Getting Worked Up!

I love old books! I love finding great old books in second hand stores, garage sales, just any where. I have a bit a problem buying the books too. I usually can't say no and I go home with a ton. One of my favorite places to shop is a second hand store on the MS gulf coast. Every time I go to visit my father I come home with at least 5 bags of books, lately it's mostly been children's books. But sometimes other good finds too.

I just ran across this website today and am currently furious. I have wondered recently at all the different things they have recalled due to lead poison and thought it was a little extreme, (you know, seeing I have lived in home with lead paint) but hadn't been too concerned about all the recalls. I don't have small babies at home any more, so I didn't have a lot of the items being recalled and kind of just thought is was another activist gone crazy. Now they passed a law that chidlren's things made before 1985 aren't supposed to be sold. Second hand book stores, Goodwills, and such are taking children's books off their shelves that were published before 1985 to follow new laws about "lead poisoning". Now I'm furious!

If I understand things correctly anything being sold at a second hand store marketed for a child, made before 1985 has to be discarded. I think all my neon clothes and leg warmers are gone from that era. I know this might be saving some poor child of some of the "bad" corduroy pants I had to suffer through, or some other fashion no-nos. But this means no more vintage clothes sales for the older chidlren. No great more great old finds. I am annoyed, this is all the stuff I used as a kid anyway. But I'm most annoyed about the old books.

That website gives ways to contact people about this, if this bothers you too!