Lead Is Harmful To Your Physical And Mental Health
August 18, 2008 by Alicia Sparks, Mental Health Notes
Filed under Diseases & Conditions
Like Kristen over at Lively Women, I’m not big on the Olympics.
It’s not that I hate the Olympics; I just don’t care to watch them. I guess the reason is a mix of annoyances that’ve built up over the years. Sure, as little girls my best friend and I were mesmerized by the gymnasts, but as I got older the Olympics screwed with my regular daily programming, and then as I got even older I was out doing things that didn’t involve watching TV.
So, I just never developed a taste for the Olympics.
However, despite the fact that I haven’t watched even one Olympic event this year (unless you count the volleyball game that was on at the laundry mat last week), I’ve been more ticked off exposed to more Olympic events of a different caliber than any other year.
First, I heard about the fake fireworks.
Next, I found out about the horrible way the two little girls were treated (seven-year-old Yang Peiyi, who was hidden from the world as she actually sang “Ode to the Motherland,” and nine-year-old Lin Miaoke, who was showcased as she pretended to sing the song).
Then, I hear that gold medal-winning Chinese gymnast He Kexin may actually be 13 years old, which makes her ineligible to compete.
Thus far, the 2008 Olympics have taught us it’s alright to lie, as long as you’re doing it for the good of your country, you’re beautiful, and no one finds out.
Now, I just read at Borowitz Report that rather than being made of gold, like they’re supposed to be, China’s gold medals are “composed of 99% lead alloy and coated with a gold-colored lead-based paint.”
Aquatic extraordinaire Michael Phelps, who is apparently also well known for his gold medal-licking talents, merely says, “I am very, very concerned about my extensive contact with gold medals. But what am I supposed to do? Stop being so awesome?”
Um, hello. Lead is dangerous. Like, dangerous in a way that years and years of athletic training can’t prepare you for.
OK, so this is probably just a hoax. Haha, and stuff. Borowitz is a humor writer, after all, and I can’t find anything from a reliable news source that confirms China’s gold medals are indeed made of lead. Plus, the article goes on to talk about a tiny athlete that got sucked down a drain. And, Yahoo! News features the article as “humor.”
However…what if the medals really were made of lead? Read on to find out!
Ever heard someone ask, “Did you eat paint chips as a child?” There’s a reason that question was so popular. According to the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences (NIEHS), children are the most susceptible to lead-related problems like low IQ scores.
Adults aren’t exactly in the clear, though. Exposure to lead (such as in occupations involving welding, handling of car batteries, and bridge and water tower construction) can lead to:
- Increased blood pressure
- Fertility problems
- Muscle and joint pain
- Nerve disorders
- Irritability
- Memory and concentration problems
Conditions that no one – conceited Olympic athletes included – would want to deal with.
So, I guess what we’ve learned here is that the 2008 Olympics have been full of hoodwinkers, and lead is no good for you 
The above Michael Phelps image is owned by Incase Designs and is being used according to these Creative Commons attributions.
I don’t know if the medals contained lead or if the gymnasts were under age (although they definitely appeared to be).
If either of these allegations are true, no one should be surprised considering China’s history of human rights violations and air pollution so severe that some athletes felt the need to wear respiratory masks.
What they did to the two little girls was awful. I hope they are insulated from how horribly their government treated them.
Don’t feel bad about your lack of interest in this year’s Olympics. Living just outside of Baltimore, Phelps Land, I was surprised to hear the same opinion from at least a dozen people this morning at my local coffee bar.
@ Jim – Ha! Then I don’t feel so alone. Over at another blog I read, one lady suggested that we hold big, international televised events about finding solutions for poverty, homelessness, disease, etc. – rather than watching a bunch of people compete to see who’s the fastest runner, the most flexible acrobat, etc. I wholeheartedly agree.
I’m willing to bet it’s a hoax after the china toy lead issue. Ill humor, and good ill humor too with the exception of the fact that lead is a serious matter.
I’ll be running a story similar to this in the next week or so.
@ Scott – Aha! That part (the toy lead) hadn’t occurred to me! I bet that’s it, especially coupled with all the other crap that’s gone on during these Olympics.
Let me know about your post when it’s ready and I’ll edit this one and link to it!