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Page 1 Serenity Magazine-Edition 1
Page 2 Serenity Magazine—Edition 1
Serenity Magazine Edition 1 May 2016
May 2016 Magazine Cover: Hunter Kelley, Editor opening up an aquaponic system
2016 © Copyright Victoria Kelley
You may NOT copy or use any of the articles in this magazine without express permission from Serenity Magazine.
The articles written in our magazine are from contributing writers and experts alike. Our magazine is based in education, personal stories and helping parents who have autistic children. We also present information about healthier alternatives to medications from other Other articles placed in Serenity magazine are written by com-panies, doctors, PhD's and businesses who have something of value to share with our readers. We also share sto-ries from families and other autistic people websites. We that we feel have valuable resources for people to learn from. If you would like the magazine to share a blogpost or website please contact us at [email protected].
All Rights Reserved © Copyright 2016 Venus Rizing, Inc
Contact: [email protected]
Serenity Magazine Website: http://serenityinautism.com/
Serenity Subscription Page: http://serenityinautism.com/sign_up/
Join Our Facebook Page: https://www.facebook.com/ITotallyLoveMyChildren/
Page 3 Serenity Magazine-Edition 1
5 From The Editors Desk
How Autism Works On Me
By Hunter Kelley
12 The Book Corner
Reading Materials About Autism
6 Autism Acceptance:
Pathways to Work
By Green Bridge Growers
Healthy Recipes For
Autistic People
I’m A Fan Of
Stephen Wiltshire
http://www.stephenwiltshire.co.uk/
10 Crispy Fried Chicken
11 Chocolate
Brownie Cookies
14 Story Of The Month
The Age Of Autism Meets
Aquaponics
24 Cosmos Dreaming
By Hunter Kelley
28 Researchers Identify New
Functional Biomarker For Autism
In Boys
32 Famous People With Autism
Page 4 Serenity Magazine—Edition 1
“At first glance, this cosmic kaleidoscope of purple, blue and pink offers a strikingly beautiful and
serene snapshot of the cosmos. However, this multi-colored haze actually marks the site of two
colliding galaxy clusters, forming a single object known as MACS J0416.1-2403 (or MACS
J0416 for short)”.
Source: http://www.nasa.gov/image-feature/goddard/2016/hubble-looks-into-a-cosmic-kaleidoscope
Page 5 Serenity Magazine-Edition 1
How Autism Works On Me
I have social phobia fears and so telling stories about
my life is hard. I have a difficult time going out in
public without looking acceptable or "perfect" first.
I'm not comfortable with showing people my crea-
tions-drawings or having pictures of me put on the
internet.
When speaking, I don't sound very smart. I stutter of-
ten and seem to think less when speaking, as my use
of words are not usually the smartest choices.
Meanwhile, I often become caught in a 2-5 second
trance before I begin to talk. My parents look and wait
until I'm ready to speak. "What am I going to say?" or
"What was I going to say?" is in my head, when I try
to actually SAY something.
My ability to speak through sound is hindered. But,
my ability to speak "visually" is not.
By some type of witchcraft or divinity, my thought pat-
terns are much faster-clearer. I sound more intelligent
when my mind speaks instead of my mouth. As a result,
I type better than I speak.
Some of you are probably thinking 'typing' is just giving
me more time to think, but I usually think of what I'm
going to type in just under a second.
Meanwhile other high functioning autistics like me, lose
the skill of socialization or the ability to speak while
talking. Others have problems talking to people, giving
them a social disorder, not always but like me.
As for other people's autism. I guess I don't like the
social or "intelligence nullification" it is causing.
I have seen some low functioning teens and children.
Some can barely say "hi" while others cannot think of a
proper response to questions. It seems that low function-
ing autism targets the intelligence of the person; or act-
ing out in ways which is not their fault.
That's not right and so I must help. Hunter.
Page 6 Serenity Magazine—Edition 1
At Green Bridge Growers, we are dedicated to em-
ploying adults on the autism spectrum. Adults with
autism are all too often unemployed or underem-
ployed, and it is one of our goals to help educate
the community about this problem and do our part
to help provide a solution. Many adults on the au-
tism spectrum are capable of pursuing challenging
careers, but potential employers may not able to
recognize just how much adults with autism are
willing and ready to work.
What are the barriers that prevent those with au-
tism from being employed? Many adults on the
autism spectrum struggle to gain fruitful employ-
ment because they may lack some of the social
skills that are necessary in successfully interview-
ing and picking up on the “unwritten rules” of the
corporate world.
Many adults on the autistic spectrum work well with task
oriented, step-by-step responsibilities, and adaptations may
need to be made when it comes to working with teams or
jobs where responsibilities are always changing.
According to Leanne Suarez, a Green Bridge Growers’
board member and Parent Liaison for the Autism Center at
Logan Center of South Bend, there is a lack of opportunity
for adults on the autism spectrum because few training pro-
grams exist to transition those with autism to the work-
force.
She believes that if there were more programs that ex-
isted for teens with autism, there would be an easier
pathway from high school to the working world. Leanne
also recognizes that many adults on the autism spectrum
are capable of pursuing higher education, but even with a
college degree, the problem of unemployment still persists.
Autism Acceptance: Pathways to Work
Page 7 Serenity Magazine-Edition 1
Oftentimes adults on the autism spectrum lack
support teams to help them adjust and maintain
employment, which is why there is a continuing
need for appropriate programming.
This is where organizations like Green Bridge Grow-
ers and the Logan Center are of great help at the com-
munity level to adults with autism seeking employ-
ment. Nationally, Autism Speaks and Autism Spec-
trum Careers are two organizations that are exploring
possible solutions. Their resources help adults on the
autism spectrum prepare for interviews and they offer
guidance in developing a support system through the
hiring process and in maintaining employment.
There are also regional symposiums held by Autism
Speaks, where stakeholders and persons motivated to
solving unemployment for autistic adults meet and
discuss the issue and what can be done.
Green Bridge Growers was excited to participate in the
Midwest Employment Symposium this past March at
Northwestern University and it was a great experience.
We were able to share our ideas at a “Pitchfest," where
small business leaders presented their innovations in cre-
ating jobs for adults with autism, and we are pleased to
share that we won! It was a great weekend and we took
away a new confidence that there are other organizations
out there willing and ready to help employ adults with
autism.
Leanne of Logan Center also believes that given the right
opportunities, adults with autism can thrive as employ-
ees. She believes these individuals have great strengths
and talents, and given the right chance to find job place-
ment, adults on the spectrum are great employees.
Adults with autism are typically on time, very reli-
able, and love what they do.
Page 8 Serenity Magazine—Edition 1
If more employers were willing to take extra steps to give
them support, they would have a very dedicated and fruitful
employee.
Green Bridge Growers has seen many of our own trainees grow in their con-
fidence and capabilities through their work with us. A few have shared the
impact this work has had for them
and we are very proud of them.
Xavier, one of our trainees, noted
that he has grown through his work
at Green Bridge Growers, and has
learned to talk to people in a more
professional manner. He believes
Green Bridge Growers is helping
him take steps to improve his future.
Matt has shared that he has
grown in his patience for learn-
ing how to work with various
individuals, helping him thrive at
Green Bridge Growers and in the
future. Chris has enjoyed his
time working in the greenhouse,
giving him a chance to work
with other people as a team. We
are inspired every day by all of
Green Bridge Growers trainees -
they continue to demonstrate that
adults on the autism spectrum
are capable of thriving in the
workforce.
We are proud of what Green
Bridge Growers has been able to
contribute as a creative solution
to the problem of unemploy-
ment, and we are excited to see
what new ideas will be devel-
oped around the country to cre-
ate more employment opportuni-
ties for young adults on the au-
tism spectrum.
Written by
Erin Taylor
Article Source:
http://
www.greenbridgegrowers.org/
Facebook Page:
https: / /www.facebook.com/
GreenBridgeGrowers
Page 10 Serenity Magazine—Edition 1
Crispy Fried
Chicken
Ingredients
10 chicken legs
1 cup melted butter
2 cups dry potato flakes
Directions
Preheat oven to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C).
Place melted butter or margarine in a shallow dish or bowl, then
place potato flakes in a separate shallow dish or bowl.
Roll chicken pieces in butter or margarine, then in potato flakes.
Place coated chicken pieces in a 9×13 inch baking dish, skin side
up.
Bake at 400 degrees F (200 degrees C) for 1 hour.
Source: https://gfcfrecipesautism.wordpress.com/page/2/
Page 11 Serenity Magazine-Edition 1
Chocolate Brownie
Cookies
Ingredients 12 ounces (2 cups) bittersweet chocolate, chopped plus 3 oz of
your favorite chocolate
8 tablespoons (1 stick) unsalted butter or margarine
3 eggs
1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 cup sugar
1/2 cup all-purpose flour gluten free by arrowheadmills
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
6 ounces (1 cup) semisweet chocolate chips
1 cup chopped pecans or walnuts (or a combination)
Directions In the top of a double boiler set over very
hot water, melt the bittersweet chocolate
and butter. Allow it to cool.
Using an electric mixer, beat the eggs and
vanilla in a mixing bowl until frothy.
Slowly add the sugar and beat until the
mixture ribbons off the beaters. Add the
melted chocolate mixture. Stir to combine.
Sift the dry ingredients together. Add to the
chocolate mixture and stir to combine. Fold
in the chips and nuts.
The dough will seem more like cake batter
than cookie dough. Cover the mixing bowl
with plastic wrap and refrigerate until the
dough is well chilled (and more cookie-
dough-like).
Set the oven to 350 degrees. Line several
baking sheets with baking parchment.
Scoop up the chilled dough and roll with
your hands into small balls the size of a
whole walnut (in the shell). Place the cook-
ies on the prepared pans, about 1 1/2 inches
apart.
Bake about 12 minutes or a bit longer. The
tops of the cookies should look dry and
cracked. Allow to cool for a minute on the
baking sheet, then remove to cake racks for
further cooling.
Source: https://
gfcfrecipesautism.wordpress.com/page/2/
Page 12 Serenity Magazine—Edition 1
For many years Eileen Miller's daughter, Kim, was unable to verbalize her ex-
periences and emotions, but she was able to communicate using a less conven-
tional language: her art. The Girl who Spoke with Pictures tells the story of a
young woman with autism, and how her enlightening drawings enabled her to
share her view of the world.
Illustrated with drawings created by Kim between the ages of 3 and 17 years old,
the book gives an insight into how Kim expressed her thoughts and feelings
through pictures, revealing her capacity to learn and be understood by those
around her. Reflecting on her daughter's artwork, the author explores the concept
of art as a universal language that can transcend barriers and enhance the per-
sonal and educational experiences of those with autism.
Purchase on Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/Girl-Who-Spoke-Pictures-
Through/dp/1843108895?ie=UTF8&ref_=cm_lmf_tit_4
When I Am Aspien Woman was released, it became an instant bestseller and
ignited a discussion about the lost generation of Autistic females, gender differ-
ences, misdiagnosis, mismedication, and the lack of assessment tools, resources
and interventions. This is the current female Autism crisis.
Written by 2015 ASPECT Autism Australia National Recognition Award Nomi-
nee (Advancement Category), Tania A. Marshall, I Am AspienWoman show-
cases the unique characteristics, traits and gifts of adult females on the Autism
Spectrum.
Purchase On Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/AspienWoman-Unique-
Characteristics-Females-Spectrum/dp/0992360943?ie=UTF8&keywords=adult%20books%20on%
Page 13 Serenity Magazine-Edition 1
2007 Moonbeam Award Winner: Childhood Wellness Category, Silver Medal
When a long-distance relative comes for a visit, Jody and her brother Josh, who
has autism, find themselves teaching Great Aunt Tilda the rules of the games they
like to play. Josh loves Animal Sounds Bingo, but not with new people. Jody's de-
lighted to have an adult to herself and gets out a game of her own, but Josh keeps
interrrupting. Will Jody never win?
As the story progresses, Josh slowly warms up to Aunt Tilda as Jody helps her to
understand her brother. But, as with many board games, the rules of autism are
complicated. Still, through Jody's humor, complaints, exuberance, and wisdom,
Playing by the Rules shows how siblings of children with autism bridge the gap of
understanding between their brothers or sisters and other people.
Purchase On Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/Playing-Rules-Story-about-
Autism/dp/1890627836?ie=UTF8&ref_=cm_lmf_tit_18
Many adults on the autism spectrum experience isolation, interpersonal difficul-
ties, anxiety, depressed mood, and coping problems. Award-winning author Dr.
Lee A. Wilkinson's new book presents strategies derived from cognitive-
behavioral therapy (CBT), adapted specifically for adults with autism, to help
them overcome anxiety and depression, and improve their psychological well-
being. The author takes the best of CBT therapeutic techniques to facilitate greater
self-understanding, self-advocacy, and better decision-making in life-span activi-
ties such as employment and interpersonal relationships.
Purchase On Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/Overcoming-Anxiety-
Depression-Autism-Spectrum/dp/1849059276?ie=UTF8&keywords=adult%
20books%20on%20autism&qid=1461711006&ref_=sr_1_9&sr=8-9
With an estimated half a million Americans under twenty-six on the autism spec-
trum, this book offers the reassurance, solace, and practical solutions that so many
people are searching for. Following up on their work in Overcoming Autism,
which offered advice for teaching young children on the spectrum, Lynn Koegel
and Claire LaZebnik now present strategies for working with teens and young
adults living with this complex condition. Addressing universal parental concerns,
from first crushes and a changing body to how to succeed in college and beyond,
Growing Up on the Spectrum is a beacon of hope and wisdom for parents, thera-
pists, and educators alike.
Purchase On Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/Growing-Up-Spectrum-
Learning-Aspergers/dp/0143116665?ie=UTF8&keywords=adult%20books%
20on%20autism&qid=1461711006&ref_=sr_1_12&sr=8-12
Page 14 Serenity Magazine—Edition 1
Page 15 Serenity Magazine-Edition 1
For many years we have heard that gardening, running
water and fish are a calming practice. Not only is Aqua-
culture good for stress, and good for growing food, but
new research and work is emerging that Aquaponics can
greatly benefit autistic adults and children. Growers are
discovering that there really is a workable place for autis-
tic people and this is amazing news.
For example, Green Bridge Growers launched their initia-
tive almost 16 months ago in South Bend, Indiana. The
focus of the group was to produce food in a sustainable
manner using Aquaponics, and get this; the primary work-
force was to be in a farm setting for autistic kids and
young adults.
Green Bridge Growers are not alone in their quest to
teach the benefits of growing food to others. Over
the years, being involved with aquaculture, I've seen
the interest grow when it comes to combining Aq-
uaponics and people with autism; and the results can
be pure magic!
Many parents of autistic children are reporting im-
pressive benefits and are seeing improved behavior,
better social skills, as autistic children learn exactly
how to interact with other people, their environment
and even the development new skills that can lead to
employment.
“I saw great potential for Chris and others with autism
because of the skills required, the local market oppor-
tunities, and the chance to contribute to our local com-
munity,” Jan Pilarski, co-founder and CEO at Green
Bridge Growers also had this to say:
“My son Chris and I share an interest in growing food
sustainably, but came to that independently and by
different paths,” Pilarski said. “In the workshops and
conferences we participated in three years ago related
to food justice and sustainable farming, we were ex-
posed to aquaponics. That model of sustainable, year-
round growing appealed to us both.”
Source:http://yardfarmers.us/aquaponic-farm-grows-
produce-year-round-and-creates-jobs-for-young-adults-
with-autism/
What Is Autism And
Why Is It Exploding?
Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is a group of develop-
mental disabilities that can cause significant social,
communication and behavioral challenges.
As you can see from the graph that I've included, autism
is literally exploding off of the charts. Prior to 1975, au-
tism was virtually unknown of, but we can clearly see
the evidence that there is a serious problem.
The Age Of Autism
Meets Aquaponics
By Michael Kelley
Page 16 Serenity Magazine—Edition 1
At the current rate of growth with new cases of
autism doubling every few years, we have
reached a tipping point. By the year 2025, esti-
mates are a very grim, with as many as one in
four (1 in 4) people will be suffering from au-
tism.
I want you to try and imagine what the world will
look like if one in four people are autistic. This is a
tsunami of people, with numbers projected in the
TRILLIONS of dollars to deal with this epidemic.
Find The Cause And Provide Relief
Not only should we be trying to isolate the cause
we are going to need ways to effectively deal with
and integrate people who are autistic back into soci-
ety. How are we supposed to do this?
I have read many peer-reviewed papers and studies
with people claiming to be stunned as to the mys-
tery of the root causation. In fact many mainstream
pundits acknowledge drastic increases but seem to
be at a loss to explain why.
While autism is exploding, so are a variety of mil-
lennial diseases that appear to have their root
causes link to environmental causation.
For example, other related millennial disorders in-
clude, down syndrome, cerebral palsy, muscular
dystrophy, cystic fibrosis, sickle cell anemia, diabe-
tes, arthritis and even congenital heart diseases.
What do all of these have in common?
They all appear to be linked to environmental toxins that
people are exposed to on a regular basis. This includes
toxins from heavy metals, pesticides, food additives.
One area of controversy is vaccines. A raging debate
looms concerning how many shots is ok to give to babies
and toddlers. Given the current environment where ingre-
dients in vaccines are becoming more suspect, and also
that people in America and most countries can no longer
hold big pharma directly accountable for vaccine injuries,
is it any wonder people are questioning why they should
inoculate their children?
Another growing concern is the ever-increasing number
of shots given to toddlers and infants. At such a very
young age, when our immune systems are still being built,
many of these shots directly interfere with our natural pro-
tective gut bacteria and immune system and actually offer
NO improved resistance to diseases. Quite the contrary.
In many instances, such as with the whooping cough vac-
cine, outbreaks were traced back to vaccinated children
and adults.
Many doctors question the use of sometimes dozens of
vaccines that are required, before child even has entered
the second year of their life.
There have been stunning revelations, right at the top, as
CDC officials are deeply embroiled in what is being
called one of the worst scandals of the century:
"Last summer, Dr. William Thompson, senior scientist at
the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and
Page 17 Serenity Magazine-Edition 1
someone working on the national immunization pro-
gram came forward after 13 years and said, 'We have
known for 13 years, MMR vaccine causes autism and we
have concealed that fact.'
"He not only said it, he gave us all of the documents--all
of the original emails, transcripts, data outputs, data-
bases, draft papers, original analysis plans, exchanges
with his colleagues where he had tried repeatedly to
bring this to their attention. Right to the very top of the
CDC.
Right to Julie Gerberding, who was director of the
CDC before she left to join Merck as their director of
immunizations.’
"They all knew: Walter Orenstein, head of the Na-
tional Immunization Program--they all knew. He had
told them all. They concealed it systematically, and
eventually, he could no longer live with himself. He
came forward and has become a whistleblower.”
Source: http://www.ageofautism.com/2015/05/moms-
in-charge-presents-dr-andrew-wakefield-on-cdc-
whistleblower.html#more
CDC whistleblowers have confirmed that certain vac-
cines, such as the MMR, do have a direct link to
causing autism. In fact, simply reading the drug in-
serts about the vaccine explains that autism is a possi-
bility along with dozens of other side effects.
Page 18 Serenity Magazine—Edition 1
Of course, the information revealed by the CDC
was showing a systematic process whereby direct
causal links to autism were suppressed and or even
ignored and were NOT just an occasional and rare
occurrence.
There are even professionals asserting that food ad-
ditives and toxins put into vaccines are being done
so purposely and together to enhance large pharma-
ceutical company’s bottom line even as millions of
new cases of autism emerge demonstrating that
these vaccines are at the very least, highly suspect as to
the explosion of more shots almost directly mirrors the
stunning growth of the disease.
We can also see how the former CDC director was re-
warded with the top job position from Merck (big
Pharma) for remaining silent and not pursuing information
that was placed on her desk exposing this alarming trend
and that the MMR was part of the causation:
Page 19 Serenity Magazine-Edition 1
Source:http://healthimpactnews.com/2014/cdc-
whistleblower-cdc-covered-up-mmr-vaccine-link-to-
autism-in-african-american-boys/
I want you to think for a minute again what the world
will look like with one in four people incapable of
some of the most basic forms of communication and
requiring direct supervision.
These numbers are staggering! Now is the time to get
involved to combat autism and find a way to not only
deal with the ever-growing numbers, but to reinforce
the knowledge that we live in a toxic society and the
more exposure we have; the more likely we are to de-
velop a millennial disease such as autism.
Now, more than ever is the time to involve yourself
with this movement.
Before I became involved in aquaculture, I studied
psychology for years and even had my own private
practice. I've also worked for the Department of Fam-
ily and Children, in upstate New York and I would
routinely visit with families that had autistic children
to offer counseling, support and advice.
Over the years, I have seen the explosion in autism
and watched many families struggle and suffer with
the difficulties associated with the disease.
I also speak from personal experience because one
of my own sons, Hunter Kelley, had contracted au-
tism shortly after he received the MMR shot.
We watched as a happy child was reduced to head
banging, repetitive behavior and an inability to cor-
rectly communicate. This occurred shortly after he re-
ceived his shot so we know that the two events abso-
lutely were linked.
You can read more here and see what we had to go
through and how we took our son from low functioning
to high functioning. Yes you can do the same too:
Source: http://thecannabisdiary.com/huntersstory/
The Good News:
Aquaponics To The Rescue
My wife and I spent years detoxing Hunter’s body (we
believe this greatly helps) introducing his body to clean
food, and involving him with our passion of green
growing.
Hunter began to respond and we saw he could actu-
ally begin to do things on his own. We also began to
give him CBD cannabis oil and when we added aq-
uaponics, real changes began to happen.
Watching him assist us by growing food, helping us to
assemble aquaponics systems, getting him to take care
of plants really seemed to help him focus and give them
a sense of belonging as well as responsibility:
“His mood improved, he could relate to us better and
over time we could see he was not only learning how to
be a great gardener but was expressing even more inter-
est in aquaponics.” -V. Kelley
Page 20 Serenity Magazine—Edition 1
It certainly is possible to involve your children
and as they grow, your young adults, to getting
involved with Aquaponics. In fact there are
many reasons why you should:
Allows you to connect with the autistic individ-
ual
Gives a sense of calm and peace unlike other
tasks
The soothing sounds of flowing water help fo-
cus and clarity
A real sense of responsibility and achievement
A way for an autistic individual to contribute to
the family
A promising future helping feed the planet
There is something truly positively mind altering
when you involve autistic children (and adults) with
fish, flowing water, and plants, that can be grown
for everyone's benefit.
In the past we had involved Hunter with projects
related to Aquaponics but we really wanted him to
have his own little system; something that was ex-
clusively his, made for autistic kids, even though
we directly supervised everything. It was then that
Victoria and I stumbled across an impressive web-
site called the age of autism:
Website: http://www.ageofautism.com/
Victoria told our story to Dan (PhD) and he was
nice enough to provide us with a specially devel-
oped system (mini-aquaponics) and asked us if we
could take a look at it and see if this could continue
to assist Hunter in his developmental growth.
As a former psychologist, I was intrigued especially
since my real current passion is aquaculture. Finally I
saw a truly impressive way to involve autistic children
into understanding the basic functions of aquaculture.
As you can see from some of the pictures we took, this
mini system was easy to assemble and teaches all of the
basics; daily water quality, recirculation of fish waste to
plants, proper lighting, and fish care. Dan even came up
with a similar tabletop version that requires literally min-
utes to put together.
In fact, this is such a great beginners system that I highly
recommend it for anyone trying to understand and learn the
basics of Aquaponics, especially if you want to involve a
family member or friend.
Involving our children with hands-on projects like this, es-
pecially for the autistic helps them to create new neural
pathways in their mind and may grant them additional un-
derstanding as well is new communication skills. I have
seen it happen time and time again; and is most satisfying
when traditional doctors claim that someone’s child will
never speak or contribute to anything. NOT TRUE!
As with most forms of treatment with autism, it is an
ongoing battle to help our children focus.
One particular thing I do like is the continuous flow of wa-
ter, the movement of fish and the plants in system has a
soothing effect as well as grants people involved in this
discipline the ability to comprehend what they are doing
over time.
Page 21 Serenity Magazine-Edition 1
The system is also good for OCD types and often Autis-
tic people suffer from similar forms of acting out, a kind
of OCD on steroids.
Of course this is all contingent on the level of autism that
is exhibited; but even being around the system seems to
give a certain amount of peace and joy to autistic indi-
viduals.
Because of our discovery of this cool little system and
all of the important information on the age of autism
website, Victoria and I have decided to join forces
with Dan so that we can continue to offer different
types of possible non-traditional treatments.
If you have an autistic child or adult family member
you know how difficult the struggle for normalcy can
be. The best part about involving our autistic family
members into Aquaponics is the positive emotional,
mental and even calming benefits.
Now add to this the food that can be grown, and you
have an amazing way to help bring out the very best
in any child or even adults that is suffering.
If you know somebody that has autism, I highly rec-
ommend that you show them this story, and Hunter’s
story, which is being shared across the world.
Page 22 Serenity Magazine—Edition 1
This could be YOU and your son or daughter.
Our many thanks to Dan Olmsted and his impressive
website, The Age Of Autism. Because of this website we
now have a reliable source of information on how to not
only combat autism, but ways to naturally and slowly
improve the quality of life for those suffering.
We also want to thank our friend Dan Burns for
helping autistic people by designing and giving the
gift of understanding, focus and calm.
Please join us to help spread the word that people who
are suffering from autism can actually be productive
members of society under the right circumstances, all
thanks to Aquaponics.
Because of our families struggles we now believe we
have a real fighting chance to help other autistic peo-
ple, who need a way to earn an income while calming
their very souls.
It’s a very good trade to learn!
Kind thanks to the ASC Magazine. This article was
originally published in the March 2016 Edition. For
more information about the ASC Magazine, aquapon-
ics and organic growing subscribe here: http://
aquaponics-how-to-guide.info/aquanewsletter/
Page 23 Serenity Magazine-Edition 1
Subscribe Here: http://aquaponics-how-to-guide.info/aquanewsletter/
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Page 24 Serenity Magazine—Edition 1
Greetings,
In this edition I will be talking about some random
subjects that greatly interest me. Trust me; I’m not
the kind of person who is doing this for the attention.
In fact, I’m doing this because my family really
wanted to help me and I understand this.
As much as I have social interaction fears, I also want
to "help autistics back to the road to a normal life".
So I am writing to bring attention to these important
issues.
The website and magazine is a cooperative effort by
me and family. I will write about random subjects,
because some people like the opinions of a person
with autism and how we think.
So, about my subject matter, I will be talking about is
the universe, galaxies, stars, and black holes. I really
like this subject matter.
Space, what is it? Well, the name “space” makes an
obvious statement. Space is the dark void that makes
up the entire region of almost If not everything: the
universe.
The universe is an extreme cluster of galaxies, stars,
planets, and gasses that could have been created by a
God, big bang theory, whatever. I'm neutral about the
origins of the universe and all the theories behind it.
However, multiverse and omniverse theories do interest
me.
About Galaxies Galaxies are giant clouds of gasses and stars, bound by
the gravity of black holes or large star clusters. There are
multiple types of galaxies that are determined by the
amount of stars or shape they possess such as spiral, ir-
regular, and elliptical.
Spirals: are known for their disk shape and swirly ap-
pearance. They are usually the youngest of the 3. Spiral
galaxies will collapse into elliptical galaxies when they
reach an old age.
http://cas.sdss.org/dr6/en/proj/basic/galaxies/spirals.asp
Irregulars: are smaller galaxies with an uneven shape.
Usually bound by star cluster gravity or small black
holes, some Irregulars are known for being the oldest gal-
axies in the universe.
Page 25 Serenity Magazine-Edition 1
Example: (GN-z11 galaxy, if you can con-
sider it irregular)
https:/ /www.spacetelescope.org/news/
heic1604/
Elliptical Galaxies: also have the potential to
be the oldest. They usually have a prolate-
oval shape in appearance and are known for
being the brightest galaxies. Elliptical galax-
ies usually have extreme black holes along
with little stars.
http://www.space.com/22395-elliptical-
galaxies.html
Black Holes Now, I don't think of black holes to be like
wormholes, or a vacuum-portal to the forgot-
ten void but rather like neutron stars.
In my opinion, black holes are super dense
objects that spin notoriously fast (much like
neutron stars but much, much, worse). Black
holes can become so dense and spin so fast
that even light cannot escape the gravitation
and hence why they are black colored.
The strongest of black holes can pull billions
of stars into orbit, forming a galaxy.
Also, do not think black holes can become too
big because of how dense they are. Well,
there has been a recorded black hole around
the size (or bigger) than our entire solar sys-
tem.
Example: NGC 1277 (In the Perseus constel-
lation) AKA (Also Known As) the super mas-
sive black hole.
http://mcdonaldobservatory.org/news/gallery/size-ngc-1277s-
black-hole
Stars Stars are pretty much the producers of the universe. They are the
reason black holes, planets and nebulas exist. Black holes= po-
tential galaxies, nebulas= more stars.
Stars are the thousands of tiny lights you see in the night sky but
they are not really tiny, they are just very far away.
Source Credit: https://www.spacetelescope.org/news/heic1604/
Source Credit: NASA/JPL-Caltech/CTIO
Page 26 Serenity Magazine—Edition 1
Yet, the large amount of light they produce allows us
to see them. A star is also what you see during the
day, the very sun we know is a star.
The sun, like many stars are super massive balls of
plasma and hydrogen bound by gravity. Hydrogen is
the reason why stars are lit (or can be seen at night).
The large amounts of energy produced by stars cause
the hydrogen atoms and molecules to zoom across the
star. Most of the time, they collide with each other,
causing the two molecules to fuse together. Creating
huge bursts of energy and keeping the star lit.
There are multiple types of stars all with a life ex-
pectancy
TYPES O-B: O and B stars are massive blue tinted
stars.
(Fun fact: the laws of what’s "hot or cold" are re-
versed in space: blue is hot, red is cold)
These are the hottest star types and usually appealing to
the eye. BUT, O-B stars have the shortest life spans of
all stars. They only live for a few hundred million years
before they turn into red super giants and sooner or
later explode, producing a black hole or neutron star.
TYPES A-F: A and F stars are white-light blue tinted
medium stars. (Or white giants) they are the second
hottest types. I don't fully know their life span, but I
guess it is twice as shorter than a G star. (5 billion
years?)
TYPES G-K: these are average stars with 10-20 billion
year life cycles. They are usually are acceptable to life
due to the not too short lifespan and little solar flares.
These stars expand into normal red giants and explode
into a planetary nebula when they die.
TYPE M: type M stars are red dwarf stars. They are
the coolest, smallest, and most common star type.
These stars are masters of preserving fuel, as they can
live for trillions of years!
Source: By ESA/Hubble, CC BY 3.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=46758561
Page 27 Serenity Magazine-Edition 1
In fact, not a SINGLE red dwarf in the entire universe
has "died of age" yet. Most red dwarves are still in their
young age!
While red dwarves may sound perfect for life, it still
could be hard for life to evolve near one. Red dwarves
are known for producing some of the most dangerous
solar flares. Not to mention its habitable zone is very
close to the star. This means flares will have an easier
time reaching the planet and the planet could tidily lock
to the star over time due to being too close.
This could cause one side of the planet to be locked in
a permanent summer, the other side permanently win-
ter. Meaning the habitable parts of the planet would be
the "dawn and dusk" affected parts.
Well, that’s it for now.
Next time I will talk about planets, axial tilts and how
it affects seasons, and rotation.
Until next time
Hunter
Source Credit: https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/7/75/Ssc2003-06c.jpg
Page 28 Serenity Magazine—Edition 1
Source: http://michelsonmedical.org/2014/08/24/autism-breakthrough/
Page 29 Serenity Magazine-Edition 1
Source: George Washington University
https://www.gwu.edu/
Researchers have developed a new method to
map and track the function of brain circuits affected
by autism spectrum disorder (ASD) in boys using
brain imaging. The technique will provide clinicians
and therapists with a physical measure of the pro-
gress patients are making with behavioral and/or
drug treatments. For the first time, doctors would be
able to quantify how that brain circuit is working in
their patients and assess the effectiveness of an inter-
vention.
The research is outlined in a paper, "Quantified Social
Perception Circuit Activity as a Neurobiological Marker
of Autism Spectrum Disorder," published in JAMA Psy-
chiatry. The paper focuses on the use of biomarkers,
measurable indicators of a biological condition, to meas-
ure the function of the social perception circuit of the
brain.
"This is significant because biomarkers give us a 'why'
for understanding autism in boys that we haven't had be-
fore," said Kevin Pelphrey, a co-author of the paper, who
is the Carbonell Family Professor in Autism and Neuro-
developmental Disorders and director of the Autism and
Neurodevelopmental Disorders Institute at the George
Washington University.
"We can now use functional biomarkers to identify
what treatments will be effective for individual cases
and measure progress."
Researchers analyzed a series of 164 images from
each of 114 individuals and discovered the brain
scans of the social perception circuits only indicated
ASD in boys. This new research has the potential to
improve treatment for ASD by measuring changes in
the social perception brain circuit in response to dif-
ferent interventions. The researchers found the brain
scan data can be an effective indicator of function of
the circuit in younger children and older patients
alike.
The research is particularly relevant for ASD patients
who are difficult to diagnose and treat by providing a
more definitive diagnosis and in developing a treat-
ment program when it is not clear if behavioral, drug
or a combination of the treatments will be most effec-
tive.
"The behavioral symptoms of ASD are so complex
and varied it is difficult to determine whether a new
treatment is effective, especially within a realistic
time frame," said Malin Björnsdotter, assistant pro-
fessor at the University of Gothenburg and lead au-
thor of the paper. "Brain function markers may pro-
vide the specific and objective measures required to
bridge this gap."
Researchers Identify New Functional Biomarker For Autism In Boys
First-of-its-kind approach suggests brain imaging can enhance diagnosis, improve treatment, track progress
1; Malin Björnsdotter, MSc, PhD, 2; Nancy Wang, 3; Kevin Pelphrey, 4; Martha D. Kaiser
Article Source: https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2016/04/160420120320.htm
Page 30 Serenity Magazine—Edition 1
A Path to Widespread use of
Brain Scans?
In addition to helping to identify the most effective
ASD treatment for an individual, this research pro-
vides evidence that brain imaging is an important in-
tervention tool. Currently, functional MRI, the type of
brain scan used in this study, is not a standard part of
ASD treatment, as there is not enough evidence link-
ing the scan to effective treatments. The Autism and
Neurodevelopmental Disorders Institute at GW aims
to make significant contributions toward the establish-
ment of evidence-based therapies for ASD.
"This kind of imaging can help us answer the question,
'On day one of treatment, will this child benefit from a
16-week behavioral intervention?'"
Dr. Pelphrey said. "Answering that question will help
parents save time and money on diagnosis and treat-
ments."
Following the study, Dr. Pelphrey and his colleagues
will test their findings at the next level: studying a lar-
ger pool of people with autism and other neurological
disorders in collaboration with Children's National
Medical Center to see if the scan can successfully dis-
tinguish ASD from other disorders and track treatment
progress.
The authors emphasized that this research is still in the
earliest days, pointing out that doctors' offices and most
hospitals do not have the specialized imaging equip-
ment necessary to carry out the brain scans used by the
team involved in this study.
Page 31 Serenity Magazine-Edition 1
"To really help patients we need to develop inexpensive,
easy-to-use techniques that can be applied in any group,
including infants and individuals with severe behavioral
problems," said Dr. Björnsdotter. "This study is a first
step toward that goal."
While this method currently only works for boys with
autism, the researchers are leading a large-scale, nation-
wide study of girls with autism to identify equivalent
techniques that will work for them. The group expects to
have the initial results from that study later this year.
———————————————————
Reading Affect In The
Face and Voice
Neural Correlates of Interpreting Communi-
cative Intent in Children and Adolescents
With Autism Spectrum Disorders
A. Ting Wang, PhD, Susan S. Lee, BA, Marian Sig-
man, PhD, and Mirella Dapretto, PhD
Source: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/
PMC3713233/
Impairments in social communication are core features
of autism spectrum disorders (ASD). Even high-
functioning individuals with ASD who have advanced
formal language skills (ie, phonology, morphology, and
syntax) are impaired in pragmatics (ie, the social use of
language in context).
Understanding the communicative intentions of others is
particularly difficult for individuals with ASD when
nonliteral language is used, as in the case of irony.
In everyday social interactions, appreciating irony is
likely to require both attending to the speaker’s facial
expression and tone of voice and integrating the in-
formation gleaned from these cues with the context of
the situation at hand.
Typically developing (TD) children are sensitive to
affect conveyed through the human face and voice
from very early on.
Individuals with ASD, however, do not show the
same early preference for faces and voices and of-
ten have difficulty extracting the affect expressed
through these cues.
Accordingly, neuroimaging studies have found that
individuals with ASD show reduced activity in brain
regions that respond selectively to the face and voice.
Specifically, children and adults with ASD typically
exhibit hypoactivation of the lateral fusiform gyrus
(FG), the so-called fusiform face area, when viewing
faces and facial emotions.
With regard to voice perception, adults with autism
fail to show voice-selective activity in the superior
temporal sulcus despite a normal response to nonvo-
cal sounds.
Other studies of higher-level abilities that build on
face and voice perception, such as language and
“theory of mind,” have shown reduced activity in pre-
frontal regions, including the left inferior frontal
gyrus and medial prefrontal cortex (MPFC).
To read more about this study please click on the pro-
vided link: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/
PMC3713233/
Page 32 Serenity Magazine—Edition 1
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Page 33 Serenity Magazine-Edition 1
A groundbreaking book, THE AGE OF AUTISM
explores how mankind has unwittingly poisoned
itself for half a millennium
For centuries, medicine has made reckless use of one
of earth's most toxic substances: mercury—and the
consequences, often invisible or ignored, continue to
be tragic. Today, background pollution levels, in-
cluding global emissions of mercury as well as other
toxicants, make us all more vulnerable to its effects.
From the worst cases of syphilis to Sigmund Freud's
first cases of hysteria, from baffling new disorders in
19th century Britain to the modern scourge of au-
tism, THE AGE OF AUTISM traces the long over-
looked history of mercury poisoning.
Now, for the first time, authors Dan Olmsted and
Mark Blaxill uncover that history. Within this con-
text, they present startling findings: investigating the
first cases of autism diagnosed in the 1940s revealed
an unsuspected link to a new form of mercury in
seed disinfectants, lumber fungicides and vaccines.
In the tradition of Silent Spring and An Inconvenient
Truth, Olmsted and Blaxill demonstrate with clarity
how chemical and environmental clues may have
been missed as medical "experts," many of them
blinded by decades of systemic bias, instead placed
blamed on parental behavior or children's biology.
By exposing the roots and rise of The Age of Au-
tism, this book attempts to point the way out – to a
safer future for our children and the planet.
Book Source: https://www.amazon.com/
Age-Autism-Medicine-Man-Made-
Epidemic-ebook/dp/B003OYICT0?
ie=UTF8&btkr=1&redirect=true&ref_=
dp-kindle-redirect
Website: http://www.ageofautism.com/
Page 34 Serenity Magazine—Edition 1
Mr. Satoshi Tajiri Long thought to have Asperger’s Syndrome, Mr. Satoshi Tajiri
has confirmed this information, yet does not speak of his condi-
tion in public. This reclusive and eccentric man, who is known to
work twenty-four hours at a time, spawned the gaming phenome-
non that took the world by storm through his special interest in
insects.
Source: http://www.autismkey.com/pokeman-creator-draws-
creativity-from-autism/
Issac Newton and Albert Einstein According to autism expert Simon Baron-Cohen, they might
both have shown many signs of Asperger syndrome, a form
of the condition that does not cause learning difficulties.
Although he admits that it is impossible to make a definite
diagnosis for someone who is no longer living, Baron-Cohen
says he hopes this kind of analysis can shed light on why
some people with autism excel in life, while others struggle.
Source: https://www.newscientist.com/article/dn3676-
einstein-and-newton-showed-signs-of-autism
Page 35 Serenity Magazine-Edition 1
Thomas Jefferson Thomas Jefferson was the third president of the United States. He was also the
author of the Declaration of Independence. His other accomplishments include
diplomate, lawyer, scientist, farmer, architect. He was thought by many to be one
of the most brilliant men to ever occupy the White House. Could he have been on
the autistic spectrum? Norm Ledgin, author of Diagnosing Jefferson states that
this was absolutely the case. Ledgin provides what he believes is unequivocal
evidence that Jefferson had Asperger's syndrome, a form of high-functioning au-
tism and in his book he openly challenges anyone to refute his proof.
Source: http://www.jonathans-stories.com/non-fiction/
undiagnosing.html#Thomas%20Jefferson
Michael Angelo Dr Muhammad Arshad, staff psychiatrist at Whiston Hospital in Prescot, Mer-
seyside, and Professor Michael Fitzgerald, from Trinity College Dublin, have
concluded that the Italian artist may have suffered from Asperger's syndrome.
The claims, however, have been rubbished by art historians.
"Michelangelo's single-minded work routine, unusual lifestyle, limited interests,
poor social and communication skills, and various issues of life control appear to
be features of high-functioning autism or Asperger's syndrome."
Source: http://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/this-britain/was-michelangelos-
artistic-genius-a-symptom-of-autism-756718.html
Emily Dickinson
Emily Dickinson 1830-1886 An American poet regarded as one of the greatest
poets. Her poems were in a number of ways unconventional for their time. Dick-
inson was a prolific poet but was not well known in her lifetime. She was very
reclusive and considered eccentric but she had a good rapport with children. She
had a habit of wearing white clothes, but also excelled at domestic work such as
gardening and baking. Dickinson had a particular fascination for scented flow-
ers. When she died she was buried in a white coffin and flowers used at her fu-
neral included orchid, heliotrope and violets - flowers which have especially
splendid fragrances. It has been written that Dickinson “saw things directly and
just as they were”.
Source: http://incorrectpleasures.blogspot.com/2010/03/was-famous-poet-emily-dickinson.html
Page 36 Serenity Magazine—Edition 1