Johnny With Jack Webb

 The Opening of a “Tonight Show” episode from September 1985

 Johnny Interviews Clint Eastwood from 1992 (just before Johnny retired)

 AT LAST!

John Wesley Shipp

The actor formerly known as the Flash aka Barry Allen and Eddie Ford of the soap One Life to Live is celebrating his day.  Many Happy Returns, John.  He’s been on many shows both on daytime and prime time like Santa Barbara and Dawson’s Creek, for example.  Very talent guy!

Eddie Ford Shirtless

Eddie Ford Pumps Iron and Boxes

 The Flash!!!

The article is called New Definition of Autism May Exclude Many, Study Suggests.

 Dear all:

There is breaking news regarding the forthcoming fifth edition of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual (DSM-V), which is due out in early 2013.

Spectrum individuals who are better able to mirror greater society will most likely not qualify for a diagnosis under the most recent revisions. Please contact the DSM-V committee through the American Psychiatric Association (see below) and protest their newest proposed changes.

Though our membership was split on the subject, GRASP supported the changes in terminology that were first reported almost two years ago. Eliminating the diagnosis of Asperger’s Syndrome (AS) (as well as Pervasive Developmental Disorder-Not Otherwise Specified), and putting everything under the umbrella of “autism” was jarring, as many of us have gotten used to the term “AS” to explain certain aspects of our identity. But seeing as no discernible line in the sand could be drawn that truly separated AS from autism (though the clinical world tried), the merger made theoretical sense. Furthermore, any spectrum diagnosis, in essence, served us well enough as it placed our behavioral differences within the context of wiring, and not through the judgmental lens of interpreted character deficits—as had existed before AS was legitimized in the DSM-IV in 1994.

But sadly, we may be heading back to the days of character deficits. Now it appears that the terminology is not all that will change with the DSM-V. Now, it appears that only the more severe cases will qualify for diagnosis or services.

In a report being published in tomorrow’s New York Times, the DSM-V committee appears to be acting in consort with clinicians who believe there is a presence of “over-diagnosis” of spectrum conditions in the U.S. While the clinical world was merely adhering to the requirements proposed in 1994’s DSM-IV, the DSM-V committee inexplicably seems to want to reverse the clock back to 1993, simply because the social services, educational, and advocacy worlds are not yet able to accommodate the numbers of people who are on the spectrum. Oddly enough, we believe that the majority of the clinical world does not believe in problems of “over-diagnosis,” and that the DSM committee surprisingly represents a minority opinion (most, if not all members of the committee have worked exclusively with only the more challenged end of the spectrum). Lastly, the ideas of “over-diagnosis” are almost always heard through bitter, emotionally-unhealthy tones; revealed as theories that are usually the product of people too afraid to admit how dumb we all were prior to 1994.

Suspiciously, the DSM-V committee has released these changes one month after taking away the opportunity for us to make comments (through their website) to proposed revisions. In lieu of the means to write them, please instead call the DSM authors, the American Psychiatric Association, at 703.907.7300 and tell them that you object to these changes. Not only will tens of thousands of spectrumites—if not more—be at risk for going back to the days when we were thought of as rude, nervous, or incompetent; but equal numbers of spectrumites will happily be denied the services they need by financially-strapped agencies. Fiscal concerns cannot be invalidated, but this is not the answer.

It is very hard for many to understand how diverse, and how complicated the autism spectrum really is. But to have what should be the leaders of our clinical world (a) subtley waging a competition of suffering between opposite ends of the spectrum, by invalidating the negative experiences of one side, and (b) succumbing to such a dumbing-down of the autism spectrum, if not knowledge itself, is unconscionable. Please make that call.

Sincerely,

Michael John Carley
Executive Director
GRASP
The Global and Regional Asperger Syndrome Partnership, Inc.
666 Broadway, Suite 825
New York, NY 10012

Betty White

The former Golden Girls and Mary Tyler Moore Show actress is hitting a milestone today!  Many Happy Returns, Betty!  She is currently starring on a sitcom called Hot In Cleveland.

Scene from The Golden Girls

The Return of Sue Ann Nivens on METV

In all my excitement to wish Elvis Presley a Happy 77th Birthday, I forgot to wish David a Happy 65th Birthday.  Hope you had a great birthday, David!

 Space Oddity (original video 1969)

Girls on the Spectrum: Q & A with the Author of Aspergirls

If only John McBain double-checked to see if Victor Lord Jr. was really dead before he arrested Todd.  Fortunately, the former executive producer and the head writer of One Life to Live are taking over the creative control of ABC’s last soap, General Hospital.  John McBain, Todd Manning, Blair Cramer, and Starr Manning (Todd and Blair’s daughter) are heading to GH starting next month.

Expect some improvements to GH in the near future!