Yes, lead pipes are also heavily implicated in the decline of Rome. I am surprised however that the charts are not more blurred by migration and espeically immigration. Here in Norway, a disproportionate number of the murders and random rapes are committed by immigrants from high-lead nations.
One test given to prisoners being considered for parole is really simple, yet highly indicative of a threat to re-offend. They are given a paper maze and a pencil, and instructed to solve the maze without lifting the pencil from the paper. They can go over the maze as much as they want, but just can't lift the pencil.
Those that lift the pencil even once are (IIRC) 80% more likely to re-offend. Given that lead poisoning affects those areas of the brain which control impulses, this makes a lot of sense.
Those that lift the pencil even once are (IIRC) 80% more likely to re-offend. Given that lead poisoning affects those areas of the brain which control impulses, this makes a lot of sense.
I'm not clear what you think pencils and lead have to do with each other.
Pencil "leads" are made of graphite, and are called leads because once upon a time it was believed that graphite was a form of lead.
That was shown to be inaccurate in the 16th century. Pencils have never, ever had lead in them. Graphite is non-poisonous and not related to lead at all.
Glad to bring you up to date on scientific knowledge that dates from the Elizabethan era.
On all points noted above, yes, you are correct. The parolee test, though, works whether you give the candidate a graphite pencil, a Magic marker, a crayon, chalk, whatever. The writing implement is not the focus. What the prisoner does with the instrument is important.
Remember that the instructions before the maze test stated that, on no occasion, was the testee to let the tip of the writing thingee leave the paper. Everyone knows that, to do a maze correctly, you can't just plow your writing instrument through a drawn wall, but very seldom if ever are you told not to lift said implement. Points are removed for crossing walls and lifting writing tips.
Lead poisoning affects mostly (IIRC) those parts of the brain controlling emotions and emotional impulses. Think about frustration.
Let's say you have normal impulse control. You are hungry, without a job, and have little money. Normal folks get a job, ask friends for some food, seek job openings. Most folks normally control the impulse to just grab a weapon and stick in some bank teller's face, just as they follow instructions given to them at parole hearings that involve funny requirements like never lifting a pencil from a maze.
Those with damage to the brain may be unable to control such frustrations, to prevent normal, everyday frustrations from leading to dangerous behaviors that get people locked up. . . or to prevent the frustration of completing a stupid maze and getting ink all over the stupid page because of the stupid requirements not to lift the stupid freakin' pen or pencil from growing intolerable and causing you to break the rule against lifting that pen or pencil.
Again, sorry if my comment was confusing. Because of how you phrased your initial comment, I saw a pun I had not initially considered.
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Date: 2007-07-09 09:06 pm (UTC)(no subject)
Date: 2007-07-10 05:29 pm (UTC)(no subject)
Date: 2007-07-09 10:45 pm (UTC)(no subject)
Date: 2007-07-10 12:57 am (UTC)Those that lift the pencil even once are (IIRC) 80% more likely to re-offend. Given that lead poisoning affects those areas of the brain which control impulses, this makes a lot of sense.
Wait? What? No, really, now, what the fuck?
Date: 2007-07-10 03:50 pm (UTC)I'm not clear what you think pencils and lead have to do with each other.
Re: Wait? What? No, really, now, what the fuck?
Date: 2007-07-10 09:41 pm (UTC)Re: Wait? What? No, really, now, what the fuck?
Date: 2007-07-10 10:58 pm (UTC)Pencil "leads" are made of graphite, and are called leads because once upon a time it was believed that graphite was a form of lead.
That was shown to be inaccurate in the 16th century. Pencils have never, ever had lead in them. Graphite is non-poisonous and not related to lead at all.
Glad to bring you up to date on scientific knowledge that dates from the Elizabethan era.
Re: Wait? What? No, really, now, what the fuck?
Date: 2007-07-11 09:10 pm (UTC)On all points noted above, yes, you are correct. The parolee test, though, works whether you give the candidate a graphite pencil, a Magic marker, a crayon, chalk, whatever. The writing implement is not the focus. What the prisoner does with the instrument is important.
Remember that the instructions before the maze test stated that, on no occasion, was the testee to let the tip of the writing thingee leave the paper. Everyone knows that, to do a maze correctly, you can't just plow your writing instrument through a drawn wall, but very seldom if ever are you told not to lift said implement. Points are removed for crossing walls and lifting writing tips.
Lead poisoning affects mostly (IIRC) those parts of the brain controlling emotions and emotional impulses. Think about frustration.
Let's say you have normal impulse control. You are hungry, without a job, and have little money. Normal folks get a job, ask friends for some food, seek job openings. Most folks normally control the impulse to just grab a weapon and stick in some bank teller's face, just as they follow instructions given to them at parole hearings that involve funny requirements like never lifting a pencil from a maze.
Those with damage to the brain may be unable to control such frustrations, to prevent normal, everyday frustrations from leading to dangerous behaviors that get people locked up. . . or to prevent the frustration of completing a stupid maze and getting ink all over the stupid page because of the stupid requirements not to lift the stupid freakin' pen or pencil from growing intolerable and causing you to break the rule against lifting that pen or pencil.
Again, sorry if my comment was confusing. Because of how you phrased your initial comment, I saw a pun I had not initially considered.
Oh, and love the usepic.
Re: Wait? What? No, really, now, what the fuck?
Date: 2007-07-12 04:39 am (UTC)BWAAAA HAAA HAHAHAA
Yes, I was serious. I read your original comment as an indication that you believed there was a direct link between pencils and lead poisoning.
Ain't text based communication FUN?