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Effects of RF signals on medical implants

Robert Daniel 8 years ago updated by liem mai 3 years ago 2

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Gary Olhoeft, PhD, geophysicist and electrical engineer

Excerpted from An Electronic Silent Spring


I have Parkinson’s Disease. In 2009, I had a Deep Brain Stimulator (DBS) implanted in my brain. It completely replaces the pharmaceuticals I took for fifteen years, which caused increasingly unpleasant side effects. My Medtronics manual says that a cell phone must be at least 20 inches away from me with a SAR of no more than 1.8. Held near my head, the phone’s SAR can’t be more than 0.25 for 15 minutes. Otherwise, according to Medtronics, it will cause dangerous heating of my implant. If the implant gets too hot, it will malfunction, my brain could be injured, or I could die.


The Medtronic manual for my deep brain stimulator (implanted to ease effects of Parkinson’s) lists more than sixteen pages of potential electro-magnetic interferences. I have experienced interference with the operation and programming of my medical implant in elevators, on large commercial aircraft, at malls, libraries, government buildings and other places with security systems. Because interferences are almost everywhere, I built a monitor to carry around and warn me of potential hazards to avoid, including security and inventory control systems, Wi-Fi, “smart” meters, cell and radio/TV towers, wireless phones and wireless devices, buildings with faulty wiring, light dimmers, certain appliances, and many more.


If I walk through a security system–like the ones commonly found in retail stores, airports, government buildings or in the library at the university where I teach – my DBS sometimes shuts off. I have four seconds to reset it or I shake so badly that I am unable to reset it without help.


The National Institute of Health estimates that twenty-five million Americans now have implanted medical devices. Besides brain stimulators, the functioning of cardiac pacemakers, insulin pumps, cochlear implants and bone stimulators can also be disturbed by RF signals. A disabled person’s getting x-rayed while sitting in a metal wheelchair can be especially dangerous.


A friend with an insulin pump has to shut it off when he flies, because his pump interferes with the plane’s avionics, and they interfere with his pump. This limits how far he can travel. A former student told me that if she’s around several people using cell phones, her insulin pump malfunctions.


After another friend with a brain stimulator and a pacemaker had a cochlear implant installed, the signals from his implants interfered with each other. Each device functioned inappropriately, and he experienced tremendous discomfort. The surgeons who installed the devices suggested that his home’s electrical system was the source of his trouble. They did not believe that implants could interfere with each other. They can. Unfortunately, medical implants are not regulated for such interference; and my friend – who is an MD – had to prove to his physicians that they were causing him trouble.


Recently, at a meeting of people with brain stimulators for Parkinson’s, I asked if any of their implants shut off when they walk through security doors at malls and other places. Fifty people were in the room. Everyone raised a hand.


But no agency studies the effects of radiofrequency signals on medical implants. Even doctors who implant devices are likely unaware of the problems – though implant manufacturers typically alert patients to pages of dangers in their manuals.


Despite the fact that ten percent of Americans (more than twenty-five million people) have a medical implant, no agency studies their experience around wireless devices. Many of these people may find their implant malfunctioning (including shutting off) if they board an airplane, share an elevator with a mobile phone user, or step through a security door at a library or a mall. No agency studies the interference that may occur between devices when a cochlear implant is installed in a person who already has a deep brain stimulator and a pacemaker.


We need to broaden public awareness about the vulnerability of people with medical implants. We also need regulation that will limit electromagnetic emissions. We need to create limits around “second-hand” exposure to electromagnetic radiation since, for example, being in a metal-walled elevator with a person who is using a mobile phone can be especially hazardous for people with implants. At a minimum, stores and other places with security and Wi-Fi devices (now often not visible but hidden behind walls) should post warnings that a potential hazard exists for people with implanted medical devices and Radiofrequency Sickness.


Such warnings could be modeled after those the FDA began requiring of microwave oven manufacturers in the 1970s. They alerted people with cardiac pacemakers that the oven could leak radiation and create a potential hazard. The FDA still regulates microwave ovens, and most of them leak less radiation than most cell phones. All mobile phones are currently allowed to leak higher SARs than microwave ovens.

Original Source


Video: How to opt out from ‘smart’ meters (before & after measurements)

Robert Daniel 8 years ago updated 8 years ago 0

This must-see short film by Andrew Lankes of Austin, Texas, is loaded with truth and solutions for ‘smart’ meters, wireless, and dirty electricity.


What we like best about this 12-minute video are the clear measurements — with a ‘smart’ meter, and after it was replaced with a safe analog. Watch it here:


Youtube video

DIRTY ELECTRICITY MEASUREMENTS:

  • Kitchen – with ‘smart’ meter: 232 V/sec
  • Kitchen – with analog meter: 50 V/sec
  • Bedroom – with ‘smart’ meter: 153 V/sec
  • Bedroom – with analog meter: 60 V/sec

WIRELESS RADIATION MEASUREMENTS:

  • Smart meter: over 2,000 uW/m2* (device maxed out)
  • Analog meter: 0.4 uW/m2
  • * – pulses much higher than 2,000 uW/m2
  • Router with wireless: over 2,000 uW/m2 (device maxed out)
  • Router without wireless: 0.6 uW/m2
  • DECT cordless phone base: over 2,000 uW/m2 (device maxed out)
  • Mobile phone: over 2,000 uW/m2 (device maxed out)

SOLUTIONS:

  • 1) Replace ‘smart’ meter with analog meter
  • 2) Hardwire computers with ethernet cable
  • 3) Put cell phone in airplane mode when not in use, and don’t use right next to head. (Good idea: airtube headset)
  • 4) Use a corded landline

We’re bio-electric beings, affected by electromagnetics


Quite simply, we are bio-electric beings. As we’ve seen in Take Back Your Power (watch it here), once a utility installs a ‘smart’ meter, thousands (if not millions) are suffering functional impairments, illness or returning bouts of cancer and other diseases.
There are literally thousands of studies that show a biological effect from electromagnetic frequencies (EMF). And just this month, a $25M study by the US National Toxicology Program (NTP) concluded that cellphone radiation is linked with an increase presence of cancerous tumors.
But of course, industry and most government agencies are in full denial. It’s time the world knows what’s going on with ‘smart’ meters — better termed radiating surveillance meters.
Opting-out is not the solution, but it’s a start. It’s time we kick these ‘smart’/advanced/AMI meters out of our homes and neighborhoods once and for all. Contact your utility today and demand a safe analog meter.

Original Source

Easy Ways To Reduce Kids’ Exposure To Cell Phone Radiation

Robert Daniel 8 years ago 0

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You never leave home without it. You might even be holding it right now: your cell phone.


But could this essential device be harming your health?


A new study from the federal National Toxicology Program reveals troubling evidence that cell phone radiation could cause brain cancer. Scientists exposed rats to radio-frequency radiation at levels similar to and higher than those emitted by cell phones. Compared to unexposed rats, the exposed male animals showed a greater likelihood of developing malignant glioma, a type of brain cancer, as well as tumors on the heart.


Although the 10-year, $25 million study tested radiation effects on rats, it offers valuable insight into the potential risk to people, a concern that both health experts and cell phone users have raised for years.


EWG issued reports in 2009 and 2013 describing the possible health risks of cell phone and wireless radiation, including an increased risk of two types of brain cancer. In 2011 the World Health Organization’s classified cell phone radiation as a possible carcinogen.


More than five countries have warned people to cut back on cell phone radiation exposure, particularly for kids, whose brains may absorb double the amount of radiation as adults. While research continues, here are some of EWG’s top tips for reducing your family’s exposure to cell phone radiation:


Limit children’s use of cell phones
  • Choose a landline for everyday calls.
  • Don’t offer the phone as a toy while on the go or running errands.
  • If your kids use your phone to play games, switch on airplane mode.
Keep your distance
  • Use a headset or speaker while talking on the phone, rather than holding it directly to your ear.
  • While on a call, keep the phone away from your body – say, on a table in front of you, instead of your pocket.
  • Store your phone away from your body, not under your pillow or clipped on your belt.

Choose a good case: Some cell phone cases may minimize radiation exposure, while others force the phone to work harder and emit more radiation. Click here to learn more about how to choose the best cell phone case.


Text when possible: Texting emits less radiation than voice calls.
Seek a strong signal: Radiation levels are significantly higher when your signal is poor.
To learn more, visit EWG’s Guide to Safer Cell Phone Use.

Smart meters ‘not needed’ after all for European power grid

Robert Daniel 8 years ago 0

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A transition to an intelligent electricity grid in Europe can take place without smart meters, industry players have said, in comments that will embarrass the European Commission, which pushed a Europe-wide plan to roll out smart meters years ago.


There are other more efficient ways than smart meters to help develop intelligent power grids, said industry delegates at the annual convention of Europe’s electricity association Eurelectric, held in Vilnius last week.


These include quicker integration of renewables, the development of energy storage and energy demand response solutions, said the industry representatives.


The actual benefits of smart meters were also questioned at the conference, as several member states have done previously. Germany, for instance, has decided not to have a national roll-out plan at all, running counter to requirements laid out in EU legislation.


80% roll-out target


EU member states are required to implement smart meters under the 2009 Third Energy Package wherever it is cost-effective to do so, with the goal to replace 80% of electricity meters with smart meters by 2020.


The 80% target applies to both households and commercial buildings, a Commission spokesperson confirmed. The EU executive will publish in the next one to two years a report on smart meters “in the context of our regular monitoring exercise of the progress of members states,” the spokesperson said.


But progress has been sluggish, with few countries having completed their roll-outs and a number of nations – most notably Germany – having so far decided against a nation-wide deployment of smart meters.


And the countries that do have a commitment to smart meters, such as the UK, have run into hurdles in completing its roll-out because some meters would cease to work if a consumer decided to change energy supplier.


Markus Merkel, a senior advisor to the management board of German distribution system operator (DSO) EWE, told the Eurelectric conference that “there isn’t a positive business case” for smart meters in Germany.


Real data vital


EWE’s move towards an intelligent grid has focused to a large extent on upgrading the system to integrate the vast amount of new renewable energy at a quicker pace.


He said smart meters would be more useful for DSOs in their work to upgrade the grid if they provided real time data on energy consumption rather than the circa 15-minute intervals that current products provide.


“We need something different, and maybe smart metering 2.0 – the next generation of smart meters – will deliver something more that we as DSOs can also use,” he said.


Laurence Carpanini, director smarter energy solutions at IBM, echoed the real time data point, adding: “I don’t look at smart meters now as being the drivers of change – you don’t need smart meters really.”


Instead, industry players should “think about flexibility solutions as a whole” and focus on a mix of demand response technologies, frequency response and energy storage, she said.


Storage was also highlighted by Ari Koponen, CEO of Finnish DSO and utility Caruna. He said that while smart meters have been “essential” for collecting energy consumption data, the aspiration should be to access this data in real time and bring in more storage solutions.


“This would [bring] the smartness of the grid to a whole different level,” Koponen said.


The industry’s comments are an embarrassment for the European Commission’s own plan to deploy smart meters across Europe by 2020.


The Commission spokesperson declined to comment on the views about whether or not smart meters are necessary for the transition to an intelligent grid.


Member states are expected to conduct their own cost-benefit analyses for their national smart meters roll-out plans, the official said.


Original Source

Guide to North American Smart Meter Policies

Robert Daniel 8 years ago 0

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Analog meter choice bills are being considered by a number of US state legislatures this year, in response to a drumbeat of public complaints. These states include: Missouri, Michigan, Maryland, Massachusetts, Ohio, New York, Pennsylvania, and Texas.


For a draft inventory of existing smart meter policies throughout North America (courtesy of BC’s Coalition to Stop Smart Meters), click here to download a pdf. Please notify Sharon Noble of any updates.

Money Talks: From ‘smart’ meters to power politics

Robert Daniel 8 years ago 0

The greenwash bait-and-switch: how deep does it go?


By now, everyone who has been paying attention has realized that within our broken socio-political system, virtually every decision from top to bottom is based on money, corruption and greed.

The 3-part presentation below, filmed in British Columbia in April 2016, will help us all see what’s really going on at a deeper level. I will uncover:

  • how the biggest shareholders in the most destructive (but profitable) companies are the very governments that set the rules so those companies don’t pay taxes, destroy whatever they can for money and violate our core human values,
  • how these entities are actually twisting our intentions of saving our planet into serving their own economic agendas, and to further their control / diminish our rights, and
  • how so-called ‘smart’ meters are a key tool for all of this — and why they’re still being deployed despite a ridiculous level of obvious problems.

Part 1: ‘Smart’ meter fires


Our starting point on this journey is the widespread problem of ‘smart’ meter fires – an important precursor for what follows. You will see forensically why they cause fires and explosions (thousands to date), then financially why the collateral damage they cause is considered to be “worth the risk.” Hint: ‘smart’ meters are a keystone in the Big Data pyramid…

Youtube video

Part 2: Big Data, Big Power, Big Government


The insane drive of Big Data is being propelled by the energy industry. Within the popular paradigm, all eyes are on Big Oil as the “bad guys” in an environmental context. Certainly they are not doing the planet any good. But by keeping us within this narrow focus without deeper thought, they have a nice distraction for the world’s largest energy companies to move in on their data/carbon/currency endgame.

Youtube video

Part 3: Pensions, Power, Politics and Climate


This is where the pieces will connect, and it will all simply make sense. The the biggest root of all evil is not money itself, but how the people behind these agendas are after our money (and support of their agendas) for their insane ends.

Youtube video

So the next time you hear a politician talk about “climate”, you will have the keys to see how this all connects. And you will realize on this issue, like virtually everything else, they are probably lying.

Cellphone Radiation Linked to Cancer in Major Rat Study

Robert Daniel 8 years ago 0

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Results of the largest, most expensive animal study on the link between cellphones and cancer are in. And the link is positive—weak, but positive.


The much-anticipated two-year study led by the National Toxicology Program (NTP) has found low incidences of brain and heart tumors in male rats that were exposed to the radio frequency radiation commonly emitted by cellphones.

Exposed rats had higher rates of two malignant cancers: glioma of the brain and schwannoma of the nerves in the heart. But none of the unexposed control rats developed them. And these brain and heart tumors are similar to the ones found in previous epidemiological studies of cellphone use, the NTP report states, so “these findings appear to support the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) conclusions regarding the possible carcinogenic potential of” radiofrequency radiation.

In 2011, the IARC, which is part of the World Health Organization, convened an international panel of experts that concluded that exposure to RF radiation including that used by cellphones is “possibly carcinogenic to humans.” The panel analyzed available scientific papers and concluded that even though evidence was limited and incomplete, epidemiological studies had shown increased risks of 40–200 percent for gliomas and acoustic neuromas (benign tumors of the auditory nerve) among heavy and/or long­ term cellphone users.


With a price tag of US $25 million, the peer-reviewed NTP study released today is the largest animal study to date on the effects of cellphone radiation. The project suffered from complications and huge budget overruns and these results are years overdue. The NTP commissioned the Illinois Institute of Technology Research Institute in Chicago to perform the study back in 2005. There have been no updates until this report, which only gives partial data. Only findings from the brain and heart have been reported and studies on mice are still being evaluated. The NTP plans to release two more reports by 2017.

The reason NTP released the rat brain and heart data early? “Given the widespread global usage of mobile communications among users of all ages, even a very small increase in the incidence of disease resulting from exposure to RFR could have broad implications for public health,” according to the researchers. Statistics show that the number of mobile phone users will pass the 5 billion mark by 2019.

The NTP study was designed to mimic human exposure and look at effects on all parts of the body. Researchers conducted the experiments in an underground lab with specially designed radio-frequency chambers to house the rats. The animals were exposed to 900 megahertz radio waves modulated using Code Division Multiple Access (CDMA) and Global System for Mobile Communication (GSM) modulation. These are cellphone frequencies and modulations currently used in the United States.

The animals’ bodies were exposed in utero and over their two-year lifetimes to CDMA or GSM-modulation radiation at different dose levels: 0 (control group), 1.5, 3 and 6 watts per kilogram of tissue mass. That’s seven test groups for each sex with 90 animals in each group. The animals were irradiated over a period of about 18 hours per day, with exposure for 10 minutes followed by 10 minutes without radiation, for a total daily exposure time of nine hours.

Gliomas appeared in around 2–3 percent of male rats in each group while schwannomas appeared in 1–6 percent. The incidence of schwannomas was significantly higher in the male animals that were exposed to the 6 W/kg levels. There were no similar results in females. And, for some unexplained reason, the researchers found that the unexposed rats died younger than exposed animals.

So what does this all mean? The results are fairly weak and confounding but provide the first positive evidence in animals and will grab the attention of health agencies, says Kenneth R. Foster, a bioengineering professor at the University of Pennsylvania.

First, animal studies are very hard to translate to humans, he says. The exposure levels used in the study are much higher than what’s typically allowed for humans. The exposure limit for occupational users is 0.4 W/kg and for non-occupational users is 0.8 W/kg. “The results are only in male rats, the incidence numbers were very small, and there’s no clear dose response,” he says. Also, he asks, “did the control rats not live long enough to naturally develop these tumors?”

Nonetheless, an NTP study is the gold standard for animal cancer assays. And health agencies look at both epidemiological and animal studies to make recommendations. “Past epidemiological studies are weak but suggestive,” says Foster, “and here you have the first borderline positive result in animals. So now you have a stronger case.”

In response to WHO’s 2011 “possible carcinogen” classification, Belgium adopted regulations to pro­mote cellphone radiation safety and banned the sale of cellphones to children, Foster points out. The French Health Agency recommended that children and vulnerable groups should take measures to reduce their cellphone RF exposure. The U.S. Federal Communications Commission, meanwhile, states that no evidence points to a direct link between wireless device use and cancer or other illnesses. And the Food and Drug Administration advises that if there is a risk, it is very small.

With the NTP study results, Foster expects more governments to put out cautionary guidelines and radiation labeling for cellphones. He says he wouldn’t be surprised if California adds RF radiation to its Proposition 65 list of carcinogenic chemicals, and if the IARC ups its classification rating from 2B: possibly carcinogenic to humans to 2A: probably carcinogenic to humans. “And they wouldn’t be out of line in doing that,” he says. “This is going to change the rhetoric in the field. People can point to much more hard evidence that [cellphone RF exposure] really is a problem.”

Investigative documentary that explores the long-term health effects of cell phone radiation

Robert Daniel 8 years ago 0

MOBILIZE


Mobilize is an investigative documentary that explores the long-term health effects of cell phone radiation, including cancer and infertility.

Clear Light Ventures is sponsoring free viewing of Mobilize from May 21 to June 25, 2016 - enter promo code "ClearLight".


FILM SYNOPSIS


In 2011 the World Health Organization stated, “The electromagnetic fields produced by mobile phones are classified by the International Agency for Research on Cancer as possibly carcinogenic to humans.” The cell phone industry has vigorously disputed these findings.


MOBILIZE is an explosive investigative documentary that explores the potential long-term health effects from cell phone radiation, including brain cancer and infertility. The politically charged film examines the most recent scientific research and the harsh challenges politicians face trying to pass precautionary legislation. Featuring interviews with expert researchers, mobile phone industry representatives, and prominent politicians, MOBILIZE illuminates how industry’s economic and political influence can corrupt public health.


Featuring Gavin Newsom Lt. Governor of California, Lawrence Lessig, Esq., Steve Wozniak, Richard Branson, Devra Davis, PhD, MPH and many more.
INSTRUCTIONS TO VIEWERS FOR FREE STREAM:


To stream Mobilize compliments of Clear Light, simply click the Rent button, enter your email address and password (create one if need to) and then click APPLY PROMO CODE. When that field opens, enter "ClearLight" and hit APPLY. The rental fee will be waived. You DO NOT need to enter your credit card information.


Original Source

Activist is Sued for Requesting Public Smart Meter Records

Robert Daniel 8 years ago 0

Image 43The sysadmin-activist at the center of a bizarre legal battle over a smart meter network in Seattle, Washington, says he never expected a simple records request to turn into a lawsuit.


Phil Mocek told The Register that when he asked Seattle City Light, a public power utility, to provide details on the designs and rollout of its smart power meter grid, he was simply hoping to find out what security safeguards the city and hardware providers Landis+Gyr and Sensus USA planned to use.

"We all assume these meters simply monitor the amount of energy usage in the home," Mocek explained. "But they monitor it in real time in ways that other meters did not."

The worry, Mocek said, is that the city may have been convinced by the suppliers to install a network with poor security protections or insecure protocols that could place citizens at risk of having their energy-use remotely spied on or their personal information stolen.

To find out more about the meters that the city was planning to install and the security measures in place to protect those meters, Mocek filed a request for documents under the Washington Public Records Act (PRA) via the MuckRock investigations website.

This, says Mocek, is where things started to get real odd.

The free-software advocate said that after an email exchange with Seattle City Light officials, he obtained some of the records and uploaded them to the web – only to be told that the smart meter suppliers objected to the release of the information on the grounds that the unredacted documents would disclose their trade secrets and open the public to terrorist attacks on their infrastructure.

Mocek was given a mix of unredacted and redacted documents by the city, the meter makers complained, whereas he should only have received and published files they had censored. Seattle officials said they were not skilled enough to know for sure which parts to redact, so left it to the suppliers to edit the files – yet, unredacted information managed to make its way into Mocek's hands and onto the internet.

Landis+Gyr and Sensus promptly sued the city, Mocek and Muckrock, and filed for an injunction: ultimately, the suppliers wanted the documents taken down, and the unredacted copies banned from public view.

On Thursday, a temporary restraining order was granted by the King County Superior Court in Washington – and Muckrock founder Michael Morisy confirmed the unredacted documents have been taken down pending the outcome of the case.
Backing

The legal showdown has also attracted the attention of the Electronic Frontier Foundation (EFF), which says it will lend their legal expertise to MuckRock's defense.

"We are incredibly grateful for the support of the EFF, our users and readers, and the many individuals and organizations that reached out with support and advice," MuckRock founder Michael Morisy said.

Mocek says he has yet to be formally served court papers. He argues that he has no interest in exposing the trade secrets of the smart meter providers nor the nitty-gritty financial details of the companies that are working with the city. He even said he was willing to accept documents with sensitive areas redacted.

Crucially, though, he wants those redactions to be made by the city to remove data it is required by law to censor – rather than information the companies themselves don't want to share.

"I'm not likely to put up a fight over the line item cost, but I do want to know what kind of security they have on this system," Mocek explains. "I'm worried that we as a city are going to pay a lot for a system whose security relies on people not knowing how it works."

In the meantime, however, Mocek also has some additional problems to deal with, thanks to the legal wrangling. Though he has filed similar information requests in the past, he says he has never had to face a lawsuit simply because he wanted to look at public records and keep a local utility honest.

"I don't think [Seattle City Light] are going to put a device on my house to spy on me," he quipped. "I think they are being bamboozled by vendors who want to make a lot of money by replacing thousands of meters."

As well as a restraining order, the meter makers are demanding damages for the publication of the unredacted blueprints, and are asking for a list of everyone who downloaded the dossiers.


Original Source

Federal Study Finds Radiofrequency Radiation Boosts Cancer Rates in Animals

Robert Daniel 8 years ago updated 8 years ago 0

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According to Microwave News, results of the U.S. National Toxicology Program (NTP) have shown that exposure to radiofrequency (RF) radiation has resulted in statistically significant increases in cancer among rats. These rats were subjected to whole body exposure from RF signals as used for GSM and CDMA-type cell phones over a period of two years [1].


As reported by Microwave News:

“Discussions are currently underway among federal agencies on how to inform the public about the new findings. NTP senior managers believe that these results should be released as soon as possible because just about everyone is exposed to wireless radiation all the time and therefore everyone is potentially at risk.”


“The NTP findings show that as the intensity of the radiation increased, so did the incidence of cancer among the rats. ‘There was a significant dose-response relationship’, a reliable source, who has been briefed on the results, told Microwave News.”

Continue reading article...



Wi-Fi allergy known as EHS has forced me to close my computer repair shop

Robert Daniel 8 years ago 0

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A KIDDERMINSTER man who fixes computers and phones for a living says he has been forced to close his repair business of 20 years as technology has made him ill.


Richard Kimberley, 36, is shutting csmicros on July 22 after claiming radiation signals from wireless technology has given him a rare condition known as electro-hypersensitivity (EHS).

He says he suffers from black outs, headaches and tiredness as a result of working with phones, computers and Wi-Fi signals on a regular basis since launching his business in 1996.

He said: "Due to an over-exposure to the radiation from wireless technology, my health has declined to the point where I cannot continue with the business that I have spent my life building.

"It is a complete life changer and an absolute blow that was totally unexpected.

"I’d wake up five or six times in a night, my joints were aching, I’d have headaches during the day and my memory was awful – I felt atrocious and I had no idea why.

"I’ve had to rely on staff for the past 18 months since becoming EHS. I have persevered, battling with electro-hypersensitivity for as long as I can."

Mr Kimberley says his symptoms began in 2013 when he moved into a dual shop and house premise on Stourport Road, yet found the problem improved by removing wireless technology at home.

Since October, he has lived in a van fitted with aluminium lining to block out radiation signals.

He added: "Becoming sensitive has turned my life upside down.

"Wireless technology is everywhere and the only way I can avoid it is to camp in the van every night in places I find that are safe.

"I have satellite broadband and a landline in the van, my computer is wired and people can email me or phone my landline if they want me.

"I still have technology, but now I use it safely. It’s an extremely solitary life."

Mr Kimberley now aims to make his living as a freelance web designer - working from his van - while raising awareness for EHS by writing a blog.

A 2005 report from the World Health Organisation concluded EHS symptoms "are certainly real" but ruled it "is not a medical diagnosis, nor is it clear that it represents a single medical problem".

EHS, which has caused division in the medical world, hit headlines last year when French courts awarded £580-a-month disability payments to a woman who said she was allergic to Wi-Fi.

Later that year, a Cotswolds schoolgirl took her own life after complaining she suffered from EHS.


Original Source

Is it safe to carry cellphone in your bra or shirt pocket?

Robert Daniel 8 years ago 0

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We had both stepped out for some fresh air after finishing our daily morning examination. After ending my phone call I returned the cell phone into my shirt pocket. My new friend, Mr Watergate, quickly asked: “Daktari, why do you put your phone near your heart? I heard it can cause heart attack,” this coming from an intelligence officer was no surprise to me. So I ask, is there any link between a mobile phone and heart troubles? Or more broadly, Is your cellphone harming your health? Is it safe to carry a cellphone in a handy shirt pocket all the time over your heart? Can the constant or burst of energy (one watt?) when a call comes in possibly affect the heart rhythm? What if your heart is a wee bit unhealthy in the first place? We recommend that those with implanted devices such as pacemakers or defibrillators keep their cellphones and media players at least six inches from the generator.


This can be readily achieved by carrying cellphones in the pants pockets or on a belt or purse holster. Where is the worst place to keep your cell phone? Some unconfirmed reports claim that cancer may develop in locations close to where a cell phone is kept, such as breast cancer in women. Why? The location of these tumors found, exactly aligns with the position of the cell phone being worn by these young women in their bras. There is a story told of a 21-year-old woman who upon receiving her first cell phone at the age of 13, put the device in her bra and wore it there daily until she received her breast cancer diagnosis. The WHO has reviewed and compiled a substantial quantity of scientific research on the topic and announced in May 2011 that radiation from cell phones is possibly cancer causing (carcinogenic) to humans For men, it has been said that, as cell phone minutes increase, sperm count decreases. According to Journal of the American Society for Reproductive Medicine, men who chat on their phone for more than four hours a day had a lower average sperm count and fewer viable sperm. Ultimately, common sense is needed in ensuring you use your cell phone in a manner that does not harm you. You should only use your cell phone when absolutely necessary, use a landline when you can. Always distance yourself from your phone - even a few centimetres between your body and your phone can diminish risks. Use hands-free devices as these emit much less radiation compared to a regular cell phone held to your ear.


Original Source

WiFi in the Sky, Convenient, Profitable and In-demand – But Is It Safe?

Robert Daniel 8 years ago updated 8 years ago 0

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This Statement of Concern from flight surgeons, pilots, accident investigators and medical, scientific and technical experts was edited by Kerry Crofton, "I worked for many years with pilots and air traffic controllers in Canada and the US and served on the Canadian Civil Aviation Tribunal. The following experts are calling for a review and monitoring of WiFi in commercial aircraft; there is scientific evidence of harm at ‘low’ government-sanctioned, non-thermal levels.”


Captain N. Anderson, FAA Fast Team Representative, Aviation Human Factors Researcher

Captain Anderson is a licensed Airline Transport Pilot who has worked with the US Federal Aviation Administration Wings Program, and as a human factors seminar leader on Pilot Proficiency and Cockpit Management.


“RF frequency assaults (from WiFi-enabled aircraft and the in-flight use of wirelessly connect mobile devices) are a key issue and need to be considered in any accident/incident investigation.


With the amount of solar radiation normally received by pilots flying at high altitudes being studied as a concern for its health effects, we now have additional radiation in the form of RF signals from personal electronics and on-board Wi-fi as well as the all-electronic cockpits and more recent electronic flight bags being adopted by air crews.

Symptoms that can be traced to RF exposure, as well as time spent viewing electronic screens that can affect cognitive abilities can contribute to accidents or incidents deemed pilot error.


It is necessary for studies to be implemented by the FAA or NTSB as well as independent interests that can confirm or deny the potential effect from the widespread use of airborne electronics. I have been involved with educating the aviation community about conditions that can affect brain chemistry and cognitive breakdown.


I have been voicing concern about RF frequencies affecting pilot's abilities to make executive decisions and now am concerned about the impact frequencies emitted from wirelessly-connected electronic screens have on the biology of the brain.


Since most companies are transitioning to electronic flight bags instead of paper charts, and since most modern aircraft have all glass cockpit presentations, the pilots are being subjected to non-stop screen interference with their cognitive performance.


This can be critical when an emergency arises and a quick decision-making response is needed.

My communication with FAA personnel has resulted in a response from Kyle Copeland, Ph.D., Research Health Physicist, Radiobiology PI FAA, CAMI, AAM-630, Numerical Sciences Research Team who says ‘I can say with certainty there is no ongoing research here at CAMI that deals with biological effects of nonionizing radiation (that is WiFi and the radiation emitted by wirelessly-connected mobile devices).’ ”


Note: Radiation exposure safety standards are based only on ionizing (thermal) levels – strong enough to warm human tissue; however, all of the adverse effects detailed in this document occur at non-ionizing (non-thermal) levels. Dr Martin Blank. PhD

Burr Ridge, Illinois, urges *permanent* opt-out option for ComEd smart meters

Robert Daniel 8 years ago updated 8 years ago 0

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James Holderman isn't taking any chances.


The Burr Ridge resident has a sign over his electric meter informing any subcontractor in the ComEd smart meter program that he has deferred installation and to not put one of the new radio frequency, message transmitting meters on his home. He said his 18-month-old son's main play area inside the house is just feet away from where the existing meter sits on the outside of his home.

With his son's new fascination of watching from the play area's bay window as his dad cuts the grass, Holderman said he does not want his son exposed to the radio-frequency pulses a smart meter would transmit during his 30 minutes of yard maintenance.

The Burr Ridge resident said he has been investigating radio frequency and smart meters ever since ComEd made a March presentation to the Village Board about meter installation in the community.


His research was instrumental in village trustees Monday unanimously approving a resolution urging ComEd to provide residents with a way to permanently opt out of the smart meter installation program. Right now, under state law, residents not wanting a smart meter in their home can only defer having the meter until three years after the completion of the installation program, slated to end in 2019.



"Every parent should have the right to not have a smart meter in their home," Holderman said.


The village's resolution will be sent to the chief executive officer of Commonwealth Edison, the chairperson of the Illinois Commerce Commission, Gov. Bruce Rauner, House and Senate leaders of the Illinois General Assembly, and state House and Senate members representing Burr Ridge.

The village will also put information in residents' water bills.

Holderman's research and the village resolution points out that a recent study by the U.S. National Toxicology Program, a federal inter-agency group under the National Institute of Health, has found rare forms of cancer in some male rats that were exposed to radio-frequency radiation and lower birth weights in the litters of female rats exposed to RF radiation. In 2011, the World Health Organization's International Agency for Research on Cancer declared the kind of radiation emitted by cellphones as a "possible carcinogen."

The American Cancer Society states that because smart meters give off RF radiation as well "it is possible that smart meters could increase cancer risk. Still, it isn't clear what risk, if any, there might be from living in a home with a smart meter."

ComEd has said the meters do not pose a health risk.

"Although smart meters use radio technology, under typical circumstances a person would receive significantly less RF exposure from a smart meter than from many other electronic devices that are used daily, including cordless phones, cell pones, microwave ovens and baby monitors," the company's website states.

Trustees noted with cellphones, microwaves and other radio-frequency transmitting devices, it is a person's choice to use them. Right now, residents have no choice regarding the smart meters, they said.

Two village trustees, Diane Bolos and Paula Murphy, have already deferred installation of the smart meters for their own homes. Both trustees called a one-hour meeting earlier this month with ComEd officials, as well as Holderman and village administrator Steve Stricker, disappointing.

"ComEd couldn't be bothered," Bolos said, noting the power company officials present spent much of the meeting reading the company's written responses to the village's questions about smart meters.

The trustee said that when people call ComEd at 1-866-368-8326 they need to use the right language and stand their ground on the phone. She noted if residents say they want to "opt out" of the program, they will be told there is no opt-out option.

"You have to say 'defer',' not 'opt out,'" Bolos said, adding that it took 35 minutes for her to get the deferral done with ComEd. "I would strongly encourage everyone to defer."

Murphy said she paid $75 to have a smart meter uninstalled from her home and is paying a $25 monthly fee to have her meter read manually. She said the additional money paid to ComEd is for her "family's health."

She said the village's resolution falls under the trustees' responsibilities.

"We have to be concerned for everyone's health and well-being," Murphy said.

The question was raised as to how much impact the village's resolution will have.

Stricker noted that the village is a smaller community "in a sea of a lot of other municipalities," but said he would spread the word on regional panels with which he is involved.

"It just takes one (community) to get things started," Bolos said.


Original Source

Chick study indicates potential adverse effects of mobile phone radiation on brain development

Robert Daniel 8 years ago updated 8 years ago 0

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Background


The potential adverse effect of mobile phone radiation is currently an area of great concern in the field of public health. In the present study, we aimed to investigate the effect of mobile phone radiation (900 MHz radiofrequency) during hatching on postnatal social behaviors in chicks, as well as the effect on brain size and structural maturity estimated using 3.0 T magnetic resonance imaging. At day 4 of incubation, 76 normally developing chick embryos were divided into the control group (n = 39) and the radiation group (n = 37). Eggs in the radiation group were exposed to mobile phone radiation for 10 h each day from day 4 to 19 of incubation. Behavioral tests were performed 4 days after hatching. T2-weighted MR imaging and diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) were subsequently performed. The size of different brain subdivisions (telencephalon, optic lobe, brain stem, and cerebellum) and corresponding DTI parameters were measured. The Chi-square test and the student’s t test were used for statistical analysis. P < 0.05 was considered statistically significant.


Results


Compared with controls, chicks in the radiation group showed significantly slower aggregation responses (14.87 ± 10.06 vs. 7.48 ± 4.31 s, respectively; P < 0.05), lower belongingness (23.71 ± 8.72 vs. 11.45 ± 6.53 s, respectively; P < 0.05), and weaker vocalization (53.23 ± 8.60 vs. 60.01 ± 10.45 dB/30 s, respectively; P < 0.05). No significant differences were found between the radiation and control group for brain size and structural maturity, except for cerebellum size, which was significantly smaller in the radiation group (28.40 ± 1.95 vs. 29.95 ± 1.41 cm2, P < 0.05). The hatching and heteroplasia rates were also calculated and no significant difference was found between the two groups.


Conclusions


Mobile phone radiation exposure during chick embryogenesis impaired social behaviors after hatching and possibly induced cerebellar retardation. This indicates potential adverse effects of mobile phone radiation on brain development.


Read entire study

Effects of RF signals on medical implants

Robert Daniel 8 years ago updated by liem mai 3 years ago 2

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Gary Olhoeft, PhD, geophysicist and electrical engineer

Excerpted from An Electronic Silent Spring


I have Parkinson’s Disease. In 2009, I had a Deep Brain Stimulator (DBS) implanted in my brain. It completely replaces the pharmaceuticals I took for fifteen years, which caused increasingly unpleasant side effects. My Medtronics manual says that a cell phone must be at least 20 inches away from me with a SAR of no more than 1.8. Held near my head, the phone’s SAR can’t be more than 0.25 for 15 minutes. Otherwise, according to Medtronics, it will cause dangerous heating of my implant. If the implant gets too hot, it will malfunction, my brain could be injured, or I could die.


The Medtronic manual for my deep brain stimulator (implanted to ease effects of Parkinson’s) lists more than sixteen pages of potential electro-magnetic interferences. I have experienced interference with the operation and programming of my medical implant in elevators, on large commercial aircraft, at malls, libraries, government buildings and other places with security systems. Because interferences are almost everywhere, I built a monitor to carry around and warn me of potential hazards to avoid, including security and inventory control systems, Wi-Fi, “smart” meters, cell and radio/TV towers, wireless phones and wireless devices, buildings with faulty wiring, light dimmers, certain appliances, and many more.


If I walk through a security system–like the ones commonly found in retail stores, airports, government buildings or in the library at the university where I teach – my DBS sometimes shuts off. I have four seconds to reset it or I shake so badly that I am unable to reset it without help.


The National Institute of Health estimates that twenty-five million Americans now have implanted medical devices. Besides brain stimulators, the functioning of cardiac pacemakers, insulin pumps, cochlear implants and bone stimulators can also be disturbed by RF signals. A disabled person’s getting x-rayed while sitting in a metal wheelchair can be especially dangerous.


A friend with an insulin pump has to shut it off when he flies, because his pump interferes with the plane’s avionics, and they interfere with his pump. This limits how far he can travel. A former student told me that if she’s around several people using cell phones, her insulin pump malfunctions.


After another friend with a brain stimulator and a pacemaker had a cochlear implant installed, the signals from his implants interfered with each other. Each device functioned inappropriately, and he experienced tremendous discomfort. The surgeons who installed the devices suggested that his home’s electrical system was the source of his trouble. They did not believe that implants could interfere with each other. They can. Unfortunately, medical implants are not regulated for such interference; and my friend – who is an MD – had to prove to his physicians that they were causing him trouble.


Recently, at a meeting of people with brain stimulators for Parkinson’s, I asked if any of their implants shut off when they walk through security doors at malls and other places. Fifty people were in the room. Everyone raised a hand.


But no agency studies the effects of radiofrequency signals on medical implants. Even doctors who implant devices are likely unaware of the problems – though implant manufacturers typically alert patients to pages of dangers in their manuals.


Despite the fact that ten percent of Americans (more than twenty-five million people) have a medical implant, no agency studies their experience around wireless devices. Many of these people may find their implant malfunctioning (including shutting off) if they board an airplane, share an elevator with a mobile phone user, or step through a security door at a library or a mall. No agency studies the interference that may occur between devices when a cochlear implant is installed in a person who already has a deep brain stimulator and a pacemaker.


We need to broaden public awareness about the vulnerability of people with medical implants. We also need regulation that will limit electromagnetic emissions. We need to create limits around “second-hand” exposure to electromagnetic radiation since, for example, being in a metal-walled elevator with a person who is using a mobile phone can be especially hazardous for people with implants. At a minimum, stores and other places with security and Wi-Fi devices (now often not visible but hidden behind walls) should post warnings that a potential hazard exists for people with implanted medical devices and Radiofrequency Sickness.


Such warnings could be modeled after those the FDA began requiring of microwave oven manufacturers in the 1970s. They alerted people with cardiac pacemakers that the oven could leak radiation and create a potential hazard. The FDA still regulates microwave ovens, and most of them leak less radiation than most cell phones. All mobile phones are currently allowed to leak higher SARs than microwave ovens.

Original Source


Video: How to opt out from ‘smart’ meters (before & after measurements)

Robert Daniel 8 years ago updated 8 years ago 0

This must-see short film by Andrew Lankes of Austin, Texas, is loaded with truth and solutions for ‘smart’ meters, wireless, and dirty electricity.


What we like best about this 12-minute video are the clear measurements — with a ‘smart’ meter, and after it was replaced with a safe analog. Watch it here:


Youtube video

DIRTY ELECTRICITY MEASUREMENTS:

  • Kitchen – with ‘smart’ meter: 232 V/sec
  • Kitchen – with analog meter: 50 V/sec
  • Bedroom – with ‘smart’ meter: 153 V/sec
  • Bedroom – with analog meter: 60 V/sec

WIRELESS RADIATION MEASUREMENTS:

  • Smart meter: over 2,000 uW/m2* (device maxed out)
  • Analog meter: 0.4 uW/m2
  • * – pulses much higher than 2,000 uW/m2
  • Router with wireless: over 2,000 uW/m2 (device maxed out)
  • Router without wireless: 0.6 uW/m2
  • DECT cordless phone base: over 2,000 uW/m2 (device maxed out)
  • Mobile phone: over 2,000 uW/m2 (device maxed out)

SOLUTIONS:

  • 1) Replace ‘smart’ meter with analog meter
  • 2) Hardwire computers with ethernet cable
  • 3) Put cell phone in airplane mode when not in use, and don’t use right next to head. (Good idea: airtube headset)
  • 4) Use a corded landline

We’re bio-electric beings, affected by electromagnetics


Quite simply, we are bio-electric beings. As we’ve seen in Take Back Your Power (watch it here), once a utility installs a ‘smart’ meter, thousands (if not millions) are suffering functional impairments, illness or returning bouts of cancer and other diseases.
There are literally thousands of studies that show a biological effect from electromagnetic frequencies (EMF). And just this month, a $25M study by the US National Toxicology Program (NTP) concluded that cellphone radiation is linked with an increase presence of cancerous tumors.
But of course, industry and most government agencies are in full denial. It’s time the world knows what’s going on with ‘smart’ meters — better termed radiating surveillance meters.
Opting-out is not the solution, but it’s a start. It’s time we kick these ‘smart’/advanced/AMI meters out of our homes and neighborhoods once and for all. Contact your utility today and demand a safe analog meter.

Original Source

Easy Ways To Reduce Kids’ Exposure To Cell Phone Radiation

Robert Daniel 8 years ago 0

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You never leave home without it. You might even be holding it right now: your cell phone.


But could this essential device be harming your health?


A new study from the federal National Toxicology Program reveals troubling evidence that cell phone radiation could cause brain cancer. Scientists exposed rats to radio-frequency radiation at levels similar to and higher than those emitted by cell phones. Compared to unexposed rats, the exposed male animals showed a greater likelihood of developing malignant glioma, a type of brain cancer, as well as tumors on the heart.


Although the 10-year, $25 million study tested radiation effects on rats, it offers valuable insight into the potential risk to people, a concern that both health experts and cell phone users have raised for years.


EWG issued reports in 2009 and 2013 describing the possible health risks of cell phone and wireless radiation, including an increased risk of two types of brain cancer. In 2011 the World Health Organization’s classified cell phone radiation as a possible carcinogen.


More than five countries have warned people to cut back on cell phone radiation exposure, particularly for kids, whose brains may absorb double the amount of radiation as adults. While research continues, here are some of EWG’s top tips for reducing your family’s exposure to cell phone radiation:


Limit children’s use of cell phones
  • Choose a landline for everyday calls.
  • Don’t offer the phone as a toy while on the go or running errands.
  • If your kids use your phone to play games, switch on airplane mode.
Keep your distance
  • Use a headset or speaker while talking on the phone, rather than holding it directly to your ear.
  • While on a call, keep the phone away from your body – say, on a table in front of you, instead of your pocket.
  • Store your phone away from your body, not under your pillow or clipped on your belt.

Choose a good case: Some cell phone cases may minimize radiation exposure, while others force the phone to work harder and emit more radiation. Click here to learn more about how to choose the best cell phone case.


Text when possible: Texting emits less radiation than voice calls.
Seek a strong signal: Radiation levels are significantly higher when your signal is poor.
To learn more, visit EWG’s Guide to Safer Cell Phone Use.

Smart meters ‘not needed’ after all for European power grid

Robert Daniel 8 years ago 0

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A transition to an intelligent electricity grid in Europe can take place without smart meters, industry players have said, in comments that will embarrass the European Commission, which pushed a Europe-wide plan to roll out smart meters years ago.


There are other more efficient ways than smart meters to help develop intelligent power grids, said industry delegates at the annual convention of Europe’s electricity association Eurelectric, held in Vilnius last week.


These include quicker integration of renewables, the development of energy storage and energy demand response solutions, said the industry representatives.


The actual benefits of smart meters were also questioned at the conference, as several member states have done previously. Germany, for instance, has decided not to have a national roll-out plan at all, running counter to requirements laid out in EU legislation.


80% roll-out target


EU member states are required to implement smart meters under the 2009 Third Energy Package wherever it is cost-effective to do so, with the goal to replace 80% of electricity meters with smart meters by 2020.


The 80% target applies to both households and commercial buildings, a Commission spokesperson confirmed. The EU executive will publish in the next one to two years a report on smart meters “in the context of our regular monitoring exercise of the progress of members states,” the spokesperson said.


But progress has been sluggish, with few countries having completed their roll-outs and a number of nations – most notably Germany – having so far decided against a nation-wide deployment of smart meters.


And the countries that do have a commitment to smart meters, such as the UK, have run into hurdles in completing its roll-out because some meters would cease to work if a consumer decided to change energy supplier.


Markus Merkel, a senior advisor to the management board of German distribution system operator (DSO) EWE, told the Eurelectric conference that “there isn’t a positive business case” for smart meters in Germany.


Real data vital


EWE’s move towards an intelligent grid has focused to a large extent on upgrading the system to integrate the vast amount of new renewable energy at a quicker pace.


He said smart meters would be more useful for DSOs in their work to upgrade the grid if they provided real time data on energy consumption rather than the circa 15-minute intervals that current products provide.


“We need something different, and maybe smart metering 2.0 – the next generation of smart meters – will deliver something more that we as DSOs can also use,” he said.


Laurence Carpanini, director smarter energy solutions at IBM, echoed the real time data point, adding: “I don’t look at smart meters now as being the drivers of change – you don’t need smart meters really.”


Instead, industry players should “think about flexibility solutions as a whole” and focus on a mix of demand response technologies, frequency response and energy storage, she said.


Storage was also highlighted by Ari Koponen, CEO of Finnish DSO and utility Caruna. He said that while smart meters have been “essential” for collecting energy consumption data, the aspiration should be to access this data in real time and bring in more storage solutions.


“This would [bring] the smartness of the grid to a whole different level,” Koponen said.


The industry’s comments are an embarrassment for the European Commission’s own plan to deploy smart meters across Europe by 2020.


The Commission spokesperson declined to comment on the views about whether or not smart meters are necessary for the transition to an intelligent grid.


Member states are expected to conduct their own cost-benefit analyses for their national smart meters roll-out plans, the official said.


Original Source

Guide to North American Smart Meter Policies

Robert Daniel 8 years ago 0

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Analog meter choice bills are being considered by a number of US state legislatures this year, in response to a drumbeat of public complaints. These states include: Missouri, Michigan, Maryland, Massachusetts, Ohio, New York, Pennsylvania, and Texas.


For a draft inventory of existing smart meter policies throughout North America (courtesy of BC’s Coalition to Stop Smart Meters), click here to download a pdf. Please notify Sharon Noble of any updates.


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