This blog post from Orac is interesting for several reasons. It highlights yet another dubious Autism cause that well-meaning celebrities are donating their energies to. In this case, it's "Jack's Fourth Show," a concert featuring Foreigner, the B-52s, Joan Jett and The Blackhearts, Ratt, Eddie Money, Missing Persons, and George Clinton and Parliament Funkadelic. Orac also gives a highly opinionated, but readable and accurate account of the history of "vaccine causes autism" pseudo-science. Yes, the link between vaccine and autism, always tenuous, is further discredited every year. And, yes, the idea's supporters have more and more influence in society:

http://scienceblogs.com/insolence/2009/09/how_anti-vaccine_groups_rebran...

People with autism can speak for ourselves. This video says many of the things we need to tell you.

Watch it. Visit the site:

www.rethinkingautism.com

In general, I am a fan of Andy Samberg. His humor is juvenile but witty and he seems like a smart, sweet guy who wants to use what influence he has in positive ways. So I'm hoping this will be the last appearance of Shep. No, they didn't say, "Laugh at this guy with autism!" They just put him in Spiderman pajamas. And had him say, "Zero's a strong number for that," regarding his number of sexual partners. The basic joke here: the best way to avoid Swine Flu is to be socially undesirable. And who could be less socially desirable than those of us on the autism spectrum?

Hilarious.

Corina explains it all for you in this satirical video. You can follow her blog here:

http://nostereotypeshere.blogspot.com/

http://www.nytimes.com/2009/09/24/health/research/24eisenberg.html

Dr. Leon Eisenberg died of prostate cancer on September 15. Working with Leo Kanner, Eisenberg completed the first lengthy study of behavior in children with autism and pioneered the use of drugs such as Ritalin to treat ADHD.