I've taken a variety of items from my old site and placed here because they did not need their own individual pages. For example, sections on food and beverage, accessible games, favorite quotations, miscellaneous electronics, etc. Each area is its own heading.
Here is a new page I'm BUILDING with my first, original, cocktail. I hope to add more
MixologyCorner.html
Below will be a link to some of my favorite games, but before that, in memory of Jim Kitchen, I converted many of the commercials he used in his games to ringtone files for anyone who might want them. They are mostly from the Baseball game, my personal favorite.
Jim Kitchens Ads.zip
Accessible games Here you can read about some of my favorite accessible games.
Quotations Here you can read some of my favorite quotations.
Tom Lehrer recorded a hit novelty song in the 50-s and again in the 60's which he called, "Poisoning Pigeons in the Park." Someone programmed the DeckTalk speech synthesizer to sing it.
Before you listen to DeckTalk, if you have not heard the original, here is a YouTube link to a performance by tom Lehrer from 1998.
Tom Lehrer live
The DeckTalk MP3 file is about 1 minute and 50 seconds. Here it is:
I received a variation on the old Abbott and Costello "who's on first" routine a few years ago. I decided to produce it with different speech synthesizers using Window-Eyes and GoldWave. The link below will play the mp3 file. Enjoy.
Hu's in China.mp3
Here is the text version in an MS-Word document: Hu's_in_China.doc
There was a discussion on an email list for visually impaired that mentioned a talking blood pressure monitor that is certified by the American Medical Association. I had never owned an accessible monitor that would allow me to take my own blood pressure. This one does the trick.
It is very accurate, and relatively easy to use.
It comes in a nice carrying case for travel/storage. It comes with the 4 AA batteries needed for travel, an AC adapter, and the medium cuff as in the above. ON their site, it is more expensive for a larger cuff, but I didn't check to see about a smaller one. Since my arm is about 12 inches around just above the elbow about a half inch which is where it should be placed, the medium fits great! It is very comfortable and does not squeeze too much compared to some.
re are five buttons on the front panel.
The top two are arrows, top is up, next is down.
The third button from the top is the set button, and the bottom one is an average of the last three measurements.
Then there is a large round button with a tactile dot in the middle which is the on/off button. Press it once, and by default it gives you basic instructions about cuff placement and body position. Press it again and it takes the reading.
It can be set to English, Spanish, or French. It defaults too English.
It is a very clear, female voice.
If it detects an irregular heartbeat, it tells you. If your pressure is normal, it says your blood pressure is validated.
You need to have a sighted person set the clock and adjust other settings like if you want it to automatically do three checks in a row about a minute apart, language, and setting the pressure range and/or turning off the instructions.
It stores up to the last 90 readings. When it is sitting there with power, either plugged in or on battery, pressing the up arrow speaks memory 1, the first reading you did. Press it again and you get memory 2, etc.
If you press the down arrow, it reads the last reading you took.
I think it is an excellent blood pressure monitor. At the time of this writing, it is also available at Costco for the same price as Amazon, which on December 15, 2024, is $54.99.
Affordably priced Accessible Talking MP3 Players, Evo 10 & Evo 12 daisy Talking Book Readers, Victor Reader Stream, Blindshell classic 2 Phone, Phone Service, Bluetooth Transmitters/Receivers, and a variety of Accessories.
Free shipping in the US and no tax unless in florida.
Phone: 727-498-0121
Email: Laz at TalkingMP3Players.com
I recently learned that the OPTACON has an active users' list, places to repair them, and a movement to get a new OPTACON type machine created. If you are interested, here is some information.
Richard Oehm
Oehm Electronics
2194C GALVESTON AVENUE
SAN JOSE, CA 95122-3617
Tel: 408-971-6250
FAX: 408-271-9188
Email Oehm electronics
To subscribe to the OPTACON users' list, send an e-mail with the word subscribe in the subject to:
optacon-l-request at freelists.org
by replacing the word "at" with the @ (at) sign.
Last updated August 12, 2025
according to: Mr. Web Counter