Tuesday, September 20, 2005

Serious Concerns About Cell Phones: Sept. 20, 2005

B. Blake Levitt writes in her book "Electromagnetic Fields"

"Like millions of others, you have been exposed to a
constant electromagnetic field (EMF) of various frequencies
and intensities, continuing all day, every day, and
probably at night. And, like millions, you probably have no
clear understanding, and no government guidelines, to alert
you to the potentially serious bioeffects on you and your
family. In fact, just living in a major metropolitan region
will increase your exposure to ambient background levels of
electromagnetic fields (EMFs) at least threefold, by some
estimates, over that of those living in suburban or rural
environments, although the degree of any exposure is
dependent on your proximity to whatever sourse is creating
it."

"The human race has never before in its evolutionary
history been exposed to such fields on a continuous basis,
and there are serious and mounting concerns about the
effects not just on individuals but on our entire
ecosystem. Since the turn of the century, and increasingly
since the early 1940s with the development of radar during
World War 2 and the rapid growth of radio and TV
broadcasting, we have surrounded ourselves with a veritable
sea of artificially produced electromagnetic fields, all
with a presumption of safety that many now think should
never have been made."

"Researchers have found a steady increase in many forms of
cancer (independent of cancers with smoking or population
growth factors) that some think closely parallels the
increase in ambient electromagnetic fields, which includes
radio frequencies and microwaves (RF/MW). A few researchers
speculate that glandular and central nervous system cancers
in particular are so related. What's more, although their
inferences are still largely speculative, some scientists
are finding correlations between exposure to
electromagnetic radiation and immune system disorders like
chronic fatigue immunodysfunction syndrome, HIV infections,
and what some now refer to as electromagnetic sensitivity
syndrome - a constellation of symptoms that include an
inability to concentrate, mild panic, disorientation,
visual disturbances, skin rashes, muscle weakness, and
feelings of faintness. Not surprisingly, the syndrome is
reported in computer operators, electronics workers,
pilots, surgeons, and operating-room personnel more
frequently than in other professions - that is, among
people who work in continuous, overlapping electromagnetic
environments, the effects of which have never been
studied."

"Consider chronic fatigue immunodysfunction syndrome -
cavalierly scorned as the yuppie flu. Over the last ten
years, what segment of the population is more likely to
have been in constrantly elevated electromagnetic
environment that these young professionals, with their high
discretionary incomes? They are the very people most
regularly using computers, cooking in high-tech kitchens,
talking on cordless or cellular phones, and relaxing in
entertainment rooms featuring multi-VCRs, big-screen TVs,
and an assortment of remote-control devices, all of which
emit various kinds of EMFs." p. 4-6

"All areas of the brain revealed significant levels of
magnetite, but the highest levels were associated with the
meninges, the membrane that covers the brain. There were
about 5 million crystalls per gram of brain tissue, with
concentrations of over 100 million crystals per gram in the
meninges. Two types of magnetite were found, and much of it
occurred in clumps. They were organized like cellular
configuration called magnetosomes, the long crystal chains
found in magnetic bacteria and fish, among other species,
which use the earth's magnetic fields for vital directional
information."

"The kind of magnetite the reseachers discovered
(ferromagnetite) interacts a million times more strongly
with external magnetic fields than with other biological
material. It is not only permanently magnetic but also
capable of acting as a metallic conductor. The crystals
that the Kirschivink research group isolated could be moved
around bny magnetic fields only slightly stronger than the
earth's natural magnetic background."

"This research suggests that if magnetite crystals are
coupled with the cell's ion channels, external fields could
be opening and closing the channels, with unknown
biological effects. It is one plausible mechanism for the
observed effects of the calcium efflux response at
different frequencies."

"The research may point to the method by which we humans
extract basic magnetic information fromt he world around
us. In theory cancer cells could be affected too. In mice
studies, tumors have proved to be a thousand time more
magnetic than other body tissue. Also, the verification of
magnetite in human tissue has implications for the
increasingly widespread use of MRI as a diagnostic tool,
calling its safety into question."

"Similar work by Dr. Robin Baker, at the University of
Manchester, England, found concentrations of magnetite and
iron in the human ethmoid bone in the sinus region. This is
the area of the body where some think our 'magnetic organ'
is located - high up in the posterior wall of the ethmoid
sinus at the back of the nasal passage, just in front of
the pituitary gland. The areas is rich in nerve fibers
extending along many paths to the brain."

"Dr. Baker also conducted a series of experiments on the
human ability to sense magnetic north, and was able to
disturb a test subject's sense of direction for two hours
by applying a bar magnet to the forehead for only fifteen
minutes."

"The body contains other magnetic metals, such as iron and
copper, which have slightly different magnetic properties
than magnetite. What effect externally applied EMFs have on
these metals is unknown."

pp 151-153

At any rate, I have had my cell phone turned off all month
and we have decided that we will cancel our contract with
NTT Docomo. I would urge all others to do the same and
encourage everyone you know to also do the same. And if you
don't believe the Microwaves from Cell Phone towers are
affecting the health of ourselves and our families, I
encourage you to do the research to find out - with a leary
eye to the industry-sponsored research.

I believe that the EMFs emmitted by Cell Phone Towers are
seriously affecting all of our health and that of the
planet. The only way we can stop it is to cancel our
contracts, call the phone companies to complain, and inform
as many people as we can about their dangers so that they
will hopefully do the same.

peace

paul