Finally, the voice of reason!
Rick
----------
From: blindcasting-bounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
[mailto:blindcasting-bounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx] On Behalf Of Gary E. Lieberg
Sent: Sunday, December 11, 2005 4:18 PM
To: 'Marlaina Lieberg'; 'Jerry Halatyn'; 'Darrell Shandrow'
Cc: 'Adam Curry'; 'C.C. Chapman'; blindcasting@xxxxxxxxxxxxx; 'Jeff Bishop'
Subject: RE: wow, what an insult
I'm the silent partner in most cases, but this really burnt my butt. I'm
Marlaina's sighted other-half, husband, partner, sighted guide, or
whatever you want to call me. I watch the microcosm of the blind
community on a daily basis. It is no different from the rest of the world
in that there are people who have no tolerance for difference and/or
cannot see the big picture.
In response to a great idea from Adam Curry, Jerry did what he could as
fast as he could to record a new version and make the music available to
the MAINSTREAM public. Why the mainstream? Simple economics -- you make
more money for the project. The fact that right now, people with visual
disabilities have problems with PMN is irrelevant. This fact is relevant;
there are more people with working eyeballs who can purchase more copies
in a shorter amount of time than there are blind people to do the
same. More copies sold, more money for the project this year -- end of
story for this year! The happy part is that this song is good for many
years to come. There is time to work out the immediate problems. The
strategic objective is to make sure the project survives and makes money
in perpetuity.
Should PMN be made accessible? You bet, but it isn't going to happen this
month! In the mean time other methods are available for people who are
blind or visually impaired to procure the song. In the final analysis
those who continue to be reactive make it very difficult for those who are
trying to be proactive. Knee jerk reactions promote negative actions. It
takes thoughtful proactive response to make things work.
To Jerry/Slau: You are a talented artist, audio engineer, leader,
manager, and probably several other things. You have met your objective
as best as you can given your resources (time, money, and people.) You
have also shown that you can stand the heat of the critics. Keep up the
great work!
To the Critics: Put your minds in a positive frame. Think about what
Christmas means. Listen to what the song says. Find out how you can help
fix what you so ardently criticize!
For Adam Curry and C.C. Chapman: As a friend of mine from West Virginia
used to say, "It takes all kinds to fill the freight wagon." You've seen
some of the best and and some of the others. Thanks for your ideas and
interest and don't count out this community of the blind. There is a gob
of talent out there just waiting to be unleashed, and in the final
analysis that is the larger problem; how do they get a chance (access) to
do it?
Here's wishing everyone a peaceful and wonderful holiday season.
Gary Lieberg
(The Board Guy)
-----Original Message-----
From: Marlaina Lieberg [mailto:blindcast@xxxxxxxxxxxxx]
Sent: Sunday, December 11, 2005 11:36 AM
To: Jerry Halatyn; Darrell Shandrow
Cc: Adam Curry; C.C. Chapman; blindcasting@xxxxxxxxxxxxx; Jeff Bishop
Subject: Re: wow, what an insult
Jerry and all,
Let me say that I deeply appreciate the work you are doing. In fact, I
have a new show doing music over on Shellworld Radio every Friday night,
and I played both your original and the Podsafe for Peace version.
It is embarrassing to me that there are those folks who think that
minimizing and compromising the work of others are good change-agentry
skills. Do I want the podsafe music network to be accessible? You bet I
do! Does it irritate the crap out of me that in this day and age, we are
still talking about basic equality in access for blind folks? You bet it
does. But, unlike Darrell and a minority of others, I think most of us
understand that the way to create change is to demonstrate the need, then
to lend the knowledge and skills needed to create the change. Once again,
I'm embarrassed by the militant bravado techniques which in reality,
represent the methodology of but a few.
To Adam and C. C., I'm eagerly awaiting the day when i can download music
for my podcasts and highlight some of the fabulous talent there. To that
end though I know you have people whose talents are far more sophisticated
than mine, I'm delighted to beta test or assist in what ever way I
can. Please ignore the bravado, and spend energy on resolving the access
issue.
Jerry, thank you for including me in this loop. Anytime you want to
publicize this further, ACB Radio's Marlaina program will welcome you with
open arms.
Darrell, I'm not interested in getting into a back and forth match with
you on this one as you tried to do on visual verification. You have your
ways, I have mine; I think yours are counter productive and will only
further push key sighted people who could help, away for longer and
longer. Evangelism means teaching and guiding, not beating the crap out
of somebody who is making in-roads. Your type of evangelism will destroy
rather than rebuild. Live with that responsibility, I'm glad I do not have to.
Happy Holidays to all.
Marlaina Lieberg
----- Original Message -----
From: <mailto:jhalatyn@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>Jerry Halatyn
To: <mailto:nu7i@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>Darrell Shandrow
Cc: <mailto:adam@xxxxxxxxx>Adam Curry ; <mailto:cc.chapman@xxxxxxxxx>C.C.
Chapman ; <mailto:blindcasting@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>blindcasting@xxxxxxxxxxxxx ;
<mailto:blindcast@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>Marlaina Lieberg ;
<mailto:jeff.bishop@xxxxxxxxx>Jeff Bishop
Sent: Saturday, December 10, 2005 10:38 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: <mailto:nu7i@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>Darrell Shandrow
To: <mailto:slau@xxxxxxxx>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: <mailto:slau@xxxxxxxx>Slau
To: <mailto:nu7i@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>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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