April 2nd - World Autism Awareness Day - Autism in the D

April 2nd, 2025

I first read about this new Autism group last November. https://outliermedia.org/detroit-autism-friendly-play-center/ Since this was so close to home, I wanted to promote the group and their activities during World Autism Month.

Autism in the D is worthy organization that provides many resources in the Detroit area. Please help out if you can for a worthy cause. https://www.autisminthed.com/about

April 8th, 2024

This is such a tragic and disgusting video. Awareness MUST also include the sad fact of autistic children being abused.

https://rmlawyers.com/littleton-public-schools-special-education-student-abuse-cases/

https://www.yahoo.com/news/littleton-bus-aide-fired-students-230200317.html

April 2nd, 2024

 https://www.autismspeaks.org/world-autism-awareness-day

In the past month I have seen two actors that are on the autism spectrum do wonderful work. It's wonderful to see autistic actors in roles not played but non-autistic actors (i.e., Freddie Hightower "The Good Doctor"). 

I'm not criticizing Mr. Hightower his show is very good, and he does an outstanding job.

In fact, one of the actors is on his show this season.

https://www.aol.com/good-doctor-newbie-kayla-cromer-150200087.html

Kayla Cromer is the first autistic actor to play an autistic main character on a primetime TV series.

The other actor is Paras Patel in the hit show “The Chosen.” He portrays Matthew the tax collector and apostle of Jesus.

https://abcnews.go.com/Entertainment/video/paras-patel-chosen-people-feeling-108767411

I urge everyone to watch these shows, they are really good.

April 2023

Autism Acceptance Month, previously named Autism Awareness Month, in April aims to celebrate and promote acceptance for the condition that occurs in one in every 54 children as of 2020 in the United States.

Why April Is Autism Acceptance Month, Not Autism Awareness

Acceptance vs. Awareness

“Acceptance is about moving beyond this idea of awareness, which has been medicalized and has been used to spread ideas of autism that are stigmatizing,” says Zoe Gross, Director of Advocacy at ASAN. “[Autism] make life harder, but it’s part of our experience of the world. It’s not something to be scared of.” 

https://video.search.yahoo.com/search/video?fr=yfp-t&ei=UTF-8&p=April+is+autism+awarens+month#id=3&vid=f537484a81236db2e300515d90bff8f2&action=click

April 2022

 A Proclamation on World Autism Awareness Day, 2022

A nice message from the White House - https://www.whitehouse.gov/briefing-room/presidential-actions/2022/04/01/a-proclamation-on-world-autism-awareness-day-2022/

P/S - Update on the Good Doctor - Much better than 2021 season with the focus returned to ASD in most of the episodes.

April 2021

With the Global Covid 19 virus I can't help but wonder about all the routine movements, processes and help that is now so fragmented for people on the spectrum. Perhaps, others can now learn what it is like to have your "normal" life in such a disarray. Autism people have known this kind of stress their whole lives.

While sitting at home with the rest of the world I found this movie that was really good about an English lad who has autism. Check it out!

https://agoodmovietowatch.com/brilliant-young-mind-2014/

And of course, I really like the Good Doctor. However, the 2021 season has lost its gusto. Too many social issues and political correctness is ruining the show about ASD.

April 23 - Update

I was sent (Thank you Matthew) this link
https://www.wizcase.com/blog/internet-safety-guide-for-people-with-autism-spectrum-disorders/
that provides valuable information about internet safety for people with ASD.

Click link below for all my posts on Autism over the years. http://qualityg.blogspot.com/search/label/ASD%20-%20Autism%20Spectrum%20Disorders

or on the ASD Label (Left Sidebar) for more of my posts on Autism.

I was throwing away some old papers today when I came across this poem, I wrote 25 years ago for Michael, Jason, Robert and my other friends and students I have had the pleasure to know...

SHINE!

At 11:45 we start to get antsy while he smiles like an old gray fox
At noon we go to our lockers and get our Sponge Bob lunch box
He then checks our shoelaces and pulls up our socks.

Then it’s back to class and get called in to line
We shuffle to the back because he said that’s where we shine
He walks with us quietly and whispers all will be fine.

As we walk quietly in line headed to the lunchroom we go
We then search for a place at a table where a friend might show
While the man who is with us sits across the room laying low.

Often times we don’t eat, and we just play with our food
Then the lunch lady turns and signal to the man that we are being crude
He then stands where we can see; and gives us the “Look” we best eat before he gets in a mood.

After we eat, we go to recess, sometimes it’s in, but we hope it’s out
It all depends if the flags are green hanging about
Yellow means stay inside then we groan and pout.
Today we go outside and play on the playground equipment
We hope a friend will stop and play even if for a minute
But most of the time we play alone and it seems to be infinite.

At 12:35 the whistle blows loud and sometimes we cover our ears
You see the decibel and noise level brings out some fears
But we know we are safe because our guardian is always near.

Another lunch has come and another has gone by
Sometimes we get into trouble and sometimes we cry
But mostly we wonder about friends and ask him WHY?

After we line up we will try not to talk and to stay in line
Then our teacher meets us and says you all look fine
And the man who walks behind smiles and says we SHINE!

ENOUGH - It's Not Funny Anymore! Canada 51st State

 

OK, enough is enough. When I was growing up, we used to kid with our Canadian friends that we could take over Canada in a weekend if we wanted to spend the time, but we would rather go to the movies.

I can be in Canada in 30 minutes from where I live. Canada is a great neighbor, but I don't want them in my family. We don't need another California (Goodbye Republican Party).

I'm getting very tired of the uncertainty and foolishness coming out of Washington. If you're going to do something (Tariff, Taxes, buying Land) then do it and move on. We have gone from the Biden years of saying nothing and doing nothing and not make anything better. Now we are saying too much and doing too much too fast without any systemic means or end-to-end plan that has been explained. Uncertainty causes "Unstructured Chaos." 

Sucess is not JUST measured in dollars and profits. Senior citizens on fixed incomes losing their savings in 401k's are not putting money in the stock market to buy stocks at a lower price. What they lose in monthly deductions from their principle will not come back. 

There needs to be a balance so that all get something out of a deal. ENOUGH!

Secretary McMahon - Please use "Systems Thinking" when transforming the Education System.

Secretary McMahon highlighted three goals for restructuring the Department of Education:

·         Ensure parents are the "primary decision makers" in their kids' education.

·         Focus public education on math. reading, science, and history, and not "divisive DEI programs and gender ideology.”

·         Establish postsecondary education as a path to well-paying careers that meet the demands of the workforce.

I have written on this subject over the years and yet nothing has improved even with more and more dollars being thrown at the problem. http://qualityg.blogspot.com/search?q=school+of+choice

It seems like everyone is using the term "systemic" to define failures in a variety of areas affecting the education system in our country. Before "Transforming" a system, it is vital to understand what "Systems Thinking" is before using it to help them sound important or knowledgeable. http://qualityg.blogspot.com/search?q=systems+thinking

Before moving the Federal Education to the States and implementing School of Choice please develop a strategic plan to engage in changing the education system. Systemic change requires to have all the parts of the system working together toward a common goal. I have shown the interdependencies required in the above graph (Developed 15 years ago).

Another way to explain is to understand the matrix below: Click on Pic to ENLARGE

Dream - In a business setting you can replace Dream with "Vision"

WIIFM - What's In It For Me

Elon Musk and DOGE are using "Systems Thinking" to find waste.

Dr. Shewhart and Dr. Deming were right, and Elon Musk and his DOGE team are proving it with their systematic efforts to audit and review governmental process for inefficient and ineffective processes for waste.

In an effort to slash government spending, President Trump has asked the world’s richest (and I would say the most innovative) man, Tesla, Twitter, and SpaceX CEO Elon Musk, to lead his Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE). https://dogegov.com/

In the 1930s   - Dr. Shewhart said “Changes that result in improvement come from application of knowledge.”

In the 1950s - Dr. Deming said, “Change comes from outside the system.” He also said - 

I would also urge you to read and study the teachings of Dr. Russell Ackoff when it comes to systems thinking. https://thesystemsthinker.com/a-lifetime-of-systems-thinking/

True and lasting change often comes from outside the system and Elon Musk not being from Washington is the perfect person with his intelligence and resources to eliminate waste within the processes of our governmental departments. He understands that you need to examine the process/system from end-o-end and implement measures throughout the process/system to identify areas of concerns and problems and stop them upfront in the process/system. Once identified you can improve or eliminate the waste or problem. 

However, it is vital "HOW" you cut and eliminate waste from a system. To concentrate only on each individual department and not to understand how it fits into the overall organization can lead to disaster when trying to improve the system. You must take in to account the people within the system and not destroy the overall fabric of what you are trying to improve.

For example, Dr. Ackoff said "

• When you get rid of something that you don't want, you don't necessarily get what you do want. So, finding deficiencies and getting rid of them is not a way of improving the performance of a system. An improvement a program must be directed at what you want not at what you don't want.

Both Dr. Drucker (Management Expert) and Dr. Ackoff both commented on Efficiency vs Effectiveness and to focus on doing the right thing for an organization. According to Peter Drucker, an organization's survival is based on the efficiency and effectiveness of the management. Dr. Ackoff said "

• Quality ought to be directed at effectiveness. The difference between efficiency and effectiveness is a difference between knowledge and wisdom.

Efficiency (Knowledge) is described as the capacity to do a task with the least amount of wasted time, money, and effort, as well as performance competency. Effectiveness (Wisdom) is defined as the degree to which something is successful in delivering the desired result.

Over my years of applying their (Shewhart, Deming, Ackoff and Drucker) statements to my everyday work and management style I developed and followed the following:

Data + Information + Application = Knowledge (D + I + A = K)

Knowledge + Listening + Observing = Wisdom (K + L+ O = W).

 Knowldege + Wisdom = Prediction (K + W = P)

For more info on 
Sytems Thinking click here: https://qualityg.blogspot.com/search?q=systems+thinking

Ford Motor Com. - More Recalls - Ford needs to reimplement Dr. Demings Teachings and Principles on Quality!

1/23/2025 - More Recalls

Ford is recalling over 272,000 Bronco Sport SUVs from the 2021 through 2023 model years and Maverick pickup trucks from the 2022 through 2023 model years. These vehicles have defective batteries that could suddenly fail while the SUV or pickup is in use. The batteries were made in China!!

1/11/2025 - Original update

Ford Motor Company needs to reimplement Dr. Demings Teachings and Principles on Quality!

 I have owned six different Ford vehicles over the past 20 years. The quality of the vehicles has gotten worse over the past five years. In fact, Ford leads all car manufactures in recalls.

In 2024, Ford ranked 2nd in Recalls. https://fordauthority.com/2024/12/ford-ranked-second-for-most-issued-recalls-of-2024/

This article was just published 1/8/25 - https://www.motorbiscuit.com/ford-recalls-f-super-duty-other-suvs-cars/

I personally have had three experiences (Recall - Power Module and Battery) this year with problems on my 2022 Ford Edge (I love the Edge and terribly disappointed that Ford will no longer make this model). My dealership is swamped with Ford Escapes (Including Hybrid), Mavericks, F -Series Trucks and Edges with many recent recalls in the past 2 months. Getting an appointment takes weeks if not months. P/S - My rear lift hatch closes on its own. I brought it in two times, and they say its fixed. I say it's not,

This has led me to remember back in the 1980's when Ford Motor company had Dr. Deming help them with their Quality efforts. 

Ford Motor Company called upon Dr. Deming to help. According to Don Petersen, former CEO and board chairman of Ford, Deming's approach was the key to the turnaround in the fortunes of Ford. Waste was reduced, labor relations improved, customer satisfaction increased, and Ford was able to stay in business and compete again. Petersen is unequivocal about the basis for Ford's success: "People want to do a good job. Dr. Deming's ideas and concepts, as we got them going through our system, gave people more and more this feeling that they had a better chance to do a good job. The rate of improvement, in many ways, was much greater than anything we could anticipate."

Many Deming disciples from Ford Motor Company began distinguished quality careers based on the teachings of Dr. Dr, Deming. Most notably was Dr. Edward Baker. Perhaps it's time to bring him back!

https://deming.org/our-team/edward-martin-baker/

It's time Ford Motor company management reevaluate their Quality Principles and begin to implement for an end-to-end perspective. 

Management owns the system. For more on Dr. Deming please read - https://qualityg.blogspot.com/search/label/Dr%20W.Edwards%20Deming