Monday, January 23, 2012

Eyefirevlogs.com Will Re-open Soon

Critical contents of Eyefirevlogs.com have been fully restored.

Website will open to public on or around Friday the 27th day of January.

Tuesday, January 17, 2012

Tell Your Congress Representatives To Stop SOPA & PIPA

This bill would establish a system for taking down websites that the Justice Department determines to be dedicated to copyright infringment. The DoJ or the copyright owner would be able to commence a legal action against any site they deem to have "only limited purpose or use other than infringement," and the DoJ would be allowed to demand that search engines, social networking sites and domain name services block access to the targeted site. It would also make unauthorized web streaming of copyrighted content a felony with a possible penalty up to five years in prison. This bill combines two separate Senate bills -- S.968 and S.978 -- into one big House bill.

Monday, January 16, 2012

AFA DENOUNCES FDA’s APPROVAL OF NEWBORN STEM CELL EXPERIMENTATION

Audism Free America (AFA), a grassroots Deaf activist network, condemns the United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for its approval of a study which will use cord blood stem cells on infants as young as six weeks old in an effort to eradicate the Deaf population of the United States.

More at http://audismfreeamerica.blogspot.com/2012/01/afa-denounces-fdas-approval-of-newborn.html

Support Indiana HB 1367: All Options for Children with Hearing Loss

Some important new legislation is coming to the House of the Indiana State Legislature this session: HB 1367. This bill proposes the creation of local, independent, non-biased resource center to provide children identified with hearing loss and their parents with ALL communication options.

More at http://cochlearimplantonline.com/site/4635/support-indiana-hb-1367-all-options-for-children-with-hearing-loss/

Survived week ONE

The kids had a 2 hr. delay on Friday and college did not! Oh the joys of motherhood and how we worry. I was not worried about me driving in that nasty weather to get to school.

More at http://lbre969903.blogspot.com/2012/01/survived-week-one.html

Argh. Seriously, Nolan?

The other day, Nolan had a temper tantrum. When Nolan has a tantrum these days, he usually removes his glasses and hearing aids, throwing them across the room. This is actually an improvement from the days when he would remove his glasses, hearing aids, shoes and socks for a fit.

More at http://saywhatmunchkins.blogspot.com/2012/01/argh-seriously-nolan.html

Thoughts On TTYs

In 1980s and 1990s, Deaf people used TTYs to conversation with someone. There are no videophones at that time. Deaf people had to use text to spells everything, which is hard for some Deaf people.

More at http://deaflog.blogspot.com/2012/01/thoughts-on-ttys.html

Where are our interests?

This has been on my mind for a while, so I’ll try my best in sharing my musings. I was born deaf and was raised by parents who are deaf too. We all graduated from the same school, ISD. Much of my sign language development came from my parents (in the early stages) and the deaf peers (later stages) at the school.

More at http://www.ke5ter.com/archives/2012/01/16/where-are-our-interests

Enter the Bionic World

When my brother sent me a text, “Your hospital called 8 times” two weeks ago. I was literally itching to know whether it's time for my cochlear implant surgery or not. He called them back but wasn't clear on whether I should come back or just finish off the rest of my vacation.

More at http://earlessgeek.wordpress.com/2012/01/16/enter-the-bionic-world/

This can't be true

I was reading a link via Twitter which took me to The Sun newspaper website. Now after reading this story, some of this what I read surely cannot be true.

To read this story on their web page, then please click here so you know what I am on about.

More at http://lizsdeafblog.blogspot.com/2012/01/this-cant-be-true.html

Thoughts On Guide Dogs For Deaf

Before technology, this would makes sense. Because there were no flashing clocks, no flashing door bells, no flashing phone.

After technology, it didn't make sense. We now have Deaf technology needs, like we have flashing clocks, flashing door bells, and flashing phone.

More at http://deaflog.blogspot.com/2012/01/thoughts-on-guide-dogs-for-deaf.html

CART (Communication Access Realtime Translation)

Communication Access Realtime Translation (CART) is the process of converting speech to text in real-time, it is not only useful to the deaf and hard of hearing, it can also help those whose first language is different to the one being used.

More at http://www.hearingaidknow.com/2012/01/16/cart-captions-subtitles/

Major Changes For VRS Industry Planned By FCC!

Lets start with this you can download http://transition.fcc.gov/Daily_Releases/Daily_Business/2011/db1215/FCC-11-184A1.pdf

Many radical changes to the iTRS system that will change the playing field for the major VRS providers. It will reduce the number of VRS providers further.

Richard Roehm

Sunday, January 15, 2012

Is Gallaudet University really our community?

Greetings!

Before the existence of Gallaudet University through Mr. Amos Kendall as the beginning owner, the District of Columbia was established and then governed by a so powerful clan of politician elites known as Washingtonians even though these Washingtonian politicians were from various states. They didnt see the Distinct of Columbia as a state but the luxury place of Freedom and Power that they have the advantage to get them in order to control the blessing society of the United States as the birth of the new global Roman empire in Democracy and as the well-hidden independence of political elites.

Undoubtedly, Mr. Amos Kendall known as the original founder Gallaudet University which has been located on the land of Washingtonians was discovered that he was also part of those elites group after he got his education in Journalist from Dartmouth.  Moreover, he was known as one of the wealthy group of Washingtonian men and he was easily able to hired Mr. Edward Miner Gallaudet all by himself in order to govern his original school formerly called Columbia Institution for the Instruction for Deaf and Dumb and Blind (CIIDDB) while there was something hidden of his heavy participation in Washington with his political affairs.

So that led us to question that Is Gallaudet University really our community? There are several conceptual and analytical reasons with or without evidences that the university is indeed both our community and not at all. After the mystical question was demonstrated here, it would lead you to make your own answer all by yourself to think that Is Gallaudet University really our community?

After we understand that Gallaudet University was basically owned by Mr. Amos Kendall and Washingtonians including the former US President Abraham Lincoln who signed to recognize CIIDDB as a formal College for â€Å“Handicaped People” viewed by himself and the rest of Washingtonians, Gallaudet University became the official propriety of the US Federal Government again known as the elite group of Washingtonians. That means Gallaudet University was financially and systematically controlled by the elite politicians group who hire the Board of Trustees and the administration of the University in order to govern the University by complying the rules of Washingtonians. For that reason, they who are the hired people care about the money of Washingtonians, but that depends on them who deserve the money to perform their great or poor duty for the university in order to appropriately prove Washingtonians that the university has been blessing or completely trashed by the dependence of the academic and functional system, academic and community environment and also most importantly recruited and graduated students who are the key that they make their protective bond of Gallaudet community as their second sweet home or nothing at all by looking the university as their garbage.
               
Actually, I looked at Gallaudet University as the very poor one despite of the invisibility of great resources for students to have an amazing foundation of life with their full of responsibility, duty and rights after their achievement of education. Because of that, more than 70% of the university graduates failed to obtain their real world experiences in a so competitive environment which might to make the university to rise in a good and well respected university. What I have seen the problems with that failure within the university is that the university has:

A) Too many disqualified professors with their very low quality of teaching and/or training that have been causing students to lose their motivation in academy and their love toward the university even though they, the professors, successfully got their advanced degree such as Ph.D., Ed.M., etc.

B) Too many (STD, HIV, alcoholic and non-disease) students with lousy attitude and very cheap freedom including the lack of responsibility, the lack of duty and incomprehensive rights. For example, they have their own worst pride to do whatever they want like providing heavy alcohol during parties or something else in order to put naive students in trashes annually for the intention of rapes, sexual and alcoholic abuses, fights, dramas, etc by stating that it has been the fun experiences of College life. But they dont even know what kind of fun experiences they talked about. In my clear perspective, that is the dangerous and destructive experiences because that put nave and experienced students to feel like they are trashed after their college life because destruction is already in their blood and will remain with them for the rest of their life, and most of them failed to have a commitment and blessing family that produce beautiful children. Some of you as a parent, I am sure you understand well what I am talk, but why dont some of you seriously ponder college students as your children and that doesnt matter if they have freedom in their college. Remember, everyone including myself has the limit of freedom because all of us already have our well-secured responsibility and duty by considering others the same. That is basically emanating from the United Nations Universal Declaration of Human Being.

Its higher level administrators havent really pay attention to students failure of their academic performance and environment security, and also, they havent really cared about professors and staffs poor attitudes toward students seeking for the well intentional foundation of the students academic and college-life achievement in order to prepare for their readiness to face their blessing abundance of problems with hard or/and simple thinking solutions that they have learned maybe in college. Then, they, the students, will keep to find their own knowledge to eliminate the problems with the blessing given of well-structured foundation of education from the university.

Too many students that highly think of themselves instead of others and ironically take themselves as the leader of the Gallaudet community. Then, how can we agree to disagree with a good discussion in so many different and beneficial things and how can we collaborate together with them for building the university into a blessing community with the full of charity, security, deaf culture, friendship, wealth, networking and global.

They are many more issues I can demonstrated here what I know and what I have seen during my college at Gallaudet, but I am not surprised that most of you have already been aware of those issues and I am sure there are too many issues you know more than I do. However, the university is not really understood why it has been in the process toward the declination of the quality of DEAF education since the 1880 conference of Milan despite of a very few succession of Gallaudet alumna and non-alumna.

By stopping here, I feel that Gallaudet University is not really our community due to many serious problems within the university that may destroy our future, but that might positively belong to others. However, that is part of my tourney experience during my education and work at Gallaudet University which is truly an amazing place to go and analyze despite of a very poor level of education systems. However, Gallaudet University has been a place that is very difficult to be trusted due to the abundance of wolves around there. But to others, I dont know and that depends on their college life at or their feeling toward Gallaudet. So, they have their own thinking to answer the ambitious/complex/simple question for themselves: Is Gallaudet University really our community?

Thanks,
Allara

Thursday, January 12, 2012

VRS case: Arrest warrant to be issued for Benjamin Pena

On January 10, 2012, Judge Joel A. Pisano directed the probation department to issue a memo explaining the situation and draw up an arrest warrant for Benjamin Pena due to finding Mr. Pena having violated the terms of his pre-sentencing probation conditions. Details behind the violation(s) are unknown at this time.

More at http://clercjr.wordpress.com/2012/01/12/vrs-case-arrest-warrant-to-be-issued-for-benjamin-pena/

Disaboom Gone Bust?

Oh wow at last ..... Disaboom.com and it's satellites are caving in to obscurity. Founded by a handful of medical capitalists seeking to profit from the "boom" of war vets from the two wars. They've proven to be closed minded and highly selective of it's contributors. That then reflected an isolationist policy that carved its road toward it's demise. They are deep in the hole like over 10 million and sinking deeper by about 2-1/2 million a year. Their contributions to the betterment of people with disabilities is at best minimal.

Richard Roehm

Wednesday, January 11, 2012

Newly Renamed Starkey Hearing Technologies Plans To Keep Putting New Wine In New Bottles

From the blogwire curator : Make s a lot of sense to what I hear coming from the CES. Lots of new products and more controversy. I got nothing to worry about.
================================

Sometimes when a company changes its name, the first thing you think is “old wine in new bottles.” But when Starkey Laboratories, the 45-year-old hearing aid company, today announced its name change to Starkey Hearing Technologies, it reflected how far the company has come in recent years.

More at http://hearingmojo.com/newly-renamed-starkey-hearing-technologies

Deaf, Hearing Impaired, Hard of Hearing…

Warning: overanalysis ahead. I tend to do this, just ask my husband! I was at work yesterday and happened to mention to a patron that I am deaf. His response surprised me – “What?! You can’t be deaf. You’re talking to me, aren’t you?“

More at http://hearingsparks.blogspot.com/2012/01/deaf-hearing-impaired-hard-of-hearing.html

Websites for adding captions/subtitles to videos

I’ve been messing around with JavaScript during lunchtimes at work this week and have started to put together a web application to allow people to add Closed Captions to videos. Currently it can add text to your own videos (mp4, flv, etc) as well as videos from Youtube.

More at http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/DeafnessAndHearingAids/~3/kbN7pGyBNhM/

Vineland, NJ: Pit Bull Mix Pup

Snow White is a deaf, seven week old pit mix pup that is sweet and fun loving and adorable. She and her litter mates were born and raised is a foster home and are well socialized, healthy and happy. Their mother was a pregnant stray pit mix that arrived at CCSPCA as a stray.

More at http://deafanimals.blogspot.com/2012/01/vineland-nj-pit-bull-mix-pup.html

Trying to stay positive….

Yesterday, I found out that my insurance was terminated. NOT MY FAULT. My insurance company made an error. In between all that drama… I received a call from my surgeons office stating I have to get a medical clearance.

More at http://growinguphardofhearing.blogspot.com/2012/01/trying-to-stay-positive.html

Winter

You know how some days are so precious, so wonderful, so heartwarming that you wish you could somehow freeze time, and remember them forever? Yesterday was not one of those days. This is The Queen’s Winter Throne, aka my spot to chill out Well, it really began earlier.

More at http://herdinggrasshoppers.blogspot.com/2012/01/winter.html

Jonesboro, GA: Elderly Chow Chow Needs Help

This sweet boy is currently at Clayton County Animal Control. He has been there about a week and I’ve been keeping my eye on him. He is a really sweet boy, but he does not appear to hear much, if anything at all!!!

More at http://deafanimals.blogspot.com/2012/01/jonesboro-ga-elderly-chow-chow-needs_11.html

Stolen and Abused Pup is Back with the Family

Harmony, was found after being stolen for several weeks. Harmony’s mom adopted her to surprise daddy for Christmas. During her short time missing, there was reports of abuse. She is lucky to be ok and reunited with her family, who have not given up on her from the beginning.

More at http://deafanimals.blogspot.com/2012/01/stolen-and-abused-pup-is-back-with.html

Sunday, January 08, 2012

Project Lavender - Addresses Domestic Violence On Deaf And Disabled Communities

With the US Attorney General's office recently reclassifying rape and identifying men as rape victims, it brings up the opportunity for Orange County Deaf Advocacy Center to re-introduce its domestic violence program under a new name, Project Lavender.

Each year millions of deaf and disabled males and females are sexually assaulted or raped. Approximately 190,000 of those deaf and disabled males and females are found in the United States. Some of those victims of rape and sexual assault develop post traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) symptoms and they then lose their well being, confidence, and willpower.

This is why Orange County Deaf Advocacy Center has had it's own Deaf Domestic Violence program enacted since 2002. It's still around with a new name, Project Lavender, as re-introduced. While we serve all victims, the scope of our resources positions us to have an emphasis on serving the male victims.

Project Lavender is a network of peer counsellors, advocates, and emergency housing programs committed to providing hope, empowerment, and healing to all victims of crimes, survivors of sexual assault.

Project Lavender Hope provides:

* a 24 hour crisis and referral hotline
* temporary sheltering
* court advocacy & research
* access to support groups
* access to counselling

Project Lavender acts with dignity and compassion in order to ease the pain of those who have been affected by rape, domestic violence. Whenever tragedy strikes, Project Lavender Hope is there when you need them. 24 hours a day. 7 days a week. 365 days a year.

And we are collecting donations for this specific program for which we have placed deaf and disabled domestic violence victims in our residency programs, provided access to counselling, and been able to assist in odd hours like 3 am last summer.

Make donations at this link https://www.paypal.com/cgi-bin/webscr?cmd=_s-xclick&hosted_button_id=CRS2U92GLEH9A

Saturday, January 07, 2012

Telecommunications Relay Service (TRS) Information

Patience with relay assisted calls is very important as legal implications can be severe for refusing to continue with the calls after being informed of calls being relay assisted. Local and even national deaf organizations have been suing businesses for not answering relay assisted calls.

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

7-1-1
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Dial 7-1-1 or Special Toll Free Numbers Relay is a free communications service that connects individuals who are deaf, hard or hearing or have speech disabilities with others using standard telephone equipment or telephone equipment designed for individuals with disabilities. To use Relay dial one of the toll free numbers listed here, or simply dial 7-1-1. A specially trained Communications Assistant (CA) will answer your call and relay the telephone conversation between you and the party you are calling. All call information and conversations are confidential. Relay service is available 24 hours per day, 365 days a year. Long distance calls placed for you can be billed to your existing long-distance service calling plan, collect, or with use of pre-paid calling card, carrier-calling card, or third-party billing.

Types of TRS Calls

ASCII
=====
Computer (ASCII) users can access Relay Service by setting the communications software to the following protocols: speeds ranging from 300 to 2400 baud : 8 Bits, No Parity; 1 stop Bit; Full Duplex. For speeds at or below 300 baud, follow the above using half duplex.

HCO
===
Hearing-Carry-Over HCO allows hearing individuals with very limited or no speech capability to type his or her conversation for the Communications Assistant to read aloud to the hearing person. The HCO users hears the other party's response. HCO requires a specially designed telephone.

IP-Relay
========
Internet Relay Connect to the relay using your computer or other web device. The Communications Assistant handles the call the same as traditional relay call - "voicing" or reading everything you type to the other party - and typing everything the other party says for you to read on your screen.

Spanish Relay
=============
Spanish Relay is for Spanish speaking individuals with a hearing or speech disability.

STS
===
Speech-to-Speech STS allows a person who has difficulty speaking or being understood on the phone to communicate using his or her own voice or voice synthesizer. The Communications Assistant revoices the words of the person with the speech disability so the person on the call can understand them. No special telephone is required.

TTY
===
Text Telephone (TTY) Allows anyone who is deaf, hard of hearing or speech disabled to use a TTY to communicate with anyone using a standard telephone.

TTY User and Emergency Assistance ("9-1-1")
TTY callers should dial 9-1-1 directly. All 9-1-1 centers are equipped to handle TTY calls. Using Relay for 9-1-1 may result in a delay to getting your urgent message through.

VRS
===
Video Relay Service (VRS) Allows natural telephone communication between Sign Language and standard telephone users. The service requires high-speed Internet service using DSL, cable modem, or mobile broadband modem.

VCO
===
Voice-Carry-Over VCO enables people who have difficulty in hearing on the phone to voice their conversations directly to the hearing person. The CA then types the hearing person's response to the VCO user. Requires a special telephone with text display.

Voice/Standard Telephone
========================
A hearing person may use a standard telephone to place a relay call and easily converse with a person who is deaf, hard of hearing or speech disabled.

Captioned Telephone Service (CAPTEL)
=====================================
CAPTEL allows a person who has hearing loss to receive word-for-word captions of their telephone conversations on the phone. To use captioned telephone service, one must have a CAPTEL phone. The captions are displayed on the telephone's built-in display screen so that the user can read the words while listening to the voice of the other party. If you wish to contact a person who uses CAPTEL phone, dial 1 877-243-2823.

Wednesday, January 04, 2012

Blogwire Curator Richard Roehm On Holiday

I'm taking a holiday until January 9, 2011. I've accomplished so much in the past two months and I deserve a break.

Richard

Tuesday, January 03, 2012

Deaf activist ‘shakedown’ of O.C. businesses?

The letter making its way to small businesses starts out nicely enough:

“Thank you for taking the time to read this important message from a deaf advocate in Orange County, California.”

Read more at http://taxdollars.ocregister.com/2012/01/03/deaf-activist-shakedown-of-o-c-businesses/145327/

Monday, January 02, 2012

Chinese New Year Lucky Number Donation

Click On Envelope Below To Donate To The Orange County Deaf Advocacy Center

One Less Deaf Bully

One of the nastiest deaf bullies of Orange County has passed away recently. His guilty conscience caused him drink himself to death over the holidays. He was half my age. I won't even mention his name. I'm not going to have people looking at his sunset.

I can say that karma finally got to his ass real hard. 2012 begins with one less deaf bully in Orange County, California.

Good riddance!

Sunday, January 01, 2012

central park

At Midnight, Tasha and I went to Central Park where leash laws are not recognized from 9am to 9pm. As we walk, I can feel her ears perk, her movements become expectant.

More at http://oodlesofcharm.wordpress.com/2011/12/30/central-park/

Seattle Aquarium

We are having lots of fun running around with Mike, Melissa and Eli this week. Norah and Eli have really taken to each other and are enjoying having someone to play with each day.

More at http://2china4norah.blogspot.com/2011/12/seattle-aquarium.html

Accessible Places – Companies and People – Spotlight on Keen Guides

What the world needs is – a whole lot more places that are fully accessible for all. In the CCAC, our focus is on equal communication access with inclusion of quality captioning, and today we highlight a company (and person) who is doing what they can to build awareness, and provide services, especially for museums and other cultural venues.

More at http://ccacblog.wordpress.com/2011/12/31/accessible-places-companies-and-people-spotlight-on-keen-guides/

Happy New Year!!! 2012...Sounds Good:-)

Today I took 40 minutes and went to the beach.

Just me, sunshine, the sea and my boots stuck right in the sand.

More at http://rallycapsdotnet.blogspot.com/2011/12/happy-new-year-2012sounds-good.html

My Siemens Impact DP

As mentioned in my previous post, when I talked about my ProPocket, I had to have new hearing aids, as my old pair would not work with the ProPocket.

More at http://lizsdeafblog.blogspot.com/2012/01/my-siemens-impact-dp.html

#CITalk on Twitter this Sunday, January 8th!

Cochlear Implant Online is taking a leap and being ahead of the technological curve by being the first to start a weekly chat on Twitter for the hearing loss community.

WHAT: Cochlear Implant Talk (#CITalk) – Twitter chat with a new topic each week

More at http://cochlearimplantonline.com/site/4525/citalk-on-twitter-this-sunday-january-8th/

Flight Hostess Uses Sign Language

I was on flight from Netherlands to Sweden yesterday. I was fascinated when the airline hostess used signs to give safety instructions. She used sign language to show how to use each safety materials such as oxygen mask and how to exist the plane in case of emergency.

More at http://bakardali.blogspot.com/2012/01/flight-hostess-uses-sign-language.html

2012 - the year of synergism for Deaf, deaf and hard of hearing owned businesses

Happy New Year readers and fans!

I think 2012 will be the year where synergy would begin to emerge among Deaf, deaf and hard of hearing business owners.

More at http://kokonutpundits.blogspot.com/2012/01/2012-year-of-synergism-for-deaf-deaf.html