The other day I went shopping, and as usual, I went about my own business. That is, until I rounded one corner and saw a cute little girl trailing her parents, who were toting her empty stroller as *they* went about their own business. I was with my wife, and of course, we were discussing whether or not we needed a certain item, and if we liked this one or that. Occasionally, out of the corner of my eye, I’d catch the little girl looking curiously at us. Ah, obviously she’s wondering about why those funny adults are using their hands that way! (more…)

This isn’t even about Gallaudet. This particular gem of news takes place nearly 400 miles away in an upstate New York university named Rochester Institute of Technology.

I’m talking about the RIT Student Government (SG) elections, which just concluded last week. (more…)

The World Wide Web (or the “internets” as Bush puts it) is an amazing frontier– there are websites, homepages, blogs, and virtual storefronts for just about anything under the sun. Some of it of course is bizarre, unusual, different, and even obscure. But the best part about it is that anyone can use it, and anyone can claim their corner of cyberspace– from the billionaire in his secluded, exclusive neighborhood to the homeless guy who signs up for a half-hour or so at the public library, from the career woman writing about her latest endeavors to the ex-con blogging about prison reform. What’s satisfying is that it puts all of us on equal footing. All you need is the use of a computer and the ability to type, and a virtual library opens its worlds to the rest of us. (more…)

It is perhaps no small irony that, despite Dr. Fernandes’s stellar resume and distinguished experience in higher education, her next few steps towards the President’s Office may be her most humbling.

Dr. Jane Fernandes strikes me as the sort of woman who rises to the occasion when it is demanded of her, and this ability was displayed for all to see at Wednesday’s final open forum for the Gallaudet presidential finalists. Amid charges that she would ascend to the presidency with scant support from faculty and even less from the student body, she defined herself as a deaf woman and explained her vision of Gallaudet.

Well, it worked. Sitting in the audience, I had to keep reminding myself that she was NOT the President. She sure sounded like it. (more…)

If music was a religion, it’d be my religion.

I’m a HUGE fan of music. It’s my savior, it’s my escape. It’s where I feel like I most belong. It’s something I can relate to. It’s something I understand more than anything.

No, I can’t sing. I can’t play an instrument. But I know good music. I can appreciate someone’s voice. I can appreciate someone’s drumming skills. I can appreciate when someone knows how to entice an entire audience. I can appreciate when someone who has rock star status and wants to make a difference. (more…)

According to OpEdNews.com, the Illinois State Legislature may soon be “dropping a bombshell” — they may soon be voting on a resolution to impeach President Bush.’

EDIT: California is also doing this. And the California measure includes Cheney too!

If they pass the impeachment measure, it becomes a privileged motion of the House of Representatives in Washington, D.C. Which means they have to deal with it, and investigate the President. (more…)

Clearly, my pieces on each finalist for Gallaudet’s top position has gotten some attention lately. I would like to make sure that our readers understand that I have not endorsed or dismissed any candidate. After all, how could I? There’s still one more to go; it would be irresponsible–for me or anybody–to decide now without having heard from everybody first.

So…hold onto your horses and let’s hear from Dr. Fernandes soon! Regardless of how this entire process is moving along, it’s an extraordinarily historical moment for Gallaudet and the larger deaf and hard-of-hearing community nationwide. And it’s already turned into something we all can celebrate: all the finalists are deaf. Isn’t that great news in itself?

Ronald J. Stern has that star power going for him. He sauntered into the packed Swindells auditorium with a relaxed, hey dude, I’m from California attitude. He worked the room, shaking a few hands, as he approached the podium; standing there setting up his Powerpoint presentation, he leaned slightly to the left, one hand on his chin, as if it was the most natural place to be at that moment.

The open forum presentation is likely one of the most important speeches each finalist will ever give in their professional careers. The gravity of the moment did not appear to weigh upon Mr. Stern’s unassuming shoulders.

Given his entrance and his family name–one of the most well-known Deaf families in the nation–people can be excused from imagining a Stern presidency in the same light as a Clinton or Kennedy administration. He looks like he’s got it all–except the Ed.D. (more…)

This is a subject that I’ve been wanting to blog about for some time now - but never got around to it since I wasn’t sure what lead-in I could use. And as luck would have it, an article appeared on the front page of CNN and the Washington Post leading me to bring this entry to the masses:

According to CNN.com,

Drivers dabbling on makeup, chatting on cell phones or eating breakfast are three times as likely to be involved in a crash as more attentive motorists.

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And on that note, this is a photo that was sent to me by a deaf friend who was in a recent automobile accident. (more…)

Gasp. No, I’m not writing about Gallaudet. It may be everyone’s favorite topic these few weeks, but you know what?

In a year, no one is going to remember this controversy (except those diehards who can’t let go of their dreams of an Anderson or Rosen administration) and we’ll all be safely esconced in the warm, academic majesty of Gallaudet University’s second deaf presidency.

But you know what you’ll remember next year? These films playing at this week’s Filmfest DC (www.filmfestdc.org). (more…)