Boomers and lead

[Gondwanaland]

This is something I've been seeing pop up and it's fascinating to me. I was born in 1984, mostly after leaded gas was used and after lead paint was outlawed. Yes I turn 40 this year and I'm about as happy about that as one could imagine. -_-

Anyway, to sum up the theory as I understand it:

Lead, both atmospheric and in concentrated things such as paint or plumbing can cause drop in IQ (I dont put much faith in IQ ratings anyway but still), irritability/increased aggression, fatigue, joint pain, basically a whole host of negative PERSONALITY and physical effects.

Lead also gets stored in the bones for decades. As people get older, their bones start to break down a bit which can cause lead to be released BACK into the body.

So when I see how many boomers either just flip their shit in public, act in such manners as to cause their family to want nothing to do with them, become Trump sycophants, or generally just act in bizarre ways, I've started to wonder to what degree lead is playing a part.

https://apnews.com/article/science-...d-prevention-bec63d5a6e98f952ad6d111c90e5a1b2

https://www.statesman.com/story/new...ead-can-become-mean-cranky-adults/7985130002/

https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/29634994/

So again this is fascinating to me, if you're a boomer or even the upper end of Gen X you may want to ask your doctor about the possibility of lead being in your system.

I've seen that theory. Not super believable. Lead is basically only harmful if you ingest it.

Lead has been used safely in plumbing for millennia. The romans used it. Indeed, it's where the word 'plumbing' comes from. The problem of lead in pipes has only become a thing when we started using corrosive things like fluoride that dissolve and corrode the pipes and leech it into the water.

 

[Into the Night]

Since I don’t experience any of those symptoms, I’m not concerned about it.

However, there may be a connection between IQ and Trump sycophants. We see it frequently in interviews and on this forum, as well

No, you can't blame it on lead. Lead is still all around us today.

 

[Into the Night]

Oh, let me add this:

I have to deal with such hazards pretty regularly and have had training in lead, asbestos, etc., awareness and handling. I find the safety nuts go freaking so far overboard in their preventative measures as to take things to the absurd. With asbestos for example, the danger is when it's friable. That is you get the dust airborne. It can get on you and be spread and you can breathe it in. If asbestos is not friable, it's not dangerous. My big encounter is usually old wiring with an asbestos jacket.

It's almost always a dull grey and sometimes a greasy, shiny grey. There are some variants to that. To keep it from becoming friable on removal, you cut it up with your cable crunchers or lineman's without pulling it through any holes or raceway. The pieces go in a double bag that gets sealed. No mess, no muss, nothing gets airborne. Wear some vinyl or latex gloves if you want along with a comfort mask.

Fortunately, there are fewer and fewer houses with this kind of old wiring. I never liked this stuff.

 

[Into the Night]

Afaik it's the same with lead paint, if you're renovating a house that's found to have lead paint, you have to take extra measures to remove it safely.

Not particularly. Not much different than any method of renovation that limits dust.

But the point of this theory is that along with the types of lead that are concentrated or solid like in paint or plumbing where with average use you don't really contact it (though some people did contact it), there was leaded gas fumes which many people did in fact breathe in for years and years and years.

You have no concept of chemistry. Burning TEL produces lead oxide, water, and CO2, not lead.
BTW, lead is a normal component in topsoil. You are walking on it. It didn't come from cars either.

It's almost comparable to PFAs or micro plastics or whatever people are looking into today.

Yet another bit of fear mongering by the Church of Green, and again denying chemistry.

There may be a negative impact on fertility especially among women regarding those chemicals.

None.

Though what I find most fascinating about lead is specifically it's neurological effects

Temporary. Once exposure is removed, you return to normal.

and how any time I see a boomer that just acts weird, I have to wonder if lead is involved somehow.

Your religion, your opinion, and your bigotry is not a proof, Sock.

 

[Into the Night]

My (relatively new) stereo amp still uses tubes. Sounds great.

Gives it that classy look, too.

 

[Mr.Badguy]

I've seen that theory. Not super believable. Lead is basically only harmful if you ingest it.

Lead has been used safely in plumbing for millennia. The romans used it. Indeed, it's where the word 'plumbing' comes from. The problem of lead in pipes has only become a thing when we started using corrosive things like fluoride that dissolve and corrode the pipes and leech it into the water.

When leaded gas was the norm, just about EVERYONE was ingesting it.

 

[Mr.Badguy]

Hey Into the Night have you happened to try finding out where the lead in topsoil came from?

 

[Into the Night]

I've seen that theory. Not super believable. Lead is basically only harmful if you ingest it.

Lead has been used safely in plumbing for millennia. The romans used it. Indeed, it's where the word 'plumbing' comes from. The problem of lead in pipes has only become a thing when we started using corrosive things like fluoride that dissolve and corrode the pipes and leech it into the water.

Flush out the system, and the leaching is gone. However, fluoride does corrode lead pipes. The corrosion produces lead fluoride. It will eventually cause the pipes to leak. Lead fluoride is not lead. This material is quite unreactive. The EPA says it's 'harmful', but does not specify anything but vagueness, so MSDNs list that 'hazard' with it. Again, if you don't want it in your water, flush out the system. Don't let water stand in the system. Keep using it.

You are quite right. The Romans used it and many societies used it with little problem.

 

[Into the Night]

When leaded gas was the norm, just about EVERYONE was ingesting it.

Nope. Burning TEL produced lead oxide, water, and CO2. Lead oxide is not lead. Unburned TEL typically converted to lead coating engine parts, lubricating them.
TEL is still used in gasoline today in the United States. It is not used in cars, because of the catalytic converter. That is the only reason. This device is one of the most useless on a car. It does not reduce pollution or smog in any way. It's essentially a pollution to pollution converter. Sort of a finishing job on what other systems do that are far cheaper.

Lead oxide poisons a catalytic converter, rendering it inert.

 

[Into the Night]

Hey Into the Night have you happened to try finding out where the lead in topsoil came from?

Naturally occurs in the soil. It doesn't 'come from' anywhere. You will find it in subsoils too.
Lead isn't in mineable quantity in most places, but it is there in the soil nevertheless.

You will also find lead in everyday objects around you. It's everywhere. It's even in the computer you are using right now.

 

[Mr.Badguy]

Nope. Burning TEL produced lead oxide, water, and CO2. Lead oxide is not lead. Unburned TEL typically converted to lead coating engine parts, lubricating them.
TEL is still used in gasoline today in the United States. It is not used in cars, because of the catalytic converter. That is the only reason. This device is one of the most useless on a car. It does not reduce pollution or smog in any way. It's essentially a pollution to pollution converter. Sort of a finishing job on what other systems do that are far cheaper.

Lead oxide poisons a catalytic converter, rendering it inert.

You're assuming all combustion is 100%. So you think NO lead ever made it into exhaust?

 

[T. A. Gardner]

Fortunately, there are fewer and fewer houses with this kind of old wiring. I never liked this stuff.

There are lots and lots of houses with it. It's actually rare for anyone to pay for a full rewiring of their home as it gets really pricey, particularly today. Just slicing open all the walls and running all new wire is a major expense. So, what usually happens is the service panel gets upgraded, maybe the old switches and receptacles get replaced--often still ungrounded--and new fixtures are put in. The old wiring is allowed to remain.

When 500 feet of 14/2G NM ("Romex") is running nearly $700 on its own, and all the wiring alone could set you back several thousand, not to mention extensive drywall repairs etc., people just can't afford it.

Usually, the only time it gets done is if there is a major remodel being done and the walls and ceilings are taken down to the studs.

 

[Geeko Sportivo]

This is something I've been seeing pop up and it's fascinating to me. I was born in 1984, mostly after leaded gas was used and after lead paint was outlawed. Yes I turn 40 this year and I'm about as happy about that as one could imagine. -_-

Anyway, to sum up the theory as I understand it:

Lead, both atmospheric and in concentrated things such as paint or plumbing can cause drop in IQ (I dont put much faith in IQ ratings anyway but still), irritability/increased aggression, fatigue, joint pain, basically a whole host of negative PERSONALITY and physical effects.

Lead also gets stored in the bones for decades. As people get older, their bones start to break down a bit which can cause lead to be released BACK into the body.

So when I see how many boomers either just flip their shit in public, act in such manners as to cause their family to want nothing to do with them, become Trump sycophants, or generally just act in bizarre ways, I've started to wonder to what degree lead is playing a part.

https://apnews.com/article/science-...d-prevention-bec63d5a6e98f952ad6d111c90e5a1b2

https://www.statesman.com/story/new...ead-can-become-mean-cranky-adults/7985130002/

https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/29634994/

So again this is fascinating to me, if you're a boomer or even the upper end of Gen X you may want to ask your doctor about the possibility of lead being in your system.

It's actually an overdose on Butt-Hole Cream.

These Trump supporting losers, all have something in common all right though!

Yes, they are all still so damn mad about THE PEOPLE voting a Black man into office twice in a row, it tore them a new asshole.

Voting for Trump was supposed to be a retaliatory payback in their minds.

It still is!

I mean, in their minds, how dare THE PEOPLE vote for a Black man! How Dare Biden select a Black Woman to be his VP and select a Black Women to be on the Supreme Court. That alone, tore them another new asshole to have to medicate.

So they can't apply enough Butt-Hole Cream on their 3 prolapsed assholes to ease the Butt-Hurt! And now they are OD'ing on the stuff

 

[Into the Night]

You're assuming all combustion is 100%. So you think NO lead ever made it into exhaust?

No lead makes it to the exhaust.

 

[Into the Night]

There are lots and lots of houses with it. It's actually rare for anyone to pay for a full rewiring of their home as it gets really pricey, particularly today. Just slicing open all the walls and running all new wire is a major expense. So, what usually happens is the service panel gets upgraded, maybe the old switches and receptacles get replaced--often still ungrounded--and new fixtures are put in. The old wiring is allowed to remain.

When 500 feet of 14/2G NM ("Romex") is running nearly $700 on its own, and all the wiring alone could set you back several thousand, not to mention extensive drywall repairs etc., people just can't afford it.

Usually, the only time it gets done is if there is a major remodel being done and the walls and ceilings are taken down to the studs.

It is pretty insane what NM costs these days. Copper is currently around $4/lb, about twice as high as it was before Covid.
So NM cable, along with any copper wire, is much more expensive these days.

You're just talking about 14/2G. When you need the 12/2G, then you REALLY get to pay for it!
It almost makes those CAFCI breakers look cheap.

Drywall is pretty cheap at least, it's mostly labor there.

Houses that use this stuff are pretty old (and of course underwired for today's needs). Usually what happens eventually is the house is razed and a new one built on the lot. That's the end of that old wiring.

 

[Into the Night]

It's actually an overdose on Butt-Hole Cream.

These Trump supporting losers, all have something in common all right though!

Yes, they are all still so damn mad about THE PEOPLE voting a Black man into office twice in a row, it tore them a new asshole.

Voting for Trump was supposed to be a retaliatory payback in their minds.

It still is!

I mean, in their minds, how dare THE PEOPLE vote for a Black man! How Dare Biden select a Black Woman to be his VP and select a Black Women to be on the Supreme Court. That alone, tore them another new asshole to have to medicate.

So they can't apply enough Butt-Hole Cream on their 3 prolapsed assholes to ease the Butt-Hurt! And now they are OD'ing on the stuff

The President is not elected by popular vote, Sock.
Oh, and Trump moved into public housing recently vacated by a black family.

 

[RB 60]

It's actually an overdose on Butt-Hole Cream.

These Trump supporting losers, all have something in common all right though!

Yes, they are all still so damn mad about THE PEOPLE voting a Black man into office twice in a row, it tore them a new asshole.

Voting for Trump was supposed to be a retaliatory payback in their minds.

It still is!

I mean, in their minds, how dare THE PEOPLE vote for a Black man! How Dare Biden select a Black Woman to be his VP and select a Black Women to be on the Supreme Court. That alone, tore them another new asshole to have to medicate.

So they can't apply enough Butt-Hole Cream on their 3 prolapsed assholes to ease the Butt-Hurt! And now they are OD'ing on the stuff

WTF does this have to do with lead or asbestos?

 

[Hawkeye10]

WTF does this have to do with lead or asbestos?

U R over thinking it!

Shut Up and do as you are told!

 

[Hawkeye10]

Thinking is not needed in UTOPIA....only your obedience matters.

 

[RB 60]

You're assuming all combustion is 100%. So you think NO lead ever made it into exhaust?

No, it's rare to find any ICE that burns all it's fuel 100%, if there's any at all. Lead in gasoline in years past was a good valve lubricant for the older, higher compression engines. You may not remember the EGR (Exhaust Gas Recirculation) that was supposed to recirculate (kinda like shoveling a hose up your ass attached to a mask and breathing a fart) unburnt fuel back through the engine. Electronic fuel injection, harder valves and catalytic converters made unleaded fuel more usable in modern ICEs. Many owners of vintage cars/engines still opt to using a lead additive.