Gallaudet University, Who is Mr. Benson Tong?

Who is Benson Tong? Why is Gallaudet University keeping quiet on him? Or are they?

This is breaking news, at least for me, in the December 2004 article by the History News Network on the “Investigation by the Chronicle of Higher Education: (part) 2 - Historians Accused of Plagiarism” where there seems to be a plagariasm brouhaha (or will be soon) on the campus of Gallaudet University. If you can't get to the link go here to the Google cache section.

Are you listening Buff and Blue? Or Buck Naked Bison? You got your work cut out for you right there on your idyllic green campus.

The authors, Bartlett and Smallwood, highlighted four cases that they came across in their investigation of “plagiarists you’ve never heard of.” Benson Tong is one of them discussed. What was surprising was that Gallaudet University never heard of Benson Tong's charge of plagiarism, the accused one levied by the Historical Association’s findings, until after they hired him. This is one big plagiarism brouhaha surprise we have here on the very campus of Gallaudet University according to the authors, Barlett and Smallwood. Could get quite interesting.

Now, who is Benson Tong? Well, to begin he was an assistant professor of history at Wichita State University. In his written anthology on Margaret Chung, the first U.S.-born female Chinese doctor, who was also the subject of Ms. Wu's 1998 dissertation, seemed to have copied nearly verbatim Ms. Wu’s dissertation of the same subject.

It all started when Judy Tzu-Chun Wu came across a newly published anthology on the American West in 2002. Ms. Wu, who was an assistant professor of history at Ohio State University at the time, had a great deal of interest in Margaret Chung. Ms. Wu wrote and taught about the American West while on campus. Her revelation about this other author, Mr. Tong, was soon to be discovered when she looked through his book to see how the this author felt about Margaret Chung. Ms. Wu was surprised to see such similarity to her own 1998 dissertation. So similar that according to Ms. Wu in one of the chapter (Tong, ch. 11: Margaret Chung and the Dilemma of Bicultural Identity) it was nothing more than a condensed version of Ms. Wu dissertation almost by pure verbatim.

Sounds like a plagiarist who got caught by the very author herself, Ms. Wu. But read the rest of the full article:

Ms. Wu went through Mr. Tong's chapter word by word. She highlighted in yellow those portions of the text that were borrowed directly or altered slightly. She highlighted in green those sections that were paraphrased versions of her arguments and research. When she was finished, only one paragraph of the 15-page essay had escaped the highlighter.

But the most damning evidence could be found in the footnotes. If Mr. Tong's list of sources was to be believed, he had gone to the same archives, reviewed the same unpublished manuscripts, oral histories, and newspaper articles as Ms. Wu and then chosen to quote identical passages from that material. "Almost all of the citations in Tong's essay exactly replicate the sources and page numbers that appear in my footnotes," Ms. Wu wrote in a complaint to the American Historical Association.

Despite the compelling evidence, some of her colleagues told her to forget the matter. Pursuing it could damage another scholar's career and would no doubt be a long, exhausting process.

Ms. Wu ignored their advice. She submitted a 21-page complaint to the association and wrote a letter to Scholarly Resources Inc., the publisher of Mr. Tong's book. Mr. Tong offered a rebuttal to Ms. Wu's charges, and Ms. Wu countered with a response of her own, again laying out the evidence against him. She describes the experience as "emotionally draining."

The process was difficult and tiresome, just as some of her colleagues had predicted. In the end, the historical association ruled in her favor, finding that Mr. Tong "appears to have borrowed most of his research and overall analytical framework from Ms. Wu's work without sufficiently indicating the extent of his indebtedness." The group concluded that Mr. Tong had indeed committed plagiarism. Not long after, the association stopped investigating plagiarism cases, saying it was not a good use of its resources.

As was the association's custom, it sent a letter to Ms. Wu and Mr. Tong informing them of its decision about Ms. Wu's complaint. There was no press release, no notice on the association's Web site. Today, more than a year afterward, the association won't even confirm that it conducted an investigation.

As a result, Ms. Wu felt it was her responsibility to publicize the findings. She had the chairman of her department fax the association's letter to the chairman of the history department at Wichita State.

That was particularly bad timing for Mr. Tong, who was coming up for tenure. He was turned down. After sticking around Wichita State for another year, he was hired by Gallaudet University (in August 2004).

When contacted recently at the university (Gallaudet), Mr. Tong asks the caller to hold on while he closes his office door. He contends that he "didn't make any mistakes" in the essay and says he refuted Ms. Wu's allegations. When asked if he was guilty of plagiarism, he responds, "No, I don't think so at all."

However, he declined to discuss any details, saying the matter had already been put to rest. When asked whether his new employer (Gallaudet University) was aware of the historical association's finding, he said: "I guess they know about it. The word does get around."

According to the article it goes pretty much hush, hush regarding plagiarisms committed by scholars. That's why the authors of the article are writing about this "hush hush" business on scholarly plagiarism. But words did get around, eventully, to the right, uh, ears of one of Gallaudet University's chairman.

Apparently word had not gotten around to the chairman of the government and history department at Gallaudet, Russell Olson

Upon being told that a newly hired member of his department had been found guilty of plagiarism, Mr. Olson groans. When asked if this came as a surprise, Mr. Olson answers, "Total." He went on to say he would "do something" but declined to be more specific.

He would do something? Is this going to be another “Ward Churchill” thing where Gallaudet University officials will pay Benson Tong some moolah so he can leave and not fear a lawsuit? We’ll see.

Except for acknowledging the receipt of her first letter, the publisher of Mr. Tong's book never responded to Ms. Wu's letters and e-mail messages. This year Scholarly Resources was acquired by Rowman & Littlefield. Kelly Rogers, the director of permissions at the publisher, was unaware of the plagiarism charge. "I would be the person who would know," she says.

As for Ms. Wu, she feels somewhat vindicated by the historical association's ruling. Still, she remains frustrated that Mr. Tong's book has never been retracted. "It's still out there," she says.

Her dissertation is scheduled to be published next year by the University of California Press. Ms. Wu worries that Mr. Tong might even be asked to review her book. After all, he's written on the same subject.

Ok. Here’s the old adage, you reap what you sow. Take full responsibility of your actions. When you plagiarize, you are stealing another person’s work. When you copy a famous painting and sell as your own painting, that’s stealing someone elses recognized but hard work. Not very smart, even coming from scholars which makes them very dumb professors.

However, Benson Tong left a pithy quote about research and writing seen in the Wichita State University’s newsletter (Vol 3, #1 Spring 2002):

“Students learn not only methods of research and writing that they can apply to other endeavors, but they also sharpen their social skills. They learn to meet deadlines, compromise with each other and appreciate the importance of tolerance of diverse opinions. And of course, they also expand their appreciation of the past.”

And yet he earned a spot in the annals of famous plagiarists? Is this fair? And he's famous, too? Well, maybe after this goes out he will be.

Anybody listening?

By the way, can Benson Tong sign? Go find him on campus and report back to me. Ask him about Ms. Wu with your flying fingers of yours. Or maybe contact him via Gallaudet University's email. And for Pete's sake, does anybody have a picture of him on campus? Is Benson Tong still there three months after the story broke out? Is Gallaudet University doing anything at all??

Gallaudet University - Rate Your Professor.

Here's a new one. A website where you can rate your professors at Gallaudet University. Seems like a good idea but the underlying results could prove devastating to poor performing professors or professors who seem to have a prediliction on flirting with young girls will red flags pop up for Gallaudet University's administrators to take notice when it was them who hired these people in the first place. Lots of positive/negative comments are made.

Of course, there is no way to gauge the actual truthfulness of these online surveys along with comments that borders on slanderous, even criminally charging towards some professors thus eliciting hateful responses:

We also get some pretty hateful emails telling us how inappropriate the site is, how they are going to shut us down, etc.

Sounds like liberals bent on extolling the "virtues" on freedom of expression.

Anyway, the responses are sometime funny. A few writes of one professor who remind them of grandpa. While some of the more "famous" professors get accolades such as "Skip" Williams. He's a go-getter and burn the crutches right off the ground. He's like a guy doing Mach 2 on those sidewalks on the campus of Gallaudet University. Well, at least he did in his younger days when I was a student there, uh, 15 years ago.

The best rating at 4.8 out 5.0 with enough students responding (8) to make it acceptably "valid" is, so far, Professor Bernard Brown. And the worst one comes in at 1.6 out 5.0 is Professor "Grandpa" Beasely with 9 respondents. Poor guy. I never had him, though. But I've seen him in the hallways wondering who the heck he is. And that was 15 years ago. Even then he looked like "Grandpa."

Look around the website and get the skinny on which professors at Gallaudet University get ranked favorably or unfavorably. There are a few vicious comments...oooh and ouch! But, hey, that's reality and the world ain't a cakewalk. There are such things as really, really bad professors.

Regardless, the website is worth looking into every 6 months when more come online to register and do the ranking survey. So, sign up!

CTIA Wireless - How Wireless Continues to Help Deaf and Hard of Hearing People

FCC Commissioner Copps Keynotes CTIA Wireless Accessibility Workshop
WASHINGTON --(Business Wire)-- March 10, 2005 -- Half Day Session Focuses on Services and Products Available to Individuals with Hearing, Mobile and Visual Disabilities CTIA-The Wireless Association(TM) announces Federal Communications Commission Commissioner Michael Copps will present the opening keynote address at a half day Wireless Disabilities Workshop CTIA is hosting on March 14 at CTIA WIRELESS 2005. The largest wireless expo in the world.

Representatives from the disability community will join leaders from the wireless industry and the federal government to focus on the technical and policy issues involved with continuing to make wireless services accessible to individuals with hearing, mobile and visual disabilities.

"Wireless phones started as a luxury toy for the wealthy businessperson. Yet, in 21 short years, this industry has advanced the technology and lowered its price so that all consumers - regardless of where they live, the language they speak, or what disabilities they may face - can enjoy the convenience and safety provided by wireless technology," said Steve Largent, President & CEO of CTIA.

"CTIA and its member companies remain committed to providing accessible wireless services for all consumers and look forward to this opportunity to meet again with the Disabilities Community and discuss how together we can continue to provide innovative new services for those with hearing, mobile and visual disabilities."

There will be three panel sessions: "Gadgets and Gizmos: What's Here and What's Coming", "The Consumer Perspective: What Consumers Expect and Need to Know" and "Standards and Testing: Status".

The panels feature speakers from consumer groups, research institutes, the federal government and the wireless industry, including representatives from the FCC's Wireless Telecommunications Bureau and Consumer and Government Affairs Bureau, the Food and Drug Administration, American Council of the Blind, Alliance for Telecommunications Industry Solutions, Cingular Wireless, Georgia Tech Wireless RERC, Motorola, National Association of the Deaf, National Spinal Cord Injury Association, Nextel, Nokia, Research In Motion, Self Help for the Hard of Hearing, Sony Ericsson, Sprint and UT Starcomm.

Erin Casler, the National Association of the Deaf Miss Deaf America 2004-2006, will close the Workshop with a keynote address. The event, held Monday, March 14 from 11:00 a.m. - 3:00 p.m., will be wheel chair accessible. Interpreters and guides will be provided.

The Wireless Accessibility Workshop will be held only at CTIA WIRELESS 2005, the world's largest wireless trade show, featuring nearly one mile in exhibit space. This year, the show will take place at the Morial Convention Center in New Orleans, Louisiana, March 14-16.

Register now to network with industry leaders, regulators, technologists and reporters at the one place that draws the best of wireless - CTIA WIRELESS 2005. For more information about CTIA WIRELESS 2005, including registration, travel and housing, and session details, please visit our Web site http://www.ctia.org. CTIA is the international association for the wireless telecommunications industry, representing carriers, manufacturers and wireless Internet providers.

Microsoft Losing Suit over Local College Student Representing Himself

What was the local college student crime to gain the attention and wrath from Microsoft? He sold two unopened software packages on eBay for $91 after he realized he had to reformat his hardrive in order to install the software, which he didn't care to do so. He tried to get his refund from the university bookstore but they refused. What to do? He auctioned the two unopened MS software on eBay. Microsoft took wind of it and to make a long story short they took him to court.

But so far, the local college student is winning with his countersuit. If MS offers an apology, Zamos, the college student, will be willing to drop the countersuit. MS refused to apologize.

Zamos said his countersuit, which includes allegations that Microsoft committed fraud and violated the Consumer Sales Practice Act, is more about principle. And his legal battle with Microsoft reflects the passion with which he is defending his case.

He said he spent hours in law libraries constructing his defense, learning the ropes of law to file more than a dozen motions himself. "I knew absolutely nothing when I started this,'' said Zamos, who plans to use his chemistry degree to work as a pharmaceutical researcher.

The court docket is voluminous, so much so that Judge John R. Adams has ordered both sides to stop filing motions until the March 25 case management meeting. Zamos said after talks with Microsoft's Cleveland attorneys that he believes at least one California attorney failed to research the company's claims and overstated its case in the initial suit. But without an apology, he said, he's not going anywhere but a courtroom, where he plans to act as his own lawyer and argue before a jury.

"Once they found out their mistake, they should have said they're sorry. And we could have been done with this a month ago,'' he said.
"They say I'm hassling them with my motions, but they sued me. I didn't sue them.

"I'm not asking for much, but apparently they think so. I mean, hey, apologize and pay off Kinko's'' for copies, he said.

Looks like Microsoft can't find a way to make used products illegal.

C'mon Microsoft, don't be such a weenie. Lick your wounds and apologize. Else, bloggosphere's going to take this like the wind in a wildfire!


Oh, yeah, this dude at one time was arrested after sneaking across a lawn with a can of spray paint in Ohio, heading toward the notoriously large Bush/Cheney sign in the yard of Summit CountyRepublican Chairman Alex Arshinkoff. Zamos was convicted of misdemeanor trespassing and criminal mischief.

Here's a video-tape. Not him, though, I suppose, but maybe his friends? But it did occur in Summit County.

He got his dues. Now, it's time for Microsoft to get some serious dues. I'm rootin for the little guy.

The Extreme Liberal Bias Against Phil Mitchell of CU

A University of Colorado professor has lost his teaching position because of his outspoken views and controversial personal beliefs—and it's not Ward Churchill. Most Americans have no doubt heard of Churchill, the CU ethnic studies professor who compared the victims of the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks to Nazis. But he still has his job. Phil Mitchell, a conservative Christian, does not. His offense? He assigned his history class to read "In His Steps" by Charles Sheldon, the book which in which the phrase "What would Jesus do?" was coined. Mitchell said he was immediately terminated when one student complained to the history department about the assignment.

Interesting bias going on here. Colorado University led a blind eye over "Prof" Churchill's comment when he described the World Trade Center victims as "little Eichmanns," a reference to Adolph Eichmann, who carried out Hitler's plan to exterminate Europe's Jews during World War II. But instead Colorado University's officials came down on Professor Mitchell for having a class assignment to read "In His Steps" all because of one (if at best a few) student complained. Yet C.U. officials hardly ever listened to Sophomore Matt Coppo's complaint of Churchill who lost his father, Joseph Coppo Jr., in the World Trade Center attacks, and was angered over the invitation to Churchill.

"Knowing that I'm paying for a person to disrespect my father, it doesn't go over too well in my mind," Coppo said.

And Phil Mitchell knows all too well of what and why C.U. officials are trying to do.

"They know what they're doing," Phil Mitchell said of University of Colorado officials. "They're freezing out conservative ideas; they're freezing out conservative professors."

Indeed. So much for academic freedom.

UPDATE: More important points here from another blogger, and he's not a fan of evangelical Christianity.

Uber-cool Cyborg Device

Go here (allow a few minutes for the website to set up) and learn about the new "cyborg" device that will aid certain "handicapped" people. It's a large device almost the size of child's fist that sits next to the ear and it took 8 years to develop.

Welcome to the cyborg community.

You will be assimilated!

Are You a "Go-Getter" Athlete or Do You Make Excuses?

Are you a no nonsense, no excuse "go-getter" athlete who take "no" for an answer?

One thing though, be careful on who to blame when it comes to these deaf/hh athletes. Blaming parents, hearing coaches, deaf schools, the government and whatnot for not achieving to the athletic standards of hearing athletes. Pure bunkum.

I have participated in sports all of my life among my hearing teammates. As a kid I had two soccer championships SEAA ELKs, two little league baseball championships, wrestling trophies in which in one final wrestling event I took 2nd place in my weight category, took tumbling, basketball and swimming. All these took place OUTSIDE OF SCHOOL. Go figure. And all of my coaches were hearing, too. Ooooh, double go figure. But even while in Middle school I continued to play soccer and basketball. And in high school took track for short while before I began my odysey in weightlifting and finally powerlifting competing in powerlifting events where I often did well sometimes taking 1st or 2nd place in the bench press, squat and deadlift (which wasn't my favorite). All events were "hearing events" but they never discriminated anyone who had a hearing loss and allowed them to participate. Not one iota time. Go figure. This is what coaches want, go-getters. I have never remembered a time when I was put on the side line. Not once. I was part of the team and participated in every game. I even made the baseball team at Gallaudet University during a try out and I was to be placed either as 2nd base or short-stop because of my excellent ball fielding and batting. But I just wanted to see if I could make the team since I was more interested in using my time to study than to play sports that could take up my time and away from my continuing powerlifting exercises at Gallaudet. And now I'm into Aikido, a Japanese martial art and I'm in my 8th year. I'm a no nonsense, no excuse, go-getter.

Using an excuse, any excuses, on why these deaf/hh athletes couldn't be better than their hearing counterparts is nothing but laughable if they can do the same thing they can. If you have an athletic talent, you WILL be discovered whether a hearing or deaf coach spots your talent in the first place.

Terence Parkin had a hearing swimming coach who spotted his talent at age 13. And yet it was him who set out to teach everyone on his swim team the alphabet in sign language, starting with his hearing coach, so that they could communicate with him. Now everyone in swimming circles had a level of understanding with him. Parkin is a go-getter. Coaches like go-getters, whether they're deaf or not. Shows that you have the cojones, the will, the desire and the talent to be even a better athlete. Even if you don't become a professional athlete. Now, Terence Parkin has a swimming academy where he can be a deaf role model as a deaf coach for deaf/hh youngsters to look up to who go to his swimming academy. Truly a gold standard there.

It doesn't have to be the Olympics but the aspiration on getting into professional sports such as baseball. Curtis Pride became the fifth deaf player to reach the major leagues. At the age of six, Curtis Pride played one T-ball game and then said, "I'm going to be a baseball player." Twelve years later, he signed a contract to play for the major league New York Mets. In the intervening years, he was: (1) an outstanding high school athlete excelling in baseball, soccer, basketball, wrestling, swimming, track, and gymnastics; (2) named as one of the top 15 youth soccer players in the world (the only American) and a member of the U.S. National All-Star Soccer Team which traveled to China to compete for the 1985 Junior World Cup; (3) a "Parade Magazine" high school basketball All-American and a four-year starter as point guard on the College of William and Mary basketball team. On every one of those squads, Curtis was the only hearing-impaired athlete. Curtis Pride is a no nonsense, no excuse, go-getter.

Or maybe the first deaf professional cyclist, Reece-Emerson van Beek, of Australia? Notice his objectives: To win more major races; To compete overseas before the Deaflympic Games;
To win the Deaflympic Games in 35km Road Time Trial; 100km Road Race, 50km point Road Race; To become the first deaf professional athlete to join the European Professional cycling team in Division 1, 2 or 3. Reece-Emerson is a go-getter.

Or maybe a deaf semi-professional football player? Phillip Morris is both a defensive end and offensive guard on the Austin Gamebreakers, a semi-professional football team in Austin, Texas, part of the North American Football League. He’s a valued player, helping his team win the division championships this past year. Morris is also the only deaf player on the team. The story of how he got there is a story of struggle, harassment, acceptance and passion. "Life does not come in a silver spoon, we have to fight our way to the top," said Morris recently, but Morris not only fought but also played his way to success. He perceived the advantages in his deafness and made it work for him. Phillip Morris is a go-getter.

There is no end to this. None of these now professional athletes used excuses as their crutch for not making it. Excuses are for losers. You do your best and that what really counts whether you make the semi-professional sports, professional sports, the Olympics or just become a gosh darn excellent deaf/hh coach to help aspire young deaf/hh athletes.

This is what you must do by doing the best you can and not make excuses when it comes to sports. Again, excuses are for losers. You try and overcome any obstacles in your way in order to continue and improve your athletic skill. Parental support is important, too. But the inspiration and desire must come from within you to succeed. Please, no more excuses of why deaf and hard of hearing supposedly cannot be among the best of the best athletes in the world.

Are you a go-getter or do you want to make excuses?

Just as I thought.

Arrest of the Armanious Murderers

Read both Michelle Malkin and Powerlineblog about the case solved in the Armanious murders that was referred to in the NYPost. Seems the police have arrested two drug dealers who lived above the Armanious dwelling in an apartment rented to them by the Armanious. I'm glad the police finally caught the right murderers (ie. charged with the crime).

A few months ago I made a note about these murders and how may Liberals continue not to show any signs of sympathy or express condolences (or even outrage) to the friends and families of the murdered Armanious family and would rather talk about other things just to avoid any condolences or sympathy, and go about name calling. That was my point. Some people just don't get it.

However, there are always questions involving a murder and the extreme brutality of these murders didn't help but stir more questions, including possible hate crimes. And just because two suspects were arrested. The questioning doesn't stop there. Next is to figure out exactly what their motives were for the murders since both of them were drug dealers, living in a cheap apartment and are constantly looking for money. Extreme brutality can be an indicator of a hate crime and people will naturally question whether or not the murder is hate crime related. Pretty much the same way people question the Oct. 2 killing of Daniel Fetty, a 39-year-old gay, deaf man living in his car after a fire at his apartment who was beaten with bricks, boards and bottles, stripped naked and left in a trash container in downtown Waverly. He died the next day in a Columbus hospital. The prosecutor is calling this a hate crime. The exact motive is still unclear for both of these murders, the Armanious and Fetty. Condolences all around for these unwarranted but brutal murders.

Again, I express my condolences to the Armanious family and their friends. May the Armanious family rest in peace. They're in God's graces now.

The Problem with Deaflympics..."Wannabe Athletes?"

From the Belfast Telegraph newspaper: "Deaflympics: why it's time to make a change."

A Belfast man back from Melbourne told me the Games were well-organised and professionally-controlled, but is it appropriate to describe the results as world records when they are so inferior to medal-winning times in the hearing world?

It's also quite obvious that, in order to try and improve standards and win medals, the organisers have changed the whole meaning of the word DEAF and the medical cut-off line between deaf and hearing has been reduced to 50 decibels - very different from the strict tests of 70/80 loss ten years ago. People with that low level of hearing loss enjoy almost normal hearing with their digital aids and sign language is not in their vocabulary.

Hearing aids are not permitted when competing to try and put all competitors on an equal footing, but nearly all the winners interviewed by See Hear spoke as hearing folk and it seems ridiculous to persist with the title Deaflympics when the great majority of the sports men and women competing are not part of the deaf community as we know it.

If this policy of lowering the level of hearing loss in order to attract a better class of competitor persists, then the time will surely come when sign language users will be in a minority and, with English as their first language, the new breed of deaf athletes will be perfectly at home in events like the Paralympics.

I spoke to the head of UK deaf sports and he said that, while he agreed with many of my points, he felt that the deaf community still felt the need for this four-yearly get-together - not just to compete in sport, but perhaps even more importantly, to meet and socialise with deaf people from many other parts of the world.

Seems to me that there is more emphasis on socialization at Deaflympics than purely for the athletic event. Just my perception. Since all of the deaf and hard of hearing athletes are able-bodied compared to those in the Paralympic or even the Special Olympics. There is a difference between these two sports organization on athletic qualification requirements. And yet many of these deaf and hard of hearing athletes are wannabes who dare hope and dream of competing in the Olympics some day if they practice hard everyday for it.

The Deaflympics shows good intention by showing and helping these skilled deaf or hard of hearing athletes to the world much like the Paralympics. Historically, the Olympics had their share of people with certain disabilities.

So far, 15 deaf or hard of hearing athletes had the rare privilege to compete in "hearing" Olympic Games between 1948 and 2004. The most recent one was a deaf sportsman Frank Bartolillo who won the selection for the 2004 Australian Olympic Fencing Team.
The next recent one was Terence Parkin, an outstanding hard of hearing swimmer from South Africa, in 2000. Before that a deaf athlete made the 1998 Winter Olympics to compete as a speedskater. It was Chantal Sevigny who made the Canadian Olympic Team that competed in the 1998 Winter Olympics. She became the first deaf athlete to take part in the Winter Olympics while the Summer Olympics has a list of deaf or hard of hearing athletes who took part. But this was a first for the Winter Olympics. Even for Jeff Float who became the first gold medal winner as a deaf swimmer in the 1984 Olympics. Jeff Float was never a Deaf athlete but a deaf athlete and was oral most of his life. And not only deaf or hard of hearing athletes competed in the Olympics, so did blind athletes. These athletes aspire to be greater than simply a deaf athlete. These athletes aspire to be nothing but Olympic athletes.

Now, what the CISS/Deaflympics don't tell you about those 14 deaf or hard of hearing athletes even though they acknowledge them quite pridefully, is that many of these athletes are not Deaf or culturally deaf, or even know sign language. Many of these athletes are simply deaf or hard of hearing athletes who may read lips, communicate verbally among their hearing peers and friends, or even use sign language. Some use their hearing aids as a source of communication input and use their voice to communicate instead. And most of these athletes do look up to their famous hearing athletes as a source of their athletic inspiration rather than deaf or hard of hearing athletes. But that's changing, too.

Regardless, the Deaflympics is an inspiring athletic sports organization sponsored by the Olympics committee enabling deaf and hard of hearing athletes to aim at their very best. The best of the best go to the Olympics. Who will be the next one?

When Militant Deaf Liberals Use the "Fake but Accurate" Response

Dan Rather said it in his defense of the fake Bush memo. Ward Churchill basically said it about his fake but "original" painting of "Winter Attack". And now Deaf Militant Liberals are getting on the bandwagon?

In one recent Deaf blogsite the person shows pictures of Arnold Schwarzenegger of his young self posing his famous muscular pose and him from a few years ago in his beach swimsuit looking mightly out of shape for a man who was 55 or so at the time when the picture was taken. Supposedly the picture is Arnold. On the Snopes message board they discuss the veracity of the photo of the older Arnold. Elsewhere one has said it was seen in People Magazine. Just because it's in a magazine doesn't mean the photograph is that of Arnold. The actual source of the photo has yet to be revealed and with modern photoshopping methods on digital photos anyone can plant a face of a famous person onto an ungodly overweight or out of shape person. Here is what one militant Deaf and Liberal person (A) said:

A: "This is gross. Hopefully, gay men will think twice before imitating this fool."

B: "It isn't his body at all you fell for the most common trick in technology!"

A: "I dont care if it's fake or not. Deal with it."

And a long pause, some rebuttal about blogging as part of the "entertainment" business and nothing about learning or education in a subsequent blogpiece along with a few expletitives and then somebody blinked:

A: "Besides, Arnie was always a lousy actor to start with."

Okayyyy. It's entertainment. Consider my blogpieces to be both entertaining AND educational. The learning never stop.

One thing I do question. I don't see a scar on Arnold's chest. He had open-heart surgery in 1997 to replace a congenital (by birth) aortic heart valve before it had a chance to get worse later in his life. This is where doctors have to crack open the chest just to get to the heart in plain open view. Scars would have been very prominent in Arnold's photo that was shot supposedly in 2003 when he was 55 years old. A scar should have been seen from at the top of the chest ribcage down to the bottom of his middle ribcage. Though the picture is not all that clear, either.

Whether it's fake or not, it's up to you people, really. But it is really just plain idiocy to call upon the old "fake but accurate" response just so you can have your say without admitting to anything in error a la' Dan Rather's bobbing and weaving style. It's called "intellectual dishonesty." For all we know, the photo could be quite real. But to say "I don't care if it's fake or not" looks a bit, uh, INANE and points out your own obviouis agenda. And for the person who said "Gross" ought to look at his own photos of himself on his own webpage with that large gut of his in the way at age late 20-ish or something and compare that to Arnold's younger days when he was 20-ish or something. Now, imagine yourself at age 55, with no exercise and continued bad eating habits enough to give you diarrhea all the time. Not an attractive picture for anybody to imagine. The results will be worse than the contested out-of-shape Arnold. Much worse.

Be careful how you judge other people's physiques. Until you walk in their shoes, being fit and healthy isn't an easy task. Keeping slim isn't easy either for many. Exercising at an older age gets harder. Exercising and proper eating become a whole different lifestyle. You have that choice. And you live with that choice. Sometimes your own genes make it harder to have that healthier lifestyle but it is does not have to become an impossible task if you're smart about it. And it make no sense to point fingers at other people's awful physiques when you need to take that plank out of your own eyes for a change. And this isn't even about politics, either. This is about common courtesy. Given that Arnold mainained his physique for nearly 35 years is amazing in itself compared to people who hardly touched a barbell or much less exercised at all want to make fun of his physique at a later age. Especially when Arnold has a keen interest in helping special people at the Special Olympics events. And at age 57, if you can look this good in a suit, then certainly you have that physique advantage that anybody would kill to look that good. Even at age 57.

BTW, it's never too late to sculpt your body, even at age 72. And it doesn't have to be bodybuilding, either.

Ward Churchill's Painting: Fake but Accurate

Ward Churchill is getting himself into more hot water. This time over copyright infringement of a famous painting called "Winter Attack." If you place Churchill's work beside that of renowned artist Thomas E. Mails, you can tell they're exact mirror images of each other. But one is a copyrighted drawing. The other is an autographed print by Churchill.

When Foxnews reporter (Chohan) questioned Ward Churchill outside of his office about the fake paintings he certainly wasn't happy:

"Get that camera out of my face," Churchill said.

"This is an artwork we've got called 'Winter Attack.' It looks like it was based on a Thomas Mails painting; it looks like you ripped it off. Can you tell us about that?" Chohan asked.

That prompted Churchill to take a swing at Chohan while he held a stack of papers in his hand.

Then after Ward Churchill calmed down a little bit he had this weak defensive reply reminiscent of CBS' Dan Rather's "Fake but Accurate" response using a mirrored response of "Accurate but Fake" reply:

"It is an original art work by me, after Thomas Mails," Churchill said.

"Original art work" ? It's an accurate piece, but it's certainly a fake one off of a truly original art work. Nobody would get away with that if one tries to pass off a Mona Lisa art work as their own.....a signed copy, that is.

When contacted at his home in North Carolina, Ryan Mails, the son of the late Thomas Mails said the family still retained the copyrights to the drawings of the Mystic Warriors book, and that his father fiercely defended the copyrights."My father invested a great deal of himself in his work, and from that he developed a great fierceness in defending his work," Mails' son said. "I cannot imagine he would ever grant permission to anyone to copy one of his pieces."

So, Churchill lied about him being in the indian ancestry by masquerading as a indian for years. A wanna-be. Aren't all Liberals like that? And now he lied about his "original art work" as if it his work was THE orginal art work along with 150 signed copies of his "original" art work.

Now, I respect the Indian culture and have a fascination over the various cultures. Even my wife is 1/60th indian but we haven't found out which tribe, yet. Still investigating. But as for Ward Churchill he has gone delusional over the years pretending to be an indian in his books and articles. Churchill has described himself as a member of the Keetoowah Cherokee tribe in Oklahoma. In past interviews, he's claimed to be one-sixteenth Cherokee. He certainly seems trying to be one with the long hair.
How INANE is that?

By the way, be sure to check out the video clip of Ward Churchill attacking the Foxnews camera man and reporter at the bottom of CBS4 webpage. Or go here for the shorter version of the attack story.

Justice for Maj. Gregory Stone

I just looked it up and found out that the trial is to begin soon for Sgt. Akbar for the killing of two officers. Maj. Gregory Stone is one of the two officers who were killed during a tent grenade attack at Camp Pennsylvania in Kuwait at the start of the Iraq war. Maj. Gregory Stone is my cousin.

I hope Sgt Akbar gets his full due. Akbar could get the death penalty if convicted of two counts of premeditated murder and three counts of attempted premeditated murder.

He is accused of stealing grenades from a Humvee and initiating the attack on fellow members of the 101st just days into the March 2003 invasion of Iraq. Killed were Army Capt. Christopher Seifert, 27, and Air Force Maj. Gregory Stone, 40. Another 14 soldiers were injured.

If convicted of two counts of premeditated murder and three counts of attempted premeditated murder, the 33-year-old Akbar could get the death penalty.

The case marks the first time since the Vietnam War that an Army soldier has been prosecuted for the murder or attempted murder of another soldier during wartime.

Henley set aside April 5 for another motions hearing to resolve any final pretrial issues. After jury selection, he said he expects testimony to begin April 11. The entire court-martial is expected to last four
weeks.

Rebuild Iraq Expo

Apparently just about everybody is vying for a piece of the reconstruction pie in Iraq. The "Rebuild Iraq 2005" expo coming up this April has over 1000 exhibitors from 35 countries (yes, USA is in this Expo show). This is an increase from 30 countries from last year's first ever expo. The 2005 Expo will be held at the Amman International Fair, Marj El-Hamam, Amman - Jordan, April 4 - 7, 2005. The "Rebuild Iraq 2005" website advertises the fact and makes clear that:

No country in the region has more business-generating potential than Iraq. Almost two-and-a-half thousand projects are creating massive demand for material and equipment. The U.S. government has set aside $18.6 billion for the rehabilitation of Iraq’s electricity, water, oil, health, transportation, agriculture, and telecommunications sectors. Global donors have committed a further total of $13 billion to projects in Iraq.

Power facilities and electrical grids need to be restored, oil and gas supplies nurtured, airports, roads and schools rebuilt, and seaports transformed. The country’s fiber optic network must be rehabilitated, its water infrastructure overhauled and its healthcare system reformed. The quality of education needs to be enhanced, local food production industries upgraded, and agricultural productivity increased.

Emerging Iraq is in desperate need of a full range of infrastructure \ products, services and systems, including hospital and security equipment, medicines, road and rail machinery, oil production tools, and finance and telecom systems.

Soaring demand for materials and technology in key sectors of the Iraqi economy may well exceed $150 billion in the long term. In the medium term, $60-70 billion will be needed to rebuild the country.

No wonder Germany and France are wanting to be nice again with the USA after losing their multi-billion dollar contracts with Saddam under the Oil for Food guise. They stand to make more money in the reconstruction business than the oil business. And by looking at the exhibitors list Germany has more exhibitors than the United States. Yet, it was the Liberals who were screaming bloody murder that the United States were after Iraq for its oil? Looking mighty foolish they are.

And yet over 50 Saudi companies are set to take part in the second Iraq Reconstruction Exhibition. Again, not exactly just a USA thing when it comes to reconstruction.

And how come the MSM won't pick up on this in a positive light? It is because they don't want to give President Bush any more credits on the success of the Iraq war than necessary? Typical mainstream media reaction.

Juan Cole's Way of Protesting Middle Eastern Bloggers

Juan Cole, University of Michigan blogger and Middle Eastern "expert," has called for a flashmob to protest the Iranian government's jailing of dissident bloggers. This is in response to the popularity of a Website calling for a day of blog action concerning the dissidents.

Very admirable and yet this is the same Juan Cole who trashed Iraq the Model! Figures.

Left-wing professor, the model (Powerline, December 14, 2004)
A University of Michigan professor named Juan Cole identifies two blog practices he considers dangerous. The first is called "blog trolling" wherein someone makes false and inflammatory comments on a discussion board to which other posters feel they must respond. The second is called "astroturfing," in which a grass roots campaign turns out to be sponsored by a think tank or corporation. Cole goes on the suggest that the Iraqi bloggers at Iraq the Model may represent a case of astroturfing -- in other words Cole thinks they may be getting funding from "neoconservatives."

Cole's "evidence" is that the views of the Iraq the Model bloggers are "outside the mainstream of Iraqi public opinion" according to "public opinion polls.

Yet, it was the Iraq the Model who had to make clear that this was never the case with several other Iraqi bloggers chiming in saying the same thing. And yet it took Iraq the Model to expose Juan Cole's wanking conspiracy theory of his.

Let's see. Iranian bloggers represent the correct mainstream views inside Iran while Iraqi bloggers represent a "not-so-correct" mainstream views inside Iraq?

Yep. Juan Cole is losing it.

Incredible Skiing Conditions on Sierra Blanca

This winter (Oct 2004 - 2005 present) snowfall is at about 160% above normal for the Sierra Blanca (12,003 ft) mountain where the Ski Apache ski resort is located nearby. Incredible snowfall continues to snow at this hour. You can compare the elevation of Sierra Blanca (12,003 ft) with that of the famous Mt. Ranier ("Mt. Tahoma) at 14,410 ft. where Sierra Blanca is the highest mountain in southern New Mexico. "Sierra Blanca" means "White Mountain" in Spanish and it usually have snow on it year round. But that was before the drought. It's nice to see an island of white snow among the vast desert surroundings of the New Mexico landscape.

From the Ski Apache Cam website:

Updated: As of Friday Feb. 25, 7:00 am
New Snow Past 24 Hours 14 inchesNew Snow Past 48 Hours 17 inchesNew Snow Past Week 25 inchesMidway Depth 84 -92" BaseSeason Snowfall Total 147"

Check out the photos of the mountain.

The drought of south central New Mexico has been on going for several years. Sierra Blanca usually looked like this with snow on it. But now it looking like this instead for a change.

But New Mexico is still in a drought mode and will take 3 or 4 years of above normal precipitation to help reverse it and raise the groudwater. All across New Mexico precipitation has been at normal to twice (even three times) above normal rainfall. This is already a good start. A very good start.

This bodes well for the forests all across New Mexico where streams flowed only intermittently are now flowing continuously. Even the Rio Grande river is flowing at near bankful.

Streams should flow throughout this year with an already thick snow pack development on Sierra Blanca and the Sacramento mountain range that ties into it. Increased tourism on fishing, hiking and camping should be the result.

Ski Apache, the second southernmost ski resort in the United States located only 130 miles from the Mexican border.

Gene Therapy is First Deafness Cure

Well, they did it. It was bound to happen sooner or later. Scientists were able to biologically repair the hearing of animals.

"It's the first time anyone has biologically repaired the hearing of animals," says Yehoash Raphael at the University of Michigan in Ann Arbor, Michigan, and head of the US-Japanese team that developed the technique.

The therapy promotes the regrowth of crucial hair cells in the cochlea, the part of the inner ear which registers sound. After treatment, the researchers used sensory electrodes around the animals' heads to show that the auditory nerves of treated - but not untreated - animals were now registering sound.

And the article makes a point about cochlear implant users.

Raphael says one future possibility would be to use the therapy to improve hearing in people who already wear cochlear implants. These electrical devices are of some help to people lacking hair cells, but the regrowth of even some hairs could boost their hearing further. Raphael says that the next experiments in guinea pigs will focus on this combination.

Scientists have to destroy the animals hearing in the first place to test the procedure:

Raphael's team first gave the guinea pigs antibiotics which destroyed their inner-ear hair cells. They then apparently repaired the damage by injecting them with genetically engineered adenoviruses.

The viruses had been engineered to be harmless while also smuggling a gene called Atoh1 into cells lining the scala media - the key chamber of the cochlea, containing the hair cells. Atoh1, also known as Math1, makes a signalling molecule known to orchestrate the development of hair cells in embryos.

The experiment worked beyond expectation. "The recovery of hair cells brought the treated ears to between 50% and 80% of their original hearing thresholds," says Raphael. Even more surprising, the team found that the hair cells were created from cells lining the scala media which, according to biological orthodoxy - should not be able to turn into other cells.

Read the rest of the article. Quite exciting. We can expect major changes in how people's deafness will be treated biologically in the next 10 years where hearing can finally be restored/repaired. People will have a CHOICE whether to have this procedure or not. But first off, it'll be easier for parents of deaf children to decide to get this type of treatment. At least 90% of all deaf children have hearing parents. So, when parents do decide to use biological therapy to restore/repair deaf children's hearing a few months after they are born, then they have that right to decide that. This shouldn't be a problem for Deaf culture as long as choice is in the equation. N'est ce pas? Until a law is passed saying that all babies born deaf must have their hearing restored biologically, then certainly Deaf culture will suffer over the long run.

Exciting, isn't it? <-- (don't read too much into this).

It's Idaho's Faults.

Well, they finally did it. University of Idaho, where I graduated to get my M.S. degree, finally published a fault map of Idaho. I spent over a year helping compile and research fault mapping information while I was working toward my hydrogeophysics M.S. degree at the time. This map "Miocene and Younger Faults in Idaho" was the work of several years, with my two year's worth of contribution while I worked at University of Idaho's Seismic library. The map link (pdf) is a big file but once you get to it, my name (McConnell) is listed among 6 other people in the legend area, including Sprenke, my advisor and Hydrogeophysics and Geology professor. I was a student there for about 5 years while I worked and raised a family. I had enough credits to get TWO M.S. degrees! But I needed to move on to my new career where basically I get paid to hike among the trees, water, snow and the mountains of the west (and east, too). You can't get a better job than that. Plus some fire fighting in the western United States. There's no other people like me, a Gallaudet alumni, who does this. I'm essentially the only person that does this. "Unique" is the word. I'll be happy to find another Gallaudet alumni who does actual wildland fire fighting. But no luck. Just me. And I'm getting ready for another fire season which is just around the corner

If it weren't for Idaho I wouldn't be where I am today. It's Idaho's fault. Sorry...couldn't help saying that.

Cool Hybrid Automobiles

I've been thinking about getting a hybrid car someday...actually a pickup truck to haul my lumber for my woodshop hobby. It may be a year til I get one. But I inquired about the hybrid car at the local automobile dealership. And then they informed me that a hybrid pickup truck will be made available in 2006. A hybrid truck? That sounds pretty cool. If hybrid cars are successful (there's a 3 month waiting list at the automobile dealership for a hybrid car), then certainly hybrid trucks and SUVs can be made. And they are being made. Even Hummers are getting on the hybrid bandwagon. Too boxy and too widdddee. Might be good to use on those California Baja races which I love to try someday. Deaf baja racing anyone? As for hybrid trucks, I'm sold. But this one I think is a neat one to have, a three-wheeler hybrid "car." Sleek and ultra fast. Talk about hugging the corners on a turn!



And, oh, what they say about SUVs? Don't be so gullible. If you want a Yugo. Be my guest. After all this is America. So, stop whinning! Sounds like my kid brother. Oh, I don't have a kid brother. Good thing.

Wikipedia? How about Wickedpedia?

You should see Negroponte's Wikipedia gathering commentaries seen here:

When President Bush announced Negroponte's appointment to the UN shortly after coming to office, it was met with scattered protest. Some critics asserted that the administration intentionally arranged the deportation from the United States of several former Honduran death squad members who could have provided damaging testimony against Negroponte in his Senate confirmation hearings.

One of the deportees was General Luis Alonso Discua, founder of Battalion 3-16. In the preceding month, the U.S. government had revoked the visa of Discua, who was Honduras's Deputy Ambassador to the UN. After returning to Honduras, Discua stated that, in 1983, he had been brought to the United States to spend two months organizing Battalion 3-16.

Nothing but negative comments about Negroponte. Seems to be the Democrats' latest new tool of choice to go after Republicans.

If you don't know what Wikipedia then you're in for a surprise. Wikipedia, a free-content encyclopedia that anyone can edit.

I'm sure more will be added to further discredit Negroponte's February 17, 2005 naming as Director of National Intelligence.

And hey, it isn't La Shawn's fault who wanted her name removed from Wikipedia. It's not some Liberal agenda to have her name removed from Wikipedia's site. She personally wanted it to be removed and for obvious reasons. From Wikipedia on La Shawn Barber:

Her witty editorials have gained her notoriety and hatred from liberals.

You can't really say it's a truly objective online "encyclopedia" seeing comments like that. It's more like editorial commentaries than an encyclopedia. So, Wickedpedia is more like it. The Ultra Free Editable World Online Encyclopedia. Watch where you step.

UPDATE: Wikipedia has gotten words from "voters" on the "yea" or "nay" to have Wikipedia on La Shawn Barber deleted. Not a Liberal conspiracy here even though La Shawn wanted to see it gone in the first place. What's worse is seeing on the vitriolic comments on her.

How quaint and democratic this whole thing is when it's La Shawn Barber that Wikipedia ought to listen to...not the voters. But it's wickedly laughable to read these voters' inane postings (see the first link below), man. Wickedpedia Rules! Not for long though.


A request has been made on Wikipedia for this article to be deleted in accordance with the deletion policy.
This request is being discussed to form a consensus whether this is, or could be, an article appropriate for Wikipedia. Please see this page's entry on the votes for deletion page for details. Also see possible outlets for removed articles. If you feel deletion is not justified by Wikipedia deletion policy you may vote against its deletion. Please do not remove this notice or blank this page while the question is being considered. However, you are welcome to continue editing this article and improve it, especially if you can address the concerns of those who believe the article should be deleted. Should you improve the article and address the concerns of those who believe the article should be deleted, please remark on this page's entry regarding its improvement.

UPDATE 2: Things are going sidewise here on the voting process to keep or delete La Shawn Barber's Wickedpedia commentaries in an otherwise online "encylopedia":

Tentative - Keep and cleanup. Seems notable, but I can't say for sure. The fact that she doesn't like Wikipedia or want to be in it should have no bearing on whether we have an article—if you blog and write newspaper columns then you lose your right to complain about other people commenting on you. TenOfAllTrades Talk 17:48, 20 Feb 2005 (UTC)

So, La Shawn Barber lost her right to object as a blogger? And he's calling Wickedpedia on La Shawn Barber an "article"? It's an online, EDITABLE, encyclopedia you dimwits!! Maybe we should revist Howard Dean's latest gaffe and hopefully somebody's head will get screwed on straight the second time.

UPDATE 3: Too bad La Shawn Barber's is not on Wickedpedia's "Most Vandalized Pages." It would add a bit of extra notoriety for La Shawn. You can even see that President Bush (see the latest tape recording addition) and P.M. Blair are not immune to Wickedpedia's weakness to constant revisions and negative attacks. There is even a "Neutrality" objection at the beginning of President Bush' Wickedpedia's page.

The neutrality of this article is disputed.Please see the relevant discussion on the talk page.

Check out the "Vandalism" report page. Check out the pages vandalized by a "Mr. Treason," also. This kind of reminds me of stalkers to a degree. Leftist Loony Bins everywhere.

UPDATE 4: Yep. Loony Bins everywhere. There is now a blogsite dedicated to "expose" La Shawn Barber in "La Shawn Barber, Exposed." One anonymous, how nice, poster makes a comment:

The discussion of her entry has set off a firestorm of comments on Wikipedia. Nothing like this occured on Rush Limbaugh, Little Green Footballs or DailyKos. Her minions are voting but Wikipedia isn't a blog -- you need to register and set up an account or your vote is considered 'sock puppets' (their term).

So ... our self-crowned star may find herself on the wrong end of a Barber-gate scandal!

Barber-gate? Might want to try Wickedpedia-gate. Now, why is that Liberal Lefties go after successful people of various races outside of the Caucasin circle? Condoleeza Rice? Gonzalez? Colin Powell? Michelle Malkin? And yet this guy who is going after La Shawn Barber says:

in part to suggest that my differences with ms. barber are not personal, but positional

Positional? And he/she has a website to go after La Shawn Barber? Yet this blogger is anonymous. Very brave.

Yep, Leftist Racist Loony Bins everywhere!

Illegal Cell Phone Jammers to Proliferate?

Jamming away could cost you a $11,000 fine by the FCC. And one day somebody's going to get hurt when a cell phone user gets wise to the prankster.

Unsuspecting cellphone users may find themselves saying that more often now that cellphone jammers — illegal gizmos that interfere with signals and cut off reception — are selling like hotcakes on the streets of New York.

"I bought one online, and I love it," said one jammer owner fed up with the din of dumb conversations and rock-and-roll ringtones.

"I use it on the bus all the time. I always zap the idiots who discuss what they want from the Chinese restaurant so that everyone can hear them. Why is that necessary?"

He added, "I can't throw the phones out the window, so this is the next best thing."

Online jammer seller Victor McCormack said he's made "hundreds of sales" to New Yorkers. "The interest has gone insane in the last few years. I get all sorts of people buying them, from priests to police officers."

Police officers? Priests? Law abiding citizens of NYC to violate other people's properties by jamming their cell phones? That'll be news one of these days.

Jammers come in a variety of shapes and sizes, from portable handhelds that look like cellphones to larger, fixed models as big as suitcases.

Their sole goal is to zip inconsiderate lips. The smaller gadgets emit radio frequencies that block signals anywhere from a 50- to 200-foot radius. They range in price from $250 to $2,000.

At least I'll be wise when my phone suddenly stops working. I'm sure some enterprising individual will find a way to track where the jamming signal is coming from. But, if it does jam, just go on talking as if nothing happened and maybe you'll find the perpetrator with a perplexed look on his face on why his jammer is not working. Or just walk 200 feet away from where your cell phone stopped working and see if anybody is following you but continue talking.

Now, with the proliferation of camera phones, it wouldn't be a surprise to see somebody's face on the internet as a "Jammer Joe" under a vigilante version of a "Public Blogsheet" reporting offenders (e.g. Mugshots of those you see at the Post Office) someday.

Just be careful on how you interfere with other people's cell phone activities. It could cost you $11,000, jail time, and maybe a fist to the face. And certainly this GOP idiot had to go to jail for his (different method) attempt at phone jamming the Democratic telephone lines in several New Hampshire cities during the 2002 election. I don't condone phone jamming (I'll let that one up to the CIA/FBI) or defacing a website via hacking, even if it's just meant to be a joke.

Deaf Republicans - An Up and Coming Political Organization

Just for nostalgia's sake here's the link of a U.S. Newswire release that we released to the public as part of the Deaf Republicans' official announcement as a grassroots political organization weeks before the November election.

LOS ANGELES, Oct. 27 /U.S. Newswire/ -- DeafRepublicans (www.DeafRepublicans.com), a national grassroots organization comprised of deaf and hard of hearing Republicans issued a statement today in response to a press release issued by the Kerry Edwards campaign on behalf of a group which purports to speak for the entire deaf and hard of hearing population in the U.S.

DeafRepublicans today repudiated recent statements by Gregory Hlibok, Co-Chair of the National Deaf and Hard of Hearing Americans for Kerry-Edwards Steering Committee, in which Hlibok claims his group "speaks to the confidence and commitment of America's 27 million Americans with hearing loss have (sic) in John Kerry." DeafRepublicans strenuously objects to this fictitious declaration of endorsement, and disputes their claim that John Kerry has a "proven record" on disabilities.

The news release was just a reminder (read the whole news release) of how pathetic in the attempt of the John Kerry campaign people tried to do by setting up a "Deaf and Hard of Hearing Americans for Kerry-Edwards Steering Committee." Can you say..."token"?

And, oh, don't forget my up close super photo shot of President Bush when he was in Alamogordo, NM that day during his campaign run. Superb pictures! One of a kind! Especially with blue skies with a large American flag waving in the back drop. Astounding.

I'm one of several of the core founders of the Deaf Republicans organization. Don't miss out. Will Condi Rice be number #44? Even President Bush is jibbing her on that.

And, a little homework for you guys, guess who owns www.deafdemocrats.com domain name? Please, don't get too upset if you were a bit slow on the uptake to get it.

By the way, John Kerry lost. He just won't stop talking.

India's Very Own Deaf And Dumb Actress

It's hard to believe sometimes but there are still clueless countries who are much further behind on understanding deafness and the people who must live with it:

Sanjay Leela Bhansali's Black has become one of his most successful movies. The experimental movie has been received very well by the audience. Black is a story about a little deaf and dumb girl and her sweet relationship with her teacher. The movie stars Amitabh Bachchan, Rani Mukherjee, Ayesha Kapoor, Shernaz Patel and others. The movie was a bit slow to take-off but has been getting a great audience response in te past few weeks. The movie does not have any songs and dances, like other Bhansali movies.

A great way to advertise, eh? But the ten year old Indian actress isn't really deaf or dumb. She just portrays as one according to Indian news sources who like to call this character as "deaf and dumb."

Replying to what she did about getting into the character of a girl with rice all over her face and behaving in that brattish way, Ayesha said that she did a trembling act of her own before springing into action before the camera. "They showed me a few tapes of the blind and deaf from the institute and there were two or three teachers who taught me a bit. Amitabh was very kind to me and Sanjay too," she added.

And here's another no brainer. This Indian (send your response to life@thehindu.co.in) writer tried to show the plight of disabled people's treatment from other people cruel intentions but managed to slip in the same "deaf and dumb" remark we hear so often.

Those whose memories go back that long, recall Koshish, Gulzar's lovely film on a deaf and dumb couple, played by Sanjiv Kumar and Jaya Bhaduri. The poignant high point of the film came when their son, who can speak and hear, refuses to marry a disabled girl. Sensitive, knowledgeable portrayals of the disabled have, however, not been a premium in our movies. The physically challenged are the butt of crass one-liners; anyone with the much more difficult-to-show brain disorder is routinely laughed out of court. How many times have you been taken to mental hospitals via our movies, and the treatment left you angry and disgusted?

At least they're trying to go in the right direction in trying to do films a la Forest Gump style by increasing awareness that people with disabilities or conditions are still people.


But just when you thought that the 2005 Deaflympics was a hallmark event, you get a United Kingdom article about their very own deaf citizen bringing home a gold medal:

ILFORD AC's Polish import Konstanty Bakowski was welcomed home to Cricklefield Stadium from Australia clutching an Olympic gold medal. The 26-year-old deaf and dumb athlete won the 110m hurdles at the Deaf Olympics in Olympic Park, Melbourne.

Nice. Welcome the guy home and in the same swipe call him "deaf and dumb." He certainly wasn't dumb in how he got the gold medal. By working hard and smart.

Be careful how you call these people. You're only "temporarily" abled until one day you become permanently disabled whether through disease, age or a progressive condition. Watch what you say and how you treat people. You may become disabled someday and get the same cruel treatment on the other side of the aisle.

1st Annual World Deaf Poker Tournament

Here's the 1st annual World Deaf Poker Tournament to be held in Las Vegas this October 12, 2005. The deadline to apply is September 8, 2005. It cost $200 to buy in and a $100 entry fee for the No Limit Texas Hold'em. First prize is $6,000 if there are less than 100 entries. The pot goes up with higher number of entries, with the highest at $12,000.

I wondered about this last month when we'd have a Deaf Poker tournament seeing that we have all these No Limit Texas Hold' em cable shows going on. Essentially a mini-craze on Texas Hold'em poker games. And now, this, the 1st annual World Deaf Poker Tournament.

I love playing Texas Hold'em and its my favorite game. Played poker all of my life. And soon, next month a brand new Casino (Inn of the Mountain Gods) will open only 40 minutes away from home and an opportunity to play/practice more often. Often I play the Texas Hold' em in Albuquerque whenever I go on a business trip, which incidentally will be next week and play either the $2/$4 or $3/$6 games at the poker table.

The biggest pot I won was about $250 in the Seven Card Poker game in Reno a few years ago. That win came off of my very first Royal Flush (Ace high, King, Queen, Jack and Ten) clubs. A very rare card play. An unbeatable win and the best card to have in your had that anybody would wish for. I was shocked to see a Royal Flush in my hand when the 7th card came up showing a Jack of clubs, completing the Royal Flush straight. Too bad the pot wasn't any higher. Played against an 80 year old lady after others at the poker table folded. The little ol' lady had a Full House (three of a kind, and a two of kind) and we raised each other 3 times, which was the limit on number of raises. I never felt guilty once when I raked in the $250 pot.

Will I go? I may. Who knows. There is still time to think about this.

So, who's going?

Interpreter for Deaf and Blind Not to be Deported

Looks like Gerry Dulalia will not get deported to the Phillipines after all. With numerous e-mails, a signed petition by about 50 Ohlone College students and calls to Rep. Pete Stark, D-Fremont tipped the scales in Gerrys favor in getting the government's willingness to terminate the deportation proceedings and allow Dulalia to remain in the country. You can see my previous blog about Gerry Dulalia here.

I guess common sense prevailed.

When a Cochlear Implant Works

From the Post Gazette:

Six years ago, Bonnie Russo was in Erie to attend a soccer tournament for her son, Marco.
Along for the ride was her younger son Nino, who was 11. He has a cochlear implant, a device that helps profoundly deaf people hear.

The family stopped at a fast-food restaurant and encountered students from a New York school for the deaf. They took one look at Nino's implant and started signing feverishly with the help of their interpreter. They assailed Russo for choosing the implant for her son. But Russo was having difficulty conversing with them because of the signing.

"They were telling me how wrong I was,'' she said. "And there was Nino, ordering at the counter what he wanted, all by himself.

"When the interpreter got up to go to the rest room, we were lost. I couldn't sign; they couldn't speak.''

That encounter erased any doubt that Bonnie and Jerry Russo may have had about pursuing an implant for Nino, who was born deaf.

The devices, which are surgically implanted into the skull to stimulate the natural mechanism by which the brain receives and recognizes sound, were approved by the Food and Drug Administration for young children in 1990.

So when Nino was 3 1/2 in 1991, he became one of the first young children in the region to receive the implant, in his right ear. The decision put the boy and his family into uncharted territory. Nobody really knew how effective this device would be in helping deaf children develop language. How could it be most effective? Would it help children fit better into a hearing world?

Now at 17, Nino says he's doing just fine. He's a junior at Peters Township High School. He plays on three soccer teams, has friends and makes good grades. He recently got his driver's license and chats on a cell phone like any other teen. And he's been named twice by teachers as Student of the Month, a rare honor in the district.

The world's only liberal arts college for the deaf is Gallaudet University in Washington, D.C. But Nino is exploring plans to attend what the deaf community calls a "hearing college" -- University of Miami, more than 1,000 miles away in Florida.

Nino's progress and that of other teens who received implants when they were very young are being watched closely by educators, researchers and parents.

"He would have been a deaf-mute had he not gotten a cochlear implant," said Dr. Douglas Chen, an ear specialist at Allegheny General Hospital who implanted Nino's device. "He represents what the potential of cochlear implantation is in children. ... It is literally a life-changing device.''

Bonnie Russo, a physician's assistant, agreed. "He completely interacts with the oral world and does not sign. I left that option up to him. At this point he has no desire to learn. He doesn't find a deficit anywhere in the ways of communicating."

Strangers who meet him and learn that he's deaf "walk away in awe,'' she said.
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"The implants have changed the whole landscape of deaf education," said Apryl Eshelman, DePaul's director of institutional advancement. Years ago, students weren't mainstreamed until high school; now, with implants, digital hearing aids and newborn hearing tests, children are heading to regular schools by kindergarten or first grade -- many with no trace of deaf speech.
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If you put a cochlear implant in a child, probably an oral school is best suited to that child's educational needs," he said.

"Not everybody is going to be a Nino Russo. Some kids will do better even with a cochlear implant by signing. There is a place for a Total Communication school, but you'd like to at least give the cochlear implant its maximum opportunity right up front."

Researchers of a National Institutes of Health study who have followed 180 children who received implants in the 1990s are coming to that same conclusion.

At a gathering last summer in St. Louis of 30 of those children, including Nino, researcher Ann Geers observed dramatic differences in speech quality and academic performance between those who had been educated in all-oral programs vs. Total Communication.

"On average, these kids in oral settings are doing significantly better,'' said Geers, a professor at the University of Texas Southwestern Medical School who has worked with deaf children since the 1960s.

Her biggest surprise was the reading level that these children had achieved.

"I did not expect for half of the kids to be reading at grade level, that's atypical of profoundly deaf kids. The highest level kids are seen at are eighth-grade level. We have half of these kids at 10th and 11th."
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Interesting article. Read the whole thing. But here's what Bienvenu said:

What's wrong with being deaf?'' asked M.J. Bienvenu, chair of American Sign Language and Deaf Studies at Gallaudet University who was born deaf to deaf
parents. "We've got a culture. We're bilingual. We're not half a person. We're
actually double."

Oohh..."double" ? Ok. What's wrong with being able to hear? And what makes Bienvenu think that cochlear implantees are unable to learn and speak another language? Or for that matter, learn sign language? As a choice?

Both Long and Bienvenu believe the benefits of implants are oversold. They're concerned that parents don't hear the full story and don't understand how much work is involved in training students to use them.

"We're getting the false myth that, 'Hey, you get a cochlear implant and boom! You're normal,''' said Bienvenu, adding that only a small percentage come close to this vision.

Just about as much work for hearing parents to learn sign language? In a day an age when kids are using and operating computers? Carry text pagers? Text phones? Please, spare the "techno" excuse. Now, all Gallaudet University need to do is show a study on deaf kids without cochlear implants and those who sign are reading >>at<< grade level and they'll have something to show for. Still waiting on that. Meanwhile, too bad that Bienvenu thinks that parents think that getting a cochlear implant means "normalcy" when they already know better prior to any cochlear implant operation. It's a serious decision. I think Bienvenu is just a bit uptight and feeling a bit threatened by some of the cochlear implant successes at the moment.

Be sure to watch out for more long term studies coming out regarding kids with cochlear implants who are now in their teens.

Thank God for hearing aids on my part. Silence isn't exactly golden.

"The Virginia Monologues"

It was bound to happen. Now that this group will play at Gallaudet University on March 4 and 5, and, of course, will be signed. This is to raise awareness on violence against women by talking about their (and from other women in their interviews), er ah, "tottita." But I must submit. This is, to me, a very odd way of increasing awareness on violence against women by talking about their, uh, "tamale" in the third and first person in a but glorified way in order to reassert themselves as proud women. Fine. But seems to me that this play isn't all about violence against women. It's more like a self-aggrandizing play about their, er ah, "cooter." And yet they try and assert their radical cultural awareness in other countries not ready for this type of thing. But didn't Tom Jones raised enough awareness through his famous song, Pussycat, when women were re-asserting themselves by throwing panties at him during his concert tours nearly drowning him in, supposedly, clean women undies?

You go ahead a buy the tickets if you want. But once you do that and enter the auditorium to watch the play, you'll be in bush country, literally.

I don't condone violence against women (or girls for that matter) but I certainly don't see that "The Virginia Monologues" be the answer, either. We've still have a long way to go.

But here's my afterthought. Is there such a thing as "The Pennsylvannia Monologues"? And wouldn't they be called sexist, dirty, adonis pigs if they are going to assert their members in such a proud way? Some people might as an odd way of doing it. Others will see it as a creative expression. The same creative expression can be said about kooks who go around exposing themselves under a trench coat. Next thing you'll see is t-shirts with the "Pee Pee Pride" on them as a badge of honor. Kind of fitting for those bloggers who insist on talking about their little wee-wees in the first and third person, as well as about other people.

Good for you if you already saw the show. I'd prefer shows with a little more taste and class. But that's just me.

And here's a little helpful clue, wee wees can be bad for your health when you let them do the thinking for you. It's the old adage, you reap what you sow.