Re: wow, what an insult

  • From: "Darrell Shandrow" <nu7i@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
  • To: "Jerry Halatyn" <jhalatyn@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
  • Date: Sun, 11 Dec 2005 12:28:42 -0700

Dear Jerry, Adam and all others,

My only concern about anything is whether or not it is accessible for the blind 
and visually impaired.  There were issues with this project due to the 
continuing lack of accessibility of the Podsafe Music Network.  A method was 
made available for blindcasters to gain full participation in this project, 
then it was modified and finally taken down.  I became very disappointed and 
frustrated with this state of affairs.  I voiced that frustration.  I'm sure, 
Slau, you have spent a lot of time on this project, and I certainly don't 
berate you for that.  It has the potential to be a great thing, but it isn't 
fully accessible.  In that case, it doesn't allow for full participation by the 
blind, and, thus, I am just simply not going to be happy with the current 
situation.  I thus simply brought forth all the facts, made my personal 
declaration not to play it and urged others who care about what happens to the 
blind to follow my lead.  Some will; most won't.  That's just how things work.  

I'm sorry that you feel insulted, but I also wish you hadn't made our private 
e-mail exchange public, especially by sending copies od it to Adam, C.C., 
Marlaina, Jeff and others.  That's not very nice Jerry.  Though I am very 
disappointed, I didn't do that to you.   

I am an accessibility evangelist above all else.  No matter how wonderful the 
project, I will call it on the carpet every time it serves to lock out the 
blind from full participation.  I am more than happy to continue a productive 
dialogue on this or any other accessibility related issue, especially where it 
involves devising constructive solutions to accessibility challenges.  In that 
spirit, I am willing and able to do everything humanly possible to help you, 
Jerry, Podshow or anyone else.  Again, I do apologize if I helped to turn this 
whole matter into something that impacted you on an emotional level.  For me, 
its all about accessibility and nothing else, all emotions aside.

Thanks for all your time and I look forward to hearing from some of you soon.


  ----- Original Message ----- 
  From: Jerry Halatyn 
  To: Darrell Shandrow 
  Cc: Adam Curry ; C.C. Chapman ; blindcasting@xxxxxxxxxxxxx ; Marlaina Lieberg 
; Jeff Bishop 
  Sent: Saturday, December 10, 2005 11:38 PM
  Subject: Re: wow, what an insult


  Darrell, First of all, I don't subscribe to your podcast and  I don't follow 
your journal. It was brought to my attention by someone else.

  Second, your facts are wrong about the song not being available to blind 
podcasters. The song is and always was available directly from me. Jeff asked 
if he could give it to other podcasters and decided to post it on his website. 
As I said, there was no way of ensuring that only podcasters would receive the 
song so, it was decided by both of us to change the method of delivery. The 
inaccessibility of the Podsafe Music Network is not nmy problem. Deal with it.

  That this is not endorsed by UNICEF is entirely correct but that has no 
bearing on whether it is a legitimate project. This project was only born on 
October 31st of this year when Adam played the tune and had the idea of making 
it a benefit. Do you think that anyone could've gotten UNICEF to endorse it in 
no time at all? Fat chance.

  Further, I worked my fingers to the bone for almost 30 straight days, pulling 
12 to 16 hour days with no pay, no financial support from any other entity. I 
paid all out-of pocket expenses by myself. I registered domain names. I'm 
paying a designer who is designing and maintaining the website. I'm spending 
hours upon hours, helping people who are having trouble here and there with 
downloads or payments to Paypal. I'm spending hours upon hours writing and 
editing press releases, e-mailing mainstream media, setting up interviews. I'm 
about to hire a publicist to try and spread the word about this benefit 
project. All of this is at my own expense. I not only don't make money on this 
deal -- I actually lose money. These are all, of course, facts that you would 
have no knowledge of but would just as soon not need to come to your conclusion 
that it's not a project worth supporting and even boycotting.

  And you say no good deed goes unpunished? yes, indeed, how true it is. You 
have clearly illustrated this adage.

  You're so clueless that you don't even realize how insulting you can be. 
Further, you have no concept of how you come across to others. You've 
demonstrated that publicly. Feel free to express your opinions publicaly and 
I'll do the same.

    ----- Original Message ----- 
    From: Darrell Shandrow 
    To: Slau 
    Sent: Sunday, December 11, 2005 12:39 AM
    Subject: Re: wow, what an insult


    Hey Jerry,

    Glad to see you listening and reading the journal.  :-)  Unfortunately, due 
to requests for a number of changes Jeff felt the need to take down the 
accessible means to download the song, thus this avenue is no longer available 
to us.  PMN is currently inaccessible, both in use and registration.  Those are 
the facts.  Jeff made a way for us to get the song and to report back on who 
was downloading it.  That was extremely fair.  That method had to be taken 
down.  Little or no consideration was given to the hours Jeff spent setting it 
all up in the first place.  In any case, there is no insult intended here.  
There is no other way for podcasters to freely download the song for play on 
their podcasts other than PMN, which is still inaccessible.  I'm disappointed 
and upset with you for some things surrounding the project, and I have a right 
to publicly express my displeasure.  Everything I am saying is based on the 
facts, including the fact that this is not an official UNICEF project 
officially endorsed by that charity, so we have no way of knowing, 100 percent 
certain, where the proceeds will go.  Facts.  Sorry.  Especially due to the 
accessibility issues, I feel completely free to make sure all the facts are 
obvious for everyone, as well as to discourage others from playing this on 
their shows.

    Lesson should be learned next time to make sure the needs of your blind 
brothers and sisters are correctly and completely accomodated in all that you 
do.  Whenever that is not the case, you may expect flack from accessibility 
evangelists such as myself.





      ----- Original Message ----- 
      From: Slau 
      To: Darrell Shandrow 
      Sent: Saturday, December 10, 2005 6:35 PM
      Subject: wow, what an insult


      Wow, how insulting that you would be dissappointed in my accommodation 
for blind persons to download a broadcast copy of the Podsafe for Peace song. I 
actually went out of my way to make sure it was available through Jeff Bishop's 
site. You've obviously not considered the fact that people with no podcast 
feeds were downloading the song. What kind of sense is that? Downloading a song 
for free that's supposed to be a fund-raiser?

      Thanks a lot.

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