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The rest have some vision, from light perception alone to relatively good acuity. Recent versions of Microsoft Windows come with the rather basic Narrator. Most legally blind people 79 percent do not use computers. Screen reader choice is contentious: differing priorities and strong preferences are common. Comming year nonprofit worker Anthony Loeff is testing digital tools for people suffering from blindness Experimental approaches in sensory substitution are beginning to provide access to arbitrary live views from a camera.

Access technology such as screen readers and Screen magnifiers enable the blind to use mainstream computer applications. However, using a screen reader is, according to some users, considerably more difficult than using a GUI and many applications have specific problems resulting from the nature of the application. A persons choice of screen reader is dictated by many factors, including platform and the role of organizations like charities, schools, and employers.

Only a small fraction of this population, when compared to the sighted community, have Internet access.

Approximately 24 percent of those deemed legally blind, by any measure, have no vision. The primary audience for such applications is those who have difficulty reading because of learning disabilities or language barriers. The Macintosh OS also comes with a built-in screen reader, called VoiceOver.

The latter developed in part by Knopper who has a visual impairment. Linux distributions for the blind include Oralux and Adriane Knoppix. More and more, screen readers are being bundled with operating system distributions.

Web browsers, word processors, icons and windows and email programs are just some of the applications used successfully by screen reader users. The movement towards greater web accessibility is opening a far wider number of websites to adaptive technology, making the web a more inviting place for visually impaired surfers. Indeed functionality remains limited compared to equivalent desktop applications, the major benefit is to increase the accessibility of said websites. Later versions of Microsoft Windows include an Accessibility Wizard and Magnifier for those with partial vision, and Microsoft Narrator, a simple screen reader. The console-based Oralux Linux distribution ships with three screen-reading environments: Emacspeak, Yasr and Speakup. A screen reader is a software application that attempts to identify and interpret what is being displayed on the screen. This interpretation is then represented to the user with text-to-speech, sound icons, or a braille output. Screen readers can be assumed to be able to access all display content that is not intrinsically inaccessible.

There are also open source screen readers, such as the Linux Screen Reader for GNOME and NonVisual Desktop Access for Windows.

While Apple Mac OS X includes VoiceOver, a more feature-rich screen reader. The open source GNOME desktop environment long included Gnopernicus and now includes Orca. Screen readers are a form of assistive technology potentially useful to people who are blind, visually impaired, or learning disabled, often in combination with other AT such as screen magnifiers.

Aside from being pesky creatures (I just got bit on the forehead) mosquitoes tend to carry various diseases that are unwelcome at best. Most of use are familiar with West Nile Virus, the most recently reported mosquito carrying disease. There are numerous other diseases that mosquitoes carry however, which we’ll cover in greater detail below.

Dengue Fever
Dengue fever actually comes from four different viruses. Typically Aedes mosquitos carry this form of infection. With Dengue fever, a vicious cycle occurs when a mosquito bites an infected person, then becomes infected, and bites more people. Dengue fever is typically characterized by symptoms like severe headaches, fever, nausea and vomiting and pains in the joints or bones. Some may mistake Dengue fever for a bad case of the flu. The treatment similarly is lots of rest and fluids. In some cases your doctor may prescribe drugs to bring your fever down. Usually patients recover within two weeks.

Malaria
Malaria is a well known mosquito born illness. Symptoms include fever, chills, muscle aches, fatigue, nausea and vomiting. Patients with malaria may also mistake their symptoms for flu symptoms. Unfortunately if not treated, malaria can lead to other illnesses including anemia and jaundice. Once bitten it may take several weeks before a patient begins exhibiting symptoms, thus this is one mosquito born illness that is difficult to diagnose. Malaria is most often associated with traveling to foreign countries with large populations of Aedes mosquitoes. Fortunately there are many treatment choices for patients with malaria. There are also preventive treatments a patient can take. These include:

• Chloroquine - Travelers should consider taking this pill starting two weeks prior to travel and for four weeks after travel if going to malaria infested areas.
• Doxycycline - This treatment starts two days before departure and may be continued for up to 4 weeks upon return home.

Unfortunately malaria is a very severe and insidious disease. Even after recovering some patients may find their symptoms return several months or years after treatment.

Viral Encephalitis
Viral encephalitis is a serious disease that results in brain inflammation. There are multiple causes, though many people with this disease get it from an insect bite (usually a mosquito bite). Fortunately most patients that contract viral encephalitis recover fine, but recovery often takes an extended period of time. There is some risk of permanent injury from the disease as well. In rare circumstances viral encephalitis can cause death.

West Nile encephalitis is just one form of viral encephalitis. It is more common in areas like the Middle East, Africa and Asia.

West Nile Virus
West Nile Virus has recently invaded the shores of the United States. The symptoms are also flu-like and may include muscle and joint aches and pains, headaches, rashes and fevers. At this time there is no cure for West Nile disease, though patients usually recover in one to several weeks. Some people are not affected as badly as others. West Nile is particularly risky for those with compromised immune symptoms. Severe reactions to the disease may include paralysis and encephalitis.

Protecting Yourself From Mosquito Born Diseases
While most of this information sounds pretty terrible (that’s because it is) the good news is you can largely protect yourself from mosquito bites. While you may not be able to prevent every bite, you can reduce the risk for contracting a mosquito born illness.

Common preventive measures include:

• Using chemical repellants or insecticides to keep mosquitoes in your yard at bay.
• Use of a mosquito repellant containing DEET. There are family formulas that contain less DEET that are safe to use on young children.
• Wearing long pants and sleeves when out in mosquito infested areas. Mosquitoes are also more common at dusk, thus it is a good idea to wear long sleeved items and spray your clothes when out in this environment.
• Use of citronella candles and other natural insect repellants.
• Keep grass trimmed short to deter mosquitoes.
• Avoid allowing any water to stand for more than a day in your yard or around your house, as mosquitoes tend to breed in standing water.

You’ll probably find a combination of these strategies works best to keep mosquitoes from harming you and your family.

About The Author:

Antigone Arthur is a successful freelance writer with 10 years of professional experience providing consumers with informative articles on such topics as mosquito control products, mosquito related diseases, and insect control.

You know you should be getting some sort of exercise, you know of all the health benefits that come with a more active lifestyle. You’ve tried the whole Gym thing, but it just wasn’t for you. The temptation to just sit in front of the TV, to curl up with a good book, or to spend a little extra time at your computer is just too big. Who wants to head to the gym right now anyway?

There are many other options to get more active that don’t include jogging, weight lifting or other “traditional” ways to work out. Here are a few ideas to get you moving

1) Chase your Kids around the Yard
You’d be surprised at how much of a work out you’ll get playing catch with your kids. Time will fly while you are having fun and your children will enjoy the extra time with you. Just get out there and play.

2) Turn up the Music and Dance around the Living Room
While you’re dusting, putting up dishes, straightening up the kids’ rooms, or after you’ve been sitting around for too long, just play some of your favorite upbeat music and dance around in the house. Not only will you get your heart rate up, but you’ll also have more fun doing some of those chores.

3) Plant some Flowers
When the weather is nice, just get out there and plant some flowers. Or you could start a little vegetable garden, trim some hedges, cut the grass, or plant a tree. You get the idea. Just get out there, enjoy the sunshine and fresh air, and play in the dirt. Yes, this actually counts as exercise in our book.

4) Go for a Walk with a Friend
Take a walk and invite a friend to come along. I’ve had some of the best conversations while on a walk. Getting to chat with a friend makes the time fly by and before you know it you’ve been walking for 30 minutes.

5) Listen to some Music or an Audio Book while You Walk
Again, keeping your mind on something else will make the time fly by and you’ll get some extra fun out of your walk. You may even want to consider getting an MP3 Player. You can easily add what you want to listen to and go for your walk.

6) Sign up for a Yoga or Pilates Class
Consider starting a yoga or Pilates class. Both of these workouts are pretty low impact and won’t leave you sweaty and sore (mostly). You may also enjoy meeting some new people in the class.

7) Take some Dance Lessons with your Partner
Ok, here is the tough part: Convince your partner to take some dance lessons. Dancing will give you quite the workout and it’s just plain fun and of course romantic. Think about all your options here. You can pick from anything from Ball Room Dancing, to Line Dancing, to Latin etc. Pick something that sounds fun to you and go for it. You’ll enjoy the extra one on one time with your partner as well.

Go for a Swim at Your Local YMCA or Aquatic Center
Swimming makes for some great exercise. It is low impact and easy on your joints. Start by swimming a few laps, or play in the pool with your kids.

9) Go for a Bike Ride
Take the entire family on a bike ride. You can ride through your neighborhood in the evenings or plan a longer trip for the weekend. Pack a picnic for extra fun and start peddling.

10) Go for a Hike
Look for some hiking trails in your area and go for a hike. This could be a fun activity for you and a friend, or take the entire family along. Start with some easy trails and work yourself up to some longer or steeper trails.

Go ahead, pick one or two of the activities and get moving. I’m sure you’ll come up with plenty of versions of your own. The most important thing is to find something you enjoy, so you’ll stick with it. Get out there and get moving today.

Susanne Myers together with Christine Steendahl, owns and publishes the Healthy Menu Mailer. Each week, we provide you with 7 dinner recipes. Sign up for a free sample menu at www.healthymenumailer.com/sample-newsletter-signup.html