The Truth About Cell Phones

The debate over the safety of portable communication devices such as cellular phones and the Apple iPhone have been going on since the inception of these conveniences. It seems that, as soon as one study tells us they are dangerous with long-term use we hear of another study that says they are safe, allowing us a sigh of relief that we do not have to give up our now essential cell.

As a former smoker, I completely understand this mentality. Your common sense tells you that inhaling smoke into your lungs is probably not a healthy thing to do, just as that same sense tells you that blasting EMR (electromagnetic radiation) into your skull is probably not too safe either. But, like a smoker, the typical cell phone user has allowed this device to become such an integral part of life that it becomes easy to dismiss the evidence, dismiss you own common sense, when a scientific study tells you your phone is safe.

But this is wrong.

For now, let’s look at some basics. If your interest is piqued, you can always google for more info, there is a lot out there.

 First, let me say that, as wonderful a device as it is, the iPhone is probably the most dangerous of the communication devices. Even when off, your iPhone works as a base station. This means that, if you are anywhere between another iPhone user and a base tower, that user’s signal goes into your phone and then is transmitted back out and to the tower, so your iPhone is never really off. You can remedy this by simply putting it in “airplane mode”. In this mode, it cannot be used as a base station. Of course, it cannot be used for anything else either. But at least it is truly off.

There are two types of cell phone radiation. The first type of radiation waves are used to transmit and are measured in gigahertz, in the high range, which makes them completely safe. The second waves, the data carrier waves, carry your voice and/or computer data. These waves penetrate deep into your skull, affecting the microtubule in your brain cells. This disrupts intercellular communication and leads to serious health problems, from headaches and high blood pressure, to Alzheimer’s, brain tumors, brain cancers and more. Using cell phones for 10 years or more doubles your risk of brain cancer. Even a two-minute call alters the natural electrical activity of the brain for up to an hour after usage. Children and teenagers are the most susceptible. A humans skull is not fully developed until around age twenty, which means children’s skulls are not nearly as thick as adults, and the younger the child the thinner the skull, so the more devastating the effects of the EMR.

The development of cancers and tumors associated with cell phone use are going to be very similar to what we saw with smoking and lung cancer decades ago. It will take years and years before the cancer appears, while in the meantime everyone can lie to themselves by ignoring the negative studies and grasping on to the positive ones that show no health connections. Unfortunately, many scientists, researchers and physicians believe that, like lung cancer, many people will have to die before the rest take notice.

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70% of the energy emitted from a cell goes into your brain.

Japan has banned cell phones on trains to cut down on “second –hand radiation”

France has made it illegal to advertise cell phones to children.

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The FCC recently required that a link to a statement from them be included with every new cell phone sold. Here is the statement:

 “Keep wireless devices away from your body when they are on. Do not attach them to belts or carry them in pockets. Use the cell phone speaker to reduce head exposure. Consider texting rather than talking”

It is no secret that, when it comes to the pleasures and conveniences we hold dear, our government has not always had our best interest at heart. Usually the corporations’ bottom line is first and foremost, to the benefit of our economy, of course. If we could truly trust the media and government to protect us, cigarettes, alcohol and most prescription drugs would be illegal (for more on prescription drugs, look up what “black box” means) As much as I would love to go on a diatribe on this subject, but I will refrain and encourage you to really think about what you can believe and what information you can trust. It IS a matter of life and death.

HELPFUL INFO AND FACTOIDS

•  The less bars on the phone the weaker the signal so the more energy the phone emits. Keep the number of bars as high as possible to produce the least amount of radiation.
•  Use the speaker phone and put it on a table next to you. Holding it still exposes your hand to radiation. 7-8 inches away is good. The waves travel no more than 12 inches from the device.
• Do not keep your phone on and in you pocket. Your genital area absorbs radiation much more quickly than your head. Turn it off if you put it in your pocket.
• Wait for a call to connect before pressing the phone to your head.
• Though not as powerful, Bluetooth headsets are just as bad since they deliver the EMRs deeper into the skull.

The best solution is to wear an airtube headset. These are the cheapest ones I found today:

For more in-depth information, this is a great report.

Here is a quick study on the NIH website.

Here is another good article.

Personally, I have seen so many people I care about die from complications of smoking. The cigarette ads, the denial of danger and false studies funded by the tobacco companies, the tobacco lobbyists who owned our representatives…all played a part in allowing smokers to fool themselves into thinking smoking was not harmful. We can see this pattern happening again with cell phones. Listen to the experts this time, not he ones who profit from these devices. A decade from now, I don’t want to bury another person I love from a preventable disease.

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Sources(incomplete list):

 http://www.independent.co.uk/

http://www.emf-health.com/
http://www.mercola.com/
 http://www.psychologytoday.com/
http://www.nih.com/

Lock and Load Baby!

I do not write about Sarah Palin often. I firmly believe speaking the Devil’s name gives her power. But occasionally I get so upset I must say something. (Mostly I just call her ugly names and hope Tina Fey is on SNL again).

After several Democratic lawmakers who voted for the healthcare bill had received threats to their personal safety, Sarah Palin still believes her statement to her Tweeter groupies, “"Don't Retreat, Instead - RELOAD!" is appropriate. Geez, and I still can’t yell “FIRE” in a crowed movie theater. Now, Palin has said this is just an expression, a metaphor for her zombies to get ready at the polls. Still, someone who proudly posed for this photo while holding public office makes me a tad nervous. (Even though we know she was just preparing to hunt those pesky wolves, you know, the ones that look like the puppy worshipping you at your feet right now?)

Then there is the infamous Facebook map. I have hunted one down (pun intended) for you to see, though I cannot find one large enough to really give you the feel of how militaristic and just plain scary these crosshairs look, especially with the names of the intended “targets” at the bottom. And what do the scary red ones mean? Once again, we are belittled by Palin when we ask her the significance of this; while she is being defended in the background by, oh, whoever that guy was that ran for president with her.

In a country with a relatively recent racially violent past, in a country with its first African American President, where African American congressmen are currently being spat upon and angry white men carry guns to political rallies, this behavior is unacceptable.

Here is some advice you for Sarah Palin; with the current sociopolitical climate being what it is, and you being what you are, if you mix in the thinly veiled violent undertones of The Tea Party Movement you are so instrumental in, I would say you are one gunshot away from being accused of inciting violence. And that is a federal offense.

If anyone thinks I am over reacting here, take a look at http://teapartypatriots.ning.com/, the official website for the Tea Party Movement. You will see lots of flags, lots and lots of flags, many eagles, guns, baseball caps and flannel shirts, and oh yes, there is a photo of Hitler and Mussolini that begins a video scaring us into thinking the constitutional amendment that limits presidential terms is about to be repealed. Don’t worry, it is not, this issue comes up every time a new party takes over the white house and it never makes it to second base. I found it interesting on many levels that this bit of fear mongering propaganda was produced by Native Americans Against Obama. Think about the irony for a minute.

So as I step off my soap box, let me leave you with this photo (admittedly, a partially Photoshoped magazine cover image Palin was furious about, which makes it oh so much sweeter)as a reminder of who these intellectual giants are idolizing.

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