Saturday, August 31, 2013

Reminder: Comments to FCC Due This Tuesday


Reminder: Comments to FCC Due This Tuesday

 
The Federal Communications Commission is asking for public comments on whether it should revise its standards for human exposure to radio frequency radiation.  Should exposure limits be more restrictive, less restrictive, or remain the same as they are now?
 
Comments sent by U.S. mail must be postmarked by September 3, 2013, the day after Labor Day.  Title your submission, "Comments on Notice of Inquiry, ET Docket No. 13-84."  Send the original and one copy to: 
 
Office of the Secretary
Federal Communications Commission
445 12th St. SW, Washington, DC 20554
 
Comments sent electronically should be sent by September 3, 2013 on this webpage:  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.
 
Comments without attachments may be sent on this webpage:  http://apps.fcc.gov/ecfs/hotdocket/list.  Clicking on “13-84” will take you to a simplified filing page.
 
Largest Teacher’s Union in Canada Declares Cell Phones, WiFi Radiation Hazards
 
On August 15, 2013 the Elementary Teachers Federation of Ontario, representing 76,000 teachers, passed two resolutions at its annual general meeting related to radio frequency radiation.  It voted to recommend to all school boards that cell phones be turned off in classrooms to protect students' and teachers' health.  It also voted that all WiFi transmitters should be clearly visible and labeled as part of a hazard control program. 
 
   Supreme Court of India Orders Cell Towers Removed From Schools, Hospitals
 
Cell towers are being dismantled by the thousands in various parts of India. 
 
On November 27, 2012 the High Court of the state of Rajasthan, India's largest state geographically, ordered the removal of all cell towers from the vicinity of schools, colleges, hospitals and playgrounds because of radiation "hazardous to life."  The court’s amazing 200-page decision thoroughly reviews the worldwide evidence that cell towers are harming human beings and wildlife.  It is available here:
 
 
On July 5, 2013 the Supreme Court of India upheld this decision. 
 
And two weeks ago the city of Mumbai, the most populous city in India, prohibited cell towers in the vicinity of schools, colleges, orphanages, child rehabilitation centers, and old age homes; ordered that nearby antennas should not be directed towards these types of buildings; and ordered that existing antennas on schools, colleges and hospitals be removed.  It also prohibited the installation of antennas on residential rooftops without the consent of every person on the top floor, as well as the consent of 70% of the people in the rest of the building.  And it will start the process of dismantling 3,200 illegal rooftop towers within the next few weeks.
 
Missouri Judge Says Cell Tower Law Violates State Constitution
 
The Missouri legislature recently passed a law, titled the Uniform Wireless Communications Infrastructure Deployment Act, that exempts cell towers from virtually all local zoning regulations.  It was to go into effect on August 28, 2013.  However, six Missouri cities—Liberty, Gladstone, Independence, Lee’s Summit, Butler, and Cameron—claimed that the law violated the Missouri constitution.  On Monday, August 26, Cole County Circuit Judge Patricia Joyce agreed.  She issued a preliminary injunction, putting an indefinite hold on this law and another law prohibiting cell tower moratoriums of more than six months.  She ruled:  "The implementation, enforcement, application, or assertion of any provision of HB 331 or HB 345 will subject the plaintiffs to the unwarranted burdens of unconstitutional laws and immediate and irreparable injury, loss, or damage will result in the absence of relief and preservation of the status quo.”
 
Israeli Supreme Court Orders Count of Children with EHS
 
In August 2012 a petition was filed in the Israeli Supreme Court asking the court to ban WiFi in public schools.  A hearing was held July 18, 2013.  During the hearing, when the judges asked what would be done if a child attending school was found who suffered from electromagnetic hypersensitivity (EHS), the attorney for the government responded:  “The WiFi would be turned off in that school.”  As a result, the Supreme Court ordered the government to determine the number of children currently suffering from EHS. 
 
Class Action Lawsuits Filed in the U.S. and Canada
 
On May 31, 2013 Elizabeth Barris and nine other California plaintiffs injured by Smart Meters filed a lawsuit against Southern California Edison.  Itron, the company that manufactures the meters, is also named in the suit.  The plaintiffs are claiming negligence; fraud and deceit; intentional infliction of emotional distress; and liability for a defective product.  They are asking for both compensatory and punitive damages.
 
On July 25, 2013 a class action lawsuit was filed in the Supreme Court of British Columbia against B.C. Hydro and Power Authority.   It was filed on behalf of everyone in British Columbia who has had a Smart Meter installed on their houses against their will.  The plaintiffs are asking for an injunction ordering the removal of the Smart Meters, damages for trespass, nuisance, and intrusion against seclusion, and punitive damages.
 
The plaintiffs in this case include a national parent organization, two children, and Dafna Tachover, an Israeli-American attorney who is herself electrically sensitive and currently resides in the United States.
 
ADA Lawsuit to be Argued in Santa Fe
 
As most of you know, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Tenth Circuit, in Denver, handed us a partial victory last October. 
 
In a case that I had originally filed in state court against AT&T and the City of Santa Fe, I had argued that people with electrical sensitivity are protected by the Americans with Disabilities Act and the Fourteenth Amendment.  The city, I had argued, is therefore required to regulate radio frequency radiation in spite of the Telecommunications Act.  AT&T had transferred the case to federal court and federal District Judge James A. Parker had ruled that the Telecommunications Act “preempts” the Americans with Disabilities Act.  I had appealed the case to the Court of Appeals. 
 
On October 9, 2012 the Court of Appeals ruled that the case should never have been transferred to federal court.  It reversed Judge Parker and sent the case back to the State of New Mexico to be argued and decided all over again. 
           
Santa Fe attorney Lindsay A. Lovejoy argued the case in the Court of Appeals.  On October 1, 2013, at 9:00 a.m., I will be arguing in New Mexico District Court in front of Judge Sarah M. Singleton.  I am representing myself in state court. 
 
What I am asking for is called a writ of mandamus, essentially a court order requiring the city to enforce its own laws.  Since a city law requires a public hearing and a new permit for any intensification of use, I am arguing that AT&T may not increase the radiation from its cell towers without public hearings and new permits. 
 
Donations Needed
 
The Cellular Phone Task Force must raise money in order to continue its educational, advocacy and support work, and to pay our attorney, Mr. Lovejoy, for his invaluable services.  Donations, large or small, are always welcome.  They may made on our website, http://www.cellphonetaskforce.org/?page_id=196.
 
Arthur Firstenberg
PO Box 6216
Santa Fe, NM 87502
USA
phone: 1-505-471-0129
 
-- Cellular Phone Task Force info@cellphonetaskforce.org

Experts ask users to curb overuse of mobile phones


Experts ask users to curb overuse of mobile phones




Press Trust of India | Updated Aug 30, 2013 at 08:02pm IST


Experts at a panel discussion have warned against excessive use of mobile phones, with some saying that "living close to mobile tower is like being in a life size microwave."
At a panel discussion, held here yesterday, the experts touched upon various forms of radiation, with a special focus on mobile phone radiation. They dwelt on effects that mobile phone radiation can have on people, a release said today.
Dr Girish Kumar, Professor at IIT Bombay said, "living close to mobile towers is like being in a life size microwave." The panel of experts also highlighted dangers of overusing a mobile phone.
Experts ask users to curb overuse of mobile phones
Experts ask users to curb overuse of mobile phones
The World Health Organisation Fact Sheet 2011 states that a person using mobile phone 30-40 cm away from the body while texting and using internet will have reduced exposure to radio-frequency fields than someone holding the handset close, the release said.
"WHO also advocates greater use of hands-free devices, as they help keep the mobile phone away from head and body during phone calls. Exposure is also reduced by limiting the number and length of calls. Using the mobile phone in areas of good reception also reduces exposure as it allows phone to transmit at reduced power," it said.
Film actor Juhi Chawla and activist Prakash Munshi highlighted the health hazards resulting from indiscriminate installation of mobile towers.
Dr Anand Gokani, consulting physician, Bombay Hospital spoke about precautions to be taken to avoid these health hazards. Dr Meenakshi Thakur of Tata Memorial Centre, Mumbai spoke about radiation diagnosis, nuclear medicines and safety issues.
The panel discussion on "Radiations: Myths and Realities" was organised to address questions and to educate and inform students, public and the media, by the Nehru Science Centre. The panel comprised scientists, social scientists and activists.
http://ibnlive.in.com/news/experts-ask-users-to-curb-overuse-of-mobile-phones/418495-17.html



NYC EMF Event: “How to Protect Ourselves—and Growing Children—from Electromagnetic Fields” New York Open Center, Friday, November 15, 2013 – 7-10 p.m.


NYC EMF Event: “How to Protect Ourselves—and Growing Children—from Electromagnetic Fields” New York Open Center, Friday, November 15, 2013 – 7-10 p.m.

N.Y. Open Center, Friday, November 15, 2013 – 7-10 p.m.

http://www.opencenter.org/how-to-protect-ourselves-and-growing-children-from-electromagnetic-fields-emfs/


A Multi-Disciplinary, Solution-Oriented Look at This
Important New Public Health Issue With Leading
Scientific, Clinical and Remediation Experts



The NY Open Center, the largest urban holistic learning center in the United States, will host an expert panel on risks from cell phones, wireless devices and wireless infrastructure—and what you can do about it—on Friday, November 15, 2013 from 7-10 p.m.  The program will heavily emphasize risks to children, fetuses and fertility, the very foundation of society’s future, and practical skills of remediation to reduce or eliminate exposures to electromagnetic fields.

Read more at
http://electromagnetichealth.org/electromagnetic-health-blog/open-center-nov-15/

Children’s Health Expert Panel – Audio and Summary: “Cell Phones & WiFi – Are Children, Fetuses and Fertility at Risk?”


Children’s Health Expert Panel – Audio and Summary:“Cell Phones & WiFi – Are Children, Fetuses and Fertility at Risk?”

Listen to the Audio Recording from the Children’s Health Expert Panel, “Cell Phones & WiFi – Are Children, Fetuses at Risk?” here.


Highlights from “Cell Phones & WiFi—Are Children,
Fetuses and Fertility at Risk”

The program was dedicated to the late Ronald B. Herberman, Founding Director of the University of Pittsburgh Cancer Institute, Vice Chancellor of Cancer Research at University of Pittsburgh and the first head of an NCI funded cancer center to speak out on the risks from cell phones. He issued a warning of these risks to his 3,000 employees, addressed Congress, and, regarding inaccurate media reporting on cell phone radiation health risks in the Economist, Dr. Herberman said:

Read more at

http://electromagnetichealth.org/electromagnetic-health-blog/summary-and-audio/

Effect of 3G Cell Phone Exposure with Computer Controlled 2-D Stepper Motor on Non-thermal Activation of the hsp27/p38MAPK Stress Pathway in Rat Brain.


 2013 Aug 15. [Epub ahead of print]

Effect of 3G Cell Phone Exposure with Computer Controlled 2-D Stepper Motor on Non-thermal Activation of the hsp27/p38MAPK Stress Pathway in Rat Brain.

Source

School of Life Sciences, Jaipur National University, Jaipur, 302017, Rajasthan, India, kavindra_biotech@yahoo.co.in.

Abstract

Cell phone radiation exposure and its biological interaction is the present concern of debate. Present study aimed to investigate the effect of 3G cell phone exposure with computer controlled 2-D stepper motor on 45-day-old male Wistar rat brain. Animals were exposed for 2 h a day for 60 days by using mobile phone with angular movement up to zero to 30°. The variation of the motor is restricted to 90° with respect to the horizontal plane, moving at a pre-determined rate of 2° per minute. Immediately after 60 days of exposure, animals were scarified and numbers of parameters (DNA double-strand break, micronuclei, caspase 3, apoptosis, DNA fragmentation, expression of stress-responsive genes) were performed. Result shows that microwave radiation emitted from 3G mobile phone significantly induced DNA strand breaks in brain. Meanwhile a significant increase in micronuclei, caspase 3 and apoptosis were also observed in exposed group (P < 0.05). Western blotting result shows that 3G mobile phone exposure causes a transient increase in phosphorylation of hsp27, hsp70, and p38 mitogen-activated protein kinase (p38MAPK), which leads to mitochondrial dysfunction-mediated cytochrome c release and subsequent activation of caspases, involved in the process of radiation-induced apoptotic cell death. Study shows that the oxidative stress is the main factor which activates a variety of cellular signal transduction pathways, among them the hsp27/p38MAPK is the pathway of principle stress response. Results conclude that 3G mobile phone radiations affect the brain function and cause several neurological disorders.
PMID:
 
23949848
 
[PubMed - as supplied by publisher]

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/23949848

Mobile phone radiation induces mode-dependent DNA damage in a mouse spermatocyte-derived cell line: a protective role of melatonin.


 2013 Aug 19. [Epub ahead of print]

Mobile phone radiation induces mode-dependent DNA damage in a mouse spermatocyte-derived cell line: a protective role of melatonin.

Abstract

Abstract Purpose: To evaluate whether exposure to mobile phone radiation (MPR) can induce DNA damage in male germ cells. Materials and methods: A mouse spermatocyte-derived GC-2 cell line was exposed to a commercial mobile phone handset once every 20 minutes in standby, listen, dialed or dialing modes for 24 h. DNA damage was determined using an alkaline comet assay. Results: The levels of DNA damage were significantly increased following exposure to MPR in the listen, dialed and dialing modes. Moreover, there were significantly higher increases in the dialed and dialing modes than in the listen mode. Interestingly, these results were consistent with the radiation intensities of these modes. However, the DNA damage effects of MPR in the dialing mode were efficiently attenuated by melatonin pretreatment. Conclusions: These results regarding mode-dependent DNA damage have important implications for the safety of inappropriate mobile phone use by males of reproductive age and also suggest a simple preventive measure, keeping our body from mobile phones as far away as possible, not only during conversations but during "dialed" and "dialing" operation modes as well. Since the "dialed" mode is actually part of the standby mode, mobile phones should be kept at a safe distance from our body even during standby operation. Furthermore, the protective role of melatonin suggests that it may be a promising pharmacological candidate for preventing mobile phone use-related reproductive impairments.
PMID:
 
23952262
 
[PubMed - as supplied by publisher]

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/23952262

Cell Phone Cancer - Information About Cell Phone Radiation Lawsuits


Cell Phone Cancer - Information About Cell Phone Radiation Lawsuits

This has to do with lawsuits but plenty of information all over the net on the dangers of cell phone radiation, wifi dangers, etc.



Poll

Read more at http://www.liveleak.com/view?i=0a7_1377817128#VDgv1QGRSAPPHrYc.99 

India: Curb Overuse of Mobile Phones, Say Experts


31 August 2013 

India: Curb Overuse of Mobile Phones, Say Experts


85 million cell phones are shipped to India each year.

Curb overuse of mobile phones, say experts

Deccan Herald, Mumbai, 30 August 2013



Experts at a panel discussion here have warned against excessive use of mobile phones, with some saying that "living close to mobile tower is like being in a life size microwave."



At a panel discussion, held here yesterday, the experts touched upon various forms of radiation, with a special focus on mobile phone radiation. They dwelt on effects that mobile phone radiation can have on people, a release said today.



Dr Girish Kumar, Professor at IIT Bombay said, "living close to mobile towers is like being in a life size microwave." The panel of experts also highlighted dangers of overusing a mobile phone.



The World Health Organisation Fact Sheet 2011 states that a person using mobile phone 30-40 cm away from the body while texting and using internet will have reduced exposure to radio-frequency fields than someone holding the handset close, the release said.



"WHO also advocates greater use of hands-free devices, as they help keep the mobile phone away from head and body during phone calls. Exposure is also reduced by limiting the number and length of calls. Using the mobile phone in areas of good reception also reduces exposure as it allows phone to transmit at reduced power," it said.



Film actor Juhi Chawla and activist Prakash Munshi highlighted the health hazards resulting from indiscriminate installation of mobile towers.



Dr Anand Gokani, consulting physician, Bombay Hospital spoke about precautions to be taken to avoid these health hazards. Dr Meenakshi Thakur of Tata Memorial Centre, Mumbai spoke about radiation diagnosis, nuclear medicines and safety issues.



The panel discussion on "Radiations: Myths and Realities" was organised to address questions and to educate and inform students, public and the media, by the Nehru Science Centre. The panel comprised scientists, social scientists and activists.


http://mieuxprevenir.blogspot.com/2013/08/india-curb-overuse-of-mobile-phones-say.html

EVENT: Commonwealth Club of California – “The High (?) Road to a True Smart Grid”, December 3rd


EVENT: Commonwealth Club of California – “The High (?) Road to a True Smart Grid”, December 3rd

An interdisciplinary expert panel will present a program at the Commonwealth Club of California Tuesday, December 3rd from 12:00 – 3:00 p.m., called “The High (?) Road to a True Smart Grid”. The program will cut through misunderstandings about the value of the ‘smart meters’ being rolled out across the country, and the misguided direction of electricity and energy policy in the U.S. The panelists will outline a blueprint for a safer and smarter approach to both electricity generation and distribution in the United States—one that has all of our best interests, and the interests of planet Earth, at heart. Complimentary light buffet will be served from 11:30 a.m. until noon.
To RSVP, please contact the Commonwealth Club of California at
www.commonwealthclub.org/events/2013-12-03/high-road-true-smart-grid
or 415-597-6700
Tickets: $32 non-members, $20 members,
$10 students (with valid ID)




“The High (?) Road to a True Smart Grid”


Read more at

http://electromagnetichealth.org/electromagnetic-health-blog/smart-grid-dec-3/

Samsung Galaxy Tab 3 Kids with Android 4.1 launched


Samsung Galaxy Tab 3 Kids with Android 4.1 launched

samsung-galaxy-tab3-kids-big.jpg

Samsung has launched a new Android tablet, the Galaxy Tab 3 Kids, a variant of the Galaxy Tab 3 tablet targeted at children.

The Samsung Galaxy Tab 3 Kids features a 7-inch WSVGA display with 1024x600 pixels resolution and a pixel density of 170ppi. The new tablet for kids is powered by a 1.2GHz dual-core processor paired with 1GB of RAM. It runs Android 4.1 Jelly Bean. The tablet features dual cameras, a 3-megapixel rear camera and a 1.3-megapixel front-facing camera. Connectivity options include Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, Wi-Fi Direct and Micro-USB. It features 8GB of internal storage which can be further expanded up to 32GB. It also includes a 4000mAh battery. The tablet measures 111.1x188x9.9mm and weighs 302 grams. The tablet will be available in only one colour variant, Yellow.

Commenting on the launch, JK Shin, CEO and Head of IT and Mobile Communication, Samsung Electronics said, "It's no secret that kids are using technology more than ever before. We saw an opportunity to create a device just for kids that provides them with an intuitive, fun and kid-friendly user experience filled with rich, interactive and educational content that parents will love."

The Samsung GALAXY Tab 3 Kids comes pre-loaded with children's apps and the company's new Kid's Store. The tablet also includes an Application Manager that offers parents the ability to select apps for kids to access. The Tab also has a Time Management feature that allows parents to set specific time periods for device usage for their kids.

The company is offering a Kids case that features a kid-friendly grip and multiple stand options with the latest Tab 3 for kids. The case comes equipped with C-Pen, a stylus.
The Samsung GALAXY Tab 3 Kids will be available in Korea starting early September and will subsequently be available across China, Europe, U.S., Africa, South America and South East Asia. Samsung has not revealed the pricing for the new tablet, yet. The company notes that the availability of applications through Kids Samsung Apps will vary by market.

Samsung Galaxy Tab 3 Kids key specifications
  • 7-inch WSVGA display with 1024x600 pixels resolution and a pixel density of 170ppi
  • 1.2GHz dual-core processor
  • 1GB RAM
  • 8GB of internal storage, expandable up to 32GB via microSD card
  • 3-megapixel rear camera
  • 1.3-megapixel front facing camera
  • 4000mAh battery
  • Android 4.1 (Jelly Bean)
  • Weight: 302 grams
For the latest technology news and reviews, like us on Facebook or follow us on Twitter and get the NDTV Gadgets app for Android or iOS.


http://gadgets.ndtv.com/tablets/news/samsung-galaxy-tab-3-kids-with-android-41-launched-411102

How Wireless Carriers Make You Trash Your Phone Before It's Really Broken


How Wireless Carriers Make You Trash Your Phone Before It's Really Broken

Making it harder to unlock your device works great for phone companies. Not so much for the planet.



Years ago, someone stole my very first cellphone (a flip model with—get this—an antenna) out of my bag on the New York City subway. I despaired. As a grad student, I was chronically broke and couldn't afford a replacement. Luckily, a generous friend gave me an old phone unearthed from his desk drawer. I got a new SIM card, switched it into my friend's handset, and added my contacts. Problem solved.
It wouldn't be so simple these days. In the mid-'90s, wireless companies began to place digital locks on their phones so that consumers couldn't transfer them to a new carrier. It's relatively easy to unlock a phone—you can download the necessary code for a few bucks. Butas of January 26, under the Digital Millennium Copyright Act (DMCA), you can no longer do this legally. The 1998 law, aimed mostly at curbing digital piracy, also outlawed cellphone unlocking, but the US Copyright Office had always granted an exemption since unlocking phones really has little to do with copyright. The wireless industry didn't like that—it argued that because carriers often subsidize the cost of phones, it's not fair to let customers take their device to a competitor.
The Copyright Office has apparently embraced that argument: This year, for the first time, it denied the usual requests by organizations and individuals to extend the exemption. Consumer advocates are now fuming over what Jennifer Granick, director of civil liberties at Stanford University's Center for Internet and Society, calls "a huge and expensive inconvenience."
But there's another reason the unlocking ban is a bad idea: It stifles the secondary phone market—which, of course, is just what phone companies want. "If a person purchases a used handset, they will not be purchasing a subsidized handset from the carrier and signing a two-year contract," explains James Mosieur, director of a reuse charity called the 911 Cell Phone Bank.
If you can't resell your locked phone, then what can you do with it? People keep their phones for an average of only 18 months. And according to the EPA, of the 152 million mobile devices officially discarded by Americans in 2010, just 11 percent were recycled. The rest (not counting the ones languishing in kitchen junk drawers or e-waste warehouses) ended up in landfills, where they can leach hazardous materials, including lead, copper, and flame-retardant chemicals.
The guts of smartphones also contain dozens of elements obtained by environmentally dicey mining and refining processes, including "rare earths" that leave behind radioactive tailings. Kyle Wiens, cofounder of iFixit, the electronics reuse company profiled in our November/December 2012 issue, estimates that a billion cellphones are sitting unused in closets and desks around the world. "And that's when it waslegal to unlock them. You can imagine that it's only going to get worse."
Representatives from Verizon, AT&T, and Sprint all told me that the ban wouldn't affect their customers, since they are willing to grant exceptions to individuals "in good standing" whose accounts have been open for a few months. "The problem," Mosieur points out, "arises when a device has been obtained legally from its rightful owner through a recycling program, a trade-in program, a neighbor, eBay, Craigslist, etc., and cannot or will not be unlocked by the carrier because the current owner is not the original account holder."
None of the providers I talked to would cough up details about the number of unlocking requests they receive and grant. Nor would they comment on what the unlock ban might mean for organizations that repurpose old phones for sale in the developing world. What would happen, I asked them, if they got a bulk request to unlock thousands or even millions of phones for a good cause? Crickets. The best answer I got was from Verizon's Brenda Raney, who emailed me to say the company doesn't comment on "speculative scenarios."
In March, a coalition that includes the Electronic Frontier Foundation, Reddit, and the popular website BoingBoing petitioned Congress to permanently exempt cellphones from the DMCA. Legistators from both sides of the aisle have introduced bills and the White House supports the idea. Yet so far none of the legislation has made it out of committee—thanks, no doubt, to the clout of the wireless industry, whose annual revenues of $196 billion dwarf those of agribusiness and auto manufacturing. In 2012, the CTIA, a trade association that lobbies for the major carriers, spent more than $12 million pressing Congress on various issues, while individual carriers and phone manufacturers unleashed well over $30 million. (Backers are most optimistic about a new bill from California Rep. Zoe Lofgren that would address the ban as part of a more significant DMCA fix.)
Wiens of iFixit says industry could take other steps, like putting repair manuals online, to keep phones out of landfill. But lifting the ban is "low-hanging fruit," he adds—especially for pols who wants to please their constituents. "It's amazing how popular these unlocks are."
http://www.motherjones.com/environment/2013/06/cell-phone-unlocking-environment-waste