Here's my latest review taken from some 597 pages of my Haloscan comment where I choose some of the best and worst responses (and some in-between) in 2007. Figure out who said what by clicking on the link to get to the Haloscan comment. Maybe it could be your response! Some of the names you’ll recognize while many others came from anonymous people who didn’t have the balls to show their faces in their derisions and name calling rants. Something like a “hit and run” driver would do. Basically cowards. But there were many names who were quite courteous and well behaved. A mish mash of comments to read. Enjoy!
January 2007
Technological Inclusiveness at Gallaudet University
- “However, since about 2004, improvements have been dramatically below the curve. (Example in point, a current processor is about 5.5 times faster than a 1 GHz processor in 2000.) If we take the 1.34 formula, the seven years from 2000 to now should have yielded 1.34 to the 7th = an increase of 7.75. Moreover, I estimate that since 2004 processor speeds have less than doubled, which is really *way* below expectations.”
Gallaudet's First B/Vlogging Conference - My Input
- “I can see you pulled a 'Brenda Brueggeman' at the conference today. Really a slick move there, man.”
February 2007
A Poll vote: Play the Piano or Not?
- “Please DO PLAY! I'd love to crank up my MAC for this one.”
No Students at Vlog/Blog Conference?
- “The conference was never about the students. why would they go? Seriously, man.”
Richard's Gone Mad!
- “Mike, publicity's not my cup of tea. I'm going to get you for this.”
March 2007
Identity Politics Gone Wild
- “I challenge you to show how and when the protesters claimed to be victims because of their deafness. Nonsense. Stop the trash talk.”
Article on Gallaudet, the Protest and Protesters
- “You cannot and shall never be accepted as a neo-con. Find out why you cannot. But, like Cheney, you can be an ally to the cabre of the neo-cons, including Wolfowitz, Abrams, Perle, Podestwitz, and others. Sorry to sound harsh here, but you must learn not to be gullible.”
SLCC - much ado about nothing?
- “Your statement, ‘Technology, it's coming and it'll just get better. And it'll greatly add to ASL making it more widespread than ever before’ is very patronizing.”
April 2007
Do Deaf Stalkers Exist?
- “Kokonut, you were practically stalking Gallaudet with your anti-science rant in your old entry. I hope you'd practice what you preach. Otherwise, the latest entry you made is nothing but ignorance and stupidity.”
- " ‘Fancy words’? Surely you jest. I've never heard of that category!!!”
- “And you're complaining over my blogpost on people who complained about my use of the so-called ‘fancy words’!! Unreal.”
A Fancy, Schmancy Blogpost
- “This reeks of Audism. Nothing more to be said.”
- “No my friends this is not Audism, this is setting a level of standards which has been lacking for too long in the deaf community.”
An Inconvenient Truth – Gallaudet University
- “It is amazing that Al Gore is able to gulliblized many ‘intelligent’ people.”
When the Deaf Community Eats One of Their Own
- “The higher the pedestal, the harder he'll fall. That's all I have to say about that subject.”
- “Another eye opener is the claim that 40 percent of my blogs were about him. Now, I've done 1068 blogs in over two years. If I did 40 percent, that would be 427 blogs!! LoL! The guy is really bad at math.”
RIT Student Arrested for Possession of Rifles on Campus
- "Guess the guy chickened out."
The Virginia Tech Massacre is nothing about “Reap what you sow”
- "But I bleed buff and blue as well as orange and blue. So I really can’t have a soft spot for Hokies. My laws does not permit me to."
Incestuous Relationships in the Deaf community?
- "Just as I figured - cat got their tongues. wow silence speaks volumes! - anonymous for a good reason!"
- "It's pretty much a law of human nature: smaller a community, more incestuous (both figuratively and literally) it is."
May 2007
QubeTV - a Conservative Choice
- "Man. Aren't you a little trigger-happy on that big red ban button?!"
- "You won't be able to see it the way I do. You never have been able to, and I don't know why I even bother trying anymore. The sad thing is that I actually wanted to respect you, and I was hoping the same in return. But I know that will not happen like this."
A Discourse on Who Said “What?”
- "I totally understand why you are writing this due to their foolish reactions, however; I really like your writing style very much. Keep expressing yourself through writing. I look forward to reading your blogs."
June 2007
HOH Advantage Over Deaf?
- “I'm puzzled, and I hope I didn't understand you correctly.”
- “The politics of envy.”
Deaf Prisoners More Violent and Less Educated than Hearing Prisoners?
- “….to use that as an excuse by blaming the public or past history for their acts of violence is nothing but a crutch.”
- “That's so typical of you to dwell on the negatives of being Deaf, or towards Deaf people in general.”
A Fancy, Schmancy Blogpost.....Part Deux
- “Your poll isn't scientific. Moreover, I feel that there may have been voters who voted as they did because they wanted to ridicule the poll.”
- “….if people were actually dishonest in this polling then what does that tell about them? We can't trust them or what? Or are you saying that there is absolutely no possibility that there might be a few Deaf nutballs out there who will certainly want to censor a deaf blogsite over opposing opinions on deaf-related issues?”
A Survey Poll: If You Had the Power to Remove Blogsites Would You Do It?
- “If there are real problems with a blogger violating ethical standards, let the community deal with it by distancing itself clearly from the blogger. If there are violations of the law, let the civil or criminal justice system deal with it.”
"Deaf and Dumb" Hoy - A Baseball Legend
- “Why insult the memory of Mr. Hoy??”
A Deaf Caste System?
- “Deaf elites continue to push the tired myth originally perpetuated by IKJ, "Deaf people can do anything, but hear." If there was any truth to that, they would be working in the private sector.”
July 2007
An AGB Protest or AGB Dialogue?
- “You are a traitor to Deaf people. Either join the Deaf community & be 100% loyal, or get out!”
- "Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed citizens can change the world. Indeed, it is the only thing that ever has."
- “If you want people to know that you're a representative of Gallaudet University, then stop bickering about the protest and start being on our side!”
- “Get something straight: in the 21st Century, you answer to US, and not the other way around. Sorry to rain on your parade.”
- “All the more power to them if they think it’s for a good cause.”
New Improved Cochlear Implant Device!
- “Actually it is called hearing implant rather than cochlear implant.”
- “you're excited about an invasive procedure ?!”
Not so David Eberwein - hearing babies vs deaf babies on signing
- “Bravo! You hit the nail on the head! As a culturally Deaf person of several Deaf generations on both sides and a graduate of a residential school, I am bummed. With my background which gives a label to my identity, I am automatically categorized as the ‘David Eberweins’.”
- “Do you know what ignorant mean? If you don't, then that's what you are.”
- “I have been Deaf all my life. I mention all this, not to be big-headed, but to indicate that I have some credibility. It seems you have yet to completely understand all nuances and power of this natural language amazingly developed BY Deaf people and passed on generation to generation DESPITE over 90% of Deaf people having hearing parents, DESPITE purists like AGBell and yes, DESPITE Deaf people like yourself who seem to be insistent about belittling other Deaf people and our language.”
- “If you feel you could benefit from and enjoy being "hearing" and writing/speaking English, good for you! If you choose to prefer English/being hearing over ASL/being Deaf, it's your right, although honestly I find that hard to believe.”
- “I am just as qualified to present my views, opinions and experience regarding these deafness issues. Perhaps you're surprised because you have a profound hearing loss and you have no experience (i am assuming here) on what exactly sounds are and the benefits of listening/hearing?”
- “Mikey or Mickey, where you get off advocating Cued Speech?”
- “I never once said or produced a logic saying/implying that you need to be able to hear in order to function in society today. I am an advocate on closing the communication gap.”
Deaf Whiners Are Killing Us!
- “BRAVO!!!!!”
- “You exaggerate as usual.”
- “Very well said, Mike….Instead of whining, today's deaf people should count their blessings and learn to be humble. If we must "raise our voices", put some class into the act, show the world that we have risen above being ‘deaf and dumb’!”
- “Blocking the line? *Stifling my laughter here* Ya'll should be so lucky when it comes to captioning at this time of our lives compared to other countries.”
Deaf Judges
- “I agree with you all that it wasn't right for a commenter to "crush" a child's dream of wanting to be a judge in the future…”
1 Year Old Hearing Baby Signing (McConnell’s daughter)
- “She's so adorable!”
- “*clapping* So cool!!!!!”
Deaf Beggars - A Part of Deaf Culture?
- “I do remember arguing with a deaf "businessman" (a.k.a. beggar) and he had the gall to accuse me of being jealous he's running a ‘successful, legitimate business!’”
Deaf Beggars - a Part of Deaf Culture? Part II
- “I don't think you really understand capitalism.”
- “Any Deaf person that claims that these "ASL peddlers" are selling anything of value is engaging in intellectual and moral dishonesty.”
- “Mike, a very persuasive argument. You did your homework.”
- "Selling" Deaf cards isn't about capitalism. It's about using pity, sympathy and guilt in the hope to get money from people.
- “I'm not a regular subscriber to your delusions any way.”
Born Deaf, Live HoH, Die Hearing
- “If we keep on fighting this, we won't get anywhere, so I really hope that if the Deaf community accepts and embraces a bonafide "deaf cure," the hearing society at large, vis-a-vis, will accept and come to embrace sign language and basically, the existence of our unique global culture.”
August 2007
A Deaf P0rn Company?
- “With unemployment being unbelievably high among deaf people, maybe some would appreciate having a job as an actress?”
- “I find it interesting that Deaf Bunny doesn't know its legal stuff.”
- “I am not entirely convinced that factually stating the real name of someone in the porn business constitute as defamation.”
- “We have so many porn stars in American. Why not deaf people, too? I don't care what you people say bad things about deafbunny. It's their business.”
- “Oh my gosh! Are you saying deafbunny can't be success because they are small "Can't Can't Can't Can't Can't because they are DEAF!!" That isn't right!”
Cure Found to Help Deaf Babies Regain Complete Hearing
- “I'd send the kid to be cured. So far we've seen ASL making living in the deaf world very brutal.”
- “I voted yes because the inability to hear presents obstacles that the deaf child and his/her parents have to overcome. Not that they cannot overcome them, just that the barrier is there. The barrier is the ignorance of society generally about deafness, ability, and communication modes other than spoken language.”
- “Do you want every human being to be born identical in all traits and characteristics? I wouldn't want to live in such a world.”
- “This here is still about choice for parents to decide.”
- “I'm not going to go over to somebody's blogsite and whine about their polling because of some uncertainty that wasn't discussed or added into the poll. Picky little guy are you?”
- “Learn to quit while you're ahead..”
- “I re-read your question and I see that I missed the word "biological" that you included, so that actually does give it a context. I apologize for missing that.”
- “Mike McConnell posted this on purpose so all commenters can have their words twisted.”
Deaf Parents Allow Deaf Kids Read Deaf Blogs?
- “I find it little odd that you question Deaf parents, not hearing parents. Why not questioning hearing parents too?”
- “I wonder, what do your children read?”
- “Difficult to comprehend that Koko is finally running out of material to write about. (Wink, wink).”
- “It's not about censuring but informing/warning parents the nature or subject of those blogs.”
- “I was first exposed to ‘The Word’ when I was six or seven and I turned out just fine.”
- “I'm lost. What the heck did he say?”
September 2007
A Poll: Deaf Owned P0rn Company be Allowed at Deaf Expo?
- "We are constantly trying to recruit more and more youth to be a part of our community (rather than to be pulled away by hearing parents). We need to make sure that our environment and community is open and welcome to those individuals."
- "Mike, I thought you had a good head on your shoulder."
- "I smell a bull crap. Just "Deaf" on YouTube? Sorry, am not buying it. Just admit it that you tried "porn" on it. Admit it, and be one of us."
- "And you never knew that YouTube has a "date added" tab enabling viewers to list the most recent videos?"
- "I believe that Deaf Bunny will be a vendor to promote safe sex other than displaying sexual material."
- "Safe sex isn't guaranteed. It's a misnomer. Reduced risk, yes. 100% safe? No."
Hey! I'm Talking to You! Grow Up!
- "Good post. I agree, we all have the right to choose our preferred method of communication."
- "Don't be sore cuz the people have "spoken!" Sweet and I didn't even vote. This guy needs to sign. Represent."
- "Hmmmm, is there a double standard going on here? Grow up? Perhaps you need to follow your own advice? You did the poll, we didn't, and I assume that everyone was honest with their responses. So WHAT is the problem?"
- "guess my comment was deleted."
- "*70* percent's cool with him speaking. Quit lifting the rug looking for the dust mites. Quit cherry-picking for the worst in a minority. Maybe you need some growing up yourself."
- "Leave Him Alone!!!!!!!"
- "Closed-minded Deaf militants!"
Bisping Highly Controversal Win over Hamill
- "I was a Bisping fan but that meant I wanted to see him win, not lose then be given a phony victory. Now I'm not even a UFC fan anymore."
Why Throw "Audism" as a Reason for Matt Hamill's Fight Loss?
- "The best thing of all this is the fact that we can see the ugliness that is rampant in the deaf community by many Deaf people who are actual perpetuators of audism themselves."
- "Go ahead and have your last word as usual."
- "This world is not free of bigotry yet so I am not going to rule out an audism. You don't have a proof that it is not."
- "i don't know if u're somebody who can be reasoned with- this is a leap of faith."
- "I don't see it as oppressed but more in line with ignorant attitudes which is sometimes no fault of their own. We are free to move about. We are free to sue. We are free to file for grievances. We are free to look elsewhere for jobs. Just because one person "oppresses" another isn't reflective of the whole society."
Are You a Gym Rat?
- "Do not generalize just (LIKE) deaf homosexual Gary Brooks does about deaf homosexual males in comparison to deaf homosexual females."
- "What's with the "gary brooks" comment?"
- "Regarding Gary Books, I was making an analogy. You know it."
- " 'I know it'?? I don't even know who the heck Gary Brooks is. I still don't know what the hell you're talking about. Doesn't even make one ounce of sense. My topic is about people who like to work out often at the gym. What the heck are you talking about?"
Idiocy in the Blogosphere
- "I think anyone with half a brain will stop visiting a blog if they don't want to read it."
- "Who is Paotie?? Does he have a real name?"
- "Of course, deaf people have one very bad habit....they take what is said (hearsay) as the truth. This is what is killing our community."
- "Paotie -- You coward! Com'on, Is Paotie the real you (Mike McConnell)?"
- "No. Paotie is not me. LoL. That's the funniest thing I've heard all day. The year in fact."
No Gays in Iran? What about Deaf Gays?
- "You seem to be more concerned with kid's freedom drawing guns than killing gays."
- "Yours is a red herring example. Let's not go there, shall we?"
- "Shame on you to even suggest it won't happen when it did."
- "Here is an interesting question....is homosexuality hurting the deaf culture in general?"
- "Excellent, excellent points Mike. There is steam coming out of my ears from the garbage some have posted in this comment section."
- "Be surprised that world is no longer flat!"
Deaf Blog Rage!
- "I disapprove of what you say, but I will defend to the death your right to say it." — Voltaire
Exclusive Post Fight Interview with Matt Hamill
- "A deaf person on the radio!?!?!"
October 2007
The Gally 6 or 7?
- "I'm not comfortable with you calling that group of students the 'Gally 7.'"
- "But, what do you know about journalism anyways? Since your tone tends to profess authority I'm holding you so accountable."
- "I find you very irresponsible and ask that you remove your blog "Gally 7"
IMMEDIATELY!"
- "No, I won't remove 'Gally 7.' Sorry."
- "Deafspookie, bloggers are opinionated journalists who are not accountable to anyone but their owns and generally do not follow nor observe "editorial" rules like most mainstreamed media journalists out there, kissing up for money. Bloggers do it for the hell for it or for the love of writing about it without any editorial or third party refrains."
A City For Thee And Not For Me
- "Maybe I'm not 'suburbia enough'?"
Acceptance for PhD Work at Univ. of MD
- "You actually posted your acceptance letter to University of Maryland at the end of your mini-autobiography? Sorry but it seems like you are trying too hard to impress."
- "You have guts. Not many people would turn down a PhD program given the chance. You not only knew what you wanted to do, you also had the GUTS to do it. Not many people can do that."
- "Yeah, you don't like me and yet you still wished I get Tetanus which means certain suffering and even death. Yeah, yeah...you were...uh..."joking" at the time. Who knows what you were really thinking."
Misguided......
- "Deaf education is *not* inherently political in nature."
- "Go tell John that."
- "...worth only a paragraph or 2 not a full blown blog."
- "Walk in my shoes...."
- "We disagree on approaches."
- "You mean you want to be one of those cowards who won't even apologize for making a comment by wishing somebody else's baby get killed?"
- "You see that you delete my comment. Mike McConnel must be blind."
- " I haven't deleted any comments today, anonymous."
November 2007
My Twenty Clarifications
- "You sound like a man of common sense who knows what he is doing, not beating about the bushes."
- "Nice to get to know ya! You have a good head on your shoulders, and I have no doubt you are a good role model for your children."
- "Your posts ooze with bigotry, even when you think the don't. Just look at the beginning of this post, making the association between Deaf culture and idiocy. You've got to stop that. You are a menace and a bigot. The evidence proves it, no matter what you claim. When you say "once an extremist, always an extremist" you are obviously talking about yourself. You are an anti-Deaf culture, hearing supremacist."
- "DE, not so, else I'd be calling for a ban on ASL for all deaf children. Not so. ASL is beneficial to a lot of children and adults. As I have repeatedly said, there is NO one size shoe fits all. And I warned people not to read too much into what I write. I said it's the gossiping is the idiocy I don't care to participate. You're projecting, DE. Since this is what you want to believe as far as I can tell."
- "It's a free country and each of us is free to define ourselves and what we stand for as individuals. You say you aren't Deaf, fine. The ability to communicate with one another is more important than what group one feels one is a member of."
- "Have you ever met any intelligent deaf people?"
- "I don't see you making any comments on any deaf vloggers like Joey Baer, Ella May Lentz and others. I wonder why? For some deaf people, they can sign ASL but have difficulty in understanding ASL."
- "I have discussed and interviewed people who are deaf, hh and Deaf people in my blogs. Christian Vogler (technology - ASL computer recognition), Greg Gunderson (Deaf professional driver), Jason Curry (technology - UbiDuo), Kristi Merriweather (social, black issues), Steve Sandy and his research into Dummy Hoy (sports), Matt Hamill (sports - first Deaf UFC fighter), and numerous others over the last 3 years. If you cannot see the positives I have done covering subjects such as those people, for example, then there is nothing I can do for you."
- "I don't feel that any of us owe ANYONE an explanation of 'Who we are'."
- "Ditto. Bilingually yours, John."
- "John, isn't that a bit of a hypocritical response of yours considering the fact that you "demanded" Paotie to explain himself on who he is?"
Deaf Rumor Mill and Cyber Gossip
- "Once again you are totally trashing the deaf community, while pretending that you are fair and respectful of it."
- "I like you... you are not afraid to bring up certain subjects."
- "Why don't you go to a gym and do some weight lifting until you have a hernia so you can stop typing foolish rants."
- "Don't change your style of blogging, Mike... unless you are not satisfied with your blogging style."
Pinkberry
- "Tee, hee, I can just see myself walking into Wendy's with my Spider Man text messenger! I can imagine the looks people would give one another at this white haired lady using a kids' toy to order a hamburger. Hilarious!"
Cochlear WAR!
- "You say that you can hear spoken conversations with your hearing aids. How come you failed to interpret what two children say. Do you expect Deaf people to be able to lipread children's small lips effortlessly? You really insult our intelligence! How would you feel if your hearing aids are broken whilst watching an UNcaptioned movie in a theatre?"
- "I cannot simply put subtitles on. That wasn't the idea here. Putting subtitles on would not show how their voices sounded. It wouldn't prove anything. Voices from these kids were understandable and even sounded like their own peer group with some variations in pitch with the more younger kids, of course. Like Michelle, Kim and Karen Kay Mayes, they asked a hearing person to listen and verify. They did the right thing. What's wrong? Can't you even ask a hearing person's opinion on this one? How can I put subtitles on to describe the understandability of their voices and words when the topic of my blog pertains to understanding their words and how they sounded? Hmmm...?"
ASL is Destroying Indian Sign Language
- "mcconnell, did english kill indian spoken languages?"
- "it nearly did.
The Case for Free Expression
- "Good point... you said what I had been feeling lately. Very rational, well-written blog..."
- "This is wildly hypothetical and confuses the issues. What on earth are you talking about 'absolute authority and power'?"
- "What you are doing is equivocating on the meaning of the term 'power.'"
- " 'Equivocating'... *laughs*"
December 2007
A Gratitudeless Campaign?
- "Wow! Thats all I can say about the deaf community and there offense at this. Actually let me back track, those who are angry about this do not represent the real deaf community."
A Deficit Thinker?
- "I saw that post and I was floored."
- "If you are not willing to try and join a culture, or group of people with same beliefs you dont belong on deafread or any event hosted for/by the deaf community. (or even try understanding the basis of deaf culture)"
- "Somebody pass me the popcorn!"
- "If you feel that you are not part of the Deaf community, then why are you trying trying trying to be part of that? Go with hearing people, or are they rejecting you as well?"
- "Nice welcome mat."
- "Its like preachers who preach from the bible then go get drunk and molest little girls and then back to the pulpit and points his holy fingers at OTHER Sinners but never himself."
- " 'Deafhood' is highly over-rated."
- "Taunts on a public blogsite, a Deaf person dares to scold him, then scuttles behind his personal blogsite, looking all innocent."
Poll. Allow Pro-Oral Blogs on DeafRead?
- "mike, this is prove that you are oral militant."
- "But a solution is to category these so all within the Deafhood unity have a broader common ground. Militants will always be among us but we can unite on certain necessary issues."
- "I don't see anything wrong with oralism as long as it's a workable option for the person."
Back Issues of Deaf Life?
- "Have you ever read a single issue of Deaf Life?"
- "Many individuals and entities covered in past issues of Deaf Life are not part of the so-called Deaf Establishment that you passionately loathe."
- "There are very easy ways to manipulate PDFs to point of duplicating ebooks without payments. Deaf people are not that dumb. Hint. Hint. Hint."
- "In other words, Deaf people are willing to steal and be dishonest? Kinda makes you wonder about that quoted statement."
Tuesday, January 01, 2008
Monday, December 31, 2007
My New Year’s Resolution…..which one?
1) Make sure everybody understands that the word “deaf” is a better word to use than “Deaf” to describe people with hearing loss.
2) Go after every anti-deficit thinkers and hopefully they’ll buy my special coffee cup collection.
3) Make sure parents of deaf babies seriously think about cochlear implants and cued speech.
4) Do more vlogging using my voice instead of blogging because it’s easier and the right thing to do.
5) Do less deaf-related blog topics and more on non-deaf related blog topics because doing non-deaf topics are much more cerebral, enlightening and fun to do.
6) Put a deaf cat on a 400 watts stereo speaker and crank up the bass just to see what happens. How about a deaf hamster?
7) Force closeted militant deaf people out into the open for their radical ideas (note the lower “d”).
8) Book more rooms at the Marriott hotel for my business trips in 2008.
9) Fudge my Sitemeter on the number of hits until I reach 2 million like this guy?
10) Make sure everybody gets a free UbiDuo communication device and help get rid of expensive ASL interpreters everywhere.
11) Make a 2007 “Best and Worst comments” blog piece like I did earlier this year.
12) Open up my Haloscan comment and allow all kinds of foul language, idiotic comments, personal attacks and so on without any moderation control whatsoever.
13) Donate some of my money to AGBell for a worthy cause.
14) Reach a word discrimination goal of 98% because my current 95% isn’t so hot.
15) Buy a new cell phone with more bells and whistles.
16) Help end the cruelty of seeing deaf dogs and cats by getting them implanted.
17) Help re-establish a Cued Speech Center on the campus of Gallaudet University.
18) Help put together the first ever oral club at Gallaudet University.
19) Buy a digital hearing aid that comes with artificial intelligence software enabling me to hear people thoughts.
20) Form a “Paotie and Kokonut” coalition for critical thinkers only to join.
Now, overall I haven’t thought of what I really wanted to do in 2008. Usually I just wing it and see how it goes as each day goes by, week by week, and month by month based on inspirations and ideas that come to me. Although, I do have a few goals in mind but I ain’t gonna say what those are. Yet I welcome each New Year looking forward to learn and do more things as I have always done in the past. And I hope people don’t take things too seriously in 2008 like they did in 2007 that hinges on conspiratorial reactions and paranoia. It was simply an ugly thing to watch is all I can say. Unity it wasn’t.
Here’s to 2008. Happy New Year!
2) Go after every anti-deficit thinkers and hopefully they’ll buy my special coffee cup collection.
3) Make sure parents of deaf babies seriously think about cochlear implants and cued speech.
4) Do more vlogging using my voice instead of blogging because it’s easier and the right thing to do.
5) Do less deaf-related blog topics and more on non-deaf related blog topics because doing non-deaf topics are much more cerebral, enlightening and fun to do.
6) Put a deaf cat on a 400 watts stereo speaker and crank up the bass just to see what happens. How about a deaf hamster?
7) Force closeted militant deaf people out into the open for their radical ideas (note the lower “d”).
8) Book more rooms at the Marriott hotel for my business trips in 2008.
9) Fudge my Sitemeter on the number of hits until I reach 2 million like this guy?
10) Make sure everybody gets a free UbiDuo communication device and help get rid of expensive ASL interpreters everywhere.
11) Make a 2007 “Best and Worst comments” blog piece like I did earlier this year.
12) Open up my Haloscan comment and allow all kinds of foul language, idiotic comments, personal attacks and so on without any moderation control whatsoever.
13) Donate some of my money to AGBell for a worthy cause.
14) Reach a word discrimination goal of 98% because my current 95% isn’t so hot.
15) Buy a new cell phone with more bells and whistles.
16) Help end the cruelty of seeing deaf dogs and cats by getting them implanted.
17) Help re-establish a Cued Speech Center on the campus of Gallaudet University.
18) Help put together the first ever oral club at Gallaudet University.
19) Buy a digital hearing aid that comes with artificial intelligence software enabling me to hear people thoughts.
20) Form a “Paotie and Kokonut” coalition for critical thinkers only to join.
Now, overall I haven’t thought of what I really wanted to do in 2008. Usually I just wing it and see how it goes as each day goes by, week by week, and month by month based on inspirations and ideas that come to me. Although, I do have a few goals in mind but I ain’t gonna say what those are. Yet I welcome each New Year looking forward to learn and do more things as I have always done in the past. And I hope people don’t take things too seriously in 2008 like they did in 2007 that hinges on conspiratorial reactions and paranoia. It was simply an ugly thing to watch is all I can say. Unity it wasn’t.
Here’s to 2008. Happy New Year!
Thursday, December 27, 2007
Open Letter to Dr. Robert Davila and Gallaudet Community
December 27, 2007
To Dr. Robert Davila and those who may share my concerns.
I couldn't help but notice in a recent Alumni eNewsletter "Green Gallaudet invites alumni to make the world a greener place" (see http://tinyurl.com/335nl6 )
and a very recent newsletter announcement in Inside Gallaudet “Gallaudet to join Focus the Nation’s fight against climate change” (http://news.gallaudet.edu/?ID=12431 ) that have caused me some concerns lately. Though I'm glad to see that there are initiatives being undertaken on how we can go "green" using responsible, common sense practices and goals. We all want clean air and water. We all want to see healthy and productive lands. No one is denying that. People want to see environmental conservation efforts at the local and regional scale because results are relatively quick. However, I am quite concerned that bias or one-sided teaching is possibly being introduced to undergraduate students over the supposed man-made "global warming" issue. For one, this is because "global warming" was mentioned along with a link to "Focus the Nation" seen in the recent Alumni eNewletter.
"Focus the Nation is exploding because, across the country, educators and students at every high school, college and university understand that we have just a few short years to act decisively to hold global warming to the low end of 3-4 degrees F."
http://focusthenation.org/
The key words, "...a few short years." This smells of preying on the uninformed by introducing hysteria with hyperboles, not to mention a way to make a buck by jumping the bandwagon scare of this supposed "anthropogenic global warming."
Climate change is a climate system that we have no real control over. For Gallaudet University to align, politically and environmentally, with an organization that uses hysteria and dire warnings should not be in the best interest of Gallaudet University when it comes to unbiased and neutral teachings. Nor should this be in the best interests for undergraduate students when crucial critical thinking skills are important rather than to be swayed by emotional hysteria.
In fact, in Gallaudet University's Monitoring Report to the Middle States Commission on Higher Education (September 14, 2007) specifically emphasized "Critical Thinking" in a new curriculum that "draws on best practices in higher education, articulates specific, assessable learning outcomes, offers unprecedented opportunities for collegial interfaculty collaboration, and integrates learning across disciplines." One of the five expected outcomes is "Critical Thinking" where it states "Students will summarize, synthesize, and critically analyze ideas from multiple sources in order to draw well-supported conclusions and solve problems."
http://ims.gallaudet.edu/pdf/20070914-0003.pdf
Still, in a very recent Inside Gallaudet newsletter it also describes one student’s fear about the supposed anthropogenic global warming will have in the future.
“Student Earl Terry, chair of Green Gallaudet’s FTN planning committee, feels that addressing this issue is incumbent upon his generation. 'It’s very important for us to do something about [global warming] because if we don’t, our children will suffer,' said Terry.”
http://news.gallaudet.edu/?ID=12431
And in the same article it boasts of a special guest trained to give presentations based on that of vice president Al Gore in the film “An Inconvenient Truth” who completed an intensive three-day “Climate Project” training session to become certified to give the presentations. Yet, this is ironic considering that Christopher Monckton of Brenchley produced a detailed report that listed a total of 35 errors in Al Gore’s movie “An Inconvenient Truth”
(http://scienceandpublicpolicy.org/monckton/goreerrors.html ).
Our understanding on the complexities of our climate system, the Earth itself and even the sun are still quite limited. Scaring people into submission is not the answer to get people to change their environmental ways. Scaring students at Gallaudet University isn't the answer either when they cannot develop their own critical thinking skills on their own.
I fear that Gallaudet University has not taken the steps to ensure students are on the path of self-sufficiency to learning when it comes to critical thinking skills on issues such as climate change. Or in this case, the claims of global warming caused by anthropogenic means that would lead to worldwide catastrophic environmental events or so say the proponents for Al Gore’s movie “An Inconvenient Truth.” For Gallaudet University to associate with such an organization such as "Focus the Nation" whose main thrust is to induce or produce a “climate of fear” by blaming the human race as the cause of our global warming. There is no real basis for this. There is a growing body of scientific literatures outlining that this not to be the case. People simply need to be careful about using the "scientific consensus" meme by saying that there were very "little dissent among scientists worldwide." Not so when you have one analysis of a peer-reviewed literature that was done very recently showed just the opposite of what some people have been saying.
“A new analysis of peer-reviewed literature reveals that more than 500 scientists have published evidence refuting at least one element of current man-made global warming scares. More than 300 of the scientists found evidence that 1) a natural moderate 1,500-year climate cycle has produced more than a dozen global warmings similar to ours since the last Ice Age and/or that 2) our Modern Warming is linked strongly to variations in the sun's irradiance. ‘This data and the list of scientists make a mockery of recent claims that a scientific consensus blames humans as the primary cause of global temperature increases since 1850,’ said Hudson Institute Senior Fellow Dennis Avery.
Other researchers found evidence that 3) sea levels are failing to rise importantly; 4) that our storms and droughts are becoming fewer and milder with this warming as they did during previous global warmings; 5) that human deaths will be reduced with warming because cold kills twice as many people as heat; and 6) that corals, trees, birds, mammals, and butterflies are adapting well to the routine reality of changing climate.”
http://www.earthtimes.org/articles/show/news_press_release,176495.shtml
Just as well, in December 2007, a team of over 100 prominent international scientists, who warned the UN, that attempting to control the Earth's climate was "ultimately futile."
http://tinyurl.com/2m27n5
Then we have a peer-reviewed International Journal of Climatology that was published in a December 2007 issue said that climate scientists at the University of Rochester, the University of Alabama, and the University of Virginia report that “ observed patterns of temperature changes (‘fingerprints’) over the last thirty years are not in accord with what greenhouse models predict and can better be explained by natural factors, such as solar variability. Therefore, climate change is ‘unstoppable’ and cannot be affected or modified by controlling the emission of greenhouse gases, such as CO2, as is proposed in current legislation. And that the results are in conflict with the conclusions of the United Nations Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) and also with some recent research publications based on essentially the same data.“
http://canadafreepress.com/index.php/article/908
And again in December 2007 over 400 prominent scientists from more than two dozen countries recently voiced significant objections to major aspects of the so-called "consensus" on man-made global warming and that climate skeptics appear to be expanding rather than shrinking.
http://tinyurl.com/2hmrer
Other than that, there are many examples of other studies on time lags between rise/fall of temperature prior to the rise/fall of CO2 concentration in the atmosphere. A few examples of research results include:
* Indermühle et al. (GRL, vol. 27, p. 735, 2000), who find that CO2 lags behind the temperature by 1200±700 years, using Antarctic ice-cores between 60 and 20 kyr before present.
* Fischer et al. (Science, vol 283, p. 1712, 1999) reported a time lag 600±400 yr during early de-glacial changes in the last 3 glacial–interglacial transitions.
* Siegenthaler et al. (Science, vol. 310, p. 1313, 2005) find a best lag of 1900 years in the Antarctic data.
* Monnin et al. (Science vol 291, 112, 2001) find that the start of the CO2 increase in the beginning of the last interglacial lagged the start of the temperature increase by 800 years.
Now, if Earth was suffering under an accelerated greenhouse effect caused by human produced addition of CO2, the troposphere should heat up faster than the surface of the planet, but data collected from satellites and weather balloons do not support this fundamental presumption even though we are seeing higher CO2. We ought to see near lockstep temperature increments along with higher CO2 concentration over time, especially over the last several years. But we're not.
In keeping up with Gallaudet University new efforts on transparency, I sincerely hope you will find the time to ensure that Gallaudet University’s best interest is to teach and provide materials to students in a neutral manner and allow students a chance to form their own conclusions through critical thinking. Neutrality is very important when it comes to teaching science by separating facts from fiction. For Gallaudet University to tie itself to an organization that prides itself on inducing a “climate of fear” when it comes to “global warming” without any real regards or acknowledgement that earth or climate science is complex and still in its infancy. We still do not fully understand the involvement of water vapor, a major greenhouse gas, which play a much bigger role than that of CO2
(see http://icecap.us/images/uploads/Evans-CO2DoesNotCauseGW.pdf ).
Dr. Davila, you said, “Our goal then and now is to create a stronger, more united community with a more rigorous academic curriculum to better prepare our students to thrive in the new, global economy,” in an Inside Gallaudet announcement about the Middle States Commission on Higher Education who unanimously voted to remove Gallaudet from probation (see http://news.gallaudet.edu/?ID=12229 ). That is what many people would like to see students do at Gallaudet University and that is to do rigorous, independent academic work.
I have posted this email letter as an open letter in my blog for all to see (http://kokonutpundits.blogspot.com/ ). And I hope Gallaudet University will approach students from a teaching neutral point of view so they can develop their own critical thinking skills. I have written a few emails to Gallaudet University about their April 2007 Earth Day global warming presentation at Gallaudet University that was set up with the help of students and faculty members (see http://news.gallaudet.edu/?id=11005 ). I expressed concerns that there were no efforts to present facts (see examples in this email) and realities about our limited knowledge of our own climate system when it comes to causal relationships with that of our Earth and sun that help directly and indirectly induce climate change (i.e. warming and cooling). But with the recent collaboration and support to continue with global warming teaching using Al Gore’s movie and it’s talking points can only mean that future efforts to present an open view without politics involved will not happen. This is what concerns me the most.
If you need more information or would like to discuss more, please do not hesitate to contact me.
Sincerely,
Mike McConnell
BIOGRAPHY: 11 years of professional work in earth science involving groundwater, geology, atmospheric pollution, wildfire effects on watersheds, post-wildfire mitigation planning, hydrology, and groundwater and surface water modeling. He holds a bachelor degree in mathematics (Gallaudet University, 1991). He also holds a M.S. degree in Geology (Univ. of Idaho, 1999) with emphasis in geophysics, hydrogeology and groundwater contaminant modeling while as a fulltime graduate student for 5 years.
Emails sent to.
Contact:
Dr. Robert Davila, president of Gallaudet University – Robert.Davila@gallaudet.edu
CC:
Sen. Wayne Allard – http://allard.senate.gov/ (emailed via official website)
Sen. Thomas Harkin – http://harkin.senate.gov/ (emailed via official website)
Sen James M. Inhofe - http://inhofe.senate.gov/ (emailed via official website)
Dr. Caroline Solomon (biology) - caroline.solomon@gallaudet.edu
Dr. Michael Moore (Chemistry) - michael.moore@gallaudet.edu
Dr. Henry Snyder (Physics) - henry.snyder@gallaudet.edu
Middle States Commission on Higher Education - info@msche.org
To Dr. Robert Davila and those who may share my concerns.
I couldn't help but notice in a recent Alumni eNewsletter "Green Gallaudet invites alumni to make the world a greener place" (see http://tinyurl.com/335nl6 )
and a very recent newsletter announcement in Inside Gallaudet “Gallaudet to join Focus the Nation’s fight against climate change” (http://news.gallaudet.edu/?ID=12431 ) that have caused me some concerns lately. Though I'm glad to see that there are initiatives being undertaken on how we can go "green" using responsible, common sense practices and goals. We all want clean air and water. We all want to see healthy and productive lands. No one is denying that. People want to see environmental conservation efforts at the local and regional scale because results are relatively quick. However, I am quite concerned that bias or one-sided teaching is possibly being introduced to undergraduate students over the supposed man-made "global warming" issue. For one, this is because "global warming" was mentioned along with a link to "Focus the Nation" seen in the recent Alumni eNewletter.
"Focus the Nation is exploding because, across the country, educators and students at every high school, college and university understand that we have just a few short years to act decisively to hold global warming to the low end of 3-4 degrees F."
http://focusthenation.org/
The key words, "...a few short years." This smells of preying on the uninformed by introducing hysteria with hyperboles, not to mention a way to make a buck by jumping the bandwagon scare of this supposed "anthropogenic global warming."
Climate change is a climate system that we have no real control over. For Gallaudet University to align, politically and environmentally, with an organization that uses hysteria and dire warnings should not be in the best interest of Gallaudet University when it comes to unbiased and neutral teachings. Nor should this be in the best interests for undergraduate students when crucial critical thinking skills are important rather than to be swayed by emotional hysteria.
In fact, in Gallaudet University's Monitoring Report to the Middle States Commission on Higher Education (September 14, 2007) specifically emphasized "Critical Thinking" in a new curriculum that "draws on best practices in higher education, articulates specific, assessable learning outcomes, offers unprecedented opportunities for collegial interfaculty collaboration, and integrates learning across disciplines." One of the five expected outcomes is "Critical Thinking" where it states "Students will summarize, synthesize, and critically analyze ideas from multiple sources in order to draw well-supported conclusions and solve problems."
http://ims.gallaudet.edu/pdf/20070914-0003.pdf
Still, in a very recent Inside Gallaudet newsletter it also describes one student’s fear about the supposed anthropogenic global warming will have in the future.
“Student Earl Terry, chair of Green Gallaudet’s FTN planning committee, feels that addressing this issue is incumbent upon his generation. 'It’s very important for us to do something about [global warming] because if we don’t, our children will suffer,' said Terry.”
http://news.gallaudet.edu/?ID=12431
And in the same article it boasts of a special guest trained to give presentations based on that of vice president Al Gore in the film “An Inconvenient Truth” who completed an intensive three-day “Climate Project” training session to become certified to give the presentations. Yet, this is ironic considering that Christopher Monckton of Brenchley produced a detailed report that listed a total of 35 errors in Al Gore’s movie “An Inconvenient Truth”
(http://scienceandpublicpolicy.org/monckton/goreerrors.html ).
Our understanding on the complexities of our climate system, the Earth itself and even the sun are still quite limited. Scaring people into submission is not the answer to get people to change their environmental ways. Scaring students at Gallaudet University isn't the answer either when they cannot develop their own critical thinking skills on their own.
I fear that Gallaudet University has not taken the steps to ensure students are on the path of self-sufficiency to learning when it comes to critical thinking skills on issues such as climate change. Or in this case, the claims of global warming caused by anthropogenic means that would lead to worldwide catastrophic environmental events or so say the proponents for Al Gore’s movie “An Inconvenient Truth.” For Gallaudet University to associate with such an organization such as "Focus the Nation" whose main thrust is to induce or produce a “climate of fear” by blaming the human race as the cause of our global warming. There is no real basis for this. There is a growing body of scientific literatures outlining that this not to be the case. People simply need to be careful about using the "scientific consensus" meme by saying that there were very "little dissent among scientists worldwide." Not so when you have one analysis of a peer-reviewed literature that was done very recently showed just the opposite of what some people have been saying.
“A new analysis of peer-reviewed literature reveals that more than 500 scientists have published evidence refuting at least one element of current man-made global warming scares. More than 300 of the scientists found evidence that 1) a natural moderate 1,500-year climate cycle has produced more than a dozen global warmings similar to ours since the last Ice Age and/or that 2) our Modern Warming is linked strongly to variations in the sun's irradiance. ‘This data and the list of scientists make a mockery of recent claims that a scientific consensus blames humans as the primary cause of global temperature increases since 1850,’ said Hudson Institute Senior Fellow Dennis Avery.
Other researchers found evidence that 3) sea levels are failing to rise importantly; 4) that our storms and droughts are becoming fewer and milder with this warming as they did during previous global warmings; 5) that human deaths will be reduced with warming because cold kills twice as many people as heat; and 6) that corals, trees, birds, mammals, and butterflies are adapting well to the routine reality of changing climate.”
http://www.earthtimes.org/articles/show/news_press_release,176495.shtml
Just as well, in December 2007, a team of over 100 prominent international scientists, who warned the UN, that attempting to control the Earth's climate was "ultimately futile."
http://tinyurl.com/2m27n5
Then we have a peer-reviewed International Journal of Climatology that was published in a December 2007 issue said that climate scientists at the University of Rochester, the University of Alabama, and the University of Virginia report that “ observed patterns of temperature changes (‘fingerprints’) over the last thirty years are not in accord with what greenhouse models predict and can better be explained by natural factors, such as solar variability. Therefore, climate change is ‘unstoppable’ and cannot be affected or modified by controlling the emission of greenhouse gases, such as CO2, as is proposed in current legislation. And that the results are in conflict with the conclusions of the United Nations Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) and also with some recent research publications based on essentially the same data.“
http://canadafreepress.com/index.php/article/908
And again in December 2007 over 400 prominent scientists from more than two dozen countries recently voiced significant objections to major aspects of the so-called "consensus" on man-made global warming and that climate skeptics appear to be expanding rather than shrinking.
http://tinyurl.com/2hmrer
Other than that, there are many examples of other studies on time lags between rise/fall of temperature prior to the rise/fall of CO2 concentration in the atmosphere. A few examples of research results include:
* Indermühle et al. (GRL, vol. 27, p. 735, 2000), who find that CO2 lags behind the temperature by 1200±700 years, using Antarctic ice-cores between 60 and 20 kyr before present.
* Fischer et al. (Science, vol 283, p. 1712, 1999) reported a time lag 600±400 yr during early de-glacial changes in the last 3 glacial–interglacial transitions.
* Siegenthaler et al. (Science, vol. 310, p. 1313, 2005) find a best lag of 1900 years in the Antarctic data.
* Monnin et al. (Science vol 291, 112, 2001) find that the start of the CO2 increase in the beginning of the last interglacial lagged the start of the temperature increase by 800 years.
Now, if Earth was suffering under an accelerated greenhouse effect caused by human produced addition of CO2, the troposphere should heat up faster than the surface of the planet, but data collected from satellites and weather balloons do not support this fundamental presumption even though we are seeing higher CO2. We ought to see near lockstep temperature increments along with higher CO2 concentration over time, especially over the last several years. But we're not.
In keeping up with Gallaudet University new efforts on transparency, I sincerely hope you will find the time to ensure that Gallaudet University’s best interest is to teach and provide materials to students in a neutral manner and allow students a chance to form their own conclusions through critical thinking. Neutrality is very important when it comes to teaching science by separating facts from fiction. For Gallaudet University to tie itself to an organization that prides itself on inducing a “climate of fear” when it comes to “global warming” without any real regards or acknowledgement that earth or climate science is complex and still in its infancy. We still do not fully understand the involvement of water vapor, a major greenhouse gas, which play a much bigger role than that of CO2
(see http://icecap.us/images/uploads/Evans-CO2DoesNotCauseGW.pdf ).
Dr. Davila, you said, “Our goal then and now is to create a stronger, more united community with a more rigorous academic curriculum to better prepare our students to thrive in the new, global economy,” in an Inside Gallaudet announcement about the Middle States Commission on Higher Education who unanimously voted to remove Gallaudet from probation (see http://news.gallaudet.edu/?ID=12229 ). That is what many people would like to see students do at Gallaudet University and that is to do rigorous, independent academic work.
I have posted this email letter as an open letter in my blog for all to see (http://kokonutpundits.blogspot.com/ ). And I hope Gallaudet University will approach students from a teaching neutral point of view so they can develop their own critical thinking skills. I have written a few emails to Gallaudet University about their April 2007 Earth Day global warming presentation at Gallaudet University that was set up with the help of students and faculty members (see http://news.gallaudet.edu/?id=11005 ). I expressed concerns that there were no efforts to present facts (see examples in this email) and realities about our limited knowledge of our own climate system when it comes to causal relationships with that of our Earth and sun that help directly and indirectly induce climate change (i.e. warming and cooling). But with the recent collaboration and support to continue with global warming teaching using Al Gore’s movie and it’s talking points can only mean that future efforts to present an open view without politics involved will not happen. This is what concerns me the most.
If you need more information or would like to discuss more, please do not hesitate to contact me.
Sincerely,
Mike McConnell
BIOGRAPHY: 11 years of professional work in earth science involving groundwater, geology, atmospheric pollution, wildfire effects on watersheds, post-wildfire mitigation planning, hydrology, and groundwater and surface water modeling. He holds a bachelor degree in mathematics (Gallaudet University, 1991). He also holds a M.S. degree in Geology (Univ. of Idaho, 1999) with emphasis in geophysics, hydrogeology and groundwater contaminant modeling while as a fulltime graduate student for 5 years.
Emails sent to.
Contact:
Dr. Robert Davila, president of Gallaudet University – Robert.Davila@gallaudet.edu
CC:
Sen. Wayne Allard – http://allard.senate.gov/ (emailed via official website)
Sen. Thomas Harkin – http://harkin.senate.gov/ (emailed via official website)
Sen James M. Inhofe - http://inhofe.senate.gov/ (emailed via official website)
Dr. Caroline Solomon (biology) - caroline.solomon@gallaudet.edu
Dr. Michael Moore (Chemistry) - michael.moore@gallaudet.edu
Dr. Henry Snyder (Physics) - henry.snyder@gallaudet.edu
Middle States Commission on Higher Education - info@msche.org
A Captioner's Worst Nightmare
Just when you thought a real time captioner couldn't miss the all important and very relevant word, "evacuating," for those deaf people watching the news on this year's recent California's wildfire.
Just makes you wanna say...."Ewwwww!" But I'm sure they were just trying to help suffocate the fires? No?
Hat tip: Somebody in Kalifornia.
Just makes you wanna say...."Ewwwww!" But I'm sure they were just trying to help suffocate the fires? No?
Hat tip: Somebody in Kalifornia.
Wednesday, December 26, 2007
Zillow Homes
Here's a real-estate website called Zillow which is a free, instant valuation of over 65,000,000 homes in the United States. It provides info on the house, estimated valuation, satellite photo, map, birdseye view for an extra up close shot of a house, and property tax information. A neat website to check up on the value of your house. Or even your favorite celebrity or politician's house just by doing a simple little Google research on celebrity homes' addresses.
“Stop Eugenics!” = Anti-abortion?
Over and over do I see in DeafRead the blog “Stop Eugenics!” so many times, even as much as 6 times in a single day on the main page of DeafRead. I’ve already read a bit about the Clause 14 (4) (9) of the Human Fertilisation and Embryology Bill and the slippery-slope it may entail for us humanity in the future. But this bill is essentially an abortion requirement bill because it does involve in the decision to remove an embryo, which has all the genetic information as a born baby, based on known genetic defects. If an embryo contains these genetic information that are essentially “defects” they are, of course, aborted or rejected on that basis. Mishka Zena covered it quite well addressing this slippery slope problem.
Let’s suppose a Deaf couple wanted to ensure on having a deaf baby via IVF should taxpayers foot the bill for their decision to have a deaf child’s expensive education (e.g. school for the deaf) and interpreters? Should the financial responsibility be 100% upon Deaf parents versus over those who, by chance and not by IVF, give birth to a deaf child? Let’s try this from a different viewpoint. Suppose a mildly retarded married couple (fully independent) wanted to increase the potential on conceiving a baby who would also be born mildly retarded. Would this be acceptable? The same for dwarfism and so on.
Indeed a heavy question. If a couple purposely set out via IVF to have a baby with a certain desirable but shortcoming traits should they ought to pay for all expenses related to education, special needs and medical attention for that child should the state and insurance ought to pay for a planned and desired “disability” knowing the inherent cost is likely to be much, much higher? Who is ultimately responsible for future costs for these “specially designed” children? Whose financial responsibility would this belong to? The parents or government?
Now, let’s turn this around. Suppose a Deaf couple use IVF to screen out any genetic deafness and instead look for an embryo that doesn’t have genetic deafness in order to have a hearing baby? How would that be wrong? If Deaf parents already decided to have their Deaf child implanted with a cochlear implant like in Sound and Fury then there is no reason to think that Deaf parents will not want to ensure on having a hearing baby via IVF. Dr. Jamie Grifo thinks so,
Certainly, in theory, parents ought to conduct their own reproductive decisions and not that of the government or regulator. But I guess the core question comes down to would be whether parents who plan on having a “disabled” child via IVF ought to bear all future expenses related to the child’s disability. It's a choice between reproductive rights versus financial support.
So, the "Stop Eugenics!" is asking the government of UK to stop this Human Fertilisation and Embryology Bill because they (i.e. "Stop Eugenics!") believe also in the concept of pro-life as a whole? I'm curious if that's the case.
But let's suppose instead the UK parliamentary comes up with a bill outlining that anyone who uses IVF procedures to purposely plan and deliberately conceive a baby with a disability much like the parents' will not receive any financial support for medical, education and other services (e.g. BSL interpreting), over those who child born by chance to have a disability? What then?
Slippery slope indeed.
Let’s suppose a Deaf couple wanted to ensure on having a deaf baby via IVF should taxpayers foot the bill for their decision to have a deaf child’s expensive education (e.g. school for the deaf) and interpreters? Should the financial responsibility be 100% upon Deaf parents versus over those who, by chance and not by IVF, give birth to a deaf child? Let’s try this from a different viewpoint. Suppose a mildly retarded married couple (fully independent) wanted to increase the potential on conceiving a baby who would also be born mildly retarded. Would this be acceptable? The same for dwarfism and so on.
Indeed a heavy question. If a couple purposely set out via IVF to have a baby with a certain desirable but shortcoming traits should they ought to pay for all expenses related to education, special needs and medical attention for that child should the state and insurance ought to pay for a planned and desired “disability” knowing the inherent cost is likely to be much, much higher? Who is ultimately responsible for future costs for these “specially designed” children? Whose financial responsibility would this belong to? The parents or government?
Now, let’s turn this around. Suppose a Deaf couple use IVF to screen out any genetic deafness and instead look for an embryo that doesn’t have genetic deafness in order to have a hearing baby? How would that be wrong? If Deaf parents already decided to have their Deaf child implanted with a cochlear implant like in Sound and Fury then there is no reason to think that Deaf parents will not want to ensure on having a hearing baby via IVF. Dr. Jamie Grifo thinks so,
One of the nation's leading experts in reproductive medicine, Dr. Jamie Grifo of New York University, believes parents should be able to decide whether or not to have the procedure.
"Parents should certainly have a say in how they should be able to make decisions about how to conduct their reproductive lives, rather than leaving it up to some regulator or legislator," he said.
Certainly, in theory, parents ought to conduct their own reproductive decisions and not that of the government or regulator. But I guess the core question comes down to would be whether parents who plan on having a “disabled” child via IVF ought to bear all future expenses related to the child’s disability. It's a choice between reproductive rights versus financial support.
So, the "Stop Eugenics!" is asking the government of UK to stop this Human Fertilisation and Embryology Bill because they (i.e. "Stop Eugenics!") believe also in the concept of pro-life as a whole? I'm curious if that's the case.
But let's suppose instead the UK parliamentary comes up with a bill outlining that anyone who uses IVF procedures to purposely plan and deliberately conceive a baby with a disability much like the parents' will not receive any financial support for medical, education and other services (e.g. BSL interpreting), over those who child born by chance to have a disability? What then?
Slippery slope indeed.
Back Issues of Deaf Life?
Pretty unreal to see the asking price for 10 years of back issues of Deaf Life magazine from 1988 to 1998. I saw this under at "Jobs, Careers and Callings Deaf and Hard of Hearing People at Work" blogsite where it refers you to the Deaf Life back issues page with an asking price of $1750.00 for the complete magazine set from 1988 to 1998. A total of 120 magazines over a 10 year period (1988 - 1998) = $14.58 for each magazine compared to Deaf Life's current annual subscription price of $2.50 each ($30/year). Which means a markup of over 500% using today's cost. In 1988, subscription price may have been like $20 per year back then...dunno. But right now it's $30/year for 12 issues. Though renewal subscription costs $27/year or an equivalent of $2.25 per issue.
While at the same time it is interesting to see it say "11 sets are left" in the current website. This dire "11 sets are left" wordings for those potential Deaf Life collectors haven't changed since at least 2001. This means that no one is interested in buying a complete set or that the asking price is simply too high. I think it's the later. The price is simply way too high. Maybe Matthew will come around and try and "correct" it by "updating" it to say that there are "3 sets are left" or something like that after I post my blogpiece. Or perhaps, if he's smart, he'll lower the price. You know, Matthew Moore, you can put your "complete set" into a PDF full color digital format and sell it "cheaply" using secured online downloads.
But really, compare that to National Geographic's back issues prices where a single issue cost $6 per magazine for those after 1986. For Deaflife, after 1988, it's $14.58 each if you plan on buying the whole package set for $1750.00. It's a steal, I guess. Depending on who you ask.
Though I prefer National Geographic magazine since I'm a subscriber. It's much more educational and enjoyable to read. So, who is getting screwed here?
While at the same time it is interesting to see it say "11 sets are left" in the current website. This dire "11 sets are left" wordings for those potential Deaf Life collectors haven't changed since at least 2001. This means that no one is interested in buying a complete set or that the asking price is simply too high. I think it's the later. The price is simply way too high. Maybe Matthew will come around and try and "correct" it by "updating" it to say that there are "3 sets are left" or something like that after I post my blogpiece. Or perhaps, if he's smart, he'll lower the price. You know, Matthew Moore, you can put your "complete set" into a PDF full color digital format and sell it "cheaply" using secured online downloads.
But really, compare that to National Geographic's back issues prices where a single issue cost $6 per magazine for those after 1986. For Deaflife, after 1988, it's $14.58 each if you plan on buying the whole package set for $1750.00. It's a steal, I guess. Depending on who you ask.
Though I prefer National Geographic magazine since I'm a subscriber. It's much more educational and enjoyable to read. So, who is getting screwed here?
Woman Leaves $6 Million to Gallaudet
Interesting. Did a deaf oral woman influence Virginia May Binns, who left behind more than $6 million dollars of her estate to Gallaudet University, to donate most of her estate to Gallaudet because of her ability to read lips and speak with Virginia May Binns who is hearing?Did an oral deaf woman, while growing up, impressed Virginia May Binns of her ability to speak and read lips enough so that over years decided to leave a good portion of her estate to Gallaudet Univesity thinking the money will help more deaf people to learn to speak and read lips? The money will help fund the James Lee Sorenson Language and Communication Center?To Amy McGlone, Binns was something more.
McGlone lived a few houses down from the former bacteriologist and daughter of prominent city residents Frances Stoner and Charles D. Binns. In her youth, McGlone visited Binns in her Charles Street home nearly every day to play with the dogs.
Born partially deaf, McGlone communicated with Binns by reading her lips. She said Binns was surprised at first that she could speak.
"She was a remarkable woman," McGlone, 31, said.Binns was 89 when she died in February 2006. She spent the last years of her life at Hughes Home on Caroline Street.
"I think it's great," McGlone said of the donation.
As a young girl, McGlone spent summers at Gallaudet workshops to learn different communication techniques.
Binns' gift will be used to support Gallaudet's newest building, the James Lee Sorenson Language and Communication Center.Was Binns somehow mislead about what she thought her money could do for at Gallaudet University? I couldn't help but wonder what the stipulations were for Gallaudet University on exactly how the money will be used to support the James Lee Sorenson Language and Communication Center (main website is down, link is to an archive site)?
Now, didn't some students protest over this planned building because it appears to represent "audism"? While others did not see it as a problem to have that building? Even Davila said that "the SLCC is very much a deaf and ASL-centered building." You can go here and see the what the building looks like and see who else has donated (start on page 31 to see donations so far though not up to date). Check out the floor plans, too.
Will Gallaudet University maintain its "ASL-only" campus when it comes to communicating or will there be someday a cued speech center on the campus of Gallaudet University ? Gallaudet University already has a Cochlear Implant Education Center. Would it be fair to surmise the direction Gallaudet is heading when it comes to cochlear implant, speech center, ASL, cued speech, the expanding technology to help with communication access and so on? What will the campus' communication be like in 2028, 20 years from now? More use of speech and less signing, or the opposite? Will Virginia May Binns' money help Gallaudet University or not?
Wednesday, December 19, 2007
Deficit Thinkers = Coffee Drinkers?
You know what a "Deficit Thinker" is? It's somebody who hasn't had his/her coffee in the morning. So, for this upcoming holiday season here's a coffee mug you can purchase for that special "Deficit Thinker" in your life. A great gag gift for coffee drinker addicts who are the usual grouchy, non-morning type of person that tend to complain and grumble. Kind of like the complaints we see from Deaf people about these so-called "Deficit Thinkers."
If you want to purchase your very own (or for that "special" person in your life) "Warning: Deficit Thinker" coffee mug gag gift then stop by at my special Cafe Press Kokonut's Store and buy one today for only $13.99! Also, in my store there are several other items for sale as well. Look around and see if you like to buy one of my products.
So, are you a coffee addict and not a morning person? Then perhaps you are indeed one of those "Deficit Thinkers."
As for me, I don't drink coffee and I'm a morning person, too. So I cannot possibly be a "Deficit Thinker."
If you want to purchase your very own (or for that "special" person in your life) "Warning: Deficit Thinker" coffee mug gag gift then stop by at my special Cafe Press Kokonut's Store and buy one today for only $13.99! Also, in my store there are several other items for sale as well. Look around and see if you like to buy one of my products.
So, are you a coffee addict and not a morning person? Then perhaps you are indeed one of those "Deficit Thinkers."
As for me, I don't drink coffee and I'm a morning person, too. So I cannot possibly be a "Deficit Thinker."
Tuesday, December 18, 2007
Poll. Allow Pro-Oral Blogs on DeafRead?
Ya'll will probably see the right answer to this question. My question is should pro-oral blogs be allowed on DeafRead via through their daily filtered feed aggregator on selecting what's permissable and what is not? Should blogs that discuss "pro-oral" deaf-related subjects be allowed on DeafRead?
I am assuming that the above comment is really JJ's.
UPDATE: Choose carefully ya'll. And honestly, too. It may just reflect poorly (or not) on your decisions between outright censorship (and control over contents and power) versus the free exchange of ideas for all to see and share that makes America great. I'm watching this with great interest, folks.
UPDATE II: JJ (human editor of DeafRead) said this in my comment box:
"Pro-Oral posts WILL ALWAYS BE ALLOWED on deafread."I am assuming that the above comment is really JJ's.
Monday, December 17, 2007
A Deficit Thinker? Part Deux.
Like any good scientists we like to examine things analytically but there is a time when things go a bit overboard tossing around little understood words like “deficit thinking,” “deficit thinker,” “colonialism” or, heaven forbid, “dysconscious” in the hope to examine on what is “missing” when it comes to discussing deaf-related issues. It’s even worse when people use those words as a lance or spear against people or a group thinking they are in the wrong or perhaps use them simply because they are looking for a weapon to use against them for whatever reasons. Oftentimes people use such words within a context in such an accusatory tone is enough to question their motives. Sometimes it’s enough to make them look like imbeciles. It’s bad enough to resort to psycho-babble talks using those words thinking enlightenment will ensue but somehow it seems to work in the opposite direction at times. I’m talking in general terms and aiming at no one person here.
Words like “deficit” and the prefix “dys” are tinged with negative connotations. The prefix “dys” comes from "dus" (bad) spoken by people of Greece starting about 1000 B.C where "bad" modifies the word. And, of course, deficit means “inadequate” or “insufficient.”
It’s easy to toss those words around when you have lived only from one perspective while growing up. No one perspective is the same with each person. People have different viewpoints, perspectives, and life experiences whose own reasoning may be just as valid as the next person’s. Just to be fair, I believe everybody has a bit of a “deficit thinking” in themselves, including Deaf people, depending on the subject, of course. You see, it’s easy to call somebody a “deficit thinker” but then again that person may be exhibiting that very same “deficit thinking” as well. It may be even worse! Sort of like when a person accuses somebody by pointing a finger at him and in response you get 20 fingers pointing back at the accuser. I’d just be careful to use those words the next time. Better yet, don’t use them at all. To me, those words are meaningless psychobabble and are worthy enough to have them drop kicked over a football field goal when it comes to deaf-related discussions. It simply doesn’t help the situation. I have no need to use those words at all. It's full of generalities and solves nothing. And so it stops here for me.
Each blogger or vlogger has a way of expressing their opinion based on their personality, life experiences, educational background, and such that lead them to their own preferred communication style. It is what suits the blogger rather than to try and suit the audience. Though it's amazing and amusing that people continue to whine or complain over something they have no control over the contents of other people blogs. Sometimes they complain because they don't understand what was written. Or complain because they misconstrue or misinterpret. Though people are not forced to read other people blogs. And if so happens you don’t like what’s being said or how it’s being said then don’t go to that blogsite again. A simple solution for a simple mind.
Now, I have no qualms if people choose not to read my blogs. It is their right. It doesn’t affect me or how I write my blogs or the topic I choose to write. My blog is geared towards both deaf and hearing audience. What I write is enough to encourage people to come over and read my blogs. My audience (hearing, hard of hearing and deaf) continues to grow regardless if one decides not to read my blogs anymore since I cover a lot of topics (deaf and non-deaf) when it comes to blogging. I write because I enjoy writing. I write because it forces me to learn new things by doing tons of research, mostly in the science and technology arena. What I write also helps inform and educate many others. The internet is my library when it comes to academic learning. It's a great and handy tool to have because it's a big world out there. Life isn't so simple nowadays.
Words like “deficit” and the prefix “dys” are tinged with negative connotations. The prefix “dys” comes from "dus" (bad) spoken by people of Greece starting about 1000 B.C where "bad" modifies the word. And, of course, deficit means “inadequate” or “insufficient.”
It’s easy to toss those words around when you have lived only from one perspective while growing up. No one perspective is the same with each person. People have different viewpoints, perspectives, and life experiences whose own reasoning may be just as valid as the next person’s. Just to be fair, I believe everybody has a bit of a “deficit thinking” in themselves, including Deaf people, depending on the subject, of course. You see, it’s easy to call somebody a “deficit thinker” but then again that person may be exhibiting that very same “deficit thinking” as well. It may be even worse! Sort of like when a person accuses somebody by pointing a finger at him and in response you get 20 fingers pointing back at the accuser. I’d just be careful to use those words the next time. Better yet, don’t use them at all. To me, those words are meaningless psychobabble and are worthy enough to have them drop kicked over a football field goal when it comes to deaf-related discussions. It simply doesn’t help the situation. I have no need to use those words at all. It's full of generalities and solves nothing. And so it stops here for me.
Each blogger or vlogger has a way of expressing their opinion based on their personality, life experiences, educational background, and such that lead them to their own preferred communication style. It is what suits the blogger rather than to try and suit the audience. Though it's amazing and amusing that people continue to whine or complain over something they have no control over the contents of other people blogs. Sometimes they complain because they don't understand what was written. Or complain because they misconstrue or misinterpret. Though people are not forced to read other people blogs. And if so happens you don’t like what’s being said or how it’s being said then don’t go to that blogsite again. A simple solution for a simple mind.
Now, I have no qualms if people choose not to read my blogs. It is their right. It doesn’t affect me or how I write my blogs or the topic I choose to write. My blog is geared towards both deaf and hearing audience. What I write is enough to encourage people to come over and read my blogs. My audience (hearing, hard of hearing and deaf) continues to grow regardless if one decides not to read my blogs anymore since I cover a lot of topics (deaf and non-deaf) when it comes to blogging. I write because I enjoy writing. I write because it forces me to learn new things by doing tons of research, mostly in the science and technology arena. What I write also helps inform and educate many others. The internet is my library when it comes to academic learning. It's a great and handy tool to have because it's a big world out there. Life isn't so simple nowadays.
Sunday, December 16, 2007
Media Matters Whine about Hillary's Now Lack of "Inevitability"
Media Matters is now complaining about Hillary's freefall in the polls to be the front runner Democratic candidate for 2008 by blaming the media for building up her "inevitability" to become the 2008 U.S. president and then tearing her down.
Remember the Plame story? And whose supposed fault that was? And now will they try and place the pin on Novak as the originator on the concept of "inevitability" and planted it for the media? I guess Liberals and their favorite MSM outlets will soon find a reason to go after Novak again as their favorite whipping boy.
So what was all that talk about "inevitability" really about?I don't think it was the Clinton campaign, well maybe to an extent thinking Hillary did that on her own with Bill's help, but perhaps it's Robert D. Novak's doing back in 2005 on talks about a pre-planned "inevitiablity" by "well placed Democrats" that Hillary would be the president in 2008:
Maybe it reflected the impression the Clinton campaign itself was trying to create; political reporters and pundits have long ascribed that strategy to the campaign even as candidate and staff insisted they weren't taking anything for granted.
Robert D. Novak:
Savvy Dems in LA say no to Hillary run
By ROBERT D.
NOVAK
BACK EAST, well-placed Democrats have agreed that the party's 2008 nomination is all wrapped up better than three years in advance. They say that the prize is Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton's for the asking, and that she is sure to ask. But here on the left coast (Los Angeles), I found surprising and substantial Democratic opposition to going with the former first lady.
Remember the Plame story? And whose supposed fault that was? And now will they try and place the pin on Novak as the originator on the concept of "inevitability" and planted it for the media? I guess Liberals and their favorite MSM outlets will soon find a reason to go after Novak again as their favorite whipping boy.
A Deficit Thinker?
The term “deficit thinking” came out during discussions on “deafhood” last year which has become the latest buzz word, in some circles, especially when people use it to lob at other people accusing them of having “deficit thinking.” Now, exactly what is a “deficit thinker”? Well, it’s a person who practices “deficit thinking.” Ok. What’s “deficit thinking” then?
According to a book on “The Evolution of Deficit Thinking: Educational Thought and Practice” (by Richard R. Valencia, which is an interesting read on the history of how that concept came about) the definition of “deficit thinking” is:
And further in the book it also defines “deficit thinking” as a form of oppression:
Ain’t free expression great in America?
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. But that’s only if government does that and interferes with that freedom of expression and speech. Personal ownership, however, of a blog or website, the person is essentially free to do what he or she wants when it comes to discussed contents. But if people are not allowed greater access that can help lead to discussions about certain ideals, concepts and even myths then how can people learn? Isn’t this about learning and being fully informed in order to make an informed decision on what’s going on? Separate what's real and what's not? Who decide for who here? Isn't this all about balance?
Perhaps it's time that John (and others who are behind him on that idea) needs to point out publicly in his blog on exactly who those “deficit thinkers” are and explain to DeafRead editors or the owner why they must be removed from DeafRead and on what grounds. Which blogs need to be removed because of the contents? Which blogsites need to be removed? Which bloggers need to be removed or banned because discussions happen to revolve around topics that they do not like surely must be big enough of an excuse or justification for removal or banishment? Is John (and others) advocating to DeafRead editors and the owner that their policy or guideline ought to be revamped? And include a section that “Deficit thinking is not allowed”? Exactly what do you mean by "deficit thinking"? Who is really being desperate here, John? Is this imagined futility that bad when it comes to discussing various deaf or deafness related topics?
I’m sure readers of DeafRead will want to hear more about this suggestion of yours, John. And I'm sure readers will be looking forward to your list of names of those you (and others) feel need to be removed or its blog/vlog content removed because it rankles you.
The ball is in your court. You made the first imputation. Use your time wisely.
According to a book on “The Evolution of Deficit Thinking: Educational Thought and Practice” (by Richard R. Valencia, which is an interesting read on the history of how that concept came about) the definition of “deficit thinking” is:
“Deficit thinking is tantamount to the process of ‘blaming the victim’. It is a model founded on imputation, not documentation.”Imputation essentially means acts of accusation.
And further in the book it also defines “deficit thinking” as a form of oppression:
“..that deficit thinking is a form of oppression – that is, the cruel and unjust use of authority and power to keep a group of people in their place.”John makes an arbitrary and vague charge against those who harbor “deficit thinking” ought to be removed is in fact highly ironic considering the definitions of what “deficit thinking” means. Though the book also talks about "deficit thinking" as a form of "psuedo-science."
"process of false persuasion by scientific pretense"Now, DeafRead is free to do whatever they want on which blogs or vlogs to accept and publish the links when it comes to deafness related issues. I have no real complaints or qualms on what they do. Just as vloggers and bloggers are free to post what they want and moderate comments as they see fit.
Ain’t free expression great in America?
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. But that’s only if government does that and interferes with that freedom of expression and speech. Personal ownership, however, of a blog or website, the person is essentially free to do what he or she wants when it comes to discussed contents. But if people are not allowed greater access that can help lead to discussions about certain ideals, concepts and even myths then how can people learn? Isn’t this about learning and being fully informed in order to make an informed decision on what’s going on? Separate what's real and what's not? Who decide for who here? Isn't this all about balance?
Perhaps it's time that John (and others who are behind him on that idea) needs to point out publicly in his blog on exactly who those “deficit thinkers” are and explain to DeafRead editors or the owner why they must be removed from DeafRead and on what grounds. Which blogs need to be removed because of the contents? Which blogsites need to be removed? Which bloggers need to be removed or banned because discussions happen to revolve around topics that they do not like surely must be big enough of an excuse or justification for removal or banishment? Is John (and others) advocating to DeafRead editors and the owner that their policy or guideline ought to be revamped? And include a section that “Deficit thinking is not allowed”? Exactly what do you mean by "deficit thinking"? Who is really being desperate here, John? Is this imagined futility that bad when it comes to discussing various deaf or deafness related topics?
I’m sure readers of DeafRead will want to hear more about this suggestion of yours, John. And I'm sure readers will be looking forward to your list of names of those you (and others) feel need to be removed or its blog/vlog content removed because it rankles you.
The ball is in your court. You made the first imputation. Use your time wisely.
Saturday, December 15, 2007
Bali UN Climate Conference Fails Global Warming Screamers
What’s classic about the mainstream media news reporting when it comes to global warming is the continued misinterpretation or even, daresay I, dis-reporting such as the Bali UN climate conference by trying to frame it to make it look like a victory that President Bush caved in. Think Progress (though not a news media) managed to do that, laughingly so. And at the same time managed to fool those who are not intimately familiar with the Kyoto Protocol and the United States going back to the Clinton administration which started this whole resistance thing on joining in on the emission negotiations.
This is not surprising when you have readers who are content on believing a story byline and body of article but for others they would prefer to dig deeper to see exactly what’s going on and the real story. The bonus for me is that I am already familiar Kyoto protocol and the history it had with the United States. I knew right away the Think Progress story was nothing more than skunk reporting.
So, allow me to help you if you’re not familiar with all this thinking that Bush caved in. Heck, it's hardly the case while I slap my knee! It's the other way around folks. I suggest you read my blog or else you might end up looking more like a fool.
Let’s start with Associated Press who used a simple but somewhat misleading subject headline “Bali Climate Talks Reach Agreement” (the red bold is my emphasis) as well as a misleading body:
And then we have CNN with an outlandish and decidely misleading subject headline, “U.S. Agrees to Bali Compromise” along with, again, a misleading body (again, bold red is mine for emphasis on the misleading written material):
As I said before this is really a victory for Bush (and even Clinton) because in the first Kyoto Protocol attempt the Clinton administration, with support from then Vice President Al Gore and 95 senators, refused to ratify the Kyoto Protocol in 1997. And now we have developing nations that are agreeing to participate in emission cuts.
Hagel explains it well here:
The media will typically downplay all of this by not acknowledging that this was really a win for the Bush (and Clinton) administration and America, because it was they who insisted that developing nation participate and make any agreements on emissions cuts in the future by coming to the table, such as China and Indian who are big polluters. It’s about unfair economic advantage to any one nation.
As a note, China is now the number one polluter of the world, and not the U.S. And if you notice the picture, I challenge you to find a city in the United States that spews so much gunk out where China has a serious respiratory health problems as a result of the massive polluting that comes with rapid growth. The same kind of growing pains the United States had from the early 1930s through the 1970s. We’re better off now than we did during the 1970s and we continue to improve as we go along.
Let’s continue with Time’s reporting on Bali which included more information that most media have thus so far ignored! (note the bold red which are my emphasis on exactly what the conference resulted in which had nothing to do with agreed to specific emission cuts or figures):
Not everybody was happy with the result. Canada was especially disappointed with the conference result as reported by The Canadian Press with the subject headline “World reaches vague climate deal after day of high drama at UN talks” (look for my emphasis in bold red):
This is not surprising when you have readers who are content on believing a story byline and body of article but for others they would prefer to dig deeper to see exactly what’s going on and the real story. The bonus for me is that I am already familiar Kyoto protocol and the history it had with the United States. I knew right away the Think Progress story was nothing more than skunk reporting.
So, allow me to help you if you’re not familiar with all this thinking that Bush caved in. Heck, it's hardly the case while I slap my knee! It's the other way around folks. I suggest you read my blog or else you might end up looking more like a fool.
Let’s start with Associated Press who used a simple but somewhat misleading subject headline “Bali Climate Talks Reach Agreement” (the red bold is my emphasis) as well as a misleading body:
World leaders overcame bitter divisions Saturday and agreed to reach a new deal on fighting global warming by 2009, turning a corner in mankind's race to stave off environmental disaster caused by rising temperatures.
The contentious, two-week U.N. climate conference on the resort island of Bali ended with the United States, facing angry criticism from other delegations, relenting in its opposition to a request from developing nations for more technological help fighting climate change.
And then we have CNN with an outlandish and decidely misleading subject headline, “U.S. Agrees to Bali Compromise” along with, again, a misleading body (again, bold red is mine for emphasis on the misleading written material):
The United States made a dramatic reversal Saturday, first rejecting and then accepting a compromise to set the stage for intense negotiations in the next two years aimed at reducing carbon dioxide emissions worldwide.But let's look at Time’s reporting which describes accurately what had transpired today. Read carefully what the victory was about which was a victory for Bush (and even the Clinton administration). If you know your Kyoto protocol history and the United States you’d understand (which I will explain next and look at the bold red to see where this agreement was about). Time’s subject headline “Who Won and Lost at Bali”:
The U.N. climate change conference in Bali was filled with emotion and cliff-hanging anticipation on Saturday, an extra day added because of a failure to reach agreement during the scheduled sessions.
The final result was a global warming pact that provides for negotiating rounds to conclude in 2009.
U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon called the pact "a good beginning." "This is just a beginning and not an ending," Ban said. "We'll have to engage in many complex, difficult and long negotiations."
The roadmap is essentially the beginning of a beginning. The negotiations to come have a specific end date - 2009 - and for the first time, dismantles what the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change executive secretary Yvo de Boer called "the Berlin Wall of climate change," the idea that only the rich nations need to take responsibility for fighting global warming. Both developed countries [sic]
The two sides still have different responsibilities, with developed nations ready to take on more quantifiable emissions cuts, and developing nations preparing to take on less specific national actions, but no country is left behind. That matters because the majority of future carbon emissions will come from the developing world, and no climate deal can work without the participation of China and India. "The developing nations of the South are on the same road as the North," says Peter Goldmark, director for the climate and air program for Environmental Defense. "They're using the same roadmap."
Bringing the developing nations on board made it possible for the U.S. to join. (per the Byrd-Hagel resolution - Kokonut)
As I said before this is really a victory for Bush (and even Clinton) because in the first Kyoto Protocol attempt the Clinton administration, with support from then Vice President Al Gore and 95 senators, refused to ratify the Kyoto Protocol in 1997. And now we have developing nations that are agreeing to participate in emission cuts.
India and China, which are exempt from Kyoto's emissions cuts, have no plans to submit to those mandates any time soon, though China is the world's second-largest emitter of greenhouse gases. The U.S. has also consistently rejected Kyoto. This has been true throughout the Bush years, but it was equally so during the Clinton ones. In 1997, the U.S. Senate adopted the Byrd-Hagel Resolution by 95-0, urging the Clinton Administration not to sign any climate-change protocol that "would result in serious harm to the economy." In 1998 Al Gore signed the Protocol. Yet President Clinton, who was in Montreal yesterday to scold the Bush Administration for its inaction, never submitted it to the Senate.
Hagel explains it well here:
Questioner: Back in 1997, you were a co-sponsor of a nonbinding resolution in the Senate. Did you mean, then, to kill the Kyoto climate treaty, or did you mean to change it?
Hagel: Well, if you go back to that time when Sen. [Robert] Byrd [D-W. Va.] and I introduced the Byrd-Hagel Resolution, it was to put the Senate on record as to what kind of environmental treaty the Senate would ratify and what kind of an environmental treaty we would not ratify. It's a very simple, straightforward resolution. It says the Senate will not ratify an environmental treaty ... if it does not include all the nations of the world in some way, and second, if it does economic damage ... to our country. Those are the two guidelines.
It was not set out to specifically kill Kyoto. Most of us knew at the time that Kyoto wasvolunteered to work against Kyoto." And he came up with the phrase "Kyoto is not fair," which was an effective way to talk about it. Did you think at the time that Kyoto was not fair?
Questioner: You did. We spoke to Frank Luntz, pollster and strategist, and he said, "I volunteered to work against Kyoto." And he came up with the phrase "Kyoto is not fair," which was an effective way to talk about it. Did you think at the time that Kyoto was not fair?Hagel: I did think it was not fair, because it did not include all the nations of the world. ... Only 30 nations of the world, essentially, were given mandates as to roll back their manmade green[house] gas emissions to some 5 to 7 percent below those 1990 levels. But it did not include nations like China, South Korea or India. Most nations of the world were left out. So how was that fair?
The obligation was all on nations like the United States. Many European nations were essentially held harmless because, for example, the British were using natural gas and discarding coal because of the large natural gas fields of the North Sea. And they were under the 1990 levels, emissions levels, by a significant percent. Many of the nations in Europe, their economies were way down, and so their emissions were way down. It was nations like the United States that really would have been hit hard on this. And so yes, I thought it was unfair.
The media will typically downplay all of this by not acknowledging that this was really a win for the Bush (and Clinton) administration and America, because it was they who insisted that developing nation participate and make any agreements on emissions cuts in the future by coming to the table, such as China and Indian who are big polluters. It’s about unfair economic advantage to any one nation.
As a note, China is now the number one polluter of the world, and not the U.S. And if you notice the picture, I challenge you to find a city in the United States that spews so much gunk out where China has a serious respiratory health problems as a result of the massive polluting that comes with rapid growth. The same kind of growing pains the United States had from the early 1930s through the 1970s. We’re better off now than we did during the 1970s and we continue to improve as we go along.
Let’s continue with Time’s reporting on Bali which included more information that most media have thus so far ignored! (note the bold red which are my emphasis on exactly what the conference resulted in which had nothing to do with agreed to specific emission cuts or figures):
The Bali roadmap contains no specific commitments or figures on the emissions reductions that developed countries will need to take, beyond language that "deep cuts" will be needed. Earlier in the week the EU fought hard to include a specific target of 25 to 40% cuts for developed nations by 2020, and a need to halve global emissions - two figures cited by the UN's Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change's (IPCC) latest assessment of global warming science. Neither made it into the final text, thanks largely to determined opposition from the U.S., although a footnote points to the IPCC report. For environmentalists who had hoped that the recent avalanche of data underscoring the rising crisis of climate change might prompt tougher action, Bali was a disappointment. "It was a rather weak deal," said Meena Rahman, chair of Friends of the Earth International. "It's compromised."
Not everybody was happy with the result. Canada was especially disappointed with the conference result as reported by The Canadian Press with the subject headline “World reaches vague climate deal after day of high drama at UN talks” (look for my emphasis in bold red):
Canada helped gut some of the substance from a world climate-change deal and then expressed regret Saturday when the final agreement was ultimately watered down even more than it had hoped.
Environment Minister John Baird hailed as a positive step a United Nations agreement to seek a new global climate-change treaty by 2012.
But he expressed regret that the agreement was almost completely stripped of any reference to numbers and targets which would have been the starting point for the discussion.
So, we had 4 news media outlets reporting on the Bali UN climate conference with one reporting it, surprisingly so, accurately on what the whole story was about which would be Time Magazine. The other two (AP and CNN) made it as if Bush caved in. Hardly. And then the The Canadian Press reported accurately the disappointed by those realizing that no emission numbers and targets were reached in this conference.
Now, I can understand that many are not familiar with the Kyoto deal and why the United States refused to participate in the first place which started with President Bill Clinton first. It’s no wonder that Think Progress tried to make this as if it were a victory for Bali UN climate conference but in all actuality it was a victory belonging to President Bush (and Clinton). It was they who didn’t see the purpose on joining in on talks on reducing emission because other developing countries were exempted from emissions cuts. That was the key why the Kyoto protocol was never agreed to. There were shortcomings. Before the U.S. would participate in the NEGOTIATION the agreement was that China and India, and other developing countries, should not be exempted from future emission negotiation set to expire by 2012.
And now you know the whole story. A lesson in all this? Know your history first and realize that the mainstream media have a way of distorting and mis/disinforming readers on what the whole story was about. Those who have sniggered in (false) glee about the supposed “victory” today thinking that the U.S. caved in need to learn to hold their glee. The victory was really the other way around. The U.S. made no agreements or concessions on numbers, figures or targets when it comes to cutting down on emissions.
The U.S. only agreed to come aboard and negotiate further because the Bali UN climate conference agreed that developing nations ought to be partipants in negotiating their own emission cuts. And this opens the door to further negotiations on global climate-change treaty by 2012. And this doesn’t mean that the United States will agree to such cuts either. Just the fact they are now agreeing to come to the table for future talks on possible emission cuts.
Now, if you think I'm done. I'm not. More than 100 prominent scientists from around the world signed their name to a letter to the UN climate conference in Bali about the futility in trying to stop global warming through CO2 reduction efforts (bold red emphasis is mine).
"It is not possible to stop climate change, a natural phenomenon that has affected humanity through the ages. Geological, archaeological, oral and written histories all attest to the dramatic challenges posed to past societies from unanticipated changes in temperature, precipitation, winds and other climatic variables," the scientists wrote.
"In stark contrast to the often repeated assertion that the science of climate change is ‘settled,' significant new peer-reviewed research has cast even more doubt on the hypothesis of dangerous human-caused global warming," the open letter added. [EPW Blog Note: To read about the latest peer-reviewed research debunking man-made climate fears, see: New Peer-Reviewed Scientific Studies Chill Global Warming Fears - LINK - & New Peer-Reviewed Study Finds: "Warming is naturally caused and shows no human influence." (LINK) - For a detailed analysis of how "consensus" has been promoted, see: Debunking The So-Called "Consensus" On Global Warming - LINK ]
The scientists' letter continued: "The United Nations Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) has issued increasingly alarming conclusions about the climatic influences of human-produced carbon dioxide (CO2), a non-polluting gas that is essential to plant photosynthesis. While we understand the evidence that has led them to view CO2 emissions as harmful, the IPCC's conclusions are quite inadequate as justification for implementing policies that will markedly diminish future prosperity. In particular, it is not established that it is possible to significantly alter global climate through cuts in human greenhouse gas emissions."
"The IPCC Summaries for Policy Makers are the most widely read IPCC reports amongst politicians and non-scientists and are the basis for most climate change policy formulation. Yet these Summaries are prepared by a relatively small core writing team with the final drafts approved line-by-line by government representatives. The great majority of IPCC contributors and reviewers, and the tens of thousands of other scientists who are qualified to comment on these matters, are not involved in the preparation of these documents. The summaries therefore cannot properly be represented as a consensus view among experts," the letter added. [EPW Note: Only 52 scientists participated in the UN IPCC Summary for Policymakers in April 2007, according to the Associated Press. - LINK - An analysis by Australian climate researcher Dr. John Mclean in 2007 found the UN IPCC peer-review process to be "an illusion." LINK ]
I agree. It's akin to you stepping onto the train track to try and stop an oncoming train by yourself. Putting a thousand people on track won't help either. It's better to adapt than to change something that's beyond our control which something what scientists said in a signed letter to UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon at the UN climate conference in Bali.
Being ignorant doesn't help. Being properly informed helps. Jumping in with glee about the Bali UN climate conference thinking President Bush caved in doesn't help either but only makes you more of an uninformed fool. Learn to stop while you're ahead.
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