Italy: Thousands of Protesters Oppose U.S. Military Satellite Ground Station Over Concerns About Possible Harmful Electromagnetic Radiation Emissions

WASHINGTON — U.S. government officials hope an Italian appeals court ruling and results from a pair of health studies, all expected within a month, will help break an impasse that has halted work on a critical U.S. military satellite ground station in Sicily.

Construction of the Mobile User Objective System (MUOS) ground station in Niscemi, Italy, was halted in April following months of protests sparked by concerns about harmful electromagnetic radiation that might be emitted from the site. The station is one of four being built for MUOS, a U.S. Navy satellite system intended to serve mobile forces.

U.S. officials say the Sicilian ground station remains on schedule for now, but that every day construction crews are idle will make the deadline for completion more difficult to meet. Crews will need 14 months to complete the project once the work resumes, leaving little room for additional delays given that MUOS is planned to be fully operational by 2015.

The multibillion-dollar MUOS system consists of four geostationary-orbiting satellites plus one on-orbit spare, and four ground stations, and is designed to provide cellphone-like communications to mobile forces. The Niscemi station is about 60 kilometers inland from the U.S. Naval Air Station Sigonella in Sicily. The other ground stations are located in western Australia, southeast Virginia and Hawaii.

According to U.S. State Department briefing documents, written in Italian and dated May 17, all MUOS ground stations with the exception of the Niscemi site are operational. All four ground stations, along with associated terminals, must be in service for MUOS to be considered fully operational, said Mark Lewis, a spokesman for Lockheed Martin, the satellite’s prime contractor.

The first of the MUOS satellites was launched in February 2012; the second is expected to follow as early as July 19. .

In Sicily, locals have protested the construction of the ground station, claiming the antennas would create dangerous levels of electromagnetic emissions and possibly lead to higher rates of leukemia and other forms of cancer. In response, the Sicilian governor revoked the U.S. Navy’s permission to continue building there.

U.S. State Department and Navy officials point to a series of upcoming events that they believe will help keep the project on time. Key among them is a ruling, expected in early July, from an Italian appeals court that could allow construction on the ground station to resume. U.S. officials are hoping the court will temporarily negate a revocation notice from the Sicilian government that halted construction. The Italian Ministry of Defense appealed the revocation, saying the action strained Italian-U.S. relations.

The health effects studies, meanwhile, follow up on earlier research conducted by the Navy that seemingly exonerated the ground station but failed to convince thousands of protesters who have campaigned against the project.

The Navy is hoping the first of the new studies, being conducted by the Johns Hopkins University’s Applied Physics Laboratory in Laurel, Md., will prove more persuasive, according to talking points distributed by the Navy to reporters. The study’s results are expected to be announced in the coming weeks.

Preliminary findings say that a passerby 200 meters from a cell phone tower, or 1 kilometer from a television broadcast antenna, is exposed to greater electromagnetic-emission levels than at the nearest point in the perimeter fence surrounding the Niscemi ground station. The exposure levels near the cell and TV towers are well below the health limits set by the Italian government, according to the talking points.

Preliminary results from a second study, this one by Italy’s Istituto Superiore di Sanità, or National Institute of Health, are expected within weeks, according to the U.S. State Department. U.S. officials are hopeful that this study, too, will help convince Sicilians that the MUOS station poses no health hazard.

The second satellite in the constellation, MUOS-2, has been delivered by Lockheed Martin Space Systems of Sunnyvale, Calif., to Cape Canaveral Air Force Station, Fla., in preparation for its upcoming launch. Two on-orbit satellites are needed to test out the new MUOS wave form that is expected to bring out the most advanced capabilities of the system.

MUOS-3 is expected to launch sometime during fiscal year 2014, which begins this October.

Source: http://www.spacenews.com/article/military-space/35921us-hopes-court-ruling-new-studies-will-break-impasse-on-muos-station#.UcUzjBZQSoV

WHO International Stakeholder Seminar on Radiofrequency Policies - Paris, 5 June 2013

WHO International Stakeholder Seminar on RF Policies associated with mobile phones and masts, wifi, smart meters and wireless technology

(summary posted on UK Radiation Research Trust site - www.radiation research.org) 

On 5th June, 2013 evidence was exchanged at the WHO seminar at the French Agency for Food, Environmental and Occupational Health & Safety (ANSES) in Paris followed by dinner at La Coupole Brasserie.

Over 100 stakeholders from 40 countries attended the event including policymakers, EU Commission, telecom, local authorities, regulating bodies, lawyers, environmental activists and health and safety professionals.

Board members from the International EMF Alliance Eileen O’Connor, Sissel Halmøy and Kerstin Stenberg attended the meeting. Stenberg representing the Swedish Association for the Electrohypersensitives said, “We are deeply concerned about the increased prevalence of precursory symptoms of electrohypersensitivity in society such as insomnia, concentration and behaviour disorders, depression and tinnitus. We need to reduce the knowledge gap in order to allow an early diagnosis and reduce the incidence of severe electrohypersensitivity.”

Much discussion centered around the precautionary principle which advocates erring on the side of caution until wireless technologies can be proven safe. Deep concern has been raised that the profit-driven telecommunications industry is trying to do away with this precautionary approach, with the proliferation of phone masts throughout the world and growing use of mobile phones by all members of society including children and pregnant woman, without any prior warnings of the dangers associated with untested and unregulated technology, thus endangering untold millions.

Halmoy representing the Citizens´ Radiation Protection in Norway added “Uncertainties for health and the environment exist regarding the introduction of RF fields and increasing use of mobile phones, wifi, phone masts and smart meters which now carry a 2B "possibly human" carcinogenic label as officially classified by the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC). The public, especially our children and people suffering with Electrosensitive [ES] symptoms deserve respect and protection.”

The World Health Organisation (WHO) called for the views of stakeholders and interested parties in the process of preparing an Environmental Health Criteria monograph on radiofrequency (RF) fields. The monograph will include a scientific review of all studied health outcomes and it will provide an overview of risk management policies and practices around the world.

The purpose of the seminar provided an opportunity for stakeholders to present their views on specific questions to be addressed during the course of this project. The discussions at the seminar and their conclusions will be considered carefully in the development of the WHO monograph.

O’Connor, representing the UK Radiation Research Trust said, “Many doctors and scientists worldwide believe there is a very real and significant risk to the general health of the public, wildlife and the environment. It is an infringement of human rights and may possibly be in contravention of the Nuremberg treaty to subject unsuspecting members of the public to RF/EMF emissions when they have not been shown to be safe, and indeed much research and observation suggest that there are significant risks. Because the public has clearly not given permission or approval or been given proper advice or words of caution to allow them to make informed decisions, we are therefore calling on the WHO to lead the world and to follow the precautionary principle when carrying out this review in order to prevent what could turn out to be a catastrophic disaster.”

Source: http://www.radiationresearch.org/images/rrt_articles/WHO-International-Stakeholder-Seminar-on-RF-Policies.pdf

Inevitable residents' health will suffer

Karen Hanna explains why residents around Scroggs Hill Rd, Brighton, are alarmed about the possible health effects of a planned 2degrees mobile phone tower.

The tower, which will be just 19m from the nearest dwelling, will emit electromagnetic radiation (EMR) at 900MHz and 2100MH.

The company has stated the maximum level of EMR at the nearby houses will be approximately 2 to 4 microwatts per square centimetre. These levels are less than 1% of the New Zealand Standard 2772.1:1999, which allows a maximum exposure limit of 450.

New Zealand shares this limit of 450 with India, but many other countries have lower limits - for example the US 300, China 40, Russia 10 and Switzerland 4.2.

There is widespread concern the present New Zealand standard does not give adequate protection from EMR.

In November 2009, a petition signed by more than 3000 people was presented to Parliament noting there was increasing international evidence EMR can cause adverse effects even at low exposure levels that are thousands of times below the public safety limits set in our standard.

The petitioners called for a new standard to be developed that protected the public from acute and chronic biological effects of exposure to EMR.

As reported in the Hindustan Times (15.7.12), Prof Girish Kumar, department of electrical engineering, Indian Institute of Technology, Bombay, stated: ''Being exposed to a mobile tower located within 50m of your home or workplace is like being in a microwave oven for 24 hours.''

He noted that although cancer occurred in only extreme cases, almost everyone living close to mobile towers reported disorders such as sleep disturbances, headaches, fatigue, and joint pains.

He stated the impact was higher on children because they had smaller and thinner skulls.

Other effects included burning and tingling sensations in the scalp, dizziness, lack of concentration, ringing in the ears, increased reaction time, loss of memory, headaches, indigestion, acute itchiness, and increased heart rate.

The late Dr Neil Cherry, of Lincoln University, studied the evidence on the health effects of EMR and found it interfered with the natural EMR-based communication systems in our bodies, particularly our brains and hearts.

He found EMR reduced secretion of the free radical scavenger melatonin from the pineal gland in the brain and that this led to DNA damage in chromosomes leading to a variety of both acute and chronic diseases, including miscarriages and foetal abnormalities.

Dr Cherry reviewed the study of the residents of the US embassy in Moscow who, from 1953 to 1976, were chronically exposed to a radar signal averaging 1.9 microwatts per square centimetre on the outside wall but far less inside.

The study found chronic exposure to very low intensity pulsed microwaves in the range of 0.04 0.2 resulted in cardiac symptoms, neurological and psychological symptoms, altered blood cell counts, increased chromosome aberrations, and elevated cancer in children and adults.

Sickness increased in a dose-response manner with the years of residence in the embassy.

After considering more than 50 studies in the scientific literature, Dr Cherry recommended an outdoor public exposure limit at property boundaries of 0.1, a standard now accepted in the cities of Salzburg (Austria) and Plenum Leganes (Spain).

Why should Dunedin residents accept EMR levels that are 20 to 40 times higher (2 to 4 microwatts per square centimetre)?

If the proposed tower goes ahead it is inevitable a deterioration in the health of Brighton and Ocean View residents will occur.

That is why they are alarmed.

Source: http://www.odt.co.nz/opinion/opinion/262423/inevitable-residents-health-will-suffer

Are Smart Meters Really Dangerous?

Still wondering whether your Smart Meter is safe or not? Maybe you’re thinking all the fuss certain people are making about them is based on misinformation and emotionally-charged beliefs, and that their symptoms are all in their heads.

Well, there have been heated emotional arguments on both sides of this issue, many based on too little information. What we can’t argue with, however, is science—independent scientific research and reports—and there is much available to us now, telling us about the dangers of Smart Meters.

Sage Associates Report on Smart Meter Radiation

For example, take the report an independent research team, Sage Associates, recently published, entitled “Assessment of Radiofrequency Microwave Radiation Emissions from Smart Meters”. This is a detailed report basing its conclusions on clear evidence of Smart Meter hazards.

The conclusions of the research team include the fact that Smart Meters often may not even comply with Federal Communications Commission (FCC) safety standards. And these standards in themselves are insufficient for measuring radiation levels in smart meters.

The report also outlines how FCC standards, set back in 1996, were based on studies with healthy 6’2”, 220 lbs men exposed for short periods of time—very different from the situation with Smart Meters, in which women, children and people in fragile health are continuously exposed to the radiation, often from more than one smart meter.

Furthermore, the regulations only tested for thermal damage—and the health risks researchers are finding are from non-thermal effects. Also, other sources of radiation (such as Wi-Fi, cell phones, and other wireless devices, all present in today’s homes) were not present in the testing. For all these reasons, the report strongly cautions that smart meters are not safe.

Santa Cruz County Health Department Report

In January 2012, the Public Health Officer and County Counsel of the County of Santa Cruz wrote a reportto the Board of Supervisors, outlining their analysis of health effects of Smart Meters. The lengthy, detailed letter included numerous citations of evidence of health dangers from Smart Meters.

It recommends that

''…it is in the best interest of public health, safety, and welfare…to adopt the…ordinance implementing a temporary moratorium on the installation of SmartMeters in or on any home, apartment, condominium or business within the the unincorporated area of the County.''

UC Nuclear Policy Lecturer Dan Hirsch Report on Smart Meter Dangers

Yet another report regarding the hazards of smart meters was published by Daniel Hirsch, PhD, commenting on the Draft Report called “Heath Impacts of Radio Frequency from Smart Meters” written by the California Council on Science and Technology (CCST).

Hirsch points out that the report by the CCST doesn’t appear to answer the questions asked of it by the requesting elected officials. Also, rather than being an independent study, the CCST basically cut and pasted estimates from a brochure by the Electric Power Research Institute, an industry group—and that furthermore, those estimates were inaccurate. Indeed, he states that

The cumulative whole body exposure from a Smart Meter at 3 feet appears to be approximately two orders of magnitude higher than that of a cell phone, rather than two orders of magnitude lower.

American Academy of Environmental Medicine Recommends Avoiding Smart Meters
Calling for immediate caution regarding Smart Meter installations due to radiation health risks, a letterpublished by the American Academy of Environmental Medicine cites a number of peer-reviewed, double-blinded, placebo-controlled research in humans, and concludes that

“…significant harmful biological effects occur from non-thermal RF exposure, showing causality.”

It further states its opinion that the installation is irresponsible and calls not only for a moratorium on installation, but also immediate relief to those requesting it, including the return of analog meters.

The literature cited in the letter raises serious concerns about the levels of RF and ELF exposures emitted by Smart Meters. The board also states that the existing FCC guidelines for RF safety that have been used to justify installation of Smart Meters only look at thermal damage and are obsolete since many up-to-date studies show metabolic & genetic damage from RF & ELF below the level of intensity which heats tissues.

Other Studies on the Effects of Wireless Radiation

A comprehensive report published by 29 independent scientists, researchers, and health policy professionals from 10 different countries, the Bioinitiative Report documents clear evidence that numerous health issues are created by exposure to radiation from wireless devices.

An article in the scientific journal Pathophysiology in 2007 by C. Sage and D. Carpenter outlines in detail the reasons for concern about wireless radiation. They cite studies linking non-thermal radiation to:

• Leukemia
• Brain tumors
• Alzeimer’s and ALS
• Breast cancer
• DNA damage, breakage of blood-brain barrier
• Altered immune function
• Insomnia
• Memory and learning deficits

They conclude that:

The rapidly expanding development of new wireless technologies and the long latency for the development of such serious diseases as brain cancers means that failure to take immediate action to reduce risks may result in an epidemic of potentially fatal diseases in the future.

So, are Smart Meters Dangerous?

How much more evidence do we need? Certainly there is enough at this point to warrant great concern. We need to see that people claiming to have health symptoms since the installation of their Smart Meters are actually the “canaries in the mine”. Symptoms in healthier and less sensitive individuals will probably simply take longer to appear.

At the same time, if you are concerned, there is the option of simply getting EMF protection, and the whole matter of smart meter dangers can be dropped. The controversy will likely go on for some time—as will the controversy about the dangers of cell phone radiation. But with the probable dangers of both, why wait to see who is eventually proven “right”?

http://www.earthcalm.com/emf-dangers-2/are-smart-meters-really-dangerous/

For all these technologies we’re actually further apart, you know what I’m saying… Hello?

I like this!  I like this a lot!  I speaks to my upbringing; of being polite and courteous.  Of please and thank you's.  Where men held doors for ladies and women said, "thank you" in return.  Day's when you could walk down a street without having to dodge people blindly tap tap tapping on their phones.  Of being shoved and pushed and trampled by unthinking and unaware techno zombies.

“Excuse me sir could you please put your phone down. You’re not walkin’ straight, your stumblin’ around. You’re in public man, you’re being kind of rude. Your text messages are not that important dude!”

“Excuse me lady, could you put your phone down. Your talking too loud like nobody’s around. I’m sure your friend can wait to hear what you have to say. I don’t want to know that much about your day…”

From the creators of “Whole Foods Parking Lot” and “Yoga Girl”. DJ Dave “goes dumb” on smart phones in this public service announcement to those among us who are emotionally, physically or surgically tied to our “pieces”. In today’s world of technology driven hyper-communication, its good to exercise your interpersonal skills, lest they atrophy. Here’s Put Your Phone Down:

Customers sue Edison and PG&E over health effects from Smart Meters / Smart grid

Press Release Contact: Liz Barris 310-455-7530 contact@thepeoplesinitiative.org

Customers Sue Edison and PG@E Over Health Effects From Smart Meters/Smart grid

The law firms of David Kyle and Paul Overett have filed suit against SCE Edison and PG@E for health effects from smart meters/smart grid and will host a press conference on:

Wed. June 12th, 12:00 PM at 5150 E. Pacific Coast Hwy, Long Beach, CA 90804.

A total of 16 plaintiffs, 10 SCE Edison and 6 PG@E with health effects ranging from headaches, loss of energy and ringing in the ears to cancer, heart attacks and medical implant interference/defibrillator shut offs, are holding those responsible for the new wireless digital meters accountable.

Also named in the lawsuit are smart meter distribution companies, Corix and Wellington and smart meter manufacturers, Itron and Landis and Gyr, with possibly more defendants to be added as the suit progresses.

Health effects associated with smart meters and smart grid have been reported all over the country, but because of the 3.4 billion dollars in federal stimulus grants offered utility companies in exchange for smart meter installation, these complaints have largely been ignored. Also ignoring the complaints of health effects was CPUC president Michael Peevey, who served as president of Edison for over a decade.

The smart meter roll out has been plagued with controversy ever since the WHO came out with its statement on the radiation associated with the meters being a possible human carcinogen. Despite these warnings, the Federal government persisted in its funding of the potentially carcinogenic metering and infrastructure which also serves the dual function of spying on American citizens.

Other problems with the meters consist of over billing, fire hazard, invasion of privacy and multiple Constitutional violations. But none of these have received as much public backlash as the issue of health effects from smart meters and smart grid.

Customers from other utilities in the state of CA, including municipally run utilities such as LADWP, BWP, GWP, SMUD and others who’s health has been compromised by smart meters or smart grid may also join the suit by contacting organizer, Elizabeth Barris at 310-281-9639 or contact@thepeoplesinitiative.org.

Copies of the filed complaints can be found at:http://www.citizensforaradiationfreecommunity.org
For a video on the lawsuits please watch: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1Vln-uuu_aI
For more info on this issue go to: http://www.ThePeoplesInitiative.org

Special thanks to ElectroSmogPrevention.org, EMFSafetyNetwork.org, FreedomTaker.com, SmartMeterHealthAlert.org, StopOCSmartMeters.org, StopSmartMeters.org, for their continued support.

http://www.emfacts.com/2013/06/customers-sue-edison-and-pge-over-health-effects-from-smart-meterssmart-grid/

Caught in radiation trap

Kolkate - India: Constables on duty at Gariahat crossing are exposed to radio frequency (RF) radiation level that is 500 times more than the safe limit for short time exposure.

For a traffic police posted at the Gurusaday Road-Syed Amir Ali Avenue intersection, it's 120 times more.

For bhelpuri and ice-cream vendors in front of South City Mall, the exposure to radiation is 80 times the safe limit.

The extensive network of fixed cellular wireless antennas in the city has turned its streets into a radiation minefield with recorded levels making a mockery of the safety standard set by the government. Adopting the international standards, the maximum permissible RF exposure from radiation source - base station antennas - was set as 9.2 watt per square metre (W/m{+2}) at 1,800 MHz in India before 2012. A revised amendment has reduced the RF radiation to one tenth the previous value concerning the health hazard of citizens, thus setting the limit as 0.92 W/m{+2} at 1,800 MHz and 0.47 W/m{+2} at 900 MHz.

Measurement of street-level electromagnetic radiation show that even at a distance of 80 metre from a cell site, exposure to RF radiation is dangerously high. If one considers 1-10 W/m{+2} as safe limit for exposure, then a field study by students of electronics and telecommunication engineering (ETCE) department at Jadavpur University shows that few pockets in the city are safe.

Of the 33 locations where readings were taken, the metre read below 10 W/m{+2}{+ }only at two places: in front of the Indian Association for Cultivation of Science and Acharya Prafulla Chandra Roy Polytechnic College. The remaining 31 locations recorded readings ranging between 20 W/m{+2} and 5,000 W/m{+2}.

In addition to the 33 sites, measurements were recorded inside three buildings in Salt Lake, including a hospital. At all three locations, RF exposure was well above the prescribed norm. At the third and fourth floor of Kolkata Heart Clinic Hospital, the readings were 200 W/m{+2} and 400 W/m{+2}, respectively. At the entrance of Gold Castle Loop, the reading was 3,500 W/m{+2}. The measurement of RF radiation on the roof of a residential building at BL block with a cell site located 50 metre away was 5,000 W/m{+2}.

"There have been several articles about ailments from RF radiation exposure. But the quantum of RF radiation in the city was not mentioned. We had discussed the radiation issue in class and students were curious to know if the hazard was for real. That is when the owner of a company called us to find out the radiation level in the office located at Elgin Road. Once we did the study, we decided to map some more areas to find out what the average radiation in the city was like," recounted ETCE department professor Iti Saha Misra.

Armed with an HF 35 C radiation detector that operates within frequency range 800 MHz - 2.5 GHz and measures the radiation power density in W/m2, the JU research team comprising PhD scholar Anindita Kundu and B. ETCE students Bindita Choudhuri, Banishree Ghosh and Jyotibdha Acharya set out to measure the RF radiation at various locations in the city. The findings left them astounded.

The analysis of the data showed that while high radiation was detected when a cell site was located in the vicinity, there was a quantum jump in radiation level at locations that were overlapped by multiple base stations. Researchers said the high-power density in a place may occur due to two factors: high transmitting power or high gain of the transmitting antenna. Another major factor that emerged from the study was that radiation was most in the direction at which the antennas of a cell site pointed.

"Antennas installed at very low height with high gain cause large radiation power density at the ground level. Also, very high directive antennas installed in close proximity may cause high received cumulative radiation though the distance may be in excess of 300 metre. These cases were observed in many places. Obviously, such installation should be avoided in densely populated areas," said Misra.

"There are no guidelines for long-term RF exposure concerning health hazards. Herein lies the significance for surveying the present cellular base station RF radiation in the city area and their impact on human health where population density is very high," Misra added.

Interestingly, the study also observed that phone calls could be made and received with complete voice clarity where radiation power density was as low as 2-3 W/m{+2} in an indoor building surrounded by thick walls. So careful planning in installation of base stations can ensure that calls be made without unnecessarily high RF radiation.

A Sexy Phone Case That Shields Your Brain From Radiation

Let’s face it, being safe doesn’t look very sexy. Case in point: anyone in a bike helmet. And while that’s no reason to be reckless (wear your bike helmets, everyone!), what if you could take care of your body and actually look cool while doing so?

A new collaboration between protective case maker Pong and the design firm IDEO attempts to do just that. Gold Reveal is the newest offering in Pong’s lineup of radiation-deflecting phone and tablet cases. With a sleek frame in rich colors and a latticed back that reveals a hint of gold metal, the case is an upgrade from the other clunky plastic options on the market. But more importantly, Gold Reveal is as effective as Pong’s original designs in protecting users from the electromagnetic radiation our cellular and wireless devices emit.

Every Pong case comes with a built-in, golden-hued antenna. This antenna pairs with the cell phone’s antenna to form a small magnetic field, which draws the cell phone’s power away from the front of the phone (where your precious brains reside) and redirects it towards the back and sides of the phone. Pong claims, and Wired confirms, that its cases can reduce the amount of radiation that we come into contact with while strengthening our cell signal.

Pretty cool stuff. But until now, Pong’s cases didn’t reflect that. While not exactly ugly, the company’s earlier products were boxy and bright—just the sort of thing you wouldn’t feel too bad about dropping on the ground.

“The product worked well, but visually it didn’t give the consumer a sense of what the product did,” explains Todd DeYoung, Pong’s president and CEO. “We really thought it was critical that the product tell a little bit more of its own story.”

That’s where IDEO came in. The design firm knew from the start they wanted to showcase the gold antenna that was hidden by plastic in older models.

“The shape and quality of the antenna was beautiful, so we wanted to reveal that,” says Blaise Bertrand, IDEO’s design director, nodding to the product’s name. “We thought it was important to communicate to users what’s there. Part of the design process is to be very clear about what this [product] is about.”

Both IDEO and Pong approached the project with a balanced perspective on form and function. This reduced the friction that sometimes arises between aesthetically-minded designers and technology-first product people.

“We needed to have a design that wouldn’t compromise the technology benefits of our product,” DeYoung said. “It’s important because our antenna’s interaction with the case materials and design can have a big impact on how the product works.”

With that in mind, Bertrand and his team set out to create a design language that both enhanced and highlighted Pong’s technology. The result is a sophisticated case made from a polycarbonate plastic that literally reveals Pong’s signature technology.

“We wanted the design to be iconic but approachable,” Bertrand explains. “We wanted to create an object that enabled people to tell stories.”

It seems to be working. DeYoung says his wife, who totes around the white version of Gold Reveal, momentarily took her case off after being asked too many questions by curious strangers.

“I told her: Put that case back on–that’s exactly what we’re trying to do!”

The Passing of Cancer Pioneer Leaves a Lasting Legacy

Environmental Health Trust (EHT), a non-profit that educates individuals, health professionals and communities about controllable environmental health risks and policy changes needed to reduce those risks, lost a revered medical pioneer over the weekend with the unexpected death of Dr. Ronald B. Herberman, EHT’s beloved Chairman since the group’s inception. He was 72 year old.

A champion of protecting the brains of children and future generations, Dr. Herberman was the Founding Director at the University of Pittsburgh Cancer Institute (UPCI) and the UPMC Cancer Centers and Professor of Medicine & Biology. Dr. Herberman issued the world’s first cancer center advisory on cellphone safety in 2008. That same year he testified before Congress about alarming studies showing that children’s brains absorb much more cellphone radiation than adults.

An eminent and prolific cancer biologist and immunologist, Dr. Herberman started his long and distinguished career with the National Cancer Institute (NCI), where was involved in the discovery of natural killer cells from 1968 to 1988. He established the world’s first center for environmental oncology at the UPCI and created cross disciplinary programs to advance oncology research and practice. At the time of his death, he served as Chief Medical Officer and Senior Vice President for Research and Development at TNI Bio Tech Inc., Bethesda, Maryland. With a lifelong commitment to cancer research, he served on the Board of the American Association for Cancer Research and had received the Lifetime Science Award by the Institute for Advanced Studies in Immunology and Aging. Aside from serving as Chairman with the EHT, he also served as president of the American Association of Cancer Institutes and was a past president with the Society for Biological Therapy and the Society for Natural Immunity. An award-winning scientist, acclaimed, prolific and highly respected administrator, Dr. Herberman was also recognized as one of 100 most influential cancer biologists. Dr. Herberman received a Medical degree from the New York University School of Medicine.

EHT’s founder, Dr. Devra Davis, worked closely with Dr. Herberman when she was the Founding Director, Center for Environmental Oncology, University of Pittsburgh Cancer Institute, and reflects on the passing of a mentor and friend: “He was a true pioneer and fearless scientist. Over five years ago, Dr. Herberman warned of the long term dangers of unprotected cell phone use. He cautioned parents to keep phones away from young children. He advocated that adults use headsets or speakerphones when speaking on cell phones and children use phones only in emergencies. Today, many authorities around the world have adopted this message, but there is much work to be done to insure protection for all. Parents, worldwide are extremely grateful for Dr. Herberman’s commitment to protecting their children. His quiet brilliance and scientific excellence will be sorely missed.”

“We have lost a great scientist, scientific leader, mentor, and dear friend, who was a giant in the oncology world,” reflects Shalom Kalnicki, M.D. Chair of the Department of Radiation Oncology at Albert Einstein College of Medicine/Montefiore, who worked with Dr. Herberman for more than two decades. 

“Ron Herberman was a human oncologist. He was both a cancer doctor and a cancer patient. He had a perspective which allowed him to see all sides of the disease and was not afraid to consider new ideas. He quietly and deliberately inspired younger generations of doctors who are willing to take on new challenges,” said Ronald Balassanian, MD, Assistant Clinical Professor of Pathology at the University of California San Francisco.

Dr. Herberman is survived by his wife, Harriet, his children: jazz guitarist, Steve Herberman and research assistant professor in Psychiatry of the Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences, Holly Herberman Mash, and three grandchildren.

Source: http://www.sbwire.com/press-releases/environmental/health/sbwire-261812.htm

FCC is reconsidering it's radiation exposure limits

 Comments Due by SEPTEMBER 3, 2013

 

The Federal Communications Commission is requesting comments on “whether its limits should be more restrictive, less restrictive, or remain the same.”

 

WE NEED TO SEND PERSONAL STORIES—AS MANY AS POSSIBLE.

 

If you have something you want to tell the FCC about what has happened to you, now is the time to do so.  If you have been injured, tell the FCC your story.  If you have doctors’ reports, send them to the FCC now.  Say “I HAVE BEEN INJURED BY RF RADIATION THAT COMPLIES WITH CURRENT EXPOSURE LIMITS.”  If you have been driven out of your home, or your city, say so.  If you can no longer work at your job because of wireless technology, say so.  If you can no longer go out in public, travel, go to City Hall, visit a hospital, say so.  These comments all go onto the FCC’s website for the public, members of Congress, and everyone else to read.  If we all send our stories in, they will comprise a document unlike any other in the world.

 

A summary of the Notice of Inquiry was just published in the Federal Register: https://www.federalregister.gov/articles/2013/06/04/2013-12713/reassessment-of-exposure-to-radiofrequency-electromagnetic-fields-limits-and-policies#h-29, beginning at paragraph 47. 

 

The complete Notice of Inquiry is here, beginning at paragraph 205: http://www.fcc.gov/document/fcc-review-rf-exposure-policies

 

The Notice of Inquiry makes clear that the FCC does not think there is any reason to lower its exposure limits.  But every comment sent becomes part of the public record, and if ten thousand injured people send comments, we cannot easily be ignored. 

 

Some of us were involved in 1996 when the FCC adopted its current exposure limits.  We all made the mistake of believing that the scientific studies we sent would be read and acted upon.  The FCC ignored 15,000 pages of science.  We have even more science now, but in addition we have 17 years of exposure to radiation behind us. Hundreds of thousands of people have been severely injured by radiation that complies with current limits.  The last time, only about 100 people in the U.S. sent comments on the proposed exposure limits.  This time, we need ten thousand, and we need personal stories.  Lots of them. 

 

SUBMIT YOUR COMMENTS HERE:  http://apps.fcc.gov/ecfs 

(Click on "Submit a Filing" if the filing page does not immediately open). Type in "13-84" in the box for "Proceeding Number."  Write "Comments on Notice of Inquiry, ET Docket No. 13-84" at the top of your attached comments.  You can attach Word, PDF, or Excel files.

T Mobile-funded study into mobile phone radiation ‘covered up’ to obfuscate profound health risks

You might be surprised to learn about what follows given the 13-year period since it should have been front page news.  But with at least 5,000 studiesnow showing biological harm from electromagnetic radiation, this information is now more important than ever.

In 2000 – the same year the Stewart Report was commissioned by the UK Government – T-Mobil in Germany (the parent company of T-Mobile – now EE) commissioned Germany’s ECOLOG Institute (a renowned independent research institute) to review all relevant research available at that time with regard to the health risks from mobile telecommunications.

According to this article published by The Ecologist in 2007, what followed was a cover-up that would have otherwise have had investors and executives in mobile phone companies running for the hills.

The ECOLOG Institute’s review of over 220 peer-reviewed and published papers found strong indications for the cancer-initiating and cancer-promoting effects of the electromagnetic radiation produced by mobile phones.

Experiments on cell cultures at power densities much lower than the present guidelines showed strong indications for genotoxic effects from these fields, such as single- and double-stranded DNA breaks and damage to chromosomes.  The findings also revealed influences on cell transformation, cell growth promotion and cell communication and carcinogenic potentials, as well as teratogenic effects (birth deformities) and loss of fertility in animal studies.  Disruptions to other cellular processes, like the synthesis of proteins and the control of cell functions by enzymes, were also found.

Experiments on humans as well as animals showed harmful effects on the central nervous system, which ranged from neuro-chemical effects to modifications of the brain potentials andimpairment of certain brain functions.  Loss of memory and cognitive function, for example, were demonstrated in animal experiments.  From experiments with human subjects who volunteered to be exposed to mobile phone radiation, clear evidence for influences on certain cognitive functions were shown.  Other impacts on the brain included increased permeability of the blood-brain barrier to potentially harmful substances, which was observed in several experiments on animals exposed to mobile telephone fields.

Not only that, but the ECOLOG report also found indications for disruptions to the endocrine and immune systems.   Stress reactions were reported, showing up in an increased production of stress hormones and a reduction of the concentration of the hormone melatonin in the blood of exposed animals and humans.  Melatonin has a key control function in the hormone system as well as in diurnal biological rhythms – it is also known to inhibit the development of certain tumours.

A common observation in many of the studies was the importance of pulse modulation.  Pulse modulated fields seemed to have a stronger effect than continuous fields and, in some cases, it was the pulse of a certain frequency which triggered the reaction, and the absence of pulse, or pulse of a different frequency, led to less significant effects or no effect at all.

This is a particularly important point because Smart Meters use pulsed modulated frequencies – and one measured recently by Stop Smart Meters! (UK) pulsed over 43,000 times per day.  Wifi-based gadgets and routers also use pulsed radiation.

In conclusion, the ECOLOG report called for an immediate downward regulation of the power flux density that should be allowed by the guidelines, by a factor of 1,000.  Despite these warnings, however, the UK’s “out of date” and “obsolete” standards continue to be used at levels which make no account for chronic exposures to sub-thermal radiation emissions which ECOLOG unequivocally reported as causing biological harm.

If you are wondering why you are only just finding out about this study some 13 years after it was prepared by ECOLOG, one of the report’s authors has a view.  According to Dr Peter Neitzke, a co-author of the eventual report, when T-Mobile realised that the research was going to produce potentially damaging results, the company commissioned three other studies which were more likely to show no danger from electromagnetic radiation.  Dr Neitzke’s study was then only available in German until a copy was leaked to the Human Ecological Social Economic Project (HESE) Project in 2007, who subsequently had it translated.

We’re reporting it now because we think this is still very big news.  Please share it with others.

You can download and print the Ecolog Institute’s report from 2000 here: http://www.hese-project.org/hese-uk/en/papers/ecolog2000.pdf. Our thanks for the efforts of the HESE Project. Read the Ecologist’s article here: “Mobile phone study covered up – The Ecologist“

Article link: http://stopsmartmeters.org.uk/t-mobile-funded-study-into-mobile-phone-radiation-covered-up-to-obfuscate-profound-health-risks/

What is Tetra?

TETRA is a modern standard for digital Private Mobile Radio (PMR) and Public Access Mobile Radio (PAMR). It offers many advantages including flexibility, security, ease of use and offers fast call set-up times. This makes it an ideal choice for many business radio communications requirements.

The name TETRA stands for TErrestrial Trunked RAdio. It is aimed at a variety of mobile radio communications users including the police, ambulance and fire services, it is equally applicable for utilities, public access, fleet management, transport services, and many other users. It offers the advantages of digital radio whilst still maintaining the advantages of a PMR system.

TETRA radio beginnings

Work started on the development of the TETRA standards in 1990 and has relied on the support of the European Commission and the ETSI members. Experience gained in the development of the highly successful GSM cellular radio standard, as well as experience from the development and use of trunked radio systems has also been used to fashion the TETRA standard. In addition to this the process has gained from the co-operation of manufacturers, users, operators and industry experts. With this combined expertise the first standards for the new private mobile radio communications system were ready in 1995 to enable manufacturers to design their radio communications equipment to interoperate successfully.

TETRA Association

The industry organisation for TETRA radio is the TETRA Association (www.tetramou.org). The association was originally known as the TETRA MoU - Memorandum of Understanding and was formed in December 1994. The aim of the TETRA MoU was to create a forum that would act on behalf of all interested parties, i.e. users, manufacturers, application providers, integrators, operators, test houses and telecommunications agencies.

The TETRA Association represents more than 150 organisations and is continually growing as the TETRA standard is evolved and the uptake has increased..

The basic aims of the TETRA Association remain the same as that of the original TETRA MoU - providing a forum for all those interested in TETRA; to encourage adoption of the standard; and to support initiatives to obtain appropriate levels of spectrum to meet the growth in TETRA radio usage.

In view of its aims, the TETRA Association works closely with ETSI to maintain and advance the standards.

TETRA radio features

TETRA radio offers many new and valuable features and in this way it is a major step forwards over previous private mobile radio communications systems. These include a fast call set-up time, which is a particularly important requirement for the emergency services. It also has excellent group communication support, direct mode operation between individual radios, packet data and circuit data transfer services, better economy of frequency spectrum use than the previous PMR radio systems and in addition to this it provides advanced security features. The system also supports a number of other features including call hold, call barring, call diversion, and ambience listening.

The TETRA radio standard has undergone an evolutionary development to ensure that it is able to keep up with the needs of the users. There have been two releases of the TETRA radio standard.

• TETRA Release 1:   As would be envisaged this was the first release of the TETRA radio standard which occurred
• TETRA Release 2:   This release of the TETRA radio standard occurred in 2005 as a result of work dating back to 1999. It introduced a number of new features into the TETRA radio standard:
  • TETRA Enhanced Data Service (TEDS)
  • Mixed Excitation Liner Predictive, enhanced (MELPe) Voice Codec
  • Adaptive Multiple Rate (AMR) Voice Codec
  • Trunked Mode Operation (TMO) Range Extension
  Of these enhancements, it is the TETRA TEDS that has caught the headlines as the main enhanced feature, although the others all add to the overall package.