Category: Government

CEO Brian Stein, “I am EMF sensitive”

 

Brian Stein is a CEO of a UK company and is speaking about his EMF sensitivity, also known as electromagnetic hypersensitivity (EHS). His video is a warning to others about the risks of cell phone use, the signs to watch for and how governments and industry have covered up the health and safety risks.

Do your ears get hot when you use a cell or cordless phone? Do you experience discomfort or pain? These are the early warning signs he ignored and although tests revealed he did not have a brain tumor he’s been left with EHS, which he calls a nightmare. He must avoid many modern conveniences including computers and TV. Travel and vacations have become very difficult.

Dr. Slesin: Cell phone study safety claims: “bias run amuck”

From Dr. Louis Slesin,

The latest analysis of the tumor risks among cell phone users in Denmark and the accompanying editorial brings to mind the old saying: “Trust your mother, but cut the cards.”

Be warned: Before you believe what you are told by the Danish Cancer Society or the Karolinska Institute or what you read in the British Medical Journal, check out the facts for yourself.

As for IARC, there seems to be an internal dispute going on as to whether it should take seriously its own panel’s decision to designate cell phone radiation as a possible cancer agent. It’s not clear what side IARC Director Chris Wild is on.

Read our in-depth report on the latest example of bias run amuck on cell phones and tumors: http://www.microwavenews.com/DanishCohort.html

PG&E’s Big Confession

In April of 2010 the EMF Safety Network filed an application with the California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC) asking for hearings on health impacts, including “Smart” Meter radio frequency (RF) emissions data. We wrote:

“PG&E’s paltry, inconsistent and contradictory information on RF emissions from Smart Meters is unbelievable and at odds with other RF expert findings.  Several PG&E bulletins and spokespersons make varying claims on how often the Smart Meter electric meters transmit RF, anywhere from every hour to every 4 to 6 hours to 2% or 4% of the time.

We just wanted the facts, but the CPUC rubber stamped PG&E’s claims of RF safety and dismissed our application stating:

” All radio devices in PG&E’s Smart Meters are licensed or certified by the FCC and comply with all FCC requirements.”

“Smart Meters produce RF emissions far below the levels of many commonly used devices.”

PG&E provides information from Richard Tell Associates on their website titled, “Supplemental Report on An Analysis of Radiofrequency Fields Associated with Operation of the PG&E SmartMeter Program Upgrade System”  This report states Smart Meters transmit at 1 watt with 0 antennae gain. It claims:

The 1 watt transmitter is configured to transmit data approximately once every four hours back to the company so its duty cycle is very small (the actual data transmission duration during any four hour period will vary, however, depending on how often a particular meter transmitter acts as a repeater for other nearby meters).

From PG&E’s Smart Meter FAQ: SmartMeters™ utilize a low power (1 watt) wireless radio to send customer energy-usage information wirelessly to PG&E for data collection.….Do electric SmartMeters™ constantly emit RF? PG&E answers:

No. SmartMeters™ communicate intermittently, with each RF-signal typically lasting from 2 to 20 milliseconds. These intermittent signals total, on average, 45 seconds per day. For the other 23 hours and 59 minutes of the day, the meter is not transmitting any RF.

In a letter to Congresswoman Lynn Woolsey, the FCC writes, “the devices [Smart Meters] normally transmit for less than one second a few times a day and consumers are normally tens of feet or more from the meter face…”

All right, enough with the false claims! Just give us some real facts!  Recently CPUC administrative law judge Amy Yip-Kikugawa ordered all investor owned utilities (IOU’s ) to answer Smart Meter radio frequency (RF) questions. PG&E’s answers are an astounding confession!  Question 2: How many times in total (average and maximum) is a smart meter scheduled to transmit during a 24-hour period?

PG&E says the average number of RF pulses for the electric meter would be about 10,000, per meter, per day and the maximum number over 190,000.

90% of these pulses are for the mesh network maintenance (signals bouncing from homes) and only 6 pulses are for reading the meter data. This doesn’t include Home Area Network transmissions.

How about peak power figures?  The PG&E electric meter transmits at 900MHz with 1 watt of transmit power. It has an antennae gain 4.0 dBi for a peak level power of 2.5 watts.  That’s two and a half times more than their safety data stated.

The wireless gas meters transmit between 4 and 5 times a day at 132-794 mW.

Answers provided by San Diego Gas and Electric and So Cal Gas were similar, although PG&E electric meters appear to be five times stronger, just like Sage Associates found in their study.

San Francisco recommends cell phone precautions

The City and County of San Francisco announced the nations first cell phone ordinance.

Recommendations from the city include:

• Limiting cell phone use by children: Developing brains and thinner skulls lead to higher absorption in children.

• Using a headset, speakerphone or text instead: Exposure decreases rapidly with increasing distance from the phone.

• Using belt clips and purses to keep distance between your phone and body: Do not carry on your body to at least meet the distance specified in your phone’s user manual

• Avoiding cell phones in areas with weak signals (elevators, on transit, etc.) Using a cell phone in areas of good reception decreases exposure by allowing the phone to transmit at reduced power.

• Reducing the number and length of calls: Turn off your cell phone when not in use.

The materials required under the ordinance include a factsheet, poster and stickers.

 

Peevey OKs Analogs!


On Thursday September 22, at the California Public Utilities Commission business meeting, President Michael Peevey told Chandu Vyas, who’s been suffering from headaches, that he could talk to PG&E and they would provide that he “could go back to the analog meter”. President Peevey directed Mr. Vyas to contact Mr. Sidney Bob Dietz, whose number is: 415-973-5921.

If you want to remove your Smart Meter and have an analog restored, contact Mr. Dietz, or contact Thomas Bottorff,  415-973-3889.

President Peevey could not just allow Mr. Vyas his analog, without allowing others, right?

CPUC Smart Meter opt-out workshop follow up

PGEE Sue attended the meeting too

On September 14, the CPUC held a Smart Meter opt-out workshop to discuss the different technologies and opt out options.

The workshop was tightly run, with two armed guards posted at the entrance and many comments sent in, or questions posed were dismissed as being “beyond the scope” of the workshop.

The judge threatened to shut down the workshop when David Wilner challenged a utility vendor statement that the meters were only one watt. Later in the day the vendor announced that it is one watt with an antennae gain which effectively can double the radiated power.

  • SCE said they will now allow opt out and set up a delay list.
  • Silver Springs representative admitted that power line carrier (PLC) adds microwaves (RF) (aka dirty electricity) to the home’s wiring.
  • The truth about how Smart Meters transmit data finally has been publicly exposed and admitted by the utilities. Smart Meters “chatter” all day, all night long. PG&E said transmissions occur 6X a day, but the Silver Springs representative admitted the network needs to talk to itself to function well.
  • I pointed out according to an ITRON study the pulses could be as many as 2 per second, the rep did not consider that “constant” (as defined by the FCC). They time average the RF peak pulses, minimize the duty cycle (rather than 100%) and claim they only transmit for a minute or so a day. What do you think…is 2 pulses per second constant?
  • Jim Meadows who represented PG&E stated that if anyone was on the delay list and got a smart meter (SM) that PG&E would “make it right”.
  • Utilities stated that an analog cost $20 and a SM cost $100.
  • SM have a shelf life of 20 years according to ITRON and Silver Springs.
  • There was not a lot of support for fiber optics, telephone or wired meters.

The Judge said she will meet next with the “staff” (President Peevey and the energy division who are promoting SM) and we would be able to comment and reply comment to their decision. That likely means no evidentiary hearings, no cross examination, just a proposed decision followed by comments.

CA utilities to microwave 5000 homes

On July 28, the California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC) ordered utilities to install Home Area Network (HAN) devices and activate the second 2.4 ghz microwave antennae in the electric Smart Meter in 5000 CA homes.  (P. 4 ” The decision orders PG&E, SCE, and SDG&E to each file a Tier 3 advice letter advice letter within four months to develop Smart Meter Home Area Network implementation plans specific to each. The plans must include an initial rollout of service to up to 5000 Home Area Network (HAN) devices that would allow HAN activation for early adopters upon request. … The full rollout shall require smart meters to transmit energy usage data to the home so that it can be received by a HAN device…”)

The industry/government partnered concept is that all new appliances will contain microwave antennas to operate in conjunction with the HAN, alerting consumers about their power consumption. What they don’t tell you is this HAN device will give utilities direct access into your home to turn on, or off your appliances, to control your electric use. What is not advertised is how the utilities will market data they collect from you to interested third parties, nor how microwave radiation was known to make people sick,  is known to make people sick,  is making people sick, and is now classified as a class 2B carcinogen by the WHO.

Will the utilities warn these 5000 homeowners of the health and safety risks of microwave radiation? NO they won’t. Will they investigate to see how near to the HAN or wireless meter people in the home sleep? NO they won’t. Will they inquire about age or immune sensitivity prior to installation of the HAN? No they won’t. Will they inquire about the use of other wireless medical devices? No they won’t. Will they disclose how often these microwaves will be transmitted, to and from the meter, HAN and appliances? No, they won’t. Will they prove that constant exposure to microwave radiation throughout your home is safe? No, they won’t. Meanwhile appliance manufacturers are gearing up to sell all new appliances with microwave transmitters to work with the HAN.

This directive to microwave 5000 homes was announced at the CPUC meeting, shortly after dozens of California ratepayers passionately implored the Commission to halt the radiation rollout.  Speaker after speaker shared how the wireless meters were making them sick and even homeless. The first speaker stated that since the new meter was installed he was having headaches and President Peevey told him to talk to PG&E who were in the room and that they would help him. (really?) The last speaker stated he would help anyone who wanted to remove the meter and send it back to PG&E in pieces and he did not care if it was against the law, that he would do time for it.

Following pubic comments, Commissioner Simon expressed his disappointment  in the industry and called on those who economically benefit from the technology to show up at public comments to educate the public domain (see 1:34:00 on the above referenced webcast) He said, “the public comment is very one sided…it puts me in a somewhat precarious position.”

President Peevey also stated his frustration over those opposing the meters and said, ” I think it’s kind of sad, that we had so many people here this morning talking to us about how this technology will allow people to know when they are doing their wash, and all that kind of stuff and they all walk out and have no interest in hearing us adopt something [privacy and security rules] that is fundamentally what they seek. It’s extremely frustrating, but I guess that goes with life in the fast lane and public service…” Then he laughs.  President Peevey is ignoring the main reason people are speaking at public comments and asking for immediate relief, to have meters removed because they are making people sick.

The next opportunity to speak to the Commissioners is on August 18 at 9 am at the CPUC in SF. (505 Van Ness Ave.) Prepare a one minute statement. Bring a few friends- It’s going to take hundreds of people showing up and demanding a halt to this program.