Saturday, May 23, 2015

"Cell Phones and Wireless Technologies: Should Safety Guidelines be Strengthened to Protect Adults, Children and Vulnerable Populations?"

Expert Forum on Wireless Risks: "Cell Phones and Wireless Technologies: Should Safety Guidelines be Strengthened to Protect Adults, Childrenand Vulnerable Populations?"

Commonwealth Club of California - Monday, June 22nd11:30-3:30 p.m. (light lunch at 11:00 a.m.)  
555 Post Street (new temporary location)  
  
Registration via Commonwealth Club.
$20 members, $30 non-members,
$11 students (with valid ID)

Wireless “Smart” Meter Warnings Information & Perspective by Warren Woodward Sedona, Arizona ~ May 22, 2015

Wireless “Smart” Meter WarningsInformation & Perspective by Warren WoodwardSedona, Arizona ~ May 22, 2015


           This month there were a couple of very important developments regarding the near constant microwave transmissions of “smart” meters that the utility industry insists are safe.

           On May 11th, 190 independent, published scientists who specialize in ElectroMagnetic Field (EMF) research from 39 countries petitioned the United Nations to protect humans and wildlife from electromagnetic fields and wireless technology.

            Now, less than two weeks later, the International EMF Scientist Appeal has grown to 205 EMF scientists from 40 countries. Between them all, they have over 2,000 peer-reviewed EMF studies published.

            In the words at their website, “... the International EMF Scientist Appeal calls upon the United Nations, the WHO, and the UN Member States to:
  • address the emerging public health crisis related to cell phones, wireless devices, wireless utility meters and wireless infrastructure in neighborhoods; and 
  • urge that the United Nations Environmental Programme (UNEP) initiate an assessment of alternatives to current exposure standards and practices that could substantially lower human exposures to non-ionizing radiation.” 

            The Appeal requests of all U.N. member states that:

    1. children and pregnant women be protected; 
    2. guidelines and regulatory standards be strengthened; 
    3. manufacturers be encouraged to develop safer technology; 
    4. utilities responsible for the generation, transmission, distribution, and monitoring of electricity maintain adequate power quality and ensure proper electrical wiring to minimize harmful ground current; 
    5. the public be fully informed about the potential health risks from electromagnetic energy and taught harm reduction strategies; 
    6. medical professionals be educated about the biological effects of electromagnetic energy and be provided training on treatment of patients with electromagnetic sensitivity; 
    7. governments fund training and research on electromagnetic fields and health that is independent of industry and mandate industry cooperation with researchers; 
    8. media disclose experts’ financial relationships with industry when citing their opinions regarding health and safety aspects of EMF-emitting technologies; and 
    9. white-zones (radiation-free areas) be established. 

            For the press release, 3 minute introductory video, appeal and list of signatories, go to http://www.emfscientist.org/ .

            Arizonans can be proud that this effort was spearheaded by Elizabeth Kelley in Tucson.

            Another important development occurred May 7th when the Canadian Medical Association Journal published an article about wireless transmissions. I'll let Canadians For Safe Technology (C4ST) tell the story. Incidentally, C4ST's CEO, Frank Clegg is the former president of Microsoft Canada.

Canadian Medical Association Journal reports Health Canada's wireless limits are "A Disaster to Public Health"


OTTAWA, May 7, 2015 /CNW/ - The Canadian Medical Association Journal today published a scathing condemnation of Health Canada's safety guidelines for cell phones and Wifi. 

The Journal (CMAJ) interviewed multiple international experts in radiation and cancer, who warn that the microwave levels allowed in Canadian classrooms, residences and workplaces are, "a disaster to public health."

One scientist said that given the overwhelming evidence that wireless radiation is harmful, Health Canada staff are either, "unwilling or not competent to make evaluation of the current literature."

The article points out that Canada's Parliamentary Standing Committee on Health recently completed three days of hearings on Canada's safety guidelines, and sent federal scientists back to the office to re-examine 140 recent studies that show wireless radiation emitted by cell phones and WiFi can cause harm. 

One oncologist interviewed by the CMAJ said that Canada's safety guidelines for wireless radiation need to be "urgently revised" due to the obvious risk of cancer. 

The CMAJ article revealed that James McNamee, who wrote Health Canada's safety code, has also co-authored academic papers with scientists who openly accept payments from the wireless industry. 

"That Canada's wireless safety code is out of date and mired in conflict of interest is no longer a question it's a fact," said Frank Clegg, CEO of Canadians For Safe Technology (C4ST). 

"We're hoping the Parliamentary Standing Committee will have strong recommendations to fix it," said Clegg.

Can prenatal exposure to a 900 MHz electromagnetic field affect the morphology of the spleen and thymus, and alter biomarkers of oxidative damage in 21-day-old male rats?

Can prenatal exposure to a 900 MHz electromagnetic field affect the morphology of the spleen and thymus, and alter biomarkers of oxidative damage in 21-day-old male rats?


Hancı H, Türedi S, Topal Z, Mercantepe T, Bozkurt I, Kaya H, Ersöz Ş, Ünal B, Odacı E. Can prenatal exposure to a 900 MHz electromagnetic field affect the morphology of the spleen and thymus, and alter biomarkers of oxidative damage in 21-day-old male rats? Biotech Histochem. 2015 May 19:1-9. [Epub ahead of print]

Abstract

We investigated the effects of a 900 Megahertz (MHz) electromagnetic field (EMF), applied during the prenatal period, on the spleen and thymus of 21-day-old male rat pups. 
Pregnant Sprague-Dawley rats were divided into control and EMF groups. We applied 900 MHz EMF for 1 h/day to the EMF group of pregnant rats. Newborn male rat pups were removed from their mothers and sacrificed on postnatal day 21. Spleen and thymus tissues were excised and examined. 
Compared to the control group, thymus tissue malondialdehyde levels were significantly higher in the group exposed to EMF, while glutathione levels were significantly decreased. Increased malondialdehyde and glutathione levels were observed in splenic tissue of rats exposed to EMF, while a significant decrease occurred in superoxide dismutase values compared to controls. Transmission electron microscopy showed pathological changes in cell morphology in the thymic and splenic tissues of newborn rats exposed to EMF. 
Exposure to 900 MHz EMF during the prenatal period can cause pathological and biochemical changes that may compromise the development of the male rat thymus and spleen.
http://1.usa.gov/1GqZhhC
Note: I don't have access to this paper.

-- 



Joel M. Moskowitz, Ph.D., Director
Center for Family and Community Health
School of Public Health
University of California, Berkeley

Electromagnetic Radiation Safety

Website:              http://www.saferemr.com
Facebook:            http://www.facebook.com/SaferEMR
News Releases:    http://pressroom.prlog.org/jmm716/
Twitter:                 @berkeleyprc

Friday, May 22, 2015

Exposure to electromagnetic fields, mercury release and adverse health effects



Joel's comments: 
On May 19th, Dr. Mortazavi made the following presentation which has important implications for the health of pregnant women and individuals with electromagnetic hypersensitivity at The 5th Congress of the Paris Appeal, "Environmental idiopathic intolerance: what role for EMFs and multiple chemicals?," in Brussels, Belgium.

Dr. Mortazavi is one of the 205 scientists who conduct research on the effects of electromagnetic fields (EMF) on biology or health that signed the International EMF Scientist Appeal.  This petition signed by experts from 40 nations is a wake-up call to world leaders about the risks of EMF exposure produced by electrical and wireless devices.

The EMF Appeal was delivered to the United Nations and the World Health Organization on May 11th. Dr. Magda Havas presented the EMF Appeal at the 5th Congress in Brussels on May 19th. Links to 45 major news stories in covering theAppeal in 20 nations can be found at http://emfscientist.org/index.php/emf-media.
A related recent policy development was the adoption of a cell phone radiation safety ordinance by the City of Berkeley,California on May 12th. Berkeley will soon become the only city in the U.S. to require cell phone retailers to provide cell phone radiation safety information to consumers.

The Berkeley ordinance has generated more than 60 news stories to date, 25 since its adoption. Although much of the media coverage has been California-based, the story has been reported in The Guardian in the UK and by CTV in Canada. The wireless industry has also reported on the ordinance, including the Australian Mobile Telecommunications Association and the GSMA in London.

--

Exposure to electromagnetic fields, mercury release and adverse health effects 


SMJ Mortazavi & Ghazal Mortazvi. Increased Mercury Release from Dental Almagam Restorations after Exposure to Electromagnetic Fields as a Potential Hazard for Hypersensitive People and Pregnant Women. The 5th Congress of the Paris Appeal, Royal Academy of Medicine, Belgium. May 18 2015

Abstract

Over the past decades, the use of common sources of electromagnetic fields such as Wi-Fi routers and mobile phones has been increased enormously all over the world. There is ongoing concern that exposure to electromagnetic fields can lead to adverse health effects. It has recently been shown that even low doses of mercury may cause toxicity. Therefore, efforts are initiated to phase down or eliminate the use of mercury amalgam in dental restorations. Increased release of mercury from dental amalgam restorations after exposure to electromagnetic fields such as those generated by MRI and mobile phones has been reported by our team and other researchers.

We have recently shown that some of the papers which reported no increased release of mercury after MRI, may have some methodological errors. Although it was previously believed that the amount of mercury released from dental amalgam cannot be hazardous, new findings indicate that mercury, even at low doses, may cause toxicity. Based on recent epidemiological findings, it can be claimed that the safety of mercury released from dental amalgam fillings is questionable. Therefore, as some individuals tend to be hypersensitive to the toxic effects of mercury, regulatory authorities should re-assess the safety of exposure to electromagnetic fields in individuals with amalgam restorations.

On the other hand, we have reported that increased mercury release after exposure to electromagnetic fields may be risky for the pregnant women. It is worth mentioning that as a strong positive correlation between maternal and cord blood mercury levels has been found in some studies, our findings regarding the effect of exposure to electromagnetic fields on the release of mercury from dental amalgam fillings lead us to this conclusion that pregnant women with dental amalgam fillings should limit their exposure to electromagnetic fields to prevent toxic effects of mercury in their foetuses.

Based on these findings, as infants and children are more vulnerable to mercury exposures, and as some individuals are routinely exposed to different sources of electromagnetic fields, we possibly need a paradigm shift in evaluating the health effects of amalgam fillings.
Slides for this presentation available at: http://bit.ly/1F3Zi70

--

Joel M. Moskowitz, Ph.D., Director
Center for Family and Community Health
School of Public Health
University of California, Berkeley

Electromagnetic Radiation Safety

Website:              http://www.saferemr.com
Facebook:            http://www.facebook.com/SaferEMR
News Releases:    http://pressroom.prlog.org/jmm716/
Twitter:                 @berkeleyprc

Thursday, May 21, 2015

Indiana rejects 'smart' meters... and more

  
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Dear Paul,
More decision-makers are realizing that the liability and risks caused by 'smart' meters far outweigh the supposed benefits.

In Indiana, the Utility Regulatory Commission regulators have rejected Duke Energy’s $1.9B plan to deploy smart meters.

In Tasmania, the government is providing a free opt-out, but they are still withholding the facts of harm.

Somehow, many public servants and executives have become convinced that they have the authority to violate people's rights; that putting money, control, and personal gain before basic respect is somehow acceptable. This delusion must now dissolve.

Our challenge is to envision and reach a tipping point in the near future in which all 'smart' meter deployments are stopped, and all utilities remove these harmful devices. This means changing the motivations of decision-makers.

Lessons From History

When we (as a society) found out that thalidomide kills babies, we changed course. When we found out that inhaling asbestos is slowly fatal, we changed course.
When we recognized that negotiation or asking nicely would not stop Nazi Germany, we changed course.

It is now clear that so-called 'smart' meters, being deployed in the name of "climate action", are a slow kill to our rights, property and biology. And it is now time we change course.

It does not matter if those causing the harm find it inconvenient.

If utilities and governments can spend billions on deploying this problem, they can spend a fraction of that on the solution: returning to safe analog metering systems which are accurate, economical, and durable; and which do not spy, catch fire, explode, make your home hackable, emit pulsed microwave radiation, facilitate extortion, waste billions, and charge you double for using energy when you want.

As a side note, is it not insane that any governing body would still dare to back the 'smart' fiasco? Insane yes, but they have been propagandized, perhaps paid off, and most do not yet fully perceive the extent of their personal liability and the risk involved.

Those causing or complicit in harm need two things: 1) to be made aware of the facts, and 2) to be held liable. Let us keep spreading truth and the message within Take Back Your Power, and let us hold their feet to the fire.

Vigilantibus non dormientibus aequitas subvenit.
   Justice aids the vigilant, not those who sleep on their rights.

* * *

The Turning Of Industry

Speaking of correcting the lies, the latest issue of Metering & Smart Energy International asked experts from within the industry, "Are smart meters living up to their promise?" The results indicate a big shift in perspective.

Some of the industry expert quotes:
• "There simply is no real benefit to the domestic consumer."
• "The hype has been driven by manufacturers and commentators..."
• "33% associate smart metering with higher customer bills, invasion of privacy and health concerns"
 "The second very real and growing issue is that of privacy.  This is exacerbated by the major internet players’ use and misuse of data gathered..."

So, enough with industry propaganda touting "benefits to the consumer". Do not accept lies.

See the magazine pages here and KT Weaver's commentary here

* * *

Flammable 'smart' Meters To Be Moved 3M Away From Propane Tanks

Hydro Quebec has thoughtfully taken it upon themselves to make sure your propane tank doesn't blow up when your 'smart' meter catches fire. How sweet of them.

Be sure to check out their press release to see how chuffed they are with their inspiring mission's progress.

Utilities KNOW that fires are an issue but have been able to sidestep it, thus far. Therefore it is up to everyone who is aware to hold them accountable and liable.

* * *

Wireless Radiation & Your Health

1) 200+ scientists from 38 nations have submitted the International EMF Scientist Appeal to the United Nations, UN member states and the World Health Organization (WHO) requesting they adopt more protective exposure guidelines, since the evidence of harm is now overwhelming. (See also: Dr. Martin Blank's video.) Will this initiative effect change, or will more forceful measures be required?

2) Two weeks ago, the Canadian Medical Association Journal covered the emerging scandal involving Health Canada's Safety Code 6 and its industry-controlled "experts".

3) Last week, The Telegraph (UK) profiled Dr. Erica Mallory-Blythe's compelling research and video on wireless & health. (Predictably, it was followed by this industry propaganda.)

4) In April, The Daily Telegraph (Australia) featured the growing phenomenon of Wi-Fi causing illness at school, and parents pulling their children from wireless classrooms.

5) Congrats to ‪the City of Berkeley (California) in unanimously requiring cellphone retailers to label potential health risks. (See also Kevin Kunze's short film on this proceeding, last Tuesday.)

6) On June 22, the Commonwealth Club (San Francisco, CA) will host another seminal event: Cell Phones & Wireless Technologies: Should Safety Guidelines Be Strengthened?

7) Meanwhile, the CTIA FCC is actually recommending ingestible wireless transmitters. In a post called, "Using Broadband to Get Healthy and Stay Well". Beyond insane.

* * *

Conscious Developments & Good News

1) Barely a week after Tesla's Powerwall battery was announced, it's sold-out to mid-2016. The drive to be self-sufficient is exponentially increasing.

2) This latest issue of Science to Sage magazine is on a topic that gives life to us all... water. My article on 'smart' water meters and the state of "manufactured lack" is on page 87.

3) On April 23, Montana Governor Steve Bullock signed a law protecting his state's law enforcement from being converted into an arm of a federal police force.

4) Hemp is a truly renewable resource for clothing, housing, paper, fuel, plastics, food (seed), oil (anti-cancer), milk, chemical cleanup, and now... airplanes. No wonder the corporate-government complex banned it in 1937!

5) Last week, Washington state voted unanimously to pass a bill which limits Stingray surveillance. This is encouraging, and also indicates most legislators still need to know the truth about 'smart' meters - and likewise be held to account.

* * *
 
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Around the world, Take Back Your Power (2014 Edition) is awakening people to the 'smart' meter agenda, and the empowering actions each of us can take. Visit our DVD shop or stream the film online now via Amazon PrimeiTunes or VHX.Buy bulk DVDs for up to 50% off.

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Stop Microwave Radiation and Wifi in California's Public Schools!

Stop Microwave Radiation and Wifi in California's Public Schools!

To be delivered to  The California State House, The California State Senate, and Governor Jerry Brown
WHERE DO OUR CHILDREN SPEND MOST OF THEIR WAKING MOMENTS? AT SCHOOL, THEREFORE SCHOOL RADIATION SHOULD BE AT THE TOP OF OUR CONCERNS AND ENSURING THE REMOVAL OF WIFI EXPOSURE SHOULD BE OUR TOP PRIORITY FOR IMPROVING CALIFORNIA'S PUBLIC SCHOOLS.
HARD WIRED INTERNET CONNECTIONS OFFER A SAFE OPTION FOR ALL STUDENTS AND STAFF.
There are currently 234 signatures. NEW goal - We need 300 signatures!



PETITION BACKGROUND



Remember the old commercial:
Tell two people who tell two people who tell two people and so on ....
We must influence change and demonstrate that it is the people that have the power! Our children's health and safety are at stake. You will not see this issue discussed in mainstream media, we need to push this very relevant conversation in the direction of our elected officials. With your help we can make a change! 
THE POWER OF COMMUNITY!
The microwave radiation from wireless devices has never been safety tested on children. The current regulations for the amount of radiation that children can be exposed to was set by the US army and was based on keeping recruits safe from short term exposure. Current guidelines are based on the premise that the microwave radiation is safe so long as it does not heat an average sized army recruit [6ft 1inch tall. 210 lbs] more than one degree centigrade in 6 minutes. Safety limits have not been adjusted for density/body weight of children. 
In addition to ZERO studies on the safety of long term microwave radiation exposure on children, there are also no studies on the compounded impact of metal/microwave radiation [braces, under wire bras]. According to Health Canada there are studies showing that microwave radiation reflects and is absorbed by metal. The World Health Organization has classified Wifi and like Radio-frequencies as a type 2B Carcinogen. 
We need to keep driving the awareness and alertness of the growing public concern about microwave radiation in our environment. Certainly in Europe, there is a great deal of change. Parents are demanding safe schools for their children - wifi free schools. France for example has eliminated wifi exposure within their schools. Please visit www.wifiexposure.com for more information about this and other initiatives taken within the European Communities and around the world. 
I would like to present our Petition to the Governor of California, the California Senate, and the California House of Representatives with as many signatures as possible, representing the growing numbers of Californians who want to err on the side of caution for their children and use hard wired connections to computers in schools. This cautionary approach would also protect teachers and non-teaching staff in schools. 
Please check out this video regarding the very real health and safety concerns regarding WIFI in schools: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jvkxO8xLqMQ

Only On 2: Woman Cuts Family Off From WiFi Over Health Concerns

Only On 2: Woman Cuts Family Off From WiFi Over Health Concerns


Have you heard 'the hum'? Mystery of Earth's low droning noise could now be solved

Have you heard 'the hum'? Mystery of Earth's low droning noise could now be solved

It was often blamed on phone masts, submarine communications and pipes

 
 
Scientists have confirmed the cause of a strange humming noisethat emanates from the Earth and has baffled people for more than forty years – and was even a factor in one reported suicide.
The noise has been talked about worldwide and also made local newspaper headlines in the UK. It is often referred to as a “phenomenon” and “the hum”, usually prefixed with the location of where it is heard.
In Britain, the most famous example was the “Bristol hum” that made the news in the late 1970s. One newspaper asked readers in the city: “Have you heard the Hum?” and at least 800 people said they had – according to the BBC – and some had suffered headaches and nosebleeds from it.
It has been described like “a diesel car idling in the distance” by a BBC interviewee and the maddening sound has driven people stir-crazy in trying to figure it out. Especially when they can only hear it at home and during the night.
People living on the south coast have complained this week of a constant and low-pitched sound for which they have found no cause – as reported by Plymouth Herald.
It has been mistaken for leaking pipes, phone masts, wind farms, low-frequency submarine communications and even mating fish.
“For the first few years I lost sleep, couldn’t concentrate and was unable to do anything. I was constantly in tears, which put a great strain on my husband. It has changed me from an active, creative person to a stifled, angry pessimist,” a woman told The Independent back in 1994.
Doctors blamed patients’ abilities to hear it on tinnitus, until Addenbrooke’s Hospital in Cambridge had confirmed sometime in the 1990s that the cause is external.
Submarines, as well as phone masts and gas pipes, were blamed for the humSubmarines, as well as masts and gas pipes, were blamed for the humHowever, the search for the truth could now be over as researchers claim that microseismic activity from long ocean waves impacting the sea bed is what makes our planet vibrate and produces the droning sound.
The pressure of the waves on the seafloor generates seismic waves that cause the Earth to oscillate, said Fabrice Ardhuin, a senior research scientist at Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique in France.
The continuous waves produce sounds lasting from 13 to 300 seconds. They can be heard by a relatively small proportion of people – who are sensitive to the hums – and also by seismic instruments.
“We have made a big step in explaining this mysterious signal and where it is coming from and what is the mechanism,” Ardhuin said of the study published in Geophysical Research Letters, a journal of the American Geophysical Union.
Waves impacting the sea bed have been found to be the causeWaves impacting the deep sea bed have been found to be the causeUnderstanding the ringing could also help researchers gain a better knowledge of the Earth’s structure, he added.
Microseismic waves penetrate through the Earth’s mantle so recording these waves could give scientists a much more detailed picture of what lies beneath.
READ MORE:
IN SEARCH OF THE THING THAT GOES HUM IN THE NIGHT
MYSTERIOUS HUM KEEPING PEOPLE UP ALL NIGHT ‘COULD BE MATING FISH’
WHAT'S THAT TERRIBLE NOISE?
Discovering fainter seismic signals could also allow scientists to better detect small or faraway earthquakes.