Researchers identify protein needed to develop auditory neurons

Loss of spiral ganglion neurons or hair cells in the inner ear is the leading cause of congenital and acquired hearing impairment. Researchers at the University of California, San Diego, School of Medicine and the National Institutes of Health found that Sox2, a protein that regulates stem cell formation, is involved in spiral ganglion neuron development. The study was published in the January 13 issue of the Journal of Neuroscience.

"These findings may provide the first step toward regenerating spiral ganglion neurons, the nerve cells that send sound representations to the brain," said Alain Dabdoub, PhD, co-investigator and assistant professor of surgery with the...

See - http://www.newsrx.com/newsletters/Stem-Cell-Week/2010-01-25/39012520101SC.html

Growing an Ear Where No Ear Has Grown Before

Deep inside the inner ear, two types of nerve pathways shuttle their messages to and from the brain. Afferent nerves carry messages from the ear to the brain about the sounds your ear hears as well as balance information. Efferent nerves carry information from the brain back to the inner ear to help the ear make necessary adjustments. Researchers have known that the efferent nerves in the inner ear are modified motor neurons that have evolved from neurons that innervate muscles in the face. NIDCD-funded researchers from the University of Iowa wanted to know if other motor neurons in the body could be rerouted to innervate the ear if it were placed in their way. Using tadpoles of an aquatic frog (Xenopus laevis), the researchers transplanted the tadpole ears into the tadpole’s upper side (trunk) or eye region and then watched what happened. They noticed that out of 109 transplanted ears, 73 developed with necessary inner ear structures, including sensory cells, called hair cells, which connect to the nerve fibers. Using a dye that labels only motor neurons, they first found spinal motor neurons had populated the ears in the tadpole’s trunk and cranial motor neurons had populated the ears in the eye region. Next, using antibodies, they demonstrated that connections were indeed forming between the efferent nerves and the hair cells. Finally, using electron microscopy, they showed that structures associated with afferent and efferent nerves were both present in the transplanted ear. Because the afferent nerves travel to the brain directly from the eye region or indirectly from the trunk region by way of the spinal cord, the researchers now want to find out what happens if the inner ear information travels to a non-auditory part of the brain and how that information will be processed.

The poster "Transplantation of Xenopus Laevis Ears Reveals Ubiquitous Rerouting of Motor Neurons to Become Efferents" (#552) takes place Monday, Feb. 8, at 1:00 p.m. PT in the Disneyland Exhibit Hall.

http://www.nih.gov/news/health/feb2010/nidcd-04.htm

Noise-Damaged Hair Cells Can Regrow Stereocilia in Mammals if Rescued in Time

Scientists have been trying to regenerate hair cells — sensory cells in the inner ear named for the hairlike bundles jutting from their tops — out of surrounding non-sensory cells as a way to make up for hair cell loss in ears damaged by noise, some medicines, and other sources. (Unlike other vertebrates, mammals aren’t able to grow new hair cells on their own once the cells are dead or damaged.) But new NIDCD-funded research from Creighton University, Nebraska, and the Chinese PLA General Hospital, Beijing, says that hair cells damaged by noise may have more life in them than we once thought. We may be able to regenerate new hair bundles — called stereocilia — from the original hair cells. The researchers subjected guinea pigs to an impulse noise simulating gunfire, resulting in severe hearing loss. Using scanning electron microscopy, they showed extensive stereocilia damage had occurred throughout the inner ear. However, when the researchers injected math1, a key gene for the development of hair cells, into the inner ear within one week of damage, they found that the stereocilia were able to grow back. Furthermore, key measurements showed that the new stereocilia were able to convert sound vibrations into electrical signals, which is how the brain interprets sound. The researchers caution that there is a window of time when the hair cells are still viable following noise damage. If the hair cells are not rescued within that time frame, they will die. But if researchers are able to intervene early enough — within 10 days — the hair cells can possibly be saved. The researchers plan to conduct tissue culture studies to confirm whether these findings are supported at the cellular level.

The talk "Regeneration of Stereocilia of Cochlear Hair Cells by Math1 Gene Therapy" (#484) takes place Sunday, Feb. 7, at 5:00 p.m. PT in the Disneyland South Ballroom.

http://www.nih.gov/news/health/feb2010/nidcd-04.htm

Creighton professor strives to reverse hearing loss

Here's a recent article that came out last week about a Creighton University professor working on a cure for hearing loss.

It’s a bit of a stretch to describe Kirk Beisel’s research as something akin to seeking “Rogaine for the inner ear.”

But if his work with gene therapy pays off, the Creighton University professor and his team may aid untold numbers of people suffering from hearing loss by restoring the tiny sensory cells, the “hair cells”, inside their ears.

Or, he says, by preventing these hair cells from dying in the first place and thereby slowing down what is the leading cause of deafness in humans.

“The commercial potential is huge because by the time most people reach their 60s, nearly a third of them have hearing loss because these hair cells have died,” says Beisel, whose lab is in the Department of Biomedical Sciences at Creighton.

“When they reach their mid-70s, half have some kind of deafness,” he adds. Beisel is working closely with Lee Fenicle, director of Intellectual Resources Management, who has applied for several patents relating to Beisel’s research.

Click on the link above to read the rest of the article.

Is Mike McConnell anti-deaf?

No, not me but the other Mike McConnell, a well known conservative radio talk show host that has a weekend radio show in Cincinnati called "The Weekend with Mike McConnell." He is described as a

"down-to-earth guy next door who always has an opinion and, according to Mike, he's usually right."

And that "McConnell makes sense" which pretty much describes me as well. His show is syndicated in many radio stations across the United States and I have listened to his show many times before over my truck radio whenever I drive and I happen to tune in on his show over the weekend.

Anyhow, I came across one of his iPod radio shows that was produced on October 31, 2009 where he complains about deaf people. He begins his rant at the 11:59 mark with "It is now time to bust on the handicapped." And continues with his rantings up to the 17:04 mark, and continues again at the 20:27 mark "Busting on the deaf". Here's a transcript of the radio provided by your gracious blogger, Mike McConnell, er, meaning this Mike McConnell of Kokonut Pundit and not the other Mike McConnell. Got it?

Here's the radio iPod transcript below:

No one ever bust on the handicapped. I think handicapped adults are no different than I am. Except they have a handicap. Uh, we have this, apparently, we, uh, on Broadway, this a Broadway segment of the program, they upset the deaf and blind advocates by choosing a woman to play, the girl to play Helen Keller in a stage presentation who is not deaf and blind. How easy is it to find a deaf and blind 13 year old Broadway actress? I'm guessing difficult. I'm guessing like the lead role. And apparently they found someone to play this role, who is an Oscar nominee, I don't know about child stars, Abigail Breslin, a 13 year old Oscar nominee. Because apparently, apparently, there's star power on Broadway just like star power in the movies. And I understand that.

Mike McConnell, the radio guy, not me (am I confusing you?) then reads from a Yahoo article about this selection that has angered deaf and blind people.

"On Wednesday, the producers of the Broadway revival of the play "The Miracle Worker," about the early life of blind and deaf hero Helen Keller, announced that they'd chosen the young actress who will play her on stage this winter: 13-year-old Oscar nominee Abigail Breslin. The decision has unleashed immediate complaints from groups representing blind and deaf actors who feel that an actress from their community should have been considered for the role."

Mike opines here.

Sure. That works pretty well in rehersals. The whole idea here, behind acting, you with me on this? Is pretending something that you're not. Isn't that the whole theory? Someone that you're not. Something that you're not. Maybe become an actor I pretend that, uh, I'm a cowboy from Texas and I have an accent thing. And I put on a cowboy costume and I pretend I'm something that....that's the whole idea behind acting.

Mike continues reading from the same article.

Uh, let's see, what did the producer say? "We do not think it's OK for reputable producers to cast this lead role without seriously considering an actress from our community." Uh, let's see, "The show's producer claims that the production was unable to find a blind or deaf child," with .. get this, this is a quote, "a deaf and blind child with the star power to bring in enough of an audience to justify the show's large budget. It's simply naïve to think that in this day and age, you'll be able to sell tickets to a play revival solely on the potential of the production to be a great show or on the potential for an unknown actress to give a breakthrough performance, I would consider it financially irresponsible to approach a major revival without making a serious effort to get a star."

So, the deaf and blind are still unhappy but they're gonna try and get an understudy for the role who is deaf and blind.

Next one out.

Then we have this.

A hearing impaired fan has sued Ohio state for not having closed captioning at the stadium. What? At the stadium? Let's see. "Sued the school arguing that the university should offer captioning on the scoreboard and stadium televisions because he can't hear the announcers." Said Vincent Sabino, "When I go to a game, I'm never able to follow the game. It takes away from being a fan. It's a game experience thing." "The lawsuit was filed late last month in federal court in Columbus by the National Association of the Deaf in Silver Spring, Md. The suit says the university is violating the Americans With Disabilities Act by not providing captioning at all its venues, including Ohio Stadium ..." "It has been almost 20 years, and many places such as sports stadiums still do not take seriously their obligations to make sports events fully accessible in compliance with the ADA."

Uh, what do we do for the blind? I guess the blind could take a small radio and have a game on. I guess you could do that. But the guy makes a point down here. He's been going to the game since he was a kid. It says here, "his earliest and happiest memories are attending Ohio State football games with his father. His wife, father and two sisters attended Ohio State. He graduated from an institute for the deaf in Rochester, N.Y." So his earliest and happiest memories were going there when they didn't have captioning? Why is he suing over it now? I thought outloud.

Hmmm, sometimes the deaf people get a little bit too pushy. You know, you can sit on the radio and bust on the deaf all day, other people might tell them what you said but they don't know. Everything I said so far is legitimate. My anti-deaf people comments have been valid.

You know you're not allowed to drive a car with headphones on? You know that deaf people are allowed to drive? Not that I want to wear headphones when I drive a car, how come deaf people get to drive and I can't drive with a headphones on? A valid, legitimate question.

Mike's ends it at the 17:04 mark and continues at the 20:27 mark.

Humm. Busting on the deaf. Got this one. He said he went to an Ohio state game, uh, again, this case, uh, somebody was hearing impaired sued the school for closed captioning so they can appreciate what's going on in the game. The Ohio state game witnessed first hand a new improved scored board that's leveling the playing field for hearing impaired football fans. First thought was this must be a joke. But, no, let me explain. During those times when a song is playing in the stadium the scoreboard caption announces "The Waiting" by Tom Petty plays or Hells Bells by AC-DC plays. Correct me if I'm wrong but I don't think the hearing impaired would care Tom Petty or AC-DC playing. Even during penalty the captions ran underneath the referree on the screen. Again, I'd scratch my head if I were completely deaf I could look at the image on the scoreboard and see the referree's hand signals. Do I really need captions to go with the signal for "holding" or "pass interference"? But the capture came during replay closed captioning at the bottom of the screen blocked out the action making it impossible to see what it had happened. Maybe I should sue Ohio state for making it difficult for the non-seeing impaired to enjoy a football game? I know the ADA was groundbreaking. A case like this is nothing but a *unintelligble*. The guy who initiated the lawsuit said some of earliest and happiest memories were attending football games with his father.

Yeah, I don't think the average person cares what song is playing if they are unfamiliar with the song because he never heard it (ends at 21:53).

Mike takes some on-the-air calls. Gets a caller at the 28:40 mark about deaf people and driving.

Caller Reggie: Hey, uh, this is Reggie, is it your contention that deaf peoples should not be allowed to drive?

Mike McConnell: No.

Reggie: Ok. You were complaining about the fact that you were not able to wear your headphones.

Mike McConnell: Actually what I said I didn't want to wear a headphones. Uh, back when whenever came along first the Walkman, the first personal stereo thing where they passed a law you could not wear headphones while driving. So the question was well that deaf people can wear headphones, uh, wait a second, I'm sorry, can deaf people drive without any restrictions? So the answer was yeah. So if you don't have to be able to hear to drive at all, why do we have a law that says you can't drive with headphones on?

Reggie: Well, I don't think the idea is that headphones block out sounds. I think the idea is that they distract people.

Mike McConnell: Actually, the argument has been made was that it block out sound. You couldn't hear sirens. People crank up their car stereo you couldn't hear the siren. The lights tend to get your attention. Soon enough anyway. But, but that was in fact the argument that you wouldn't be able to hear emergency vehicles.

Reggie: Well, I was reading a book. It was about deaf people. And they were saying that the insurance companies tried to charge deaf people more for their insurance for their auto insurance. And deaf people sued them because they said that, well, we are actually safer drivers. And the statistics proved it.

Mike McConnell: That, that's been proven. They have no foundation to, to charge them more. No reason to.

Reggie: So it would make sense then that if they have fewer accidents even though they're deaf that they should be allowed to drive even though they cannot hear.

Mike McConnell: Yeah, I mean..

Reggie: That's basically all I wanted to say.

Mike McConnell: I don't know if there should be a classification....I don't know if there should be a classification to move them up or down. They should be charged if you're 27 years old and deaf you should pay the same as any 27 year old guy for the insurance.

Reggie: Insurance agencies they charge lower insurance for people that are safer drivers.

Mike McConnell: I, I know, but that's, but that's an odd classification to put people into. I mean if you can sell to kids who went to Catholic schools have fewer accidents than kids in private schools and use that claim to get a lower...no. We do by demographics and just, just draw the line right there.

Reggie: I mean, yeah, however you want to draw a demographic line, I guess.

Mike McConnell: Yeah, we have too many subsets to be start going in that direction. So that's why I wouldn't (ends at 31:09).

And that concludes the anti-deaf transcript segment from the Mike McConnell's radio show. Is Mike McConnell anti-deaf or not? Or did I just now confused you? You decide.

Hey, Mike McConnell, how about giving me a phone call (seriously, I can use the phone without any problems even though I'm deaf or in this case hard of hearing) and we can have a bit of heart to heart chat from one conservative guy to the next about your radio rant on deaf people over on your live radio show. Try me, you won't be disappointed.

For you readers, my previous blog on Mike McConnell...the radio talk show guy.

If you made it down this far and you're still angry about Mike McConnell's anti-deaf rant, you can email him at: mike@700wlw.com. Or go to Mike McConnell's very own personal forum and give him an earful if you wish.

This is Mike McConnell on Mike McConnell's anti-deaf rant.

Deaf prisoner on death row finally dies

A demented, deaf man in prison on death row finally dies. Families of slain victims rejoice. Question arises on whether handicapped prisoners on death row should be put to death earlier to save prisons money from medical expenses.

In 2006 a deaf, blind, diabetic, and wheel-chair bound 76 year old death row prisoner was executed in California.

My opinion? Don't do the crime.

If you're interested, my earlier blog entitled "Deaf Prisoners More Violent and Less Educated than Hearing Prisoners? "

Idiot deaf driver steals car and dies in fireball after chase

Idiot deaf driver steals a car along with his 3 other friends in a high speed police chase of over 100 mph. This resulted in the deaths of 4 people inside a stolen car after a fiery crash.

DBC's credibility gap?

Here's the news on AG Bell giving out awards to people who made significant contributions to the hearing loss community that got some Deaf people freaking out over in Alldeaf land. The hatred for AG Bell is just dripping. So, that got me thinking and looking.

On March 1 and 2 there will be an EHDI (Early Hearing Detection Intervention) conference to take place in Chicago. And when I checked out the Exhibitors List I noticed that DBC (Deaf Bilingual Coalition) will have a booth there. So will AG Bell.

Hmmmm.

Now, about the DBC, it's not a surprise that they have a relationship with the AFA (Audism Free America with link via the DBC website) by going "on record as being supportive of AFA" as seen in Dianrez's blog. And the fact that John Egbert and others of DBC attended an AFA protest rally last year in April 2009 tells a bigger story about the DBC's own organization and the people who run it. The AFA is hardly separate from DBC's own organization and its ideology where both groups have specifically targeted AG Bell. DBC has yet to remain neutral in this regard and keep to their mission instead. But the leaders and members of DBC cannot even be kept separate from the AFA group when it comes to DBC's mission as an organization.

"For now, it was an honor to meet many bloggers that first came to my attention through DeafRead. Who could forget meeting in person: John Egbert, Insane Misha, Ella Lentz, David Eberwein, Ruthie Jordan, Aidan Mack, Sharon Duchesneau, Jehanne, Robin Polin, Candace McCullough, Tami Hossler, Patti Durr, Pinky Aiello, Star Greiser, and many others whose faces I recognized but didn't get their names."

Many of the names seen in the Board of Directors and Members list on the DBC website are known to heavily dislike AGBell, even Brian Riley who helped write a letter for DBC used "fighting words" against AG Bell. It sure doesn't make them that much more credible, I can tell you that.

Here's another problem.

The DBC seems to lay claim on ownership of all deaf/hh babies by calling them as "Deaf babies" or "Deaf infants" with a capital "D" (see "Big D, small d") which denotes cultural deafness.

I. What is the Deaf Bilingual Coalition?

A. The Deaf Bilingual Coalition (DBC) is a community of Deaf and hearing people whose goals are to promote language acquisition, social justice, and quality education through the awareness of ASL and its excellence in cultivating the critical intellect of Deaf infants and young Deaf children.

B. The DBC’s mission is two-fold: We emphasize the importance of the social, emotional, linguistic, and cognitive aspects (of ASL and all natural sign languages) pertaining to early visual-language acquisition for all Deaf infants and young children; and to make the general public aware of the prevalence of misconceptions and misinformation that devalues ASL.

C. Since its inception, the DBC has empowered people to set up state chapters to research and explore early intervention programs, the Deaf education system, and to mentor hearing parents of Deaf babies to help equip them with critical information on language acquisition and development.

D. The DBC's original core committee was composed of volunteers who had all experienced bilingualism in their upbringing or been impacted by bilingual education. John Egbert of Minnesota founded the DBC in the summer of 2007.

Babies are born with a hearing loss. Babies are not born "Deaf" if from hearing parents. Maybe so for Deaf parents as they see their own baby as a Deaf baby but certainly not the case for hearing parents. DBC does not own these deaf/hh babies. It's the parents' decision, they decide and not DBC when it comes to their own babies and whether to call their baby a Deaf baby or not.

Next, I question whether DBC really does "mentor" hearing parents of "Deaf" babies. Do they get all pushy to try and somehow force their ideology onto unwitting hearing parents by making them aware? Or is it better to inform parents of deaf/hh babies by using positive examples of ASL rather than resort to conspiracy talks, continued negative remarks and darts and daggers aimed at AGBell whether implied or directly, and the continued bringing up old history rather than to look forward to the future in a positive way?

Having said that. You know what else I think? I think all hearing parents of deaf/hh babies should be informed of DBC's members and leaders past actions so that at least hearing parents can be fully informed about DBC's background and their ulterior agenda lurking in the background by continually attacking AG Bell in one form or another. AG Bell certainly doesn't do that by going after organizations by attacking them and use protesters as their pawns. AGBell has a mission to adhere to but they certainly do not attack ASL and certainly noticed past Deaf protests against them since 2007.

Since July 2007, another group affiliated with AFA has been staging demonstrations at AG Bell national conferences and state chapter meetings claiming that AG Bell is against sign language. In an effort to clarify its position on this issue, the AG Bell Board of Directors approved an official position statement on ASL which states, in part, “AG Bell acknowledges that a chosen approach depends on culture, family interests and desired communication outcome. AG Bell believes that the language and communication approach chosen should be based on an informed decision made by the child’s parents/family and based on their own unique circumstances…AG Bell does not believe that ASL should be prohibited or restricted as achoice, nor does AG Bell advocate against learning ASL as part of a child’s overall development if that is what the child’s parents desire.”

Regardless, AFA initiated this most recent demonstration at AG Bell headquarters and issued a call to action for supporters to demonstrate at oral/aural only programs in their local areas; in other words, to demonstrate at local pre-schools that offer a listening and spoken language educational approach for children who are deaf.

“This latest effort to target pre-schools and pre-school children I can only describe as unconscionable,” stated Graham. “To protest and criticize families who choose a particular communication and language approach is the height of intolerance.”

That way hearing parents can make an informed decision over a variety of issues and concerns, including any hidden agendas, if any. A good way to assess, for example, DBC's own credibility problem. Those on the outside may certainly see them as cry babies.

Next I can't help but wonder what are the odds that there'll be a protest by a bunch of Deaf people outside the conference to raise hackles about AG Bell just as they did over a year ago as noted in AG Bell's press release letter denouncing the protest? What are the odds that a protest will occur, if it ever, and that it'll have connections to AFA and, what else, the DBC organization just like before?

Makes ya wonder, doesn't it? We'll see how it goes March 1 and 2 in a few weeks from now.

*Note: apologies to Cox and Forkum for the cry babies picture that was slightly modified.

The NFL Cochlear Implant Story Continues...

Remember the deaf girl with her cochlear implant who won an essay contest and was able to recite her essay to the public and that some people in the Deaf community got all hot and bothered over this one? Well, a story came out in NBCMiami with Masia's mother on her opinion about this whole divisive affair regarding he daughter's cochlear implant story as seen in this video.

Masia's mother tells NBCMiami, "People in the deaf community are very split and emotions run very high on both sides of the issue. We are used to this by now, but it still always shocks you. Many people in the Deaf community believe we mutilated her."

Mutilated her? Nice. Get a few high-strung Deaf people go after Caroline Masia, a deaf 5th grader at Highland Oak Elementary in North Miami Beach, who rubbed elbows with the some of the NFL's big boys after she won the league's "Winning Moments" essay contest, and now the Deaf community ends up looking like an intolerant bunch of people.

Dying or Dead Deaf/HH Blogs and beyond Resurrection

It was bound to happen, former well known and popular Deaf/HH blogs suddenly or slowly disappear into oblivion, with a few of them reaching out from beyond in a final gasp of desperation. Click on a once popular blog and you may see one last posted blog a year old already. Or find out that address is no longer. Or something worse.

Blogging takes a lot effort to keep it going while trying to be fresh, informative, fun, irratating or whatever just to keep loyal readers coming back for more or just something to fill their day. I know, I'm one of them. And I thought I was finished, too. Eventually, bloggers have their fill and move on. Including, me, though not sure when that will come.

You can go to DeafBlogs.net and click some of the familiar names there and you'll find they're no longer active or not there anymore and see a shocking page instead (even Deafblogs.net is dying).

Go to the Deafblogs.net list of blogsites and click on Banjo's Space and it'll take you here. Shocking pictures. Gratiutous display of skin. Even though Banjo's other blog has since been discontinued since July 2009 though it kept coming back as you can see by reading it.

Or go to Elisa Abenchuchan's webpage and see her last post on December 2006. The last of the rah rah days of Gallaudet's Deaf Protest.... zzzzzzzzzzz........whatzzat?

Or Deaf in the City. Last blog in March of 2008.

Or DeafScribe which continues to blog since 2004 but has been reduced to Twittering instead. Are we becoming Twits nowadays?

Or see that Gnarly Dorkette gone to the wayside lamenting the lack of anonymity in her own blog since her last blog in November 2009.

Key Lime Pie? Gone.

All of the DeafDC bloggers like Tayler Mayer's have now the famous orange "account suspended" webpage. And I think I know why, too, if you read The Day DeafDC Died.

Or Dave E's The Sandman's Sandbox on Blogspot stopped in 2006 to transfer over to a new blogsite Mr. Sandman's Sandbox whose last blog piece was in January 2009.

The "The Countdown to the Resurrection" looks to be largely to have died and unresurrected on it's own with its last blog piece in September 2009. Though not to mention the unmentionable's original blogsite as a mass grave of words buried there with a last gory entry in April 2009 after a previous one in November 2008 in the attempt to reach out beyond the blogger grave.

So, what are other blogs that I've missed that are no longer active or functioning? Let us know. Can anybody name some of the longest running deaf/hh blogs that used the same blogsite address ?

Conducive environment on the campus of Gallaudet University?

Here's a good blog piece that wonders whether the campus of Gallaudet University has a conducive environment (or not) for conservative students to form their own political group such as the "college Republicans"? Maybe its the same "climate of fear" that keep students who may be skeptical or don't believe in the global warming claims from speaking up or form their own little coalition? But you know what, there's no better time than now to do something about it.

Kokonut Pundit on Cox and Forkum Blog Page

What many don't realize is that there is a link on the famously known Cox and Forkum editorial cartoon website that list Kokonut Pundit on it's blogroll list. My blog has been on that blogroll list for almost two years. So, be sure to click on the Cox and Forkum logo seen on the left to check out the latest funny political cartoon. I'm sure you will find it humorous as well as delightfully insightful about today's issues and problems in our government. But the sad thing about is that C & F ceased their political cartoons in June of 2009. But many of their cartoons still hold the truth to today like this one seen above, especially with the current Obama administration and the continuing trillion dollars deficit spending that makes Bush's spending like small potatoes.

UPDATE: Forgot to add that my blog is on the "Friends of Day by Day" blog roll list located on the right side as you scroll down, fyi.

Super tall buildings of the future

If you find in awe the engineering challenges of constructing super tall buildings then take a peak here to see the top 8 tallest buildings that are either being built now or are being considered, including one that's over a mile high. Pretty freaky, and why on earth would they build such super tall buildings?

EMPOWERMENT IN THE DEAF COMMUNITY:ANALYZING THE POSTS OF INTERNET WEBLOGS

Here's an August 2009 Masters of Art thesis paper entitled: Empowerment in the Deaf Community: Analyzing the Posts of Internet Weblogs. In this paper it covered several well known deaf/hh blogs or "the nine amazing bloggers whose words can inform the world of the strength of their community," such as Kokonut Pundit, Fookem and Bug, Ear of My Heart, Ridor Live, Woparsb, Mishka Zena, Berke Outspoken, and The Deaf Edge (see page 38). Though the person who did the thesis tried to guess our age but missed mine by a decade. No contacts were made by the author of this study in order to reduce any interference or biasing.

In 2007 when the study began, several criteria were established to weed out 366 blogs where eight blogs remained (see page 34, note that Fookem and Bug is one blog with two bloggers). The thesis goes on to explain about the bloggers and the 416 posts (from April to June of 2007) that were analyzed:

this research examined personal and community empowerment in Deaf individuals as evidenced in 416 blog posts by nine individuals who are members ofthe DeafRead community. Common elements of empowerment found in the literature across a variety of disciplines include: evidence of valued social roles, improving others’ perceptions of oneself or ones’ own self image, overcoming stigma, changing or improving the community, informing the community and sharing expectations of what the community’s abilities. These elements constitute the framework for the current study. The study examined the degree to which Deaf bloggers discussed their sense of personal empowerment in their blog posts and the degree to which the content of Deaf blog posts advocated for community empowerment for their readers.

"Members of the Deafread community"? I don't see it that way but rather it's simply an aggregator site where you can submit your blog URL address to get it listed. No more different than Deaf Village as an aggregator site.

Secondly, the thesis goes on to describe Deaf bloggers which is incorrect since not all deaf bloggers are Deaf but deaf or hard of hearing. Just because one has a blog listed in Deafread does not make that person a Deaf blogger. I don't know whether to be flattered or insulted for the author to label me as a Deaf blogger, which I'm not. A deaf blogger, yes. A hard of hearing blogger, yes. That was the author's mistake to assume a blogger's identity without asking first.

All in all, this thesis study put out a good effort to analyze Deaf bloggers (and not so much for Deaf, deaf, and hh bloggers) and their role in the Deaf community, empowerment efforts and such. Although the author neglected to even consider the deaf and hard of hearing communities in her research of those born with a hearing loss or acquired it later in life.

Mayor Bloomberg's hearing aid help increase awareness

There seems to be a bit of a disdain by a few Deaf people over the media reporting of Mayor Bloomberg seen wearing an in the ear hearing aid. In Deafness About.com there is short but somewhat snarky comment about the whole thing.

Sometimes I don't understand the media. They think it is a big deal for the mayor of New York City to wear hearing aids. Then the media reported that the mayor's hearing aids "were gone." Was he discouraged from using his hearing aids by the burst of media attention? It even got the attention of the Huffington Post.

Another Deaf blogger posted this.

I just don't understand why the media would be so fascinated by what should be something as normal as wearing eyeglasses.

The problem is that wearing a hearing aid carries a greater stigma than do glasses. Glasses have been around for hundreds of years. But hearing aids have only been around for the last 4 or 5 decades. In-the-ear hearing aids have been around for about a decade. So, the stigma is there for hearing aids, not so much with eye glasses.

Research shows that women, and especially younger women, attach a greater stigma to wearing hearing aids than men. A study on indigenous Australian children revealed they had more negative view of a peer with a hearing aid. However, things are changing, it’s cool to have something on your ear – Bluetooth.

Here are some of the reasons why people attach a stigma to wearing hearing aids.
• Very few people are truly satisfied with their hearing aids.
• They feel wearing an aid is something to be ashamed of because they are seen as different. Being the only one with hearing aids.
• Hearing loss means many people lose confidence. When you don’t hear properly you often make mistakes in conversation and so deaf/wearing hearing aids is equated with being stupid. People who cannot hear experience, anger, defeat, depression, isolation, anxiety, frustration.
• Most people lose hearing gradually and are in denial that they have a loss (people mumble, walk away, don’t look at me)
• They make me look older or handicapped. It’s all in the perception. Grandma wore a hearing aid, grandma was old, I’m not old so I can’t wear a hearing aid.
• Getting a hearing aid signifies age and therefore makes us seem less attractive or smart.
• A hearing aid used to prompt uneasiness to anyone who saw it. So it’s as much the hearing person’s issue as the deaf person’s. The hearing person is afraid and doesn’t know how to communicate.

The only shame is missing out on sounds in life. Hearing aids have improved. They give better sound quality and can be tailored to meet a specific hearing loss type.

Indeed. What we need is more media exposure of well known people who do wear hearing aids and help lessen the stigma of wearing a hearing aid. And those who do wear them ought to be proud of wearing one rather than be embarrassed.

Deaf girl cochlear implant wins NFL Contest uses her voice.....Deaf man whines...

Here's a cool story. A 5th grade deaf girl with a cochlear implant won a NFL essay contest where she got the chance to speak (with her voice) about her essay.

Caroline Masia, a 5th grader at Highland Oak Elementary in North Miami Beach, will be rubbing elbows with the some of the NFL's big boys after she won the league's "Winning Moments" essay contest.

Yesterday, Masia, who was born deaf, was announced as the Grand Prize winner of the contest, and her class got a visit from Dolphins nose tackle Paul Soliai and running back Kory Sheets.

The contest was sponsored by the NFL Players Association as part of their "Stay Cool in School" Program. Kids submitted essays detailing their "Winning Moments."

For Masia, who had Cochlear implants to give her hearing for the first time in her life, picking a winning moment was easy.

"Every song I hear is special," Masia said yesterday, as she read her essay to Soliai, Sheets and her classmates. "My winning moment started with my first implant, leading to my first sound and continues every day that I can hear the beautiful sounds of the world."

I'd say good job Maria! And cool that she got the chance to speak, too. But one Deaf man is literally upset over this that the news media covered a story about a deaf girl with a cochlear implant who can speak very well. RLM essentially whined thinking this is somehow an Alexander Graham Bell (AGBell) pre-planned counter-offensive attack against a superbowl Pepsi ad aired a few years back with Deaf actors signing in ASL (which, btw, reminds me of my Pepsi video spoof I did as well). Nice conspiracy theory but this is between a video commericial versus a news story and surely nothing to do with AGBell.

What this shows is that Maria has a lot of self-esteem and confidence in her ability to listen and speak very well as evidently seen in the video (scroll down to video portion). I'm not surprised that a cochlear implant can help bolster self-esteem and confidence in many deaf children. A recent study came out tells exactly that comparing quality of life of cochlear implanted children (8 to 11, and 12 to 16 years old) from 88 families with that of their hearing peers.

Previous studies have indicated that deaf children feel less socially accepted, experience more difficulty in making friends, and show greater adjustment problems than their hearing peers.

However, the findings of the new research, a cross-sectional study of 88 families with CI children from 16 U.S. states, differ from traditional conclusions.

The study team used a generic QOL questionnaire. The subjects were divided by age of the child when they filled out the questionnaire - an 8-11-year-old group and a 12-16-year-old group.

Both parents and children filled out the QOL questionnaire, with the parents assessing their child. The study group was then compared to a control group of 1,501 NH children in fourth and eighth grades.

Results of the questionnaire showed that overall QOL did not differ between CI and NH groups. However, examination of individual subscales disclosed that 8-11-year-old CI children rate their QOL with family less positively than their NH peers.

Younger CI recipients rated overall QOL more positively than the older 12-16-year-old CI group. But, the authors believe that this could be a reflection of standard adolescent behaviour.

By and large QOL showed a significant inverse association with age at implantation, and a significant positive correlation with duration of CI use in the 12-16-year-old group.

The authors say that even though prior studies have appraised QOL in CI children, this study adds additional perspective to the literature, as it combines assessments by the actual CI recipients and parents, and it maps the results in context with NH children.

The research also demonstrates that parents proved to be reliable reporters for their children in areas where they could observe and participate.

The authors write: “For profoundly deaf children who regularly use a cochlear implant, feelings about life overall are no better or worse than their hearing peers. These findings indicate that cochlear implantation has a positive effect on certain psycho-social domains.”

In a nutshell, cochlear implant recipients are able to fare emotionally, socially, and mentally on par with that of their hearing peers, faring no worse. A cochlear implant enables younger recipients with improved self-esteem and confidence. As in Maria's case, she spoke with such eloquence and confidence no wonder she was the darling news story of the day.

The day DeafDC died.......happy hour, too.

Ever wondered what happened to the once popular DeafDC website that was made up of designated Deaf writers to write on various subjects with many of them related to Deaf culture and whatnot? The last article written was "Song lyrics: Offensive or…??" dated July 13, 2009 according to DeafDC's Twitter. That date is pretty significant considering the fact that DeafDC and Deaf Professional Happy Hour (discontinued) are/were owned by Viable since 2007 according to Rob Rice's post "DeafDC.com Changing Hands" posted in November 2007. On July 24, 2009 Gazette.net announced a story about Viable, a Rockville company, was the subject of a federal investigation which resulted in the arrests of Viable employees.

I'm sure once the story broke last year did DeafDC became radioactive and certainly, perhaps so, writers didn't want to become associated with DeafDC since it was owned by Viable, Inc. At least that'd be a plausible story here. It has since remained in internet limbo since July 13, 2009 with nary a peep from any of the writers in DeafDC. Their collective silence speaks volume.

Proteins found to help develop auditory neurons

The leading cause of congenital and acquired hearing impairment is loss of spiral ganglion neurons or hair cells in the inner ear.

Researchers at the University of California, San Diego, School of Medicine and the National Institutes of Health found that Sox2, a protein that regulates stem cell formation, is involved in spiral ganglion neuron development. The study was published in the January 13 issue of the Journal of Neuroscience.

"These findings may provide the first step toward regenerating spiral ganglion neurons, the nerve cells that send sound representations to the brain," said Alain Dabdoub, PhD, co-investigator and assistant professor of surgery with the division of otolaryngology at the UC San Diego School of Medicine. "This has significant implications for advances in cochlear implant technology and biological treatments for hearing loss."

In the cochlea, auditory neurons transmit sound vibrations conveyed by hair cells. These vibrations are then converted to nerve impulses that communicate with the brain. If the neurons are lost or damaged, hearing loss occurs. Existing therapies for hearing loss are based on either increasing hair cell stimulation with hearing aids or introducing an electronic substitute for the hair cells with cochlear implants. In either case, the presence of functional spiral ganglion neurons is required for a successful outcome.

Prior research shows that as few as 10 percent of the normal number of spiral ganglion neurons is sufficient for the success of cochlear implants.

"The identification of factors that induce functional neurons has important implications for hearing restoration," said Chandrakala Puligilla, PhD, a research fellow at the National Institutes of Health. "The ability to induce even a small number of cells with gene-based therapy could be enormously beneficial."

Source: - read more.

Are deaf people more prone to believe in global warming claims?

I couldn't help but think about this question. Are deaf people more prone or likely to believe in the global warming claim (as caused by man) when compared to hearing people? It'd be an interesting data to gather and collect but it would also mean a lot of time involved to come to this conclusion. Although I have formed my own "conclusion" if you don't mind. It's based on what I've read so far and how people responded to this anthropogenic global warming theory claiming that CO2 is the major culprit on causing Earth to warm up (btw, we haven't warmed up in over 11 years) despite the fact that the Earth's climate system is incredibly complex that is coupled closely with our ocean, the land, the sun and even cosmic rays. What I've seen and read so far it appears that Deaf people in general have a much greater tendency to believe in such a global warming claim than hearing people. Of course, I could be wrong since it's an observation of mine over many years. Though please note a recent poll on global warming concerns by people was shown to be dead last in 20th place with economy, jobs, and terrorism as the top 3 concerns. If impending doom is so great I'm sure global warming concerns would be a the top. But it's not.

Gallaudet University has been pushing this global warming theory (yes, it is a theory and not a fact, folks) for several years on campus to gullible students. Mind the fact that having clean water, air and land, and be good environmental stewards at the regional and local scale is what we all want but to mix it up with the global warming theory confuses the issue and message. And while I'm at it at I have not seen any evidence of Gallaudet University of ever setting up a forum debate between those who believe in the theory to those who do not or are very skepetic. I've addressed this students and Gallaudet question before a few years back in this blog but this time my question is bit different.

First off, one of the good reasons as why people shouldn't buy into this global warming theory is the continual use of fear on people who don't know any better about science. This is currently being done at a global scale in the effort to push this global warming theory. That alone should ring plenty of warning bells. Several clues were already apparent such as polar bears drowning because of lack of sea ice (not true since polar bears can swim for many miles for hours), fearful video ads (such as this little girl seen clutching a stuffed polar bear toy as sea water rushes in with her clinging to life on tree limb), rising sea water to hundreds of feet (like on Al Gore's book cover where sea water ate away many states shoreline even far back into the North Georgian mountains and with Cuba gone, too, even though they have mountains over 6,000 ft high), more frequent and intense hurricanes (already debunked), Himalayan glaciers retreating quickly with such unprecendency (quite false and unproven much to IPCC embarrassment and ineptitude), rising temperature (we've been warming up ever since the last ice age some 13,000 years ago but funnily enough we've been static for the last 11 years or so), and so on. When you see scare tactics being used then it's a warning sign that something doesn't pass the smell test.

Gallaudet Green is guilty of doing this as well.

Dear Student Organizations,

The Green Gallaudet Environmental Organization serves an emerging movement of globally conscious citizens dedicated to improving the condition of our earth. The earth is facing an imminent catastrophic ecological collapse if human civilization continues on its current course.

Imminent catastrophic ecological collapse? That dire warning reminds me of that weird guy on a city corner street holding a sign that says, "The end is near, repent!" Or maybe that would be Obama doing that? Exactly when will this happen? How imminent are we talking about? Years? Decades? Centuries? A few hundred thousand years from now? Can you, Gallaudet Green, explain exactly how this "ecological collapse" will occur? Or do you not have the proper science background and knowledge to spew that nonsense in the first place? I'd have more concerns over an all out nuclear or biological warfare than global warming or for that matter...cooling.

But back to my original question. Are Deaf people more prone to be influenced by this global warming claim (as caused by man)? Or is this related to their lack of understanding in the field of science? Or even critical thinking skills? Does Gallaudet University teach critical thinking skills when it comes to climate and Earth science? Or has Gallaudet University, the students, teachers and such allow themselves to be influenced by a climate theory that cannot even be validated out in the field?

Again, when scare tactics are used globally and scientists who have their hands in the cookie jars of government grants on global warming call names on other people like "deniers" are warning signals that something is wrong here. Something is fishy. People and leaders have been lying to the public for over a decade on this global warming claim.

Shame on them. Shame on Gallaudet University. Shame on those who think it's better to call people names than to debate on the merit of scientific knowledge.

Mowl and Tropp Plead Guilty to Fraud...will others follow?

Yes, it's 4 days old but this is something I want to address here even though this whole thing started back in July 2009.

In a Department of Justice press release:

Anthony Mowl, the former assistant vice president of business development for Viable Communications Inc. (Viable), and Donald Tropp, the former human resources manager for Viable, pleaded guilty today to engaging in a conspiracy to defraud the Federal Communications Commission’s (FCC) Video Relay Service (VRS) program of more than $2.5 million, announced Assistant Attorney General Lanny A. Breuer of the Criminal Division.

Today, Mowl, 25, and Tropp, 25, pleaded guilty before U.S. District Court Judge Joel A. Pisano in Trenton, N.J., to conspiracy to commit mail fraud. Mowl and Tropp were indicted on Nov. 19, 2009, along with Viable’s president, John T.C. Yeh; Viable’s vice president of corporate strategy, Joseph Yeh; and the Viable corporate entity.

In pleading guilty, Mowl and Tropp admitted that beginning in approximately fall of 2007 and continuing through approximately January 2009, they conspired with others to pay individuals to make fraudulent VRS phone calls using Viable’s VRS service. According to the pleas, John and Joseph Yeh paid Mowl and Tropp who would then pay people for using Viable’s VRS service. Mowl and Tropp kept a portion of the payments for themselves and distributed the remainder to the paid callers. Viable then caused the submission of fraudulent call minute claims to the FCC, causing the FCC to pay those claims at a rate of approximately $390 per hour for each of the VRS calls that it processed.

According to information contained in the plea documents, Mowl and Tropp admitted that their role in defrauding the FCC’s VRS program led to a total of between $2.5 million and $7 million in fraudulent billing to the program. At sentencing, both Mowl and Tropp face a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison, a fine of $250,000, as well as mandatory restitution and forfeiture. A sentencing date has not yet been set by the court.

So, what's the deal here? This is all about corporate greed when one finds him/herself lured by the powerful dollar in using loopholes to defraud the government and other entities to cash in on even more money going into the millions of dollars. Easy money as they thought. Never before has this happened on such a large scale in the Deaf community bilking millions of dollars from the FCC's VRS program. It is an unprecedented event and a lesson for all.

Anthony Mowl, if you remember, was one of the "darlings" who spoke out during the heady days of Gallaudet Protest in 2006. He was also the Copy Editor for Gallaudet's online magazine "The Buff and Blue" whose picture of Mr. Mowl is still there. There is a video of him in YouTube signing away as recent as July 22, 2009 in trying to sell ViableVRS services literally just a few months before he got charged as seen in the November 18, 2009 court docket for fraud.

With names like Anthony Mowl, Donald Tropp and Joseph and Jon Yeh (who founded the famous Rathskeller, a favorite student hangout for many years at Gallaudet) well known in the Deaf community (especially at Gallaudet University where they all graduated beginning with John Yeh in 1971) does this fraud case hits hard the Deaf community. It especially shines a bad light on Gallaudet University as they all are alumni with Yeh at the top of the list. So, embarrassing is this that Deaf Nation, as it would seem, removed a picture of the Yehs (Jason, John, and Joseph Yeh) posing in a picture seen in one of the DN blog article but it is blank except for the captions (a picture of it can be seen in a Google cache.) This case is not just the 4 of them but are part of the 26 people involved in this fraud case. And so I ponder, what are the odds that many of the 26 involved also graduated from Gallaudet University since the VRS center is located in Rockville, Maryland, not far from Gallaudet University?

One thing for sure, this is all a big black eye on the Deaf community and Gallaudet University.