What do you think? Have you even tried Google Glass?

Yes, it seems that the nation was suddenly interested in Sign Language translation (some by interest, some by mocking) of Lydia Callis as she translated NY City Mayor Bloomburg’s warnings from English into American Sign Language.

I’d first like to point out the lack of applause for NYC providing equal access to the Deaf community in NYC.

That aside, many might be very interested to read this interview that aired on NPR weeks after the storm. In this interview, discussed are the importance of the non-manual signals that Ms. Callis provided as well as ‘accents’ in American Sign Language.

In New Hampshire, back in 2010, four-year-old Anthony Smith was hearing-impaired and using a hearing-aide in his daily life. They referred to it as his ‘Blue Ear’. However, little Anthony insisted that Superheros didn’t have hearing aids.

Step Up: Marvel Comics.

[Marvel Comics] dispatched one of their cartoonists to draw a brand-new superhero: Anthony himself, otherwise known as “The Blue Ear.”

“Thanks to my listening device, I hear someone in trouble,” Blue Ear says in the drawing. Comic book-letters declare: “When DANGER makes a sound, The Blue Ear answers the call.”

D’Allesandro said Anthony was transfixed by the drawing. He brought it to show his classmates at his school for the hearing-impaired. The only problem? Now all the kids want their hearing aids to look like Blue Ear’s.

Yes, my faith in humanity is now restored.

1. Spanish
2. French
3. German
4. American Sign Language (ASL)

AKA:

Ever wanted to go to a surf camp? What about a Deaf Surf Camp?!?! And by ‘Deaf’ I mean the entire Deaf culture (Deaf, HoH, Coda, etc).

It’s happening in, of all places, Costa Rica! That’s right…This May, you can attend a week-long Surf Camp in beautiful Costa Rica.

Apparently it’s not JUST all about surfing…

We didn’t spend the whole time surfing. There was time for lots of other activities, zip lining, snorkeling, horseback riding, massages, swimming, yoga, and eating! The food was delicious and always freshly prepared. All the staff involved with the camp were so much fun and went above and beyond to make sure that this was the trip of a lifetime.

They have a Facebook Page set up so go check it out. Seems fairly affordable but most importantly a great excursion among ‘friends’.

‘Hang 10’ and let me know how well you did when you return to the mainland! Oh how I wish I could go!

Keith Wann is a popular comedian in the Deaf community. He is a CODA (child of deaf adults). Keith has a 4-year-old son named Douglass. They are family friends and renowned ASL story-teller Peter Cook. Douglass asked Cook to create an ASL story about him and NASA. Here’s the story:

Not to be outdone, Wann’s two-year-old asked for a story for herself but from a family friend, Wink.

Before you watch the video, here’s a bit of what it’s about (taken from the YouTube description)…

Published on Dec 5, 2012
Over the past decade, tremendous progress has been made in ensuring that families have access to hearing screening when a baby is born. Approximately 95% of babies now receive a hearing screen shortly after birth. Now, greater emphasis must be placed on training early childhood education and health care providers.

Dr. Karl R. White is a Professor of Psychology at Utah State University and the founding Director of the National Center for Hearing Assessment and Management (NCHAM). Dr. White is recognized as one of the world’s leading authorities on early identification and treatment of hearing loss in infants and young children.

The video is about 18 minutes long — and I’m sure this will be controversial among the readers here. That’s fine with me. Enable CC on the video if you like. In addition, I’ve provided screen grabs of a few of the slides that Dr. White uses.

Please share your thoughts below but I have a few ground rules: 1) Treat Dr. White with respect and extend the benefit of the doubt, and 2) do the same with other commenters. In other words: keep it civil, mature, and fair.

And…Go!