DJ Demers - hard of hearing comedian

I have never heard of DJ Demers out of Canada who happens to be a hard of hearing stand up comedian. No signing but the typical speaking comedy performances he does. I discovered this guy the other day when I came across a video of him interviewing Sarah Churman on the Sharp Focus website.  An up and coming comedian who have won awards and recognition for his stand up comedy.  He was nominated in 2011 for "Best Stand-up Newcomer" at the Canadian Comedy Awards. He was also a finalist in the 2011 NBC Stand-Up for Diversity Initiative (you can see his name and face there), a finalist in 2011 Cream of Comedy for the $5000 prize, and took 2nd place at the 2010 Toronto Comedy Brawl with cash prizes.

An impressive list so far and for your information DJ Demers wears two hearing aids. He's stereo but I'm mono. And, no, not the contagious kind. Anyways, it's rare to find hard of hearing comedians out there who have done and continues to do stand up comedies. The other well known one is Kathy Buckely. But I'm sure many of you have this lingering question floating in your dainty little heads of yours, does DJ Demers know sign language? Was he born with sensorineural hearing loss or acquired later in life? Etc..etc...etc....(not that many but you get the idea).

And the answers are......

Well, check out my next blog and find out the answers. Well, maybe. I don't know. I'm pretty darned sure you'll get them. Just wait and see. On second thought.....

Fear of communicating??

Who is really afraid of communicating to who? Is it a deaf person who fear communicating to a hearing person? Hard of hearing person who fear communicating to a deaf person? Or a hearing person who has a fear of communicating to a deaf person? Where does this fear lie? Why does this happen? Who exhibits this terrifying fear of communicating? Scared to strike up some real conversations when there is no real communication access? Why wait for an interpreter if there's an alternative way to communicate? Is it a fear of communication or a lack of understanding? How do you categorize yourself as? Are you an extrovert? Introvert? Shy? Weak?  Is it "communiphobia" (fear of communicating) you have? Is this something you notice in other people? Tell me your thoughts!

Success is relative....

For a hard of hearing or deaf person the word "success" is relative, each to his or her own on what exactly that means when it comes to communication whether it's signing, speaking or writing. What I don't do is begrudge my parents who had very little information to go on in the 1960s when it came to exposure to signing or sign language, and not necessarily ASL per se but signing in general. Information was extremely hard to come by on education and communication for deaf and hard of hearing children. Parents of those days either had to research on their own to get the necessary information or went with the flow on what educators and some in the community had to say and take them as authoritative. We know better now.  It's night and day when compared to the information and knowledge of the 1960s to that of today, especially when cochlear implant and hearing aid technology are at an advanced stage.

For me, I do consider myself an "oral success" which includes both the speaking and listening skills. I am perhaps one of the few rare breed out there to discuss this publicly. I'm sure there are many more of them out there like me. I know. I've met them before. But what is "success" then? Well, to me, it's the ability to communicate and listen successfully. Though the listening part varies depending on the environment I'm in, of course. Between using a phone versus listening in a crowded room with everybody talking is like night and day sometimes. But then again technology continues to improve where one day a "smart" hearing aid will have the ability to screen out unwanted background noise and focus on the voice near me instead. Yet, success is relative.

Here's a short piece of my mother's letter she wrote to me in 2002 before she had internet connection (i.e  email). It's a short reflective piece out of a two page letter she wrote to me about my past and what she had to do to get the education for me and the amount  work she put into to help develop my speech and listening skill where educators have told her and many others that we deaf and hard of hearing people would be a lost cause and that we wouldn't be able to progress above the 5th grade level in our lifetime.

I know it is hard on little deaf children whose parents will not or can not sign. I also know that the parents who really tried and spent a lot of time with the kids had a lot of success. If I were to do it over, I would combine signs and lip reading and speech. Because as I look back and remember, we did use our version of signs for words like “no,” “yes,” “baby,” “love,” “up,” “milk,” “eat,” and many others that I have long forgotten.

All in all, the school boards, the teachers, the books, did not give a lot of encouragement about the education and successful adult livelihood for the deaf community. I am proud that you can make them all eat their words now.

And eat their words they have and I will continue to remind them of that. Which is why I consider my mother my hero because without her I wouldn't be where I am today. But I do not hate my parents when at times I could not understand them when I was younger. I cannot spend time begrudging the past and I don't have anything to begrudge against my parents, either. They are human beings, too. And I still love them.

Video: Hike to High Rock Lookout

Here's a short video of the views on High Rock Lookout not too far from Packwood, Washington. Once you get to the top you get rewarded with a 360 degree view of the landscape all around you and below you. On this clear day I got to see Mt. Hood, Mount St. Helens, Mt. Adams and Mt. Rainier. Not many people get to go where I can go. This hike require you to be relatively fit. The trail is short covering 1.6 miles one way but steep in many places along the way with the steepest being the last 150 feet to the lookout building. If you're not fit or overweight then I suggest you do not take upon this moderately hard hike unless your doctor gives you the approval.

Go NAD!! Turn head and cough....

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If there was ever a football team whose school has an initial N.A.D. they'd be one sorry group when it comes to cheerleading time at their football games. Can you imagine people screaming in the stands, "Go NAD! Go NAD! Go NAD! Goooooooo NAD!" And it'd be even worse with cheerleaders with each of them waving two large pom-poms with round fluffy like balls.  If at this point you are puzzled by the cheers of "Go NAD" then I ain't helping ya! Blame this on Karen Mayes who wrote an earlier tribute to Paotie a few days ago on the whole "Go NAD!" thing.

Now, this brings me back. I think I inspired Paotia with the whole Go NAD thing in 2008 somewhere. I'm pretty danged sure I mentioned "Go NAD!' as a source of his inspiration. Oh, now I remember, it was "Go NADS!!" Started in 2006. Pretty balsy stuff when I tried to start the North America Deaf Strongman Games or "NADS" Games for short, and I had a pretty good line to go with that, too. Just scroll down until you find it.

Go NADS Games! Only those with enough balls can compete!

Indeed. And I think these are the really heavy ones you can't even lift. Might be better to shout, "OMG! My hernia!" Still, balsy stuff at this game had it gone through. Maybe it'd have been better to call it the "Fighting NADS games?" I'm sure I would've sold tickets by the buckets.

But sometimes people have actually said "Go NAD" in support of National Association of the Deaf's letter about the Pepsi commercial brohahahaha involving AGBell. Hey, remember my comedy video about that Pepsi commercial? Though I think it's easier and more fun to say, "Go NAD!" instead of one long boring line "Go National Association of the Deaf!" Ok. Who actually said "Go NAD!"? A few actually.

Here's one.  And another one, a shocking one, too. Another one from the same website rooting "Go, NAD!" Another here, same site. And here, too. Another here in the same site with two simple words (is it supposed to be one word?). Yup, here again. Same site here where even Paotie got into the spirit, too. Bravo! Another one here, same site. And in the same site this one here comes with 8 exclamation points, too. And the last shout out at this site except this one is just way too funny by "M. Creamer" who shouts "Go NAD!"  Lots of spirits, there. Wow. Never saw so many "Go NADs" under one website. Just a bunch of high spirited people shouting out a bunch of "Go NADs" on NAD's own NAD President Blog website which probably makes this a really, really funny thing. Balls of fun, Right?

Not everyone agrees. Some even complained about "Go NAD!" Yet we had many people screaming "Go NAD!" on NAD's own NAD President Blog website. But this one here got right down medically offensive describing in lurid details of the meaning behind "Go NAD!". Ok. Maybe not so lurid then. And yet somebody actually believed that shouting "Go NAD!" damages the Deaf community. Maybe it would've been better to shout out "Go NADS games!" instead?

Anyway, go NAD!

Video: Matt Hamill and daughter at school

A special "show -n- tell" for Matt Hamill's daughter at her school by bringing her father to school.

His daughter Tierra talked about what life is like communicating with two deaf parents, and what seeing a movie about her dad's life is like. Together the two taught the class some basic sign language and answered questions.

Tierra says that she wants people to know that while she and her parents communicate differently their life is otherwise just like anyone else's. The first grade classroom is completing a unit on diversity, and a lesson from father daughter team gave them a new perspective.

Matt Hamill may already be an action figure, a character in a video game and a reality  show athlete but he never expected his life to be profiled in a movie due out next month called "Hamill."

Don't forget. Matt Hamill is to fight his former trainer and coach Tito Ortiz on October 23, 2010 in the UFC 121 fight in Anaheim, California.

The Paotie Complex Response

Intellectual Humor. Especially when it's a dry or wry humor that comes with an intellectual twist makes it even more funny. If you ever listened to Steven Wright's dead-pan comedy skits then you'd might understand how that works when it comes to wry humor. A way of playing with words that many people find riotously funny. Like my own joke I made up a few years ago, "Why do they call it “manual alphabet”? Is it labor intensive or what?" Just not what you say but how the delivery of that joke is made is just as important when it comes to humor.

People generally like humor but not all humors are made equally. And not all humors are humorous to all people, generally so. Just humor me for a moment here. I like people with intellectual humor along with a good philosophy about themselves and about life. Just as I liked some of Barry's own philosophy, outlook on life and his love for nature in his The Holism blog. He find his own brand of humor that suits him and anything that tickles his funny bone just like the rest of us. Though I'm pretty sure he's a fan of the Monopoly game just as I am although I would win. But for Barry he's certainly not of the "Napoleon Complex" variety seeking control as some people would try and say. Rather I see him seeking equilibrium in life more than anything else. He's more grounded than most people would give him credit for. But to say "Napoleon Complex" is regarded as a derogatory social stereotype. An expresssion meant to be personally mean and petty. People who say those things for that just purpose might want to look into their own mirror the next time.

Now, this brings me to this complex condition called, "Paotie Complex Response." It is definitely a knee-jerk response condition. It is an automatic reflex. Sometimes it's a gag type reflex for some people while for others it's like eating succulent Kobe steak. Yummmm. A "Paotie Complex Response" might sound really bad if you're already a paranoid person but then again to be diagnosed with PCR might proved curative and rejuvenating for the more enlightened people. Which condition of PCR do you have?

First and foremost, what or who is Paotie? Easy, he's the guy behind the green curtain hitting the control buttons and levers while saying "Gawwwrsh!" in a deep, trembling voice. No. Just kidding. Really, who is he? Well, I...don't know. He's just....well.... Paotie. You know. Just...Paotie. That guy with the green moldy couch thingy on his blogsite with a bunch of stale crumbly stuff underneath the cushions. You have to read his old blog pieces in order to understand the humor and the intellect this guy brings to the table. And when he writes a piece, the paranoid, er, upset people usually come out of the woodworks and react irrationally to his writings. Things like.... well, you probably can already imagine it. It ain't pretty!

Because of that some 3 years ago I (and many others) recognized the fact that some people were willing to squelch other people's blogging style on what they should or should not write just because they disagree or don't like? Thin skin anybody?

But to promote or instigate for the limitations on the free exchanges of ideas and concepts just because people happen to not like what’s being discussed sets a dangerous precedence.

Indeed it would set a dangerous precedent. Although by saying "Gawwrsh!" in a humorous way is certainly not harmful. Kicking a stone in mock disappointment is a harmless thing. Saying "DBC sucks!" should not trigger an apoplectic fit except for the most criminally insane people who don't bother to look before leaping. Or by giving an alternative meaning to "deficit thinking" as oppose to those who say it is more about people who do not properly speak of Deaf culture do they get supremely upset when people are told it's really double speak to mean “not Deaf enough." Even that shouldn't be justification to somehow censure the blogger.

Today, even speaking remotely "negatively" on anything Deaf related is almost criminal..... to some of them that is. Not all of them but some of them. Of course, all this is a bit of humorous hyperbole and a stretch there but you get my drift. Yada yada yada. But having an opinion contrary to what other Deaf people say isn't about hating the Deaf community. It's about.... surprise.... having an opinion. And when humor is employed in the whole scheme of things to make a point do some people get all "Deaf-uppity" (word is copyrighted by this blog owner, please send check or cash for literary license use of the word) or, to move toward to a more politically correct word, really, really uptight. So tight the spincter actually disappears inward which will take a proctologist days to find. Spelunking would take on a new meaning here.

Either you have a good case of PCR or you have a bad one. Make the best of your funny bone. Just don't go all freaky on us and fall apart like some zombies. We, "alternative bloggers," do have valid opinions. Just not the mindless ones.....(that was supposed to be a zombie joke...you can laugh now).

My Plan is Working Flawlessly! *rubs hands*

Here's a little video message to some people in the Deaf community and how their paranoia shows everytime they use my "famous quote" thinking its real. Some of you gotten to the point of surreal daftyness thinking my goal is to "destroy" or "hurt" the Deaf community. *laughs* And I'm signing in ASL, too. My advice? Leave your paranoia and conspiracy theories at home. You'll sleep better that way.

Image of the Deaf community - tainted?

Boy, a lot has happened over the last several months beginning late last year. I can think of four major controversies or events that have happened. The arrest of 26 people in the latest VRS scam with notable Deaf names like John Yeh (owner and CEO of Viable), Joseph Yeh, Anthony Mowl, and Donald Tropp; the arrest, jailing and sentencing of Micah Brown who was at one time an adjunct professor of Gallaudet University and at one time a well known Deaf Democrat blogger who is now a registered sex offender; the AB2072 bill brouhaha in California that were rife with conspiracy theories about "evil" audiologists and California Legislature members; and the arrest of he-who-shall-not-be-named for charges that remain unclear at this point who is also probably the best known Deaf blogger and vlogger around whose trademark is to trash Deaf, deaf and hard of hearing people and call them names. Everyone of them, high profiled events with well known names associated with them. All within a span of 11 months.

So, which ones are the more damaging to the image of the Deaf community? That depends on who you ask. But the damage has already been done. And one of the effects of getting arrested is if you have a blog or vlog and it is not set on moderation people will take advantage of that like in the recent he-who-shall-not-be-named YouTube site. The latest news of his arrest will continue to reverberate in the Deaf community for some time, especially it being the growing number one controversy discussion in YouTube by various vloggers.

All in all, when combined with these past events did they help tarnish the image of the Deaf community in various ways and perception? What are the lasting effects? No one knows for sure. Paper bag anyone?

The role of audiologists

From American Speech-Language-Hearing Association they produced a 2007 position paper called "Principles and Guidelines for Early Hearing Detection and Intervention Programs" that was adopted by a joint committee on infant hearing. Below is the position statement:

The Joint Committee on Infant Hearing (JCIH) endorses early detection of and intervention for infants with hearing loss. The goal of early hearing detection and intervention (EHDI) is to maximize linguistic competence and literacy development for children who are deaf or hard of hearing. Without appropriate opportunities to earn language, these children will fall behind their hearing peers in communication, cognition, reading, and social-emotional development. Such delays may result in lower educational and employment levels in adulthood (Holden & Diaz, 1998). To maximize the outcome for infants who are deaf or hard of hearing, the hearing of all infants should be screened no later than 1 month of age. Those not passing screening should have a comprehensive audiologic evaluation no later than 3 months of age. Infants with confirmed hearing loss should receive appropriate intervention no later than 6 months of age from health care and education professionals with expertise in hearing loss and deafness in infants and young children. Regardless of previous hearing-screening outcomes, all infants with or without risk factors should receive ongoing surveillance of communicative development beginning at 2 months of age during well-child visits in the medical home (American Academy of Pediatrics [AAP] Medical Home Initiatives, 2002). EHDI systems should guarantee seamless transitions for infants and their families through this process.

This was a 2007 position paper where a number of revisions were made to improve it from the 2000 position paper. One thing that was updated can be seen on page 2 in the Early Invention section:

• Early intervention services for infants with confirmed hearing loss should be provided by professionals with expertise in hearing loss, including educators of the deaf, speech-language pathologists, and audiologists.
• In response to a previous emphasis on “natural environments,” the committee recommends that both home-based and center-based intervention options should be offered.

And on page 3 on Communication that was updated for 2007:

• Families should be made aware of all communication options and available hearing technologies (presented in an unbiased manner). Informed family choice and desired outcome guide the decision-making process.

Throughout the position paper it brings up sign language several times such as this one on page 23.

Early intervention professionals should follow family-centered principles to assist in developing communicative competence of infants and toddlers who are deaf or hard of hearing (Baker-Hawkins & Easterbooks, 1994; Bamford, 1998; Fischer, 1994). Families should be provided with information specific to language development and access to peer and language models as well as family-involved activities that facilitate language development of children with normal hearing and children who are hard of hearing or deaf (Marschark, 1997; Thompson, 1994). Depending on family choices, families should be offered access to children and adults with hearing loss who are appropriate and competent language models. Information on spoken language and signed language, such as American Sign Language (Pollack, Goldberg, & Caleffe-Schenck, 1997) and cued speech, should be provided.

And then we get to what the role is for audiologists from the National Joint Committee on Infant Hearing 2007 Position paper on EDHI programs. The National Joint Committee is a multidisciplinary committee.

An audiologist is a person who, by virtue of academic degree, clinical training, and license to practice, is qualified to provide services related to the prevention of hearing loss and the audiological diagnosis, identification, assessment, and nonmedical and nonsurgical treatment of persons with impairment of auditory and vestibular function, and to the prevention of impairments associated with them. Audiologists serve in a number of roles. They provide newborn hearing-screening program development, management, quality assessment, service coordination and referral for audiological diagnosis, and audiological treatment and management. For the follow-up component, audiologists provide comprehensive audiological diagnostic assessment to confirm the existence of the hearing loss, ensure that parents understand the significance of the hearing loss, evaluate the infant for candidacy for amplification and other sensory devices and assistive technology, and ensure prompt referral to early intervention programs. For the treatment and management component, audiologists provide timely fitting and monitoring of amplification devices. Other audiologists may provide diagnostic and auditory treatment and management services in the educational setting and provide a bridge between the child/family and the audiologist in the clinic setting as well as other service providers. Audiologists also provide services as teachers, consultants, researchers, and administrators.

The position paper also states at the end in the document (page 32) on who adopted the position statement by naming joint committee members (and please note the bolded words).

Joint committee member organizations that adopt this statement include (in alphabetical order): the Alexander Graham Bell Association for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing, the American Academy of Audiology, the American Academy of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, the American Academy of Pediatrics, the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association, the Council on Education of the Deaf (see individual organizations listed above), and the Directors of Speech and Hearing Programs in State Health and Welfare Agencies.

What's interesting is to see that members of this joint committee include the Council on Education of the Deaf, and Alexander Graham Bell Association of the Deaf and Hard of Hearing
with names like:

Beth S. Benedict, PhD
Galluadet University
Washington, DC

Bobbie Scoggins, EdD
Sioux Falls, SD

Judy Harrison, MA (AG Bell Staff)
Washington DC

Recognize Bobbie Scoggins? She is the president of NAD. And you have a representive of Gallaudet University that adopted the position paper as well along with a representative from AG Bell on the role of audiologists.

I think the audiologists' role seem to be well defined here as seen in the position paper along with some broad defining roles added to it. I think the CAA has a legitimate concern over the revised August 20th AB2072 bill from that of the August 17th bill which they accepted seeing how their role as audiologists was compromised in this most recent AB2072 bill revision. There should be some flexibility to what an audiologist can do along what it cannot do rather than assuring that they be completely constrained.

Now, I've read Marla's Musings seeing how she seemed have twisted some words regarding CAA, the Mendoza letter and the audiologist's role. Some responses had no real bearing on the role of audiologists since for infant hearing screening they help ensure early intervention through referrals to early intervention specialists, including access to ASL. Regardless, I think this will get addressed soon enough.

AB 2072 - passed

Great news. AB 2072 bill passed by the Health Senate Committee with a 5 to 1 vote, along with 2 abstaining. It now goes to the Senate which I'm sure they'll recognize this bill as a bill that empowers parents to make an informed decision.

This is about letting parents make the decision and not the government. No government or any other entity or agency will be doing the decision for parents. This is about empowering parents in making their own decision where an agency or government says, "Here you go, you decide." This exactly how it should be done rather than a government making the decision for parents of newborns diagnosed with hearing loss. The best way to lose your independence is when a government ends up making decisions for you. This would be an example of interfering into people lives rather than helping them make their own decisions for a change provided that they are given adequate and proper information so they can make an informed decision. Once a government starts to make decisions for parents of newborns diagnosed with hearing loss would be the day when the government practices communism.

However, this bill would force audiologists to provide information given to them on ALL communication options, including ASL. If there are biased audiologists out there who do not favor ASL they would soon be forced to provide parents the various communication methods and shall include ASL. The audiologists do not decide for the parents. The government does not decide for the parents. State, regional or local agencies do not decide for the parents. Advocacy groups do not get to decide for the parents of newborns diagnosed with hearing loss such as CAD, CENIAS, NAD, DBC, NORCAL, DCARA, Deafhood Yoga, and any other organizations. The sole decision makers are the parents. This is what the Senate will recognize and understand.

A Critical Analysis

Self explanatory.





My Response:



Insert pinky finger to lips.......

Jumping the "deaf hate crime" bandwagon

My video look at "deaf hate crime." Is it over-rated? Abused? Used as a weapon of choice? Or is this really nothing new under the sun?

Part II Mike's ASL Vlog to the Deaf Community

Yesterday I produced my first vlog, a video message to the Deaf community in ASL. It was also my first vlog for DVTV as well. Not a particular clean first vlog but at least I've gotten my first video message out to the Deaf community which is a start. Below is my 2nd part of my vlog. It's a better video and it's more prepared without the pauses. Below the video is a loose transcript of what I followed with some deviation but it captures mostly what I said.



Transcript:

This is part 2 of my vlog.

I didn't have time to finish up my thoughts. My first video. Need to stop fiddling with my face! Oh well.

Ok.

In my 2nd vlog I wanted to talk about technology.

I believe it is becoming a great communication equalizer for deaf and hard of hearing. And it's amazing how far we have come.

Remember technology was like 20 years ago? No internet! No cell phones. No smart phones that are connected to the internet. No video phone. NO internet like today. We had some email and discussion forums but that was about it.

NOw, what will communication technology be like 20 years from now? 3d real time communication in ASL? What about cell phones or smart phones that are connected to the internet? What will they be like 5, 10 or 20 years from now? Technology is moving so fast. On YouTube it now has automatic captioning. Although not perfect but it is a step in the right direction. Who would've thought two years ago that YouTube would come up with automatic captioning?

Yes. Technology is moving fast. I'm sure with videos we see on DVTV will soon become crystal clear and not so grainy. It's just a matter of time. What do you think of communication technology today? Has it helped your job? Your life? Anything? could you live without your today? Remember, you didn't have one 10 years ago and you lived fine without it! And, now, today, can't live without it. Strange how technology has helped us realize the importance of it for communication purposes.

What do you think?

So long.

A response to DeafASLVlogs

I wrote a response to deafaslvlogs.wordpress.com under her blogpiece about me on May 24, 2010. It has been two days and my comment is still "Awaiting Moderation." I am putting down my response here just in case if this blogger doesn't allow my response to go through. She may be busy, sure. Or then again she could have other reasons or ulterior motives for not allowing my comment to show up on her blog. Although I've heard stories that she would refuse some people's responses to get posted on her blog. Not sure if that's wholly true or not. But just in case here is a copy of the screen grab. Below is what I wrote.

This is not a so simple world with simple solutions. Each person is unique on how we deal with our hearing loss. Each parents' situation is unique when it comes to their deaf/hh child on communication access. Hearing loss is about people with all kinds of hearing loss from mild to profound. Each person has certain communications needs, wants and preferences. Some don't care for identity politics while others are immersed in them. Some preferred to be called hearing imparied, deaf, hard of hearing, Deaf or simply say "I have a hearing loss." If some are hoping that sensorineural hearing loss would be reversed in 10 or 20 years for now and would like to see their own hearing loss restored as well, good for them. Who am I to tell them they shouldn't do that? Who am I to tell parents they shouldn't do that for their deaf/hh baby? Who am I to tell parents that their communication options ought to be more restrictive or limited for their deaf/hh child? Who am I to tell people whether if they feel whole or partial?

"Deafhood" as I see it is an ideology that mixes identity politics of its own brand, namely Deaf culture, rather than simply on a shared or common interest because mostly I see people that are constantly fixated on the "don't fix me" meme and connect that with "deafhood" and apply that to everybody else. No thanks.

The one single thing that is common in all of us is that we all have hearing loss from mild to profound. How our we deal with our hearing loss and communication barriers vary from one person to the next. So, that's the second common interest we all have. Everything else just de-evolve from there breaking up into various factions. Which is why I say, "Deafhood? No thanks." Accept that. Move on.

As for "deficient human beings," your analysis is wrong. I see potential in each and every human being regardless if a person is blind, deaf, partially paralyzed or has other certain limiting conditions but certainly does not limit their spirit and creativity. What I don't do is limit their choices. If one hopes that he or she will see
again or have improved vision with the help of medical technology, I wish him or
her luck. If one hopes that he or she will be able to hear fully once again, I wish him or her luck. If one hopes that a cure for spinal paralysis will happen soon on the horizon so that he or she can walk, I say good luck to that person and hope for the best. If a person chooses not to then I say, great, that is a personal choice. It is not my position to try and limit people dreams or hopes on their own journey, whatever that might be. It's not for me to say or define. Neither should you. It is not my position to limit parents' informed decision on how to raise their deaf/hh child. Rather I like to give them the opportunity to expand beyond what's possible by whatever means it would require to make for them see and experience positive success.

I hope that each of us succeed in our own ways that's positive and rewarding that each of us can only appreciate. Hopefully, others will appreciate it as well. Deaf identity politics is just ugly business. I have the right to define who I am, and not from you or anybody else have that right.

Will ASLDeafVlogs let my comment come through or not? The same question is asked of The Deaf Sherlock, will he allow my comments to come through as well? Are they busy or are they both purposely ignoring my comment? I hope it is not the latter. If so, then that would be a petty thing to do.

In my blogging, I have no interest in using my blog to make personal attacks against people in any of the deaf and hard of hearing communities. My disagreement is with "deafhood." And how it is used to pervert it's own ideology by mixing identity politics with Deaf culture in the attempt to get everybody to follow it. That will simply not work, especially when people use it as an agenda setting goal using intimidation tactics, guilt trips, or other perverted means of using hyperbole such as lecturing about "deaf hate crime" in the attempt to win sympathies and put "deafhood" up on a pedestal. Yet by doing so presents its own irony.

Of course when a crime is committed against a deaf person and the reason for the attack is because of the person's deafness then that is wrong. There are people who do act on their hate against people by physically attacking them because of their deafness, and that is totally wrong. And they should be prosecuted and jailed. Any kind of crime against a deaf person for the reason of his/her deafness should be met with some kind of a prosecution. But to disagree about "deafhood," or disagree with a Deaf person over a topic or for someone to not accept "deafhood" is NOT a "deaf hate crime." It doesn't even come close. It gets even more ridiculous whenever Deaf people accuse other deaf/hh people and call it a "crime" for having an opinion. Or call it a "Deaf hate speech." All in all, having a disagreement over an issue or topic is called having an opinion. It's not a crime. It's not about hate. It's about having an opinion. Be smart. Learn the difference.

Deafhood? No Thanks.

A highly secretive group was recently discovered in Facebook a few days ago. I was dumbfounded that this group even existed. This select group is so secret that their password was never discovered until now. I was fortunate to come across this password given to me in an email by a mysterious person who claimed to have cracked the password code. The secret password can now be finally revealed to the world. The password is, "Deafhood? No Thanks."

Once inside I discovered that all new members who pledge themselves to become contributing members for an open society must undergo a rigorous initiation rite. Once a sacred pledge has been made they were all quickly introduced to the Grand Shoobeelabpterodactylrex Poobah through a video phone. After a quick introduction new pledges began their initiation rite by standing in front of a video phone screen and repeatedly say, "Deaf Power is No More!" over and over until the Grand Shoobeelabpterodactylrex Poobah is satisfied with the eerie incancation. He then ask the new pledges to repeat the words, "One Communication Option is No More!" over and over until the Grand Shoobeelabpterodactylrex Poobah is once again satisfied with their incantation. The next and last initiation rite was the most shocking of all. By holding their hands together and forming a circle the pledges, using their voice, scream at the top of their lungs while mysteriously shouting in tongues, "Ulaubooooo, scoobie doooooo, fuggamatich sammywich with mayo hamncheese." If the Grand Shoobeelabpterodactylrex Poobah finds the holy incantation mumbo jumbo acceptable he would smile and say, "Welcome, you are now free! You are no longer in the stone age." And then each of the pledges would get a golden certificate that says:

For people who do not subscribe to deafhood's ridiculous closed society philosophy and movement such as 'deaf power' movement and 'one communication option' approach.

For people who favor open society approaches such as equality for all deaf people regardless of their backgrounds, communication methods and technology options. Welcome brothers and sisters!

Yes, I'm telling you, this new Facebook organization does exist! Honest injun!

Yabba dabba dooo!

Are you a UbiDuo user? Want a chance to win $1000?

From the sComm email blast sent to me recently on the chance to win $1,000 for UbiDuo users. Read below and learn how you can win a cool $1,000. Contest ends June 20, 2010!


UbiDuo Star Contest - Winner will Receive $1,000

sComm is looking for a UbiDuo Star to be featured on the home page of the new sComm website. The contest begins today and will end on June 20th and the winner will be awarded $1,000. sComm will judge all the videos & pictures then will announce and award the winner on June 23rd.

The winner has to create one video and five pictures capturing 2 people using the UbiDuo to communicate with each other. A story must be included with the five pictures. The best story wins. For the one video and five pictures you take, the pictures have to include yourself and another person communicating on the UbiDuo. Don’t take any pictures of you alone on the UbiDuo without the other person communicating with you.

If the winner cannot accept the award because they are with an agency or entity, we will make a donation to their favorite charity.

Remember the UbiDuo Star contest begins now. The deadline to submit your video and pictures is June 20, 2010. Mail the video and pictures on a CD dated before or on June 20th to sComm at the following address at

sComm
6238 Hadley Street
Kansas City, MO 64133
Attention: UbiDuo Star Contest

If you have any questions about the UbiDuo Star contest, you can email me at jason@scomm.com. I look forward to receiving your video and pictures before or on the 20th of June.

All videos and pictures will be the property of sComm

If you are a deaf or hard of hearing person and want to have the power that Mary Ann, or other UbiDuo users have: the ability to converse face to face with anyone, you can! Learn more about the UbiDuo by contacting the sales team at sales@scomm.com today! Learn more about the UbiDuo by visiting www.scomm.com.

Communicate freely,
Jason Curry
CEO

C2I Conference - why did I use my voice?

Well. The first Vlog/Blogger Conference at Gallaudet University has come and gone. It was a refreshing sight to see serious and thoughtful discussions, and the exchanges of ideas rather than a debate for a change. I'm sure if you watched the whole live webcast you'd have seen me speak vocally rather than sign. Let me take another opportunity here to explain as I tried to do so that at the beginning of my presentation at Gallaudet. And then I'll toss in some of my notes and further thoughts on this whole C2I conference.

First off. Congrats to Jill Bradbury for pulling this off. This was no small feat and she had to overcome many obstacles to get this one done. Can't wait til next year (?) to see another C2I conference. Will it be an annual thing? Time will tell. Many thanks to interpreters and captioners and everybody else involved in this historic event. It'll be recorded prominently in Annals of Gallaudet University.

Met a few familiar faces. Amy Cohen saw me and looked directly at me and she still didn't recognized me! She said she had to look at my side profile of my face to recognize me. Har har Amy.

Met Jamie Burke. Finally! Hello to her and continued luck with the blogging. Also, Kristi Merriweather was there and met and had a good time and opportunity to chat more with her in person for a change. Chris Huer was there and we got off to a good start on getting to know each other. Take heart, Chris. You did good no matter what people will say. Met my old chemistry teacher, Prof. Michael Moore. He still remembers me and some nice chats throughout the day. I also had a nice chat with Jane Norman who got a kick out of watching me play the piano. Heh heh.... Lots of positive reviews by people who saw me play the piano. For those who voted "No" on whether I should put my video up of me playing the piano on my blog, do you really think that your votes of "no" would've stop me? ;-) Glad to see that everybody had a good time. Meeting up with old friends and makiing new ones.

For those in Deafreedom land, "Wiggums" was there. Nice surprise! He used had a stopover flight in D.C. for several hours before the next flight out to Europe! For those who didn't come to the C2I conference when "Wiggums" was there is now officially on Wiggums' "bad list".

Now, on to my explanation for the speaking part.

I speak all the time. This is what I do at work. My train of thought is better when I speak. I speak at a similar capacity at work in front of groups of people that I deal with the public on environmental issues and water since I do work for the Federal government responsible for 1.1 million acres of government lands. I prepare presentations all the time. I deal with the concerned public on environmental issues either individually or in large groups, which, of course, at times I'm considered to be the target.

:-)

Now, I spoke also only because the C2I conference had voice and ASL interpreters, and a real time captioner available for the audience sitting in the seats before me and for the people out on the internet. Had it not any of the interpreters I would have signed. But in this case my preference has always been to talk and listen because i do well with it. And just as well an opportunity to showcase my point about choice and communication access. Not that I'm trying oppress anybody because of what I just did which would be ludicrous. That was an example of diversity where I am at one end of the spectrum as a deaf person who is hard of hearing. This is my identity. It always has been. And I'm still in the same boat with you and anybody else among the 30 million people with hearing loss in the United States. We all share very similar communication issues and concerns.

Now, this conference consisted mostly of three separate and consistent theme. And those are technology, communication, and education. My notes below consisted mostly about technology and how technology is the key when it comes to interaction and communication. I believe it's important to toss in my notes here because I believe Gallaudet is at a critical juncture in its survival right now. In other words, Gallaudet University must somehow re-invent itself, for the lack of a better word.

Note, some of my notes may be redundant. As always, there are lots of ideas out there that people may have on what to do about Gallaudet's future. In my honest and professional opinion is that technology is the key here for Gallaudet to survive and compete with the outside world. We MUST develop the technology on campus because we know what we want.

My conference notes for my presentation:

1. Technology - take advantage of this!

2. Communication - be involved!

3. Education - spread out knowledge, info, and raise that bar!

Ok. Here are my notes along with some modifications that I tried to convey last night but didn't have time. I will now clarify here on my blog.


"The Futuristic Classroom". What does it mean?

• Is it about the ability to interact?

• Is it about communication needs and preferences?

• Is it about accessibility when it comes to the free flow of information whether coming from a computer or human being?

• Is a “futuristic classroom” on campus only?

• How about off campus?

• Is it always about classrooms? What about outside of classrooms? Can learning take place outside of the classrooms?


What should we expect in a “Futuristic Classroom”?


• Technology seen in classrooms ought to reflect equally well the technology we would see on campus when it comes to communication and interaction.

• It ought to be seamless.

• Intuitive. Of common sense. Completely accessible and very transparent.

• A "no-brainer" (pardon the pun) campus the moment you step in at the front gate.

• The campus should be intuitively clear that Gallaudet is a university accessible to everyone at any time.

• Especially so for a Deaf person stepping onto the campus for the very first time seeing that technology along with service is leap years ahead of everybody's expectation on how a campus should function.

• The front gate is our advertisement to the world that they are invited to come in and without worry when it comes to their and, especially so, deaf people communication need where signing is the preferred mode of communication.


Is technology critical to Gallaudet University’s success?

• Yes. Extremely important.

• Why? Technology is moving faster than ever before. Technology and performance doubles every 2 years.

• Technology will play a major role in how we will interact with anyone on and off campus.

• We must plan 2 to 4 years in advance and take into consideration future technology not quite ready for the market but has been demonstrated such as the flat screen panel that’s thick as a playing card you can put up on a wall.

• We must also plan 5 to 10 years down the road on how technology can be integrated successfully all over the campus and in classrooms.


What area of technology is growing so fast?

• (describe computer chip speed and memory)
• cell phones
• internet connection
• voice recognition – it is widely being used today. Many cell phones have voice recognition features built into them. 
• ASL or sign language recognition later on down the road but potentially critical for Gallaudet survival and propagation and preservation of ASL.


What can we do?

• Gallaudet must RE-INVENT itself!
• This is critical to Gallaudet University’s success and survival.
• Technology is the key.
• Look around the conference room.
• Today’s conference is a perfect example of how technology is helping you, Gallaudet University, and future students to continue to thrive and succeed.
• Technology is key to the preservation and, even, propagation of ASL.
• ASL was never in danger in the first place!


Must have a program established on campus. One idea is to have what you called “Media Lab”. Media doesn’t necessarily mean “news” or “info” but how we use and spread information and ideas by incorporating the value of communication on all levels. An experimental campus. Must establish a core research area on Gallaudet that can become recognized as an important scientific "Think Tank" on campus. Everybody is involved. Even kids since sometime they bring up the darndest and great suggestion.

• Need to keep people who have done computer/technology work relating to communication on campus of Gallaudet. Such as Christian Vogler, who will leave Gallaudet this April, who has done his PhD work on computer ASL-recognition and facial recognition. Lots of valuable time, resources and money were put into him will be lost upon Gallaudet when he leaves. Also, same goes for other people who have done similar work. We need to bring those people on board and begin the real serious research and must have the full support of Gallaudet University.

• Must use technology on campus and develop better technology because we know what we are looking for and want.

• Why wait for technology to happen when the researchers, students and other contributors on campus can make it happen first and earlier?

• There are no engineering program at Gallaudet. Why not?
• Establish computer science and electrical engineering program on campus. Use existing consortium universities and their engineering classrooms to help fill the engineering gap at Gallaudet in the meantime.
• This may lead to the increased potential of retaining engineering students at Gallaudet. Perhaps develop masters program? Use consortium universities?
• Have students develop a need to have this "Media Lab" which may help keep students on campus and not quit early or go home.
• We must employ greater use of the consortium program.
• As a requirement, undergraduates (and perhaps graduates) need to attend at least 2 to 4 classes at one of the 13 universities in and around D.C. as part of their graduation requirement.
• Why?
• Because we will always interact with hearing and deaf.


What’s more is that We are seeing this capability today. Compared to 5 years ago, just think of the kind of technology we didn’t have. And think where we may be in 5 to 7 years from now.

Digital convergence

University of Idaho engineering outreach

Consortium universities – how many of them are wired and accessible. A “webcam” in every classrooms?
universities that are a part of the consortium program


Establish a new program that will support researchers at the graduate and staff level, as well as professors who are in the area of technology and communication accessibility.

For example, Christian Vogler who is deaf and has a PhD who worked in the area of ASL-recognition research where computers would learn to recognize ASL movements and decipher them.

Invent the technology here on campus and patent them which could be a source of revenue in the future.

A “mini-MIT” campus so to speak.

What program would be ideal to start with?

Have a program called “Media Lab”.

It does not necessarily mean “news” or “info”. It is about how information is used and propagated. It is how we interact with each other on the social level is where we get our new information.

Related blog - Voice is way, way better than ASL!

sComm, Inc Wins $1.3 Million NIH Award

Just received personal words via my email from the CEO of sComm, Jason Curry, whose company was recently awarded a few days ago a $1.3 million dollar funding from the National Institute of Health (NIH). The recent award will help fund the Phase II of their product that provides technology-based tools that enable face-to-face communication betweeen deaf and hearing people, and between people in other communication-challenged situations. The Mission of sComm is Freedom through Communication. sComm, Inc. of Kansas City, MO has completed a Phase I Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) project, funded by NIH, to develop a stand-alone communications device for the deaf and hearing-impaired. The recent award will help sComm, Inc continue with their Phase II project.

But sComm's fundamental contribution reaches far beyond the tools.

"We have observed that deaf users of our tools experience a profound sense of freedom and independence that greatly transcends the tools. Gone is dependence on a human interpreter; gone is the reduced quality of content that gradually overtakes a signed, or handwritten conversation. Instead, the user experiences authentic, nuanced, rapid-fire conversation that was never possible before."

Jason Curry, who is deaf and wears a cochlear implant ever since 2000, is a known innovator and motivator whose positive energy encourages people to set their own goals to a higher standard for themselves. Now, Jason Curry and his company, sComm, Inc will have an even higher goal to break....a device enabling independent face to face communication between deaf and hearing people. The power of transformation. The power of greater independency.

For more information please contact Jason Curry, Founder and CEO, jason@jasoncurry.com or Emma Curry, Administrator, Emma1@sbcglobal.net


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Look here on the Kokonut Pundits blogsite for more and exciting updates or visit the sComm, Inc website. The exciting journey on FREEDOM OF COMMUNICATION for millions of people who are deaf across the world can now move foward at sComm, Inc.