W.E.E.P. News
Wireless Electrical and Electromagnetic Pollution News
7 April 2010
Martin - very interesting piece about cell phones and breast cancer.
Do you remember Jini Patel Thompson writing this a few weeks ago - familiar theme:
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When we lived in Singapore in 2001, there was huge coverage in all the newspapers because 20-year-olds throughout the city were having heart attacks and they couldn't figure out why. Then, someone figured out it was because it was the fashion at that time for young people to wear their cell phones on decorative cords around their necks. This meant that their cell phones were hanging right next to – you guessed it – their heart. So a warning went out in all the local newspapers, telling kids not to wear their cell phones on these cords. But funnily enough, no one I've spoken to in Canada (or the U.S.) ever heard about that. And no one thought about warning people not to wear their cell phones clipped to their belt, or in their pocket.
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Carl
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Vitamin D
Useful article on Vitamin D - 30 Minutes of Sunshine
Please be well
Chris
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Note -
The attached documents are not EMF / EMR related, but they are important because they contain information that may help some of us with our health issues.
While I have been aware of the importance of vitamin D3 for more than a year, the attached document has a great deal more information than I had seen before. I hope you find it useful.
Martin
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This App Might Cause You To Swear Off Cell Phones
CIO Today
Instead, Tawkon takes an educated guess by factoring in location, proximity to cell towers, weather, hardware version and Bluetooth functionality, ...
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Hundreds protest proposed Loudonville cell tower
Posted: April 5, 2010 06:32 PM EDT
http://www.wten.com/Global/story.asp?S=12259929
LOUDONVILLE, N.Y. -- Hundreds of people are calling on the Colonie Planning Board to stop a local church from building a cell phone tower.
On Monday, dozens of petitions with more than 600 signatures were turned over, asking the planning board to reject a plan for a 60-foot cell phone tower to be built at the Loudonville Presbyterian Church.
Verizon Wireless says the tower would fill a gap in service, and would pay the church $900 a month.
The church says it would use the money for missions and its nursery school, but nearby parents say their children's health would be at risk.
Gary Mittleman, who was turning in petitions Monday, told NEWS10, "People believe that this antenna just does not belong in the historic residential community of Loudonville, and that is exactly what this letter says."
The church and Verizon say radiation from the tower would be below federal standards.
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Martin,
Thank you for all of the information on WiFi, cell towers, and the population--especially children. After looking at this for a year and getting nowhere with my school district, I have decided to pull my two younger children out of public school. Next year the high schoolers will do dual enrolment with the school part time and an online--wired--virtual school. I thought I would forward a copy of my letter to them to you.
I am still pursuing this issue with the school district.
Debbie
Dear Ms. Griffin, Ms. Ranker, Ms. Compton, Ms. Ziegler, and Ms. Fannin,
It is with real regret that I must inform you I will be sending my Notice of Intent to withdraw the children from Clark today or tomorrow. If everything is approved in time, this will be their last week there.
Teachers, you have been wonderful inspirations and excellent instructors for my children. I could not have hoped for better teachers and thank you for everything you have given to Natalie and Joe. I have the same regard for Ms. Jefferis, Ms. Wood, Ms. Azzarello (both of my children loved her so much), Ms. Leigh McIlwaine, Ms. Driscoll, Ms. Meads, Ms. Doctor, Ms. Ortiz, Mr. Isle, and Coach Mooney. We have never had a teacher at Clark that we didn't like. Each made a unique contribution to my children's development and to their lives. If not for the Wifi, I would definitely leave them in public school under your academic guidance.
Joseph is upset that he will miss the 5th grade activities and his friends since kindergarten; Natalie, likewise, doesn't want to leave her friends. Both have also said they will miss their teachers and school in general. As you know, I have addressed the WiFi issue from every direction that has formally been available to me, and then some. Mr. Hegarty still has not answered any of my public records requests that I made in January. He did forward one statement from Mr. Smith; but it did not answer any of my specific requests. I feel I am getting no cooperation at the school district level and the PTA is unwilling to intervene or represent me as well. I have sent numerous studies to all of you showing harm as well as letters from scientists who are experts in this field who discourage use of wifi in schools. All of this seems to have no great bearing on the situation. So I feel I have no choice other than to withdraw my children from school and home school them.
I will continue to pursue this issue with SDHC as I still have 2 children in high school who are exposed to microwave radiation and have been, unbeknownst to me until the installation at Clark, since middle school. I will continue to write to scientists and public health experts and have enclosed a response from a leading researcher in Greece, Dr. Panagopoulos. His recent study regarding fertility impairment and a meta-analysis is attached. I will also pursue this at the state level and with the Health Department. But as I continue following my conscience, at least I will have the peace of mind that my younger children are no longer exposed at school. When whole European cities have banned Wifi at schools, I know I am not alone in my thinking. The government of Germany has advised its citizens to avoid wifi and to use hard-wired computers; going still further, Frankfort has banned Wifi in schools. The Germans hardly have an anti-technology reputation; their engineering is preeminent in the world. I've sent you similar positions from other municipalities and professional organizations as well. It is just here, at SDHC, that the idea is out of sync. I can not fathom why this school added a wifi system when you already had working hard-wired computers--especially when the wifi consistently malfunctions; hence, you are exposing everyone to microwave radiation for no perceived benefit--as if any benefit could outweigh the risk when there is an alternative available and in place. It doesn't make any sense to me and I sincerely question the school district's judgment regarding all wireless technologies on school campuses.
I realize most of the academic work for the year is completed, but do have one request. If it is not too much trouble, would the teachers please give me a brief outline of the topics they will be covering until the end of the year in English, Science, Social Studies, and Math? My inquiries have led me to believe that it is too late to enrol my children in a formal homeschooling program at this time and I do not want my children to get behind. I was advised to review skills, read, go to museums and libraries, etc. Any other advice you have for me would be greatly appreciated.
Thank you,
Debbie Rubin
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Milton denies cell towers
http://www.northfulton.com/Articles-c-2010-04-06-182754.114126-sub_Milton_denies_cell_towers.html
April 06, 2010
By Jonathan Copsey
MILTON - In what was one of the most crowded Planning Commission meeting to date, Milton denied three applications for cell towers on Mountain Road, New Providence Road and Hopewell Road.
The City Council will make a final decision in late April.
Residents who live near the proposed sites came out in force to object to the 150 ft tall monopoles as both too big and too close to their homes, as well as unnecessary.
City staff seemed to agree, concluding that, while the towers met all legal and code requirements, they should still be denied due to their being "inconsistent" with the surrounding land uses (namely, residential) and also far out of scale to the surrounding areas, in violation of the "rural character of Milton."
Regardless of whether the commission agreed, they had no option but to deny the applications since several documents needed – such as wind resistance and soil studies – were not submitted by T-Mobile, who claimed to have a policy of not submitting until after approval. Milton required their submittal and so the applications were denied. Paul Moore, chairman of the commission, noted that T-Mobile would be allowed to submit those documents before the application comes before council for final approval on April 26.
"A denial is a denial," said enthusiastic Sunnybrook Farms resident Kay Norvill after the meeting. "It doesn't matter if it was a technical denial."
T-Mobile representative Shawn Blassingill argued the towers were necessary for the company to meet consumer needs and to remain competitive in the market.
"It would be an error in judgment on T-Mobile's part to design a site that is not going to maximize our coverage potential and our signal strength," said Blassingill. "[Lowering the height] would not meet the needs of our customers."
He added that T-Mobile typically looks for other towers to co-locate their equipment on.
If none are found, they would look for adequate commercial property.
Finding none, they would then go to residential areas. In the three areas proposed, there is only rural/ residential zoning.
Residents were very thorough in their opposition, even going so far as to conduct their own signal tests, buying T-Mobile phones and roaming the area, looking for poor signals. According to them, the signal strength was perfectly fine in the area.
Add to that claims that the towers would have a negative effect on neighborhood property values, which T-Mobile disputes.
"We can argue all day long about whether they lower property values, but if you were looking, would you buy a house with a cell tower behind it?" asked Norvill.
The city telecommunications code as it was previously written, did not anticipate towers going so close to residential homes.
Under the code, towers could be placed in land zoned AG-1 – a zoning which can be used for either farming, horse farms or subdivisions.
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Sylvie
Sent: Tuesday, April 06, 2010 9:44 PM
Subject: Afsset: no high-voltage lines near kindergartens, schools and hospitals
the French sanitary agency for health AFSSET press release
google translation
Posted on 06/04/2010 at 17:52 The Point.fr
Electromagnetic waves
Afsset: no high-voltage lines near kindergartens, schools and hospitals
By Anne Jeanblanc
The risks associated with electromagnetic fields of transmission lines and high voltage can not be ruled © Atlantis Phototravel / Corbis
The French Agency for Environmental Health and Labour (Afsset) recommended on Tuesday, do not install or build new facilities close to susceptible persons (schools, kindergartens, hospitals ...) immediate high-voltage lines, any more than to establish new lines over such institutions. This is a precautionary measure pending the results of scientific study. For reference, lines and high voltage generate electromagnetic fields of extremely low frequency that were classified as "possibly carcinogenic to humans" in 2002 by the International Agency for Research on Cancer of the World Health in Lyon.
Expertise published by Afsset just update a 2005 opinion issued by the Higher Council of Public Health of France, various studies have already established an association between exposure to electromagnetic fields of extremely low frequency and childhood leukemia . This is statistically significant for a residential exposure averaged over 24 hours to magnetic fields whose levels are above 0.2 μT or 0.4, depending on the work, said Afsset. However, no biological study has demonstrated, to date, a mechanism that could explain the occurrence of leukemia.
For Afsset, "the priority is to resolve this paradox scientific". She recommends "to resume or continue epidemiological studies based on a description of exposure to strong electromagnetic fields of extremely low frequency, including the use of new techniques for measuring individual exposures.
Afsset also advocates the strengthening of research on the possible causes of childhood leukemia and other potential effects of these fields. "No relationship with diseases other than cancer has been established. However, the hypothesis of the involvement of these fields in neurodegenerative diseases (Alzheimer's disease and amyotrophic lateral sclerosis) has been reported, including a meta -analysis dealing with occupational exposures and can not be ruled out, "she says.
A votre santé
Anne Jeanblanc
Publié le 06/04/2010 à 17:52 Le Point.fr
Ondes électromagnétiques
Afsset : pas de lignes à très haute tension près des crèches, écoles et hôpitaux
Par Anne Jeanblanc
Les risques liés aux champs électromagnétiques des lignes à haute et à très haute tension ne peuvent être écartés © Atlantide Phototravel/Corbis
L'Agence française de sécurité sanitaire de l'environnement et du travail (Afsset) a recommandé, mardi, de ne pas installer, ni d'aménager de nouveaux établissements accueillant des personnes sensibles (écoles, crèches, hôpitaux...) à proximité immédiate de lignes à très haute tension, pas plus d'ailleurs que d'implanter de nouvelles lignes au-dessus de tels établissements. Il s'agit d'une mesure de précaution dans l'attente de résultats d'études scientifiques plus poussées. Pour mémoire, les lignes à haute et à très haute tension génèrent des champs électromagnétiques d'extrêmement basse fréquence qui ont été classés comme "cancérigènes possibles pour l'homme" en 2002 par le Centre international de recherche sur le cancer de l'Organisation mondiale de la santé à Lyon.
L'expertise rendue publique par l'Afsset vient actualiser un avis de 2005 émis par le Conseil supérieur d'hygiène publique de France, différentes études ayant déjà établi une association entre l'exposition aux champs électromagnétiques d'extrêmement basse fréquence et la leucémie infantile. Cette dernière est statistiquement significative pour une exposition résidentielle moyennée sur 24 heures à des champs magnétiques dont les niveaux sont supérieurs à 0,2 ou 0,4 µT, selon les travaux, indique l'Afsset. Mais aucune étude biologique n'a démontré, à ce jour, un mécanisme susceptible d'expliquer la survenue de ces leucémies.
Pour l'Afsset, "la priorité va à la résolution de ce paradoxe scientifique". Elle recommande "de reprendre ou de poursuivre les études épidémiologiques en s'appuyant sur une description robuste de l'exposition aux champs électromagnétiques d'extrêmement basse fréquence, notamment par le recours aux nouvelles techniques de mesure des expositions individuelles". L'Afsset prône aussi le renforcement de la recherche sur les causes possibles des leucémies infantiles et sur d'autres effets potentiels de ces champs. "Aucune relation avec des pathologies autres que les cancers n'a été établie. Cependant, l'hypothèse de l'implication de ces champs dans des pathologies neurodégénératives (maladie d'Alzheimer et sclérose latérale amyotrophique) a été rapportée, notamment dans une méta-analyse traitant des expositions professionnelles et ne peut être écartée", précise-t-elle.
A 60 day moratorium was recently put into effect as the city tightened the code to deal with such instances. That moratorium does not apply to the T-Mobile applications as they were submitted before any changes would take effect.
John Bogino, the owner of Seven Gables farm, where one of the towers would be located, said he was surprised by the community outrage over the towers.
"I didn't know [the application] was going to stir up all this," said a mystified Bogino, saying it was his right to try and profit from his own property.
He also rejected staff's decision to deny the towers as being inappropriate based on Milton's "rural nature."
"To me rural means a farm, agriculture, animals, crops," Bogino said.
"Rural to me is not subdivision on top of subdivision, golf courses, street lights and speed bumps in the neighborhoods."
The applications will next go before the City Council on April 26 for the final consideration.
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Item of interest in our local news paper Robert
Rats, radiation & the road
Bob Groenveld, The Times
Published: Friday, April 02, 2010
I still think the guy with the rats had it right.
Years ago when cellphones were younger and much bigger than they are today, before smartphones and iPhones - way back even before Blackberries - a guy flooded some of his rats with radio waves similar to those that transport cellphone signals.
But before he dosed his rats with the low-level radiation, he ran his rats through a variety of mazes, timing the little blighters as they wended their way through openings and past blockages that were arranged in an array of configurations, until they found a delicious piece of cheese (or other such reward) at the end of their convoluted journey.
Like a right Willard, our mad scientist ran each of his little Bens around and around his mazes until he developed a reasonably clear idea of precisely how smart each one was.
That's when he exposed them to the cell rays.
And then he ran them through the mazes again, timing them all over again and checking to see how smart they still were...
Or how smart they still weren't, as it happened.
Apparently, the rats exposed to the cellphone-like signals suffered significant reductions in brainpower, compared to those that were allowed to continue their studies without the benefit of the new communication technology. They simply were not able to think their way through the maze's gates and doors to the cheese as quickly and efficiently as they had done before being exposed to the equivalent of a few hours of cellphone conversation.
Uhmmm... let me clarify: their cranial capacity appeared to have shrunk as a result of the radio waves; they had not actually engaged in conversation - although I could assume that a rat's conversation would be cleverer and more intellectually stimulating than most cellphone conversations I've overheard (how can you avoid eavesdropping these days, as cell-users practically make it loudly and obnoxiously compulsory to listen in on their idle - and continuous - chatter?).
Interestingly, the scientist discovered that his rats' intelligence levels began to rise back to their normal levels after they were no longer exposed to the cellphone-like radio waves.
He determined that repeated on-again, off-again exposures showed the same results: the rats got stupid while they were "on the phone," but regained their smarts after the "phone" was hung up.
Although the rats' loss of intelligence was markedly faster than their subsequent recovery, they did get all their marbles back, eventually.
I believe that it is a temporary dip in intellectual capacity caused by the cellphones' signals that is responsible for all the people who still drive around with their iPhones (etc.) pressed to their ears. It's because of diminished brain function that they forget that, while they have that cellphone pressed to their ear, they can net themselves a $167 fine. That has been the law for nearly three months now: through January such silly people got only warnings, but since then they've been getting real-live tickets.
It's not their fault that they're ignorant of studies which show that using a cellphone while driving makes them four times more likely to get into an accident - and that, when they have their accident, it's up to 11 times more likely to involve a fatality. (By the way, those statistics are the same for hands-free devices as for hand-held.)
Such people are not really as stupid as you and I might think. It's the phones' fault.
- Bob Groeneveld is the editor of the Langley Advance.
© Abbotsford Times 2010
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W.E.E.P. – The Canadian initiative to stop Wireless Electrical and Electromagnetic Pollution
