Grant Laird, Jr. Blog

After reading Jesse Barkey & Lauren Burton’s letter from Deaf Today website, (see links below) it is not new to me. It is OK that Sorenson is aggressively to maximize the profits from federal funds. A lot of for-profit companies are doing it anyway. Most of their profits will goes to R/D and develop better products for future. Of course, Sorenson did their parts for contributions for nonprofit organizations that I know of. Don’t forget they does promotions for deaf athletics Ronda Jo Miller, Christy Smith from Survivors on TV series and Dr. Bernard Braggs – well-known deaf actor/mine. Another videophone-based VRS vendors have different prescriptive on it and I respect them too. I love Sprint/CSD for their almost-always sponsors local & state nonprofit organizations in Texas where I live. I cannot speak for other states. I was told that another vendors such as HOVRS & Hamilton does a lot of contributions locally and nationwide. What’s more, they all invested thousands of money into deaf-owned business such as USA-L, Deafbase.net, deadigest.com, deafnetwork.com, and etc. for their advertising fees. They do appreciate their business. I predicated that Sorenson will force to open to all markets one day. We will have to trust FCC and let them decide if they are really doing “monopoly” in VP-based VRS markets. Again, I have to remind you that VRS is not “mandatory” relay service under FCC yet. That’s where all vendors are worrying about their future unlike tradition relay service. I’ve heard they are going develop coalition where we all will work together and push for FCC to accept it as one of mandatory in relay service. Once it happens, we are secured with VRS for many years to come. Please correct me if I am mistaken. Oh yeah, I don’t work for any of those vendors Something to read more information about VRS related from people around us… Sorenson VP-100 and DLink Debate about videophone From: Jesse Barkey - October 18, 2004 http://www.deaftoday.com/v3/archives/2004/10/sorenson_vp100_1.html Response to: Sorenson VP-100 and DLink Debate about videophone From: Lauren Burton - October 20, 2004 http://www.deaftoday.com/v3/archives/2004/10/response_to_sor.html Famous Deaf Individuals Select Sorenson VRS for Communication Needs From: Sorenson Media - October 18, 2004 http://www.deaftoday.com/v3/archives/2004/10/famous_deaf_ind.html Sprint Employee Honored by National Business & Disability Council From: Sprint – October 18, 2004 http://www.deafnetwork.com/cgi-bin/dada/mail.cgi?flavor=archive&id=20041025065121&list=dn Videophone: D-Link DVC-1000 vs. Sorenson VP-100 From: Grant W Laird Jr. – August 22, 2004 http://grantlairdjr.com/b2evolution/index.php/2004/08/22/p36#trackbacks

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http://www.jeanmassieu.com

Misty and I went to Jean Massieu Academy (JMA) Ribbon-Cutting Ceremony last Saturday in Arlington, Texas. It’s hard to believe they have been able to achieve so much since they started up about six years ago.

The purpose for ribbon-cutting ceremony is that they finally purchased their own building which it used to be church. We get to look around outside and inside their building during the tours. This place is awesome – a lot of room to expand in long run. This place they purchased for approximately $850,000 (value over $2 millions) and it comes with two extra houses and some empty spaces where they used it for school bus parking lots. They have more than 15 small school buses.

Of course they had to meet state law to modify entirely building for safety reason. They had to spend approximately $300,000 on safety water sprinkler and fire alarm system alone. Whoa – that’s expensive but it will be worth in long run.

“Jean Massieu Academy (JMA) is an open-enrollment charter school that was opened in August 1999 to serve deaf or hard of hearing students and their non-deaf siblings or peers. JMA is unique because we are a school of choice providing all instruction in American Sign Language (ASL) creates an equitable communication environment for our students and staff.”

They have huge auditorium where it used to be for church. More likely they will use it for drama, group meeting, special events, and etc. It could use more lighting but otherwise it’s very nice. They said it can be used for wedding or another outside activity on weekend to help paying their bills.

I did not ask how many classroom they have now but apparently it does meet their needs for now with approximately 250 students (both deaf and hearing) from around Dallas – Fort Worth area.

I took plenty of pictures during the ceremony and tours – hope you will find it very interesting to look at pictures and get idea how much they have worked hard in past six years. You will see that they gave nice speech and presentation from Jean Massieu Foundation (JMF) officers & board members and JMA management.

Bottom line, I think they did outstanding job to make JMA possible today. Of course, they will always have challenge with fundraising & grants to keep school operating smoothly and as well as and complying with state & federal law all the times.

To learn more about Jean Massieu Academy:
http://www.jeanmassieu.com

To view JMA Ribbon-Cutting Ceremony photo gallery:
http://gallery.deafnetwork.com/jma_ribbon_cutting

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We finally get chance to watch this movie “The Day After Tomorrow” recently.

I doubt it will ever happen anytime soon but it is very interesting to watch entirely movie. I love their special effects – making everything looks so real on this movie.

During the film, you will see that huge boat (not sure what kind it is) got thru New York downtown after it got flood badly before freeze begins. It is hard to image to see ship sailing into downtown – it’s neat!!

Action/Adventure, Science Fiction/Fantasy and Thriller
2 hours 4 min. This movie takes a big-budget; special-effects-filled look at what the world would look like if the greenhouse effect and global warming continued at such levels that they resulted in worldwide catastrophe and disaster, including multiple hurricanes, tornadoes, earthquakes, tidal waves, floods and the beginning of the next Ice Age. At the center of the story is a pale climatologist (a scientist who studies the ways weather patterns changed in the past), Professor Adrian Hall (Quaid), who tries to save the world from the effects of global warming while also trying to get to his son, Sam (Gyllenhaal), who was in New York City as part of a scholastic competition, when the city was overwhelmed by the chilling beginnings of the new Ice Age. In addition to all of the other challenges Dr. Hall faces, he’s also going against the flow as humanity races south to warmer climes, and he’s nearly the only one going north.

Release Date: May 28th, 2004 (wide)
MPAA Rating: PG-13 for intense situations of peril.
Distributor: 20th Century Fox

Official website:
http://www.thedayaftertomorrow.com/

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