Even if I got out my hand-frame and wrote with style - pardon the pun -
there would be no way of proving how the entry was submitted. Whatever
about looking, Braille mostly feels the same on paper if presented
professionally.
I wouldn't say the judges are themselves Braille readers, as from
checking online in the past, I see (or maybe I feel) that they come from
a cross-section of academic backgrounds. The reason this can be gauged
is because some said it gave them an excellent, and in a few cases,
intimate insight into blind people's lives and they felt quite privileged
on that account.
Thus, it's the composition of the essay that seems to matter, not how
it's submitted to the relevant EBU organisation who select it for entry.
The only way to show a blind person's Braille writing capabilities is to
have entrants physically present in a hall or room with their frames,
Perkins, Pykes, Stainsbys or qwerty keyboard Braillers and do their
'shtuff' on those.
Anyway, I tell ye another story. When NCBI first decided to enter this
contest in 2007, they didn't receive the results in a press release in
late October. I contacted them three months later, and only then did
they get on to the organiser, who furnished same and NCBI in turn did
likewise to me. He apologised for his oversight but you can be certain
sure it left a sour taste in the mouth of some. I was one of five
entrants that year, just the right number; the following year I was the
only one, so the previous year's hopefuls either never received the
result or thought it was a waste of time bothering again.
In 2009 then, for the great Louis's bicentenary, there was an
understandable special effort made and this time, NCBI did publicise the
results, when one of their own entrants was among the prizewinners. The
2008 results, together with the winning essays, were published on the
EBU'S website but the 2007 winners, being the one I had to enquire about,
apart from an Italian entry, all came from the Easter block. As one
fella put it when I sent them to him, it was just like the Eurovision
song contest of the last few years.
Now, where do we go from here?
John L
----- Original Message -----
From: "Eleanor Burke" <eleanorburke@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
To: <vip_students@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
Sent: Friday, April 29, 2011 10:00 PM
Subject: [vip_students] Re: Fw: Re: EBU Braille essay contest
I agree entirely.
-original message-
Subject: [vip_students] Re: Fw: Re: EBU Braille essay contest
From: "Nicholas Kealy" <nicky.kealy@xxxxxxxxx>
Date: 29/04/2011 9:42 pm
Sorry now but this is all a bit of a joke and ridiculous to me. I think
its
a complete cop-out. Braille to me is something that is written on a
page.
Its available to touch. Therefore, I find it ridiculous to think that
you
can enter a Braille essay competition using a digital device no matter
what
its designed for to produce it. If its not done on a Braille machine in
my
view and sent on paper then I personally just think that this competition
is
not doing anything at all to protect Braille as a written language at
all.
Cheers, Nicky.
----- Original Message -----
From: "Eleanor Burke" <eleanorburke@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
To: <vip_students@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
Sent: Friday, April 29, 2011 3:53 PM
Subject: [vip_students] Re: Fw: Re: EBU Braille essay contest
It would be very interesting Flor if someone from NCBI could give us an
authorative take on it.
-original message-
Subject: [vip_students] Re: Fw: Re: EBU Braille essay contest
From: "Flor Lynch" <florlync@xxxxxx>
Date: 29/04/2011 3:43 pm
Eleanor,
Interesting. We here have been given the option of emailing our entries.
one can't do that with a paper copy. Who is to know what went on between
the person writing out their essay in their preferred format and the
submission? Our electronic braille note-takers, to, have their own
translation facilities (from print to Braille), as well. And, do the
paper braille copies get sent all the way to japan, or electronic? (if
paper, hoping they don't get crushed along the way!)
I don't know whether I'll enter yet. Good luck to entrants.
----- Original Message -----
From: "Eleanor Burke" <eleanorburke@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
To: <vip_students@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
Sent: Friday, April 29, 2011 3:05 PM
Subject: [vip_students] Re: Fw: Re: EBU Braille essay contest
I had that last year about Duxbury from UK HOWEVER i stand corrected if
I an wrong. The theory was that a Word document translated into Braille
on a computer did not demonstrate a blind person's ability to write
Braille.
-original message-
Subject: [vip_students] Re: Fw: Re: EBU Braille essay contest
From: "Flor Lynch" <florlync@xxxxxx>
Date: 29/04/2011 12:57 pm
Hi Eleanor,
have you received official word on that? I believe you could indeed use
Duxbury on your computer which, after all, produces 'digital braille'
files: You can even write files in .dxb - duxbury braille, and convert
them to .brf - braille Ready Files. (you can (also, if preferred) use
six-key perkins-style keyyboard braille entry, on your computer, using
duxbury, and emboss that right away.) A file translated from Duxbury
print to Duxbury braille is still a digital braille file. Hence, it
would be best if NCBI or a competent authority would tell us (or those
of us concerned) which format or kind of digital braille file is
acceptable.
About the essay theme itself: this theme is the same as that of the
competition three - or four - years ago. the WBU (World blind union) is
still in overall charge, from what I can make of it. Now the NFB in
north america is in charge of running the competition over in that
region; and they do not mention digital braille or email as an option
for entry. In the past, we were allowed to write/email files in any
format, or the obvious braille on paper.
----- Original Message -----
From: "Eleanor Burke" <eleanorburke@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
To: <vip_students@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
Sent: Friday, April 29, 2011 8:58 AM
Subject: [vip_students] Re: Fw: Re: EBU Braille essay contest
As long as it is Braille written on an electronic Braille device and
them printed on an embosser but it cannot be written on a computer using
word processing and transcribed to Braille with say Duxbury Braille
Transcription.
-original message-
Subject: [vip_students] Fw: Re: EBU Braille essay contest
From: "tony sweeney" <deirton711@xxxxxxxxx>
Date: 29/04/2011 12:52 am
Ah!
Pondering here now of my question re digital braille in the context of
the
competition!
I don't use any of the products of converting print from the computer to
braille but I think this is it!
You type your essay in print on the computer and then convertt to
braille
(digital) using something like Focus, and then you're done.
Anyone with a better explaination then I'm happy that they do get back
to
the list, interesting.
Best,
Tony----- Original Message -----
From: "tony sweeney" <deirton711@xxxxxxxxx>
To: <vip_students@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
Sent: Friday, April 29, 2011 12:30 AM
Subject: Re: [vip_students] Re: EBU Braille essay contest
Hi,
Yep, am curious of digital braille myself in the context of The
competition!
Not entering myself but best to all who do.
Is there a direct link to the web address of the competition that we
can
check out?
Sorry if I missed that post.
Tony
----- Original Message -----
From: "John Lynch" <johnlynch7@xxxxxxxxxx>
To: <vip_students@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
Sent: Friday, April 29, 2011 12:15 AM
Subject: [vip_students] Re: EBU Braille essay contest
Well Nicky,
I am sure that email is your man if you wish to submit your entry for
the
competition thus and my very best wishes to all who do. Those of us
who've tried it before can always spice up our previous efforts, as
there's really not much we add or alter when it's the same topic
every
year. Then again, maybe we've had enough of it at this stage.
To answer Eleanor's query, there was an Irish entrant among the
winners
in 2009. I think he was of Indian origin, who repatriated to this
country.
Incidentally, the RNIB'S closing date for preselection entries is
today,
so not much time left for our British or UK-BASED friends left now.
There were a few winning entries available online on the EBU'S
website
before, not sure if they're still up, but prior to that, when the
contest
was held for other regions of the world, Asia, Oceania and the
US/Canada,
winning entires were posted on the World Blind Union's website.
As to how adjudication is conducted, I think once presentation of
essays
are up to the required standard, it's just a statement of preference
of a
chosen few over others.
John L
----- Original Message -----
From: "Nicholas Kealy" <nicky.kealy@xxxxxxxxx>
To: <vip_students@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
Sent: Thursday, April 28, 2011 11:18 PM
Subject: [vip_students] Re: EBU Braille essay contest
Sorry Paul but digital braille? Like, can someone enlighten me here
please?
----- Original Message -----
From: "(NCBI) Paul Traynor" <paul.traynor@xxxxxxx>
To: <vip_students@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
Sent: Thursday, April 28, 2011 10:07 AM
Subject: [vip_students] EBU Braille essay contest
Hi All,
Just forwarding the below for your attention.
Paul.
EBU Onkyo Braille Essay Contest
The European Blind Union (EBU) has launched the 2011 European
Braille
essay
contest, run by the EBU on behalf of Onkyo Co. Ltd. and the Braille
Mainichi. The competition aims to promote the use of Braille as a
key
to
access to information and social inclusion for people who are blind
or
vision impaired.
The contest theme is "Braille literacy changes my way of life".
Through
personal experience, candidates should explain how Braille improves
their
daily lives. All Braille users residing in a European country may
take
part
in the contest, regardless of age.
Candidates should submit an essay of not more than 1,000 words in
paper
or
digital Braille, including your name, age, country and number of
words.
First prize wins US$2,000, with four other small prizes.
Please submit entries by Monday 30th May 2011 to NCBI Library and
Media
Centre, Unit 29, Finglas Business Centre, Jamestown Road, Finglas,
Dublin 11
or email library@xxxxxxxx
NCBI: Celebrating 80 Years
********************************************************************
National Council for the Blind of Ireland (NCBI) is a company
limited
by
guarantee (registered in Ireland No. 26293) .
Our registered office is at Whitworth Road, Drumcondra, Dublin 9.
NCBI is also a registered Charity (chy4626).
NOTICE: The information contained in this email and any attachments
is
confidential and may be privileged. If you are not the intended
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you should not use, disclose, distribute or copy any of the content
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it or
of any attachment; you are requested to notify the sender
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your receipt of the email and then to delete it and any attachments
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NCBI endeavours to ensure that emails and any attachments generated
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staff are free from viruses or other contaminants. However, it
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any responsibility for any such which are transmitted. We therefore
recommend you scan all attachments.
Please note that the statements and views expressed in this email
and
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attachments are those of the author and do not necessarily
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********************************************************************
National Council for the Blind of Ireland (NCBI) is a company
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Our registered office is at Whitworth Road, Drumcondra, Dublin 9.
NCBI is also a registered Charity (chy4626).
NOTICE: The information contained in this email and any attachments
is confidential and may be privileged. If you are not the intended
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the content of it or of any attachment; you are requested to notify
the sender immediately of your receipt of the email and then to
delete it and any attachments from your system.
NCBI endeavours to ensure that emails and any attachments generated
by its staff are free from viruses or other contaminants. However,
it cannot accept any responsibility for any such which are
transmitted. We therefore recommend you scan all attachments.
Please note that the statements and views expressed in this email
and any attachments are those of the author and do not necessarily
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