RSSElectrically 'allergic' group seeks a ban on Wi-Fi
By Jacqueline Emigh | Published May 28, 2008, 2:40 PM
A group in New Mexico now wants to ban the use of certain types of wireless networks in the public buildings of Santa Fe.
Self-identified EHS sufferers in New Mexico claim that that electromagnetic fields (EMFs) stemming from Wi-Fi spawn headaches and a veritable witches' brew of other ills that are forcing them out of libraries and other public places.
Now, the city attorney in Santa Fe is now looking into charges that Wi-Fi installations violate the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) by discriminating against victims of a allergy-like condition known as "electromagnetic hypersensitivity" (EHS).
The anti-Wi-Fi contingent in Santa Fe is spearheaded by Arthur Firstenberg, a well-known activist whose previous credits include founding the Cellular Phone Task Force and authoring the book Microwaving Our Planet: The Environmental Impact of the Wireless Revolution.
"From Bill Gates' planned fleet of 300 satellites to the millions of ground based antennas being constructed through-out the world," Firstenberg wrote in 1997, "our privacy is being invaded, our health undermined, our water polluted, endangered species threatened, the ozone layer destroyed, and our climate altered. The assault has already begun."
Firstenberg's crew in New Mexico might take some legal comfort in findings in 2005 by the World Health Organization (WHO), which assert that while "EHS has no clear diagnostic criteria and there is no scientific basis to link EHS symptoms to EMF exposure," EHS is also a "disabling problem for the affected individual."
"EHS is characterized by a variety of non-specific symptoms, which afflicted individuals attribute to exposure to EMF. The symptoms most commonly experienced include dermatological symptoms (redness, tingling, and burning sensations) as well as neurasthenic and vegetative symptoms (fatigue, tiredness, concentration difficulties, dizziness, nausea, heart palpitation, and digestive disturbances)," according to the WHO.
But even if EHS does exist, many different electrical devices aside from Wi-Fi equipment have been suggested over the years as causing symptoms that could be associated with the malady.
One influential health study published in Switzerland revealed that overhead power lines and cordless phones have emerged as some the most commonly cited culprits among those who believe they're suffering from EHS.
Why not just move to California?
It may not solve their problem, but at least they would be able to commiserate with all of the others in the land of fruits and nuts...
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|Those are the same symptoms as depression. These people need to look at themselves, not external entities, as the cause of the problem.
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|The only thing I'd be allergic to in New Mexico is that creepy Richardson.
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|Well, they can all just wear tin foil hats. ( preferably grounded)
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|Hmm, sounds like a job for Mythbusters. Lets see how much juice you need to fry a brain with a Wifi Access point.
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|It's all true, it's real; I start dancing like a pre-teen Forrest Gump every time I get a phone call! I lose all motor control in my legs!
RF allergies are real!
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|Turn it off of vibrate, and stop keeping in your pocket.
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|Ha! :)
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|Another luddite trying to push their agenda on the naieve public... If you can show me scientific proof that this affects people as dramatically as you say, and it affects YOU then mebby there should be a resolution. But I should not have to go out of my way for your paranoia... If you feel the need/desire to wear shielding on your body thats fine, but why dont you lock yourself in a metal room with bars and get some substatiated double-blind proof ...
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|Sleep apnea combined with high altitude is probably the problem for 99% of these people. Unfortunately neither insurance nor the government will help you with either..but you'd think they'd come up a slightly more plausible scam.
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|Well why not ban powerlines and cordless phones as well? Their are much more of them anyways.
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|Wifi uses frequencies of 2.5 GHz to 5 GHz, and power levels of transmissions are typically around 1 W.
However there is another technology also used that emits electromagnetic radiation and is potentially more dangerous, because:
1. this other technology emits radiation in the range of 450-750 THz, i.e. 100,000 times the frequency of Wifi; which means that each electromagnetic particle (or "photon") will carry 100,000 times more energy and is therefore 100,000 times as potentially damaging. Furthermore there are structures near thr human brain which nave been scientifically demonstrated to be especially sensitive to radiation of these frequencies.
2. this other technology uses more powerful transmitters that typically emit 60-100 W. Furthermore, these transmitters are typically kept on all the time (unlike wifi which transmits in bursts), which increases the total amount of energy radiated over a given time.
These facts suggest to me that this other technology is potentially a lot more harmful to health than wifi might be (although having said that it is entirely possible that neither technology poses a significant harm to health), and that consequently if wifi is to be investigated as a risk to health, this other technology should be investigated much more rigorously.
The name of this other technology? light bulbs.
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|Oh Come Now! Puh-lease!
We all know light bulbs don't put out light-
They suck dark in.....
With this in-bound flow there's no way they could be putting out that much wattage.
Goodness.
>tee-hee
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|I suggest to sit through a couple of more Physics sessions...
As for EHS - turn it up and good riddance. Let's address over-population with Wifi radiation.
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|Your information is wrong. Wi-Fi is a narrow band in the 2.4 GHz range and a narrow band in the 5.3 and 5.8 GHz range though 5 GHz is rarely used. Wi-Fi typically in the 0.01 to 0.1 watt transmit power range.
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|I like you.
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|Ah yes...
Dark Suckers.
Good stuff. :)
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|Although I live in New Mexico, I live at a lower altitude. Those in Santa Fe at 7000', chronically suffer from lower air pressure thus not enough oxygen rich blood making to their brain. Leave it to the Santa Feans to come up with this. Perhaps a well balanced diet, good night's rest, less vitamin supplements and eliminating that vegetarian diet might help. But then that would require personal responsibility and no chance to blame someone else for their ineptitude.
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|These people are out of their minds.
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|Or a nice spliff made from high-land weed.
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|"fatigue, tiredness, concentration difficulties, dizziness, nausea, heart palpitation, and digestive disturbances"
Those are the same symptoms I have! For years I thought I was only allergic to being alive. I guess it turns out that I'm allergic to electromagnetic frequencies. Ahhh. It's so nice to final have a reason for my condition. My great grandfather had some of the same problems. I'm glad we finally found answer for his maladies too. Come to think of it, my mother, sister, brother, niece, nephew, father, and all my friends have the same symptoms occasionally. This is a medical breakthrough - I can't wait until EMF is banned - we'll all feel better.
http://www.cancer.gov/ne...releases/LIBCSPemfQandA
http://skepdic.com/emf.html
http://www.quackwatch.co...yRelatedTopics/emf.html
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|And here's the stuff from Dr Ben Goldacre's Bad Science covering it...
http://www.badscience.net/?p=591
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|I had to complain to the BBC about this kind of rubbish on the Panorama programme, you may like to read the full ruling we got out the BBC Complaints people.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/com.../2007/11/30/51156.shtml
programme is here..
http://video.google.com/...9866512946&hl=en-GB
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|Hey, I am allergic to New Age mumbo jumbo!
Well, we have discovered another use for tin foil helmets.
The only thing surprising is the evidence that the malady did not originate in California - but most likely is a result of dysfunctionals having relocated to the Taos or Area 51 areas.
Watch out folks! You have been warned!
As if electromagnetic fields originated with Wi-Fi! These folks must be a hoot to watch in New Mexico as they walk across carpet with the lack of humidity! You would think such an astute group would select a climate not quite so conducive to static! I mean, a waterlogged state like Oregon still has room for a few more wackos!
ROFLMAO!
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|Dang - you beat me to it. I was going to suggest that they dust off those tinfoil hats and start looking to make a fashion trend. :)
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|They will sue the Government next for not creating weather control for reducing lightning storms or heat lightning. As well as not creating a planetary shield to defend against Solar waves
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|Hey!!! Keep em out... we have enough ex-californian idiots here.
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|'...sue the Government..."
And maybe the government should provide protection in public buildings from those dangerous "solar flares?" They've been known to increase ionization in the atmosphere and disrupt some communications, reflecting some radio frequencies!
Are tinfoil hats sufficient to protect us from "solar flux?"
Or will the dangerous radiation from the sun heat up those hats, frying brains in the process? Or is it that wearing tinfoil hats overheats one's head in the first place?
I'm surprised there is no mention of the great physical dangers imposed by radiofrequency identification. ;-)
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