Hi, Kelly. Thank you for your prompt response and explanation. I can rest easier now. Ted Chittenden >From: Kelly Pierce <[log in to unmask]> >Reply-To: Kelly Pierce <[log in to unmask]> >To: [log in to unmask] >Subject: Re: Why Vicug's Are Important >Date: Wed, 22 Jun 2005 22:32:48 -0500 > >Ted, > >mark, Gregory, and me are the list owners. the three of us were the >founding members of the three largest vicug's in the United states. If one >were to re-read the manifesto we created in the 1990s when we established >vicug-l, the intent of the list was to aid in the establishment of new >vicugs and the further development of existing ones. We also recognized >the >need to support those outside the big cities, where the vicugs were >clustered. In this respect, vicug-l served as an online vicug. In recent >years, vicug-l has mostly served as an online vicug, discussing many of the >topics that arise during a typical vicug meeting. this includes topics >related to disability and technology as well as the emerging mainstream >technologies. discussion of issues related to community organizing, >disability, policy, vicug structure, and the differences between vicugs and >centers for independent living and large, nationally-based blindness >organizations. > >I have considered Linn's concern. vicug-l serves as more than a forum for >adaptive technology news, tips,and tricks. it fosters individual and >community empowerment of blind persons through adaptive technology and >promotes community-based institutions to enable individuals and communities >to take charge of their lives and take back their community space seized by >others. > >Ted, I hope this answers your questions. > >Kelly > > > > >----- Original Message ----- >From: "Ted Chittenden" <[log in to unmask]> >To: <[log in to unmask]> >Sent: Wednesday, June 22, 2005 8:02 PM >Subject: Re: Why Vicug's Are Important > > > > Hi to all. > > > > This may get me thrown off of the list, but I would please like some > > clarification. Lynn Evans, are you now a list moderator. > > > > I ask this, because I know that at one time, Kelly Pierce (the subject >of > > the scolding below) was at one time moderating this list. I also know > > from > > the response to a post I sent a couple of years back that Mark J. Senk >is > > also involved in moderating this list. > > > > I don't really have any objections if the rules of posting (or at least > > the > > enforcement of those rules) has been narrowed. I am involved with >another > > list that has very narrow rules as to what can and cannot be posted. > > However, on that list, it was made clear from the get-go who the >moderator > > was. On this list, I have only heard secondhand, and many posts that I > > and > > others have posted in the past probably would be suspect under the >ground > > rules you quote below. What's fair is fair. Are you in any way >involved > > with moderating this list. If so, I will keep any future posts >(assuming > > I > > am not removed from the list) to the ground rules laid out below. > > > > Thank you in advance for your response to this inquiry (even if I am > > pulled > > from the list). > > > > Ted Chittenden > > > > > > > >>From: Lynn Evans <[log in to unmask]> > >>Reply-To: Lynn Evans <[log in to unmask]> > >>To: [log in to unmask] > >>Subject: Re: Why Vicug's Are Important > >>Date: Wed, 22 Jun 2005 10:52:14 -0400 > >> > >>Hello Listers: > >> > >>Just a friendly reminder: I would like to remind folks subscribed to >the > >>VISUALLY IMPAIRED COMPUTER USERS GROUP. your postings should be computer > >>related. > >> > >>If you like to post about "vicus"? or NFB please post to another list. > >> > >> > >>----- Original Message ----- > >>From: "Peter Seymour" <[log in to unmask]> > >>To: <[log in to unmask]> > >>Sent: Wednesday, June 22, 2005 4:13 AM > >>Subject: Re: Why Vicug's Are Important > >> > >> > >>: And that Oregon funding article isn't the first about an NFB shady >deal > >>to > >>: be posted to this list. Remember this one? > >>: > >>: > >>: Diebold and the Disabled > >>: > >>: By Kim Zetter > >>: Wired News > >>: October 12, 2004 > >>: Story location: > >>: http://www.wired.com/news/evote/0,2645,65292,00.html > >>: > >>: > >>: In the controversy over electronic voting machines, activists > >>: for disability groups have been at the forefront of campaigns to > >>: convince counties and states to purchase touch-screen voting > >>: systems. They've attested to the security and accuracy of the > >>: machines, going so far as to sue counties and states that don't > >>: purchase the machines. > >>: > >>: And they've opposed e-voting machines that produce a paper > >>: trail. > >>: > >>: The disability groups say they're just fighting for the right > >>: to use accessible machines, because touch-screen voting systems > >>: are the only ones that let them cast ballots without assistance. > >>: > >>: But other voting activists say disability groups have become > >>: shills for the voting companies, pressuring counties to buy > >>: insecure voting systems over other options. > >>: > >>: "I feel they're using blind voters to pursue an agenda that's > >>: actually not in the interest of any voters," said Maryland voting > >>: activist Linda Schade of TrueVoteMD. " Because these machines > >>: don't discriminate when they lose votes, they can lose or > >>: inaccurately record the votes of blind voters as well as seeing > >>: voters." > >>: > >>: Financial connections and a partnership between one disability > >>: group and Diebold Election Systems' parent company also raise > >>: questions about motives and conflicts of interest. > >>: > >>: In May 2000, Diebold, a maker of automated teller machines, > >>: agreed to pay the National Federation of the Blind $1 million to > >>: help build a new research and training institute. The money was > >>: offered in exchange for the NFB agreeing to drop a lawsuit it > >>: filed against Diebold for installing ATMs inaccessible to blind > >>: customers, when technology for making the machines accessible was > >>: available. The NFB also formed a partnership with Diebold to help > >>: the company develop and market accessible ATM machines -- an > >>: agreement that later extended to the company's touch-screen > >>: voting systems. > >>: > >>: The NFB, which calls itself "the voice of the nation's blind," > >>: then used the Americans with Disabilities Act to file lawsuits > >>: against banks not using accessible ATMs. It later sued two states > >>: to force them to upgrade or obtain e-voting machines -- while a > >>: debate about the security and reliability of such systems was > >>: growing nationwide. > >>: > >>: The NFB and its state affiliates have also advised states and > >>: the federal government on accessible voting issues and pushed for > >>: legislation regarding such systems without disclosing the group's > >>: relationship to Diebold. James Gashel, the NFB's lobbyist who > >>: testified on e-voting in congressional hearings in 2001, said > >>: most of the testimony and advising were done in 2000 and 2001, > >>: before Diebold entered the domestic voting business in 2002. > >>: > >>: "I have not said boo to the Congress about voting since March > >>: 2001," he said. But even if he were to testify before Congress > >>: today, he said, he would not disclose the information unless > >>: asked because he doesn't think the issues are related. > >>: > >>: "The resolution of a lawsuit involving ATMs (doesn't) have a > >>: thing to do with voting," Gashel said. "Voting and ATMs are two > >>: different kinds of technology." He also said the NFB's > >>: relationship with Diebold isn't a secret -- both entities in 2000 > >>: released announcements about the grant, which are posted on their > >>: websites. > >>: > >>: But Alex Knott, political editor at the Center for Public > >>: Integrity, said even if the information is available publicly, > >>: the NFB should disclose it when speaking to states or federal > >>: agencies. > >>: > >>: "It's important to note that his organization shares an > >>: affiliation with a company that has something to gain (from > >>: endorsements he makes)," Knott said. "If you're talking about a > >>: relevant topic and are receiving money from a company like that, > >>: it's important for you to be transparent." > >>: > >>: Gary Ruskin of the Congressional Accountability Project > >>: agrees. "This is basic information that bears on his point of > >>: view and the value of his testimony, and the public needs to know > >>: of any actual or potential conflicts of interest when he speaks > >>: to Congress or to states," Ruskin said. > >>: > >>: By lobbying the government on legislation that would benefit > >>: Diebold while taking money from the company and helping to market > >>: Diebold products, Ruskin says the NFB risks the appearance that > >>: the NFB and its endorsement are "for sale." > >>: > >>: "A million dollars is a lot of money for a nonprofit to > >>: receive," Ruskin said. "Anyone in Washington knows that money > >>: often comes with strings attached. He who pays the piper calls > >>: the tune. That's what Washington lobbying and gift giving is all > >>: about." > >>: > >>: The NFB isn't the only disability group to receive money from > >>: voting companies. The government lobbyist for the American > >>: Association of People with Disabilities, who has traveled around > >>: the country testifying on behalf of touch-screen voting, > >>: acknowledged this year that his organization received at least > >>: $26,000 from voting companies, but only after first denying it. > >>: > >>: When asked in April, Jim Dickson, vice president of government > >>: affairs for the AAPD, told Wired News his organization had never > >>: received money from voting companies. But in June, he told The > >>: New York Times the organization had gotten money. > >>: > >>: Dickson didn't disclose the gifts at hearings in California > >>: this year, where he tried to convince officials not to decertify > >>: touch-screen voting machines made by Diebold and other companies. > >>: Nor did he disclose the information in Washington in May when he > >>: participated in hearings with the federal Election Assistance > >>: Commission. > >>: > >>: "He comes to states where he's not even registered to vote and > >>: he gives this very heartfelt testimony about how meaningful it is > >>: to vote independently," said Natalie Wormeli, an attorney in > >>: California who is blind. "But in his testimony he never says he's > >>: a professional spokesperson, he never says he's not a registered > >>: voter in the state, and he never discloses how he's getting > >>: paid." > >>: > >>: Dickson did not respond to repeated calls for comment. > >>: > >>: The NFB's willingness to align itself with Diebold seems > >>: particularly strange in light of its own policy, expressed by > >>: lobbyist James Gashel before the Committee on Labor and Human > >>: Resources. Gashel told the committee that whenever the NFB tested > >>: technologies to evaluate their accessibility, it always purchased > >>: the equipment, rather than accept it gratis from vendors and risk > >>: the appearance of impropriety. > >>: > >>: "The challenging word is 'buy' -- not 'accept' or 'receive,' > >>: but 'buy,'" Gashel said. "We find the money to support this > >>: effort because we want to be completely independent from > >>: manufacturers or marketing interests. This is essential if the > >>: advice we give or reports we publish are to be regarded as > >>: credible." > >>: > >>: The issue of impropriety becomes especially sensitive where > >>: lawsuits are involved. > >>: > >>: In March 2001, the president of the Vermont affiliate of the > >>: NFB initiated a lawsuit against Banknorth, Chittenden Bank, > >>: Northfield Savings Bank and the Vermont State Employees Credit > >>: Union. A year later Banknorth settled and agreed to install > >>: accessible ATMs at 470 locations in six states. Other banks > >>: settled as well. . > >>: > >>: But when Chittenden announced it would spend $250,000 over > >>: five years to modify or replace 35 of its 68 ATMs, the Vermont > >>: Free Press reported that "the NFB said that was not enough, and > >>: continues to push for more talking ATMs, faster." > >>: > >>: Activists said the goal was to increase Diebold's revenue. > >>: > >>: The company's domestic revenue did increase by about 10 > >>: percent, or $2 million, the first year after its legal settlement > >>: with the NFB. But the revenue came mostly from services rather > >>: than the sale of products, which actually dropped during that > >>: period. And domestic revenue the next year dropped to less than a > >>: million. > >>: > >>: "It's a decent increase," Diebold spokesman Michael Jacobsen > >>: said of the initial revenue boost. "But that came from a number > >>: of things. We haven't seen anything in terms of lawsuits against > >>: our bank customers that had an appreciable impact on our > >>: business." If banks upgraded their products to make them > >>: accessible (Diebold and other ATM makers have upgrading kits for > >>: this), it would cost only $1,000 to $2,000 per machine, as > >>: opposed to $40,000 for a new ATM. > >>: > >>: ATM lawsuits aren't the only concerns, however. The NFB and > >>: AAPD have turned their attention to voting lawsuits that promise > >>: to benefit vendors as much as voters with disabilities. > >>: > >>: The NFB, AAPD and individuals with disabilities have filed > >>: half a dozen lawsuits in California, Washington, D.C., Florida > >>: and Philadelphia to force counties and states to purchase > >>: touch-screen voting machines. In Ohio, the NFB filed suit after > >>: Ohio Secretary of State Kenneth Blackwell decided to delay the > >>: purchase of touch-screen machines over concerns that the systems > >>: were insecure. > >>: > >>: In 2002, five visually impaired voters sued Maryland to force > >>: the state to buy accessible voting machines more quickly than it > >>: thought wise, and the NFB joined the suit six months later. > >>: Maryland now uses Diebold machines statewide, except in one > >>: county. This year, the NFB switched sides to defend the Maryland > >>: Board of Elections in a different suit filed by voting activists > >>: who challenged the legality and integrity of the Diebold systems. > >>: > >>: Although in lawsuits the NFB has never specified which brand > >>: of touch-screen machines states and counties should purchase, the > >>: group has made no secret of its preference. > >>: > >>: In 2002, when Maryland's Board of Elections asked researchers > >>: at the University of Maryland to conduct a usability study of the > >>: Diebold system, the researchers reported that visually impaired > >>: voters found the system "confusing and hard to navigate." The > >>: board took issue with the report and defended the Diebold system > >>: saying it "is the system preferred by the National Federation of > >>: the Blind." > >>: > >>: In September 2003, after computer scientists released reports > >>: showing that the Diebold touch-screen system was flawed, NFB > >>: President Marc Maurer said the NFB had "complete confidence in > >>: the proliferation and capacity of electronic voting systems and > >>: in Diebold Election Systems, in particular, to operate at an > >>: optimal level of security, accuracy and accessibility that > >>: protects the integrity of elections." > >>: > >>: Doug Jones, a University of Iowa professor of computer science > >>: and a member of that state's board of examiners for voting > >>: systems, thought it was a strange comment to make for a group > >>: that knows nothing about computer programming. > >>: > >>: "Why in the world would an organization like the NFB, that has > >>: no expertise in computer security or reliability, say something > >>: like that?" Jones said. > >>: > >>: An NFB member wondered the same thing when he posted to an NFB > >>: e-mail list last September expressing concern about a conflict of > >>: interest "if NFB seems to only single out one company, and one > >>: that has contributed substantially to NFB coffers." > >>: > >>: California attorney Wormeli is more concerned that by using > >>: the court system to force counties and states to purchase voting > >>: machines before they can be made more secure, they're putting the > >>: democracy at risk. > >>: > >>: "It's the wrong approach at the wrong time," Wormeli said. "By > >>: letting them be sponsored by these corporations who only want to > >>: sell machines, they don't necessarily look out for our interest, > >>: which is to make sure our votes are getting counted properly." > >>: > >>: As Wormeli told a hearing in California earlier this year, "We > >>: have time to let the technology that's being perfected find its > >>: way to California. I refuse to be an impatient passenger in the > >>: back of the car saying, 'When are we going to get there?' I know > >>: we're going to get there, but I want to get there safely." > >>: > >>: Laila Weir contributed to this report. > >>: > >>: > >>: At 08:11 PM 6/20/05 -0500, Kelly Pierce wrote: > >>: >Eighty cents of nearly every dollar raised in Oregon by the national > >>: >Federation of the blind was shipped out of state to one of its > >>: >nationally-based businesses. Of the remaining funds, some obviously > >>was > >>: >used for administrative purposes, leaving little on the table for the > >>blind > >>: >of Oregon. Money raised by Vicug's stays in the community to be used > >>to > >>aid > >>: >blind people rather than line the pockets of wealthy blind business > >>people > >>: >or blind non-profit bureaucrats. vicug's are transparent in their > >>: >activities and finances and welcome the participation of community > >>members. > >>: >The article below from Sunday's Baltimore Sun describes what >apparently > >>is > >>: >commonplace at America's largest organization of blind people. > >>: > > >>: >Kelly > >>: > > >>: > > >>: >The Baltimore Sun > >>: > > >>: >June 19, 2005 > >>: > > >>: > > >>: > business > >>: > > >>: >A warning to charitable donors and a case for tougher disclosure laws > >>on > >>: >nonprofits > >>: > > >>: >by: Jay Hancock > >>: > > >>: > >> > >> > >---------------------------------------------------------------------------- > >>: >---- > >>: > > >>: > RIIIING. IT'S the National Federation of the Blind of Oregon, > >>calling > >>: >across that state. They want money "to help the blind of the area," > >>: >according to a fund-raising script from 2003. > >>: > > >>: > "This year we are working to make more reading materials >accessible > >>to > >>: >the blind and to provide more help to blind seniors and blind > >>children," > >>: >says the telemarketer. "We were hoping you could help us with a > >>donation > >>: >of, say, $25 or so?" > >>: > > >>: > Helping blind children. What a great cause. You write the check. > >>: >("That would be wonderful!" the telemarketer is supposed to say.) Too > >>bad > >>: >the script left out several pertinent details, the main one being >that > >>: >most of your $25 would get nowhere near blind children or any other > >>blind > >>: >people in Oregon. > >>: > > >>: > Beware, philanthropists. Despite progress in recent years, > >>information > >>: >on where charity donations go is still obscure and often disturbing > >>when > >>: >it emerges, even when the practices appear completely legal. > >>: > > >>: > An examination of the Baltimore-based National Federation of the > >>Blind > >>: >and its affiliates offers another case for better disclosure laws >and, > >>in > >>: >their absence, more openness by nonprofits. > >>: > > >>: > Of a $25, phone-solicited gift to the National Federation of the > >>Blind > >>: >of Oregon, $15 - 60 percent - would be taken off the top by a > >>for-profit > >>: >fund-raising company called CMS Inc., according to a contract on file > >>with > >>: >Oregon's Department of Justice, one of the few state regulators to > >>police > >>: >nonprofits. The contract is dated 2002, but other documents furnished > >>by > >>: >the regulator indicate that CMS continues to work for NFB Oregon. > >>: > > >>: > The president of CMS for many years has been Ramona Walhof, a > >>longtime > >>: >director of one nonprofit, American Action Fund for Blind Children >and > >>: >Adults, which shares NFB's Baltimore headquarters and has NFB >president > >>: >Marc Maurer as its top-paid employee, and another, the Jacobus >tenBroek > >>: >Memorial Fund, which owns the NFB headquarters building. > >>: > > >>: > Taking that $15 cut leaves $10. Half of that would be sent to NFB > >>: >headquarters in a big building in South Baltimore that NFB and > >>affiliates > >>: >recently expanded at a cost of $19.5 million. > >>: > > >>: > The other $5 would arrive at NFB Oregon, which provides > >>scholarships > >>: >for blind students, lobbies on issues important to the blind and does > >>: >other good work. But $5 is only a fifth of the $25 donation. > >>: > > >>: > In January, NFB Oregon agreed with the state Department of >Justice > >>to > >>: >correct alleged violations that included failure to tell donors that > >>some > >>: >funds were sent to Baltimore and misrepresenting big fund-raising > >>: >commissions as "community outreach" expenses benefiting the blind. In > >>: >correcting the deficiencies, NFB Oregon denied "liability of any > >>wrongful > >>: >acts," according to the settlement. > >>: > > >>: > Back in Baltimore, legal records and NFB documents show, a house > >>owned > >>: >by Mary Ellen Jernigan, NFB's executive director of operations and >the > >>: >widow of late NFB President Kenneth Jernigan, was bought in 2003 for > >>: >$490,000 by the Action Fund. . For 2005 the Maryland Department of > >>: >Assessments and Taxation assessed the house, in Baltimore's Irvington > >>: >section, at $154,040. > >>: > > >>: > Despite the fact that charity business with insiders often raises > >>: >questions about whether the nonprofit is getting the best deal with > >>donor > >>: >money, the house's purchase was not disclosed in IRS filings by >either > >>the > >>: >Action Fund or NFB. > >>: > > >>: > Nor was the fact that Walhof, a director of both the Action Fund > >>and > >>: >the tenBroek Fund, has been doing big business as a fund-raiser with >an > >>: >NFB state affiliate. NFB of Oregon paid $176,836 to CMS in 2002. > >>: > > >>: > Still glad you wrote the check? NFB says you should be. > >>: > > >>: > NFB of Oregon President Carla McQuillan did not return my phone > >>call. > >>: > > >>: > But in its battle with the Oregon Department of Justice, the > >>nonprofit > >>: >contended that the phone solicitations were "community outreach" > >>programs > >>: >worth the 60 percent commission because the script had the >telemarketer > >>: >say, "Do you know anyone who is losing vision or blind and may need >our > >>: >help?" NFB Oregon contended the calls helped it identify frequently > >>: >isolated blind people. > >>: > > >>: > "There are many number of people going blind who simply don't >know > >>: >about the National Federation of the Blind or the National Federation > >>of > >>: >the Blind of Oregon," said Andrew Freeman, a Baltimore attorney who > >>: >represented NFB Oregon in its dealings with regulators. The calls did > >>: >identify blind people, he said, although he didn't know how many. >"From > >>: >our point of view it is outreach, but it is also fund-raising." > >>: > > >>: > Many calls, however, were directed to people who had a history of > >>: >giving to NFB Oregon, a 2004 letter from CMS to the nonprofit shows. > >>And > >>: >according to the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants, > >>: >fund-raiser compensation hinging on percentages of contributions must > >>be > >>: >reported by nonprofits as a fund-raising expense, no matter what >other > >>: >service the fund-raiser may perform. > >>: > > >>: > Of the 60 percent commissions, Freeman said that "my >understanding > >>is > >>: >that it's a market rate" and that because community outreach occurred > >>CMS > >>: >did more than raise money. Regulators' criticism of NFB Oregon for >not > >>: >telling donors that funds went to Baltimore was "nitpicking," he >said, > >>: >because NFB national serves blind people across the country, >including > >>: >those of Oregon. > >>: > > >>: > CMS head Walhof declined to comment. James Gashel, executive > >>director > >>: >for strategic initiatives for the national NFB, says that he is > >>unfamiliar > >>: >with the Oregon details but that as a blind person Walhof understands > >>the > >>: >needs of NFB affiliates, "is doing a credible job" and "is not living >a > >>: >lavish lifestyle." (Does the National Federation of the Blind of > >>Maryland > >>: >hire fund-raisers who take similar percentages? President Sharon >Maneki > >>: >says NFB Maryland sometimes uses a professional fund-raiser for a >small > >>: >part of its revenue and like other affiliates shares half of what's > >>raised > >>: >with national headquarters. She declined to say what percentage the > >>: >fund-raiser is paid, saying it's proprietary, and there is no >Maryland > >>or > >>: >federal law that says she has to.) > >>: > > >>: > Gashel, who is an Action Fund director in addition to working for > >>NFB, > >>: >also defended the fund's purchase of the Jernigan house. First, > >>$232,696 > >>: >of the $490,000 purchase price was for rare, vintage Braille books >that > >>: >came with the property, Gashel said. He showed me the books and > >>supporting > >>: >appraisal. Second, he said, the house dates to the 19th century, is > >>much > >>: >bigger and older than neighboring rowhouses and is surely worth > >>$300,000 > >>: >or so - again producing an appraisal. > >>: > > >>: > He's probably right. It's a dignified old mansion, with >wide-plank > >>: >floors, nine fireplaces and 12-foot ceilings with plaster rosettes. > >>: > > >>: > And the house is historic, Gashel said, because it was lived in >for > >>: >years by Jernigan, a leading figure in the civil rights struggle of >the > >>: >blind by virtue of his longtime NFB presidency. Mrs. Jernigan has >moved > >>: >and the house is used by NFB for meetings, parties and quiet work by > >>: >executives, Gashel said. > >>: > > >>: > "Dr. Jernigan was in effect our Martin Luther King," added >Gashel, > >>who > >>: >like all top NFB officials is blind. The Irvington home and the > >>expensive > >>: >NFB headquarters are held in trust for all blind people, and their > >>upscale > >>: >appeal "tells us that we can be first-class citizens," he added. >"Most > >>: >blind people don't have that." > >>: > > >>: > OK, but how about a little more voluntary disclosure and less of > >>what > >>: >looks like somersaults to avoid disclosure requirements? > >>: > > >>: > Other than perhaps the NFB Oregon issues, alleged by the state > >>: >Department of Justice to constitute "fraudulent and dishonest >conduct," > >>: >all of what is described in this column appears to be within the laws > >>: >governing nonprofits. Because the Jernigan house was bought with >Action > >>: >Fund money and not NFB money, and by waiting until five years after > >>: >Kenneth Jernigan's 1998 death to make the purchase, the NFB could > >>sidestep > >>: >requirements to list the purchase on IRS forms asking about insider > >>: >transactions. > >>: > > >>: > There is little legal limit on what fund-raisers can make; as >long > >>as > >>: >some money trickles into a nonprofit, it's OK. Because Walhof is a > >>: >director of NFB siblings tenBroek and Action funds and not NFB >itself, > >>: >there appears to be no requirement by NFB to report her work for NFB > >>: >Oregon as an insider transaction on its IRS forms, says Daniel Kurtz, >a > >>: >New York lawyer specializing in nonprofit law and a former charity > >>: >regulator. > >>: > > >>: > And in a landmark case in the 1980s that involved the National > >>: >Federation of the Blind itself, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled that >free > >>: >speech rights prohibit regulators from interfering much with > >>nonprofits' > >>: >solicitation pitches. Neither the Oregon Department of Justice nor >any > >>: >other regulator can require fund-raisers to disclose fees when >they're > >>: >asking for money. > >>: > > >>: > But is that the best we should expect from a large, nationally > >>: >respected charity and its affiliates? > >>: > > >>: > NFB does many worthy deeds, furnishing meaning and resources to > >>many > >>: >of the nation's blind. But the disclosure trigger in any charitable > >>: >transaction should be: Is this information that a potential donor and > >>the > >>: >public would want to know? The answer for the items mentioned here, I > >>: >believe, is yes. > >>: > > >>: > It shouldn't take a snoopy columnist or Oregon regulators, >however, > >>to > >>: >find out. Congress ought to make charities disclose, say, a fraction >of > >>: >the information required from a mutual fund. And charities should try > >>hard > >>: >to avoid even appearances of conflicts of interest and always err in > >>the > >>: >direction of letting in too much sunshine rather than too little. > >>: > > >>: > That really would be wonderful. Meanwhile, caveat donor. > >>: > > >>: > > >>: >VICUG-L is the Visually Impaired Computer User Group List. > >>: >To join or leave the list, send a message to > >>: >[log in to unmask] In the body of the message, simply > >>type > >>: >"subscribe vicug-l" or "unsubscribe vicug-l" without the quotations. > >>: > VICUG-L is archived on the World Wide Web at > >>: >http://maelstrom.stjohns.edu/archives/vicug-l.html > >>: > > >>: > > >>: > >>: > >>: VICUG-L is the Visually Impaired Computer User Group List. > >>: To join or leave the list, send a message to > >>: [log in to unmask] In the body of the message, simply >type > >>: "subscribe vicug-l" or "unsubscribe vicug-l" without the quotations. > >>: VICUG-L is archived on the World Wide Web at > >>: http://maelstrom.stjohns.edu/archives/vicug-l.html > >>: > >>: > >>: > >>: -- > >>: No virus found in this incoming message. > >>: Checked by AVG Anti-Virus. > >>: Version: 7.0.323 / Virus Database: 267.7.9/23 - Release Date: >6/20/2005 > >>: > >> > >> > >> > >>-- > >>No virus found in this outgoing message. > >>Checked by AVG Anti-Virus. > >>Version: 7.0.323 / Virus Database: 267.7.10/25 - Release Date: 6/21/2005 > >> > >> > >>VICUG-L is the Visually Impaired Computer User Group List. > >>To join or leave the list, send a message to > >>[log in to unmask] In the body of the message, simply type > >>"subscribe vicug-l" or "unsubscribe vicug-l" without the quotations. > >> VICUG-L is archived on the World Wide Web at > >>http://maelstrom.stjohns.edu/archives/vicug-l.html > >> > > > > > > VICUG-L is the Visually Impaired Computer User Group List. > > To join or leave the list, send a message to > > [log in to unmask] In the body of the message, simply type > > "subscribe vicug-l" or "unsubscribe vicug-l" without the quotations. > > VICUG-L is archived on the World Wide Web at > > http://maelstrom.stjohns.edu/archives/vicug-l.html > > > > > > >VICUG-L is the Visually Impaired Computer User Group List. >To join or leave the list, send a message to >[log in to unmask] In the body of the message, simply type >"subscribe vicug-l" or "unsubscribe vicug-l" without the quotations. > VICUG-L is archived on the World Wide Web at >http://maelstrom.stjohns.edu/archives/vicug-l.html > VICUG-L is the Visually Impaired Computer User Group List. To join or leave the list, send a message to [log in to unmask] In the body of the message, simply type "subscribe vicug-l" or "unsubscribe vicug-l" without the quotations. VICUG-L is archived on the World Wide Web at http://maelstrom.stjohns.edu/archives/vicug-l.html