2007 World Deaf Swimming Championships Day 2: An intensive matchday

On the second day of the 2007 World Deaf Swimming Championships, the 50m Butterfly, 100m Backstroke, and 400m Individual Medley Groups finales took place during the afternoon. Tomorrow, two long-distance groups (Men 1500m Freestyle and Women 800 Freestyle) will try to bring home a medal.

Taiwanese deaf swimmer Shu-ning Tseng and Swedish deaf swimmer Anna Polivanchuk battled from heat section to final in the Women 100m Backstroke Group. Even though they didn't establish new women deaf swimmer 100m backstroke world record, spectators could surely enjoy an intensive competition between these two athletes read more

FAP603: Preferred Lender Lists still in effect, Facebook parents, mail bag, Catie McKinney

Scholarship Update
+ The Alexander Graham Bell Association for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing (AG Bell) offers several scholarships for undergraduate and graduate study each academic year.
+ Applicants are eligible for one scholarship per school year.
+ Award amounts range from $500 to $5,000. Applications should not request a specific amount; that decision is made by a committee of volunteers and all decisions are final.
+ George H. Nofer Scholarship: One $5,000 scholarship for a graduate student who is accepted to an accredited law school or masters/doctoral program in public policy as a full-time student, but has not yet enrolled, and has a minimum undergraduate cumulative grade point average of 3.0. Recipients who have completed at least nine credit hours with a minimum grade point average of 3.0 may apply for a renewed scholarship in their second and third year of study.
+ March 1 deadline
+ Details at our free college scholarship search site read more

Deaf Cartoon Artist in “Flintstone”, “The Pebbles and Bamm-Bamm”

Do you remember Flintstone Cartoon? Many people might not realize those arts in background such as rocks, grass, sky, feet, stone tires, etc, were drawn by a Deaf artist. His name is Gino Giudice. He moved to Hollywood from Chicago in late 1960’s to work for the art studio. He was a background artist at Animation Department of Hanna-Barbera in Hollywood. I’ve seen all kind of his wonderful art skills. They were so beautiful and professional. For a long time, I’ve known Halloween costumes were one of his many favorite creative arts. He loved creativing and making his homemade costumes and attended the Halloween parties to suprise many people after he removed his home-made mask. Most people didn’t recognize him when he was wearing the costume. Giudice was possessed of a deep love and commitment to art. It was his life. He was perhaps most respected for his role in the art of “Flintstone”, “The Pebbles and Bamm” and other artworks in this field. Presently, he enjoys his retirement in Hollywood and attends the Deaf events. read more

RNID to supply Nokia 9210’s from ebay to Deaf customers.

Vodafone UK is hunting eBay for obsolete handsets that support its Textphone service for the deaf.
British telephone companies are required to provide services for deaf customers, who generally use a keyboard to type text messages. Text- and instant messaging have mitigated the need to an extent, but seeing every key typed is a better communication experience, according to the RNID (Royal National Institute for Deaf people).
Vodafone’s service uses software provided by the RNID running on Nokia’s Communicator 9210. The problem is that Nokia doesn’t make the 9210 any more. And while rival networks use two-device solutions, Vodafone is forced to source Communicators from anywhere they can, including eBay, until it comes up with something better.
A Vodafone spokeswoman told us: “We buy Communicators secondhand from a variety of sources, including eBay, and clean them up for our customers.” read more

For Your Information

United Hearing & Deaf Services: Agency providing social services for deaf and hard of hearing needs assistance in the After-School Kids Program. Sign language ability is a requirement. Volunteers must be 25 years old. Amy Schwartzberg at 954-731-7200.

Items contributed must be received at least two weeks in advance at Calendar Desk, The Miami Herald, 1 Herald Plaza, Fifth Floor Newsroom, Miami, FL 33132-1693. Or e-mail your items to newscalendar@MiamiHerald.com. No faxes, please. For questions or corrections, call 954-764-7026, ext. 3355. For complete listings of events throughout South Florida, go to MiamiHerald.com and click on Calendar on the left side of the screen. read more

Deaf Actors, Actresses Cast on ABC's "All My Children"

Monday, August 13, 2007 -- "All My Children" will cast deaf actors and actresses surrounding a storyline about a toddler who becomes deaf as a result of a car accident, it was announced today by Brian Frons, president Daytime, Disney-ABC Television Group. As the parents cope with their son's condition, they will explore a variety of medical options, including Cochlear implants. In the episode to air on August 15, the show will introduce Walter Novak, its first deaf character for this story arc, who will be played by Bob Hiltermann, a deaf actor.

"This storyline gives us the opportunity to explore the emotional challenges and real-life decisions facing the parents of a child who has been permanently injured. We will go on a heart wrenching journey with our characters as they learn about the current medical options and obstacles facing their child who has become deaf. In the tradition of 'All My Children's' hallmark storytelling, this is a story of strength, love and hope," says executive producer Julie Hanan Carruthers. read more

Improved hearing aid battery tech developed in North East

A North East manufacturer has improved its product range to help people with severe hearing problems. Rayovac in Washington has developed a longer lasting hearing aid battery that improves the performance of specialist hearing devices.

The firm has tailored the new product to meet the needs of people with cochlear implants – a device worn by the profoundly deaf and hard of hearing. The battery contains a series of technical improvements that maximises the power available to the hearing aid device for a longer period of time, improving the performance and quality of sound available to the user.


With the power demands of hearing aids worn by those with cochlear implants significantly higher than other devices, Rayovac has developed an air management system to maximise power for longer. It works by ensuring that only the precise amount of air needed to convert zinc in the battery to energy enters the cell at all times.

read more

IT could be you

U Can Do IT is a service for blind, deaf and disabled people who want to learn to use the internet. Personal tutors attend pupil's homes for one-to-one sessions on tasks such as shopping, banking, and emailing.

The course is made up of ten one-and-a-half hour lessons, each costing £1.

For more information visit www.ucandoit.org.uk, or call 020 7730 7766. read more

So why won't the NHS listen to deaf patients?

Analogue hearing aids are really glorified ear horns, simply amplifying noise indiscriminately so that background noise, such as a birdsong, becomes as loud as someone talking right next to you.

'The framework was developed following extensive work with a range of stakeholders, including NHS audiologists, professional bodies and the RNID.' Of course, digital hearing aids are not a remedy that suits everyone.

Like analogue hearing aids, they can whistle and give feedback quite randomly if the mould worn in the ear does not fit properly. read more