April 2020 - NOMC - lists.nbpcb.org

[NOMC] Question about zoom participants
by rb15＠iquest.net 22 Apr '20

22 Apr '20

Dr. Bell, I agree with most of my colleagues in that opening the discussion could bear fruit as long as the conversation does not dissolve into SD bashing! I also think that we definitely need to keep our own safe space! Sharing our 2020 view on Blindness, Ron Brown MA/NOMC From: NOMC <nomc-bounces at lists.nbpcb.org> On Behalf Of Edward Bell Sent: Tuesday, April 21, 2020 5:51 PM To: NOMC Mailing list <nomc at lists.nbpcb.org> Subject: [Nomc] Question about zoom participants Hello, First, my apology for the dropped zoom call today. I now know what the problem is and will work for that not to happen again. My question is about participation in any future of these zoom meetings. At national convention we open our conference to anyone interested, but we keep this NOMC list primarily restricted to only certified NOMC. Last week, I mostly only allowed NOMC onto the zoom call list. This week I am getting increasing numbers of requests to participate by O&M people who are not NOMC. So far, I am adding them to the registration list; however, I do realize in these times you all are discussing somewhat sensitive information, some of which others may not agree with. My question to those who are NOMC: From next week forward for as long as we do these weekly zoom calls, are you all comfortable with conventional O&M joining this conversation or would you rather I restrict it to only NOMC at this time. I am glad to do it either way Edward C. Bell, Ph.D., CRC, NOMC, Director, Professional Development and Research Institute on Blindness Louisiana Tech University 600 Mayfield Ave / 210 Woodard Hall PO Box 3158 Ruston LA 71272 Office: 318.257.4554 Fax: 318.257.2259 ebell at latech.edu <mailto:ebell at latech.edu> www.pdrib.com <http://www.pdrib.com> ************* "I am somehow less interested in the weight and convolutions of Einstein's brain than in the near certainty that people of equal talent have lived and died in cotton fields and sweatshops." -- Stephen Jay Gould

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conference call issue
by debandjeff＠allophone.com 21 Apr '20

21 Apr '20

Dr. Bell is aware, and he is working on the problem. Please try again in five minutes. If this doesn't work, he will send out an e-mail. Jeff

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For those attending the O&M Zoom meeting this afternoon
by debandjeff＠allophone.com 21 Apr '20

21 Apr '20

Cane Travel Topical Discussion Via Zoom- Session 2 Moderator: Jeff Altman Time: 4:00pm - 6:00pm (CDT) I. Call to Order- Ground Rules: If you are not speaking, please mute yourself for better call quality (Mute button, Star 6, Alt - A on the keyboard, or the bottom left corner of your iPhone). If you wish to speak, please unmute yourself and state your name. After completing your comments, please re-mute yourself. It is very difficult to hear everyone clearly if many lines are open at once. Lastly, try your best not to talk over others; brief pauses and silence are OK. II. Roll Call- Sound off in the order of States- Suggestion: Instructor Name, Employer Name, Briefly share one thing that you are most grateful for as a Cane Travel Instructor (And If you need a list, I know that I would. Smile) Alabama, Alaska, Arizona, Arkansas, California, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, Florida, Georgia, Hawaii, Idaho, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Mississippi, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska, Nevada, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, North Carolina, North Dakota, Ohio, Oklahoma, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, South Carolina, South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas, Utah, Vermont, Virginia, Washington, West Virginia, Wisconsin, Wyoming III. Cane Walk Discussion - Calling for Volunteers IV. Proposed Questions: Have you been able to teach in person so long as you stay six feet away? If so how does this work with monitoring and communication. If you have only been able to instruct while on the phone with your students, how have you been monitoring for student safety and problem solving? How are you doing it if you are unfamiliar with their environment? With the increasing use of AIRA, what discussions are you having with your students to either use, or avoid these technologies at this time? Has anyone been utilizing resources that would allow for the possibility of live in person training to some degree, i.e. disposable gloves, masks, sanitizers, etc.? For those instructors who have had students sent home; who are not able to work one-on-one with students through field instruction; who have students who are not comfortable or ready to travel in their home areas; or who have students that live in areas that are under a "stay-at-home" order; essentially instructors teaching virtually or via distance training; what have you found to be successful? What have you focused on? What assignments are you giving? Do you focus on philosophy, mental mapping, route planning, travel concepts? And how are you doing so? How do you keep in mind varying skill levels? I performed the virtual drop routes with my student and they worked very well. I thought I would share From Jedi: the results with our other fabulous travel instructors. Thanks. How are people dealing with students who have learned cane technique but have not yet learned how to cross a street? How do you make sure students are using their shades if they are a brand new to training, and you are not able to monitor their routes? Has anyone been having O & M group discussions with their students? If so, what topics have they been using? What assignments are they giving? How could we work with folks to plan detailed hypothetical out of town trips, so they have an understanding of what goes into planning for a vacation or business trip? This way we could potentially utilize O&M as well as tech skills. How can we get folks thinking about mental mapping places they haven't been yet? How can we help our students overcome fear, especially in uncertain times? In general, not necessarily focusing soley on cane travel... Thoughts or comments regarding independence versus safety: Ordering groceries versus traveling to the store to get them, and using a shopper's assistance versus technology like AIRA to do shopping yourself. V. Special Request for Jeff- Please discuss the Boy Scout tip when using a Braille watch and the sun. Jeff, boy scout trick with a braille watch and the sun.

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topic for Cain travel zoom meeting
by wayne.marshall＠comcast.net 20 Apr '20

20 Apr '20

Independence versus safety: Ordering groceries versus traveling to the store to get them Using a shoppers assistance versus technology like Ira to do shopping yourself Wayne F. Marshall > On Apr 19, 2020, at 3:37 PM, nomc-request at lists.nbpcb.org wrote: > > ?Send NOMC mailing list submissions to > nomc at lists.nbpcb.org > > To subscribe or unsubscribe via the World Wide Web, visit > http://lists.nbpcb.org/listinfo.cgi/nomc-nbpcb.org > or, via email, send a message with subject or body 'help' to > nomc-request at lists.nbpcb.org > > You can reach the person managing the list at > nomc-owner at lists.nbpcb.org > > When replying, please edit your Subject line so it is more specific > than "Re: Contents of NOMC digest..." > > > Today's Topics: > > 1. Re: NOMC Zoom Meeting Proposals (Keller, Becky) > > > ---------------------------------------------------------------------- > > Message: 1 > Date: Sun, 19 Apr 2020 17:16:58 -0400 > From: "Keller, Becky" <becky.keller at dbvi.virginia.gov> > To: NOMC Mailing list <nomc at lists.nbpcb.org> > Subject: Re: [Nomc] NOMC Zoom Meeting Proposals > Message-ID: > <CALNrWnS3Luxkwre5uOPmOpKrWEjJPTwJ8Ux4a+5Ugm7EGaiOzA at mail.gmail.com> > Content-Type: text/plain; charset="utf-8" > > Hello again all, > I'm sending out another call for questions or topics that you wish to have > discussed in our upcoming Cane Travel meeting this Tuesday. I have not > received anything as of yet to put on the agenda, so please respond as soon > as you can. Thanks in advance for your time and thoughts. Hope you are > enjoying a nice weekend. > Take care and talk to you soon, > > *Becky Keller, NOMC, COMS* > > *Lead Orientation and Mobility Instructor* > > Virginia Rehabilitation Center for the Blind and Vision Impaired > > 401 Azalea Avenue > <https://maps.google.com/?q=401+Azalea+Avenue+Richmond,+VA+23227+(804&entry=…> > > Richmond, VA 23227 > <https://maps.google.com/?q=401+Azalea+Avenue+Richmond,+VA+23227+(804&entry=…> > > (804) 371-3093 <(804)%20371-3093> > > becky.keller at dbvi.virginia.gov > > Facebook: VDBVI <https://www.facebook.com/VDBVI> > > Worldwide Web: Virginia Rehabilitation Center for the Blind and Vision > Impaired <http://www.vrcbvi.org/> > > YouTube: VRCBVI > <http://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLwsqnBw28gUNgMMSkH_eYci37g9XY6Qzd> > > "Success is a journey, not a destination. The doing is often more important > than the outcome." > > *-Arthur Ashe* > > > > **CONFIDENTIALITY NOTICE** > > This message (including any attachments) contains information that may be > confidential. Unless you are the intended recipient (or authorized to > receive for the intended recipient), you may not read, print, retain, use, > copy, distribute, or disclose to anyone the message or any information > contained in the message. If you have received the message in error, please > advise the sender by reply e-mail, and destroy all copies of the original > message (including any attachments). > > >> On Wed, Apr 15, 2020 at 4:49 PM Keller, Becky < >> becky.keller at dbvi.virginia.gov> wrote: >> >> It's me again, last email of the day from me...promise! I revisited a >> very well learned life lesson today. I guess it didn't sink in the first >> time I experienced it though...smile. I decided this morning to offer up >> the suggestion that we possibly create an outline or agenda for our Cane >> Travel meeting, so that we may have a little more structure rather than >> just shooting from the hip. That being said, after my suggestion was made, >> it was bounced back at me to come up with said outline. Lesson >> relearned...if you come with an opinion...be ready with an answer! LOL. >> Anyway, I am again coming to you all for suggestions, thoughts, ideas, and >> most importantly questions that you have that you wish to be discussed >> during our next gathering. >> Also, I sheepishly suggested that we have a designated moderator lead the >> next discussion. Jeff, I believe you graciously took on this role last >> evening partway through the call, and personally I felt that in doing so >> you kept us more grounded. Would you like to continue with this role? >> Please forgive me if I'm presuming incorrectly, and let me know if there is >> someone else that would like to moderate, or even, let me know if you >> all feel that we don't need a set moderator. Thanks again in advance >> everyone for all of your input. In response to this email, please reply to >> me directly rather than replying to all. I will compile all of your >> comments and questions to share with Dr. Bell prior to next week. Thanks >> again for everything! >> Take care and stay safe, >> >> *Becky Keller, NOMC, COMS* >> >> *Lead Orientation and Mobility Instructor* >> >> Virginia Rehabilitation Center for the Blind and Vision Impaired >> >> 401 Azalea Avenue >> <https://maps.google.com/?q=401+Azalea+Avenue+Richmond,+VA+23227+(804&entry=…> >> >> Richmond, VA 23227 >> <https://maps.google.com/?q=401+Azalea+Avenue+Richmond,+VA+23227+(804&entry=…> >> >> (804) 371-3093 <(804)%20371-3093> >> >> becky.keller at dbvi.virginia.gov >> >> Facebook: VDBVI <https://www.facebook.com/VDBVI> >> >> Worldwide Web: Virginia Rehabilitation Center for the Blind and Vision >> Impaired <http://www.vrcbvi.org/> >> >> YouTube: VRCBVI >> <http://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLwsqnBw28gUNgMMSkH_eYci37g9XY6Qzd> >> >> "Success is a journey, not a destination. The doing is often more >> important than the outcome." >> >> *-Arthur Ashe* >> >> >> >> **CONFIDENTIALITY NOTICE** >> >> This message (including any attachments) contains information that may be >> confidential. Unless you are the intended recipient (or authorized to >> receive for the intended recipient), you may not read, print, retain, use, >> copy, distribute, or disclose to anyone the message or any information >> contained in the message. If you have received the message in error, please >> advise the sender by reply e-mail, and destroy all copies of the original >> message (including any attachments). >> >

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Zoom Schedule for Instructors and Teachers
by ebell＠pdrib.com 20 Apr '20

20 Apr '20

Topical Discussion via Zoom Back by popular demand: Topical Zoom discussion groups: Week 2 Please see below for this week's schedule If you have registered for any of these meetings you should have the zoom information in your inbox by 8:00 CDT on the day of your event. Center Directors/Administrators: Monday, April 20 at 4:00-6:00 p.m. Central time. Employment specialists: Monday, April 20 at 4:00-6:00 p.m. Central time. Cane Travel Instructors: Tuesday, April 21 at 4:00-6:00 p.m. CDT Youth Services Specialists: Tuesday, April 21 at 4:00-6:00 p.m. CDT Braille/Communications Instructors: Wednesday, April 22 at 4:00-6:00 p.m. CDT Access Tech/Communications Instructors: Wednesday, April 22 at 4:00-6:00 p.m. CDT (Note, Braille and Technology groups will be split into two separate rooms Home Management/ADL/ILS/Shop Instructors: Thursday, April 23 at 4:00-6:00 p.m. CDT Teachers of blind/Visually Impaired Students: Thursday, April 23 at 4:00-6:00 p.m. CDT Rehab counselors/teachers/: Friday, April 24 at 4:00-6:00 p.m. CDT Note: If you no longer want to participate in these meetings, send an email to me and I will remove your name. <mailto:ebell at latech.edu> ebell at latech.edu Together, let's make week two even bigger and stronger Edward C. Bell, Ph.D., CRC, NOMC, Director, Professional Development and Research Institute on Blindness Louisiana Tech University 600 Mayfield Ave / 210 Woodard Hall PO Box 3158 Ruston LA 71272 Office: 318.257.4554 Fax: 318.257.2259 <mailto:ebell at latech.edu> ebell at latech.edu www.pdrib.com ************* "I am somehow less interested in the weight and convolutions of Einstein's brain than in the near certainty that people of equal talent have lived and died in cotton fields and sweatshops." -- Stephen Jay Gould

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NOMC Zoom Meeting Proposals
by becky.keller＠dbvi.virginia.gov 20 Apr '20

20 Apr '20

It's me again, last email of the day from me...promise! I revisited a very well learned life lesson today. I guess it didn't sink in the first time I experienced it though...smile. I decided this morning to offer up the suggestion that we possibly create an outline or agenda for our Cane Travel meeting, so that we may have a little more structure rather than just shooting from the hip. That being said, after my suggestion was made, it was bounced back at me to come up with said outline. Lesson relearned...if you come with an opinion...be ready with an answer! LOL. Anyway, I am again coming to you all for suggestions, thoughts, ideas, and most importantly questions that you have that you wish to be discussed during our next gathering. Also, I sheepishly suggested that we have a designated moderator lead the next discussion. Jeff, I believe you graciously took on this role last evening partway through the call, and personally I felt that in doing so you kept us more grounded. Would you like to continue with this role? Please forgive me if I'm presuming incorrectly, and let me know if there is someone else that would like to moderate, or even, let me know if you all feel that we don't need a set moderator. Thanks again in advance everyone for all of your input. In response to this email, please reply to me directly rather than replying to all. I will compile all of your comments and questions to share with Dr. Bell prior to next week. Thanks again for everything! Take care and stay safe, *Becky Keller, NOMC, COMS* *Lead Orientation and Mobility Instructor* Virginia Rehabilitation Center for the Blind and Vision Impaired 401 Azalea Avenue <https://maps.google.com/?q=401+Azalea+Avenue+Richmond,+VA+23227+(804&entry=…> Richmond, VA 23227 <https://maps.google.com/?q=401+Azalea+Avenue+Richmond,+VA+23227+(804&entry=…> (804) 371-3093 <(804)%20371-3093> becky.keller at dbvi.virginia.gov Facebook: VDBVI <https://www.facebook.com/VDBVI> Worldwide Web: Virginia Rehabilitation Center for the Blind and Vision Impaired <http://www.vrcbvi.org/> YouTube: VRCBVI <http://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLwsqnBw28gUNgMMSkH_eYci37g9XY6Qzd> "Success is a journey, not a destination. The doing is often more important than the outcome." *-Arthur Ashe* **CONFIDENTIALITY NOTICE** This message (including any attachments) contains information that may be confidential. Unless you are the intended recipient (or authorized to receive for the intended recipient), you may not read, print, retain, use, copy, distribute, or disclose to anyone the message or any information contained in the message. If you have received the message in error, please advise the sender by reply e-mail, and destroy all copies of the original message (including any attachments).

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Topical Discussion Groups for the Week of April 20
by ebell＠pdrib.com 16 Apr '20

16 Apr '20

Topical Discussion via Zoom Back by popular demand: Topical Zoom discussion groups: Week 2 Congratulations to all of you who participated in, or will participate in, one of the five scheduled zoom meetings this week. We are again going to host the same meetings next week in the same order as this week. If you participated in the meetings that you selected for this week, please do not sign up again. Your information will be carried over to next week. Additionally, we are going to have two new groups, one for employment specialists on Monday and another for youth service specialists on Tuesday. The full schedule is listed below. For only those persons who wish to participate in one of these two new meetings, or if you did not get in the meeting you wanted for this week, please click the following link to get yourself registered. <https://nbpcb.org/zoominvite.php> Register Here for Zoom Meeting Following is the schedule for each instructional area: (Note: These will be scheduled for two-hour blocks to accommodate work and time zone preferences-You need not attend the entire session) Center Directors/Administrators: Monday, April 20 at 4:00-6:00 p.m. Central time. Employment specialists: Monday, April 20 at 4:00-6:00 p.m. Central time. Cane Travel Instructors: Tuesday, April 21 at 4:00-6:00 p.m. CDT Youth Services Specialists: Tuesday, April 21 at 4:00-6:00 p.m. CDT Braille/Communications Instructors: Wednesday, April 22 at 4:00-6:00 p.m. CDT Access Tech/Communications Instructors: Wednesday, April 22 at 4:00-6:00 p.m. CDT (Note, Braille and Technology groups will be split into two separate rooms Home Management/ADL/ILS/Shop Instructors: Thursday, April 23 at 4:00-6:00 p.m. CDT Rehab counselors/teachers/TBS/TVI: Friday, April 24 at 4:00-6:00 p.m. CDT Note: If you no longer want to participate in these meetings, send an email to me and I will remove your name. ebell at latech.edu <mailto:ebell at latech.edu> Together, let's make week two even bigger and stronger Edward C. Bell, Ph.D., CRC, NOMC, Director, Professional Development and Research Institute on Blindness Louisiana Tech University 600 Mayfield Ave / 210 Woodard Hall PO Box 3158 Ruston LA 71272 Office: 318.257.4554 Fax: 318.257.2259 <mailto:ebell at latech.edu> ebell at latech.edu www.pdrib.com ************* "I am somehow less interested in the weight and convolutions of Einstein's brain than in the near certainty that people of equal talent have lived and died in cotton fields and sweatshops." -- Stephen Jay Gould

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2020 Cane Walk
by debandjeff＠allophone.com 15 Apr '20

15 Apr '20

Hello Everyone, As I mentioned recently we are going to move this year's Cane Walk to the virtual world. This is going to present some challenges,, but also potentially some real advantages. Here is the plan as it stands at this point, and please understand that this will likely evolve as we move forward. The NOPBC will undertake to register families wishing to participate in the Cane Walk. They will also help us to work out the details of making sure each child, and one of each child's parent have canes and sleep-shades for the training. We can assist in determining the proper length of canes. The specifics of this part of the program is still being worked out. Next, I will need to have a list of instructors making a solid commitment to participate by mid May, so that matching instructors with families can be completed on time. I will arrange with Dr. Bell to have a Zoom call with families and Instructors in early June, to introduce the program, and introduce the instructors to the families they will be working with. This introduction will include Melissa Riccobono, Carol Castellano, or another representative from the NOPBC, depending on their schedules, and I will provide some of the basic information regarding Structured Discovery, and the goals of the Cane Walk. Following this introduction, I will be asking each of you to arrange to work with the families to which you have been matched to provide two or three instructional sessions. This is one of the advantages I was speaking of, in that we have the potential to provide a greater degree of instruction as compared with earlier years. This will be a matter of working this out with your schedules, and what will work for the families. Finally, during the National Convention, we will gather for another Zoom meeting, to answer questions, celebrate accomplishments, and to have one more Cane Travel lesson. This will be an opportunity for all of us to share our skills, and also to help sharpen our remote teaching approaches. As I said this concept will be evolving, and your suggestions are welcomed to help make this event a success. Also, as in previous years, you will receive CEU's toward your recertification for your participation in the Cane walk. Please make your plans to be a part of this very special Cane Walk by May 15th, and I look forward to each of you being a part of our efforts to give our youngest Federationists the opportunity to live the lives they want. Jeff Altman MA NOMCT CVRCB Cane Travel Instructor

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Remote Instruction / Discussions- for Cane Travel Inquiry
by becky.keller＠dbvi.virginia.gov 15 Apr '20

15 Apr '20

Good afternoon all, Thank you for the wonderful meeting last night! It was great hearing from everyone, and I personally found it very helpful. From what I gathered from the discussion, we are all at varying levels of instruction right now. Where some teachers have been able to continue giving their students travel routes in their home areas, I personally am struggling with just getting my students out of their homes. That being said, at VRCBVI in Richmond we have been working more so with our students on the mental/emotional/philosophical aspects of cane travel via Google Meets and conference calls. Each week we've been giving folks homework assignments consisting of articles, videos, audio files, etc. that cover a variety of topics mostly geared towards blindness, cane travel, and building overall confidence. Then, once a week we get together on a conference call with our students to ask discussion questions and promote conversations regarding the topics covered. Because of this, we've created a document containing all of the assignments that we've been sharing with our students. What I'm hoping for now, is the opportunity to be able to pick all of your experienced brains for any suggestions, thoughts, or ideas that we could use to add to this list. I've attached what we have accumulated thus far for you. I'll also attach the Word documents with the bank of questions we have used. Please either reply-all, or reply directly back to me with your suggestions. Thank you in advance for all of your time and assistance. I pray that you and your families are safe and sound. Take care and best wishes. Thanks again, Last night, I asked if others would be interested in viewing what we've been using, and more importantly if they'd be willing to share their thoughts or ideas that we could potentially add to our list. This being said, would you be ok with sharing our document with the listserve calling for suggestions? If so, I'll look for your guidance on whether or not to have instructors "reply-all", or just directly back to me with their responses. Thanks in advance for your time and assistance with this, and I hope you and your beautiful family are doing well. *Becky Keller, NOMC, COMS* *Lead Orientation and Mobility Instructor* Virginia Rehabilitation Center for the Blind and Vision Impaired 401 Azalea Avenue <https://maps.google.com/?q=401+Azalea+Avenue+Richmond,+VA+23227+(804&entry=…> Richmond, VA 23227 <https://maps.google.com/?q=401+Azalea+Avenue+Richmond,+VA+23227+(804&entry=…> (804) 371-3093 <(804)%20371-3093> becky.keller at dbvi.virginia.gov Facebook: VDBVI <https://www.facebook.com/VDBVI> Worldwide Web: Virginia Rehabilitation Center for the Blind and Vision Impaired <http://www.vrcbvi.org/> YouTube: VRCBVI <http://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLwsqnBw28gUNgMMSkH_eYci37g9XY6Qzd> "Success is a journey, not a destination. The doing is often more important than the outcome." *-Arthur Ashe* **CONFIDENTIALITY NOTICE** This message (including any attachments) contains information that may be confidential. Unless you are the intended recipient (or authorized to receive for the intended recipient), you may not read, print, retain, use, copy, distribute, or disclose to anyone the message or any information contained in the message. If you have received the message in error, please advise the sender by reply e-mail, and destroy all copies of the original message (including any attachments).

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Zoom meeting follow up
by ebell＠pdrib.com 15 Apr '20

15 Apr '20

Good morning, I got good feedback that the zoom meeting you all had yesterday afternoon was good and productive. Would you all like to have another zoom call next week? If so, same day same time, or would you want it done differently? Edward C. Bell, Ph.D., CRC, NOMC, Director, Professional Development and Research Institute on Blindness Louisiana Tech University 600 Mayfield Ave / 210 Woodard Hall PO Box 3158 Ruston LA 71272 Office: 318.257.4554 Fax: 318.257.2259 <mailto:ebell at latech.edu> ebell at latech.edu www.pdrib.com ************* "I am somehow less interested in the weight and convolutions of Einstein's brain than in the near certainty that people of equal talent have lived and died in cotton fields and sweatshops." -- Stephen Jay Gould

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