Grant Laird, Jr. Blog

Washington Post mentioned DeafCoffee.com in their newspaper and online today (Tuesday January 18, 2005) — looks awesome! They promised us they will send us a copy of newspaper.

You rock, Washington Post!

Signs of Comfort, Connection
Tuesday, January 18, 2005; Page HE07
Washington Post

You won’t hear them talking. But their Sunday get-togethers in a Capitol Hill Starbucks are full of conversation.

Members of Deaf Chat Coffee — one of about 100 groups by that name nationwide — gather to socialize with other people who use sign language. The group is open to deaf and hard-of-hearing people of any age and their families and friends.

“It really is so fun,” said Kat Aiple, 35, organizer of the D.C. group, signing her comments through an interpreter. “And it makes my signing useful.” That may sound surprising from someone who’s been deaf since birth, but Aiple actually has few opportunities to use sign language: At work and other places, where she mostly encounters hearing people, she said, “I tend to write notes” or read lips.

All coffee groups are peer-run with help from Grant Laird Jr., the co-owner and developer of the national group’s Web site (www.deafcoffee.com), which offers information on Aiple’s group as well as Deaf Chat Coffee groups in Virginia, Maryland and elsewhere. Laird, who is also deaf, named the group and created the site about two years ago. Members are “thrilled to be able to communicate comfortably,” said Laird.

Aiple’s D.C. group meets the third Sunday of every month at 10:30 a.m. at Starbucks Coffee, 237 Pennsylvania Ave. SE. Students of ASL (American Sign Language) are also welcome to come and practice their skills.

– Samantha Sordyl

To view article, click here. (free registration required)

What’s so special about DeafCoffee.com? Click here and you will see why!

Grant W. Laird Jr.
http://blog.grantlairdjr.com

Charlene Li’s blogger code of ethics have pretty good Code of Ethics for Blogger liks us. There’s more but I choose only five of them that fit my blogging unique.

Blogger Code Of Ethics

• We will tell the truth. We will acknowledge and correct any mistakes promptly.
• We will not delete comments unless they are spam, off-topic, or defamatory.
• We will reply to comments when appropriate as promptly as possible.
• We will link to online references and original source materials directly.
• We will disagree with other opinions respectfully.

Grant W Laird Jr.
http://blog.grantlairdjr.com

It is very simple but looks like they are close to repair hearing loss. If it does, it could impact big time in deaf community such as cochlear implants, hearing aids, deaf culture, sign language, interpreter, relay service, and many other things. It is definitely going be interesting to watch as the world get evolve and get better for everyone no matter what!

Researchers have identified a gene that prevents the regeneration of inner ear cells that are critical to hearing, a discovery experts say is the first step toward finding a way to correct the most common form of deafness among the elderly.

To read CNN Health full article - click here. Grant W. Laird, Jr. http://blog.grantlairdjr.com

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