What's Happening with Rick Boggs
January 21, 2008

Television
Rick and Timber will appear in an episode of the FX show Nip Tuck. Rick plays opposite the extremely talented Bradley Cooper. Describing the experience, Rick says, "Bradley is more than superbly talented. He's a gentleman and a professional with a collegial attitude. The crew was great too." The air dates and times follow:
The episode title is: Magda & Jeff
New: FX 10:00 PM January 22, 2008
repeat: FX 11:03 PM January 25, 2008
repeat: FX 11:00 PM January 27, 2008
repeat: FX 10:00 PM January 29, 2008

Advocacy for Accessible Audio Recording Software
Rick Boggs and professional colleagues continue to persistantly pursue accessibility for professional digital audio workstations for blind producers. Thanks to cooperation from Digidesign in 1994, the world's leading audio recording system, Pro Tools, became accessible for blind audio professionals. However, with the advent of Apple Macintosh Operating System OSX and the disolution of the company which provided essential screen reader software, blind audio engineers lost that accessibility. Since Apple Computers included a built-in screen reader (known as Voice Over) in their Tiger operating system in 2005, the hope for accessibility for Pro Tools emerged once again. Since that time, Rick Boggs and colleagues have been working with Digidesign to achieve compatibility with the Pro Tools software and the Apple Voice Over screen reader that is part of the Mac OS. A complete advocacy plan is in place and is very likely to succeed. The first step required thousands of signatures on an online petition at: www.protoolspetition.org where all current news is now posted. The first possible software improvements may occur by January 2009.

Video Description:
Rick Boggs currently leads an effort to dramatically increase the availability of captioned and audio described video materials in classrooms in the United States. The effort to improve equal access to education for blind and deaf students by captioning and describing educational videos responds to the increased usage of video materials in classrooms and the need for accomodations for students with sensory disabilities. More information is available at The Accessible Classroom Videos Project. Rick Boggs and colleagues continue to pursue new ways to increase the amount of video description in the media, in light of the continuing resistance by media giants and members of the MPAA and AMPTP. Despite the promises of former MPAA leader, Jack Valente, voluntary participation in delivering accessible media for the visually impaired is not part of the business practices of entertainment conglomerates. Neither federal mandate nor potential profit has sufficiently motivated movie and television show distributors to expand their audience and deliver additional formats of their content which could easily and affordably include video description tracks. Entertainment conglomerates that control nearly all of the film and television industries refuse to take interest in audio described media, even for mainstream audiences listening in automobiles and watching on small screens like cell phones, etc. This field offers great opportunities to create new jobs for people with disabilities, but equal opportunities for people with disabilities is not a priority of the leadership in the entertainment industry. New developments will be posted here as they occur.

Music Performance Rick Boggs performs live on keyboards every Sunday at the Los Angeles University Cathedral in down town Los Angeles. Rick and the other members of the "UNBAND" play Gospel and contemporary music as part of the Bible-Teaching service of Pastor Melissa Scott and can be experienced on line 24-7. Programs air nationally on the Pax and Ion networks as well as shortwave broadcasts. Call the Voice of Faith lines for schedules: 800-338-3030. Enjoy a special tribute at: A TRIBUTE: Pastor Melissa Scott and the University Network

Public Speaking:
Recent audiences include:
  • San Gabriel Unified Schools--Annual Summit.
  • Topics included: "Embracing diversity as a means to achieve excellence in performance and productivity."
  • California Association of Rehabilitation and Reemployment Professionals--executives and staff annual meeting in San Diego
  • Key topics included team building, problem solving, and creating a productive culture through attitude.
  • Selano County Mayor's Committee on Employment of Disabled Persons--city leaders and service providers
  • Topics included "detecting unintended condescending attitudes when providing assistance," "promoting employment of people with disabilities," and "diversity as strength."
  • Southern California Network--parents and educators of blind children
  • Topics included ""essential approaches to parenting blind children," "equal opportunities for blind adults."
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    Live Theater!
    Rick Boggs performed in an original one-act play by the award-winning playwright, Lynn Manning which was produced by the Firehouse Theater Company of Los Angeles. The play, "Shoot", was performed at the Vidra Theater in Zagreb Croatia as part of the third biannual festival of Theater by the Blind. the New Life Theater Company in Zagreb hosted the event. The festival is the first of its kind.

    Guide Dog News
    Rick boggs and Timber are the best of pals, traveling daily by bus, subway, train, or plane, as they pursue many personal and professional activities. They met on August 21, 2005! Kudos to the training staff at Fidelco guide Dog Foundation who provided the German Shepherd and the home-based training.



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