[Missouri-l] From the Washington Connection

[Chip Hailey]

WASHINGTON CONNECTION
11/4/2009
Welcome to the Washington Connection, the legislative and information service of
the American Council of the Blind. The Washington Connection is brought to you by
the ACB Department of Advocacy and Governmental Affairs. If you have any questions
or comments on the information provided, don't hesitate to contact us and ask to
speak with Eric Bridges.
*****
Digital TV and Video Description Survey
The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) has created a Digital TV Technical Working
Group to look at the challenges consumers are having when attempting to access video
description. ACB is an active participant in the working group and has pledged to
bring consumer problems to these meetings in order to identify challenges in the
pass-through process.
To this end, it would be very helpful if those of you who enjoy described programming
fill out the survey below. This organization's passionate advocacy is directly responsible
for the described content that is being produced for broadcast television today.
When you are finished with the survey please send it back to Eric Bridges at the
ACB national office.
Thank you for your assistance!
Data needed to track video description problems:
* Your name (optional but needed for follow-up)
* Your e-mail address and/or phone number (optional but needed for follow-up)
* Your city, state, zip code
* Date problem encountered
* TV program name
* Signal Source (choose one of the following)
- Cable service provider (e.g., Comcast, Time Warner, Verizon FiOS)
- Satellite service provider (e.g. DirecTV, Dish Network)
- Over-the-air (choose one of the following)
- Converter box (brand and model, e.g., Insignia NS-DXA1, Zenith DTT901, Magnavox
TB100 MG9)
- Direct to DTV via antenna
- Reception equipment (choose one of the following)
- DTV receiver (brand and model, e.g. Sony Bravia KDL-46V4100, Panasonic TC-P42U1,
Vizio VO42L)
- Cable box (brand and model, e.g., Motorola DCT6200, Scientific Atlanta/Cisco Explorer
8550HDC)
* TV Network
- Broadcast (e.g., ABC, CBS, Fox, NBC, PBS, etc.)
- Cable (e.g., CNN, TNT, A&E, Discovery, etc.)
* Local broadcast station (e.g., channel 2, WXYZ, KABC)
* Summary of problem(s)
* Have you contacted either your local station or cable/satellite provider? Names
of persons contacted (if possible), results of your contact?
*****
Social Security Benefits for 2010
Monthly Social Security and Supplemental Security Income (SSI) benefits will not
automatically increase in 2010 as there was no increase in the Consumer Price Index
(CPI-W) from the third quarter of 2008 to the third quarter of 2009. See USA Today
news story, dated October 14, below.
Social Security Disability Thresholds
Substantial Gainful Activity (SGA)
Non-Blind 2009:$ 980/mo.; 2010: $ 1,000/mo.--an increase of $20 per month
Blind 2009: $1,640/mo.; 2010: $1,640/mo.*
Trial Work Period (TWP) 2009: $ 700/mo.; 2010: $ 720/mo--an increase of $20 per month
SSI Federal Payment Standard:
Individual 2009: $674/mo.; 2010: $674/mo.*
Couple 2009:$1,011/mo.; 2010: $1,011/mo.*
SSI Student Exclusion:
Monthly limit 2009: $1,640; 2010: $1,640*
Annual limit 2009: $6,600; 2010: $6,600*
* Because there is no COLA, by statute these amounts remain unchanged in 2010.
>From USA Today
October 14, 2009
Obama proposes an extra $250 for Social Security recipients
President Obama has proposed an extra $250 for senior citizens, veterans, and people
with disabilities, calling it an addition to his stimulus bill "on behalf of those
hardest hit by this recession"
"These payments will provide aid to more than 50 million people in the coming year,
relief that will not only make a difference for them, but for our economy as a whole,
complementing the tax cuts we've provided working families and small businesses through
the Recovery Act," Obama said in a statement.
Congress must approve the payments, which would cost $13 billion, according to a
White House statement. Many members of the Democratic majorities in the House and
Senate have endorsed such a step.
The fact sheet said 57 million Americans would benefit from the proposal:
"These include 49 million Social Security beneficiaries, 5 million Supplemental Security
Income beneficiaries, 2 million veterans benefit recipients, 0.5 million railroad
retirement and disability beneficiaries, and also about 1 million public-employee
retirees not entitled to any of the previous benefits."
*****
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