says it has been a legal
requirement for UK websites to be 'accessible' since 1999 and all websites
are required to make "reasonable adjustments" to ensure their websites may
accommodate all users.
He says: "The Disability Discrimination Act 1995 was introduced with the
intention of tackling the discrimination which many disabled people face.
The part of the DDA that states websites must be made accessible came into
force on 1 October 1999 and the Code of Practice for this section of the Act
was published on 27 May 2002.
He says on 1 October 2004 changes to the DDA were made which removed the
small employer exemption thus requiring all employers to make all their
services accessible including websites, intranets and extranets accessible;
made police and fire services legally obliged to make their websites,
intranets and extranets accessible; and required service providers to make
physical adjustments to their premises where these features make it
impossible or unreasonably difficult for disabled people to use the service
they provide.
He says:"The Disability Rights Commission formulated a code of practice. The
Code does not impose legal obligations, nor is it an authoritative statement
of the law - that is a matter for the courts. However, the Code can be used
in evidence in legal proceedings under the DDA. Courts must take into
account any part of the Code that appears to them relevant to any question
arising in those proceedings."
"If a website fails to comply with the DDA then a disabled person can make a
claim against the company/proprietor if the website makes it impossible or
unreasonably difficult to access information and services. If a company has
not made reasonable adjustments and cannot show that this failure is
justified, then it may be liable under the DDA, and may have to pay
compensation and be ordered by a court to change the website."
Lysandrides says that in the UK, no case has been brought to court so there
is no case law guidance.
He adds: "In any event, case law can only provide broad guidance - what
websites have to do may vary from site to site. What is important, however,
is the outcome. The DDA requires that organisations make what it refers to
as "reasonable adjustments", to its services to ensure that a person with a
disability can access that service. This means making changes to websites -
which offer 24-hour service, and a variety of features not available via,
for example, a telephone service - so that disabled people can use them."
The research, carried out by AbilityNet, Royal National Institute for the
Blind (RNIB), the Royal National Institute for Deaf People (RNID), Dublin
CityUniversity and the Society for Information Technology Management
(Socitm), found the reasons for failure were no different to similar studies
of private sector websites, such as text alternatives missing from images
and navigation that becomes impossible for anyone unable to use a mouse.
Lysandrides says that despite the DDA and the guidelines, according to
recent reports there has been a significant failing in all sectors in
respect of website access.
"While financial incentives are to be applauded they are clearly not
providing for widespread compliancy. Nevertheless what is critical
regardless of legal sanction or incentive is that the Internet community is
led by example. In order for organisations to become compliant it is
essential that public sector websites lead the way. If local and national
government do not provide for sufficient access, which it is submitted would
do well to comply with the highest level of priority, then it will always be
an uphill task to encourage the private sector and others."
He adds: "Ultimately it will be the groups themselves who are unable to or
have difficulty with access that will influence change. This will either be
from a commercial perspective, ie only using those compliant websites, but
where so many websites fail to address access it is unfortunate that formal
New accessible game for the blind and visually impaired
May 2006
Sponsored by Donna J Jodhan
Hi everyone!My friends often refer to me as a child at heart and I really don't mind being called this as I have a weakness for games for the blind as I myself am visually impaired.I recently took up playing chess and found a great chess game for the blind at www.arkangles.com.It's called Kchess and it's just great!
So, this month I'm going to publish an article that I found on a brand new racing car game for the blind.
Hope you enjoy it and you'll see that it's free to anyone who wants to download it.I plan to download it soon myself.
Have fun!
From: djc
djc@3wcomputing.com
Normally on this list we chat about audio as it relates to music and
production but I'd like to chat about a new game that has recently come
out andthat's taking the blind gaming community by storm. The game is a
Racing game and it's called Top Speed2. The idea is you have your keyboard or a stearing wheel and you
race around tracks. The sound of the cars is most Realistic and there are
plenty of ad on cars and tracks. You also can either host a server for 7 of your friends to
play on or log in to a server that's being hosted. If your in to sports you
will most definitely enjoy this one. You'll play this game for hours. Now
the cost you ask?Well the fine developers in the Netherlands who wrote this game have decided to
give it away completely free of charge. You can go to:
http://playinginthedark.net
and download the game and all the extra tracks and ad ons. Also you can
learn how to design your own racing cars and tracks and a few blind people
have already done this. Try this freeware game. I think you'll be most impressed.
News and views
Teenagers facing a variety of serious problems
May 2006
By Christian Robicheau
Hello there!This month I'd like to zoom in on a couple of problems facing our teenagers and these particular ones have been in the news of late.
First:There was a report that came out recently that pointed to the increasing loss of hearing among our American teenagers.The report stated that about 69% of our teenagers complained about loss of hearing and this figure is very high.In addition, the report focused on the harm that is being done to the ears of our teenagers by those I Pods that are tuned a bit too loudly.Maybe it's time for all of us to take note here.Parents need to start monitoring the frequency of use and levels of volume on those devices such as I Pods, MP3 players, and so on by their teenagers.In turn our teenagers need to start taking care of their poor ear drums so as to avoid loss of hearing and manufacturers of these products need to start building safety mechanisms into their products to control the levels of volume.
My second concern this month has to do with another report that came out recently and this one has to do with the increasing number of our teenagers and even pre teens suffering from obesity.This report states that as of 2005 one in every three American kids which included both pre teens as well as teens suffers from some sort of obesity.This stat is growing as I write this article and it's cause for very grave concern.What many of you may not yet realize is that obesity often leads to such diseases as heart conditions and diabetes and in turn diabetes leads to blindness and diabetes is one of the leading causes of blindness in America today.There are also a growing number of youngsters suffering from juvenile diabetes in our nation today and both type 1 and type 2 diabetes are on the rise as well.
Sorry!I don't mean to be the bearer of bad news this month but I do feel that these two items need to be brought to the forefront if we want to address certain medical problems and if we have any hope in saving our future generations from total destruction.For if we don't take action now then we are going to see an increasing trend of kids dying before their parents or put more bluntly parents outliving their kids.
Letters to the editor
May 2006
Contributions from our readers (Unedited)
We are pleased to finally start our contribution to STAE and from this month onward we'll be publishing letters to the editor from some of our readers.
Hope you find them refreshing and we urge you too to make a short contribution at your convenience.
Come as often as you like and it's free.
From Dave Litzky in DetroitMichigan:
I started reading your magazine earlier this year and I wonder if you can talk a bit more about business issues cause I recently lost my job and looking for ways to start my own thing.
From Angela Rothberg in Kansas CityMissouri:
When I read the article in the president's feature (March 2006) I started to weep because my husband runs into similar situations all the time.He is in a wheelchair after he lost his leg in an accident and people often think that he can't hear and they shout at him.Poor guy he has to keep telling people that he's not deaf just that he can't walk.I just wish that people would be nicer to the disabled.One never knows where they'd end up tomorrow so they should really think hard before ill treating those less fortunate than themselves.
From Kurt Leason in Sheffield England:
Dear Editor
Can you tell me if Jeff Marquis and Kerry Harrison would be coming to England anytime soon?I would really love it if they could visit my Grammar school to talk to my students.I recently bought their book and there is a lot for my students to learn about here.
From Nick Goodson in NewPortConnecticut:
Hey!Are there any blind chess players out there?I'm 21, play chess, and looking for others.
From Doug Creigher in Nevada:
Are there any dating services for the disabled?Any websites that someone can point me to?I'm 40, lost my sight due to RP, and I'm looking for a friend.
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May 2006
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Notes
May 2006
If you would like to contribute an article to our magazine then please contact us at:
Comments to the editor can be submitted free of charge.
All submissions are reviewed and you will be notified if yours is chosen.If your submission is chosen we will print it upon receipt of payment.
Are you having difficulty finding qualified translators to translate written documents or audiocassettes?Are you looking for qualified and skilled persons to coach you in the English language?Are you looking for translators to translate your blogs, articles, and newsletters? Are you looking for electronic and audio transcription services?
Then look no further.For all translation and transcription services to and from English, Spanish, French, Cantonese, and Mandarin; please go to www.translationpeople.com and there you will find translation and transcription services to suit your needs.
Are your customers constantly complaining that your website is either too difficult to navigate or access?Are they saying that they have to wait for such a long time when trying to access your website?Or are your cell phone customers unable to access your website with their cell phones because there are just too many icons or graphics?
If you are looking for ways to improve access to your websites, improve the content of your documents, emails, faxes, letters, and proposals, then visit www.sterlingcreations.ca.
If you are looking for skilled and creative writers to help you craft and write your ideas, proof read and edit your documents then visit www.sterlingcreations.ca and go to the ghostwriters' page and then you will find a variety of services that are designed to help you.
If you are looking for new business ideas for yourself, your kids, or even a friend then visit www.untappedwealth.com and there you will be treated to a collection of free ideas and information and you will have an opportunity to purchase either a hard or electronic copy of "Untapped Wealth Discovered" written by Jeff N Marquis and Kerry J Harrison.You will also find up to the minute information on the business desk page, a list of very informative articles on some really important strategies on the top business strategies page, plus much more.
