Autism and Precipitation and the Murky Maze of Correlation: The reason for this positive correlation may be that sun is a natural detoxifier and being indoors surrounded by synthetics and greater EMFs (including television) make a child susceptible to the effects of thimersol (ethylmercury) in vaccines by compromising his immune system or lowering her glutathione levels. This tendency for commercially-funded science to dig up correlations and imply cause and effect is a typical strategy of corporate funded PR activity to draw attention away from their own culpability. The only logic here is that one correlation suggests another. Perhaps it is the character of a parent, who would allow a child under the age of two to sit in front of a televison for significant periods of time, that correlates with a general lackadasical attitude about what they expose their child to. Perhaps the correlation is that phenymercuric acetate might have used in greater concentration in indoor latex paints as an antifouling agent (mold retardant) in areas of greater precipitation. Do you think it is true that precipitation is more likely to be responsible for autism than a known potent neurotoxin. Don't you question who's behind the funding of these studies? Now that might be a 'real' story.