TDI-L Notes – Action Alert: The Coalition for Movie Captioning (CMC) needs your quick action.
We have a great opportunity to rapidly increase captioned movies in theaters
across the U.S.
A movie captioning amendment proposed by Senator Mark Dayton of Minnesota
was included in the Senate JOBS Act, which passed the Senate in May 2004.
Senator Dayton’s amendment would give a tax credit of 50% to both movie
studios and theaters for making captioned movies available, retroactive to
January 2004. Unfortunately the amendment was not included when the House
of Representatives passed its version of the bill last week.
The fate of the captioning amendment will be in the hands of a conference
committee, whose members are to be selected by the Senate Finance Committee
and House Ways and Means Committee. We need your help contacting four
members of Congress (listed below) who will be on the conference committee.
Please ask them to support the movie captioning amendment. Share your
personal stories about going to the movies to show them how important
captioned movies are to you.
A quick phone call can make a big difference. The calls are tallied by
staff and show how many people are concerned about an issue. Call either
the Washington office or one of their home offices.
Note that mail sent to Congress is now being irradiated and inspected, which
can slow down the delivery. Action on the trade bill may happen very
quickly, so please call, fax, or e-mail.
The Coalition for Movie Captioning (CMC)
Corruption in Deaf Centers
(Warning: LONG) From OCDAC (Orange County Deaf Advocacy Center) News:
The purpose of this series is to properly inform potential clients so they will have this knowledge before they decide to trust such deaf centers with their safety, health, and productivity opportunities.
We have been be focusing on a particular deaf center in our series.
The Greater Los Angeles Agency on Deafness known as GLAD to many Southlanders.
Two weeks ago we highlighted key points of Mr. Apodaca’s complaint against GLAD. Last week we shared you 2 letters regarding Lenny Meyer’s outser and the reaction from the community.
GLAD for many decades has been a partner to corruption and we be will showing you, Friend , more FACTS today
In this issue we will focus on, Tom Willard, another person who tried to fix GLAD and what happened afterwards.
I’ve known Tom Willard to be one of the most interesting people. He’s set an example of a positive face in an aversive situation. He’s been a man of the deaf news system for a long time and he’s made his thoughts on GLAD known to a lot of people.
First we go to some highlights of his famous ‘How to Fix GLAD’ posting on USA-L News at yahoo groups.
Read Along
I have been looking around for audio files of children’s books that I like reading to my kids. All I can find are Winnie the Pooh, Disney, boring stuff. Nothing like Goodnight Moon, Catch the Ball, Hop on Pop. Yes, simple books is where I need to begin.
I know some are available on audio cassette. If I am going to shell out money, I want it available on CD or mp3 format so I can listen to it in the car, at work, at home, wherever. So the solution. My family will read the books and we’ll record them. I know most of the words to these books, therefore I can listen to them while I work and not have the book in front of me.
I am not in the position where I can sit down, listen, and read all at the same time. No time. Three kids and I’m supporting the family since no one can see what a good employee my husband would make.
Managing the Stress of Hearing Loss
Stress Management and Hearing Loss is a PowerPoint presentation by Jennifer G. Sowards. It’s an insightful presentation providing information you wish people knew about those who have hearing loss.
Key points:
1. Normal hearing people do not experience the same level of fatigue from listening. People with hearing loss must work much harder in order to understand speech.
2. Tendency to avoid social gatherings.
3. Feelings of isolation and depression.
Proactive strategies (take control):
1. Find the best place to sit.
2. Don? be embarrassed about telling the person you are listening to that you have a hearing impairment and that you need them to speak clearly and distinctly (see notes below).
3. ask them look at you, keep hands away from face, speak slower, not wander, etc. nicely.
4. Look for context clues.
5. Don’t nod “yes” when you really don’t understand (me guilty of this).
6. Repeat back important information.
Reactive strategies (after it happens):
1. Ask specific questions as opposed to, “What?” “Huh?” “Eh?” (in honor of my Canadian friends)
2. Ask to rephrase what was missed.
3. Avoid frustration when you don’t understand (yeah, right… not when you have a 5-year-old grunting at you because you don’t understand).
4. Ask the person to write it down or move to a quieter spot.
The presentation covers ALDs (assistive listening devices). These don’t work for me except for the T-coil, which is a great way to listen to music or to try to hear on the phone.
Light flashers for alarms, doors, phones? Ha, they don’t work after two minutes. I do, however, use a vibrating alarm for when I travel. I despise it and much prefer the lovely hubby alarm.
Captions rule!
Your rights (important):
ADA indicates hospitals, hotels, and other public places are required by law to provide you with flashing alarms, TDD phone, and a special door knock alarm. To get these, however, you must ask for them. Be prepared to install them yourself as most personnel won’t know how to operate them.
At one hotel, I got a cool case of these devices.
Back to stress, isolation can lead to depression, a serious illness. Do not be ashamed to get help. It is a real illness like having the flu. I am getting treatment for it. There, see?
The Internet is (duh) a great place to get help through forums, communities, blogs (!). Just go to a favorite search engine and enter keywords like deaf, help, assistance, hearing loss.
We Have Feelings, Too
Big surprise as you’ve heard me talk about this here on how I feel like a normal person. In reality, having hearing loss does stop me from reaching a lot of things in life. Don’t give me the ol’ “Put your mind to it and you can make it happen” line. It complicated.
I have an issue with The Deaf Can’t Hear, But They Have Feelings Too. A line says, “They can’t hear or speak.” Hello? Being born deaf doesn’t automatically guarantee you’ll never speak. I speak. I have met many who speak using lips and voices.
No Plain Vanilla Rockin'
Blast from the past. Vanilla Ice, rapper from my teen days (is my age showing?) literally rocks the house at Gallaudet University according to His Beat Goes On. Big question – Why weren’t there any interpreters?
Update with an answer from Larry (thanks): It would have been a waste of money. No one ever really pays attention to the words of the songs. Students just want to feel the beat from the music. No one ever asked for terps for CobraFest or RockFest.
Good point. I guess I’m weird that way in wanting to know the words to songs, but I’m selective about which songs. I wouldn’t care about Vanilla Ice’s lyrics. Rock on, G!
Advanced Bionics Is Acquired
Advanced Bionics is known for its work on implantable microelectronics as reported in Canada.com.
What's Bugging Seth
Looks like there is a movie in production about a deaf man. I searched the Web, but details not available yet.
Update on 06/16/04: Filmmaker experiences miracles
Words from a Vet
Tomorrow is Memorial Day in the US, so this article is appropriate to share. It’s about a WWII veteran who attends the WWII memorial in Washington, DC. He has lost his hearing since leaving the service and has since given up on hearing aids.
Someone has suggested he look into cochlear implants, but he turned it down. I respect his reasons. I believe you’re never too old for anything – a college degree, an implant, getting a computer, whatever. Ultimately, it is the person’s decision and that is what he chooses.
I thank him for serving my country.
Aussie Urges Implants
Ooh, I can imagine the uproar this article will cause if the Deaf culture comes across it. It’s great the implant worked well for the teen, but to have a campaign urging people to have a cochlear implant? Ouch.
I don’t believe in urging people to do something. A decision such as getting an implant is personal and it’s up to the person and her family to make it. Such decisions should involve researching, talking with people, and getting medical advice.