Round Peg in a Square Hole

Here are some cartoon drawings based on different geometric shapes I was doing a few years back. Thought I put my drawings here for ya'll and see what you say.



Click here to enlarge.



Click here to enlarge.

When deaf people live out in the country

Lately I've been seeing some irrational rantings against certain people who like living out in the country or the wide open spaces of America in the great outdoors in the effort to somehow try and use that against them. Unbelievable. I believe there are more pros than cons in living out in the country than do city living. The most obvious one is that the amount of stress is considerably less living out in the country than to deal with the crowded people, the traffic jams, higher crime rates, the increased pollution, and so on. In fact, a recent study came out saying that spending time with nature helps boost your immunity, reduce stress and increase your sense of well being.

...spending more time in nature might have some surprising health benefits. In a series of studies, scientists found that when people swap their concrete confines for a few hours in more natural surroundings — forests, parks and other places with plenty of trees — they experience increased immune function.

Stress reduction is one factor. But scientists also chalk it up to phytoncides, the airborne chemicals that plants emit to protect them from rotting and insects and which also seem to benefit humans.

One study published in January included data on 280 healthy people in Japan, where visiting nature parks for therapeutic effect has become a popular practice called “Shinrin-yoku,” or “forest bathing.” On one day, some people were instructed to walk through a forest or wooded area for a few hours, while others walked through a city area. On the second day, they traded places. The scientists found that being among plants produced “lower concentrations of cortisol, lower pulse rate, and lower blood pressure,” among other things.

A number of other studies have shown that visiting parks and forests seems to raise levels of white blood cells, including one in 2007 in which men who took two-hour walks in a forest over two days had a 50-percent spike in levels of natural killer cells. And another found an increase in white blood cells that lasted a week in women exposed to phytoncides in forest air.

In short, being out in the woods or the great outdoors among the plants and trees is quite therapeutic. So, before anybody start to make fun of deaf or hard of hearing people who choose to live out in the country, consider the many benefits in living out in the country. With technology today you can easily enjoy keeping in contact with your friends, work from home, and/or enjoy being away from the mad world of city life.

Below are some pictures of Mount St. Helens, Mt. Rainier and Mt. Adams I took recently. These are the mountains I get to see almost everyday out in the woods whether it's working or driving around town. Sometimes I get to see all three mountains in one day or even four mountains if you include Mt. Hood from a distance in Oregon on a fantastically clear day. These are the beautiful snow-capped mountains and I never get tired looking at them. Such majestic features that can be admired up close or from a distance.

The Mount St. Helen picture I have below is an older one from last year and I have a better and more recent picture of it to upload tomorrow if I don't forget. Meanwhile, enjoy the fine scenery along with fresh air, green plants and trees, and the colorful splendor of what nature can offer you.



Mt. Rainier in late June 2010 from road 25.


Mt. Adams near the Mt. Adams Wilderness sometime in July 2010 from road 23


Mike's self portrait in the exact same location as the picture above with Mt. Adams in the background sometime in July 2010 on road 23.


Mt. St. Helens in July 2009 from road 25 vista point.

A puzzling irony.....

I was in an email discussion with a deaf person I know (a non-blogger/vlogger) who explained to me what he saw in some videos vlogs with the name Barry Sewell coming up. He further explained that one of the basic complaint from those vloggers is that Barry is trying to seek attention to himself in his vlogs. This was funny considering what my friend said about those vloggers who were doing the same thing by vlogging on much more frequent scale than Barry! Pretty ironic when it comes to complaining about others "seeking attention." Kind of like the pot calling the kettle black except it was done in poor fashion by actually whining to the video audience seeking their attention that Barry's videos were done to seek attention. I can only shake my head with this laughable irony. Except this time Barry wasn't doing the whining or complaining here. It was some of those vloggers. Maybe they need to take their own advice this time and not complain so much like a squealing stuck pig?

Now, I like Barry. He's a good conversationalist. He seeks to understand and learn a variety of things about life. He a natural outdoors fellow and love all things natural seen in nature. Loves horses and animals. There is something to be said for living out in the open land away from the congestion of polluted and crowded cities in favor of a more natural and spiritually enhancing place. There is nothing wrong with living in the great open spaces of America. In fact, it's one of the best places to go to seek refuge and peace for the sake of body, mind, and spirit. If you don't believe me then why do Americans take off on their vacation to go camping, visit the many great outdoors like Yellowstone Park, the forests, raft the rivers, swim in the lakes and such? If anybody is smart enough already it is to avoid the crowded cities or the rat race of city life. Like me, I seek the open spaces as well as much as possible. And I'm fortunate that I am able to experience that on a daily basis. So is Barry.

Giving thanks on what hearing I have left

I don't do this every morning giving thanks but on occassion when I do come around to it do I realize the gift I have with what hearing I have left. And I give thanks the technology in the form of a hearing aid which has enabled me to access sound all around me. Though not perfect but I am still thankful that I am able to hear well with it. I am thankful for my mother and father for giving me my first hearing aid at age 2 progressing to the point of understanding the spoken words without even looking. It's a wonderful thing when a hearing aid enables one to hear beautiful music, the sound of thundering waterfalls as I do my hikes along the trails in a forest, the birds, my kids laughing making funny comments, and talking to friends, my sister or mother on the phone on a weekly basis and enjoying the intoxicating piano music while I play ragtime and novelty rags on my piano. There is a certain level of appreciation when it comes to the gift of sound that can only be appreciated by those who have access to it. For some it may not be as complete as others since hearing loss varies by amount of decibel loss and frequency range, and the time when we were first exposed to it.

Each of us look at hearing loss or what hearing we have left differently. I look to the positive with what I have left and cherish it for one day it may disappear. But technology and science certainly help keep that hope alive to hear through cochlear implant and perhaps someday soon the restoration of nerve deafness using adult stem cells. Regardless, the point is that I am happy that I was given this opportunity on Earth to be able to hear even when the ravages of the German Measles or Rubella tried to steal all of my hearing away while I was still in my mother's womb. Yet, I prevailed. As a hard of hearing person who is deaf, I try and remember to thank God for my good health and hearing.

Certainly my perspectives are completely different from those who never experienced what sound is like and certainly wouldn't care for it finding it of no importance. Maybe go so far as calling sound as "under-rated." I understand that but just because you may not find value in hearing sound does not mean everybody will agree with you. Lacking the experience or the senses does not make a person any less of a person than a healthy hearing person. We're all different yet equal. Each of us has our own strengths and weaknesses.

But we are in an exciting time when technology continues to help us access a world that was at one time primarily reserved for hearing people only. And there are ways we can enjoy sound or music without the need to hear it through our ears. Sound gets to be appreciated here yet sometimes it is misunderstood by those who don't value it in the first place. There are those who appreciate in hearing sound and those who appreciate the total absence of sound. We value those things differently. One isn't necessarily better than the other. Just that our perspectives and experiences translate it into a value judgement.

New technology on captioning and audio at theaters

This is what I'm talking about. Let innovation drive technology as a solution rather than have laws forcing companies to do the impossible.

New technology will start being rolled out later this year in major movie cinemas, making it possible for deaf and blind people to follow the film they are watching.

The digital technology, which includes providing captions and audio descriptions, will be introduced for films screened by the four major cinema groups.

New ideas and innovation are what make these things possible. There are always new technologies being developed for deaf and blind people, and people with various conditions or disabilities.

The limp handshake

I've shaken hands many, many times in my life and I've come across all kinds of handshake responses. Some were good ones and others were just horrible with limp, fishlike like handshake like the one I experienced with a Deaf person at a NAD convention a few years back. This happened twice with the same Deaf person. It was a handshake signal that conveyed lack of confidence and weakness. It wasn't a sweaty handshake but somewhat a moist, fish-like limp handshake. It is the second worse kind of handshake next to a sweaty one. Enough to withdraw your own handshake quickly and avoid that person the next time around.

The most important handshakes are when you're establishing a business contact or relationship with a person you're meeting with for the first time (and thereafter). Other handshakes are for social reasons not related to business but still just as important. It's important for deaf people to understand the value of a handshake along with other social cues like eye contact and saying the right words. In other words, strive for the "perfect" handshake and avoid being known as a person with a fish-like, limp handshake that no one wants to shake it with. There is a time and place on how to do the right handshake. Not every handshake has to be a strong, firm one. Social settings dictate the kind of handshake needed.

Of course handshakes between men and women are different, especially when it comes between two opposite sex shaking hands with one hand normally being the bigger hand of the smaller one. And those with small hands, there are ways to counter strong (even crushing) handshakes of a bigger or stronger hand during a handshake. There's a technique in a handshake where you won't feel overwhelmed with an overly aggressive and crushing handshake by an ego driven idiot. A technique that can even prevent hurting your hand. Maybe I'll show you how the next time around? Meanwhile, watch that handshake!

How the iPhone 4 and iZ could cost more money for Deaf users

Let's look a little closer on this iPhone 4 and the recent iZ news on Video Relay Service (VRS) for iPhone 4 along with the reality of real time video bandwidth it can consume each minute. Let's see how this could put Deaf people at a financial disadvantage using the two technological wonders. Instead of getting overly excited, people should be concerned on how this could hurt their wallets if they're not careful.

With the recent AT&T change on how it would charge cell phone users on data download and upload it reverted to a capped usage amount for their tiered pricing plan which began last month.

For $15 a month, the DataPlus plan offers smartphone customers 200 megabytes of data. If customers exceed 200MB in a monthly billing cycle, they receive an additional 200MB of data for $15 until the end of that billing cycle. For $25 a month, consumers sign up for the DataPro plan and get 2 gigabytes of data. If subscribers exceed 2GB during a billing cycle, they will be charged $10 for an additional 1GB of data.

So, 2GB a month sounds alot doesn't it? When it comes to video downloading or uploading like real time video chat, real time video VRS, or uploading video shots to your Facebook page that 2GB limit could go fast before the end of the month is up in a non-WiFi scenario here.

Here are some numbers :

The front-facing camera resolution is 640×480. At 30 frames per second, with H.264 encoding, this would result in 5 MB per minute video.

The back-facing camera resolution is 1280×780. At 30 fps and H.264 encoding, this would be 12.8 MB per minute video (note that H.264 is generally more efficient at higher bitrates).

Netflix streaming onto an iphone would be about 2.8 MB per minute video.

Let's assume a 5 MB per minute through iZ VRS relay using the iPhone 4. Let's use the 30 frames per second (fps) standard since at a minimum for clarity sake in seeing clearly the signing a 15 fps would be required. And let's assume you only make one VRS call a day for 5 minutes which equates to 25 MB used for one day VRS call. All done on non-WiFi calls. Do that each day for 30 days you would then have used up 750 MB already, almost half of the 2 GB capped limit. But add the constant real time video chatting with your friends and any videos uploaded for email, on social networking sites, or even YouTube. Do all this along with checking your emails and surfing the internet would certainly and easily push you over the capped limit of 2 GB per month with AT&T's new tiered pricing plan for smartphones. But I think the additional use of the VRS with your smartphone streaming video could turn out to be the potential hidden killer here. And how it could help take a hit on your wallet and get slapped with overusage charges by going over your capped data limit.

Looking back now and into the future one will need to develop a strategy to prevent any possibility of going over the capped limit if you plan on getting the iPhone 4 and use iZ VRS. The key is to recognize and understand these things that could end up costing you an expensive monthly telephone bill. There are other ways to keep in contact and communicate like texting, email, or IM. After all, not everybody will use the video phone to communicate all the time. Especially not when you have AT&T and other telecommunication companies coming up with their tiered pricing plans. This marks the begining of the end of unlimited download on your smartphone. Watch your wallet.

4G and the upcoming era of tiered pricing for data usage and how it could impact Deaf people

In my previous blog article on "Why some deaf people don't like using the video phone" I discussed how people's own preferences will determine how valuable a product or service is in the communication technology sector even when others deem it as worthless. It's like this wise saying,"One man's junk, another man's treasure." Which is why there is a huge ongoing growth of apps and services for smartphones in the age of rapidly improving telecommunication infrastructure that will increasingly handle faster and larger data loads such as video streaming as we ease into the 4G era that will easily surpass the 3G network system on speed and data load that most smartphones currently route through. Perhaps this "all you can eat buffet" will not last much longer and the amount of data used will determine the price you will have to pay, a tiered pricing data plan for smartphone users.

In other words, video streaming will eventually be limited in terms of how much people are willing to pay on the amount of video data you want. And we all know that video streaming or downloads can eat huge amount of megabytes of data every month. This could easily impact the wallets of Deaf people soon enough who recently got excited with the recent news of iPhone smartphone video capability (see video demo here) for its signing communication potential.

According to Nielsen Company a typical smartphone user consumes about 300MB of data a month which is more than doubled compared to last year's figure. And with the coming advent of video streaming of all types (Hulu, video relay, Mobisode, YouTube, Facetime, Fring, etc) with the effort to include captioning in all videos.

For Video Relay Service (VRS) for deaf people through Apple's iPhone Facetime it could add even more video streaming data to your bill until it reaches a cap, say, 2 gb. That cap could come quickly before the end of the month along with your watching captioned television shows ("mobisodes"), movies (e.g. Hulu, Netflix) and the recent on-demand captioning attempt of YouTube videos making it increasingly attractive for Deaf smartphone users to access streaming videos. But would VRS through smartphones eventually put Deaf people at a financial disadvantage because such a service could easily push over a download cap of 2 gb a month, for example, when combined with other video downloads? Although there is no doubt that Apple's Facetime through VRS there have obvious advantages for hearing, hard of hearing, deaf and Deaf people when it comes to communicating with other people.

"Having FaceTime on iPhone 4 is a huge thing in the deaf community, because its the very first time any deaf individual can make a phone call to another deaf individual on their phones," she wrote in an email. "Before, we only could communicate with each other using email, text or IM."

It's been a long desired hope to be able to use the phone and be able to communicate freely and fluidly like everybody else. Not only just the visual aspect of signing but soon through Real Time Texting (RTT) over the smartphone without the need to hit the "send" button everytime you want to respond whether it's voice, visual signing or RTT. That exactly what your phone should do for you - unencumbered, unimpeded, and without waiting.

People will soon have their own communication preferences in choosing between using voice, real time video for signing or speaking, or Real Time Texting (RTT) where UbiVia would satisfy the 21st Century Communications and Video Accessibility Act of 2009 requirements on texting.

The "21st Century Communications and Video Accessibility Act of 2009" (H.R. 3101) plans to modernize disability standards by making such accessibility features as closed captioning, video description and real-time texting a standard for Internet technologies.

Although the H.R. 3101 bill is good overall except for the fact that it'd be impossible for Assistive Technology (AT) companies to conform to the language requirement in the bill that all AT companies must include an "all in one" functionality with their devices. The language of the bill need to change and clarified as to not impose undue burden to AT companies on technology innovation.

Shapiro agreed on the value of a centralized database of all products and services for disabled Americans. He explained CEA’s concern that H.R. 3101, by requiring all Internet connected products and services be accessible by Americans with all disabilities, would freeze technology and deter innovation and entrepreneurs. Shapiro suggested several alternatives to the end goal of providing Americans access to information, education and entertainment. “The legislation before us – H.R. 3101 – is extremely broad in its scope; chilling innovation and the entry of new products. More, it ignores the increasing number of products on the market which serve the needs of many in the disability community.”

Shapiro noted that the current legislation does not take into account the ever changing dynamic of Internet-based services and devices. “We are no longer living in a world of single function devices…The legislation’s attempt to adapt old regulations established to apply to primary function services and devices …to new multi-function devices will not produce the desired result, and will only impede the advancement of new technologies and accessible features.”

Rather we should allow technology be the innovator and creator of voluntary standards much like what Research in Motion (maker of BlackBerry smartphones) has been doing by incorporating their philosophy on increasing accessibility for smartphone users. A philosophy and guideline on addressing people who are either deaf, hard of hearing, color blind, blind, speech impairment, motor impairment, visual impairment, or people with cognitive or learning disabilities. In this case, ignoring some 30 million people in the United States with hearing loss as potential smartphone users is not good marketing sense. But there seems to be an unseen caveat here with the increasing smartphone's video capability where Deaf people could unwittingly find themselves paying more than the average hearing person simply because of the VRS availability for smartphone users in the very near future. Have the telecommunication carriers even thought of this potential problem and avoid discriminating against those who require the use of VRS through smartphones when the days of "unlimited data" download comes to a screeching halt? Tiered pricing is coming. And a potential wallet buster for Deaf smartphone users.

Why some deaf people don't like using the video phone

There is a certain misconception or misperception when it comes to communication technology like the video phone, email, texting, voice using the phone and so on the preference of a particular piece of communication technology over another. For example, the video phone. Not everybody like to use the video phone. In fact, several deaf people I know avoid using the video phone as much as possible and use email to communicate instead. They would prefer to quickly write out an email letter on what's going on than to sit and chat, mindlessly (according to them), for hours. Some people are not chatters when it comes to using the video phone. Or would try and limit conversations on the video phone. For them, it's probably an issue on the amount of time consumed for social chit chat when time could be better spent elsewhere on getting things done. You'd be surprised.

And then we have the texting example. Not everybody like to text all the time and would either avoid it or keep it to a minimum and perhaps instead prefer voice over the phone. Or in the upcoming case of the new real time texting conversation technology without the need to hit the "send" button to respond everytime would be the new UbiVia communication technology. In this case it would be people who like to text all the time rather than those who use texting sparingly. It would probably come down between the preferred choice of texting using the "stop and go" texting (e.g. SMS, AIM, Instant Messaging, etc) versus UbiVia real time, live texting where people on each end can see each other's texting at the same time. This would be very similar between two people talking (voice) with each over the phone in a fluid fashion. People will undoubtedly choose one communication technology over another for a variety of reasons. The communication technology pie is very big out there and people are willing to pay for certain services or applications if they find them beneficial or useful to have.

No matter what people say there will always be preferences on using certain type of communication technology over others. It doesn't matter if one group of people who will be negative about a communication technology because there will always be another group who would praise it for its beneficial uses.

Let's look at the UbiDuo communication device. It is a communication technology mocked by many Deaf, deaf and hard of hearing people saying it wouldn't work or that it wouldn't be as successful in selling the product for a variety of reasons. Yet they were wrong on all counts and the company, sComm, that makes the UbiDuo communication device, continues to grow and sell successfully this quality product each year.

Another thing to look at is the iPhone video calling. Eventually this will become mainstream in many phones into the near future. Just because you have this communication technology feature built in doesn't mean everybody will prefer this feature over other types such as "stop and go" versus real time, live texting, emailing, video phone through your television screen (bigger screen), voice only and so on. Some will prefer to using the old pen and paper method and avoid technology altogether.

Choices and preferences are two very different things here. Preferences vary over the hundred of millions of people in the United States when it come to choosing a particular piece of communciation technology for everyday use. Just because you don't like a particular use of communication technology doesn't mean others will share your same sentiment and will instead see value and beneficial use.

A politically incestuous relationship?

The fourth of July has come and gone and having experienced one of Seattle's best fireworks on the lake shore near the Gas Works. I now have a few post-fourth of July thoughts to share with you. For me, the fourth of July is a special day when our nation fought for our independence and freedom from tyranny.

By now you probably have noticed what's going on in the deaf and hard of hearing blogosphere and how it has become a bit of a spectator sport of sorts nowadays. More personal in nature of those undergoing apoplectic fits over each little hiccup of a disagreement or a view that goes against their line of thinking.

People watching from the sidelines would probably be thinking that there seem to be a politically incestuous relationship being developed between certain Deaf people and certain Deaf organizations, all intertwined into one pulsating mass of indecency. A relationship seemingly born out of their desire to show their orgasmic feelings over a lot of things lately by moaning and groaning together. Things like the AB2072 bill controversy. Or climax over the idea finding that there are actually Deaf, deaf and hard of hearing people who don't care about this "deafhood" notion. Or get upset when someone donates $656 dollars (in Monopoly money) and then ask a selfish question about where "OUR money is going?" Some may see it as a rather selfish, egotistical and galling to use the word "our" as if the money, had it been real, deservedly belong only to certain Deaf organizations instead. An attitude that would classically highlight it as a politically incestuous behavior among certain Deaf elites and certain Deaf organizations thinking everything belongs to them under their roof and not of others. At least that's what it appears to many people watching from the sidelines. I can't blame them if they see or think that way.

And the latest mindless travesty has been about going after people who were once anonymous bloggers. A pointless excercise that comes with hyperbolic commentaries and false accusations. Whatever the reason, the mindless, personal attacks continue. If a blogger or vlogger cannot debate effectively, the answer seems to be is to make these personal attacks against bloggers they do not agree with along with pitchforks and torches which reminds me of a certain scene in a Frankenstein movie. Not a pretty scene to watch a frothing mob in action. A rather indecent mob scene I'd say.

The Candy exposure.....the meltdown.

Well, after going back to see what's the heck is going on to take a second look about this whole Candy blogger affair I still find it all a bit comical and laughable in some instances. I barely remember coming across her original blogsite a few years ago. And then when she transferred over to a different blog with the name "Candy" she seemed to have exploded out of nowhere this year. And that's a good thing because that means more people are reading her blogs. And it certainly got some people to notice her a little bit too deeply. Anonymity as a blogger is a big part of the blogosphere. Not everybody wants to divulge their identity. But to do so on in an even smaller blogosphere called the Deaf blogosphere via Deafread is an entirely different set of environment.

Candy will not stop blogging just because a few people have personal grudges against her because of what she said in the past. I admire her and her informative blogging style. From her blogs and comments elsewhere I've not found anything offensive according to some people who claimed to be offended by her comments. Where? I think some Deaf people are offended by her because of her opinions and information about the recent AB2072 meltdown. And perhaps many felt that she was taking the limelight away from protesters of AB2072? Who knows.

Candy has a right as anybody else to blog her opinions on her blogsite. Bloggers do have the right to be anonymous. There are personal reasons for doing so. Outing her might seem "victorious" to a few people but I'm betting that the majority of readers find it a petty exercise. I think the real meltdown isn't Candy's own but somebody else. I believe she will continue as who she is. Her strong sense of character should attest to that.

Candy, welcome to THIS side of the blogosphere.

The "everything technology" on communication for everybody

I am continually amazed with the ongoing improvements in the field of communication technology, especially benefitting those with hearing loss. And how technology can almost literally give people the gift of "hearing." In other words a way to communicate with hearing people through real time interaction such as using the UbiDuo face to face communication device as if you are a "hearing" person interacting with a hearing person even though no voices are used or exchanged. What makes UbiDuo unique is the real time conversation that takes place and without waiting for a typed response each time you send it out and wait for a reply. The key to this "everything technology" on communicating with deaf, hard of hearing and hearing people is the real time conversation nature it requires. The UbiDuo satisfies that. So does the video phone when it comes to signing and talking. So does using the phone for everyday conversations used by billions of hearing people when interactions are done in real time. Even Google has gotten into the act through YouTube by establishing a free service using their voice recognition software to transcribe the spoken words on YouTube videos into captioned words. A perhaps someday soon a much improved speech recognition software will able to transcribe the spoken words in real time. Though this YouTube's version is not entirely perfect but it's a start on the merging of communication technology with the growing social networking field.

Right now, I see on the horizon things will change and improve for the better on communication technology for deaf, hard of hearing and hearing people when this "everything technology" will gradually meet everybody's communication needs and be a part of the growing social network society. A society where we are tethered and connected to each other. Communication technology will continue to diversify, merge, adapt and change from the many hundreds of different companies from Research in Motion (they make Blackberries), communication carriers like AT&T and Verizon, YouTube, Facebook, sComm (the maker of UbiDuo) and many, many more. There is always room to grow while being resourceful and inventive with new ideas on how to make it all seemlessly work together. But some of the best inventive ideas comes from people with hearing loss. I can guarantee you one thing. We will see more of these things explode in the days, weeks and years ahead of us when it comes to communication technology. So, be sure to keep your eyes and ears open or you just might miss the ride.

ASL thrives: ISL dies (and gets pushed out of the way)

That the way it goes but does it need to be like that? The extinction of a language by fate where it loses out to more popular and used language. So, does abandoning one sign language in favor of another more popular sign language be seen as a kind of eugenics in the works? Here in this article about John Woodenlegs in his effort to preserve his sign language history.

James Woodenlegs first learned to communicate using Plains Indians Sign Language from his family, when he was growing up on the Northern Cheyenne Reservation in Montana. Known as "hand talk" or "sign talk," the language has been used by both deaf and hearing Indians from Canada to the Gulf of Mexico for at least 200 years, possibly much longer.

Be sure to visit this website and there is a very interesting video that has an old black and white video of an indian signing (with captions) sponsored by the National Science Foundation.

The Eugenics of Deaf Indian Sign Language and culture through ASL?

A little thought-provoking exercise here and hold back your tongue lashing and the gnashing of the teeth while you're at it, too.

Read on.

A few years back I did a blog how one kind of American Indian Sign Language (ISL) used by deaf native American Indians was already vanishing (or it may have vanished by now) because, ironically so, young deaf Native American Indians were forced to use or in this case had no recourse but to communicate in ASL at deaf residential schools they were sent to. And by doing so they gradually lost an important identity and Indian heritage when Indian Sign Language was passed on down through generations. A sign language that was used by both deaf and hearing Indians within their own community or tribe. This disappearance was an unplanned but systematic move over time by a predominately white Deaf culture and community where ASL gradually overtook their ISL preferences even though historically many of the signs in ASL today were derived from or have similar signs seen in Native American ISL.

Below is a passage on how ASL (supposedly the 3rd or 4th most popular language in the U.S. - a highly dubious claim.), English (number one language in the U.S.), and American Deaf culture have helped erode the Keresan Pueblo Indian Sign Language (KPISL) in New Mexico into extinction already. A native Indian sign language used by both deaf and hearing Keresan Pueblo indians.

KPISL is not much used among the pueblo’s younger generation owing to their learning school English, ASL, or signs that follow the spoken English word order. Before the 1990s, American Indian Deaf/Hard-of-Hearing tribal members usually left home to attend a residential school for the deaf located far away. At the school, there was usually no formal instruction of American Indian or American Indian culture and signs; only Deaf culture and ASL were taught, leading many American Indian students to join the “Deaf World.” After graduation, the students had to make difficult decisions about where and how to establish themselves: on the pueblos with hearing families and friends, in urban areas with other Deaf/Hard-of-Hearing people, or in border towns with limited access to both groups.

English has now become the dominant language for many Pueblo Indians. Its use, as well as continued contact with and influences of the dominant culture, has served to erode some of the traditions and values of the Pueblo Indian culture. As a result, KPISL, a valuable piece of American Indian heritage, may be slipping into extinction as well.

Now, I'm curious.

Has Mr. Edwin Black actually discussed native American Indian tribes and their culture throughout the U.S. and how they were essentially but systematically "eliminated" in favor of having them integrate into a predominately white culture and English language at his lecture in California to willing Deaf audience? Did he also discuss the eradication of the Keresan Pueblo Indian Sign Language with the help of a predominantly white Deaf culture in favor of ASL along with English, too? Noticed the eerie similarity?

A challenge to the great Mr. Edwin Black, the "eugenics expert."

If you truly think ASL, the Deaf community and culture are in danger of going "extinct" or "eradicated" anytime soon by means of eugenics then best pay attention to the plight of KPISL first which was pushed aside in favor of ASL, English and, ironically, by a pre-dominantly white Deaf culture world. For all we know now it's probably an extinct Indian sign language and Deaf/hearing Indian culture by now a la the "Martha Vineyard" of the southwest. After all, you are the proclaimed "eugenics expert" and should have no problem in writing the next few eugenics articles on Indian Sign Languages used by deaf Native American Indian people and how such a language disappeared in favor of ASL. This is almost exactly how our English language and culture helped nearly destroy North American Indians’ own heritage, language and culture by forcing them to learn English and have them assimilate into American culture in order for them to “survive.” Not quite the Spanish Inquistion led by the great and cruel Torquemada. Yet they did survive and many of these North American Indian culture and heritage remain intact, even growing allowing them to pass on their heritage to the next generation. The forcing of Deaf North American Indians use ASL away from ISL could be seen as doing the same selfish act. And end up abandoning their own ISL for the sake of integration with the rest of the Deaf culture and community. The irony is overwhelming here considering what has happened with the Keresan Pueblo Indian Sign Language and the eugenics lip service on the so-called quickly disappearing Deaf culture, community and ASL.

What is rather disengenuous is to use emotionally laden words by Mr. Black such as "Eugenics – From California to Auschwitz, Implications for the Deaf Community" in the effort to appeal to emotions from the people of California. That's really reaching, not to mention doing the whole nine yards using Godwin's Law.

Now, folks. I could be wrong. Perhaps Mr. Edwin Black is truly concerned about the plight of a disappearing Deaf community, sign language and culture which has grown from few tens of thousands during the Martha Vineyard era of the mid- 1800s to now probably close to a million Deaf people in the United States today. General rule of thumb of my own is that the Deaf population accounts about 1/33rd of the current general population size and apply that ratio to any population year but it probably becomes an increasingly rough estimate going further back in time. With nearly a million Deaf people today using the 3rd most popular language in the United States I suppose all that is considered a vanishing act to Mr. Black for his podium thumping lectures on eugenics. Maybe he's seeing this an opportunity to push his books and stir his name into this pot of mess and gain a bit of notoriety and name reconition in the process? Free publicity I suppose. Who knows what his real agenda and feelings are but it's rather curious to use eugenics as a mean to help stop the AB2072 bill and put it out of existence. All in all this bill is a good bill and it will pass. As for the title of my blog? I'm making a point here if that's of any help.

The Wikipedia Entry

Now, as I reflect on this Wikipedia entry when I pointed out to readers that a few entries were made that included a few Deaf organizations listed under as an "Extremist Groups" and wondered if there was a joke in there somewhere. But then I got to thinking on the word "extremist" and exactly was does that mean? What is the context of that word when used?

Under Merriam-Webster dictionary defines the word "extremist" as:

1 : advocacy of extreme measures or views : radicalism

Ok. "Extreme measures" means what? Well, that falls under "extremism" and the dictionary defines it as:

2 : advocacy of extreme measures or views : RADICALISM.

So, it's about advocacy and how far one goes to advocating their beliefs and philosophies. But that alone doesn't give us a measuring stick. Let's see what the dictionary says about "radicalism."

1 : the quality or state of being radical

Ok. What is a being "radical" then?

3 a : marked by a considerable departure from the usual or traditional : extreme b : tending or disposed to make extreme changes in existing views, habits, conditions, or institutions c : of, relating to, or constituting a political group associated with views, practices, and policies of extreme change d : advocating extreme measures to retain or restore a political state of affairs.

I think what we think of radicals here could fall under "b" which is the "tending or disposed to make extreme changes in existing views, habits, conditions, or institutions.

Now, for babies born with a hearing loss where 90% of them are born into hearing parents. Looking from the perspectives of hearing parents who have no understanding or concept about ASL, Deaf culture and the existence of a Deaf community and for parents to hear from a particular Deaf group who pushes ASL first or ASL only agenda onto hearing parents could possible see them as an "extremist group." Especially if they advocate such a law that would force parents to take ASL and provide ASL for their own baby born with a hearing loss (regardless on hearing loss amount from mild to profound). Which brings me back to a recent blog piece I did, "F*ck you, Deaf community! ".

That blog piece I pointed out to readers of a forum that is frequented mostly by hearing parents of a child with hearing loss. One parent vented in anger when he had Deaf people come up to him and basically called him a "monster" and other names while in the presence of his deaf child with a cochlear implant. The decision this parent took wasn't easy when it came to choosing cochlear implant but it was his decision. I'm sure no parents would like being told of what to do with his or her child with a hearing loss and infringe on their basic right in making parental decisions.

And here it all boils down to the AB2072 bill. A bill that gives parents the opportunity to be informed of all communication options in an unbiased format such as what is written on a pamphlet for parents of children that were diagnosed with hearing loss. That way they can begin their direction on being fully informed and soon make an informed decision without feeling being pushed, cajoled, looked down upon, feeling lost, pressured and what not.

Remember, a hearing parents' perspective (or the hearing community) is vastly different from Deaf people on how each of them view a world without sound. For hearing people to hear how certain Deaf groups behave in the effort to make hearing parents feel guilty, to try and push the ASL only or ASL first agenda and even the ideological attempt to try and bypass parental rights to make their own decisions regarding which communication and educational paths they feel is right for their child with a hearing loss. That's enough for hearing people to see these groups as crackpots, extremists, a bunch of idiots, yahoos, and whatever name or image it may pop up in the minds of hearing people.

Maybe what this person did in the Wikipedia entry was a joke. Maybe a point was trying to be made there. Who knows. But it certainly not impossible to fathom the idea that many hearing parents would in fact see certain Deaf advocacy groups as being "extremists" in their actions or beliefs. I or other people might not see it that way but I'm sure there are many who do see it that way. It certainly didn't help some Deaf groups' image when they went out in public to protest against ALL COMMUNICATION OPTIONS in the AB2072 bill. Doing so I'm sure many people would've seen them as going to extremes in not accepting a bill that would allow parents be given information on ALL COMMUNICATION OPTIONS. Who would be foolish to disagree with such an idea?

Now, I'm hearing murmuring that Deafread should get me "blacklisted." Well, good luck with that as you tried to push Tayler to stop providing links that discusses cochlear implant in Deafread as well as having issues in DVTV in getting him to do your bidding and control his creative work. Tayler already knows in his video about me to O'Lois on how I do my blogging. He understands.

"Deafhood," AFA, and CAD linked as "Extremist Groups" in Wikipedia?

There must be a joke in there somewhere. The name "Deafhood" was found in a Wikipedia entry under the listed "Extremist Groups" category as seen in the United States section along with other notable organizations like Church of Scientology, Earth First!, and Aryan Nation. Not only that but AFA and CAD were also found under that list, too. Here's a screen capture of that Wikipedia entry.

BTW, do you take much stock into Wikipedia nowadays?

Yet, when you click on the "Deafhood" it links to it's own Wikipedia entry on "Deafhood." And I couldn't help but noticed this entry.

Numerous deaf and hearing people view 'deafhood' as a closed society, largely due to long history of rejections against those who do not practice and use pure ASL (American Sign Language). Those who did not practice pure ASL were generally rejected by people who practice deafhood theory. For instance, numerous deaf people were categorized as 'deafless' because they were not deaf enough therefore they were rejected from the deafhood community. Numerous deaf individuals that choose to wear cochlear implants, hearing aids and use different communication methods / devices were also rejected by the deafhood community. The general deaf community sees deafhood as an extremist group.

Again, here's a screen capture of that entry, too.

Interesting. I'm sure entries will change again and again and again and again and again and again....ad nauseum.

Disclaimer: I am only reporting this as I just found out about it. Somebody created these Wikipedia entries and not I.

Commenting Rules in Kokonut Pundit

So far I've not approved some 3 or 4 comments in the past few weeks for a few reasons. One main reason is the personal attacks, and another is when a deaf commenter tries to imply or suggest one is practicing Nazism or eugenics. That I won't stand for. In the past I've had a link on commenting rules when people comment in my blog and I decided to put it up again in the comment page with a link to my standard rules. Why? It's simply because some people are unable to debate without making insinuations, personal attacks at other commenters, or try and divulge names of other anonymous bloggers. I'm not interested in ad hominem attacks or petty name calling. What I'm interested in is the general discussion and debating. Anybody can throw insults and bombs but not not everybody can debate or argue effectively. If you can only do the former then I suggest you not post your comments in here. Otherwise have a good day.

AB 2072 - passed

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

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

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

AG Bell on AB2072

The AB 2072 bill is about choices, obviously. It discusses that parents of newborns with hearing loss get information that covers,

American Sign Language(ASL), Total Communication, Cued Speech, and Listening and Spoken Language communication options for children with hearing loss, including, but not limited to, information about deaf and hard-of-hearing organizations, agencies and early intervention centers, and educational programs.

The problem is that those who oppose this bill often spend more time going after AGBell and other similar organizations rather than to focus and promote ASL itself. AGBell has a position paper written up some 5 years ago on their position on ASL.

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.

With respect to American Sign Language (ASL), AG Bell acknowledges ASL as a language in and of itself. AG Bell also recognizes ASL’s importance in Deaf culture as a unique feature, and a language that many take pride in learning. AG Bell does not believe that ASL should be prohibited or restricted as a choice, 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 of chosen language or communication approach, AG Bell believes that families should have early access to professionals with specialized education and training in the desired language or communication method."

Again, it's about parental choice but parents need to be informed of all communication options, including ASL, the educational choices and the many services and advocacy groups on hearing loss that are available to the parents. AGBell believes in choices and believes that the AB2072 bill is about that in a letter to Tony Mendoza.

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. Regardless of chosen language or communication approach, families should have early access to professionals with specialized education and training in the desired language or communication outcome.

AG Bell believes it is important that organizations that advocate for or work with individuals with hearing loss work together to broaden health care providers' understanding of all communication methods so that upon identification, unbaised information about all options can be made available to parents and their children.

Senator Elaine K. Alquist who is the chair in the Senate Health Committee wrote up an analysis (on June 9, 2010) on the AB2072 bill, deafness, the issues involved, and about the deaf culture and community. This analysis has a firm grasp of everything. Senator Elaine K. Alquist makes a conclusion and recommendation to the committee (note the bolded portion):

Both supporters and opposition to this bill agree that any information provided to parents of deaf children should be unbiased, based on scientific facts, and come from a reliable, neutral third-party source. To address this, the committee suggests amendments to require that either DDS or CDE develop or approve the use of standardized, objective pamphlet of information about communication options for children who are deaf or hard-of-hearing, that is sufficient to allow the child's parents to make an informed decision. This information shall be decided upon by the department in conjunction with a stakeholder panel, comprised of representatives of the various communication options. The cost for developing the pamphlet and conducting the stakeholder panel shall be covered through the development of an additional state fund to accept private donations for this purpose. The provisions of the bill shall only be made operative after sufficient funds have been collected to cover necessary expenses.

Both parties agree that information ought to be in an unbiased format and that stakeholders in each of the communication option shall be a part of helping the development of this pamphlet for parents of newborn babies diagnosed with a hearing loss.

No conspiracy theories.

No AGBell boogie monster under the bed.

No Godwin's Rule of Nazi Analogies in the attempt to label this bill and Tony Mendoza.

And none of the eugenics stuff that Edwin Black erroneously tried to infer about the Deaf community and culture's own future.

Just a straight up bill that is designed to help parents make an informed decision regarding their child diagnosed with a hearing loss.

If you disagree, disagree on the merit of the argument itself and not about trying to concoct some "end of the world" scenario here. The bill does include ASL as one of the many communication options whether used alone or in conjunction with other options. So, that is an important step. The ASL community will still have a stake in this once this bill is signed by the governor which, ironically so, at one time played a deaf and mute hit-man for a mob in a 1973 movie "The Long Goodbye."

When anti-AB2072 group uses Nazi labels

A new article in The Cutting Edge came out late yesterday about California's AB-2072 bill where it laboriously use Nazi examples and labels about that bill. This bill is about allowing parents of newborns diagnosed with hearing loss be given information on communication and educational options where it does include ASL as one clear option. It's a resource that will allow parents make an informed decision after doing their research and who to contact. When people use Nazi examples or references inappropiately as an argument it's called Godwin's Law or Godwin's Rule of Nazi Analogies. Drenching it with words like "eugenics" and "Nazi-style" elimination won't win the argument. Especially when you throw in conspiracy theories and accusations against other organizations. It'll simply marginalize certain Deaf groups even further onto the fringe by those who opposed AB-2072 bill whenever Nazi references are used. This bill gives parents the necessary resource and power to make an informed decision and by no one else.
I think this is a good bill. It's an opportunity to capitalize ASL even further once passed.