Wednesday, February 15, 2012    Last updated: Thursday February 16, 2012, 2:00 AM

Imagine you're a scientist, and you've landed a job at a government research facility. Your first day on the job they give you an assignment.

"You need to count all the birds in the sky."

"What? That's impossible! There are too many birds!" you reply. "Are you sure you don't want me to study the increase in the bird population? You know, look into why there are so many more birds in the sky?"

"No. We want you to count all of the birds in the sky. But don't worry, we've made it easy with this new diagnostic imaging tool!"

He hands you an empty roll of toilet paper.

"Just look through the tube and count what you see!" he says.

"Are you joking?"

"Well, until we can legally change the definition of 'sky' this will have to do," he explains. "This new diagnostic imaging tool represents the latest in modern science. If you use it I'm sure you'll find there are actually less birds in the sky than ever before."

"Surely, you can't be serious."

"I am. If you want to keep your job, you'll get serious, too. And stop calling me Shirley."

See original here:
Autism redefined: changing goal posts doesn't change the game