Wednesday, March 08, 2006

OCDAC Newsletter March 8, 2006

Dear Friends,

Our 3 prong education campaign has taken off without a hitch! Kudos
to everyone who supplied us the materials, addressed and stuffed the
envelopes, assembled the education packages, took the packages and the
envelopes to the postal centers. We did a lot in the past week! All
this cost a lot of money and a lot of our resources. We feel good
we're making a positive impact for the deaf communities in the Southland.

Our famous safety education coloring books for deaf kids are being
re-released again! These are excellent educational supplements to any
school for the deaf. They teach deaf kids safety. For information
on our coloring books please check
http://www.defadvocacy.org/education/flyers/JustBeSafeInfo.pdf

Paul Winter's plea to save the National Theatre of the Deaf is in the
Grapevine section.

Rafael Pinchas scores another big one for righteousness by alerting us
of the latest developments in the CISS-Ammons drama with his
submission in the community bullhorn section! We believe the drama
will evolve into a nasty crisis the equivalent of a blackhole and it
will drag all the deaflympics sponsors into it and nothing will be
able to escape it's wrath. The best suggestion at this point is a
major change in the CISS leadership so deaf people will get the chance
to prove themselves in the area of athletics. Kudos to Rafael!

National Institute on Disability Rehabilitation and Research has
finally proposed some changes that will reduce and possibly eliminate
the polarity that has been found in Regional Disability and Business
Technical Assistance Centers throughout the United States. They are
supposed to be charged with distributing information on ADA access to
the consumers and businesses. Recently the Regional Disability and
Business Technical Assistance Centers have been aligning themselves to
advocacy groups that are totally clueless on the spirit of community
advocacy. We have had clients telling us stories that suggest that
these centers have been the sources of the hostilities between
businesses and the disability communities. Finally the hand that
feeds these Regional Disability and Business Technical Assistance
Centers is expected to get smaller soon and people and businesses will
come to real organizations like ours for real help.
We have been invited to the Deaf Asia Festival and the Mata Expo and
we thank and appreciate the Deaf Asia Foundation for giving us the
opportunity to participate in their deaf community events. We plan a
very exciting and very sensitive educational booth at the Deaf Asia
Festival and we will be offering resourceful things at our booth in a
way that no other California deaf social service agency ever thought
of doing.

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.

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 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 >

Deaf Children Denied Full Access To Language
http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/GE0603/S00023.htm

Woman struck in the head with bottle, sues D.E.A.F.
http://www.wvrecord.com/news/newsview.asp?c=175532

Jury Awards $108,000 to Deaf FedEx Employee
http://hr.blr.com/display.cfm/id/17886

Interview: Sign-language takes to the web
http://www.vnunet.com/itweek/analysis/2151441/sign-language-takes-web

Special screenings for the hearing-impaired welcome
http://www.news-leader.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20060306/OPINIONS01/603060\
317/1091


Defining `Unnecessary': Bush Cuts Funding For Disabled Children
http://thinkprogress.org/2006/03/06/bush-disabled-children/

Cab Companies in Court Over Service for the Disabled
http://www.ksl.com/?nid=148&sid=172236

Bill would protect disabled children in private group homes
http://www.49abcnews.com/news/2006/mar/06/bill_would_protect_disabled_children_p\
rivate_group/


Vocational program for disabled is threatened by money shortage
http://www.journalnow.com/servlet/Satellite?pagename=WSJ%2FMGArticle%2FWSJ_Basic\
Article&c=MGArticle&cid=1137834516442&path=
!localnews&s=1037645509099

-------------< 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.

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

ASL BINGO!
Come learn ASL while playing bingo!

AT THE OCDAC CLASSROOM

March 25, 2006
4pm to 7pm
$1 per card per game – 7 cards for $5
Great Prizes!

PROCEEDS BENEFIT ORANGE COUNTY DEAF ADVOCACY CENTER

For more info contact [email protected]
===================================

DEAF SEMINAR SATURDAYS

We are having two 2 hour FREE educational seminars to our community
members.

Protecting yourself from deaf-run scams
March 25, 2006, 10 am – 12 Noon and 1pm – 3pm

Disaster preparedness
May 27, 2006, 10 am – 12 Noon and 1pm – 3pm

Getting the most from your Sidekick
June 24, 2006, 10 am – 12 Noon and 1pm – 3pm

Healthy Hands and Eyes workshop
August 26, 2006, 10 am – 12 Noon and 1pm – 3pm

Dealing with creditors
September 30, 2006, 10 am – 12 Noon and 1pm – 3pm

Deaf motorist safety
October 28, 2006, 10 am – 12 Noon and 1pm – 3pm

Deaf employment rights
November 25, 2006, 10 am – 12 Noon and 1pm – 3pm

Safety at home
December 30, 2006, 10 am – 12 Noon and 1pm – 3pm

Classes take place at the OCDAC classroom. RSVP is required and 8
students maximum per class. reply back with reservation information.
And the seminars are always FREE.

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

Beach Blanket Babylon, San Francisco's only longest running musical
will have an interpreted performance on Sunday April 2, 2006 - 5 pm.
Interpreters - Sherry Hicks & Michael Velez

At Club Fugazi - 678 Green Street (Beach Blanket Babylon Blvd) - San
Francisco, CA

Call - 415-421-4222 ask for Deaf Seating. Under 21 welcome. Hurry as
seats sell out fast!

They have a website at www.beachblanketbabylon.com

-------------< 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 >

Dear Deaf Community,

We need your assistance!

NTD is facing increasingly significant financial challenges. As a
result of legislative changes, world events, and the current financial
climate, some crucial sources of revenue that NTD has historically
relied upon have dramatically diminished or disappeared completely.
The most critical, a yearly federal grant first given to NTD in 1965
from the U.S. Department of Health, Education and Welfare was taken
away when the DOE no longer funds cultural programs for the Deaf.

To continue its success , NTD will need to generate more funds. Please
help us to continue broadening the awareness, understanding, and
appreciation of Deaf culture through the medium of theatre. NTD needs
the Deaf community to help us to continue to spread the mission of the
National Theatre of the Deaf and to let individuals know that we are
still around, still producing shows and touching lives.

The Executive Director, Paul L. Winters, Ph.D., of The National
Theatre of the Deaf (NTD) expresses "We need your financial
assistance. Connecticut, no the nation, has a national treasure that I
am not willing to give up. With support of our Deaf and hearing
friends we are confident that the Theatre can and will continue to
produce quality theatrical entertainment for another 39 years."

The idea of NTD began with Dr. Edna Simon Levine, a psychologist
working in the area of deafness. She formed the concept of a
professional company of Deaf performers in the 1950s. Director, Arthur
Penn and Anne Bancroft, leading actress of Broadway's The Miracle
Worker, were approached with the idea and in turn, brought it to their
colleague, Broadway set and lighting designer, David Hays. Struck by
the beauty and strength of sign language on stage, Mr. Hays persisted
in his vision of bringing this powerful form of expression to theatre
audiences.

In the spring of 1967, a national television program aired, exploring
the experimental idea of NTD. With additional funds from the U.S.
Office of Education, NTD embarked on its first national tour from a
home base shared with The O'Neil Theatre Center in Waterford, Connecticut.

Since founded in Connecticut in 1967, the National Theatre of the Deaf
(NTD) is the oldest continually producing and touring, professional
Deaf theatre company in the United States. It was the first theatre
company to perform in all 50 states, has toured to all seven
continents and in 32 countries. NTD's professional acting company is
made up of both Deaf and Hearing Artists working together as an
ensemble. The audience sees and hears every word through the NTD's
signature performance style, which combines American Sign Language
(ASL) and spoken word.

In addition to being the recipient of the prestigious Tony Award for
Theatrical Excellence and receiving a Grammy® Nomination, NTD has long
served as artistic ambassador for the United States. The NTD has
staged more than 10,000 live performances as part of nearly 100
national and international tours.

The National theatre of the Deaf has been instrumental in opening up
many other worlds for the Deaf. Captioned television,
Telecommunication devices, Sign Language interpreters, Bi-lingual,
bi-cultural education are some of the benefits that have occurred as
"fall-out" of the work the National Theatre of the Deaf has done.
There have also been two generations of children who have seen company
member, Linda Bove on "Sesame Street" as well as a new audience seeing
the 2004-2005 season cast of the LTD (Little Theatre of the Deaf) with
Big Bird and friends in 2005 and 2006.

For more nearly four decades, the Tony-Award winning National Theatre
of the Deaf has celebrated the artistry of the Deaf. Through its
performance and associated education and outreach programs, The
National Theatre of the Deaf has illuminated the minds and touched the
hearts of more than 3.5 million people, ninety percent of whom are
Hearing. During the 2004-2005 season the LTD toured 16 states and
performed for over 85,000 school children.

Thank you for you time and your support.

Please mail this to your deaf friends and colleagues

Sincerely,

Paul L. Winters
[email protected]
Executive Director

National Theatre of the Deaf
139 North Main St.
West Hartford, CT 06107
www.ntd.org

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

Accessible Voting Systems Required in Federal Elections

The first of the year marked the deadline by which voting systems used
in Federal elections must be accessible under the Help America Vote
Act. The law requires every precinct in the country to have at least
one voting machine or system accessible to persons with disabilities,
including those with vision impairments, by January 1, 2006.B Access
is required so that persons with disabilities have the same
opportunity for participation, including privacy and independence,
afforded other voters. Passed in 2002, the act implements these and
other reforms in response to the balloting controversies that arose in
the 2000 presidential election. In addition to access for people with
disabilities, these reforms include measures that will allow voters to
verify and correct ballots before they are cast and will remove
language barriers. The law also authorized funding to states to help
cover the costs of compliance.

In December, the Election Assistance Commission, which was set up
under the law to implement the reforms, issued new guidelines that
states can follow on a voluntary basis to ensure that voting systems
function accurately and reliably. The Voluntary Voting System
Guidelines cover usability, including accessibility for people with
disabilities, security, and privacy. "These guidelines were created
to ensure that voting systems will be accurate, reliable, secure and
accessible to all voters," noted Commission member Gracia Hillman
after the Commission's vote to adopt the guidelines. The guidelines,
which are responsive to advances in voter system technologies, provide
performance criteria for functionality, accessibility and security
that systems can be tested against. They also establish evaluation
criteria for the certification of voting systems. They will replace
standards issued by the Federal Election Commission in 2002.B
Currently, 39 states use these standards in certifying voting systems.

The guidelines were prepared by an advisory body that included
representation from the Board. Through their seats on this panel,
Board members J.R. Harding, Ed.D. and James Elekes, M.Ed, MPA/CPM,
provided input on voting system accessibility. The Commission
released the guidelines for public comment last June and received over
6,000 comments during the 90-day comment period. In addition to its
work on the guidelines, the Commission serves as a national resource
for information on the administration of Federal elections, conducts
studies on voting system improvements, and administers various grant
programs funded by the law. The new guidelines and related information
are posted on the Commission's website at http://www.eac.gov.
Polling Place Access Also Covered by the ADA

In addition to the Help America Vote Act, the Americans with
Disabilities Act (ADA) has requirements for accessibility that are
pertinent to polling places. Under title II of the ADA, state and
local governments must ensure access to their programs and services,
including voting. The U.S. Department of Justice, which regulates and
enforces this provision, has issued a guide on polling place
accessibility. The ADA Checklist for Polling Places is designed to
help local jurisdictions in selecting sites for polling places through
an evaluation of architectural accessibility. It can be used to
identify barriers to access and to determine how best to address them.
Based on the ADA's design requirements for buildings and facilities,
the checklist covers access to parking, passenger drop-off areas,
sidewalks, and entrances so that all areas and elements used by voters
are accessible. The checklist is posted on the DOJ's website at
http://www.ada.gov/votingck.htm or can be ordered by calling (800)
514-0301 (voice) or (800) 514-0383.

-------------< 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 >

Visual smoke detectors needed to help hearing impaired
http://www.hamiltonspectator.com/NASApp/cs/ContentServer?pagename=hamilton/Layou\
t/Article_Type1&c=Article&cid=1141426213526&call_pageid=1020420665036&col=111287\
6262536


Awareness drive on hearing impaired
http://www.thepeninsulaqatar.com/Display_news.asp?section=Local_News&subsection=\
Qatar+News&month=March2006&file=Local_News2006030525216.xml


Walls talk for deaf artists at Vanderbilt exhibit
http://www.rctimes.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20060305/ENTERTAINMENT05/60305\
0313/1005/MTCN0303


Missing deaf-mute found in wooded area
http://www.kten.com/Global/story.asp?S=4586829

Disabled woman loses rent aid after moving
http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/local/chicago/chi-0603050020mar05,1,5150817.s\
tory?coll=chi-newslocalchicago-hed&ctrack=1&cset=true


New state loan program assists disabled people
http://www.daily-times.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20060306/NEWS01/603060303/\
1001


Disabled program on chopping block
http://kvoa.com/Global/story.asp?S=4588597&nav=HMO6

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

Justice Department Sues New York State over Voting Rights

Lawsuit Seeks to Vindicate Rights of Disabled Voters and Federal
Election Reform Efforts

Justice Department Press Release

WASHINGTON, D.C. - The Justice Department announced today that it has
filed suit against the State of New York alleging violations of the
Help America Vote Act of 2002 (HAVA). The lawsuit was filed in the
U.S. District Court for the Northern District of New York in Albany.

The government's complaint contends that the state has failed to
comply with two of HAVA's requirements governing federal elections,
and that states:

(i) adopt voting systems that are fully accessible by disabled voters
and are capable of generating a permanent paper record that can be
manually audited, and

(ii) create a statewide computerized voter registration database. The
lawsuit is the first filed to vindicate these important federal
obligations.

"HAVA contains important reforms designed to ensure that elections for
federal office will both allow access to all voters and ensure the
integrity of the process," said Wan J. Kim, Assistant Attorney General
for Civil Rights. "We believe today's lawsuit will help ensure that
New York voters enjoy the benefits of these important reforms."HAVA
was enacted with bipartisan support after the 2000 presidential
election and was signed into law by President Bush on October 29,
2002. States had nearly three years to comply with the provisions
enforced under today's lawsuit, which took effect January 1, 2006.

This suit is the culmination of an extensive effort by the Civil
Rights Division to ensure timely and full implementation of HAVA. The
Division met with representatives from states around the country to
appraise then assist with their implementation efforts. As part of
this process, the Division closely reviewed New York officials' steps
to comply with HAVA. The Division repeatedly urged to New York to come
into compliance on a voluntary basis. As of the January 1, 2006
deadline, however, New York was not close to compliance with either
provision.

HAVA was the first federal statute to provide federal funds to states
to support reform of federal elections. As the government's complaint
alleges, New York received approximately $221 million to assist its
implementation of HAVA's requirements. This included more than $49
million specifically designated to assist the state replace its lever
voting machines. Under HAVA, New York stands to lose these earmarked
funds if it fails to replace these machines by the September 2006
primary election. Today's lawsuit seeks a determination that the State
of New York is not in compliance with HAVA's voting systems and
database requirements, and an order requiring the state to submit
promptly a plan demonstrating how it will come into full compliance.
-------------< DEAF QUOTES >

"Ears are not important. It's what's between them that count"
Frederick C. Schreiber

-------------< 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/community/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 - March 2, 2006

From: www.deafsportlawsuit.com

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

The March 1, 2006 16th Deaflympic Winter Games Press Conference in Utah
CISS President Implicated in Kidnapping/Murder Scheme of a Deaf
Russian n Moscow

By Rafael Pinkhasov Pinchas, CISS Ombudsman

New York, USA - Yesterday the city of Salt Lake City, Utah, hosted a
well-organized event called the 2007 Winter Deaflympics Press Conference.

The 40-minute Press Conference event, led by Mr. Dwight Benedict, the
Chairman of the Organizing Committee of the 2007 Winter Deaflympics,
was televised live via the Maryland-based DEAFNATION worldwide
internet system.

Once again, inaccurate, irresponsible and misleading data was provided
to the world media and other attendees of such a Press Conference by
certain individuals, including by the still illegitimatelly-elected
CISS President and sports anarchist Donalda Ammons.

During the Press Conference the following questionable words and
sentences - through both voice and sign language - were announced:

that the city of Salt Lake City is the "1st city in the world" to host
the three IOC-sanctioned events: Olympic Games and Paralympic Games (
both held in 2002 ), and now the Deaflympic Games in 2007 ( however,
the truth is that the city of Rome, Italy, also hosted the threee
similar events with the blessings and sanctions by the IOC - the
Olympic Games in 1960, Paralympic Games ( previously known as
International Stoke Mandeville Games ), also in 1960, and Deaflympic
Games in 2001 );

that the "first flag raised" at the Deaflympic Games was in 1924 (
however, the truth was that the CISS flag was for the first time
hoisted at the Opening Ceremony of the Deaflympic Games ( then known
as the International Silent Games ) in 1939 in Stockholm, Sweden );

that 38 athletes from 6 nations competed at the 1st Deaflympic Winter
Games in 1949 ( the fact, however, was that 33 athletes from 5
nations took part at these inaugural Games in 1949 );

that 6 countries for men and 4 countries for women registered their
respective teams for curling as a medal event for the 2007 Winter
Olympics ( however, the sport of curling is supposed to be a
demonstration and non-medal event at these Games, according to a
certain Deaflympic Games Regulations Rule ).

During the Press Conference, it was also announced that "over 400 deaf
athletes from 22 countries" are expected to take part at the 2007
Games. It is this Ombudsman's sincerest hope that these figures are
real and not inflated ones as, for example, for the last Deaflympic
Games - Summer - held in Melbourne, Australia, in 2005, the CISS
irresponsibly, knowingly and intentonally inflated the statistical
figures by falsely and in advance announcing to the world that "over
4,500 athletes from more than 90 nations" were expected to compete at
the 2005 Summer Games ( the truth, however was that only 2,014
athletes from 62 nations showed up at Melbourne ).

For details, read

www.deafsportlawsuit.com/update27.html
www.deafsportlawsuit.com/update30.html
www.deafsportlawsuit.com/update69.htm

In addition, although this Ombudsman fully supports the idea to
organize the 2007 Games in Salt Lake City, the CISS President, at
yesterday's Press Conference, chose to conceal the fact that the state
of Utah and its city Salt Lake City earned the right to host next
year's Games illegally and in blatant violations of the CISS
Constitution Rule 7.2 ( previously known as CISS Constitution Rule 8.2
) and Deafympic Games Regulation Rules 3.1 and 3.7 ( previously known
as Deaflympic Games Regulations Rules 3.A and 3.G ).

Meanwhile, news was received from Moscow that a deaf suspect in
kidnapping and murder of Mr. Felix Shlimovich, an ex-adversary in the
two legal cases against Donalda Ammons, is finally being caught up.

Ammons and her three deaf Russian accomplices are implicated in this
heinous criminal scheme.

The investigation is still on.

Further details will be announced soon.

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

PRESS RELEASE - March 4, 2006

From: www.deafsportlawsuit.com

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

LETTER-REPLY TO MAYOR OF SALT LAKE COUNTY, HOST OF 2007 DEAFLYMPIC
WINTER GAMES

By Rafael PINKHASOV PINCHAS, CISS Ombudsman

New York, USA - Following this Ombudsman's March 2, 2006 Press Release
titled THE MARCH 1, 2006 16th DEAFLYMPIC WINTER GAMES PRESS CONFERENCE
IN UTAH AND CISS PRESIDENT IMPLICATED IN KIDNAPPING/MURDER SCHEME OF A
DEAF RUSSIAN, an e-mail message was received from the Office of the
Mayor of Salt Lake Country, Mr. Peter Corroon in the late evening of
March 2, 2006:

Dear Mr. Pinchas,

Mayor Corroon has requested that I follow up with you regarding your
email. Our office has received several emails regarding the same
issue. After reviewing your email I am unclear as to what
responsibility you feel Salt Lake County has regarding this. Can you
please clarify for me? Thank you.

Sincerely,

Stacee Adams
Office of the Mayor
801-468-2500

Here are the contents of this Ombudsman's today's Letter-Reply to Mayor:

March 4, 2006

Dear Mayor Corroon:

This is to acknowledge the receipt of your aide Stacee Adams' recent
e-mail message.

Please be advised that one of the main purposes of my March 2, 2006
Press Release were to educate your Office and others as to what kind
of CISS and USADSF leaders our deaf sports world is having in these
contemporary times and in what manner your State/County/City won the
bid to host the 16th Deaflympic Winter Games.

Although I do wholeheartedly support the organization of the 2007
Games in your sports-loving County, which has excellent and
world-class sports and cultural facilities, I do feel that you and
your people should be further aware of the following.

As a proponent of law, order and long-time fighter for equal and just
rights of every deaf athlete in every part of the world, I must
reiterate that the state of Utah and its Salt Lake City were awarded
the rights to host the 2007 Games in an improper, inappropriate and
illegitimate way.

By defying the CISS Motto "EQUAL THROUGH SPORTS," certain rules of the
CISS Constitution and Deaflympic Games Regulations, and in
self-interest and to the huge detriment of the international deaf
sports, Donalda Ammons, the then so-called Secretary General of the
CISS, and her associates in the USADSF went ahead to place - and to
single-handedly "win" - the bid of the city of Park City, Utah, on
February 28, 2003, during the 38th CISS Congress held in Sundsvall,
Sweden. Very unfortunately, Ammons and her cronies "accomplished" this
through their acts of intimidation, cover up, misinformation and
chicanery!

Because the USADSF, a nation-member of the CISS, did not fully and
honorably meet the three key rules of the CISS Constitution ( 8.2 )
and Deaflympic Games Regulations ( 3.A and 3.G ), the USADSF was,
therefore, ineligible to put its bidding proposal of the city of Park
City as a city-candidate for the 2007 Games hostship at the CISS
Congress held in 2003.

Specifically, by February 28, 2003 - the 2007 Games site bid
selection date:

1) USADSF failed to fully pay its membership dues debts to the CISS (
violation of the CISS Constitution Rule 8.2 );
2) USADSF and Ammons ignored the rule interpretation such as "a bid
for the 2007 Games must be done six years ( that is, in 2001 ) before
the conduct of the actual Games" ( violation of the Deaflympic Games
Regulations Rule 3.A ), and
3) USADSF did not also arrange "an on-site inspection visit by the
CISS President or its representative to the proposed venue of the 2007
Games before the start of the 38th CISS Congress on February 27, 2003"
( violation of the Deaflympic Games Regulations Rule 3.G ).

Note: some time later on, the USADSF somehow switched the staging of
the 2007 Games from Park City to Salt Lake City. This, again, was done
without advance knowledge, consent and approval of the CISS Congress,
the supreme authority of the CISS.

In addition, the presence and participation of certain individuals
from the CISS ( such as USADSF members Ammons and Jerald Jordan, her
senior advisor in the CISS and prime architect of the recent 39th CISS
Congress election voting fraud scheme ) at the March 1, 2006 Press
Conference was an unconstitutional one because, to this day, the
USADSF has not yet fully fulfilled its financial debts before the CISS.

Therefore, by a CISS Constitution rule, as of today, the USADSF
should, among the other things, technically be viewed as a suspended
national member of the CISS.

I do also must caution you that as long as the USADSF and CISS
leader-anarchist Ammons continue to violate certain rules of the CISS
legal system, the presence and participation of the USA team
delegation at next year's Games in your County/City will be an
illegitimate and unjustified one.

Thus, upon learning of the above, is your County/City proud to hold
the distinction - a dubious one - as the first city in the world to
receive the hostship rights of a prestigious international event such
as Deaflympic Winter Games, which was obtained in violation of rules
of an international sports federation such as the CISS, is not it?

In light of the foregoing, I do now urge your Office and others to
carefully review and prudently scrutinize your ongoing business
relationship with the CISS/USADSF and take logically appropriate steps.

Should you have any question, please feel free to contact me.

Sincerely Yours,

Rafael Pinkhasov Pinchas
CISS Ombudsman

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

Deaf Director Honored by Student Academy
http://www.abcnews.go.com/GMA/Oscars2006/story?id=1683170&page=1

Options grow for deaf film fans
http://www.news-leader.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20060303/LIFE/603030329/10\
93


Deaf Sioux Falls woman's trial set for May 1
http://www.aberdeennews.com/mld/aberdeennews/news/13989808.htm

Open your eyes to deaf history at exhibit
http://www.nashvillecitypaper.com/index.cfm?section=12&screen=news&news_id=48160

Disabled and deaf in pioneering new history project
http://www.24dash.com/content/news/viewNews.php?navID=7&newsID=3583

Technology poised to create a deaf generation
http://www.kansascity.com/mld/kansascity/13994865.htm

Warning over access to jobs for disabled
http://breakingnews.iol.ie/news/story.asp?j=174750532&p=y7475yz38

Dixon disabled advocate vindicated by high court
http://www.dailydemocrat.com/news/ci_3566615

-------------< 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 >

This is a community newsletter. Send us your letters and comments.

-------------< 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, March 01, 2006

OCDAC Newsletter March 1, 2006

Dear Friends,

One of the most interesting and fascinating stories that we've come
across in these days is we have students raising funds to help pay for
a deaf teacher's cochlear implant. Kudos to the students who made a
positive impact on their deaf teacher. The story is in the outside
news section.

People connected to Univeristy High school's deaf and hard of hearing
program appear to be playing sick games with us. We really dont
deserve this and dont appreciate such childishness from one of the
last of the ASL militant strongholds in the Southland. We dont need
their childish games. If 'transportation' is an issue, they can
easily walk over to our agency than send us silly email messages.

We might have a new person moving in from Seattle, Washington who will
help us with a number of our activities. We are thrilled at the
strong possibility of one of our newsletter contributors, Mac Crary,
becoming more physically involved with our agency operations in the
near future. Mac is oral deaf and has a strong personal mission
himself and our facilities are perfect for that mission and having him
with us will strengthen our alignment with our mission and vision
statements.

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/community/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.

This has rather been a slow week in the area of community advocacy.
Not all 52 weeks is seen bustling with community advocacy activities.

We have a church in Brea offering us the use of their property for an
ASL festival like event. Yesterday I had an interesting discussion
with people connected to it and the idea looks excellent for us to
have small "ASL Sunday Festivals" each Sunday complete with outreach
booths from various organizations serving the deaf and free food to
all participants. We should begin this on or around the 2nd week of
April. This will be a great suppliment to our education program.

The editor's younger brother, Robert, made it through open heart
surgery last Monday. He had been a familiar face in the office, our
fundraising and educational outreach activities. We look forward to
his ongoing of our mission and vision statements.

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.

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 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 >

Students Treat Deaf Teacher
http://www.cbsnews.com/sections/i_video/main500251.shtml?clip=/media/2005/07/14/\
video709082&sec=&vidId=500202&title=&hitboxMLC=&


Facilitator works to better communication for deaf
http://news.newstimeslive.com/story.php?id=80399&category=Local

Parents sue deaf-blind school
http://deseretnews.com/dn/view/0,1249,635186816,00.html

Giving the deaf a voice of their own
http://newstodaynet.com/25feb/rf4.htm

Akron flier breaks ground for deaf pilots
http://www.cleveland.com/news/plaindealer/index.ssf?/base/summit/114086025213727\
0.xml&coll=2


Funding to NTID Tops $7M for International Project
http://www.ntid.rit.edu/media/full_text.php?article_id=483

World Deaf Cycling Championships to Host Power Training Clinic
http://www.prweb.com/releases/2006/2/prweb350561.htm

Aspen Skiing Co. gives deaf kids special opportunity
http://www.postindependent.com/article/20060224/SPORTS/102240036

-------------< 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.

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

Cinderella Waltz A Modernized and Twisted Version in American Sign
Language

Fremont, California - 22 February 2006 -- Do you ever dream of
escaping your every day life to live in a world of luxury? So does
Rosey Snow, the heroine of the California School for the Deaf's spring
high school production of Cinderella Waltz written by Don Nigro and
directed by Megg Davis.

Production assistant, Heidi Burns explained, "Rosey dreams of living
out her own fairy tale story-and she is well on her way with a crazy
stepmother, wicked stepsisters and a fairy godmother that is straight
from....well, you'll you have see for yourself. This hilarious take
on the fairy tale classic is unlike any Cinderella story you've ever
seen."

Director Davis asks, "Everyone has her/his own fairytale, so the
question is what fairytale is yours?"

PERFORMANCE DATES

Performance dates are: Wednesday, March 15, 2006 at 10:30 AM for
mainstreamed schools only; Thursday, March 16, 2006 at 9:00 AM for
Elementary and Middle Schools only; open for public at 7:30 PM;
Friday, March 17 at 9:30 AM is for High School students only; open for
public at 7:30 PM; open for public at 2:00 PM and 7:00 PM on Saturday,
March 18, 2006.

TICKETS

Tickets are $12 each person and can be purchased and picked up from
the Outreach Division at 39350 Gallaudet Drive, Fremont, CA 94538 or
purchased on line at www.csdf.k12.ca.us/outreach/waltz . For more
information, call Outreach at 510 794 3707.

This play is suited for ages high school and above. The cast will be
performing a revised children's version for mainstream schools on
Wednesday, March 15, and for the CSD Elementary Department on
Thursday, March 16.

THE STUDENT CAST and CREW

The acting cast includes Logan Bowers as "Mr. Snow," Shara Winesburg
as "Regan," Leila Hanamuni as "Rosey Snow," Tony Guido as "Troll,"
Ian Guzman as "Prince Alfred," Shanna Grossinger as "Mrs. Snow," Liz
Jarashow as "Mother Magee," Mallory Malzkhuhn as ""Gonaril," Dack
Viring as "Zed, the Village Idiot."

Student Stage crew includes Everett Glenn, Omar Guzman, Lizzie Finley,
and stage manager Brittany Comegna. Organizing Props/Make-up Student
Crew are Blair Rasmus and Clara Baldwin. Ushers include Ross Nahinu
and Emerald Brown.

The student crews have support from the school staff including
teachers, Hedi Burns and Jennifer Hipskind as the production
assistants, cottage counselor Sheila Korolev as the wardrobe
coordinator and Celia May Baldwin, the Dean of Students, as the producer.

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

Deaf Pizza Gathering - Important meeting on decision to stay there or
change

Hello, everyone. This is a special reminder notice for our March
social gathering at Shakey's Pizza in Palm Springs.

As you may know, there has been some discussion as to whether or not
our group should continue with Shakey's or move to another PS or CC
location. At the Feb gathering the group decided that some additional
alternatives to the Chinese buffet should be looked into and discussed
before a decision is made. Alternative restaurants have now been
investigated and this will be discussed at the March gathering.
Several restaurants have been looked at, and those most closely
fitting the groups needs have been determined. The things considered
in alternative locations were:

a) suitability of the facility's layout to accommodate our Deaf group
b) comparable pricing to Shakey's buffet
c) availability of ample parking
d) flexibility of the restaurant to our variable number of
participants each month

Please try to attend the Shakey's gathering on Sat, 4 March, between
11 am and 2 pm. The subject of location and the most viable options
will be discussed. The Deaf attendees will be asked to vote on
staying at Shakey's or relocating to another specified location.

Please be assured that, as normal, hearing participants will not be
permitted to vote on this Deaf community matter. Our participation
and involvement with your social activities is with your grace, and
for this we are very appreciative. The hearing members of your group
will gladly support whatever decision you make.

Thank you. And we hope you will be able to attend and cast your vote.

Kay
-------------< 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 >

TDI Agrees that All VRS Providers Allow Users of Their Equipment to
Access Other VRS Providers

Press Release
February 22, 2006

Contact: Jenny Witteborg
Email: [email protected]

TDI Agrees that All VRS Providers Allow Users of Their Equipment to
Access Other VRS Providers

Silver Spring, Maryland – Telecommunications for the Deaf and Hard of
Hearing, Inc. (TDI) learned last Monday of the agreement by Sorenson
Communications to allow its VP-100 users to access other VRS providers
by no later than July 1, 2006. This certainly levels the playing
field for interoperability and functional equivalency, and TDI is
pleased that Sorenson Communications has now decided to participate
with other VRS vendors in providing publicly administered Video Relay
Services in an unlimited competitive market across America.

Sorenson Communications announced its plans to allow the users of its
VP-100 videophones to access not only Sorenson's VRS interpreters but
also the interpreters of other Video Relay Service (VRS) providers by
no later than July 1, 2006. Sorenson has indicated its intent to
unbundle the use of its equipment from the use of its video relay
services so that its customers, if they choose, would be able to use
its high-end technology to connect to other VRS providers.

Dr. Roy E. Miller, TDI Board President, said, "The TDI Board of
Directors is elated over this good news. We believe all VRS providers
should keep the issue of equipment usage separate from the issue of
which relay service a person chooses to use, and that they should
compete with other VRS providers on the basis of the quality of their
VRS services. This week's turn of events is leveling the playing
field among VRS providers, and VRS users will ultimately benefit
substantially by experiencing greater choice and better quality of VRS
services."

Dr. Miller went further to say, "TDI wishes to thank its national
consumer advocacy partner organizations, the rest of the VRS industry,
the Federal Communications Commission, and, in particular, the
California Coalition of Agencies Serving the Deaf and Hard of Hearing
for their key efforts toward bringing about this week's decision by
Sorenson Communications. TDI pledges to work closely with all VRS
providers, the FCC, and all other stakeholders in accomplishing a
smooth transition to this new era of total consumer choice in the
selection of VRS service providers."
-------------< BULLETIN >

Disability and Health Congressional Briefing
121 Cannon House Office Building
March 16, 2006
2:00-4:00 p.m.

The Association of University Centers on Disabilities (AUCD) and The
External Partners Group

Invite you to join us at a briefing for the:

BIPARTISAN DISABILITIES CAUCUS
109TH CONGRESS 2005-2006

Jim Ramstad (R-MN), Jim Langevin (D-RI),
Nancy Johnson (R-CT), and Major Owens (D-NY) Co-Chairs

The purpose of this briefing is to inform Members of Congress and
their staff regarding the rate of disabilities especially as it
differs from state to state as well as the differences in health
status of people with disabilities. This information can be used to
guide policy decisions affecting people with disabilities and to
inform health strategies at the state and national levels. Moreover,
Congressional staff will know where to obtain information about
disability and be aware of initiatives to help their constituents
through state and national health promotion interventions designed for
people with disabilities.

Invited Speakers:

Congressman Jim Ramstad, R-MN
Co-Chair House Bipartisan Disabilities Caucus

Congressman James Langevin, D-RI,
Co-Chair House Bipartisan Disabilities Caucus

Jose Cordero, MD,
MPH Director of the National Center on Birth Defects and Developmental
Disabilities at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention

Glenn Fujiura, Ph.D.,
Associate Professor of Human Development in the University of Illinois
Chicago, College of Applied Health Sciences

Catherine Leigh Graham,
Rehabilitation Engineer, University of South Carolina School of Medicine

James H. Rimmer, Ph.D.,
Professor in the Department of Disability and Human Development at the
University of Illinois at Chicago

John E. Crews, DPA,
Lead Scientist, Disability and Health Team, Centers for Disease
Control and Prevention

George Jesien, Ph.D,
Past Chair External Partners' Group and Executive Director of the
Association of University Centers on Disabilities (AUCD)

Please RSVP to Kim Musheno at [email protected], or by phone at
301-588-8252.

Light refreshments will be served.
-------------< 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 >

Despite disability law, service dogs still being turned away
http://www.wvec.com/sharedcontent/APStories/stories/D8FH08L8E.html

Tinnitus: a problem which is still ambiguous
http://www.medindia.net/news/view_news_main.asp?x=7995

Deaf aid dog meets pupils
http://www.wakefieldtoday.co.uk/ViewArticle2.aspx?SectionID=702&ArticleID=136480\
3


Lion's Den
http://www.coremg.net/newspapers.php?paper=arcadiaweekly&storyid=1621

School for deaf gets inspirational message from NAACP president
http://www.fredericknewspost.com/sections/news/display.htm?storyid=46831

Deaf Catholics welcomed with outreach services
http://www.gazette.net/stories/022306/landnew205457_31940.shtml

Officiating numbs pain of childhood for deaf woman
http://seattlepi.nwsource.com/preps/260506_ref23.html

Imagination's 'Hip Hop': Missing a Beat
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/02/22/AR2006022202536.\
html


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

ADAPT National Days of Action: March 18th - 23rd
By Randy Alexander
MCIL.org

Nationally, ADAPT focuses on promoting services in the community
instead of warehousing people with disabilities in institutions and
nursing homes. Attendant services (help with things like eating,
dressing, toileting, moving from wheelchair to bed, etc.) are the
cornerstone to community based services for people with severe
disabilities. ADAPT is working to get 25% of the Medicaid long term
care funds redirected to pay for a national, mandated attendant
services program. In Tennessee, ADAPT is making plans for its national
days of action during the week of March 18th -23rd in Nashville.

ADAPT has a long history of organizing in the disability community and
using civil disobedience and similar non- violent direct action
tactics to achieve its goals. In 1983, as a project of the Atlantis
Community in Denver, ADAPT began its national campaign for lifts on
buses and access to public transit for people with disabilities. ADAPT
started as American Disabled for Accessible Public Transit. For seven
years ADAPT blocked buses in cities across the US to demonstrate the
need for access to public transit. Many went to jail for the right to
ride.

ADAPT played a major role in gaining passage of the Americans with
Disabilities Act, ADA, particularly in ADA's stringent requirements
relating to accessible transit, and its being seen as a civil rights
law. Passage of this bill has meant victory for ADAPT in our struggle
for lifts on buses.

Once the transit issue was won and access was begun to be guaranteed,
ADAPT felt it was clear attendant services must be our next issue. In
a national planning meeting July 1990 ADAPT targeted the reallocation
of one quarter of the federal and state Medicaid dollars from
institutional programs to consumer controlled community based
programs. ADAPT now also stands for American Disabled For Attendant
Programs Today.

Many of ADAPT's members have been locked away in nursing homes and
institutions because of their need for attendant services. Many had to
fight to get out, and were among the lucky few who were able to get
enough support services to live in the community.

Because of outdated attitudes toward people with disabilities which
label us as "sick", our needs are seen as "medical" and a huge system
of institutional facilities has developed to provide for these needs.
This institutionalized industry which has developed continues to use
up massive amounts of funds to maintain the status quo. ADAPT wants to
reverse the bias so that community based attendant services are the
common option, and nursing homes are reserved as a last resort.

ADAPT is planning a national ADAPT action during the week of March
18th to March 23rd in Nashville, Tennessee and the group is seeking
volunteers. The event will engage hundreds of people with disabilities
in activities that will change their lives.

The focus of this campaign will be called, "Money Follows the Person."
With potential federal and state legislation in the works which would
allow those who need personal attendants to have a choice to have
their services provided out of the home rather than being forced into
institutionalized care. The Money Follows the Person Act is part of a
national effort to encourage states to allow the money to follow the
person, so people who are living in nursing homes or other
institutions could have the money "follow them" as they move out into
the community onto community based services.

For more information:

Lorre Mendelson
(615)594-5899
lorreleon (at) comcast.net

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

"If I can place anybody who is unemployed in an English-based job,
people will realize what a wonderful thing this is," Morton Warnow

-------------< 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/community/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 >
Works by deaf filmmakers wanted for televised film festival
WETA, CINE and Gallaudet University are looking for films made by deaf
filmmakers living and working in the United States to be part of a
special on-air film festival and screening event. Deaf filmmakers are
encouraged to submit short films or videos, three to 12 minutes in
length, on any topic.

All genres are welcome: animation, documentaries, films for children,
experimental work, etc. All submissions will be screened by a panel of
film and video professionals.

Selected entries will be included in an on-air film showcase which
will broadcast on WETA, TV-26, this fall. A screening event will be
held in Washington, D.C., around the time of the broadcast.

To enter, return a completed submission form and video,
www.weta.org/pdfdocs/deafcinema_submission.pdf, to the WETA Creative
Services department, postmarked by June 30. Entry is free.

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

Caltrans will pay Riverside deaf church $4.3 million for land
http://www.mercurynews.com/mld/mercurynews/news/local/states/california/northern\
_california/13934907.htm


Deaf Students Allegedly Abused at School
http://www.ksl.com/?nid=148&sid=167306

Deaf folks seek free office
http://thestar.com.my/news/story.asp?file=/2006/2/23/central/13450253&sec=centra\
l


Deaf boy succeeds in school case
http://www.theage.com.au/news/national/deaf-boy-succeeds-in-school-case/2006/02/\
22/1140563863686.html


Deaf, hard of hearing bloggers keeping tabs on VanderGiesen case
http://www.argusleader.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20060222/NEWS/602220312/10\
01


Local beautician opens her own shop after long recovery from meningitis
http://www.journaltimes.com/articles/2006/02/21/health/iq_3898093.txt

Plight of deaf mini tribe heard at last
http://www.khaleejtimes.com/DisplayArticle.asp?xfile=data/middleeast/2006/Februa\
ry/middleeast_February662.xml§ion=middleeast&col=


-------------< 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 >

We represent a non profit organization for the Deaf people in (Bao
Chung Deaf). We are looking for a volunteer who fluently in ASL to
participate in a training program as an instructor in Vietnam for 3
weeks, and 03 volunteers (must be deaf person) to try out our 10 days
Vietnam Travel for The Deaf tour. We will pay for the land tour
including meal, hotel and transportation. Participate volunteer will
pay for their own air fare and/or travel insurance. If interested,
please email [email protected] for detail. Thank You.
Time of travel for the ASL instructor: April 10 – 30, 2006
Time of travel for volunteer tourist: April 12 – April 25, 2006
-------------< 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 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]