North of the Stupid Line

It seems that I have a habit of being thrust into the limelight when I least expect it.

Over the past few weeks, I have been exchanging emails with Paul Crichton (wonder if he’s related to Michael Crichton, the writer), author of the BBC Access 2.0 blog; an “interview” of sorts about the impact of the Internet on the Deaf community and Deaf individuals.

The Access 2.0 article got mentioned over at Grumpy Old Deafies, which turned out to the 10,000th post to be featured on DeafRead. Ain’t that nice? It’s apparently quite “apt” that the first vlogger to post a vlog on the net in sign language gets a mention in the 10,000th post to appear on DeafRead.

This reminds me of the time when I was hailed the world over for being the first sign language vlogger, all the time consciously aware that I’d vlogged in my PJs!

BSL translation coming soon.

Jonny Nelson raised an interesting point on Deaf UK about vlogs, and what he says shows exactly how little is known about blogging generally, particularly among the Deaf community.

The first point I’d like to make is that all my vlogs are actually on my blog, and you do not need to go to YouTube to access them. YouTube just makes it easier for people to display vlogs on their blogs.

Secondly, all 2,500 DUK members do not actually need to trawl the web looking for vlogs. There is something called RSS feeds that makes it easier for everyone to keep track of blogs. Most people I know use Bloglines (www.bloglines.com); when you set up an account, you can add hundreds of RSS feeds so that it becomes a one-stop shop for reading blogs. You can view mine here.

You’ll probably recognise a few blogs there. You can also add e-groups like Videoblogging to bloglines, removing the need for emails altogether. For you to really understand RSS, I would strongly encourage you to set up an account with bloglines.

For more information about RSS, check this out.

Of course, there are also websites like:

Deaf Blogs – This is UK based, and the first Deaf aggregator. Note this website currently looks awful – it is undergoing a major revamp and should be re-launched at the start of June.

Deaf Read – a USA-focused aggregator, which is moderated.

Deaf Read Deutsch – this is a German aggregator

Deaf Pulse – this is not strictly a blog aggregator, but it pulls news from various sources. This is also USA-based.

These are called “aggregators”, which “pull” together all the blogs that have been submitted (using their RSS feeds), and display them in one place. This means you can browse through the posts, and click on the links to read the post in full.

There are other things you can do with blogs, if you want more detail read this post.

Thirdly, you shouldn’t assume that only a tiny fraction of people will read your blog. Grumpy Old Deafies (http://www.grumpyoldeafies.com/) gets 19,000 visits a month (with 70,000 hits a month). These people choose to visit, and are not, for example, defunct e mail addresses.

To sum up, what are the advantages of blogging/vlogging?

1) You have wider exposure to the world at large;
2) It is not restricted to English, and can include sign languages (no language barrier);
3) You can network internationally with Deaf people; and
4) You are not subject to group dynamics. As you own the blog, you take responsibility for the quality of your content.

Hope this post has given you all some food for thought.

I came across this article, with JJG and SCM alerting me to its existence. There is some discussion going on webwide with regard to who was the first Deaf Video Blogger. It could be me, so they say.

For the sake of clarification, my first videoblogging post is here, which no longer exists because I changed blogging platform from Moveable Type to WordPress. I’ve had a quick look through the archives (as I did import all the posts from MT to WP),and found the same post here, minus the comments unfortunately.

All the vblogs I did around the time that vblogging started it’s first tentative steps within the Deaf community are listed below, together with the date of publication:

• 10 August 2004
• 25 August 2004
• 29 August 2004
• 25 September 2004
• 22 October 2004

Unfortunately, all the videos themselves are not available. I’ll see if I can find them and upload them.

I agree with most of the posts and comments that videoblogging in ASL/BSL should be documented so that future generations know exactly when it all started, and by whom. I agree with what Alison says in her post here. I don’t recall anything different.

With regard to vblogging, I would vblog more often, but the main problems for me are:

1. Lack of high-quality camera/camcorder – I only have a cheapo webcam that I can use to record vlogs. I really need to get a digital camcorder. Mind you, I suppose I could use my Canon PowerShot S2 IS. (Note to self: try vblogging with the Canon.)
2. Lack of good video-editing software – I use Windows Movie Maker. Not exactly the best editing software around.
3. Time – creating a vblog can be rather time-consuming, if you don’t have a standard template / process of doing it.
4. Lighting – my house is really dark, so I’ve been unable to record video clips. Mind you, this may be different with the Canon. I could also record outside for better light.

This was an interesting list; seeing as I’ve offered solutions to the so-called “problems”!

It seems to me, after the initial excitement within the Deaf community in the UK, vblogging hasn’t quite taken off over here as it has in the USA. Why do you think that is? Perhaps you disagree with this point?

Summary: I question why vlogging doesn’t seem to have taken off since the launch of deaf-blogs.com. Perhaps it’s because it’s too much hassle creating the vlogs? A website needed that is more accessible for BSL users to upload and display vlogs to put on their websites? I admit that I’ve not been vlogging much myself, but will try and improve in the future.

To Deaf UK members

I am writing to express concerns surrounding recent emails in Deaf UK, its moderation and actions that have been carried out and are continuing to be carried out by the current Deaf UK moderator.

Deaf UK was established in June 1998 by John Savva. The group was unmoderated at this time. Alison Bryan joined John Savva as moderator in late autumn 1998. Subsequent moderators after this time include Jen Dodds and Alison Hicking. Deaf UK was set up on the premise that it was intended to be a forum whereby it was Deaf space, space on Deaf people’s terms. At present it is being moderated by just one person.

I would like to raise the following points:

1) Alison Bryan, Jen Dodds, Joseph Gwynne-Jones and Tony Nicholas have all been recently banned from Deaf UK, without members’ approval. The moderator took the sole decision to ban them. In the past, only one member has been banned from Deaf UK, and the decision to ban was made by poll. It seems, therefore, in 8 years, only one member was banned. However, in the last two weeks alone, four members have been banned, two of who were previous moderators. I therefore have concerns about the democratic process in which this decision was undertaken.

2) Whilst I appreciate that it is a big responsibility for one moderator to maintain a list with 2,594 members, there are some concerns that the current moderator is unable to maintain both his boundaries and ethics. Therefore I would like to propose that any personal grievances are taken outside the Deaf UK domain in future, and that Deaf UK is moderated by TWO moderators. The current situation makes members anxious about posting emails and the possibility of getting banned.

3) Despite repeated requests by members for a poll to be set up as to whether the group should be moderated or unmoderated, the sole moderator has refused this request. Section 19 of the Deaf UK Policy states that: “The moderator’s role is to oversee discussion, and act as a point of referral. It is not intended for the moderators to act as a nanny to this group.” Again no consultation or discussion has taken place with members. The most democratic way to do this would be to set up a poll and put personal grievances aside.

I therefore suggest polls on the following issues:

a. Moderation

i. Deaf UK to be moderated (have all messages pre-approved by the current moderator); or

ii. Deaf UK to be unmoderated (but new members need to have messages pre-approved for a specified length of time).

b. Banned members – Alison Bryan, Jen Dodds, Joseph Gwynne-Jones and Tony Nicholas should all be reinstated as members of Deaf UK. If the moderator continues to have issues with their membership, then a full explanation should be given, and debate allowed:

i. Alison Bryan, Jen Dodds, Joseph Gwynne-Jones and Tony Nicholas to be banned; or

ii. Alison Bryan, Jen Dodds, Joseph Gwynne-Jones and Tony Nicholas to remain members of Deaf UK with all privileges enjoyed by other members.

I would very much like the moderator to adhere to my request and to see the polls set up, with a deadline imposed for members to respond.

Rob Wilks