Mishka Zena

One Speaker Didn’t Sign in Gallaudet Video. What The Heck???
Mishka Zena Gallaudet is showing a video how its community celebrates the holidays.  It's a great video, showing the different celebrations of the holidays and reflecting the diversity of Gallaudet members. Unfortunately one speaker is shown with no signing at all.  Check at 3.56. This contrast with Gallaudet's policy which was officially approved on April 30, 2007 ...
Tue, Dec 13 2011

John Yeh’s Sentence Announced.
Mishka Zena The verdict is in. John Yeh is sentenced for 108 months. His brother Joseph's sentence is 55 months. Source: IDeafNews at Facebook --- There will be more updates, so keep checking that site. i.Deaf News, thank you for the live reporting. My opinion? There is a severe miscarriage of justice here.  The whole thing had [...]
Wed, Nov 30 2011

Live Coverage of John Yeh’s Court Trial Now
Mishka Zena i Deaf News  is currently covering the trial of John Yeh at Facebook.  Check out the updates and the pictures at https://www.facebook.com/pages/i-DEAF-NEWS/192104368911 Right now the judge is taking a break. Apparently there is an issue with CART not being available. Tsk Tsk.  Smart of  John Yeh's wife to inquire about the CART as it is [...]
Wed, Nov 30 2011

An ASL Interpreter Beaten and Choked by Police During...
Mishka Zena From a tweet: ‘Though Justin was lying on the ground in compliance, Portland Police continuously beat him in the back with clubs until his eyes rolled back in his head. Fellow protesters thought he was dead. He is now in critical care.' One of the protesters, Justin James Bridges, an ASL interpreter for Occupy Portland General [...]
Mon, Nov 14 2011

MTVU Gally: Culturally Deaf Students Excluded?
Mishka Zena Here is the link to the first episode of MTVU's Gally mini series!  The show is pretty short, but overall it seems a very positive episode.  But.  A big but.  I would prefer at least one or two, preferably at least two, culturally Deaf ASL-using students be a part of the cast, though. This way the viewers can see a fair [...]
Mon, Oct 24 2011

What’s AGBell Assc’s Role Here? You Decide
Mishka Zena . . From AGBell Association site:  “Who We Are   The Alexander Graham Bell Association for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing helps families, health care providers and education professionals understand childhood hearing loss and the importance of early diagnosis and intervention.”    [link] . Due to a challenge by someone, I explored the relationship bet...
Fri, Oct 14 2011

The Reality Of Oral Deaf Students with Cochlear Implants
Mishka Zena . Over the years, several parents painted a very rosy picture of what the lives of typical oral deaf children wearing cochlear implants are.  Since then, I've heard many stories that contradicted their claims.  What I've heard pretty much matched the summary posted below.   This summary was written by Jennifer Borhegyl, a mom of [...]
Fri, Aug 19 2011

Is AGBell Assc. Destroying Deaf Culture? You Decide
Mishka Zena For a long time the Deaf Community had accused AGBell Association of maintaining hidden agenda including surreptitiously trying to wipe out the deaf culture. The founder, Alexander Graham Bell, was the father of the eugenics movement and for some time held the president position of a national eugenics society. For further information, check on the [...]
Mon, Jun 13 2011
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Abuse of Deaf people by Hearing Professionals
Mishka Zena Italian Sign Language Is Not A Language . Italian Sign Language Is Not A Language   Not A Language   Not A Language   Not A Language     Warning: this is going to be a long rant.   Hello readers. I'm interrupting my long deserved hiatus after blogging steadily for three years. I have [...]
Thu, May 26 2011
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Hearing Readers Criticized Dying Woman and Husband.
Mishka Zena An article covered the recent lawsuit of a man against the hospital for failure to inform him and his wife in a timely manner that her cancer was terminal. Reading the comments left by ignorant and insensitive readers left me feeling disturbed. Most of them showed a profound lack of understanding about ASL, written English, AND the  [...]
Sat, Feb 06 2010

Deaf Man Killed His Estranged Wife
Mishka Zena This article appeared on the news yesterday. As a long time domestic violence advocate, I sighed and thought to myself ‘another one lost to domestic violence'. I do not know who this man is, nor do I know his wife and her hearing status. It's something I've encountered too often. One death due to domestic violence [...]
Sun, Jan 17 2010

Two Viable Employees Plead GUILTY
Mishka Zena Straight from the Dept of Justice website: “Anthony Mowl, the former assistant vice president of business development for Viable Communications Inc. (Viable), and Donald Tropp, the former human resources manager for Viable, pleaded guilty today to engaging in a conspiracy to defraud the Federal Communications Commission’s (FCC) Video Relay Service (VRS) program ...
Wed, Jan 13 2010

FLash! Yehs Plead Not Guilty
Mishka Zena The news we have been waiting to hear: Viable executives arraigned Deaf-services company's president, others plead not guilty to charges John T.C. Yeh, president of Rockville deaf-services company Viable, along with three other company executives, pleaded not guilty Monday in a New Jersey federal court to charges that include conspiracy to defraud the governmen...
Fri, Dec 18 2009

Prison for 26 Viable Defendants Sought By Prosecutors
Mishka Zena “Prosecutors have said that they will seek unspecified jail time in addition to forfeiture of the contractors’ business.” More tidbits are included in the article.  Twenty interpreters were used by the prosecutors investigating this systematic fraud.   “The seven contractors who are allegedly defrauded the system account for approximately 15 percent ...
Wed, Dec 16 2009

26 Arrested for VRS Overbilling Fraud
Mishka Zena The investigations conducted by FCC had resulted in arrests of over 2 dozen pepole involved in overcharging FCC for generating fake calls.   These arrests took place in New York, New Jersey, Florida, Texas, Pennsylvania, Arizona, Nevada, Oregon and Maryland. “The indictments charge owners and employees of the following seven companies with engaging in a scheme t...
Thu, Nov 19 2009

Fiascos at DeafRead and DVTV
Mishka Zena I've been away for a long time, doing a lot of traveling and working on other projects that produce concrete advocacy results in a healthy and positive direction.  Recently I checked out the blogs and vlogs. Seeing all these negativity in DeafRead and DVTV where certain people performed character assassinations and fabrications against other people, I [...]
Mon, Oct 12 2009

Deaf People: Bad News From State Supreme Court
Mishka Zena I'm interrupting my long-planned break from blogging. I've taken short breaks before, but not an extended break since I began blogging almost three years ago. I'm also spending minimal time on the Internet. So far, the break has been wonderful and I'm loving it. I don't know how much longer the break will last, though. Many [...]
Tue, Jun 30 2009
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Legal Actions Against State By SSSD and Parents, SDSD
Mishka Zena SSSD: Since the school is still slated to be closed on June 30th, SSSD filed a legal injunction at the federal courts against PA, asking the courts to stop the closing until legal proceeding against them are addressed.  Three families of four SSSD students have filed a lawsuit due to the lack of transitional plans. [...]
Wed, Apr 29 2009

Mandatory Cochlear Implants and Hearing Aids Policies In WI
Mishka Zena Last year some Deaf people went to the Wisconsin state legislature to express their opposition to this bill. This bill that would force all health insurance companies to cover the expenses of cochlear implants and hearing aids for Deaf children living in Wisconsin, wasn't passed during that session. This bill recently passed both the Senate and the Assembly easi...
Fri, Apr 24 2009

Segregation Between Deaf Kids at Deaf and Public Schools
Mishka Zena Several months ago while I was researching the deaf schools facing budget cuts and planned school closings,  someone alerted me of a Deaf school where the deaf oral kids in an oral program are segregated from the Deaf students using ASL, in the same building. These groups are not reportedly allowed to socialize or even speak to each [...]
Mon, Apr 20 2009
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Cochlear Implants Are Oppressive To Some?
Mishka Zena I've been watching Carl's vlog at DVTV ‘Hidden Agendas Behind Cochlear Implants'.  [link] The room temperature there is getting hot.   A question for certain members of the Deaf Community who reject cochlear implants. Do you feel oppressed by the presence of cochlear implants? Do you feel oppressed when you see Deaf people, children, and todd...
Fri, Apr 17 2009

William Hurt Apologized Publicly to Marlee Matlin
Mishka Zena William Hurt to Marlee Matlin: “I Apologize for Any Pain I Caused”   Marlee Matlin is spilling. William Hurt is sorry. Matlin has been making the rounds touting her new memoir, I'll Scream Later, and raising some eyebrows with allegations that she was abused by Hurt during their two-year relationship that blossomed on the set of 1987's Children...
Tue, Apr 14 2009

Deaf Oral AGBell Representatives Using CART During...
Mishka Zena While reading AFA's letter requesting for a copy of the CART transcription from the AFA/AGBADHH meeting two weeks ago for the behalf of two deaf oral AGBADHH representatives, a thought came to my mind.  Why was the CART services needed in the first place? Wasn't there an interpreter in the room, voicing for Deaf AFA leaders. [...]
Mon, Apr 13 2009
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Video Showing A Cop Breaking Deaf Driver’s Nose During A...
Mishka Zena To see the video clip of the cop smashing Deaf driver's face into the rear windshield,  Video On Demand: Latest News Video | WFAA.com It began with a routine traffic stop due to excessive speeding over one year ago. The Deaf driver, Christopher  Ferrell, attempted to retrieve his wallet to show the identification card showing his deafness. [...]
Thu, Apr 09 2009
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AFA Rally Against Audism: The Right Move?
Mishka Zena By now just about every Deaf person involved in the Deaf cyberworld is very much aware of the Audism Free America's upcoming rally this Friday at Volta Bureau, the headquarters of AGBell Association in Washington, DC.   The temperature in the  DVTV room skyrocketed a few times the last several days, with people debating the pros and [...]
Mon, Mar 30 2009
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Live Coverage of Daphne Wright’s Appeal to Supreme Court
Mishka Zena Live blog: Daphne Wright's apperance before state Supreme Court | argusleader.com | Argus Leader It's in progress now.
Wed, Mar 25 2009
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A Deaf Mom and Two Kids Killed Near Gallaudet
Mishka Zena How horrible.  A Deaf woman and her two kids were killed, allegedly by her common law husband in Trinidad area, which borders the campus of Gallaudet University.  The murders were suspected to be from domestic violence. I have no idea if the slain victim, Erika Peters, was an alumnus of Gallaudet or MSSD.  Deaf Woman and Her Two Kids Killed [...]
Mon, Mar 23 2009
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Silencing the Deaf Community?
Mishka Zena Recently I witnessed a barrage of comments in another blog that left me feeling disturbed. Disturbed doesn't describe my feelings, now to think of it.  I'm actually outraged. A Deaf person expressed his opinions regarding the actions of certain organizations. One leader of one Deaf organization came up and attempted to silence this person by invalidating [...
Thu, Mar 19 2009

Oral Deaf Writer Attacks Luke of Amazing Race and Deaf...
Mishka Zena An oral Deaf writer attacked Luke of Amazing Race and Deaf people in her op-ed article First Person: I can so talk!  Many deaf people can, despite what you might hear elsewhere Apparently the fact that Luke was interpreted during an interview as saying that he wanted to disprove people's perceptions and show that, “Deaf can [...]
Mon, Mar 16 2009

Chainsaw Murderer Daphne Wright Appeals to Supreme Court
Mishka Zena In 2006, Wright was  tried for killing Darlene VanderGiesen and using a chainsaw to dismember her body and was convicted.  She received the life sentence, escaping the death penalty sentence..  Wright is bringing up many issues, including the court's refusal to approve her request for a Deaf certified interpreter (CDI). Daphne Wright’s appeal goes before the Sou...
Wed, Mar 11 2009

52 Deaf Alumni To Sue Deaf School For Physical and Sexual...
Mishka Zena “Former students at a school for the deaf in Saskatchewan were expected to file a class action lawsuit on Tuesday morning, alleging they were victims of physical and sexual abuse. Regina lawyer Tony Merchant told CBC News on Monday that he represents 52 people who attended the government-run R.J.D. Williams Provincial School for the Deaf in [...]
Tue, Mar 10 2009

Jamie Clark’s Side: Deaf Scam and Marvin Cooper
Mishka Zena Recently, in a newspaper article last week, Jamie Clark of Maryland, the founder of Clark.net,  was quoted in his e mail to Marvin Cooper, discussing about Marvin's proposed moving to Panama.  ”The e-mail said that moving to Panama would allow Cooper to “resume the OPM (Other People's Money) business without nasty headaches from those bastards ...
Mon, Mar 09 2009

Deaf Broker Alerted FCC of Deaf Scammer
Mishka Zena “Being deaf and without the credentials required by the SEC and state regulators, Mr. Cooper focused on gaining access to deaf investors through feeder referrals, which were provided by other Deaf individuals with no investment background in exchange for a referral fee,” explains Joshua R. Beal, Managing Partner at investment advisor firm Schwarz Financial Servi...
Wed, Mar 04 2009

Job Announcement For Gallaudet President, Timelines, and...
Mishka Zena PRESIDENT GALLAUDET UNIVERSITY - The new president will be charged with implementing the University's mission and vision, approved by the Board of Trustee in 2007 -Leading the Gallaudet community in discussions and taking actions to implement inclusive bilingualism on camp -Organizing a program of enrollment management that includes outreach, recruitment, and re...
Fri, Feb 27 2009

Announcement about I. King Jordan of Gallaudet
Mishka Zena I. King Jordan retired from Gallaudet last December.  After stepping down as its president in Dec of 2006, he took a break for one year before he resumed teaching at Gallaudet. How many people noticed this tidbit about his retirement? Jordan is the only known university president who began his  presidential career as a result of a massive protest, one heard [...]
Tue, Feb 24 2009

Deaf Scam, a Ponzi Scheme, Exposed By SEC
Mishka Zena Another Deaf scam scheme bit the dust!   This scheme bilked Deaf investors  out of almost three million dollars. The master of this Deaf scam helped himself to almost 1.4 million dollars. National media, including NBC and New York Times are reporting this. From CNBC: “The Securities and Exchange Commission obtained a court order halting an alleged Ponzi scheme [...
Thu, Feb 19 2009

Double Standards Between C.I. Children and Deaf Children?
Mishka Zena A while ago, the mother of a cute and adorable Deaf girl, Miss Kat,  is told by an anonymous commenter that Miss Kat is not a member of Deaf Community because she wears a cochlear implant. Never mind that the child is Deaf and uses ASL.  Naturally the mother felt hurt by the hostile rejection [...]
Thu, Feb 19 2009

One in Two Deaf/HoH Women Abused
Mishka Zena My eyebrows rose as I saw this headline 1 In 2 Hearing-Impaired Women Abused - News- msnbc.com. “Half of the deaf and hard of hearing are prime targets for abuse”  From my experience in the domestic violence advocacy, I feel this statement grossly inaccurate. Personally I don't know of any statistics myself, but this one  just doesn't feel [......
Mon, Feb 16 2009

Yay! PA Senator Fights to Save SSSD from Closing For A Year
Mishka Zena Wonderful news!  Scranton State School for the Deaf gets at least one year reprieve! State senator Robert Mellow heard the growing dissent of the SSSD Community and proposed a bill amendment to postpone the closing of the school for at least one  year while the legislators can review the data from a study of the school! A petition online, [...]
Wed, Feb 11 2009

Why Bother Saving Deaf Schools?
Mishka Zena Some of the Deaf children don't do well in mainstreamed programs.  Often the regular teachers  don't have any formal training to educate the Deaf students. An increasing shortage of qualified interpreters impedes with the public education system's ability to provide accessible education to these students.  For mainstreamed Deaf solitaire, a lack of s...
Tue, Feb 10 2009

Call Your Senators Now To Stop Deaf School Budget Cuts!
Mishka Zena The 13 Billion dollars to finance the IDEA   program may be subected to elimination by the Senators during their quest to whittle down the size of the Economic Stimulus Plan.  Today is the last day as they will make an announcement tomorrow. Special Education – $13 billion for Part B of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA), enabling essential service...
Mon, Feb 09 2009

Movies More Important Than Deaf Children’s Education?
Mishka Zena One of the items under the economic stimulus bill was a $246 million tax break for Hollywood movie producers to buy motion picture films. That is what it comes down to?  Movies are more valuable than the education of the children, including Deaf children?  Two state schools,  South Dakota School for the Deaf and Scranton State School for [...]
Fri, Feb 06 2009

Third Deaf School Closing Proposed This Summer
Mishka Zena The governor of PA announced just now that the Scranton State School for the Deaf is proposed to be closed at the end of this fiscal year, June 30th. As of now , this school has an enrollment of 91 students and employment of 77 full time staff .  Scranton School for the Deaf Closing? SDSD which is [...]
Wed, Feb 04 2009

Do States Have the Right To Close Deaf Schools? NAD Answers
Mishka Zena So my question is... do the state governments have the power to close the deaf schools (the state-funded schools particullarly) just to trim the spending costs of the state budgets? Doesn't it violate NCLB laws? What about Public Law 142? I am just trying to understand the sense or wisdom of the states' actions toward [...]
Tue, Feb 03 2009

From An Anguished Deaf Teacher Two Years Ago: Prophetic?
Mishka Zena “Show some courage; speak up and make your voices heard. Teachers, alumni, students, parents of deaf schools need your help now. Pls do not wait until our school problems get out of control before you write nice letters. We do not want your nice coffins when we are dead with frustrations and sadness. Pls wake up now not later [...]
Mon, Feb 02 2009

15 Deaf Schools: Proposed Closings Or Severe Budget Cuts,...
Mishka Zena Proposals or Implementations of Budget Reduction: South Dakota School for the Deaf:  Campus proposed to be closed, its outreach services left intact. Kansas School for the Deaf:  Proposal $215,000 budget cut, $500,000 in  2010, school closing a possibility Alabama Institute for the Deaf and Blind:  Implemented 4.4 million dollars budget cut (90 positions cut) South Ca...
Thu, Jan 29 2009

We Are Deaf: One And Many
Mishka Zena Ask not what your Deaf Community can do for you; Ask what you can do for your Deaf Community.   79-84 Filed and won a Department of Justice complaint against D.C. Traffic Court for their refusal to provide interpreters. A major victory in the pre ADA days.   Advocated for a Deaf patient in a hospital and a Deaf person [...]
Thu, Jan 22 2009

What Can We Do For Our Deaf Community?
Mishka Zena Hi! MishkaZena had a great idea, and in light of the demoralizing discussions of late, we would like for everyone to please put aside our differences, and work together for Deaf Unity. It is time for us to look forward. So here is her idea - all of us to blog or vlog on Thursday, the 22nd, opening  with this [...]
Wed, Jan 21 2009

Former Students’ Planned Attack on VSDB Foiled
Mishka Zena I wasn't planning to blog again today  since it's New Year Eve until I received this alert. So I am taking a break to report this before going back to my celebrations. Two students expelled by Virginia School for the Deaf and Blind were planning an attack on the school.  Other students who heard the rumors of the [...]
Wed, Dec 31 2008

Low Function! Pea Brain! No Good! Full of Sh*t!
Mishka Zena Name calling, insults and put downs are considered emotional abusive, designed to make the person feels bad about oneself.  Low Functioning, Pea Brain, stupid, no good,   Emotions make us human. Emotions are our barometer, permitting us to measure our emotional welfare. Just like physical pain alerting us that something is physically wrong with our body, negative [......
Wed, Dec 31 2008