RWF 38:Lou Schuler A career in Fitness

Hope Povenmire — Fri, 27 Nov 2015 20:03:47 +0000

Listen to RWF 38:Lou SchulerA career in Fitness This week my guest is the esteemed fitness journalist Lou Schuler.
Lou is an award-winning journalist, a certified strength and conditioning specialist, a contributing editor to Men’s Health magazine and author or coauthor of many popular books about diet and strength training.
His latest book,Strong, came out November 10, 2015. Lou wrote it with Alwyn Cosgrove as a follow-up to The New Rules of Lifting for Women, which is by far their most successful of the five books in the series.Some of his other titles include;The Lean Muscle Diet with Alan Aragon, The Book of Muscle (with Ian King), The Home Workout Bible (with Mike Mejia and many other contributors), and The Testosterone Advantage Plan (with Jeff Volek, Mike Mejia, and Adam Campbell)
He recently self-published his first novel, Saints Alive.
We cover a lot of ground in this conversation including:

ul>

Not great at marketing

The early years

Working for Weider

Why he got certified

Meeting Alwin

The “new rules” books

How the books differ

Genetics makes a huge difference

ul>
h3>Contact Bill!

To submit questions to Bill Kociaba, drop him a note at kociabafitness@gmail.com.
You can also visit his site at kociaba-fitness.com. Or, feel free to leave your comment below. You may also use your iBlink Radio app to leave an iReport.E

RWF 37:Effective Goal Setting With Georgia Dow

Hope Povenmire — Wed, 18 Nov 2015 10:12:39 +0000

Listen to RWF 37:Effective Goal Setting With Georgia Dow
This week I am very pleased to bring back one of my personal favorite guests,Georgia Dow.
Georgia has over 20 years of experience in teaching and counseling. With degrees in Psychology and Education, a Master’s degree with Distinction in Art Therapy as well as two-time Canadian Jujitsu Champion, she specializes in treating anxiety and stress management for both children and adults. She is a popular speaker at seminars and conferences internationally. Additionally, senior editor at Mobile Nations, Georgia writes about and reviews Apple-related and connected devices.
Some of the topics we discuss include:

The importance of taking care of yourself
Enjoying the holidays
Don’t beat yourself up
“because I can”
Small steps to achieve big goals
Which approach is best for you?
addressing your weaknesses
New things are usually uncomfortable
checks and balances
Learning from your failures
and lots more

anxiety-videos.com

Contact Bill!

RWF 36: Kelly Starrett

Hope Povenmire — Mon, 09 Nov 2015 14:24:51 +0000

Listen to RWF 36: Kelly Starrett

Coach Kelly Starrett founded San Francisco CrossFit with his wife Juliet. Since opening its doors in 2005 as one of the first 50 CrossFit Affiliates, this athletic training center has become the prime coaching resource for reigning Olympians, national and world champions, tri-athletes, runners, and recreational athletes alike. Kelly’s focused coaching and warm personality brings his professional training as a strength coach and a doctor of physical therapy to life for brilliant coaching in a positive environment. Kelly is an inspiration to nearly everyone he meets, causing even superior athletes to re-examine their physical capacities and reach higher levels, and motivating beginners to believe in their natural ability to excel.
Kelly received his Doctor of Physical Therapy in 2007 from Samuel Merritt College in Oakland, California. Before starting his own physical therapy practice at San Francisco CrossFit, he practiced performance-based physical therapy at the world-renowned Stone Clinic. In current practice, Kelly continues to focus on performance-based Orthopedic Sports Medicine with an emphasis on returning athletes to elite level sport and performance. His clients see exceptional results from his progressive blend of manual physical therapy and strength training. Kelly’s clients have included Olympic gold-medalists, world-class extreme skiers and X-Games medalists, dancers with Smuin, San Francisco, and Sacramento Ballet Companies, military personnel, and competitive age-division athletes.
Kelly’s background as an athlete and coach includes paddling whitewater slalom canoe on the US Canoe and Kayak Teams, and leading the Men’s Whitewater Rafting Team to two national titles and competition in two World Championships.
Here is just some of what we discuss:

Genetic testing
Obsessed to learn
You have to coach a lot to be a good coach
How the fitness community has changed
Writing “Becoming a supple leopard”
What’s wrong with modern medicine
And much, much more…

Contact Bill!

RWf35: Mentel Muscle with Logan Christopher

Hope Povenmire — Tue, 03 Nov 2015 11:03:13 +0000

Listen to RWF 35: Mentel Muscle with Logan Christopher
My guest this week is Logan Christopher. http://legendarystrength.com/ http://supermanherbs.com/
Logan Christopher is a physical culture Renaissance man. If it has to do with working out and using the body he’s at least tried it. Still he has a number of specialties: being one of the best kettlebell jugglers in the U.S., working on a wide range of bodyweight skills, and being a performing strongman. One of his most famous feats is pulling an 8,800lb antique firetruck by his hair.
He created the Peak Performance Trinity to help people get the most out of their physical training, health, and mental training. As a certified hypnotist and NLP Practitioner, he is also one of the leaders in the field of applying mental tactics towards achieving your goals in the gym. Towrds that end he recently released one of the most complete guides on how to improve your training and almost anything else in your life through better mastery of the power of your mind.
Here is some of what we discuss:

Why he wrote the book
Changing the belief
Overcoming mentel blocks
Hair power
Don’t try this at home
Honoring the strongmen of the past
Its more than mentel toughness
The danger of over psyching
Anchors
Two ways of reaching your goals
NLP
Ant extract and cricket powder
order the book

Contact Bill!

Rwf34, an Interview With Sue Falson

Hope Povenmire — Mon, 26 Oct 2015 06:51:59 +0000

Listen to RWF 34:Am in depth interview with Sue Falsone My very special guest this week is Sue Falsone http://suefalsone.com/ . Born in Buffalo, NY, Sue received her bachelor’s degree in physical therapy from Daemen College in Amherst, New York. She continued her education by earning a master’s degree in human movement science, with a concentration in sports medicine, from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. Sue FalsoneSue has presented at numerous international conferences in areas focusing on pillar strength, integration of physical therapy and performance training, and comprehensive kinetic chain assessment and rehabilitation. She’s a Board Certified Clinical Specialist in Sports Physical Therapy (SCS), a certified athletic trainer (ATC), certified orthopedic manual therapist for the spine (COMT) and a certified strength and conditioning specialist (CSCS). She worked with the Los Angeles Dodgers for 6 years and holds the distinction of being the first female head athletic trainer in any Major League sport! Sue is currently the Head of Athletic Training and Sport Performance with US Soccer’s Men’s National Team.

She was named a Distinguished Alumni at Daemen College and has been inducted into her high school’s Athletic Hall of fame. Here are some of the topics we discuss in this long awaited interview:

* Her education
* Atheletes Performance
* Her time with the L.A. Dodgers
* acupuncture vs. Dry Needeling
* much more about Dry Needeling
* Working with Laree Draper
* Yoga as part of a S and C program
* Her personal fitness program

### Contact Bill!

                            To submit questions to Bill Kociaba, drop him a note at [kociabafitness@gmail.com.][1] You can also visit his site at kociaba-fitness.com. Or, feel free to leave your comment below. You may also use your iBlink Radio app to leave an iReport.

RWf33: Krista Scott Dixon -From Academia To Nutrition Coach

Hope Povenmire — Tue, 13 Oct 2015 03:43:48 +0000

Listen to RWF 33: Krista Scott Dixon -From Academia To Nutrition Coach

Krista Scott-Dixon finished her PhD in 2002. She taught at York University and did a brief stint in public health, publishing three books along the way. She escaped academia altogether in 2008 (and never looked back).
she currently serves as the Lean Eating Program Director at Precision Nutrition. She’s coached three cohorts of the Lean Eating program, helping hundreds of women get and stay fit and healthy.
She’s run Stumptuous, a noncommercial, no-BS website for women’s weight training, since 1996.
In this in depth and informative conversation we discuss:

Discovering womans bodybuilding
Her personal physical transformation
Transforming is great but maintaining it is the bigger challenge
Eat well but don’t miss out on what life has to offer
Fitness should be fun
Why she started her website
Finding your tribe
Emotional eating
You can binge eat BUT eat slowly
The “screw it” moment

Contact Bill!

RWf 32: Georgia Dow –Mentel and Physical Health

Hope Povenmire — Mon, 05 Oct 2015 11:14:13 +0000

Listen to RWF 32: Georgia Dow –Mentel and Physical Health My very special guest this week is Georgia Dow. Georgia has over 20 years of experience in teaching and counseling. With degrees in Psychology and Education, a Master’s degree with Distinction in Art Therapy as well as two-time Canadian Jujitsu Champion, she specializes in treating anxiety and stress management for both children and adults. She is a popular speaker at seminars and conferences internationally. Additionally, senior editor at Mobile Nations, Georgia writes about and reviews Apple-related and connected devices. Some of the topics we discuss include:

her Martial arts backround
The emotional value in failure
Most parents are way to over protective
the double edged sword of technology
The “Apple Watch”
Training must be fun to be effective
Physical activity enhances mentel capacity Bill’s Tai Chi challenge
Don’t like to stretch, watch this!
anxiety-videos.com

Contact Bill!

                
                  To submit questions to Bill Kociaba, drop him a note at kociabafitness@gmail.com. You can also visit his site at kociaba-fitness.com. Or, feel free to leave your comment below. You may also use your iBlink Radio app to leave an iReport.

RWF 31: Juliet Starret –entrepreneur, humanitarian and athlete pt. 2

Hope Povenmire — Fri, 25 Sep 2015 15:30:27 +0000

Listen to RWF 31: Juliet Starret –entrepreneur, humanitarian and athlete pt. 2
Juliet Starrett founded San Francisco CrossFit in 2005 with her husband Kelly. A lifelong athlete, Juliet launched her competitive sports career in high school when her rowing team won the Californian State Championship. From there, Juliet rowed competitively at UC Berkeley and went on to paddle for the US Women’s Whitewater Team, winning two World Championships and five national titles. In 2010, Juliet competed in the CrossFit Games.
Before turning her attention to San Francisco CrossFit full-time, Juliet had a successful career as an attorney.
When she is not at the gym, Juliet enjoys spending time with their two daughters Georgia and Caroline, paddling, skiing, reading, and being outside.
In pt. 2 we discuss:

Adaptive athletes at SF Crossfit
www.mobilitywod.com
Kelly’s old blog posts
modeling the site after the adult industry
Juliet gives a lot back
Stand Up Kids
training for 1 and sitting 23 doesn’t cut it
Standing desks, yes –treadmill desks, HELL NO!

Click here to donate to Stand Up Kids

Contact Bill!

RWF 30: Juliet Starret –entrepreneur, humanitarian and athlete

Hope Povenmire — Mon, 21 Sep 2015 17:19:07 +0000

Listen to RWF 30: Juliet Starret –entrepreneur, humanitarian and athlete
Juliet Starrett founded San Francisco CrossFit in 2005 with her husband Kelly. A lifelong athlete, Juliet launched her competitive sports career in high school when her rowing team won the Californian State Championship. From there, Juliet rowed competitively at UC Berkeley and went on to paddle for the US Women’s Whitewater Team, winning two World Championships and five national titles. In 2010, Juliet competed in the CrossFit Games.
Before turning her attention to San Francisco CrossFit full-time, Juliet had a successful career as an attorney.
When she is not at the gym, Juliet enjoys spending time with their two daughters Georgia and Caroline, paddling, skiing, reading, and being outside.
Some of the topics we cover in Pt. 1 of this super high energy interview include:

The coolest summer job ever
Advertisers wanted them to “wipe out”
Avoiding a “real job” taught her so much
Training for white water
Law school
Discovering Cross Fit
Making it a successful business

Contact Bill!

To submit questions to Bill Kociaba, drop him a note at kociabafitness@gmail.com. You can also visit his site at kociaba-fitness.com. Or, feel free to leave your comment below. You may also use your iBlink Radio app to leave an iReport.

Serotalk Extra: CrowdViz

Hope Povenmire — Mon, 14 Sep 2015 19:21:30 +0000

Download or stream this SerotalkExtra or use the audio player below the show notes.
Have you ever been searching for something, and that something is in a container just like all the other containers, but you think you’ve found it, only it’s 2 A.am. and you don’t want to facetime or Skype or get a Hangout going with a friend or family member due to the lateness of the hour? The answer just might be in this serotalk Extra, in which I have a chat with Akash, the developer of Crowdviz You can download CrowdViz in the app store

You can always find the latest on this show and others on the SeroTalk Podcast Network

using iBlink Radio for your iOS device, the Kindle Fire, the Mac or your Android device. You can even leave us an iReport right from the iBlink app.

Thanks for listening!

Rwf27: A Conversation with Mike Brown

Hope Povenmire — Fri, 28 Aug 2015 16:15:44 +0000

Listen to RWF 27: A conversation with Mike Brown This week my guest is strength and conditioning coach Mike Brown. Mike has spent the past decade splitting time between coaching in the weight room and on the field. After graduating from the University of Utah, Mike went to work for Dan John at Juan Diego Catholic High School. Mike’s main focus these days is on strength and longevity training for the nine-to-five-er and the aging population. He trains clients at Age Performance, a facility for adults fifty and older, in Salt Lake City. He also co-founded Find Time for Health with Breaking Muscle coach, Marc Halpern. Mike continues to train daily with Dan John and the Westridge Barbell Club community where Dan has named him Director of Programming. Some of the topics we discuss include: ul>
* How they came up with the idea
* Spreading the word to the rest of the world
* Mike’s backround
* Meeting Dan John
* Training seniors Vs high school atheletes
* “park bench” vs “bus bench” workouts
* Discussing Dan’s programs
* Why its so hard to get people to grasp the simpelest things
* You have got to give a program time to see if it works for you
* Practical strength
* A great coach will acknowledge his mentors
* back to the “Intentional Community”

### Contact Bill!

                                            To submit questions to Bill Kociaba, drop him a note at [kociabafitness@gmail.com.][1] You can also visit his site at kociaba-fitness.com. Or, feel free to leave your comment below. You may also use your iBlink Radio app to leave an iReport.

Rwf 26 A Conversation with Kevin Larrabee

Hope Povenmire — Fri, 21 Aug 2015 19:58:17 +0000

Listen to RWF26 My guest this week is Kevin Larrabee Kevin Larrabee graduated from Keene State College with a BS in Health Science in 2008. He is a Certified Strength and Conditioning Specialist through the National Strength and Conditioning Association. Kevin has had a passion for fitness and nutrition ever since winning his battle with the bulge at the age of 15. After discovering the effects of diet and exercise, Kevin lost 30 pounds in three months. Ever since then he has been striving to learn as much as he can about fitness and nutrition. Kevin completed an internship at Cressey Performance in Hudson, MA during the Fall of 2008. There he worked with a wide demographic from weekend warriors to high school, college, and minor league athletes. After his internship Kevin spent one year as a Pro Trainer at Boston Sports Club in Woburn, MA. Currently Kevin is working at Mike Boyle Strength and Conditioning in Boston, MA as a strength & conditioning coach. Some of the topics we discuss include:

* Why he started the podcast
* A conversation rather than a formal interview
* His early podcasts
* How the show has changed over the years
* Audio quality is becoming more important
* Fitness “experts” are more accessable than “experts” in other industrys
* Follow “the program”, finish “the program”
* Why we had to go to history class
* Kevin’s personal growth
* The Turkish Get-Up
* What do you REALLY want?
* Relax and enjoy your life
* Young girls and the scale
* Over coming balance issues with a blind client
* Keeping his life balanced

### Contact Bill!

                                                        To submit questions to Bill Kociaba, drop him a note at [kociabafitness@gmail.com.][2] You can also visit his site at kociaba-fitness.com. Or, feel free to leave your comment below. You may also use your iBlink Radio app to leave an iReport.

SeroTalk: Behind-the-Scenes Edition

Joe Orozco — Mon, 17 Aug 2015 17:15:16 +0000

Download SeroTalk: Behind-the-Scenes Edition or use the audio player below to tune in.

Have you ever been curious about the magic that goes into creating a podcast? We thought some of you might be, so before SPN completes its revamp of the old format, we thought we’d give you a rare glimpse of our virtual studios.

Coming up: The history, the mechanics, and the people responsible for making the SeroTalk Podcast what it became.

For comments, questions and criticisms of the show, please leave a comment on this post, e-mail them to resources (at) serotalk (dot) com, Tweet them @SeroTalk, or use your iBlink Radio app to send us an iReport!

Listen to Rwf25: When Pushing to your Limit Can be Counter-productive

Hope Povenmire — Fri, 14 Aug 2015 12:12:25 +0000

This weeks show is very different from previous ones.
Lisa will be with us to discuss some of the health bennifets of cocanut oil.
We do not have an in depth interview with a fitness or nutrition expert nor do we have an inspiring story of a great athelete who has overcome tremendous obsticles to achieve glory in their sport.
Instead I discuss my recent health scare and how it can effect anyone out there who pushes themselves to the extreme!
Weather you are a crossfiter, a marathon runner or any other person who likes to train to or beyond their limits this is a must listen for you!
Listen to RWF 25: When pushing to your limit can be counterproductive

Contact Bill!

To submit questions to Bill Kociaba, drop him a note at kociabafitness@gmail.com. You can also visit his site at kociaba-fitness.com. Or, feel free to leave your comment below. You may also use your iBlink Radio app to leave an iReport.

Listen to Real World Fitness 24: Marana Weber –a rising star

Hope Povenmire — Thu, 06 Aug 2015 11:59:55 +0000

Listen to RWF 24: Marana Weber –a rising star
In this weeks show I chat with a young woman on a mission. Marana Weber is one of the most focused and determined people I have ever had the pleasure of meeting.
Marana has clearly defined goals and eagerly seeks out the knowledge she needs to achieve them.
Some of what we discuss includes:

Strength training and BJJ
Finding a coach who understands the special challenges associated with diabetes
Growing up
Skinny but not healthy
Why low carb didn’t work for her
Steady state cardio burns glucose
Her future plans

Additionally Lisa has another informative article for us.

Contact Bill!

To submit questions to Bill Kociaba, drop him a note at kociabafitness@gmail.com. You can also visit his site at kociaba-fitness.com. Or, feel free to leave your comment below. You may also use your iBlink Radio app to leave an iReport.

Phil Brooks and the irt-1 Infared Talking Thermometer

Hope Povenmire — Mon, 03 Aug 2015 11:31:18 +0000

[Listen to this Serotalk Extra with Phil Brooks.](http://www.podtrac.com/pts/redirect.mp3/media.serotalk.com/podcasts/SeroTalk/Phil Brooks Interview.mp3) In this seroTalk Extra with Phil brooks, of Brookes Technology, he Describes and demonstrates the IRT-1 infrared
Talking thermometer.

We learn How infrared energy works, how an infrared thermometer
Differs from a conventional thermometer, and his very interesting story about why a “regular sighted normal guy” decided to develop products for the blind.

If you’re interested in purchasing an infrared talking thermometer,
Phil has graciously given the SeroTalk community a discount. When
You purchase directly from the Brookes technology website you can
Use the coupon code
Serotek
When checking out. If you have questions or would like more information you can contact
Brookes technology via the following methods. Website http://www.brooks-technology.com/ phone:408-781-4577 during normal business hours, Monday through Friday, 9am to 5pm central time.

Feel free to send your feedback on this show to resources@serotalk.com

You can always find the latest on this show and others on the SeroTalk Podcast Network

using iBlink Radio for your iOS device, the Kindle Fire, the Mac or your Android device. You can even leave us an iReport right from the iBlink app.

Listen to RWF 23: Randy Roach –Personal trainer, Author, Inventor, Pt 2

Hope Povenmire — Fri, 31 Jul 2015 01:05:58 +0000

Listen to RWF 23: Randy Roach –Personal trainer, Author, Inventor, Pt 2

This week’s show features the second half of my conversation with my good friend Randy Roach. This week some of the topics we discuss include:

http://www.musclesmokeandmirrors.com/Muscle, Smoke And Mirrors
The challenge of losing his vision half way through the project
The truth about early protein powders
Questionable supplement industry practises
Digitizing Muscle, Smoke and Mirrors
Our mutual love of wrestling

additionally Lisa joins us with another interesting article

Contact Bill!

To submit questions to Bill Kociaba, drop him a note at kociabafitness@gmail.com. You can also visit his site at kociaba-fitness.com. Or, feel free to leave your comment below. You may also use your iBlink Radio app to leave an iReport.

Rwf22: Randy Roach –Personal Trainer, Author, Inventor, Pt. 1

Hope Povenmire — Thu, 23 Jul 2015 20:32:27 +0000

Listen to RWF 22: Randy Roach –Personal Trainer, Author, Inventor, Pt. 1
This week I have a conversation with my Canadian brother, Randy Roach.
www.randyroach.ca
At virtually the same time I was discovering bodybuilding here in Florida, Randy, also with limited vision was discovering it in Canada.
While I was training people and having welders build equipment for my gym, he was doing exactly the same thing a few thousand miles north of me. And today both now age 56 and totally blind we continue to train clients and spread the word. I say have a conversation because this is far more that than an interview.
Where we lose our simalaritys is Randy’s huge acomplishments as a historian and author.
Some of the highlights of part 1 include:

Early athletics
Stevens Johnson Syndrome
Dealing with lifes changes
Dave Draper, an early hero for both of us
Early employment and education
Designing and building his own gym equipment
How losing his vision made him a better personal trainer
Finding the right approach for each client

Contact Bill!

To submit questions to Bill Kociaba, drop him a note at kociabafitness@gmail.com. You can also visit his site at kociaba-fitness.com. Or, feel free to leave your comment below. You may also use your iBlink Radio app to leave an iReport.

SeroTalk Extra: The Future of SPN

Joe Orozco — Mon, 20 Jul 2015 08:35:07 +0000

Download this SeroTalk Extra: The Future of SPN or use the audio player below the show notes to tune in.

Where the heck is SeroTalk 229?

That’s been the gist of an increasing number of e-mails to the SeroTalk team, for which we are grateful, and at long last, we have some developments to share.

Join Hope Povenmire on an interview with Mike Calvo concerning the upcoming changes to the network. We’re remodeling the party palace, and we think you’ll like what you find in the months ahead. Or, you should, considering you’re going to be a more active part of it.

But, tune in to decide for yourself.

As always, for comments, questions and criticisms, please leave a comment on this post, e-mail them to resources inbox,, Tweet them @SeroTalk, or use your iBlink Radio app to send us an iReport!

RWF 21:Allison Kuslikis -Healthy and Fun Eating

Hope Povenmire — Mon, 20 Jul 2015 01:33:57 +0000

Listen to RWF 21:Allison Kuslikis -Healthy and Fun Eating

Bills guest this week is Allison Kuslikis
Allison is a young mother who decided right from the start that her children
would live and eat in a healthy way. Both she and her husband Todd are
plagued with food allergies so she has had to learn to be very creative in
the kitchen. Allison is an engaging and charming lady who is sincere in
wanting to help others raise their children in a healthier manner.

Some of the interview highlights include:

Starting her kids off on the right nutritional path
chocolate is good for you, the right chocolate
fruit is still sugar
Eat more greens
Food intolerances
coconut sugar
Her future plans

Additionally, Bill has a couple of very exciting announcements.

Contact Bill!

To submit questions to Bill Kociaba, drop him a note at kociabafitness@gmail.com.
You can also visit his site at
http://kociaba-fitness.com/ Or, feel free to
leave your comment below. You may also use your iBlink Radio app to leave an iReport.

Listen to RWF 21:Allison Kuslikis -Healthy and Fun Eating

Hope Povenmire — Sat, 18 Jul 2015 18:17:43 +0000

My guest this week is Allison Kuslikis href=http://kalecuties.com/
http://kalecuties.com/ http://kalecuties.com%3c/a .

Allison is a young mother who decided right from the start that her children
would live and eat in a healthy way.Both she and her husband Todd are
plagued with food allergies so she has had to learn to be very creative in
the kitchen. Allison is an engaging and charming lady who is sincere in
wanting to help others rais their children in a healthier manner.

Some of the interview highlights include:

Starting her kids off on the right nutritional path
chocolate is good for you, the right chocolate
fruit is still sugar
Eat more greens
Food intolerances
cocanut sugar
Her future plans

Additionally I have a couple of very exciting announcements.

Contact Bill!

To submit questions to Bill Kociaba, drop him a note at kociabafitness@gmail.com.
You can also visit his site at
kociaba-fitness.com. Or, feel free to
leave your comment below. You may also use your iBlink Radio app to leave an iReport.

RWF 19: Marc Halpern-Keeping It Reasonable

Derek Lane — Thu, 02 Jul 2015 19:34:21 +0000

Listen to RWF 19: Marc Halpern-Keeping It Reasonable
Bills guest this week is Marc Halpern, whose website is located at http://findtimeforhealth.com Marc likes to lift heavy things because of what it enables him to do elsewhere in life, like skiing and hiking. He doesn’t eat egg whites and lettuce for breakfast, he eats real food.
As a Registered Dietitian and strength coach, Marc’s philosophy is to keep it reasonable and feeling good. Marc has over fourteen years of experience. He started his journey when he lost seventy pounds in high school. It began a career that has gone from New York, to North Carolina, all the way to Utah.
In addition to working with clients, Marc spends a great deal of time in Dan John’s Lab (aka garage) constantly looking for better ways to do things. He combines evidence-based practice with experience and real-life application. Some of the interview highlights include:

His personal transformation
How to know you are in the right job
Connecting with Dan John
Bacon
Building good habits rather than counting macros
Minamum effective dose
The new website
Health first

In addition Lisa will be back with some very important information about diabetes

Contact Bill!

To submit questions to Bill Kociaba, drop him a note at kociabafitness@gmail.com. You can also visit his site at kociaba-fitness.com. Or, feel free to leave your comment below. You may also use your iBlink Radio app to leave an iReport.

RWF 18:Real World Training And Nutrition With Clarence Bass and Brooks Kubik (Part 2.)

Derek Lane — Thu, 25 Jun 2015 21:38:02 +0000

Listen to RWF 18:Real World Training And Nutrition With Clarence Bass and Brooks Kubik
This week Bill features the second part of an interview with two of the most knowledgeable people in the physical culture world.
Brooks Kubik www.brookskubik.com and Clarence Bass www.cbass.com/.
Between them they have authored more than 30books and hundreds of articles for all the major fitness publications. In addition to their literary prowess they have both excelled in their chosen strength sports. Brooks as a powerlifter and Clarence as an Olympic lifter and bodybuilder.
This is a lengthy and informative conversation with these two great men. Some of the highlights of part 2 include:

Facing the digital dilemma
Dino training in India
The Amazon advantage
What’s happening in Brooks’ future
“50 Shades of Dino”
What’s next for Clarence
The importance of finding new challenges

Additionally Lisa will be back with two interesting articles.

Contact Bill!

To submit questions to Bill Kociaba, drop him a note at kociabafitness@gmail.com. You can also visit his site at kociaba-fitness.com. Or, feel free to leave your comment below. You may also use your iBlink Radio app to leave an iReport.

RWF 17:Real World Training And Nutrition With Clarence Bass and Brooks Kubik

Derek Lane — Fri, 19 Jun 2015 05:11:00 +0000

Listen to RWF 17:Real World Training And Nutrition With Clarence Bass and Brooks Kubik
This week Bill features an interview with two of the most knowledgeable people in the physical culture world.
Brooks Kubik www.brookskubik.com/ and Clarence Bass www.cbass.com/.
Between them they have authored more than 30books and hundreds of articles for all the major fitness publications. In addition to their literary prowess they have both excelled in their chosen strength sports. Brooks as a powerlifter and Clarence as an Olympic lifter and bodybuilder.
This is a lengthy and informative conversation with these two great men. Some of the highlights of part 1 include:

Clarence is everywhere
Brooks’ positive response to his digital products
Clarences nutritional roots
The natural progression
Whole foods and a balanced diet
You don’t need to count calories
Real world eating and training vs the “muscle Beach” fantasy
The importance of being active between workouts
Taking things in the proper context
Recognizing changes you need to accept as you age
Bills interview with Bill Pearl
Keeping near top shape so you never have to starve yourself

Contact Bill!

To submit questions to Bill Kociaba, drop him a note at kociabafitness@gmail.com. You can also visit his site at kociaba-fitness.com. Or, feel free to leave your comment below. You may also use your iBlink Radio app to leave an iReport.

RWF 16: Dan John –The Coaches Coach

Derek Lane — Fri, 12 Jun 2015 16:46:29 +0000

Listen to RWF 16: Dan John –The Coaches Coach
This week Bill once again has the pleasure of sharing the mic with Dan John. www.danjohn.net/ Dan is one of the most in demand coaches and lecturers in the world! He is constantly traveling, presenting sold out workshops all over the US and abroad.
In this interview you will hear first-hand the relaxed, yet concise and to the point style that makes Dan such a great teacher as we discuss his new book Can You Go?
Some of the highlights include:

What category determines what you need
Tiny habits by B. J. Fogg
A sip of water
Why can’t you stand on one foot for 10 seconds?
It’s all about self awairness
The1-2-3-4 assessment
Finish the program
Build upon your successes
Food is food
Take care of your teeth
A, not A
It’s not what you want it’s what you need
“Art of Coaching”

Contact Bill!

To submit questions to Bill Kociaba, drop him a note at kociabafitness@gmail.com. You can also visit his site at kociaba-fitness.com. Or, feel free to leave your comment below. You may also use your iBlink Radio app to leave an iReport.

RWF 15: Bob Backlund, SuperFitAt 66

Derek Lane — Thu, 04 Jun 2015 00:14:29 +0000

Listen to RWF 15: Bob BacklundSuperFitAt 66
Bob Backlund www.backlundenergy.com/holds the distincshon of having one of the longest uninterrupted title reigns of any World Wide Wrestling Federation champion. He held the title from February of 1978 until December, 1983!
Throughout his30+ year career in the wrestling ring he maintained an incredible level of physical conditioning and was always considered to be one of the most fit people in the business. On more than one occasion he demonstrated his fantastic condition by exercising nonstop throughout an entire one hour TV wrestling program.
In this interview we focus on the early years of his life and how he got into such fantastic shape and how he maintains it today at age 66
Some of the highlights include:

Wrestling since fifth grade
Why he refused to attend the university of Mn.
Creating his own training methods and equipment
His first exposure to prro wrestling
Danny Hodge
Good enough to wrestle without attending practice
Playing in the Rose Bowl
Breaking into pro wrestling
Sleeping in his car
One of the longest WWWF title reigns ever
His exact training program
How he trains today
8 hours of the step test
Apple cider vinegar
Bob’s diet

In addition to the interview with Bob we introduce a new feature with my friend Lisa, who will be sharing some interesting information on various health related topics from time to time.

Contact Bill!

To submit questions to Bill Kociaba, drop him a note at kociabafitness@gmail.com. You can also visit his site at kociaba-fitness.com. Or, feel free to leave your comment below. You may also use your iBlink Radio app to leave an iReport.

DocuScan Plus 3 Release Candidate Now Open for Testing

Joe Orozco — Fri, 29 May 2015 15:37:38 +0000

Download the DocuScan Plus V3 audio demonstration or use the audio player below to tune in.

Serotek proudly announces the first public release candidate for DocuScan Plus V3, a powerful and affordable OCR option with cross-platform support. Before we deem it final, we’d like you to help us kick the tires. You do not have to be a current Serotek customer to participate, but note that certain features may only be available for customers who have pre-ordered the product.

New features

Updated OCR engine
OCR for other languages, including: Czech, Danish, Dutch, Finnish, French, German, Greek, Hungarian, Italian, Norwegian, Polish, Portuguese (including Brazilian), Russian, Spanish, Swedish, and Turkish
Bookshare integration
Improved heading detection
Place marking within large documents
Ability to import documents in popular text formats so users can convert them to DAISY, MP3, or Braille, and store them in the cloud; formats include: .epub, .doc, .docx, .rtf, .txt, .html
Ability to open image files, including: .jpg, .png, .tiff, .gif, .bmp
Ability to open documents in DSP directly from Windows Explorer
More efficient processing of long PDF documents
Better consistency in functionality and UI between the Windows and Mac versions
Better support for third-party screen readers in the Windows version; users can use DSP in conjunction with a third-party screen reader rather than putting the screen reader to sleep.

Install the Release Candidate Now!

The installation process will be intuitive. Remember, you do not need to use System Access as your screen reader for DSP to work. Feel free to stick to your own screen reader on Windows.

Download the Windows Release Candidate here. The RC is a part of our normal Windows installer. Simply choose the correct package at installation.

Download the Mac version here.

Full documentation will be provided upon final release. But, don’t panic. Our products are traditionally designed to be as intuitive as possible, beginning with the installation.

Questions?

If you have any questions, please contact technical support.

Blind Crossfitting

Derek Lane — Thu, 28 May 2015 09:42:37 +0000

Listen to RWF 14: Blind Crossfitting
This week we discuss the extremely popular and some times controversial phenomenon of Crossfit.
Bills guest is Mike calvo http://mikecalvo.com Mike is a recent convert to the Crossfit lifestyle and he wanted to share how it has impacted his life and his personal fitness program.
Some of the topics They discuss include:

Middle aged and out of shape
Conventional strength training is not for everyone
Adaptations his coach has made
You’re where you’re at
The importance of perfect technique
Don’t skimp on your equipment
The value of community
email Mike

Contact Bill!

To submit questions to Bill Kociaba, drop him a note at kociabafitness@gmail.com. You can also visit his site at kociaba-fitness.com. Or, feel free to leave your comment below. You may also use your iBlink Radio app to leave an iReport.

SeroTalk Extra: All Aboard a Cruise Vacation

Joe Orozco — Mon, 25 May 2015 17:55:02 +0000

Download SeroTalk Extra: All Aboard a Cruise Vacation or use the audio player below the show notes to tune in.

What better way to ring in the unofficial start to the summer season than a comprehensive look into cruise vacations? For some, this multi-billion dollar industry adds up to the perfect vacation. For those who have never been on a cruise, it might sound more like the perfect nightmare.

Our guest on this SeroTalk Extra is Bill Kociaba–who, in addition to a wealth of knowledge on all things health and wellness, knows a thing or two about those floating cities on the sea.

Show Highlights

Among other topics, we discuss:

Hey, aren’t cruises generally for the newly wed or the nearly dead?
Why would I want to vacation on a ship and not a resort?
What are the various types of cruises?
Before I get excited, how much does it generally cost?
What does the price generally include?
Okay, so maybe I’m on the fence. What’s the best way to book a trip?
What are the passport requirements, and what other logistics should I consider?
What should I pack?
Are there such things as healthy meal options aboard these ships?
What kind of medical services can I count on while aboard?
Fine fine, but what if I spend the whole trip feeling seasick?
What can people possibly find to do to stay entertained aboard a ship?
What’s the one cruise and/or excursion I should consider taking?

Additional Reading

So, are you interested yet? Fantastic! Check out these helpful articles:

Repositioning Cruises: How to Get a Luxury Cruise for Cheap

How can you land a $400 room on the Celebrity Reflection for just $62 a night? Keep reading.

Imagine finding a luxury hotel room that costs just $62 a night, a price that includes all of your meals and a view of the ocean from your private balcony.

Sounds like a pretty great deal right? Well, it’s for real.

That’s the kind of nightly room price you can find when booking a vacation on a repositioning cruise. Read more.

How to Save Money on Your Next Cruise

Sometimes you have to make a choice: go for the easy cruise fare, or spend a lot of time searching for the perfect rock-bottom rate. With multiple lines
offering a range of ship classes with sailings every single week of the year, you can go nuts researching all the possibilities and picking the best offer. Let us help you simplify. Here are our top 10 tips for saving money on your next cruise. Follow our advice, and you can be confident you’re not getting
gouged on your vacation bill. Read more.

How to Save Big Money on Cruises

The cost of vacations at sea can quickly add up — but it doesn’t have to. The trick to saving big money on cruises is to shop smart and make the most out of the deals and discounts cruise lines and related industries have to offer. With a little savvy ahead of time as well as on board, you can have a blast for less during your next floating holiday.

Step 1

Score heavy discounts by booking your trip during wave season, which lasts from January to March. This is the time of year when the cruise lines offer lots of money-saving enticements to persuade travelers to book vacations. You don’t have to travel during wave season — you just have to book the trip. Committing at the beginning of the year during this deal-heavy season can get you various extra perks, such as onboard credits, cabin upgrades and free airfare. Read more.

Get in Touch!

Have any tips of your own? Have you been on a cruise and want to share your experience? Or, did you go on a cruise and hated it? Send us your feedback!

RWF 13: Bill Pearl – A True Legend

Derek Lane — Wed, 20 May 2015 23:22:56 +0000

Listen to RWF 13: Bill Pearl – A True Legend
Bill Pearl www.billpearl.com is a true legend in the world of physical culture. With a highly successful competitive career lasting nearly 20 years, he is unquestionably one of the greatest bodybuilders of all time!
He is probably the most traveled Mr. America ever, having gone around the world doing exhibitions and spreading the health and fitness message for nearly four decades!
To his credit he has coached more top level bodybuilders (including 14 Mr. Universe winners, 10 Mr. America’s and one Mr. Olympia) than any other person. He is truly “The Trainer of Champions”.
World class bodybuilder, successful gym owner, author, coach/trainer entrepreneur, husband and father! To say Bill Pearl has done it all is a huge understatement!
Through the efforts of our mutual friend Mr. Olympia, Chris Dickerson, Bill was given the pleasure of speaking with this legend of the iron game. The biggest thing I took away from this conversation was that Bill Pearl is the absolute definition of a gentlemen and a class act!
I hope you enjoy listening as much as I enjoyed chatting with this legend of the fitness world:

The early years of training
From Leo Stern to Chris Dickerson
1953 was quite a year
Why he was a success in the gym business
His competitive career
Why he never entered the Mr. Olympia
His Strongman act
Mail order training courses
KEYS TO THE INNER UNIVERSE
Becoming a vegetarian
The name game
Women’s’ bodybuilding
What he does today

Here is a partial list of Bill Pearl’s many accomplishments;

1953 A.A.U., Mr. America
1953 N.A.B.B.A., Mr. Universe Amateur (London, England)
1956 Mr. U.S.A., Professional
1956 N.A.B.B.A., Mr. Universe, Professional
1961 N.A.B.B.A., Mr. Universe, Professional
1967 N.A.B.B.A., Mr. Universe, Professional
1971 N.A.B.B.A., Mr. Universe, Professional
1974 W.B.B.G., World’s Best-Built Man of the Century (New York, New York)
1978 Entered into W.B.B.G., Hall of Fame (New York, New York)
1978 Elected the I.F.B.B. National Chairman of the Professional Physique Judges Committee (Acapulco, Mexico)
1988 Entered into Pioneers of Fitness Hall of Fame
1992 Entered into Gold’s Gym Hall of Fame
1994 Guest of Honor of the Association of Old Time Barbell & Strongmen 12th Annual Reunion
1994 Entered into The Joe Weider Hall of Fame
1995 A.A.U. Lifetime Achievement Award
1995 Oscar Heidenstam Foundation Hall of Fame
1996 American Powerlifters Federation Hall of Fame
1997 International Chiropractors Association Sports & Fitness Man of the Year
1999 I.F.B.B. Hall of Fame Inductee
2000 Spirit of Muscle Beach Award
2001 World Gym Lifetime Achievement Award
2001 Society of Weight-Training Injury Specialists Lifetime Achievement Award
2002 Canadian Fitness Award for 60+ Years of Inspiration to the Industry
2002 National Fitness Trade Journal Lifetime Achievement Award
2003 Iron Man magazine Peary & Mabel Radar Lifetime Achievement Award
2004 Arnold Schwarzenegger Lifetime Achievement Award

Contact Bill!

To submit questions to Bill Kociaba, drop him a note at kociabafitness@gmail.com. You can also visit his site at kociaba-fitness.com. Or, feel free to leave your comment below. You may also use your iBlink Radio app to leave an iReport.

RWF 12: Laurel Blackburn Super Strong Nana

Derek Lane — Fri, 15 May 2015 16:45:45 +0000

Listen to RWF 12: Laurel Blackburn Super Strong Nana
Bill’s guest this week is Laurel Blackburn www.bootcampstogo.com./ Laurel is the owner of Tallahassee Kettlebells and the Tallahassee Strength Club.
Laurel has been afitness leader in her local community for the past ten years and has been featured on CNN as well as such major publications as Woman’s Health and Oxygen. Laurel has numerous fitness certifications to her credit and constantly strives to learn more so she can be an even greater service to her clients.
Some of the highlights of our conversation include;

Discovering Kettlebells.
Starting her “Bootcamp” business.
Being a part of the community.
Recognizing the value of making adaptions for “special needs” clients.
Learning from her clients.
Her first certification.
The RKC difference.
Z health.
Don’t let your age inhibit you.
Check out laurel’s blog

Contact Bill!

To submit questions to Bill Kociaba, drop him a note at kociabafitness@gmail.com. You can also visit his site at kociaba-fitness.com. Or, feel free to leave your comment below. You may also use your iBlink Radio app to leave an iReport.

RWF 11: LILO, One Amazing Lady

Derek Lane — Fri, 08 May 2015 14:46:16 +0000

Listen to RWF 11: LILO, One Amazing Lady

Bills very special guest this week is a truly extraordinary woman! Ljiljana (Lilo) Ljubisic www.liloinspires.com is a 5 time Paralympic champion with an amazing story.
Lilo has represented Canada on the international athletic stage since 1984 with an unprecedented 19 podium finishs!
An amazing athlete undoubtedly, but Lilo is so much more.
Some of the highlights of our conversation include:

Growing up in an athletic family
Discovering Goalball
Vollyball and basketball Lilo style
How Lilo found me
26 years of pure hell
Strength training for women
The best addiction you could possibly have
Good nutrition is a must
The athletes advocate
CHOICE – COMMITMENT – COURAGE

Some of Lilo’s acalades:

2012 Queen Elizabeth II Diamond Jubilee Award recipient
2011 Canadian Paralympic Committee Sport Hall of Fame inductee
2010 Coquitlam Sport Hall of Fame inductee
2007 “Juan Antonio Samaranch IOC President’s Athlete Award”.
Recognized as one of Canada’s Most Powerful Women: Top 100 for 2007.
2004 presented the Isabel Ferrer prize by the European commission.
Named to Canada’s Top 20 most influential women in Sport 2003-2007
2005 Athletes CAN Leadership Award.

Contact Bill!

To submit questions to Bill Kociaba, drop him a note at kociabafitness@gmail.com. You can also visit his site at kociaba-fitness.com. Or, feel free to leave your comment below. You may also use your iBlink Radio app to leave an iReport.

RWF 10: Setting Goals and chatting with a 3 time Olympian

Derek Lane — Mon, 04 May 2015 13:38:12 +0000

Listen to RWF 10: Setting Goals and chatting with a 3 time Olympian This week’s show is a little different from the past sevral. Bill has a wonderful interview with 3 time Olympian and nutrition expert Arlene Semeco. They discuss:

* Her training at age 15 vs age 31
* incorporating strength training into her swimming
* Her next competition
* Must have supplements
* shooting for her fourth Olympics

Additionally he offers a fool proof plan for setting and achieving your personal goals.

                ### Contact Bill!

                To submit questions to Bill Kociaba, drop him a note at [kociabafitness@gmail.com.][1] You can also visit his site at kociaba-fitness.com. Or, feel free to leave your comment below. You may also use your iBlink Radio app to leave an iReport.

The RunDown 6: Believe That?

Derek Lane — Fri, 01 May 2015 01:40:09 +0000

Listen to Episode 6: Believe That? to hear the latest and hottest sports stories and our take on all the fast paced action.
We are nearing the second round of NBA playoffs; find out which teams have advanced and which have been eliminated.

Get all the latest news on the latest injuries and how they will affect the Pursuit of the NBA Finals.

The NHL Playoffs are also heating up, which teams are still alive on their push to win the Stanley Cup?

As the Champions League boils down to just four teams, find out who AZ and JDR pick to win the prestigious tournament.

Hear who gets our Technical Fouls of the week as well as our book recommendation of the week.
Get in Touch!
Find us on Twitter
Like us on Facebook
For comments, questions and criticisms of the show, please e-mail them to resources@serotalk.com Tweet them to @SeroTalk, or use your iBlink Radio app to send us an iReport! You could end up on the show!

SeroTalk 228: Go Freeze Yourself

Joe Orozco — Mon, 27 Apr 2015 20:01:13 +0000

Download SeroTalk 228: Go Freeze Yourself or use the audio player below the show notes to tune in.

This week’s book Audible recommendation is Unwind by Neal Shusterman.

In a society where unwanted teens are salvaged for their body parts, three runaways fight the system that would “unwind” them.

Conner’s parents want to be rid of him because he’s a troublemaker. Risa has no parents and is being unwound to cut orphanage costs. Lev’s unwinding has
been planned since his birth, as part of his family’s strict religion. Brought together by chance, and kept together by desperation, these three unlikely
companions make a harrowing cross-country journey, knowing their lives hang in the balance.

If they can survive until their 18th birthdays, they can’t be harmed – but when every piece of them, from their hands to their hearts, are wanted by a
world gone mad, 18 seems far, far away.

In Unwind, Boston Globe/Horn Book Award winner Neal Shusterman challenges listeners’ ideas about life – not just where life begins, and where it ends,
but what it truly means to be alive.

Download your free copy at AudiblePodcast.com/SeroTalk

Headlines

These are some of the recent headlines since we last chatted:

Cyanogen partners with Microsoft to integrate Bing, other MS services

What’s next for Microsofts Universal Apps

Google and Facebook change their algorithms

EU to investigate transparency of internet search results

Many Government Tiplines Not Encrypted

Match.com’s HTTP-only login page puts millions of passwords at risk

Verizon introduces new ways to customize FiOS TV subscription

Facebook unveils phone app Hello

This ‘Smart’ Pillow Connects To Your Phone And Uses Speakers To Help You Sleep

MIT’s Media Lab develops new “NailO” fingernail trackpad

IKEA Introduces Wireless Charging Furniture; Going to Hit Markets Soon

FBI and TSA Warn Airlines to Watch Out For Wi-Fi Hacks

Accessibility Talk

Congratulations to this year’s AFB Access Award Winners

Including Microsoft, but what’s this opinion by NFB Computer Science President Curtis Chong claiming Accessibility at Microsoft More Challenges than Victories

And a response from Chris Hofstader: Accessibility and NFBCS: More Questions Than Results

But, don’t come down too hard on the NFB. Among other projects, they’re tackling Indoor navigation

And they’re not the only ones. Video Game found to help the blind navigate buildings

And this guy’s planning on replacing guide dogs with drones? Eelke Folmer uses human-computer interaction research to help blind and visually impaired people

Finally, some audio description! Netflics Dare Devil accessible to the Blind After Complaints Check out these additional articles for helpful tips. Instructions to toggle descriptive audio & control Netflix videos in Chrome on the Mac And, How to Enable Audio Description on Netflix for iPhone, Android, and Apple TV

Maybe it’s not such a bad time to be blind. What say you? What it’s like to go blind And Am I Really Blind? Adapting to Adaptive Technology

Human Interest

This guy says Disability will be conquered this century. Don’t believe him? Suit yourself, or, freeze yourself, because this 2 year old was cryogenically frozen by her parents.

Mailbag

We weren’t able to cover all the feedback in the recording, but here is some of the feedback that made it out to us before release:

From Jenine:

Hi Gang,

Yes, a couple of these robot guide projects have been done before, mostly in Japan.

Maybe this one though will prove a bit more realistic. It seems when people try these kinds of things with the focus on blindness, they allow all sorts of stereotypical experiences of blindness to interfere with the actual use of the device. even when they include blind people in the testing, their focus often goes wrong, sideways somehow if you know what I mean.

Having a larger sample of people and experience to work with, plus a pretty demanding population, First Responders who are used to their equipment working, as well as having life and death in the balance, will hopefully yield a bit more gravity to the product.

In other words, everyone can relate to being in a smoke filled building and needing help to find someone or the way out or stairs or whatever. They don’t inflict their own perceptions about things like blindness on to that experience as they would if creating for just “the blind”.

And hey, if this robot happens to also help blind people by becoming a robot guide, great!

I just keep thinking of K9 from the Dr. Who series.

Can I get one with anatomical features and fur? If so, I want a dire wolf guide, though I hear they are pretty big.

Sadly, given that most of the trouble with fake service dogs is with those claiming to be for emotional support or things like allergy detection, the robot guide wouldn’t help. Nice thought though.

Jenine Stanley

From Louis:

Hello Joe, Katie, and Laine,

I am listening to episode 227 as I’m typing this, and I’m enjoying the show immensely. I think each of you bring a unique opinion to the table, so keep up the great work and bring on the controversy!

I was talking to someone the other day, and I expressed my frustration with how ignorant/oblivious the general public can be towards people with disabilities. I’m sure you’ve experienced the being talked to like a toddler treatment, or the let’s grab your arm and drag you in this direction treatment, just to name a few scenarios. The response I received was that the struggles we are experiencing are similar to the struggles women and African Americans experienced as they fought for equal rights. How do you feel about the parallels being drawn between the trials of these three groups?

As the conversation went on, we touched on the topic of blind people being compared to certain blind celebrities. For example, I had someone tell me that it’s great that Stevie Wonder can have people help him everywhere. If someone is a disabled celebrity, do you think they have a greater duty to show the world what we are capable of, rather than cementing certain stereotypes? Also, if they do not have certain skills, like say mobility skills or independent living skills, is it their fault for showing their inadequacies to the public and not seek the training that would make them more independent?

Last question, when is it okay to be mad/annoyed, and when should you just grin and joke about public misconceptions?

Thanks for reading my musings, and I hope to hear your thoughts.

Louis

From Josh:

Hello all. I really enjoyed Serotalk Podcast 227 and the Triple Click Home extra on the Apple watch. I wanted to share my opinions on assisted suicide and the usefulness of Braille. As a Bible believing Christian, I believe all human life is precious because I believe that God is the creator of life. I am therefore categorically opposed to assistive suicide regardless of the circumstances. As someone who has undergone two craniotomies as well as several other operations, I understand the agony and depression pain can cause. I also know that God has taught me many important life lessons through pain. While I will take advantage of a sight restoring method if one is created, I am also thankful for my blindness and problems, because they’ve made me a more mature person.
I also take some issue with Joe’s definition of literacy. As an avid reader of audio books, I believe that while reading is important, it doesn’t have to only mean recognition of how letters look. While I am not advocating for the use of audio books only, I don’t think the question should be either or, but both. I realized that reading textbooks in Braille was slo and absolutely inefficient for me in high-school. On the other hand, if I couldn’t read braille signage, I’d be in big trouble! Have a wonderful week,

Josh in Illinois

From Jesse, regarding the SeroTalk Extra Tech Chat episode:

Hello everybody,

I really enjoyed the special. It is nice to hear a bunch of people get together and hash things out. It was an informative, and sometimes slightly heated, debate. Overall, I thought it went well. Mike might have become a little aggressive in defending his opinion but that is just how it seemed from my end. I just wanted to give my thoughts on what was discussed in regards to the future of AT if we continue on this road to mobile devices.

While I think Apple should be held accountable for its actions now that it has become a provider of assistive technology, I slightly agree with Mike that we can’t hold them to the same standard. This is because Apple doesn’t have as much experience with accessibility as third-party assistive technology companies have. Most of these companies have been dealing in accessibility for a long time and also, they only make assistive products. To my knowledge, Apple hasn’t been dealing in this market as long as companies like Freedom Scientific or GW Micro and even though Serotek hasn’t been around as long as some of the pioneers, Accessible products is what they do. I do not, however, think we should continue to give Apple a pass. In this fast-moving world of technology, Apple has been in the AT business quite a while and it is time they really start getting it right.

I worry that we will have the same problem with Microsoft. I have not played with previews of Windows 10 but I have heard that Narrator is improved and I assume Windows wants to eventually have integrated accessibility like Apple has. If Matt Campbell says it is going to become difficult for third-party screen readers to “hook and hack” as we move toward a more mobile lifestyle, and who would know better than somebody who has to do the hooking and hacking, we may have to rely on an integrated screen reader. I see two solutions to the worry of having no other choice than substandard screen readers.

The first, which was mentioned on the podcast, would be for blind programmers to grab the opportunity and offer their services to these companies. I think this will be the answer to Apple’s problems.

The second would be for Microsoft to purchase one of the existing assistive technology companies or at least the screen reading and magnification sectors. These are companies with products which work already and who know a lot about what they do. This way, we could unbox our Microsoft product and have JAWS, System Access, NVDA or WindowEyes integrated into the OS. Sure, it would eliminate choices but it looks like that is inevitable anyway. It beats getting stuck in the same situation with Windows where we have a fully functional screen reader but find ourselves overlooking inexcusable mistakes because we are just glad to have access.

I apologize that this message is long-winded but I really wanted to get my thoughts out there and ask the question of why Microsoft doesn’t just save a lot of hassle and buy something that already works. Great job on the podcast and I hope it can keep informing people for years to come.

Regards,
Jesse Tregarthen

From Keith:

Hi everybody!

I found podcast 227 to be exciting and informative.

Regarding guidedog robots, that might possibly be interesting or maybe not, but because we don’t actually have them around to see what reactions are, its hard to say one way or the other.

Regarding what Joe had to say about that Social Security article, I find myself thinking that one day we will either have increased taxes, or one day actually no Social Security.
In 2016, we’re going to be seeing lots of babyboomers retiring.
Then we’ll see more and more continue over the next several years to retire, leaving the rest of us to deal with what economic situation this will ultimately create.
I for one, don’t believe that we’ll have Social Security forever.
And I think that it is about time that people started thinking about relying les on the Government to take care of tere futures mmoney wise, and started thinking about other ways of making a living so that you can be in charge of your own future.
Personally, I see entrepreneurship as the solution, I believe in empowerment of people, rather than employment being the ultimate answer.

However, that being said, I think that for those that choose employment, that’s awesome.

Whatever works best for you ultimately despite my opinion is what matters here.

But I’m curious what the rest of you think.

Does anybody agree or disagree or have any other thoughts about Social Security ultimately not being something that will continue to exist?
As more people lean on Social Security, I think we’re going to see money disappear from the program.

Pensions are an old concept as well that no longe rapply to most young folks today trying to find work.

Then we have the issue of defined contribution retirement vs defined benefit plans.
Most folks aren’t even putting anything in to their retirement plan.
And at the age of 65, the IRS will require taxes to be paid on those plans.

So, ast o if we’ll have enough money int he long term to keep thigns going the way they currently work?

I believe no, but would like to see what the rest of you have to say.

Thank you for another awesome podcast and I look forward to the next one.

I enjoy the stile of the new voices on the podcast as well, and like hearing all your different perspectives on the topics that come up for each show.

Sincerely,

Keith

From Gary:

Hi Joe,

I listened to your excellent Serotalk podcast this evening. During your discussion of Braille, my impression was that you were coming very close to equating Braille and literacy. There is little question that were one suddenly able to become a proficient Braille user, few would decline the opportunity, including me. Braille is a skill I would like to have developed when I was young. However, when I did try to teach myself as an adult, my success was minimal. Even so, the little I did learn was very useful.

Having acknowledged the point that being able to use Braille efficiently would be a very good thing and further knowing that young blind children learning Braille would be a good thing as well, please do not suggest that learning Braille is the only path to literacy. The notion that not knowing how to read and write using Braille is somehow equated with not being able to become fully literate is silly and quite wrong.

I also think that is a deep rabbit hole you head down when you suggest that using readers or text to speech or other electronic methods is not reading. Since few written materials were originally produced in Braille, having them converted to Braille and then reading the Braille is not much different than having them converted to speech. You come close to arguing that your accommodation is better than my accommodation which is another one of those silly arguments.

Thanks for the time and effort you and the others devote to making the podcast available to those of us who enjoy it a lot. I always look forward to hearing what you have to say.

Thanks for the opportunity to provide this feedback.

Gary Crow

p.s. Your point about Braille and better spelling is quite likely very true.

From William:

i am pretty frustrated with Sero talk podcasts. I like getting information from serotalk but its become a chore to slog through long podcasts of often dubious conjecture about what Apple or Microsoft will do in the future in oreder to get to where some actual useful information is conveyed. How about splitting a 90 minute podcast into segments sent as separate episodes? That would allow us to spend our time on the stories and comments that were useful to us and skip over those stories or opinions that we may feel are wasting our time because they are of no particular interest to us?

Secondly, on the matter of Braille, an opinion was expressed and agreed upon, that if one did not learn Braille one was illiterate. That comment was surely not meant to be as offensive and bigoted as it sounded to those of us who loss sight later in life and have never learned Braille proficiently. One who takes advantage of electronic text and does not know Braille is far from illiterate. I assume this comment was made in an off hand manner and was not well considered.

I also found the comments on the future viability of social security disability benefits to be based in a lack of depth of understanding of this rather important but complex issue and seemed to reflect the commentators political bias then any real understanding of the issues involved.

I would love to see SPN use its fantastic resource of talent to do “how to” podcasts”. How to use our dvices to the fullest, how to navigate unknown places, how to use excel as a blind person, for example, or any number topics where your resource of knowledgeable talent can be put to use making great tutorials. I think that would make SPN a real winner.

sincerely,

William Austin

Special Note

In response to the Braille feedback, there’s a blog post response here you can check out and join the dialogue.

Get in Touch!

Want to connect with our hosts? Tweet us! Katie @holnan, Laine @laine_amoureux, and Joe @ScribblingJoe.

The RunDown 5: Dunks, Pucks and Punks

A. Z. Martinez — Sat, 25 Apr 2015 12:24:33 +0000

Listen to The RunDown 5: Dunks, Pucks and Punks

The NBA playoffs have started, find out what your hosts think have been the most impressive stories so far.

In the NFL, Adrian Peterson has been reinstated, we discuss if he will still be a Viking at the start of the NFL season?

The NHL playoffs are also in full swing, we hear from one of our listeners as he gives us an update on his favorite team.

The WWE is back in the news, and unfortunately for them, not for good reasons.

JDR and A. Z. throw out their Technical’s of the week. Find out who gets a Taste this week.

Check out the show and make sure to sound off on our different avenues!

The audible book of the week is:
The Brass Verdict by Michael Conelly. This is the second book in the Mickey Haller series. Get your free copy here!

Get in Touch!

Find us on Twitter @therundownsports Like us on Facebook Rundownradio.

For comments, questions and criticisms of the show, please e-mail them to resources (at) serotalk (dot) com, Tweet them @SeroTalk, or use your iBlink Radio app to send us an iReport! You could end up on the show!

RWF 9: Joshua Loya – Martial Arts, Hypnosis, and Motivational Speaker

Bill Kociaba — Fri, 24 Apr 2015 18:56:16 +0000

Listen to RWF 9: Joshua Loya – Martial Arts, Hypnosis, and Motivational Speaker

My guest this week is Joshua Loya ServantWarriorOnline.com

Joshua is truly a multi-faceted individual. He is an accomplished martial artist with three black belts to his credit. He also is a practicing hypno therapist as well as a life coach and motivational speaker.

Some of the topics we cover include;

Discovering martial arts
His first teacher
Baseman Josh
Guardian Martial Arts
Weapons training
Adaptive martial arts program
Teaching others makes you a better martial artist
Talk to Josh
Studying hypnosis
Some of his client successes
Being your personal best

Contact Bill!

To submit questions to Bill Kociaba, drop him a note at kociabafitness@gmail.com. You can also visit his site at kociaba-fitness.com. Or, feel free to leave your comment below. You may also use your iBlink Radio app to leave an iReport.

The RunDown 4: Thrillers and showdowns!

A. Z. Martinez — Mon, 20 Apr 2015 20:18:45 +0000

Download The RunDown 4: Thrillers and showdowns! or use the audio player below the notes to listen.

The audible book suggestion of the week is The Lincoln Lawyer by Michael Conelly. Get it for free at AudiblePodcast.com/SeroTalk.

In this week’s show we cover the end of the regular season in the NBA as well as Golf’s latest news and latest sensation Jordan Speith. We also discuss what JDR will have to do since his team the Rockets lost to the Spurs two games in a row. The Manny Pacquiao VS. Floyd Mayweather fight draws closer and the price to watch the fight is ridiculous, find out if your hosts will be watching and what they think of this fight. We end the show with our Technical fouls of the week!

Get in Touch!

Find us on Twitter @therundownsports Like us on Facebook Rundownradio.

For comments, questions and criticisms of the show, please e-mail them to resources (at) serotalk (dot) com, Tweet them @SeroTalk, or use your iBlink Radio app to send us an iReport!

RWF 8: Tracy Reifkind: Queen of the Swing

Bill Kociaba — Thu, 16 Apr 2015 21:44:38 +0000

Listen to RWF 8: TRACY REIFKIND: QUEEN OF THE SWING

My guest this week is Tracy Reifkind of www.giryastrength.com She is known world wide as “the queen of the kettlebell swing”.

At age 41 she totally transformed her body losing over 100pounds! Now, 10 years later she looks and feels better than ever.

In this inspiring and fun interview we discuss;

The chubby girl
Learning through exposure
Life was good
Dodging the bullet
Stop doing what’s keeping you fat
Getting excited about it
Discovering the kettlebell swing
Tracy’s system
How the first DVD happened
“The Round About”
The book
Tracy’s message

Check out Tracy’s blog

Contact Bill!

To submit questions to Bill Kociaba, drop him a note at kociabafitness@gmail.com. You can also visit his site at kociaba-fitness.com. Or, feel free to leave your comment below. You may also use your iBlink Radio app to leave an iReport.

SeroTalk 227: These Raised Dots Spell Controversy

Joe Orozco — Mon, 13 Apr 2015 21:30:00 +0000

Download SeroTalk 227: These Raised Dots Spell Controversy or use the audio player below the show notes to tune in.

On this episode, the audiobook recommendation from Audible comes to us via Katie, who recommends Drowning Ruth by Christina Schwarz, which you can download for free at AudiblePodcast.com/SeroTalk.

SPN has been growing in leaps and bounds. Would you rather only receive the material you care about? Check out our Subscriptions page to sign up for the specific content you want.

Tech Headlines

These are the tech headlines that popped up since we last got together:

Microsoft’s new Surface 3 tablet: Hands-on review

Verizon Wireless Customers Can Now Opt Out of ‘Supercookies’

TrueCrypt security audit is good news, so why all the glum faces?

Microsoft will not enable Do Not Track by default in Project Spartan

Apple Watch for Sale in Retail Stores by Reservation Only, No Walk-In Sales

Apple will let you trade in your Android phone toward a new iPhone

Gmail for Android Gets a Combined Inbox View, Better Search, and More

Want to secure your social info? Facebook shows you how

Amazon takes on Angie’s List with handymen for hire

Comcast Speeding Up Its Broadband With 2-Gigabit Fiber Service

Samsung patents tech that lets you control your phone with your eyes

9th Circuit rules Netflix isn’t subject to disability law

Accessibility Talk

Don’t forget! Registration for the 8th annual ACVO/StokesRx National Service Animal Eye Exam opens April 1

Of course, the announcement may be irrelevant since ‘Robot on reins’ could soon replace guide dogs

Facebook Wants Your Business To Learn From Its Accessibility Efforts. You’ll note Joe expresses a bit of skepticism. Of course, after recording, the AFB’s AccessWorld® comes out with a positive take on the site’s accessibility. Check that out here.

Elsewhere in tech accessibility, or evolution, we have Five years ago the iPad changed clicks to touches – but another tablet revolution is coming.

And on a more serious note, here are 7 huge disability issues you may not know about, or at least your general peers may not be aware of them.

And, it seems the question persists: Is Braille Obsolete?

By the way, did you hear our very own Laine is being honored this month? Laine Amoureux – National Achievement Awards

Human Interest

In human interest, A Blind Mman Flies a Plane for the First Time But, what about everyone else? When You Realize You’ll Never Get Your Dream Job.

From the Mailbag

From Juan:

Hi guys,
Thank you for your good work. A shout out goes to my paisano Joe Orozco, and another shoutout to the pretty ladies who make The podcast possible. I liked the comment about how Audible portrays hispanics with a thick accent. I live in California, but when I attended the Louisiana Center for the blind, I received negative feedback from those around me over there, as they weren’t accustomed to being around a Mexican American. I do believe that as being blind and Mexican-American, I am as equal as those who are black, white, Asian and cited.

On another thought, I enjoy the way you guys present the Podcasts With brief useful information, and thoughts about the articles; and on the same time not get off tangent. I also like how you guys have provided more of the users’ feedback publicly, as a lot of the topics that you present are very sensitive in the blind community. And sometimes need more discussion from several points of view, so that we can all be educated, and feel better about Sensitive issues.
I could say more, but then I would be publishing a free book online.

Keep up the good work.

Sincerely,

Juan Avila

From Jenine,

Hello Joe, Katie and Laine,

Joe, thank you for noting that your article’s title was more about the marketing than the actual sentiment that guide dogs are necessarily a bad idea.

OK, let me put on my school hat here and say that I work in the Consumer Services department of the Guide Dog Foundation and America’s VetDogs. We serve people with guide and service dogs and my job is talking to those who are considering partnering with a dog for a variety of needs.

I like your points, Joe, and often point out such things myself. I’ve heard the argument that the guide dog school literature can be cloying and overly syrupy about our experiences with the dogs. Yes, this can be true to a point but most of us will admit that we are pretty psyched when that brand new dog allows us to do something we’d never been able to do before and we can’t help but gush about it. I think many of those gooey sentements are heart felt and true at the time. Then we return to our normally cynical grumpy selves and realize we were blathering. grin

That said, I think another thing that gets people into trouble when considering any type of assistance dog is that we do make the dog life style look so good, so comfortable and easy that it sure can smell like The Cure!

“If I just a dog, I’ll be able to get around without being scared or nervous or just frustrated.”

I see many people who do fairly well at the limited mobility tasks they have but want to do more. Most who come to guide dog class are ready but some are not. I try to explain to people that the difference between getting there with a cane and with a dog is like riding a bicycle versus driving a car. the car is going to go a lot faster with more force and though you’re in control to a point, the car will also behave as it will given physics.

There’s another saying I love from a guide dog instructor. “You have to learn to skate before you can play hockey.” that was said of the process it takes to be ready for a guide dog.

The conflicts created by denial of access can hit people hard. You’re on this high and then someone utters that phrase “No dogs!”

Even if it’s a simple misunderstanding, if you are not ready for it or you have never really learned to deal with conflict, it can seem like the end of the world. this is very true for some of the people we serve who have hidden disabilities. They have the dogs to assist with social anxiety and Voila! Having the dog causes social anxiety. It’s a jarring thing.

We are one of the programs that has shortened its training time to 2 weeks. I can say, because it’s a huge part of my job, that we have not lessened the amount of training we give people on the ADA and other laws and public access. that said, there is never enough time to fully discuss and remember all of those things during the standard 3.5 week class much less a shortened time frame.

Your point about contacting your school for assistance is great! that’s my job in part as well, to help people figure out what to do about violation of their rights, or if their rights were in fact violated.
U
Sadly, so many people seem to be afraid of their guide dog schools. We grant ownership upon graduation and still people are afraid to call us because they think if they have done something wrong, we will take their dogs away. We don’t have that power. We don’t want to take anyone’s dog away either, too much paperwork. grin

Seriously though, it’s got to be a partnership and if you feel it isn’t, the good news is that you have choices in this country, unlike many other areas of the world.

Is a guide dog right for everyone? Obviously not or everyone would have one. It’s a huge commitment and there are days, especially with a new young dog as I have, when I wonder what I was thinking. Then we negotiate some tricky obstacle and I remember why I have him. I’ve also become a much better cane user since getting a dog. I can’t exactly explain why but it happened.

So everyone enjoy your mobility choices and remember, practice makes, if not perfect, at least pretty darn good.

Thanks Jenine, and here are some relevant articles you guys may enjoy reading on the subject of service animals:

From Brad:

Interesting items again this time crew.

Glad you didn’t apologize for your dog-gone dog comments Joe. You got people reading with that ear-turnign headline, a marketers trick there. But, you got people to dig in why it is good to have a dog, you sly dog you. Oops, pun intended I guess.

I found the topic of opting out of restoring sight if given an opportunity pretty interesting. I’ve heard others say that too.

Me? I’d do it yesterday. There are limits to invasive techniques I’d never do however. But, give me eyeballs, and I’d relearn whatever I needed to. I realize I’ve spent over half my life thus far as a sighted person, so I know that weighs in huge. I might not feel the same when the scale tips toward the other side a bit.

That said, I don’t go around flinching at every article that talks about hope for us RP folks either, spend my days boo-whooing feeling sorry for myself, or giving up on life today with it’s opportunities and activities just because I have a vision issue.

I’ve ran the gamut on emotions over many years starting as a fully sighted person all the way to what I guess would be considered light perception. Blurry shapes and hues to either help me with mobility, or pulling an unsuspecting half-sighted joke on me if I allow it. There’s a ton of us out there, and not just RP folks either.

I understand Joe’s apprehension on losing usable sight, and the disappointment or adjustment needs to follow.

I remember one particular time years back when RP was more clinically documented than a daily life changing deal for me. My wife and I were all jazzed up about taking up racquetball.

We were financially strapped as a younger couple with two single-digit aged kids, and this was a big deal for us. We really were jazzed about joining the YMCA and having a weekly date wacking the snot out of each other on the racquet court.

So, we get on our garb, head to the reserved court, and grip those racquets with GI Joe’s Kung Fu grip… not you Joe, we know you could easily wup up on the real-life GI Joe just by staring him down. Anyway…

The gentleman I am, I let my wife wack the ball first while half-crouching facing the far end of the court ready to do business.

All I heard was the whop of her racket, an echo on the wall in front of me, and the ball bouncing around like popcorn in an air popper.

I didn’t see a freakin’ thing. It never occurred to me at that point, with RP I’d never see a fast moving ball, much less track it.

With my wife saying, “What’s wrong, why didn’t you hit it?” I had to explain there was no way I was going to be able to do this.

I felt like crying like a baby with its bottle plucked from its sucking mouth. I felt like I’d let her down, like I let her believe a lie, like I disappointed her; and yet it wasn’t my fault. I was taken in just like she was that this was going to be a new activity for us.

Rpers have the distinct privilege of fielding many different stages of loss, and we have an excellent opportunity to crawl in a whole and not come out if we so choose.

But, we also find our strength, resourcefulness, and maybe even get a little hacked off and determined when we’ve had enough of this limited-life bulldung.

In the end, yes, blindness is a nuisance, well, sometimes more, sometimes there is advantages, but overall a nuisance.

But we go on, life is good, and we have opportunity to achieve our goals in spite of it and serve hopefully as role models to those who watch us from a distance. Somehow, it all works out if we want it to.

Good job again this time boy and girls.

SeroTalk Extra Feedback

Listen to our SeroTalk Extra Tech Chat Edition episode.

From Mike Arrigo:

Enjoyed the show about the Apple watch. I won’t be getting one for several reasons. For one thing, I usually don’t buy the first version of anything, I would rather wait and let them work the bugs out first.
Second, I just don’t see the point. What would a watch give me that my phone doesn’t already do? It may sell at first just because it’s a new thing, but I agree that it’s a solution in search of a problem.
I think Mike is right about IOS 8. It’s ok now, but I am so glad I waited until after several updates before leaving IOS 7. Even on mac OS 10.10, there are still a few issues that it has compared to 10.9. If Steve were still here, I’m sure he would have never tolerated that kind of quality.

From Dave:

Hi, Dave from Vincennes In.
One comment as far as pc versis mobile phone/tabs. I like 3rd party s.a’s because of the bigger variety of voices. You don’t have that option of 3rd party voices with mobile phones or tabs. With maybe, one exception. I was attrackted to My Iphone because right from the factory it had some voices so I can opporate the phone and alot of apps. I like neo vlice paul for my lap top wich, is a windows computer but Paul is not available for my Iphone. Keep up the great work Serotech!

From Ken:

Hello SeroTalk Team,

Introduction

I normally restrict comments for podcasts like SeroTalk to resources for people asking for help finding products or services. My views tend towards the unpopular and since I am not within the Assistive Technology community are condescendingly dismissed as being from an uninformed dullard. This is a simplified paraphrase of the adtual comments about the points that I make but the purport is correct.

Personal History on Commenting

Several years ago, I sent a question to Joe Steinkamp for another SeroTalk tech chat type show. He asked for questions from the community. VoiceOver NVDA and mobile platforms were touted as soon killing off proprietary third party Windows screen readers at the time. Mr. Steinkamp did a reasonable job of expressing my views. My points were:
· The Mac was not widely used in the workplace and was not robust enough for it
· NVDA was not robust enough for the workplace and did not appear to be developing fast enough to be a viable workplace solution in the near future
· Mobile platforms were and still are poor environments for creating professional level documents.
My question was just how realistic was it for people planning to work outside of the Assistive Technology and blind support services industries to abandon the third party Windows screen readers? My cautions were dismissed because I was unduely pessimistic about the rate of change for the technologies and only a dullard would raise the issue.

I have had similar responses when commenting beyond simply offering resources in other cases.

Vindication

I am glad that a large part of the SeroTalk team of experts have come around to my views on the death of Windows and the end of laptops and desktops.

Screen Reader Double Standard

I beg to differ with Mike Calvo about not holding Operating System screen reader developers like Apple to the same standard as third party Windows screen reader developers. If Matt Campbell is correct about the convergents’ of desktop and mobile style OSs squeezing out third party screen readers, the blind community cannot afford to wait for OS developers to decide that they need to improve screen readers within their OS and applications. To many blind people will loose their jobs and will probably not be re-hired into comparable positions.

I lived through the DOS Windows transition and saw Microsoft’s initial assertion of we have given you enough access to the windows OS to enable you third party developers to create screen readers and its policy of benign neglect when challenged about the accuracy of the assertion. While Apple has developed a screen reader, their apparent current stance of we have done enough strikes me as being eerily similar to the early days of Microsoft Windows. I do not want the blind community to go through another experience like the DOS Windows transition with its associated loss of jobs and opportunities for blind people.

Blind Consumer Power

I also beg to differ with Mr. Calvo about the power of blind consumers to change corperate behavior. The fact is that VoiceOver was developed in response to a lawsuit and not to the power of blind consumer advocacy alone. I will point to two other recent situations to emphasize my point about the failure of blind consumer power alone to change corperate behavior.

The Blind Consumer and Cell Phones

My first review is that of the accessible feature cell phone. The following framework is based on my observations of the United States market and is somewhat arbitrary. Due to technological limitations,The first generation of feature cell phones provided both blind and sighted individuals with the same level of accessibility: no screens and maybe some tone based feedback at best.

With the advent of feature phones with screens, the situation changed radically. The second generation feature cell phone provided sighted users considerable enhancements like phone/address books that blind users did not enjoy. Cellular phone providers’ response to complaints by blind people about the lack of access comparable to sighted users was benign neglect at this point. Eventually due to political pressure from the blind community and low level threat of regulatory intervention, cellular providers started providing extremely limited accessible feature phones with no where near the power enjoyed by sighted users.

When truly advanced feature phones started appearing, cellular providers suggested that blind people buy the higher priced phones that could have screen readers added to the phone even if they included unwanted features and by the way the blind consumers were expected to pay full price for both the phone and the screen reader. Eventually again due to political pressure and threat of regulatory intervention, cellular providers started offering subsidies for the screen readers dispite the fact that the phone still cost more than there less powerful cousins.

The next step taken by cellular phone providers was to encourage blind consumers to buy smart phones with built-in screen readers dispite the fact that they both cost more to purchase and operate than their basic feature cousins.

The pending implementation of regulations for the 21st century Communication … act finally led to cellular providers offering blind consumers feature cell phones that are in terms of accessibility nearly competitive with those offered to the sighted. The entire process was driven by political pressure and regulatory power consumer advocacy unless you include political pressure as part of consumer power had virtually nothing to do with the eventual offering of reasonably accessible feature phones that are comparagle to those offered to the sighted. Before you challenge me on current availability of highly accessible feature phones that are comparable to those offered to the sighted, please review the mostly accessible PDF manuals for the Revere three Gusto three and the Kyocera DuraXV on the Verizon Wireless website. My understanding is that other cellular providers are offering screen reader enabled feature phones that are generally comparable to models that are not screen reader enabled with rough price paraty though with far fewer model options.

E-readers

The analysis of blind consumer power’ alone failure to change corporate behavior is much simpler for E-readers due to short history and regulatory framework. I provide below a URL to the FCC’s website with an extensive statement about a waiver for E-reader produsers:
http://www.fcc.gov/document/coalition-e-reader-manufacturers-petition-waiver-acs-rules
I leave the reader to draw their own conclusions. In the end the blind consumer only has the option to buy a higher price alternative with possibly unwanted features to the E-reader. If these companies were truly guided by blind consumer advocacy alone, they would develop speech enabled devices comparable with the E-readers already in their inventory with cost increases required to cover adding speech output. A price that I suspect would be lower than those for full featured smart phones and tablets.

Best Regards,
Ken Scott

Get in Touch!

Want to connect with our hosts? Tweet us! Katie @holnan, Laine @laine_amoureux, and Joe @ScribblingJoe.

For comments, questions and criticisms of the show, please e-mail them to resources (at) serotalk (dot) com, Tweet them @SeroTalk, or use your iBlink Radio app to send us an iReport!