"What Sign Language Reveals About the Mind", New Book

Margait Fox of the New York Times' Obituary Department reporter and author, wrote the new book - "Talking Hands: What Sign Language Reveals About the Mind". Fox, a trained linguist and the team of linguistic researchers went to the remote Bedouin village in Israel where an indigenous sign language developed. Remmy Nicaragua' linguistic expedition back in 2006 on the CBS-TV's "60 Minutes" tv programming?

Margalit Fox also offered the exhaustive description of other sign languages around the world. She and other linguistic researchers attracted to that Israeli village to inquire and report how language is made in the human mind.

"Talking Hands: What Sign Language Reveals About the Mind" nonfiction book refer to the growing field of sign language linguistic research subject evolved as one of most promising and contentious branches of cognitive science. Simon & Schuster Publisher, $15-27

http://www.talkinghandsbook.com/

Margalit Fox will make her personal appearances on various local NYC television shows. She also will be giving a lecture at the Morningside Bookshop, 2915 Broadway at 114th Street in Manhattan area next September 19th with the presence of ASL interpreter. Fox will make her presence at Long Island's former alta mater - State University of New York at Stonybrook.

Margalit Fox possessed the B.A, degree in journalism at Columbia University, then B.A. and M.A. degree(s) in linguistics at the State University of New York at Stonybrook.

Please do not confuse with Mary Beth Miller and Remy Charlip nd G. Ancona's "Handtalk", deaf children photographic book series.

ASLize yours,
Robert L. Mason (RLM)
RLMDEAF blog

"200" Brought to Deaf Gaza School Lately

The New York Time's latest article (8/23/08) reported more than 40 international human right advocates in two boats recently landed in Gaza in defy of the Israel government and brought 200 hearing aid devices for deaf Gaza youngsters. *rolling eyes in disbelief*

www.nytimes.com/2008/08/24/world/middleeast/24mideast.html?-r=1&sq=200hear

Why in the world for the international human rights advocates brought hearing aids, instead of money for lack of diesel fuels within bus transportation to carry deaf students all over the Gaza Strip or books and other non-audistic stuff? No particular name of this international human rights advocacy group mentioned so far.

Israel have been blocked the orders of hearing aid devices and batteries to be delivered to the deaf Gaza school for years. That seems Israel doing the real favor for deaf Gaza children from being delivered to the audistic means of peppering them to the tortures of speech and hearing trainings.

Couldn't be much prouder of Israel's action to keep hearing aid devices and batteries out of reach for the deaf Gaza school to equip deaf Gaza students. Israel know what is best for deaf Gaza students. The international human rights advocates are the idiotic ones for their audistic behaviors to please the audists and clueless parents of deaf children to turn them into "little parrots" and "seals in training to please and wow the world of audism. Bravo to Israel's 'Stone Age" tactics!

There are approximately 21,000 deaf people living in the Gaza Strip lately. The deaf Gaza school have been struggled with lack of school resources and basic necessity for deaf students. The school is 16 years old. The student enrollment figures at deaf Gaza school is about 200. The future enrollment goal is to admit up to 300 students.

All staff personnel at the deaf Gaza school use sign language. The school also teach parents of deaf youngsters how to master sign language. How intelligent for this school to engage in sign language communication! Israel's security blockade kinda forced the deaf Gaza school staff to resort to the use of sign language more than ever. One of most best solution for deaf youngsters ever occurred lately around the world as compared to the AGBell (AgBAD)'s AVT programs in the United States. Sign language communication is most practical and effective educational means, not the use of hearing aid devices and batteries or AVT programs.

For more info about the deaf Gaza school - http://www.atfaluna.net/

Jamie Berke's "About Deafness" blog posting last year, December 17, 2007, mentioned about Israel sent up rockets to the Gaza area which greatly affected the deaf Gaza school from what the Washington Post wrote last year - December 15, 2007. The Post article kinda showed "audistic" leanings to get the readers feel sympathized for deaf Gaza students without having access to hearing aids and batteries.

Let's send a letter of compliment to the Israel government and show our true appreciation to keep hearing aid devices and batteries out of the hands of audists in Gaza area!

ASLize yours,
Robert L. Mason (RLM)
RLMDEAF blog

Confused about Merger of the Virginia School for the Deaf & Blind

Is there already the official merger of the Virginia School for the Deaf and Blind (VSDB) of Stauton and the Hampton Roads School for the Deaf and Blind and Multi-Disabled (HRSDBMD)or what?

After reading the MSNBC's news report on the increasingly school budgets across the country to be heavily slashed and reduced, ex. school transportation cost and fuel. The article is written by Alex Johnson of MSNBC.

Johnson mentioned the fine example of the merger of the VSDB and HRSDBMD as part of the widespread trend to save the cost of state educational budget spending. He wrote:

"To save money, Virginia officials decided to merge the state's two school for
students with disabilities.

As a result, parents of students at the Hampton Roads School for the Deaf
and Blind and Multi-Disabled in Hampton, will have to decide whether to send
their children hours away to the state's only other facility in Stauton"

I checked out the Internet to find out more accurate information on the current status
of the VSDB and Hampton Roads School for the D/B/MD. The latest information comes from the Office of Governor Kaines of Virginia in 2006 about Kaines' proposal for the renovation of the VSDB buildings and continuted funding to the VSDB in Stauton and create the regional program in Hampton Roads within his budget request.

Another information said that the state school board put off the votes for the new site of the
VSDB.

Any accurate and latest information regarding the VSDB out there? I always feel connected to the VSDB whenever I go there. The VSDB have a lot of history.

ASLize yours,
Robert L. Mason (RLM)

Selective Admission Practices at Oral Schools for the Deaf

Past selective admission practices at many oral schools for the deaf over decades have to be publicly exposed for what the school administrators and board members carefully cherry picked their prospective deaf students for school admissions.

Many past oral schools for the deaf administration and board members extensively looked for deaf students, who had been tested for their intelligence and capacity for speaking orally. If any deaf student did not meet any standards for so-called intelligence, but the school administrators of oral schools for the deaf, willingly to overlook that particular student's "below-average" intelligence and take hir in due to the family wealth. Many oral schools for the deaf successfully raked in millions and millions and millions of dollars and deceived the general public about their so-called success with the oral education for deaf students.

The residential schools of the deaf hardly do this kind of thing and admit almost everyone deaf for educational studies and social/emotional development. Those schools often turned into a dumping ground for "oral failures" and "rejected ones" from oral schools for the deaf. In the end, residential schools of the deaf graciously educated millions and millions of deaf students with greater results for become a whole human being with excellent "life" foundation as productive and meaningful citizens.

Oral schools for the deaf came with their own shameful and horrendous legacy - crude and abusive methods to get deaf students to speak orally which the natural order of human beings losing any one of five senses - hearing, seeing, touching, smell and taste. Human beings could adapt very well without one of the five senses and lead worthy life.

Oral schools for the deaf nowadays face dramatic admission enrollment loss due to the widespread of cochlear implant uses. Those schools face their own extinction anytime for what they done to millions of deaf youngsters in the past. Karma really work in very mystifying way.

Residential schools of the deaf and public education brought people together for the better humanity, not the oral schools for the deaf and AGBell. The ongoing violence against deaf youngsters with the forced surgery of cochlear implant is another legacy of oppression and belittlement against the natural evolutionary of human beings for adapted human survival.

Parents of deaf babies and youngsters need to think deeply from what they are doing to their own offspring like depriving the language acquaintance thru workable means without any kind of frustration or wasteful struggles.

Robert L. Mason (RLM)
RLMDEAF blog

Bobby Harris, Future Consultant for Law Enforcement Agencies?

 Pretty good numbers of newspaper coverages from Frederick, MD to Canada about Bobby Harris, deaf student intern from Maryland School of the Deaf, currently have a summer internship at the city of Frederick's Police Department. 

  Bobby Harris brought many smiles and respects and appreciations to the Frederick Police Department with his glowing personality from helping out with the police training exercises how to deal with uncooperative deaf subject to the modification of visual aids fold-out pocket book for police officer to have an excellent communication with deaf individual. Harris also engaged in role-playing as a potential deaf troublemaker for police officer to deal with any deaf troublemaker. Harris demonstrated the handcuffing of deaf suspect/troublemaker behind their back to hamper (block/limit) necessary communication. Harris hopefully complete the development of his visual charts for productive communication between deaf individual(s) and police officer(s) before hitching to the Rochester Institute of Technology (RIT) this fall to study criminal justice and computer graphics. 

   Will Bobby Harris be our future consultant for the law enforcement agencies how to deal effectively with deaf individuals, instead of trampling on our civil liberties and police misconducts/ brutality? Hope so! Wish Bobby Harris all the good lucks with his studies and university life! 

  Here is the link to the Frederick News Post newspaper article  - 

   www.frederickpost.com/sections/news/display.htm?StoryID=76431

   or type Frederick News Post  or Canadian Press or Annapolis Capitol 

   The Washington Post's Express newspapers for commuters did cover Bobby Harris with more pictures, but not possibly find the link to feature this article. 

ASLize yours, 

Robert L. Mason (RLM)

RLMDEAF blog

Guess Who Come to NAD Conference 2008?

You could check out whom attend this year's NAD Conference 2008 within the attached link. FYI, this is not a complete list of individuals attending the conference. Some individuals wish not to publicize their conference attendance.


The National Association of the Deaf (NAD) and Deaf Bilingual Coalition (DBC) are more transparent and open about what they are doing at the conference as compared to the Alexander Graham Bell Association of the Deaf (AGBAD) and other audiological-leaning organizations. Don't you agree?


So you enjoy yourself to scan and browse to see if you know anyone attending the 48th NAD Conference (2008).


Here is the attached link as promised:
http://www.nad.org/site/pp.asp?c=foINKQMBF&b=3832173



ASLize yours,
Robert L. Mason (RLM)
RLMDEAF blog

Senator Jesse Helms and His Wife Knew ASL

 One of most colorful and conservative politician on the national level, recently passed away and had a connection to the deaf community thru his wife. Honorable Jesse Helms of North Carolina, elected to the U.S Senate in late 1970s. Helms was a polarizing lawmaker, but truly effective with his anti-communist and moralistic messages - www.conservapedia.com/Jesse_Helms

Senator Jesse Helms' hearing wife knew American Sign Language (ASL) and often volunteered at Gallaudet's Visitor Center as what Gallaudet Professor Robert Weinstock noted on his writings for Gally's WHATSUP4 VAX-forum moderated by students during the 1990s.  

Senator Jesse Helms once signed "I Love You" in ASL to two little girls and their parents at the Anchorage airport after getting back from the "KAL 007" Senate investigation in the early 1980s. The "KAL 007" was a major international outcry against the Soviet Union for shooting down the civilian passenger plane. 

Many Gallaudetians and other individuals described Jesse Helms' wife as a sweet one as opposed to Senator Jesse Helms' combative treatments toward disability laws. Helms pushed for the nomination of Terrence Boyle to the U.S. Fourth Circuit Court. The National Association of the Deaf (NAD) expressed such a concern about the nomination of Terrence Boyle due to his judicial career of weakening the American with Disabilities Act (ADA)  and Section 504. Boyle frequently ruled against the ADA and ruled to limit the US. Congress' power of enforcing the ADA. Boyle ever ruled that the U.S. Congress had no powers to apply the ADA to state prisons either under the Commerce clauses (U.S. Constitution) and the 14th Amendment. Boyle ever ruled against the right to reasonable accommodations. 

http://www.nad.org/site/pp.asp?c=foINKQMBF86=297979 or look up to NAD Archives - 2001

How hilarious about the ACT-UP, a radical and militant gay activists surprised Honorable Jesse Helms by putting the 40-feet giant and inflatable condom over Helms' residence in Arlington, VA (2000) to send the strong message about not ignoring the AIDS victims. Helms was well-known for dismissing the AIDS epidemic and blasted the homosexual agenda from time to time. In the end, Helms finally realized about the seriousness of AIDS epidemic near his final Senate years. He was very regretful for not doing something about the AIDS/HIV epidemic.  The ACT-UP activists barged into drug companies' office about their questionable rigging practices to make the HIV medications' price too high to be affordable for HIV victims. Bravo to the ACT-UP's gutsy tactics and provoking "street theatres" to force politicians to take a hard look at the sufferings of people with AIDS and HIV! 

Jesse Helms' former press secretary, Claude Allen, was recently arrested at Target's store for shoplifting.  He brought Target shopping bags and grabbed items and asked for full refunds. Nothing new about the so-called family values among the GOPers! 

Honorable Jesse Helms often quipped "I really do not care if I am wrong about things!" Questions remained about how much "deaf-friendly" Honorable Jesse Helms really was toward deaf people. What was his legacy to the deaf community especially North Carolina? Helms never was afraid if he appeared as a bigot or ignorant. Good riddance!

ASLize yours, 

Robert L. Mason (RLM)

RLMDEAF blog