AB2072 Last Word ?

How can you expect a democracy to sign an inequality Bill with clauses that contain a Stacked Deck' ?

Paddy Ladd how deafhood can progress ?

More hippy philosophy wanting a 'deafhood foundation'... how about giving us a break Paddy... we're fed up fighting each other over your ideal. Love the access... erm NOT !

State of the (Welsh Union)...

Friends, and fellow Taffy oriented people, it is my duty today to give you the bi-annual report, on the state of Welsh services to deaf people, what's happening or isn't, or rather the lack of anything much, so what's new people ? Well, 2 major deaf clubs are due for the axe in South Wales, sign of the times (No pun intended), clubs are passe or whatever... but managed to get rid of their cutlery via an raffle, and 2 toasters that last saw action in 1979.

Both have fallen to the onslaught of apathy, texting, binge drinking, and the twittering masses. Let no-one declare Welsh deaf people are behind any of the current trends. We can do everything except hear (except sign, lip-read or speak welsh but I am drifting off a bit here), and that includes making a complete fool of yourself drunk or fighting for the fun of it, and texting till we drop,with latest i-thingy that was obsolete when they bought it. We are making the deaf pound count.

As is my wont, I look for those rare and dediciated, hard-working few, beavering away relentlessly (or they have nothing better to do), in advancing the rights of deaf people to do nothing at all if they so wish it, but, with proper support of course. As the internet is the media of the moment, where else can one look for details of the great and good in Wales paving the way if so mooted, for a deaf Welsh man to be put on the moon ? (Pity they hadn't visited Rhyl, it's not all that different there... but they sell welsh bitter). Of 30 sites (Yes THAT many it surprised me too, albeit 13 of them haven't had a posting in years), welsh online deaf activity is akin to an cyber elephants graveyard.

Most spoke or texted a language not a bit like sign, and regailed us with their derring-do's of the eve before, but modesty (and libel law), rather prevents me posting some of it, but it includes rampant sex, widespread sheep abuse, and enough alcohol drunk to re-float the Titanic again.

Official sites continue to bore us to tears, and one doubts most deaf will read past the first 20 pages of complete nonsense , and power pointed projects, about how deaf really should be getting access to things, except they can't find any deaf people in Wales, so hell, a few hearing people are making a living doing it instead, I mean if we do it, that's valuable drinking time lost isn't it ?

Two Welsh web-sites here show pretty much the dire state of what is, or rather isn't happening.





Chwarae Teg they are trying, albeit one of them has lost 3,000 deaf people somewhere... The 3rd largest is on outpost of an english charity hiding in Cardiff somewhere, serving the Hard Of Hearing helpless, obviously far more deprived than the deaf ever are, and desperately hoping we won't find out, and turn the place into a deaf bar, sheep pen, and knocking shop.

Dew it's great to be Welsh...

Welsh Version.

Cyfeillion, a phobl Taffy cyd-oriented, fy ddyletswydd heddiw i roi adroddiad chwe-misol, ar
gyflwr y gwasanaethau Cymraeg i bobl fyddar, beth sy'n digwydd neu beidio, neu'n hytrach y diffyg dim llawer, felly beth phobl newydd? Wel, clybiau byddar 2 mawr yn ddyledus ar gyfer y fwyell yn Ne Cymru, arwydd o'r amserau (Rhif gair mwys bwriedir), clybiau yn pasio'r neu beth bynnag ... ond llwyddodd i gael gwared eu cyllyll a ffyrc drwy raffl, a 2 tostwyr y camau welodd diwethaf yn 1979.

Mae'r ddau wedi syrthio i'r ymosodiad o ddifaterwch, tecstio, goryfed mewn pyliau, a llu twittering. Gadewch i neb ddatgan pobl fyddar Cymru yn y tu ôl unrhyw un o'r tueddiadau cyfredol. Gallwn wneud popeth eithrio clywed (ac eithrio arwyddion, gwefus-ddarllen neu siarad Cymraeg ond yr wyf yn gwyro oddi ar y rhan yma), ac mae hynny'n cynnwys
gwneud ffwl gyflawn o meddwi eich hun neu yn brwydro am yr hwyl o fod, ac anfon negeseuon testun nes i ni alw heibio, gyda diweddaraf i-thingy a oedd yn hynafol pan fyddant yn ei brynu. Rydym yn gwneud y cyfrif bunt byddar.

Fel sy'n fy ol, yr wyf yn edrych am y prin a dediciated, gweithio'n galed ychydig, brysur yn ddiflino (Neu nid oes ganddynt ddim gwell i'w wneud), yn hyrwyddo hawliau pobl fyddar i wneud dim byd o gwbl os ydynt yn dymuno, ond, gyda chefnogaeth briodol wrth gwrs. Gan fod y rhyngrwyd yn y cyfryngau o hyn o bryd, ble arall un yn edrych am fanylion y mawr a da yng Nghymru yn paratoi'r ffordd os felly grybwyll, ar gyfer ddyn byddar Cymru i gael ei roi ar y lleuad? (Biti nad oeddent wedi ymweld â'r Rhyl, nid yw'n holl wahanol yna ... ond maent yn eu gwerthu Cymraeg chwerw). O'r 30 o safleoedd (Do SY'N llawer yn synnu fi hefyd, er mai 13 o nid yw eu bod wedi cael postio yn y blynyddoedd), gweithgarwch fyddar Cymraeg ar-lein yn debyg i eliffantod seiber fynwent.

Mae'r rhan fwyaf yn siarad neu beidio texted iaith ychydig fel arwydd, a regailed ni eu gwrhydri yn y fin nos o'r blaen, ond gwyleidd-dra (a chyfraith enllib), yn hytrach prevents 'm bostio rhai o hyn, ond mae'n cynnwys rhemp rhyw, cam-drin defaid eang, ac yn yfed alcohol yn ddigon i ail-arnofio y Titanic eto. safleoedd swyddogol yn parhau i ddwyn ni i ddagrau, a neb yn amau y rhan fwyaf o bobl fyddar yn darllen y gorffennol y 20 cyntaf
tudalen o nonsens llwyr, a grym y dywedodd prosiectau, ynghylch sut y byddar dylai fod yn ei gael mewn gwirionedd mynediad i bethau, ac eithrio na allant ddod o hyd i unrhyw bobl fyddar yng Nghymru, felly uffern, clyw o bobl ychydig yn gwneud yn byw yn ei wneud yn lle hynny, yr wyf yn golygu nid os ydym yn ei wneud, sy'n yfed amser gwerthfawr ar goll yw e?

Dau gwe Cymru-safleoedd yma yn dangos 'n bert lawer y cyflwr enbyd o hyn yw, nid neu yn hytrach yn digwydd. Chwarae Teg y maent yn ceisio, er un ohonynt wedi colli 3,000 o bobl fyddar yn rhywle ... Y 3ydd fwyaf ar ragorsaf o elusen cuddio Saesneg yng Nghaerdydd rhywle, sy'n gwasanaethu 'n Anawdd Wrth Clyw ddiymadferth, yn amlwg yn llawer mwy difreintiedig na'r byddar erioed yn, ac y mae dirfawr yn gobeithio na fydd yn dod o hyd i
allan, ac yn troi y lle i mewn i far byddar, pen defaid, ac yn curo siop.

Dew mae'n wych i fod yn Cymraeg ...

An Open Letter to the RNID

Regarding the poor and amateur attempt to survey on Lip-reading class availability and the costs of them via trivia sites like Twitter and Facebook... it Aint gonna work.

Dear RNID:

Obviously as you are aware I have no interest whatever in social site contributions or memberships(Twitter/facebook), I did read your 'survey' about LR classes. Firstly, the issue is NOT cost or even availability as such. (Background): Sign language classes, contain no deaf people, LR classes don't either, yet you post on their sites for feedback ?

The real problem if your survey is aimed at those wanting to attend them WITH severe loss, is the fact they aren't suitable, and are based on some twee 1950s approach where it was assumed all deaf people signed, and did that at a deaf school, and all HI oralised, had ear trumpets and boom boxes, and all can LR. Most today seem to not have heard of CI implanted or have any specialisation in approaching that aspect, come on it's 2010. However, most LR classes and tutors are unable to take on students near deaf, because many need intensive one on one support, and simply because the LR class system especially at LEA local levels is useless to those people in real need of them..

Essentially if you pluck up the courage to try a LR class, you will get dissolutioned, frustrated, not get the help and tuition you need, you will also NOT attempt to address your loss issue this way again. I did blogs when I went deaf, and I can tell you most LR classes were a total horror story, and mostly discrimination by LR teachers of people with hearing loss issues was rife, you couldn't tell the tutors apart from Social Workers except slightly different formal wear.... LR only works so long as your hearing has some use, then what is the point of them in terms of those that need the skill ? but already WITH severe loss ?

What we ALSO see is those who have attained some good lip-reading skill with their hearing aids, go downhill very fast when the aids no longer work, and they are back to square one, so, no bottom line is given out to students, most hearing loss does not remain static, and deteriorates, it's a fact of life, people do not understand their skill such as it is has relied rather heavily on being STILL able to hear something.

What happens is this, you start with perhaps 12-14 people, doing about an hour or 2 a week for a few months, then zilch mostly. 3 weeks in, 6 have already left with loss issues, or the confidence failed them, 7 weeks in those who are shouting or having difficulties playing the 'group' games are marginalised and then in some cases told to leave because they slow classes down and make the teacher's work impossible. Most classes end with less than a third of what they started with. Two thirds with real issues have LEFT. What you are actually seeing is those in real need being pushed out, and mostly LR classes are the sole/only first port of call we go to for help. If that fails... and we don't/can't go anywhere else. In the UK still only one centre in the entire UK exists to remedy the fact near 3 million need help NOW, and it can only accommodate 10 or even less for a few weeks.

LR classes need to get their act together really fast. What you also are made aware of, is communicational apartheid by LR and sign teachers alike. Who is to blame ? who cares if it is the signers or the oralists ? sort it out. Not so much cost/availability is the issue, as sign and LR classes do not meet real need, they need to merge, adopt total communications, and adopt a street approach as well, I'd do away with both in their present state. There should be a clear distinction between learning communication for possible work options to learning it as a REAL and urgent requirement for those at the business end.

It's no good lip reading in closed areas of class, then being sent to the street to make the best of it, nor telling those the teachers cannot handle, to go to a deaf club or something, do they expect deaf people will teach what they can't ? I doubt a single LR class or sign one, meets real needs as it stands. When I attended a sign class I was the only one with hearing loss there, I was also new deaf when I went to a LR class, I had to give up both because the tutors weren't up to the mark.

Most LR classes seem to exist to sell loud telephones at their environmental aid, 'tupperware' sessions. The RNID should try addressing why LR classes are FAILING and NOT attracting those in real need, by investigating why people with real loss are not turning up to USE them.

I do NOT agree it is a failure to provide LR classes or fund them, the failure is in the class approach is no use to those in real need, and people are simply not then creating any DEMAND for them.. Of course LR teachers are not able to sell the mode all that well either, the overall image is, LR is near impossible to learn. When I posted to the association of LR Teachers they refused to comment, or even reply, too many questions they can't answer clearly so why are they running classes ? perhaps the RNID might get listened to ? The obvious issue of why twitter doesn't work for the RNID is here too, it would not accommodate the depth of info you need. There are no 130 character sound bites you can use here.. ! As the RNID stands for the NEED, it is time they stopped going for the profile and online gibberish, and did that. It is no use looking at a few areas where a class doesn't exist or is expensive, or even praising the few good ones, without looking intently at WHO is there, (They aren't expensive actually you get concessions, most will not pay more than £10 a term), but the nature of them is no use to us.

The Fence sitter

Or why I think access and awareness campigns are a smoke screen created by and for deaf to give an impression of wanting equality, but only on their terms. Access is a double-edged sword and a real issue for deaf culture, if they embrace fully what they ask for then the present system/community will not survive in its present form. I suppose the real questions are:

(1) Can they hack mainstream even with support ?

(2) Do they really WANT to ? Or,

(3) Just want to sit in the middle, and 'co-exist' as a culture apart, (Which I can suggest cannot work).

Consider 1880 (Let's leave the past IN the past), there were no CIs, no digital aids, little recognition of sign, schools that were nothing more than institutions, and despite what the deaf loved about them, they were kept apart from mainstream, and sign language and oralism taught even now as opposing modes, and AG Bell emerged as the man we all love to hate (If you are American deaf I suppose)..... I was totally against the silly season in Canada that wanted to reject something of no relevance whatever to today's issues, because there is no support for a 'back to the future' approach. Youth won't accept it, history is, it isn't NOW, hey it's 2010 even. Not to be outdone a leading Brit charity also joined in this pointless mayhem as well, while hardly knowing what a deaf person looks like. The weird and rather unwonderful world of bandwagon jumping, got to earn them brownie points with the deaf ya ? (While they scratch their heads and try to look up what 1880 was about).

As far as access goes, being pitched 'equally' against hearing via discrimination law support has to be the biggest laugh, and utter failure we have had in years, both the British and American disability Acts don't work effectively, of course hearing took priority always, that's equality in action..... It also spawned the largest ego-fest by self righteous deaf we have seen in an generation, it was like the German 1930s but with ipods. Employers refused to provide access on cost grounds, you are welcome to work IF someone else pays the bill, sadly the state won't for more than 5 minutes, and the employer not at all, then charity took a look decided this is a loser supporting deaf to get work and backed out.

Unless and until being deaf becomes cost-effective, and an nice little earner, it's a non-starter.

We mustn't forget the Deaf approach "We can do everything except hear." Erm that's the issue employers want people who CAN. We can work as well as anyone else..." yup, but first they have to hire you so you can display that. Or about deaf opposition to hearing people attending their club and social areas, here a deaf club some time was successful in opposing the equality law (A conundrum surely ?), when a hearing person/group complained deaf said they couldn't attend their club, despite it being a 'public' area support by taxpayers. The fact these hearing people wanted to gain 'experience' as future care workers to the deaf, and to learn about culture/sign from the horses mouth so to speak, deaf were determined to keep them out, "It's our space, our culture, our refuge from nasty hearing people, where communication is so hard.." (But, how else do you change that ?).

Hmmm breaking down barriers is going to be harder than we think isn't it ? Of course these people could have paid to attend 'awareness or sign classes' via the obligatory PC lectures we read about, by deaf so high up in their ivory tower, they need oxygen masks, but the hearing wanted to interact directly with deaf people, obviously an access step too far, of course a direct challenge to equality too, setting precedents about 'deaf areas' while hotly demanding hearing give them theirs. Do we see hearing saying NO to deaf attending hearing clubs, we don't, yet we still see many deaf online sites operated like some private clubs too.

Why are deaf such Liars ?

And will never admit how good or poor their means of communication IS, or state a preference for a mode that doesn't really cut it either ? Via another site we were discussing a 'card' system that had on it "I Have hearing loss, please speak normally and face me.." on them, which I thought no use to deaf people at all, and really, not much use to someone who lip-read either. It only works if Joe Public complies or knows how to speak properly and will give you the time of day,and you remember to carry the card always !

The cards originated via Hearing Concern in the UK, who still plugs these things I gather, mostly it is an 'Hard Of Hearing' thing. Mostly they can fail if the person has a hearing aid, and there is background noise which confuses and limits concentration. There was mixed response to being identified as deaf to joe public, deaf could carry walking sticks in red.


Most profound deaf people refused to carry ID cards, they also refused to carry ID on car tax discs (Another idea floated to help police), or a poster stuck to a window somewhere to help in an accident. Which they suggested would mean alerting the criminal fraternity of easy pickings.

If you combine that with an reluctance to even register with 999 (Emergency services), as a deaf person, you appreciate many deaf still feel negative and wary of telling everyone of their status. Deaf pride ? yep, but prudence first ! For what reasons I cannot imagine unless it is fear, or, an misguided belief as hearing do not have to do these things why do deaf have to ? Oh right, it's an empowerment thing to NOT tell anyone you last heard 57 years ago. Which is great for deaf politics, but rather stupid for getting access and help, unless the public suddenly attains mass clairvoyance and A-levels in mind-reading, deafness doesn't carry any visible clue.

Any ID card would also have to state next of kin, communication means etc, and not just 'face me and speak slowly' ! which a lot of these cards had on them. Most with hearing loss lie constantly at their status, either for pride's sake, or, they just don't really know how good/bad their loss is. A few state they use sign language too, but forget to inform it was really a few hours learning the deaf ABC that's all, and it all goes down the Swansea river if a terp comes in.

I think I am one of the rare honest ones. I tell people no matter what I say I understand you better make bluddy sure anyway ! Us deafies have the deaf 'nod' off to a fine art, hell, I can convince myself sometimes. Of course you may think you have understood something and haven't, so better a 'belt and braces' approach, we know what follows pride.... If you end up on a hospital bed, pride can be positively lethal. Know what really works for you and forget the rest.

Bucks County official pokes fun at Deaf

(Use youtube CC option re text).

Offensive or just stupid ?

WFD Report (Good, Bad ?)

Covering Eastern Europe/Asia and South American deaf access issues. Some Highlights here.

(1) Almost no, if any, country respondent could provide a reliable figure of the population of deaf people in their country.

(2) There are no suggestions or reliable indications about the number of people who use or know one or more sign language(s) or would benefit from learning sign language. Sign languages are in general not widely acknowledged as a natural and self-evident language for all people with a moderate to profound hearing loss

(3) Whereas 74 respondent countries say the government recognises Deaf people as citizens on an equal basis, only 44 countries have any kind of formal recognition of the country’s sign language(s). The level of legislation varies from sign language being mentioned in an official guideline, to having constitutional status.

(4) The best environment for academic and social development for a Deaf child is a school where both students and teachers use sign language for all communication.

(5) Eleven countries said Deaf people did not have access to government services, such as education, health care, employment, social welfare or any other government service.

(6) Total communication approaches (Picture at top), often give false impressions of actual progress.

British F.O. say no to deaf diplomat...

A foreign office high-flier appointed as Britain's deputy ambassador to Kazakhstan has had her posting revoked after officials ruled that her deafness makes it too expensive to send her abroad. Jane Cordell, who was lauded for her work championing disability rights during a previous diplomatic role in Poland, is suing the Foreign Office for discrimination after being told that the additional cost of providing her with trained "lip speakers" to enable her to work can no longer be justified from the public purse.

In her case, which is being supported by the Equality and Human Rights Commission, she argues that accommodating her disability is being used to restrict her career despite the fact that the Foreign Office routinely pays out large sums for the private education of the children of staff for up to 11 years who would otherwise be unable to take up their posts.

Reference.

How charities 'groom' the deaf...

Grooming definition: "Any actions deliberately undertaken with the aim of befriending and establishing an emotional or personal connection, in order to exploit.." (In this case for illicit financial gain and not the advancement of deaf people).

So how do charities for the deaf do this ? We could look at UK examples via the RNID an charity hated by most deaf for systematic side lining of deaf people, and the remit removal of support and direct representations for that group, in order to capitalise on money from funding for supportive systems, regardless how deaf feel about the applications of that. E.G. A charity telling joe public social models do not exist for deaf people, and they need charitable help. Obviously if everyone believed in a social model they would be out of business, so no wonder they don't want that ideal catching on. A recent gift of £3.7m would not have been given had the idea deaf are not needy or disabled, been their prime message.

They do this by utilising and employing full time media merchants, highly trained to publicize their charity (Which is fact a service provider, not a charity), to set up Twitter and Facebook sites under the guise of reaching out to grass roots on their level to get feedback and gauge issues of importance. Not content with that they foster the idea deaf should act as 'Fans' for charity, and then ludicrously publicise charity CEO's as some sort of 'celebrity' that offers to 'allow' direct feedback once a month or so for one hour. Well THANK YOU !

This 'happy' hour is used and obviously cynically designed to plant questions by RNID staff and members all totally supportive and ridiculing deaf who might post there, questioning the lack of representations and inclusion, as 'sour grape merchants' or 'moaners'. Thus cementing the view too, that deaf are not showing enough gratitude for being ignored, or, for accepting what is offered with good grace despite not being allowed total control over the service provided.

Charities were quick to exploit social sites as an avenue to plug 'business first'. First they support you, then they want to be your friend, then they sell you things. This is grooming by any other name and a form of online abuse and exploitation of deaf people who think friends are helping them, when in reality they are helping themselves to profits from goods and services provided, not asked for, and environmental aid sales etc. If charity is a commercial thing, then we want them to compete properly with other providers so we have choices, and not undermine deaf and grass root endevours, by getting tax concessions they are not entitled to, so deaf cannot compete fairly.

They will approach you on first name basis as well, with no right so to do, and less than honest where they work as well. Again evidence of deliberate grooming by deaf charities. The advantage of this approach is if you question the ethics of charities using staff to log in to social sites to sell services and goods, it goes completely by the board, and if you question you are attacking good old fred/chris, whoever, and not the charity they work for, it is deliberate deceit, and I urge deaf to be wary of contributing to or logging in to facebook or twitter sites run by charities providing services, and to ensure 'followers' are not charity workers posing as your friend for less than reputable reasons.

They just want your money of support for funding basically, what they do NOT want is you participating or deciding where service provision actually gets provided, or allows you representations either, after all, business is business. Don't get groomed, get aware....

The Abuse goes on, and on, and on...

Belgium's Archbishop Andre-Joseph Leonard announcing the resignation of Brugge's bishop Roger Vangheluwe.

Some of the most damning evidence of systematic child abuse by the Roman Catholic clergy to come to light was unveiled today by Belgium's leading authority on paedophilia, who published hundreds of pages of harrowing victim testimony detailing their traumas and suffering. The explosive report by Peter Adriaenssens in the town of Louvain, east of Brussels, lists evidence of 476 instances of child abuse by priests and bishops going back 50 years.

Adriaenssens was appointed by the church last year to head an independent inquiry into the scandal. Since April, when Roger Vangheluwe, the bishop of Bruges, resigned after admitting persistently molesting a nephew, the Adriaenssens commission has been inundated with evidence, with hundreds of victims coming forward. He has since documented cases of abuse occurring in almost every diocese in the country and in virtually every school run by the church. "We can say that no part of the country escapes sexual abuse of minors by one or several [church] members," said Adriaenssens.

"This is the church's Dutroux dossier," he added in reference to the notorious Belgian paedophile serial killer, Marc Dutroux, who kidnapped, tortured, abused and murdered six girls in 1995-6. Speaking of the victims, Adriaenssens said that 13 had killed themselves, according to relatives, and another six had attempted suicide. The 200-page report includes copious anonymous testimony from 124 of the victims "to honour their courage" in coming forward.

"There are days when I thank God for having the chance to speak," testified one woman. "Four years of psychotherapy have taught me that silence kills. I have had enormous depressions, going as far as attempted suicide. At other times I think it would be wise to let sleeping dogs lie. But in the end I've chosen to speak ... Since the resignation of the bishop of Bruges, I am living again in anxiety and fear. And I am far away. I've chosen to live far from my country, hoping that the past won't rejoin me." This testimony was from a woman abused in the 1980s, but most of the cases concerned young boys and teenagers, as well a documented case of a two-year-old boy being molested.

Another victim told of being repeatedly sexually molested by his parish priest for five years from the age of seven. "From being a violated child, I myself became, several years later, an abuser of adolescents and was sentenced to eight years in jail of which I served four and a half … The priest's violations certainly strongly shaped my sexual identity and influenced my life choices." The evidence presented, said the daily newspaper Le Soir, was of "immense persistent suffering which neither the church, justice, nor society have been able to assuage … Adriaenssens has done what everyone else declined to do – listen to the victims, understand them, and give them the place they deserve."

The abuse went back to the 1950s, was most common in the 60s and was tailing off by the 1980s, Adriaenssens said. "The exposed cases are old, of course," he said. "Society has developed. But there's nothing to indicate that the number of paedophiles has diminished. Where are they today?" Most of the victims were now middle-aged, but remained traumatised. Around half of the abusers had died.

Source.

How many more reasons do we need to stop this Pope coming to the UK ? He has no shame and compassion at all.

Paedophile who abused deaf boys jailed.

A sex beast who preyed on young deaf boys is back in jail after an observant cop caught him with indecent photographs of children. But a judge was powerless to extend the predatory paedophile’s stay behind bars beyond May 2012, despite hearing of a “serious history” of child abuse. Graham Gilford, 49, was caught with 168 sick pictures of children hidden in his Croydon home and at a secure storage unit, Croydon Crown Court heard on Friday. The photographs were discovered by an eagle-eyed police officer who spotted a card for a secure storage unit in Imperial Way in Gilford’s wallet.

He was immediately sent back to prison after it was discovered he was out on licence for a previous jail conviction of making indecent images of children in 2008. Judge Stephen Waller said he did not have the power to give Gilford, an ex-special police constable, a sentence starting after May 2012 – when Gilford is expected to be released for the previous offence. He sentenced him to 16 months in jail to run concurrently. In 1991 Gilford was jailed for preying on 13 boys in his care at Oak Lodge, a deaf school in Wandsworth, over a seven-year period.

More

Hearing Loss Humour

I Read this some time ago, still manages to get a few laughs I think. It came via Laurie Taylor in the new Humanist Magazine

"Some of the good old jokes came flooding back as I sat outside my doctor’s door waiting to have my ears examined. “Excuse me, but did you realise you had a sixpence in your ear?” “I’m sorry, I can’t hear you. I’ve got a sixpence in my ear.” (I warned you they were old jokes). There was even one I thought I might be able to use on my doctor. “Good morning, doctor,” I’d say. “I think I’m losing my hearing.” And then he’d go: “What are the symptoms?” And then I’d lean forward a little and say, “It’s a television show about a little yellow family. But what’s that got to do with my problem?”

But as it turned out, my doctor hadn’t mastered his script. “When did you first find yourself having difficulties with your hearing,” he asked with great precision. “It’s only really in crowded pubs,” I told him, “when there are five or six people all talking at once and there’s music on in the background and perhaps a blaring television in the corner.”

“And how do you deal with this problem?” “Well,” I explained, “I nod an awful lot in the direction of anyone whose lips are moving and then try to pick out at least one word from the conversation which I can use as a starting point for a personal monologue. So if, for example, I hear the word ‘potato’, I can set off on a long trope about how they don’t make crisps like they used to and does anyone remember how in the old days Smith’s used to put a little blue twist of salt in every packet and then this was revived a few years ago but never caught on so now we’re all forced to eat salty crisps whether we want to or not.”

My doctor told me in what seemed an oddly weary voice that I’d made my point and that he’d now like to move to an examination. He came round from behind his desk and shone a pencil torch into my ear. “Nothing obviously wrong there,” he said, pulling down my lobes to get a better angle for his spotlight. What a pity. I’d been rather hoping for something obviously wrong. An immediately apparent and readily removable impediment. Like a sixpence.

“I think I’ll refer you to an audiologist for a proper hearing test,” he announced from the sink where he was washing his hands with all the hygienic intensity of a man recently exposed to a plague rat. “They’ve got all the specialist equipment.”

My audiologist was delightfully reassuring, although it was slightly disturbing to discover that her consulting room was solely decorated with large advertisements for extraordinarily discreet (actual size as shown) and inordinately expensive (£900 each or £1600 for a pair) hearing aids. It occurred to me as I strapped on the earphones she provided that I was in an equivalent position to someone who’d popped into an artificial limb clinic to have some tests done on a gyppy knee. The outcome was already commercially assured.

But I still sat and did my best. “Call out the sounds you hear,” she said. “Test?” “Good.” “Vest?” “Good.” “Jest?” “Good.” “Dest?” “Try again.” “Kest?” “And again.” “Well,” she said 10 minutes later, resuming her seat behind the desk, “I’m pleased to tell you that you don’t have any significant hearing loss. You can hear sounds across the full dB range of frequencies although there is some slight indication that there may be a modest loss of capacity in the upper frequency levels. But that’s no impediment to a full social life.”

“Unless one were a dog,” I riposted with all the devil-may-care flippancy of someone who’d suddenly discovered a cheque for £900 nestling in his back pocket. “Actually,” she continued, “I’ve come across one or two cases of this condition in older people who lead active social lives. We even referred one man who was absolutely convinced of his oncoming deafness to a psychologist.” And his diagnosis? “I can’t remember it exactly. But his rough conclusion was that the patient had simply become terminally bored with his friends’ customary utterances.

In order to overcome his ennui he’d unconsciously developed an hysterical deafness. He never listened properly to a word they said.” I thanked her for her help and rose to go. “You know what this reminds me of,” I said as I made it to the door handle, “there was this man who was driving home one night and got pulled over by the police. ‘I’m sorry, sir,’ says the traffic cop. ‘But did you know that a few intersections back, your wife fell out of your car?’ ‘Oh, thank God for that,’ says the man. ‘For a minute I thought I’d gone deaf.”

As I closed the door behind me I could swear that I heard a slight, ever so slight, middle frequency chuckle. ■

Lip-Reading in decline, why ?

Reading this non-news is still rather depressing, but what IS the real reason for lack of demand and provision of lip-reading classes, which unlike sign language classes, provide a real need and support in real time direct to those that need it ?

Before we start wailing in the streets and pulling our hair out, it is true the statistics are less than encouraging e.g. lip-reading serves 5,000 people out of a potential 9 million ! The fact probably lies as much with the way lip-reading is taught as much as anything else. It has long been accepted the current system of teaching Lip-reading has little practical basis on a number of issues. ATLA has failed systemically to address communication issues holistically, and just draws attention lack of classes.

For example mostly it is 2 hour sessions once a week for an odd few months if you are lucky enough to be near a class, statistically your luck will already be out for that. My gripe (And don't we all have one ?), is the manner and approach to lip-reading. If you are going deaf the current system of 2hrs now and then is not worth pursuing, not least because it demands a fair amount of useful hearing before you start, and then the inability of tutors to address potential learners who have left it a bit late and need 2 hours a DAY on their own for anything useful to transpire from a lesson.

Lip-reading ignores a basic fact. Going deaf is traumatic, again tutors lack training to cope with such people and mostly even if they join a lip-reading class will leave after less than 30% of the course through sheer frustration. Lip-reading is difficult IF you can hear. Anyone with detrimental hearing loss needs patience, counselling (Neither of which are linked to the classes), as well as communication enablement be it Lip-reading or that other thing, sign language. LR failures are also running at 60-78% depending on area which is unacceptable and in itself fails to justify the LR course.




People will see and read these things and think what is the point ? ATLA's position on inclusive communications is also suspect. While I am NOT putting the argument for sign language, it is time Lip-reading lessons included any and all means these people will need to learn to communicate on basic levels. 'Street' training is also patchy if extant in most cases, so you learn in a sterile environment, of course once alone on the street you won't find anyone who can speak clearly or enough to make it easier for you, trying to LR a TV set is a total lottery it is geared for hearing, and captions won't help you lip-read either. That will set you back and think LR ? what for ?



Lip-reading has worst bad press than sign does. It is amazing you can read deaf people taking pot shots at it as well, because it's 'hard'. It's a made point about difficulty, if you are going deaf you need daily support not an odd hour somewhere. You have to take into account a sign using person will have had an education with sign language, whilst YOU have to learn a system of reading lips a few hours a month with little back up or continuity, and mostly on your own too. It is too easy to simply suggest there are not enough classes,the system whereby lip-reading is taught is not good enough, and it must be as it addresses real people having real issues in real time.

Why deaf brits should say NO to the Papal Visit

Britain shamed by accepting Visit of the Pope.

The Pope is due to visit the UK this month despite widespread opposition and criticism British taxpayers are being asked to foot the £12m sterling bill for him to come, despite 78% voting against. Why should deaf oppose this visit ? Not least because he is alleged to have covered up widespread abuse of deaf children in the 'care' of his catholic clerics. Throughout the Papal visit I will be publishing blogs against this person, will no-one else speak up for the deaf abused in the UK ?

It is monstrous deaf and along with other tax paying brits are expected to pay for this person to come here making excuses for the abuse, and blatantly off-loading critics by suggesting he will 'talk' to those who were abused (In confidence and away from the media of course !). Why hasn't a warrant been issued for his complicity ? We can surely issue one in the UK if not the Vatican.

Sadly we are not reading of any campaign to oppose this papal visit in the UK by the deaf either, why not ? or being asked to pay for the prime person who covered up the abuse, to come to the UK. Contacts sent to British Members of Parilament to offer criticisims on behalf of the deaf abused have been met with silence, a silence much more deafening that that from anyone with a profound loss, and evidence the state is prepared to allow abuse of deaf children world-wide in order not to upset the catholic, and for petty political reasons, who runs this country ?

Another case of religious rights being accepted in the greater good, and deaf rights and children ignored. legalised abuse by our own Parliament.

Link (1) The BBC

Link (2) Vatican refuses to defrock cathoilic priest who abused deaf children.

Link (3) Deaf children abused in Italy by catholic priests

Link (4) Catholic priest alleged to have abused 200 deaf children in America.

Link (5) Catholic priest abused children for 24 years.

There is hardly any area in the UK where deaf children have not complained of abuse by catholic clerics. while deaf children suffer a nightmare and lifetime of abusive memories, the UK pays for 5 star treatment, and high security cover (To prevent deaf voicing their rights and spoiling the show), of the prime person responsible, the buck stops with 'Il Papa' or it doesn't... clearly as the UK parliament decides the rights of deaf take second place to the rights of this 'father'...

Deaf woman attacked forgives her attacker.

(She is an lip-reader). LINK HERE

Deaf miracle cure in Zimbabwe

Any Old News will do...

Do read on:

"NEWS RELEASE. Government call for improved disabled access for 2012 must include better access to the telephone for deaf people . 2 September 2010.

Wait a sec.... "News Release. Government call for improved disabled access must include better access to the telephone for deaf people (TAG 1993)."

Erm right... must be an echo...

"Government must take the initiative to modernise telephone relay services for deaf and hard-of- hearing people if its call for companies to improve disabled access in the run up to the 2012 London Olympics is to mean anything to deaf people, says TAG, the deaf electronic communications consortium."

The Government-commissioned report “2012 Legacy for Disabled People: Inclusive and Accessible Business” (There was a twitter link here, I don't do Twitter/facebook links enuff idiots there without us being bored with it as well), shows that almost one-third of disabled people have difficulty in accessing goods and services they want to use. Because of poor access to the telephone network, (Not true, the issue is HEARING people on the other end!), the percentage of deaf and hard-of hearing people unable to access goods and services is very much higher. (Really ? I have little trouble ordering goods online)....As a result the economy suffers and deaf and hard-of-hearing citizens are marginalised. (The deaf pound much be worth more than I thought... is it worth more than 100 pence now ?)

Ruth Myers, Chairman of TAG, said: “This Government report reflects what TAG has been saying for a very long time (Since 1993 in fact, albeit other started With A G Bell...and his ear trumpet), deaf and hard-of-hearing people are excluded from many social and commercial opportunities because of the antiquated way that they must communicate with the hearing world via the voice telephone. There are other types of telephone where you don't speak at all ? Email and texting communications only meet some needs – (Meets all mine!), access to voice telephony is crucial for many employment, commercial and social purposes.

“TAG is campaigning for new types of relay services, such as captioned telephony (Texting we call it), video relay (Only of use IF the other people and the DEAF have visi-phones), and IP relay services, all of which are already available to deaf people in some other countries (They are available here too), . Everyone accepts that the provision of additional types of relay service is the way forward (Only for sign users), but the trigger for action has to be a Government commitment to find the necessary funding mechanisms (They won't pay they never have and we have the DDA and employers don't comply and the state does nothing). The costs are not high in comparison to the economic and social benefits which will accrue.

“We call on the Government to act now to ensure that modernised telephone relay services for deaf people will be up and running in 2011, ready for use by deaf people to make their booking arrangements for the London 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games.” (God yes no access to the Olympics is terrible.... isn't it ?), except everything WILL be fully accessible!

TAG is a consortium of the main UK deaf organisations concerned with electronic communications and is campaigning for improved electronic communications for deaf, deafened, hard-of-hearing, and deafblind people, and sign language users.

(And may even provide feedback TO the deaf instead of just telling them to do something about it... sorry digressed there....)

Contrary to that view, I find -emailing, SMS text and NOT relay systems the best way for me to communicate. TAG also provides no statistics for deaf usage but has copied an 'disabled' item adding the deaf aspect to it. Erm, the deaf are not IN the Olympic games, they have their own, and we are still awaiting statistics that prove there is a demand for video relay services too, the Olympic booking site offers 100% access for the deaf

Lot's of talk nothing concrete. I put it there is little or NO demand of note for text relay systems, and hasn't been since Tripetalk died the death, and even talk by text is floundering because deaf don't use these things anymore, and since the mobile phone was invented. Recent 'surveys' have got little but what ?!!? in response to text relay systems as it is.

Minicoms ? so last century ! These are the people that plugged Amstrad for heaven's sake ! Tag is such a dated 'charity' the only sign of life we see is when they copy items online and stick deaf in the middle, (As per the RNID adding 'RNID supports' on everything including the recent butter mountain issue, because deaf have to spread it thinner than hearing people....), it's one of those geeky groups that doesn't appear to be keeping UP with telephone fads either, and 9 out of 10 deaf have never heard of this charity at all except when they turn up for freebies in westminster.....and photo shoots. If I want to keep up with gizmos on the telephone (I don't), I'd go online not ask them.

No matter what system is introduced it will be obsolete on the first day. TAG is just one of 58 deaf groups in the UK that should have given it up 15 years ago, but won't go... And Ms Myers is in half of them as it is.... Deaf don't care about campaigns anymore, save yourself the effort.... and deaf will use ANYTHING but a relay system, mostly they will use relatives. We've tried changing their minds for 26 years and they have refused to create demand still. I'd give a link to TAG, but what would be the point ? Just count to 20 and the RNID will be adding their perverse 'support' as well....

Deaf Vblogging explosion ?

An interesting point, but, one issue is the lack of access to many vblogs by the deaf which is a conundrum given access is their demand. Fortunately this vblog gives an text run-down (Thanks for that), but the issue of many vbloggers not given 'air time' on leading sites (Is that true ?), may well be down to the fact without access, and suggestions 'some' vbloggers deaf are attacking other deaf, has more than a passing influence on the 'bans' some are getting. I suspect it is more about moderating deaf vblogs than any deliberate ban on deaf signing vblogs. They cannot expect providing no access to what they are saying or talking about, is going to mean they can attack others with impunity, when in doubt the bans come up, that is what is happening.