Deaf Tennessean Blog!

Update from Amy Cohen Efron's web site

2007-07-25T12:29:00.000-04:00

Here's the update that she added the voiceover so the hearing people can hear what she said on her vlog:

Click this: Amy Cohen Efron's web site

Please spread the words to your hearing friends!!

Regards,

PMRjr

2007-07-24T19:03:00.000-04:00

Since our convention ended.. Here's the video you may see what we were doing there and have had a great time!

Also Here's my Revised Report from 2005 thru 2007 plus some issues that we still have concerned..

And each member will get a full C.A.R.T. report by email and perhaps in the future newsletter..

Thanks,

PMRjr Emeritus Past President

TAD Board Meeting in April 2007

2007-05-01T20:04:00.000-04:00

Here's our 2007 TAD Convention site:

We had a good TAD board meeting at the Choo-Choo hotel where our TAD Convention will be held this summer..

I hope all of you will attend our convention because TAD needs YOU!

Next: Update on Sorenson Issues in my report

PMRjr, TAD President

Amy Cohen Efron's Vlogs

2007-03-19T10:49:00.000-04:00

Hey!

I want you to check this: Amy Cohen Efron's VLOG

I strongly agree with her because I had my experience when I grew up as an oral child in my old school before I learned ASL during my last year of Elementary school. (Thanks to my old teachers in Miami, FL).

I believe that all of Deaf babies should to learn the sign language as they can develop to learn how to use their com munitions with the parents, and develop their education skills better.

I am so glad that DeafRead.com is open to everyone even include the professionals too

Regards,

PMRjr

TAD President's Concerns on SLCC and Sorenson VRS

2007-02-25T14:38:00.001-05:00


TAD President Paul Robertson has some concerns on SLCC and Sorenson VRS in Tennessee

A story of Deaf woman's experience at the airport

2007-02-17T11:43:00.000-05:00

I strongly suggest YOU to check this:

http://deafprogressivism.blogspot.com/

It's not first time for me to hear this before..

What's wrong with the HEARING people who think we are Deaf people that are similar to the any disability people such as blind, and others etc..

I agree that she said that we need to educate those people to get know about our Deaf needs.

Not only she had her experienced in the airport..

My dear Deaf Tennessean people.. Im sure that you already have some experienced at the Crocker Barrel.. What would you get the menu at the first place? That menu is FOR BLIND (Braille letters) .. How can we read that menu we can SEE???? Yes Crocker Barrel restaurants are wonderful place we can eat and better service to any people even Blind people can use the braille menu as well.. but still NOT perfect yet..

Sadly, We STILL need to educate them EVERYDAY so therefore our Deaf rights are still not 100% protection YET..

Regards,

PMRjr

Carl Schroeder's Vlog

2007-02-04T13:49:00.000-05:00

I think that you should check with this link:

http://www.youtube.com/profile?user=kalalau52

http://carl-schroeder.blogspot.com/

I know Carl Schroeder at Gallaudet in early 90's since he was one of my best (Deaf) English teachers. He's now in Hawaii.

Enjoy!

PMRjr

Gallaudet Blog/Vlog Conference

2007-02-04T13:36:00.000-05:00

Hey for everyone!

I think that you want to read this with www.deafread.com on the right column to get more information about the event at Gallaudet campus that they hosted and Here's the link that you may be interested to read this:

http://deafness.about.com/b/a/257917.htm

Gallaudet Blog/Vlog Conference

On February 3, Gallaudet held a blog/vlog conference, sponsored by the Coalition for Critical Inquiry. I went to the conference and took notes of highlights. Overall, it was a good conference. There is a (now archived) webcast at on the CCI website.

There were four panels:

Whither Gallaudet

Must change
Asl podcasts
Knowledge is power
Need to reach out to hearing parents
Get word out..how can gally do?
How can Gally meet mission?
Make expectations clear
Role of hearing people? Can't shut hearing out, must include hearing faculty
Media does not give enough information on cochlear implants

Futuristic Visions of Deaf Identity

Many gally grads go to work in deaf community
Raise expectations, multicultural, stop big d and little d
Multiple identities, shared identity of experiences
Black deaf people don't like to be split. No one definition of what it means to be black. Parallels with deafness - many ways to be deaf
Impact of technology
Narrow picture of what a deaf person is
Can be deaf no matter where we go thanks to technology. Internet lets us communicate with each other in words and sign.
Blogging will not replace socialization but will change deaf community
Deaf studies at Gallaudet examining vlogging..best practices?
Young deaf want place to call home. Blogging vlogging encourages identity discussion
Deafhood being incorporated
Growing up in isolation. Identity in the home.
Everyone is wired different
Natural language - not asl, not oral, but written English
Avoid labels
Balance..between education and defining ourselves
Proactivity
ASL has different levels. How does ASL-English relate to identity?

The Futuristic Classroom (I skipped half of this panel)

Technology for classrooms such as voice recognition
Fewer deaf in schools for the deaf
Competition and technology
Early identification, early services
Low incidence disability
Need for more skilled teachers who can teach deaf, in classroom
Political impact from no child left behind
Gallaudet self examination - same number of students in future?
Role of distance learning, infrastructure
Technology needs to be available to all..including low income. not every household has a computer

Vlogging/Blogging and the Future of the Deaf Community

Vlogs - communication, discourse. Understand without text.
ASL vlogs - give freedom, flexibility
First vlog? George Veditz in 1913
Blogs/vlogs create more openness and reduce isolation
Deafread adding about 15 blogs a week
Blogs/vlogs becoming more specialized
History of blogging...companies once thought blogs not important
World doesn't know half of what happens at Gallaudet. Deafread helps Gallaudet by making content available
Major events boost deafread traffic
Vlogs have replaced the little papers of decades ago
Accountability, credibility for bloggers/vloggers
Over time, rules for bloggers/vloggers
Resources help voices be heard
Deaf people who can't read need the asl vlogs
Vlogs for kids too
Minimize hateful comments
Opinion versus fact (At that point I stopped taking notes due to being tired)

Why attend to the Workshop so important??

2007-01-22T13:12:00.000-05:00

Some of you asked me about the workshop in the afternoon at the LDHH building like "why is this important workshop for me to attend?" I am glad to answer your question: Because you need to know how to run your club/chapter to pull more people to get involved AND you may not know what is the problem that we can face in today’s issues in the state of Tennessee.

Here’s the lot of information I provide at the workshop:
- Bummy’s parliamentarian rules
- Robert’s Rule of Order
- TAD Technology for using our Communication
- The Community Center in your hometown
- Role of the Deaf models in your community
- And many many more to add up

The workshop will be held at the League for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing at 415 4th Ave South in Nashville, you may check their web site for directions ( see mapping under “Contact Us”: www.leagueforthedeaf.com/home.html It starts at 1pm until approx 3pm or so.

And of course, you are welcome to attend our TAD board meeting in the public from 9am CST thru 12noon that would be good benefit for you to understand our TAD business, and NCTAD will provide the lunch with your help to bring some covered dishes for feeding up to 10 people.

I hope to see all of you there!

PMRjr, TAD President

TAD Board Meeting on Jan 27, 2007 at 9am!

2007-01-19T22:24:00.000-05:00

To everyone in the Deaf Community of Tennessee!

I am informing all of you that we will have the TAD board meeting will be held at the LDHH building in Nashville on Jan. 27 2007 at 9am to 3pm CST. You may bring your dish covered for supporting NCTAD during the lunch hour!

We will discuss on many issues:
- TAD convention
- TAD Technology for our members' benefits
- Workshops for new leadership skills
- and many more!

I hope all of you to be there, so you will learn a lot of the TAD business that will be your benefit with your hometown!

See you there!

PMRjr, TAD President

Deafness and the Riddle of Identity

2007-01-16T15:21:00.000-05:00

I got this link from Thom Roberts, Executive Director, Tennessee Council for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing

PMRjr, TAD President

http://chronicle.com/temp/reprint.php?id=j1kwykr398gz88fxgrdp8tj6n7wldcny

Camping Club Meeting!!!

2007-01-14T19:27:00.000-05:00

On behalf of my camping club, HIDEOUT/soon to be TDC..

I wonder if you have own a tent? RV? or you have several friends who love camping? do you love camping??? If so.. Please come to our meeting! Here's the link that you need to read:

http://www.hideoutdeafcamp.org/2007_Meeting.html

Please spread this word to your friends!!!

Thanks

PMRjr, TAD President

Google Search for the Deaf

2007-01-10T18:15:00.000-05:00

This free service may be useful to those you are Deaf or Hard of Hearing that have a mobile device that can send/receive text messages:

Google SMS is a service that enables you to search for certain kinds of information with Google from a mobile device (such as a Blackberry), and returns your search results as text messages. With Google SMS, you can get phone book listings, movie showtimes, weather, facts, dictionary definitions, product prices, and more. Please visit http://www.google.com/intl/en_us/mobile/sms/ to see sample queries and the types of results you might get.

http://www.google.com/intl/en_us/mobile/sms/

FAQ: http://www.google.com/support/mobile/bin/topic.py?topic=9123

Sorenson opens interpreting center in Memphis

2006-12-26T18:52:00.000-05:00

Here's the article I got from USA_L_News:

"From the newsroom of the Memphis Business Journal, Memphis, Tennessee, Tuesday, December 26, 2006 .....

Sorenson opens interpreting center in Memphis

Sorenson Communications, a provider of video relay services for the deaf and hard-of-hearing community, has opened eight new Video Relay Service Interpreting Centers, including one in Memphis.

Sorenson VRS is a free service that allows deaf and hard-of-hearing individuals who use sign language to conduct video relay calls with hearing individuals through an interpreter via videophone, high-speed Internet connection and a standard television set.

"The proliferation of Sorenson VRS Interpreting Centers is an indication of our company's commitment to the deaf community to provide access to professional VRS interpreters," said Chris Wakeland, vice president of interpreting for Sorenson Communications, in a statement. "These VRS interpreting centers connect deaf individuals with the hearing world, allowing them to communicate in American Sign Language, their native language."

The company's other new locations will be in Boise, Idaho; Columbia, Mo.; Fresno, Calif.; Kansas City; Knoxville, Tenn.; Little Rock, Ark.; and Omaha, Neb.

© 2006 American City Business Journals, Inc. :"

Wow.. That's third Interpreting Center in our state of Tennessee by the same company! Just one plain same company??? Umm.. Please don't get me WRONG, but I know the videophone is a HUGE benefit for everyone! and even our local interpreters as well, yet.. it may not benefit to our local community centers in Tennessee, Why? because of the better salaries from the big companies and short of the numbers of the interpreters in our state, we may have to face some problem about finding several good interpreters in case of emergency WHEN we NEED them?? You have to think about it..

My $64,000 question is.. How could we solve this problem? How could we get the interpreters to get involved with us at the our local community centers? I know many of you whom I met in the past, on their major concern about lack of the interpreter services because our community centers could not completed against the big companies due to $$$$ and You may not realized that our state of Tennessee gave the same rate every year to our community centers for more than 12 years!

What we do? We want to ask you for contacting your local (state's legislative of Tennessee) to ask them to get increase their rates to support our community centers! You will hear from our TAD community or check with your local community center if you can ask them to get updated information.

Please check on our TAD blog often as much as you could, whatever I have resources to inform all of you on this blog.

Thanks!

PMRjr, TAD President

Message from TAD President

2006-12-25T13:40:00.000-05:00

Hello for everyone!

It was really hard for me to believe 2006 will soon be gone now. I have some vision on the TAD Community back in those last 12 months what I did for TAD and I think that 2006 may be best year I have ever had since I became the President of TAD from 2003. So, I hope that may 2007 be great to all of us as well!

I know some of you asked me what would I do with my plan on TAD’s agenda for first 7 months prior to end of my last 2nd term which is coming in July 2007 where the TAD convention will be held on July 12-14 in Chattanooga that you will get a package soon in January 2007 and will also post the information on the TAD web site soon as well. Now, go back to your question I can answer: in the fact I do not know yet, but I do know is must training with any new leadership of TAD to fill up in my shoes!

What would I do is teaching to the board members to take care of the TAD business and teach them how to speak up what they believe is best for their TAD’s future after my term ends. My vision in 2007 would be a new breed and better leadership of TAD for next generations that way will keep running the TAD business strongly for protecting our Deaf rights even in the higher technology world.

Some of you asked me about the newsletter?? My best answer I could have is: There is no position of the Deaf Tennessean Editor yet, which I do not mind to take that position, however my duty of the TAD President is coming first. Second, today’s our better technology is the web site, blog, and email which I could send any newsletter with the PDF file format in your own email address right away instead of waiting longer, which saves a lot of TAD’s money, because we can afford to pay the bill on the web site, email address systems and others. However, we still will need to send the newsletter in the mail to few members that do not have any computer.

However, one thing is I can really answer in my personal way: After my terms ends, I will continue working with any TAD committee such as The Deaf Tennessean Editorial group. Perhaps if the members can re-vote that allowing me go back to become the Past President since the position was removed in 2003 TAD convention, which I do not mind to serve on the TAD board of director again.

Now, I want to encourage all of you as TAD members and non-members to attend our 43rd TAD convention for our TAD’s future with our young Deaf people. We need your feedback because of the higher technology that we will face with. Why important for you to attend our convention? My answer is so simple: protecting your rights to use the better technology service! I am sure that many of you may not know familiar or acknowledged with our new technology such as Relay Service, Videophone, pager service and computers that provides better for our Deaf people so the convention will be a big benefit for yourself!

I hope all of you to be there!

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year’s Day!

PMRjr, TAD President 2003-2005, 2005-2007

Merry Christmas from TAD

2006-12-17T21:57:00.000-05:00


Behalf of the TAD, we want to say MERRY CHRISTMAS..

Deaf vs Deaf issues

2006-11-17T10:19:00.000-05:00

Hello..

I would like y'all to read this link:

http://www.elisawrites.com/?p=343

I agree with her comments on "What rejection does to the Deaf Community"

I am sure many of you recalled that we discussed at the Deaf Tennessean Expo (DTE): ASL users, Oralist, CI, Hard of Hearings and others that we need to get together at ONCE so we need to accept each other who are they now, that will make us stronger in the community.

I have many good friends who are Hard of Hearing who have hard time to decide which one will belong to them on the Hearing or Deaf world? Don't get me wrong, but I already have had seen them went thru their difficult times in years.

I am trying to work on the DVD that we already made comments at the DTE for adding either on DeafTennessean.org or this blog and I will try to edit some important information out of the two hours workshops to up to 15 mins, if possible.

I recalled on April Haggard's comments at the workshop about the nurses who bring the deaf baby to the parents and say "sorry but your baby is deaf" in negative way that may make the parents upset or scare, is very perfect example that we need to see their attitude must change now such as the nurses or doctors should say in positive way like "your baby is in good health and we can provide their parents to understand what will they learn how to communicate or get better education with their deaf babies" or something like that. I hope that will show in the VLOG in someday, maybe sooner..

Let us keep working together to give our better education on the people who need to understand about our Deaf Culture!

PMRjr

Chattanooga Chapter of TAD meeting at 12noon on Nov 18.

2006-11-10T10:54:00.000-05:00

Hello for everyone!

I learned that CCTAD invites a person from Tennessee Advocacy with disabilities for commiting on how to protect our Deaf rights. For anyone who lives in Chattanooga area, Please go there.. also I will be there at the meeting for updating on the interpreter issues. The meeting starts at 12noon and you may bring your covered dishes.

Please contact CCTAD President, Kim Dance at CCTAD@deaftennessean.org for directions to the meeting place.

Thanks!

PMRjr, TAD President

Add to our new link: Parents United for Gallaudet!

2006-11-10T10:40:00.000-05:00

Here's new link:

http://gallyparentsunited.blogspot.com/

Here's the video on interview from the supporters by Deaf Read Staff

2006-10-30T12:49:00.000-05:00

Here's the video interview from the supporters of GUAA and FSSA!

http://www.deafread.com/media/fssainterview.html

Tent City Rally-Cook Out on Oct 28 in Knoxville, TN!

2006-10-28T20:41:00.000-04:00

Here's the pictures! Enjoy!

A Resolution from Tennessee Association of the Deaf

2006-10-28T20:31:00.000-04:00

October 28, 2006

Dear Gallaudet Board of Trustees,

On behalf of Tennessee Association of the Deaf and Deaf communities in the greater state of Tennessee include over 125 Gallaudet Alumni members; we have had a meeting on October 28, 2006 in Knoxville. TAD board of directors decided to proclaim it’s a full support of Gallaudet University Faculty, Staff, Students and Alumni Coalition on their full two demands. We have a resolution:

A RESOLUTION

WHEREAS, Tennessee Association of the Deaf is a nonprofit 501(c)3 organization, over 160 members strong, many of whom are former faculty, staff, students, and alumni of Gallaudet University, University of Tennessee and Tennessee School for the Deaf;

WHEREAS, Tennessee Association of the Deaf, has serious concerns over the Gallaudet University administration’s and Board of Trustees’ handling of its presidential selection process;

WHEREAS, Tennessee Association of the Deaf formally requests the Gallaudet Board of Trustees to do the following, as likewise requested by Unity for Gallaudet/FSSA (Faculty, Staff, Students, and Alumni):

• That the Board of Trustees re-opens the presidential search process, ensuring equitable processes that support diversity and social justice.

• That no reprisals be made against any of the students, alumni, staff, or faculty involved in this protest.

WHEREAS, Tennessee Association of the Deaf, Executive Board adopts this resolution on October 28, 2006.

Paul M. Robertson, Jr. GU ’92, President of Tennessee Association of the Deaf

Keith D. Murphy, Vice President of Tennessee Association of the Deaf

Linda McKnatt GU E’78, Secretary of Tennessee Association of the Deaf

April Haggard, GU ’96, Treasurer of Tennessee Association of the Deaf

Board of Directors: Kim Dance, Chattanooga; Jane Mathis, Jackson; Randall Haggard, Knoxville; Lloyd Billingsley, Nashville; Emma Dickinson, Tennessee School for the Deaf Alumni Association; Noble Powers GU E’86, Tennessee Deaf-Blind Association

My personal letter for Dr. Jordan

2006-10-25T14:08:00.000-04:00

To Dr. I. King Jordan,

I am not here to speak on behalf of Tennessee Association of the Deaf as a president, nor GUAA chapter of East Tennessee as Liaison Officer as well, but I am speaking for myself as a member of GUAA, I found that news on what happening at the MSSD Gate this morning, is really UNNECESSARY and UNCALLED because that news is really bothered a lot. I am writing this because I do love Gallaudet University myself since I entered in 1988. And graduated in 1992 for B.S. degree in Business Adm.

You may remember me at the History through the Deaf Eyes in Nashville, TN last March that I have had a lot of respect for your work at Gallaudet, but now I do not anymore.. I strongly suggest that you must go outside for yourself to see how much did the damage on the students by DPS is done, since Carl Dupree'’s death that I never forget when I was a student there in early '90’s. Under your same leadership for 18 years, I do not think that we can see any improvement on DPS lately such as lack of learning the ASL and others.

Why you did this? And I am telling you that you must stop your unnecessary orders anymore, it may be more out of control since you did it on Black Friday, October 13 which was the worst history of the Gallaudet history yet, I am really proud what they did was right thing included Tim Rarus, our one of the DPN leaderships.

So now, you really need to end this crisis now, you cannot blame on the Faculty, Staff, Students and Alumni what they did, because I believe that they did and still do the right thing! You can see that many letters you got, from your friends included Jack Gannon and B. Bragg about asking your friend, Jane Frenandes to resign which is good for our university's sake.

Thanks,

Paul M. Robertson, Jr.
Class of 1992

Tent City-Cook Out Event in Knoxville, TN !

2006-10-25T10:24:00.000-04:00

Hello for everyone!

I want to inform all of you that we will have a Tent City-Cook Out event in Knoxville, TN again! The event will be held at Knoxville Center of the Deaf from 12noon thru 3pm on October 28 at 3731 Martin Mill Pike in South Knoxville.

Tennessee Association of the Deaf (TAD) will provide the hamburgers and hot dogs with sided dishes. We would like to request you to donate the money for supporting Gallaudet University Faculty, Staff, Students and Alumni coalition and Gallaudet University Alumni association ( You can see their links on the right side column of for more information).

Also TAD will have our board of directors meeting from 9am thru 12noon at the same place and date.

You are welcome to come!

Paul M. Robertson, Jr. '92
President of TAD and Liaison Officer of GUAA Chpater of East Tennessee

Letter to Board of Trustees

2006-10-24T14:42:00.000-04:00

October 24, 2006

Dr. Brenda Bruegemann, Chair Board of Trustees

Dr. I. King Jordan, President, Gallaudet University

The Gallaudet University Alumni Association Board of Directors met on campus this recent weekend. Additionally, thousands of alumni from all over the world also arrived on campus for what was supposed to be our Homecoming.

We were all saddened and dismayed to witness the protest that has been going on now for two weeks. The ongoing crisis has escalated and appears there is no end in sight. Dr. Fernandes was relieved from her duties as Provost to attend the development of faculty and community relations. It is interesting to note, that she has not been successful in that regard, especially with the 82% of the faculty vote of no confidence.

The tragic situation is all due to the selection of Dr. Jane K. Fernandes as president designate. All the letters we have read from so many prominent Deaf leaders and Deaf organizations clearly show that support for Dr. Fernandes is non-existent!

Unless Dr. Fernandes comes to her senses or the Board of Trustees finally realize their selection for the 9th president of Gallaudet will not be accepted, it’s apparent that our alma mater is heading toward irreparable damage. This has gone beyond the issue of whether or not she is “qualified.” The Gallaudet Community has made it crystal clear that they will not accept your selection.

This past weekend, alumni have made it clear they will not continue to support the University with their annual donations. Many prominent alumni, who have made significant donations and pledges to Gallaudet, have decided to their contributions on “hold.”

In view of the deplorable attitude by the Board of Trustees, Dr. Jordan, and Dr. Fernandes, the GUAA Board of Directors at its meeting yesterday voted unanimously to:

1. Inform all alumni that they have other options available to make their annual donations.
2. Establish a fundraising committee
3. Develop a GUAA website to better communicate with our alumni

Several other items were discussed and passed that may have an impact on the University’s fundraising efforts in the future but it would be pointless to share them with you now.

It is obvious that all the letters in support of the protest are proving to be fruitless and the time has come for action.

Gallaudet University Alumni Association Board of Directors