Drolz Uncensored

Madness in the Mainstream

Sun, 26 May 2013 11:07:41 -0400

Madness in the Mainstream takes a close look at ongoing misinterpretation of Least Restrictive Environment. Chaos ensues.

Going to Bat for Dummy Hoy

Mon, 2 Jan 2012 12:43:50 -0500

A deaf little leaguer's letter to the Hall of Fame on behalf of Dummy Hoy

Pager, THROW!

Sun, 27 Mar 2011 13:22:01 -0400

An overdue rant on cell phones and distracted driving.

Meet Dummy McDeffie

Wed, 4 Aug 2010 11:58:06 -0400

Dummy McDeffie gives mainstream media a lesson or two on how to cover deaf news.

Drolz vs Halpern (Sh*t My Dad Says)

Wed, 28 Jul 2010 14:16:43 -0400

Mark Drolsbaugh faces off against Justin Halpern in a clash of publishing styles. Halpern wins.

Back Home at NAD

Thu, 22 Jul 2010 12:44:49 -0400

Returning home - in more ways than one - at the 2010 NAD Conference

Was That So Hard?

Sun, 7 Feb 2010 11:53:17 -0500

This morning I treated my kids to some goodies from Dunkin' Donuts. As the clerk rang up my order, he mumbled something I couldn't understand. "Eh? Whazzat?" I said, pointing to my ears to emphasize I'm deaf. The young man smiled and started signing. "Oh, sorry. That'll be $3.40." I know this was just Dunkin' Donuts and it was just a transaction for four donuts. But this guy freaking made my day. Without missing a beat he nonchalantly switched gears from voice to ASL. How beautiful was that? I'm on Cloud 9. Two thoughts immediately come to mind: One, it's things like this that prove without a doubt that ASL classes are a valuable resource in high school and college classes all over the country. They should start offering it on a regular basis in elementary schools, too. Might as well teach it all across the board if it's so popular with hearing babies and college students. Two, it just feels right. I mean, how many deaf kids are busting their butts by spending hours upon hours in speech therapy, CI training, and all of the audiological testing that comes with the territory? It's a lot to ask of deaf kids. So it's all the more inspiring when we meet hearing people who take the time to meet us halfway. The guy at the Dunkin' Donuts sure did, and in my eyes he's their Employee of the Year.

No CI: A Hearing Perspective

Sat, 2 Jan 2010 13:19:18 -0500

Answering "why not use both ASL and a cochlear implant?" in a way that can be understood from the hearing perspective.

Beer & Butt Kiss: Rick Reilly in Rare Form

Sat, 19 Dec 2009 16:47:04 -0500

ESPN Magazine columnist Rick Reilly spends a weekend observing what it's like to be a deaf sports fan. Hilarity ensues. Check the link below for some of the craziest closed captioning foul-ups, bleeps, and blunders.

VRS Fraud vs SSI Fraud

Sat, 12 Dec 2009 15:36:14 -0500

In light of the VRS fraud scandal, should we also be keeping an eye out for fraudulent SSI cases?

DrolzFit

Tue, 1 Dec 2009 22:57:46 -0500

Drolz's favorite (and sometimes unorthodox) fitness tips for people who have no time to hit the gym.

Mainstreaming vs. Deaf School (Part II)

Sat, 7 Nov 2009 19:37:57 -0500

A deaf kid who attended an all-hearing camp in 2008 attends three deaf camps in 2009. The difference speaks volumes.

The More Things Change, The More They Stay The Same

Sat, 6 Dec 2008 15:42:34 -0500

In a caffeine-induced stupor, Drolz explains why a deaf advocate's job is never finished.

Guest Writers Page at Deaf Culture Online

Thu, 9 Oct 2008 16:47:03 -0400

Guest writers offer their articles and insights at Mark Drolsbaugh's Deaf Culture Online website

Mainstreaming vs Deaf School (Baseball Version)

Thu, 7 Aug 2008 13:55:03 -0400

One kid, two different experiences, and a picture that says a thousand words.

National Institute on Deafness and Other Communication Disorders: Offensive?

Tue, 5 Aug 2008 14:48:17 -0400

National Institute on Deafness and Other Communication Disorders: Am I the only one who's offended? A name change might be in order...

We're All Nuts

Fri, 1 Aug 2008 12:33:12 -0400

We're all nuts. On the deaf or hearing blogosphere, it makes no difference. Nuts galore, period.

Academic Freedom

Wed, 23 Jul 2008 00:33:31 -0400

Academic Freedom: How deaf children (or any children, for that matter) ought to be taught in the classroom.

The Deaf Bilingual Coalition: More Advocacy Needed, and Here's Why

Tue, 1 Jul 2008 13:15:43 -0400

A real life example of why we need the Deaf Bilingual Coalition to advocate on behalf of American Sign Language

A Challenge for DBC and AGB

Sat, 28 Jun 2008 14:03:56 -0400

A challenge for the Deaf Bilingual Coalition and Alexander Graham Bell Association for the Deaf to find common ground

George Carlin 1937-2008

Mon, 23 Jun 2008 11:55:56 -0400

George Carlin checked out too soon - amidst an eerie coincidence - and will be sorely missed. But he's leaving his mark on deaf literature.

Just Deaf

Sun, 22 Jun 2008 18:05:35 -0400

An interesting parallel between Deaf culture and Indian culture, political correctness be damned.

Olympic-sized Differences

Mon, 26 May 2008 11:35:49 -0400

Welcome to the Olympics: A Clash between Cultures, Values and Greed

Evolution of a Deaf Attitude

Sun, 16 Mar 2008 13:29:49 -0400

Evolution of a Deaf Attitude: Being Deaf is a Choice, Too.

Evolution of a Cochlear Implant Attitude

Sat, 1 Mar 2008 11:23:10 -0500

A deaf parent is told that his deaf child may be an ideal candidate for a cochlear implant. He then decides to...

NCSD: Opening a Pandora's Box

Wed, 27 Feb 2008 11:45:38 -0500

There's more to the squelched NCSD protest than we could ever imagine. A lot more.

Deaf Militant in Training

Sun, 17 Feb 2008 12:35:12 -0500

The future president of Gallaudet University -- a deaf militant in training -- makes sure she's deaf enough for the job.

Deaf Again Autoresponder Course - Totally Revamped!

Sun, 10 Feb 2008 13:29:36 -0500

A quick update regarding the Deaf Again autoresponder course: It's been totally overhauled (format-wise, not content-wise). Instead of getting seven lengthy emails, subscribers will now be redirected to password-protected web pages that are a lot easier on the eyes. This material is from the actual Deaf Again presentation that's drawn rave reviews for the past ten years. Why am I making this private material available for those who want to access it? Because it's damn good, and I don't really have the time to go on the lecture circuit anymore. I'd rather have this material available online for the time being instead of gathering dust in my office. For the ASL teachers out there who are incorporating Deaf Again into your respective curriculums, you might want to direct your students to this autoresponder course for an up-close look at the issues in the book. There's a lot of great behind-the-scenes topics for discussion. Click the link below and have fun! Best regards, Drolz

A People to Call Home

Sat, 2 Feb 2008 22:56:35 -0500

A People to Call Home reveals the intangibles that hold the Deaf community together

I Dated a Deaf Porn Star

Fri, 18 Jan 2008 22:16:15 -0500

A fledgling deaf porn business brings forth some controversial privacy issues

Deaf Again Autoresponder Course

Sun, 6 Jan 2008 19:17:39 -0500

A 7-part autoresponder course based on Mark Drolsbaugh's popular Deaf Again book and presentation

Deficit-thinking Gets Smashed to Smithereens

Mon, 24 Dec 2007 12:34:02 -0500

A brief interaction obliterates deficit-thinking from the mind of an 8-year-old deaf child

Back by Popular Demand: Deaf Thanksgiving

Wed, 21 Nov 2007 17:08:33 -0500

Yes, it's THAT time of the year. Thanksgiving marks the start of the holiday season. It also marks the beginning of a period where deaf people everywhere often gather with friends and relatives who don't know ASL. It can be a maddening, thumb-twiddling experience. Fortunately, there's a solution to this annual mess. By popular demand, I'm re-posting last year's Deaf Thanksgiving article. Click on the link below and have a GREAT holiday season! Best regards, Drolz

The Greatest Irony: Greater Than I Thought

Mon, 5 Nov 2007 23:10:09 -0500

At the recent National ASLTA conference in Tampa, FL (Oct 25-28), I had the honor of attending both the keynote address and the closing address by Ella Mae Lentz. Sure, I'd seen her vlogs (one of my favorites is "Elephant in the Room") but... to see her in person, WOW! There's no way I can repeat everything she said in my humble little blog. Let me just say I haven't picked my jaw off the floor yet. She was absolutely mesmerizing and thought-provoking. I will, however, give you one little tidbit. Perhaps you've read some of my earlier blog entries related to the Deaf Bilingual Coalition. Or, most likely, you've probably seen DBC blogs and announcements here and there. And, no doubt, most of you have seen Amy Cohen Efron's famous "Greatest Irony" vlog. But during Ella's closing address, she mentioned a statistic that made me realize "The Greatest Irony" is greater than I ever thought. We all know it's ironic how hearing parents are now teaching their hearing babies ASL due to research-proven benefits such as early language acquisition and cognitive development (the irony being that many deaf babies -- who need ASL the most -- are often denied such an opportunity). But it's not only babies. From 1998 to 2002, Ella pointed out, enrollment in higher-education ASL classes increased 482%! Now we've got hearing babies and hearing college students signing everywhere. Awesome, I love it. But let's keep making sure our deaf babies and deaf students don't slip through the cracks. ASL is a beautiful language. For everyone, deaf and hearing alike.

The Worst Parents Ever

Mon, 8 Oct 2007 13:51:16 -0400

The Worst Parents Ever: Overindulgence Gone Bad

Deaf Again II: Going Deaf and Getting Kicked Out of a Hotel

Mon, 13 Aug 2007 12:29:51 -0400

8 Year Old Darren Drolsbaugh shares his thoughts about going deaf and getting kicked out of the 2007 AG Bell conference

Deaf Culture Online News and Updates

Sun, 5 Aug 2007 15:17:24 -0400

Deaf Culture Online's Latest News, Updates, and Announcements

Madness at the Marriott

Thu, 2 Aug 2007 13:52:38 -0400

Miscommunications galore with an insensitive hotel security guard

Should We Have a Funeral for the 'D-word'?

Mon, 9 Jul 2007 17:50:51 -0400

Is it really appropriate to have famous deaf athletes named "Dummy?"

Book Reviews at Deaf Culture Online

Mon, 2 Jul 2007 11:51:01 -0400

Highly recommended books from the creators of Deaf Culture Online

Sign Language in Schools (or lack thereof)

Mon, 2 Jul 2007 11:19:44 -0400

An argument in favor of incorporating sign language classes in schools everywhere

Parents of Deaf Children

Sat, 23 Jun 2007 16:33:33 -0400

A resource page for parents of deaf children on Mark Drolsbaugh's Deaf Culture Online website

A Hearing Loss and a Deafening Loss

Fri, 22 Jun 2007 14:29:39 -0400

Tales from a deaf kid in a hearing school and a hearing kid in a deaf school.

Baby Sign Language

Sat, 19 May 2007 17:14:58 -0400

A unique perspective of baby sign language from Mark Drolsbaugh, a deaf parent of hearing children

Signing With Your Deaf Baby

Sat, 19 May 2007 14:40:32 -0400

An article on the importance of signing with your deaf baby

Stress Management

Sat, 5 May 2007 13:49:39 -0400

A comprehensive page on stress management with a deaf and hard of hearing twist

The Blame Game - Lamarckian Theory Gone Wild

Fri, 27 Apr 2007 23:59:07 -0400

A deaf family goes overboard with Lamarckian theory

Hearing Loss

Mon, 9 Apr 2007 15:39:14 -0400

A mind-numbing look at the definition of "hearing loss."

Through Hearing Eyes (Law & Order)

Thu, 5 Apr 2007 21:36:01 -0400

A review of Law & Order's deaf episode as seen through (hypothetical) hearing eyes

Through Deaf Eyes: This is Only the Beginning

Sun, 25 Mar 2007 13:54:50 -0400

A thoughtful review of the PBS documentary Through Deaf Eyes