The Cell Phone Controversy

Ever since the advent of the cell phone many believe that cancer in it's many forms increases with each new user. Now, the medical community as well as International Association For Research On Cancer have definitive findings that the cell phones and mobile phone towers themselves all have had a hand in the increase of cancer rates all over the world. In order to understand the risks involved in contracting any form of cancer from cell phones one has to know just how these phones today operate. All cell phones emit radio frequency energy that much we know or should know. But it is this form of non-ionizing electromagnetic radiation, which is absorbed by tissues closest to where the phone is held is the main factor that puts light on the fact that cancer can be developed. A focal point of cancer research. The amount of radio frequency energy a mobile phone user is exposed to depends on the technology of the phone, the distance between the phone's antenna and the user, the extent and type of use, and the user's distance from mobile phone towers.

The questions that need direct answers to are many. One of the most concerning is, how does the impact of continued cell phone use cause cancer and other health related problems? There are many reasons why people should be wary of the over use of cell phones. First of all these types of phones really do emit radio frequency energy, commonly known as radio waves. They really are a form of non-ionizing radiation. When tissues nearest to where the phone is held they will absorb this type of energy. As it stands today the number of cell phone users continues to rise. Just as recently as two years ago where more than 303 million people subscribed to any number of cell phone services in the United States. Today, we have added another 100 million users. According to the International Telecommunications Union world wide usage tops 5 billion. With so may people using cell phones, the number of calls per day, the length of each call, and the amount of time people use their cell phones have all increased dramatically over the last few years. Cancer rates too have only increased. A connection? Something to think about.

Secondly, we have to understand just how radio frequency energy works and how it affects the human body. It is this radio frequency energy that is actually a form of electromagnetic radiation. Electromagnetic radiation are either ionizing, like X-rays, or non-ionizing, which are extremely low level frequency radio waves. The problems begin with the exposure to ionizing radiation which is known to increase the risks of getting cancer. Many studies over the past few years have had inconclusive evidence that non-ionizing radiation causes cancer. Inconclusive, but just more recently after evaluating several studies on the possibility of a connection between cellphones and glioma and a noncancerous brain tumor known as acoustic neuroma, members of the International Agency for Research on Cancer, part of the World Health Organization, agreed that there's limited evidence that cellphone radiation is a cancer-causing agent, a carcinogenic. As a result, the group classified radio frequency electromagnetic fields as possibly carcinogenic to people. This finding was based on the evidence from human studies, from studies of radio frequency energy and cancer in rodents along with studies from genotoxicity. Together with the effects on the immune system, gene and protein expression, cell signaling, oxidative stress and apoptosis, with the studies of the possible effects of radio frequency energy on the blood brain barrier all resulted in the fact that cancer was more prone to develop than not with continued mobile phone usage.

With so many people subscribing to cell and smart phones today our youth, one of the largest segments of the population with mobile phones, have the potential to be at a greater risk than adults for developing brain cancer, especially with so many now relying on their cell phones. What makes this so disturbing is the fact that their nervous systems are still developing and therefore more vulnerable to factors that increases the probability they will contract cancer. Their heads are smaller than those of adults and therefore have a greater proportional exposure to the field of radio frequency radiation that is emitted by cell phones. And, children have the potential of accumulating more years of mobile phone exposure than adults do. It should also be noted that the rise of breast cancer can also be linked to the fact that so many women store their mobile phones in their bras. Again, something to be concerned about.

Another fact to contend with the rising rates of cancer and cell phone usage are the cell phone towers themselves. Researchers from the Center for Research in Environmental Epidemiology in Spain are conducting another international study, called Mobil Kids. This study is to evaluate the risks associated with new communications technologies including cell phones and other environmental factors in young people newly diagnosed with brain tumors at ages 10 to 24 years. From this study there has been strong evidence that support the findings that cell phone usage and the proximity of cell phone towers contribute to the rising rates of cancer especially in children and young adults.

Could exposure to radiation from cell phone towers really be responsible for over 7,000 cancer deaths? According to research findings from Brazil, the facts speak for themselves. There was just recently a report that established a direct link between cancer deaths in Belo Horizonte, Brazil's third largest city, with the cell phone network. Over 80 percent of those who succumbed to certain types of cancer resided approximately a third of a mile away from one of the hundreds of cell phone antennae that spread all over the city. These cancers, primarily found in the prostate, breasts, lungs, kidneys, liver, are the ones associated with exposure to electromagnetic fields (EMFs). This is a real concern for cell phone users and even land line phone users alike. Those who shun mobile phone technology still will suffer the consequences of cell phone tower radiation.

There have been cell phone tower studies which examined the relationship between radiation exposure and cancer rates were conducted in the cities of San Francisco, Austria, Germany, and Israel, dating as far back as the 1970s. All of these studies shared similar findings that living within a certain proximity to a mobile phone tower increased the risk of cancer anywhere from two to 121 times depending on what type of cancer was detected.

Adilza Condessa Dode, PhD, one of the engineering researchers as well as the coordinator of a Brazilian study, addresses the fact that the levels of EMF's emitting from cell phone towers are already too high and that the closer one lives to one of these towers the greater the contact with the electromagnetic field.

The citizens of the of United States are just as vulnerable too. America is home to hundreds of thousands of these radiation emitting towers. In the U.S., with the proliferation of cell phones and the growing needs of cell phone users in recent years, there has been an explosion in cell towers. A growing number of organizations and many more studies support the conclusions of the Brazilian study. The International Association for Research on Cancer (IARC), based upon findings from research conducted by an international think tank, came to the conclusion that radio frequency radiation, including the radiation spewing from cell towers, is a possible carcinogen. The BioInitiative 2012 Report written by a group of leading independent international scientists has put out an unequivocal health warning against exposure to EMFs. This includes exposures from cell phone towers.

Why are cell phone towers so instrumental in increasing the risks of cancer? The threat comes from the constant nature of the activity of the towers; they emit pulsed radio frequency radiation. This radiation has been shown in thousands of studies to cause biological damage to the body and to be a precursor to disease. the dangers resulting form these towers are:

• Genetic mutations
• Memory disruptions
• Hindered learning
• ADD
• Insomnia
• Brain disorders
• Hormonal imbalances
• Infertility
• Dementia
• Heart complications

These dangers clearly make it imperative to take action.

What we can say though is that cell towers and their implantation needs effective regulation in terms of location and radiation levels. The 1996 Telecommunications Act (TCA), does not qualify the public's right to protest cell tower locations based on health hazards. This act has been instrumental in why cancer rates continue to rise. Profit and money continues to be the motivation of where cell phone towers are put. The public has a right to know and decide when and where Cell towers should be located. And that includes locating them away from residential areas and far away from schools and day care centers. Only then will we see a reduction in mobile and smart phone related cancers.
By Dr. Tim G Williams

No Guarantee

In solitude I hunger for the days of long ago. Where a gentle summer breeze carries me away to a world much different than now. A world filled with peace and tranquility though unrecognizable today. A world that has morphed into a harshness where many troubled souls continue to languish in quiet desperation hoping and praying for better times ahead. They too hunger and thirst for those days of so long ago. What should be a joyous coming holiday season millions the world over are caught in a whirlwind of despair. Then there are those so fortunate indeed who are too often caught up in selfish motivation that don't even realize how blessed their lives actually are. For they can't seem to fathom the realities so many face. Self embellishment, not the lest bit concerned of how others fare. Why they should concern themselves for the troubles others face. Shielded behind the wall of apathy where money plays it's part. They have taken for granted all that they have so why give the many thanks for their blessings so far? It always seem to be that the more materialistic people become the more they want. The many apathetic attitudes have carried over to this time of year.

The commercialism of today has set the tone for more selfish whims to be displayed. It is no more apparent than what se see today that many can't wait to rush through Thanksgiving only to run out the door in hopes of beating the growing crowds besieging so many stores. The avalanche of humanity stampeding to get the latest gadget is not a wonder to behold. Lost in translation of the holiday season is the fact that today society has been corrupted by what really doesn't matter. Lost is the reverence of this time of year now replaced by commercialism glorifying materialistic majesty in practically every facet of genre.

It is around this time of year that it never ceases to amaze the display of gluttony by so many has only gotten worse while millions the world over lay impoverished where just having shoes on their feet would be celebration enough. But, there still no guarantee for those many souls who wait so desperately hoping this time of year their days of suffering, woe and despair will finally disappear.

The clock is ticking, no time to spare, are days may be numbered no joy to renew. After years of disingenuous policies by the powers that be have squandered the hopes and dreams of much of humanity. The hopes and dreams have all died on those vines of so many lost opportunities. They have taken away the avenues to success and in the process have intensified the tempests of torment around the world today. The struggle for survival continues to mount. To think the troubles are a world away as many a politician continues to say is a plain distortion of reality today.

What should be a festive time of year is clouded over by doubt and fear. But, for many are oblivious, don't seem to care for the commercialism they see has been overwhelming displacing the realities. No benevolence they share, where selfish motivation is all that they care. Even many of the powers that be continue to assault the impoverished multitudes who continue to grow in numbers with each stroke of the pen. The reversal Robin Hood mentality has already taken hold. Just look at the numbers of late for they underscore the real dangers we face. But, then again leave it to our most prestigious members of state where already have common core curriculums in place in every state. Where 3 X 5 = not 15 but some unknown figure that remains to be seen. It is not any wonder now why we can't get it right.

Without that helping hand that so many need those financial wizards of Washington have stopped extending that helping hand. They can't seem to understand what they have done. In short sighted thinking have exasperated an already feeble economy. Unfazed, they continue to cease to amaze the acumen to which they famously ignore the very public that they are supposed of serve. It is no more evident with this coming year for millions of Seniors their plight only worsens. When our dubious legislators passed legislation concerning Social Security where cost of living increases make it possible for seniors to stay in their homes, buy food, pay utilities, and keep paying those Medicare Part B premiums that have increased this year will get no cost of living adjustment. A cost of living adjustment that still won't keep pace with all the other rising costs of today just because gas prices per gallon we pay at the pump today are not as costly as they once were. It really is a perverted sense of equation when it comes to cost of living adjustments for our seniors.

To add salt to the wound as they say over 600,000 seniors already are in reverse mortgage foreclosures. And, without a cost of living increase the prognosis is that thousands more will be faced with foreclosure. All those TV adds that we see more frequently today when either Fred Thompson or Henry Winkler push reverse mortgages as a useful financial tool are really beguiling the public into thinking that it is free money when in reality all reverse mortgages are nothing more than a home line of credit that has to be paid back with compounding interest. Leave it to Einstein who visualized compounding interest as the eighth wonder.

Now when government has almost come to an impasse the points of contention have always been placed on the backs of our citizens who can least afford the luxuries that many of our powers that be take for granted. No shame or remorse from the powers that control. But, for us depending on safety nets in place there is actually no guarantee. One day for certain just when we can't say if policies are not changed those guarantees that we have depended upon for life's basic necessities will be ripped away.

There is still time to thwart impending catastrophe but only through collective participation can a democratic republic survive. It takes a united effort to wield the sword of equality in this time of need. To get back to a semblance of those wondrous days of yesteryear would be so refreshing for many this time of year. Where peace and understanding held us together. The guarantees we had then were honored and not take for granted. When there was not just Social Security but pensions were taken, and one could actually put some of their paychecks in savings where there was an actual interest rate that rewarded savers. Many a baby boomers parents could be assured of these three guarantees. The effort is needed now to guarantee that the future is there for all to share.

The torch will pass this next November so that a new generation should be guaranteed that the avenues of success will not be blocked and the safety nets for all those in need will be their lending that helping hand to overcome life's adversities. To secure the future of this nation requires the knowledge to use the tools that are available is up to each and everyone of us. No longer can we lie in apathy. A collective caring contributing to ending the quagmire that has squandered too many avenues of economic growth and stability for far too many Americans has to be the choice we make. Dr. Tim G Williams

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