1-25-11 – Rain test #1
1000 mL of rain water was collected during a winter storm.

1-28-11 – the dried rain water.

Rain test 2
2-1-11 – Collected rain water from thunderstorm.

The original 1000 mL rain water was crystal clear, but when the 1000mL had evaporated this debris remained.

10x – a magnified view of a portion of above image to show what the eye cannot see.

30x – magnified view of preceding image.

10x – another microscopic view of another area of the porcelain evaporating bowel.

30x – magnified view of preceding image.

2-4-11 – Rain test # 3, collected rain water from major winter storm.

The dried debris resulting from the 1000 mL of collected rain water.

8x – a magnified view of the preceding image.

20x – a magnified view of the preceding image.

The rain was collected in a brand new 30 gallon plastic tub that was thoroughly washed with soap and tap water, dried, washed & rinsed and dried with clean cloth and paper towels prior to each collection.
The tube was placed in back of pickup bed in such a manner as to avoid any kind of splashing contamination.
Obviously all three samples are filthy. I sure would not want to drink this water.
Thallium was faintly detected in each of these three tests.
As to why thallium is present I can only guess that it is partially due to local wood burning stoves.