DeafDigest Mid-Week edition, June 29, 2011
-- How would the use of sign language make a hearing
person enjoy a better life?
Mandy Gibbons, not deaf, had a terrible accident at the
age of 11 in a British house. Her hands were crushed when
these were stuck in a laundry machine, and she could not
turn off the switch. As a result, her hands were "claw-like".
Eventually she learned sign language and used it daily
for many years as a teacher of the deaf. Thanks to these
"daily exercises" of her fingers, her hands no longer has
this claw-like look!
-- How would a deaf vet knows if a dog is crying?
Candice A. Corriher, DVM, a vet who is deaf, said that
she looks at the dog's body language, without depending
on her hearing staff to tell her! She also uses her hands
to feel the dog's belly and body movements. "I listen
with my hands", she says. She learned these tricks while
attending veterinary school and during her internship.
To feel for the dog's whining, put your hand under his
throat or his chest, and you will know.
-- Famous boxer's electric shock
Paul Berlenbach was a light-heavyweight champion boxer
during the twenties. As a boxer, he was a hearing person,
but growing up he was deaf and attended the 47 School for
the Deaf in New York. How did he become hearing? A story
said he received an electrical shock that "restored"
his hearing. Is this true? Hard to tell. Possibly it was
a miracle of some kind!
-- Fired deaf 7-11 supervisor wins lawsuit
Jim Soliday, a deaf man, was a supervisor of 12 such
7-11 stores in the Naples, Florida area. He used everything
- computers, faxes and pagers to communicate with everyone
and to keep things running smoothly in these stores.
His deafness was no problem with Jim's old boss. But
the old boss left and a new boss came in. This new boss
did not want a deaf supervisor and so fired Jim. It was
the end of his 30-year career with 7-11. Jim then filed a
job discrimination lawsuit - and won - and was awarded
nearly $940,000. The cash award may double if the judge
feels Jim is entitled to lost future wages. 7-11, however,
is expected to file an appeal.
-- Young deaf woman in Milan's fashion world
Hayley Bastin, to be deaf and to be at the age of 18, has
won many fashion honors in New Zealand. And she is ready for
her next move - attending a 3-week class at the Istituto Europeo
di Design in Milan, Italy. Milan is to women's fashion what
Hollywood is to movies, and Istituto Europeo di Design is
one of the world's most famous schools of fashion. Hopefully
some day soon, we will see Hayley being compared with Versace,
Claiborne, Hilfiger and many others!
