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Wired?

It's late and mostly quite. It's the time of day I like best. My boys are asleep. Teri is too. Some folks are morning people. I'm a night owl.

There was a recent article in Wired magazine about AutismOne. I'm guessing the magazine is looking for some official response or others may be wondering if we plan to respond. And the short answer is, no.

We have always attempted to stay above the fray. I would much prefer helping a mom, working on something positive or playing with my boys than addressing mainstream trivia.

We are going through an odd time in so-called mainstream journalism. Historically, it has been the print publications that devoted the time and resources to "get the story." TV gussied up the story, re-edited, and sold it sandwiched between ads. Print media is taking a page from its TV competitors by defining news as creating controversy.

With the advent of the Internet print publications seem to view us as the enemy (and by "we" I mean any website that does not primarily derive its income by charging consumers for information).

Print publications are going through a tough time looking to remain financially and intellectually relevant in a time that transitions between the past and the future.

Print publications are well aware of what happened to the music industry - an industry that self-destructed in 5 years when its business model was challenged - and are desperately clinging to any model that will keep them afloat until a "killer" ap is discovered that will provide long-term viability and growth. The killer ap will probably be subscription aps on iPhones, Blackberries, Twitter, Facebook, and their own websites that deliver the publication as a digital product.

Still, it's hard as a publisher with newsprint on your hands to move away from a model that took decades to establish and perfect to the unknown. Technology changes quickly. People don't.

For our community the Internet has been a godsend and will only get better over the coming years.

By the way, my younger boy, Ian, had his triennial IEP today and he is making remarkable progress. I'm going to go kiss him and then go to bed.