Date: Mon, 14 Feb 2000 22:45:32 -0800 To: balloon@balloonhq.com From: Mark Balzer <mbalzer@balloonhq.com> Subject: Re: INHALINGHelium is death the joke different perspective This same discussion has been taking place on the deco list. I was going to stay out of it, but after reading all this hyperbole I have to respond and say that I agree with Larry's post: http://www.balloonhq.com/deco/upto12Feb2000/archive.11596.html But I'll also address a few of the points that were brought up: >Why are there more round balloons the cause of choking >because the kid sucks in a piece of balloon. Do you know what the #1 cause of choking deaths in children is? Food. Why, just think how many children we could save each year if we didn't let them put food in their mouths! > We tell the kids not to put a balloon in there mouth >but go ahead suck the helium out of it. Huh? The Fedex commercial was not telling kids anything. The Fedex commercial was not aimed at the 5 year old audience. I don't know of any kids who routinely send anything that "absolutely, positively has to be there the next business day." For a better perspective you should really read this excellent post that appeared on the deco list: http://www.balloonhq.com/deco/upto12Feb2000/archive.11604.html > ...every time I see a person who says .Hey, can I have a hit off > that tank or helium balloon,I say sure if you want to push your > vocal box into your lungs and die go ahead because the 2000 pounds > of pressure is I real high Oh ,yes this is a balloon not a helium > tank, So the dangers are less. Yes, I would agree the danger of dying from a helium-filled balloon pushing your vocal box into your lungs is less than sucking on a helium-filled tank. About 5000 times less. That's three and a half orders of magnitude. About the difference between jumping off a stool, and jumping out of an airplane with no parachute. That's about as close to "no comparison" as you can get. > So, I can tell this to the parent of the person who lost a child of > 21 by inhaling the helium direct from the tank at McDonalds in > Newburyport Massachusett almost two years ago... The para medics I > talk to said they had no chance of saving him... it started out > with the kids sucking the helium from the balloons, at a birthday > party at Mcdonalds and then one of the workers decide to suck it > directly from the tank to get a larger laugh... Last time I checked, a 21 year old was not a child... he can drive, vote, be drafted, be tried as an adult. A 21 year old is responsible for his own actions. So when some 21 year old mouth breather takes a break from asking "Would you like fries with that?", chooses ignore the printed warnings and inhales helium directly from a tank to impress a bunch of kids half his age, you can honestly tell the parents that it was simply a case of natural selection at work. I hope this helps, (I know I feel better now :-) Mark o Balloon HQ <M> The most complete collection of balloon info on the web _/ \_ http://www.BalloonHQ.com