Wednesday, February 22, 2006

OCDAC Newsletter February 22, 2006

Dear Friends,

Our Bowl-A-Thon was a major success. There is disagreement on the
number of participants but we all agree that this is a major success.
We raised over $2,200 most coming from sponsors. We're doing it
again February 17, 2007.

We have new event planner and she is charged with coordinating our
external events and her first projects will be to organize a monthly
deaf disco program, a luau, a fashion show, and a golf tournament.
She is fully deaf and has a cochlear implant. She has an excellent
reputation in athletics and international competitions. She has just
relocated into Irvine from Oklahoma. We welcome her into our family
at our deaf center.

Our new website is back up. Its taken a very sleek appearance
comparing to rusty battleship it's taking place. This is only a
temporary site for now while we develop our conceptual "deaf
webvocate" experiment that will develop into a powerful tool for everyone.

We got the official invite yesterday to the Orange County Fair. This
3 week education booth is our largest deaf awareness education booth.
Last year we were visited by over 70,000 people and the fair was
visited by over 1 million people. We are very excited we are going to
do it again this year.

Sorenson Communications finally decides to become interoperable. They
are going to unbundle their system so their videophones can be used to
call any VRS providers they choose. This is a victory for deaf
consumer watchdogs like this newsletter.

Romantic communications between the Los Angeles based deaf social
service agency and the deaf Southlanders are loud in this week's
Community Bullhorn section.

This week, we are starting our giant campaign to educate people in the
Southland of positive options we have for those who are facing hearing
and vision loss. We have a great display board and lots of equipment
to demonstrate. We have all the materials on hand ready to be
launched in a regional campaign on positive education.

Our subscribers have been sending us Campbell labels we appreciate
greatly for their assistance and we ask you to join them in support of
our educational and advocacy programs through the Campbell labels program.

Last week, the editor was contacted by one of our stronger supporters
stating that some of the material we have been distributing in this
newsletter has been bringing out strong emotions. First of all, we
are going to thank this person for contacting us regarding deaf
politics, specifically the CISS drama that has been unfolding in the
past few months. We understand the deaf community as a whole has
become fragile and such strong information we publish in this
newsletter would chip away at our strength as a community. We
appreciate his taking the time to write to us in this issue. It is
important for us to hear from the Deaf community as this debate
continues. We have studied his comments on deaf politics and believe
that it is very fair to our subscribers that we present realistic
observations of what goes on in the deaf community. As we both know,
this is a complicated and difficult issue which affects the Deaf
community. We are open to suggestions as to how to improve the OCDAC
Newsletter's position on deaf politics. We value his and your opinions
on our handling of deaf politics and appreciate our subscribers
actively contributing to this discussion. As the Deaf community
proceeds to debate on this issue, we look forward to a thorough review
of this issue. While we want to promote all aspects of the Deaf
community, we really don't want to do so at the expense of some parts.
Unfortunately the weed and seed concept seem to be the best solution
to the gross indiscipline by major deaf organizations we've been
witnessing. Once again, we thank this subscriber for his honest
observations. We hope that you all will continue to share your
thoughts and ideas with us.

OCDAC Communications
[email protected]

-------------< INSIDE NEWS >

With our subscribership from the international communities increasing
at a steady pace, we wish to make this newsletter accessible to them
and the easiest way to accomplish this is by directing them to
http://www.babelfish.altavista.com/ and entering
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/ocdacnewsletter/ in the website
translation box and the babelfish will help our international
subscribers become strong advocates for the deaf and disability
communities.

Macy's Community Shopping Day 2006, an in-store shopping event and
fundraiser for charities in the Orange County community, will be held
on May 12, 2006 at Macy's South Coast Plaza. We have 200 tickets to
sell. We need to sell at least 100 of the tickets at $10 each. And
we'll need at least 5 or more volunteers on hand as well. Besides a
good operation at Macy's Community Shopping Day would be as good as a
decent birthday gift to the editor from our communities. The money
will be used for operating expenses and the fee for our Orange County
fair fundraiser stand which is expected to be around $900 plus the
cost of insurance.

We have started on our giant Orange County Fair educational booth
planning for this upcoming summer. This year's theme is 'Flower
Power' and its a retro theme. We have started working on the display
board for the gadgets.

Our OC Fair fundraiser merchandise stand is taking upon a nice shape
and color. We plan to subcontract 3 people to man the fundraiser
stand for us. We should be finished with the application this week.

We have started a Campbell's product label collection campaign to help
us raise the means to get supplies for our office Start saving your
campbells product labels today and mail them to us on the first week
of each month. We have aproximately 1050 subscribers and if each one
of them accumulates and sends us 900-1000 labels a month, we'd be able
to get lots of new equipment for our office and internal and external
education programs! Lets get those labels coming, the program ends in
June.

Drastic Social Security rule changes for Title II Old Age, Survivors,
and Disability Insurance and SSI programs such as outlined in
http://a257.g.akamaitech.net/7/257/2422/01jan20051800/edocket.access.gpo.gov/200\
5/pdf/05-14845.pdf

renews our calls for self-reliance ideas for organizations who serve
the deaf and disabled and our very own idea, our California Disability
Gaming Initiative idea and that can be found at
http://www.deafadvocacy.com/cdgicinfo.pdf is an idea that works for
Native Americans. Why shouldn't it work for the Disability
communities? The proposed Social Security rules will limit appeals
and create a new process that is less about truth-seeking and more
hostile to applicants.
-------------< ANNOUNCEMENT >

Take a look at our new magazine fundraiser and this is one of the ways
you can help us do the good work for the deaf and disabled communities.

The URL is http://www.magfundraising.com/GroupPage.aspx?e=788159

-------------< OUTSIDE NEWS PART 1/3 >

Hearing-impaired kids learn through SEE
http://www.centralkitsapreporter.com/portals-code/list.cgi?paper=93&cat=23&id=59\
3623&more=


Love signs
http://dnaindia.com/report.asp?NewsID=1013461&CatID=7

Spanish-speaking family helps deaf son be heard
http://www.greeleytrib.com/article/20060220/NEWS/102200074

Georgia's Deaf School Under Fire
http://www.fox21.com/Global/story.asp?S=4524390&nav=2KPp

Local outreach to deaf makes some effec
http://www.nctimes.com/articles/2006/02/17/special_reports/religion/19_10_272_16\
_06.txt


Sertoma Club Raises Funds for Deaf Camp
http://www.kq2.com/news/default.asp?mode=shownews&id=3093

Deaf get on-screen help to communicate in surgeries
http://www.yorkshiretoday.co.uk/ViewArticle2.aspx?SectionID=1084&ArticleID=13567\
23


Texting spells freedom for deaf students
http://www.thestar.com/NASApp/cs/ContentServer?pagename=thestar/Layout/Article_T\
ype1&c=Article&cid=1140216611226&call_pageid=968350130169&col=969483202845


-------------< CALIFORNIA DEAFIE HAPPENINGS >

COME TO OUR MEETUPS!

The Orange County American Sign Language Meetup Group -
http://asl.meetup.com/37/ - and the he Orange County Deaf & Hearing
Impaired Meetup Group http://deaf.meetup.com/38/ meets each 3rd
Fridays of the month.

===================================

Parenting Skills Classes

When: Apr. 5 ­ Jun. 14 (10 weeks), Wednesdays
Time: 6:30pm-8:30pm
Where: SJCD ­ 25580 Campus Drive, Hayward, CA 94542
Cost: $10.00 Single Parent / $15.00 per Couple for each class
(Discounts available based on need)

Childcare available.

In this 10-week module, parents will focus on Helping and Guiding
Children.

Topics will include:

teaching children social skills
modeling kindness and respect for others
helping children understand and deal with bullies
teaching kids how to handle peer pressure
a parent¹s powerful role in sexuality education and the prevention of
youth substance abuse.

These classes may be approved for court mandates.

Classes are taught by LaRonda Zupp, M.S., Family Life Coordinator /
Certified Parent Educator.

To Register or for more information, contact: LaRonda Zupp at
[email protected]

Or call 510-881-2247 TTY * 510-881-2245 Voice Msg.

LaRonda Zupp, M.S.
Family Life Coordinator/Parent Educator
St. Joseph's Center for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing
Workshop Presentations
Parenting Skills Education
Late-Deaf Adult Education & Support
25580 Campus Drive, Hayward, CA 94542
510-881-2247 TTY
510-881-2245 Voice Msg.
510-881-2248 Fax
[email protected]
www.sjcd.org

=================================

MATA TV Show "LIVE" Audience & Movie Show: BEYOND THE WORLD I & II

Saturday, March 11, 2006 4:30 - 9:00 pm
Senior Center, 21215 La Puente Road, Walnut, CA 91789
(This is between the I-10 and 60 freeways just west of Grand Avenue)
Tickets are $10, $8 with student ID, and free for DAF Members and
MATA.TV Subscribers

Tickets available at http://www.mata.tv or buy them at the door

Program:
4:30 pm - Registration & Exhibit tour (ASL Media and Products)
5:00 pm - Evans the ASL Talk Show (with Deaf celebrities)
6:00 pm - Dinner break (socialize with Deaf-ASL people)
7:30 pm - Movie show: Beyond the World Part One and Two. (ASL
interpreters and English subtitles)

Highlights:
ASL 24 hours Learning DVDs (with LIVE interactives)
ISLTV (Interactive sign language TV online)
MATA.TV (Internet TV entertainment channel for Deaf-ASL)
Deaf Culture, Success, and Lifestyles in Evans the ASL Talk Show
MATA EXPO 2006 Tickets Available

For more information, contact MATA.TV at [email protected] or fax
1-951-346-5678.

-------------< ANNOUNCEMENT >

Even though most of us working on computers only work on one, the
average American depends on more than 264 computers per day—from the
tiniest microprocessor to the largest mainframe! That is a lot of
people depending on a lot of computers! Think of how much money could
go to the Orange County Deaf Advocacy Center if 264 supporters bought
one computer each at www.iGive.com/ocdac, where up to 26% of every
purchase is donated to the Orange County Deaf Advocacy Center! At
www.iGive.com/ocdac, membership is free! So hurry up and visit the
Mall at www.iGive.com/ocdac, where you can shop at 600+ stores for all
your favorite electronics and computers from Dell, HP Shopping, Buy,
Computers4SURE, The Apple Store, SONY, and Gateway!

-------------< DEAF GRAPEVINE >

MATA Expo 2006

Ontario, CA - November 3-4, 2006

The upcoming MATA Expo 2006 for the Deaf and Hard-of-hearing to be
held Two (2) days: November 3-4, 2006, mirrors society's increased
awareness of Deaf people's needs.

'MATA' means 'See you later or again" in japanese language and "Eyes"
in tagalog language. Mata is a symbolic word "visual concept + small
world" in the Deaf-related community.

MATA Expo is more than just a trade show. It is an opportunity for
companies, organizations, and individuals with talents to show off
their deaf / hard of hearing products to thousands of people at once
and make announcements about new products and services. It is also a
showcase for deaf performing artists in various media types (deaf
films, deaf celebrities and cultural arts presented from US
nationwide and International). MATA EXPO empowers Diversity and Deaf
Hood.

A paramount emphasis will be on the changes and progress made in
quality of life for Deaf and Hard-of -hearing American consumers.

Part of the show's focus will be a celebration of society's increasing
awareness of the needs of the Deaf and Hard-of-hearing. Included will
be a detailed look at the recent legislation passed and written into
laws that positively impact the quality of life for the Deaf and
Hard-of-hearing.

In past, MATA EXPO 2005 (Long Beach Convention Center on November 5,
2005). was a huge success event and attracted to 5,500 plus participants.

Open to the public, the show targets not only Deaf people but also
their employers, friends and family, government and nonprofit
organizations as well as students enrolled in sign language and Deaf
culture classes.

**** ADDITIONAL INFORMATION ****

MATA EXPO 2006
Ontario Convention Center
Exhibit Hall B
2000 Convention Center Way, Ontario, CA 91764
9:00 am - 6:00 pm
www.mataexpo.com

-------------< BULLETIN >

Dear All,

Great progress was made during the 7th Ad Hoc Committee negotiations
at the United Nations in NY for the Convention on the Rights of People
with Disabilities. The session concluded on Feb 3. The next session is
scheduled for August. It now looks like the negotiations on the
convention will be concluded at that time. Two outstanding articles
remain to be worked out. One on monitoring, which will receive a good
deal of attention in Geneva inter-sessionally, and one on
international cooperation.

Now it is more important than ever for the US disability community to
begin mobilize to support universal ratification of the treaty.

If you have not done so already, please take a moment to visit and
register at the Convention YES website at
www.conventionyes.org/content.cfm?ID=585C76&iu=5B5D77745E4E and be
sure to sign the petition in support of the Convention. If you have
visited the site before, please take another look. A lot has changed
and we hope you will be pleased.

All the best,

Will Smith
Founder and Chairman
Center for International Rehabilitation

-------------< ANNOUNCEMENT >

Please visit our bookstore that has related books and different kinds
of assistive living devices at http://store.deafadvocacy.org

-------------< OUTSIDE NEWS PART 2/3 >

School for Deaf hosts regional academic contest
http://www.clarionledger.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20060218/NEWS/602180330/\
1002/NEWS01


Quiz Bowl Held for the Deaf
http://www.wlbt.com/Global/story.asp?S=4522680&nav=2CSf

Subtitles: Deaf to the Problem
http://msnbc.msn.com/id/11436226/site/newsweek/

Deaf find implants help break silence
http://www.orlandosentinel.com/orl-implant1906feb19,0,446895.story?coll=orl-home\
-headlines


New deaf school director criticized for lack of experience
http://www.macon.com/mld/macon/13912887.htm

Hormone aldosterone linked to quality of hearing
http://www.news-medical.net/?id=15986

-------------< ADVOCACY NEWS >

ADAWatch.org
News and Views for the Disability Community
February 13 - 17, 2006

SPOTLIGHT:
Bush Budget Cuts Popular Disability Programs
Source: The Washington Post
Link: http://www.adawatch.org/bushcuts.htm

ACTION ALERTS:
Support International Convention on Disability Rights
Source: Center for International Rehabilitation
Link: http://www.adawatch.org/InternationalConvention.htm

EVENTS:
ADAPT National Days of Action: March 18-23
Source: MCIL.org
Link: http://www.adawatch.org/ADAPTTN.htm

ADVOCATES AND ORGANIZATIONS:
Michael Allen: "The Politics of Forced Psychiatric Treatment"
Source: New York Times
Link: http://www.adawatch.org/forcedtx.htm

Judith Heumann: "Changing Attitudes"
Source: University of Pennsylvania Speech
Link: http://www.adawatch.org/JudyHeumannPA.htm

Curtis Decker: "TBI Cuts in the Federal Budget"
Source: National Disability Rights Network Press Release
Link: http://www.adawatch.org/bushcuts.htm

Paul Marchand: "President's Priorities Are Not Ours"
Source: ProfNet Press Release
Link: http://www.adawatch.org/bushcuts.htm

Bobby Coward and Michael Cooper on MetroAccess
Source: The Washington Post
Link: http://www.adawatch.org/DCMetro.htm

Kay Redfield Jamison: "The Many Stigmas of Mental Illness"
Source: The Lancet
Link: http://www.adawatch.org/RedfieldStigma.htm

Disability Playwright John Belluso Dies
Source: New York Times
Link: http://www.adawatch.org/Belluso.htm

Stan Kosloski, ADA Coalition of Conn., on Equal Access
Source: Norwich Bulletin
Link: http://www.adawatch.org/StanKosloski.htm

MORE HEADLINES:
Nursing Homes v. Community Care in Conn.
Source: Associated Press
Link: http://www.adawatch.org/ConnMI.htm

Returning Vets Face PTSD Stigma in Job Search
Source: The Herald - Everett, Washington
Link: http://www.adawatch.org/VetsPTSD.htm

Disability Rights and Wrongs
Source: World Council of Churches
Link: http://www.adawatch.org/RightsandWrongs%20.htm

Rare Disability Gets Privileged Parking
Source: Associated Press
Link: http://www.adawatch.org/raredisability.htm

NY Teachers Call for Increased Disability Rights Funding
Source: NYSUT.org
Link: http://www.adawatch.org/NYSUT.htm

Increased Grassroots Support for Stem Cell Research in MO.
Source: Missouri News-Leader
Link: http://www.adawatch.org/MissouriStemCell.htm

HAVA: New Voting Machines in Utah
Source: Herald Journal
Link: http://www.adawatch.org/HAVAUtah.htm

INTERNATIONAL NEWS:
Northern Ireland Strengthens Disability Rights Law
Source: Press Association
Link: http://www.adawatch.org/IrelandLaw.htm

Welsh Government Backs Away from Pledge of Support
Source: BBC
Link: http://www.adawatch.org/WelshPledge.htm

###

ADA Watch is a project of:

National Coalition for Disability Rights
1201 Pennsylvania Avenue, Suite 300
Washington, District of Columbia 20004

-------------< DEAF QUOTES >

"I felt like it was nip and tuck. We were just too close together,"
team captain Wayman Chow

-------------< ANNOUNCEMENT >

Do you shop at Albertsons or Sav-on stores? You can get a free
community partners card at those stores and then add it to our list of
supporters. A percent of what you buy will go to helping our Deaf
youth program. If you already have a school or other program that you
are supporting, don't worry, you can add your card to support our
program too! There are two ways to add your card. You can email your
First and Last name with your phone number and community partners card
number to [email protected] or you can download and print our
Albertsons / Sav-on Community Partners signup forms at
http://www.deafadvocacy.org/AlbertsonsSignup.pdf and have your
friends, neighbors, associates, and relatives sign up as supporters
and then mail the form to the address on the
form. To reach our funding goal we need 25,000 supporters who shop at
Albertsons / Sav-on. And remember to use your community partners card
when you shop at Albertsons or Sav-on.

-------------< COMMUNITY BULLHORN >

We are all familiar with the Los Angeles based deaf social service
agency having poor relations (romantic fireworks) with the deaf
Southlanders. As illustrative as it gets, click on the following URLs
for your enjoyment;

"Gladgate"
http://web.archive.org/web/20000620164318/http://deafy.com/

"LA Deaf Forum Watch"
http://web.archive.org/web/20010215151153/http://deafy.com/

"FUAQ" Frequent Un Answered Questions
http://web.archive.org/web/20010201210400/http://deafy.com/

"Deaf Community Alliance in Greater Los Angeles for Social Justice"
http://web.archive.org/web/20011129022436/http://www.deafy.com/

"TAKE BACK GLAD"
http://web.archive.org/web/20021017063559/http://deafy.com/

-------------< OUTSIDE NEWS PART 3/3 >

Study scrutinizes schools for deaf, blind
http://www.columbian.com/news/localNews/02192006news197596.cfm

Sign Language Instructor Sentenced For Sex Offense
http://kutv.com/topstories/local_story_048111332.html

Suit claims Web attack upset services for deaf
http://www.sltrib.com/utah/ci_3518689

Deaf get on-screen help to communicate in surgeries
http://www.yorkshiretoday.co.uk/ViewArticle2.aspx?SectionID=1084&ArticleID=13567\
23


Study of sign language drastically increasing
http://www.news-record.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20060216/NEWSREC0101/60216\
0313/1001/NEWSREC0201


Deaf Ex-Con Convicted For Again Raping Deaf Girlfriend
http://www.10news.com/news/7125819/detail.html

-------------< DEAF FRIENDLY JOB OPPORTUNITIES >

1) Temporary warehousing, hospitality, landscaping, construction,
light manufacturing, retail, wholesale, facilities and sanitation
through various employers.

All candidates interested in any of the job opportunities are required
to apply for our job placement services. Our intake form is at
http://www.deafadvocacy.org/intake.htm

-------------< ANNOUNCEMENT >

We have partnered with NetFlix to help community members enjoy movies
in the safety of their homes and our subscribers are given a free 2
week trial membership to NetFlix. If you haven't tried NetFlix yet,
you should log into Http://www.fundraising.com/movies and be sure to
enter our group code # 521684 and enjoy your 2 free weeks of
membership and if you decide to continue the membership after the free
trial, you will help us get $10 for each new membership. Most movies
offered by NetFlix have subtitling and or closed captioning in them.

-------------< DEAF FRIENDLY BUSINESS OPPORTUNITIES >

Begin your journey toward self-sufficiency by becoming a Discovery
Toys consultant! Discovery Toys focuses on learning through play,
with products specifically designed to maximize learning moments, has
proven to be a success as the company has now witnessed an entire
generation grow up with Discovery Toys. Many parents and their adult
children credit DISCOVERY TOYS® products with helping them to develop
core skills and self-esteem, which contributed to their later life
accomplishments and success as adults. Beth Koenig is your Discovery
Toys consultant. Her Discovery Toys website is at
Http://www.discoverthetoys.net and this is a great business
opportunity for people disabilities. Discovery Toys is one of our
supported activities through our Community Business Enterprise Program.

-------------< LETTERS >

ASLPI RATERS NEEDED IN SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA
The ASLPI Center (soon to become the ASL Institute), in conjunction
with the Deaf Education Program at California State University,
Northridge (CSUN), is planning to expand its ASLPI rating team this
summer to meet the demands for ASLPI services.

Please join us for this exciting opportunity to become a part of our team.

For more information, please contact Mel Carter at The ASLPI
[email protected]

Or Rachel Friedman Narr at CSUN Email: [email protected]

-------------< EPILOG >

If you wish to contribute to this newsletter, feel free to send in
news, stories, and opinions relating to the disability community. Your
support in this effort to move the disability community forward will
be greatly appreciated. We will continue to aggressively pursue
justice, fairness, and equality for the disability community as it has
been doing since November 1996. We have chosen
that EDUCATION is the best way to accomplish this objective.

The Orange County Deaf Advocacy Center is a community based
organization that puts people with disabilities first in their
advocacy for equal opportunities in safety, health, and productive living.

The Orange County Deaf Advocacy Center provides services for disabled
individuals and their families in our community who need help in
navigating the social services maze. Every day people go without
proper food, shelter, and essential medical care every day due to a
variety of factors including low wages, job loss, injuries, illness,
age, domestic violence, or divorce. While all of us are susceptible to
hard times, disabled individuals are at the most risk. With the
generous support of people like you, we are able to help many of these
families and individuals not only to meet essential daily needs, but
to work toward a brighter future with programs in job training,
education, counseling, elderly assistance, and temporary housing.

Feel free to forward this email message to anyone and any of your
personal mailing lists so we can get the important messages out far
and wide and encourage them to sign up for our weekly newsletter.

DISCLAIMER: The OCDAC Newsletter is designed to share information of
interest to people with disabilities, their friends, associates, and
relatives and promote advocacy in the disability community.
Information circulated does not necessarily express the views of The
Orange County Deaf Advocacy Center. The OCDAC Newsletter is
non-partisan. OCDAC Newsletter does not sell advertising space.

To subscribe to this newsletter go to
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/ocdacnewsletter/ or send a blank email
to [email protected]

Thursday, February 16, 2006

OCDAC Newsletter February 16, 2006

Dear Friends,

AAARRRRGGGH! One of our key websites was hacked less than a week ago,
but thats not even bad news to us at all. Read down further.

We are having a Bowl-A-Thon next Saturday February 18, 2006 at the
Westminster Lanes from 8 am to noon. We now have sponsors and bowlers
ready to make this a success story. We have some new sponsors and
plenty of room for more bowlers.

The State of California has stepped in to help Medicare beneficiaries
who also use Medi-Cal if they have problems at the pharmacy getting
their drug prescriptions filled. This emergency help has been extended
through March 17, 2006.

A letter from Felix Shlimovich's wife asks for help in locating her
husband is in the Community Bullhorn section of this newsletter. A
must read for those interested in knowing the true colors of an
international deaf organization.

Last week we probably have been given a novel jump start on our long
awaited plans to overhaul our website. A German deaf hacker hijacked
one of our key websites and filling it with obscenities in a lame
attempt to embarrass us. The web URL they hijacked was no longer
being published in our marketing and educational materials for over 18
months already therefore damage is minimal. However the site was in
need of major changes anyways. We have been longing to overhaul our
web resource to make it easier to navigate, easier to maintain, and
easier for the communities worldwide learn about our good deeds and to
support us. We've also been longing to experiment with a completely
web based deaf social service agency and this could be the time to do
it. This will compliment the free internet ready computer giveaway
program we already have. Once established, a web based social service
agency would translate into billions of dollars in taxpayer savings
and will enable our agency to provide social service products to
anyone on a global scale.

OCDAC Communications
[email protected]

-------------< INSIDE NEWS >

With our subscribership from the international communities increasing
at a steady pace, we wish to make this newsletter accessible to them
and the easiest way to accomplish this is by directing them to
http://www.babelfish.altavista.com/ and entering
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/ocdacnewsletter/ in the website
translation box and the babelfish will help our international
subscribers become strong advocates for the deaf and disability
communities.

Macy's Community Shopping Day 2006, an in-store shopping event and
fundraiser for charities in the Orange County community, will be held
on May 12, 2006 at Macy's South Coast Plaza. We have 200 tickets to
sell. We need to sell at least 100 of the tickets at $10 each. And
we'll need at least 5 or more volunteers on hand as well. Besides a
good operation at Macy's Community Shopping Day would be as good as a
decent birthday gift to the editor from our communities. The money
will be used for operating expenses and the fee for our Orange County
fair fundraiser stand which is expected to be around $900 plus the
cost of insurance.

We have started on our giant Orange County Fair educational booth
planning for this upcoming summer. This year's theme is 'Flower
Power' and its a retro theme. We are waiting for the official invite.
Our OC Fair fundraiser merchandise stand is taking upon a nice shape
and color. We plan to subcontract 3 people to man the fundraiser
stand for us.

We have started a Campbell's product label collection campaign to help
us raise the means to get supplies for our office Start saving your
campbells product labels today and mail them to us on the first week
of each month. We have aproximately 1050 subscribers and if each one
of them accumulates and sends us 900-1000 labels a month, we'd be able
to get lots of new equipment for our office and internal and external
education programs! Lets get those labels coming, the program ends in
June.

Drastic Social Security rule changes for Title II Old Age, Survivors,
and Disability Insurance and SSI programs such as outlined in
http://a257.g.akamaitech.net/7/257/2422/01jan20051800/edocket.access.gpo.gov/200\
5/pdf/05-14845.pdf

renews our calls for self-reliance ideas for organizations who serve
the deaf and disabled and our very own idea, our California Disability
Gaming Initiative idea is an idea that works for Native Americans.
Why shouldn't it work for the Disability communities? The proposed
Social Security rules will limit appeals and create a new process that
is less about truth-seeking and more hostile to applicants.

-------------< ANNOUNCEMENT >

Take a look at our new magazine fundraiser and this is one of the ways
you can help us do the good work for the deaf and disabled communities.

The URL is http://www.magfundraising.com/GroupPage.aspx?e=788159

-------------< OUTSIDE NEWS PART 1/3 >

Deaf student beats government ruling
http://www.starnewsgroup.com.au/story/10297

Local deaf woman shines on court
http://www.peoplesdefender.com/main.asp?SectionID=2&SubSectionID=2&ArticleID=123\
040&TM=42398.47


City ready to lend more helping hands to deaf-mutes
http://www.chinadaily.com.cn/english/doc/2006-02/15/content_520495.htm

Grandmother fights to keep school for deaf and blind from closing
http://www.ktvb.com/news/localnews/stories/ktvbn-feb1406-isdb.29999ee8.html

-------------< CALIFORNIA DEAFIE HAPPENINGS >

COME TO OUR MEETUPS!

The Orange County American Sign Language Meetup Group -
http://asl.meetup.com/37/ - and the he Orange County Deaf & Hearing
Impaired Meetup Group http://deaf.meetup.com/38/ meets each 3rd
Fridays of the month.

===================================

The Orange County American Sign Language & Orange County Deaf &
Hearing Impaired December Meetup

When:
Friday, February, 7:00 PM

Where:
The Coffee Bean & Tea Leaf
17595 Harvard Ave #B
Irvine, CA
(949) 660-1332

What:
Meet the 2 meetups!

Free Raffle Ticket to each participant, $1.00 for extra raffle tickets.

Prizes include, ASL Jewelry, Firestarters, and ASL pins

=================================

"Dysconscious Audism and Its Impact on the Deaf Community" Genie Gertz

Assistant Professor in the Department of Deaf Studies at California
State University, Northridge (CSUN).

Prior to earning a doctorate from UCLA in June 2003, Genie has earned
a B.A. degree and a M.A. degree from Gallaudet University and New York
University respectively. Born deaf, Genie came to America from St.
Petersburg, Russia at the age of eight years old. She is also
currently the Region IV NAD Board Member, and serves as a Coordinator
of the "Deaf Women Experts" group for World Federation of the Deaf.
Her area of interest focuses on exploring the social, cultural,
linguistic, and educational features that cause weaken Deaf
Individuals' development of Deaf consciousness and identity.

Lecture will be provided in American Sign Language (ASL)

Free Admission - First Come, First Serve (340 Available Seats)

Friday, February 24, 2006
7:00 pm

Little Theatre
California School for the Deaf
39350 Gallaudet Drive
Fremont, CA 94538

Sponsored by California School for the Deaf & Deaf Counseling &
Referral Agency

For more information, contact Cheryl L. Boyd at csdf-cde.ca.gov or
510-794-3707

=================================

The Deaf Services Center of the San Francisco Public Library in
association with the Deaf Vietnam Project presents

Special Exhibition by Deaf Artists

Deaf Art From Vietnam to America

March 1 - April 1, 2006
Deaf Services Center
Main Library, 1st Floor

Deaf Services Center hours:
Tues - Thur, 11:00am to 7:00pm
Fri - Sat, 12:00 - 6:00pm
(Closed on Sun & Mon)

For more question, check out:

http://www.sfpl.org/librarylocations/accessservices/deafservices.htm

TTY: 415-557-4433
Voice: 415-557-4434
Fax: 415-5574531
email: [email protected]

* Exhibition of artwork by the Deaf high school students from the Hy
Vong School in Ho Chi Minh, Vietnam. The vibrant colors and
techniques lend an appealing presence to the eye. Scott Benson, a
deaf teacher at Leigh High School in San Jose, California, facilitated
this art show with Madame Ngoi, head mistress and found of the Hy Vong
1 School in Ho Chi Minh, Vietnam.

We are located E-A-S-Y Acess to Civic Center BART Station.

Address: 100 Larkin Street (enter at Grove Street) SF, CA 94103

-------------< ANNOUNCEMENT >

Even though most of us working on computers only work on one, the
average American depends on more than 264 computers per day—from the
tiniest microprocessor to the largest mainframe! That is a lot of
people depending on a lot of computers! Think of how much money could
go to the Orange County Deaf Advocacy Center if 264 supporters bought
one computer each at www.iGive.com/ocdac, where up to 26% of every
purchase is donated to the Orange County Deaf Advocacy Center! At
www.iGive.com/ocdac, membership is free! So hurry up and visit the
Mall at www.iGive.com/ocdac, where you can shop at 600+ stores for all
your favorite electronics and computers from Dell, HP Shopping, Buy,
Computers4SURE, The Apple Store, SONY, and Gateway!

-------------< DEAF GRAPEVINE >

There is a lawsuit filed in the U.S. District Court for the Central
District of Illinois, Springfield Division by Mr. Gerald Covell
against 10 members of the Illinois Deaf and Hard of Hearing
Commission. Those individuals are appointed by the Illinois Governor
to serve on the Illinois Deaf and Hard of Hearing Commission as
Commissioners.

The federal lawsuit (case # 05-3207) alleges a wrongful termination
and defamation of character. The suit requests that the Federal Court
to issue:

A judgment against ten individuals who were in violation of the
provisions of 42 U.S.C. Section 1983 and 1988;

An injunction against ten individuals to refrain from engaging in any
actions against Mr. Covell;

An injunction to reinstate Mr. Covell to the position he held prior
being terminated;

An award to Mr. Covell damages to compensate for any economic losses
suffered by the conducts of 10 individuals; and

An award to Mr. Covell from 10 individuals for the costs and expenses
incurred by Mr. Covell along with attorney fees for filing a lawsuit;

An award to Mr. Covell from 10 individuals for compensatory and
exemplary damages as permitted by law.

The individuals named in the lawsuit are:
Harmon P. Menkis, Chairperson
Todd Hlaveck, Vice-Chairperson
Ralph Sesco
Darrell Washington
Jamie Gallo-Weinstein
Leon Devriendt
Ron Sipek
Lori McKenzie
Jenny Singleton
Amy Blough

(From an anonymous source in Wisconsin)

-------------< BULLETIN >

DEAF DOCUMENTARY SERIES SEEKS "DEAF STORIES"

KINGMAN, AZ, January 25, 2006 – SPOKEN SILENCE FILMS & PRODUCTIONS
announces that a "documentary series" is currently in its
developmental stages. This project is considered to be the most
comprehensive documentary about the DEAF that will be done in our
times. It will showcase the following topics:

o An historical look at deafness
o Causes and treatment of deafness and its social impacts on deaf
people and society
o Deaf culture, language, schools, and controversies
o Deaf achievements in the arts, science, sports, and entertainment

The developmental team is currently accepting "deaf stories" from
individuals and organizations to be considered worthy of inclusion in
this documentary. Please email your story or stories to:
[email protected].

-------- IMPORTANT ------

Stories and/or ideas should be in WORD FORMAT, and must include:
o Name
o Address
o Telephone number (V/TTY-TDD)
o Email address

Stories and/or ideas that will be considered for the project will be
contacted only via email. Anonymous materials or submissions without the
above information will be not accepted.

DEVELOPMENT TEAM
SPOKEN SILENCE
[email protected]

-------------< ANNOUNCEMENT >

Please visit our bookstore that has related books and different kinds
of assistive living devices at http://store.deafadvocacy.org

-------------< OUTSIDE NEWS PART 2/3 >

Deaf, hearing students take advantage of technology
http://nwitimes.com/articles/2006/02/07/news/illiana/4e00f5150f043fcd8625710d008\
2d428.txt


National Deaf Leadership Hold Consultative Meeting
http://allafrica.com/stories/200602140371.html

Memphis Oral School for the Deaf headed to Kingsway site
http://www.commercialappeal.com/mca/k12/article/0,2673,MCA_22898_4464844,00.html

Review of phone relay service for the deaf
http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/PA0602/S00148.htm

-------------< ADVOCACY NEWS >

Summary of the Emergency Preparedness and Response for Individuals
with Disabilities Act

Congressmen Jim Langevin (D-RI) and Curt Weldon (R-PA)

This legislation offers a comprehensive approach to ensuring that the
needs of people with disabilities are met before, during and after a
national disaster. Through ongoing education about special needs
populations and the implementation of responsible policies, we can
lessen the scope of future disasters and decrease the loss of life in
a tragedy.

The bill would establish a Disability Coordinator within the
Department of Homeland Security (DHS). The Disability Coordinator
would be appointed by the Secretary after consultation with
organizations representing individuals with disabilities, and report
directly to the Secretary. The Disability Coordinator will be
responsible for providing guidance and coordination in emergency
planning and relief efforts, including:

- Educating DHS, other federal agencies, and state and local
governmental authorities about the needs of individuals with
disabilities in emergency planning and relief;

- Coordinating and disseminating best practices and model evacuation
plans;

- Developing curriculum and training materials for governmental
officials and first responders on the needs of individuals with
disabilities;

- Develop a plan for the temporary loan or replacement of medical
equipment such as wheelchairs in the case of a disaster;

- Ensuring the accessibility of information about evacuation and
disaster relief on telephone hotlines, websites and broadcasts;

- Coordinating accessible transportation options.

The bill also amends the Stafford Disaster Relief Act, the law that
authorizes specific federal assistance in times of an emergency in the
following ways:

- Authorizes additional financial assistance in reconstruction efforts
for homeowners who incorporate enhanced accessibility standards;

- Requires that 30% of temporary housing units provided by the federal
government be accessible to, and usable by, individuals with disabilities;

- Requires that personnel carrying out federal disaster assistance
functions to exert maximum effort to ensure that individuals with
disabilities who were living independently before evacuating their
homes are offered housing options with similar independence.

Finally, the bill requires the GAO to do a national study of emergency
shelters. While such shelters are covered under Titles II and III of
the ADA, it is unclear how many of them are accessible to, and usable
by, individuals with disabilities.

-------------< DEAF QUOTES >

"I have a classmate from Henan Province, and the first time I
communicated with him, I came across many gestures that I didn't
understand," said Gu Baisong, a 21-year-old deaf student at Beijing
Union University.

-------------< ANNOUNCEMENT >

Do you shop at Albertsons or Sav-on stores? You can get a free
community partners card at those stores and then add it to our list of
supporters. A percent of what you buy will go to helping our Deaf
youth program. If you already have a school or other program that you
are supporting, don't worry, you can add your card to support our
program too! There are two ways to add your card. You can email your
First and Last name with your phone number and community partners card
number to [email protected] or you can download and print our
Albertsons / Sav-on Community Partners signup forms at
http://www.deafadvocacy.org/AlbertsonsSignup.pdf and have your
friends, neighbors, associates, and relatives sign up as supporters
and then mail the form to the address on the
form. To reach our funding goal we need 25,000 supporters who shop at
Albertsons / Sav-on. And remember to use your community partners card
when you shop at Albertsons or Sav-on.

-------------< COMMUNITY BULLHORN >

PRESS RELEASE - February 15, 2006
From: www.deafsportlawsuit.com

( Note: to translate this material in your language, please visit
www.babelfish.altavista.com )

KIDNAPPING AND POSSIBLE MURDER OF MY DEAF HUSBAND IN RUSSIA

LETTER-APPEAL BY WIFE OF FELIX SHLIMOVICH TO DEAF COMMUNITY

By Rafael Pinkhasov Pinchas, CISS Ombudsman

New York, USA - A Letter-Appeal by Irina Shlimovich - was received by
this Ombudsman, in which she writes the following:

"I am a deaf spouse of Felix Shlimovich who has been a missing person
since December 11, 2005.

I do sincerely hope and pray that you, a concerned and caring citizen,
will read this very painful message of mine and do something in
finding the truth as to what actually happened to my beloved husband.

Since the day of Felix's disappearance, our family members - Samuel
Shlimovich ( Felix's aging and ailing father ), Anatoliy Shlimovich (
Felix's deaf brother ) and I have tirelessly and sleeplessly been
working day and night to locate Felix or his body.

Please see a separate e-mail message which shows an advertisement
published in the popular Russian daily newspaper - MOSCOW KOMSOMOLETS
- on Saturday, February 4, 2006. On that newspaper advertisement my
family appealed to the Russian public for help in locating Felix's
whereabouts and in which a monetary reward incentive was set up for
this purpose.

So far, there is no positive result.

However, my family received the following leads related to Felix's
disappearance:

1) that the persons who were involved in planning to kidnap ( and,
possibly, murder ) of Felix were the three deaf members of the
Nikolai Klimov family: Nikolai himself, his son - Slava Klimov, his
son-in-law - Yakov Frenkel, as well as their close female friend from
the USA - Donalda Ammons,

2) that the idea, influence and order to harm Felix came directly from
Washington, D.C., that is, from the two Gallaudet University employees
- Slava Klimov and Donalda Ammons, and

3) that Nikolai Klimov, as a result, decided to launch and finance the
horrific operation to eliminate Felix from his life's existence by
hiring the service of deaf hit persons in Moscow.

Previously, we were aware of the facts that twice - on February 27,
2003 in Sweden and on January 3, 2005 in Australia, respectively - at
the influence and orders of Donalda Ammons - the local police and
security agents were attempting to arrest Felix in these respective
places because Felix accused Donalda Ammons in allegedly stealing his
property - the original of his produced videofilm of the 37th CISS
Congress and 2001 Deaflympic Summer Games.

For such an alleged theft and by being unable to retrieve his own
property from either Donalda Ammons or the Klimovs - father and son,
Felix filed the two separate lawsuits against these persons in
Washington, D.C., and Moscow.

We were also aware of the two following facts that during Felix's
visit to the campus of Gallaudet University in Washington, D.C., on
March 17, 2004, Felix was verbally abused and physically attacked by
Slava Klimov there ( an accident report was filed with the Gallaudet
University police department on that day ). In addition, on January
12, 2005, during the Deaflympic Summer Games, at the premises of the
Melbourne Sports and Athletic Complex in Melbourne, Australia, Jerald
Jordan, the senior advisor to Donalda Ammons in the CISS, secretly met
with Felix and there Jerald Jordan vainly persuaded Felix to drop his
lawsuit cases against Ammons and her accomplices.

The recent court case held in Washington, D.C., on January 18, 2006,
in which Felix as a plaintiff was absent and in which both defendants
Slava Klimov andf Donalda Ammons appeared, is now being dismissed
because of Felix's non-showing up at the court's premises on that day.

It is quite unbelievably, outrageous and appalling that a
still-sitting-in-the-office President of the International Olympic
Committee of the Deaf ( CISS ) - Donalda Ammons - is being directly
and indirectly implicated in this criminal act: the kidnapping and
possible murder of Felix.

I am now appealing to you to take appropriate action, including using
your influence in pressuring Donalda Ammons and her Russian
collaborators - Nikolai and Slava Klimov and Yakov Frenkel - to tell
the truth and provide accurate information as to what factually
happened with Felix's mysterious disappearance on the night of
December 11, 2005.

Our fax number in Moscow is 614-11-61.

Please help us.

With Tears in Eyes,

Irina,
Deaf Spouse of Felix"

-------------< OUTSIDE NEWS PART 3/3 >

Opposition party proposes free SMS for deaf
http://english.mti.hu/default.asp?menu=1&theme=2&cat=25&newsid=215196

Enhancing parent-deaf child link
http://www.boston.com/news/local/articles/2006/02/12/enhancing_parent_deaf_child\
_link/


Deaf person seeks peers
http://www.chicoer.com/letters/ci_3500646

-------------< DEAF FRIENDLY JOB OPPORTUNITIES >

1) Temporary warehousing, hospitality, landscaping, construction,
light manufacturing, retail, wholesale, facilities and sanitation
through various employers.
All candidates interested in any of the job opportunities are required
to apply for our job placement services. Our intake form is at
http://www.deafadvocacy.org/intake.htm

-------------< ANNOUNCEMENT >

We have partnered with NetFlix to help community members enjoy movies
in the safety of their homes and our subscribers are given a free 2
week trial membership to NetFlix. If you haven't tried NetFlix yet,
you should log into Http://www.fundraising.com/movies and be sure to
enter our group code # 521684 and enjoy your 2 free weeks of
membership and if you decide to continue the membership after the free
trial, you will help us get $10 for each new membership. Most movies
offered by NetFlix have subtitling and or closed captioning in them.

-------------< DEAF FRIENDLY BUSINESS OPPORTUNITIES >

Begin your journey toward self-sufficiency by becoming a .WS domain
reseller! Become an owner of a _________.WS website for only $10 a
month! Includes hosting, email, and easy to use website design tools
to create a professional looking website. And all _________.WS owners
automatically become .WS website resellers and it comes with an
automatic selling program. All you have to do is lead people to your
reseller website! The WS stands for 'website'! This is an excellent
self-sufficiency opportunity for people who want to be on the top of
the .WS cyber real estate market. Take a look at the ASL video at
http://www.deafadvocacy.org/cbep/website05.wmv and if you're
interested in this self-sufficiency program please go to
http://website.ws/ocdac for an easy sign
up. Or if you do not know American Sign Language, go straight to the
reseller page at http://website.ws/ocdac for a video of the program.

===============================

Begin your journey toward self-sufficiency by becoming a Discovery
Toys consultant! Discovery Toys focuses on learning through play,
with products specifically designed to maximize learning moments, has
proven to be a success as the company has now witnessed an entire
generation grow up with Discovery Toys. Many parents and their adult
children credit DISCOVERY TOYS® products with helping them to develop
core skills and self-esteem, which contributed to their later life
accomplishments and success as adults. Beth Koenig is your Discovery
Toys consultant. Her Discovery Toys website is at
Http://www.discoverthetoys.net and this is a great business
opportunity for people disabilities. Discovery Toys is one of our
supported activities through our Community Business Enterprise Program.

-------------< LETTERS >

National ADA Symposium & EXPO - April 10-12, 2006 - America's
Center--St. Louis, MO
The Network of ADA & IT Centers is now taking on-line registrations
for the National ADA Symposium & EXPO. Conference details, session
schedules and session descriptions are available at
http://www.adasymposium.org. Registration fees may be paid on-line
via credit card

===============================

I have a 5 year old grandson who lives in another city. I would like
to have a tutor to help me learn ASL or Signed English. I live near
Hollywood. Can you recommend someone? I have already taken the
community college course at LACC but want/need something more. Thanks
for any help you may be able to provide.

"Muirjo"

-------------< EPILOG >

If you wish to contribute to this newsletter, feel free to send in
news, stories, and opinions relating to the disability community. Your
support in this effort to move the disability community forward will
be greatly appreciated. We will continue to aggressively pursue
justice, fairness, and equality for the disability community as it has
been doing since November 1996. We have chosen
that EDUCATION is the best way to accomplish this objective.

The Orange County Deaf Advocacy Center is a community based
organization that puts people with disabilities first in their
advocacy for equal opportunities in safety, health, and productive living.

The Orange County Deaf Advocacy Center provides services for disabled
individuals and their families in our community who need help in
navigating the social services maze. Every day people go without
proper food, shelter, and essential medical care every day due to a
variety of factors including low wages, job loss, injuries, illness,
age, domestic violence, or divorce. While all of us are susceptible to
hard times, disabled individuals are at the most risk. With the
generous support of people like you, we are able to help many of these
families and individuals not only to meet essential daily needs, but
to work toward a brighter future with programs in job training,
education, counseling, elderly assistance, and temporary housing.

Feel free to forward this email message to anyone and any of your
personal mailing lists so we can get the important messages out far
and wide and encourage them to sign up for our weekly newsletter.

DISCLAIMER: The OCDAC Newsletter is designed to share information of
interest to people with disabilities, their friends, associates, and
relatives and promote advocacy in the disability community.
Information circulated does not necessarily express the views of The
Orange County Deaf Advocacy Center. The OCDAC Newsletter is
non-partisan. OCDAC Newsletter does not sell advertising space.
To subscribe to this newsletter go to
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/ocdacnewsletter/ or send a blank email
to [email protected]

Wednesday, February 08, 2006

OCDAC Newsletter February 8, 2006

Dear Friends,

We are having a Bowl-A-Thon next Saturday February 18, 2006 at the
Westminster Lanes from 8 am to noon. We now have sponsors and bowlers
ready to make this a success story. Check on
http://www.deafadvocacy.com/bowlathon/2006/ for more information. We
have some new sponsors and plenty of room for more bowlers.

Our 2005 agency service statistics have been compiled and are
available to anyone who request them. Our statistics gives people an
interesting perspective of what we do at the office in terms of
helping people. Our statistics are broken down extensively and gives
the reader a good snapshot of the type of clients we get and the
services we provide. To request a free 9 page hardcopy of these
statistics, please reply with a postal mailing address and we will get
a copy in your hands within 3 weeks of your request. 2005 had been an
exciting year for our community, clients, and volunteers.

Kudos to our Deaf Blind Services Director, Beth Koenig, for helping
one of her deaf-blind clients living in Anaheim, California regain
much of his remaining sight through his successful surgery last
Monday. She is getting a lot of praise from people who are close to
the client. She had to deal with his suicidal thoughts on several
occasions. Imagine a deaf person losing his sight, losing his very
last means of communication. He's already lost one of his eyes. He was
losing the sight in his other eye, losing his will to live. Beth has
spent lots of time with him. Beth has spent countless hours making
arrangements for his surgery. Beth has gone with him to the doctor's
offices, hospital offices to make all the arrangements to get her
deaf-blind client's remaining sight back. The results Beths dedication
to her client has been positive. He got much of his sight back. She
succeeded. Her success has come with a heavy price. Her family has
difficulty understanding her goodwill, her ambition to help others,
her big heart for helping others. The day after this successful
surgery, she was practically evicted from her home according her
sister's boyfriend. Simply because she spent too much time away from
home. Their main complaint was that she was not contributing to the
almost twisted needs of her abusive family. She was away from home to
serve and help those who need help, away from home to help a man
regain his sight, regain his will to live again. As this graft was
being typed up, she was sleeping at the office, not in her home, a
price she has to pay for being a miracle worker in Orange County. Our
agency is very proud of her because she has the will to help others,
she has the will to serve her community, and she was very much at
peace helping other people. Beth Koenig is a genuine asset to our
agency and our community.

MK Battery of Anaheim, California becomes a leader in educating the
California deaf communities on proper battery disposal information.
Their announcement and flyer information can be found in the letters
section. Kudos to MK Battery.

We finally got ourselves a new van! A group of volunteers and
businesses in West Orange County pooled together to get us a new van.
The new van is expected to be delivered this coming Thursday. Now we
have to get rid of the old van and we're willing to sell it to anyone
very very cheap. The old van runs ok and needs a lot of work.

People are still signing up for our American Sign Language (ASL)
classes and we still have seats open on Wednesday nights. We we are
moving the start of our children's ASL classes to March. You can find
more information on Http://asl.deafadvocacy.org and we hope a lot of
people get a good opportunity to enjoy learning to sign and
communicating with deaf people like the big deaf social event each
month like this Friday at the Block at Orange.

An important message to our American Online (AOL) subscribers. As
announced on USA Today on February 5, 2005 AOL plans on charging for
'authentication' or 'certification' services as a method of cutting
down on unwanted email and spam to their members. In lay-man's terms
if we were to make sure our AOL subscribers were to receive our
newsletters, we'd have to pay AOL a fee to certify our newsletter to
ensure delivery. This is expected to happen within the next few
weeks. Since this newsletter is chock full of news web links, we may
be required to pay such fees and we may have to pass these costs onto
our AOL subscribers if our FEC grant does not cover these costs. The
best way to deal with this is to get a non AOL email address and sign
up for our newsletter through that non AOL email address. The
announcement is on
http://www.usatoday.com/tech/news/computersecurity/2006-02-05-aol-yahoo-email_x.\
htm?csp=26

and we hope our subscribers take action as soon as possible to ensure
they dont miss any of our newsletters.

OCDAC Communications
[email protected]

-------------< INSIDE NEWS >

With our subscribership from the international communities increasing
at a steady pace, we wish to make this newsletter accessible to them
and the easiest way to accomplish this is by directing them to
http://www.babelfish.altavista.com/ and entering
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/ocdacnewsletter/ in the website
translation box and the babelfish will help our international
subscribers become strong advocates for the deaf and disability
communities.

Macy's Community Shopping Day 2006, an in-store shopping event and
fundraiser for charities in the Orange County community, will be held
on May 12, 2006 at Macy's South Coast Plaza. We have 200 tickets to
sell. We need to sell at least 100 of the tickets at $10 each. And
we'll need at least 5 or more volunteers on hand as well. Besides a
good operation at Macy's Community Shopping Day would be as good as a
decent birthday gift to the editor from our communities. The money
will be used for operating expenses and the fee for our Orange County
fair fundraiser stand which is expected to be around $900 plus the
cost of insurance.

We have started on our giant Orange County Fair educational booth
planning for this upcoming summer. This year's theme is 'Flower
Power' and its a retro theme. We are waiting for the official invite.
Our OC Fair fundraiser merchandise stand is taking a nice shape. We
plan to subcontract 2 people to man the fundraiser stand for us.

We have started a Campbell's product label collection campaign to help
us raise the means to get supplies for our office Start saving your
campbells product labels today and mail them to us on the first week
of each month. We have aproximately 1050 subscribers and if each one
of them accumulates and sends us 900-1000 labels a month, we'd be able
to get lots of new equipment for our office and internal and external
education programs! Lets get those labels coming, the program ends in
June.

Drastic Social Security rule changes for Title II Old Age, Survivors,
and Disability Insurance and SSI programs such as outlined in
http://a257.g.akamaitech.net/7/257/2422/01jan20051800/edocket.access.gpo.gov/200\
5/pdf/05-14845.pdf

renews our calls for self-reliance ideas for organizations who serve
the deaf and disabled and our very own idea, our California Disability
Gaming Initiative idea and that can be found at
http://www.deafadvocacy.com/cdgicinfo.pdf is an idea that works for
Native Americans. Why shouldn't it work for the Disability
communities? The proposed Social Security rules will limit appeals
and create a new process that is less about truth-seeking and more
hostile to applicants.

-------------< ANNOUNCEMENT >

Take a look at our new magazine fundraiser and this is one of the ways
you can help us do the good work for the deaf and disabled communities.

The URL is http://www.magfundraising.com/GroupPage.aspx?e=788159

-------------< OUTSIDE NEWS PART 1/3 >

Hearing and deaf students join together
http://khon.com/khon/display.cfm?storyID=11127&sid=1152

Bobsled gold medalist sees improvement in deaf son, new teammate
http://www.al.com/newsflash/regional/index.ssf?/base/sports-7/1139354719235480.x\
ml&storylist=alabamanews


Cowlitz County unveils ballot machines to aid the disabled
http://www.tdn.com/articles/2006/02/07/area_news/news03.txt

Deaf golfer a pioneer on the fairways
http://www.mercurynews.com/mld/mercurynews/sports/golf/13811106.htm

Disabled persons threaten to boycott elections
http://newstodaynet.com/07feb/ss2.htm
Needs of disabled people not addressed
http://www.2theadvocate.com/opinion/letters/2268786.html

Worker sues automaker for firing due to lost vision
http://www.suntimes.com/output/news/cst-nws-blind07.html

-------------< CALIFORNIA DEAFIE HAPPENINGS >

COME TO OUR MEETUPS!

The Orange County American Sign Language Meetup Group -
http://asl.meetup.com/37/ - and the he Orange County Deaf & Hearing
Impaired Meetup Group http://deaf.meetup.com/38/ meets each 3rd
Fridays of the month.

===================================

COFFEE NIGHT AT THE BLOCK AT ORANGE
20 City Blvd. West,
Orange, CA 92868

Location is just where the 5 freeway meets the 22 freeway at The City
Drive Exit in the city of Orange. February 10 , 6pm till closing.
Always heavy turnout be it smoke, rain, or 'moon shine'!

===================================

The Orange County American Sign Language & Orange County Deaf &
Hearing Impaired December Meetup

When:
Friday, February, 7:00 PM

Where:
The Coffee Bean & Tea Leaf
17595 Harvard Ave #B
Irvine, CA
(949) 660-1332

What:
Meet the 2 meetups!

Free Raffle Ticket to each participant, $1.00 for extra raffle tickets.

Prizes include, I love you Figurine, ASL Jewelry, Firestarters, and
ASL pin.
===================================

WRAD, Inc. is happy to present "A CELEBRATION OF LOVE"- A Romantic
Valentine's Day Luncheon

Saturday February 11, 2006

11:30am- 3:30pm

Holly Street Bar and Grill
175 East Holly Street
Pasadena, California 91103

General Admission- $25 per person
Special Admission - $22 per person on SSI

The program includes:

*** CJ Jones, a well-known deaf celebrity and comedian, as the Master
of Ceremonies.

***Grilled Chicken Breast with Whole Grain Mustard Cognac Sauce with
Garlic Mashed Potatoes and vegetables, unlimited baskets of crusty
bread or a vegetarian pasta lunch. And Vanilla Gelato dessert !!!
Unlimited coffee, iced tea, and soft drinks. Tax and tips are included.

*** DJ Live music with Joe Mc Roberts and Koylee, the dancer from
Majestic Element who will sign Valentine songs

*** A story about Valentine being presented by Dr. Patrick Seamans,
who was raised in France, the nation of love and romance

*** The Bar is available with someone to use sign language to
communicate if needed

*** Dating Game, and Artwork contest for best artistic expression
of love and romance for PRIZES!!!

*** Other surprises too!

-------------< ANNOUNCEMENT >

Even though most of us working on computers only work on one, the
average American depends on more than 264 computers per day—from the
tiniest microprocessor to the largest mainframe! That is a lot of
people depending on a lot of computers! Think of how much money could
go to the Orange County Deaf Advocacy Center if 264 supporters bought
one computer each at www.iGive.com/ocdac, where up to 26% of every
purchase is donated to the Orange County Deaf Advocacy Center! At
www.iGive.com/ocdac, membership is free! So hurry up and visit the
Mall at www.iGive.com/ocdac, where you can shop at 600+ stores for all
your favorite electronics and computers from Dell, HP Shopping, Buy,
Computers4SURE, The Apple Store, SONY, and Gateway!

-------------< DEAF GRAPEVINE >

FAMED PRODUCER MICHAEL MOORE INVITES THE DISABILITY COMMUNITY TO BE A
PART OF HIS NEXT MOVIE ON THE HEALTH CARE INDUSTRY

Friends,

How would you like to be in my next movie? I know you've probably
heard I'm making a documentary about the health care industry (but the
HMOs don't know this, so don't tell them -- they think I'm making a
romantic comedy).

If you've followed my work over the years, you know that I keep a
pretty low profile while I'm making my movies. I don't give
interviews, I don't go on TV and I don't defrost my refrigerator. I do
keep my website updated on a daily basis (there's been something like
4,000,000 visitors just this week alone) and the rest of the time
I'm... well, I can't tell you what I'm doing, but you can pretty much
guess. It gets harder and harder sneaking into corporate headquarters,
but I've found that just dying my hair black and wearing a skort
really helps.

Back to my invitation to be in my movie. Have you ever found yourself
getting ready to file for bankruptcy because you can't pay your kid's
hospital bill, and then you say to yourself, "Boy, I sure would like
to be in Michael Moore's health care movie!"?

Or, after being turned down for the third time by your HMO for an
operation they should be paying for, do you ever think to yourself,
"Now THIS travesty should be in that 'Sicko' movie!"?

Or maybe you've just been told that your father is going to have to
just, well, die because he can't afford the drugs he needs to get
better -- and it's then that you say, "Damn, what did I do with
Michael Moore's home number?!"

OK, here's your chance. As you can imagine, we've got the goods on
these crooks. All we need now is to put a few of you in the movie and
let the world see what the greatest country ever in the history of the
universe does to its own people, simply because they have the
misfortune of getting sick. Because getting sick, unless you are rich,
is a crime -- a crime for which you must pay, sometimes with your own
life.

About four hundred years from now, historians will look back at us
like we were some sort of barbarians, but for now we're just the
laughing stock of the Western world.

So, if you'd like me to know what you've been through with your
insurance company, or what it's been like to have no insurance at all,
or how the hospitals and doctors wouldn't treat you (or if they did,
how they sent you into poverty trying to pay their crazy bills) ...if
you have been abused in any way by this sick, greedy, grubby system
and it has caused you or your loved ones great sorrow and pain, let me
know.

Send me a short, factual account of what has happened to you -- and
what IS happening to you right now if you have been unable to get the
health care you need. Send it to [email protected]. I will read
every single one of them (even if I can't respond to or help everyone,
I will be able to bring to light a few of your stories).

Thank you in advance for sharing them with me and trusting me to try
and do something about a very corrupt system that simply has to go.

Oh, and if you happen to work for an HMO or a pharmaceutical company
or a profit-making hospital and you have simply seen too much abuse of
your fellow human beings and can't take it any longer -- and you would
like the truth to be told -- please write me at
[email protected]. I will protect your privacy and I will tell
the world what you are unable to tell.

I am looking for a few heroes with a conscience. I know you are out there.

Thank you, all of you, for your help and your continued support
through the years. I promise you that with "Sicko" we will do our best
to give you not only a great movie, but a chance to bring down this
evil empire, once and for all.

In the meantime, stay well. I hear fruits and vegetables help.

Yours,
Michael Moore
[email protected]
www.michaelmoore.com <http://www.michaelmoore.com/>

-------------< BULLETIN >

The Medicare Rights Center (MRC) needs to hear about all the problems
with the Medicare Part D benefit, whether they happen to you or
someone in your community. With this information, we will be armed
with the needed evidence to push for a decent Medicare drug benefit.

Submit your story at: http://www.medicarerights.org/partdstories.html

-------------< ANNOUNCEMENT >

Please visit our bookstore that has related books and different kinds
of assistive living devices at http://store.deafadvocacy.org

-------------< OUTSIDE NEWS PART 2/3 >

Device bridges gap for hearing impaired
http://www.rctimes.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20060205/NEWS01/602050377/1006\
/MTCN0301


Deaf teacher gets management post
http://www.int.iol.co.za/index.php?set_id=1&click_id=105&art_id=vn20060206093657\
376C291137


Riverside Church for Deaf Says Caltrans Underpaid for Its Land
http://www.latimes.com/news/printedition/california/la-me-church6feb06,0,6064173\
.story?coll=la-headlines-pe-california


Reintegration of disabled people guaranteed
http://www.reliefweb.int/rw/RWB.NSF/db900SID/EKOI-6LR2WF?OpenDocument

Volunteers Help Deaf Gulfport Resident Rebuild
http://www.wlox.com/Global/story.asp?S=4456693&nav=6DJI

Special help for disabled youngsters
http://www.thisishertfordshire.co.uk/news/barnet/display.var.678547.0.special_he\
lp_for_disabled_youngsters.php


State already has a system in place that enables disabled people to vote
http://www.timesunion.com/AspStories/story.asp?storyID=444573&category=OPINION&n\
ewsdate=1/30/2006


Chat group allows deaf to socialize
http://www.theeagle.com/stories/012906/lifestyles_2006012900z.php

-------------< ADVOCACY NEWS >

Dear Colleague,

Since lgtinc's launch one month ago, 21 people have become authors and
started posting articles (one has receive over 18,000 views). 13
Advocacy Events (for example, Freedom Day in New Mexico, February 8th)
and 5 timely Opportunities have also been posted. In addition
numerous web sites have been added to the Issues Categories so you can
stay in touch with the people and groups making a difference.

Thanks,

Mark

PS Click on http://www.lgtinc.org

-View the Home Page regularly for updates to the What's Hot,
Opportunities & Good News
-View Authors & their Stories
-View Events
-Connect to people and groups making a difference by clicking on a
Category
-Contact Us with Ideas
-Subscribe to Alerts, starting in March
-Become an Author, if you have a web page and blog, become an author
and link people to your site.
-Become a Blogger
-Submit an Advocacy Event
-Forward a personal message to your networks about lgtinc.org
-------------< DEAF QUOTES >

"I really don't want him going in without an interpreter," Jacob's mom
tells police.

-------------< ANNOUNCEMENT >

Do you shop at Albertsons or Sav-on stores? You can get a free
community partners card at those stores and then add it to our list of
supporters. A percent of what you buy will go to helping our Deaf
youth program. If you already have a school or other program that you
are supporting, don't worry, you can add your card to support our
program too! There are two ways to add your card. You can email your
First and Last name with your phone number and community partners card
number to [email protected] or you can download and print our
Albertsons / Sav-on Community Partners signup forms at
http://www.deafadvocacy.org/AlbertsonsSignup.pdf and have your
friends, neighbors, associates, and relatives sign up as supporters
and then mail the form to the address on the
form. To reach our funding goal we need 25,000 supporters who shop at
Albertsons / Sav-on. And remember to use your community partners card
when you shop at Albertsons or Sav-on.

-------------< COMMUNITY BULLHORN >

Cultural Diversity Advisory Committee for the National Council on
Disability Recruitment Closes February 24, 2006

Washington, DC: At its January 30, 2006 quarterly meeting, the
National Council on Disability (NCD) announced the opening of a
nationwide search for at least four new members of its Cultural
Diversity Advisory Committee (CDAC). The charter that established CDAC
under the Federal Advisory Committee Act states that this committee is
to provide advice and recommendations to NCD on issues affecting
people with disabilities from culturally diverse backgrounds.
Specifically, the committee will help identify issues, expand
outreach, infuse participation, and elevate the voices of underserved
and unserved segments of this nation's population that will help NCD
develop federal policy that will address the needs and advance the
civil and human rights of people from diverse cultures.

NCD is an independent federal agency whose work is guided by 15
executive members appointed by the President and confirmed by the
Senate. NCD is authorized to make recommendations to the President and
Congress on issues affecting Americans with disabilities. The agency's
overall purpose is to promote policies, programs, practices, and
procedures that guarantee equal opportunity for all individuals with
disabilities, regardless of the nature or severity of the disability;
and to support the empowerment of people with disabilities to achieve
economic self-sufficiency, independent living, and inclusion and
integration into all aspects of society. CDAC's mission is to assist
the capacity of NCD to be culturally and linguistically competent in
all NCD activities and to promote the development of exemplary
cultural and linguistic policies, programs, practices, and procedures
in recommendations to the President and the Congress.

Recruitment for CDAC will close and all applications must be received
by February 24, 2006. To submit a complete application, please send
three documents: (1) a resume, (b) a letter of recommendation, and
(3) a cover letter pointing out your leadership, diversity and
disability related experiences to: [email protected] Postal
mail can be sent to:

Cultural-Diversity CDAC Recruiting

National Council on Disability

1331 F Street, Suite 850

Washington, DC 20004

Questions can be directed to Dr. Gerrie Hawkins, NCD's Designated
Federal Official at: [email protected] in time to allow
applicants to meet the February 24, 2006 closing date of the
recruitment process. To read more about CDAC, you may wish to access
the NCD Website at:
http://www.ncd.gov/newsroom/advisory/cultural/cultural.htm

-------------< OUTSIDE NEWS PART 3/3 >

And pop go his ears
http://www.int.iol.co.za/index.php?set_id=1&click_id=29&art_id=iol1138697789411S\
521


Deaf students feel at home with sign language Bible study
http://www.lrc.edu/news/Releases/2005/Aug-2/Deaf-Biblestudy.htm

IPOD, THEREFORE I'M DEAF: LAWSUIT
http://www.nypost.com/business/59670.htm

How can we give deaf children a better start?
http://www.belfasttelegraph.co.uk/news/features/story.jsp?story=677945

Lawsuit alleges iPods' hearing risk; Apple turns deaf ear
http://www.earthtimes.org/articles/show/5222.html

Woodhaven Baptist Deaf Church celebrates 82 years of service
http://www.hcnonline.com/site/news.cfm?BRD=1574&dept_id=532216&newsid=16064434&P\
AG=461&rfi=9


Not all theaters equal for deaf fans
http://www.timesdispatch.com/servlet/Satellite?pagename=RTD%2FMGArticle%2FRTD_Ba\
sicArticle&%09s=1045855936372&c=MGArticle&cid=1137833810712&path=
!flair!ae

AllDeaf.com : Congregating Hearing Impaired People From All Over The World
http://www.prweb.com/releases/2006/1/prweb338359.htm

-------------< DEAF FRIENDLY JOB OPPORTUNITIES >

1) Temporary warehousing, hospitality, landscaping, construction,
light manufacturing, retail, wholesale, facilities and sanitation
through various employers.
All candidates interested in any of the job opportunities are required
to apply for our job placement services. Our intake form is at
http://www.deafadvocacy.org/intake.htm

-------------< ANNOUNCEMENT >

We have partnered with NetFlix to help community members enjoy movies
in the safety of their homes and our subscribers are given a free 2
week trial membership to NetFlix. If you haven't tried NetFlix yet,
you should log into Http://www.fundraising.com/movies and be sure to
enter our group code # 521684 and enjoy your 2 free weeks of
membership and if you decide to continue the membership after the free
trial, you will help us get $10 for each new membership. Most movies
offered by NetFlix have subtitling and or closed captioning in them.

-------------< DEAF FRIENDLY BUSINESS OPPORTUNITIES >

Begin your journey toward self-sufficiency by becoming a .WS domain
reseller! Become an owner of a _________.WS website for only $10 a
month! Includes hosting, email, and easy to use website design tools
to create a professional looking website. And all _________.WS owners
automatically become .WS website resellers and it comes with an
automatic selling program. All you have to do is lead people to your
reseller website! The WS stands for 'website'! This is an excellent
self-sufficiency opportunity for people who want to be on the top of
the .WS cyber real estate market. Take a look at the ASL video at
http://www.deafadvocacy.org/cbep/website05.wmv and if you're
interested in this self-sufficiency program please go to
http://website.ws/ocdac for an easy sign
up. Or if you do not know American Sign Language, go straight to the
reseller page at http://website.ws/ocdac for a video of the program.

===============================

Begin your journey toward self-sufficiency by becoming a Discovery
Toys consultant! Discovery Toys focuses on learning through play,
with products specifically designed to maximize learning moments, has
proven to be a success as the company has now witnessed an entire
generation grow up with Discovery Toys. Many parents and their adult
children credit DISCOVERY TOYS® products with helping them to develop
core skills and self-esteem, which contributed to their later life
accomplishments and success as adults. Beth Koenig is your Discovery
Toys consultant. Her Discovery Toys website is at
Http://www.discoverthetoys.net and this is a great business
opportunity for people disabilities. Discovery Toys is one of our
supported activities through our Community Business Enterprise Program.

-------------< LETTERS >

In a recent issue of your e-mail newsletter you noted the new
California Law regarding battery recycling and how it affects Cochlear
Implant and Hearing Aid users. Being that my company is in the
battery business I talked with a few colleagues and put this flyer
together. I have also posted a notice at alldeaf.com and sent
something to ohsoez.com for posting.
Please feel free to copy, post and distribute as you see fit. I have
taken time to note that really ALL batteries need to be recycled which
will also affect text-message users, anyone who uses a motorized
scooter or wheelchair, even flashlight batteries, you name it.
Caitlin Mercer
MK Battery
(800) 372-9253 ext 2024
[email protected]

Flyer is at Http://www.deafadvocacy.com/HAVE_YOU_HEARD_THE_NEWS.doc

=================================

Hi Mr. Roehm,

My name is Valerie George and I am a Physician Assistant that works
with the program in Geriatrics at UCI Medical Center. I am working
with Dr. Laura Mosqueda and Dr. Elizabeth Morrison on a research
project for people who are Aging with a Disability.

We are interested in people who are age 20-60 and how they view their
primary care. We are trying to learn if their needs are being met with
primary care issues such as routine exams, knowledgable practioners,
equiptment use in the office that addresses their disability. We are
conducting both questionnaires and focus groups with with different
consumers, providers and community organization leaders. We will be
taking the data that is attained and put it towards the next phase of
the project in creating a model clinic where consumers can get the
best primary care available.

I would like to try to speak with you either by email or phone to
discuss in detail our project and see if you may have some consumers
that are interested. We have a $10.00 honorarium for the consumers if
they complete the questionnaires and a $30.00-50.00 (depending on
transportation needs) for the focus groups.

I am available at 714-456-5530 or by this email ( [email protected] ).

Thank you,
Valerie George, PA-C
Project Cordinator
Aging with a Disability

-------------< EPILOG >

If you wish to contribute to this newsletter, feel free to send in
news, stories, and opinions relating to the disability community. Your
support in this effort to move the disability community forward will
be greatly appreciated. We will continue to aggressively pursue
justice, fairness, and equality for the disability community as it has
been doing since November 1996. We have chosen
that EDUCATION is the best way to accomplish this objective.

The Orange County Deaf Advocacy Center is a community based
organization that puts people with disabilities first in their
advocacy for equal opportunities in safety, health, and productive living.

The Orange County Deaf Advocacy Center provides services for disabled
individuals and their families in our community who need help in
navigating the social services maze. Every day people go without
proper food, shelter, and essential medical care every day due to a
variety of factors including low wages, job loss, injuries, illness,
age, domestic violence, or divorce. While all of us are susceptible to
hard times, disabled individuals are at the most risk. With the
generous support of people like you, we are able to help many of these
families and individuals not only to meet essential daily needs, but
to work toward a brighter future with programs in job training,
education, counseling, elderly assistance, and temporary housing.

Feel free to forward this email message to anyone and any of your
personal mailing lists so we can get the important messages out far
and wide and encourage them to sign up for our weekly newsletter.

DISCLAIMER: The OCDAC Newsletter is designed to share information of
interest to people with disabilities, their friends, associates, and
relatives and promote advocacy in the disability community.
Information circulated does not necessarily express the views of The
Orange County Deaf Advocacy Center. The OCDAC Newsletter is
non-partisan. OCDAC Newsletter does not sell advertising space.
To subscribe to this newsletter go to
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/ocdacnewsletter/ or send a blank email
to [email protected]