Take It Easy, Folks…
11 07 2009All..
I think it is high time to slack off on pointing fingers. Please read the POLICY tab on edsalert. The purpose of posting the warrants to focus on the nefarious practices. Clearly that has been done. However, frayed emotions are starting to creep up and I want to stop that. I do not want any hard feelings. Purpose of edsalert is to inform and alert folks – not to start a war.
Most of commentators did superb job and a few were probably out of line.
New policy will now be in place. If anyone that posts does not have valid email address, I will not approve it. I get too many posts that are inflammatory and no valid email (fake, anonymous, etc). Any accusations and naming names I may block or delete them as well. So a few may get thru because of past approval now may get deleted. I plan to go thru comments again, and if I see any obvious inflammatory comments, I may delete them.
That aside, now I want to address some concerns. When I became part of VRS industry, I did struggle with the question of maintaining edsalert. So I asked lot of people; from grassroots to savvy technies to politicians and even asked a few VRS providers. I even asked a couple federal agencies. Most of them said “..don’t stop – continue..” or “..if not you, who can do this kind of stuff?” Latter was nice compliment, but that was not the decision making why. Quite a few said something like this: that edsalert has made tremendous impact and helped educate many people on what is happening in the confusing world of TRS regulations. That was the decision making factor for me to continue.
So I analyzed myself. Will I change? No; by that I mean ethics, try to be honest, upfront, etc – I intend to continue that. When my three partners and I discussed becoming partners, I said I will join on a few conditions: the company cannot practice any unethical and illegal practices. That the company serves only deaf/hoh, not to manufacture minutes. These conditions were readily embraced by my partners.
So when I do edsalert, really..it is status quo. I haven’t changed. That said, you all should never lose the sight that I am after all now in VRS world. I intend to keep this upfront.
Now I know a few of you disagree with me strongly. I respect that. There may come to a point where I may need to forego edsalet. I don’t think this moment has come yet – because I still get hundreds of private emails encouraging me to continue. Please continue to let me know how you feel – either way; just send to ed@edsalert.com
Thank you for your consideration.
eyes open & thumbs up,
Ed
Amen Ed…. I for one am happy to see this you continue… I was sad to see you stop. I encourage all the terps I work with to read your site and educate themselves. I hope this forum encourage all to see where changes need to be made for the best interests of the community.
Please believe me… You did a fabulous job and always let us know what is going on with VRS and stuffs. It is something that we do not get for ourselves. Thanks…
Please DO continue. Information is Power.
If we know what is happening, we have the opportunity to do something about it.
It is much better that we ALL know about the abuse and misuse of VRS because we can encourage our friends in the community to stop the abuse before the FCC and or Congress decide to end VRS for everyone.
VRS is an OPTIONAL service. VRS is not required by the FCC. That means that the Commissioners can take a vote at their next meeting to end funding for VRS.
Or, the FCC could end funding and give permission to states to add VRS as an optional service in their state relay contracts. Many states are broke now and no legislature wants to raise taxes, and many states have long term TRS contracts in place; those states could not add VRS until the next RFP cycle.
The information and discussions here on Ed’s Alert can help us all to work together to preserve VRS. Keep going Ed.
That said: a suggestion. As the discussion heats up, it may be necessary to monitor all posts. How many of us are willing to make a monthly donation of $1 or $5 so you can hire someone to monitor the posts and maintain the discussion boards?
“There is no free lunch.” Milton Friedman
Ed, please keep up the information and alerts. VRS is an important tool, and we Deaf must be able to understand this tool, its complications, its aspects, and its values. The day when we Deaf just accepted services and not knowing anything about it is over. An informed consumer is a strong consumer.
JK-II,
Your suggestions are duly noted. Unfortunately, you are right about VRS not being required – at least not yet.
eyes open & thumbs up,
Please continue with Ed’s Alert. I do trust your ethics and judgement. I work as Outreach Specialist for a VRS company. TRS regulations has been confusing for me and who do I trust for me to understand TRS regulations. It is YOU!!!!! Please continue this website and ignore negative and nays people.
Thank you and thumbs up….
Rest of you, THANK YOU. I appreciate ur complimentary remarks.
teary eyes open and thumbs way up…
Please continue what you did on ed’s alert to keep me well informed what’s going on w/FCC’s ruling.
Of course in past I sometimes disagree with your pov but this time I am on ur side all the way!
Keep eyes open and thumbs way up with big grin!
Ed,
Good move on requiring us to submit our E-mail addresses when making a post. Now all of us will be subject to being held accountable for our comments.
Keep up with the blogging, I for one do not see any “bias” in your postings. They have always been fair and impartial.
Thanks for all that you do.
-J.J.
Dr. Bosson,
Continue with your efforts because we as VRS customers are becoming aware of what is happening within the VRS industry. I have learned much from your postings and I am aware of your intents to keep customers informed. This is a noble service that you are providing.
Thank you!
Hey Ed:
I may be the controversial blogger out there but let it be known that your site is one of fewest deaf-related blogs that I find very valuable anywhere on the internet. So don’t ever stop. Even if you provide some dread news about VRS companies, you’re still doing a great service for Deaf people and the communities across the country and beyond.
R-
Ed,
It’s good to learn about current updates in VRS industry. But your statement is hurting the deaf communities, especially at this time – economic crisis. Other VRS providers are manipulating you to create a group of comments leading to accuse their competitor.
Wake up yourself. Pls don’t let them to use you as weapon.
Dan
Ed..
You know we always have good discussions.
Let me know if you need a BODYGUARD!! I will stand and watch!!! lol…
There is a motto.. ‘Don’t ever quit”…Keep up the good work!!
James
Ed,
Please keep up the great work! Unfortunatly, the VRS company I work for tells us nothing. Your site helps keep me up to date!
NIC Terp
I also hope you keep up the Ed’s Alerts. As an interpreter I know it is my responsibility to keep up with what’s happening with FCC and VRS, not just depend on one company to tell me what to do. I have to educate myself. I signed up for FCC emails but it was way over my head, honestly, and very time consuming to sort through all this.
You do ME a big service Ed by sifting through and keeping me informed about what is really important to the Deaf/HOH community and to the interpreters. I encourage all interpreters to sign up for your alerts. We are responsible to know what is going on. Thank you SO MUCH for your great service and for putting it all in simple terms not legal language. It is MUCH APPRECIATED!
Ed,
The information you have provided has been very informative. I have come to rely on you for information of what is happening. You take the time to read all those writings submitted to FCC, follow what’s happening, analyze them and summarize them for us. Where you find the time to read all that, do EdAlerts, travel, and spend time with your family, I don’t know. Like my favorite TV show from the 60’s “Dragnet” – EdAlerts is “just the facts”.
Doug
I agree with everyone else. Your work here is waaay too valuable. Your knowledge of current events in the VRS industry allows us to keep up with issues in ways that would be impossible without your website. It would be like going back to the dark ages if you were to discontinue edsalert.com.
There are a lot of important discussions that arise from your content. These are things that need to be talked about. There is not a single industry that didn’t go through growing pains when it first started. This not unlike VHS vs Beta vidoetape wars or Blue Ray vs HDdvd. These industries were in a state of flummox and at the end they came out okay. After all is said and done I think the VRS industry will be something that we can all be proud of even if it means things have to get worse before they get better.
As important as it is, this doesn’t mean it should keep you from your dream of starting your own business. I think if anybody can balance the two it is certainly you.
Keep those thumbs up and those eyes open Ed.
I know you told me Ed, that you were surprised when we decided to contract for provision of VRS… the time was right for us to embrace the VRS venue, just as you felt the time was right to start a VRS company of your own. What I want to say at this point is that all any of us can do is make sure our own actions, our own business policy and technology is ethical. Sign Shares has a history, a reputation for staying the course. As unfortunate as this current situation is, we will continue to stay the course. We can not control the actions of others but we can control our own. We at Sign Shares will continue to work for quality of life and trust that the rewards will be there as they have been all these years.
Deborah Gunter, CEO
Sign Shares
Don’t the FCC have a Third Party Auditors to check and visit the VRS companies to make sure the companies are billing the FCC appropriately? Someone needs to make sure that the billing are correct instead of giving them a blank check.
Christopher,
FCC has outscored auditor to National Exchange Carrier Association. However, NECA is only bound by the contract terms. NECA does not do the role of policing – not part of the contract. FCC, NECA, and Interstate TRS Fund Council – this is an advisory committee comprised of number of deaf/hoh/Relay proivders – have more than a few times discussed what role NECA or the Council should play. For now, the role is just to pay attention to the number crunching only and the procedures of arriving at that.
The role of policing goes to FCC, DOJ, and FBI.
eyes open & thumbs up….
Please continue doing your wonderful job. I really enjoy reading your blogs every time you post a blog!
Continue making your comments because they help me refreshen my understanding of what’s going on in the TRS industry. Simon says my thumbs are up.
Warmest regards,
Claudia
Hey Ed,
I always have loved to read your blog. Please do not give up what you do as Edsalert. I know you care for the Deaf community a great deal. I wanted to wish you good luck with your new company with other three partners.
Aidan
Please keep up the incredible work!
I formally worked for a company that billed through company 1 and quit because of the issues that are brought to light by this website and the indictments.
It is a sickening thing to see for sure, but relieving to see it being stopped by FCC-OIG and the FBI.
Thanks!
Regulators are needed and public information is helpful to have as ammunition. I m still vague about how TRS and FCC will regulate these oversights?
This brings me to become an advocate to put a stop to it. Or some awareness and regulate a little bit better.
Thanks Edsalert, any further info from you is due you double thanks, and so on and on.
Eds, Is there any information about deaf being abused by vrs interpreters.. like thief IDs or something like that?
X-files,
To my knowledge, this has not happened. TRS industry in its early years worried about that; since 1992, tty relay service had not had anything like that happen. Now unlikely with VRS because can “see” video interpreter. Also, VRS industry should have a good screening interview procedure. VRS providers do once a while get video interpreters who “patronize” deaf/hoh, but the number is very few…
Good question and seems the answer the relationship between video interpreters and deaf/hoh, for most part, are very good.
eyes open & thumbs up…