Re: More on TV causes autism -- the Amish don't watch TV either.

[Guest guest]

>

> Greg Easterbrook's name is also mispelled -it should read Greg ASSHOLE

Maurine,

It is unfortunate that you would make such a negative remark so. I

know you are better than this. The asshole, or anus, is an important,

functional part of the human anatomy. It is the excretory opening of

the alimentary canal. Please don't confuse this with that which passes

through it. Making such comparison to Greg Easterbrook disparages the

human body and the attached humanity. You owe assholes everywhere an

apology.

Lenny

[Guest guest]

>

> Greg Easterbrook's name is also mispelled -it should read Greg ASSHOLE

Maurine,

It is unfortunate that you would make such a negative remark so. I

know you are better than this. The asshole, or anus, is an important,

functional part of the human anatomy. It is the excretory opening of

the alimentary canal. Please don't confuse this with that which passes

through it. Making such comparison to Greg Easterbrook disparages the

human body and the attached humanity. You owe assholes everywhere an

apology.

Lenny

[Guest guest]

>

> Okay Lenny, that actually made me laugh out loud! THANK YOU!

> -michele

>

I am glad you enjoyed. But you can thank me in person the next time I

see you over a bagel.

Lenny

[Guest guest]

Imagine these as headlines:

Airbags Cause Autism!

Use of Computer Mouse Causes Autism!

Rap Music The Cause of Autism! Critical Evidence Discovered!

No one can deny that they are much more prevalent since 1980.

Bad statistics irk me,

Carolyn

>

> SLATE.COM

> science

> TV Really Might Cause Autism

> A Slate exclusive: findings from a new Cornell study.

> By Gregg Easterbrook

> Posted Monday, Oct. 16, 2006, at 6:52 AM ET

>

>

>

> Last month, I speculated in Slate that the mounting incidence of

> childhood autism may be related to increased television viewing

among

> the very young. The autism rise began around 1980, about the same

time

> cable television and VCRs became common, allowing children to watch

> television aimed at them any time. Since the brain is organizing

> during the first years of life and since human beings evolved

> responding to three-dimensional stimuli, I wondered if exposing

> toddlers to lots of colorful two-dimensional stimulation could be

> harmful to brain development. This was sheer speculation, since I

knew

> of no researchers pursuing the question.

>

> Today, Cornell University researchers are reporting what appears

to be

> a statistically significant relationship between autism rates and

> television watching by children under the age of 3. The researchers

> studied autism incidence in California, Oregon, Pennsylvania, and

> Washington state. They found that as cable television became

common in

> California and Pennsylvania beginning around 1980, childhood autism

> rose more in the counties that had cable than in the counties that

did

> not. They further found that in all the Western states, the more

time

> toddlers spent in front of the television, the more likely they

were

> to exhibit symptoms of autism disorders.

>

> The Cornell study represents a potential bombshell in the autism

> debate. " We are not saying we have found the cause of autism, we're

> saying we have found a critical piece of evidence, " Cornell

researcher

> Waldman told me. Because autism rates are increasing

broadly

> across the country and across income and ethnic groups, it seems

> logical that the trigger is something to which children are broadly

> exposed. Vaccines were a leading suspect, but numerous studies have

> failed to show any definitive link between autism and vaccines,

while

> the autism rise has continued since worrisome compounds in vaccines

> were banned. What if the malefactor is not a chemical? Studies

suggest

> that American children now watch about four hours of television

daily.

> Before 1980—the first kids-oriented channel, Nickelodeon, dates to

> 1979—the figure is believed to have been much lower.

>

> The Cornell study is by Waldman, a professor in the school's

> Graduate School of Management, Nicholson, an associate

professor

> in the school's department of policy analysis, and research

assistant

> Nodir Adilov. " Several years ago I began wondering if it was a

> coincidence that the rise in autism rates and the explosion of

> television viewing began about the same time, " Waldman said. " I

asked

> around and found that medical researchers were not working on

this, so

> accepted that I should research it myself. " The Cornell study

looks at

> county-by-county growth in cable television access and autism

rates in

> California and Pennsylvania from 1972 to 1989. The researchers

find an

> overall rise in both cable-TV access and autism, but autism

diagnoses

> rose more rapidly in counties where a high percentage of households

> received cable than in counties with a low percentage of cable-TV

> homes. Waldman and Nicholson employ statistical controls to factor

out

> the possibility that the two patterns were simply unrelated events

> happening simultaneously. (For instance, petroleum use also rose

> during the period but is unrelated to autism.) Waldman and

Nicholson

> conclude that " roughly 17 percent of the growth in autism in

> California and Pennsylvania during the 1970s and 1980s was due to

the

> growth in cable television. "

>

> But the fact that rising household access to cable television

seems to

> associate with rising autism does not reveal anything about how

> viewing hours might link to the disorder. The Cornell team searched

> for some independent measure of increased television viewing. In

> recent years, leading behavioral economists such as Caroline Hoxby

and

> Levitt* have used weather or geography to test assumptions

> about behavior. Bureau of Labor Statistics studies have found that

> when it rains or snows, television viewing by young children

rises. So

> Waldman studied precipitation records for California, Oregon, and

> Washington state, which, because of climate and geography,

experience

> big swings in precipitation levels both year-by-year and

> county-by-county. He found what appears to be a dramatic

relationship

> between television viewing and autism onset. In counties or years

when

> rain and snow were unusually high, and hence it is assumed children

> spent a lot of time watching television, autism rates shot up; in

> places or years of low precipitation, autism rates were low.

Waldman

> and Nicholson conclude that " just under 40 percent of autism

diagnoses

> in the three states studied is the result of television watching. "

> Thus the study has two separate findings: that having cable

television

> in the home increased autism rates in California and Pennsylvania

> somewhat, and that more hours of actually watching television

> increased autism in California, Oregon, and Washington by a lot.

>

> Research has shown that autistic children exhibit abnormal

activity in

> the visual-processing areas of their brains, and these areas are

> actively developing in the first three years of life. Whether

> excessive viewing of brightly colored two-dimensional screen images

> can cause visual-processing abnormalities is unknown. The Cornell

> study makes no attempt to propose how television might trigger

autism;

> it only seeks to demonstrate a relationship. But Waldman notes that

> large amounts of money are being spent to search for a cause of

autism

> that is genetic or toxin-based and believes researchers should now

> turn to scrutinizing a television link.

>

> There are many possible objections to the Cornell study. One is

that

> time indoors, not television, may be the autism trigger. Generally,

> indoor air quality is much lower than outdoor air quality: Recently

> the Environmental Protection Agency warned, " Risks to health may be

> greater due to exposure to air pollution indoors than outdoors. "

> Perhaps if rain and snow cause young children to spend more time

> indoors, added exposure to indoor air pollution harms them. It may

be

> that families with children at risk for autism disorders are for

some

> reason more likely to move to areas that get lots of rain and snow

or

> to move to areas with high cable-television usage. Some other

factor

> may explain what only appears to be a television-autism

relationship.

>

> Everyone complains about television in a general way. But if it

turns

> out television has specific harmful medical effects—in addition to

> these new findings about autism, some studies have linked

television

> viewing by children younger than 3 to the onset of attention-

deficit

> hyperactivity disorder—parents may urgently need to know to keep

> toddlers away from the TV. Television networks and manufacturers of

> televisions may need to reassess how their products are marketed to

> the young. Legal liability may come into play. And we live in a

> society in which bright images on screens are becoming ever more

> ubiquitous: television, video games, DVD video players, computers,

> cell phones. If screen images cause harm to brain development in

the

> young, the proliferation of these TV-like devices may bode ill for

the

> future. The aggressive marketing of Teletubbies, Baby Einstein

videos,

> and similar products intended to encourage television watching by

> toddlers may turn out to have been a nightmarish mistake.

>

> If television viewing by toddlers is a factor in autism, the

parents

> of afflicted children should not reproach themselves, as there was

no

> warning of this risk. Now there is: The American Academy of

Pediatrics

> currently recommends against any TV for children under the age of

2.

> Waldman thinks that until more is known about what triggers autism,

> families with children under the age of 3 should get them away from

> the television and keep them away.

>

> Researchers might also turn new attention to study of the Amish.

> Autism is rare in Amish society, and the standing assumption has

been

> that this is because most Amish refuse to vaccinate children. The

> Amish also do not watch television.

>

> Correction, Oct. 17: Levitt's name was misspelled in the

> original version of this article. (Return to the corrected

sentence.)

>

> Gregg Easterbrook is the author, most recently, of The Progress

> Paradox: How Life Gets Better While People Feel Worse.

>

> Article URL: http://www.slate.com/id/2151538/

>

[Guest guest]

But what about that show "Amish and Andy".

Re: More on TV causes autism -- the Amish don't watch TV either.

> > Okay Lenny, that actually made me laugh out loud! THANK YOU!> -michele>I am glad you enjoyed. But you can thank me in person the next time Isee you over a bagel.Lenny

[Guest guest]

And he got his degree from the South Harmon Institute of Technology!

> >

> > Greg Easterbrook's name is also mispelled -it should read Greg ASSHOLE

>

> Maurine,

> It is unfortunate that you would make such a negative remark so. I

> know you are better than this. The asshole, or anus, is an important,

> functional part of the human anatomy. It is the excretory opening of

> the alimentary canal. Please don't confuse this with that which passes

> through it. Making such comparison to Greg Easterbrook disparages the

> human body and the attached humanity. You owe assholes everywhere an

> apology.

>

> Lenny

>

[Guest guest]

what the heck is that????? Nanstiel <erik@...> wrote: And he got his degree from the South Harmon Institute of Technology!> >> > Greg Easterbrook's name is also mispelled -it should read Greg

ASSHOLE> > Maurine,> It is unfortunate that you would make such a negative remark so. I> know you are better than this. The asshole, or anus, is an important,> functional part of the human anatomy. It is the excretory opening of> the alimentary canal. Please don't confuse this with that which passes> through it. Making such comparison to Greg Easterbrook disparages the> human body and the attached humanity. You owe assholes everywhere an> apology.> > Lenny>

Get your own web address for just $1.99/1st yr. We'll help. Small Business.

[Guest guest]

Henry,

You're giving your age away. That show hasn't been on the air since

the 50's.

Lenny

>

> But what about that show " Amish and Andy " .

>

> Re: More on TV causes autism -- the Amish don't

watch TV either.

>

>

>

> >

> > Okay Lenny, that actually made me laugh out loud! THANK YOU!

> > -michele

> >

>

> I am glad you enjoyed. But you can thank me in person the next time I

> see you over a bagel.

>

> Lenny

>

[Guest guest]

S outh

H armon

I nstitute of

T echnology

Get it?

> > >

> > > Greg Easterbrook's name is also mispelled -it should read Greg ASSHOLE

> >

> > Maurine,

> > It is unfortunate that you would make such a negative remark so. I

> > know you are better than this. The asshole, or anus, is an important,

> > functional part of the human anatomy. It is the excretory opening of

> > the alimentary canal. Please don't confuse this with that which passes

> > through it. Making such comparison to Greg Easterbrook disparages the

> > human body and the attached humanity. You owe assholes everywhere an

> > apology.

> >

> > Lenny

> >

>

>

>

>

>

>

> ---------------------------------

> Get your own web address for just $1.99/1st yr. We'll help. Small

Business.

>

[Guest guest]

S outh

H armon

I nstitute of

T echnology

Get it?

> > >

> > > Greg Easterbrook's name is also mispelled -it should read Greg ASSHOLE

> >

> > Maurine,

> > It is unfortunate that you would make such a negative remark so. I

> > know you are better than this. The asshole, or anus, is an important,

> > functional part of the human anatomy. It is the excretory opening of

> > the alimentary canal. Please don't confuse this with that which passes

> > through it. Making such comparison to Greg Easterbrook disparages the

> > human body and the attached humanity. You owe assholes everywhere an

> > apology.

> >

> > Lenny

> >

>

>

>

>

>

>

> ---------------------------------

> Get your own web address for just $1.99/1st yr. We'll help. Small

Business.

>

[Guest guest]

I posit the TVLand channel to obviate any inferrence.

Re: More on TV causes autism -- the Amish don'twatch TV either.> > > > > > > Okay Lenny, that actually made me laugh out loud! THANK YOU!> > -michele> >> > I am glad you enjoyed. But you can thank me in person the next time I> see you over a bagel.> > Lenny>

[Guest guest]

I posit the TVLand channel to obviate any inferrence.

Re: More on TV causes autism -- the Amish don'twatch TV either.> > > > > > > Okay Lenny, that actually made me laugh out loud! THANK YOU!> > -michele> >> > I am glad you enjoyed. But you can thank me in person the next time I> see you over a bagel.> > Lenny>

[Guest guest]

Oh God, I don't think I could've laughed any harder - ya frigging

kill me!

>

> But what about that show " Amish and Andy " .

>

> Re: More on TV causes autism -- the Amish

don't watch TV either.

>

>

>

> >

> > Okay Lenny, that actually made me laugh out loud! THANK YOU!

> > -michele

> >

>

> I am glad you enjoyed. But you can thank me in person the next

time I

> see you over a bagel.

>

> Lenny

>

[Guest guest]

ok so I am a little slow. Nanstiel <erik@...> wrote: S outhH armonI nstitute ofT echnologyGet it?> > >> > > Greg Easterbrook's name is also mispelled -it should read Greg ASSHOLE> > > > Maurine,> > It is unfortunate that you would make such a negative remark so. I> > know you are better than this. The asshole, or anus, is an important,> > functional part of the human anatomy. It is the excretory opening of> > the alimentary canal. Please don't confuse this with that which passes> > through it. Making such comparison to Greg Easterbrook disparages the> > human body and the attached humanity. You owe assholes everywhere an> > apology.> > > > Lenny>

>> > > > > > > ---------------------------------> Get your own web address for just $1.99/1st yr. We'll help. Small Business.>

How low will we go? Check out Messenger’s low PC-to-Phone call rates.

[Guest guest]

Um, Maurine. I think it's a joke. Think about the acronym on the

sweatshirt.

C

> > >

> > > Greg Easterbrook's name is also mispelled -it should read Greg

ASSHOLE

> >

> > Maurine,

> > It is unfortunate that you would make such a negative remark so.

I

> > know you are better than this. The asshole, or anus, is an

important,

> > functional part of the human anatomy. It is the excretory

opening of

> > the alimentary canal. Please don't confuse this with that which

passes

> > through it. Making such comparison to Greg Easterbrook

disparages the

> > human body and the attached humanity. You owe assholes

everywhere an

> > apology.

> >

> > Lenny

> >

>

>

>

>

>

>

> ---------------------------------

> Get your own web address for just $1.99/1st yr. We'll help.

Small Business.

>

[Guest guest]

Who are they?

Re: More on TV causes autism -- the Amish don't watch TV either.

> > Okay Lenny, that actually made me laugh out loud! THANK YOU!> -michele>I am glad you enjoyed. But you can thank me in person the next time Isee you over a bagel.Lenny