DC Roberies

There have been at least eight burglaries at homes of deaf people near Gallaudet University in Washington, DC in past couple of weeks. The intruders have broken in after midnight and taken electronic equipment - even stopping for a snack at one residence. Because so many deaf people live in the area, the DC police has a Deaf and Hard of Hearing Unit. Members are going through the neighborhood to alert residents of the problem.

NexTalk

A software system called NexTalk combines telephone technology and the internet to give users the feeling of a more natural conversation. The calls ring directly to a user's PC, allowing real-time communication. The software also has an instant messaging feature.

The Big Bell

Culver's Restaurants in Chicagoland is using a devise to give deaf and hard of hearing customers assistance at the drive-thru restaurant. The customer pulls up and simply rings the bell that says Ring Bell for Assistance. It alerts the staff inside. The driver pull forward and then they are handed a pen, paper and a to-go menu. The device costs $700.

Among America's Best

Gallaudet University is ranked 19th on US News & World Report’s best audiology programs in the country. All 230 programs in the audiology and speech-language pathology rankings are accredited by the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association. The U.S. News rankings are based on surveys completed by deans, other administrators and faculty.

First to Earns IFR

A Michigan man became the first deaf person to earn his IFR. Stephen Hopson passed the FAA instrument rating test in 2006. That means he from Michigan can fly in less-than-ideal conditions. Hopson has been deaf since he was born, after his mother came down with German measles while pregnant. Hopson works as a banker and stockbroker on Wall Street and moonlights as a motivational speaker.

Kansas Musuem

A museum in Kansas is teaching the public about sign language and the Deaf culture the William Marra Museum of Deaf Culture is located in the Kansas City suburb of Olathe. The facility is the result of a cooperative effort between the Kansas Educational Foundation for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing and the Kansas School for the Deaf. One of the goals of the museum is to help deaf children appreciate their rich culture.

The MiracleGro Movie

The man who founded the MiracleGro garden products company also commissioned a film about cochlear implants. The Bridge Between Sound and Silence came out a year after Horace Hagedorn died in 2006. The New York philanthropist also left a million dollars for deaf children who comes from family that cannot afford the cost of implants. He had suffered significant hearing loss in old age.

Deaf Pitcher Gets His Day

There's a new monument at the Prairie City Cemetery in Lawrence, Kansas. That’s where Luther "Dummy" Taylor was buried in 1958. His family and a group of fans in the area have raised $2400 to put up a new marker. The former major leaguer pitched eight seasons for the New York Giants in the early 1900s. He was a member of the team when the Giants played in the 1905 World Series. Teammates learned sign language so they could communicate with Taylor and the Giants made make sure he was included all the team’s activities.

Interactive Video Dictionary

A team at Boston University is working on an interactive sign language video program. When someone shows a sign before a camera, the program will explain its meaning. The researchers have $900,000 from a National Science Foundation grant. They hope to have more than 3000 signs that will help parents better communicate with deaf children and to help sign language students.

Vibrant Soundbridge.

Danny Sanderson is just the second person to have a device installed called the Vibrant Soundbridge. The procedure was done yesterday by doctors at University of North Carolina Hospitals who are conducting national clinical trials. MED-EL Corporation out of Durham makes the device. Anderson has the implant surgery in March, putting it directly on the opening into his inner ear. Doctors fitted the external device yesterday.

Kars & Kids

The Kars & Kids classic car and hot rod show in Austin has raised more than $18,000 for the Texas School for the Deaf. The school will use the money for classroom equipment and an automotive repair program.

Jamaal's Got Game

Atlanta Falcons defensive end Jamaal Anderson has big plans when he retires from playing professional football. Rather than taking it easy on some beach or worrying about his investments, Anderson wants to work at a school for the deaf and get sports programs started. Anderson grew up in Arkansas using sign language to communicate with his father, Glenn, who has been deaf since childhood. The Atlanta Journal Constitution reports Jamaal recently told students at the Atlanta Area School for the Deaf “how his father never used his impairment as an excuse, but instead used it as a strength to become a scholar and teacher”. Selected 8th in the NFL draft, the Atlanta Falcons picked the 6-6, 285-pounder for his size and production at Arkansas. He had an SEC leading 13 and a half sacks in 14 games during his last season.

But the real story is Jamaal’s father. Glenn Anderson pursued an education even when his family didn't even attempt to learn sign language. He became a top basketball player in high school, even though the team ostracized him. His only failing grade in school came when a history teacher didn’t believe he was deaf and gave him an oral final exam. He became the first person in his family to earn a college degree (from Gallaudet University). From he went on to earn his master's from the University of Arizona and then his Ph.D. from NYU. Glenn has since served on the National Council on Disability and chaired Gallaudet's Board of Trustees. Glenn Anderson now directs the Rehabilitation Research and Training Center for Persons who are Deaf or Hard of Hearing at the University of Arkansas.

Having a Deaf Baby

A deaf UK couple tells CNN why they plan to have a deaf child through in vitro fertilization. But a new law could prevent them.

Deaf Ump Honored

Baseball umpires are often accused of not being able to see well enough to make good calls. But in Peter Rozynski’s case, it’s his hearing that’s in question. The Palm Beach, Florida softball ump has been deaf since the age of two. He’s now 55 years old. And not only is he as good as the hearing umps, recently he’s been a little better Rozynski is the reigning Rookie of the Year for the East Coast Umpires Association. It's rare for players to argue with him because coaches say his calls are very consistency. And those who do argue better keep their language clean. He can read lips pretty well, too.

Google Searches

Cities with the most Google searches (so far this year) using the word deaf:

1. Rochester, New York
   
2. Austin, Texas
   
3. Salt Lake City, Utah
   
4. Minneapolis, Minnesota
5. Washington, DC

Cities with the most Google searches (so far this year) using the words Sign Language:

1. San Diego
2. Houston
3. Seattle
4. St Louis
5. Phoenix

David Lodge's new novel is called Deaf Sentence. The award-winning British author is now in his 70’s and says he tried to hide his hearing loss for a decade. The book covers the embarrassment many older people feel in admitted they have significant hearing loss. The bespectacled, grey-haired protagonist is a professor of linguistics, something that serves to heighten the pain of his condition. He navigates through midfields of misunderstandings.

Track & Field Winner

A student from the Missouri School for the Deaf swept the sprint titles in the state high school track and field championships yesterday. Chetara Watkins won both the 100-meter dash and the 200-meter dash. She’s also the second Class 1 girl in the 35-year history of the girls championships to win both three years in a row. Without a hearing aid in her left ear, Watkins is completely deaf.

Life as a Deaf Person

The Deaf Cultural Center in the Kansas City suburb of Olathe has opened a window into the life of a deaf person for hearing individuals. The Center’s museum has set up an exhibit like a studio apartment with items deaf or hard-of-hearing individuals would use. This includes a strobe-light alarm and an alarm clock that vibrates.

Hear the World In Seattle

Hear the World will help Seattle's Experience Music Project and Science Fiction Museum celebrate Family Day by hosting free hearing screenings outside the museum tomorrow. Read more about Hear the World in previous posts.

Miami Proclaimation

Miami Mayor Matti Bower has proclaimed this Hear the World Day. He’s encouraging residents to visit the Hear the World screening site on 16th Street & Lincoln Road.